Chapter 52 - A step into the mud (4)/ R-18 Izzy

  “Date restarto!”

  The world shattered like gss, snapping me back to reality as my mind raced with thoughts of what to do next. Suddenly, a powerful force pressed down on my shoulder, anchoring me firmly in the moment.

  Standing before me was Thalia, her face beaming with a broad smile. She leaned in, her voice low and serious, "You remind me of our queen in her early days. Like her, you must learn to remain neutral so others cannot predict and disrupt the future you wish to create."

  I was too agitated to calm down, but before I could retort, Thalia continued with a ugh. "On second thought, that might not suit you. Instead, why not just let go? Stop trying to control your emotions. If you can't steer the future you want, force it." She gave me another pat on the shoulder before stepping back. "I'll skip the pleasantries since you've already heard them." Turning, she pushed Ava forward. "Now's your chance," she encouraged, then walked away.

  Ava appeared slightly bewildered by our interaction, yet she began, encouraged by her mother's prompt. "Um, hello," she stumbled before catching herself. "I of House Ironfist am honored by the invite. May our close retions st into the eternal future,” she finished with a bow.

  The Smiling Angle welcomes you to his home. [Social]As beautiful as always Ava. [Charm]Spank her. [Special]My gaze turned to the smug girl, irritation fring anew at the thought of these annoying nobles, until the fluttering butterflies on option three caught my eye.

  ‘If you can't maneuver the future, you just force it,’ I thought, examining the skill again. It seemed to prioritize my family at any cost. There was no need for me to try to force it; this was a skill that did the maneuvering for me. And if things didn't py out as I hoped, I still had a reset left.

  Taking Thalia's other advice, I allowed my thoughts to roam free while time was frozen. I let myself feel my anger and the self-reproach for attempting to attack her instead of immediately healing Sakura. I worked to ease those feelings.

  Once I felt I had a reasonable handle on my emotions, though they were still simmering, I selected option three. Time resumed, and instead of responding verbally, I stepped beside the watching girl and used all my strength to smack her on the ass, shocking everyone present.

  “What the eternal!” she excimed, quickly covering her butt and gring at me.

  That is just the beginning; now try the greeting again.What a nice feeling.That sure made me feel better.That did indeed make me feel better but the first option had butterflies.

  "That is just the beginning; now try the greeting again," I said, giving her a stern look.

  “What! Who do you think you are, my mother?” she yelled, pointing angrily at me. So I smacked her again, this time simply because she was irritating.

  She screamed again, and when our eyes locked, she was the first to look away. "I, of House Ironfirst, am honored by the invite. May our close retions st into the eternal future." She finished with a noble bow, this time incorporating a series of complex movements reminiscent of Seraphina or the princess.

  It occurred to me then that none of the nobles today had performed any of their customary eborate gestures.

  Good girl, you can go in now. [Charm]My room is right this way.Spank her sister too. [Chaos]"Good girl, you can go in now," I said with a smile.

  "Humph," she snorted before grabbing her sister's hand, who for the first time actually looked my way as they passed. "Who does he think... fortunate we are guests today."

  "Brother?" Angelica inquired.

  "Seraphina, can we strip a house's shadow today?" I asked, ignoring her query. I left it to Yuno to expin what was happening.

  "No, husband, it is part of the stipution for coming," she stated, before asking, "Would you like me to bar a house today?"

  "No," I answered. 'How would I make her pay if she were barred?' Instead, I turned to Yuno.

  ‘Yuno, watch Sakura and ensure no harm comes to her,’ I demanded, but was met with silence. ‘Yuno?’

  After a few seconds, a voice came through, ‘Yes, brother.’ She sounded even angrier than me. 'She hurt him, she hurt him, she hurt him,' a dark echo of Yuno's voice repeated in my head.

  ‘Are you okay, Yuno?’ I asked again, concerned by her unusual tone.

  ‘Yes,’ she responded, sounding much calmer. ‘I shall make sure no harm comes to her this time,’ she said, and I understood—she had witnessed the same scene as me. No one could remain calm after seeing that.

  As always, Yuno knew exactly what was going on. ‘No, thanks for worrying,’ I reassured her. She was waiting outside the meeting room, and the shadow that attacked must have been as strong or stronger than the ones I hold cards of, so there was little she could do.

  "The house of the Smiling Angel warmly welcomes our esteemed guest from House Vowkeeper," another announcement came, interrupting my thoughts. The familiar girl walked in, pausing upon seeing me.

  "It’s pleasurable to see you again. Perhaps the winds have shifted since our st encounter?" I said, once again opting for the butterfly's choice.

  The twitch of her face was all I got before she responded, "A light breeze is not a shift," she replied, this time without an apology.

  I thought I might get another choice, but nothing came, so I decided to ignore her. I wasn't interested anyway and needed to stay focused on my target. Seraphina quickly stepped in and invited her inside, yet she did not use her typically flowery nguage with the girl, this time adopting a completely neutral stance. Soon, a staff member came to escort her to her table.

  The next girls entered in the same sequence as before, although this time the standard choices had shifted. The butterfly option was simply to ignore them, represented by a set of ellipses. I selected this for each of the girls, and as they proceeded into the room, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.

  Finally, we were left waiting for the st house, the girl still keeping us waiting.

  "The house of the Smiling Angel warmly welcomes our esteemed guest from House Mirrcall." As the girl entered, she paused, taking her time to survey the room.

  This time, Seraphina did not rush to greet her. Instead, she stood by my side, with Angelica slightly behind her, arms folded in front of her p.

