Harpy Village differed from other settlements in that it was composed solely of tree houses. But they didn't all look the same; there was a rather noticeable difference in their quality. About half of them were rather shoddy, all things considered. They showed attempts at craftsmanship, certainly, but they were visibly drafty. The harpies' feathers were likely enough to keep them and their husbands warm nonetheless.
The rest of the houses boasted a far higher quality, and it was easy to see why. There were only few men out and about, but some were helping with the construction of new houses. They weren't doing anything overly strenuous, but their hands were a great boon. Harpies could still wield tools with their talons but did not have nearly as much finesse. Having to work with what was basically their feet also meant that they had to either fly or sit down as they worked, which made the entire process even more awkward.
The rest of the men outside were either gallivanting about with their new wives or herding children, of which there were a lot. If I had to guess, I'd say there were about five little harpies for every adult I could see. As for the remaining men... well, they were probably in the process of making even more children or recovering from it. It was like the concept of restraint was entirely foreign to this village, even considering that a repopulation effort was going on. But in all fairness, I couldn't fault the men for that part at least. They likely had no access to contraception and succesfully pulling out of a harpy was basically impossible. Hence, deciding when to stop was all on the birds rather than the bees.
Deeper in the village, I could see my objective, the Queen's residence. It didn't look much different from the other higher-quality houses, but it stood out regardless, as both the tree and the house aspects were significantly larger in scale than their counterparts.
We barely even stepped foot inside the village before a small group of harpies saw us and started hooting and hollering at my guide for finally getting herself a husband. Were circumstances different, she would have likely been ecstatic at that kind of welcome, but as it was, she just cringed back with a pained grimace.
Coincidentally, her name seemed to be Reina, which I hadn't thought to ask before. I had already known, but it was always good to have confirmation.
A man accompanying one of the harpies walked over and clapped me on the shoulder. "Looks like they got another one, eh? Already looking forward to tonight?" He asked with a knowing grin.
I brushed off his hand and shot him a glare. "You misunderstand. That's not what I'm here for."
He seemed taken aback by my frosty tone for a moment before shrugging. "Right, whatever you say, lad. I'll ask again in a week." He then returned to his accompaniment, chuckling to himself all the while.
I turned to my own companion and was about to demand we keep going but paused as I saw her longingly look after the couple walking off hand in wing. As annoyed as I may have been due to the man, there was still no reason to take that out on her.
"Hey," I called out to her softly, grabbing her attention. "There's no need to worry. I'm sure you'll find someone soon enough. In fact, if everything goes well today, you probably won't even need to kidnap anyone. The men will come here on their own before long. When that time comes, you'll be able to snatch up one of them easily enough; you're quite cute, after all," I told her kindly. I fully meant everything I'd just said, too. Although the Ilias faith tended to be strong around here, as the only friendly monster settlement on the entire continent, there would likely be a steady influx of curious men.
In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if men came all the way from Sentora after the flying obscenity that's disturbing intercontinental travel was dealt with. A man's desire to get laid could beget a fearsome determination indeed.
Hell, as for me, I would probably swim all the way to Hellgondo and then climb those damn cliffs with my bare hands if that was the only way to get to the girl I wanted. But fortunately, it should be much easier than that.
"Really?" asked Reina, and I gave her a gentle nod in response. She smiled faintly at the idea... which then quickly turned more flirtatious. "You know, if you think I'm cute, you could always—"
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," I cut her off with a wry smile. I would have called her persistent if that one wasn't totally on me.
"Hmph, your loss. Let's get you to the Queen, then." She didn't seem particularly upset at being turned down yet again, having likely expected the outcome. It was probably more meant as a joke, even though I had no doubt she would have happily taken me to her house had I agreed.
Barely three dozen steps later, we were intercepted again. This time by a flock of little harpies. They approached without fear and started sniffing and tugging on me. Monster girls were naturally curious about men, and children were no different; if anything, it went double for them. I didn't want to be rough with them since they were just kids, and it wasn't like they were actually molesting me, or not yet, at least. So, not quite knowing what to do, I just stood there awkwardly and let them do their thing.
