Chapter 34: Chapter 8 – Zaria

D&D 3.5 relevant Information for Players

--- --- Week 2 - Day 8 - Tuesday, 10th Day of the Seventh Month --- ---

Zaria woke and after savouring the bodies beside her for a bit, she cursed her libido.

That had not been what she had planned at all.

Nyrth had issues, and having sex with her was not the way to resolve them.

Zaria looked at the pile of bodies. To her left Nyrth, with ears peeking from behind her. To the right Ellele with Cibelle behind her.

Zaria frowned. Her ears were telling her it was raining. She slipped out of the pile of bodies, switching with the bunny made sure the others did not complain too much. Besides Cinnamon was the last one to rise usually, so it was fine if she was in the middle.

It was still dark but the rain was strong and heavy. Today was not a good day to go outside and meditate.

It was time to check if the mansion had a winter garden.

Zaria stretched, even after a week the feeling of having a tail was still new. She found herself turned away by the sleepy Yuki, but Annabell squirmed free from the bed and seemed to be waiting.

Zaria frowned as she had no idea where the small golem had ended up after sex. The quick look before had not shown her presence. Unless Annabell had been hidden completely by the blanket. Breathing was not a necessity for Annabell.

She helped her doll dress, which had been the purpose she had activated her for actually. She needed more time, a small golem like Annabell was perfect for dressing up. She clearly needed to make more dresses for her doll.

It was one thing after another.

She decided to check on the weather in Trianna after she got her spells back. If it was raining there as well, then dropping Nyrth and Ellele off with Mrr'am was not going to work. Ellele was shy about her race and not the touchy type, Nyrth was shy due to having been crippled and being too thin, Fel'ctas seemed the naked nervous type, the bunny was naked, and Mrr'am was naked and loved skinship.

Not a good idea to leave such a mix unsupervised. It could go perfectly well or go terribly wrong.

That meant she had to meet the kitten and explain how their outing was going to be put off until better weather. Maybe a promise to spend more time with her would help. A promise to visit other places with her might be good too and probably something the adventurous kitten might enjoy.

During the quick search for plants Zaria had to realize with surprise that the maids' bathroom held the most plants. She clearly needed a winter garden or something like that. Yet more expenses she had to get loot for.

She let Annabell, after stripping the golem again, curl up in her lap. She didn't strip as she had been preoccupied enough to walk around bare. She was getting far too dependent on her maids.

It was time to meditate.

------

Fitting to the situation the meditation showed her lavish baths at the fallen temple, statues and expensive artwork lined the huge pool. Soaps and oil were brought in packages made from gold and inlaid with gems. What had started as a cosy natural hot spring had become a scene for decadence and showing off wealth.

Now the once hot pool was cold and a murky pond where something moved under the surface. The riches were stolen, the statues were broken. Part of the roof had collapsed but it was not enough to light up the dark hall.

Since she was going into drow territory and visiting another city, today's spells were more on the combat side. Along with several more healing spells.

------

Upon her return Zaria found herself being watched by maids as she petted Annabell.

"Good Morning Young Lady." The maids present chorused when they saw the heir awaken. More than one wanted to try their hand at washing the albino.

"Good morning, due to the weather I had to borrow your plants to meditate, what do you think about a winter garden? It would be a place to relax and would always have a nice warm temperature."

"Nice smelling flowers?"

"A tree for some shade."

"Maybe a small lawn for an inside picnic?"

It was clear the maids approved. "I'll try to set something up, ask around, and deliver the ideas to my office."

Looking at the maids bathing and washing themselves was nice, it was also obvious that Annabell was observing them. Zaria hoped that her small doll didn't pick up any weird habits.

"I am off, please keep up the good work." With that Zaria lifted her toy up and used a Dimension Door to return to her room.

"The new lady is much more social."

"The tail is so fluffy."

"And the long hair is so white and silky."

"The loli was adorable too, hard to believe she was made after an ancestor."

"She was staring a lot." A maid stuck her larger chest out.

------

Back in Zaria's room only Cibelle was awake.

Nyrth seemed on the border to waking, but that was possibly because Ellele had moved again in her sleep and had wrapped a wing over the human girl. As a dragon she naturally had a higher body temperature. Cinnamon on the other hand seemed perfectly fine being sandwiched between the two girls. The bunny was once again showing her ability to sleep.

Zaria set down Annabell, before realising that she had forgotten the clothes in the maid's bath. "Cibelle, I have forgotten Anna's clothes in the maids' bath, for some reason it is the place with the most indoor plants. Anna, you can go back to bed for a little longer, I need to study my spellbook now."

The small golem seemed to be unable to decide for a moment, then went to bed, slipped under the blanket, then under the wings, and pressed herself into Nyrth from behind.

Zaria suspected the human girl would wake really soon with another heat source added.

That caused Zaria to realise something. There was only one human in her group.
She did not count with her mix of races. But as for the others, Nyrth was the only human.

Most of the maids were human, Cibelle and Cinnamon being exceptions. Of her friends only Nyrth and Tessa were human, a former cripple and a crazy loli. Cibelle fell into the elf category, Cinnamon and Mrr'am were both animals, and Ellele was a dragon. Annabell was a pleasure golem.

She was not racist, but for some reason nonhumans seemed the majority. That did not even count people she associated with, of those only most of the maids, many of the guards, the Duke and his secretary were human.

She idly wondered if she should get another human, but then remembered that most of her bootlickers, minions and fangirls were human. She spent a few minutes smoothing down her tail.

It was time to stop with the distractions and to read her spellbook.

A nice mix of support spells from the wizard side sounded good.

------

Nyrth woke.

She felt hot.

She was sweaty.

She felt warmth from all sides.

Blanket and wing on top, bunny and dragon plastered to the front, and small female against her back.

It took her sleepy mind a bit to refocus.

Ellele was a dragon and she was sleeping under Ellele's wing.

The bunny maid, Cinnamon had her face in her chest and the fluffy ears were brushing her face if she moved.

Ellele's chest was mashed against hers with the bunny's head in between.

A small female shape against her back made no sense, until she remembered the golem.

That reminded her of last night.

She had been in an orgy.

She did not know how to take that. It had just happened and she had been dragged along with the flow. It had been very pleasurable, but it was unexpected.

How was she going to look at the others without blushing and remembering?

"Good morning Lady Nyrth." Cibelle greeted her whispering. "Do you require help getting out?"

Nyrth blushed when remembering the drow's dark body. She didn't trust her voice so she just nodded.

Cibelle manipulated the group by raising the wing, rolling Annabell onto Nyrth, then replacing Nyrth with Annabell against Cinnamon. Finally, the wing was lowered back.

Nyrth felt shy, she was bare before the maid.

"The bath will be ready soon." Cibelle told the human as she fetched a bathrobe for her.

Nyrth accepted the cloth eagerly, but lost her balance while putting it on. She landed face first in Cibelle's chest when the maid caught her.

"Please be careful Lady Nyrth, you are not yet used to having your full mobility back." Cibelle helped with tying the bathrobe securely and led the blushing human to the couch. "Would you like some tea or some juice?"

"Juice please." The maid went to a serving cart and picked a bottle from the bottom tray, then she took a glass and filled it with something. When Nyrth was handed the cup, she identified the liquid as apple juice by the smell.

She downed the cup quickly, only afterwards she realized how thirsty she had been.

She blushed when she remembered why.

From the corner of her eye, she saw the blanket on the bed move.

Ellele had woken.

The draconic girl rose sleepily, stretched, something that looked very impressive with her wings stretching to full span.

Nyrth was honestly amused when she saw that even the tail stretched.

Then the dragon looked around, stumbled off the bed, and made her way towards Zaria, only to be intercepted by Cibelle. "Mistress is studying her spellbook." She steered the draconic girl off to the side to a seat where she could see Zaria. "Wait here, I will prepare the bath for all of us."

Then she handed the slightly confused Ellele a cup of juice and disappeared into the bath.

Nyrth actually felt sleepy. The sound of rain from the outside was pulling her into a light sleep.

Ellele on the other hand seemed pretty fine. She showed no side-effects from their orgy, she had no awkward air around her, and honestly seemed happy that she could be her real self.

Compared to Nyrth who was overwhelmed by what had happened, Ellele was perfectly content.

"And done!" Zaria closed the spellbook and looked around.

She opened her mouth to say something when Cibelle came from the bathroom. "The bath is ready; everyone please wait while I try to wake Cinnamon."

Zaria smiled at the timing; her maids were really spoiling her. "Good morning Nyrth, good morning Ellele~" she greeted her two friends, and lovers.

"Good morning!" Ellele got up and was approaching clearly eager for a hug.

"Good morning?" Nyrth started her greeting then trailed off blushing when she saw the naked dragon approaching Zaria who simply rose from her chair and opened her arms for the hug.

A full body hug with arms, wings and tail was rather warm and the full contact of bare skin against skin felt nice.

Meanwhile Cibelle was trying to wake Cinnamon, rather unsuccessfully as the bunny was responding but zombies had more brain functions then the bunny.

It was amusing to watch though.

Then Zaria slipped out of the embrace and went to pick up the bunny, easily lifting the smaller than her (not counting the ears) girl and carrying her towards the bath.

Annabell and Ellele followed on their own, Nyrth found herself ushered inside.

The Zaria looked at Cibelle with a knowing smile. "You just wanted us all in at the same time to use the large bathtub."

And it was large enough to hold them all comfortably.

"Let's wash Ellele first."

"Why?" The mentioned girl asked in surprise.

"Because I am curious, I've never washed draconic wings before." Zaria admitted.

Everyone looked at the large wings and had to admit to feeling the same curiosity.

"I know how to wash my fluffy tail, and my fluffy ears, but a scaly tail and horns is new."

"Eep?" Ellele had no choice as the eager females swarmed her at an unspoked command as Zaria simply watched amused. Even Nyrth had gotten caught up in the excitement.

------

The horns were not sensitive, the wings were however, despite the leathery feeling, they had the draconic girl squirming, and finally the tail did not get much of a reaction out of the girl. The human body had the normal sensitive and very sensitive spots.

After the fact, Nyrth found herself embarrassed, but got distracted by Zaria depositing the bunny in her lap. "Now, the main thing to watch out for are the ears, you can treat everything else like you would normally, but the ears you have to be really gentle with, if you play with them too much, it will be horny ears."

Nyrth washed the small maid, making sure to avoid any sensitive spots, next to her Annabell found herself washed by Zaria, who was being washed by Cibelle.

"Mistress has sensitive ears and a sensitive tail."

Nyrth thought that she did not need to know that. It explained the yelp from the night before however, when Ellele hugged the white fluffy tail.

Afterwards Nyrth felt something she wasn't sure about when she saw Zaria and Annabell wash Cibelle affectionately. There were clearly a lot of touches that were meant to show care rather than lust, even if the drow clearly tried to earn more erotic touches. They were flirting Nyrth realized.

Ellele felt jealous, clearly Zaria was very affectionate with the people around her, but there was something about the way she treated her drow that made Ellele jealous. Then Zaria gave her knowing smile, the pink tongue slipped out and licked the reddish lips.

Ellele lost her train of thought. That tongue seemed to promise more things like had happened the night before. She knew she was blushing, but she was a dragon, she was not going to hide in the tub like some … she hid after all, the tongue flick Zaria showed her made her remember something very pleasurable, and she knew her face was burning red.

The splash the dragongirl made in the tub when she dove under water caught everyone's attention, but they quickly returned to whatever body they were washing.

When Nyrth realized that she was the only one not yet washed, it was too late to escape.

Zaria hugged her from behind. "You are too thin."

Nyrth blushed as the kitsune once again invaded personal space and skin to skin contact with the small chest pressing into her back, made her freeze mentally.
Then the bunny in her lap twisted around and started washing her front.
Going by height she knew that the one washing her hair was the tall drow.
The small hands on her legs and feet could only mean that the small golem had started there.

"Let me help too!" Ellele was clearly eager for revenge as she left the tub and went to join in helping 'wash' Nyrth.

Nyrth could only squirm and moan when hands and fingers did more than just wash.

------

The limp Nyrth was in Zaria's lap who found herself in Ellele's lap again.

"Since the weather is bad today, that wrecked most of my plans, including the one where I could leave you to an adorable kitten while I do business. So how does dropping you off at Nyrth's place sound? You could tell your parents you are healed and staying over for a while. Afterwards I could teleport you to Ellele's place, to have some things explained there, especially this." Zaria petted Ellele's tail that was wrapped around Nyrth and her. "Meanwhile I'll deliver an item for the guild with Elior, and later visit the drow." Zaria pondered for a few moments. "Elior going with you to Nyrth's place would probably be better. Explaining things to your parents will be interesting."

Something nagged at Nyrth. "So, you are planning on skipping the explanation? But it's your fault!"

"I need to visit Mrr'am, deliver an item with Elior, talk to the underdark drow, … I think forgot something again?"

"I'll check the list later." Cinnamon chirped from her almost submerged spot.

Then the door opened and a sleepy Yuki entered.

With another incredible twist Zaria slipped from between Nyrth and Ellele and left the tub to wash her familiar.

The small vixen found herself shampooed, rubbed, rinsed, then set floating in the large tub.

Annabell tried to emulate the floating floof less than successfully.

"After breakfast I'll deliver you to Nyrth's parents. After that I will visit the kitten. Then we have to deliver the item for the guild, how about I deliver you to Ellele's family for the afternoon? And I need to visit the drow too." Zaria pondered for a moment. "Actually, let's play it by the ear, I doubt any plans will survive anyway."

There were a lot of nods at that.

"I guess it is time to start the day properly."

------

Breakfast was a lively affair, with the duke watching his daughter and her two friends shenanigans.

Nyrth was clearly the more reserved shy one.
Ellele wanted his daughter's attention.
Cinnamon had found herself caught again and was currently in Zaria's lap.
Annabell was being helped by Cibelle.

He had been surprised that Cibelle was drow, but since his daughter had approved, it was fine. He doubted she could be harmed by the maid anyway.

He actually wondered what she was clearly like. He had the feeling that she was keeping a lot of secrets.

He also felt amused. Even before his daughter was not the type to forgive easily. Now however he almost wanted for Lord Apfel to complain. Or maybe his daughter would try something again. The results were going to be impressive for sure.

Better to have someone annoying like them serve as a sign as to what happens to those opposing House Kairan, or at least in an illegal way.

Who cared if they were unhappy as long as they did what they had to.

Breakfast was over for him, he excused himself and left.

------

"I know he is your father, but I can't help but feel intimidated." Ellele admitted once the Duke was out of listening range.

Nyrth nodded. "I agree! When he looks at you, you can feel the pressure."

"Really?" Zaria tried to remember, but drew a blank.

""""You don't count"""" four voices interrupted her.

"I mean what would you do if you found a devil or a demon?" Nyrth asked.

"If it's annoying, remove it."

"What about facing a dragon?" Ellele wondered.

"I am facing you? But if you mean larger and completely scaly, if annoying and obnoxious remove it, permanently."

"What about evil and racist drow?" Cibelle decided to join.

Zaria fed Cinnamon another bite before responding. "That already happened actually, I removed a thief, a cleric, and some guards."

The nonchalant and uncaring delivery was enough to make everyone stop for a moment.

"Tarrasque?"

"Kill it I guess."

There was a moment of silence as everyone chewed over that one.

"You can?" That was a voice from someone else.

Zaria thought for a moment. "I am pretty sure if I go all out, I can." If she remembered correctly a Tarrasque had around 1000hp, she could use power attack to shift 200 of her bap to damage, then add a few buffs, unless it had over 70 AC she'd still be able to hit it. With two weapons she had eight attacks, that meant if all hit, she'd probably deal some 1800 damage. She wondered if the skirmish damage applied to the first hit actually.

