AN: So im doing the author notes in italics now. Sorry, this was meant to be out yesterday but due to a certain mishap an entire 1/3rd of this story was just gone since i didnt save it....i tried saving it, but thats when the screen said something about a server error....honestly, i was pissed off and throw a punch at the wall. Which hurt. A lot. Its made of brick. I rage pretty hard, sometimes, i even wanted to throw a table. Like, seriously.

You have to understand, by that time my fingers hurt due to the typing i did. Anyway, its here now.

Ah, but i wanna share something with you. A story i found. So, i was browsing the original composition section of NUF and I founf this one story, which had a link to the same story here at RRL. It has a lot of chapter out already. I only read a few chapters so far, but i though, "You know....this is fairly interesting"

At least i thought so. You guys might not agree since you all have your own tastes in novels, but i liked it. Now, I do have a high tolerance when it comes to what i read so maybe there is a part of the story you guys just cant tolerate, but as for myself  l am liking it so far. The only really thing i have to complain about is the Grammar, but i have trouble with that too, so...

In any case, I found out that the author actually has a blog, and there are more stories by him there. So, here.

https://ctrlalcala.wordpress.com/

If you want, check it out.

I'm reading the one called Magical Tournament. Just thought you guys might be interested in it.

Welp, thats it.  Imma edit this more later, but for now, enjoy.

P.S. Imma get more chapters out. just know the next few will likely be even slower, but maybe with more interactions between the characters. I have read the more recent reviews....and i agree with one that said the pace is too slow. sorry about that. At the very least, i want to make it an interesting read despite that.

also, the first sentence of this chapter is inspired by a certain commenter from my last chapter.

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"So borrowing something from others without letting the owner know is fine, huh?"

Roland raised a brow.

Loki's face as he replied made his words seem incomparably logical, " But It's okay since they didn't say no, right?

"That didn't answer my question."

" Didn't it?"

Roland smiled a bit, amused.

Morrigan, still firmly holding onto Roland's arm,  frowned. " Loki, how long have you had that?"

He shrugged. " Well, I took it just after your husband here got back to the Lower Planes...since the time stream of the realm this thing was in at the time was much faster than that of the Lower Planes I would say I've been in possession of this thing for roughly...ten years? Not sure since I only spent a bit of time there before I came to this place. Ten years should be about right."

This might sound strange, but due to the many different time streams that some realms of the Higher Planes possess it's entirely possible for Lokl to have had this ship for so long. Ten years at the place he talked of could be only one year or a month to someone in the Lower Planes.

Generally speaking, the time stream in the Lower Planes was pretty slow compared to the Higher Planes and there were not as many differing streams here either.

Morrigan expressed shock. "Ten years, how come Apollo hasn't taken notice?" He doesn't usually leave his cruise ship for too long due to various reasons.

"...Let's just say he's...busy." Loki avoided he question

"...What did you do to him?" Roland stared hard at the mischievious god.

Loki coughed. " He's fine, he's fine. Don't worry about it." He waved him off and spoke airily.

Morrigan stared at him. Now that she thought of it...she hasn't heard anything about Apollo for some time already....

Gods sometimes stay out of contact with their own kind for many years, so it's not a big deal, but...

She felt too suspicious when she saw the innocent face of Loki smiling placatingly at them.

"Mommy, mommy, isn't this great? Last time we went to visit that place it was really fun!" Grace pulled on her mother's arm, her face flushed with happiness.

She looked at Roland with stars in her eyes. "Daddy, there's a huge aquarium I want to show you! Ah, and there's so many tasty foods you have to try. Oh, and we have to visit the arcades! And the stores! There's so many cool things there! Daddy, let's play all day!"

She was nearly trembling with suppressed excitement, the fox on her shoulder picking its head up and moving it's tails as it sensed the girl's emotion.

How could Roland have the heart to tell her that he had already been to the place a time or two before?

" Sounds great. You have to be sure to show me all the local hotspots, alright? We'll play until we drop. " He grinned, making her nod with a serious light in her eyes as if he had just presented her with some great mission.

