I Own a Brothel in Another World

Chapter 224 – The First Descent

Slowly opening my eyes, I find Ayumi and Codae chatting quietly while helping themselves to the pizza we have brought as a gift, most likely trying not to wake me up by being too loud. An unnecessary thought, but an appreciated one for sure. And since they don’t pay too much attention to me, I take a deep breath to announce my return, fluttering my eyelashes a few more times as they pause and glance my way.

“I’m happy to see that you have gone ahead and taken a bite.” I smile at the ladies. “Guess I’m too used to people waiting for me or wanting to ask for permission once again before digging in. It’s a breath of fresh air.”

“It would be a waste to let it get cold.” The chieftess shrugs and tears another tasty piece off with her sharp fangs. “Besides, as you have said, it’s a gift. It would be impolite not to partake in it with you present. At least that’s how things are done here.”

“Good.” I nod at her. “How long was I out? Did I miss anything important?”

“Just a few minutes and nothing much,” Mom replies with a warm expression. “I’m honestly a little worried about Noah and Sirgia. He rarely gets this quiet when he’s in his room. These walls and corridors aren’t that thick or far away from each other.”

“It’s alright.” I chuckle lightly. “I bet he is just too captivated by what she is making to cause any commotion. When Sirgia gets in the zone, nothing can get her out of it, so no matter how hard he tries, she won’t be disturbed during her craft. Trust me, I would know.”

“A quality many geniuses share,” Codae agrees with me. “Our potter is the same. To the extent that her workshop almost burned down because she didn’t notice the fire until it reached her forming wheel. The kiln spilled for some reason and it was close to a tragedy.”

“Yeah. It do be like that sometimes.” I smirk softly. “Besides, she’ll certainly appreciate the opportunity to look after him, even if Noah is close to a teenager now.”

Being a mother, Ayumi instantly picks up on the cue I give within that sentence.

“Are you two planning to grow your family?” the feline woman asks with a big smile. “I always wanted to live long enough to see my grandkids. This was still so far away with Noah. Especially since our village is rather small now.”

“Well, I’m not sure if I can say that we are planning it, but someone has recently become a bit more eager to consider bringing another variable to this equation.” I laugh a little. “As you can guess, we live a rather busy and eventful life. It’s not that long ago since it has stabilised a tiny bit. It’s still going to take a moment before we solve all the issues with Sirgia’s family, but whenever we wrap it all up, I don’t think I’ll be able to escape her pleading gaze. She’s just way too sweet and usually so withdrawn.”

“Most males would envy you.” The raccoon woman snorts. “It’s fairly common amongst them to seek a quiet and submissive mate that completely defers to them.”

“Yeah, I get that. But, personally, I think that’s way too simple-minded.” I shake my head. “You are effectively shelving about half of possible mates who are also incredible females. Sometimes you need to take a step back and let the woman take the reins, especially when she is stronger, more experienced, more knowledgeable, or generally better at certain things than you are. You lose way too much otherwise. I’m sure I wouldn’t be where I am if not for all those incredible ladies who support me, and plenty of them could have beaten my ass into a pulp in the beginning.”

“Ladies?” Mom raises a curious brow at me.

“Yes.” I smile cordially and turn to her. “While Sirgia won’t take this responsibility upon herself too soon, your wish might be granted faster than you think. I never said I have only one mate. There’s someone already expecting back at our home, albeit in very early stages.”

“Truly?” Ayumi covers her cute snout with both hands.

“How many?” the chieftess questions.

“Do we count only those who are deeply devoted emotionally or also the girls who simply enjoy my close company whenever they feel the need for some affection?” I raise a brow at her in turn, confusing her slightly.

“You are not only not following monogamy but also practising casual intimacy?” Ayumi looks the most surprised, though. “That’s not something I expected from Connor’s son, a Human from another realm even less.”

“Sorry about that.” I chuckle quietly. “Things just developed that way. You can say that I had to adapt to this world’s social norms if I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. But, back to the original question, I would need to make a precise headcount, so let’s say somewhere near twenty at this moment, depending on the criteria we assume. A few of them are Beastkin, for your information. One is a respected Alpha in a quite rowdy community.”

