The eminence in shadow: A Mob's way out of polygamy 3

Chapter 3: Peaceful days

It's been already one year since I recruited Alpha in our little role play game. I'm still proud about my improvised ad lib ability that I showed her. Nevertheless, soon I began to realize that Alpha wouldn't be the only member in "Shadow Garden". She sometimes brings me to some strays and some girls who are also possessed but not as far as Alpha was. After a while, it got tiresome to find time to go explore with her only for her to bring me to a possessed girl and not even some bandits that we could kill and plunder! So I taught her how cure magicial overload. Well "taught" would be an overstatement, because I only told her something about wavelenghs and how magic flow is like a river and possession is just like some beavers building a dam.

I don't know how she learned anything with this anology, but it worked and so we got new and fresh members that Alpha collected all by herself. I have the mental image of her picking up lost kitten and puppies, thus making her the mother of all of them. And to be honest, she really acts like a mother all the time.

Better not tell her that. She's just my age and what I learned from two different mothers (the one back on earth and my mother now) is that women don't like to talk about their age or don't want to be seen older than everyone else. Especially if they're young.

Our little Shadow Garden group expanded with two more elves and one therianthrope, who resembles a wolf, I think? I didn't want to divergence from the name order when I already named Alpha "Alpha", so I, of course, had to name the three: "Beta", "Gamma" and "Delta". While I know, or still haven't found, that there's not a greek alphabet in this world, thus nobody except me being bothered by a name difference, I am what you call a perfectionist.

Let's start with how we found Beta. Just a month after the founding of Shadow Garden, Alpha came to me, diguised in a maid outfit, to give me a message where she marked the location of another possessed. We agreed to meet up in the abandoned town where I first cured her and made our way to this girl.

"Alpha, how did you find out the location of another possessed so fast?"

"...I knew this girl before the symptoms of possession began to tarnish my skin. She also had some black spots on her skin but never said anything about it. Maybe she didn't want to talk about it."

Ohhh. A backstory for our little Alpha and if I ask right I can get some loredump to what's going on in her hometown.

"I see, a sad story. But the path you are walking on demands to leave your past behind. Anything that could be a weakness from your former life must be discarded."

No, not like that you idiot!

"Yes! Of course, Shadow!"

Ahhhh. I blew it! Better luck next time.

"But good job using your information and knowledge from before to locate another victim of the cult."

To be honest, I wouldn't mind if it was just us two in this play. But hey, more members can mean more potential in expanding the lore that we will make up!

Her cheeks turn into a tinge of red after my compliment.

"I'm honored to recieve your praise, but we must save our future companion first before the cult finds her."

"Of course. Let us hurry."

And so we find ourselves in an unknown forest, dense in trees and bushes and not a single breathing life nearby. Well only if you are a normal person, but for me I just had to enhance my senses with magic, which gives me a thermal like view around the forest and I can see a little girl lying in a bush.

"This way."

As I make my way towards her, my ears pick up some footsteps and muffled voices only tens of meters away.

"She should be somewhere around here!"

"Let's find her quickly! I want to go home already."

This could be Alpha's first chance of battle experience from someone other than me. But wait, isn't a gang of bandits against one girl pretty unfair for a beginner? Meh, I'm sure it'll be fine. Alpha has a lot of guts and if things come hard on hard I'll just intervene in the fight and take Alpha and this new girl home.

"Alpha."

She immeadiatly stops behind me and stands up straight.

"Yes."

"There are some unpleasant people around us, if you know what I mean. Their goal is the same as ours: the girl. I trust you to handle them, while I cure the possessed one. Is that clear?"

"The cultists are around us...? As expected of you Shadow, only you would be able to sniff them out instantly. Very well, I will exterminate them now."

The way she delievers her lines is almost perfect! As expected of you Alpha!

"Now, go. Don't waste any time chitchatting."

"Of course!"

She vanishes without a trace. Hmm, did I ever teach her that? Knowing Alpha, she taught it herself.

Well then, it's time to find our next co-actor.

On my way to the bushes, I can see the girl lying on her side, breathing heavily. She has some spots on her body where rotting flesh is growing out in places where nothing should grow out from. From her temperature he can see that she has a high fever and her body is doing its best to keep her alive for some minutes more.

Ah, right. You don't automatically die when you're possessed. You just begin to rot away until someone finds you and brings you to the church where they execute you.

But it wouldn't hurt to help her out of her misery. Not in the killing way, though.

I stretch my hand out towards her and a purple light surrounds the area in a 10 meter radius. I pour some of my magic into her body and the rotting part on her body begin to grow back until nothing is left of the possession. In the distance I can hear some swords clashing against one after another and hear some death screams here and there. That could only mean...

Alpha is doing a good job hunting those bandits! Maybe they have some valuables with them!

