That's right, ladies and gentlemen—quotation marks for dialogue! Now that the new arc has started, I decided it was the best time to make this change; considering that most readers had complained about it previously, I apologize to those who had already gotten used to the old style.
Also, Lyu is now Ryu as it should be in english.
//
The morning sun barely pierced through the heavy curtains of the room at the Hostess of Fertility. Inside, the world was completely still, wrapped in a peaceful warmth.
Luki slowly opened his eyes. He remained perfectly still. 'Ah, it's that time already,' he thought, staring blankly at the wooden ceiling.
Moving was out of the question right now. He immediately felt a distinct, heavy warmth anchoring him to the mattress on both sides.
On his left, a soft, incredibly plush sensation pressed firmly against his ribs, moving in a slow, rhythmic pace. On his right, a much lighter, smaller, yet equally warm presence curled tightly against his flank.
He didn't need to look down to know who they were. Hestia was deeply asleep on his left, her generous chest acting like a soft pillow against his side. On his right, Lili was curled up like a small, precious ball of warmth, her tiny hands subconsicously gripping his sleep shirt.
He tried to slide out of the covers as gently as possible. However, the tiny wings on his head caught the sudden shift in their breathing, and the moment his shoulders shifted, the weights on his sides stirred.
"Mmh... Luki? Don't go..." Hestia mumbled, her eyes cracking open as she instinctively reached out to pull him back down.
"Luki-sama... is it time to wake up?" Lili whispered sleepily, rubbing her eyes with a tiny fist, her voice thick with drowsiness.
Luki stopped his movements, looking down at his two lovers with a soft, affectionate expression. He shifted slightly, placing a large, gentle hand on Hestia's head and another on Lili's shoulder.
"It's okay. Go back to sleep, it's still very early. The sun isn't even fully up yet." Luki said softly, his deep voice carrying a soothing tone.
"But..." Hestia pouted, her eyes still half-closed as she nuzzled her face closer to his chest.
"No buts, Goddess. You both need your beauty sleep." Luki insisted gently, leaning down to plant a soft, lingering kiss on Hestia's forehead, and then doing the exact same for Lili. "I'm just going for a walk with Ryu and I'll be right back."
The gentle kisses and his warm words worked like magic. Both girls let out soft, satisfied sighs. Lili snuggled deeper into the spot he just vacated, while Hestia hugged his pillow tightly. Within seconds, their breathing evened out again.
Luki smiled, quietly slipping out of the bed. As his bare feet touched the cold floor, the pairs of small wings on his wrists and heels gave a silent, instinctive twitch, adjusting to the cool morning air. He picked up his clothes from the closet and began to dress quietly.
Luki quietly closed the bedroom door behind him and turned down the hallway toward the bathroom.
But before he could reach the handle, the door opened and Ryu stepped out. She was wearing light, casual clothes, just a pair of simple trousers and a loose white shirt that softened her usual sharp appearance.
"Good morning, Ryu-san," Luki offered a warm, quiet smile.
Ryu looked up, slightly surprised, and gave a small, polite nod. "Good morning, Luki-kun."
"I'm just going to freshen up and I'll be right out," he said, gesturing toward the door.
She stepped aside to let him pass. Luki entered the bathroom, grabbed his toothbrush, and quickly cleaned his teeth. He finished by splashing cold water onto his face. He wasn't particularly sleepy, but the water brought a crisp sharpness to his senses.
Grabbing a towel to dry off, he walked back out.
He headed down the stairs to the ground floor, where the quiet murmur of early risers greeted him. Chloe and Lunoire were already awake, sitting near the tables.
"Good morning, girls," Luki called out gently.
"Morning..." Lunoire replied, her voice thick with drowsiness as she rested her chin on her hand.
"Have you seen Ryu-san? Where did she go?" Luki asked, looking around the empty tavern area.
"She's already outside waiting for you," Lunoire mumbled, blinking sleepily.
Luki nodded in understanding. "Thanks."
He grabbed a fresh apple from a nearby basket and with just a few large bites, he finished it, lefting no remains and stepped out of the Hostess of Fertility.
He walked down a few quiet streets until he reached the familiar open square. Ryu was already there, leaning into a deep stretch. Luki approached her with easy steps.
"Morning again. The usual five?" he asked, standing beside her.
"Yes," Ryu replied, adjusting her stance.
Luki joined her, locking his hands behind his back and pulling his arms upward to stretch his shoulders. As he pushed his weight onto the tips of his toes, his muscles tightly compressed all at once.
