Chapter 450 - Reunited
Chapter 450 - Reunited
"… And that's about it."
After explaining the entire story of how I met Axilia, fell into the Death Realm, and made my way back, the girls were all deep in thought. I didn't know what they were thinking about, but I didn't like it.
"So?" Feng Mian leaned in and smiled suggestively. "Did you… do it with them?"
"Uh…"
"Of course he did," Ling Xin cut in with a laugh. "With both of us at once, actually…"
"W-Wha?!" Lan Xiao Su's eyes widened in shock. "Y-Y-You can do that?!"
"Fufu… how innocent. It makes me want to suggest…"
"Stop," I hurriedly said. "I don't want to hear it."
"Fine, fine…" She laughed again and leaned against the wall. "Though I'm sure no one here would refuse, save for Obsidia and Lin Luo, perhaps…"
Feng Mian and Qing Yue seemed to both understand what she was talking about, but the remaining girls did not.
"I would rather it just be the two of us, but… I don't mind…" Feng Mian murmured, averting her gaze and blushing deeply.
"Hehe, it sounds like it'll be fun~!" Qing Yue said excitedly. "I know Big Brother Xuan Kai will always like me best though~"
"What? What don't you mind? What sounds like it'll be fun?" Yu An Yan asked, raising an eyebrow and looking around for answers, but none spoke.
As for me, I did not like where this conversation was heading, so I cleared my throat and changed the topic.
"Ahem… we can… discuss this sometime else. But for now, how many days do we have left of our break? Let's think about how we'll spend this time."
"I think you should just take it easy, master," Ling Xin said with a flirtatious wink. "Journeying through the Death Realm wasn't easy, and school will be starting again soon for us. Just take the remainder of your break having fun."
There it was again. That word: master. I felt Mei Gui tighten her grip on me, but I pretended to not notice it.
I scoffed at Ling Xin. "'Us'? You talk like you'll be attending the school as well."
"Oh, I will."
I froze, and so did everyone else in the room.
"… You what?"
"My, my, isn't it obvious? If my future husband is going somewhere, I obviously need to follow. Two people from your class were expelled, correct? Axilia and I can fill in those spots."
"School with darling…" Axilia murmured dreamily, no longer seeking to cut down every other girl in this room. "… I'm looking forward to it…"
"O-Okay," I said, shaking my head. "Let me get my head straight. First, how the hell did you find out about that information, and second, you're a member on the prized Council of Arcanity. Do you really think they'll just let you waltz into a school and start living life as a normal student?"
"Don't worry about that, master," Ling Xin said, placing a finger to her lips. "We Council members really only host an obligatory meeting once a month, and if anything extremely urgent comes up. Other than that, we are free to enjoy life as we wish."
"…" At this, I had no more arguments. I couldn't exactly explicitly tell them not to join—they would never listen unless I had a valid reason. And besides, this was their life. I couldn't control them.
"So? How about it, master?" Ling Xin giggled with a bright smile. "We'll be studying with you when school starts up again, mkay~?"
After several seconds, I sighed. "Do whatever you wish… but Axilia, if you kill someone at the school…"
"Don't worry, darling~!" She beamed innocently at me and made a v-sign with her fingers, signaling peace. "I won't kill anyone unless necessary!"
Yeah, well... your judgment for what is 'necessary' is very questionable. Still, this is probably the best response I'll receive.
I glanced at Ling Xin, and she winked meaningfully. 'I'll keep an eye on her,' she was saying. I could relax.
"Well, back to the original topi-" I began, but someone has had enough.
"Hold it," Mei Gui cut in, standing up and glaring at Ling Xin. The intensity and hatred in her eyes was enough to make the other girls gulp in fear, and the black and red aura surrounding her somewhat small body showed that she meant every bit of said hate.
"Hm…? Woah… that's some rich killing intent," Ling Xin praised, completely unaffected. "And that power… it's the same as master's, isn't it? How interesting."
"… Who gave you permission to call my Master that?" Mei Gui said coldly, a terrifying and fiery red glow in her eyes and placing especial emphasis on the 'my' part.
"My, my… so that's what this is about, huh?" Ling Xin laughed softly, but her own deadly black Shadow aura also erupted and surrounded her body in response. "Correct me if I'm wrong… but I don't ever recall master being anyone's. If you can call him that, why can't I?"
"Er…" Feng Mian tried to step in, but the powerful energy around the two of them made that impossible.
