Maaan, this is awkward. I should’ve just left the room the moment I saw them being fine. Damn it… I was bashing myself in my head while the four of us were walking down the street.

I waited for Ranalaiya, Sylfrin and Lilfira to dress up and do whatever else they had to do before they came out of the room while I was fuming outside, not knowing how to talk to them. They took longer because they had to take the hammock down before leaving the room. I decided that the best I could do was to use the dumb card and pretend nothing happened. I simply gave Ranalaiya and Sylfrin a good morning kiss each and we left the inn. It was almost midday and yesterday I thought we’d leave Hirvant early in the morning. That messed up my plans, but there was nothing I could do about it now.

“Ahm… I’m sorry about… the morning, Master,” I suddenly heard Ranalaiya’s timid voice behind me as we walked.

And what kind of answer do you expect from me now? I wanted to say something back, but I couldn’t. We’ve been walking without talking all this time simply because I felt so awkward about what happened I couldn’t think of anything to say to them. In reality, I felt like I should be the one apologizing for sneaking into their room like that. If I tell her or all of them that it was no big deal, they’ll definitely think I’m into watching and listening women pleasure themselves, not that… I didn’t like it. On the other hand, if I tell them I am upset with them, they could decide I hated it and might not ever want do it again, not that… I would want to see them do that again or anything. Aaargh!

“Let’s just… go eat and do that quest for Alragus,” I blurted without turning around.

“Yes, Master Rockin,” Ranalaiya spoke back, her voice still being timid.

Damn it. I’ll have to think of something, but first… there’s a more serious issue I need to address. I just hope I can keep it together when I talk to her. I frowned to myself, but since I was walking at the front, the girls couldn’t see it.

I felt awkward about what happened, but the real issue regarding my nervousness was what Lilfira told me about Savirei. That really hit my gut and I literally became sick to my stomach when she told me that yesterday. That’s why I wanted to be left alone. Whether Lilfira was willing to give herself as a woman to me or not was irrelevant. The problem was the reason behind it. If Lilfira and I were together, and we if liked each other, then that would be different, but Lilfira offering sex to me to get my clan’s protection was something I could never accept. Worse yet, it was Savirei who talked Lilfira into offering it. I probably would’ve helped her anyway if she had simply asked me to, but with the current circumstances I just couldn’t let it go. I honestly would become sick to my stomach each time I thought about it.

I suppose leaving it be will just make matters worse in the long run. I’ll just have to get it over with no matter what. I let out a deep sigh, bracing myself for the upcoming conversation. I picked up my pace, with my escorts trying to keep up with me until we’ve reached Savirei’s diner.

“Good morning, darling. Or should I say ‘good day’ instead? It’s unusual for you to sleep in for so long? Did something or someone keep you up late last night?” Savirei was as sly as ever, but I didn’t exactly react to her teasing right now. “Huh? Is something wrong, darling?” Savirei noticed I wasn’t exactly in the mood even if I tried to not show it.

“Ah, well… I’d like to talk to you about something, Savirei. In private, please,” I told her, managing to muster a smile too.

“Oh my, in private?” Savirei’s eyes caught an exciting glow. “I’m sure I will be able to find some time for you, sweetheart. Give me a shout after you’re finished eating.” Savirei added, sending me a wink.

“How about now?” I didn’t want to drag it out.

“Now? Wow, you seemed to be very eager to tell me something,” Savirei said, touching her lips with her right hand’s fingers.

“It’s… rather important,” I added.

“Ok then. Give me a minute to leave some instructions to my staff… just in case our meeting might take slightly longer than expected,” Savirei was very sweet and I certainly knew what she meant by it.

“Ok,” I showed another half-fake smile before turning to Ranalaiya, Sylfrin and Lilfira. “Why don’t you three order some food and eat while I talk to Savirei? We’ll leave as soon as you’re done eating.”

“Huh? But what about you, Master Rockin?” Ranalaiya asked.

“I’m not hungry,” I blurted. I probably was hungry, but the sickening knots in my stomach from before wouldn’t allow me to even think about the food right now. I wouldn’t be able to put anything into my mouth even if I forced the food down my throat.

“So sorry, darling. I am all ready to hear you out,” Savirei returned in a short moment, her face gleaming with joy and excitement.

“I’ll be right back,” I told Ranalaiya and the others before going after Savirei.

“Well, dear, what was it you wanted to talk to me about? I’m all yours. Oops, I meant all ears,” Savirei asked me after we entered her private quarters, trying to be funny about it too.