“Yeah, right.” Codae scoffs to the side, crossing her arms and legs. “Like a Human can not only handle but even captivate so many females.”

“I have my ways.” I wink at her. “But, you don’t need to believe me if you don’t want to. I simply wished for Ayumi to know about this. I don’t feel like having too many secrets in front of my mother. Hopefully, this doesn’t disturb you too much.”

“Disturb?” The person in question lets out a tinkling laugh, standing up and trotting up to me to give me a soft hug. “I couldn’t be more proud! Only great males can capture the hearts of multiple females without forcing their will upon them! If they all can live in harmony with each other, there’s no bigger proof of your greatness! I can’t wait to meet all of them! So many grandkids!”

Gently rubbing Mom’s back, I shake my head. This should have been obvious. She might have fallen for Dad, but no matter how many years they spent together, you can’t really erase everything a person has grown up with. Beastkin will be Beastkin with their customs and beliefs, even if Ayumi wholeheartedly welcomes Connor’s way of dedicating himself to a single mate until his last breath.

Although, who knows if she wouldn’t have managed to turn him around at some point. As Codae has said, he is their hero, and there have been plenty of girls sneaking glances at him. It wouldn’t have been too shocking if she had a friend she secretly wished to introduce to him but swore to wait for the perfect moment, not bringing that up if that didn’t appear.

As the fluffy lady smothers me affectionately with her ticklish but pleasant fur, the other woman still doesn’t seem too swayed. Honestly, I can’t blame her. She gives off the vibes of a strong leader. In her eyes, a Human most likely doesn’t amount to much until proven otherwise, like in my father’s case.

Well, it’s not like I’m Human, but we haven’t gotten there yet.

Ayumi doesn’t drown me in her motherly hugs for too long and draws back a little. However, before moving away, she attentively scans my face with her caring eyes as if looking for something.

“Everything okay? Did I miss a spot after breakfast?” I inquire while she continues her examination.

“No, just making sure. Do you feel okay? You’ve been glowing a little before you woke up,” she explains.

Ah.

My divinity must have activated when I got close to Lumina, protecting me from the side effects of such contact.

“I couldn’t be any better.” I grin at her. “It’s just something that happens occasionally when I get too touchy with the Goddess.”

“You met her?!” Codae’s eyes turn into saucers. “Now you are really bullshitting us.”

I bring up my hand with the mark on the back. “Hero, remember? There are some perks to that. It’s not often, but we do get to chat from time to time. As you can imagine, she doesn’t interact with Naharren much. At least not from this side. There’s a lot of technical stuff that we wouldn’t understand as mere mortals.”

“Maybe I should be more surprised, but considering your father’s character, it’s only natural for you to be chosen as a real Hero.” Ayumi glances down at me with pure adoration, then places a tiny peck on my forehead and hops back to her seat.

“I wasn’t the only one so don’t make it sound like I’m too special.” I snicker. “The others are much more impressive in their respective fields. Maybe you’ll get to meet them someday. Though, I would hope not, since the reason why they would come here would be to deal with Abyssals, which I don’t wish upon you again.”

“Perhaps I should consider moving to live closer to your big family. We should be able to meet them there, no?” Mom tilts her head.

“Definitely, but in my honest opinion, it would be better if you two remained here for a while longer at least,” I answer, resting my chin atop my joined hands. “This is where Father knows you will be if he somehow comes back before we find him. Just imagine how much it would frighten him not to find you in this house, waiting for his return.”

“You are right. I got a little too focused on one thing,” she admits. “But, after he is back, I’m sure he would love nothing more than to live next to his lost son and such a loving family.”

“Maybe.” I shrug. “I don’t know if he would like it in the capital, but there’s plenty of space around it. Nevertheless, it’s something to think about much later.”