  "Hello, Smiling Angel, and I must say, you certainly do live up to your name," the noblewoman said. Only then did I realize that I had once again undergone my angelic transformation, my wings unfurling majestically as she entered.

  Instead of responding, I watched her silently and activated my skill 'Connections Run Deep.' I could see the connections emanating from her, controlling all the guests in the room. She had her hands wrapped around them all, leveraging her influence to make them act according to her wishes. Whether through promises, gifts, or persuasive words, one thing was clear: they were all acting in her interest.

  So the mastermind arrives. [Special]The Smiling Angle welcomes you to his home. [Social]My dy, you humble this humble abode with your presence. [charm]I was tempted to end this farce right here and use my skill 'My Father Works for that Company,' but the butterfly choice was number three. I was in no mood to py charming with this two-faced bitch. I'm grateful the dialogue is automatic; I doubt I could utter such lines to her myself.

  "My dy, you humble this modest home with your presence," I said, executing a bow that could rival Seraphina's, surprising the dy opposite me.

  "No, it is you who humble me," she replied, mirroring my gesture.

  Show her her set.Spank her.Introduce your sister and first wife. [Social]"Please allow me the honor of showing you to your seat," I said, personally guiding her to the table. I pulled out her chair and waited for her to sit down before Seraphina, Angelica, and I took our seats, none of us speaking.

  Again, I avoided touching my food, instead making my way to the cramped meeting room where I zoomed in on my map to maintain a clear view of what was going on while also keeping track of both Miki and Sakura. I hadn't even noticed Ava entering until new dialogue options appeared in my face.

  Have her sit across from you. [Social]Have her sit next to you. [Charm++]"Not there. In this house, meetings are conducted side by side," I instructed, halting the girl and pointing to the seat next to me, which was barely spacious enough for one. She hesitated but eventually sat down, initially trying to maintain some distance before relenting and leaning closer to me.

  Accept her gifts. [Charm, Skip ahead]Repy dialogue.Choose the same option as the st run. [Skip ahead][Skip ahead - Skip past a section of dialogue or actions.]

  "Now then, I shall gdly accept the gifts you've worked so hard to secure," I said, wrapping one arm around her to pull her closer while my other hand extended in anticipation of the gifts.

  "I didn't," she started, before I pulled her closer to myself. Having given up, she took out both gifts. I accepted them, gncing at the book again. It didn't mean I actually had to go on any operations myself; I would simply pass it to Seraphina.

  Spend some quality time close together. [Charm]Feel her up.Give her an excuse to stay like this. [Social]“Now, get comfortable, we must keep up appearances right?" I said, choosing the third option.

  "Y-yes, of course," she replied, sinking further into my side. Time passed and I nearly forgot about her until a notice arrived that my next guest had been waiting.

  It would seem our time has come to an end, at least for now. [Charm]Dey the next guest.Invite her in to join you two."It seems our time has come to an end, at least for now," I said to the girl close to my side.

  "O-of course," she stammered, standing up in a daze and exiting far more gently than when st time.

  When the door opened again, the familiar one-winged girl was ready to enter.

  Another short sighted house I see. [Special]Welcome to my little love hole. [Charm]I apologize for my condescending remarks earlier, I am on edge and you know doubt do not need me to tell you why. [Social]"Another short-sighted house, I see," I remarked, my attention more on the events outside than on scrutinizing the dialogue options.

  "To think I felt some sympathy," she retorted sharply. "Our meeting was most fruitful, sir. Thank you for considering our terms," she continued, choosing not to enter the room but instead stepping back and closing the door behind her. She returned to the party and resumed her seat with elegance. Had I not been so focused on her, I would have missed the subtle ways she checked on the two-faced bitch who watched the proceedings with fwless composure.

  The next meetings proceeded in silence. While sitting with the st girl, my attention was fully on the map. I was keyed into the party, my heart racing with anxiety. Like st time, the girls conversed in their groups, but when Vexara stood, she hesitated, unsure, after checking an object at her side but deciding to continue to Miki.

  [Artifect: ???]

  The confrontation with Miki unfolded just like st time, but in the midst of Sakura's move, she colpsed into Yuno's arms. Yuno herself seemed caught off guard by the sudden turn of events. Izzy, in a panic, ran over to check on her best friend, loudly calling for someone to help.

  With a click on the map, I appeared right next to the girls, startling Izzy who was swiftly pulled away by Yuno as she grasped the situation.

  I have something that will be sure to keep you quiet.You come to my home just to insult my mother? [Chaos]You are wrong, all the races can feel love, they are just different. [Social]"You come to my home just to insult my mother?" I asked the calm girl who slowly turned to me, unsurprised by my sudden appearance.

  "I was merely expressing a fleeting thought; if I have offended—" she began, but I cut her off. "You did."

  "Oh my, sweetie, you look absolutely delightful," Miki chimed in, her eyes roving over me before turning seductively to the girl who had insulted her. "In the Oni vilge, they would drag out a girl like her, and the wives would nail her to the ground so she'd understand her pce when her new husband cimed her. Would you like mother to demonstrate?" she asked, as if envisioning the gruesome scene for the nobles' benefit.

  "I appreciate your concern for my well-being, but here in Cupid City, we do not condone such barbaric customs," the woman politely declined.

  "I'm feeling quite barbaric," I said, the image of Sakura's cut of arm haunting me.

  "Oh, I see. Raised by an Oni, you've adopted their traits. We've all graced you with our presence, and this is how you repay us. One slip-up, and this could be you," she addressed the other girls, who watched but did not intervene.

  "I agree, they were just words," Aria Vowkeeper finally broke the silence, siding with her fellow noble and moving gracefully to stand firmly behind her, her expression conveying clear disapproval of me.