“…” I took a deep breath in before saying anything, my face changing from calm to sour and serious. “If you’re gonna pull that kind of stunt again, Savirei, I’m gonna kick you out of the clan.” I told her point blank in a serious tone of my voice, also pointing my right hand’s index finger at her.

“Huh? Wha…” All the cheerfulness from Savirei’s face has disappeared in an instant. “I… I’m sorry, but I don’t follow, darling.” Savirei said smiling, but she didn’t look as cheerful as before.

“I’m talking about Lilfira. You were the one who put her up to it,” I explained a little of what I meant.

“Oh, I… well… she was in danger and-“

“And you told her to offer sex to me, so I would take her in?” I interrupted Savirei, sounding angry about it this time.

“I wouldn’t say I was so blunt regarding the matter, but she didn’t sound like she would mind when I hinted it to her,” Savirei tried to justify herself, sounding slightly worried while looking at me.

“Of course she wouldn’t! What other choice did she have other than agree to anything anyone would offer her at that point?! Eh?” I raised my voice, also throwing my hands to the sides while becoming emotional.

“I… well… I thought you might… like her, so-“

“Seriously?!” I interrupted Savirei again. “What does me liking someone or not has to do with you telling a woman to have sex with me, so I would accept her to my clan? Who do you think I am?!”

“Well, I always thought of you as someone very capable in catching a woman’s atten-“

“I am serious here, damn it!” I was very loud about it and if I was close to a table or something of the sorts, I would’ve slammed my fist on it. I probably would’ve smashed the table to pieces too, considering how strong I was right now, but hopefully nothing was broken. “Is that what you really think of me? Someone who thinks of women only as some sex objects? Seriously?”

“Ah… no, of course not,” Savirei said, trying to show a smile.

“Really?” I said, furrowing my eyebrows while staring at Savirei very intently.

“I’m sorry, Rockin, I just… didn’t think of it being a big deal,” Savirei said, procuring a smile yet her lowered wolf-ears, her tail and Savirei holding her hands down in front of her showed she was in a state of worry.

“Are you kidding me?! Not a big deal?!” I raised my voice again, not wanting to believe I heard her right. “You going around and telling people that the Rockstars clan’s leader would accept women into his clan in exchange for them offering sex to him is not a big deal?!”

“Ah, that’s… not what I had in mind when I hinted it to Lilfira,” Savirei was struck by the intensity and loudness of my words.

“Well, that’s how it looks to me! How else would anyone interpret the message? Ah?” I confronted Savirei once again, but I didn’t wait for her to respond before continuing speaking. “Hey, I know. Maybe I should add that to the application form. ‘Want to apply to the Rockstars clan? Great! Pay five silvers ooor… offer sex to the clan’s leader’! Quite a deal, wouldn’t you say? I get to have sex with as many women as I want and they get to join my clan without actually doing anything useful for the clan! Maybe I should rename the clan too. How about… the Fucking Rockstars clan or… Rockin’s Harem clan? Yes, that one sounds really cool, actually, because it’s my clan after all, and since I created the clan just so I could have sex with more women, it’d be the perfect fit!” I was starting to lose my temper or I’ve lost it but didn’t know it yet.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“I’m sorry, I… I never thought it’d turn out to be such a serious issue for you, Rockin,” Savirei started apologizing, tears starting to run down her cheeks.

“Of course it’s a serious issue! How would that not be?!” I was fuming. “What do you think was the reason I created a clan in the first place?! To use and abuse women for my own sexual desires?! Is that all you think of me, Savirei?! Some lowlife women abuser?!”

“No, of course not. I would never…” Savirei exclaimed, pressing her hands close to her chest.

“Sigh…” I dropped my head before shaking it a few times. I took a deep breath in to calm myself down before placing my hands on my waist and lifting my head up to look at Savirei again. “I’m gonna tell you point blank, Savirei. I am really, really angry with you. I am… proper pissed right now, actually. Here’s the deal. If I get any other woman approach me and offer to have sex with me in exchange for her joining my clan, the Rockstars clan will be disbanded on the spot. I won’t even bother informing anyone about it. I’ll just inform the Guild about the Rockstars clan being no more, then I’ll take Ranalaiya and Sylfrin with me, and we’re just gonna leave Hirvant for good. That’s it.”

“No… no, no. Please, don’t,” Savirei fell onto me, hugging me tight and starting to sob onto my chest. “Please, please, no. Please, don’t do that. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. Please forgive me. And even if you don’t forgive me, please don’t disband the Rockstars clan. It’s all my fault. I will take the blame for it. Kick me out of the clan if you want, but please don’t punish others for it.”

Eeh!? What… that is… this is… I freaked out, not knowing what to do. I did not expect for Savirei to jump on me like that, or that she’d be willing to accept the responsibility for it. I was still sort of angry, but her bawling at my chest was starting to evaporate my anger at a rapid rate.