The sudden wave of morning energy coursing through his body felt incredibly satisfying. The pleasant physical rush caused all the small wings to flutter frantically for a few seconds, completely giving away his good mood.
Ryu glanced sideways at him. Her eyes lingered on the energetic flapping of his wings and the relaxed expression on his face. She found the contrast between his massive size and those expressive little wings entirely endearing, though she kept the thought to herself.
'Cute...'
Once they finished their routine, Ryu straightened up and adjusted her clothes. They turned toward the street together and began to walk.
They walked at a leisurely pace through the quiet streets of Orario. The city hadn't even fully awakened yet.
In the past, Luki would already be preparing to head into the Dungeon at this exact hour, eager to take advantage of the empty streets.
However, for obvious reasons, he didn't do that anymore. Now, he only walked through the city just to keep the habit alive in some way, since he simply couldn't stand doing nothing.
"Is today the last day?" Ryu asked softly, her tone laced with a quiet sensitivity.
Luki looked over at her and let out a resigned sigh. When he spoke, his voice carried a heavy sense of acceptance. "Yes... It was good while it lasted."
"I am sorry," Ryu said, her eyes softening as she looked at him. "If you need anything at all... I am here to help."
"It's okay," Luki replied, giving her a reassuring nod. "I've already prepared myself mentally for this over the last few days."
It had been ten days since Luki returned to the surface. He had dedicated every single moment of this time entirely to his family and friends, living a parody of the normal life he used to have in his old world.
During these days, he hadn't touched his sword once. He hadn't even questioned the idea of doing anything related to adventuring or the Guild. He had completely turned his back on that life, at least for this short period, just to enjoy what truly mattered while he still could.
However, they had been warned. Only ten days. This very morning marked the beginning of the tenth and final day, which meant that tonight, she would have to leave...
After a little more than an hour, the two of them completed five full laps around the entire city. It was the equivalent of a few dozen kilometers, a casual stroll for people of their monstrous strength.
With their routine done, they headed back to the tavern. Inside, they found all the other girls awake, except for Luki's lovers who were still resting upstairs. Everyone exchanged warm morning greetings and Mia said that breakfast would be ready soon.
Luki decided to head upstairs first to wash up. He walked into his room, ignoring everything else as he grabbed a fresh change of clothes from the wardrobe.
He entered the bathroom, took care of his needs, and washed off the morning sweat, and after changing into cleaner clothes, he stepped back into the bedroom, where he found the two girls still sound asleep in the bed.
Luki walked over to the bed with quiet, deliberate steps. He leaned over the mattress, propping his weight on his hands as he hovered over the two sleeping forms.
"Hestia~ Lili~ wake up..." Luki murmured, his deep voice dropping to a smooth, rumbling purr right next to their ears. "Morning is already here~."
Both girls groaned softly, squirming against the covers to shield themselves from the waking world.
Luki smiled, his messy blue hair brushing against Hestia's cheek as he leaned down further and began to press slow, lingering kisses along the curve of her neck, moving down to her collarbone.
"Mmh..." Hestia whimpered, a soft shiver running through her body. Her skin immediately erupted in goosebumps under the gentle heat of his lips.
She tilted her head back blindly, exposing more of her throat to him as a warm, contented hum vibrated in her chest. Luki took his time, nipping lightly at the sensitive skin right below her ear before soothing it with the tip of his tongue.
Before she could fully open her eyes, Luki shifted his weight over the mattress, burying his face in the crook of Lili's neck.
The small pallum girl let out a soft gasp as his breath tickled her skin. He trailed warm, soft kisses up toward her jawline, his large hands reaching down to gently caress her waist through the sheets.
"Ah... Luki-sama..." Lili whispered softly, her hands resting on his shoulders as she finally began to wake up.
Luki continued to offer gentle, affectionate nuzzles, moving his focus between the two as they shared a quiet, peaceful moment together in the morning light. Both girls relaxed back into the pillows, enjoying the calm and the warmth of the room as the day slowly began.
But Hestia, craving the warmth that had just left her, blindly reached up. She wrapped her arm around Luki's neck and pulled him down with surprising force, locking her lips against his in a deep, lazy tongue kiss.
"Umah~ Mnhnn~ Ah..." A quiet, wet sound echoed in the quiet room as they shared the messy, passionate morning embrace.
When Hestia finally let go, slightly breathless from the effort of pulling his massive frame down, Lili immediately seized her chance.
