Chapter 866: The Second Year of the Great Invasion 2
On the way there, without any particularly lewd antics, we flew in formation with Laila and Maia, crossing the Blue Snake Mountains. Fiona, who hadn’t been dragged into that sort of thing yet, was traveling with us too. And since we were heading into a potential bloodbath, we couldn’t afford to be completely careless. ……Still.
“Hey, bored. Super bored. Got any fun stuff to do?”
Corti was clinging to me relentlessly. Completely naked. While she didn’t actually touch my dick, her insistence on wrestling around completely unclothed was extremely uncomfortable.
“Hey. Can’t you get those three to put some clothes on? Ran-sama is getting flustered”
Fiona pouts and complains, but when I glare at Corti, Leyla and Shario in response, all three just ignore me as if they have no idea what I’m talking about.
“You all brought clothes, right? Can’t you wear them?”
“Eh?”
“If you wear clothes, won’t you have to show yourselves in public?”
“We’re accompanying you solely as your meat receptacles. Think of it as part of that appeal”
I think that excuse is only needed when facing Lord Buster. Also, Shario, don’t say 「Meat receptacles」 so proudly. We’re finally getting some tension about going to the battlefield, after all.
“S, Should I take mine off too?”
“Don’t lose your mind, Apple. You’re the cook this time, after all. And stop undressing silently, Hilda-san. Put your clothes back on properly”
“I can’t let these kids beat me in spirit as Andy-kun’s meat receptacle☆”
“Honestly, I wish you wouldn’t flaunt that spirit quite so much. Besides, we can’t exactly start doing it in front of Princess Ran and Fiona, can we?”
“Didn’t you kinda do it in the secret hot springs?”
“That was strictly within the bounds of being accidentally seen! We didn’t actually start doing it in front of them!”
Frankly, having this argument right in front of them was questionable, but Princess Ran was already intent on becoming a female slave, and Fiona wasn’t entirely oblivious to my relationship with the female slaves either. So she just gave me a withering stare.
“Why don’t we just get started already? I’m bored out of my mind”
Corti wrapped her arms around my back, tempting me. ……Fine.
“This is the one thing I didn’t want to bring out”
I pulled a deck of playing cards from my pocket.
“What’s that?”
“Cards. ……You can play quite a few games with them. I’ll teach you a few”
It’s major in Celesta. Trot is also played in taverns in urban areas, but it’s not widespread in the countryside or the elven territories. Of course, dragon palace is probably the same. The reason I didn’t want to bring it out……well, I really didn’t want to fly over the deadly battle between monsters and humans in this kind of dreamy atmosphere. Plus, dragons have high perception, so some games seemed fundamentally unwinnable, and I didn’t really want to give them that. No, it’s just plain frustrating to lose, right?
“Umm……could you teach me too? I’ve never seen it before”
When I started shuffling the cards on the bed, Princess Ran came over, clearly intrigued. Fiona seemed interested too, though she kept a sour expression. I demonstrated a few games while playing against Dianne, Luna, and Hilda-san……and by the time we reached the skies above Renfangas, things had gotten pretty lively.
“Well, I lost”
“Isn’t it boring when there’s no reward or punishment for winning or losing?”
“At my place, if you lose on Spirit Festival day, we play strip poker☆”
“Ah, that’s good. Strip-off, strip-off, strip-off♪”
“You! Do you intend to humiliate Princess Ran!?”
“Then how about a rule where you strip instead?”
“Gununu……well, better than Ran-sama baring her skin in front of men……”
Things got way too heated. By the way, the originally naked black-collar group had a rule that if they lost, they’d be violated by me in front of everyone. But it wasn’t a punishment at all and was completely backwards, so I’m glad we reached Rennesto before it happened. Fiona ended up half-naked instead of the princess, but I had my back turned so I was safe. ……By the way, the carriages carrying the Gauntlet Knight Group and the Hero Group were apparently having a singing contest with military songs and national anthems from their hometowns. We should’ve done that too.
———–
The great invasion had already begun, and intercepting battles were unfolding around Rennesto. I knew they were fighting here too, but this might be the first time I’ve actually seen it.
“It was pretty scary in Katalina, but they’re coming in this thick to Rennesto too……what’s that unnatural dust cloud?”
“That’s probably Felios or Berga’s ultimate technique, 『Tempest』. ……It certainly has incredible annihilation power on flat ground. I can see why Lord Buster said it’s 『More reliable than me』”
Dianne and I looked down at the battle from the window, hesitating slightly about sending Emma and the others there. Sending them into the fray suddenly……might boost the soldiers’ morale, but the fact that a counterattack is happening means soldiers are scattered about on the ground. They can’t use their breath attacks. Dragons are strong even without breath, but their efficiency would definitely plummet…….
“Should we send Emma and Leda into battle, or not……what do you think, Dianne?”
“Don’t do it. If we don’t inform the commander first, it could actually lead to greater casualties. Greet them first”
“……Understood”
“You might have forgotten, but the entire Renfangas army only considers the 『Blue Dragon of the Elf Lands』—that is, Maia—as an ally. If an unknown silver dragon suddenly appears, it could even lead to the front lines collapsing”
That was certainly true. Laila had shown some skill, but at the stage of last year’s great invasion, only Maia was recognized by the entire army. Other dragons weren’t necessarily seen as friendly reinforcements by Renfangas’s regular soldiers. Depending on the situation, they might even be perceived as 「Enemies」 joining forces with monsters to attack them. That would cause panic.
“I understand your desire to help, but procedure is crucial”
“Yes”
Watching the fierce battle beyond the walls, Laila and Maia, carrying us, descended into the inner city.
After landing at the 「Celesta Residence」, Dianne spoke with the Renfangas guards stationed there. Within a few dozen minutes, Lord Buster arrived on horseback.
“War Goddess Dianne! And Smithson! What brings you here this time?”
“First, congratulations”
“……?”
Dianne bowed slightly exaggeratedly, pointing at Tetes.
“It seems she’s finally pregnant”
“……Already? Can’t tell just by looking”
“Well, Celesta has magic that can easily check that sort of thing, you know☆ Want me to show you?”
“No, if the War Goddess’s sister says so, it must be true. ……Guess this saves face with Father. It’s complicated though……”
Lord Buster looks at me with an expression that’s hard to describe. Yeah. It’s hard to be overjoyed, and I can’t exactly say it’s outrageous that he got a girl ten years younger pregnant. It’s just complicated.
“Also, at Andy’s request, we’ve agreed to assist with this year’s major invasion. Besides the four from the Gauntlet Knights, we’ve brought the former heroes Neia Grans and Beatrice Trezia, along with our own Anzeros and Aurora. As for the dragons, there are four, as you can see”
Dianne-san held up her palm, showing the four: Laila and Maia, now back in human form, and Emma and Leda, standing side by side once more. ……In response, Lord Buster returned an awkward gaze.
“……By the way, I hope I’m mistaken here”
He pointed. Through the jeweled window, the three with black collars were also peering out normally.
“Aren’t those……the ones who were on the enemy side during the Kalwin Incident……?”
……Come to think of it, Lord Buster didn’t know the background on these three.
“…………Hold on a moment”
Dianne rubbed her temples, then hurried over to the three. After a brief exchange……she ended up making them leave the hut and kneel in seiza.
“This is a long story, but to cut to the chase: all three are currently Andy’s personal sex slaves”
“……This really is going to be long”
Seeing the naked beauties kneeling, several guards averted their eyes. Lord Buster looked up.
“That aside, can’t they at least get some clothes?”
……This time, the three were finally allowed to put clothes on.