Broken Wings (2) <Side: Francesca Wing>
『Martyr Moon - Day 1 (Lunch)』
A black energy swirled through the church. The slave succubi had spread uncontrollably. Before I could even recover from the shock that the territory had been in Elaine and her comrades' grasp from the start, Elaine dragged me to the Lord's Manor.
Even as captain, I was swept up in her recklessness and forcibly brought along. I could have chosen to run, but the moment I kicked that option away myself, I felt a twinge of resignation.
[We're here. Francesca... no. From now on, I'll call you Lanche. You call me Samson too. That's decided.]
"Shut up... I'm not in the mood to talk."
[Kukuku♥ Shocked by that black vortex earlier? I felt ecstasy and pleasure from it. This is why you can't even associate with inferior species.]
I ignored Elaine's sneering demand to change names as best I could. Indescribable emotions welled up at the familiar sight of the manor.
The only common points between "Francesca" me and "Guard Captain Francis" were the green hair and Join tribe heritage. If our genders had at least matched, there might have been room for suspicion, but since "Guard Captain Francis" had operated as a man, even that was difficult.
"Haa..."
"Um... Are you Samson and Lanche? The other applicants and the elders are waiting at the training grounds. I'll guide you this way."
[See? Not too late. Let's go quick, Lanche.]
Whose fault was the lateness...? Elaine followed the maid nonchalantly. I sighed deeply into the ground and, following the maid's guidance from the front of the manor, headed to the training grounds at the back.
* * *
The training grounds were usually a spot frequented by the Lord or me for training. Given the special circumstances this time, it seemed they'd evaluate the applicants here specifically.
There were eight elders in total. In front of each stood lines of people they'd brought.
We stood before the elder who'd become a slave succubus under Elaine's influence. But there was only one such aura.
No, roughly three... No way they got hit in that short time!?
[They did pretty well, huh. You feel it too, right? More numbers than before♥]
"Lies... I can't believe it."
The lewd aura was so palpable I didn't even have the courage to turn around, trembling slightly—when the door connecting the training grounds to the manor opened, and a short-bobbed woman with a whip strode in.
I could never forget that face, that woman's name.
Her night-brown hair swaying indifferently as she passed me without a glance and took center stage at the grounds.
Anidia Serendipity. The Lord's wife and renowned beast tamer. And... my master, my contractor.
"Enough chit-chat. Haa... Is everyone here now? Two applicants per advisor—looks real cozy."
She didn't recognize "Francis Wing" in my current form, issuing the warning in her annoyed tone. Plus, she usually came with "me"—that is, "Guard Captain Francis"—at her side, but today she was alone.
What the hell are you plotting...!
"Heh heh, don't say that, Madam. All these applicants are reliable experts we've carefully selected."
"Hahaha. Good joke. You expect me to buy that you rounded up real talent in less than a day? Cut the sweet talk no stray dog would believe."
Anidia didn't yield to the elder's words, countering sharply and glaring with piercing eyes as she inspected the lined-up applicants.
"Haa... Even eyeballing them, they look fit enough for physical work. Especially... that huge brown-skinned woman in the middle. She really human? My gut's screaming... You seem seriously dangerous."
[No way, Madam. I'm just a perfectly ordinary woman♥]
Ordinary my ass... With that massive cock from the start, what woman, and not even human...
Elaine brushed off Anidia's point nonchalantly with a smug smile. Anidia frowned, pointing at her—her instincts had pegged Elaine from the beginning.
Anidia's gut feelings had never been wrong before. Warnings based on them always came true, and she'd safely navigated countless dangers thanks to that experience. Her near-prophetic instincts, which she dismissed as mere beastly survival sense, were shining now.
And if only she'd recognize me... even in this changed form. Anidia...
"Talk a good game. No manners, super loyal guard material, right? Eh, Elder?"
[Hahaha. Grab too tight like a rat trap, and even loyalty flies away, Madam.]
The slave succubus advisor slithered past Elaine's retort like a sly fox. Exhausted, Anidia sighed and sat in a chair brought by maids, flipping through documents.
"Jeez... Backgrounds all check out. Famous guild adventurer from the kingdom, academy grad... even empire folk? Wow... impressive sourcing. Where'd you snag this talent so fast, advisors?"
Anidia scanned the applicants' profiles while turning pages. That was originally my job. She handled final checks... But she processed it alone, as if my absence was perfectly normal.