A few seconds later, one particularly enterprising harpy started climbing towards my shoulders, accidentally prodding and scratching me with her talons in the process. It wasn't enough to draw blood or rip cloth, but it was rather unpleasant nonetheless. As she plopped down around my neck, I quickly reached my hands up to her legs to steady her. I really didn't need her losing her balance and scratching my face out as she tried to panickedly grasp onto something.
I turned to my escort and mouthed a silent plea for help, but she just shook her head, more amused at my predicament than anything else. She then picked up one of the little harpies that approached her in her wings and spun the gleefully giggling girl around. It seemed like I had no choice besides simply enduring this situation.
Thankfully, a few minutes later, a butterfly passed by, drawing away the attention of the girls who happily chased after it, flapping their tiny wings all the while. They didn't manage to fly just yet, so it was more of a skipping run. I couldn't help but smile at the cute scene.
But not all of them left. "Go, Horsie!" the girl settled on my shoulders cheerfully called out as she thrust forward a wing. She had spent the last few minutes making herself comfortable up there. It seemed like she was not giving up on making me her steed anytime soon. We were heading in the direction she pointed out anyway, so I might as well humor her.
"Looks like that little one took a liking to you," remarked my companion with a grin.
"Geez, you think so?" I quipped back light-heartedly.
"Faster!" came a demand from above. I looked to Reina, who just shrugged in response. Up to me, huh?
An excited cry of "Wee!" sounded out as I picked up my pace. If nothing else, running toward my destination would hopefully stop any further interruptions and any resulting social interaction.
Doing my best to give other people a berth as wide as reasonably possible, I headed for the Queen's house in a sprint, which my little passenger seemed to enjoy immensely, judging from her squeals of delight. When we finally arrived, I was barely breathing harder than usual. The distance hadn't been insignificant, probably at least a few hundred meters in a full sprint. Back in Ilias Village, something like this would have been far more taxing. If just a bunch of levels could already do this much... I could not help a shiver of anticipation running down my spine as I thought of what the spirits could do for me. But that was a thought I could indulge at a later time. Right now, I had a Queen to meet.
"I'll go tell the Queen that there's a visitor. Wait here for a moment," Reina said before she shot up into the tree.
There didn't seem to be any guards stationed, none I could currently see, anyway. I guess they weren't strictly necessary since Queens were generally the most powerful individuals of their entire species. Guards were more for dealing with annoyances and served as a showcase of status than actual protection. I thought of Queen Harpy as a more familial type of ruler, so I could see why there wouldn't be any.
"Come on! Keep going!" urged the little harpy while hitting the top of my head with one of her wings. It hurt about as much as being lightly whacked with a feather duster, which is to say, not at all.
But this time, instead of indulging her request, I lifted her up and put her down. "Sorry, but I'm about to meet the Queen. I don't have any more time to play," I told her. She did not look particularly happy to hear it.
After a moment of hesitance, I patted the pouting girl's head. "Maybe another time, okay?" This seemed to mollify her for the time being, and she toddled off to play with another nearby group of children.
Now alone, I took some time to assess the next obstacle on my path: ladders. Harpies didn't exactly need them, but it was likely bothersome having to carry around their men any time they wanted up or down. So, most houses now sported rope ladders. My stomach sank as my eyes went up, surveying the multitude of platforms built into the massive tree and their connectors. The Harpies surely wouldn't have cut any corners when it came to the safety of their precious partners, but even knowing that did little to reassure me of the stability of the rickety-looking ladders lightly swaying in the wind.
I know they're birds and all, but it's not like there were any real threats to them in this region. Couldn't they have built on the ground like normal people?
"The Queen says she'll see you." I jumped slightly as Reina's voice came from behind me. "R-right." With a gulp, I slowly reached for the first rung.
"Do you... need a lift?" She asked after watching me for a few seconds.
I hastily retracted my hand as if the ladder was about to come alive and snap at me. You couldn't trust ladders; they were always up to something. In fact, They were likely plotting my downfall at this very moment.
"Yes, please!" I confirmed with desperation in my voice. Frankly, I didn't want to take this option either, but it was the lesser of two evils. If harpies could carry fully grown, possibly struggling men all the way between villages, hauling me up into that tree should be easy. It would take far less time, too.