"Nngh... Slurp~" Lili eagerly pulled Luki's face toward hers, stealing his lips before he could even blink.
"Hey... That's not fair, Lili..." Hestia complained, her cheeks flushing red as she pouted heavily. "I wanted... more."
Lili broke the kiss for a fraction of a second, her eyes dark with affection.
"It's my turn, Hestia-sama," she whispered breathlessly, immediately returning her attention to his lips, deepening the kiss with an eager intensity.
Enraged by the sweet robbery, Hestia sat up rather abruptly. She forced herself into the space between them, her generous chest pressing against Luki's side as she tilted his chin toward her.
What followed was a beautifully chaotic, almost triple kiss. Every time one of them paused to catch a breath or left an opening, the other would instantly slide in, desperately fighting for a piece of his affection. Their tongues tangled in a clumsy, heated rhythm, yet they never pushed or fought each other aggressively. It was a gentle, passionate battle driven entirely by their pure adoration for him.
After a few intense minutes, they finally separated. Hestia and Lili collapsed backward onto the pillows, their lips slightly swollen, their cheeks bright pink, and their small chests heaving as they gasped for air.
Luki looked down at them from his position above, a smug, deeply satisfied smile playing on his lips.
"Careful now, if you keep fighting over me like that, we might never make it downstairs for breakfast," Luki teased softly, his blue hair brushing against their faces as he leaned down for one last gentle peck on both their lips.
"You are an absolute scoundrel, Luki," Hestia huffed, though a fond smile completely betrayed her words.
"I see absolutely no problem with that," Lili piped up, a soft hum escaping her lips.
She reached out and wrapped her small hands around his thick forearm, gently sliding her palms down his strong, defined muscles.
Luki looked down at Lili, a playful, knowing smirk spreading across his face. He deliberately used the exact same arm she was caressing to reach over and gently smooth out her messy hair.
"I'm sorry, Lili. But you know the rules," he said, his voice dropping to a teasing whisper. "Only after you turn sixteen."
Lili let out a sharp, frustrated "Tch" and brought her arm down, ceasing her attempt of seduction as a deeply annoyed pout forming on her face.
"Well... it didn't hurt to try," she muttered, turning her head away in slight disappointment.
"You really shouldn't be rushing into things anyway, Lili. Take it from my own experience. Your 14 years old Pallum body still too small to fit properly," Hestia added, speaking with the absolute confidence of someone who already knew better.
Lili snapped her head back around, completely unfazed as she shot a sharp retort. "That is exactly part of the charm! They say men prefer tighter fits anyway. Besides, with the Falna, I'm sure everything would work out."
Meanwhile, Luki stood frozen above the bed, staring at the two girls as they casually debated his and Lili's prospective sex life in complete silence. He had absolutely no idea how to react. They were discussing something so highly intimate with such casual, everyday naturalness, it almost felt like they were just chatting about the morning weather.
Noticing his sheer awkwardness, Hestia let out a soft chuckle. She sat up fully, leaned in to plant a quick, comforting peck on his lips, and tapped his shoulder twice in rapid succession.
Luki took the hint and stepped back, opening up a clear path for her to move.
Hestia swung her legs over the edge of the mattress and sat on the rim of the bed. She threw her arms high up into the air, letting out a long, heavy morning stretch. The sudden movement caused her generous, heavy chest to bounce quite noticeably.
Luki didn't even attempt to look away, staring directly at the sight without a single shred of disguise.
Feeling his burning gaze, Hestia looked back over her shoulder, completely satisfied with the effect she had on him.
"I'm going ahead. Have fun, you two," she giggled and slid of the bed, grabbing her signature white dress and walked out of the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind her.
Luki stood in complete silence, blinking at the empty doorway where Hestia had just exited. He was entirely caught off guard, left utterly uncertain of how to react to his goddess's sudden, cheeky departure.
However, there was someone in the room who didn't share his hesitation at all.
"Well... I am not one to complain, but since she gave us the perfect opportunity..." Lili murmured. Her voice had dropped to a dangerously sweet, low purr, dripping with mischievous intent.
Lili lunged forward across the mattress, throwing her arms around Luki's neck and catching him by surprise, pulling him down toward her.
"Why don't we enjoy these last few minutes... nice and close?" Lili suggested with a playful, radiant smile as she drew him near.
Luki smiled back, and they shared a passionate moment, lost in their mutual affection as the morning light filled the room.