The elf girl opens her eyes in the same way Alpha did one month ago.

"...Where am I?..."

She looks at her body only to realize that any signs of possession on her body were gone now.

Now that I look at her more clearly, I can see how Alpha was friends with someone like her. Both of them have the looks to seduce any man. As the saying goes: birds of a feather flock together. She has silver hair, were you can almost confuse it with a white color, only down to to her shoulders. She also has a mole under her left eye. Her clothes are torn and ragged, probably because she had to flee from the people pursuing her.

"You have been freed of what you call possession. But there's no time to explain. We have to go."

"Go where?"

"To a safe place. Where we will explain everything to you."

Mostly Alpha because, I don't like to admit it, she can ad lib better than I can.

She looks hesistant but has a suprised look on her face when Alpha appears beside me.

"Shadow, the group of cultists are defeated. Not a single one survived."

"Good job, Alpha."

"...Alpha...? But your name is-"

"Alpha. That is my new name and I won't change it in meantime."

The new girl falls silent at that statement from Alpha. And so we bring her with us back to the Kagenou domain in the abandoned town where Alpha gives a shortform explanation of the things that I made up one month ago. The new girl, like Alpha, wants to wipe out "the cult of Diablos" and pledges allegiance to me. So I give her some of my magic, slime and give her the name...

"Beta. That will your name from now on."

I'll have to come back later and plunder the corpses of the bandits.

"..., Cid. Cid? CID! Are even listening to me?"

"Huh?"

Someone knocks me out of my flashback and I see that Amelia Hikari is standing right before me. She looks angry about something. Amelia points her finger up my forehead and pokes it several times.

What was I doing again? Ah, I remember. I have a tea party going on. Not very mob like but it was either that or Claire hauling my ass off near the river bank. And to be honest, the scipt of Cid Kagenou says that literally everything should come before "Training with Claire". So I have to act my role out perfectly.

"Geez! You have to listen when people are talking to you! How else are you supposed to make connections with other nobles in this country?"

"Why should I have a conversation with a higher ranking noble? They'll just probably look down on me and if I'm lucky, the only thing they will do is spitting in my face and go away."

"That's not true! Look at me! I'm a duchess, a higher ranked noble above you, and have I ever spat on you?"

"No, but you've done worse."

"For example?"

"You team up with Nee-san when you both can't find me. And in the case when you find me, you both always have the weirdest ideas to "punish" me."

"Oh, c'mon! Are you still mad about that?"

"You made me your dog for a whole week and used me as a human boat to get over the river, although you can just use magic to walk on water. I can't see where you leave me any other choice but to be mad at you."

Well, she has a point. I'm not really mad at her, I just act like it. But she doesn't know that.

"Back to the topic, you shouldn't ignore people when they are talking to you. Especially me. But still, listen when someone starts a conversation with you."

Now changing the topic, huh?

"Yes, Amelia."

"I'm doing this for your sake, don't forget this! In four years we are expected to go Midgar Academy in the Midgar capital. And if I don't fix your attitude within these four years, you'll never be able to find any friends!"

"Yes, Amelia."

"But don't worry, if nobody wants to be your friend, I can always take up that role! But that doesn't change the fact that I still have to lecture you about this, although you're already supposed to know this!"

"Yes, Amelia."

"..."

"..."

"Hey, don't you think it's a good idea to go to our parents and say that we both want to get married when we turn 18?"

"No, Amelia."

"*tch* Even if you're listening, which infurates me, please give some kind of different answer!"

The tongue clicking, the unreasonable request for something at my expense and the rise of the annoyance meter in her when I refuse.

Yep, all of these signs show that she's spending way too much time with Claire. That's not good for the future. If they're already teaming up, what would happen when we three are all in Midgar?

I shuddered at the thought of that. The risk of my freedom and the time to do some Eminence in Shadow things are in whims of two women. I can't let things go on like this anymore! That would make my reincarnation completly useless if I don't have the time to train myself against a nuke! I have to find a solution. FAST!

"I don't know why you're complaining? You were the one who told me to listen, right?"

"Yes! But not in this way! The way you answer gives the impression that you don't care one bit about the person standing right in front of you! Would you still act like that infront of a princess? I don't think so!"

"Speak for yourself. Whether a bandit or the king himself talks to me, I won't change. Why would I? I like myself the best anyway."

Eh, the event of "important character talks to the lowly mob" only happens to make the protagonist shine. And if that time ever comes, don't expect me to be anywhere near that. The attention of all the people around me would make stand out way too much. But maybe I should still act a little more mob like, depending on who I'm talking to.

Amelia looks at me with a strange expression. More like a suprised one? Or maybe even confused? I don't know. But that doesn't last long before she laughs and grabs my hand and pulls me up from my chair.