At that moment, all three of us notice the loud and quick steps heading our way. Our heads turn pretty much at the same time and we catch Noah practically flying into the room with some kind of an object held high above his head. His expression is that of pure joy and wonder as he stops next to the table and jumps into the air a few times.

“Mom! Mom! Big Bro has a humongous mansion in his suitcase!” he announces, contrary to everyone’s expectations of him boasting about the new toy. “It even has three massive baths, a big dining hall, and multiple workshops underground!”

Ayumi blinks repeatedly while looking at him like he’s grown a second head, unsure what to say.

Sirgia strolls into the room at a more leisurely pace and our gazes meet. She sends me a mischievous wink and I snicker under my breath.

This might take a while to explain properly.

Thankfully, Noah doesn’t wait for the questions and remembers the thing he has in his small hands.

“Also, look! Sirgia made this for me in one of those workshops!” He thrusts the new gadget forward for everyone to see.

From what I can tell, it might be one of those spinning thingies you buy for tiny babies which includes a wide, oval plastic shell with a ribbed stick poking out of the top. After pushing the stick down into the toy a bunch of times, it begins to spin for a little while, moving around on the conical tip placed at the bottom.

They were called spinner tops back at home, I think.

But, this particular toy doesn’t look childish. It actually resembles a bigger version of a fierce Beyblade. There are plenty of metal and wooden parts that give it a mighty look, something a growing boy like Noah certainly appreciates. This thing is clearly made to battle other ones, and that thought of mine is only reinforced as my little brother pumps the stick to make his new toy spin on the table.

“It’s awesome, isn’t it?!” Noah seems utterly smitten with the simple artefact. “Can I show it to others? Please?”

“I’m happy for you, Noah, but you should consider how they would feel.” Our mother smiles at him softly. “Someone might get jealous of your exciting toy if you boast too much. Unless you intend to share.”

“I’ll make more later so it’s alright,” Sirgia chimes in, fluffing Noah’s cute ears. “Just let me know how many of your friends will be interested. Then, you can all play together and even hold your own competitions to see whose spinner lasts the longest.”

“Awesome!” Noah hops in circles while throwing his fists into the air. “Thank you so much, sister-in-law! You are the best!”

Giving her a quick hug, he captures the spinner and disappears from the room in a blink. 

My lovely mate chuckles affectionately and shakes her head. “I told him to just call me Sirgia so many times.”

“Now you know how I feel with all of you.” I chuckle with her.

“That’s a completely different thing, Master.” She trots up to my spot with rosy cheeks and takes a set on my lap, wiggling herself into the comfort of my embrace. “And everything Master said is true. There are many of us and we love him with all our hearts. There are also females he is kind enough to share his intimate affection with, though it wasn’t easy to convince him that it’s okay or even encouraged in some communities. Meeting many Beastkin definitely helped.”

“Of course.” Ayumi nods proudly while Codae continues to be a tad conflicted.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have sent mixed signals about my strength to her.

“Anyway, wasn’t it rather risky dealing with artefacts in there?” I ask Sirgia while brushing my thumb over the back of her palm.

“Using them, yes. Creating them without any magical equipment involved, no,” she clarifies. “But, this one is purely mechanical and very easy to craft. I didn’t want to give Noah anything functioning through mana without consulting his mother.”

“Thank you for that.” Mom makes a grateful bow. “You seem like a nice and respectful lady. I’m glad my older son has someone like you by his side.”

“And I’m glad to have a chance to be there. Even though Master accepts multiple mates, it’s not exactly easy to become one. He cares about our feelings greatly. Anytime he senses something deeper form in the heart of another female, he always asks us what we think about it,” my petite lover adds.

It feels like every time she says something, I only seem to gain in my mother’s eyes.

“I should get going.” Codae stands up and brushes off her pants. “I only came here so that you don’t need to be so nervous, Ayumi. My job is done. Everything else is between family. Time to return to my own responsibilities.”

She doesn’t seem dishonest, but it’s obvious my person is starting to evoke weird and conflicting emotions in the raccoon lady. As the chieftess, she has the perfect excuse to leave us to our machinations.