"Have you ever gone all out?"

"No." That would be overkill on a completely different level. Like the world ending level to need to do that. Or someone simply annoyed her enough.

Nyrth had heard some of what Zaria had done. "How much of your power did you use?"

"Not much? Until recently I didn't even own proper weapons. And actually, I still don't. I am more dangerous when having weapons since I can use melee, ranged, and magical combat." Zaria took another bite and chewed properly before swallowing. "The only mostly decent weapon I own right now is a cursed bastardsword. My magical items total to zero too."

That sounded worrying. Both the cursed weapon part and that she was not equipped properly. What would she be like fully equipped?

"Now let's get dressed, you have raincoats or cloaks for rain?"

"I will have them prepared." Cibelle responded.

Zaria looked at her drow. "Will they fit me anymore?"

"There will be some your size from when you were younger."

"That works for me, but what about Ellele? I doubt anything I own was made with wings in mind."

"A larger one should suffice." Cibelle pondered as she scrutinized the large wings.

Ellele offered a way out, but to Zaria it was clear that she was not comfortable with it. "I can take an amulet that makes them go away?"

"Objection, that sounds uncomfortable." Zaria denied immediately.

"A larger cloak, she wraps the wings around herself? It would be only until we are inside after all." Nyrth threw in, feeling uncomfortable when everyone looked at her.

Zaria agreed to the proposal. "Sounds like the best way, we have to try it out."

Ellele had the feeling that she was going to have to try on a lot of cloaks.

------

Fitting the suddenly shy Ellele with a cloak was not easy. The girl was actually scared about meeting Nyrth's parents in her real form. The normally shy Nyrth found herself in the surprising position of having to calm the dragon. That pun was intended by Zaria.

"Elle!" Zaria called out causing Ellele to snap to attention. "You are overreacting. Considering Nyrth's parent seem nice and homely, at least the home felt nice and warm when I was there." Zaria stopped for a moment remembering something. "I probably met them before but I simply don't remember, all I can say is that Nyrth's place feels warm and cosy, maybe caring. This ‘missing memories’ thing is annoying."

The assembled females all gave Zaria looks that showed care and a bit of pity.

"Stop that, I might not know myself from before, but I think the 'me' now is perfectly fine. I have so many more possibilities and abilities now. Can't really miss what I don't know I am missing." Then came a familiar foxy smirk from Zaria. "And it gives me an excuse to do what I want. I have met you two again and I certainly don't regret it."

The kitsune seemed unhappy with the reactions of her two friends.

"Stop moping! I am the one that remembers nothing about this life, I could tell you tales about dozens of other lives I have lived instead." The albino smirked. "I even had a few male lives, maybe that is why I appreciate the female body so much?" She leered at them.

Nyrth blushed and looked away. Ellele blushed but stuck her chest out.

"Now let us go off and visit Nyrth's home. Has someone seen Elior?"

The elf was missing.

"Guess I need to look for her." It was unusual for the elf to be missing for so long.

"Leave it to me!" The bunny seemed eager.

"Split up?" Zaria offered.

"I will check her room." Cibelle announced.

"I will head to your office." Cinnamon was vibrating with eagerness.

"I'll hit the library, I guess. Maybe I can ask the secretary too." Zaria was fast, so she saw no issues with going to two places. "Wait here please, we will be back in a bit."

The three that lived here the longest left.

Yuki simply yawned from the bed and buried herself deeper in the blankets.

Ellele and Nyrth found themselves practically alone with Annabell, who was focused on Ellele's tail.

"Nyrth, she is staring at my tail." Ellele asked for help.

Nyrth nodded. "Maybe she wants to pet it again? It has this nice soft yet scaly feeling."

"Nyrth?"

The human blushed when she realized what she had just admitted.

Ellele blushed because Nyrth blushed.

Annabell continued following the tail with her eyes as someone who was completely incapable of reading the mood.

------

Zaria knocked, waited for the "Yes?" then entered. "Hello, any issues that need immediate dealing with before I leave for the day?"

The secretary eyed Zaria suspiciously. "None that are time sensitive right now."

"Make a list of the other issues and give it to the ears … I mean Cinnamon." Zaria came to the actual topic. "Now why I am actually here, I have misplaced Elior, do you know anything."

The secretary was caught off guard by the rather weird way she formulated it. "Lady Elior has received multiple letters today. She also asked if we have medical texts in the library."

"I think they were in the back somewhere."

"Correct."

"Thank you, have a pleasant day." Just because she rarely used them, didn't mean Zaria had no manners.

Releasing visibility Zaria dashed across the house, several servants ended up confused, but then conveniently and correctly blamed the weird rumours about their reborn Mistress.

At the library Zaria stopped and entered slowly. She took a deep breath, and smelled the elven maiden.

Following the scent, she found the cleric at a table with a few opened letters, several sealed ones that looked freshly written and several open books.
Inspecting the books revealed them to be medical and about mental issues and disabilities.
"Morning Elior, you missed breakfast."

The elf twitched in surprise, then calmed down her breath forcefully, her heart was going to take a little longer. She turned around and complained. "Zaria, you can't just scare people like that! Make some noise when you approach?" The elf trailed off. "Are you invisible?"

"Oh right, I forgot." She made herself visible again.

"Did you just turn invisible to look for me?" Elior asked incredulously.

Zaria shrugged. "It keeps the staff from pausing their work just to greet me."

It made sense, Elior decided, in a weird Zaria way. "So, I missed breakfast?"

"And we are ready to visit Nyrth's parents, I thought you would want to go with them, I'll handle the kitten meanwhile, and possibly the drow. Then I'll drop them off at Ellele's place while we go deliver the panties." Zaria invaded Elior's personal space and poked the stomach, and pulled her hand back when Elior tried to swat it. "I'll have Cinnamon get a small breakfast for you. I have the feeling that Nyrth's parents are going to insist on feeding you all."

"You remember them?"

"Not at all~"

Elior was not impressed by the answer.

"Now shoo, those letters are meant to be delivered? Any special requirements?"

"Don't read them."

"Why would I?"

"..."

"Really, now off you go. I'll deliver these, want the sandwich in your room or mine?"

"Mine, I feel like everyone would be staring at me while I eat."

"True." Zaria released her visibility and left.

"And she turned invisible again."

------

The secretary accepted Elior's letters and was going to send them off with the noon mail.

Cinnamon eagerly went to organize a sandwich for Elior to be delivered to the cleric's room.

Cibelle made everyone tea.

After a while the fully armed and equipped cleric arrived.

"Next stop, Nyrth's home." Zaria declared while focussing on the house as opposed to the tree.

"Have a safe trip Mistress." "Enjoy yourselves." "Kon" Cibelle, Cinnamon and Yuki sent the group off.

Going from warm and dry room to rainy and cool outside was rather disorienting.

"Teleportation is weird." Nyrth observed.

"It's raining!" Ellele complained.

"Come inside." Nyrth invited the group and went to the door, after checking it was open. "Mom, dad, I am home."

The others followed, with Ellele going quickly, to get out of the rain, and Elior and Zaria having a silent argument about who should go in last.

In the end Zaria picked up Elior and carried the complaining cleric inside.

"You can walk!" A man exclaimed.

"I am so happy!" A woman hugged Nyrth tightly.

The group found Nyrth being smothered by what could only be her mother, she looked a lot like Nyrth only older, more mature, and far stronger than the thin former cripple. Off to the side a tall man was visibly happy and watching with warm eyes.

"Mom, Dad! We have guests, and Zaria healed me."

"Wasn't she dead?"

Zaria waved from where she put Elior back down. "I am back and alive, not undead."

The happy parents looked at the small albino kitsune. "You don't look like Zaria." The father accused. "The face is similar, maybe a little sharper." The mother observed. "You are right honey, the face is similar, but the ears, colour, and size are all off." The father was the sceptic. "You are being rude, maybe something happened during the return from the dead?" The mother was clearly the smarter one.

"I take it we have met before, greetings I am Zaria van Kairan, kitsune shrine maiden of Tamano no Mae. It seems like we have before, but unfortunately, I don't remember. So, pleased to meet you, again?" Zaria introduced herself. "You might remember Ellele, only without wings and tail, and this is Elior Rellan, a famous cleric who tries to keep me from going overboard and keeps on failing."

The pair focused on Ellele now, the dragongirl shyly removing the wet cloak that covered her.

The father looked the fidgeting dragongirl up and down. "The face is the same, the body too, the wings, colour, and tail are new."

The wife smacked him, then she pushed Nyrth into his arms before facing Zaria and ignoring the strained complaint from the girl about too tight hugs. "Stop ogling her. You are making her nervous." She focussed on Zaria again, and made a bow. "I am Baroness Hylla van Housden, thank you for somehow healing my daughter. Welcome Lady Ellele, Lady Elior."

Zaria clapped, gathering everyone's attention. "Now that everyone was introduced, let's stop with this polite speech and over the top manners." Then she pointed out the struggling Nyrth. "I just healed her, and can do so again, but maybe you should stop trying to break her ribs and shattering her spine."

Nyrth found herself quickly released. She took several deep breaths to get some air back. "Thank you for saving me Zaria."

"Sure~"

"So Nyrth healing?" The wife asked fishing for more information.

Zaria deflected. "Just some magic."

"Just some, learn some moderation." Elior berated the kitsune.

"But it worked."

"Isn't magic like that expensive?"

"Around 20000 gold pieces worth." Elior threw in with a glare at the kitsune.

The parents paled.

"Hush you." Zaria chided Elior. "And I am not taking money, probably half that or less would have been enough."

"But …"

"Not listening, now sorry. I have a lot of obligations today." Zaria teleported out.

------

Zaria ignored the change in weather, but released her visibility. "I should have teleported to her home." The kitsune took a quick peek at her shrine and found it pretty much undisturbed aside from two spiders that she killed quickly.

A dimension door brought her to her real target.

The kitsune approached the door and knocked.

"Yes?" It was the bunny's voice.

"It's Zaria, I came to visit Mrr'am."

"Yes! We have been waiting!" The door was pulled open and Zaria found herself staring at a very enthusiastic, very naked, and very confused bunny.

"Zaria?" The bunny asked.

The kitsune suppressed her invisibility again. "Let me in and let's close the door, you are showing yourself."

"Eeep!" Tinkerbell jumped away from the door, letting the now visible albino enter.

"So, you have been waiting?" Zaria wondered aloud; a quick look around showed no pink kitten. "Did something happen to Mrr'am."

"No, but to Fel'ctas." Tinkerbell assured Zaria.

Cocoa approached, the chest bouncing a bit with each step. "We have sent Mrr'am off with my sister so we don't worry her."

"So, what has happened to Fel'ctas?"

"She was poisoned by spiders!"

"Spiders again? Show me!" The frowning kitsune demanded, the spiders were really becoming a pain.

The two girls led her to the bedroom. "She got bitten so much that she is now lying powerless and can't even move!" Tinkerbell was unhappy, the ears were twitching in irritation.

When the door was opened Zaria saw the catgirl lying on her back, staring at the ceiling, and the smell of the girls having a good time the night before and the patient having wet the bed hitting her.

"Alright, I will fix her, now out you two!" She ordered. "Wait in the kitchen, and prepare something for her, she will be hungry."

""Yes!"" The two obeyed without question.

Zaria approached the bed and pulled the sheets back. As she had smelled the catgirl was in a rather miserable state, and completely helpless. Magic got rid of the smell and the accident.

She took her cloak off, and straddled the helpless catgirl.

"Now, normally I'd say 'we need to talk' but since you can't respond right now, I'll talk and you make sure you listen."

"I know adventuring is dangerous."

"I know there are certain risks."

"I can fix everything, including death easily."

"What I can't fix is Mrr'am becoming sad!"

Zaria flicked Fel'ctas nose gently, it still caused tears to appear.

"I think neither of us wants a sad and teary Mrr'am."

"So, don't take such huge risks!"

"Since this is the first time, I will let it slide, but next time, I will punish you!"

Zaria then rose, looked down, and realized she had made her victim wet herself again.

Once again magic came to the rescue.

"Now to fix you. Neutralize Poison, Restoration, Regenerate, Heal."

She smirked evilly as she did some mental calculations. "Just for your information. That was around 4000 gp worth of spells at a large discount. Normally I'd be able to charge 9540 gp for that."

The catgirl twitched then turned her head away. "I'm sorry?"

Zaria patted the head. "As long as you stay safe in the future." The serious part over she looked at her victim. "You know you have a very lewd body?"

"Nyah?" The change of pace clearly threw the catgirl off.

"Big breasts, big nipples, short curvy body, large pussylips, big forest." The kitsune listed off. "And naturally the cat's rough tongue. I guess your harem is very happy with your body considering the smell~"

Now the catgirl blushed deeply.

Zaria poked the shifty Fel'ctas in the side. "Now shoo, go wash up, I got a kitten to meet. I will bring her over."

"Our sheep got poisoned too. Can you?"

"Sure." Zaria replied without hesitation. "If she is healthy you are safer. Where does she live?"

"Uhm…"

"Fine, I'll track her down."

Zaria leered at the catgirl. "Oh, and next time you are laid out like this, I will make sure to explore your body properly as punishment."

Fel'ctas blushed and pulled the blanket over herself.

Zaria laughed and left the room.

She entered the living room and saw the bunny and the cow standing over by the kitchen part of the room, they were clearly preparing the breakfast like she had told them to.

The bunny standing on a chair in a small naked apron while working on eggs seemed especially adorable. She approached the two and gave the preparations a critical look.

A little advice never hurt anyone. "A little more butter for the eggs would be better, put the bread on the bacon." Or maybe it did as the ears on both went straight and to attention. "I sent her to the bathroom. I'm off to visit Mrr'am and bring her here, so make sure your stories match. Something about being exhausted about fighting lots of spiders should work."

She finished her explanation and out her cloak back on.

"Un un." Tinkerbell made an agreeing sound.

"Be back in a bit." Opening the door, she slipped through it before shutting it and glaring at the rain. "Maybe I should prepare spells for weather next time, I think there was a druid spell for that. Now to track Millie."

"That way."

Zaria followed the tracks through the air, as weird as it sounded it would be ever weirder to explain how she saw 'very big moo' and Mrr'am had disturbed the air the day before.

Skills made no sense sometimes.

It didn't stop them from being insanely useful.

Zaria's impression of Millie's and Cocoa's home was fitting for cowgirls and druids. A nice garden, flowers, but not those made through millennia of breeding, and a nice rock foundation with wood.

It even had a doorbell.

Pushing the doorbell Zaria heard something amusing.

"Nyah? Ring ring?"

"That is the doorbell, it rings."

"The door has a bell?"

"Yes, it has, that means someone is at the door."

"Mrr'am will ask."

"No wait, you are not dressed!"

The sounds of feet approached the door.

"Nyah? Who?"

"Wait for me!"

"It's White~"

"Nyah! Ohh, door locked?"

Zaria pulled out the dagger and struck the door lock.

"Nyah! Open~"

The door opened and as expected a nude kitten greeted her.

"Cold!"

The kitten clearly didn't appreciate the weather.

Behind her Zaria saw a flustered Millie hastily buttoning up her shirt.

"Hello Mrr'am." Zaria entered, closed the door, discarded her wet cloak, and hugged the kitten. "Hello Millie, I let myself in."

"Welcome Zaria, so I guess you know and have taken care of it?"

"Yes, and gave a warning."

"Good!"

"Nyah?" The kitten was very confused.

"Don't worry, I met the others at your home, so everybody is home and healthy."

