"That could've gone so much worse," I state through [Bind].

But Yunia sincerely disagrees, "He already got us to admit to being involved with the Innocent Nymph, so the nobles will be quite a bit more distrustful of us, fearing the reason why we were apparently targeted. Things could've only gone worse if he actually attacked us and we were forced to kill him."

Well, shit. I guess we won't be able to get the nobles on our side just yet. Thankfully, we have someone like Ereia looking out for us.

But Yunia again has something to say about that, "Why didn't she warn us about Pedoro? She came in right at the perfect time, too, allowing herself to look good by keeping him from going fully unhinged and attacking us, so I have my suspicions of her. She's known for being a rather scheming sort of person, anyway."

And Ciel becomes miffed with Yunia's suspicion, "Aren't you being unfair? How would she know that Pedoro would act like that? She might've had her suspicions and kept them to herself to not bother us with meaningless intrigue. Ereia is your friend, too."

Yunia's mistrust takes a hit, and she feels a bit ashamed for doubting Ereia like that after she clearly tried to help us.

"Someone told Pedoro that we, or rather, you and the others, were the survivors and that you saw the heretics cast [Meteor], so I'm simply maintaining a certain level of distrust for everything," she explains as she restrains her emotions a bit.

I find Heart Lord Ira and his wife among the guests, and my mind immediately goes to the rest of the Heart Lords. They have enough power that it's possible that they acquired this sort of information and passed it on to the resentful and grieving Pedoro.

The party starts to pick up in intensity, so we leave the discussions about scheming for later. There are guests to entertain, so we need to focus on the now.

Intermission – Lina

The crisis has been resolved, though it seems it didn't end as well as it looks, but for now, everyone tries their best to forget what just happened, and so, the time has come to "socialize," as Wolfy would say.

I take a look around me and start to feel dizzy at the large number of people talking excitedly with each other, making me think that I'd be more relaxed facing a monster army than being at this party.

I need to be courageous and talk to people. I can't become a reclusive Lord, not when Wolfy is working so hard to play his part.

I find some comfort in knowing that Wolfy would rather stay on our bed with me on his lap than spend his evening here, talking to sycophants and schemers whose respect for him only goes as deep as the thickness of their masks.

Just imagining the warmth of his lap as I make myself comfortable on it, the strength of his hug as his shiny draconic arms wrap around me, the hardness of his sword as it grows and presses against my lips… I begin to lose myself in fantasies and almost zone out.

Not good. I need to keep up appearances, so I need to find someone to talk to!

But I know no one.

I could stay with Wolfy like Alissa always does, but she also helps him a lot while I'd just be silent all the time, too stiff to contribute to the subtle verbal jousting the elven nobles like to employ.

I see the twins, Yunia's brothers, who should be around my age, but they're surrounded by other, rough-looking boys (for elves), so I shudder when I think of the social disaster that'd happen if I tried to make conversation with them.

I see Kaatohe and Oritiki, but I feel too intimidated by both of them to join their conversation. Maybe I could act adorable and find a way to get Oritiki to hug me, but I'd feel guilty about using her for such a thing since she seems so loyal to her husbands.

Except for Shala, none of the nice maids are here because Wolfy didn't allow them to participate, but I don't think I should spend the entire party with the servants, either.

Roxanne is joking with other mages, Hana is being fawned over by the dragon or lizard-like Chimeras, Ciel is giving advice and guidance to the parents and children, Aoi is listening to the warriors bragging to her, and Yunia is having a subtle war with the other elven nobles. Everyone has their specialty, while I'm still feeling lost.

Oh. My. Gods! I'm going to make myself go insane with all this whining!

I groan internally, but my feet still don't move, then my eyes meet with Silvina's, and her gentle smile makes me swallow heavily.

She's a thin woman who's taller than Hana and almost as thin as Aoi, though her back shows the hint of muscles that would be expected for an archer. Her face is a prime example of elven grace, but she has a motherly air that's very similar to Armanpoosh's.