"… Master is my reserved name for him. I will not permit anyone else to call him that—by force, if need be."
"Ohoho…" Ling Xin narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. "I could say the same. What do you say we take this… outside? I wouldn't want to injure everyone else in here as well."
"Very well. Let us decide who is more worthy-"
"Enough," I cut in, tired of all this pointless conflict. "Mei Gui, sit down. Ling Xin, back off."
"But Master-"
"Yes, master~"
The two's responses were evidently different. I sighed.
"Ling Xin… can you choose something else to call me with? Mei Gui is… kind of sensitive when it comes to me."
"Hm… it's not like I can't, per se. If that is what master wants me to do, then… how about hubby?"
"But you aren't even married yet..."
"Darling?"
"Do you want to die, sister?"
"Hm… sweetie?"
"What are you, my grandmom?"
"Ahhh, I can't think of anything!" Ling Xin cried, folding her arms and sighing in defeat. "Everything I think of gets rejected…"
"Um… why can't you just call him Xuan Kai?" Feng Mian suggested. "It's what the rest of us calls him."
Ling Xin shrugged. "I guess that will have to do for now, then. I want to have a special nickname for him, but… oh well."
She seemed dejected, but this was for the better. It didn't make sense for her to get to have a special privilege over the other girls, after all. Mei Gui and Flaria only called me Master because I really was her Master, and Obsidia called me 'human' which was hardly affectionate. Speaking of Flaria… I need to work that out soon. And Lorelei-
Oh, wait. Lorelei.
"Er… wait," I suddenly said awkwardly. "There's something I forgot to tell you all."
"…?" The girls all tilted their heads in confusion, while Ling Xin giggled. I averted my gaze.
Come out, Lorelei.
The girls' eyes widened as a beautiful, adorable foxgirl suddenly appeared before them like a perfectly-crafted doll. She blinked a few times, then turned to me.
"You called, master?"
"—!" Mei Gui's eyes widened even further, but nothing would come out of her throat.
"Uh… this is Lorelei," I said, introducing her to the other girls. "She is the Queen of the Soulfoxes, a powerful race that once ruled the Soul Realm. Due to certain events, she was forced to move to the Death Realm, and I happened to pick her up by chance."
"Soulfox…"
"She's adorable!!!"
"Oh my god, so cute!!!"
In an instant, the girls were all over her, admiring her domineering cuteness.
"C-Can I touch your ears!"
"Oh, this tail, it's so soft!"
"Ahhh, how are you so adorable~?!"
Lorelei stood with that same blank expression, completely unconcerned with the numerous hands touching her body all over, and blinked at me.
"Master…"
"O-Okay, you guys!" I cut in, standing up and forcefully prying them away from Lorelei. "Are you trying to suffocate her? God… anyway, she also has a companion…"
I called for Yami, and he appeared in his human form beside Lorelei. He scratched his hair shyly, blushing in embarrassment at all the pairs of curious gazes set on him. These girls were all incredibly beautiful, but that wasn't why Yami was flustered. By nature, he was only romantically/sexually attracted to foxgirls—though Lorelei was out of the question for him. Still, his heart beat fast, waiting in anticipation at what kind of praise he would be showered with. But-
"Hm? A foxboy…?"
"Eh, he's not as cute…"
"Yeah, the foxgirl's a lot more adorable…"
"W-Wha…?!" His mouth hang agape at the words he received in comparison to Lorelei, and his body froze. I hesitantly reached out a hand and patted him on the shoulder.
"Ahaha… it's alright, buddy. Don't take it to heart."
But amidst the awkward laughter, I turned to Mei Gui, who sat by my side while all the other girls indulged themselves with Lorelei's exotic appearance.
"… You're okay with her calling me Master?"
After several seconds, she gave a slight nod.
"… I will allow it."
I smiled and patted her head. "That's my girl."
I didn't know why she decided to allow Lorelei and not Ling Xin, but hell, I wasn't complaining. If I had to guess, though… I would say… it was because the Ling Xin didn't actually see me as her master, and she only called me that playfully. Lorelei, though, was different. She, like Mei Gui, would do anything so long as I gave the order. Even if I told her to kill herself, she would do it without a second thought or question.
I could feel it. These two would grow a bond between them sooner or later. Both of them had similar personalities, so they were bound to get along.. How much time that would take, though… was unknown.