Might Makes Right
"Hahaha!"
"Did you see that earlier? Crying like a baby!"
"S-shut up! Let's see if you'd say that if it happened to you!"
Like a lively campsite barbecue, the villagers had split into several groups, sharing meat and alcohol as they enjoyed their meal. Flushed from the boisterous atmosphere, they drank endlessly, their faces turning a deep, warm red.
"Fufu, it is quite lively..."
"Indeed. It's nice to see everyone looking so happy."
"It is all thanks to our guest—no, our benefactor. Our quiet village... has changed so much because of you."
Tsuruka sat beside me, cradling a small cup in both hands as she took slow, delicate sips. Hearing her attribute everything to me felt like too much praise, so I waved my hand dismissively.
"Not at all. Helping to slay a few magical beasts is hardly a grand feat."
"You are too modest... Fufu, but that is not the only thing."
"Did I do something else?"
"Fufu..."
Rustle.
Tickle, tickle. Tsuruka's mischievous tail brushed against the back of my hand, the soft tips of her fur teasing my skin. Since I didn't stop her, her tail grew bolder, tracing my skin with the deliberate care of a master calligrapher's brush before gently wrapping around my wrist.
"This is a small village, after all, so rumors tend to spread quickly...?"
"......"
Tsuruka looked at me with half-lidded, blushing eyes. Her alluring red tongue darted out to wet her lips before slowly retreating. Her continued boldness made it clear she wanted something from me.
I lowered the hand holding my cup and placed it over Tsuruka's hand, which rested on the edge of her chair. She flinched slightly, but as I slowly stroked the back of her hand and intertwined our fingers like mating snakes, she gradually wrapped her fingers around mine, squeezing back.
Slide.
I shifted my weight and pulled my chair closer, closing the gap between us. Now pressed so tightly together that we could feel the warmth of each other's thighs, I looked into Tsuruka's eyes as she fidgeted with her cup and asked,
"If you keep sending me signals like this, I won't be able to hold back. Are you prepared for that?"
"I... I do not know what signals you speak of..."
Tsuruka shyly averted her gaze, staring at the glowing embers of the fire. I reached out with my free hand, cupping her chin to gently lift her face. Illuminated by the flickering flames, her cheeks, already flushed, burned an even deeper crimson.
"My, and here I thought you were plotting something... It turns out you're just being dishonest with yourself."
Her eyes trembled as she bit her lip and looked away once more. I had wondered if she had some ulterior motive, but regardless of what was on her mind, I realized she was simply too shy to speak her true feelings.
"You are quite wicked..."
One thing was certain: Tsuruka's expression was that of a female expecting something from her male. Whatever her hidden thoughts, she was practically begging to be held, and the prey was far too tempting to pass up.
With my hand still on her chin, I slowly drew her face closer to mine. Her blushing face showed only shyness, and she made no move to reject my touch. Taking that as consent, I leaned in.
Smooch.
Our moist lips met and parted with a soft, wet sound. The plump texture of her lips was incredibly satisfying, prompting me to lean in for another taste.
Peck, smooch.
Though they were light kisses, as I began to pull away, Tsuruka pressed her lips back against mine. Her slick lips parted, sealing over my mouth.
Suck, slurp...
It turned into a passionate, desperate kiss. She clung to me, her plump lips nibbling at mine as her thick tongue tapped against my teeth. I parted my lips to let her in. Tsuruka's tongue invaded like an advancing army, licking my teeth and tongue as she savored every corner of my mouth.
Releasing her chin, I slid my hand down to stroke her thigh, gently guiding her legs apart. Following my touch, Tsuruka slowly parted her thighs. When her gaze drifted down to her legs, I pulled my tongue back and clamped my lips around hers, sucking hard to bring her focus back to me.
"Mmph, nnh... slurp, chu... ♡"
Tsuruka pressed her lips against mine with glazed, unfocused eyes. Her breath carried a faint scent of barley beer, but since mine did too, I didn't care. Even as she spread her thighs and melted into the kiss, she instinctively tried to block my hand from reaching her lower half by shielding her crotch with her tail.
"Phew... Ha... Shall we keep going?"
Before I knew it, the chatter around the square had died down completely. The villagers nearby were pretending not to look, but they were staring intently at us. Every single one of them clutched their cups, swallowing hard as they watched our every move with rapt attention.
Even with their eyes burning into us, my hand on Tsuruka's thigh didn't stop. With her thighs now wide open, her hot, throbbing crotch was fully exposed, though her tail had curled up over her belly, blocking it from view.
Twitch, twitch.
The golden fox ears atop Tsuruka's head, usually somewhat droopy, were now standing straight up, twitching with sensitivity. Panting with her red tongue slightly out, she savored the afterglow before her ears caught a sound. She slowly closed her legs and whispered in my ear,
"I believe Eruka is coming. If we continue here... my sister might do something impolite."