Not too long after, the bedroom door opened and Hestia returned, already dressed and ready for the day.
Seemingly unfazed by the close atmosphere between the two, she took a seat at the vanity. She began to calmly brush her hair and apply a light touch of makeup, focusing on her reflection while the other two remained occupied behind her.
Once she was finished, Hestia tossed her brush aside and marched over to the bed with a smug grin. Without giving them a chance to react, she leaned down and hauled Lili away from Luki, breaking them apart.
The young Pallum opened her mouth to complain, but one sharp, unyielding look from her Goddess told her everything she needed to know.
Realizing she couldn't win this one, Lili pouted heavily, snatched her clothes and marched straight into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
The click of the door closing was the exact opportunity Hestia had been waiting for. Before Luki could even stand up, she lunged into his space, straddling his lap completely with her legs wrapped tightly around his waist.
It was finally her turn for some undivided attention, and she intended to savor every single second.
Hestia grabbed him by the hair, dragging his mouth down to hers in a deep, ravenous kiss that felt twice as hot as before. A soft, breathless moan escaped her throat as Luki responded instantly, his large hands reaching down to firmly cup and knead her soft backside, anchoring her heavy hips against his own. They melted into each other, exchanging saliva in a fiery, uninterrupted rhythm that left them both burning.
Minutes later, Lili emerged from the bathroom looking refreshed. Since her morning routine was naturally much shorter, Hestia's private moment with Luki came to an end.
The three of them composed themselves and prepared to head out, finally leaving the room together to go find a well-earned breakfast.
The three of them walked down the wooden stairs together and found the rest of the girls gathered around a single large table, already digging into their food.
"Well, well, look who finally decided to join us. You certainly took your sweet time up there, didn't you?" Lunoire teased, a knowing smirk on her face as she leaned back in her chair.
"We were starting to wonder if we'd have to save some scraps for you," Anya added.
"I hear nothing but pure jealousy," Hestia retorted proudly, lifting her chin up and pulling Luki's forearm against her chest as they walked toward the empty seats.
"My, my... ever since a certain someone finally became a real woman, she has been acting quite differently, hasn't she? So bold," Chloe giggled behind her hand, her slitted eyes shifting playfully between Hestia and Luki.
Ignoring the teasing comments, the three of them took their places at the long table. The tension melted away into the welcoming, chaotic warmth of the morning as everyone focused back on the feast spread before them.
The table was filled with bread served with bowls of fruit jam and cheese, many plates fried eggs, crispy strips of ham, and small bowls of potato soup. And milk for drinking, because no one is made of iron.
It is worth mentioning that the amount of food on the table could easily pass for a full lunch. One of the many side effects of being incredibly strong is that you eat a lot.
"What are your plans for today, girls?" Luki asked, breaking the silence as everyone ate.
"I need to wash the tavern floors before noon," Hestia replied, taking a quick bite of her ham.
"Lili will help you with the tables and chairs, Hestia-sama."
"I just want to sleep a few more hours, my legs are completely dead," Chloe groaned, resting her head on the table.
"Me too, nya, there were a lot of idio- cough, I mean, customers, last night," Anya complained, nodding sleepily.
"It's funny how the two of you are always complaining about work. If it's so bad, you could do me a favor and get out of my sight, take my word for it, nobody would care," Mia said with a smirk.
"Oh, come on, I'm an indispensable member of this family! Without me, you'd all be sleeping on the street with zero customers," Anya huffed.
"You talk as if you're the only waitress here."
"Of course not, but we all know it's thanks to this little rear of mine that the men keep coming back," Anya said, swaying her cat tail high in the air.
As if to prove the point, Luki kept staring fixedly at her tail. There was nothing lewd about it, but there was something about a pretty, outgoing young girl with cat-like traits throwing a "Nya" into her speech that simply held his attention.
His, and that of every other guy who thought he had a chance with her, the classic "she's into me" kind of mindset.
Watching from the sidelines, Luki couldn't help but wonder how those guys didn't realize nothing was ever going to come of it; their intentions couldn't be clearer, and the girls make a point of taking advantage of that, actually, very few guys actually come here to eat.
"Oh, please, if there's anyone here who attracts more customers, it's Syr. That angelic little voice of hers is an all-gender killer," Chloe said, leaning over to gently cup Syr's face and tilt it toward them.
Syr blushed instantly, her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink, looking at the group with wide, innocent eyes while fiddling shyly with the hem of her sleeve.