"You never change, do you? But that's what I like about you."

"Hey! My precious pastries!"

"They were a gift from me anyways!"

"More reason not to waste them!"

"Don't be such a crybaby! I can always get you new ones. So come and play with me for a bit!"

"Ehhhhh."

"Don't "Ehhhhh" me. I know this will be fun, so c'mon let's go!"

"But-"

A shrilling voice could be heard in the distance.

"CID! WHERE ARE YOU? IT'S TIME FOR YOUR SWORDTRAINING!"

We both look at each other for a moment.

"You know, on second thought, maybe it's not so bad to play with you."

She smiles smugly and drags me away into town.

"You only realize that now? What changed your mind? My beauty? My intellect? Is it the money?"

Wait, she's willing to give some her money to me?! No, wait. Calm your horses, Cid. That could be another scam attempt. Don't fall for it!

"It's the fear of my sister."

"You better never tell her that. She'll kill your ass seven times over."

"*Gasp* Such a crude language for a young lady like you! Have your parents never taught you any manners?"

"Can it! I know that you don't care either way if I talk formal or informal with you."

As I'm being dragged away from my house, I begin to play the flashback how we found our third member.

It was a normal day. The birds were singing, flowers were blooming and the sun was shining brightly. I just came back into my study room after a training session with Claire, so I had a excuse to not go outside for the rest of the day as Cid because I had to heal.

Suddenly I hear a knock coming from my door.

I certaintly hope that it's not Amelia. Cid Kagenou doesn't have the time nor the energy to deal with her antics.

Fortunately for me, it wasn't Amelia but a maid that was standing before my door.

"Beta. What are you doing here?"

The girls like to disuise themselves with slime to adapt another form. The person standing before me wasn't really Beta, if you look from the outside, but a normal maid with shoulder long brown hair, yellow eyes and a mole under her other eye. But the moment I reveal her name, she comes into my room and the slime changes its form and goes back into Beta's clothes.

"Lord Shadow! We have found the location of another possessed girl!"

Beta comes running to me excitedly. She has glasses now. I don't know if she even got the right prescription for them or if they're made out of slime. I have to check later.

"Lord Shadow?"

She looks at me confused from my lack of response to her news.

"Very well, show it to me Beta."

"At once, my lord!"

She takes out a map from her slime suit and rolls it open on my desk. It's already pretty obvious what Beta wants to show me because the map has a huge red "X" marked on it, but I'll let Beta explain herself.

"Alpha-sama told me that she could feel a magical overload in this area in one person. And so we both investigated and asked around if someone knew anything. From the information we gathered, we found out that a possessed girl running in the forest, seemlingly fleeing from something. Or someone. We followed the traces and located approximately the wherabouts of the possessed!"

That sounds like a tiring process to do. Luckily, we have our dear Alpha who does this job for me. Man I really can't thank her enough.

"I see. Well then, let us not waste any time and find this girl immediately. Inform Alpha to meet in the abandoned town the same as last time."

"But what is "the same as last time", my lord?"

"Alpha will know. Just follow her lead and you will understand."

"Understood!"

Just like Alpha, Beta is also very gullible. They seem to have a lot on common.

Wait a minute... Did they really leave me out of an adventure beyond the lands to look for someone? I thought we were a gang, guys...

"Uhrghm. One last thing, Beta."

"Yes, my lord?"

"When did you two go finding this possessed one?"

"If I remember correctly... It was a week ago when we first began our search for her. But I thought you knew that, my lord."

"And why is that?"

"Because Alpha-sama left a note for you, informing you about our whereabouts and plans for the next week."

Oh, you mean that. How am I supposed to read an ancient language written in code, Alpha? Please explain your thought process there!

Flashback:

"We should use a code, in case some of our documents get leaked somewhere. Don't you think so too, Shadow?"

"Yeah sure do what you want."

He was thinking about cool lines he wants to say.

"Excellent. Here are the code meanings and the alphabet for the ancient language."

He took it from her hands, looked at it barely and then made it go up in flames in an instant.

"You already memorized everything by just a glance!? As expected of you, Shadow. Your skills know no bounds."

He was just too lazy to read anything that Alpha wrote on these papers. So he just burned them immeadiately.

And so, he never learned how to read the codes that the shades would give him over the years.

"Of course I knew. I just wanted to test you if you still remember important memories if the situation demands it."

"As expected of you, Lord Shadow!"

Maybe, in the future, when I'm bored, will I find the motivation to actually translate the things the girls keep giving me. While these so called "important documents" are basically wothless crap of fantasy scribbles, I appreciate the thought and the commitment in doing something like this.

In the woods, somewhere unknown:

I'm having a feeling of deja vu right now. Jumping over trees with elves behind me and looking for a another possessed girl, sounds like a repetition of the plot. I certaintly hope that some other new ideas are going to come to Alphas or Betas head, because I can already see this getting uninteresting in the future.