She suddenly smiled up at him, " C'mon, let's go!" She exerted a bit of divine power and started floating off the ground, causing the fox to become a bit unsteady and forcing it to position it's tails on the girl's shoulders for support.

He grabbed her rising arm. " Hold up, let's wait a bit."

"But daddy...!" She protested. Grace wanted to show her father a fun time together with her and mommy. This was a perfect bonding experience, she couldn't wait!

Together with mommy and daddy, enjoying every moment as a family...This was somethnig she had always hoped for, how can she wait!

"Don't worry, dear, be patient. All good things come in time, you know. We'll have plenty of time to play together with your father, so just bear with it, alright?" Morrigan smiled up at her enthusiastic daughter, knowing why she was so eager to go. Having not had her father around for so long, she would obviously want to show him a good time and earn his favor.

Also, It was true that they would have a lot of time to play, but the play she meant was a bit different from what her daughter had in mind.  

Having been so annoyingly interrupted before, how can Morrigan be satisfied with how things had turned out? She had waited ao long to have her beloved by her side again, had shed many lonely tears when he had rejected her in hi current life during the times she sought him out.

Since he had left there was a certain gap in her heart. The two had been together only for a short time by a god's standards, so short it was like the blink of an eye...and yet that time was, to her, unforgettable.

To have gotten so used to the warmth of his arms around her, his smell, his face....and then to suddenly lose that....it was unbearable. It wasn't merely losing all those wonderful things, it wasn't merely not feeling his touch on her skin or the care and love that came with his gaze.

It was also the knowledge that he would not see her with that same look, would not remember any of their time together or the product of their love, his daughter Grace.

This is what truly made her heart ache.  It was worse when he completely rejected her when she saw him last.

But things were different now. He accepted her, and accepted Grace, with open arms. He might not exactly have the same love in his eyes for her that he used to, but she could tell that he cared for her deeply.

Yet how could that alone satisfy her?

She wanted him to become hers again, like he was before. She wanted to become his, too.

How better to do that than continuing from where they left off earlier and allowing his body to remember what his mind couldn't?  Morrigan wanted to imprint herself onto him, to tear off his clothes and have him take her so that she may leave both her mark and her scent on his flesh.

Truth be told, now that he was here by her side once more, Morrigan had been wanting little more than to do just that.  Before she met and fell in love with him Morrigan never had much of a sex drive, some would even have said it was non-existent...but with her beloved husband here once more it had come to life with a vengeance.

She swore that one way or another, by the end of the day after Grace had her fill of fun, Morrigan would find a soft bed and quiet room for them to become husband and wife again in the truest sense. Which meant a night of giving in to her now-constant carnal desire and seduce him into ravishing her body just like how they had done before.

With these thoughts in mind, her eyes shined just as brightly as her daughters.

Roland, however, had no idea what direction his wife's thoughts had turned and merely saw her smiling secretly to herself as she tightened her hold on his arm and all but buried it in her soft mounds.

Grace pouted upon hearing her mother's words but still did as she was told.  She once again returned to solid ground.

Loki quickly teleported away as he saw the family enter their own little world.

He once more raised his voice. "Alright, i'm lowing the stairs! Remember what I said, hurry it up or else you might end up wanting to cut off your own tongue! No one is exempt! Think I'm kidding? Ha, you wish~! Now...GO!"

He waved an arm and a flight of stairs that were nearly fifty feet wide seamlessly came from a previously non-esixtent hope to the side of the titanic ship.

The students, knowing full well the personality of  Headmaster Loki, all scrambled for the stairs.

They shoved at each other ruthlessly, none wanting to face the consequences of being last. Several girls skilled in magic even fired off bolts of lightning, fire or other spell in order to surpass the others.

Several times a student would be tossed behind, kicked, frozen or something else.  Roland saw that one vampire kid, William,  use that gauntlet he had given him. The thing glowed red and a blood mist radiated off it.  The students in front of him were assaulted by a rather curious energy that took the shape of a giant hand, grabbing them and tossing them into the air.

Roland frowned and created a square barrier under their feet as the fell, lowering it at their original position. William was already long gone.