"U-Um... would you like anything else, sir?" she murmured softly, flashing a bashful, incredibly tender smile, her voice so gentle and sweet that it seemed to brighten the entire room.
"Tch, she doesn't count! She's way out of our league! The competition is strictly among us riffraff here," Anya complained, crossing her arms.
"Speak for yourself," all the waitresses spoke in unison, laughing.
"Speaking of the kitchen," Mia interrupted, slamming her mug down on the wooden table. "We have a massive list of ingredients to restock before the tavern opens tonight. Someone needs to go down to the central market and buy the usual supplies."
Immediately, a heavy silence fell over the table. Chloe suddenly stared intensely at her empty bowl, Anya began whistling loudly while looking at the ceiling, and Lunoire quickly looked away to avoid Mia's sharp gaze. Even Ryu went quiet, trying to blend into the background.
Luki looked around at the girls making faces and giving silent excuses. He let out a soft chuckle. "I can go. I don't have anything planned for this morning anyway."
"Good," Mia nodded, completely ignoring the relieved sighs from the rest of the girls. "I'll get you the shopping list and the money in a minute. Just make sure you only buy from the merchants with Demeter's seal. The quality is always guaranteed."
"Understood," Luki replied with a nod.
Everyone continued eating and chatting casually, the tavern filled with easy laughter until the plates were cleared and it was time for everyone to head to their duties.
Mia walked over to the pantry, pulling out a piece of paper to scribble down a quick inventory checklist. She focused basically on perishable foods and ingredients, the kind of stock that couldn't be stored for long periods and had to be bought in smaller quantities to be used immediately.
With the completed list and a heavy, jingling pouch of coins in his hands, Luki stepped out of the Hostess of Fertility. He walked until he reached the "commercial district", which was essentially many roads packed tight with local shops and open-air stalls selling every common item imaginable.
"Fresh fruit from the countryside! Sweet apples and ripe oranges, come get them while they're fresh!"
"Step right up, folks! Massive promotion today! Buy two cotton shirts and get one absolutely free!"
"Top quality oak chairs! Solid wood furniture for your home! Come inside and take a look!"
Luki kept walking, completely ignoring his surroundings with a thoroughly annoyed expression on his face. Now that he had actually arrived here, he was deeply beginning to regret volunteering for this errand.
First of all, the sheer volume of people packed into the streets made walking around an absolute nightmare. Combined with the incredibly loud shouting attacking his senses from every possible direction, the entire place felt like a double layer of hell.
Luki pulled his wings tightly against his body. He did this both to prevent people from accidentally bumping into them as they brushed past, and to try his best to suppress the deafening noise.
One major thing he had learned about his new body was that since he didn't have regular ears, his head wings served as his primary way of hearing. They captured the vibrations of voices and noises, sending those signals straight into his mind so he could interpret them perfectly as sound.
Or whatever magical, fantastical biological shit that exists between the base of the wing and the brain that allows for this, that is also that option...
Anyway, this hearing function only applied to the small pair of wings on his head. The other pairs located on his wrists and ankles completely lacked that connection to his mind's hearing system.
Instead, those lower wings acted more like hyper-sensitive skin. They were incredibly responsive to physical pressure, drafts, and tactile movements, acting like sharp receptors that could feel absolutely everything around them, but without the internal capability to actually process those sensations as noise.
In any case, as he scanned his surroundings, Luki looked around for any shop displaying the Demeter Familia seal. It wasn't as if he automatically knew where to go... he probably should have asked Mia for specific directions.
However, he quickly spotted a nearby shop advertising itself as officially recognized by the Demeter Familia, featuring a large wooden seal carved right beside the entrance.
It made sense to advertise it, considering that Demeter was the primary local supplier of Orario. The quality of her goods was drastically higher than any imported food afected by the slow transport limitations of this era.
Using that logic, he realized all he had to do was search the busy street for other stalls sharing that exact same seal.
...
Luki eventually stepped inside a bustling butcher shop, looking over the various cuts of meat on display to find something that matched Mia's list.
Finally, his eyes locked onto a long string of meat sausages packed into natural casings.
He reached out his hand, entirely prepared to grab the item, when his fingers suddenly brushed against another hand trying to take the exact same package.
"Ah, I'm sorry," Luki muttered, instinctively pulling his hand back as he turned his head to see who it was.
The moment their eyes met, both of them froze in sheer disbelief.
"Luki-san?"
"Eina-san?"