"Big sis back~"

"Yes, and since the weather is terrible, why don't we put off our playtime, so you can spend some time with your sis?"

Mrr'am seemed indecisive.

"That will give me some time to mop up some big spiders, it seems you sister got a few bites that I easily healed." It was the truth, for her anyway.

"Sis get bitten by big spider?"

"And some of the others too."

"Eww! White heal?"

"Still need to heal a sheep, after that everyone should be healed."

"Sheep?" Mrr'am seemed confused for a moment.

Millie decided to explain. "A sheepgirl cleric, her name is Rielle. She is a beginner, I thought it would be good if the party had more members. The other one is a high elven bard named Sytis."

"Flat elf?" Mrr'am asked.

"Not as flat as Celies." After a short moment Millie blushed when she realized what had slipped out of her mouth.

Zaria managed not to laugh. "Why don't you get dressed and I get you home?"

"Nyah!" The kitten scampered off.

Zaria gave Millie an amused look.

"Soooo…"

Millie just knew something was coming.

"It seems that the little kitten has exhausted the very big moo."

"And drained." Millie admitted. "I have no idea how she emptied me and ate a full breakfast."

"That is actually impressive, or would be if I didn't see her eat enough for two normal people."

"Let me guess, meat?"

"Mhm~"

Zaria put on her cloak.

"I guess everything is fine then, now I need to face the boss."

"If he gets annoying, remind him that being needlessly rude to you will be taken personally by me."

"Thank you~" That was a huge bonus for Millie, suddenly going to work, and being late, was less dreadful than before.

"Oh, and after I heal the sheep, I'll exterminate the spiders."

"I'll be waiting for your report at the guild."

A pink blur was running down the hall, this time dressed though and with a small overnight bag.

"Mrr'am ready!" The kitten reported.

"If not, you can always come back if you forgot something."

Millie being the cowgirl she was, started fretting. "I need to get her a cloak, maybe some better shoes!"

Zaria calmed her down however. "Don't worry, we won't be going through the rain."

"Moo?"

"Teleportation is the way to travel~"

Millie blinked. Zaria was simply not matching common sense. Teleportation so they wouldn't go through the rain?

"I'll drop by later."

"Nyah~ Mrr'am had fun with biggest moo!"

"Take care?" Millie smiled at the kitten, the little one was a breast obsessed fanatic, but still really cute.

Then Zaria used the 'Dimension Door' and pulled Mrr'am with her.

------

As far as short-range teleportation went, dimension door was a perfectly respectable and fine spell, only, it was a spell that gave you a moment of reorientation, not something you could use in combat.

So, Zaria held onto the pink kitten as she adjusted to having changed places.

"Mrr'am feel spinning?"

"Don't worry, it will pass in a moment, look, we are home and there is your sister." Distraction at its finest.

"Nyah! Big Sis is back!" The kitten skipped over to her sister and hugged her tightly.

Zaria had to grin as the older catgirl had her hands full of the affectionate kitten and had no chance to eat her breakfast.

"Want me to recharge the coin? I'll go on a spider hunt afterwards."

"Nyah? White leave?" The kitten looked up from her hug.

"I need to clear spiders, deliver an item, visit some friends, visit the underdark, and … I am forgetting something again." Zaria pondered for a moment. "Well, I hope it was nothing urgent, too much to do, too little time for it all." She ignored the way most flinched when they heard about the underdark.

Mrr'am was confused.

"I have a lot to do, and not enough time to do it all."

"Nyah! Like homework, too much and you don't have time to play~"

"Just like that." Zaria agreed.

"White so busy?"

"It is one of those super busy days."

"Mrr'am get coin~" The kitten jumped of Fel'ctas and went for her bag, routing through it she pulled out the coin in question.

Zaria tapped it once, and renewed the spell. To calm the kitten down she decided to invite her over. "How about next time I am free and the weather is nice, I invite you over? The places I go to are pretty different from this town."

The agreeing nods from the older girls were hard to miss.

"I'm off!" Zaria used another 'Dimension Door' and left for the shrine. She decided to start her search from there.

------

Finding the place, the spiders had been Zaria decided to track where they had come from.

Following the trail, the kitsune grumbled. The hood of the cloak was pressing down on her ears.

She wondered if a cloak in that cat ears style would be better.

Then she wondered how to sew it.

The kitsune hummed to herself, cat ears cloak with large cat ears, large ears because the ears moved. She probably needed some stiffer material too, she wondered what was available.

Maybe she should add something fluffy like fur to the ears, she could also add a cat's tail at the back … Zaria stopped mentally. Somehow the plan to make a cloak had turned into a plan to make one of those animal cloaks. In that case Zaria decided her own fox ears were a must but a fluffy fox tail attachment was a no, after all it could never reach true fluffiness of the real thing. Maybe it was a racial pride thing.

She pondered her changes. Her libido had gone through the roof, not only that but being intimate with those she liked felt far more natural than she could explain. She was possessive, she also felt far more social than ever before. She liked biting far more than before. Her mind was all over the place.

She saw something glitter through the rain. Raindrops hit something and flowed over something. She had found her target.

She ran up a tree while taking off her cloak. Then she jumped through the branches while taking her top off, into the air she went, the wings fading into existence. It would cause her to become wet, but she was fine with it.

From above it was harder to see, but she still managed.

She had found the nest.

Flying around it from the top she found the edges.

Then she dropped down.

The moment she landed at the border of the webbed area there was movement.

And moments later there was a sea of fire.

Firestorm being a druid spell could avoid the plants and only harm the spiders. Still the burning spiders managed to ignite some of the web, the burning webs damaged some of the trees.

Unfortunately, it was necessary. Zaria decided to prepare a spare 'Firestorm' with elemental substitution. Acid was out, Ice would lower the temperature too much, Lightning was a good possibility. It also fit with the druids 'Call Lightning' spell family.

When the shrieks of the burned alive spiders stopped and the rain had taken care of the worst of the burning webs Zaria entered the former nest. It was time for the tedious part, looting the burned cocoons.

Zaria looted the cocoons and was less than impressed with the results.
A little cash, 2 gems, a spyglass, 4 alchemist fire, 2 scrolls, a wand, a guild adventurer tag, and finally a greatsword. She put everything but the greatsword in her bag. That still left her with a pile of coins. After some deliberation she carefully dumped the coins on her cloak and teleported back.

"I'm back!" Zaria called out to an empty room.

"Kon?"

Maybe not completely empty.

"I guess I will simply dump everything here in the middle." Zaria dumped the greatsword and scrolls on her desk and left the coins in a pile in the middle. Hopefully Anna was going to take stock.

She took a towel and got the worst of the water off her body. Her pants were still soaked, but she hoped her constitution was sufficient to keep a cold away.

Then she put on her top, and left to look for a new cloak. This one needed a wash, a little dirt and remains from the coins mixed with spiderwebs was a good idea to change it for a different one.

"Oh right." She used magic to clean and dry her clothes.

"Much better."

"Hmmm."

Zaria turned in a circle.

"This is not in front of the guild … where am I?"

Green, everything around her was green grass. It was pretty flat too. At least there was no rain but the air was humid like after a rain shower.

"Ohh, off target!!!" Zaria spun in another circle again. She was deeply amused. "No Dungeon Master that throws you into a bad situation at a bad teleport. I love real life. Err fantasy life … I forgot Yuki is at home, good nobody is here or they'd wonder about the crazy floof talking to herself."

The kitsune decided to return here and check the area out if she ever managed to find herself with an abundance of time.

"Time to teleport, again."

This time she arrived in front of the guild. Going from humid grass plains to raining hard and flowing streets was a big change. The albino ran into the building for shelter.

------

Inside it was rather full with more or less unhappy adventurers that were eating and drinking various foods and liquids they had brought along.

It was a tense and bored group and pretty much everyone turned towards the door when another newcomer entered.

The cloak was pulled back and a white haired, fox eared, and young-looking beauty appeared.

A group further in the back looked at the newcomer and quickly started alerting their neighbours of the approaching danger.

The girl that was the centre of attention simply shook off the water from her coat, and approached the guild counter.

"Is Millie in? I have a report on the spiders nest." The seemingly young girl asked seriously.

There were several snorts from various adventurers of various genders, races, and ages.

------

When Zaria entered Millie was not present, only a sleeping bunny on a smaller desk and the strict looking elf were at their counters.

There was no line at the reception so she left the bunny asleep where it was, no matter how delicious the black and white ears looked.

The elven receptionist gave her a stern look as she came closer.

"Is Millie in? I have a report on the spiders nest." Zaria greeted.

The receptionist took a moment to remember. "Adventurer Zaria, Millie is currently meeting the Guild Master. You said you have something to report on the spider situation?"

Zaria frowned. "Rude bear, probably cursing at Millie now? I need to have a talk with him anyway, I torched the nest, there were up to huge spiders inside."

There came a snort from a table near the reception. "A little girl claims she killed huge spiders?"

"About two hours that way. Big burned spiders." Zaria waved towards a wall.

"And a small chick like you did it? Besides the Guild Master is important, no time for a little chick that should be playing with dolls."

Zaria gave the nuisance a look. It was a bull, a big cowman. Clearly a barbarian. "Say," She turned back to the elf. "Does he have a crush on Millie and got rejected?"

"You are correct." The elf did not smirk.

"Hey!"

"Is it fine if I knock him out?" Zaria asked.

"If he makes the first move." The receptionist paraphrased the guild rules.

"You knock me out? You don't even have a weapon."

"I understand why Millie has no interest. Someone like that or a rough tongue? Easy choice." Zaria took a sniff. "She smells better too."

"Oh, now you did it, let me show you why a small pussy will never replace a strong bull!" He reached out to grab Zaria.

Zaria simply shifted to the side and then buried her fist in his stomach.

The big man's eyes bulged out and then fell to the ground as Zaria stepped aside.

She picked the smelly bull up, then she dragged him to the door where she threw him out, she didn't throw him far, just enough to leave the porch.

Zaria strolled back to the guild counter, then simply jumped over it. "Big bad bear upstairs where?"

The elf picked up her ink pot, closed it, then lobbed it at the rabbit.

"Uhn! Oww! I am not sleeping!"

The rabbit was looking around, then she saw Zaria. "Oh … I guess you are here for Millie?"

"Mhm~"

"She is upstairs, follow me."

The elven receptionist was staring, the rabbit was surprisingly serious. "Since you are going up, give this to the Guild Master." She handed a stack of paper to Zaria.

Zaria looked at the top page. A listing of done missions and the start of a list of complaints. "Let me guess, he hates paperwork?"

"It's not important, it's just minor issues, no hurry …" The elf mumbled.

"I guess I will rescue Millie then make him sit down and do his work." Zaria sighed. "I swear, the work never ends."

"I'm just sharing the pain, and outsourcing issues to people who can actually solve them."

"I'm not taking over his job!" Zaria complained. "Though if he annoys me you will have another stuffed toy for a few hours."

That caused a ripple of disbelieving laughs to spread across the room.

"Please follow me."

Zaria followed the floppy black and white ears. To the back and up the stairs.

------

Downstairs the elven receptionist gave the watching adventurers a stern look. "And this is how you deal with irritating people, someone should check outside in case she dumped him face down in a puddle, and please ignore any noises from above until the Guild Master has been calmed down."

She pulled out a sheet of parchment, and retrieved her ink bottle. It was the polite thing to do to leave Millie a note that Zaria took care of another of her unwanted admirers.

It was incomprehensible why a proficient and capable adventurer like that kept a drow. If she liked breasts then any cowgirl was far superior, and if she liked elves any other elf was a better choice.

But no, it was a drow.

It made no sense.

------

The stairs up were silent aside from the bunny happily humming to herself.

"In a good mood?" Zaria asked.

"That bear is far too overbearing." The receptionist complained, frowning cutely.

Zaria felt that she was being dragged into something annoying. "Want me to get him replaced?"

The bunny shook her head. "I want him to stop being so annoying and irritating. We have our jobs, and he has his. So, he should focus on his and write his reports, not push them onto us and complain when we need something."

"I'll try to talk to him, otherwise I'll ask Millie to send a message to central or whatever." Zaria felt the headache coming. "Though, probably someone is already preparing to visit, after all Millie has sent a message about me already."

"Un un~"

She was clearly the cute receptionist. Cute, strict, and sexy professional. At least the guild had a nice set of receptionists.

The floppy bunny stopped before a door. "They are in here."

Zaria nodded and decided to screw being polite. She simply opened the door and entered.

------

Millie was unhappy, her ears hurt from all the screaming the bear, no the guild master, was doing. If he weren't strong enough to break her easily, and pretty much everyone else, then she would have walked out long ago.

Then the door suddenly opened and a very familiar melodic voice called out. "Hello Millie, I cleaned up the damn nest. It's about two hours behind your boss."

"Wonderful, only, is that guild paperwork in your hand?" Millie asked, now disregarding her boss in favour of Zaria.

"Since the boss is spending time on useless things instead of doing his job." She gave the bear a pointed look. "Here is your work, it seems to be summaries you need to approve." Then she walked to his desk and dropped it on his desk. "Here you go."

Millie managed not to laugh at the weird mix of astonishment, shock, and fury on her boss's face. "I'll have to send a group to confirm the kills, you know, extermination regulations. What was inside the nest?"

"A few huge, some large, medium, more of the small, and naturally the tiny spiders."

Millie frowned. "That sounds bad, huge spiders means there might be more smaller nests. But we can take care of those. Hopefully there aren't more huge or large spiders."

"I am the Boss! If you want to talk, talk to me!" The Guild Master demanded.

"If you were the type to listen, I would talk to you. Since you don't, why should I bother?" Zaria replied.

"You …"

"Now listen!" Zaria was really sick of the overbearing bear. "Either you shut up and listen, or I punch you out of the window. I am epic, that is a fact, I shouldn't be, that is another fact. There is nothing you can do about me and my many levels that were gifted to me. Oh look, that is another fact. Now shut up and listen, I cleaned up the spider mess, that means I am powerful enough to track the spiders to their nest in a short time, to drop a firestorm on them, and finally to loot, and here, this is for you." Zaria dropped the guild tag she found on his table. "I found this in one of the cocoons."

Millie picked up the tag. She took a look at the name and tried to remember.

Millie remembered a level 5 ranger. "It was a level 5 ranger who mainly did solo hunts."

"There are more cocooned bodies." Zaria told them. "Now, I need to deliver friends to visit their parents, and I have to deliver that item to its owner. Any questions."

"I am the Guild Master, and you will listen …"

There was another plush toy sitting where the guild master had been standing before.

"I need paper."

Millie handed her paper and a quill.

"Incapable of learning Guild Master" said the note stuck to his head.
"This happens when you piss off an epic and one of your Receptionists!" said the note stuck to the chest.

"Actually Millie, I may have knocked out a rude and smelly bull." Zaria remembered as she was carrying the annoying bear down the stairs. "I dumped him outside."

"Sure, thanks, he was pushy and didn't understand 'no' means 'not interested' and not 'maybe'." Millie seemed satisfied. "Thank you for getting me out of there, I'll write up a complaint about our Guild Master. It's time someone higher up reminds him that special cases are special and he isn't always right, even if he is the boss."

"If he gets out of hand again, I will change him into something long term harmless."

"You can always simply tell his wife."

"He's married?" Zaria had trouble understanding. "Whoever married him must either be stronger than him or a saint."

"I am not sure how it is between them." Millie admitted.

------

Seeing a familiar stuffed animal appear the guild started laughing. The little kitsune carrying a toy some four times her size was amusing as hell.

"Now everyone, this will last some 4 hours, since he will be annoyed, better make sure you are not here when he turns back." Zaria warned.