Michael, using his great strength, simply ran up with all his might and sent several male students flying into the air as he hit them with his body.  He avoided the women like a plague, not willing to have a thousand years of fury placed upon him in revenge if he dared run into them.

Sara was more elegant, calmly pulling out a scroll that transformed into a dragon-like phantom the color of jade. Hopping on, it disappeared in the blink of an eye. Roland saw that she was the very first to enter the ship.

"Damn brats. They know if they fly I'll just knock 'em out." Loki clicked his tongue as he watched with a hint of satisfaction on his face. He really wanted to hit one of them should any chose to fly.

But  how could they be so foolish? No, these students, they knew better. They knew their Headmaster well enough to become aware of his mischievous and slightly sadistic nature.

--------------------------------------------

After around ten minutes, long after the last student, a sickly-looking female, entered the ship despondently, two people were seen walking up to them. 

Saren looked up as he arrived, his mouth agap. " By all that's good and holy, what the hell  is that..."

"A ship...made of gold..." James, by his brother's side, was similarily in awe.

" How much do you think it would cost to make it?" Asked Saren, his eyes wide.

"...I don't know...." James shook his head in wonder, not able to even guess at the price.

"...I want one..."

Saren, who had always had to live life moderately, who had gone to sleep hungry more than once, seeing such a obvious display of wealth, was stunned. Before, he wouldn't even dare to voice such a thought.  He had seen such flying ships before, rarely, but never one so large and made of what appeared to be pure gold!

The words just now had slipped out, unconsciously. But as soon as they left his mouth, his brother suddenly spoke up like he just had some great idea.

"Wait, If we sell the Etherium sword, do you think...?" His voice was calm, even, but his eyes were full of light.

"Maybe....If not, we can always ask Roland for more. He doesn't even care for them, surely if we had another and find some way to sell them then we can--"

"I could make a thousand of them and you still wouldn't be able to get your hands on something like that."

Roland left Morrigan and Grace a bit aways and came to them. He heard their conversation, and thought it best to crush such hopes before they took root.

Just a bit before now he sent Loki to let them all know it was time to leave, so the god teleported to the place and unceremoniously told them to finish packing then meet Roland at the front of the main building. Roland had asked why Loki didn't wait so that he could teleport them, and he had replied with, "So troublesome, why should I, a god, have to wait for a bunch of lower beings?" In a very arrogant tone.

Roland pointed to the ship. "That there isn't normal gold, it's True Immortal Sun Gold. This perhaps slightly ostentatious name means that the gold you see is not ordinary gold, but the flames of a sun forcefully condensed into a solid form by special means not available to any but a true Sun God. And there would't be any willing to make an entire ship for you. Maybe a small, miniature version." The words made the boys' faces fall.

Making the flames of a sun turn to a physical form pretty much just the laws of physics, but that doesn't matter to Sun Gods. Ah,  well, what he said about the Sun Gold wasn't entirely true. That was one of the ways to create the special type of gold but there was another more common way of doing so.

See, there's actually a lot of gold in any sun. What Sun Gods usually do is extract that gold before imbuing the flames of the sun with their divine energy and then insert those flames into the gold.

However, only Sun Gods can really create True Immortal Sun gold. Their divine energy is...unique. There are many forms of energy in existence, like Universal energy, Death energy, Life energy, Solar energy, Lunar energy, Elemental energy, Chaos energy...and many more.

And only Sun Gods have the special type of divine energy capable of creating this type of gold.

" Sounds interesting. So...what can it do?" Lilith appeared behind the two brother, carrying a bag Roland assumed held clothes.  

" Well, " Roland began, " Not much. It doesn't really every show any sign of wear or tear, and it can withstand even Zeus's thunderbolts for a good while, it also has certain other properties I won't get into...but for the most part it's just prettier to look at than regular gold. Like it's lit from the inside." Which, he supposed, it kind of was.  There were many other attributes it had, but he didn't want to  get into a rant about them.

" Oh. " Lilith wasn't sure what to say. That second thing he said, wasn't that pretty amazing? Yet he disregarded it like it was nothing...."Hey, you remember that I--"

"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten. We'll talk later. Let's get you guys settled first."