Ciel also has a faint, motherly air, but her gentle and kind aura (which Wolfy also calls "angelic") is much more prominent.

I feel instantly drawn towards Silvina, and my feet move on their own towards her.

"Your Highness Lina," she greets softly with a nod.

I stop before her and strain my neck to look up to her, so she sits down on a chair and offers another to me so that our heads level out a bit.

"Madame Silvina," I remember to greet her back while I sit down.

"I see that you aren't the boisterous type of person that enjoys this kind of event," she calmly comments with a slightly teasing tone.

"Well, same goes for you," I reply with a pout, but I quickly force myself to become impassive again.

She chuckles softly and rests her head on her palm, reaching true eye level with me. "I actually am enjoying this feast. The music, the food, and the atmosphere are nice. It's just that I don't talk much."

I hum softly, "Hm… I prefer the quiet, or at most, some soothing music."

She turns her beautiful green eyes away and finds Wolfy among the crowd. "I assume His Highness Wolf is also like that."

I nod and look down at my own sandals. Wolfy painted my nails light blue so that they match my clothes, but they're a bit too bright for me, so I think I'll ask him to paint them dark red next. "He is. He's just enduring this as part of his duty."

She turns back to me and tilts her head, making her charming elven ears bounce softly. "Oh…? Is it truly that much of an ordeal for the two of you to participate in a feast?"

I frown and awkwardly look away for a moment as I feel my cheeks become warmer. "Well… we're just a bit particular with how we prefer to spend our rest time. We are quite busy during the day, so we're allowed to desire activities that give us the most pleasure, no?"

She blinks twice, still staring intently at me, and curiously asks, "So you're saying that a feast is pleasurable, just not enough?"

I smile wryly. "Honestly, it feels more like work than leisure."

She straightens her back and gracefully takes a glass from a passing maid. "How curious. I can't say that I relate, but I sympathize with your struggle. It's necessary for the nobles to know and interact with the Lords since we'll be putting our lives in your hands, so I can understand how you could see this as 'work.'"

I nod and signal for the maid to give me something stronger. The elven alcohol is just too watered down for my throat. "Yes, we know that it's necessary, which is why we're here without complaining, but we won't lie about our enjoyment of it."

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

She smiles warmly, and her motherly aura makes my heart tighten. I know very well why Wolfy wants to bed this woman so badly. "Then, if you'll have me, I'll aid you in getting through this as painlessly as possible," she kindly offers, and I silently nod in response. "So, are you a listener or a talker?"

I smile embarrassedly and confess, "I-I don't know… I've done both, though I've certainly listened more than I've talked."

She leans back in her seat as she relaxes and takes a sip. "How about you do something new for a change?" She suggests with a subtle smile.

I raise my head up to her and narrow my eyes in confusion. "But what should I talk about?"

She softly shrugs. "Anything you want."

And I chuckle. "I hope you like books."

"Who doesn't…? No, silly question… of course there are those who ignore free 'Wisdom' and 'Intelligence' for reasons unknown to me," she lets her elven snobbishness appear for a second.

I casually retort, "It's hard for those sorts of people to gain anything from books if they don't enjoy reading, to begin with."

And she gives me an intriguing look as she suggests, "Many things can be learned to be enjoyed, so what if we taught them how to enjoy reading?"

That sounds like something Wolfy would say.

"I didn't know you were interested in such topics," I sincerely admit.

She smiles faintly as she looks towards the party. "Our society won't improve if we don't try to push beyond our duties."

"That sounds like something Wolfy would say," I reflexively reply.

She nods slowly. "I felt that his Scholar Title wasn't just for show, which is why I came here."

I follow her gaze and observe the nobles cheerfully talking about trite topics, and we both go silent as we turn pensive.

"What if education was standardized?" I suddenly blurt out.

"Hm?" She hums and looks at me with the side of her eye.

"What if we used taxes to pay for someone to teach all commoners how to enjoy books, for free, just like how the taxes pay for the Lord's protection and the training of the Townsguard."