"I need to check the clean-up of the barn." The elf remembered.

The bunny pondered for a moment. "It's rather calm today, I'll take the afternoon off."

"I guess I'll check on the injured adventurers." Millie decided.

Zaria was amused. "Naturally you are going to do a full body check."

"Of course." Millie agreed without any shame.

"Anything else before I leave?" Zaria asked.

"You healed Fel'ctas, did you heal the sheep too?"

Zaria blinked. "Oh right, sheep. I totally forgot. I guess I'll ask Fiola where the sheep is."

"Thank you, and remember to report once you deliver that!"

Rumours meant 'that' was a very special item, and everyone knew. Looking from Zaria, to the teddy, to the bull propped up in a corner dripping on the floor meant that nobody wanted to try to claim that in public.

"I'm off, laters Millie, receptionists, and unknown adventurers." Zaria waved, pulled her hood back up and strolled into the rain.

------

Now Zaria went to the sheepyard, what better place to inquire about a sheep then there. After walking through the heavy rain, she arrived and knocked.

The door opened after a while. "Bahh!" And the door slammed shut again.

Zaria stared at the closed door again. She didn't think she was this scary. She knocked again. Inside she heard voices talking.

Finally, the door opened again. It was a shivering and teary Fiola again. "Hello?"

Zaria tried to ask with a soothing voice. "Hello Fiola, I am here to heal a poisoned sheep, where can I find her?"

"You want to heal her? But it's expensive!" Fiola remarked.

Zaria just shrugged. "I am friends with the sister of the catgirl in her party. Take it as a benefit from connections. The catgirl is safer with the sheep healthy."

"Yes, sure, come inside." The fretting sheep responded. "Come with me."

The sheep led the way to a room and knocked.

"Rielle? A healer has come to take care of you and remove your strength damage."

"One moment!" came a gentle voice from the inside.

The door opened.

Then the sheep saw Zaria.

"Neutralise Poison, Restoration, Regenerate." Zaria rattled off while poking the sheep on her forehead. "There we go."

The sheep cleric blinked, then started to panic. "I can't pay!"

"Free of charge, just keep the stupid cat alive, and we call it even." Zaria offered.

The scared sheep nodded frantically.

"There we go. Good sheep." Zaria patted the fluffy head. "I have a lot more to do, so take care." Zaria waved and then was gone.

------

Zaria looked around. Heavy rain, big tree, wet wooden planks under her feet and white toes. "I forgot to wear shoes again … and I need to stop teleporting before focusing on where I actually want to arrive."

Zaria walked down the wooden path and arrived at the door. There she knocked as she heard happy chatter from the inside.

The chatter stopped and the Baron asked. "Who is there?"

"I'm back, I had to clean up a spider nest first." Zaria replied.

The door opened and the man let her in. It was obvious at first glance that the man was worried about something but was hesitating on telling her.

Zaria looked at the group. "I don't know what they told you, but the truth is probably worse."

"Zaria!" Nyrth complained blushing.

Ellele was approaching her arms and wings spread.

"What? And let me take off the wet cloak first."

------

Zaria found herself sitting in Ellele's multi-embrace again.

"So, why is your mother blushing?" Zaria asked Nyrth.

Nyrth blushed and looked away.

When Zaria looked at Elior the elven cleric did not even look at her.

Looking up at Ellele the dragon explained. "They were worried about not being able to pay, since caring for your treasures is normal it should be fine. But since they insisted on paying, I told them to give Nyrth to you and she would be well cared for."

It made sense, sort of in a draconic way.

The albino kitsune wondered. "I guess nobody will listen if I say everything is fine and no need for payment?"

Nyrth buried her blushing face in her hands and the parents simply gave awkward looks.

"Let's talk about it another time. Have you eaten yet?"

"Oh no, I need to cook."

"Oh no let me!"

"But …"

"I insist."

Elior warned Zaria however "Not only meat!"

Zaria escaped from Ellele's hug and started checking the pantry. Not satisfied with the result she turned to the others. "I'll need to restock first. Back in a moment."

Since Trianna was drowning in rain, that left the only other market she knew.

The albino arrived at the snake skewer stand, or would have if Hetian had been there.

Since she couldn't ask for news about her future tailor, she decided to go straight to the market.

Clearly some rumours had gotten around considering that a lot of the adults made way for her, and the children kept on staring at her in curiosity.

"I forgot to take a basket." Zaria realized as she found a vegetable stand with several types of mushrooms, yellow carrots, potatoes, some rather pale herbs, and some rather darkly coloured herbs. A lot of it was only familiar to her thanks to being a drow in several of her former lives … games … whatever.

Buying a large basket, and talking the stand owner out of giving it to her for free took some time. It was one of those she had revived. "If you don't sell it properly, I'll pay you five hundred copper for it." It was petty revenge, but he quickly caved in and sold it for seven silver. Something Zaria was perfectly happy about, since she would have had to teleport back and forth to pay up. She really wanted a magical coin pouch or a belt of pouches, if that was the right name.

Armed with the new basket she ignored the way the drow relaxed once she left him.

The granny she approached seemed perfectly nonplussed compared to that.

"I want 2kg of the potatoes, 1kg of the carrots, I like the herbs, nice and fresh, I'll take those and those. Also, the mushrooms over there, five large ones please." Zaria ordered in perfect undercommon

"You got a good eye youngster." The old drow remarked and packed the order into the held-out basket.

"I am older than you are." Zaria decided to mention.

"Greater race then? You that White One that caused the market to clean up then?"

"Maybe? I'll know more later when I visit Vizeria."

"Hmm, so that thing with fighting the champions is true?"

"Probably?"

"Shouldn't you visit her first?"

"I have some errands to take care of first. And cook lunch for my friends. Whom do you recommend for good fresh snake meat?"

"Down the row, then left two rows down, or if you don't mind the price. Over there on the left side of that building. Snake, spider, fish, you can get them all there. That's 12 silver."

"Here you go, and thanks for the tip." Zaria paid and left for the meat. Meat was important, even if you could do great things with the mushrooms down here.

Then she stopped for a moment. Having so many lifetimes of memories was seriously messing with her perception of time and age. She rechecked her character sheet. She was 14 (37). Her physical body was 12 however, and she had over 600 years to go until she started aging again. Her sort of memories however spanned hundreds of years. Luckily, she could shapeshift a bit, or it was going to be a true pain.

That reminded her of the other shapeshift and her issues with that … now she only needed someone she could ask about that. And needed to remember that instead of pushing it aside. Maybe after things calmed a bit more.

She suspected she would forget it again soon.

Her current priority was meat.

With that she found the butchers shop and entered.

She ignored the way everyone turned silent and inspected the wares.

Some magic kept it nice and cold it seemed. Cuts of various sizes were present, though some were clearly older and not necessarily cheaper. It was hard to fool a master level kitsune cook.

"What can I get you?" One of the staff asked.

"I'll take a few strips of snake, that one, that one, the two over there, and this one." Zaria replied after deciding on the freshest ones available.

"Five strips of snake it is." The seller tried to take the top ones for her.

"Not those, the ones underneath and the two in the back."

"Take it or leave it!"

"Leave it then."

It was the stall after all.

Zaria guessed it was somewhere in that direction, and managed to miss it twice. Bazaars were not meant to be navigated casually.

Zaria was sure she was off by a bit, but bazaars were not logical in configuration. She stopped for a moment at a stand that was selling hookahs, before remembering that taste and smell were really enhanced in her current body.

"Hey you there, come with me!"

Zaria ignored the nuisance, hoping for it to go away. Instead, she approached someone who was clearly acting suspicious, her target had that 'I am looking for someone with a fat wallet' aura. She slipped between a few shoppers and into the shadows of an open tent cafe.

"Hey, where did she go!"

Female thief, pretty, and wearing loose clothing that was easy to move in. A hidden dagger, three wallets and coin bags. Zaria was not about to risk her peaceful shopping trip for a thief that might get found out any minute.

To get the attention of the distraction there was a simple but fun way. Hand slipped into the clothes, took a position on the butt, and then Zaria squeezed. "I think today is a bad day for that, you can continue after I am gone."

The drow stiffened but held back a flinch. She looked back at the one groping her, and froze. "It's you …"

"Yes, it is me, probably, maybe … so, mind continuing business later?" Zaria decided that the thief she was molesting had a nice and firm butt, it felt nice to rub it.

The drow blushed at the continuing touch and nodded. "I will take a break then, is an hour sufficient?"

"Yes, it is sufficient."

The woman squirmed. "Can you remove the hand."

"Don't want to, you have a very nice and firm butt."

The compliment did not make the drow happy. She had heard what had happened to the ones that offended her. Now how was she going to save her ass? Literally save it it seemed.

"You there, pay attention when your betters are speaking, your owner must hate you since you are without a collar." The annoying voice was back.

The drow woman paled when she heard it, considering the last squeeze followed by removal of the offending hand from her underwear she thanked the idiot that had arrived, and prayed for a quick death for him. Now she quickly left the blast radius, getting caught up by being in the wrong place at the wrong time was something bad for her health. Instead of clearing the blast radius inconspicuously she knocked a few watching bystanders aside, drawing even more attention to that White Menace.

"So, you think there is nothing suspicious about this?" Zaria decided that sarcasm was the right way to go. "I mean a rare albino kitsune like, walking through the underdark without a collar?" She finally turned to really look at the idiot. "Let me guess, you are the pampered son of some high cleric."

"I am .."

"Sorry not interested, I figure rumours are above you as well."

"What, get on your knees and beg for forgiveness!"

Zaria looked at the two guards following the young master, who were looking like they had an idea what was going on, especially considering the many whispers that Zaria heard.

"Shoo, go away, ask your mother about the White One, maybe she will be nice enough to teach you."

"I can deal with you myself!"

Zaria giggled amused. "Funniest thing I heard today."

Zaria's palm struck his solar plexus. He turned red, then blue, and fell into the waiting arms of his guards. "Tell his mother to get someone to keep him updated on current news. Like this he is an embarrassment."

""Yes, White One!!"" The two guards picked him up, and carried him away.

Zaria sighed, it never stopped. The firm and smooth butt had escaped, and she had no time to track it down.

"May I carry your things again?" A different drow woman asked Zaria as she approached.

"I remember you. I had you fetch clothes for the women last time."

"I am honoured the White One remembers me!"

Zaria handed the basket to the drow. "If you are familiar with the market here, I need good meat, snake is preferred, I heard about a stall over there somewhere that is supposed to be good. The clerk in the shop back there was rude, so forget that one."

The drow beamed. "I know which one you mean White One, going this way is faster."

"Lead the way."

The sight of a drow holding a basket while leading an albino kitsune was something that entertained the bazaar.

At the right stand finally, Zaria saw Meat surrounded by ice. She approved of that. The quality looked decent too, maybe it was a little more on the fatty side, but the smell was good. "I'll take five of the larger strips of snake."

The butcher looked from the drow woman who was holding a basket and waiting, to the white small girl who seemed to inspect his wares with a critical eye and several sniffs. While it made sense for an animal race to check with the nose, it still looked weird. He had a feeling he had heard something about a white visitor causing trouble and being a guest of a matron, or something. Things like that did not concern him, so he had ignored it mostly.
"Five large strips of snake, coming up." To be on the safe side he decided to give her the better cuts. Anyone who had a female attendant was someone that you shouldn't annoy most of the time.

"Make sure to put the mushrooms on top when packing, afterwards I need spices." Zaria told her baggage carrier.

"There is a nice spice shop a few streets down. They have some upper world things too." The drow woman reported.

"Sounds great, lead the way afterwards."

"Here you go." He handed the meat wrapped in some large leaves to the servant. "That will be one gold."

"Isn't that cheap?" Zaria countered.

"Fine, one gold and three silver." The drow butcher wondered who the hell haggled up instead of down.

Zaria pulled out her coin bag and paid the man. Facing her baggage carrier, she ordered. "Lead the way to the spice shop!"

"Yes, White One."

Following the basket carrying drow woman through the bazaar and amusingly watching how everyone seemed to make way was funny. She found the drow mentality amusing, to her eyes the drow woman leading her was clearly nervous, but she held herself straight and proud, something that made others make way before the two of them.

Finally, at the spice shop the first thing Zaria did was sneeze. The unholy mix of all sorts of spices was really making her nose itch. To save her poor nose she almost cast 'waterbreathing' but then smelling for quality would have been impossible.

"Greetings, I need a base setup. Salt, pepper, assorted base herbs, cinnamon, vanilla, curcuma, powdered chilli, bell peppers, garlic, …" The seller went from bored to interested. While some of the things were really the basics, others were more than basic, and really expensive.

"Want a carry box too? We have one with holders for the containers. Standard spices have name tags."

"Show me."

It was a nice box that opened at the front and top. Sealed pretty tight too. Zaria actually liked the craftsmanship. She wanted a very large version of that.

"Can you take a custom order? I want that in a very large size. Space for at least fifty kinds."

"That will probably take a week, want to fill it too?"

"Sure, I doubt I have enough to place a down payment at this time." Zaria admitted.

The drow snorted. "As if the White One needs that."

"In that case, I am placing the order." Zaria confirmed.

The albino and the shop owner shook hands.

"Exotics too?"

"Why not, for the rares, add a note what it is for if you know, if not, the name is enough and I will experiment. And that over there are red and white pepper, I'll take them in separate containers. Do you have pepper mills for freshness?"

"I can order some, one for each kind?"

"Yes~"

The older female took some notes as she thought up the order. "More space in the front for the herbs, with glasses?"

"Maybe a mortar and pestle too." Zaria considered. "Then I need a fine and a rougher grater."

"This is fun!" You couldn't own a spice shop without liking working with them. "I have no idea how to price it yet, but visit in a week or so, I'll give it more thought for a few more days."

"If I remember something, I'll drop by sometime in the next three days. That works for you?"

The enthusiastic show owner made an agreeing sound as she started writing and sketching a draft.

"I need the small box first?"

"Fill it, give me 5 gp." The woman was off in her own world.

Zaria looked at her attendant. "Go fill a container with black pepper, and fetch one of the small mortars over there. Get a sack of salt while at it, I'll handle the more interesting things, sort them in as I bring them."

Zaria filled the small box with easy to use spices, and set the five gold pieces on the counter. Paid her baggage girl fifteen silver and teleported out.

When the thief heard that her assailant had really been the White Menace, she cried in relief at having survived just molested. That the scion of a noble house had gotten knocked out for being his usual self and had gotten sent back with a reprimand to his mother, amusement skyrocketed. When the butcher heard who had actually shopped at his stand, he was even more confused, highborn made no sense, most expected discounts. The butcher's shop staff however heard that they had annoyed someone powerful, and were very uncomfortable.

------

"Damn it!"

Zaria was standing, looking at a certain tree, and quickly getting soaked to the bones since she had left without her rain cloak.

"Think first, teleport later!" She tried to remind herself, then she sprinted down the path with the spice chest and the basket.

She rushed in without knocking, causing everyone in the living room to fall silent.

"I teleported to the tree again." She explained as she set down her shopping and used magic to dry it and herself. "Somehow I associate your place with that tree."

Elior sighed.

"Towel!" Nyrth rose to fetch one.

"Don't worry I already dried myself."

"Now I need pans and a pot." Zaria commandeered the kitchen. She set up the spice box, pulled out the other ingredients and lined them up. "Sharp kitchen knife?" She wondered, she looked for one but then decided to use her dagger. "Who wants the potatoes, who will take care of the carrots?"

Nyrth's mother quickly took the potatoes, while Nyrth worked on the carrots.

Elior found herself faced with the mushrooms with simple instructions. "Gently wipe off the dirt, then cut off the stem. Wash them gently and then dry them as well as you can."

