Madelyn: "Is this Shouyi? Ahh~ it's beautiful!"

After what felt like a lifetime, we all finally arrive back in Zheng De Shouyi. We're all relieved when we come to the front of the town, especially me as I had to walk with my armor equipped.

Young Mi: "If anyone should ask about me, say that I'm hypersensitive to the sun."

She's wearing my cloak and draws the hood over her head. It was Lilith's idea and it's working. The people we came across on the road didn't bat an eye. Though, being sensitive to the sun does sound a bit extravagant for an explanation.

Steven: "The inn is nearby, we will go there and rest before we get started on everything else."

Young Mi: "A new home? I was hoping that we could obtain a plot of land somewhere nearby, but with some privacy."

Steven: "One step at a time."

This town is really quiet, in a suspicious manner. Keeping alert, we headed straight to the inn where we'd bump into a familiar face. Not just anyone from the town, but a member of the Royal Family.

Me: "You idiots know how to rile me."

She stuck out in front of us giving off an authoritative and demanding aura, much like a general. I look around the inn for some form of explanation. The only familiar face was the innkeeper trembling in fear, and Bao, sitting at the bar silently glaring daggers at me.

Mei: "My sister Lilith. Where. Is. She?"

She demanded, the tone of her voice lacked any patience as the look in her eye wanted to gut me again.

Lilith: "I'm right here!"

She rises and stands in front of me to protect me. Young Mi then puts her hand on my shoulder, having my back if things became violent. I have to retain my cool as one wrong move could get us all killed.

Mei: "Lilith? What are you doing?"

Lilith: "Protecting my friends."

Mei: "Your friend? Him? He has been nothing but a pain for you! You are beyond—!"

She gets cut off by Lilith slapping her hard across the face. Mei looks back in shock that her own sister is rebelling against her, let alone hit her.

Mei: "Lili-Lilith?"

Lilith: "You're the one that has been nothing but a pain! Why the fuck do you never listen?! Why the fuck are you getting into my business!? I am my own person and you have no fucking authority over me, bitch!"

Shit..

We're going to have to fight Mei!

Lilith: "I—I love you all, but it's so tough when you don't even listen to what I even wanted in the first place."

Mei looks down in defeat. Nothing she's done has pleased Lilith, who was obviously furious about it. From what I know, from Lilith, Mei did her best for her sisters and to set an example for them.

Mei: "Then what do you want?"

Lilith: "Not this. He's done nothing wrong."

Bao, who had been silently watching, becomes livid and begins crying out a plethora of insults at us.

Bao: "Fuck this and fuck you all! Argh!"

She throws her chair in our direction and just misses us. Knowing full well that I was her target, I cleared out of the inn and into the street. She followed right behind me as her sisters Lilith and Mei try and fail to quell her anger.

Me: "I enjoin you to wait damn it! Bao!"

Bao: "He's mine!"

Lilith: "Bao!"

She breaks out of their grasp and tackles me to the floor and strikes me repeatedly. In my defense, I kick her back as hard as I possibly could and continue to pull away towards the town entrance to the river.

Fuck!

I had the feeling that she'd settle down if the townspeople were looking, but she again tackles me and we both go flying into the aggressively flowing river.

Mei: "Bao!"

Lilith: "Steven!"

Steven: "Help!"

We're now floating off as I'm dragged under by the weight of my armor. It snags onto a fallen tree and I quickly get myself onto a rock and out of the river.

Steven: "God—fuck—Bao!"

She may have attempted to kill me, but if she drowns, Lilith and Mei would be devastated.

I quickly glance over the river and see her pass me, struggling against the current. I jump back in and catch up to Bao, who's almost succumbed to the water. When I had reached her, I was exhausted and used all my might to get us back to shore.

She flops over on her back and starts coughing uncontrollably. Sore, toilworn, wet, weakened, no words would have described how horrible I felt. It was like I had been hit repeatedly with a hammer over the head and spun around endlessly for hours on end. My body had just been worked to the bone.

Young Mi: "Steven, are you alright?"

She was the first to find us, followed by Mei and Lilith. The others weren't amongst them, and I assumed Young Mi had asked them to stay behind.

Young Mi: "Steven?"

Steven: "I don't—I don't want to do anything with water from now on."