She suddenly smirks and leans to the side so that we're at eye level again. "I knew that Lord Wolf wasn't the only special one."

I look down in embarrassment. This wasn't my idea, it's just how things are in Wolfy's world, so why not do the same here?

"It's not my idea, but I fully believe it's the path towards progress," I confess assuredly.

"Tell me more," she coos as she gracefully crosses her long, shapely legs.

I think I'm falling in love with Silvina.

Intermission end.

Pedoro is never seen again, while Ereia comes back some time after they left, cheerful as always, so we just act as if nothing happened.

After allowing enough time for everyone to hold their conversations, and for the alcohol to start affecting them, we set out the tables and begin the feast proper.

With how easy it is to grow a table and chairs in just a few seconds, each of the girls and I bring a few guests to our table, and I'm overjoyed that Lina managed to bring Silvina with her, but I don't have any time to talk to her right now since the sword-suckers on both of my sides won't let me look away from them.

They're both female nobles, and they're kind of competing for my attention, but I don't act overtly spicy with them because I'm just getting the feeling that they're selling their bodies in exchange for favors. It's one thing to have casual love, but it's another thing entirely to do women who might be wanting something else in return besides a minutes-long apex.

They're trying to manipulate me through pleasure, but I'm above that. If the woman doesn't really want it herself, then I shouldn't go for it.

Also, screw these two for being so scheming. I'll give them a lesson by being as annoyingly indecisive as possible while not giving in. I'll even do without Alissa's help so that we can fight without gloves. You think you can tease me?! I'll tease you right back until you're begging for my magical sword!

"Have you talked to Brás?" Pomp suddenly asks Yunia.

"I haven't…" She replies tersely and takes a sip, very much not enjoying this new topic.

"You should…" Gentle Shadow encourages her, and her mood starts to sour.

"To be honest, it'd be best if he still considered me dead. I'm not the same person I was before," Yunia bitterly confesses.

"I kind of disagree that you've changed, but if that's what you believe…" Masochist retorts with a shrug.

And Yunia tiredly explains, "I'm married to a jealous dragon, so there's nothing good that could come from us meeting again."

"You could still remain friends," Pomp concernedly points out.

"Pfft…" She hisses and waves her hand dismissively. "We were a bit too intense for just friendship."

"Intense, huh…" Imp hums and raises his eyebrows suggestively.

"I believe that," Masochist adds with a smirk.

"Same," Pomp hums dryly.

"Talk to him, for closure," Shadow softly pleads, and Yunia frowns in displeasure.

"I approve," I soothe her through [Bind], then she sighs and nods.

"I'll see what I can do," she reluctantly declares.

"But where's Rande? I thought he was here in Escanso too," Imp changes the topic.

And Yunia immediately jumps on it, "He's not nobility anymore, so we didn't think it was appropriate to invite him."

"Screw that. That sword sucker deserves to be here, even if it's on his knees with all our blades in his mouth," Pomp growls in a very un-elven way.

"Well, his mouth can fit all of yours, but definitely not mine," Imp throws a quick jab.

"Is Osaria also in Escanso?" Masochist asks with a grin.

"She is, but she's now my husband's concubine," Yunia answers with a smug smile.

"Oh, shit…" Masochist mutters as his face warps in fear.

"Don't even think about touching her," Yunia states as her smugness skyrockets.

And Masochist raises his hands in surrender. "Never even thought about it," he shamelessly lies with a shit-eating grin.

"Your Highness, your tail is so thick, do you think it could lift me?" Big Pair sultrily asks me.

Sword-Sucking-Lips bites her juicy lower lip in irritation for not having thought of that first, so she decides to go for mocking, instead, "You're inconveniencing His Highness by underestimating how heavy women like you truly are."

Big Pair's long ears redden in anger, but there isn't even a hint of it on her face due to her considerable level in [Acting]. "I apologize, Your Highness, I was merely curious about the… 'capabilities' of your thick tail," she gracefully recovers.

"It's no matter," I soothe them and lay my claws on both of their forearms, applying a subtle spirit touch that raises the hairs on the back of their necks, then I give them a regal smile. "I haven't tested its strength yet, so why not give it a go?"