"Alright then." She said, and I felt her talons clasp around my shoulders. My body stiffened as my feet left the ground, and a strange feeling of weightlessness assaulted me. I could do nothing but wrench my eyes shut and pray it would be over soon.
What felt like half an eternity later, yet was likely closer to a little under a minute, I felt my feet touch down again and wobbled a few steps forward.
"You alright?" She asked with a touch of concern.
"I'm good," I wheezed, feeling anything but. If a fear of heights wasn't a dealbreaker in regard to starting a relationship with a harpy, I didn't know what was.
"Okay then. Have fun with the Queen, but not too much fun, you hear?" She giggled and flew off before I recovered enough for a retort.
Supporting myself with the nearby house wall, it took several ponderous steps until some firmness returned to my gait. The wooden platform was solid enough, but even with sure footing, just being this high up felt strange, different. An unpleasant feeling permeated my entire body, almost as if I could feel the potential energy ready to plunge me to my death at a moment's notice.
But I could still deal with this level of anxiety just so long as I had something solid below my feet... and so long as I didn't look down. Getting inside would probably help, too.
A wry smile forced itself onto my face. I would have never imagined I would try to take refuge in a formal meeting of all things, but here I was. Life can be strange sometimes.
I was fairly well prepared for this, all things considered. I'd gone through my arguments a few dozen times on the way here and also thought about how to approach any objections she may have, not that I was expecting a lot of those. So, after taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door.
"Please, come in," came a voice from inside.
I carefully opened the door and came face-to-face with what was likely the most beautiful woman I'd ever met.
...Although, I suppose I did meet Ilias, or rather a very realistic image of her. Alice and Erubetie were also gorgeous in their own ways. But no matter how appealing those three looked, I couldn't bring myself to appreciate that due to a variety of reasons. Primarily fear, admittedly.
The same didn't ring true for Queen Harpy. Even if I wasn't about to indulge in any flights of fancy, especially considering how I still felt like I'd vomit if my feet left the ground again, I had to admit she was breathtaking.
Her pink and purple plumage looked invitingly soft. Sharp eyes that seemed like they could pierce straight to your soul contrasted with a warm smile. Her only article of clothing, a white blouse, revealed a generous cleavage. A diadem, along with several other golden accessories, drove home the 'Queen' aesthetic. And she emanated a feeling of regality despite her light level of dress.
But to be fair, the leaders of most monster races could likely look the part with nary a thread on them. When thinking of most human leaders from before in that kind of state, horror or mockery would be the most likely response, but it looked natural on monsters.
"Welcome," she intoned. "I am Queen Harpy, the leader of this small but growing settlement." I sweatdropped slightly. Growing, while technically correct, felt like an understatement.
Catching myself quickly, I bowed. "It is a pleasure to meet you, your highness. I am known as Luka."
"My, what a polite young man. Please, have a seat. Or... perhaps you would like to sit somewhere more comfortable?" She asked, gesturing first to a medium-sized table with several chairs and then swerving over to a luxurious feather bed.
"I'll uh... take the chair, but thank you for the offer." The end result of the latter option was foreseeable, and any actual talking getting done in that case would be a big maybe.
"Very well," she said as we seated ourselves. If she was in any way disappointed, it didn't show on her face. "Forgive me for the lack of refreshments; I only seldom welcome guests, and this has been rather sudden. But please, tell me how I can help you. Should you be looking to immigrate, I am sure I can arrange that quite easily."
"Actually, I'm here about the entire Happiness Village situation," I explained.
"Ah, I see." She nodded. "I was curious when they would send the next traveler. There were several who came before you, you know. Though they opted to resolve matters in a more violent manner, which... did not work out so well for them." She put a wing to her chin, considering. "No, perhaps it did. They are happily married now, after all." She then shook her head. "Unfortunately, as much as I'd like to commend you for taking a more peaceful approach, the answer remains the same. I will not, no, cannot just give the men back."
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I nodded. "I understand. A one-sided proposal like that was never my intention. And while it could be argued taking all the men was a bit excessive, I didn't come here to shift blame but seek a way forward."