“And please, don’t abandon Lilfira. She needs your protection. She’s only a little girl and if left alone, she won’t survive. Please, Rockin, I beg you,” Savirei was crying on my chest.

Aargh… Damn it… I couldn’t keep it together after all. I gritted my teeth, with my anger melting away. I just couldn’t stand hearing or seeing a woman cry, especially when I was the cause of it.

“Hey, aaa…” I mumbled, placing my hands on Savirei’s shoulders before sliding them down and patting her on the back. “Ah, sorry… I was… a bit too harsh with my words.” I started to feel bad about it now, remembering how I was yelling at her not that long ago.

“No… you had the full right to become angry with me,” Savirei said, finally pulling away and starting to wipe the tears away from her face. “Now that you’ve told me how it actually looked from the outside, I understand how wrong I was to tell Lilfira to do that. I’m so sorry, Rockin. I truly am.” Savirei added, lowering her head and looking really sad.

“Right, well… thank you for understanding and… I still apologize for yelling at you,” I said, rubbing the back of my head and feeling bad about it.

“It’s ok. I deserved it,” Savirei smiled. “It’s just… am I still allowed to stay in your clan, Rockin?”

“Ah? Yes, of course. Sorry for being so harsh regarding that as well,” I was feeling like a baddie again.

“Thank you. And… what about Lilfira?” Savirei wanted to know.

“Oh, her. Yeah, don’t worry, I’m not gonna abandon her. I’ll just need… to clear a few things with her too,” I said, feeling my cheeks becoming red all of a sudden.

“I can talk to her about that myself. After all, it was me who put her up for it which resulted in putting you in this unpleasant situation in the end,” Savirei offered.

“Nah, it’s ok. I agreed to it, so part of the blame falls on me too,” I refused.

“Ok, if you say so, Rockin,” Savirei said, finally showing a happier smile.

“Right, I just remembered. I have a bunch of Tarkee wings that we’ve collected from the dungeon and some Lesser Trent Wood too. Do you want any?” Thankfully I remembered about the drops, helping me change the topic and take my mind of the unpleasant conversation we’ve just had.

“Yes, of course. I’ll take all that you have, Rockin,” Savirei said.

“I think Ranalaiya and Sylfrin have some in their Item Storage Boxes too, so I’ll have to collect those from them before bringing it to you,” I explained.

“That’s totally fine,” Savirei didn’t mind. She was surprisingly calm and non-aggressive, and seeing her behave that way made her look rather charming too.

“Ok, I’ll be going now,” I said, about to make a step towards the door, but then I turned back and gave Savirei a hug. I didn’t say anything. I simply held her in my embrace for a moment, with Savirei finally hugging me back, and I was able to see her tail become playful and dance around again. I held her for a moment before letting her go and then walking out of her room.

“Master Rockin,” Ranalaiya stood up the moment she saw me approaching the table.

“Master Rockin, please forgive us for making you upset. We promise we won’t do it ever again,” Sylfrin announced after standing up and bowing her head.

Eeh! Nooo! The only thing I heard Sylfrin say was that they will not do it again, ever.

“It was all my fault, M… Mister Rockin. Please, don’t punish Ranalaiya and Sylfrin for it,” Lilfira added, bowing in front of me.

“Hey, wait, ah… I think you misunderstood something,” I said, raising my hands in front of me. “I am not upset with any of you.”

“You’re not, Master?” Sylfrin was surprised to hear that.

“But you looked so angry, Master Rockin,” Ranalaiya pointed it out.

“Ah, yes, but… I wasn’t angry with you. I was angry… about something else,” I tried to explain myself.

“About something else?” Sylfrin asked, tilting her head to the side, her white bat-ears tilting inwards too.

“Sigh…” I dropped my head before sitting down. “The thing is, I didn’t like that Lilfira offered herself to me in exchange for joining our clan. That’s why I became angry and that’s what I was talking to Savirei just now. If I want to build a respectful clan, I can’t have people do that or assume that it’s ok for them to do so.”

“Oh,” the girls gasped, relief and then admiration showing in their eyes.

“So, you’re not upset with us for… trying to trick you to stay in Hirvant for one more day, Master Rockin?” Ranalaiya asked, her cheeks dressing in a charming blush.

