The gentle breeze of the noon swooped past the plain, bringing petals and pollens into its travels. The scent of grass and flowers tickled Erin’s nose. A gleeful yet calm expression spread across her face as she enjoyed the greeting of nature while basking in the warm embrace of the sun.

Children from the orphanage were playing in the fields, warmly overseen by Erin and Lyra, who were enjoying their rightfully earned break from the past few days. Erin was sitting on her knees, a posture that many might find disagreeable. To Erin, it was a testament to her constitution. Should she ever find herself having trouble sitting on her knees, it would mean that her constitution was failing her. It was a good method for masters to gauge the degradation of their skills through the wear of time. Erin’s tails were swaying gracefully along with the breeze and the Fox-kin herself was enjoying the company of her lover who was resting her head on her lap, painting a picture of elegance, intimacy, and serenity.

This was a well-deserved rest for Erin and none would dispute with her considering she was the prime reason for Quinteburgh’s survival. There was still much to be done after that huge ordeal. The biggest headache of all was Velkan. She had wanted to tell him of his sister’s passing personally but the guards had been too loose with their lips for rumours and tattles. He flew into a rage, demanding justice and retribution for those responsible. Even Erin herself could not calm him down. In the end, she had no choice but to leave Velkan to his own device. And that was just one of her many headaches, but for now, Erin wanted to think of nothing but to unwind. There was no better way to unwind than to spend a lovely day like this with her lover and their adopted-like daughter, Celia.

Erin shocked herself from her meditation as she reached this conclusion. “...No. Calling her as our daughter is a little too… overreaching… Besides, we have to part in a few days.”

Celia trotted up to the two briskly with a crown made of flowers in her hands. “Ellie, here!” she said, holding out the flower crown as her eyes shimmered with anticipation for praise.

“This is beautiful, Celia. Thanks,” Erin said, tousling the little girl’s hair.

Celia giggled. “That tickles, Ellie.” But she didn’t push Erin’s hand away.

“Would you like to put it on me?”

“Yes, please!” Celia responded with overjoy.

Erin lowered her head, just enough for Celia’s small arms to reach.

It took Celia a few tries but she finally got it on Erin’s head but she didn’t stop there. The fluffy and slightly twitching ears of Erin was just too much to resist. She ended up touching them, incurring a yelp from Erin as she sprang up.

Her sudden yelp also jolted Lyra from her shut-eye. “W-what? What happened?” Lyra looked around anxiously but calmed down when she saw Erin covering her ears in a curled up position. Lyra smiled warmly at such a sight.

“Don’t do that, Celia,” Erin chided.

“I’m sorry, Ellie… They were just too cute...”

“Apologies accepted, Celia,” Lyra said and scooped her into her arms. She planted kisses on Celia’s cheeks and Celia playfully flailed around in Lyra’s arms.

“You’re too soft on her, Lyra.”

“Am not. Besides, she’s right, you know? Your ears and tails are just so irresistible, especially your tails. You had three but now you have five. Five abundance of fluffiness.”

“They are not for cuddling.”

Lyra tittered. “I beg to differ, Lady Erin,” Lyra retorted with a grin.

Erin recoiled a little. “Lyra,” she shouted, as quietly as she could. “There are children here. Save those quips for when we— Eeek!” Erin let out a shriek in the middle of her sentence. She turned around instantly to find the children had somehow crept up to her back and were cuddling her tails.

Lyra threw herself back and burst into a peal of laughter.

“So soft...” said one of the children, rubbing her face with Erin’s tail.

“So warm too… I wish I can sleep with this.”

“This is better than the cotton stuff!”

“Miss, wouldn’t you sleep with us tonight?”

“Great idea, Selim!”

“Miss, would you?”

Celia had a look of envy on her face as she watches the other children hugging Erin’s tails.

“W-wait, all of you, that’s—”

Before she could finish, Celia plunged herself into Erin’s laps. “Mine,” she said, hugging Erin’s waist.

