We arrived at the inn called The Singing Sea Bream. By now, Tiara had completely drifted off to dreamland on Arik’s back.

  It’s honestly adorable how gently he takes care of the little girl. I never would have expected that from him… but seeing it now…

  Before I notice it, an image forms in my mind: a small girl with red hair sleeping peacefully on his back.

  The thought makes me smile.

  Before I lose myself completely in daydreams, I briskly walk over to the counter. The innkeeper still has a room available, and I take over the negotiations. That way I can squeeze out a small discount.

  Men truly are simple creatures.

  Once we’re in the room, Leana and I immediately put our plan into action. After all, we now have a new member in our group.

  As long as I can remember, Arik has talked about having a harem. I’m still not exactly thrilled about the idea, but I’ve come to terms with it. Living with Leana has shown me that having another ally isn’t the worst thing in the world.

  It’s surprising how quickly women can become friends when they care about the same person.

  Still, just because I allow him a little freedom doesn’t mean he gets to do whatever he wants. We need rules and agreements. Otherwise this whole situation will collapse into chaos.

  And I know him far too well for that.

  “Arik, you’re staying in the room with Tiara. Celeste, Leana and I are going down to the tavern for a drink,” I say, leaving no room for discussion.

  “I want to come too and drink a beer. I don’t want to stay in the room,” he complains quietly.

  Sometimes I genuinely struggle to believe this man is supposed to be the hero who will save the world.

  Unfortunately… I also find this side of him painfully adorable. I’ve given in to it far too many times already. That’s probably just because I spent so many years looking after him.

  But I can’t fall back into those habits again.

  The days when I was just his big sister are over.

  I can’t let him wrap me around his finger this time.

  I have to stay strong.

  “Lord Arik! You truly cannot join us. We wish to have a conversation among women, and you would only disturb us. I kindly ask you to remain here as Lady Rin said and watch over Tiara.”

  Leana comes to my rescue.

  That saves me.

  Thank you!

  Our future husband collapses onto the bed in defeat.

  Round one goes to us.

  ***

  Down in the common room we choose a table in the corner, slightly removed from the others. It’s the perfect place if you don’t want to be overheard or attract attention.

  We’ve barely sat down when a young waitress approaches our table.

  “Welcome! What can I get for you?”

  “A beer for me, please. And the pork roast with dumplings and red cabbage,” I order immediately.

  I had already read the menu outside in the hallway and realized we hadn’t eaten anything proper all day. The delicious smells drifting from the kitchen next door awaken a powerful hunger.

  For a moment I think about Arik, who is currently sulking upstairs in our room with Tiara. I can practically see his pitiful expression in front of me.

  I’ll have something packed for him later.

  “I’ll have the same,” Leana adds.

  Celeste looks at us uncertainly.

  She hasn’t eaten either.

  “Celeste, you should order something too. It would be awkward if you had to sit here watching us eat,” I remind the rabbit woman.

  She answers with an apologetic smile.

  “Please forgive me, but as a slave I should already consider myself fortunate to sit at the same table as you. It would be too much to ask to eat expensive food. You forget that I am a beast-person. I should not even be in this tavern room.”

  She’s right.

  The waitress has been glaring at Celeste the entire time.

  Spending so much time around Arik has apparently eroded my common sense piece by piece. I simply assumed Celeste belonged with us.

  But she still thinks according to the normal rules and conventions of this world.

  I hadn’t even realized how far my own thinking had already drifted away from what everyone else considers normal.

  Leana and I have simply adopted Arik’s values and worldview.

  That’s why neither of us had any problem accepting Tiara.

  To us she’s just a little girl who lost her home and was treated terribly.

  Ordinary people probably would have left the cat girl to her fate.

  Instead we even used Arik’s status as a hero to rescue her.

  At the time I didn’t question it at all. It simply felt like the most natural thing in the world.

  I should probably be careful not to lose my connection to the world entirely because of him.

  And yet…

  I have to admit that I love his abnormal way of seeing things.

  The way he lives by it so openly and shamelessly.

  Sometimes I feel like his strange thinking—so far removed from social norms—might actually change this world for the better.

  “Don’t worry about it,” I tell Celeste. “Your master is Arik, right? Then you’ll have to get used to quite a few things working differently around us.”

  Leana nods seriously.

  “At first it was strange for me as well to live with Lord Arik and understand how he thinks. He refuses to be bound by social norms. But I have grown accustomed to it… and I would never want to live without it again.”

  Celeste nods thoughtfully.

  “That explains quite a lot. Even from the few conversations we have had I noticed that my master does not think like the other humans I have met. No one would carry their slave as he did… although perhaps certain lustful motivations may also have played a role.”

  A faint smile appears on her lips.

  “Nevertheless, your explanation confirms my theory. I am looking forward to this conversation with great interest. In that case I will order a beer and the vegetable casserole that was offered.”

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  It’s impressive how quickly Celeste adapts to new circumstances.

  Behind that beautiful face with the white rabbit ears hides someone I definitely shouldn’t underestimate.

  Which only makes me more curious about who Celeste really is.