Ellele seemed to be waiting for her commands so Zaria handed her the mortar and pestle to crush the herbs with some salt.

The baron felt a little useless, and had to admit that hurricane Zaria as Elior had described it seemed rather fitting.

"Zaria?"

"Yes, Elior?"

You are reading story Lets Explore and Enjoy at novel35.com

"Where did you get these mushrooms from, and why is the meat in such long thin slices?"

"Since the market in Trianna is closed due to weather, I went to the underdark. The meat is snake, it tastes a lot like chicken though."

There was a long moment of silence.

"Zaria?"

"Yes, Nyrth?"

"You went to the Underdark to go shopping after what happened last time?"

"Yes? Only had to knock out an idiot and stopped a firm … a thief who was at risk of spoiling my shopping. Oh, and if you ever go there, ignore the butcher's shop at the bazaar, they are unfriendly."

Everyone held back their response, the chance of them going to the Underdark to shop was impossible.

"Do they have nice jewellery?" Ellele asked.

"Too many snake, spider, and skull motives for my tastes. The gold dancer's chains however would look good on you, they are meant to be the only thing worn tough." Zaria commented absently.

"Lady Kairan?" Nyrth's mother asked hesitantly.

"Yes, Baroness Housden?"

"Is that spice chest …"

"It's for you, I ordered myself a much bigger one."

"Bigger?" Nyrth's mother could smell the herbs that Ellele was crushing, she couldn't recognize a lot of them.

"Zaria, call my mother Hylla, you are making her nervous with your polite speech."

"I think it is the contrast between polite and total disregard for etiquette that is throwing her off." Elior remarked as she inspected a large mushroom for more dirt.

"Hylla it is then, do you have a grate?"

"No, Lady Kairan."

"Call me Zaria."

"I couldn't."

"Then I am back to calling you Lady Housden."

"Mom, just do it."

"Zaria …" It was hard for her to call her superior in rank, saviour of her daughter, and epic shrine maiden by name. "... isn't that expensive?"

"Not really? It was just some 10 gp or so for everything I bought down there. The chest was half of that." Zaria wondered if her sense of value was skewed. "I expect my ordered spice chest alone to cost at least five times as much as this whole trip."

"Hylla." Elior called the mother gently. "Ignore it, you won't be able to convince her otherwise. She is one of those people that do what they want, and compared to most, she can actually pull it off."

"Can pull it off most of the time, life would be easier if I knew how to be in two places at once." Zaria complained.

"See, not even her complaints make sense."

"It makes perfect sense. I could have returned with the vegetables, while I was still looking for meat, because now we will have to wait on the potatoes to cook, the meat will be much faster, as will the shrooms. Actually, your lard is great Hylla, where do you get it from?"

"I make it myself; do you want some Zaria?"

"Not right now, but if you could prepare more of it, I'd be grateful. I'll trade oil for it."

"That is not necessary."

"Then I'll find something else, or I'll spoil Nyrth."

"Zaria, stop it!" Nyrth complained.

"Don't want to." Zaria replied as she collected the potatoes and put them in the pot. The pan was heating nicely, so she was cutting the carrots into thin strips.

The meat that was flavoured with Ellele's finely crushed spices and herbs, went into the pan, the carrots were prepared on the side. The potatoes were cooking nicely.

Looking at the pot Zaria had an idea; it was time for more spell abuse. A quick 'Resist Energy (Fire)' later she stuck her hand into the boiling water much to the shock of everyone but Elior.

"Zaria, warn us when you do something insane!" The cleric chided the kitsune.

"Oh right, sorry, I just thought it would be more useful to use a resist fire instead of awkwardly working with a towel, gloves, or something like that. That means my resist fire is 30, I doubt the stove can do more than 10 fire damage unless you overheat it."

"That is not a good reason to cause a panic! You frightened them!" Elior pointed at the other.

Ellele seemed more curious than anything, being part dragon Zaria suspected that she wasn't really worried since she had proven her power as a multiple epic. The Housden family on the other hand seemed really pale.

Zaria pulled her hand from the pot. "There, look, all fine!" She waved her unharmed white hand at the family. Then she turned the sizzling meat in the frying pan over with her hand. It made checking how tender the meat was much easier, it was messier but that was what cleaning spells were for after all.

Nyrth gave up, that rebirth had really messed up her friend, she hoped insanity was not contagious. Considering how Ellele and the maids acted she was afraid she was the only sane one, and once Elior left for wherever she came from she was going to be the only voice of reason. Maybe she should demand being paid for it.
Then again trying to stop Zaria seemed rather futile. Nyrth rubbed her temples.

"I forgot to ask; do we have enough plates?" Zaria remembered as she started looking through drawers and cupboards in reach.

"I'll fetch the silverware." Hylla said right as Zaria called out "I found them!"

Without hesitation the albino pulled out the wooden plates and started placing a strip of meat, a mushroom on top of it, the potatoes were pulled out by hand and a cut was made. That cut was stuffed with carrot strips, a little oil, salt and pepper were added.

Hylla was appalled when Zaria waited with her portion for the next batch.

"Give it up mum. She is having far too much fun cooking." Nyrth commented as she pointed at Zaria's swishing tail with a fork.

"Yes~"

"I never tasted a mushroom like this." Nyrth's father commented.

"You can't get them outside of the underdark I think, and they are only good fresh." Zaria informed the others. "Now eat as long as it's warm, the next portion will be done in a bit."

Eating was a good distraction from watching Zaria handle the boiling potatoes and the sizzling meat and mushrooms with her bare hands.

It was really good though. Even if a little exotic. Snake and underdark mushrooms.

------

Once everyone was fed, or mostly fed in Zaria's case. The albino sat down on Ellele's lap and looked around. "I guess we should head to our next stop. Have you talked with Nyrth when you expect her back?"

The Baron couple blinked confused at Zaria. "She is already yours? And you are always welcome to visit."

Zaria had the feeling she was missing something here.

"Mom, dad!" Nyrth complained. "I said it's not like that."

The father somehow explained it well, but it still made little sense. "You carried her off, healed her, it's a debt we can't repay in years. Besides it's clear you will take good care of her and protect her. So, take care of her."

"I didn't know insanity is contagious." Elior mumbled.

The mother nodded. "And from the looks of it, Zaria needs someone with common sense by her side. So, welcome to the family daughters." The woman rose and hugged Ellele and Zaria.
The happy Ellele reciprocated, and Hylla found out just encompassing a hug could be when you added wings and tail.

"Welcome then, how does a wedding next year sound?"

Zaria really wondered why they were so eager to give Nyrth away. Then again, she was not complaining, Nyrth was fun to tease. She probably needed someone to stop her when going overboard, or at least cause her to think things over when an objection came.

Everyone put on their cloak and said their goodbyes, with Nyrth complaining, Zaria confused, Ellele being happy and approving, and Elior wondering what kind of insanity was going to happen next.

------

Another teleport later Zaria found herself staring at a familiar orchid.

"We are on a tree!" Nyrth was clutching Zaria.

Ellele frowned. "It's still raining."

Elior walked down and realized. "We are rather high up."

"Ellele lives one big branch down that way." Zaria explained. "Probably a good idea here. Here you go you two, a 'Featherfall' each. Should keep you safe in case you slip.

"What do you mean?" Nyrth asked?

"It's a spell that lets you fall, or rather glide down like a feather, slow and steady." Elior explained. "Zaria, no pushing people off to prove the effect."

"I hadn't thought of that." Zaria admitted. "I was about to say 'it makes you fall slowly', I like your explanation more, good work Elior."

Elior was not sure how to take that compliment, she simply accepted it.

"Elle!" Seeing Ellele pull off her cloak and simply jump off the large branch was a shock to Nyrth who cried out and clutched Zaria even tighter.

"Don't worry, she has wings, remember." Zaria tried to calm the shocked girl down. She simply picked Nyrth up and walked to the edge of the branch then made Nyrth look down.

Downstairs, sort of, the dragon girl was knocking on a small one floor house that was built on another branch.

"Want to go down on your own?" Zaria asked.

Nyrth just shook her head in denial.

"I'm going first then." Elior simply walked off the branch and let herself glide down, showing her trust in the unhinged White Menace.

So, Zaria jumped off the branch, earning a scream from Nyrth.

Nyrth just saw Elior pass by as they fell to the lower level. Then suddenly they stopped.

"I think next time you will float down." Zaria placed the pale girl on her own feat, and sacrificed her arm for Nyrth to hold on to. "Now why don't we follow Ellele inside."

"Welcome back shrine maiden." The warm voice of the mother greeted them.

"That's Zaria, mother." Ellele explained.

"So, it really is her, I thought so, but the changes …" She shrugged. "I had my doubts. Now what happened to Nyrth?"

"Thank you for having us. She didn't want to jump on her own so I carried her."

"Ahh, come sit here, I'll make you a nice hot tea." Even if she was a dragon, she was still a mother.

Finally, Elior entered. "Greetings, may the goddesses be with you."

"Welcome, please take a seat, I will have tea in a moment."

Zaria placed Nyrth on Ellele's lap who hugged the slightly calmed down girl.

"Sorry, but Elior and I have to deliver something. I will be back afterwards. You can catch up with the two meanwhile." Zaria faced Elior. "Now please describe that temple."

Elior held back her laughter, she was really looking forward to seeing Zaria interact with those people. She started to describe the pure white temple, the clean halls, the walls surrounding it, the tranquil and clean gardens, the white marble path, and the feeling of stiff cleanliness and purity everywhere.

Somehow everyone else started to listen too.

"I want to see it!" Nyrth said when Elior finished.

Zaria nodded. "Maybe next time, when it's not raining. With permission naturally."

Nyrth and Elior wondered why Zaria wanted to ask for permission.

"In that case, see you later, while I talk to the girls."

Zaria took the box she had been carrying all day from her bag and took Elior's hand. Then the two were gone.

"Spill it, did you claim your treasure, or did that treasure claim you?" The mother focussed on her daughter.

Nyrth suddenly had the feeling that she was once again the only sane one in the room.

------

It was like Elior described, a beautiful temple.

It looked pure and clean since it was well maintained and made from white marble.

It was also dry and there was no sign of rain anywhere.

"Halt! Who goes there?" A guard in heavy armour demanded.

Zaria was not surprised when two armoured elves appeared followed by another one in a white clerics dress. Naturally all of them were high elves.
"Greetings, may the fluff be with you, I am Zaria, a kitsune shrine maiden of Tamano no Mae, accompanying me is Elior Rellan cleric of … sorry I forgot your goddess again."

Elior sighed, having expected something like that.

"We remember Elior. She has visited our temple before."

"I have a guild delivery for one of your acolytes, returning a stolen item." Zaria pulled out a scroll and held it out to one of the two guards. "The 'Adventurer Guild' wants to return an item in the name of the city of Trianna." She pointed at the box.

The high cleric took the scroll after the guard broke the seal and checked it for poison. She read it and inspected the Guild Seal for authentic. "A personal delivery and nondisclosure of the details unless it is the original owner of the item?"

Zaria shrugged. "The item was leaked without details, and seemed to create chaos in Trianna, so it was given to me for delivery."

The high elven cleric did not frown, but letting a kitsune shrine maiden into the temple for a personal delivery was pushing it. She did wonder what it was that managed to cause a town to fall into chaos, did that mean that the acolyte had a prohibited item in her possession?
"Please follow me, I will lead you to a private meeting room."

Now being allowed into the temple Zaria got distracted by a mural with their main laws. Reading it, thankfully each line had an interpretation added below, Zaria frowned, it sounded weird to her. Well, the interpretations were weirder than what the goddess said.

The high priestess led them to a door that she opened. Elior remained outside, since it was a private mission. The high priestess seemed less inclined to leave one of her acolytes alone with an unknown.

"Due to the nature of this mission, I must ask you to leave. It is a private return."

"I will not allow an impure being to be alone with one of Illiona's true believers."

Zaria frowned. "I hope that you misspoke, because if not then your elitist racism or religious ignorance are showing through combined with a disregard for guild policy. Maybe I need to reintroduce myself. My full name is Zaria van Kairan, daughter to the Duke Kairan, reborn epic kitsune shrine maiden of her fluffiness Tamano no Mae. In addition, I am an epic sorceress. So, are you being rude?"

"It is not proper for a maiden to be alone with an outsider!"

"In that case I am returning to the guild and telling them that the Temple of Illiona does not permit private one person missions." Zaria started packing her things. "I'll write up a message that explains it, if you would please sign it so that the impossible delivery is not my fault but due to temple rules. Shall I add that only high elven maidens are permitted entry since everyone else is just an improper being?" Zaria briefly wondered if she was overdoing the sarcasm.

That was clearly a challenge. The high priestess did not freeze, but the fact that she insulted someone like that hit her hard.

Behind the rude elf Zaria saw Elior fighting hard against her laughter, the cleric was leaning against the doorframe and was quite red in the face. She decided to leave Elior alone. Even if she suspected that Elior somehow had known what was going to happen.

"There is no need for that, I was a little hasty with my assumptions, most adventurers are rude and only follow their desires." The high priestess backtracked.

"I shall await your acolyte here then." Zaria announced and started putting everything back on the table. She did not comment on the 'follow their desires' part, since that fit her far too well, she mostly followed her desires.

Elior quickly disappeared from view, the cleric fought hard to show a bored face. It wouldn't do to show how much she had enjoyed that exchange. Zaria adjusting someone else's attitude was nice. Elior lamented that she forgot to tell Zaria to take Cibelle along. Watching the prudes face off against a probably affectionate Cibelle would have been even better.

The high elven high priestess left the room, she ignored Elior and walked past a door that led to the inner temple.

Only once out of view she allowed herself to show some emotion. This was bad, she had insulted someone she shouldn't have, the shrine maiden's goddess was anything but pure, but she had power and her shrine maiden was epic. The priestess cursed herself for not remembering to ask for proof. It was too late for that now.

Now she had an acolyte to find.

------

"You knew!" Zaria accused Elior.

Elior laughed.

"Anything else I should know?" Zaria demanded.

"A lot, absolute celibacy, even among high elves they are regarded as prude snobs a lot. I know there are some really nice and gentle believers of Illiona, but as you saw …" Elior started laughing again. "I wish I could watch and see what happens next."

"File a complaint, as for them. Is it me or are the words of Illiona somehow interpreted in a very specific way?" Zaria thought back at the parts she had managed to read. "Not sure why pure life equals no sex. Since procreation is a part of it."

"Not no sex, total celibacy, no skinship, no masturbation." Elior really enjoyed the way Zaria gaped at her.

"But that is not what I have read? I mean pure love; physical affection is a part of life."

Elior decided to add fuel to the fire. "You are meeting an acolyte in a moment, ask her maybe. She might know something we don't." Elior wondered if that acolyte was going to flee in tears or blushing.

"I think they are crazy. If they really live by that interpretation."

Elior did not tell Zaria that there wasn't anyone weirder and crazier than Zaria in Elior's opinion.

"You just thought something rude!" Zaria accused Elior.

"Stop reading my mind!"

"You admitted it!"

Elior realized she had fallen into the trap. "You have to admit, you are not normal, and your libido is even less normal. I just want to see what will happen when the ultimate prude gets locked for a while in a room with you."

"I know you are omitting some things."

"You have to see for yourself."

Zaria found this Elior much more amusing than the nagging one. "Fine, but if things are beyond terrible, I am going to spank you again~"

Elior blushed, suddenly it did not seem like such a great idea. She hoped for a moderate acolyte.

A while later the door to the inner parts opened and a younger then Elior high elf came through.