“I’ll never forget this favour, Chieftess.” Ayumi stands up with her and embraces the other woman. “Thank you for wasting your precious time on me. Let me know how I can repay your benevolence as soon as possible.”

“Uhhh, sure.” Codae pats her on the back awkwardly.

As they separate, Sirgia glances up at me over her shoulder rather intently. It takes me a moment to figure out what she means by it, but I do get it in the end, letting her slide off my knees.

“Allow me to accompany you, Chieftess, if that isn’t a bother,” I offer kindly. “Now, after learning so much about this village, I want to help it out even more. In the end, this is where my father lives. If there’s anything we can assist with, consider it done. And let me tell you, Sirgia is a woman of many talents.”

The chieftess considers it for a moment, looking me right in the eyes, and nods in agreement. “Very well. I would be a fool to reject the help of a talented artificer and a Hero. We don’t get these often here.”

“I’ll stay behind for now and speak a bit longer with Mrs. Carter,” Sirgia says. “Send me a Whisper when you shall require my aid, Master.”

She stands on her tiptoes so I lean down to join our lips in a loving kiss. Afterwards, she waves at us so we make our way out of the cottage. As we step outside, we spot Noah alongside five other kids gathered around his new toy. They are having fun throwing various sticks and rocks at the spinner, cheering whenever it deflects them aside like a fierce warrior.

That brings to mind a few possible designs Sirgia might consider for the next ones.

Codae doesn’t stop to watch though so I follow the proud raccoon woman slightly from behind. I’m not going to undermine her position in the village, no matter who I am publicly or secretly. Right now, I’m a guest at my father’s home.

We stroll through the streets as the chieftess looks around to check on her subjects. Many respectfully bow their heads as they spot her, smiles decorating their lips and snouts. Even males tend to nod politely towards her stern expression. It’s clear everyone thinks highly of their leader.

There’s one more thing that I take notice of.

“Seems like almost everyone is happily paired up,” I note as we walk. “Or formed bigger families. That’s a sign of a safe and prospering community. Will we get the honour of meeting your mate, Chieftess?”

She scoffs to the side. “Do you know how I came into this position?”

“Not really?” I match her stride more closely as she glances at me with a fierce glint in her eyes.

“Our previous chief had a rather long in my opinion streak of stupid decision,” Codae begins with a visible sneer. “A few people confronted him about those, but he dismissed them without batting an eye, sometimes getting a bit more direct if an individual pressed the matter too much.”

“I think I can see where this is going…” A slight grin spreads over my lips.

“After one particularly idiotic decree, I had enough,” she continues, clenching her fingers into a fist. “I went straight to him to tell him how fucking wrong he is. Naturally, words alone couldn’t pierce that thick skull of his and reach the pea-sized brain that floated in all that horse shit surrounding it. Thankfully, he took offence to my slander. Though, before I could even have a go against him, I had to break through six of his devout supporters. Needless to say, they were the ones requiring immense support after.”

“Ah, yes. That does sound familiar.” I snicker quietly, at which she raises a brow, but doesn’t comment or inquire further.

“When I finally stood face-to-face with the bastard, he still thought he had a chance.” Codae shakes her head pitifully. “He certainly was a strong male, but he could never accept that there could be a female who would be better. Right in front of the entire village, I ripped his snout open, broke his legs, and then arms when he didn’t stop fighting back. As he kept cussing at me, I pummelled his chest with my enraged fists so many times it actually caved in and crushed his heart. I was a bloody mess afterwards, and not from my own blood, save from the cuts on my forearms created by his shattered bones.”

“Damn. That must have shown them.” I whistle in awe.

A ghost of a smile tugs at the corner of her mouth for a second before disappearing. “It did. More than you think. I became the next chief by the rite of conquest and no one dared to voice any opposition. That night, I became Codae the Flattener. People respect me but also fear the strength I have accumulated. I became the strongest individual in this community. Now, consider this from the perspective of a male. How many do you think would even look at me as a potential mate?”

