“Qurbur sounds like he’s going to be trouble. Are you sure about getting Cruci out of jail when I’m lord? That’s...he’s not a nice guy.” Ralphos said. They were lounging around the hotel room. Juno was out shopping, Saten was attending her clothes and a few small strange devices. He absent mindedly checked the soul counter inside the bulletblade, confused it went up again.

“Neither is Qurbur or Brutus. I’ll be able to advise you and provide legal support, but that doesn’t give you right to rule. Without economic stability, a political marriage, and that bulletblade you won’t be able to pass muster with the royal capital. Once I get you into power, I’ll make sure you do nothing wrong, justify your rule to the royal capital, and then...well I haven’t thought that far.”

“Satin describes you. So soft minded.” Ralphos said in a light tone. Saten unexpectedly pouted.

“Don’t use that.” She said. Ralphos felt intense joy, that he had found a way past her guard.

“Satin saten! Satin saten!” He said in childish joy and got a punch in the face. She stood over him.

“That’s just annoying now,” she lifted his body up by the neck of his clothes, “don’t- hey!”

‘That’ poked her as she straddled him. She blushed and retreated. Ralphos realized he had gone too far, but to apologize now would rescind the territory he had gained. He went back to reading about the history of Locos and the royal capital, the war, and other things that would be vital to his new position. All while thinking about something far more important.

Later that night, he woke up. Juno was gone. They were heading to Brutus’s place for a meeting tomorrow, Juno had laid out his new clothes. It would be his first negotiation as the new power in town, to keep the transition of power smooth after Lord Ros was killed. They had avoided death so far, but from the tales Saten told him it was clear that there was only one way this could end, Ralphos running away or Ros dying and Ralphos taking his place as lord.

He stumbled around in his pajamas, looking for the catgirl half hearted. He just wanted to confirm where she was, at the least, before he went back to sleep. Even though they were sleeping together most nights, he still felt distant from her. In a way, it was worse than sleeping alone, almost.

He saw her under the moon on the roof through a window. Her white hair blowing in the breeze, ears twitching and tail swishing around as she looked at the moon. Ralphos opened the window, and called out to her.

“Hey. Come back to bed soon. Big day tomorrow.” In truth, Ralphos wanted her to come back but he couldn’t say that.

“You don’t need me for that. Saten can handle that.” Juno said.

Ralphos climbed out onto the roof, losing his balance and his wings popping out before he struggled to sit next to Juno who was still looking away. Catching his breath, he tried to fold in his wings but failed. He cleared his throat, ahem. Ralphos stared at the moon with her.

“I want you, too. I know it’s greedy of me. You said you don’t have anywhere else to go, but I’m farther from you than Saten. I wish you would...be straight with me. You were straighter when you drilled Cruci.”

Juno laughed. It was the first time Ralphos saw her do that, her eyes twinkled for an instant before she went back to looking at the moon.

“Why, to use me? As a maid? As a sleeping pillow?” Juno said.

“You are a great sleeping pillow. It’s true. As a maid, you’re failing, maids should smile more. I want you to smile more, but not because of an order.” Ralphos said.

“You better not be lying about that last statement. I’ll drill you. Saten, do you like her? More than me?”

Ralphos considered how to proceed at this juncture. Fishman said honesty. He hadn’t steered him wrong yet.

“I like her more than you, now. Not because she’s prettier, has a better body, and is more confident than you. She talks to me. You haven’t been doing that.”

Juno punched him off the roof, panic set in as she realized what she did and made an amusing string of noises in surprise. Ralphos, however, had his wings out, and was able to glide in sheer brillance in fear to the ground. He shook a bit when he touched down, surprised.

“Would of been fine thanks to my toughness anyways, Juno!”, he yelled up to her. He couldn’t let his progress go to waste here, he had a great fear that if she was guilty over this her behavior would take another foul turn.

Looking up at her, she was losing balance herself from the roof, and toppled down shouting out. Ralphos put all his strength into a dash, ignoring his wings catching the wind as they pulled them back. Pain shot from them as he slid to catch the catgirl, one of his wings snapping as it hit the ground at an unfortunate angle. He held Juno tight, his face grimacing.

“Ah! Are you okay?! I’m sorry, I’ll go get Saten to heal it!”, Juno said and scrambled to get away.

Ralphos didn’t let her move, holding onto her for another reason.

“Hey. It’s your fault, you make it better.” In his pain and racing mind, he ended up spurting that out. He wasn’t angry at her, much. He also knew the implication of Saten hearing about this, which would be more teasing on her part.

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“But…I can’t heal!” Juno complained.

“I believe in you!” Ralphos said still grimacing.

Needless to say, ‘that’ happened. They were lying on the street until morning. Saten found them thanks to complaints from the inn staff who said “your dragon boy is outside cuddling with that catgirl in the street”.

Ralphos and Juno both looked worn out and baggy eyed after washing and dressing for the day’s events. They didn’t have time to sleep. The three of them boarded the arranged carriage in fine clothing. Despite the worry that the lord might find out before they had the chance to take him out, Saten thought it was necessary to make a proper show of power. That was ruined by Ralphos.

“I’d say, ‘let’s cancel’, after seeing you two like this, but Brutus wouldn’t listen. He’s the strict type, worthless in battle but adept at politics. There’s a lot you can learn from him Ralphos, without him by your side, everything else will be far more difficult.” Saten said.