"Greetings, I heard a Guild Delivery for me has arrived?" The elf greeted Elior.

Elior simply waved her through the door, and closed it behind the acolyte.

The acolyte stared at the small albino at the table.

"Greetings, you have a delivery for me?"

"Greetings, I am Zaria, a kitsune shrine maiden of Tamano no Mae." Zaria pulled a sheet from the pile and checked the acolyte against the description and the sketch.

"May I know what this is about?"

"Sorry, private matter, I need to verify your identity first." Zaria waved her towards a chair. "Name please."

"Rythys Waraan."

"Age?"

"97"

"Did something get stolen from you three weeks ago?"

The reply was a slight blush and some light shifting.

"A pair of pure white stained cotton underwear?"

The elf blushed deeper.

Zaria opened the box. "Please confirm it is your pair. Aside from the thief they are untouched, unwashed, and the slightly stained condition has been maintained."

The elf started tearing a bit. "It's not because I wanted it, she rubbed me! I keep myself clean properly!"

"Don't worry about it." Zaria wondered if rubbing the back of the elven maiden would help.

"Considering the thief was a drow maiden, she probably liked you and decided to get her hands on you and get some profit out of it!"

"I was tainted!"

"It might be wrong to say so, but it seems you enjoyed it. Sure, it was without consent, but at least you can fantasize about taking revenge on her and having her helpless against you."

"That is so filthy!" Rythys accused. "Who would do such an impure thing?"

"I would." Zaria shot back without hesitation. "Wait, you really don't masturbate?"

"Naturally I don't, that is against the tenants of our pure goddess Illiona."

"What? How .. why … but pleasure is something natural, do you eat sweets?"

"They are unhealthy."

"Do you do anything for fun?"

"We meditate, pray and sing."

"You poor sheltered dear."

Rythys was not ready for the look of pure pity coming from Zaria. "But I am content with my life as a devout follower of Lady Illiona."

"You are missing so much; I am not sure it counts as life. Sweets, hobbies, masturbation, and such are all part of life. You are supposed to experience the good and the bad."

"There is no need for impure things!"

"Why impure? It is something that you can experience yourself, it is meant to relax you, to give you pleasure. Did she make you orgasm?"

"Orgasm, such a filthy thing?" The blush however went up several shades.

"You know, that feeling when your body is on fire and your mind starts to blank. The feeling of wanting it to continue forever, and the feeling of wanting to stop before you lose yourself at the same time."

"Filthy! Disgusting!"

"You have my most sincere pity." Zaria then caught a scent. The elf in deep denial was feeling it. "Please confirm the item, if you do not wish it back. We can destroy it right on the spot." Zaria paused, it was a bit much, but high elves were so easy to tease. "Unless you want a memento of your first orgasm."

"Why would I want that?"

"In case you wish to take revenge, either by getting the thieves underwear or by having the thief delivered to you, please file a guild request. Now please sign here for delivery."

The blushing acolyte signed the delivery receipt, and it's two copies. "One copy for you, one for me, and one for the Adventurer Guild."

"About the destruction …"

"If you want to do it yourself, that is not an issue, I would have offered to 'Disintegrate' your creamed underwear."

"Creamed?"

"Since the lewd juices are not water, in some slang it is said as creamed, I think. As I don't wear underwear, I don't have the issue." Zaria wondered if being that red was healthy.

"You were talking about punishing the thief?" The elf tried to change topic.

"Naturally, please file it with the guild, unless you want it to be a private personal request."

"No, filing something like this …"

"The easiest would be to be to have her stained underwear stolen, though I have no idea why anyone even wants some strangers used underwear." Zaria understood wanting to have a person before you all ready and dripping. She just preferred it in bed and consensual, even if lewding those that deserved it seemed fitting. "You know, I met a thief in the underdark, there is nothing wrong with a little groping and such, she was out to steal something, so I rubbed her butt to shoo her off."

"You rubbed a drow?"

"My maid is a drow, there is something really nice about feeling her skin against mine."

"That is so …"

"Lewd?"

"Yes!"

"Doesn't it sound fun to humiliate her, having her at your mercy tied up and defenceless?"

Rythys actually thought about it. And then turned into a fidgeting blushing mess.

"You could pay her back, making her feel the humiliation, over and over again until she passes out. Then simply dump her somewhere far away with no chance of revenge." Zaria wondered if she was overdoing it, but the elf seemed to have fun, even if she was wavering.

"Since I have never studied Illiona's teachings, tell me which line is the one about absolute celibacy?"

"Ahh, it is the first one. 'A maiden should always be pure and conduct herself in a dignified manner'."

"There is nothing as sweet as a maiden in love though, and a maiden giving her love to her chosen one seems something worth giving, the greatest treasure. Naturally overdoing it like me is a bit much."

"Like you?"

"I have five lovers, one I really wanted to be mine, the second one kind of thought I wanted her to serve me in bed. Number three wanted to be mine, and dragged number four along. The last one just went with the flow."

The elf stared at Zaria with one of those 'what the hell are you talking about?' looks.

"It really happened like that!" Zaria defended herself. "I did spank an overeager cleric and a greedy puppy though, and groped that thief in the Underdark."

Now Rythys took a step back.

"You didn't do anything deserving of a spanking, I think." Zaria calmed her, before remembering something else. "Unless being wet and aroused is a sin? In the lines I read I don't see why it should be a sin, it is a normal physical reaction after all."

"I am not wet!" The way she paled though, confessed to her lie.

"I am kitsune, I can smell it."

The teary blush returned. "Forgive me Illiona, for I have sinned!"

Zaria managed to hold back on the facepalm. "I can always spank you to atone for your 'sin'." Zaria joked.

That the elven maiden pulled up her acolyte garments and bent over the table was unexpected. The more Zaria spent with this sect of elves, the less sense they made.

She had offered, so she decided to honour her word, no matter how confusing this situation was. Zaria decided she was going to vent at Elior later, she was going to vent all the things wrong with this religion straight at Elior and make her listen and try to explain this insanity.

Zaria had an idea, it was a bad idea, it went against everything Illiona's teachings were interpreted as, it was too funny to not to do. "Strip, might as well teach you how to play with the thief later and how to make her feel it properly."

"That is immodest!"

"Take it as a lesson, and besides, this is already immodest." Zaria poked the wet spot on the acolyte's underwear. "So, a little more doesn't matter, I will simply give you extra spanks, and show you how to spank properly too."

The poor confused acolyte wanted to deny everything, but the touch down there spoke volumes. She decided to take her punishment in full.

Zaria found herself watching the confused girl stripping awkwardly. To her surprise the girl who was hesitating at her underwear had a decent chest, for a high elf anyway.

"Lessons on body, the basics, as you probably realized, the breasts and pussy are the main sensitive spots. The butt may be a sweet spot for high elves, but not for drow." Zaria drew a circle on the chest without touching the peaks. "Even a slight touch can arouse, it works even better if you comment to set the mood. In your case I will have to admit you have very cute pink nipples, your chest is a nice handful too." The albino blew against the tips, causing a double reaction of appreciating hardening and a squeak from the victim. "See even a soft blow causes a reaction used properly. Now you can comment how nicely they harden and how much they appreciate the attention."

Zaria wondered how she managed to end up giving sexual education lessons and humiliation lessons to one of the most repressed elves in existence.

"Now if you have a feather, actually we really have one, one moment." Zaria went back to her bag and pulled the writing kit out, aside from the pen, there was also a rather pretty feather inside, which she usually ignored since it was far less comfortable compared to the pen.

"A gentle stroke with the feather will cause your target to squirm." Zaria flicked the tip gently against a hardened nipple, and drew a gasp from the brainwashed elf, who stepped away and covered her chest with her hands to protect it.

"Feel how hard your nipples are?"

The girl squeezed before she withdrew her hands in confused embarrassment.

"Playing with the body is very effective, and commenting on every step when your target is tied down and helpless. Imagine you couldn't get away and I'd flick the feather all over your body gently."

Rythys shuddered.

"Softer feathers are better for teasing, harder feathers like this one better for playing." Zaria pointed at the table. "Sit on the table, facing me, put the legs up too. Part them as far as you can."

Zaria helped the girl up, placing her towel on the table first. Towels were really one of the best inventions made. "Now, if you tie her down properly, she will be exposed. You can comment how cute her slit is, or how wet she is, or how cute her bush is if she has one, if she doesn't you can tell her that she is as smooth as a baby, insult her that she is always ready for action, or if she seems the type you can tell her how adorable young, she looks down there." Zaria took a good look at her student. "In your case the small bush looks very fun to pet, and your pussy looks so small and innocent despite how wet and glistening it is."

"Don't say it!"

"See, saying it out loud is very effective." Zaria petted the bush. "Just shows how effective it is."

"Naturally there is a step further to looking."

"There is?"

Zaria touched the lips and spread them. "We look inside, and say what we see."

"Ahh nooo!" The girl jumped on the table, only Zaria grabbing her stopped her from falling off.

"And you have such cute pink insides. Now sit back down like before, there are a few more things about this position." Zaria helped the utterly humiliated girl back into the 'proper' teaching position for the lesson. "You can comment on the smell, you smell sweet, the shape, yours are small cute lips and up here a small clitoris. Then you can use fingers, tongue, or the feather to tease the insides." Zaria blew at the exposed wet flesh. "Or you can blow and say how wet and aroused someone is."

"Ahh!" The cleric still listened, but was also very uncomfortable about having it all performed on her.

"Here a flick with the feather deeper inside."

The legs snapped close around the feather.

"Now your target will be bound and unable to escape."

"Uhh!"

"Next is something that doesn't work as well on high elves, due to your racial flaw, but works on almost everyone else. Back into the spanking position please."

Zaria actually had to help the girl since the legs were already quivering and weak without even having reached orgasm.

"Now, this is really humiliating for most females." Zaria spread the buttocks. "The dirty hole."

"Noooo!"

"Yes, there is magic to make it clean, but the thief doesn't need to know that, you can talk about it, you can rub it with the feather, you can say how you see the pussy and asshole at the same time, you can stick a finger in …"

"But that is so dirty!"

"And humiliating!" Zaria stuck her finger in, and cast the cleaning magic.

"Noo, not there."

"See how effective it is." She pulled the finger back out.

"Ahh!"

"I prefer pussy." Zaria traced a finger down the slit as she held down her pupil.

"Nooo!"

"Considering how wet you are, the no, doesn't sound very believable."

The girl was really dripping.

"Here, let me give you a treat, and then it is time for your punishment."

"What?"

Zaria spread the lips again and used the feather to play with the insides. Exposing the clitoris and brushing it made the acolyte very vocal, luckily the meeting rooms were soundproof for private matters.

"Ahh!" Feather over inner lips.

"Uhh!" Feather brushed deeper.

"Ihh!" Feather brushed the sensitive pearl.

Zaria repeated, sometimes used fingers instead, but never the tongue, that was reserved for her lovers.

Finally, a mind-blowing orgasm and the girl sagged on the table.

"Congratulations on your second orgasm, this one a proper large one."

"Haaahh?"

"Felt better than last time?"

The silence spoke volumes.

"In that case, you are welcome. I hope you remember it all, you will need it later."

"Uhh uhh."

"Let's get you dressed, then I'll spank you and clean things up."

Back in robes the acolyte almost felt safer, that her bare bottom was still exposed and she still felt the air on her dripping flower, kept her from feeling truly safe.

"Now for spankings, flat hand or slightly cupped cand are the best. You seem pretty weak, so a paddle should be a better choice for you." Zaria now spanked the poor girl, enough for a nicely red butt, but not as hard as she had with Elior. In her opinion the humiliation had already paid for most of it.

After the rather gentle spanking, magic cleaned the clothes, underwear, and got rid of the smell. She was going to hand the towel over to Cibelle to be washed properly.

"Heal" and finally a heal to get rid of any side effects and recover the acolyte's strength.

"So personal private contract yes or no?"

Rythys hesitated for a moment but then replied: "Yes."

"Let's make it up as we go." Zaria pulled out the pen and some papers, and started creating a contract. "How much in payment?"

"I only have 5 gold." Rythys admitted.

"Let me watch and help you, and we call it even." Zaria did not say that her bungling through that mess was going to be funny enough.

More or less the contract specified that Rythys, cleric of Illiona, was hiring Zaria, epic shrine maiden of Tamano no Mae, to find the thief and help in delivering appropriate justice to the drow thief Winxia Talleris. The reward was set to 5 gold pieces.

Zaria created a duplicate, and they both signed it.

"Besides, there are always advanced lessons."

"Advanced?"

"Make her lick you, tell her how weak she is that a cleric of Illiona can make her orgasm, rub your body against hers, mention how much a drow like her likes having a high elf on top of her. Clean her when she makes a mess, and complain that she is wet from getting cleaned. It works well with the drow racial flaw."

"Really?"

"Yes, they are all trying to be dominant, then we are going to have you playing with her as you wish?"

The girl squirmed again.

Zaria wondered if all high elves were repressed with a really good imagination.

"I will await your news."

"Inform the high cleric that once she is caught, you will have to be away for a few days."

"Away?" The girl clearly did not understand.

"I doubt you can do it here, so maybe a nice room at my mansion."

The brainwashed elf nodded.

"Take me to the place she assaulted you now."

"Why?"

"How else am I supposed to find her?"

"But it was over three weeks ago!"

"I am epic, that won't stop me." Zaria said as if it explained everything, and it did, in her case at least.

------

Elior started fretting as she waited, the longer Zaria and the acolyte were inside, the more nervous she got.

When the door opened, she carefully looked at the two. The slight blush on the elf's face was expected. The confused look on Zaria's face was more than she could have expected.

"I'll be right back; I just need to check the place she was attacked. I took up a private mission to track down the aggressor."

Elior wondered why Zaria was so formal, but decided that it was for the acolyte's benefit.

She watched as Zaria followed the acolyte into the inner parts of the temple.

------

Zaria found herself following Rythys into the inner gardens. There a bit out of the way Rythys showed with a blush where she had been dragged into the bushes during her night stroll, and had been humiliated.

"I see the tracks, and she smells nice."

"What?"

"Epic kitsune."

"Uhh?"

"She went this way." Zaria decided not to mention that she could smell that the acolyte had enjoyed herself. "Then over here, she went over the wall. Give me a moment." Zaria ran up the wall. On the roof she tracked the target all the way to where she went down into the outer gardens, and then out over the outer wall.

Finally, she returned back to where she had left Rythys.

"I found her tracks, I can't continue right now, since I have prior obligations today, but this seems interesting so I will do it soon."

"Thank you!" The elven cleric was happy, then she blushed.

"Remember to inform you superiors. Now please lead me back to Elior, I can find the way on my own, but I probably shouldn't wander around alone in the halls where others can see me."

"This way, follow me."

"Wait your box!" Zaria reminded the cleric about the box that she left in the grass.

"Ahh" Rythys blushed again, she had blushed more today than in the last several years together.

The pair picked up the waiting Elior and then Elior and Zaria were escorted outside.

There Zaria took Elior and teleported to the plain she had accidentally landed at before.

Elior looked around as the scenery changed to endless green plains. "Where are we?"

"No idea, I landed here during a missed teleport, but it is nicely out of the way."

Elior had a bad feeling.

"What the hell is it with those?" Zaria clutched Elior's hands. "I always thought you were a stuck-up prude, but that?"

The sincere look on Zaria's face as she said that sort of insult scared Elior. The despair mixed with total lack of understanding looked so wrong on the albino's beautiful face.

"They don't make any sense! I mean, they deny everything nice life is about, no hobbies, no luxuries, no pleasure!" Zaria asked the high elven cleric in a weak voice. "Why? Explain it to me?"