She nodded, but looked at him a bit awkwardly.

"Where are the rest?" Roland asked. Reina, their parents, Charlotte.

"Oh...they're right behind us. See?" She pointed.

Roland looked and saw the father, his wife and the girl Charlotte, who was currently following along with half-lidden eyes as if still tired. The father frowned as he looked up.

"Is Lord Apollo here?" Roland heard him say.

"No, Loki just borrowed this from him so that we can travel in style." Roland said with a shrug.

"That thing is one of Lord Apollo's prized posessions, even Lord Loki can't simply..." The other man stopped.

"...Yeah, it's better if you don't ask too many questions."

"......"

The man said nothing. He didn't show much surprise or concern of him face. Stoic as ever. Roland felt he was the type to not let his emotions be seen too often.

Roland remembered he didnt't know the man's name yet, which wasn't surprising since they didn't interact much. Roland, from the moment he got to this planet and settled down, had taken care of the food. He was picky about what he ate to a certain degree and so elected himself the chef.

During the past few days the family had been here Roland had seen  Charlotte a bit as she wolfed down pancakes that he had made, but the mother and father? Not so much.

Well, the mother would ocassionally come to talk with her daughters but she was still a bit awkward around Roland. Didn't talk to him much.

" By the way..." Roland told the boys to go and wait for them by the stairs, sending them with Morrigan and Grace before he stopped the father.  " I don't believe I have ever caught your name."

He looked at him. " You can call me Garreth."

Without another word, he walked on.  His wife smiled at Roland as if apologizing for her husband's abruptness. He didn't mind it. It rather suited the man.

Roland spotted Charlotte and caught up to the little girl as she followed behind her parents, talking to her quietly. His words were low, too low for others to hear. She looked at him quizzically before the girl, having finally fullly rousing gerself from her sleepiness, finally understood. He subtely pointed at Grace who was currently hiding behind her mother, staring at that young girl with worry and apprehension as she came closer.

Roland and Charlotte nodded to each other, looking like co-conspirators to the eyes of those watching. He grinned and patted her on the head before she walked a bit faster to catch up with the others. Then the girl began to naturally and energetically strike up a conversation with Grace.

Roland was still looking at the sight when he heard a lovely, albeit frantic, voice reach his ears.

"Wait!"

Reina called out as she ran under the shadow created by the large, floating ship of gold.  In her hand was a bag filled with recently acquired clothes and other items.

To explain, once Loki had notified them it was time to finish any last-minute packing she was a tad slow in making sure she had everything she would need and as a result she didn't notice that everyone had already begun leaving.

Though the gap between them wasn't that large, she still had to run a bit to catch them.

When she was still a bit aways she spotted these strange stairs leading upwards and she she got close she started looking up, seeing the golden ship.

She didn't stop running, but it distracted her. Whats more, the clouds suddenly parted ever so slightly, causing the sunlight to shine down on the gold ship and making the thing reflect the light harshly into her eyes a bit.

With her vision momentarily impaired and her attention dominated by the large floating ship, she didn't see Roland who was in front of her.

As for himself, Roland didn't notice Reina's coming as he still had his head turned at the time. Only when she called out did he see her come running, her eyes looking at the ship eith a fair bit of surprise and not paying attention to anything else.

As the light reflected off the ship went into her eyes, she tripped on the cobbled stone ground and with the bag in hand her balance was thrown off....which resulted in her falling disgracefully towards thehard floor.

Roland, without thinking too much, quickly appeared in front of her as she tripped and stopped the girl from falling.

The bag in her hand had been released as she tripped, her hands readying to try and catch herself.

But that wasn't necessary anymore.

Reina's hand and face were pressed against Roland's chest, her legs positioned abit awkwardly due to her previously unbalanced state. As her her other arm, Roland held it in one of his own while his other was nestled a bit near her waist.

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

After a short moment, he pushed her a bit and helped the girl right herself.

However, to them, that short time felt much longer.