Before tasting Tsuruka's lips, I might have thought it best to avoid unnecessary conflict and wait until later. But with a bit of alcohol in my system and the lingering sensation of her plump lips, I didn't feel like backing down.
I gripped Tsuruka's thighs as she tried to close them, lightly scratching her skin with my fingertips as I slowly slid my hand toward her crotch. I could feel her radiating heat even before I touched her. As I tickled her inner thighs and gently stroked the soft flesh beneath her buttocks, Tsuruka grabbed her own tail with one hand, desperately trying to stifle her groans.
"Ngh... Haaah..."
As I slowly stroked the underside of her thighs to gauge her reaction, I felt a thick, sticky drop of fluid land on my finger. Grinning inwardly, I immediately reached for her wet slit. Her tail was pressed tightly against her, and the fluffy fur brushing against the back of my hand was a bit of an obstacle, but as I deliberately pushed past it, her tail slowly lifted, creating an opening.
"Ah, no... Please stop... She is coming..."
Her pleading voice sounded like a sweet melody as I stroked her mound, enjoying its shape and texture. Her tightly closed slit, her plump folds, and her rock-hard clitoris twitched, asserting their presence.
Squish... squish...
I flattened my hand, smearing the juices overflowing from her mound across my palm, and then repeatedly pressed and pulled my hand against her wet slit. Peering past her tail, I could see the thick fluids on my palm and her mound making wet, squelching sounds, slowly turning into a frothy white lather.
"Haaah... It feels so strange... It tickles... and yet, I want more..."
Thud, thud, thud, thud.
A heavy, earth-shaking vibration, like a wild boar charging from a distance, echoed through the ground. I guess our fun was over for now. I had played with Tsuruka's body enough. I pulled my hand away from her wetness and held my palm up to her face. Tsuruka's flushed face turned even redder at the sight of my hand, but she slowly extended her tongue and began to lick it clean.
Lick, lick, lick.
After licking up every drop of her own sweet juices, Tsuruka stared at my glistening palm, then slowly opened her mouth to take my fingers inside. Feeling the gentle scrape of her fangs, I stroked her wet tongue with my fingers.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
Pop!
"Ah..."
As the footsteps drew closer and louder, I pulled my fingers out of her mouth. Tsuruka watched them leave with a look of regret, then quickly closed her legs and adjusted her clothes.
"It's so wet..."
She pulled down the hem of her dress to hide her panties, which were so soaked they had completely lost their function. Burying her face in her fluffy tail, Tsuruka stole glances at me, quickly hiding her face again whenever our eyes met. Was she only feeling embarrassed now that the heat of the moment had passed?
While I was pondering her mysterious behavior, the heavy footsteps stopped, and Eruka suddenly stood before me.
Her straight wolf ears twitched as she ran up, her tight leather outfit partially unzipped. She was drenched in sweat, her arms, legs, and neck glistening under the firelight. Panting heavily with her fangs bared, Eruka took a deep breath to steady herself, then rushed to Tsuruka's side.
"Sister—no, High Priestess...! Nothing happened earlier, right? I heard everything! That human was pestering and harassing you...!"
"Who harassed whom? If anything, I'm the one who got harassed."
Feeling the painful throb of my completely unsatisfied erection, I crossed my arms to hide my crotch. Seeing my awkward, slightly hunched posture, Eruka glared at me with deep suspicion, baring her teeth.
"As if my sister would ever harass a worm like you! Stop talking nonsense!"
"Heh... Believe whatever you want."
Infuriated by my smirk, Eruka stomped over and stood right in front of me, looking down at me. I didn't back down, staring right back up at her. With her face cast in shadow and her fangs fully bared, she reminded me of those 'pissed_off_big_dog.jpg' memes I used to see on the internet.
We stood there in a silent standoff for several minutes, neither of us yielding. Suddenly, Eruka's nose twitched. She silently sniffed the air around me, her expression remaining cold and stern. Unable to watch any longer, Tsuruka stood up and tugged on Eruka's sleeve to pull her back.
"I told you to stop, yet you keep doing this. Do my words mean nothing to you?"
"High Priestess..."
Tsuruka's ears stood straight up in genuine anger, her tail puffing up as she pointed a finger at Eruka in warning.
"I told you I am fine, yet you keep stepping in and showing disrespect to our benefactor. If you continue, I will place you under house arrest. Do you understand?"
"Sister...!"
"Who allowed you to call me sister while on duty!"
Tsuruka's scolding was fierce enough to evoke the image of a yapping fox. Completely deflated, Eruka's ears drooped as she stood meekly with her hands clasped in front of her, enduring her sister's wrath.
I enjoyed the show while sipping my beer. Tsuruka's anger was undoubtedly sparked by her sister's rudeness, but I couldn't help but wonder if she was also frustrated that our intimate moment had been cut short. Taking another gulp, I watched the lewd older sister lecture her younger sibling with her hands on her hips.