"Wait," she stopped me with a confused frown. "What do you mean with all of them?"
"Well... from what I've seen, the male population of Happiness Village currently consists of a single prepubescent boy," I explained.
"Those girls..." She let out a sigh. "I taught them about overhunting, but it seems they didn't think to apply the same principles to humans. Had I known the situation was so severe, I would have stopped them. Regretfully, what is done, is done. I would loathe to break up any couples now, especially since most already have children or are pregnant, even knowing the consequences."
"You don't need to. What I have in mind is not a mere compromise either. It should benefit everyone involved."
She eyed me for a moment. "Very well. We never wanted things to turn out this way, either. If you have a way to right the wrongs committed, please tell me."
"What I'd like to propose is a unification of both villages," I announced.
She let out a disappointed sigh and then regarded me with a bitter smile. "If such a thing was possible, we would have never resorted to kidnappings in the first place. Humans in this region despise monsters. An unfortunate but necessary trade for this bountiful land and otherwise insignificant level of threat."
"It's true that it wasn't an option in the past, but things are different now. After all, you have many people willing to speak on your behalf, do you not? I doubt that the men would have anything bad to say about you after spending so long enjoying your hospitality. In the short time I've been here, I've seen that they share a strong bond with the harpies."
...a bond they obtained by readily throwing aside their previous loved ones. They were kidnapped, true, but none of them escaping or attempting the same solution I had just put forth told me all I needed to know. They were here because they wanted to be, at the expense of all else.
"Even if that is the case, what about the women? We stole their men and caused them undue suffering. Do you genuinely believe they would accept us just like that?" She asked, still doubtful.
"They are desperate. Working themselves to the bone is barely enough to sustain themselves. At this point, they'll accept any help, no matter by whom. Integrating won't be easy, and there will likely be residual resentment for years to come, but you will have enough of a window to forge ties of friendship and family before they'd even think of trying to chase you out or anything." Not that it'd be very effective against the physically superior species. "...And frankly I don't think the women will want you to leave either once the threesomes start," I added.
The Queen let out a rather unladylike snort of laughter at that before catching herself and clearing her throat. "Apologies. I was unprepared for you to say something like that with a serious face. But, please, go on." Admittedly, I included that one partly for some levity, but that made it no less of a valid point as she probably realized herself.
"There are also ways to make yourself valuable besides helping with fieldwork," I continued. "Over in Sentora, people trained pigeons to deliver notices. Suffice to say that harpies would make far more effective messengers than regular birds. Possibly also aerial transport of small quantities of goods or even intercontinental deliveries if your girls are up for it."
She thought it over for a moment. "Intercontinental deliveries should not pose too much of an issue. I am more worried about this one, to be honest. I fear that many settlements would take 'shooting the messenger' far too literally." She remarked wryly.
I grimaced. "Yeah, it would be difficult to get started. Iliasburg should be fine, though. For a city named after the Goddess, the church holds surprisingly little sway there. The merchants will probably be more than ready to make exceptions when they realize the benefits."
People there might still be a little sore about the entire Granberia incident, but public opinion should hopefully relax again after I'm done with the Four Bandits sidequest.
"I see. I suppose I ought to inquire about the benefits to our side as well since you did mention them."
"A friendly monster community would attract curious travelers, including prospective husbands. It would also open you up to trade with other humans. You've surely seen how much of a benefit human craftsmanship is from the new houses. And that's from a village consisting mainly of farmers and beekeepers. Access to proper craftsmen would open a lot of possibilities."
She seemed to think it over for a moment, before granting me a lovely smile. "Very well. I believe your idea has enough merit to make an attempt. It is also a chance for us to finally make amends. I shall gather everyone for a grand reunion."
I blinked. "Right now?"
"Indeed. I see no reason to delay. It would only cause further pain. So, unless there is something else, please excuse me," she confirmed, and hearing no further objections, she left.
That... went really well, all things considered, but what now? Was I supposed to simply wait here? She hadn't mentioned anything. Undoubtedly, mobilizing an entire village would take some time. And so I waited for several minutes until I figured I could at least step out and see if anyone was coming to get me.
