“So, how do we go back?”

  “Ah! I’ll fly you to the city, just get on my back”

  Said Celestial, turning back into a dragon, I see now why this cave was so big and empty from certain angles.

  “Right!”

  I jumped on top of her, but I have no idea how she’s coming out, I don’t see any big exits to fit her and...

  Oh god! is she just gonna crash through the gss pane!

  As I was bracing for impact, the ‘gss’ pane morphed as we went out, rippling almost like if it were a water surface, and just like that we were out in the sky, flying at breakneck speeds.

  “This is how you brought me here!?”

  “Yeah! But the human that was with you ended up throwing up, so I teleported her back instead!”

  “If you can teleport, why are we flying there!”

  “Because it’s fun!”

  Really... I mean it is kinda fun the night sky with stars shining brightly all around us, barely able to see what’s going on under us since we’re going so fast, the wind violently pelting my face felt funny, this went on for about 30 minutes, I quite enjoyed it all things considered.

  “Marisa?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Isn’t that the human that was accompanying you?”

  “Hmm?”

  I squinted my eyes, we’re going slowly now since we’re close to town, and don’t want to make a wreck of it, but Celestial was right, I did manage to see Heather in the pace.

  She’s being yelled at by the piggy lord, looking at Heather's angry face is funny, but the piggy is obviously up to no good.

  Heather is holding my backpack, and all the knights are there.

  “Ah! This doesn’t look good! Can you nd in the pace Celestial?”

  “Of course! Leave it to me”

  ...

  ...

  “Give it up Heather!”

  “You give it up! When Marisa comes back she’s gonna be pissed!”

  “That bitch isn’t coming back! There’s been reports that the dragon Celestial took her, even for someone like her, she can’t leave her side that easily”

  “Shut it pig! Marisa is coming back soon!”

  “Pig!? How dare you! Knights! Capture Heather at once!”

  “Guys...”

  “What are you waiting for! Are you disobeying my orders!”

  “Ugh... sorry Heather...”

  “There’s no reason to do this! We-“

  “Captain! What’s that sound!?”

  “What sound?”

  ...

  ...

  *fwoosh*

  With the loud sound of Celestial nding, we arrived in the middle of the pace courtyard, everyone was looking at us with their jaw wide open.

  I’m more surprised at the fact that Celestial nded so gracefully, despite the ruckus I asked her to make to do a cool entrance, nothing is broken or anything.

  Either way I jumped down from her, and as soon as I did she turned into her human form.

  I couldn’t help but grin a bit, at how fucking epic the entrance had to look! I’m gonna gloat about it ter~

  “What’s happening here?”

  I asked in a stern voice, I could see everyone from the knights visibly scared, when did they return anyways, didn’t I send you guys to the frontline? the piggy lord just ran away...

  “It’s nothing mistress”

  Heather interjected since no one is speaking.

  I’m just happy to see Heather again, so I couldn’t help but crack a smile, and say.

  “I’m back as I promised”

  And with a bright smile she tilted her head to a very slight angle.

  “Welcome back”

  ...

  ...

  We headed back to my personal quarters, needless to say, I’m confused on what happened with Heather, but she’s equally as confused to see me with Celestial.

  “What happened?”

  “With Celestial? She’s my servant now!”

  I said with a smug aura, Heather looked at her and the dragon just nodded without a care in the world. She's not exactly my servant but eh, it sounded fun in my mind!

  “How did this happen?”

  “Well, I beat her at a game of cards and now she works for me I think”

  Heather is even more surprised, truth be told it’s quite unbelievable and not exactly accurate, but I don’t want to enter into details with her, she doesn’t need to know about other me or anything of the sorts.

  “And you’re ok with this?”

  “Well, Hestia asked me to take care of her and raise her, in a sense I can still do it while accompanying her”

  “What are you anyways?...”

  She’s just hanging her head low, she’s just amazed at my incredible dragon taming skills probably.

  “I don’t know either, I’m me I guess!”