She lends a hand and helps me back on my feet. I find myself disoriented and stumble around before Young Mi grabs me and lay my head down on her shoulders as I slowly recover.

Young Mi: "You just overexerted yourself. I recommend going to the inn and resting."

I nodded in silent agreement.

Young Mi helped me back as Lilith and Mei were by Bao's side. We all slowly made our way back, not saying a word about what just took place. Perhaps it was best that we didn't.

When we came back to town, the townspeople looked from the distance and the others raced to my side relieved that neither of us had drowned.

We headed back into the inn and this time we weren't confronted. Mei had extorted the innkeeper for us to recover in. Just one room and bed was available, and Lilith had the bright idea that we should share it.

Even after her trying to make things up she manages to be malicious, although it's unintentional. I doubt anything would happen between us, only my mind is really making me paranoid..

I mean, what if Bao strangles me in my sleep?

..

(Madelyn's POV)

An hour has gone by and we're just idling in the inn. Bao, Lilith, Mei, and Niroja are in the room with the others while Dai-tai, Young Mi and I are simply bored out of our minds.

So much in fact that I'm beginning to put things together, like how hasn't Steven been "involved" with any of us? He's not 'that' bad looking, but I wouldn't try and get his attention.

I really wonder if he will be able to keep holding himself back like he has been doing. There hasn't been this much sexual tension since the bestiality scene in the Revenant. [1]

Dai-tai: "Hm, I'm pretty bored. The inn was really a place to loosen up and have a great time. What happened, innkeep? Where's Jiang and Zhenya?"

Innkeeper: "Those 2, Bao and Mei happened. They knew you were coming, kicked everyone out, and waited for you. As for Jiang, he's in his estate. Zhenya's up north at a camp. Scouting for bandits; they've been particularly nasty since that fort raid."

So much is taking place without me!

I go up and look at the very job board he used and start scanning for something to do. Bounty hunting is too dangerous for us and picking plants sounds boring. I eventually tap into my inner gamer and picked what looked like a simple delivery quest.

"In need of supplies due north of town. A guard outpost has been put up in response to increased bandit raids," the poster states.

This seems like a quest chain!

Madelyn: "This looks promising."

I pick the poster and read it to the others who, unlike me, failed to see any potential for it.

Young Mi: "It's just a delivery."

Dai-tai: "Yeah, we're not going to slay epic beasts like in the stories, Madelyn."

That's fine, it was getting dark out anyways.

Madelyn: "Well, what do we do? I imagined we'd be doing something and instead, we're just sitting around."

Dai-tai: "We could go say hi to Jiang."

Innkeeper: "He hasn't been around for a week now. Work has kicked up for him because of the bandits and, well, Bao and Mei showing up."

I sat down at the bar, cursing this boring day. Steven comes out of the room with Niroja and they sit next to Young Mi who'd taken up a quiet spot in the corner.

Steven: "I'm okay, I just needed to lay down for a minute."

It's been well over an hour!

Steven: "Oh, and, uh, how much do I owe you for the room? And could I get another one? A single bed isn't going to be accommodating 8 people."

We've established quite a party; us 8 including Bao and Mei! I doubt they'd be willing to follow us around, but it's nice to have more people around. It would be safer when we move around this way.

Innkeeper: "You have to make do for tonight. I won't have another one until tomorrow."

Instead of figuring out who gets the bed, he starts drowning himself in liquor. Dai-tai thought she could figure out who he likes this way and it wasn't until we put a little more than just a couple of drinks in everyone that he really starts to loosen up a little.

Since Niroja passed out on the bar, and Dai-tai and I chose to drink in moderation, we came to witness both Steven and Young Mi in a drunken stupor that seemed relatively calm and humorous.

He momentarily stares at Young Mi's hand, grabs and raises it to him.

Young Mi: "Steven, what are you doing?"

Steven: "I neva *hic* undewstood how your skin is so pale. What lotion do you use?"

Much to our humor, he can't articulate his "R's" when he gets drunk.

Young Mi: "It's because I'm a-*hic*!"

Steven: "Ahaha~!"

Young Mi: "Shut up! Or, *hic* I'll make you.."

Steven: "Make you.. dance? That's *hic* ama-shing!"