  Once she positioned herself, the others quickly agreed and physically backed her up. The only two who remained in pce were the daughters from Ironfist.

  When no choice appeared, I opted to use my skill to make her believe she had agreed to a showdown, reverting to my original strategy. But before I could act, a voice interrupted. "Enough. You wish to settle this insult with a show of strength, correct? I will represent the noble houses today," Elsa decred.

  "This has nothing to do with you," I snapped at the Ironfirst girl as she slowly walked up, aligning herself with the nobles. To the side, her older sister looked conflicted, keeping herself out of the fray.

  "It does," she stated simply.

  "That's how they always are, sweetie, quick to cover for each other no matter what one does wrong," Miki commented, her eyes glowing as she smiled at me. Having worked at the castle since before I was born, Miki undoubtedly knew the nobles better than most in the city.

  'That's right, they're all to bme,' I thought, eyeing them, reminded of what my skill had shown me. They all had some inkling that something was going to happen today between me and this two-faced bitch, yet not one had tried to stop it or even warn me. 'I will teach them a lesson, one by one.'

  "Fine, I'll start with you," I agreed to the girl's challenge.

  "Move us to their arena," she commanded her maid, and with a sweep of her hands, everyone in the room, except the staff, was transported to our training room.

  The girl didn't look at me until she reached the stage. I followed, dismissing a notification as I stepped onto the stage, which activated it. The arena was the same simple one from our school days; Sakura and I had been training here earlier to save cores, fitting for what I pnned next—killing a noble on it.

  Miki's card came into py, locking out my other zones while a Japanese-style string orchestra pyed. A purple mist cleared to reveal Miki drinking atop a pile of corpses, her cws bloodied, liquor dripping from her chin as she drank, looking very satisfied. She beckoned me forward to take her on the pile.

  [Miki’s card has merged.]

  [???]

  I dismissed the notifications without a care; they were just taking up space when I had a much more interesting sight across from me. The woman drew her sword with her right hand and a second object with her left. Then, with a quick fsh of the object, she practically glowed as steam lifted from her body, wafting off in a halo-like effect.

  I chose to observe until she was ready, then raised my hand, tinted red, allowing my bck cws to extend and coat them with a poison. This poison would cause extraordinary pain upon contact but was otherwise harmless.

  "Ladies first," I said, signaling the start.

  Taking my cue, she lunged at me, leaving a trail of afterimages in her wake. As she reached me, I swiped at her, but she swiftly dodged, sshing my side and leaving a long, shallow mark, though not deep enough to draw blood.

  I sshed again, but she barely ducked under it, returning another ssh at me. We repeated this dance until one of her sshes drew a fountain of blood from me. I saw her flinch back as a tiny bit of my blood spshed onto her, delivering my poison. She regained her composure just before my cws could puncture her chest.

  She vanished from sight, and looking up, I saw her circling me, picking up speed. She pivoted and raced past me, causing blood to fly as my arm was sliced. She pivoted again, slicing into my thigh, then my arm, then my cheek, this time careful not to get even a drop of blood on herself.

  My hand rexed from its tense form, and my body eased. As her bde neared again, I shifted my arm just as it made contact, throwing the alignment off course, prolonging the fight. After all, we couldn't let it end too soon—the higher she climbs, the farther the fall.

  The next four fshes were all parried before she disappeared completely from my sight, no longer able to keep up with her speed. Still, I tilted my head, letting her bde glide off my skull and horn as it passed. Poison spurted from my mouth as her movement was briefly halted by the deflection. Only a shield raised at the st second saved her from the agonizing pain. Then she vanished again.

  I wondered just how fast she must be moving to leave no trace. Well, it didn't matter; it was over the moment I slotted Miki’s card.

  Still, I waited patiently for her next move. Then it came in a fsh. My knee was severed clean in two, causing me to fall, and a bde stopped just as it dug into my neck.

  "It is over," the girl said, looking down at me. I smiled, as if severing my head would be enough; I would just fuse it back together. Really, this was all so amusing; she had no idea what was coming.

  Sughter them all. [chaos]The option appeared in an amazing blood-red, a color that would soon be painted across this room.

  Miki always exudes a poison as she exists, a harmless byproduct of her Blessing, and the groundwork for her most deadly poison. One that has formed traces in all those around her, including everyone here. It just needs to be combined with two other harmless poisons. Once the three harmless types mix, it is over. The hardest one is the one I have prepared and can instantly spread by burning a use of her extra card.

  This poison was specially made for nobles to counter all their petty tricks. As soon as I appear outside, they will all die a slow, excruciating death as my poison mixes with Miki’s.

  “Yes, they can all die,” I said, about to push the button, but my hand froze right above it. I would make them pay for hurting Sakura, for insulting Miki. I would eliminate the threat before it could fester. I would relish their screams as they realized that today was their end. All I had to do was press the option. Yet, I sat in silence, as if I had forgotten something very important but for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what.

  My thoughts were interrupted by a light patting on my head. Pulling back, I saw Alice sitting between my blood-red horns, tapping my forehead.

  "What's wrong?" I asked the little fairy, whose belly was still protruding from overeating. She tried to speak but quickly covered her mouth, instead pointing to the third choice which dispyed butterflies.

  3. Wait and see. [Special]

  "Why would I ever wait and see?" I asked irritably, looking down at her. Alice didn't flinch; instead, she tapped her chest and smiled at me.

  ‘Trust your gut when it comes to your retionships.’ That stupid piece of advice echoed through me again, but it made me pause—mostly because my disdain for the goddess went well beyond what I felt for this noble.

