After the "Kidnapping"

Cid sat before the elf he had rescued at night, contemplating what he should say to her after they ate their meals.

He noticed that the girl was reluctant to say anything, and only ate the moment he asked her.

On the other hand, he piled the corpses of the bandit fodders on one spot, thinking he would look like a villain if he stood on top of the piles of corpses.

Anyways, it would begin rotting soon, so he had no other choice but to burn them all until ashes remained. He watched, and the girl also watched in awe.

"Oh, that is right.... I haven't asked your name yet. Tell me your name."

The girl was silent.

"... Can't remember. I don't even know who I am."

This led Cid to lean forwards and stare into her face, with his chin resting upon the back of his palms.

'.... I see.... So she is a Main Character like my sister. The only difference is that she is like those protagonists who lost their memories at the start of a JRPG, interesting. But, what do I even tell her to begin with!? I can't just show random spoilers....'

"... I sense something in you. Faint, but pure. Like the Goddess Celestine Lucullus, or similar." He started with a bluff so serious nobody could even discern that it was a bluff.

For a moment, he definitely saw the elven girl look shocked, clenching her palm into a fist and even putting it at her chest. She was worried.

So what's next?

"It is possible you are Celestine's daughter. And it is possible that you are Laurentia, or half of her soul." Shadow continued, only to sigh. "But...."

"But...?"

"Your destiny is to lose to a fate worse than death. After all, you were cursed by the.... Evil God of.... Uhm.... Dark Desires, who currently incarnated as Olga Discordia." He finished, not even thinking of anything good, even cringing inside as he stood up and glared at the elven girl.

Who, while he is as small as an average 10 year old, was silently surprised that the girl was older than him.

"Right now, you are weak. So weak in fact, you would eventually be consumed by your curse. You need power, you need a new name. Serve me."

'And of course, I barely have an idea what I am talking about. Besides, she's a Main Character in her own story, I'm not. And "Serve Me" sounds cliche enough, can't believe I spouted such bull out my mouth.'

To his surprise, his mild expectation was shattered by the determined eyes of the girl.

"I will!"

"Even if it will endanger your life?"

A sharp nod was given from the girl.

"Even if it will force you into situations you need yourself to get out of?"

Another nod.

"Very well. I, Cid Levantine, or Shadow, I don't mind if you call me either, shall now give you the name of Alpha." Cid declared, lending his hand towards the now named Alpha.

She took his hand, and the black substance that was the slime he had stored for himself consumed her. The slime was cold, yet it had adjusted to her body perfectly.

Her tattered, ragged robe was replaced by the slime bodysuit.

The next moment, she felt a lightness flow throughout her body, as if she had been given some power.

"Now, I'll leave you alone here for a while, I have some things to do."

Once the process was done, Cid turned around and left the house, before gaining a wide smile, putting his hands on the back of his head.

"Yes, now to take away their money, which is now mine, thank you so much!"

So begins Cid's search for money....

Which was disappointing since he only got something pretty cheap. All these weapons were 100 percent inferior to his own.

He also found something good which were some artifacts that weren't of any use. It's strange how these bandits kept these things, though.

Cid just destroyed it after knowing that said artifacts have a certain hypnotic effect to women.

How did he find out? There were a few papers next to it that described the artifacts.

"Mmm... Why would some random fodder even use these? Unless I'm in some Erotic World where heroines are always fated to lose, then I have no other choice. As Shadow, it soon might become my job to be a guide, I guess..." Cid commented on them, before doing mundane things to spend some time.

"Ah, most of the books here are filled with erotic stuff."

After a while....

"Who even wrote these, anyway?! Most R18 Doujins from Earth are better than this crap!"

Having no other thing to do, he decided to just do a long series of exercise using weights created from slime to spend his time.

In the meanwhile, Alpha began to practice on manipulating the slime Shadow had given her in order to begin her training.

[ ~ Line • Break ~ ]

"Cid! Cid, where are you!?"

In the halls of the mansion of Levantine, Claudia ran around, looking for her father.

Maybe this is just a mere prank set up by Cid? It's strange, truly. He never does these sort of things, he was very innocent!

After a short while, she searched for her father, who was simply sitting on the chair to read a book.

The moment she arrived looming  had him noticing something different about her.

"Claudia? Where's Cid?"

"... He's... He's gone! Taken away and kidnapped!"

"What!?"

Out of all things that had happened in his life, Grave never expected that someone like his son would be kidnapped right at this moment.

For a few minutes, he decided to have his men investigate the surrounding area for any clues while he donned his armor and sword.

Whoever took Cid from them will pay dearly. There will be no negotiations to make.

"Men! Follow me, we won't stop until we find my son!"

Following him was a whole group of elite knights, including Claudia who was still a knight-in-training.

Well, except Klaus since he actually is weak and had to be taken care by some maids in the mansion. Despite his worry, Grave assured him that they will find Cid as soon as possible.

Their search went for long periods, until noon passed was when they found an empty bandit camp.

Of course there were houses, and some horses who were eating hay or taking a long drink, but it really is empty.

"This looks like a ghost town on those stories...." Claudia commented, her body shaking as she stood beside her father.

"Of course, this is probably the best spot for an ambush. Stay close, and get on positions!"

After a while of walking down the pathways, they approached a large house.

Grave preferably wanted his men to search the houses, but right now, he had to expect an ambush.

The doorknob on the house was twisted, making the group take long glances over the door.

And then it opened.

Two people exited the house.

"Cid!"

Without a single thought, Claudia leaped towards Cid, and her older body crashed down onto her younger brother, bringing them both to the wooden floor of the house.

"Ow! S-Sister!!" Cid yelled in surprise, as if trying to pry himself off of the tight hug that his sister was giving him, his face was, in a very cliche'd manner, between the girl's breasts.

Alpha wanted to pry the girl off of her master, yet someone is going to do it before her.

"Claudia! Stop acting so indecent, that does not befit a knight's personality!" Grave's loud voice froze his daughter from her tracks, and she silently gazed over the suffocated Cid.

And immediately as she let him go.

Breathing heavily, Cid stood up glancing at the knights that were under his father.

".... I think I have a lot to explain from this." He spoke, just before Grave hopped down his horse and approached him.

"Yeah, I don't really know what happened here, but after we return, you are obliged to explain what happened. And, that girl in a maid's uniform can come too."

"Really?" Cid exclaimed, smiling happily towards Grave.

His father smiled, and soon enough it was time to return home.

[ ~ TO • BE • CONTINUED ~ ]