"S-Sir..."

Saffira bowed her head toward Orion, the whole of the kelpie faction behind her.

"Why the sudden distance?"

Noticing the change in their leader's tone, Senia tilted her head. After Orion dropped her next to him, he shrugged.

"They're probably cautious about me after what happened. I don't blame them."

On the way back, the two described to him what they saw from the shoreline. The beam of light that purged the corruption was still etched into their retina as if it was still happening.

Even if it had happened so far from the coast, everyone who looked toward the sea saw that light. Some ended up terrified, but some thought that a new era was about to begin.

With the mystery behind the dark dome covering the vestige of Eogis, most thought that a terrifying event was about to unfold, and that the light was a direct opponent to the dome appearing.

In reality, they weren't far from their expectations.

Those who knew what it was, the kelpies, felt worried and confused. What if this power was then directed at them? Would they even have a chance to surrender?

That was why, Saffira was ready to sacrifice anything in exchange for the faction being spared. Since she only briefly conversed with him, she was scared of the man.

Not knowing that Orion was benevolent toward those in danger, she kneeled and pushed her head into the sand, still in her 'humanoid' form.

The kelpies watched their leader prostrate herself with agony, as they quietly swallowed their pride.

"What are you doing?!"

Olivia hurriedly ran toward her friend, and crouched next to her.

A memory flashed in Senia's mind. She remembered the time Orion brought her into Horizon for the first time, thinking that she was going to be enslaved again, only to be shown that the man was truly thinking of her and the other sirens' wellbeing.

With a smile on her face, she looked at her man and watched his reaction with amusement.

*Sigh*

"I was half expecting that, but now that this is actually happening, it makes me even more tired."

Alternating between Saffira and Orion, Olivia calmed down, and moved away. She watched in silence, believing that Orion would settle this misunderstanding accordingly.

*Cough*

Orion coughed dramatically once to catch the attention of everyone around him.

"Tell me."

As Saffira slowly lifted her head, her yellow eyes avoided looking at him, until she finally did.

*Flash*

A bright light covered Orion, and two wings appeared behind his back.

"..."

Everyone around him gulped at the sheer pressure he exerted, but it wasn't an intimidating pressure. Simply, the amount of magic around him was so heavy, it was difficult to breathe.

His white eyes pierced into Saffira as he asked his question.

"What am I to you?"

She wanted to avert her eyes, but she couldn't. Just the thought made her shudder in terror.

The kelpies lived peacefully until now, with very little interaction with the other factions. They had been pressured by the humans of the past, but remained out of prying eyes most of the time without being too influenced by them.

Power was something they cared so little for, that the moment they fell prey to a terrible monster, they had to turn to the only 'human' who would offer them help.

But at the same time, Saffira had no idea that a monster so much stronger than their predator would appear to erase it.

Saffira was terrified, but her heart believed in Olivia, who until now, supported them.

So, with the image of Orion firing a beam of light burnt in her head, she answered.

"O-Our savior..."

Orion smiled and nodded.

"There you have it."

The transformation vanished as if it had never happened.

Senia nodded, and Olivia smiled. Saffira blankly stared at Orion as if what he had said was out of this world.

"Huh?"

The leader of the kelpie couldn't process the conclusion.

"T-That's it? You won't ask us to follow your orders? You won't throw us into battle?"

A frown formed on his face.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Why would I do that? Do I look that threatening?"

He turned to Senia and then Olivia.

"You can be a little cold to others sometimes, but I can't say you look 'threatening'. At most, unfriendly."

"I am always cautious. It's in my nature."

He answered Olivia truthfully, before Senia nodded. She looked at Saffira and spoke.

"Orion was like this with us too. He saved our species, but looked pretty suspicious at that time."

"I was ready to sacrifice myself for the others, but he ended up being a very pleasant and kind person."

Slightly surprised, Orion scratched his cheek, flustered by the sudden compliments.

"T-Then... I won't have to sacrifice myself either?"

Saffira felt the weight on her shoulders suddenly disappear. Her head dropped, and a relieved smile appeared on her face. All the kelpies behind her bowed forward to show their appreciation to what the man had done, from saving their land, to sparing them a terrible future, and for not taking their leader away.

Olivia, curious, asked Saffira.

"By the way, what were you expecting? You said you were ready to sacrifice yourself, but there's really no reason to think he would have a use for you?"

The kelpie looked at her friend and smiled dryly.

"I was ready to become a slave."

A very unpleasant feeling formed in the trio's mind. Orion asked with a frown, and a bit of disgust.

"Don't tell me you were ready to be assaulted too?"

She closed her eyes and nodded.

"I know I said kelpies can't copulate with other factions, but I am an exception. In this form, it is possible. I am unable to bear a child, but I could be used as a-"

"Don't finish that sentence..."

Orion angrily cut her off.

"E-Even Amelia hasn't gone that far."

Olivia cupped her blushing face with both hands and turned around. Senia blinked furiously, trying to forget the awful image of Orion and Saffira together, while Orion himself scoffed at the idea.

"Please, for the love of the world, just forget about that idea. Just... go back to your daily life."

'Amelia would kill me if I had sex with someone else than her first... And the angrier she is, the scarier she gets.'

He placed a hand on his forehead and sighed.

