-The Guild Master-

To be fair, the night was still full of pleasures.

Sam was still feeling extra clingy, and Zutiria was gracious enough to concede that the Princess needed more time with me than she currently did. I ended up going for five rounds, three of which were with Sam and one of which Sam was allowed to eat out from Zutiria.

Never say we don’t spoil you, your Highness.

Zutiria was still given plenty of attention, mind you. Just not all of it was penetration. She was certainly not left wanting, and it's not like the girls get additional bonuses from taking more loads of my semen. As long as they both get one they should be good.

Once the passion dies down, the three of us all get comfortable and ready to turn in. The lights go off, the bathroom door is left open a crack for Zutiria, and we quickly drift off to a pleasant rest after a long day.

We all swiftly awaken several hours later to the sound of a gigantic impact smashing something in the entrance hall.

“THE FUCK?!” Sam shouts and jerks straight out of our cuddling embrace, jumping out of bed and hastily throwing on a shirt and a pair of my boxers.

‘There’s an intruder.’ Zutiria hops up equally fast and using her magic summons a black nightgown for her to wear, her staff, and Sam’s sword for her to wield.

“Where’s Meri?! Sam, go check on her-”

“Master!” Meri opens the door and enters our room. She’s wearing a long white camisole with red panties underneath, and she’s got her tower shield held firmly in her right hand. “T-There’s someone downstairs...!”

Everyone looks to me for instructions, but I can’t for the life of me think about the best way to go about this. We’re all holed up in one room and we have no idea how strong our enemy is or how they managed to get into the building. They couldn’t possibly have broken through the enchanted door, could they? 

No, no. I’m thinking irrelevant thoughts. I need to focus on this exact moment, we can’t afford to waste any time.

“Sam and Zutiria, head down stairs but do NOT let your guard down. Sam, I need you to not be reckless. Zutiria is smarter than you. Follow her instructions.”

“Right.” Sam nods, her grip tightening on her sword as she heads toward the door.

‘I’ll keep her safe, Sir.’ Zutiria shoots me a confident gaze and follows after Sam.

“And me, Master?” Meri is deeply concerned but trying her best to stay calm under the circumstances.

“You’re my shield, aren’t you?”

She blushes a bit but nods vigorously.

“Then that goes without saying. Protect me.”

“Yes!” Meri swells with purpose.

“Also, toss me those boxers on the floor over there and turn around please.”

“Yes! Wait, w-what?!”

 

-Zutiria-

I’m broken- this is not a new fact.

I have trouble showing emotion... 

That being said, in all ways except visibly I am absolutely livid.

When I first heard Sir talk about the potential threat at hand, I was furious. I just recently found somewhere to belong... someone to belong to... Someone I need and who needs me just as badly.

And beyond that I even proved myself this week and created the Return Gate for him. I’m contributing, and I’m useful here.

And now some sort of outside presence is targeting him.

I don’t care what it takes. I will use any spell in my arsenal to protect that person and our home together, at any cost to my own body.

Capturing the intruder is my first priority as we could use the information, but...

I’ve never intentionally killed anyone before. As an adventurer, I’m sure it would have happened eventually. Bandits and raiders are hardly more than monsters, after all, but...

If I have to, I’ll do it tonight.

I don’t think I would have any remorse. Not in these circumstances at least. 

Someone broke into my home with ill intent and I will not tolerate any attacks on the happiness I’ve somehow managed to cultivate here against all odds.

Whether it’s the Duke of Dewhurst or the Demon Lord himself, I don’t care... I’ll end it.

Sammy and I rush downstairs. It’s not like me to get so heated up and to dart off like this, but as I said I’m personally offended. 

There’s no sign of the intruder, but there’s a big gaping hole in the building right next to the door. I’m guessing Gwinlinn’s enchantments were so strong that the invader couldn’t put a scratch in them, and they settled on the least subtle alternative possible.

“What the fuck happened here...?!” Sammy holds her sword out defensively in front of her body as she looks around the room. Good. She’s learning.

‘Stay alert. Whoever did this is as strong as you, possibly more.’

“Got it.”

Someone drops down behind me and kicks me square in the back, toppling me over and making me drop my staff. It skitters across the room, well out of reach.

“Telepathy?” A deep voice I don’t recognize says, and before I can pull myself upright someone sits on my back, grabs my hands and pins me to the ground. “Just another reason when fighting a group to always attack the Mage first. No exceptions. Tricky fucking bastards you lot.”