Disregarding the thought, I can't sense any other people in this area or anywhere in a 10 kilometer radius. This girl has some will power to survive this long, being possessed like that and not getting hauled by random monsters in the area is a hard job to do.

Props to this girl, I have to admit.

Not soon after I think that, we reach the spot where the magical overload feels the strongest.

Urgh. Why does she have to be naked? Is that normal for elves when they're possessed? Alpha was like that too. Well comparing her to Alpha would be unfair, because Alpha was a blob already and who in their right mind would give some clothes to rotting flesh?

The elf, who has dark blue hair, reaching down to her middle back, and has also a mole in her face under her lips, looks weak yet suprised and frightend by our arrival. She's on her knees, her arms supporting her upper body.

She has a cautionous look on her face and looks at us as if we are her grim reaper.

"Wh- Who are you, people? Are you here to finally kill me?"

"We are Shadow Garden. We lurk in the shadows to hunt the shadows. Our sole purpose here is saving you from your cruel fate."

"Saving me? I don't think you're capable of doing such a feat."

"But we can. We can cure you and additionally give you the power to stand against those who cursed you with such an illness."

"We"? Alpha, I'm the only one currently able to do this. You shouldn't lie, you know? But wait, if I teach how to set a magical overload straight, then she won't have to lie and we would be able to help more people (and recruit them to play with us). That sounds like a great idea! I should write this down in my mental bucket list.

"There is someone responsible for this?!"

"Yes, and our mission is the extermination of them without the public knowing anything about this. So choose now: Will you continiue to rot away and suffer or do you want to obtain the strength to oppose those who have wronged you?"

Silence befalls between her and us.

I don't think that is a very fair trade offer, Alpha. Everybody would choose the second option, don't you think? Oh, well. She has her own tricks for recruiting people for our play. I just have to make sure that she doesn't force them, though. That would defeat the whole purpose of it!

"I- I want power! I don't want to feel weak again! Never ever!"

"Very well, that is a wise choice. Here, take it, but always remember: true strength doesn't come from the outside, but rather from within your own core."

As always, I stretch out my hand towards her and give her some of my magic while curing her. The area around us turns into a purple color because of my magic. I can hear some scribbles and paper fluttering behind me. Probably Beta again.

"In his majestic form, he descended on the ground as someone on equal ground as the goddess Beatrix. After speaking the wisdom, that is capable to enlighten anyyone who even gets a glimpse of it, is he rescuing the helpless lamb from her cruel fate of succumbing to the curse that demon Diablos cast on the heroes descendants..."

This girl...

"This feeling... this power...! I will never forget this moment ever in my life, my lord!"

Nice! Another one to the cast! She's also beginning to call me lord before we even explained anything to her. I have a feeling that this will be a good experience.

Unknown to him, what will lie in the future ahead is something that will give him a massive headache.

"Gamma. Your name from now on, will be Gamma."

"Yes, my lord!"

As I'm being dragged to town, I have a feeling gagning on me, that the time I go home, I'll be hauled by a certain sister of mine later. Better not to worry about it. Additionally, this girl is keeping a tight hold of my hand here. I can walk on my own, you know? Whilst thinking this, I suddenly stop us by shoving my feet into the ground, abruptly stopping any movement we (she) were making.

"Woah! Don't do that! What if we fell backwards, hitting our head somewhere. You could have lost your beautiful, smart, stunning and rich childhood friend and your potential fiancee! While I could have lost you, my princ-, eh nevermind!"

She got really angry at me for something as small as stopping our walk, her run, to be more honest. She's also getting some red checks over there at the end of her rant. I certaintly hope that it's the heat or the running that is getting her.

"Yeah, yeah. I just wanted you to let go of my hand, you know? I can walk by myself, you don't have to drag me around. And my hand hurts because you're gripping it too strongly. So please let me go?"

"No."

Eh? That's an unexpected response. Surely, it's not too hard for her to let go of my hand, right?

"You look like you have several questions in your head, so let me enlighten you."

"Please do."

I can see a tick forming on her forehead. And there's a familiar aura that I only feel when mother is angry at dad for something.

"Letting go of your hand is the same as letting a newly caught fish that you always wanted back into the ocean, you know what I mean? I know that you will find the best option to flee from my grasp. So don't even think about arguing with me about this! And I have to prepare myself for the time when we hold hands as a couple."

Oh no. She's sounding like Claire again! I have to avert the topic somehow.

"What?! I would never do that! Why would I leave my beautiful, smart, stunning and rich childhood friend for completly no reason? I'm rather blessed by this oppurtinity to be with you!"