  The waitress is still standing beside our table, clearly unsure what to do.

  “You heard our three orders. I would be very grateful if you could take care of them as quickly as possible. We are quite hungry,” I say firmly.

  She snaps out of her hesitation, nods quickly, and walks back toward the counter.

  Once she is out of earshot, I begin our meeting.

  “Arik talked for quite a while this afternoon about our mission and the current situation, but we never properly introduced ourselves. Let’s fix that before we continue. Our respective relationships with Arik will probably be the most important information for Celeste.”

  I straighten slightly.

  “My name is Rin. I am the only daughter of the Royal Court Archmage of Amarasia. In many countries I am considered a powerful mage, and in the Adventurer’s Guild I hold an S-rank. I grew up together with Prince Arik. Our relationship gradually deepened, and we have been together for several years now. If that coward ever manages to gather the necessary courage, we will eventually marry officially.”

  Leana continues in her usual calm voice.

  “I am Leana of the elven people. I am the youngest captain of the elite archers in the history of the Elven Kingdom. The Adventurer’s Guild ranked my abilities as A. I accompany Lord Arik on an official mission from King Borack of the Elves and represent the elven people in the alliance against the Demon King Balaam.”

  Her gray eyes wander slightly as she adds, a little shyly,

  “Additionally… I am engaged to Lord Arik.”

  Celeste listens attentively without interrupting.

  Then she speaks.

  “My new name is Celeste. I have been a slave on this continent for some time. My honor demanded that I choose the master I would serve myself. Therefore I resisted being sold until now. That changed when I met my master and decided that this man was worthy of my service.”

  She pauses briefly.

  “I kindly ask that you refrain from questions about my life before slavery. I will only say this much: I served as the chief maid of a distinguished and influential household. I was the closest confidant of the head of that house… and their bodyguard.”

  Our introductions are complete.

  And now I’m even more curious about the mysterious past surrounding Celeste.

  But I won’t force her to talk about it.

  Our beer mugs arrive and we toast to our future cooperation.

  Apparently I intimidated the waitress earlier, because she sets Celeste’s mug down without a single comment or strange look.

  “Now then,” I announce ceremoniously, “we will move on to the main topic of our meeting. I hereby officially open the second conference of the Women of Arik Eiswolf.”

  Leana immediately begins clapping.

  Celeste, clearly confused, joins the applause.

  The influence of a certain useless hero on Leana is impossible to miss.

  I clear my throat to hide my embarrassment.

  “As his slave, you naturally belong among the women of the hero Arik as well. As you said earlier, he is a hopeless pervert. Even so, I am certain that you are not truly a slave to him. The very concept of slavery disgusts him. It simply does not fit into his worldview.”

  I lean forward slightly.

  “You will not live the life of a normal slave. He will never force you to do anything. But perhaps one day you may wish to be close to him of your own will—just as Leana and I are.”

  I sigh quietly.

  “As his women, it is our duty to support him as best we can. Unfortunately, our hero himself often becomes the greatest obstacle to that goal. He can be reliable. He can come up with crazy but useful ideas. But most of the time he simply causes trouble.”

  “Which is why it is necessary for us to meet without him,” I continue. “We exchange information, develop strategies, and support him this way.”

  Celeste studies me carefully.

  “As his women you certainly know my master better than I do. However, as his servant I cannot fully approve of this approach. Ultimately you are making secret agreements in order to manipulate my master according to your needs.”

  Sharp.

  Very sharp.

  This rabbit woman immediately grasped the real purpose of these conferences.

  Still… perhaps I can convince her.

  If Arik truly intends to build his harem, we will need discussions like these. Otherwise everything will descend into chaos.

  Our dear hero certainly won’t keep track of all the emotional conflicts that will arise.

  For him it’s simply the fulfillment of a dream. He hasn’t considered the consequences.

  And I swore to stand by his side.

  There’s no turning back now.

  If I had known at the beginning of this journey that it would also involve organizing a potential harem… I might have turned around right there.

  Too late now.

  “Celeste, I understand your concerns. But this is for his own good. These conversations exist to prevent conflicts and regulate how we interact with one another. None of us will ever leave Arik—that much we all agree on.”

  I smile faintly.

  “For example, Leana and I have already agreed on how to deal with one particular habit of his.”

  Celeste’s ears twitch with interest.

  Leana takes over the explanation.

  “Lord Arik is very strong and a great warrior whom I deeply admire. However, sometimes he becomes completely lost in his thoughts. I am certain he is pursuing important lines of reasoning. Nevertheless, this often causes him to retreat into his own world and stop noticing the people around him.”

  She glances briefly at me.

  “Under Lady Rin’s guidance I learned to recognize this state. Usually it becomes obvious when he looks desperately toward Lady Rin or me. His expression resembles that of a cute dog begging for food at the dinner table.”

  Celeste struggles not to laugh.

  “We agreed that in dangerous situations we discreetly assist him by repeating important information in a fictional conversation between us. This does not prevent the lecture Lord Arik inevitably receives from Lady Rin afterwards. However, since all admonishments fall on deaf ears, we have concluded that this trait is unfortunately incurable.”