"Grrr..."
Even while being scolded, Eruka glared at me as I casually drank my beer in the background, her eyes filled with pure murderous intent. She was clearly furious, blaming me for her sister's anger. Without a word, I raised my cup toward her in a silent toast.
Gulp, gulp.
"Protection is not inherently bad, but overprotectiveness can be poison, Eruka. Do you understand?"
"Y-yes...? *Sniff, sniff...*"
Eruka bowed her head to receive the lecture, but then her nose twitched as she caught a strange scent. Tsuruka, who had her eyes closed as she lectured her sister, didn't notice. Realizing the scent was coming from her sister, Eruka leaned in closer, sniffing intently.
Sniff, sniff.
"This smell... Sister...!"
"Sister again...! I told you—"
"Did you mate with that human?!"
Pfft!
The word "mate" echoed loudly across the square. Caught completely off guard, I spat out the beer in my mouth, spraying it all over the ground. Tsuruka, who had been lecturing with her hands on her hips, froze like a broken doll, her mouth hanging open before she quickly shut it and denied the accusation.
"I... I have no idea what you are talking about, Eruka. Go back and finish your guard duty. When your shift is over, come to my room."
"But I can smell that human all over you! He must have done something to you! I knew it!"
Grip.
As Eruka reached for the greatsword on her back, Tsuruka finally snapped.
Slap!
It was a light sound, like swatting a crying child's bottom, but its impact was monumental. Eruka's eyes widened in shock, and Tsuruka's eyes grew just as wide. Whether her face was flushed from anger or embarrassment was hard to tell, but the slap seemed to drain all the color from Tsuruka's face instantly.
"E-Eruka... I..."
"......I will finish... my duty. High Priestess, I apologize for my rudeness..."
"No, Eruka... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...!"
Tsuruka repeatedly apologized in her panic, but Eruka simply walked away, her tail drooping so low it dragged on the ground. Tsuruka slowly lowered her outstretched hand and clenched it into a tight fist.
I stood up, wrapped my arms around Tsuruka from behind, and gently rubbed her back to comfort her.
"Calm down. It's my fault... I'll go talk to her and explain."
"I laid a hand on my sister... I shouldn't have... I..."
"Shh... You were just flustered. You didn't mean it. Wait here, I'll handle this."
"Lord Casano, I... I ruined everything..."
Leaving behind the trembling Tsuruka, who could barely form a coherent sentence, I gave her back one last reassuring pat and went after Eruka. Deeply depressed, Eruka hadn't gone far, trudging slowly toward a secluded clearing.
Twitch.
Hearing footsteps behind her, Eruka's ears twitched. Her ears and tail began to perk up as she turned around, but when she saw me approaching with my hands in my pockets, they drooped again, and her voice turned sharp.
"Filthy human. What do you want?"
"I came to clear up your misunderstanding."
Since I dropped the formalities and spoke casually, Eruka didn't seem to care and shot back immediately.
"Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding? Your stench was all over my sister...! You obviously forced yourself on her!"
I briefly considered clearing up this minor misunderstanding, but watching her yell and jump to conclusions was too amusing, so I didn't bother making excuses. When I simply shrugged to dodge her question, Eruka gritted her teeth and took a large stride toward me.
"I see it now. My sister was so humiliated by you that she slapped me just to keep it a secret. You piece of trash. I won't let you run rampant any longer."
Standing right in front of me, Eruka had to look up slightly due to our height difference, but she kept her fists clenched tight, glaring at me. I smirked at her attitude and asked,
"And how are you going to stop me? Are you going to beat me up and throw me out?"
"That would be easy enough. Just because you killed a few magical beasts doesn't make you strong."
Crack.
Eruka cracked her knuckles, her eyes locked onto mine. The shifting atmosphere made me slightly tense, but it also excited me. Judging by her strength, she was someone I could easily overpower if I drew on Undine's mana or had her assistance.
Without Undine nearby, it would probably be a fifty-fifty fight. But looking at Eruka's confident posture, it was clear she hadn't even considered the possibility of losing to me.
"What if you lose to me?"
"Me? Lose? Pfft...!"
Eruka clutched her stomach and burst into laughter. She laughed so hard she had to wipe a tear from her eye before pointing a finger at me.
"That was actually pretty funny, you pathetic human. Don't worry, that will never happen. Since you made me laugh, I'll go easy on you—I'll just break a bone or two before throwing you out."
"Who said you could throw me out? You're the one being ridiculous."
"The strong do as they please. That is common sense."
The strong do as they please... That had a nice ring to it. If I beat Eruka and made her submit, then doing whatever I wanted with her would just be common sense, wouldn't it? I took a step forward, looming over her. Shaded by my shadow, Eruka glared up at me, baring her teeth.
"Are you really trying to fight me, you mere human?"
Seeing Eruka bark like a cornered dog, I smiled silently.