He tries to dance but manages to stumble over his stool and hit himself on the head in the nearby tables. We ran over to him to make sure he was alright and I held him as Dai-tai instructed while she checked him for any injury.

Steven: "It huwts, Madelyn!"

Madelyn: "You shouldn't've tried to dance!"

Dai-tai: "You're a doofus at times, Steven. He's fine; could you get him to Lilith just in case?"

Steven: "No! She's tewwifying *hic*!"

Madelyn: "I can't take you seriously if you don't pronounce your "R's" right!"

Although he protested against it, he really didn't put up too much of a battle. The only issue he gave me was clinging to the wall. It got me curious as to what led him to believe that someone like Lilith is scary.

If someone asked me, I'd say she's very gentle.

Lilith: "What happened?"

When I dragged him in, Lilith and Mei were caring for their sister. Bao was knocked out and snoring. So much for the whole "elegant" theme they emitted. It simply makes them look like a normal family and not-at-all scary, or terrifying.

Madelyn: "He hit his head and Dai-tai thought you could do healing magic."

Lilith: "Just lay him down and I'll do what I can."

Lilith already starts to heal him as soon as he lays down. He was running his legs around, disrupting Lilith, and I held him down to keep things somewhat manageable for her. Mei, who had been watching over Bao, looks at me as if I was a curiosity. Well, I am technically an alien in this world but it felt odd to have someone like her looking at me.

Lilith: "I'm done. You could have him rest now."

Steven: "More *hic* dwinks!"

Madelyn: "No! You're too drunk."

Steven: "Ehh, it's too hot.."

It's like I'm taking care of a kid!

He unties his chest plate and pauldrons, leaving his torso covered in just the tunic. Lilith, in all her 'terrifying' glory, runs her fingers through his hair.

Steven: "Lilith? Mei and Bao? Where're all the others? If you keep passing your time being scary, your *hic* your beauty will go to waste."

Hopefully, Young Mi isn't as far gone as he is. But she is, just not as bad. She quietly has her head down and probably already sound asleep like Niroja. Well, I don't have to worry about her right now; I could finally go back and enjoy myself in peace.

Dai-tai: "It's just us real women that could handle our drink, right innkeep?"

Innkeeper: "Sorry, but after what just happened, I don't plan to drink anytime soon."

..

(Steven's POV)

(The morning after..)

Steven: "Mm, ahh.."

I wake up to a horrible headache. The kind where it feels someone is using a jackhammer inside my head and makes me sick to my stomach. I should've had just a few drinks, but I can't even remember last night.

I try to move out of bed, but something heavy was holding me down. This is some intense deja vu! Why can't I remember what happened last night?! I have to stay optimistic, it probably isn't what I think it is. When I lift the blankets, I find Bao on top of me.

Steven: "Bao?!"

I'm clothed, but she's in her underwear! If I try and wake Bao up now, no doubt she'll really try and kick my ass. Cautiously, I move her and get to the point where it looks like she's straddling me. Luckily, nobody is walking in. Now all I have to do is sit up, flip her over and have her lay back down.

Much to my dismay, she wakes up, still half-asleep and I'm barely prepared to deal with her.

Bao: "Oh, it's the idiot monkey. What was his name again..? Wait.."

She sees the position we're in and shoves me down and hides under the blanket still on top of me.

Steven: "Bao—"

Bao: "Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

The best way that I see of handling this is to calm her down.

Steven: "It's not that bad, really—"

Bao: "Not that bad?! Ahh! Why me!? I'm not even that good!"

Good?

Oh, I mostly get it now..

Steven: "Bao.."

With how aristocratic Demons, or just all aristocrats, treat people, she was probably sidelined while the elder child, Mei, got all the attention. With this, I'm guessing that being in the middle, Bao feels pressured to keep high expectations unlike the younger ones, Huian and Lilith.

Steven: "Hey, it's alright."

Bao: "It's not! I'm not amazing like Mei! So why me? You're going to have to take responsibility!"

Past experience has taught me that nothing has happened and it really isn't what it looks like. Besides, the others had to sleep in here as well, there's rolled up futons by the door. I can't be that daring or even quiet..

I tried to uncover the blanket, but she keeps a very tight grip on it as if her life depended on it.

