Chapter Ninety Five: A new Hero

What would I have done if the bells were being rung because of me? I didn’t do anything that would harm the people here since my fight with the heroes. The only thing that came to mind was revenge. Since the other heroes have returned, I thought that maybe they were coming at me stronger. 
Luckily, neither of that was correct. They were just bells to commemorate a new hero. A heroine for that matter. But they are all called heroes regardless of sex.
Rumors travel fast. Faster than anyone could think. You’d think that rumors in this world would travel slowly because they don’t have phones. But magic can still be used to communicate.
The rumor tells about how a badly injured girl healed herself. She entered the sacred land after that and healed all the injured that returned the other day. She was said to have displayed an incredible healing ability that even the highest ranking healers couldn’t display.
Apparently, those injured by a demon lord cannot be healed easily. A curse is placed on them and the injuries tend to get worse when a foreign magic is applied.
Milta was able to heal them therefor lifting the curse placed on them. She was indeed able to heal them but……. I knew more than anyone why that was. My blood. She received a lot of my blood less than a day ago. 
If I’m considered a demon, then my blood exponentially increased her healing abilities. As such, the energy I gave her overpowered the little energy in the victims’ body from which the curse comes from.
A great amount of energy was needed for the healing of over hundred injured people and successfully removing the curse from them. The normal Milta would have passed out after removing their curse all at the same time. That is if she even managed to pull of removing the curse. 
However, the Milta now barely looked exhausted. She was in top form. What she did was take a break in her room before the king called for her.
A few nobles were gathered and she was given a legendary staff as proof of her heroism. The bells were rung to tell the masses about it.
Rumors travel fast indeed. So many details for just a rumor.
I’m happy for her. She’s always been a proud healer. Her dreams have come true at a really young age. She’s now the strongest healer in the kingdom as far as anyone knows.
I’m glad there weren’t any side effects of my blood. She must have been on the brink of death having consumed all that blood without any side effects at all. All the energy was used to resuscitate her.

I returned home that day at around 8pm in the night. Etis needed to get some shopping done so I helped out with what I could.
I was surprise to see what was waiting for me back home.
“Welcome back!! we came to visit!!”
“.…………………..!!??” I didn’t see that coming.
“I hope we are not intruding. I just thought that I would come stay for a while since you have so many rooms. It’s not like I have anything in particular that I have to do in that town.”
Taht………….. how did she find this house?
I do remember telling her how we moved to a new house because our old one got destroyed. I also told her that we live in the eastern noble settlement and that our house is far away from the other houses…………… huh? I told her everything didn’t I?
It was when I opened the entrance that the surprise met me. Leila, Meila, Burte and Taht were all there expecting me. Burte had his head lowered unlike the rest of them who had their eyes on me. Leila looked a bit confused about the whole thing. She has never met Taht before. 
Meila was like……… how should I say it; surprised and looking for some explanation. Meanwhile Taht looked the happiest among all of them. She literally wanted to jump on me and hug me if it hadn’t been for the others.
The entrance was still open when all that was happening. I didn’t know how to react. So far, I’ve been worried that Palmeerea will find out about Leila who she doesn’t know of. If Taht moves in then that’s totally bad news. What happened to Etis before was just a warning. What if she decides to get serious?
I had to do something to avoid that at all cost “But….. I mean……………….”
Sensing where I was heading, Taht who is older than me spoke sadly “We cant stay~?”
“NO that’s not what I……” how can I tell her to leave if she acts like that. She did that on purpose didn’t she. 
“It’s just that…………” I still tried to explain the situation to her when a female voice spoke from behind me “I found you.”
The voice was very familiar to me. It was a voice I had trouble getting out of my head because of how much I longed for the owner at the time.
Leila shouted in surprise seeing the dark skinned elf behind me “Another girl!?” 
The girl was none other than Liek. Back then in the barn, I really wanted to do it with her if it hadn’t been for that unexpected overflow of energy from her. I couldn’t get that scene out of my head until I met Palmeerea.
I still couldn’t see her at the time because I was looking inside the house. Turning my head around, I felt her body on my back “I missed you~!”
I stopped moving my head halfway and looked at the girls’ reaction. Meila was yelling “What are you doing!?” Leila didn’t know how to react and Taht had her mouth wide open from surprise. Burte returned to the living room.More than Leila, I was the one who didn’t know how to react. I took Liek’s hand with me outside of the house “Liek. How did you find me? And how can you still recognize me?” I did change my mask after all.
Apparently, she sensed my presence in the afternoon. It was around the time I was with Erla. She said that; more than sensing my presence, it was as though she just knew where I was at the time. She rushed out of her room where she was still pretending to be weak after I healed her and chased after me. By the time she arrived at the woods where I talked with Erla, I was already in the sky. Her master told her that I could fly but she was still surprised at the speed I moved. Calling out to me was futile.