  “Oh you don’t know your lineage? Even though I mentioned it before, It’s pretty straightforward, you’re the daughter of Hestia, the 12th elven queen, and Maldi the demon lord”

  Celestial interjected, I don’t know any of them personally, but Heather is even more dumbfounded...

  “T-the demon lord...”

  “Yes, part of the demon lord family, honestly I ck a lot of context but I heard the demon lord bloodline it’s a chimera of a lot of different demons, and Lamias for some reason”

  Do Lamias exist? What do you mean different demons?

  “M-Marisa, don’t tell me you pn to take over the world!?”

  “Heh-“

  I just smiled. But Celestial interjected

  “Don’t even think about it, even if I were to break every promise I made, I won’t let another demon lord rise to power”

  Waa... she’s dead serious... Her slit eyes are scary, and the bloodlust I felt was real, if it was aimed at someone else that isn’t me that person would probably pass out on the spot.

  “It’s fine, ruling the world sounds like a hassle anyways...”

  “Good”

  “Ah! I do want to keep ruling my own country though!”

  Heather is looking at me trying to say with her gaze ‘do you have a death wish!?’

  “Hmm... well, I guess one country is fine, just the one!”

  Heh! Nailed it, of course I’d rule only one country! That it expands ter doesn’t mean I have more though! It’s still just one that’s gonna be very big!

  “Sure just the one!”

  Heather then sighed, it seems she understands my pns while Celestial can be a bit oblivious, I can’t help but ugh inside a bit.

  “Sigh...”

  “Oh! And what about you Heather? What happened with the piggy?”

  “Oh about that...”

  Heather then proceeded to expin her side of the story, although to summarize, she tried to flee with my stuff that piggy was trying to steal.

  “And that’s what happened”

  I see, I couldn’t help but feel a bit happy for some reason, who would’ve thought the girl I tore limbs from was gonna help me this much, now I feel bad for what I did to her.

  “Thanks Heather!”

  Wha!? She just got up and hugged me, I didn’t know how to react, she pced my head on her bosom, and gently caressed my head with her one arm around my body.

  “W-wha!?-“

  “You’re welcome”

  Hnn... In the end I just hugged her as well, she’s really soft and warm...

  This is bad, I have to control myself or end up doing things to Heather again!

  Nu-uh! I shook my head, now isn't the time for that!

  “You should head home Heather, check on your sister”

  “Right! I can leave then?”

  “Of course, or do you want me to take you home?”

  Heather made a dumb face for a moment, and then affirmed to me, by going to extreme lengths to sound convincing and sure, that she doesn’t need me to accompany her or anything.

  I couldn’t help but feel worried, but in the end, she’s still a proud knight, I’m sure she’ll be fine.

  I looked over to Celestial after Heather left, it seems she’s gonna start living here or something.

  “Let me ask a butler for a room you could stay in”

  “?”

  Celestial looked at me surprised.

  “Aren’t we gonna sleep together?”

  “E-Eh? Why would we do that?”

  “Because I’m a bit worried to be honest”

  “Worried about what? I doubt anyone can hurt me, I’ve slept by myself before”

  “No, not that, I worry that you’ll attack someone”

  “Eh!? Why would I do that!?”

  When I asked her, she just pointed at my crotch.

  Waa... I didn’t expect her to realize it, but yes, Junior is trying to burst out, I bme Heather for smelling so nice and being so charming. Still it was too quick, I don’t know if I felt pent up or stressed, but I’ve been managing to keep it down for now.

  “D-don’t worry I won’t do anything reckless”

  “Even so, don’t you need help with it?”

  “Ah, n- well...”

  This is, like, super awkward.

  “I’m ok by myself for now!”

  Calm down me, I do want to pin Celestial down, but I don’t feel like it’s the right moment.

  “If you say so, just be careful ok?”

  “Eh? Careful of what?”

  I mean horniness is not a disease or something.

  “You are the daughter of Maldi, and as part of the demon king lineage, it’s...”

  “It’s...?”

  “Well I mentioned that Maldi was a chimera of different demons, incubus AND succubus included, it’s probably fine, but know that it’ll be dangerous if you hold your sexual urges for too long”

  “Eh? Are you feeling alright? Did you hit your head or something?”