"Uhm? I can't? I don't know?"

"I mean, I have seen what the goddess told them, and I see nothing that could explain …"

"Their prudish ways?"

"Yes that."

"Even amongst us high elves, the followers of Illiona are considered extreme."

"It makes no sense!"

"No, it doesn't." Elior gave into it, and patted Zaria's head. "Now you know why I wanted to see you meet them."

"I may have accidentally brainwashed the acolyte."

"You did what?" Elior did want to know how you could accidentally brainwash someone in such little time. Then again it was Zaria, so it made as much sense as anything else she did.

"Brainwashed her, or saved her from the weird cult brainwashing they have, I am not sure."

"I don't want to know."

"Client privacy, couldn't tell you anyway."

"Will she be alright?"

"Probably, I'll check up in a while."

"Now I am scared."

"I am not that bad!"

"Zaria, it is you we are talking about, you can't stay calmly in a room without causing chaos."

"I could, but that would be boring."

"Have you calmed down?"

"Yes, a bit, I still don't believe it." Zaria stretched. "I'll put you with Ellele's family, then I am off to see the matriarch in the Underdark."

"Sounds good to me." Elior agreed easily. "A little tea would be nice."

Zaria once again started at a certain orchid. While it was repetitive, at least the chance of missing this place was low. However, there was one important fact that Elior and her had forgotten.

It was raining.

"It's raining." Zaria mumbled.

"We forgot it was raining." Elior confirmed.

"Let's go in and dry ourselves."

"Dry me too."

Zaria picked Elior up, and jumped down to the lower branch, drawing a shocked sound from the cleric that the cleric would never admit to making. At the door she put Elior down and knocked, moments later the door was opened and the two were let in.

"We are back." Zaria announced, and dried herself and Elior with magic, she had to admit drying with a towel felt nicer.

"Welcome back." Nyrth greeted the pair. "Everything done?"

"Yes, no problems aside from that annoying hag insulting Zaria, Tamano no Mae, the guild, and two duchies, and Zaria brainwashing one of the acolytes." Elior reported.

"You did what?" "Did she deserve it?" "Is the hag still a hag?"

"Accidently brainwashed her, she was already brainwashed, I just undid some of it, and the hag is still a stubborn high elven high priestess, but I intend to file a report so they get charged premium prices in the future and for insulting the fluffy one influencing a few acolytes seems like a nice revenge."

"They deserved it!" The draconic mother and daughter pair had no mercy.

The lone human present felt outvoted.

"Nyrth, you don't understand those people, aside from the high priestess being rude and insulting, they are so focussed on pure that anything fun, unhealthy, or sexual including even masturbation is forbidden. They look down on others for it too." Zaria tried to explain. "I saw what the goddess supposedly said, and I think that a hag who never had any friends without realizing it is her own fault did the first interpretation. What she said and how they take it don't match at all."

"How?"

"Don't see how purity denies having fun." Zaria decided to end the confusing topic. "They are weird, let us leave it at that?"

"Illiona is a rare goddess because of the very unique set of rules." The older dragon added.

Zaria looked around. "So, want to stay here some more? I'd visit the underdark meanwhile."

"How many teleportations is that already?" Elior wondered aloud.

"Uhm Trianna and back, to Nyrth's place, to the underdark, back to Nyrth's place, got lost once, to here, to that temple, stopover, here again, and I was at the mansion too. That makes it eleven?"

"How do you get lost teleporting?"

"I missed the place and wound up in the middle of grassy plains with nothing else in sight."

"Sounds calm." Nyrth decided.

Zaria nodded. "A good place for a sunny picnic. No shade at all in sight. Maybe if we take some tent or a gazebo it would be nice." She then went back to the original topic. "So, if there is nothing else, I need to visit a drow matriarch."

"Have a safe trip." "Don't take too long." "Don't get lost again." "Take care." "Don't kill anybody."

That there was more worry for the drow then Zaria spoke volumes.

Zaria arrived on the plaza. The towers were looming high in the murky darkness of the underdark. Only glowing mosses and crystals here and there cut through the darkness above. Unless someone had darkvision.

Zaria tried to remember which tower she was supposed to go to, was it the 3rd or the 5th. Looking at the gate to tower three, she saw guards in plate armour. Opposed to that tower five had a few robed ones, one was definitely a sorcerer with bad taste considering how gaudy the robe looked even from the distance. Actually, Zaria had to correct herself, the sorceress had terrible taste.

So Zaria approached the tower, and got cut off before she managed to speak. "Greetings White One, the Matriarch is awaiting you. Please enter."

"Thank you~" Nodding Zaria simply stepped inside.

"The matriarch is awaiting you, please wait and have some tea while we send a runner up." A 'drow' greeted her inside.

Zaria looked up, looked back at the 'drow' who started penning a message. "Not happening."

She touched the confused 'drow'.

"Uhh, what are you doing?" The confused woman asked.

"I am teleporting us up." Zaria explained, giving the woman a moment to brace herself.

Then came the disorientation that was associated with the 'Dimension Door' spell.

"I feel sick." The passenger commented.

"Take a few deep breaths, it will pass in a moment." Zaria rubbed the back. "So how is life in the underdark for a non drow?"

There came a tension, before the woman relaxed a little. "I had a feeling that I heard about your race, and here I was using a transfiguration amulet."

"Up there everything dresses up as elves, I guess down here it defaults to drow."

"Pretty much, I am a half anyway, my mom seduced a drow."

"Explains the skin colour."

"And it is difficult, I want to cuddle and fawn over my girlfriend in public to show her off, but no, that is showing weakness."

Zaria made an amused noise. "My sweet Cibelle caused issues the first time we went out in public. She is a drow that pretended to be a high elf, and she is my sweet loving maid."

"You are bragging."

"Mhm~" Zaria completely agreed. "And you are not sick anymore."

"I will notify the Matriarch."

"And if things work out nicely, I might invite you to a nice place where they won't care if you are a pair of drow or something else on a date. I just need a bit more time to have them get used to it."

The 'drow' stopped and clearly wanted to ask.

"I had issues there before, my drow lover maid had issues, and I did some forceful educating. My current project is fixing the guild master."

"Once you are done educating, I might take you up on the offer." She

The cleric knocked on the door and then entered after being called out.

A little later, Zaria spent that time looking down the middle of the long spiral case and resisting the temptation to jump, the 'drow' returned and let her in with a rather worried look on her face.

"Greetings White One, may the Goddess watch over you."

"Greetings Matriarch Vizeria, you are looking rather happy and refreshed today." Zaria decided not to mind the bowing figure near the couch. It was such a nice couch.

The Matriarch was smiling happily. "I heard a certain rumour that an albino punched out a certain pampered son of a certain 'overestimating herself' mother."

Zaria raised her hand to indicate height. "About this tall, followed by useless guards and thinks far too highly about himself?"

"I see, you have met him after all."

"Met a nice granny, a rude meat shop clerk, a thief with a firm butt, an idiot that caused the firm butt to get away, a girl whom I had run errands last time, and a spice shop owner. The last one is interesting."

Vizeria was surprised. "Sounds like a normal shopping trip for someone as chaotic as you. The old hag from the spice shop doesn't like anyone, so don't take it personally."

This surprised Zaria. "She didn't want a deposit when I made a large order."

There was a moment of silence.

"What is this about a thief with …" The matriarch hesitated about saying the words 'firm butt' out loud.

"Saw a thief, she wasn't really disturbing me, so I groped her, and found myself holding a firm smooth butt."

Vizeria decided not to mind how Zaria explained that casually without bragging or worry.

"What is her issue?" Zaria pointed at the figure on the carpet.

"Remember the acolyte that prophesied your arrival? That's her, the prophecy caused some issues."

Zaria poked the huddling figure with a toe, drawing a squeak. She looked at Vizeria who smiled wryly. Curious she pulled the brain damaged or something girl up and pulled her into her lap. Then she started rubbing the back. "I think she is too thin, I can feel the ribs."

"The voice of the goddess is not something everyone can take easily." Vizeria sort of defended her goddess.

"Hmm~" Zaria turned the face upwards. The face looked tired, and the eyes were bloodshot. "Not resting well?"

"She feels the urge to tell everyone that you are coming, she can't stop it."

"Poor one, I'm here." Zaria made the acolyte roll over and gave her a lap pillow, she petted the head. "There you can rest now; you did what you had to."

The scared cleric was tense, but after minutes of gentle caresses lost to the urge to rest.

"She's out."

"I am surprised that it worked, then again considering it is you, I should stop being surprised." Vizeria lamented.

"So, I guess I'll have to fight?"

"Yes, though some of them want to simply see your abilities, and one Matriarch simply wants to fight."

"Musclehead?"

Vizeria just replied with a long-suffering sigh.

"When is it? And do you have paper? I should write it down so my bunny reminds me, I finished several errands today, and managed to find yet more to do. Track down a thief, ask a cleric of Illiona if she has any idea how to deal with goddess related mental issues, figure out how to deal with my new in laws, …"

"You are married?"

"I healed a friend, her parents basically handed her over to me, another friend had a crush on my pre reincarnation self, and is not taking a no for an answer. Her mother approves, considering they are both draconic it seems I am a treasure and not to let go. I should meet Cibelle's mother too actually, and ask Cinnamon about her family."

"I'll go fetch something for you to take notes on." Vizeria replied. "I'd arrange for you to meet the parents of the one resting on your lap, but as their Matriarch that is pointless."

"What?"

"If you track down the thief from before, you should probably inform her guild leader or boss you have taken her."

"Oyy! Stop joking."

Zaria's agitation transferred to the tail that swished, and got caught by the resting acolyte.

"She likes your tail and she hasn't rested otherwise since our last meeting, so I will leave her in your capable hands … Are you blushing?"

Zaria squirmed. "The tail is sensitive, and she is nuzzling it."

"Oh" Vizeria wondered how to reply to that. "I'll leave her to you, or I'll probably have her go insane and commit suicide."

"I'd say that it's not fair, but you are a drow Matriarch. I guess I will have my revenge in a different way later."

Vizeria wondered if she had teased her guest too much.

"Arrange dowry for Nyrth and Ellele, talk to Cibelle's mother calmly, find out Cinnamon's parents, check for my spice chest in a few days, track down thief for Illiona's cleric, ask about mental issues from divine prophecies, … What am I forgetting?" Zaria asked Vizeria.

"Arena fights with drow champions starting at noon, five days from now."

"Yeah that."

"Track down the thief with the firm butt."

"Mhm, good idea."

"Have a chat with the mother of a certain pampered son."

"Now you are just trying to offload your work on me!" Zaria accused.

"Guilty as charged, but can you blame me? You always cause something when you appear. I still have people trying to figure out how to ward the balcony."

"Make a sloped roof, add windows to turn in into a room, place a table and something there, and you can say you turned your balcony into a tea room for the view."

"Why sloped roof?"

"So, anyone teleporting onto it slips and falls off."

"I like it." Now Vizeria took notes. "I'll try to have it arranged soon; I'll have to insist on having you join me in experiencing the view once it is done."

"I forgot, arrange for a couch from the underdark, introduction to the craftsmen by matriarch Vizeria."

"Fine." The drow pointed at Zaria's lap. "Take care of the pet cleric from the 3rd tower that can't live without you."

"Ask your Goddess for help, she did it."

"Ask for a favour for a minor acolyte?"

"I'd ask her fluffiness but she'd give me a collar and leash to keep her as a pet."

Vizeria snorted, and decided to bait some more. "Once you have her fed and healthy, she is actually pretty."

"Stop tempting me, I wasn't planning on a harem, and especially not so soon after being back."

"Live with it, and enjoy it."

"Fine, I will take her off your hands, but you owe me a favour."

Vizeria nodded, pity the White One was not so easy to ensnare, but it made things interesting. For someone who seemed to hold not much interest in scheming, she was rather reserved.

"Make sure to reserve time with the descendants of your couch maker after the fight. I really want one like this."

"You seem rather confident."

"I have the feeling that each fight will be quick. One way or another." Zaria wondered if she should wake her new pet or whatever. "Have someone take me to her room, gotta pack her things."

Vizeria rang a toneless bell.

"Linked to another bell somewhere outside?"

"Yes, I find it rather useful, especially since the doors are soundproof and the room is warded against scrying."

"Really useful then, I don't think I need one of those, my maids would be jealous if I were calling for others, I think. Or worse, eager afterwards."

"The possessive type?"

"Loving and eager."

A servant entered. "You called Matriarch."

"Bring the White One to the Acolyte's room and help her pack."

"It shall be done." The servant turned to Zaria. "If the White One would follow me."

Zaria picked up the sleeping acolyte. "See you in five days." Zaria said her goodbye to the Matriarch.

Zaria followed the servant down the stairs, over two thirds of the way down before they turned into a side hall. There the servant led them to a small room at the end. It was a two-person room. By smell Zaria identified her pets' side, and placed her on the bed. She then quickly packed everything that seemed to belong to the starting to twist relentlessly newly acquired girl into a chest she found at the end of the bed.

Having packed it all she lifted the moving acolyte and frowned as the girl settled down immediately. "I shall take my leave then." She told the servant who had led her.

The tail placed on the chest she invoked another dimension door and teleported to the teleport circle at the bottom of the stairs. There she awkwardly carried the sleeping drow with one hand while pulling the chest along with the other.

After leaving the tower, under curious and some amused looks of everyone present, she teleported home.

Back in her room Zaria looked around.

"Kon" Yuki was staring curiously at the bundle in Zaria's arms.

That drew the attention of Annabel and Cinnamon who were counting money, again.

"Mistress?" Cinnamon asked, surprised.

"It's a long story." Zaria sighed. "Annabell, please sit on the bed."

The small golem scrambled onto the bed, and found the newcomer placed on the bed, with the head ending up in the lap. "Pet her since she is restless, if she wakes, I'll give Cinnamon an explanation."

The small golem simply acknowledged the commands and started petting the poor girl in her lap.

Zaria observed for a while but the victim of divine overdoing it didn't seem to be waking.

Pulling Cinnamon away from the money she handed the bunny the note with the new things to do. "Here are some new things to do that I picked up on the way, the spider's nest and guild delivery are done, I just need to deliver the confirmation tomorrow."

"Un un!" Cinnamon checked the list over.

"I will probably not return for dinner with the others, so make sure you all eat in time. That is a drow cleric, an acolyte of Lyx'yxy. She got the message that I was coming imprinted into her mind, and it's causing her issues. Part of it is not being able to sleep, and she is too thin, if she wakes, make sure she eats something. Having Cibelle here will probably keep the tension down."

"Un, something simple then, maybe a nice soup." Cinnamon nodded at Zaria.

"Shall I leave your loot out for identification?"

"Yes, I'll take care of it when we return."

"Dowry? Meet my parents?"

"Met Nyrth's parents, met Ellele's parents, met Cibelle's mother, so I should meet yours too since you are mine as well."

The bunny blushed deeply. "I …" she squirmed. "It's not necessary."

"It is." Zaria insisted.

"I'll send them a letter."

"Just tell me about your home, then we can teleport there."

"Un un~" The bunny seemed a mixture of happy and embarrassed.

Zaria tried to remember if she had forgotten anything important. "Oh right, put the acolyte's things in a dresser, I doubt she will be able to sleep or take care of herself on her own for a while."

"We need a bigger bed." Cinnamon realized.

Zaria gave her bed a critical look.

"At least we tend to snuggle mostly, so there is some space left over."

"But it is not much, Mistress, should we order a new one, I think twice the size in all directions would be good."

"Isn't that a bit much?"

"Just planning for the future."

"I am not sure I want to know what kind of future you are imagining." Zaria deadpanned.

