Undercurrents

After a thankfully short session of 'exploration,' Cairn left the girls to fool around and clean up as he made his to the first floor to grab a bite to eat and hopefully catch Felix. Fortunately, the sand-haired cat boy seemed to be waiting for him as Cairn discovered him wobbling side to side atop a stool, clearly bored out of his mind.

"Having fun...?" asked Cairn, causing Felix's ears to perk even though he had already heard the former approaching.

Spinning around, Felix adopted his characteristically sunny smile and said, "Welcome back, Bossman. Discover any treasure while you and fluffy-butt were exploring?"

"You could say that..." replied Cairn, returning a wry smile as he sat on the stool to Felix's left. An awkward silence briefly hung between them, but it didn't last long as Felix, in a more measured tone, asked, "Am I out of the job...?"

Shaking his head, Cairn answered, "No. I still want you to accompany us to the Frontier, but Kaia is off-limits from now on. Should you choose to leave, I'll pay you as if you had stuck around and fulfilled the conditions of your original contract. Should you stay, I've made arrangements so the orphanage you send money to will receive operational funds for the next ten years, courtesy of FreeCo..."

Hearing Cairn's proposal, Felix's eyes widened, his smile visibly cramping as he scratched his cheek and said, "This is a predicament. Three years of funds up-front is an 'extremely' tempting offer. But you and fluffy-butt are good people. I feel that if I follow you, I can earn much, much more in the same period..."

"I don't consider myself a particularly good person, but I do try to be fair," Cairn countered. Then, with a serious expression, he revealed, "There's a good chance we'll be founding a nation from the settlement we establish. If you choose to stick around, rather than mapping the interior Dungeons, it may very well become your duty to draw borders in the future..."

Blinking in surprise, Felix opened his mouth to ask if Cairn was serious, but the words failed to rise from his throat. The latter's expression made it clear he wasn't talking out of his ass, and with all the strange occurrences that had transpired in and around the Rainy Day Inn, Felix knew Cairn was an even bigger fish than he initially suspected.

Adopting a broad, narrow-eyed, distinctly 'catty' smile, Felix replied, "If it's a nation founded by Bossman, I'm sure it will be a place that cares for its people. If I can be part of creating such a place—what I mean to say is I'd be happy to join you~!"

"Sounds good," said Cairn, smiling as he habitually raised his right hand with his knuckles facing Felix. The latter was momentarily confused but caught on fairly quickly, pressing the back of his hand to Cairn's before squinting his eyes and tilting his head in an overt attempt to appear cute.

Rolling his eyes and subtly shaking his head, Cairn retracted his hand and rose from his stool, stating, "Try to lie low for the next month or two. And when you pick up Fleur from the Church, make sure to arrive early..."

"So, keep doing what I've been doing~?" asked Felix, grinning from ear to ear as Cairn looked back at him.

"If that's what you've been doing, then yes..." replied Cairn, shaking his head in mock exasperation before turning away and passing through the swinging doors connecting to the kitchen. In his wake, the smile on Felix's face waned but didn't disappear as he leaned forward, supporting his chin on the palms of his hands. He understood that Cairn had only allowed him to stay because he felt guilty and a sense of responsibility, but Felix didn't mind. Learning to take advantage of such emotions was how orphans and street urchins survived to maturity. Thus, while he was disappointed that he had lost his fluffy hug pillow, Felix found himself feeling hopeful for the first time in years...

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Finding the kitchen empty, Cairn briefly considered entering Reine's and Fleur's living space, but the aromatic smell of meat drew him to the large pot sitting atop the stove, presently set to simmer.

Using his Insight instinctively, a somewhat wry smile developed across Cairn's face as the stew had a slight 'virility' enhancement. As someone with the Cook Class, Reine could draw out the potential of ingredients as well as infuse her intent into the dishes she prepared. It was similar to the concept of 'cooking with love,' but far more literal.

'I feel like I'm gradually being converted to a hentai protagonist...' Cairn thought, even as he grabbed a nearby swivel-dip ladle to sample the rich and savory stew directly. Its base was an analog for beef and potatoes, but there was a subtle tartness to it, the result of mixing in a type of berry known as a Bloody Black Raspberry.

"Damn, that's good..." Cairn muttered, grabbing a wooden bowl and filling it to the brim before carrying it to the dinner table and taking a seat. Then, as Reine had set up a circular arrangement of bread and pastries at the table's center, protected by a transparent glass cloche, he grabbed a few filled with sausage and honey-glazed ham to supplement his meal.

Though he had always had a healthy appetite, Cairn found himself eating an amount that would have previously filled him thrice over before he felt even a little full. This was a byproduct of his [Shadowflame], which, along with his increased regeneration, bolstered his metabolism to compensate for the constant drain on his MP.

Finished with his meal, Cairn moved to clean his dishes when Reine finally appeared, emerging from her bedroom with a bit of bedhead.

Raising his brows, Cairn startled Reine, who hadn't realized he was there, by asking, "Were you taking a nap?"

"...!?"

Looking over and seeing Cairn washing his own dishes, Reine felt a wave of panic wash over her before he adopted a smile and mused, "Relax. I'm not so lazy or pampered that I can't clean the dishes I use. The food was delicious, by the way."

Feeling more at ease, Reine exhaled a faint sigh, regaining her usual smile as she made her way over and embraced Cairn from behind. It was a little unexpected but not unwelcome, a relaxed smile adorning Cairn's face as he focused on cleaning his dishes and utensils in silence.