After a few pages, she tossed the documents far away, cracked her whip on the ground, and declared:
"Flawless papers down to the chills, bodies screaming no fitness test needed... Haaaa... Fine. You're all hired. Maids'll guide you to the guard barracks. Now scram."
Skipping essential fitness tests for guards, she passed everyone and waved them off dismissively. Applicants including me buzzed in surprise; elders looked flustered too.
It made sense. From the situation, the elders were planting spies to leak info or stir internal strife—and Anidia couldn't have missed it. They'd braced for strict checks, mouths ready to explain.
Her response came next.
"Straight talk. You're the spies your advisors planted, right? We got karma too, so no mercy, and I won't say play nice with current soldiers. You weren't planning to anyway... But warning: Don't think your puny skills can breach my guards. Drop that confidence here."
Staring down each applicant and their backing elder, Anidia warned. A stern caution to spies, an ultimatum: step out of line, and I'll bite.
"...I'll work you spies so hard you'll forget espionage. Got it? As humans... don't dream of escaping my eyes, ears, teeth. I'm pretty feral... Now get lost. Your faces sicken me."
With that, Anidia leisurely left the grounds. Applicants' frozen faces slackened at her declaration.
Then, as she passed me, Anidia whispered:
'You there... you stay. Got something to say.'
I flinched briefly, but she was gone from the grounds, maids now guiding applicants to barracks.
Elders left too, leaving just me and Elaine. Maids, pre-briefed, ignored us.
[Guess why she kept you? Lanche.]
"You heard that...?"
[Apostles have sharp senses. Whispers sound vivid, like right beside us.]
Elaine had been directed by maids too but insisted on staying with me; after brief argument, someone re-entered the grounds.
"Uninvited guests lingering."
Anidia returned in the same demeanor, glancing distastefully at Elaine before standing before me, scrutinizing top to bottom with a subtle expression.
"Straight to it. You really Join tribe?"
Seeing her usual cool demeanor eased me inwardly. And sparked hope. The reason she singled me out... Did she recognize me? Even in this changed body... through her instincts?
"Y-yes! Join tribe from the empire. Name's Fran—"
[This girl's name is Lanche... Do you need something from my little sister, Madam?]
As I finally started talking, Elaine laid a hand on my shoulder, interrupting naturally. Her other arm wrapped my waist, pulling me close... Urk♡♥ Elaine... so close, her scent's intoxicating...
"Join tribe from empire... Saw it in the old man's detailed info, but real deal. Another Join I didn't know about...? Anyway, Lanche, right?"
"Y-yes... La, Lanche. Madam...!"
I brushed off Elaine's words, meeting Anidia's direct gaze. My heart pounded; hope and anticipation swelled inside.
The spark of hope ignites...! Finally, signs of escape from this vulgar bondage...! Aaah♡♥ My cock, my cock's burning hot♡♥ Please, Anidia... save me♡♥ Find... find me♡♥
"Good. We got one Join tribe here too. So... you know the Join legend?"
"Of course. Join wings cross illusions, Join eyes see the unseen... And, and—"
[The legend that one who sees the end of the Join journey finds what they've lost... Right, Madam?]
"Oh? Rude newbie with manners in the gutter. Keeps butting in—didn't teach your hireling to read the room?"
[No. Just looks like you're bullying my sister. Taking the fangs for her♥]
Elaine...!? Scheming now. Just a bit more, and Anidia would've... me...!
"Yeah? Then you... what's your name? Empire too. Let's hear that proud, brave name."
[Samson. Wanderer from the empire with my cute sister Lanche. Satisfied?]
"Samson... Not a woman's name. But with that pretty face on a monster shell body, it fits... Parents name you that?"
[No parents.]
A moment's silence. Anidia spoke again.
".........So? No parents, so I fix your name? Think cheap pity from dead parents as shield works? Dream on, Samson."
[Kukuku♥ Quite bold, Madam. Bet you got lots of enemies with talk like that.]
"Not dropping my level to chat standards with a mere soldier... That's why I avoid outsiders... Francis said crap like that... Haa..."
That instant, Anidia uttered my name—the one I used as a man. But calling it, she seemed deeply irritated.
Moreover, Francis, I'm right here—what did I say? No way... Elaine schemed again...?
Should've suspected from the start. For new guard recruits, not just Anidia but me too should've attended. Yet she acted like my absence was no issue.