Recalling her earlier words about the common male’s sentiments, I think I’m able to come up with the correct answer, but she beats me to it, not intending to wait for a reply.

“None.” Codae cackles, but it’s not a gleeful laugh. “I’m not someone they can force to submit. I fight back. Oh, sure, one or two tried, but after having a few fangs knocked out, they quickly lost interest.”

“I guess I can understand, looking at it from the Beastkin male perspective as you have suggested.” I hum lightly. “But, at the same time, you are the strongest person in this pack. Pretty sure you can easily find a mate of your liking without dominant tendencies. Plenty of people seem to look up to you.”

“I’m not them!” The chieftess lets an annoyed growl my way, but it gradually subsides, making it apparent that she isn’t mad particularly at me. “I’m not looking for a mate to boss them around. I need someone I can consider equal, so we can both watch over this place together. And that’s simply unachievable when all the decentish guys lose their drive after eating one light fist to the face.”

Having in mind her earlier colourful story, I don’t think her fists can be considered light, but I’m wise enough not to point that out.

“You have my sympathy then, Chieftess Codae.” I lower my head respectfully. “It truly must be hard for you and I don’t mean it mockingly. I guess someone like Connor would have been a decent candidate in your eyes, no? Unfortunately, his eyes landed somewhere else.”

“I might have thought as much when I was younger, but to be honest, I’m glad he chose Ayumi and stood by it,” she replies, already calm once more. “His great feats truly impressed me back then, but… How do I say this without sounding too rude… He kind of… Lacks the backbone to be the male in that relationship…”

Laughing openly, I tap her on the shoulder a few times. “Actually, you might be right. It’s okay to just call him soft when it comes to relationships. I bet he turns into an obedient puppy in front of Ayumi, following her around whenever she wishes and showering her in love. But, keep in mind that this cute puppy can turn into a fierce beast under the right circumstances and you have seen those.”

“I understand that, of course.” Codae nods. “That’s simply not what I look for in a mate. I’m happy that Ayumi is happy with how they work together, but I’m slightly different. Anyone can go crazy if you threaten or hurt their mate. I want a male who doesn’t need that stimulant to match me.”

“Everyone has their dream mate. Or a few.” I shrug, taking off my hand. “Who knows, yours might be closer than you expect.”

“Right.” She rolls her eyes mirthfully. “I know everyone in the vill—”

“Chief!” A familiar voice reaches us, interrupting the chieftess mid-sentence.

Daki sprints to us with a worried expression. The hunter comes to a stop before us and respectfully inclines his head.

“I apologise for the interruption, but I bring important news from the scouting team,” he says.

“Out with it, then,” Codae urges him forward.

“We have spotted a flock of Cockasauruses heading in this direction. Looks like something has ruffled their feathers. They are trampling everything on their path with a complete disregard for their surroundings,” the man shares. “If they continue as is, they are going to brush against our settlement.”

“Curses!” the chieftess spats to the side. “This won’t end without serious damages. They are too proud to alter their path.”

“What are Cockasauruses, if I may ask?” I glance between them.

“Big fat chickens,” Codae answers. “But, don’t get fooled by their cute appearance. They are feral beasts that can breathe fire and are considered one of the major predators in the area. To them, we are the worms they can feed on. Usually, they keep to their territory, so we don’t interact with them much. Something must have freaked them out.”

“Ah. I’m afraid this might be our fault.” I chuckle sheepishly, rubbing the back of my head.

“Your, sir?” Daki tilts his head in confusion.

“We stumbled on one of those in the ruins not that far from here. It didn’t give us a chance to talk it out so we were forced to behead it. Perhaps someone is now worried about their lost son or husband,” I explain with an apologetic smile.

“You took down a Cockasaurus with just the two of you?” The raccoon lady looks at me in disbelief. “No matter if that’s true or not. You might have gotten lucky or something. Right now, call for all who are capable of fighting to gather in the direction of the assault. We aren’t going to let those overgrown chicks hurt our people!”