I struggle against the enemy holding me down, desperate not to die like this. Not now, not here... not after what I finally found...

“As for you, you need to realize that magic can't always protect you.”

I lose consciousness and enter the darkness after getting punched firmly in the back of the head... I... Sir... Sammy...

 

-Sam-

T-That fucker just got Zuzu! I can’t see them very well, it’s dark and they’re wearing a cloak... What the fuck am I supposed to do? They moved with such speed that neither of us could react before they were right on top of usg.

The cloaked figure stands up off of Zuzu. “You’ve got three main goals when fighting a Mage- snap the staff being first and foremost. That’ll weaken them a lot more than you’d imagine, as it channels their spells and makes them stronger. After that, you can cripple them by breaking their hands to prevent non verbal magic. Without talking they still need to channel the power somehow, and the hands are how they do that. Lastly, make sure they can’t talk. If you’re an edgy fuck you can cut out their tongues, but knocking them out works just as good and is less... messy.”

What the fuck is this person rambling on about? I think they’re a woman, but their accent is so thick and the voice is so deep that it makes it hard to tell.

“SHUT UP, I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!” My adrenaline is pumping, and I feel the heat burning from within again. Whether I was aiming to or not, the Royal Blood has been activated and my hatred boils over, making me more powerful than I know what to do with.

I run at the enemy and do a gigantic overhead slash.

“Xiphos.” The figure extends their hand. Light glows out of it and very quickly a short sword with a distinct leaf shape materializes out of nowhere. What a piece of shit. They think such a flimsy piece of iron can stand against ME?

Yet, against all odds this shitty, bronze looking short sword is somehow able to take the entire brunt of my epic slash... and beyond that, the enemy pushes back and sends me hurtling into the wooden walls of the entrance hall. The already shitty wood breaks under the force of the impact and I’m left an angry mess afterwards.

“You have power. That’s good- power is ALWAYS good. But you wield the great sword like a little boy swinging his first wooden blade. Are you still a child? Because you sure as hell fight like it.”

Me...? A child? I’m Royalty. I’m not naive, I’m better than anyone else!

“How DARE you...!” I pull myself from the wall and grit my teeth. Running at the enemy with sword in hand , I ready a horizontal strike. I’m going to cut this villain straight in half and show them their guts...! I’m going to-

“Great Sword.” The short sword is then replaced by an ancient looking bronze mass of steel, about the same size as mine. It too has a shitty leaf-like shape to it. They think they can just copy me, do they? HAH. That’d be the day.

My powerful slash rips through the air and I brace myself for the clash of steel on steel, but... it never comes. They dodge. They fucking DODGE!

This enemy really is too dangerous to let live. I need to end this, I need to end THEM, I-

“You fell for my taunting. Anger is a double edged sword, kid. There’s no weapon quite as powerful, true... but when you point it at your enemy you also point it at yourself. Not to mention it’s completely incompatible with your choice of arms.” The mysterious enemy smashes the flat side of their Great Blade into my upper back, knocking all the wind out of me in one mighty blow.

I fall to the floor, gasping for air with determination. I can do this... I’m a Lundreame, I was BORN to rule over all others...! I defeated an adult Brood Wolf using nothing but my own anger and desperation. I can still do this... I can still stand up and fight, I can prove myself!! I can...? I... w-wait... this isn’t about me... Boss... Zuzu... even Meri, I... I forgot about them...

How can I fight like this when I’m not even sure what I’m fighting for...?

Suddenly, I’m pulled off the ground by one of my twintails. “Cute hair, but in combat it always comes with a risk. I’m not telling you to cut it off, just making sure you know. You don’t want this to happen if you can help it. Girls on the battlefield like us have to run the thin line between practicality and stylish.” 

The enemy somehow lost their sword while I wasn’t paying attention and they ready their fist, knocking me out cold with a single well placed blow on my chin...

 

-Meri-

Stand firm... stand firm...

That’s what Mom would do, after all. She was the shield of hope for the entire village, and when she died I swore that I would take it upon myself to live up to her legacy.

It hasn’t gone very well...

I didn’t have anyone to teach me how to be a Shield Maiden. I never learned how to fight, and I-I’ve been a burden ever since becoming an adventurer.