There wasn't anyone on the platform, so I peered over the edge. I saw what may have been a forming crowd of people before the distance that was supposed to only be 10, maybe 15 meters, started stretching into infinity. I hurriedly backed away, feeling dizzy and having the onset of a migraine. What the hell was I even thinking?! Alice was right; I am an idiot.
Distracted as I was, I didn't notice anyone approaching and let out a less than manly yelp as something clasped around my shoulders and lifted me up again.
"Ah, sorry for startling you. The Queen asked me to get you to the others," said an unfamiliar harpy.
A few entirely too long seconds later, I was let down and promptly collapsed to my hands and knees. "Oh, sweet, beautiful ground, you have no idea how much I missed you. If you were a girl, I'd kiss you. Please, let's never part again!"
A few chortles and giggles made my head shoot up, only now aware of all the eyes on me.
"Ha! Reminds me of the day we met, darling," guffawed one of the gathered men.
"You screamed so much that day," said harpy reminisced. "That night, too," she added after a moment, giggling.
I quickly stood up and did my best to fade into the background, my face a bright red all the way up to my ears.
I wasn't the only one red-faced at that moment either. Unbeknownst to me at that time, deep in the Safaru Ruins, a certain earth spirit was fighting a losing battle to keep a blush off of her face, despite not even knowing why, an event that would leave her confused for quite a while.
It took roughly another thirty minutes before everyone was assembled, and Queen Harpy held a short speech, followed by everyone setting out for Happiness Village.
Some people looked forward to reuniting with their families, but they were hardly the majority. The tension felt denser than your average non-hentai harem protagonist, and I took some smug satisfaction from the fact that, for once, I wasn't even close to being the most nervous person in a crowd.
"Hey..." One of the men approached me. "You came from the village, right? How is everyone?"
"Not well, but they're hanging in there," I responded, barely even looking at him.
"I see." He gulped. "Do you... do you think my wife will forgive me?"
I sighed and turned to face him. Frankly, I would prefer these people didn't talk to me, but this one at least had the decency to look guilty and attempt to reconcile. So I repressed my urge to be a smartass by asking whether he meant the human, the harpy, or possibly even just one of several harpies and answered him. "Maybe, I don't know. So long as you avoid making an ass of yourself, your chances should be decent. And by Ilias, do not talk about the harpies' sexual prowess unless you absolutely have to." And with that, I kept walking.
For the remaining events, I was mostly just a spectator. We eventually reached Happiness Village, and there was a huge commotion when they saw the mass of people headed for them.
The reunion itself was very similar to how it was depicted in-game, with so much awkwardness that it felt like I took second-hand damage just by watching.
The women were at a loss for words as they met their winged new stepmothers, stepsisters, stepdaughters, and sister wives. And the uncomfortable silence was reciprocated by the harpies.
Some men had to be comforted by their companions when they realized their family had moved or, in some cases, passed away in the years they were gone.
But despite the general awkwardness, there were no signs of rejection, and not every scene was painful to watch. "Grandma?" a little harpy asked a middle-aged woman while tilting her head and fluttering her wings. You could practically see the woman's heart melt.
Meanwhile, as the sun slowly began to sink beyond the horizon, the Queen, along with some other harpies, organized a feast. They built up bonfires and carried in large quantities of food. The fact they had so much surplus despite all the mouths to feed was nothing short of impressive.
Taking some wooden skewers of grilled meat and vegetables for myself, I sat down a distance from any people and continued watching as the interactions slowly warmed, helped along by the food.
"Hm, I expected you to look happier considering what you achieved today," came a familiar voice from beside me.
"What a coincidence, so did I," I answered, eyeing Alice, who sat down next to me, carrying her own mountain of food. I was briefly tempted to ask how she had managed to convince someone to give her that much, but I had a feeling the answer would give me a headache.
"Are you not satisfied with the result?"
"It's... not ideal, but that's not it. I don't think a better outcome was actually possible."
She nodded. "Even if this union holds, they will require stringent laws regarding procreation or be forever reliant on immigrants. It is unfortunate, but it cannot be helped. While it may theoretically be possible to make many other types of monsters give birth to men, the same cannot be said for harpies. Humans and eggs do not tend to mesh well."