“Ah, don’t worry. I’ve got this. He did beat me up in an alley, all I have to do is threaten him with that,” Ralphos said.

“No, don’t do that. He’ll deny and use it against you, call you a lunatic. You’re just wasting time doing that.”

Ralphos considered his options as he held Juno with one arm. She was blushing a bit in front of Saten, who had her usual smile. His hand on his chin, he devised a plan.

“Okay. It goes like this…”

They enjoyed the long carriage ride to the countryside of Locos, the vast mansion of Brutus stood before them. In there, there was a smug british man with political ties and vast years of experience.

“Hey, isn’t this guy like that fishman? Isn’t that weird?” Ralphos recalled the brief look he had before Brutus smashed him with that teakettle he summoned.

“It’s strange. Maybe because they are both aristocrats?” Juno said.

“Oh, guess that makes sense.”

Ralphos at the head they were lead into the mansion by maids. Juno was admiring their outfits. Ralphos gave her a silent promise that he would get one for her, hoping that they could make a stronger one. It’s no good if it isn’t magical he thought. There were magical armors and weapons like his bulletblade, he wondered if Brutus had a good one stashed away, the pride of his maid collection. He’d ask that first.

The maid lead them to Brutus, she excused herself with a slight bow and left closing the door.

“Are you sure that the cat needs to be here?” Brutus said.

Ralphos went to punch him in the face but Saten held him back with a calm smile on her face. Ralphos regained his sanity and dusted himself off muttering to Saten that he was cool.

“Don’t talk about my catgirl like that. I want your best magic maid armor as an apology! Or you’re...going to have issues.” Ralphos said, assuming his character.

“How do you know about the magic maid clothing collection I have! Spies? How devious.” Brutus sipped some tea he summoned with magic. No tea for you, he muttered under his breath.

“So you do have magic maid clothing! I knew it! Give me the best one!”

“For this cat? How droll. She is a fine example of her race, noble stock. A cat nonetheless.” Brutus sipped. Juno blushed, tugging on Ralphos’s clothing. He muttered a “I know” to her. She didn’t want to be the issue, but Ralphos’s plan wasn’t important now that a new goal had arisen.

“Humans... you prefer humans?” Ralphos began. He had a new plan.

“Yes. Yes of course. Fine examples, like Saten there, impeccable. Short, stocky dwiffs? The demons, who would delude you with illusions? That witch to the north, those people of the flying castle? Nothing compares to humans, maids are reserved for them alone. That you would suggest that I would prefer another race to be maids is ludicrous. Cat people are only decent because they are so similar to humans, and even then only the types like this one, where the ears and tail, the most offensive parts, draw the least attention. Do you not see the usefulness of the white color of this girl’s hair, to hide the inhumane parts about her?” Brutus said.

Ralphos grinned. There were this type, but there was one thing that could turn them. Brutus gave him the ammunition from the start. Saten.

“A contest then.”

“Contest? You intrigue me, sir, I thought we were here to discuss the matter of your insurrection against the so-called evil Lord Ros to restore peace to this land and secure the lordship for yourself?”

Ralphos pointed at Brutus with a flourish.

“Ah, yes, but first I need your apology. I need you to consider my point of view first, that catgirls are actually superior to normal human girls. It is you, who has closed your mind and eyes to future that is possible. Just as I will show you the future of Locos, so will I show you the joy of catgirls!”

Brutus gave a chuckle then a disapproving look. He snapped back to his usual smug demeanor.

“Oh, young people. I remember being that young, so free and stupid and dull. Yes, yes, let’s play your game, after all with a Saint backing you and country-class treasure I don’t have much choice but to honor our new lord.”

He gave a tut tut. Ralphos had him, the combination in his mind forming.

“Lend me your maids.” Ralphos said.

A few hours later there was a blushing Saten in his strongest maid outfit from his collection with handmade cat ears and a detachable tail equipped in front of Brutus. Brutus was sitting back in his chair, Ralphos beside him doing the same, both had their hands on their chins.

“Yes, yes, but...mmm, yes.” Brutus said, analyzing. Years of maid appreciation, his favorite maid outfit, Saten’s natural beauty and blue eyes with golden hair, her white thighhighs, combined with different shoes particular to Brutus’s tastes that the maids related. Ralphos had the maids add the an addition of sleeves past the wrist to match her usual satin saint outfit. The fake cat ears and tail were golden to match her hair, a small addition to everything Ralphos knew Brutus already liked.

“I’m sorry, dear Saten, to subject a saint to this kind of treatment, and to allow this crazy dragon boy to do so...my manners have flown me. I am ashamed to say it, as I have always been ashamed to admit my...tastes in public. This boy is correct. Ralphos is a genius, unprecedented. If he demonstrates such mastery and attention to detail to something this trivial, to have you and Qurbur at his beck and call, why, I cannot deny this. Although it may only be Saten’s fantastic form working this magic upon me, I cannot deny the charm added by the cat parts. The sum is greater than its parts. I have lost, Ralphos. I will support you in your stupidity and youth.”

“I want the maid outfit. And the cat parts too. Also, tell Juno she’s pretty and apologize.” Ralphos said.

Brutus looked teary eyed, his teeth gritted. He looked to the side and sighed.

“I cannot deny you. Were I young again, and had such a woman by my side, I would do the same. You have two. This life of yours, so enviable yet so fraught with danger. You do realize what becoming lord means, correct?”

“I have my priorities in line, dear Brutus.” Ralphos said.