Lyra’s peal of laughter continued but it was raised higher.

“Lyra, some help, please?”

“What? You don’t enjoy this?”

“It’s not a matter of enjoying or not.”

“Is it? Are you saying you don’t like Celia and the children hugging you?”

Hearing this, the children and Celia all looked towards Erin with gleaming eyes.

“Lyra, you little—”

“Oops,” Lyra uttered with a shrug and looked away.

“Ellie… do you not like it when I—”

“O-of course not, Celia!” Erin answered quickly before the molehill became a mountain. “I’m more than happy than you like to be so close with me.”

“So… you like me, Ellie?”

“Of course. I like you, Celia,” saying so, Erin brought Celia into a hug.

“What about us, miss? Do you like us too?” The other children began to join in.

Lyra was about to let another peal of laughter but she covered her lips when she received a stern gaze from Erin.

“I like all of you. Who doesn’t like cute children like you?” Erin scooped one of them into her arms and blew kisses on their cheeks. This act apparently riled up the other children as they began to line up, waiting for their turn.

Lyra was grinning and giggling to her own fancy when Erin flashed her a grin that showed her fang.

“Hey, the nice lady over there is getting lonely too. And I’m sure she likes you all a lot too. So what do you say, shall we give her the same treatment too?”

“E-Erin, what are you doing?” Lyra asked but she was ignored.

“Treatment?” one of the children asked with his head tilted.

“Give her plenty of hugs too.”

“Erin, I don’t—”

“Oh my, do you perhaps not enjoy their presence, my dear Lyra?” Erin asked, her hand covering her grinning lips.

“You truly are a vixen,” Lyra muttered with a click of her tongue. In the end, she resigned with a sigh and embraced the onslaught of the children’s innocence. They swarmed her. And she realized something about Erin that she had been remiss about. The children weren’t heavy by any means but that was only counting them individually. Together, they weighed heavier than a boulder. Unlike Erin, her might wasn’t enough to hold all of the children. They ended up tumbling to the ground but with the soft patches of grass around, no one was hurt. Still, the children did not relent and tried their best to find some way to hug Lyra.

“This so adorable,” Erin remarked.

“Wait until night… Erin… I will return this tenfold— Eeek! Not my belly!” Lyra shrieked as her belly was assaulted. Her casual attire was that of a short top that displayed her tempered belly. It served to deter men, for most times, but to the children, it was an opening for them to show their affection.

“Now you know how it feels,” Erin muttered. As she watched over the children and Lyra warmly, a familiar scent drifted over her nose. Her smile disappeared and her brows arched.

“I see you two are having fun,” said Iris who had approached the two through means of magic. Otherwise, Erin would have picked up the Umbrun’s scent from yards away. Iris wasn’t wearing her usual indelicate apparel but a robe covered her body enough to not tempt any men who chanced upon her. Although, her face was enough to charm men or even women alike. Erin surmised Iris probably wore something decent considering she would be encountering children.

Erin was quick to assure the children to not be worried. She also told Lyra to keep an eye on the children from just an exchange between their gazes. She got to her feet, patted herself of the dirt and grass, and walked towards Iris.

“Good afternoon, Iris.” Erin was brief with the pleasantries.

“A very good afternoon to you too, Erin,” Iris greeted back with a wide smile.

“Well, what is it?”

“Oh my, what’s with that tone and stare? Is that how you greet your benefactor? I don’t remember offending you.”

“This is my repose. Your presence indicates problems and troubles.”

“Can’t I visit you just for the sake of our friendship?”

“Are you capable of something like that?”

“Do I strike you as such an apathetic person?”

“You don’t come this far as a merchant by being sympathetic.”

“Argh. I’m hurt, Erin. And I thought we made plenty of progress with our relationship since that night.”

“What do you want, Iris?”

Iris sighed. “Now who’s being apathetic, I wonder?”

Erin narrowed her eyes. Her tails slowly stood up, swaying slowly but intimidatingly.

“Alright, you hate my guts. I understand. Although, I wish to be nothing but sincere with you, Erin.”