The familiar aura disappears, and her face is like a tomato now. She has a disgusting grin on her face, before she wipes it away. These lines, that I just spouted, felt nostalgic for some reason. I just can't remember when or where I've read them before. But I know that these lines are something I never want to say again.

Amelia composes herself and closes her eyes while smiling smugly.

"You finally get it! Took some time, but you now understand my charm, right? Ahhh- I've waited for this day for so long and it's finally here!"

While she rambles with herself, I use this oppurtinity to slip my hand out of her grasp. Speaking from experience, I can proudly exclaim that my "childhood friend" over there has arguably the strongest grip strength in the world. After me of course, but I doubt that even the girls in Shadow Garden hold a candle to her. Not even adults can reach up to her. My father, a trained Dark Knight, pissed her off one time and when it was time to say goodbye he offered up a handshake. Needless to say that he cried and whined in pain for the next week and swore to never give this demon incarnated girl his hand ever again.

My attempt fails, as she regains her composure and holds my hand even more firmly than before.

"And what is this supposed to be?"

Scary! Why are women in this world all so scary and powerful?

"Uhhh, I was just worried that my palms were sweaty and wanted to wipe them off, so I don't stain your hands with my sweat?"

"I don't mind. And why are you phrasing it like a question?"

Because I'm improvising the shit out of here! Do you have any idea how hard that is without practising beforehand?

"*sigh* I can see that I can't convince you to stay with me. How about this? We go together, hand in hand, taking a stroll around the town, and in return you get a sandwich?"

"Which type?"

"Tuna."

"Handmade?"

"Handmade."

"Throw in a gold coin and I'm in."

"*sigh* I can't believe that I'm being put in a lower place in your ranking than money and a tuna sandwich."

"Hey, I'm a man who has his priorities straight."

"Put those priorities away when you're with me! Many men would kill to have my attention and I'm giving it to you unconditionally!"

"Men? I didn't know that there are pedophiles in this area. You should protect yourself from now on. Oh! I have an idea! How about going less outside to bother me and stay at your safe home where you're not disturbed and are not disturbing anybody *cough* me *cough*."

"And now you're pushing me away again! What's wrong with you? Are you even a man? Is my beauty nothing to you? Do you know how much effort I gave in to pick the right outfit while not standing out too much, because I know you don't like that, and into my swordstraining to become slim and fit and also to protect you in the future, because I know from Claire that you didn't make any progress in the last few months and-"

"Okay, okay! I get it. Don't be so mad, alright? You look good today, sorry for not saying something sooner. Now let's go and get some food. I'm starving right now."

Anger issues. Check. Another point to the similarities. I think she's a Claire 2.0 in the making. Also the unpleasant feeling came back when I just said that now. I have to investigate what this phenomenon is, before it disturbs my Eminence in Shadow time.

She closes her eyes and calms herself down. Breathing slowly in and out. Her red head turns into her normal shade of skin before she opens her eyes again and looks at me.

"You're right. Let's get some sandwiches for you."

"Lead the way."

What I didn't know or didn't consider at that time was that she would bring me to her home where no help would come even if I scream. Time to think about other stuff. Oh yeah I haven't really explained how we found Delta.

Unlike the time when we found Gamma, this time it was cold. I distinctively remember this because there was snow everywhere. I was on my way to find some bandits. It only makes sense for them to come out in such times when the carriages where the slowest, because the caravan people couldn't effort some warm clothing for their horses, thus slowing the transportation down and attracting the most simple minded bandits that are out there. Some of the time, the caravan man could escape from the raid because the bandits were too focused on the goods in the carriage. Not that I blame them, but at least kill the person you are raiding. The contractor won't have a happy face when you tell him that all his goods were stolen while only you escaped. You'll most likely be killed afterwards so why let them live?

I roughly remember going to therianthrope village and seeing everyone dead already. I was pretty pissed that I came too late to even save (steal) some of the funds that were left behind and let some steam off by attacking this random wolf guy and healing a white fox girl. But these were the times when I still called myself the "Stylish bandit slayer" and now I'm a whole new person.

Back to the topic. While I was searching for some bandits to hunt, Alpha came to report something to me.

"Shadow, I have found another possessed. She is a therianthrope, presumbly a wolf type, but I was not able to tame her. Please forgive for this."

Yes! This time not a elf!

Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything personal against elves, but Shadow Garden is being overrun by the increase of elves lately. Three in a row seems a bit excessive, so I don't mind the change in race from time to time. But still, someone even Alpha couldn't triumph over instantly and had to come back to ask for help from me? This girl must be a tough nut to crack. Or she doesn't have any interest in playing with us. That could also be very possible.

"Don't worry about it, Alpha. Bring me to this girl and I will see what I can do."

"Understood!"