“We’ll help. In the end, we brought this problem to your doorstep, deliberately or not,” I add. “Sirgia is already on the way. She’s convinced Ayumi to stay with Noah and the kids, explaining briefly our current predicament and letting her know not to worry.”

“How did she know?” the hunter asks.

“We can talk telepathically, more or less.” I tap the side of my head. “And my companions like to be up to date with things. Now, where to?”

Daki looks at his boss for confirmation, and Codae nods after only a second of consideration. It again shows how much they respect her.

We run towards one of the edges of the village and come up in front of the palisade. A flight of wooden stairs leads us up onto the ramparts, where a few Beastkin already keep watch with bows and spears. Several people are carrying barrels with some liquid while others prepare spherical objects with what looks like a fuse. The barrelmen tip their cargo past the sharp tips of the defensive pillars and cold water pours down the tall wall.

“Fire is the best weapon against those beasts,” Codae says after noticing me staring. “But, also one of the most dangerous ones to use in a jungle like this and materials like wood. Making the palisade and the ground beneath wet alleviates some of the risk.”

“Smart,” I compliment them. “But still dangerous. Let us handle this if you won’t be able to scare them away with more conventional means.”

Hearing footsteps, I turn around and find my short mate reaching the top of the formations, not even breaking a sweat.

“The suitcase?” I raise a brow at her.

“Left it with your mother, Master,” Sirgia responds. “She seemed sceptical, but I told her to hide inside if things take a turn for the worse.”

“Good thinking.” I ruffle through her brown hair. “Let’s make sure it doesn’t get to that point.”

“I’ll defend your family to my last breath,” she announces, summoning her big hammer, which shocks a few observers.

I don’t get to tell her that such things won’t be necessary because the entire structure starts shaking lightly. It becomes obvious that it’s not just the palisade and the ramparts that are trembling. The entire area is quaking under the collective might of the angry chickens. We can see trees and bushes give in under their merciless rampage, anticipating the specific angle these monsters are going to come from.

As Daki has stated, they are set to collide with the wooden wall. Thankfully not straight up.

Bringing out my draconic hilt, I get ready to defend my dad’s home, browsing through the options available to me through my trusted allies and beloved mates. To minimise the damage, I’m going to employ everything at my disposal. Obviously, What’s Mine Is Yours offers the most as the majority of my power comes from all those incredible ladies.

The herd of Cockasauruses pushes past the nearby greenery and barely comes to a stop in front of the palisade. Some of the chickens at the back hit their comrades in the front and cause the first line to smash into the tough wood. They are so big we can almost step down from the ramparts and land right on top of their heads. Fortunately, they won’t be able to peck at the defenders unless they are clever enough to boost themselves with their wings.

Everyone watches as the proud beasts take a few steps back and examine the obstacle. All the villagers on top of the wall hold their breath, waiting to see what choice will these creatures make, currently tilting their poultry heads in consideration and glancing between the wooden logs and the path around them.

Then, Codae’s words come true as they start clucking in agitation, with the first individuals striking the outer side of the defences with their big sharp beaks.

Just then, multiple thorny vines explode from the ground and crawl up the barrier, covering it almost completely. Some of them surge at the assailants and tie them up, causing the chickens to squawk in disbelief. They waste some time freeing each other up, but that’s all that happens, they are only slowed down.

“The Liliraune is here too!” someone shouts from the side. “Quickly, get her before she penetrates our defences!”

“No!” I yell back and everyone turns to me, including Codae. “She’s with us!”

“What the hell do you mean?” She throws her arms into the air. “She’s taking the opportunity to get us!”

“She isn’t.” I shake my head. “She’s reinforcing the walls. Long story short, we stumbled on her earlier, she tried to eat me, we fought, and I tamed her. She now considers me her master.”

I don’t think Codae and the nearby defenders could be more bewildered, but for now, I ignore them and look deep into the treeline, spotting a familiar flower with two greenish silhouettes poking out of it.

~Lilia, Lilie, what are you doing?~ I ask rather strongly. ~You know these people aren’t friendly to you!~

~We want to help,~ the pink-haired girl replies.

