21 - It is true

‘It is all true,’ Ake mused.

The cold unfeeling spread in him as all three shards held firm in his mind’s hands. There was no doubt about it, but his mind still couldn't accept it.

It was still dark outside when he woke up and decided to take a shower. The whole thing felt unbearably dirty after he regained some senses. He hesitated when he knew the water would be ice-cold, but it disappeared along with others.

All guilt and terrible feelings simply were replaced with hard-cold logical reasonings. The dread of what would happen next was gone as if it washed away along with the icy water dripping off.

He would and could not care if they decided that he was too much for them. They could leave if they wanted to, and he wouldn’t stop them.

It had been fun, but they weren't worth the effort if they thought of him that way.

All this was him deep down and dirty.

Why should he care when plenty of women were willing to throw themselves at him? The four female adventurers, for example, had whispered lewd promises if he simply went along with them and helped them level up.

They had proposed a much sweeter deal as he could do anything to each one and leave whenever he felt like it. He could even fuck them while the others were still fighting, well, if he desired so. In comparison, those kinky girls were a much better deal than whatever was inside these two older ladies’ heads.

The rumors about the most expensive hooker couldn’t get enough of him opened even more possibilities. Maybe he could even whore himself out up the ladder. These people had never had the luxury to experiment with things as they had bigger things to worry about.

But IF, a big IF, the two fine ladies decided to stay in his horrible company, it would be they who tied to him. He could cut them loose whenever they crossed the line.

Who the fuck cared about what they think about anything?

They were just willing cum buckets.

All these stupid doubts should be clear when they still choose to stay and accompany him on his journey. Either way, it was a loss for them and a big win for him.

Of course, everything came crashing down as he let go of the hold of the shards.

“Of course, it is goddamn true,” Ake muttered and chuckled.

It felt like he had gone bad-shit crazy for a moment there.

The enchanted shower poured rain onto the sinner who stood there just because he had no idea what to do or what he should even say. Ake had probably crossed the humane line last night, even if he didn’t want to admit it.

The [Flesh] shard had made the physically impossible possible and even turned the pain into pleasure, but it didn’t change anything. He was a monster inside.

It felt unfair to simply leave, but it would be unforgivable if he did. Both might feel they had been used and violated when they woke up.

As if things were not already terrible enough, whatever happened last night was something he would never regret or want to become a habit. The two opposing desires were as bizarre to him as to the next person.

Believe it or not, he was still that indecisive bastard who himself hated so much. Noticing the two stirring in the bed had only crushed this coward inside until even his [Ethereal Sense] shriveled into nothingness.

Of course, he had played it rough before, but not this bad or anything close to it. It felt like a volcano had exploded in him, and everything ugly came pouring out.

“Hey ya chief,” Liara’s voice came from his back, but he didn’t react.

He couldn't move as if he was frozen.

Soon came her soft, warm touch and a light kiss on his back.

“Mind if I join you?” She asked, with her voice a little shaken.

“Please do,” he heard himself say, and his hand grabbed the tiny waist and pulled her into his arms. “Please do,” he muttered again and pulled her for a kiss with her feet dangling in the air.

He savored her warmth as all his dark thoughts disappeared.

“Am I invited too?” Asked Sila, uncertainty masked in a shaky joking tone.

He extended his other hand and pulled the girl into the naked group hug. She let out a yelp, as she was probably not expecting that.

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“I will need to hear you say it,” the tall, sexy girl whispered as her fingers clawed his back.

“I’ll have you as long as you’ll only have me as your man,” Ake whispered. “Both of you,” he added as Liara’s petite body shifted in his arms.

“Well, that’s not fair,” the tall girl leaned back and pouted. “But it's a deal which you can never-ever take back,” the blond beauty said as she leaned for a kiss.

“Of course,” he said and savored the sweet, juicy lips.

He bent down and kissed Liara next, and when the petite woman kissed him back, and they separated, he knew it was a done deal. At least between them.

Sila bent down more than he did as the girls kissed each other next as she swayed her mighty ass towards him.

And he was glad to oblige.

Well, after this, it was a done deal.

####

“I bet you guys are a trio now?” The waiter asked as he served them breakfast.

It was more brunch, as it was almost noon, by the time they walked out of the room. They took it slow and easy, of course, but it was just as pleasantly refreshing.

“A trio?” Ake asked before he murmured his thanks.