Steven: "Bao, we didn't even do anything. So why are you panicking!?"

Bao: "How can you say that!? Mei told me that if I sleep in a bed with a man, I'll get pregnant!"

Steven: "Oh my—It doesn't—Bao, you dumbass! That's not how it works!"

I'm too young to be worrying about my heart. This reminds me so much about my first time with Yuuna, I can't even laugh it off. Forgetting that she was in her underwear, I forcibly pulled the blanket from her and reveal her soft blue body.

Bao: "Ahh~!"

After dealing with this entire situation, I headed out with a huge red mark across my face and put my head down on one of the tables. Who would've guessed that Bao had a powerful slap?

Mei: "You could've handled that a little better."

Why am I being scolded? She was the one going around spreading misinformation that led up to this situation! Whatever, what's done is done.

Steven: "Right.."

I can't get Bao's body out of my mind.

Mei: "I have spoken to Lilith, and well, you can get yourself pardoned and I won't make it easy for you."

Steven: "Not as easy as that time you put your dagger inside me?"

Mei: "That? That.. you had it coming. Nobody hurts my any of my sisters and gets away with it."

It was self-defense..

Mei: "No, you are going to help me in Meinu. There's been corruption with the Lord for years and we can't seem to rid of him. So, we must act with blank paper."

Steven: "Blank paper?"

Lilith: "She means you'll have complete freedom to deal with the Lord."

It sounds simple enough. At least, simpler than dethroning a Queen. There really isn't much choice now that Mei, of all people, is here.

Mei: "My Shadow Leap could only support up to 2 others. Who would you pick to come along with us?"

Steven: "I just got here."

Mei: "And now you must go elsewhere. You don't have a choice if you value your life."

I've never had a choice!

Steven: "Fine.."

Dai-tai, Niroja, and Young Mi are already out of the picture. I'd rather not drag them any further in my problems than I have. I also need to have someone keep an eye on things, so Madelyn would have to stay.

It would just be either Lilith or Bao, but considering how things are, it's Lilith. She can fight, I know that from experience. Yet, I don't want to really bring her along. She's helped me out so far and to keep relying on her does seem a little greedy to me.

Now I'm back at square one, and Young Mi does seem like one hell of a fighter.

No..

The more I think about it, the more problems arise. If I brought Madelyn, Young Mi and the others would be alone and probably think I've abandoned them. Dai-tai and Niroja also aren't exactly the type to be wielding a sword.

Damn, Bao seems like the only option here..

Steven: "We could bring Bao, she's strong."

Mei: "She is indeed and I'll back it up. Good, get what you need ready. We'll be leaving in 30."

..

I could be on a suicide mission and I could be none the wiser. Mei should've explained what we were going to do, but it seems not even she has a clue. She feels like she can do whatever she wants and it's fine because she's apart of the Royal Family.

I sigh.

I'm adjusting my armor in the room when Dai-tai and Niroja come in.

Dai-tai: "Are you really going? You just got here."

Steven: "You heard Mei. It's either listen or.. well, you know."

Niroja: "Then allow us to bid our hero good luck on his journey and that he may return safely."

She wraps her arms around me and gives me a passionate kiss. I never took her to be so bold and it caught me by surprise. Dai-tai too shared a kiss with me and it was just as passionate.

I'm wondering if I really do have bad luck or it's all fortunate for us all that we're here.

Dai-tai: "If we had more privacy, we'd give you a proper goodbye."

Niroja: "No we wouldn't. We like you, but not enough to go that far."

Steven: "I.."

This whole gloomy mood has fallen. I feel entirely refreshed for some reason.

Steven: "Thank you both. I'll be back soon and help with your home."

Niroja: "I know you will."

..

Author's Note:

--

[1]: The "there hasn't been this much sexual tension since the beastiality scene in the Revenant" comes from the controversy when entertainment columnist Roger Friedman, in describing the movie, noted "that the bear flips Glass over on his belly and molests him – dry humps him actually – as he nearly devours him"

It quickly spiraled into a mess and morphed into this on the Drudge Report.

"DICAPRIO RAPED BY BEAR IN FOX MOVIE"

It was so hilarious (I was wheezing from laughter when I found out it was fake) and out of hand that the director even called it a 'crazy mad comedy'