“Oh, that… Aahm…” I had to stop and think about it, because my cheeks remembered how hot they were not that long ago. “About that… aah… Well, ahem… I’m sorry for sneaking into your room and… accidently hearing you… talk about… your plans. The thing is, I was worried that you weren’t getting up for so long and… and when I learned that the door was unlocked, I rushed into the room to check on you, but then found you all still asleep. And since I… didn’t want to leave you by yourselves, because… well… because I couldn’t lock the room from the outside, I decided to stay and take a nap myself while waiting for all of you to wake up. Yes, that’s… how it happened. I then was… woken up by the three of you talking and overheard you planning something against me. I… didn’t hear everything you were talking about only… only that you wanted me to craft an armor set for Lilfira, so we would stay in Hirvant longer. But I made a promise to Alragus already and he would expect me to do the quest sooner rather than later, and that’s why I want us to go to the mines as soon as possible.” I let out a sigh of relief, feeling good about my well-sounding explanation.

“Really?” Ranalaiya wanted to confirm.

“Yes, really,” I said.

“Wait, you only heard us talk about wanting to stay in Hirvant longer, Master Rockin?” Sylfrin wanted to confirm that part next.

“Ah, yes… I think. I don’t remember… hearing the reason why you wanted for us to stay in Hirvant longer, really,” I told her, averting my eyes away.

“That means…” Sylfrin spoke, but not to me this time. She turned to glance at Ranalaiya and then Lilfira before turning to face me again.

“But like I said,” I jumped in to speak before Sylfrin was able to say anything to me. “I made a promise to Alragus and we will be leaving Hirvant today anyway, so I hope… whatever the reason for you wanting to stay here longer was… it can wait until we come back?” I half stated half asked a question in the end.

“Yes, of course. We can do it when we get back, Master Rockin,” Ranalaiya declared excitedly.

“Yes, we shouldn’t rush those kinds of things and doing the quest for Mister Alragus is important,” Sylfrin agreed too.

“Ok… good,” I smiled. “As for Lilfira’s armor. She needs to level up first, because even if I craft some armor or her, it will have an Equip level of two or three and Lilfira wouldn’t be able to wear anyway.”

“Yes, that’s right. I completely forgot about it, Master,” Ranalaiya said, making a silly face.

“Indeed. How could we forget about it?” Sylfrin asked, not that she was actually asking a question.

“Oh-kay. That’s settled then. By the way, have you all eaten yet?” Only after I asked that I’ve noticed none of them had any plates in front of them.

“No, Master Rockin. We wanted to wait for you,” Ranalaiya said, a mild yet cute smile entering her lips.

“Really? Ok then. Shall we eat now then?” I suggested. With the main issue taken care off, the knots inside my stomach were untied and now I felt hungrier than ever. We’ve ordered the food and dug in right away. I could tell Ranalaiya, Sylfrin and Lilfira were tense and worried when I returned, but now everyone was in a great mood.

“Can I ask you something, Master Rockin?” Ranalaiya asked before starting on the next Tarkee wing.

“Yes, what is it, Ranalaiya?” I turned to face her.

“Mister Alragus said that the Brown Iron Ore can be mined from the ore deposits and that a person would need a Mining skill to be able to do so. Is that correct?” Ranalaiya wondered.

“Yes, that’s correct,” I said.

“Lilfira has Mining skill,” she said, me stopping from biting on my own Tarkee wing when I heard her say that.

“What? Really?” I gasped before turning to look at Lilfira.

“Yes. I… always had it,” Lilfira confirmed it.

“Oh, that’s… awesome,” I was both surprised and happy to hear the news.

“I had never used my Mining skill, but… I would like to be useful to you and… I would like to help the clan as well,” Lilfira brought up the courage to tell me that.

“That’s… great. Yes, that would be really helpful. We might be able to collect enough ore and finish the quest sooner than expected,” I said, feeling very happy about that part.

“I have other skills that can be used in fighting. I would like to… help fight monsters too,” Lilfira offered again.

“You have more skills?” It was another surprise to hear that. Although, I had never asked her about her skills, nor I had invited her to our party yet. “Right, sorry. How about I send you an invite to join our party and… do you mind if I take a look at your stats?”

“Yes, please. I was also hoping you could help me allocate my stat points and grow stronger, just like Ranalaiya and Sylfrin?” Lilfira asked, her voice becoming both more cheerful and hopeful.

“Yes, I don’t mind… I guess,” I had no objections to that.

“Ok, here,” Lilfira tapped with her finger in front of her. Since she wasn’t bound to me by the Master-Slave contract, I couldn’t bring her Status Window to check her stats myself. Lilfira had to make it so I could see it herself.

“Let me take a look. Huh? What?” I narrowed my eyes to double check her stats just so I would be sure I was seeing them correctly. What… are those stats? I asked the next question in my head only, feeling perplexed about how Lilfira’s level one stats looked.