6 Blending In

From the tavern, the succubi all used their magic to change their clothing, as well as matching their skin tone according to most people within the city, most of them were of a lighter tone.

Their clothes were more closed, covering up their chests, shoulders, their arms and their thighs. Zaniva walked by Jimmy's side, followed by Belva and the sisters, Velyn and Sillis. Jimmy felt the grip of Zaniva holding his arm. He raised an eyebrow toward her.

"We must look the part for the moment Jimmy." Zaniva spoke first. "After all, we wouldn't want everyone to know that the girls and I are from the underworld."

"Yeah, and if you try anything funny we'll tell everyone that you're a Cerrit-" Belva's speech could not be completed as Jimmy swiftly turned his head, his glare piercing her eyes once more. She backed off suddenly.

"Now Belva. We can't anger this different man." Zaniva said with a smooth tone, facing Belva before looking at Jimmy again. Their eyes temporarily met, her hands gripping Jimmy's arm more stronger. Belva furrowed her eyebrows, as did Sillis. Velyn rolled her eyes at the sight of her sister and Belva acting like this.

Jimmy's a looker, but he's far from my type. Velyn spoke, even for a target, especially since he's a Cerrit.

"May I see your stats Jimmy? Not your magical abilities of course, but your overall profile."

Jimmy stopped midway, the succubi following suite. He swiped mid air with the palm of his hand, before a light blue transparent screen showed up.

[JIMMY STARK]

[STATS]

[STRENGTH (PHYSICAL): 7]

[AGILITY (NORMAL): 6]

[CHARISMA: 8]

[WEAPON MASTERY; 7]

"Now wait a minute, you have charisma?" Belva spoke as she looked at the numbers. She wasn't surprised at the idea of Jimmy owning a system that showed his stats, she recalled her moments on Earth when seducing men in disguise, in which they also could pop up transparent screens similar to Jimmy just now.

"Of course he does Belva. Look at him." Sillis spoke. "Very much akin to a romantic hero."

"You sound like you've read those books." commented Jimmy as he continued walking on. As he moved, the transparent screen disappeared, and the succubi followed his pace once more.

"She has actually." Velyn spoke next while sighing. "Once we pretended to be bookshop keepers, and she stumbled upon chivalric books in order to blend in. Unfortunately she found herself, invested in fictional love stories."

"Hey, I do not see anything wrong with it!" Sillis complained.

"Nothing wrong with it but for crying out loud stop shouting." Jimmy spoke.

You had a snake out of your shoulder at some point, Velyn thought about her encounter with Jimmy when gray smoke emerged from his back.

As the group was walking through the crowd, they received whispers from groups that were standing still, a combination of men and boys.

"Look at that man." one spoke.

"Damn those ladies are of such beauty."

"Perks of being a damn noble probably, or some heroic adventurer."

I ain't an adventurer, Jimmy thought about the comments, before a group of women acted like the men, whispering to each other about the disguised succubi.

"They look beautiful." said one girl about the disguised succubi walking by Jimmy's side.

"Perhaps." said one woman. "But it seems to be that man is courting more than he could handle."

Be quiet nosers, Jimmy thought in his mind. Really, maybe keeping one's nose out of another's business was truly the way to obtain peace. People judge things without knowing what's the story behind it.

They think they knew everything.

"Jimmy!" called out a voice from behind. Jimmy and the succubi turned to see Xalt, and next to him, was the girl Jimmy saw during the time he sparred with Xalt.

"I dare say you have a group of friends with you, but at the same time, I cannot help myself to see that they're all stunning ladies."

"You're too kind dear sir." Sillis spoke, before nudging Velyn's shoulder, prompting her sister to say the exact same thing.

"Are you a friend of Jimmy's?" said Zaniva

"Well, I do know Jimmy to some degree." Xalt explained. "We had a run in before at the local tavern. Oh, Jimmy, have I introduced you to Estelle? Well, you have seen her during our 'spar match'"

"Yes, hello." Estelle opened up to Jimmy. The man in front of her gave a small smile, as he slightly clenched one of his fists.

So much for being unknown to some people, he thought. The Cerritulus wasn't a foreign concept at this point in regards to what defines a Cerrit. He was aware that there were others like him, but he never knew where they were now.

Estelle's eyes were friendly, but they were filled with some concern. Jimmy couldn't blame her, if only she knew it was the Cerrit abilities that kicked in.

"What brings you all here?" Xalt asked.

"We are visiting from Wyndham." Zaniva lied, her arms still holding Jimmy's left arm tightly. "Jimmy is courting I."