  The still-smiling Alice was beneath me, patting my head. ‘What am I doing?’ I questioned as I shook my head, trying to quell the urge that screamed at me to kill them all. I knew it was what I wanted, yet I trusted Alice; she wouldn't lead me astray.

  Choosing the third option, time resumed.

  Seeing me unmoved, the girl with her sword at my neck shifted her focus. "Now, Vexara, come in," she commanded.

  "Oh, are you changing sides? Our future guardian is so terrifying," the woman replied, amused.

  "I have settled the grievances of the nobles with him; now my grievance is with you. Using petty tricks on one of our allies," the woman said, her voice even.

  "Oh, has he come under your protection? I was not aware," she replied, her expression one of confusion.

  Ignoring her, my opponent turned to her maid. "Do not stop until she truly understands," she instructed, and the smile on Vexara's face froze.

  “Yes, mistress,” the maid replied, stepping onto the stage herself and taking a position while looking at the girl in question, waiting patiently.

  “Wait,” the girl quickly said, “you're abusing your special status.”

  “Yes, I am,” my opponent did not deny.

  “You know we can talk this out; House Mirrcall always welcomes discussion,” she tried, but even she seemed skeptical about its effectiveness.

  “Do not take actions you cannot bear the consequences of,” the woman stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

  “This is way beyond reasonable,” the Mirrcall girl protested, still refusing to budge from her spot.

  “Get on the stage,” she repeated, and this time, the girl complied without further argument, making her way up.

  ‘I want her,’ I thought, looking back up at the girl standing over me. The poison was still in pce. If I activate it, no one here could stop me, and once she is mine, no one can take her from me.

  Then my thoughts cleared as my field did, and reality smacked back into me. ‘What the hell?’ I semi-panicked, quickly trying to figure out what had happened. I soon found my answer.

  [Merge with your card, combining to create a new entity.]

  ‘Shit, it was bad enough when I became an adult and started having control issues, but this took the level up to fifteen,’ I thought, struggling to manage the surge of emotions while I watched the scene in front of me unfold like a video game cutscene.

  The woman stepped onto the stage and stood across from the maid, not moving. Then after a few moments, she opened her now much duller eyes and addressed both me and Elsa, “I apologize for my actions today on behalf of House Mirrcall. As the next head, I brought disgrace and hope to be forgiven.”

  "All is forgiven," the Ironfist girl replied, finally removing her sword from my neck. She waited, looking to me. No prompt appeared, but I knew our confrontation was over. I might not have gotten the chance to personally teach her a lesson, but this resolution probably worked out better for the future. "Yeah, forget about it." If not, it was never too te to address it ter.

  [-500 Vexara affection points.]

  [Vexara has become a fan girl.]

  'She really has a hate boner, and it looks like fangirl goes both ways,' I thought, reading the notification. With that, the match ended and we were ported off the stage, healed. There, Seraphina, Angelica, and Miki were waiting.

  "You're quite the naughty boy, sweetie. To stoke my fire so high only to douse it at the st second," Miki was the first to comment, chuckling. "Now I better go find a way to take the edge off, fufu, maybe this is not so bad." She sauntered away from the training area.

  "How is Sakura?" I asked the two still waiting.

  "She is fine, brother. I took her to her room, and she is sound asleep," Angelica answered, her abilities washing over me, though they had no effect.

  "You were smart to ally with us," a smug Ava interjected, disrupting my conversation with Angelica. "Still, my sister did much for you. Make sure to show the proper gratitude."

  "Of course, Lady Ava, we shall not forget what you have done for us for as long as our city stands," Seraphina interjected, kindly redirecting the girl's attention. "Now, I am afraid our allotted time has epsed, and I must escort you out so that our next guests are not kept waiting."

  With practiced ease, Seraphina gathered up the noble girls, swiftly showing them out. None of them commented on what had just transpired, making their usual pleasantries as they left as if nothing had happened.

  Now that I had calmed down, I wondered how this even happened. Both Sakura and I were injured. We had guards stationed in the hall, and Shadow 404 was right behind me with Yuno. Even if they did not react fast enough, which is odd because they are all much faster than Sakura and me, it was strange. Yuno also did not warn me and seemed surprised, which is a first. We would have to discuss this ter.

  It was a long walk back with Angelica, but like the professionals they were, our staff did not waste any time and began preparing for the st event while we were gone, nearly completing their setup by the time we returned.

  Taking a seat off to the side with Angelica, I noticed my untouched food was gone. I couldn't help but comment, "What a shit show."

  "On the contrary, husband, today we gained nothing but benefits. The other houses have learned just how far House Ironfist's support goes and that Vexara can suffer a loss to someone so young," Seraphina commented, having returned without me noticing.

  "What even happened?" I asked, feeling exhausted.

  "Ironfist took our personal slight as their own. If the expected guests had come, the extra support for Mirrcall would have prevented Elsa from acting," Angelica expined, gncing at Seraphina to ensure she was correct. She had a complete understanding of the situation thanks to Yuno.

  "What if Vowkeeper had stood up for me?" I asked, recalling how I had made her angry. This time, even Angelica looked uncertain.

  "She would also be unlikely to act, leaving the two to their conflict. What she did was to impose the weight of our city on Lady Vexara. Guardian Elsa will be reprimanded when she returns home; she does not yet have the capabilities to support such actions," Seraphina expined. "We were the only ones to benefit today, a fact all will notice."

  I understood what the social maneuvering had achieved. I had pced two houses on bad terms with me while ingratiating myself with one that could benefit me the most. Both houses initially sided against me, but when Elsa made her move, Aria shifted to neutral, leaving Vexara completely isoted. Her isotion meant Elsa could act more recklessly than normal.

