The dragon's harem

Sitting in the warm tavern, Isdis and Kory weren’t alone, the regular patrons of this place were only those of wealth: Coal miners, scout leaders, and ice artisans. Sadly, the wealthiest of the wealthy, those blessed with fire magic were above such a place and couldn’t be seen around.

Isdis could pick up on it, while the parton of this place seemed wealthy enough to spend a thousand crystals just to enter, they weren’t so wealthy that they took everything at its price. She could hear some of them haggling over drinks and food prices. This place belonged to the upper-middle-class citizen.

“The easiest way to earn crystals is hunting monsters. You can salvage them for their body heat and sell the meat and fur. But it’s a dangerous and exhausting task. Not many are willing to do it.” Kory took a sip of her large mug. “You won’t have that luxury though.”

“And I don’t know any fire spells. How am I going to do that?” Isdis sighed.

“Ladies.” A deep yet gentle voice called. Isdis looked to the side and saw a well-built old man with a thin beard and long flowing white hair, looking at them with glowing cat-like yellow eyes. “Seen an elf around? Thin, tall, cocky, and strangely obsessed with feet and hands. Been looking for him for years now.”

Isdis noticed that just like her and Kory, the man didn’t have a large jacket or extra clothes beside him. All he wore was leather armor and chainmail.

“Just walked in.” Isdis replied, “Most people cover their faces, if he isn’t here, I didn’t see any elf.” She took a sip, “And who are you? Not from around here, are you?”

“No one important, just a traveler. On a journey looking for that elf.” The man replied as he stood.

“Halt.” Kory said, “Who are you?” She growled, extending her arm to block his path. He immediately reached toward the hilt of his sword but didn’t draw it. “Told you, just a traveler. Dragons like you have nothing to do with me.”

“Do I need to spell out to you? What are you doing, HERE.” With that outfit and the strange smell, he wasn’t a man of this world. No one should be able to enter this world without the queen bringing them in. Everyone that the queen brings retains a faint hint of her magic, marking them for their stay. This man was an outsider who got in on his own.

Isdis wasn’t oblivious as well, now that Kory stopped him, she had become certain he didn’t belong there.

“Bloody hell…” He sighed, sitting back on his chair, “I’m looking for that elf, and I’m not here to start any trouble with you. If you saw him, tell me, he should be an outsider as well.”

“I’ll get someone to send you back to your world at once. No one is welcome here unless the queen brings them, the elf you’re looking for might have already been kicked out.” Kory’s draconic wings expanded as she sent signals to the other drakainas to come immediately.

The man leaned forward, his face turning black as his hair faded and a long, yellow cloak covered his whole body. The two couldn’t see his face anymore as he leaned on his arms, “Now…how should we solve this.” He mumbled.

****

In Yog’s sapphire heaven, Arad had reached the village with Jimmy and his party. They were stopped at the village’s wooden gate by the guards, “Welcome back, how is the bear?” The guard looked back and saw some blood dripping from the back of the carriage, “I see you took it down.” He smiled.

“No.” Jimmy who was driving replied, “It was a monster bear.”

The guard’s face immediately shifted into a frown as he growled, “Wait! Where are the others?” He looked back and screamed, “HEALER! HEALERS!”

“No need for that! No one got hurt…no, he’s hurt.” Jimmy looked at the inside of the carriage, “We’ve found Arad Orion, the one the goddess spoke about. He saved us.”

“Hold up!” The guard jumped into the driver seat and looked inside the carriage, seeing the girls and Arad sitting on the back with the dead bear. “A guard?” Arad looked back at him.

“Sir Arad, would you mind staying with the guards for a while? Your presence in the village might cause, panic…”

“I don’t mind, as long as you give me a book or two about magic.” Arad had already devised a plan to reach Lilia’s tower on his way to the village. He’ll first master the basics of magic and then start traveling while killing monsters on his way to increase his Mana. When he gets enough mana to teleport, he’ll finish the rest of the way with teleportation magic. freewёbnoνel.com

“Of course, we have some of those.” The guard nodded with a smile as he jumped out of the driver seat and approached the healers and guards who rushed in upon his call.

“Who got hurt?” One of the healers asked with a worried face.

“No one, false alarm.” The guard looked at the carriage, “They faced a monster bear instead of a normal one. But they seem unharmed.”

The healers sighed in relief but the guards looked at the carriage with pale faces. “A monster bear?” They had faced one several years ago, two men died and five were injured. Jimmy and his party were quite powerful, but they shouldn’t be able to survive a monster bear unharmed. “You…” The guard pointed at one of the guards who just arrived. “Take the healers back.”

“Leave one.” Jimmy shouted from the driver’s seat and the guard immediately caught one of the healers, a woman who was in her late thirties, the head priestess of the village’s church. “You’ll stay.”

“The rest of the guards, come with me.” The gate guard dragged the rest and the priestess with him to the gate-side watchtower and explained the situation to them. Arad Orion was here and they must act quickly, he’s a man who has been granted freedom by the goddess itself.

They can’t go against her orders, but it is clear that giving a man so much freedom is troublesome. All that they can do is try to steer Arad on a path that won’t get anyone hurt. Things like providing him with a comfortable place to stay in so he won’t be breaking into any house, and making sure he’s provided with food, money, and anything he might need, just so he won’t start causing trouble.

“Food, shelter, money, books, clothes, and protection…” The priestess recounted all that they needed to provide, “What about…” She looked at the guards, “Women? We can’t let him

go crazy.”

The guard scratched his head, “We don’t even have a brothel here…”

“I’ll go to the city and hire some. But how many?” Another guard suggested, “We can’t bring one or two.”

“Tell them we got Arad Orion, we’ll hire all that they have and spread them around him. Shopkeepers, healers, clerks, all so if any caught his fancy, it’ll be a prostitute and not any random woman.” The head of the guard sighed, “That’ll cost us a lot.”

“We can pay for their travel and stay, and only give work pay for those who get something from Arad.” He then looked at the captain with a pale face, “But the trip to the city will take two days. One to go and one to return, let alone time for the women to prepare.” “Who’ll entertain Arad in that time if something were to happen?” The captain was about to pull his hair out. This came so suddenly that they weren’t prepared to both respect the goddess’s will and protect the citizen they were sworn to defend.

“Leave him to me.” The priestess said, “I’m the goddess’s sworn worshipper and servant. If it’s her order, I doubt she’ll mind.” She said with a gentle smile.

“No! We can’t allow that!” One of the guards growled, the last thing they wanted was to let someone get harmed.

All the guards seemed to agree, “We’ll ask around and see if any of the guards are willing to take that role, we have some decent women. Priestess Mary, you’re the one of the citizens as well and we’ll not let you get harmed.”

“No! No!” Mary shook her head, waving her hands, “It’s not a problem. I’ll take that role as a servant of the goddess. We who serve the goddess should be the ones to endure her whims.” “Listen, priestess Mary. You’re the last one that we will let take that role. I knew you since you started learning healing magic at ten, and now you’re closing at forty, thirty years of healing the people for free.” The captain of the guard growled, “I promise to…”

Mary grabbed the captain by the collar of his armor, pulling him toward her, “Listen well, I’ll not repeat myself.” She glared at him, “I’m taking the job and I won’t take no for an answer.” She pushed him back and walked out of the tower, heading toward the carriage with a passive face. ^Finally! Finally! After twenty years of prayers and waiting, I can finally lose it. Thank you Goddess for granting my wish.^