Jimmy's eyes slightly widened. Behind him, the other succubi had widened their eyes as well. Belva furrowed her eyebrows from behind.

To think I approached the actual man first, Belva thought in her mind.

"You shall follow my lead and introduce yourselves as my sister and two cousins" Zaniva's voice echoed in Belva's head, as with Velyn and Sillis. Be very grateful that we have finally encountered a Cerrit for the first time in a while! Everyone else from the underworld have already started gathering them in this conflict, so until we have him on our side, do as I say.

Zaniva added to Belva's mind. "And Belva, unless Jimmy himself has agreed to use the term Cerrit, refrain yourself from saying it in his face. He was once human."

"I know that." Belva echoed in Zaniva's mind. "But unfortunately we are not here to make friends with him."

"Shush for now, and follow my lead."

Zaniva continued to look at Xalt, giving him a friendly smile.

"Ah you are Jimmy's consort. Congratulations then Jimmy." Xalt spoke, patting him on the shoulder.

"These are my sisters." Zaniva turned to the succubi behind her. "Velyn and Sillis. While this lady here is my cousin, Belva."

"A pleasure." Belva bowed her head slightly toward Xalt and Estelle. She bit her inner lip in annoyance.

"We will be on our way for lunch, Sir Xalt." Zaniva spoke again, Xalt chuckled.

"There's no need to call me Sir my dear lady, I am an adventurer, not a Knight sadly. Oh, Jimmy, have you considered my offer? To look at the bulletin that offers contracts for animal pelt and meat?"

"Perhaps later." Jimmy spoke again. "The ladies here are...hungry, and I need to prepare them food once we have arrived at my cottage."

Well, at least we get food, Belva felt like grinning devilishly deep inside. Even a succubi must eat enough in order to properly seduce.

Yes, but they also must be more hidden when seducing someone, Zaniva teased in Belva's mind.

"Well then." Xalt spoke. "I hope you all have a wonderful lunch together."

***

"Is it done yet?" Sillis spoke in excitement as Jimmy took out a large piece of Brimstone beef over on the giant skewer just roasting above the giant flame he had set up. He gave two drops of the Flame Liquid instead of one.

"Not yet." said Jimmy. "Unless you want to eat it uncooked."

Velyn and Belva were seated on the giant logs that were residing around the fireplace. The smell of the roasted beef went through their nostrils. Closing their eyes, the fresh smoky smell of the beef lightened their taste buds in addition to their hearts.

The small building next to Jimmy's home was wide open, Belva looked to her left to see Zaniva looking at Jimmy's snakes, some of them were slithering outside, watching her and the other succubi.

"Jimmy tells me he's taken the poison out of them." Belva whispered to Velyn. "Although I'm not so sure if that is truly the case."

"How about that one?" Velyn pointed out to an orange snaking slithering its way to the fireplace passing the cottage.

"This orange snake in particular had black spots on it. Belva furrowed her eyebrows, before turning to Jimmy.

"Jimmy." She called out to him as she saw the snake continuing to slither towards the fireplace. Jimmy wasn't facing her, he was busy managing the height between the beef and the rising flames.

"Did I use a bit too much?" he wondered as he managed the rotating beef's height via the giant skewer with sturdy wooden legs.

"Jimmy." Belva raised her voice. Even with that sudden kick of anger supposedly due to his Cerrit abilities, she did not know if he would even withstand a snake bite coming from one that isn't his own.

"Jimmy!" Belva finally screamed, the snake jumped at the sight of Jimmy, the man turned around, and he gulped at the sound of the snake's fangs injecting his neck. He gulped again, surprised.

He sighed as he stood up, the snake still biting him, but there was nothing coming from him.

"Dammit." Jimmy spoke as he pinched the snake's head. It wobbled its tail widely, before he gritted his teeth, gray smoke emerged again, and the snake felt a tiny bit of it go through his nostrils.

It opened its mouth, releasing itself from Jimmy's neck and leaving him two holes.

Belva winced at the sight of it, followed by Velyn. Sillis looked at the sight in amusement, she was astonished.

With the snake in his hand, Jimmy looked at it, giving it a stare, before the snake looked down. He stopped looking at it, as he shot a look toward Belva.

"Even though I'm not entirely happy being a Cerrit, at least there's one perk to it." Jimmy spoke. "Why are you still looking at me like that."

"What are you really!?" Belva spoke in shock.

"I could ask you the same question." Jimmy rolled his eyes.