The moment they made contact a small electric current seemed to course throughout their bodies. Roland could feel Reina's heartbeat as if it were her own, could smell a sweet fragrance exuding from her body. Reina felt something similar. She, too, could also hear and feel the strong, steady beating of his heart and smell a certain husky scent wafting off his body which put her at ease.

Against his will, Roland felt the first stirrings of lust in him in response to Reina's body. The sensation, he knew, would only build if things continued this way.

He hated it. Such a strong reaction just from this light touch. It was annoying. He didn;t like losing control of himself due to some other force that wasn't truly part of himself. This reaction was due only to the strange bond that now existed between them, he knew. It was one thing if he felt this way purely because he found her attractive. Reina had plently of charm and seductive capabilitied without even trying.

So while he did find her desirable, but it wasn't quite to the extent that it would make him suddenly want to take a bite out of her like just now. If they held onto each other longer, if the feeling increased to even higher levels...what would happen? Could either of them control themselves?

Roland was never one to truly turn down an invitation before, but he had two very important reasons to do so now. If not for those two reason, he would have likely allowed what Mercury had wanted to do with him earlier. To him, such a thing was only natural and pleasing to both sides when done consensuously. But he didn't take her up on the offer because he had those two reason. Right now, it was a bit different though.

This thing between them...it was like they were both under the effects of some drug when they touched one another. And Roland didn't like that. Maybe if he was not married, didn't have a child to think about, if she wasn't someone he had taken under his wing, and if she expressed actual desire for him....then maybe he would allow this.

But he was married to a woman who loved him, had a child with her, and this girl was someone he considered himself responsible for. What's more, though perhaps she was physically attrracted to him, she had never shown any  intention or desire to start any relationship of that nature with him.

So, forcing it down, he repositioned her until she was firmly planted on the ground before breaking away.

Reina, suddenly feeling the loss of that warm, tingling sensation, slightly sucked in a cold breath and avoided looking at him.  

"Are you alright?" Roland asked, sounding slightly odd.

"I'm fine, thanks." Reina replied, feeling distinctly uncomfortable.

"Good, let's go-"

Suddenly a new voice joined in. " Well, have to say, that was kinda hot. Oi, daughter of mine, you smell that? This spicy, slightly sweet scent, like sex. That, my dear girl, is arousal! And so intense!"

Mercury dropped from above, Fenris appearing an instant later by her side. Roland couldn't help appreciate the view. Mercury aside, Fenris display quite a bit of charm and appeal currently. Wearing a wide-necked cream sweater that exposed the smooth, tender-looking white skin on her shoulders.

"I know what arousal smells like. " Fenris spoke indignantly. " You pretty much wear it like perfume."

"Nevermind that. Look at them, displaying such desire for each other yet holding themselves back, how noble! But they should just fuck and get it over with." Mercury looked at them with a wide grin.

Roland couldn't say anything. He couldn't fool their strong sense of smell.

Reina, hearing the woman's words, felt her mouth open slightly.  Speaking of such things so openly, was that not a bit too shameless?

"Hmm...." Fenris glanced at Roland. If he was married to Morrigan, and since he looked a bit similar to Grace...then, if it wasn't for the fact that the woman was a Goddess of Death, Fenris would say he was the girl's father.

They also smelled a bit similar...

She was not entirely certain that the girl was of his blood because of the fact that Morrigan was who she was, but as Fenris saw past them and caught sight of Grace glancing at Roland with a gaze full of admiration and affection she felt that things were a bit complicated.

At the very least, that sort of gaze from the girl in regards to Roland showed that Grace probably thought of him dearly.

And since those two were married, even if the girl was not related to him by blood but was an artificial being like a homunculus as her father thought, then Roland would still be a father figure to Grace.

Fenris always had a good relationship with the girl and she never really cared whether she was a homunculus or any other artificial construction. That wouldn't make the girl any less real.

Since Fenris was fond of her, and the girl thought of Fenris as something like a sister....Seeing Roland, who right now was at the very least like a father figure to the girl, holding onto and being aroused by another woman while Grace and her mother, his own wife, were present...

It made her mood a bit sour.