Strictly speaking, there was nothing unfortunate about it. If you needed someone to blame, it would be their Ancestor, Saja, but it wasn't like the others made their creations with human propagation in mind. That it was possible for any monster at all was a fortunate coincidence, not the other way around.
"So what's the actual reason?" She asked after reducing her pile slightly.
"I don't know. It's just... I can't help but think that this should have happened long ago. The men had years to come up with this kind of solution, but they didn't. I feel like they don't really deserve this kind of happy end."
"Are you sure that's it?"
I was about to ask what she meant but paused, resuming my people-watching. Against my better judgment, the knot of emotions in my chest started unraveling, and my heart ached when I realized the truth—the reason why I held so much distaste towards their actions and why I could barely bear to even look at them. I grimaced and turned my gaze to the starry sky instead.
They were just like me, weren't they?
My family and what few friends I had... I missed them; I truly did. And yet, I would never see them again; I wouldn't even try. But, as frightening as this world could be, I had something here I never had before. A chance to be someone that matters. A chance to become lovers with a wonderful woman, one that I could trust from the bottom of my heart.
A chance at... happiness.
But no matter what I did, I would never have what they received today through no effort of their own. My old life was gone for good. Even should something like interdimensional travel be possible, it was far too much of a risk to take. After the split of light and dark, there should be no chaos left in this universe, but what about the gaps between this one and another? If done poorly, chaos or perhaps some other eldritch entity may creep through the cracks. I couldn't just gamble away the fate of two worlds out of homesickness.
So, in the end, it was all just envy.
I sighed. "Am I... a hypocrite?" I asked in a whisper to nobody in particular.
"If you feel the need to ask, the answer is likely yes," responded Alice to the question clearly not directed at her.
I stared at her, not quite managing a glare. "You know, a more understanding individual would have just ignored that."
"I am the one many humans consider the epitome of evil. Did you genuinely think I would be nice?" She deadpanned, and despite myself, I couldn't help but let out a small huff of laughter.
"I guess that's true," I conceded.
"So what's the matter, left someone behind in that village of yours?"
"...something like that," I admitted.
"I cannot claim to know your circumstances, but is that really something you should focus on? After all, you surely had a reason for starting your journey in the first place."
After a few moments, I nodded. Alice was right, even if it wasn't for the reason she thought it was. I could still fret over this once I made sure I'd live long enough for it to matter.
"Thank you, Alice." She hadn't exactly been gentle about it, but I still appreciated her trying to cheer me up in her own way.
"Hmph, your moping was just ruining my appetite," she said before shoveling another handful of food into her mouth to emphasize her point.
We continued eating in silence. Alice was far faster than me, but the sheer difference in quantity meant I was still finished before her. Then, just as I swallowed the last bite, I heard the beat of wings descending.
"Ah, there you are. I've been looking for you." It was already rather dark, and the fires were a fair distance away, but the silhouette of Queen Harpy was unmistakable.
Her gaze flitted to Alice, and she curtsied. When it was clear that Alice was effectively ignoring her by continuing to eat and looking somewhere else, she turned back to me.
"I would like to once more express my gratitude for your help."
"It's not like I really did all that much," I retorted. I was not making an attempt at humility either. While it may have been considerably outside of my comfort zone, nothing I did today was actually difficult or dangerous. Literally anyone could have done the same.
"Even if you think so, none of this would have happened without you."
I couldn't quite deny that, so I said nothing.
She smiled. "We have already decided on a name for the united village as well: Harpiness Village." I had to suppress a chuckle at the strange yet very fitting name. "Say, Would you consider staying here? Several of my girls have expressed an interest in you as a husband. In fact... I also happen to still be in need of a partner," she said with a wink before continuing. "I am sure we can arrange for a ground-level dwelling for you as well."
I froze for a moment at the reminder of my earlier episode, then shook my head. "A very gracious offer, but I'm afraid I need to continue my journey. And... I have some in mind already," I finished with a light blush.
Alice chose that moment to butt into the conversation. "You do? Who is it, some childhood friend from your village?"