  “No? Why the question?”

  “I mean, you seemed pretty down to earth, now you’re telling me to, uh, y’know”

  “Hmm... well it’s ok if you don’t feel like it, but it’s bad for your health to hold back, Maldi had hundreds wives he used everyday”

  “Hundreds of wives everyday! More like he loved to fuck!”

  “He didn’t sleep at all actually, rumor has it that he was never not with a woman in his spare time”

  “That sounds almost painful”

  How did he do anything, if all he did was fuck?

  “Well, you are female, so I expect you don’t have a strong of a libido as Maldi did”

  Ugh... I felt insulted for some reason, but...

  “That means I have, eh had a lot of brothers and sisters”

  “Oh, not at all, you’re Maldi’s only daughter”

  “Wasn’t he fucking 24/7”

  “It’s hard for the demon lord to impregnate a woman, simply put his genepool it’s a complete mess, well yours too dear”

  “Huh, so he was like the most impotent man alive?”

  “Oh no, he got a lot of women pregnant, it's just...”

  “Yes?”

  “Well, I didn’t wanted to tell you the details but now we’re here, he would kill any partner he impregnated”

  “Wow, so he was scum”

  “The lowest of the low”

  “Then how was I born?”

  “Well, your mom ran away, in fact, she wasn’t even one of his wives”

  “What? Then how?...”

  “Rape of course”

  “Damn... I kinda feel bad for my mom then...”

  “Oh, don’t be, she... she probably found her peace... besides, she loved you more than you would imagine”

  “I-is that so, doesn’t sound like it, giving I was sealed for millenia or something”

  “Dear, she put you above everything else, the demon lord was hated by everyone, and you being his child... made things complicated”

  “What do you mean?”

  “People demanded for your life, even when you weren’t born yet, your mother not only defended you even risking her own life, she sealed you so that people couldn’t even try to harm you...”

  Celestial looks sad again for some reason, maybe I should change the topic or something.

  “Well it seems she was a great mother...”

  “Yes, yes she was”

  Celestial gave me a warm smile, I really don’t know her, but Celestial seems to know my ‘mother’ way more than what I can remember, I’ll never understand what being a parent is, and... oh crap! I just thought about it, didn’t I leave Heather pregnant!? I was so busy in my thrusting that it didn’t even cross my mind, not for a single second!

  “What’s the matter?”

  “Oh, umm nothing, umm... you said the chances of getting pregnant from the demon lord are low right?”

  “Yes? Why-“

  She stopped her thought mid sentence, and just looked at me.

  “Let me guess, the knight that just left?”

  “W-what are you talking about?...”

  “She smelled like you, so I knew from the moment I saw you two that, you know”

  “Oh really?... well, uh...”

  “don’t worry, she can’t get pregnant with you, no one can in fact, you don’t have testes after all”

  “Phew...”

  I couldn’t help but feel relieved for some reason, I mean sure it’s a dream, but I wouldn’t want to be called dad even in a dream, although wait a minute, did she just say I don’t have balls!? I mean I don’t but still!

  “Even so I have to ask, with who else have you done it apart from that dy knight”

  “No one”

  “Really?”

  “W-well, I got a blowjob from that other girl, but that’s everyone I swear”

  Wait! Why am I expining myself to Celestial again?

  “Hmm, ok, I’ve no problems with who you did it, but be careful, the semen of the demon lord was a powerful drug, and aphrodisiac, I’m not sure about you since you’re the first half demon lord hybrid, but still, better safe than sorry”

  What’s with the messed up expnation, What was my dad even doing anyways!?

  Sigh... I don’t feel any libido anymore, not even a little bit.

  “Oh, by the way!”

  “Yes?”

  “Here”

  I handed Celestial the 2 pendants I have, really, they’re useless to me, and she seems very interested in them if she bet her life over them, so I have no problem in giving them to her.

  “W-what’s the meaning of this?”