"Now Mistress, I will explain to Cibelle, Annabell and Yuki will keep her company meanwhile, and you need to return to the others."

"Yes yes, I am going." Zaria gave a look at the bed and saw that Yuki had ventured to close out of curiosity and was now being hugged by the resting drow girl.

"Damn it!" Zaria cursed as she stood in the rain staring at the annoyingly familiar orchid. "Think then teleport!"

Jumping down to the lower branch she walked to the house and knocked. Where Ellele's mother let her in.

"You teleported to the upper branch again?" Elior greeted Zaria.

"Yes, I did, but honestly I have the excuse of being distracted by weird things happening a lot today." She tried to accept the towel Ellele's mother was holding, but the mother seemed insistent on wiping her herself. "Don't freak out, but I sort of took responsibility for an acolyte that Lyx'yxy kinda brain damaged."

"What?"

"She tried to warn the important people of the underdark city I went to that I am coming, that kinda went badly, and even worse for that acolyte who can't even sleep anymore because she needs to tell everyone about me." Zaria pondered for a moment if she had forgotten anything. "Right, then there is the fact that she hasn't slept in days, and is totally scared of me. It took me giving a lap pillow and petting her for her to finally rest properly."

"I'm next!" Ellele demanded.

"What?"

"I am next for a lap pillow."

"Uhm .. okay? Just watch the horns?"

"Mhm~" The now happy dragon tried to take the towel from her mother.

The mother resisted.

The two dragons started glaring at each other.

"She is my treasure!" Ellele declared.

"There is nothing wrong with helping polish another treasure." The mother countered.

Zaria decided to dry herself with magic and slip past the pair.

"So drow with issues?" Nyrth asked.

"Yes, when I left, she was resting being petted by Annabell and holding Yuki." Zaria sat next to Nyrth. "Somehow that Goddess overdid it with that emergency prophecy about me. My fight with the drow champions starts at noon five days from now."

Nyrth fretted. "Isn't fighting champions dangerous?"

"Probably less dangerous for me than for you fighting a dog." Zaria corrected.

Elior shook her head. Comparing drow champions to dogs, was something that was insane. It fit the White Menace perfectly after all. Meanwhile she was having fun watching two dragons fight over who was allowed to pamper the fluff.

"And what was this about brainwashing an acolyte of Illiona?"

"They don't have fun hobbies, they don't enjoy sweets, they don't even masturbate. Everything is forbidden and whoever did the interpretation of Illiona's words did it in the most obstinate way possible. Makes me want to ask her what she actually meant."

------

On a different small plane, a loli goddess felt a shiver go down her back

------

On yet another plane a certain nine tailed floof fell over giggling.

------

"That bad?"

"That bad!"

"Even to us high elves, they don't make sense." Elior added. "I admit seeing Zaria all confused was adorable."

Zaria blushed a moment. "I'll admit I overreacted a bit, but they are just so … I can't honestly put it into words."

"Okay?"

"Not okay, be glad you don't try to understand, because that is impossible. I saw them and don't believe it."

Elior smirked. "And you still corrupted one of them."

"Not sure how that happened, one thing led to another, and now I have to track down a thief."

"That sounds simple."

"It happened over three weeks ago."

"Is that even possible … oh right it's you." Nyrth corrected herself.

"Hey!"

"Zaria, you have to admit that you are as far removed from normal as is possible. You are way past the realm of myths or hero stories."

Elior commented from the side-lines where she was watching Ellele take verbal blow after verbal blow, the current topic was 'terrible at cooking'. "You forgot random and completely lacking common sense, how many teleports was that already?"

"I think two 'Greater Teleportation', around twelve normal 'Teleportation', and two 'Dimension Doors'. Might have miscounted somewhere."

"You know that that is more Teleportations than most casters have spells!"

"I already told you, you have it, you use it. Best way to travel." Zaria waved her hand around. "Without it, Nyrth would still be paralyzed, Ellele would probably be making plans to visit, and I would have never been to Trianna and still stuck at home."

"That seems sad." Nyrth admitted.

Elior decided to intervene however. "No don't listen, or will get infected by her …"

"Zarianess?" Nyrth wondered.

"That is not really a word but yes."

"I couldn't even if I tried." Nyrth tried to calm Elior down. "I doubt anyone but her can be so Zaria."

"And I am sitting here and listening."

"There there." Nyrth gave Zaria a headpat.

Zaria rose from the seat. "Since our dragons seem busy, I'll cook dinner. Let's see what we have here."

"No, it's my kitchen!" That disrupted the rather one-sided fight and awoke the mother dragon. "Sit down, and enjoy my lair, while I make something for dinner."

Zaria sat back down. "I know she is married, but there is something oddly attractive about a draconic woman putting on an apron."

"""She is naked?"""

Zaria looked back at the smirking mother, who posed. "I guess she is wearing an illusion?"

"Yes, a nice red dress one." The lady of the lair confirmed.

"At times like these, I wish true seeing could be deactivated."

Ellele placed her hands over Zaria's eyes. "Mother, you are married!"

"Is this another 'they are actually naked and only look dressed' situation?" Elior asked.

"She is wearing an apron, and Ellele took off her cloak." Zaria confirmed.

"Oh." Nyrth started blushing.

"I am surrounded by perverts." Elior lamented.

"Takes one to know one." Zaria replied. "Besides it would be a waste for you not to be one with your siscon tendencies and sensitive body."

"I am not …"

"Yes, you are, both of it." Zaria cut off the denial, then she pulled Ellele into her lap, something that calmed the dragongirl down.

"Maybe I should tell Cibelle about you watching my mother in an apron." Ellele grumbled.

"If you do, she will just ask me how short I want it, and if I want it to be her new uniform."

Ellele, Nyrth, and Elior took a moment to digest that, and decided that it sounded oddly plausible.

"That sounds fun!" Ellele's mother was not helping.

"Only if you want to kill Elior from embarrassment." Zaria disagreed.

"Or me." Nyrth mumbled.

"But you look good naked, even if you are still a little too thin." Zaria disagreed again, this time with Nyrth. "Besides, if my loved ones and I see each other naked it is fine, but I think they would be too tempting for others."

The draconic mindset agreed. "True, showing off your treasures or showing yourself off to them is fine, but only to the trusted ones."

"Can we change the topic? It's embarrassing." Nyrth complained while blushing.

Elior nodded in agreement, and with a blush on her face.

"Yes yes." Zaria allowed.

They chatted casually until dinner was ready, the main topic of interest was living in tall trees like they did here.

------

Dinner was a nice soup, followed by various roast cuts, hams, cheese, and sausage with some rather nice dark bread. For Nyrth and Elior the apples and other fruit were weird, but Zaria and the hosts had no trouble mixing them with the meats and bread.

It was after dinner that Zaria remembered something. "I forgot to turn in the quest to the temple of Illiona."

"Do it tomorrow?" Elior responded. "Normal adventurers would have taken a month to report back, you know."

"It was that far away?"

"Yes, all that teleporting is messing with your sense of distance." Elior sighed.

"It is the best way to travel, how long would it take from here to my mansion?"

"About five days?" Ellele remembered.

"Ten days for a round trip, and here we spontaneously visited."

"Normal people can't do that." Elior complained.

"Yes yes, thank you for the food, but I'll deliver the proof of completion, then again I should check on our newest guest."

"Oh right, a drow acolyte of Lyx'yxy is at your home, makes me feel like we are going into an ambush." Elior checked if her armour still fit snugly.

Zaria waved all concerns off. "Don't worry, actually my biggest worry is that she will crack her skull again while trying to bow, or jump out of the window the moment she sees me."

"What do you mean again?"

"First time I saw her she went from standing to kneeling on the floor with such force she probably cracked her skull from the noise I heard, her forehead was bleeding, and I guess she was concussed."

"... suddenly Illiona seems like a sensible choice for a goddess." Elior commented.

"For some reason I find the drow more sensible, well the rude ones aside, but those seem to learn their lesson after a sufficient show of force."

"If they survive it." Elior added.

"Lesson learnt permanently." The draconic mother agreed. "Ellele make sure to stay close, Zaria make sure Ellele gets strong enough to actually be worthy of you, and I don't mean stronger than you are, since I feel like that would be impossible in a single lifetime."

Zaria wondered if the woman knew how right she was about that.

"Everyone touching me or each other? Ellele no, my tail is not for holding on!"

Hands changed places and everyone made agreeing sounds.

------

"White One!" an unfamiliar voice called out when their surroundings shifted from comfy tree house to noble room.

Everyone looked at the bed where the shout came from.

The acolyte was face down on the bed, with Yuki and Annabell sitting on top of her, Annabell pinning her down with the acolyte's arms twisted behind her back.

Despite this the small golem was still petting the head.

Yuki was sitting on the upper back looking very smug about it.

Cibelle was sitting near the head, holding a bowl while Cinnamon was standing nearby holding a glass of water.

It looked really confusing.

"Someone please explain?" Elior prompted.

"Kon kon kon kon kon!" Yuki barked.

Zaria facepalmed.

"Someone explain so we normal ones understand it as well?" Nyrth begged.

Cinnamon pointed at the drow girl who now seemed to pretend to be air. "She woke not long ago, panicked upon seeing Annabell, sort of tried to jump off the bed, she tripped over Yuki and fell down hard. Then she saw Cibelle, panicked even more, jumped back and tried to take Anna hostage, after Anna realized she was being threatened she pinned her to bed. I think Anna took her by surprise when she disregarded the danger to herself, we helped with making sure she stayed down. Since it was time for dinner we ate, then fed Anna, and fed her."

"Is she still breathing?" Nyrth peered at the motionless lying acolyte.

"Yes, she is." Zaria stepped closer and petted the head. "Base rules, everyone here is under my protection, that includes you. Nod if you understand."

There was nodding.

"Now, do you know where you are and why?"

Headshaking was the reply.

"You were going crazy and breaking down from lack of rest. Since you fell asleep in my lap, Vizeria decided to entrust you to me. Basically, you are mine now."

A whimper and tears followed.

"That means we have to get you healthy again, make sure you sleep enough, and fix your issues with the prophecy." Zaria poked the grey cheek. "First you need a bath, defend yourself when needed, but no attacking unless they threaten any who live here; and if someone here attacks you, try to get to me, if I am not available, defend your life."

The acolyte nodded.

Zaria announced "Everyone, let's take a bath together, my large bathtub has enough space."

"I will leave you to it." Elior declined. "See you tomorrow."

"Elior~"

Elior shivered at the way Zaria pronounced her name, a look at the White Menace showed the albino to be grinning amused at her.

"That includes you, and don't think about escaping, so are you going to strip on your own, or do you need help?"

Elior did not like the way Zaria pronounced 'help', it sounded erotic and sinister at the same time.

"Can I at least fetch my casual clothes first?"

"A nightgown and a bathrobe are enough."

"I'll be right back."

"If you don't, I will find you~"

It was a threat.

Suddenly Elior knew.

It was revenge.

She was doomed.

------

Zaria was looking from the naked Nyrth to the naked acolyte. "You know, you two are way too thin, I can easily count ribs. Elior on the other hand, fully bare you look much better than I expected, pity you are claimed."

"I am not claimed!"

"Really? Does that mean I can claim you?"

"No!"

"See, claimed after all."

Elior decided to not respond.

"Zaria stop staring!" Nyrth complained blushing deeply.

"Why should I?" Zaria countered. "Totally worth looking at."

"Stop it!"

"Don't want to." Zaria stepped into the view of the acolyte who had been looking to the floor. "You are too thin, while I doubt you will ever have as nice a figure as my sweet Cibelle."

"Zaria you are bragging!" Elior complained.

"And with good reason." Zaria fired back. "Where was I … right figure, now that you are under my authority, no more starving, not sleeping and so on. Ellele you can stop pouting, comparing your curvy build with anyone else is too difficult, especially with the wings and tail."

"Now … who wants to help scrub our two newcomers?"

""Eeep!"" Elior and the acolyte were in agreement here, they were doomed.

Cibelle pointed at the drow. "I shall tend to her."

Cinnamon stepped to Elior. "I want to touch Lady Elior, her skin looks so smooth."

Annabell was looking from one to the other, and couldn't decide.

Ellele decided that the drow would probably spend time with them in the long run, and inched closer to the girl who was watching in trepidation.

Nyrth sided with Elior, the high elf being the safer choice in her opinion, and most of the big breasted ones were crowding the drow and the bounces were damaging her pride as a girl since she was more modest chest wise then they were.

Finally, Annabell decided; how Zaria was not sure, but she joined Elior's side. Zaria joined as well, something that made Elior whimper.

Protesting squeaks came beside them where Cibelle made sure everywhere was cleaned, and Ellele made sure to inspect every bit of skin.

Elior whimpered.

Zaria smirked.

Annabell lifted Yuki from beside Elior.

Zaria pulled a small basin closer. "Now Anna, since Yuki has a lot of fur we need a lot of shampoo."

Elior felt relieved.

"Lady Elior has really soft looking skin." Nyrth was looking at the elven maiden in awe.

"Un un, I can't wait to polish her to perfection." Cinnamon sounded very motivated.

Unfortunately, Elior was not safe.

------

Soaking in the bath, the drow acolyte seemed to be staring ahead unseeing. Her skin was several shades lighter than Cibelle's almost black one. The hair was not a pure white but seemed to have a slight blue tint. She was almost bare down there, but the last days had prevented her from grooming properly.

At least this time she was traumatized in a different way.

Elior on the other hand was having a hard time with everyone marvelling how smooth her skin was. Marvelling hands on naturally.

Zaria was more used to being touched, and since they counted towards her lovers, she was almost fine with it. Almost that they were too touchy for her taste with her tail.
"If you continue, I will jump you again."

Nyrth blushed and took a step back.

"I think that this is the sign for us to get out." Elior had no delusions about what was going to happen soon, the way that Cibelle licked her lips made it very obvious. She grabbed Nyrth and the drow by the hands and started pulling them out.

"Will they be alright?" Nyrth wondered. "We all passed out last night." She blushed after admitting that.

"Zaria will make sure she doesn't overdo it, but yes, probably everyone else will end up passed out again." Elior faced the acolyte. "For your own safety, I am offering you to sleep in my room … do you have a room Lady Nyrth?"

"I … I don't think so?"

"Let's have a chaste sleepover, and let us leave them to their orgy?" Elior felt her cheeks heat up. "I can't believe I said that."

"Are you coming?"

The acolyte looked around, heard a loud moan through the bathroom door, then nodded and quickly fetched her nightgown.

"Got everything you need, because I am not sure it will be safe returning until morning." Elior warned.

Nyrth took a book, and her nightgown.

The lost looking acolyte took a worn looking notebook.

Elior opened the door and led the way.

--- Cinnamon's Lists ---

Beginning of Chapter

End of Chapter

discord comments

Notes:
Made a calculation sheet for GI.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IGhWoBBJJDgTiu_WlavPY2MXNrYrLCvW8tL7_q-7Jrc/edit?usp=sharing
That took a lot of time and headaches.
While nice, I am feeling the need to grind now. Looking for carries in EU and America Servers to speed things up. Also, Honkai Impact 3rd US players are welcome.

On a sidenote, I did not plan for the thing with the acolyte to happen!
On another sidenote, I did not plan on the thing with the 2nd acolyte to happen either!

Poll: Do you want to know Zaria detailed spell load out and spell use per chapter?
1: Yes!
2: Yes, it's going to be one of those large table things … right?
3: Yes, add an explanation for beginners
4: No!
5: No, spoiler tags tempt me, and then I get confused.
6: No, less focus on rules, more focus on plot!
7: It doesn't matter! We need more lewdness!

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