Of course, no one else except them knew anything other than Roland helping straighten the girl had occured.  Fenris understood that  the scene looked pretty innocent. But she caught a whiff of the strong sexual arousal the two exuded and couldn't help frowning.

" I know what you're thinking, dearie, but don't get your panties in a twist. Nothing happened! So it's fine~!  " Her mother interjected.

" Didn't seem like nothing to me."

Mephisto was the one who said this. He and Aries didn't enter the ship with the others and merely stayed behind. They had seen Roland and the girl's little mishap.

" Having such a beautiful wife yet wanting to have another girl on the side.  At least you can't say he isn't ambitious." Aries arched a brow at his friend, his tone one of mock-disappointment and tinged with a healthy dose of teasing.

"Indeed. But how shameful. Ah, that poor little girl of his, that poor wife, to have such a man as a father and husband..." Mephisto shook his head and sighed.

" Wanting multiple women by your side is part of a man's dream, is it not?" Mercury cut in. " A bit of fun now and then is perfectly natural, wanting to pick numerous flowers and hold them in your arms is also natural~" She laughed, her meaning clear. "Besides, polygamy isn't uncommmon~! Don't listen to these plebs, my boy, boldly go forth and start a harem of outstanding beauties! Go and conquer, get all the girls~!"

She grinned, patting Roland on the back as he and Reina, who was a bit red-faced and ill at ease at hearing such things,  seperated.

"Eh, I'll even help you. Let's start with me. Come, come, follow this cool beauty of a goddess. Ah, girl, you can come too, if you wish. Fenris, I think you should stay here, keep those two muscle-for-brains occupied. Maybe tell them a story. Nothing too difficult to understand, mind you."

She pulled on Roland while smiling, waving to Reina and Fenris.

Of course, Roland didn't move an inch. "I don't really feel like starting a harem, thanks. Seems too troublesome and complicated for my tastes. But you go ahead and enjoy yourself. Here, take Aries instead. Feel free to keep him. " Roland nodded at Aries.

"Shit, selling me out, I have no desire to have any sort of relationship with that thing." Aries pointed at Mercury, who sniffed in indignation.

"How rude. Though I don't want to do it with something like you either, you never seem to have any problems taking up Aphrodite on her invitations."

"That's different, it's consensual. And she doesn't make me feel dirty and used after. " He and Mercury never had sexual relations beofre but simply the way she looked at him sometimes, like he was just a piece of meat to gobble up.... At the very least Aphrodite didn't do something like that. She was even more frank in her invitations, to be honest, but that was it.

"Other than fighting, what other use are you though?" Mercury asked seriously.

" I think he can cook eggs. And tie his own shoes. Oh, and he can read. Even write.That's something. Wait, you asked what use he was..." Mephisto said, seeming to consider once more..

Fenris peered at the man. " I can't tell if you're defending him or not."

" ...Actually, neither can I..." Mepisto paused and said.

Reina wasn't sure what to do. The pressure leaking out from these people seemingly unconsciously was enough to make her feel dazed. Mephisto, Aries, Fenris, Mercury....These were powerful names....

Pretty well-known, all of them.

To have them all gathered and bantering with one another....

Being surrounded by so many higher beings made Reina, a mortal, feel insignificant and small.  

Rather than saying she was insecure...it was more of a natural reaction. How could a mortal stand on equal footing with beings like this and not feel pressured?

Even a bit...in awe?

She glance at Roland who was at her side.

He was mortal too...right?

She wasn't sure what he was, exactly. To meet so many people like these and not be in the slightest bit intimidated...

"Well, we should get going. The others are waiting for us. Come on." Roland started walking towards the others who were still waiting by the stairs.

" Since you guys are fine, I won't stay long. Just a few days." Mephisto said. He told his wife he wouldn't be gone for more than a few days and he didn't like going back on his word. He had heard of their plans, and would tag along until after they entered the Higher Planes but he wouldn't stick around longer than that.

He could open a small portal to his domain at any time, so doing this was no problem. It's just that to travel to other realms or planets he needed a Teleportation Array of a certain level. He had his own, but it was damaged some time ago and was still in the midst of repair. Which is why they had to use Mercury's.