She spent the whole afternoon trying to find me. She even asked Modnoc if he knows where I live. Then just minutes ago, she felt my presence in the sky above their settlement. She took a dragon and followed after me before I landed.
I wasn’t in a hurry flying back home. That must be why she was able to find me so quickly. I think she would have found me either way just by knowing the direction I went. This house is the only building out here. She’s bound to check it to some extent.
Even though I dragged Liek away from the house, the girls still followed curiously.
“Look at the way she’s dressed.” “Isn’t she too bold?” Taht and Meila spectated. Leila was still keeping her emotions in check. That is if she has any on the matter.
Surely, anyone would find her outfit daring. Liek wore a very short miniskirt just fifteen centimeters below her waist. She has long legs so it barely just covered her crotch. In fact, you can see a glimpse of her panties if it weren’t for the darkness. The same goes for her shirt. If you can call it that. It was more like a bra than a shirt. A piece of clothing was tied from her back to cover her chest. That was all there was. The skirt and the bra had a golden color to them. With her chocolate colored skin, the outfit brought out her true charms and sexiness.
Her long ears and long black hair complimented her beautiful face. Her eyelashes were long and curled. Her dress and appearance is how a girl should look minutes before doing the deed. I don’t think any man can resist jumping at her when she’s looking like that.
Elves sure are something else. Erla was a knockout beauty. I still haven’t seen any normal person as beautiful as her. In terms of beauty, she’s leagues ahead of Liek. But when it comes to sexiness, Liek has the upper hand.
The girls stared at her telling her to “Go away.” Liek couldn’t care less about them. She had a bright smile on her face like someone who wouldn’t mind dying right there. It was as though she couldn’t see them.
What surprised me was how she was able to recognize me even though I’ve changed my appearance. Erla barely believed me this afternoon. Maybe her friend told her about me. But did I tell her my real identity?
Come to think of it, Taht also jumped and hugged me when I entered through her window. Maybe there is some special connection between me and the girls I’ve kissed.
Liek used to talk in a sexy voice. Now she talks in a shy cute voice “I heard that girl talking about moving in with you. Do you think I can move in here with you as well?”
I couldn’t process what she said when all the girls shouted “What!!??”Calling Taht a girl. I know Taht is over twenty years old, but Liek shouldn’t be a year or two older than me. Either she’s eighteen or nineteen since I’m seventeen. How come she called her a girl? 
But that’s not what’s important. “Move in here with me!!??” I also lost it and shouted from the shock.
“Uh-huh. All these girls are leaving here right? I think I should move In as well. I don’t think I can live if I’m not close to you.”
Huh? Her words were enough to steal my heart. Not being able to live without me is a really strong punch. It would have knocked on the door to my heart or more. But my heart has been completely captured. It’s no longer in my body. Palmeerea holds it all to herself.
Whether her words were just sweet talk or not, I didn’t know when I subconsciously said “I guess you can stay…………..” but then I realized what I did when Taht cried out “How can you say that when you haven’t even given me an answer yet?”
I returned to my senses and tried changing my words “I mean, you cant! What if ‘she’ finds out!?”
As if she was just waiting for me to say that, Meila shouted “Aha! I knew there was someone else! Who is it!? you’ve been sneaking out of the house for a long time now!”
“I……” I froze before I could say anything.
It came to me as a surprise. Meila’s behaviour and pattern of speech was just like back then before we decided to act nicely towards one another. 
“Is she mad?” was all I could think.
From her reaction, I knew she was onto something. I did promise her that I wouldn’t see Palmeerea again. Since when has she become suspicious of me?

The word “Hectic” cant even describe how that night ended. We got three new house members at the same time. I had no choice but to allow all of them to stay in the house with me. I planned to tell Palmeerea everything so that something like what happened before will not repeat itself.
Taht and Burte staying will not cause any troubles for both us and them. However, Liek has a master. She left without telling him so that has to be settled before she can finally live as she pleases.
When I thought about how she has a master, I remembered about what Erla said to me about her being a ‘slave’. if she has a master and Liek has a master then does that mean………..?
I had to confirm for myself. 
We have tons of rooms in my house. About twenty large rooms altogether. It was decided by Meila who acts like the girl’s captain that all the girls will stay in the second floor while I alone will stay in the first floor. She was on edge when she came up with several rules that night. One among which none of the girls are allowed to come down to the first floor until the are altogether. I figured Liek wasn’t the type to take orders from just anyone, but I didn’t expect her to come to my room that night.
That was when I asked about her relationship with her master.
“I have more freedom than a slave, but not as free as a hired servant.”