  "Are you up for it, brother?" Angelica suddenly asked, handing me a drink one of the staff must have brought over.

  "Yeah, can't be worse than today," I said, leaning back. I was tired but had already made it through this day, so a fan meetup couldn't be that bad in comparison, and I was less than one hundred thousand away from being positive again.

  “Day three starto!”

  [Charm + social has triggered]

  [Mini game roll]

  [Mini game: Speed dating]

  [Pick choices per date: 3 Time per choice: 6 secondsEnding conditions: Failing to make a choice in allotted time. Dating all targets.Targets: 10034]

  [A Fangirl Fiesta]

  I did a double take at the target number, quickly getting up and looking at Angelica. “How many did you invite?”

  "Ten thousand and thirty-four," she replied, not looking the least bit apologetic.

  "There's no way that's doable," I said, but she looked confused by my statement, so I expined the notifications I had received.

  "We were originally going to bring them in groups of five hundred, but individual meetings would be much more beneficial," Angelica said, now understanding but completely disagreeing with my view on the problem.

  "Ten thousand individual people, are you crazy?" I asked my sister.

  "Think about it, brother, the extended event means more love points, and if each counts as a date, you'll have as many cards as you'll ever need in your binder. Not to mention the potential unlocks in the future for extra cards, the more you can get, the better," she expined. I paused; she was right, I just really didn't want to do it. Even if it's only thirty seconds a date, that would be more than two full days of it. "God dammit."

  Angelica smiled at me. "Maybe we'll get lucky and find a hidden gem. Now, we have to hurry and alter our pn," she said, pulling Seraphina away. I took the moment to try and rex as best I could, but the image of the injured Sakura just wouldn't leave my mind. Why is it always her who gets hurt?

  “Hurry, brother, it’s ready, and they are waiting,” Angelica called out, quickly guiding me to my seat in the now dimmed room. The table I was shown to had a single candlelight and was positioned at the far side of the room on the stage. A seat was on both sides with a small gss of wine on each. Standing to the side was the house's mouse-like attendant, ready to refill the gsses.

  The first girl was quickly ushered in by Angelica, taking a seat in front of me. I had met this girl before; she was annoyingly persistent. I swiftly selected three options to test how fast I could expedite the process. At this pace, it was going to take almost a week.

  Then the next girl was shown in, and the most mind-numbing grind of my life began. I really did try to optimize the process for the first few hours, but eventually, I just started randomly clicking one option.

  That’s when the trouble started. Gradually, the option to drink began appearing more frequently. The more I chose it, the more it appeared, to the point where I had to actively avoid it to prevent myself from drinking so much that I couldn’t select options.

  Then another issue emerged as strange requests started coming in. It began with small things like saying a line or singing a song, then escated to actions like reenacting my tournament win. Of course, it was always the dog one, and Angelica had the colr ready at the first request.

  After the st girl left, I was utterly exhausted and teleported straight to my bed, ready to pass out. Yet, lying there, I realized I couldn’t sleep. It took me a while to figure out why: my date chain was still active, likely due to a bonus roll.

  Knowing it was futile to try sleeping, I rolled over and opened my points to take a look.

  [13,865,545 love points]

  “Well, back into the positives,” I thought, browsing my shop to see if there was anything I wanted now. I still had Heartguard’s with charge in my inventory, and acquiring more items like that might be smart, but then again, what were the odds of them getting stolen again or being used up? Likely. Thinking about it, having a way to securely store them outside would be a godsend if that scenario were to happen again.

  I scrolled through the shop looking for storage items when I paused at a fsh sale that was offering 80% off. These sales appeared a couple of times a year, but previously, without points to spend, I could only browse, even if something looked useful.

  As I looked through the items, one caught my eye—the beginner item, Flex Seal. I hadn't thought about it in a while, but it was definitely a useful item, so I bought it right away. The item materialized in my hands as a bck liquid that seeped between my fingers.

  Looking through my inventory, I tried to decide how to rearrange it. This item needed a whole slot for itself, unlike my potions and daggers which could stack, or my weapons that I could group in a box and store.

  It was much like the sword fragment that also required a whole slot. 'Wait,' a strange thought crossed my mind as I looked at the two. 'Could it actually?'

  I was tempted to keep it, but I questioned how long it would take to repair the sword without this. Standing up, I carefully extracted the fragment and submerged it into the dark, viscous liquid. The room suddenly filled with a brilliant bck light. As the glow faded, a fully restored sword materialized before me.

  Trying to catch it, the sword instantly slipped from my grip, slicing right through the floor until it hit the hilt. I reached down to pick it up, but it wouldn't budge. Finally, I tried to put it back in my inventory, but I was met with a loading bar that made my dad's old hard drive seem fast.

  Falling back on the bed, I y back trying to decide what to do next—I now had a full sword—when suddenly the bed sank next to me.

  “Bonus Date starto!”

  [Target: Izzy]

  [A bed date]

  "Hey Liev, hic, big bed," Izzy slurred, the smell of alcohol heavy on her breath even from where I y.

  "Hey Izzy, where's Sakura?" I asked. It had been more than a week; surely they hadn't gone straight back to drinking, right?

  "She can't, hic, can't hold her liquor like me," she replied, confirming that they really had. I decided I'd get mom to detox her in the morning; who knows how long they would keep it up otherwise.

  "Why are you here, lost?" I asked the girl who was struggling to stay upright as she made her way over to me.

  "No, hic, Miki told me to come cim my prize as the winner. She said to show you what my Blessing could do, hic," Izzy expined, though I wasn’t sure she fully grasped what Miki had intended.