"Then we will do that... but is it fine? We have nothing to give you as a reward."

"Just go..."

With a lack of energy, Orion gestured them to leave. One by one, the kelpies dived under the sea level, until none of them were visible.

"In that case-"

Saffira was about to turn around and enter the sea, before Orion stopped her.

"Wait. I know what kind of reward you can give me."

...

Now that the whole ordeal had been dealt with, Orion, Olivia, and Senia returned to the large castle of Noctelagia to rest before going back to Horizon.

"Are you sure it was a sufficient order? I'm pretty sure she would have agreed to be a bit more involved."

Sitting at a table, Orion sipped some coffee Olivia's head maid had prepared, and relaxed on his chair.

Olivia asked him only now, doubting if he had ordered Saffira just so she could feel less indebted.

"I think it's fine. I also needed that area to be covered, so in case another one of those special corrupted appears, we would be prepared."

"Not only us, but they would be too. The smaller the death count, the better."

While understanding his point, she still felt doubtful.

"You did it because she would feel guilty, didn't you?"

He nodded.

"Of course, there was that too. Just knowing how far she was prepared to go to spare her faction, it would have been troublesome if she returned with even worse ideas."

Orion grimaced at the thought.

'Really, no, thank you. I'm fine with the women already in my life.'

What he had asked the kelpies was to survey the surrounding waters of Eogis, in case a similar beast was seen damaging the lives of the marine fauna.

They would travel a few times a week around the shallows and deeper areas to make sure everything stayed peaceful, and in case they ended up finding one, they only needed to alert Noctelagia again.

Better be prepared, than not. This was one of Orion's long time teaching, from when he failed his very first hunt.

"Do we return home right now?"

Senia said, stretching her arms. Like Olivia, she was still recovering from using a lot of her magic. Unlike Orion, who was simply physically tired, they both wanted to shut their eyes.

"Miss Olivia."

"Marie."

The head maid entered the room with a piece of paper and bowed forward.

"Could I take a bit of your time before your departure? I am having a bit of trouble dealing with some matters concerning the city."

"Sure, let me see."

Orion silently observed Olivia acting like the ruler she was.

'She's so young, and yet, she bears the responsibility of all the lives residing in Noctelagia.'

He remembered the discussion he had with her on the beach, and how inexperienced she was with everything else.

Be it the rough life of battles, or the love she nurtured for him, all of this was a first for her. Senia had already lived through a terrible event, which made her a little more resilient to mental stress. This was the very difference between them.

'Deveralna shoulders the shame of her faction.'

'May continued to live through in her current condition and fought countless battles.'

'Dramia and Drania lost everything they cared about before being turned into fairies.'

'Karteira locked her heart into battle and fought alone for the peace of her faction, while she was herself shunned away from being different.'

'Maybe...'

His eyes closed peacefully.

'Maybe Amelia and I were the ones lucky enough to not have suffered in our life.'

Being orphans was their only suffering, and even that was mitigated by the villagers, and Keith.

He felt strange. His heart thumped in his chest, thinking of those strong women who endured so much more than him, and chose to resist their terrible fate.

Orion wasn't conceited. He knew that it wasn't because of him that they had pushed forward, but being a part of their life made him incredibly happy.

'When... did I fall for them?'

Realizing that what Amelia had said previously became a reality, he opened his eyes.

The sigil of Silka silently blinked in and out of sight for a few seconds, before completely taking over his left pupil.

His breathing became slightly rougher, as he endured the sudden feeling overtaking him.

"Orion?"

Olivia looked at him, bent over the table.

"Yes?"

He managed to rule over his emotions, and smiled at Olivia.

"The symbol in your eye. Why is it visible? Are you feeling alright?"

Every movement she made looked enticing to him. Her pulling a strand of hair back behind her ear, her cute head tilt as she wondered if he was alright, her leg appearing through the ripped dress.

If he had less control over himself, he would probably jump at her and devour her on the spot.

"I am... a little shaken up. Don't mind me."

His eyes escaped her alluring figure, and fell on Senia, who was playing with an arch of water in her hands.

"Hmm?"

She returned his gaze and smiled adorably. Her glistening tail, her bare stomach, her jewel like eyes... Orion had a lot of trouble keeping his poker face.

(Kh...)

In a silent grunt, he pinched his left thigh discretely.

"Are we done?"

He asked the two women, who nodded.

"Yes. I've finished instructing my maid. We can return home."

With a bright smile, Olivia moved past her chair and around the table.

"Then let's do that."

He opened a portal, before picking up Senia. Olivia grabbed his right arm, and the three of them returned to Horizon.

Right in the middle of the living room, just like he had left, Orion returned.

"Welcome ba-"

Orion placed Senia on the couch after Olivia released his arm, and hurriedly grabbed Amelia, who fell into his sight.

"You're coming with me."

"E-Eh?! What?!"

While dragging her upstairs, all the women in the room blinked wildly, trying to process what had happened.

Only one smiled and blurted the truth out, feeling the heat in the air.

"He's horny."

Tetra laughed wildly, before all eyes fell on her.

"Oh..."

A long silence fell into the room. Rain poured on the realm, as Amelia and Orion's first experience began.

Fortunately, or not, not a sound escaped his room.