I cringed at the sound of those two cursed words. One reason to be very glad to be in the Original rather than Paradox was Sonya. I was perfectly content with my own efforts at chastity and the Cockblock Ex Machina that got me through Sutherland Inn unmolested. If Sonya was thrown into the mix, there was a reasonable chance I'd die a virgin, which in this kind of world was probably the highest level of ironic cruelty imaginable. Hell, for all I knew, it may have already happened once, given I had no idea how I ended up here.
...It probably said something about me that something like that was my most severe issue with her despite everything else. But honestly, I was glad Sonya didn't exist.
"Perhaps not," mused Alice, seeing my expression. "Maybe that slime girl you mentioned then?"
I blinked. "Lime? I mean, she was cute, but I don't really know her that well."
"At the risk of making myself sound impudent," started Queen Harpy. "I believe he may be talking about you."
Alice and I looked at her, then at each other. Queen Harpy was then met with two stares that said, "Are you serious?" and "Are you an idiot?" respectively, leaving her somewhat confused.
Alice turned back to me. "No, seriously, who is it?"
I scratched the back of my head, embarrassed. "Well... I'd rather not say right now. You'll probably find out within a few days anyway."
"Fine, be like that." She huffed and went back to her food.
Queen Harpy cleared her throat. "Anyway, I would still like to reward you, even if you do not wish to stay. Is there anything you desire?"
"Harpy feathers seem very soft. If possible, I would like some bedding filled with them," I answered.
She smiled. "A simple request. I shall make sure you receive some before you leave tomorrow."
She then addressed Alice. "If I may be permitted a question."
Alice sighed. "Very well. I have a decent idea what this is about, but go ahead and ask anyway," She said before shoving more food into herself, almost dismissively.
Ah, it was this scene. I was curious whether she'd stick with the Traveling Gourmet moniker or actually admit to being the Monster Lord.
"Could it be that..."—her eyes twinkled with mischief—"There is an ever so faint outline of a hand on your cheek?"
Alice choked.
The only things keeping me from laughing out loud were the terrible revenge waiting down the line if I did and my fascination at the scene. I didn't think snake-type monsters even had a gag reflex... or really any monster, for that matter.
If I strained my eyes, I could indeed see a bit of glow, enhanced as it was by the relative darkness. I would have never been able to tell it was in the shape of a hand from just that. Queen Harpy must have inherited literal eagle eyes.
After Alice was done coughing, she glared at the cause. "Your eyes are playing tricks on you, Queen Harpy."
"As you say. The light of the fire must have confused me," she said, visibly straining to keep a straight face.
She turned to me. "Allow me to show you to your quarters for the night. The village is rather crowded tonight, even with the houses that previously stood empty, but I made sure to reserve something for your private use."
I barely even managed a nod before she hurriedly ushered me away, and I could hear Alice grumbling beneath her breath for a few more seconds. We quickly reached the house, and Queen Harpy smiled at me with an ever so faint trace of sadness.
"Normally, I would make a proper attempt at seduction now that we're alone, but I will respect your wishes." She bent down and pressed her lips against my cheek in a chaste kiss. "Know that you are always welcome, should you change your mind or even just want to visit. Goodnight, Luka." She took off immediately afterward, leaving me standing there for a few more minutes, blushing and slightly zoned out, before heading inside.
For the first time in a few days, I was alone, and after making sure to check that nobody was hiding in the closet or anything, I set to work to relieve my pent-up libido. The fact I had to do it myself despite being surrounded by so many beautiful and exceedingly willing women was like a bad joke, one more likely to make you cry than laugh, but it was what it was. I couldn't fully trust them to let me go afterward, and I definitely couldn't trust myself to not get attached. It was extremely annoying, but I would hopefully have a partner by the next time I was so backed up.
Once I was done, I laid down to sleep. Unfortunately, my harpy-made bedding would only arrive tomorrow, and until then, I had to make do with subpar accommodations. But soon, I would never have uncomfortable sleep again. And so, before long, I fell asleep while thinking of laying my head to rest on a heavenly pile of softness and perhaps also of things that could have been.