  “I’m giving them to you”

  She looked dumbfounded, then made a smile so bright it physically hurt me, and then she made a sorrowful face.

  “I... can’t accept them”

  “Eh? Why?”

  “You clearly don’t know their worth, and if I took them from you, I couldn’t live with myself thinking I deceived you into giving them to me”

  “You’re not deceiving me, I’m giving them to you”

  “But-“

  “No buts, take them”

  “I’m sorry, I really can’t”

  Now she seems sad, this was meant to be a gift and now I made her feel bad.

  Hmm... ah! Idea!

  “Well, if you won’t take them, then can I ask you a favor?”

  “Eh?”

  “A favor, you know, you owe me a few from the lost games”

  “It was just one but sure…”

  “Could you look after them for me? You say they’re precious, I wouldn’t want to lose them”

  “W-what do you mean”

  “I want you to take them, not as a gift, I’m not giving them to you like that, it’s like, I’m lending them to you, so you can take care of them in my steed”

  Celestial just smiled again, and with an ‘of course’ she finally took them from my hand.

  “You really liked them huh? They must be important”

  “Very”

  “What do they do anyways? Is there some sort of magical power from them or something?”

  I mean, magic exists in this dream, so they must have an outrageous ability if Celestial, the strongest person I’ve met, wants them so badly.

  “Oh, nothing like that, these days the most you could use them is to fetch a few coins with a collectionist or pawn shop, but...”

  “But?”

  Well, if they’re worthless junk, at least for society, that means that.

  “They have a significant emotional value for you right?”

  “...yes...”

  The eyes of Celestial gave off a warm feeling, yet a distinct lonesome could be felt from them as well.

  I couldn’t pry anymore into Celestial’s past, so I let it slide for now. Celestial keeping the lockets kinda puts my heart at ease as well, so all’s well that ends well.

  “So you rule this town then?”

  Oh, now Celestial it’s questioning me, not to toot my own horn but.

  “Yes~ this is my pace now, feel free to look around”

  “Kinda small to be honest, your mother’s castle was so grand, people would stare in awe at the sight”

  “Well maybe I’ll make it even better!”

  “What’s on your mind?”

  “I’ll make a porcein castle so shiny, radiant and eborate! People will look with envy at my home!”

  “Really now? What else, a doorway to the ceiling made of silver?”

  “Oh! Good idea!”

  Celestial just smiled again, rubbing my head for some reason, hey mind the horns please!

  “You have the same tacky tastes of your mother~”

  “Eh!? You’re the one that suggested it!”

  “It’s fine, it just brings memories, don’t mind me”

  Celestial can be pretty weird from time to time, not that I dislike her, especially as an ally, we both can take down the world at our feet, I just need to find a way to convince her to help me to my cause! Although there’s no rush, I should really fix the internal issues first.

  Oh! I also need to check on the pace knights, why the hell did they come back?

  Honestly I questioned them but they assured me the situation at the border it’s a stalemate, we recovered part of our border it seems, but now it’s the defensive game between our original borders, and pushing forward would be difficult since giving offense will tax us quite a bit, same for the enemy though.

  Well it’s fine, I’ll keep them around for now, but I warned them that at the first opportunity I’m sending them over again.

  —————————————————————————————————————————

  Shit! Shit! Shit!

  I couldn’t help but curse, seething with rage, and grinding my teeth.

  In the end I was completely useless again, only getting in the way, maybe if I weren’t there Marisa could’ve at least fled from Celestial.

  “If only I wasn’t so weak...”

  Needless to say, I couldn’t throw a tantrum or the like, if anything I should be happy I got away with my life. In the end, I headed back home, it turned pretty te and I had to see my sister, so I rushed back home, since it’s the only thing that I could do now.

  “Ah! Big sister! What’s wrong?”

  “Eh? Nothing, why?”

  “You seem sad...”

  “Sad? I’m fine really”

  “Sister, you told me that lying was bad!”

  “I...”

  “Why are you sad?...”

  “It’s... nothing you have to worry about sweetie”

  In the end I really can’t get marisa out of my head, I worry a little bit, what will Celestial do to her.