Big Pair smiles victoriously at Lips when she thinks I'm not looking, then I gently pull them both up.

"Your Highness?" Lips asks confusedly.

"I'll lift both of you up at the same time," I answer her, and they actually seem impressed by it.

I extend my tail for them and cross my arms as I wait for their reactions. Big Pair immediately takes up my offer and sits down on the thicker part, and she's wide enough to take up most of the space, but Lips is a thin and delicate woman, so she fits perfectly on the remaining space.

I wave my scales softly as I again apply my spirit touch, and they feel it in their pussies, Pair's grasp on my shoulder for balance tightening subtly in response.

There's not much room left at the base of my tail to actually raise them that high, but up to the height that I can reach, I do so effortlessly, then I tilt the tail a bit, forcing Lips to lean on Pair for support.

They both giggle, forgetting their rivalry for a moment, and their little bits harden through their thin dousnadeias.

"I feel like this is evidence enough that it can lift both of you since I can barely feel your weight," I state confidently, then I slowly lower them back down.

"It's quite the thick muscle, after all," Pair suggestively comments. I really like the way she says "thick."

"Yes, there are many uses for it," I huskily reply and subtly vibrate the scales right under their pussies.

They stiffen and stop moving, refusing to get off, but I'm quite happy to wait for them to come back to reality on their own, so I just observe them and notice their pussies getting warmer. The elven obsession with thin bikinis just makes this that much easier for me.

Lips swallows heavily, her left hand gripping the muscular tip of my tail quite strongly, then she shares a look with Pair. "Your Highness is truly someone that we shouldn't underestimate," she cryptically states as she slowly strokes me, though more so as a warning to Pair than as praise for me.

I nod and counter with my own vague remark, "If only others had realized the same thing sooner, there'd be so many people still alive… and a few less broken hearts."

They both chuckle and get off my tail.

"You're true to your draconic side, Your Highness. There's nothing dull about you," Pair gently affirms, her red eyes staring into mine with the growing fires of lust.

I hum and slide my tail along their lower backs as I pull it back. "Literally," I add with a smirk, and they both chuckle again.

"Indeed," Lips coos and subtly licks her juicy lips.

I take every chance I can to touch them and apply my spirit touch, increasing their arousal so much that visible wet spots appear on their bottom pieces, but I successfully maintain my distance, never going further than innocent touching, and I properly rebuff all of their advances, even after they've stopped trying to manipulate me.

Once the "ordeal" (as Lina would say) is finally over, I grab Hana and do her repeatedly until the dragon is satisfied. Teasing the two scheming noblewomen was a success, but it also made me get a bit pent up from seeing all the signs of their arousal while not actually being able to bury my sword in them because of my principles.

Today is the 26th, Ekt, day of Electricity. Nothing particularly special happens today since most commoners have no idea what the hell electricity even does, and it's not like we use electric power anyway, so there's little that's actually affected aside from the Thunderplains and traveling.

Even Electric mages don't really know what the hell electricity truly is since the most useful spells, such as [Dead End] and [Rush], aren't exactly 100% related to electricity.

Yunia wakes me up as she seems quite happy about how we handled the Troupe yesterday. Their families will get mansions in the outer circle in exchange for their loyalty, and that makes her quite happy with how our relations with the nobles are progressing, so my Queen decides to reward me with a sensual sword-sucking while I stare into her striking, blue eyes and savor her sublime beauty.

I'm still a bit emotionally tired from yesterday, and since Kaatohe is here with us again, I feel like starting an party with my entire harem.

"Hell yeah, I want a piece of everyone!" Hana exclaims and pulls both Roxanne and Klein towards her.

I activate an enchantment to call for a maid.

"Bring Poosh, Hukarere, and Iliada to me. I want to have a spicy party with all of my women," I order, and the quickly blushing maid hurries out.

It's time for the Female Heaven Relaxation Course. The dragon in me is certainly excited about drowning in women.