~We will be careful,~ the blue-haired girl adds. ~However, vines won’t be enough. We could fight more directly, but… We are scared you would grow to hate us after witnessing our other form…~

I let out a chuckle through the connection. ~Ladies, you can’t imagine the things I have seen when it comes to monstergirls. I swear, there is nothing in this world that would change my perception of you from utterly sexy to unfathomably scary or repulsive.~

They seem to ponder my words over briefly before nodding together. Right after, I watch the cup of their flower elongate towards the sky a bit, the petals starting to coil around. Before it completely closes, I capture the view of the colourful Lilies passionately making out. 

In the next moment, a loud crack fills the air and everyone turns towards its source. The big flower, which has taken the form of a rounded spearhead or a bulbous arrow with a long, sharp, swirly tip, bursts out of the ground atop an equally thick vine which resembles the trunk of a tree more than a stalk. They both spin extremely fast and the flower charges at the nearby chicken, drilling right through it and a few closest ones with barely any effort. Afterwards, the cup opens and reveals a ferocious maw of pure gold honey that has now hardened, which releases a chilling wail.

“Attack!” Emboldened by the display, the chieftess commands and a hail of projectiles rains upon the surprised herd.

Sirgia lets out a valiant shout and launches herself off the platform, surprising everyone greatly. My brave mate flies right at the closest enemy and utilises her Crusher Arts to do what they are best at. Her glowing hammer finds its mark and the sound of a loud gong echoes through the air. After hitting the top of the chicken’s head, the weapon gains even more velocity, smacking it right into the ground faster than the rest of the monster’s body can react. The force of that impact blasts the skull of this particular entity open.

Right after, all hell breaks loose.

The chickens grow even more ferocious so the Beastkin start using their fire bombs. One would think that the flame-wielding wild hens would be immune or at least resistant to that particular element, but no, that’s not the case in the slightest. Like a perfectly prepared Molotov, the makeshift napalm covers their feathers and sets them ablaze, forcing the poor bastards to run circles in complete agony until they are roasted alive. 

A few choose to slam their bodies against the walls in an attempt to douse the violent tongues, but the water the villagers have used earlier properly protects the wood against such actions.

What it doesn’t protect against is a concentrated inferno continuously assaulting it in the same spot for prolonged periods.

One chicken employs its signature attack and breathes fire at the sharpened pillars, and the defenders watch in horror as the artificially created humidity evaporates right in front of their eyes. Bit by bit, the wood turns drier and drier before being set ablaze through and through. What follows is what you sometimes witness when lightning strikes a tree, the log burns from the inside with a lot of smoke.

As Sirgia downs the culprit, I make my decision. She can handle the battle alongside the Lilies, but these people can’t handle this much fire.

Borrowing the highest possible level of Water Magic, I invoke multiple spells at once. The first one creates a tall wave that rises outside of the wall up to its height. Without a word, I step onto it and let it carry me away. Moving far enough, I make a turn to take a good look at the entire section of the palisade.

Locking my eyes on the smouldering spots, I thrust my hands forward and two streams come out of the wave beneath me, coiling together before my palms. A rotating helix of pressurised water hits the defences and I drag it around to douse all the possible flames, not letting any get close to the buildings on the other side. It requires me to move a bit, but thankfully, my concentration is strong enough to uphold both actions.

My fierce Dwarf wife culls the herd at a quick pace, but more and more of these giant chickens keep showing up. They have clearly taken offence to our efforts and started a siege, aiming their assault in other directions too. I can follow them and protect the wall, but I can’t be everywhere at once. The wooden pillars are getting increasingly more marred. The attacks coming from the defenders don’t amount to much, unfortunately. Their arrows and javelins can’t pierce through the abundance of thick feathers, causing meaningful damage only by hitting the eyes.

