After things calmed down, I got Lili to come up to the meeting room and take the girls’ measurements for their new clothes while Kenaka and Mametama wanted to follow me. I decided to take the opportunity to sell most of the weapons and items from my [Storage] I got from the cultists scouting Dondegarm yesterday. I kept some things from them like potions, spears, bows, and quivers of arrows. Some time has passed since the end of that duel so it looks like things have also calmed down in the guild, especially since all of the Harpies and most of the [Arch] Imps flew off in a panic. It’s actually pretty empty. Maybe most of the adventurers are out doing their quests at this point of time?

I wound up getting around 650,000 karos from most of the weapons and gear I gathered from the cultists. I decided to keep them on hand.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, Mr. Jinma, but what did you do with the um … the bodies of the White Rapture scouts yesterday?” Ms. Raize who was helping me with the transaction asks.

“I’m keeping them in my [Storage] until I figure out what to do with them.”

“… That’s 64 bodies in there, right? And there were all of those items you pulled out from [Storage] moments ago, too. Then there was the Toxic Troll and all of those monsters you pulled yesterday. You must have a lot of magic capacity to be able to hold all of that, right?”

“Depends on what you mean by a lot. Hey, if you see anyone from my party, could you tell them I’m in the training grounds if they ask?”

“Of course.”

With that, I head to the training grounds with my MIB in tow while Kenaka and Mametama follow me, specifically to the shooting range where a few targets made of hay wrapped in cloth are set up for those wanting to hone their skills with the bow or throwing weapons.

From there, I performed a couple of experiments involving magic and weapons. To be more specific, making weapons from magic, like throwing knives, spheres, spears, and shuriken while doing some target practice. I first made all of those mentioned weapons from Darkness Manipulation before I threw them at the targets. Compared to creating them from shadows nearby, I can now make them straight from my magic with better ease after I maxed the skill out. Since my Throw skill was also at max level, I didn’t think about how powerful the disposable weapons would be at first when I threw them as hard as I could.

The ‘Shadow Ball,’ which was the first weapon I tried that I molded into the size of a baseball, just blew a hole right through the target and even out the other side of the wooden fence behind it. I had to run over and made sure I didn’t hit anybody. Thankfully, nobody got hurt but I stopped using any ball-shaped items and minded my throwing power from that point on. Those things might as well be miniature cannonballs from how it embedded itself in a tree outside of the fucking city.

So many holes made in a line … I would have to pay for these damages, unfortunately, so I quickly reported my screw up with Ms. Raize and provided the necessary money for the reparations before I moved on to another target to practice on. The few others who were using them before disappeared after seeing what I did.

Ah … this sense of loneliness from scaring away people due to my strength. How nostalgic, I thought for a moment as I stared at the empty shooting range wistfully.

I shook off my melancholy and moved on with my experiment while keeping my throwing power in mind. My sharp ‘Shadow Knives’ went right through another clean target and stuck themselves on the wooden fence behind it. The same went for the ‘Shadow Spear’ and even ‘Shadow Shurikens’ that were about the same size as the palm of my hand. I confirmed it with the ‘Shadow Ball’ as well, but they’re able to maintain their shape and form even after going at a far enough distance until I made them disappear at will.

I did the same thing after I went a little creative with ‘Create Water’ from Water Magic and made those weapons out of solid ice, or ‘Create Ice’ as Kenaka and Mametama called it as they helped. It seems they both have good knowledge of magic under their belts as well, which helped me quite a bit.

My ‘Ice Weapons’ were actually more difficult for me to make compared to my ‘Shadow Weapons’ even with my Hyper Thought Processing, probably because I had to take into account the density and durability of solidified water compared to … well, whatever matter Darkness Manipulation comes from.

Kalline mentioned how flying beings are usually weak against Storm-attribute attacks. Would throwing chunks of ice and black stuff count as Water and Curse-attribute attacks, respectfully? I wouldn’t really know until I tried it out, I suppose, but I played around with what else I could do with Water and Curse Magic some more. I was even able to use Ren’s [Duplicate] Null Spell to make copies of Nyra after trying it and they turned out to be decent throwing knives.