  “Where are you going sister?”

  “I’m going to the pace”

  “You’re going to keep working?”

  “Yeah...”

  My sister then grabbed my sleeve, she seems happy I’m not wearing the knight's armor anymore, but she still gives me a weary look.

  “Don’t push yourself...”

  I couldn’t help but smile at her, she’s such a good child.

  “Don’t worry I won’t, I’ll be back before you know it”

  And like that I headed back to the pace, getting inside Marisa's room, and finding her backpack, she told me to take my pay, but I find myself feeling guilty for just taking it like this, in fact I wouldn’t even come here to pick it, but something felt off.

  Like a premonition that something is wrong, call it a sixth instinct, it usually helped me when I was a rookie knight but...

  I really don’t get myself, Marisa is gone, shouldn’t I be happy about it? That monster is finally gone, life can go back to normal. Yet I hate myself for even thinking this.

  In the end I opened her backpack, it seems she keeps important things here seeing that here is where her money is.

  It’s an amazing bag, looking inside it’s wider than the outside, a backpack to hold infinite stuff perhaps?, it’s nothing short of a legend, a magical bag as ridiculous as Marisa was. But what amazed me more wasn’t the bag itself, but rather the contents.

  Sure there were clothes and other useful things but.

  “There’s a bunch of toys in here...”

  Plushies, dolls, among others, I couldn’t help but drop a tear. Didn’t Marisa say she didn’t know her parents, the amount of information I have of her is so little, yet she’s clearly as much in the dark as the rest of us.

  And looking at these toys only made me feel worse.

  She’s what, 16 tops, she’s still a child, I couldn’t help but think of my sister, of my family even.

  In a sense I could see myself in her, when I was her age, and alone in this world. Heck, at least I had my sister, and the memory of my parents, their teachings to keep me going. In a sense she has nothing, no family, no one she can rely on. She’s not the monster everyone is making her out to be, she’s just a kid, looking for love and validation.

  Just as I did back then, even if I don’t want to accept it.

  Kinda makes me wonder if that’s the reason why she wanted me to be her concubine? Did the town lord pnt weird ideas in her head about what love is? I felt like punching him for some reason.

  But speaking of him, I haven’t seen him, looking back at the backpack that’s filled with money, I shouldn’t let the piggy get wind of this, knowing him he’s gonna leave Marisa in rags.

  I’ll keep it with me for now, it’ll be safer than leaving it here.

  With her backpack on my, well, back, I left the pace, or so I tried but midway I was stopped by the town lord.

  “Where are you going Heather?”

  “Home, now move aside”

  “With that bitch’s bag? I don’t think so give it here”

  Shit, I knew he was gonna try something.

  “Why do you want it, it’s filled with her clothes anyways, nothing more”

  “Don’t py dumb with me, even I would know that the contents are probably priceless artifacts, if her decor and clothes are anything to go by, even if they were only clothes they still fetch a pretty penny!”

  Sigh...

  “So you’re gonna rob her?”

  “It’s no different of what you’re doing, besides”

  I hear steps, I see they haven’t scked off since I left, the pace knights arrived and were behind the pig lord.

  “I still have some business left with you”

  “C’mon, couldn’t do it yourself pussy?”

  “Wha!? How dare you disrespect me like this!, knights! Capture Heather and bring her to the dungeons at once!”

  The pace knights looked at me, and everyone hesitated, in a sense it tugged a string in my heart... the memories of how we fought together, how we ate together, and everything in between were making me nostalgic, I’m sure they felt the same.

  “We don’t have to do this”

  I said to the knights, they looked as shook as me, thinking if they should follow their heart or their duty.

  “Give it up Heather!”

  “You give it up! When Marisa comes back she’s gonna be pissed!”

  I tried to keep him engaged in conversation, maybe I can sway the knights to Marisa’s side, as I was thinking about my next words, Celestial came crashing into the courtyard, and on top of her was Marisa riding her. I didn’t know what happened, but I couldn’t help but smile.

  Joanne_carper