~We are taking too long and there’s too many of them,~ I tell Sirgia. ~When we are done, the palisade will be nothing but ash.~

~I can still fight harder, Master. Just let me push some of my skills to their limits and—~

~It’s alright. I know you’ve been careful not to topple the village with your powerful abilities. I’ll take over from here. What we need isn’t force but persuasiveness. I guess it’s time to bring out the big guns. One Demigod coming right up,~ I reply with a slight smirk at the end.

Dismissing the water, I land back on the ground. A few of the chickens take notice of me, but before they can try anything, I invoke my Divine Form: Avatar.

The instant I do so, immense warmth and power explode from me. A blast of pinkish energy surges outwards in a spherical manner, bending the trees and ruffling plenty of feathers. I feel myself being lifted off the ground a bit and my arms involuntarily spread to the sides as my eyes close. The last thing I see is the rosy tendrils of mana extending out of me in all directions.

It feels like about a minute passes before I open my eyes again, but judging by the state of the battlefield around me, and the stunned gazes of both the attackers and the defenders, no more than a few seconds have gone by. The reason behind their shock becomes apparent to me after I look down at myself.

The pink streaks and aura are gone, but so are my clothes. However, I’m not flashing my new friends with my junk because it’s lacking too, replaced by a smooth, round surface like that of a mannequin in those regions. My skin now has a deep rosy shade of a darker hue. I consider myself fairly well-built, but the physique I witness over my entire figure feels like it’s been sculpted by the Goddess herself. Some faint pinkish smoke wafts off me, with more of it gathering around my eyes.

Still floating a few inches above the ground, I make myself rise above the treetops and the palisade, instinctually knowing that I can. Power fills me to the brim, just waiting to be unleashed. I’m subconsciously aware of all the things I can now do, including the methods to obliterate the entire flock of these flightless birds.

Yet, I feel no desire to kill them off. I understand their nature. They haven’t yet hurt any of my comrades or any other beings. They simply follow the rules this world has set for them. In their case, it’s to never step aside unless faced with certain death.

So, I shall become that death.

“Be not afraid.” I spread my arms wide once more, letting my booming voice be carried as an echo throughout the entire region. “Your lost kin has fallen in an honourable battle against me. You have no reason to further continue on this path of destruction. If you wish to take your rage on me, you are welcome to try. If you can see past this grievance, I shall show you a promised land full of bounty and peace.”

As I speak, something akin to spiritual pheromones spread throughout the air, coiling around the Cockasauruses. They stare at me in complete silence as I wait for their choice. In the end, they seem to recognize the difference between us and lower their beaks in submission. I can identify curiosity in their beady eyes, perhaps further invoked by my captivating aura.

Acknowledging their surrender, I join my hands behind my back and turn around. As I float away, the rustle of rather ungraceful movement reaches my demigodly ears. I don’t even need to hear it to sense that those creatures are following me. My senses are immensely sharpened and I can feel their position through their desires, no matter what or who those are aimed at. It’s kind of like Sense Presence but based on how horny something feels.

And zero is also a state.

Flying slowly but at a regular pace since I won’t be able to uphold this form for longer than fifteen minutes, I lead the flock as far away from the settlement as I can. From the air, I’m capable of spotting a nice lagoon where they might be willing to settle down and that’s where I bring my followers. They peek around the charming place, and as they begin to make it their new home, I slip away, heading back.

Unfortunately, I don’t make it to the settlement before my avatar runs out of juice. Noticing myself getting sluggish and floating down towards the ground, I land and let the transformation wash off me. It’s a kind of sad feeling when all that energy dissipates and my skin returns to its natural shade.

Well, at least I can be grateful that it’s happened right now, in the middle of nowhere, as I end up completely naked.

Quickly resummoning my gear, I jog the rest of the way. Twenty minutes later, I spot the palisade and some movement on both sides as the Beastkin assess the damages. Our friendly Liliraune is nowhere to be found, which is good. She might have been of great help, but I don’t think they already appreciate her enough to look past their mutual issues.

We’ll talk it out soon.

Right now, we should focus on repairing whatever we can so that this village doesn’t go into the night unprotected.

And perhaps explaining what the hell happened as numerous people look my way with wonder, curiosity, and confusion.

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