“Then you can start by being straight with your requests.”

“Very well, Erin. I came to you on the dying request of the Ruvan church. Well, the local church, not the main church.”

“Dying request?” Erin raised an eyebrow.

“That was an exaggerated expression but the head priest was very vehement when he pleaded to me. He’s born and raised in Maven’s Creek. He’s very grateful for what you have done, although he was nowhere to be seen during and before the battle.”

“Why was he nowhere to be seen?”

“Rather than being religious, he’s more of a political figure. The nobles’ daily practices are always at odds with the Ruvan’s beliefs. It was the head priest efforts that things did not escalate into a minor scale war. Since his efforts helped the Ruvan stayed in Maven’s Creek, the head church allowed his mingling with the unsavoury nobles.”

“I’m not hearing a reason.”

“He was being a guest of one of his noble friends when the horde came.”

“Alright… but why does he want to meet me?”

“You’re the hero of Maven’s Creek, albeit not officially. But the main reason is your tails. Everyone distinctively remembered that you only have three tails when you left for the Singularity.”

“Just tell them that I’m an exception to the norms and don’t be surprised when I did something unexpected.”

Iris smiled wryly. “That answer won’t satisfy them.”

“No, but it’s the only answer they’ll get. Unless they plan to force it out of me. In that case, they are more than welcome to try. I’m also slightly curious of how bold and stupid their greed will make them.”

Iris’ wry smile broadened. “I’m impressed, Erin. You finally know where you stand.”

“It has nothing to do with where I stand. I would say the same thing even if I’m not a Fae.”

Iris recoiled slightly. She glanced around as if she feared the leaves and grasses had ears. “Don’t let the others hear you say that, Erin. Rejecting one’s self is an insult to the Fae, especially if you’re a Fox-kin.”

“I will take your words to heart. Anyways, now that I have made my point, is there anything else, Iris?”

“There is, actually. I personally am also curious. You are aware that Fox-kin’s tails don’t grow in numbers even as their level increases. They no longer evolve like any other Beast-kin ever since they became part of the Fae.”

“I am aware of all that but how can I provide the answers when I don’t have any?”

“I’m just saying that you will meet someone eventually, someone that you can’t disregard with your strength or status. And they will not stop until they get what they want.”

“Unless you’re referring to Azaela, I’m confident that my strength and skill will be enough as compensation. Speaking of which, I didn’t see Azaela and her misfits when I returned. Had they yet to return to Quinteburgh?”

“The church was silent when I asked the same question.”

“Like that would stop the answers from coming to you.”

Iris laughed. “You know me so well, Erin. Apparently, they were recalled back to the main church.”

“That’s very abrupt and sounds like a tall tale. It’s too convenient, for me that is.”

“My sources are trustworthy. Although I don’t have any information as to why they were recalled but considering Azaela obeyed such an abrupt order, the recall must have come from an oracle, an order from the goddess herself.”

“Do you know when were they recalled precisely?”

“Coincidentally, right after the horde all fell dead, give or take around that time.”

“That was when I killed Ba’al… Is it because I killed an Apostle? It’s too much of a coincidence but it ain’t a solid reason.”

“Now that I’m over with those pretences. I’m actually here for a very personal reason.”

“Business is personal for merchants, is it not?”

“I meant our friendship. Had it not been for your circumstances, I would take you as my paramour.”

Erin frowned. “Just get to the point, please.”

Iris sighed, again, but a smile quickly reappeared. “As your friend, I’m obligated to tell you this. Siv has resigned from Lord Hegan’s employment.”

“Eh? W-why?” Erin blurted out with her eyes widened.

“We all know the death of her brother affected her greatly. You were the last person she spoke to before she resigned. I was hoping you would know.”

“I do not know but I intend to find out. Do you know where she is right now?”

Iris closed her eyes for a moment before opening them up. “She’s in the smithy streets. She’s perusing weapons, it seems.”

“Then there is where I shall go.”