Unfortunately he couldn't teleport like Loki could. At least not to great distances.

" I think Abs is already inside getting the kids settled. I'm going to check up on them before finding a good bar for a drink. What about you guys?" Aries asked them.

"I'm going to the spa for a nice massage. I'm really just tagging along to spend some quality time with this adorable daughter of mine." Mercury smiled at Fenris.

" I'll probably be hitting a few bars as well. I hear Apollo has some sort of deal with Dionysus" Mephisto replied with a careless shrug.  Neither he nor Aries bothered to question why Loki had Apollo's personal cruise ship. It would be pointless.

"Lazy bums." Roland shook his head. They couldn't think of anything better to do than have a drink?

"Oh? Such a condescending tone. Hmph, and what are you going to be doing then?" Aries snorted coldly and questioned his friend.

"Like me, he's probably got a hot date with his daughter." Mercury answered for him.

"Mother..." Fenris sighed at her mother's slightly misleading words.

"Well, it's not exactly untrue..." Roland said. " Reina, care to join us? Well, not right away, but tomorrow? Grace would probably like that." He only offered since he knew how strangely attached his daughter had gotten to Reina. " Charlotte can come too." This is what he hoped for, really, for those two to become friends.

" ...I don't know..." Reina was unsure whether to accept or not...

" Why not? I'm going to spend today with Grace, but tomorrow I think having a few more people around will be fine.  The trip from here to the Teleportation Array won't exactly be all that short. Might as well do something during that time. Saren, James and Lilith should come as well."

They had to get everyone settled in a room but that wouldn't take long. Roland would just tell the other three to wait until tomorrow to go out and explore the ship's many sights. He couldn't exactly leave them unattended.

This ship acted not only as Apollo's cruise ship, but as a city as well. The ones who inhabited the place had taken to calling themselves Apollyons. Well, that was what they first called themselves, at least. Nowadays they go by Apollites. Like mortals, only stronger, faster, nicer, generally wiser, smarter and more...musical.

So allowing them to roam about in a big city they were totally unfamiliar with simply wasn't a good idea.

"Look at him, " Mercury spoke to Fenris. " Inviting the girl to spend time with him, his wife and their daughter...How bold. Pretending they didn't just eye-fuck each other moments ago. And does it so casually~! This man has quite some skill, doesn't he?" She snickered. " Can we be witnessing the downfall of a innocent young girl,  becoming a mere mistress to a lustful married man whose carnal desires push him to commit infidelities left and right?"

Roland was sending a hard look at the woman as he heard her commentary.

"Ah, it seems he's after me next!" Mercury cried softly. "Dear daughter, what should I do, faced with such a heated gaze full of passion?" She asked her daughter, looking torn.

" Heavens, woman, can't you keep your fantasies to yourself?" Aries frowned.

" I can't help it that my rockin' bod oozes sex appeal and feminine charm. "She spoke helplessly, as if she were a victim in all this.

" Ignore her." Fenris sighed.

" Ignore who?" Roland looked around, his eyes seeming to not even register Mercury's presence.

"Good man. " Fenirs nodded in approval.

Mephisto chose to not say anything.

Reina was too busy being floored by the woman's comments to speak at all.  She nearly choked when she heard it.

Mistress....

In a small corner of her mind she felt like smacking the woman. Mistress, what mistress? Why would she have to be a mistress? No, why was she involved at all? She hadn't done anything!  

She felt wronged.

As they arrived at the stairs the topic was dropped. Well, more like the woman was ignored and so she had no choice other than to pout and stay silent.

In any case, they met up with the others and Reina stood by her parents and saw Charlotte talking friendily with Grace while Lilith was smiling a bit stiffly as she conversed with Morrigan.

Pnce Lilith spotted her by their parents' side she and Charlotte broke off their chatting with the other two. Lilith with relief and Charlotte with a bit of disappointment.

" What were you two talking about?" Reina asked Lilith quietly.

" Oh, nothing much. It began as mere pleasantries, but..." She hesitated. " I think she was warning me."

"About what?"