Alpha leads me into the middle of nowhere. I can't feel the slightest bit of magic around the area except the one of Alpha, presumably by the fight from before and an unknown source of magic. A very faint and unrefined one, bit there are still traces left. Just behind a tree a wolf girl emerges, covered in blood, hurt, exhausted and certainly in no condition to walk on like she still does. There is an arrow stuck in her leg.

Was she hunted or something?

"Uhhhg. I- I can... still hunt..."

She falls on the ground, completly, not being able to move any further.

She seems to be at the end of her energy reserves. Understandably, I don't even know how long she has been doing this.

"There you are. Looks like your illness is at an advanced stage."

Alpha makes the first move to confront her. She beastkin girl looks up to weakly, before she stands up again for a last fight to the death.

"GRRR"

"Calm down. No need to be wary. I've come to help you."

Despite Alpha's efforts to calm the girl down, it doesn't work. She still attacks Alpha with her sharp claws, rejecting Alpha's offer of help.

"So, you won't listen to reason. I might end up injuring her..."

That sounds like my chance to shine! Give me the signal, Alpha! I'm waiting!

She turns to me. The therianthrope, looking in the same direction, has an frightend look on her face and is shaking in fear.

Or is it the cold?

"Could I ask you to handle this?"

I make my entrance, seemlingly from out of nowhere in my shadow outfit. While slowly approaching her, I extend my hand out to her.

"My name is Shadow. If you seek power, come with me."

What came after Gamma again? I have to relearn the greek alphabet. Ah, I remember now, it was-

"Delta. From this day on, you shall be known by this name."

"Ugh.... Uuugh..."

She's shaking violently until-

"Uuungh!"

She throws herself on the ground lying on her back and sticking her paw- I mean her hands out. She reminds me of my pet dog, REQUIEM, that I had in my past life.

"Is that... A pose of submission?"

"Quite different from how it went with me."

Thankfully, this time it wasn't a long process.

And so we recruited Delta in our Shadow Garden group. She didn't particulary care about the lore and was only interested in hunting, eating and sleeping. What a lifestyle. Many people from my past world also lived like that. If you exclude the "hunting" part, because Japan wasn't really a place where you could hunt freely. Still, a envious life that she's living and additionally, she's so simpleminded and naive, as long as you're stronger than her.

Two years later:

In the Kagenou estate:

I'm currently on my way to visit (annoy) a certain boy living here. Cid Kagenou, so ordinary and plain compared to his sister, that you would have no other coice but to avert your eyes from him and look at the more interesting sibling. But that's how noobs think! (Cid taught me this word, when he used it without thinking and I asked him about it) Cid Kagenou has a charm that you would never find in anybody else. The way of the mob, as he likes to call it. For some reason is that his reason of living to stay in the background as much as possible.

I can't allow that! In the case that he stays as inconspicuous as possible, I won't be able to convince father to let him marry me! He won't have any achievements to show off and in the worst case scenario, father will bethroth me to some random duke son that I have never met before. I can already see him talking to some other nobles on parties. Maybe it's my paranoia, but I can't afford it if father sells me out to gain more power in this household! Why can't he just convince my stupid brother of mine to seduce some princess? Midgar isn't so far away from here and I hear some rumors of the Oriana princess coming to the Midgar capital to study abroad. That will be his chance to strike!

It was her paranoia.

While I don't believe that my brother has the looks nor the skills to actually woe a princess, I have to bet on him. If he doesn't marry rich or into power, I will be the one who gets targeted next! My happy future with Cid, that I already planned out for the next fifty years, will shatter in little pieces!

Sometimes I worry about Cid. If he stays like that his whole life, how is he supposed to make any friends at the academy? His studies are average at best and I'm beating him in swordsmanship now. He will be in bottom ranks and a potential bully victim! Not that I would ever allow that, but he has to give his best now! Otherwise are the chances of him hitting big in his career unfortunately low. And that reflects back on me, so I have to change that. I know that he has the potential, he's just too lazy to do anything.

As I go upstairs, rambling to myself (not very ladylike, but he doesn't care, so I don't care either), I reach the hall where his room is located at. Looking around I see a maid, who only joined three years ago, and walk in her direction. She's cleaning and sweeping the floor, although it looks absolutely spotless.

"Excuse me. Can you please tell me where I can find Cid Kagenou."

The maid doesn't turn around to look at me. No, she rather ignores me as she continues to clean the ever dustless floor. While I envy that our own maids back at home aren't so diligent like that, it is very rude to ignore someone when they're talking to you. Is it because of her, that Cid has problems keeping his attention to a conversation? No, Cid does it deliberately because he's bored. This maid ignores me for some other reason.

"Hello? Excuse me, I'm talking to you-"

"Please do not disturb me, miss Hikari. My only task is cleaning the floor and nothing else. If you would excuse me."

In a moment she packs all of her cleaning stuff before speed-walking away from me.