W-When I took the Hero License exam, I didn’t even have to prove myself in combat. The examiner just saw my armor, shield and that I registered my class as ‘Shield Maiden’ and passed me on the spot...

We’re so rare h-he didn’t even CHECK! That just led to me failing so hard over these last two years... nothing I did helped anyone, and I got in everyone’s way each time I joined a different adventuring party. There was no hope for me in Perlshaw...

That’s why this place feels so special to me already. I-I actually feel... hopeful. If there’s anywhere in all the realms where I could actually learn to make a difference, my heart tells me it’s here...

The Master here is scary... but nice. It seems like the man really cares about the other girls here, and does his best to help them improve... He, um, might actually be more of a perv than Gilver but at least he’s nice about it...? Mr. Glorigold was sleazy... this man is genuine and honest. A-And... and sure he m-m-might be sending me some strong signals b-b-but... it’s not like I’m n-not entirely uninterested...

Especially seeing how much the others seem to love him, here, and how much he’s done for them...

My point is... I-I can’t let ANYTHING happen to him.

He might be the only one who could help me... for my own sake, I can’t let this strange, lewd man die...!

But it’s not looking so good.

Sam, the P-Princess, apparently, shouted just a bit ago and there was a loud clank. If she’s already fighting and angry then it p-probably means Miss Zutiria is already down... and that’s really bad news.

I’m camping right in the doorwar wielding Mom’s shield to create a barrier. Hopefully they’ll attack me on sight and I can subdue them with reflect, and if worst comes to worst I can use the s-sword in my buckler form... but I’ve... never crossed swords with another person before... I’ve barely killed a few monsters with it, b-but a person?

I don’t think I’m ready to take someone else’s life...

Gods, I’m scared... but I can’t be... I CAN’T be...!! Stand firm... stand firm...!!

“Woah, you’re a Shield Maiden? I can count the number of those I’ve fought on one hand. Let’s see if you know your stuff.”

WHAT!?

A hand appears on the top of my towershield, t-the enemy must have crouched and approached me knowing I wouldn’t see them coming from this angle...! Since I wasn’t expecting it at all, I don’t have time to adjust my grip and t-they... they rip Mom’s shield out of my hand and toss it down the hallway.

They’re wearing a cloak a-and I can’t get a good look at their features, even with the light from the arcane lamp coming in from Master’s bedroom.

“You’re the only one I’m giving an excuse to. You don’t have access to your armor or your tools, and when your class specifically relies on one thing then you better be damn good at it or else you’ll run into situations like this.”

W-Why is this person talking like this? They enter the room and I can briefly see a glimpse of their face from under their dark hood, I-I’m pretty sure it’s a woman... but a slightly manly looking one...

She rears her fist back and punches me in the gut, b-but thanks to my training it doesn’t hurt so bad... I don’t lose my wind, a-and I... I avoid toppling over.

“Awful lot of meat on you, girl. Think the other ones I fought were like that, too. You took my blow well enough, even if you look like you’re about to piss your pants.”

I-I need to act... I need to do something... p-punch her back or something...! But I’m frozen in place...! She’s too strong... I can’t... without Mom’s shield... without Mom... I...

“LEAVE HER ALONE!”

Master bursts out of the bathroom where I had him hold himself up in brandishing a very weak, frail looking knife. He jumps out in front of me and the woman to protect me. I... I really was right about him...! He’s dependable, and kind, and he... he’d even risk his life to save me, a girl he barely knows...! He’s so... so...

“Gods, I take back everything I’ve said. Between the Mage and the brat with the sword, you’re by far the worst of the lot.” The woman says, not even acknowledging the Master’s attempt to protect me.

“I said LEAVE HER ALONE! It’s me you want!”

The mysterious enemy looks over to him a-and swiftly sends him to his knees so fast that I barely even saw the punch that did it.

“GAHCK-” He lurches and holds his stomach, trying to keep something in that he doesn’t want out.

“MASTER!”

No... please, Goddess no...!!

The woman grabs me by the collar of my camisole and yanks me to her. “ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?! WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY HAVE TO SAY TO DEFEND YOURSELF?!”

“W-WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!” I start crying... until she throws me onto the ground hard.

“There’s absolutely nothing more pathetic in this or any other realm than a shield that thinks it needs to be protected. You have ONE job, and you failed it so badly that it makes me sick to my stomach.”

“W... what...?”