"I'm not quite sure..." Lilith frowned, pondering. "She simply suddenly asked during the middle if I had "The same voyeuristic tendencies and horribly annoying timing like that young red-head there"...Her words, not mine. " She quickly clarified. " I'm pretty sure she was talking about you, since I don't know any other red-heads except Abigail who is, quite frankly, more of an auburn. Care to exaplain why she would...?"

"...I-I don't know anything about it..." She stuttered, remembering.

"Really...?" Lilith analyzed her sister's face but didn't pursue the matter.

Roland came up beside the two boys. " The students should be getting taken care of by Abigail. Now that I think of it, Lilith and Reina will likely find a place with their parents. But you two should follow me and Morrigan so that I can get you guys settled. Ah...but don't leave your rooms. Just wait for tomorrow and I'll take you guys to explore. Got it?"

"Yeah."

"Alright

James and Saren nodded easily, not concerned.

"Good. You guys can go up now. You should see a mirror-like wall, simply go through it and wait for me on the other side."

"Cool. Hey, does this place have any place to get a drink or two?" Saren asked.

It felt so long since they last had one...

Truthfully, they felt they needed it to unwind a bit. They hadn't forgotten the effect the curses would have on them should they activate and lived with a constant lingering fear that they felt needed to be forgotten, prefferably by a drunken stupor wherer they didn't have to think much.

"There's a good few places like that. I'll introduce you guys to a couple of friends and they can show you around." He said, glancing at Aries and Mephisto who were conversing between themselves a bit away from the others.

Those two were perfect for getting the two boys to relax and open up a bit more. Who knows, they might even help them get a few lady friends during the next couple of days...

The two boys nodded once more and started walking up the stairs with their bags in hand.

Roland went to Morrigan and Grace's side.  "So, you two ready?" He asked.

Morrigan once more slid an arm around his own, her soft curves pressing against him. " Of course. I've been waiting for this for quite some time, you know..." She smiled, thinking about her plans for the night.

Roland felt something a tad wicked in her eyes but didn't question it.

Grace, with the fox in her arms, spoke up. " Daddy, you took so long! Come on, let's go already~!"  She reached for his sleeve, pulling.

Roland acquiesced.

They started walking up the stairs, despite Grace wanting to simply  fly up to save time. Roland had no problems with walking. Morrigan wanted to simply hold onto her husband for a bit longer.

The others had started to go up as they had conversed and were quite a ways up already,

Reina, Lilith, their father Garreth, their mother, Saren, James, Fenris, Mercury, all of them soon entered the ship.

An instant before he was about to follow them in via the large mirror-like entrance he stopped and told the  mother-daughter pair to his side that he would catch up in a bit.

Loki floated down, having spent the majority of the time high up in the air where he made his threat to the students regarding the bathroom cleaning .

"Waiting for me?" He asked as he spotted Roland by the top of the stairs.

"You could say that." A shrug.

"Well, let's go. " Loki bagan walking towards the entrance.

"Wait."

"Hmm?" He paused, looking back.

"You mean what you said back then?"

"What do you...? Ah..." Loki remembered. "About the student whose last cleaning a bathroom with their tongue? Yup."

Roland nodded. " Do you know who was the last one to enter then? " Roland thought back to the pretty, sickly-looking girl as she entered the ship with defeat in her eyes

"...Obviously." Loki was growng suspicious with all these questions.

"And you said no one is exempt, yes?"

"Well, no one who is part of the student body or staff. "

"I see." Roland said casually. " But... you do realize that we're part of the staff too, right?" Roland gave a small smile

"Of course I--" He froze, realizing his friend's meaning. " Hey, don't you even think about it...." Loki warned, inching closer to the entrance ever so slightly and preparing to make a run for it..

Roland's face was the personification of innocence. " I don't know what you're talking about. Are you implying something? Because I can assure you that I would never--" He broke off, not finishing his sentence.

Before even Loki could react, he had grabbed his friend by the scruff of his neck and sent him flying into the sky.  

As he flew into the air, Loki curse. " That goddamn little...!"

He instantly teleported to the entrance...But Roland was already long gone.

"...Well...." Loki stood there. " ...Fuck."