  Celeste nods slowly.

  “I understand now. These meetings are a place where the people who love him exchange their observations about his peculiarities and discuss how to deal with them. And in order to protect my master’s pride while his most embarrassing habits are openly discussed, he is deliberately excluded.”

  “Exactly,” I say with satisfaction.

  “And it’s also a wonderful outlet for all the frustration that tends to accumulate. It feels good to talk about it with someone who loves him just as much as you do.”

  ***

  Our food finally arrives, and the conversation becomes more relaxed.

  We tell Celeste stories about Arik, his quirks, and our journey.

  She is especially interested in stories about him.

  She even asks for more details when I describe that greasy grin of his—the one that sends a creepy shiver down women’s spines.

  Celeste can’t suppress a quiet giggle when I recount how incredibly sulky Arik becomes whenever someone mocks that grin of his, because he genuinely believes it can seduce women.

  Yes.

  I had the right instinct about her.

  She’ll become an ally soon.

  Even so, compared to me she remains more respectful and reserved when it comes to Arik. She clearly takes her role as slave and servant very seriously.

  But she’s no fool.

  And she won’t blindly fulfill his every wish either.

  Despite seeing herself as a slave, she carries herself with confidence and elegance.

  “Celeste, you said earlier that you were a bodyguard,” Leana asks curiously. “What kind of weapons did you use?”

  “I specialized in unarmed combat,” Celeste replies calmly. “It would have been improper to appear in the salon pouring tea while carrying a weapon that smelled of oil and metal.”

  Leana’s gray eyes shine with interest.

  She’s about to ask more questions about Celeste’s martial arts—

  when we are rudely interrupted.

  “Hey there, sweethearts! All alone over here?”

  A filthy man reeking of alcohol and four of his friends have discovered us in the corner.

  They now stand at our table, feeling invincible.

  Their intentions are written all over their faces.

  It makes me sick.

  Isn’t this exactly the situation Arik always fantasized about?

  He’ll be furious he missed it.

  We’re being harassed by sleazy drunkards and he doesn’t get to play the gallant hero.

  I can already picture his disappointed face.

  The thought makes me giggle.

  Leana and Celeste remain completely unfazed and ignore them just as skillfully as I do.

  Celeste is currently explaining to Leana how important it is to immediately pull your fist back after striking so that the full shockwave transfers into the opponent.

  The pork roast is absolutely delicious.

  We definitely need to come back here tomorrow with Arik and Tiara. Otherwise I’ll feel guilty.

  “You ladies must be bored sitting here all alone,” Mr. Bad Breath continues. “Why don’t you come with us? We’ll show you how much fun we can have together.”

  His disgusting grin makes my stomach turn.

  Slowly he becomes irritated that we continue ignoring him.

  He doesn’t like losing face in front of his friends.

  Finally he shouts loudly enough for the entire tavern to hear.

  “HEY! You stupid hens! Get up and come with us! We’re even generous enough to give that filthy beast-person some love too! If you keep acting so high and mighty you’ll regret it! We’ll take you by force!”

  Perfect.

  Now we have witnesses.

  And a valid excuse for self-defense.

  Leana and I exchange a quick glance.

  Then she disappears from her chair.

  A moment later she stands behind the loudmouth, her dagger pressed against his throat.

  Her eyes are calm.

  Cold.

  Emotionless.

  “I would gladly step outside with you foul-smelling humans if you wish to try taking us by force,” she whispers clearly into his ear.

  “I would enjoy it.”

  She tilts her head slightly.

  “Shall we disappear into a dark alley right now? You may bring all your friends. I am not nearly as strong as Lord Arik after training with him… but I believe I will manage.”

  With her dagger she slowly draws a thin, bloody line across the man’s cheek.

  Her calm voice is far more terrifying than any shouted threat.

  The arrogant drunk wets himself.

  Stammering in panic he begs:

  “I—I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it! Please let me go! I’ll never bother you again!”

  Leana says nothing.

  Instead she draws a matching line on his other cheek.

  Then she vanishes again just as quickly, sitting calmly at the table as if nothing happened.

  Now I finally understand why Arik always talks about wanting to experience this feeling of absolute superiority over people like this.

  It feels fantastic.

  “If you’re done,” I add casually, “you may pay our bill at the counter and then leave.”

  There’s no reason we shouldn’t profit from this annoyance.

  Everyone in the tavern saw that we didn’t start the trouble.

  The men nod frantically, pay at the counter, and flee.

  Celeste watches the scene quietly.

  Then she nods.

  “I am now absolutely certain that we will get along very well.”

  We celebrate with another round of beer before finally returning to our room later than planned.

  Inside we find Tiara asleep—and Arik still sulking beside her.

  Fortunately, the food we brought from the kitchen quickly improves his mood.

  When he asks what we talked about for so long, we women simply exchange secret smiles and tell him:

  “You’ll find out soon enough.”

  Then it’s finally time to sleep.

  Tomorrow will be a long day.

  After all, everything is already in motion to make contact with the local government.