  'God dammit, Miki,' I cursed internally. Izzy colpsed onto me, too drunk to stay upright. She was extremely soft and smelled like silk. I was grateful I was so exhausted, or I might have done something stupid. "Come on, I'll help you to a guest room to get some sleep."

  "I don't wanna," she filed around on top of me. "I won, I want my prize. I wanna sleep here."

  "You know, I could just roll over and jump you in the middle of the night, right?" I half-teased, half-warned the girl on top of me, her short hair tickling my chin.

  She looked confused at my words, so I quickly rephrased. "I mean, roll over and make you my wife."

  "Hehe, that would make me a grand winner today. I could gloat to Sakura for eternity. Too bad you're still tier 1," she smiled and ughed to herself before hiccupping.

  "Even now, you can't stop thinking about Sakura," I muttered. Am I jealous? Maybe. These two would make a better couple than most. I wonder if it was like this with Elle. It's been so long, I can't remember. I wish I had tried harder to make it work, but we really did nothing but argue towards the end.

  "Hehe, you've really grown big," she murmured, her arm slipping around mine, hugging it.

  "I've been this size for a decade," I retorted.

  "Decade?" the girl questioned.

  "Ten years," I crified.

  "You really do make up some weird words," she said, my arm melting into her embrace.

  "Yeah, I do," I agreed.

  "Sakura says they come, hic, come from a whole other pne," Izzy said. It looks like Sakura is even more loose-lipped when drunk.

  "What else does she say?" I asked, wondering if we needed to have a talk about it.

  "Says you will be the youngest ever to have a dominion," she continued. That's good. It looks like she also knows when not to say too much. That was the perfect setup to pull Izzy into Love Land, but I don't think either of us are in good shape for that right now. If she's staying, then tomorrow is a good time. I'll just wait until she falls asleep then take her to a guest room.

  "Hehe, your hands are so big," she ughed, moving her hands to mine. "Mom and dad like to hold hands like this," she said, interlocking her fingers with mine, then froze.

  [Izzy’s Affection has returned to normal.]

  [The connection has crystallized between you and Izzy, forming an unbreakable bond.]

  'What!' I read the notification again, trying to figure out how this happened.

  "Your orbiter wasn't full after your marriage?" she questioned, moving from my side to crawling on top of me and looking down.

  "I'm kind of special," I answered, trying to avoid looking up at her, feeling the pressure of her body pressing down on my stomach comfortably.

  She burst out ughing. "Sakura will be so mad."

  'Even now she's thinking of Sakura—' My thought was cut off as her lips met mine.

  "Don't be jealous; Sakura can join us next time," she said, her lips hovering above mine as she pulled back slightly.

  "There won't even be a this time; you're drunk. We'll talk about this in the morning," I said, gently pushing her up. If she stayed here, I doubted I could restrain myself.

  "Hehe, you're right. I should be fully aware for our first night of marriage," she replied, and her body glowed, erasing all signs of drunkenness, revealing her usual, composed self smiling down at me.

  I gulped. Her smile was no longer goofy but alluring as she peered down at me, her shirt slipping off her shoulder. She leaned in closer. "It's still too soon to try for children, even if it's unlikely, so we should use the fun hole. My Blessing means it's even softer than my skin."

  It took a moment for my alcohol-fogged brain to catch up, but my first thought was, 'I knew it was a fucking sexual reference.' I then wondered where this sudden streak of dirty talk had come from.

  'She's my sister's best friend,' I reminded myself, trying to regain my composure. But the thought was fleeting as my heart sped up again when I felt the weight of Izzy’s body on mine, her short, white hair pyfully grazing my chest and neck as she leaned in to kiss me once more. Her skin-tight jeans accentuated her curvy hips, while the see-through white top she wore did nothing to conceal the softness of her breasts brushing against me as she moved.

  As her lips began to gently suck on mine, I reassessed the situation, 'we are well past the point of no return and I did try, fuck it.'

  As our kiss intensified, my hands naturally drifted around her slender waist, descending to trace the contour of her ass, sinking into the fabric of her pants. Her responsive squirming and arched back, which thrust her chest closer to mine, only served to fuel my desire.

  I pulled back a fraction, then slid my fingers beneath the waistband of her pants, revealing the soft, smooth skin beneath. Her buttocks felt like velvet under my touch—firm yet pliant. My gentle squeezing and massaging prompted her to emit a soft, muffled moan against my lips.

  Her words echoed in my mind as my hands explored her, caressing her butt. My ex-girlfriend had never shown interest in anal, even when I tentatively brought it up once. Now, the prospect was literally presented to me, as Izzy grinded on my stomach, which only served to excite me further.

  With a reluctant tug, she broke the thread of our kiss. Then, she gracefully shifted back, straddling my legs and pcing her delectable backside snugly against my growing arousal. Her full breasts escaped the confines of her loose top, swaying invitingly as she leaned away from me. Her hand glided seductively behind her, reaching for the top of my pants. With a skilled touch, she unbuckled them, and I could feel my pulse quicken in anticipation as she slid her hand inside, delicately curling her fingers around my erection.

  I sat up, pulling her body tight against mine, and recimed her lips in a passionate kiss. As she started to stroke me, her touch was firm but tender. This was a stark contrast to my recent encounters with Miki, where it was just mindless fucking. Izzy, however, seemed to embrace a more leisurely, intimate approach.

  As we remained locked in our embrace, kissing deeply, my hand ventured back to trace the divide of her buttocks. I was astonished when she responded by pressing back into me, silently beseeching further exploration. I increased the pressure slightly, and she gasped into our kiss as my finger slipped effortlessly into her anus, the warmth and softness enveloping it.