“The man you were trying to protect jumped in front of you to be YOUR shield and you were RELIEVED. YOU. ARE. PATHETIC! A FAILURE!”

... I... I... no... s-stop it... I already know I’m useless... I already know what I’m like...!! I DON’T NEED TO HEAR IT FROM YOU!!

“RAAAGH!!!” I charge at the woman and smash my fist into her as hard as I can, which is apparently pretty hard. She stumbles back because I think she wasn’t expecting it.

Her hood falls off of her face and it reveals her to be a strong looking woman with bronzed skin, scars on her lip and left eye and a half buzz cut, the sides of her head are shaved almost clean while the top is a mess of dirty blonde spikes.

Without any hesitation she hits me back, but I don't let her make me budge. I slug her back in the cheek. She stumbles, but hits me back. Then I do it again. Then she does. We stand there in the room as Master watches us having an all out slug fest, pummelling each other in the face over and over and over again u-until... I fall over...

I look up at the woman, and h-her face doesn’t look like it’s been damaged at all... but I don’t need a mirror to tell how badly I’m bleeding... I’m probably swollen... a-and as soon as the adrenaline fizzles out I’m... I’m in so much pain... it hurts... please... Mom... make it stop... please... please...!

Fighting... hurts so badly... but... I... I did it... I did... my best...

 

-The Guild Master-

This isn’t right. I’m not an idiot, and I think I picked up on the situation almost instantly after I came out to protect Meri.

The woman sighs after Meri stops responding, and spits out some blood onto the floor. She undoes her deep crimson cloak and reveals a full set of steel Grekkan armor, complete with gauntlets and greaves. Her body is well built and muscled, and her chest armor draws attention to her abs “Sorry about the hit I gave you, man. Had to raise the stakes and I’m not the best at holding myself back.” 

“I noticed...” I respond, prompting a deep laugh from the Grekkan.

 

(Early draft design, will be replaced when I have time to draw her final ref)

 

“Hah. Your girls aren’t so bad. Nothing I can’t work with. Not too much is wrong with the Mage, besides standard weaknesses that come with her class. The Great Blader is a mess, but damn if she isn’t a powerful mess. If she learns to chill the fuck out and use her weapon right, even Achilles himself would find himself in envy of her.”

“... And Meri?” I ask, moving over to her and setting her upright. Her face is swollen almost beyond recognition, her lips are split, her eyes blackened and it hurts to look at...

“I meant what I said about her, but... I didn’t think she’d actually stand up to me after I put the pressure on her like that. And she held her ground, too. I can’t say that about most people I’ve fought. Kid’s got some damn high natural defenses, and her punch ain’t that bad either. She’ll have to work damn hard, but she’s got potential.”

The Grekkan woman stretches before holding out her hand and grunting, “Bag of Holding Lots of Shit, or whatever it’s called.” A bag materializes, and my eyes light up from surprise.

“I thought you were a retired mercenary. How the hell did you get an Auto Loader?”

Laughing, she drudges up three potions out of her bag, tosses them to me and says, “How does a mercenary end up with most of their rare magical shit? I killed someone in battle and I took it.”

“The Association of Adventurers is ridiculously careful about their stranglehold over that technology. Don’t let them find out about you having one or they’ll put a kill quest out on you... no questions asked.”

“That sounds illegal.”

“Yes, it is. But they’ll do it anyway to recover your Auto Loader. It’s an open secret.” I pour the potion down into Meri’s lips and it quickly does its thing, healing the facial damage and making her stir slightly.

The woman sighs and to my surprise, starts unbuckling her armor and undressing herself. She’s fully nude now, revealing a beautiful bronze body covered in scars and muscles. A full, firm ass, toned thighs, thick shoulders and biceps, the works. She’s not just a warrior, it’s more like she was sculpted by the Gods of Olympus themselves solely for battle.

“Thanks for the warning. Now if you don’t mind, I’m fucking shitfaced and this bed looks comfy as hell. I’ll be up in like eight hours or so, make sure they’re ready for me. Ok?”

“Sure... alright then, I suppose.” I sigh and pick up Meri in my arms, bridal style. I don’t mean to be rude, but she’s quite heavy and I struggle to do so... Before I even leave the room, I can already hear powerful snoring coming from my bed.

“Nice to meet you too, Nikita.” I mutter under my breath as I leave to go lay down Meri in the dorm room that apparently all four of us will be sharing tonight.