Servants like her naturally grow up serving a family. They get their masters at a young age and serve them with all their might. Betrayal is not acceptable. Unlike slaves, they are not bound by any magic which forces them to obey their masters.
She is the same as how Leila used to be. I’m glad I stopped that man from turning her into a real slave back then.
But the thing about slavery is not open to the public. There is a law that prevents slavery but apparently, the government turns a blind eye on that slave house and on the nobles who own slaves.
This kingdom comprises of a lot of races. No race will just sit back and watch as one of theirs is treated a slave. That’s why only the black market sales them.
“Liek, it’s dangerous if you get too close to me.” to begin with, she wanted to crawl in my bed when I started the ‘master’ conversation. She was determined to spend the night with me.
“I know it’s dangerous. I somewhat like danger.” she returned to her bold self a bit too quickly since I allowed her to stay.
The more she crawled over, the more I pulled back “No. I don’t want you to be in danger. I’m serious.” 
I could see her boobs jiggling towards me “Just a little wont hurt right? I just want you to touch me~”
This girl, has she forgotten what happened back then in the barn?
I kept on pulling backwards until I fell of the super sized bed.
“Hehe~” she smiled nonchalantly looking down at me from the bed in her crawling position.
That was when the door to my room opened “Aha! I knew you were here!” and Meila barged in.
Liek clicked her tongue “Tch. It’s the brown haired goat.”
“I’m not a goat! I’m a fox! And how do you even know a girl like this!?”
Liek ignored Meila’s nagging and looked at me “Too bad the mood has been ruined. We can have fun another time. Now that we live in the same house, I have a hunch it’ll be real soon.” then she sexily winked at me.
Meila shouted “Ga! I hate this!!” nagging Liek out of the room.
Good grief. How are things going to play out from now on? I have to talk to Palmeerea before things get out of hand.
The next morning, I went to see her very early in the morning. I started skipping a day because she wanted me to get stronger fighting in the dungeon. I still skip sometimes so that she’ll think I still go there.To tell the truth, I’m kinda scared and excited to find out what I’ll see in there next. That’s why I’m trying to take a good rest before going back.
I didn’t tell Palmeerea about the girls in my house until we finished playing around.
“You know I love you and you alone right?”
I was never experienced in sweet talking a girl before, but I had to do what I could to avoid the worst case scenario.
I told her about the girls in my house. It was better that way. I explained to her that they had no where to go to due to various circumstances. I also explained to her that I knew them for a while before I met her.
Needless to say she was mad. She turned the opposite direction from me and said {I knew all about it.}she was pretending not to know to see what will happen between me and them.
She was testing me.
{When will they leave?} she said after remaining silent for a while.
“When?” I didn’t know what to say. When will they leave? I don’t know that.
The Palmeerea from before our fight would have surely went on a rampage and injured them by now. She said that she’s afraid we’ll get into another fight. That’s why she did nothing. Deep down, I know she must be hurting.
“You have to believe in me. My feelings for you are greater than you think. There’s no way I’ll love any other girl besides you.” she may be old, but she’s still a girl in my eyes.
I asked her not to hurt the girls because there is nothing going on between me and them. I say that, but it’s also my responsibility to look after them. After our kiss, the girls have all become strongly attached to me. They need my energy in order to remain energetic. Whether they know it or not, that is the reason they are all gathering around me. If I were to stop seeing Liek, Etis and Taht; they would surely return to their former weak state. That’s why I cant send them away despite knowing it might hurt Palmeerea.
Now that I’ve become a lot stronger than I was before; Palmeerea’s powers don’t seem to affect me that much. I’ll be able to move in with her without any troubles. I know she’s always thinking about that. But moving in with her means I’ll leave the girls all alone. If it hadn’t been for them, I wouldn’t have asked her for a new house after our old one got destroyed. I would have simply lived with her.
I think one of the reasons she gave me the house easily was because she was trying to apologize. She would have demanded I move in with her.
The condition for turning a blind eye on the girls is that I spend most of my time with her. Meaning I can only stay in my house when I have to. That is her way of preventing any unwanted thing from happening between us. 
That was fine by me. I can just tell them that I’m going to the dungeon whenever I leave the house. 
I stayed the whole morning and afternoon with her and only returned at night. I had wanted to meet Modnoc before returning home but thought it can wait till tomorrow. Apparently, it couldn’t. Liek’s friend and Modnoc’s other servant was waiting for me in the house when I arrived.
All the girls were gathered in the living room. They all looked somewhat relieved that Liek is going back with her friend. Liek on the other hand was not in a good mood. She looked depressed. Something must have been said to her.
The beast girl went straight to the point the minute I entered the house “My master wants to see you.”
Well, it was unavoidable that I had to see him about Liek.