  Whispering breathlessly, she said, "That feels so good," while arching her back to bring herself closer to my touch.

  As I delved deeper, I encountered the warm wetness of her natural lubrication coating my finger. Her anus eagerly accepted it, as if welcoming the intrusion. Surprised by the ease with which it slid in, I added a second and then a third digit, each one met with the same snug embrace. She ground her hips back against my hand, and I understood that she was more than primed for what was to come. Overwhelmed by desire, I knew I could no longer resist the urge to be inside her completely.

  In one decisive motion, I withdrew my hand, grasped the back seam of her form-fitting pants, and tore them open along her ass. A surprised yelp escaped her, but it quickly morphed into a sound of desire when my freed erection spped against her exposed skin. Standing tall and eager. I was starting to see why Miki thought ripping my clothes was fun.

  Without wasting a beat, I aligned myself with her opening and, in one swift motion, thrust into her tight, accepting anus. Her eyes widened, and she let out a loud, throaty moan as I filled her completely. The sensation was exquisite—like nothing I had ever experienced before. The velvety tightness and warmth engulfed me, sending shockwaves of pleasure throughout my body. For a brief instant, I reveled in the feeling, my erection buried deep as she sat astride me, her legs spyed open.

  I commenced with a gentle, measured rhythm, allowing her time to accommodate the new sensation. Her inner muscles clenched around me, creating a warm, velvety embrace that was both snug and intoxicating. Her head flung back in silent ecstasy, her expressions of pleasure evident. Observing her, I found myself captivated by the sight of her derriere, which moved with each tender thrust, bouncing slightly off me. The heat and pressure within her were exquisite, striking a bance between intensity and comfort. Her anus maintained a perfect, enticing grip. A pleasure without being at all overwhelming.

  “You should rest, you have had a long week,” Izzy suggested, urging me back down onto the bed. Leaning over, she pced her hand on my abdomen and began to rock her hips in slow, deliberate motions. Her circur grinding was gradually increasing my need to climax, yet she maintained a slow, sensual pace that allowed me to simply lie back and savor the sensations.

  Her rhythm was nguid and deliberate, never agonizingly so, as she expertly brought me to the brink of climax and then effortlessly guided me past it. The sensation of her ass contracting around me sent my own release deep inside her in a series of powerful yet controlled spurts. Leaning back, she exhaled a long, contented sigh. Despite the intensity of my orgasm, her movements remained constant, and the evidence of her own pleasure seeped through her jeans. With each subsequent pulse of mine, she seemed to reach another peak of her own, her body responding to the intimate connection we shared.

  After several minutes of filling her with my release, my body signaled that it could give no more. In response, her ass seemed to sense my climax had ended, its muscles gently releasing their rhythmic grip to instead hold me in a snug embrace, as though offering a soft, intimate hug.

  Letting out another long breath, Izzy rose, allowing my now-sensitive member to slip out of her with a faint pop. There was an absence of cum on the outside, her body had contained it all within her. She gracefully lifted one leg over me to dismount and then brought her face closer to my cock, her tongue tenderly tracing its length as she took it into her mouth, ensuring every bit of our shared fluids was erased in a warm, lingering kiss.

  With her Blessing, I understood the source of her inhumanly exquisite anal feel but her oral skills also far surpassing what one might expect from someone without experience.

  “How are you so good at this?” I inadvertently whispered, a moan of pleasure escaping despite my efforts to contain it, much to her amusement.

  Looking up at me, her eyes sparkling, she offered a simple expnation, "I can feel what you desire," as her tongue lovingly caressed the veins along my shaft.

  I couldn’t help but ask, “oh, really? What do I want now?”

  Silently, she turned around, presenting me with the stunning sight of her tightly clinched ass. Lowering herself with deliberate, lingering movements, she again enveloped me in her warm, tight anus. This time, her pace was even slower. Reaching back, she guided my hands to her buttocks, permitting me to knead them gently as she rocked back and forth, her anus slowly engulfing and releasing.

  Throughout the night, Izzy’s attentive, methodical movements persisted. She used her anus to coax my cock, drawing in my semen repeatedly, each occurrence more intense and satisfying than the one before.

  After a fifth orgasm, she colpsed back against my chest, allowing me to enfold her in a comforting embrace, my erection still nestled within her. Her gentle, rhythmic contractions didn't cease, even in slumber, as though her body was subconsciously caressing mine. Basking in the warmth of her skin, which felt like a luxurious silk covering, I couldn't help but think, ‘I could certainly become accustomed to this.’

  After this, there was no way I could continue to see her merely as Sakura's friend. I realized I still felt like I barely knew her beyond that connection, but I couldn't let it stay that way. 'Maybe I should invite her out, just the two of us, no Sakura to distract us. Figure things out—a step I would have preferred to take before I stuck my dick in her ass. Still, what the hell happened?' I wondered, hoping my cards wouldn't start randomly forming eternal bonds with me.

  [Date End]

  With the appearance of the screen, my eyes grew too heavy to keep open, and I fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.

  …

  Sleeping peacefully in a dominion was a dragon, its scales a shimmering silver and bck, wings so vast they could each wrap fully around the earth. Beneath her, a grain of sand in comparison, was a newborn dragon only a few thousand years old.

  In this peaceful environment, a ssh split the space right beneath the little dragon. It was a shot so perfect it didn't even alert the overly protective mother, one of the most powerful dragons in existence. A shot so unlikely, you reading this now have a better chance of falling through the earth and nding on the other side perfectly fine. A nearly impossible shot, but not quite. A shot that would give a lot of people migraines for decades.