I will remember that face. Shoulder long brown hair, yellow eyes and a mole under her right eye. I may not know your name but you're as good as fired! You hear me? FIRED!

Sighing to myself I look for a different maid that isn't too busy to help me find Cid.

But as I searched and searched, I wasn't able to find any maid who wasn't already occupied or ran away from me when they saw me looking for Cid. I swear that I'm already looking for at least one hour for this godamn lazy bastard only for him to hide from me.

Maybe he ordered the maids to avoid me and not to share his wherabouts. Well time for plan B.

I change my plan and go directly to the hall, where the rooms of the Kagenou siblings are. As I go on, I just think about the things that I will make Cid do for avoiding me this much and I can't suppress my grin. Standing directly before the door of Cid's room, I give a light knock three times.

"Cid? Are you in there? I've been looking for you all day long! Please come out. For me?"

No answer.

I didn't want to resort to this. I really don't, but you leave me no other choice, Cid.

I reinforce my leg with my magic and take a deep breath. Concentrating on the weakest point on the door is my top priority right now. The reason why I have to look for the weak point of a door is because of the one time I kicked Cid's door open while he was changing his clothes. I, on my side, didn't mind the eye candy at all. What 13 year old has already such a body? That was another reason why I think that Cid is either too lazy to do anything with his potential or is hiding his real abilities from everyone for the swole reason of not wanting to stand out.

Cid, on his side, did mind me suddenly barging into his room unannounced and certainly didn't find it funny that I caught him changing. Yes, maybe I drooled here and there for a bit, but that's completly normal when you see the one who you fancy half naked. Especially when he has a toned body. After that incident, he asked his parents to build him a sturdier door with magic to support it. Unfortunately, Claire was also for this, as she didn't like the idea of me coming into her brothers room when I felt like it. And because Claire vouched for it, it was built in instantly in such a spectacular way that I almost broke my leg when I attempted to kick again.

But humans learn from their mistakes. And so I had to find a way to kick Cid's door in.

Back to the topic, as I get ready to kick his door in, I get stopped by a firm hand on my shoulder. I turn around and see the person I was looking for!

"What do you think you're doing to my door, Amelia?"

"Cid, finally! I've been looking for you! Where were you?"

And why are your maids avoiding me?

"I was taking a stroll with Nee-san. She wanted to show me something interesting on her body, but that quickly turned into a stretching session."

"Phrasing, Cid!"

Claire emerges behind Cid. Her usual frown is gone and while she looks more relaxed than usual, she also has a confused look on her face.

"The black spots... the uncomfortable feeling... it's completely gone?"

Black spots? Like the ones I have?

"Claire, could you please tell me what you wanted to show?"

"Huh, uh, yeah, I mean, no I can't! Cid already helped me with it, so they're gone now."

"Could at least tell me what problems you had? I'm really curious now."

"*sigh* I had some black spots on my skin and could feel my magic swaying here and there for a bit."

"And your first idea was to come to Cid and show him this?"

She such a massive brocon sometimes.

"Hey! It was a good idea! The pain is gone now and I don't feel so burdened anymore. So, thank you, little brother!"

"No problem."

I don't like the expression on her face. Something feels wrong about that but I can't tap where. I'm just going to call it a women intuition, like how my mom always predicts something before dad does something stupid. But if these really help, then maybe...

"Hey, Cid. If I tell you that I have the same problems as your sister, would you also show me some stretching exercises?"

Claire picks up immediately what I mean. Damn it, why does she have to be so cunning in times like these. I can already see her intervening in three, two, one...

"I can show you how to do them! You don't have to bother my brother for it, don't you agree, Cid?

"..."

"HEY! At least say something!"

My chance to strike!

"Judging from his reaction, I can see that Cid isn't particulary bothered to teach me some of his tricks. Isn't that right, Cid?"

C'mon! Agree! Do it! For me!

"..."

"Why are you silent again?! That makes me look bad! Think about our feelings for a bit here, Cid!"

I can see Claire smirking towards me. And for one second I swore that Cid had red eyes like Claire, but that must've been my imagination. Because looking at him clearly now, he still has his handsome gray eyes, looking at us with mild interest.

"*sigh* I guess it doesn't hurt to teach another person how to stretch themselves. Follow me, we have to hurry before it gets dark outside."

"Why can't we do it in your room?"

"I will absolutely never allow that!"

"Geez, Nee-san. Calm your horses. It was obviously a joke."

No, it wasn't. I'm 100% serious. Why aren't we going into your room where you can show me the ways on your bed-

I can feel my face overheating. That always happens when I'm around Cid and the cases are increasing because of the love and drama books mother has been giving me when I tell her that I'm bored. I know that Claire understands my reaction completely and looks at me as if I was some dirt on her shoe, while Cid has the most neutral expression on his face, looking at a girl that men would literally die for.