“Something the adventurers called, but no, we are not a trio yet, but we are together, and thanks for the meal, Nate,” Liara said with a smile.

It felt like everyone knew everybody in this small town. Ake sighed inside when he almost forgot how many days it had been. Of course, people would notice when they didn’t leave the inn for days after the two had visited him.

They either slept or kept sipping on the potion and never disentangled themselves.

“Ake will need his time before he can join us if you have to ask,” Sila said as she looked at him for confirmation, and he nodded. “You know how it is.”

“Yeah, yeah, you are right,” said Nate, the waiter. “The nightmares, the shard won’t help anyone there even a bit,” the man chuckled nervously.

Ake nodded as if he understood what the man said. The way the man said it made him think it was very personal to the waiter, and he was probably right.

Not everyone was made to fight monsters and had fun doing so. Like the man said, the shards wouldn’t help you endure the nightmares if you couldn’t get over it. He always used logic to tone down the nightmares, and it had always worked.

Nate then wished them luck and turned away as another customer yelled for him.

It also seemed like everyone in town knew what the monster shards could and couldn’t do except for him. He wanted to complain, but unlike him, everyone else had grown up right here, in this cruel world. They had earned it regardless of how effortlessly it may have been. They also had more time to adapt either from parents or friends.

Of course, he could join the two just fine in their quests, but he didn’t want to stand out if he could help it. If anything, he would prefer to do it alone and conceal his face with a random mask if he had to.

But if he had to join them one day, the plan would be to be in the support instead of the vanguard or something. He had come up with it when he simply couldn’t let go of the two at the moment or perhaps anytime soon.

Ake wanted to be honest with them, but he simply couldn’t. Liara also had made it clear whatever it was between them, they could never call themselves lovers. They had to accept the fact it was just not the same feeling.

The whole situation seemed normal for the girls, but Ake still was trying to wrap his head around it. Many things seemed so strange yet made more sense for whatever reason.

It was very confusing, perhaps, to his Earth sense.

It also seemed normal for a sharded man would not mind if his females decided to get pregnant with another shardless man. It was the vibe he was getting from the whole thing, and he couldn't get it out of his head.

The two should know that their mothers were enjoying their nights with other men, but both hadn’t voiced anything about it. And if this was something normal and accepted, then where do people set the line?

Of course, this little issue would be better if he told them everything, but at what cost? Them being oblivious was much better than having them worrying about him.

There was another reason why he still didn’t tell them everything yet. He wanted to, but they also couldn’t be found lying under a truth spell, or something if they had no clue about his other abilities. It was the best way to keep them as safe as in the event of the worst-case scenario he could think of.

Ake had kept the [Ethereal Arms] and [Ethereal Sight] active not because he needed them for their ability but to dial down his desires. He wanted nothing else but to hold both lovely ladies close to him whenever he could after what had happened. It felt like he had found somebody he could depend on and it was not easy to not want to be clingy.

And this constant ability activity was also good for his training. He had to get used to controlling the abilities simultaneously as soon as possible for everybody’s sake. Liara and Sila probably had the same idea when he could sense the mana fibers under their skin.

It wasn’t the same as mentally clasping on the individual shards but it still worked if not with a lot less effort and more subtle effect. They had shared the bed and their vulnerable sides but it didn’t show if anyone was watching.

After finishing breakfast, Liara led the way to the Guild. The two held hands on the way there and Ake was fine following from behind as the view was mighty fine.

Liara went up the stairs with the invitation letter in her hand which was already mana-signed by him this morning. He didn’t know this was the plan, but Sila made sure everyone looking knew that he was hers by holding him close.

What he hadn’t seen coming was the kiss. He returned as the girl liked it, but he didn’t expect to hear the hollers and whistles from the people around him.

“Holy shit, good for you!” Ake heard one of them yell behind his back.

“About time,” another came from a female.

Sila was red as their lips separated, but she quickly recovered. Ake began to see their viewpoint. It was probably how adventurers in this part of the Kingdom did things.

No hesitation, no regret.

Any hesitation had a higher chance of leading to regret as nothing could guarantee they would still be alive tomorrow. Priority would change when no one could tell they would return every time they took the quest and headed outside.

Everyone here lived their lives for today. In the now. That was why they also would announce their decision by action rather than just empty words.

And it was a very pleasant surprise.