"Someone claiming to be the attendant of the Third Princess stopped by earlier," revealed Reine, her voice barely a whisper, but Cairn could hear the worry within it as she added, "She asked me to tell you that the Third Princess wishes to speak with you and that you would know where to go to meet her..."

"And what did this 'messenger' look like...?" asked Cairn, the smile on his face transitioning to an annoyed frown.

"She introduced herself as Amelia and had short blonde hair with what looked like antennae. Her outfit was mostly white, but she had on black stockings..." Reine answered, recalling Amelia's features to the best of her ability.

'Now I understand where the phrase royal pain in the ass comes from...' thought Cairn, outwardly closing his eyes and exhaling a sigh. With how 'proactive' the Baskervilles were behaving, he wasn't surprised that Hilde had sent one of her homunculi to arrange a meeting. She likely wanted to tell him not to accept the Countess or anyone else's proposals, but since he had no reason to, Cairn couldn't help feeling annoyed by her actions. After all, he wasn't one of her people. She had absolutely no authority to tell him what he should or shouldn't do.

While Cairn was thinking about meeting with the Countess to spite Hilde, Fleur entered the kitchen with a giant, dragon-shaped doll in her arms, a disproving frown marring her face when she saw her mother hugging the man who had 'invaded' every aspect of their lives.

"What are you doing?" asked Fleur, drawing Cairn's and Reine's gazes, the latter adopting a faintly exasperated smile as she teased, "Your face looks like you just ate something sour. Do you still not trust Cairn, even after all he has done for us?"

"It's 'because' of what he's done..." muttered Fleur, directing her skeptical gaze to Cairn and belying her age by asserting, "Nobody's as generous as he pretends to be unless they have something to gain..."

"Fleur..."

Though she truthfully agreed with her daughter's words, Reine couldn't help feeling helpless since she was speaking them right in front of Cairn. The odds of the latter taking offense were remote, but nothing prevented him from simply abandoning them whenever he pleased. Nothing except his kindness, that is.

Fortunately for both girls, Cairn didn't take Fleur's words to heart. Instead, he responded with an approving nod and said, "You're wise to be cautious. Most people only truly care about themselves and those closest to them. That includes me."

Hearing Cairn's words, Fleur began to flare up, her expression radiating adolescent fury until he adopted a cheeky smile and added, "That's why I won't allow anything bad to happen to you or your mother. I never meant to intrude into your lives, but ever since I did, you've become important to me. Keep that in mind, and if you ever need my help, don't hesitate to ask, okay?"

Feeling a mixture of confusion and something akin to nausea, Fleur met Cairn's supportive smile with a half-lidded lour as she said, "I think I'm gonna be sick..." before turning and retreating through the door she had emerged from. 

Releasing her hold on Cairn's body, Reine sighed, "That girl..." in a faint, helpless tone. She was party to blame for Fleur's mistrust of others, but her 'hostility' toward Cairn was a bit...excessive.

"It's fine," assured Cairn, turning to face Reine with a smile as he added, "If anything, her suspicion helps keep me honest. I still feel guilty about the circumstances I've forced you into, so I don't mind if she resents me for the next year or two. So long as I keep my promises, she'll eventually warm up to me."

Regaining her smile, Reine stepped into Cairn's embrace and gave him a deep, passionate kiss. She knew their time together was limited, but the more she heard him speak out of concern for her and Fleur's futures, the more 'emboldened' she felt.

'And here we go again...' thought Cairn, his hands habitually gravitating toward Reine's ass to give it a possessive squeeze...

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Having cleared out her nightclub in anticipation of Cairn's arrival, Hilde's expression could have humbled a glacier in its frigidity as she remarked, "He isn't coming..." in a curt tone.

"Perhaps we were too hasty...?" asked Amelia, her expression a mask of neutrality as she contended, "He and his companions did just return from a protracted stay in a Dungeon."

"While that may be true, he didn't strike me as someone lacking reason and due consideration," said Hilde, shaking her head and scowling as she asserted, "No, this is clearly his attempt to spite and send me a message. If he was truly weary from his exploration, he could have sent someone to arrange a meeting at a later date or time..."

"But we can't know that for certain, can we?" asked Amelia, provoking a long, awkward silence. After all, Hilde had only ever met Cairn once, and it wasn't exactly an 'ideal' encounter. Amelia was considerably older and wiser than she was, so Hilde couldn't help second-guessing herself when her most trusted confidant implied she might be mistaken.

Closing her eyes and inhaling a deep breath, Hilde's expression relaxed as she opened her eyes to stare sightlessly at Amelia, stating, "It's clear you have something to say. Out with it..."

Adopting a faint smile, Amelia explained, "I learned from the Proprietress of the Rainy Day Inn that Sir Cairn and his companions would be taking a two-week hiatus before delving into their next Dungeon. Furthermore, he seemed more troubled than enthused by Countess Camilla's invitation for a meeting. Perhaps, as he expressed during his previous encounter with Your Highness, he has no interest in involving himself in the politics of our nation?"

"..."

Though Amelia's words were more than reasonable, Hilde couldn't accept them at face value. Humans, by design, were greedy, lustful, and prone to sin. Hilde didn't know Cairn's price, but everyone was willing to sell out for something. Cairn may be an exception in many regards, but he was still a human. If Camilla managed to figure out his price and make him an offer he couldn't resist or refuse, everything her family had fought to establish and maintain over the past thousand years could be destroyed in a single night. All because of a single man...

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