Meaning... I hadn't vanished; operating normally? Weird, but only explanation for the dissonance.
"Guard Captain Francis" was by Anidia's side from the beginning... lost trust over "that talk," so skipped this recruitment...?
"Anyway, keeps drifting. Lanche. Listening?"
"Y-yes! Li, listening, Madam."
Anidia sighed, pondering before speaking. Impossible possibility, but hypothesis growing plausible—I barely responded.
But her next words...
"Hoo... Straight talk. Wanna contract with me? Generous pay. Time to let Francis go. Wings need replucking."
"............Yes?"
"My gut warns. Francis is off. Saying this 'cause he's absent... Worst warning in my life. If not close aide, I'd cut him immediately."
Wh-what? Anidia...? Di-discarding me... Francis now...?
"Honest: I'm searching for my lost little brother. Swapped by fairies as a kid... Tried everything... All methods failed. So now leaning on legends, myths."
"M-Madam...?"
Repeating the exact story from our contract, demanding a new one. Unbelievable hearing it up close...
Francis unnecessary? New contract? I-I misheard, right? Must be...! Otherwise... why did I... betray tribe, become Francis...?
Why stripped Victoria, tribesfolk of freedom...?
"Know it's sudden. Still, reconsider positively. Lord's wife title's no empty. Can give wealth, honor. If you accept... even captain position... "
"Th-that can't...!?"
No, it mustn't... But Anidia's every word dragged me toward cruel truth.
This means... I was just a tool...
--Flutter...! Thud...!
Desperately denying Anidia's words with groans, emerald wings descended lightly from the sky. Their iridescent shimmer was truly beautiful.
Unlike some ugly, defiled wings...
"Ah..."
"Hm... Francis came. Tasks done?"
[Yes, Anidia. Just finished new guard assignments and barracks allotments. Returning.]
"Me" was here, yet "another me" appeared. The fake spoke naturally to Anidia; she frowned slightly, receiving report.
"Your stuff all moved?"
[Yes. All manor belongings transferred to barracks.]
"Good. Well done. Hate parting, but back soon. Go ahead. Got business with these two... Oh, right. On return, re-pair these two in barracks."
[Understood. Returning to barracks, Anidia.]
Did I speak, act like that...? Doll-like stiff words only, fake me ascended skyward again.
Such impressions brief. My stuff... to guard barracks? Reminded myself I misheard, but dialogue echoed mockingly.
"Originally planned splitting you newbies apart in barracks, but take as sincerity. See how special I view you. Decide quick... I'll go. To avoid suspicion, head to barracks."
"Anidia........."
I reached pathetically for departing Anidia, but door shut, silence enveloped.
Endlessly heavy, bitterly cold silence.
Moving my stuff to barracks, distancing— if fake me Elaine made explained it. But changing contract... reality hard to swallow alone.
If she knew I'm fake... shouldn't finding real me be priority? Not replacement contractor...
I'm no discard... Didn't betray to become discard...
[Pretty heartbroken, Francesca♥]
"........."
[Can't even retort now? Broken that bad. Want me sucking your cock? For mood boost♥]
"Shut... up."
[Hm...?]
"Shut up...!!! Cock, cock, cock...! Head pounding dizzy... spewing vulgar shit! No clue about feelings... H-huh, hngghk..."
No... can't show weakness before her... But tears unstoppable...
Please, someone tell me Anidia's words all lies. This isn't reality...
[Word for future sister Francesca... Don't trust that bitch too much. Even doused in strong perfume, luxury—can't hide beast eyes. Beasts cull weakest from pack. Nature's law, survival way.]
"Lies..."
[No. This is reality. Cruel, brutal. Ugliest act by beast in human mask. Discards allies anytime for self-gain. Ultimately same as elders she scorned.]
"L-lies..."
[But our Goddess differs♥ She never betrays♥ Lewdest, most lascivious Goddess grants infinite pleasure, corruption with majestic cock, bursting tits♥ Sole savior from betrayal, ugliness. You qualify as Her child♥]
"........................"
I sat dejected, stroking as Elaine praised truth, Goddess... just listening.
Why...? Her praise swelled euphoria from heart depths... cock heating...
Aaah♥
Elaine and I returned to barracks after alley detour, where she lovingly licked my cock to five orgasms.
All-day gloom... lifted by cheap fellatio...? Still... felt good.
Is it okay♥