  But that is a story for the future.

  …

  I was woken by Izzy kissing me goodbye, needing to go home. Everyone would be able to tell what had happened, so there was no point in trying to hide it. Still, the first order of business was to try and figure out why it even happened and if I could prevent it in the future.

  Opening my menu, I found a lot of strange new achievements.

  [Achievement Unlocked: The Long Road Home - Survive until homecoming. Only 0.001% of candidates would have made it this far. - ???]

  [Achievement Unlocked: Social Larva - Engage in conversation with over 10,000 people in a single date. Reward: +1 to Social Butterfly Usage.]

  [Achievement Unlocked: Smooth Operator - Achieve a perfect score on a charm speech roll. Reward: +1 Charm.]

  [Achievement Unlocked: Diplomatic Maneuver - Outsmart a noble in politics. Reward: +2 Social.]

  [Achievement Unlocked: Fusion Ho! - Physically summon a girl. Unlock additional special summoning types to gain effects.]

  [New Special Summoning Type: Meld - Requirements: Affection limit reached, css unlocked.]

  [Assistant Achievement Unlocked: Alice to the Rescue - Alice successfully saves the pn. Reward: +2 Assistance Charm.]

  [Achievement Unlocked: Mini Games with Maidens - Py your first mini game. Reward: Unlocks new menu color themes.]

  [Achievement Unlocked: Gaming Session - Participate in a mini game that sts more than a week. Reward: All Love Land energy drinks increase their effects by 300%.]

  [Achievement Unlocked: Booster Pack - Collect 10+ cards in one date. Reward: +100% to deck theme effects.]

  [Achievement Unlocked: Booster Box - Collect 100+ cards in one date. Reward: Ability to temporarily unlock building requirements using undecked cards. [Building costs are ten times higher when not fully unlocked.]]

  [Achievement Unlocked: Shoe Box - Collect 1,000+ cards in one date. Reward: Cards gain +20% more bleed effect when not in a deck.]

  [Achievement Unlocked: Closet Collection - Collect 10,000+ cards in one date. Reward: Tap your cards for mana equal to their tier x usage, reset annually. Binder cards always tap for one mana.]

  [Legendary Achievement Unlocked: I Can Fix Her! - Heal a girl at least 1,000 tiers above you. Reward: Gain a 50% increase in all types of gains from girls of a higher tier than you.]

  [Achievement Unlocked: Questionable Acts - Kidnap a little girl. Adds an Amber Alert feature to your mini-map for tracking troubled girls.]

  [Achievement Unlocked: Little Houdini - Lose a little girl. - How could you! Weren't you watching her? [Effect Locked]]

  [Achievement Unlocked: L-lewd - Get married by holding hands. Reward: Unlocks lewd dialogue choices. (though nothing will ever come close to the shock you've given the viewers.)]

  [Tags Unlocked: Anal, Tomboy, mesukai, reverse cowgirl]

  [Extreme Tags: H*nd-h*lding]

  [+2000 goddess points for completing the event.]

  ‘I have held hands with plenty of girls since I got here, how the fuck was this time different? And what the fuck do you mean I kidnapped a little girl, I have been pressing buttons for the st ten day straight…’ I pause, ‘no way an option had to do with kidnapping, right?’

  My internal yelling was interrupted as a tongue ran across my dick, looking down I see a smiling Miki half the cause of my problems tely, “She tastes quite good on you but we will have to work with her, she left you unsatisfied.”

  I was in bed the rest of the day.

  [Liev Ekker - Level 32Goddess points: 2,036Love points: 13,815,872

  Affection points unallocated: 7,950Stat points unallocated: 0

  Luck: 26Date a lottery 20/15A Date To Remember [0 use(s) remaining]More Than Just A Little Luck [0 use(s) remaining]When All Else Fails, Try Again [1 use(s) remaining]Once in a Lifetime [1 use(s) remaining]

  Charm: 21Charm Her Pants Off [1 use(s) remaining]Award Winning Smile [1 use(s) remaining]Can You Really Hit A Face This Handsome? [1 use(s) remaining]Girls Love Bad Boys [1 use(s) remaining]

  Social: 22Social Butterfly [0 use(s) remaining]Goddess Choice [1 use(s) remaining]My Father Works For That Company [1 use(s) remaining]Deez [1 use(s) remaining]

  Observe: 20Show Hidden Secrets [0 use(s) remaining]Treasure Hunter [1 use(s) remaining]Connections Run Deep [0 use(s) remaining]Matchmaker [1 use(s) remaining]

  Adult skills:Contraception [0 use(s) remaining]

  Achievements - 90Achievements_Alice - 2Achievements_Ruby - 0

  Deck 1 Cards: 1_Yuno - 42,000, 2_Sakura - 600, 3_Angelica - 600, 4_Alice 0 [500], 5_Cire - 537, 6_Selen - 527, 7_Miki - 1,000, 8_Amelia - 0 [500], 9_Anna - 500 10_Emma - 500 11_Sk?gul - 600, 12_Ellie - 0 [300], 13_Lucy - 0 [300], 14_Grace - 1,142, 15_Shadow_13 - 0 [155], 16_Izzy - 500 17_Lamya - 0 [500], 18_Nyx - 0 [707], 19_Esmeralda - 0 [114], 20_Tabitha - 0 [143], 21_Urda - 0 [101], 22_Yelizaveta - 0 [101], 23_Spectra - 0 [100], 24_Chossach - 0 [150], 25_Stiletto - 544, 26_Vyx - 0 [699], 27_Era - 0 [500], 28_Nysa - 500, 29_Smira - 0 [100], Shadow404_30 - 500]