With how strong my throws are, I may not even need to use a bow and arrow, but I wondered how possible it would be for me to stop using magic all of a sudden due to some dire circumstances and I needed to catch someone from a long distance. At that point, not having magic would be difficult. I wouldn’t even be able to use Weapon’s Bond to call Nyra back to me after I throw her. Even if I sprint to where my opponent is, they could get away with their own [Portal] if they had the capability to do so. I made a mental note to try my hand on the bow and arrow at another time.

During my experimental stages, Mametama and Kenaka asked me questions on what the White Rapture was, what Ms. Raize meant about their bodies I kept in [Storage] and how I came into contact with Ms. Obina. I told them what I could without revealing too much as I trained on my own.

The conversation was through ‘Telepathy,’ by the way, so no one would be able to know what we were talking about. Nyra had to put in some jabs at me to keep the ‘talk’ less boring for her. She especially cackled after I made those holes with the Shadow Ball.

[You have earned 97 SP. Total: 12,320 SP

[Your ATK has been increased!]

By the time I called my training session good for the time being and I earned 97 SP along with a boost in ATK, the others seemed to have finished with their measurements a while ago and decided to watch me. I didn’t even notice they were there until I was finished. Lili wasn’t with them, but Ren told me she had to get the supplies and return home to get started on her special line of commissions.

With everyone gathered, we went back inside the guild and met up with Ms. Raize.

“All done with your businesses?” Ms. Raize asks.

“Yep. We still need to get supplies and prepare for our quest tomorrow, but right now we need to register Kalline in our party and give it a name before anything else.”

“Ooh~, do tell. What inspired you to come up with it?”

“… I’d like to first thank the girls for giving me the inspiration: Ume, Ren, Erizora, Kalline, and last but not least, Nyra.”

“<“Huh?”>” they utter.

I take Nyra still sheathed and place it on my chest as I think back to the times I spent with them to this point. “The circumstances were crazy, but we were all together by the end of the raid the night before. Six very different strangers of different races, fighting together for a common goal while Dondegarm was under attack. I could still remember how morbidly red the sky was as the sun began to set when I first got here during the chaos.

“The following day, I got to know a little of each of these individuals, got attracted to them, and one thing led to another before I first made love with Ume. The sun was also on the verge of setting at that time, giving her and the area a warm, welcoming light. And finally, from early this morning, I made my courtship with Ume official. The Immortals watched over us, acknowledged us as husband and wife as we kissed during the sunrise, beginning the first day of the rest of our lives together with the same, welcoming glow that made her all the more beautiful.

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“That’s why I think our party should have a name that fits with how it shines on us during our most climactic moments. How that no matter what the circumstances may be, we will make the most of the time given to us, whether they be dawn or dusk, because how we live is what makes us both the same and unique at once, all under the same light.

“That’s why our party, number 7734, should be dubbed ‘Twilight Sky.’ What do you all … think?” I turn to my party when I ask that, only to see the girls’ eyes welling up with tears.

“Master J-Jinma, that speech … ‘twas beautiful,” Kalline says as she dabs her eyes with a handkerchief.

“Master has such a way with words …” [Ren]

“I didn’t think he thought so much of us in a short time.” [Erizora]

<“Oh, Jinma … to say stuff like that while forcing me to feel and hear your heartbeat like this, you’re gonna make me do something crazy with my magic in front of all of these people if you say anymore.”> [Nyra]

“*Gushi.* All right, then,” Ms. Raize says after dabbing tears from her own six eyes away. “If everyone’s in agreement, lend me your cards and I’ll update them right away.”

All of us do just that while I overheard Mametama whisper something to Kenaka. The latter’s grunt told me he didn’t like what she said but restrained himself from ruining the mood. I then feel one of my hands get interlocked by another’s covered in scales. I glance over and see Ume fighting the urge to break down while her face was very red.