"Uh, yeah. Let's go."

"Perfect. Well then Nee-san, it was fun showing you something today, though you were the one who wanted to show me something. How ironic. See you at dinner!"

And so we make our way into the family garden. When we were on the grass, Cid finally begins to show me what to do.

"Okay, first you sit on the ground and spread you legs as far as you can."

While I turn slightly red from his phrasing, I can hear something snapping in the background. I turn around to see the same maid that ran away from me in the beginning, holding a broom snapped perfectly in half. Very impressive I must say. I can see Cid also looking in the same direction before he shouts her something.

"Please be more careful with the tools! Mother won't be pleased when she hears of this."

HA! Serves her right!

The maid bows in a apologetic way before she takes her leave. It's only us two again. This makes my heart beat faster for a while.

"Continuing on. When you're ready, spread legs and sitting on the ground, all you have to do now is lean forward as far as you can."

Following his instructions I lean forward but don't come very far.

"Cid... I can't do this."

"Don't be stupid. Of course can you do this, you just have to practise enough. Nobody can do anything on their first try. Except for one golden blonde elf and a therianthrope cat."

"Huh, what was that?"

"Nothing."

Suspicous. But I will let that slide, for now.

"You know, Cid. Usually it's the other way round in these kinds of things. I'm the one showing you something and then you complain that you can't do it, although we both know that you CAN do it, but you're just way too lazy."

"Sounds like a pattern if you ask me."

"It is, because we are repeating the same things over and over again. And now that I'm thinking about it, how are you not getting any better in your swordsmanship, even though we pracise again and again?"

"Less complaining, more stretching. C'mon try again and I'll help you this time."

"Urgh, fine. But remember, I won't forget our training sessions."

"Yep a Claire 2.0 in the making. I'm already too late to change anything.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing. Now, stretch!"

As he says that, I can feel his big palm on my back, pushing me forward, further compared to where I was before. I have to admit, if you hold this long enough, it actually feels good for my body. I can sense the magic disturbance and see the black taint on wrist disappear as we go on.

Claire was right. That really helps! How does Cid even know something so useful like that? Meh, whatever. I can brag about this to my father, so he has a higher opinion of Cid.

"That was that. Now for our next exercise..."

And so our, more like my, stretching tutorial continued until it was dawn. I memorized every one of them and wrote them down in my 'Cid notebook'. Don't ask about the other stuff written in there. The most embarrassing stretch exercise would be the one where you have to be back to back with your partner and had your arms linked with eachother. As if that wasn't embarrassing enough, Cid would lift me up the ground as if I was light as a feather and I could hear some of bones in my back cracking as he did that. When I concernedly asked him if that was healthy whatever just happend to my back, he just replied with a nod before letting me on the ground again and then telling me to do the same to him. As I did that, only then I realized how close we were in terms of our bodies touching each other and I began to fantisize about the time where this amount of contact with our body would only become natural over time.

I seem to have been in my fantasies for a long time, because at the time when Cid called me to let him down, I ignored him completely and even began walking in some direction with Cid on my back. It was only after several hits to my head, Claire coming to stop us from falling into a lake and me walking and bumping against every wall imaginable, that I finally snapped out of my daydream. According to Cid, Claire only found us because I left a trail of my drool on the ground whilst walking.

While I think that is certainly a possibility on how Claire found us, I'm betting more on Cid's scent. I can see how Claire would be able to find her brother with the help of her nose, just like a dog. But I'll never say or ask her that in my life. I don't want her to have a opinion of me. While I can see that I'm not really high ranked in the people she knows, I have to avoid the degree where she would convince her parents to cut off all contact between me and Cid.

All in all, although the maids were very rude and strange, it was a good day well spent, mostly because of Cid.

No regrets at all.

In an unknown facility, behind the woods:

A well dressed man was sitting in his desk, buried under mountains of paper work left to do. Sighing to himself and looking at his pendant hanging on his neck gives him new energy to work hard again. He knows that he's getting exploited by this cult, but he doesn't have any other choice.

After working endlessly for many hours straight, he finally comes to the papers that were on top of the last pile given to him. But what he read only left him suprised and even gave him a little glimpse of hope in this dark hell he has fallen into.

"Claire Kagenou and Amelia Hikari? Symptoms of possession detected but suddenly gone? How can this be?"

Ultimately, it didn't matter, because they were already destined to be taken away by the cult for some experiments. And now that they're supposedly cured? That would be a big step for the progression in the studies of possession and lastly diablos cells. And so he had to give an order that disgusted him deep in his heart.

"Prepare the kidnapping of Claire Kagenou and Amelia Hikari immediately!"

I hope you will forgive me for this, Millia.