Ah … my wife is so cute like this. Everyone’s cute like this. I couldn’t be more grateful to have such a wonderful family here with me. Thank you for making this possible, Goddess Obina. I feel I should pray to her as a proper goddess for this one.

And so, our cards were given back to us moments later, and at the space below our party’s number is the name ‘Twilight Sky’ in Padimonian writing.

~~

After the registration was complete, we sat down and went over what we need for our dungeon crawl. Ren, Erizora, and Kalline have actually visited Palocaesy Dungeon before but have yet to complete it. Even so, their experience up to the 29th floor at the deepest (Kalline was the one who made it that far on her own while Ren and Erizora have only gone so far down as the 15th) was more than helpful for Ume and I who haven’t even been inside a dungeon before.

Since we have Ume’s and my own [Storage] along with my MIB, both of which have a special space that keeps whatever perishable items just as fresh as they were when put inside, we made a list of things we needed for the trip over to Palocaesy, along with another one for the dungeon crawl that would likely happen the following day we get there, all written down on cheap paper and a charcoal pencil bought from the reception desk. We went over whatever situations were accounted for that would require such items when we need them, how much time would be expected for us to stay there in order to get to the end, how much rations we should prepare, and the like.

Potions weren’t much of an issue because I got a bunch of those from the White Rapture scouts yesterday, and so I took the bottles of what I had in [Storage] and distributed them among the party right then and there. I also passed a lighter I brought with me from Earth over to Kalline. Kazumi from my old work was a smoker and tended to abuse his position as my senior in the workplace to have me light his cigarettes.

He at one point tried to have me buy the damn lung-killers for him, even if he would pay me back the money for it, but I scared him enough to not bother me about that task again. Mom was really strict in not allowing me to use drugs and cigarettes and I wasn’t willing to be someone’s minor drug mule for something like that.

Still, he was really annoying when he forgot his lighter to light his smokes with, so I ended up carrying one around out of habit to shut him up about it. Since I have Fire Magic now, I have no need for the lighter anymore, so I gave it to Kalline to be a better and more efficient alternative than using those flints they use to light fires with. I’d need to find an alternative fuel for when the lighter fluid runs out though, or maybe see if I can buy it from the IBS at some point.

Once we came up with what we needed, I was gung-ho and ready to help buy the stuff for us, even visiting Ms. Carmen’s tent about Ren’s ‘Trained [(voided) Sex] Pet’ situation on the side.

The girls unanimously suggested I sit out, however, and Ren herself said she felt fine enough to not worry about it today when I tried arguing her circumstances. She seemed to be telling the truth on it, so I couldn’t argue her on that point any further.

Instead, Ren, Erizora, and Kalline have gone to get the supplies with Kenaka serving as a mean of communication between me and them in case something went wrong. I lent them enough money to buy them all and my MIB to make carrying the supplies around easier while I have my IEB in a regular knapsack currently lugged on my shoulder. While they were picking up supplies, Ume, Mametama, and I would walk back to the Cantering Dreams Inn for a change of pace instead of using [Portal].

We … or more technically they decided that we should meet back up at the inn once their shopping was done so we could visit the bath before going to Ms. Tephalia’s manor for dinner. Which brings us to the present with me currently holding Ume’s hand on one side of me while Mametama walked on the other

“I know I couldn’t really refuse a unanimous decision like that but I still don’t know why you all were so against me helping out,” I start off.

“Jin, you worked in getting two of the strongest magical beasts in the Holy and Curse Realms to become your familiars, had a duel with this city’s guild master to let his niece join our party, and after going through the exhausting details of our quest tomorrow and dealing with that damn chick’s rudeness, you honed your skills by throwing those magic-made weapons at targets. You may not be an average human, but even I know from my own kind that everyone has limits.”

“But I don’t feel tired, though? And didn’t you say it yourself that you were looking for a strong, capable mate before you wound up with me, Ume?”

“Being strong is one thing, but being hasty and constantly pushing that strength to its breaking point is a whole other story. There are those in my kind who have died sooner than they should’ve because of overwork and they themselves didn’t even realize it until it was too late. I may not be one to talk with my lack of sleep but we take sleeping and resting very seriously.”

“Lady Umeiyon is right, Milord,” Mametama adds. “Before I earned my former position, I have also worked too much to the point of collapse at times. Most magical beasts who were with me have been run ragged enough times until they didn’t want anything to do with me anymore since they couldn’t keep up with my pace. You may be different, but if you try taking everything on your own, even if you don’t die from it directly, you may end up collapsing at the worst possible time and place.”

“Have you been in a similar position, Mametama?” I ask.

“I was … and if it weren’t for that damn bear, I probably wouldn’t even be here with you.”

“Kenaka?” Ume asks.

“Ugh, it pains me to even remember how furious he was when he scolded me after taking care of some monsters that were about to do me in.”

“So, there are monsters from your realm, too, huh?” Ume asks.

“I’m more interested in their relationship than the monsters. If Kenaka was scolding you, then the two of you were actually pretty close friends, right? What brought the two of you to drift apart? Was it how you two became the Holy and Cursed Beasts?”

“That’s part of it. The reason’s more complicated than that but let’s not drift away from the main subject. The point is, you need a break, and it’s more serious than you think if I’m the one saying that. That’s why it’s the two of us coming along with you so we can make sure you stay put and not leave our sight.”

“… Did you girls plan this far ahead while I was away?”

“We did a lot of talking, yes, and keeping you relaxed and pampered after a long day is just one of my duties as your primary wife; hence, why it was decided I would be the one to come with you.”

“It sounds like I’m putting you all through some trouble worrying over me, though. I’m sorry if I did. I just didn’t want to feel like I’m abusing my position as the party’s leader to slack off and not put in my fair share of the work.”

“<“You’ve done more than enough,”>” the two of them and even Nyra said in sync. I couldn’t help but flinch a little at that.

We get back to the inn before I realized it. We get to the reception and I make sure my familiars and Kalline were accounted for to stay with us before we get to the mixed room.

“Jin … you’ve done so much for us in this short time. We’re happy to be with you and just as much to be of use to you, wife, slave, servant, or otherwise, but we’re worried how you haven’t had much of a chance to just … stop with everything and relax a little, when you’re not eating and sleeping. You’ve been constantly gripping your ‘leader’ label tightly as you made decisions and took the lead on what was best for us as a party … as well as how to make us feel good when we have sex.”

My eyes widen slightly when she mentioned sex as we step into the room and I take off my shoes. Ume looks over to Mametama and nods her head over in a direction. Mametama seems to have got the message as she nods and steps out of the mixed room. Ume then casts [Soundproof] over the room while closing the door and the curtains with some form of her Ancient Magic. She takes me to one of the futons on the floor and starts undressing me.

<“Oohh~, I’m liking where this is going~,”> Nyra coos.

“We’ll likely not have as much time to relax after we set out on our quest tomorrow and we’ll need to get as much rest as we can tonight to get up bright and early. That’s why … during this short time we have alone together, I’ll take the lead for the lovemaking this time around. I want to know how you managed to defeat Eugus Gallofree later, but for now, tell me what it is that you want to do, what you want me to do, and I’ll make sure you’ll feel good and refreshed enough to take on the world tomorrow, okay?”

“Ume …”

As soon as she tossed away my belt, suit jacket, and dress shirt, leaving me topless, she undoes the strap on the back of her cheongsam apron, letting it fall forward before slipping it off over her head and toss it along with my clothes, all while staring at me with avid, hungry eyes. My own were locked onto the beautiful and erotic breasts of her voluptuous body that’s now bare to the world.

With that, I take up the offer and surrender myself to my Dragon Wife’s ‘pampering.’