Broderick lets out a joyous laugh, but it’s quickly smothered as he’s engulfed by his two massive wives. They lift him slightly off the ground, their hefty forms practically burying him under layers of soft, affectionate flesh.
“My beautiful belles!” Broderick manages to bellow, though his voice is muffled by the overwhelming display of affection.
Blossom’s tail stiffens, her ears flattening against her head as she watches the scene unfold. “Is… is this normal?” she whispers, her eyes wide with confusion.
“Wives welcoming their husband who has come back from a dangerous mission? Yes. This sight we are currently witnessing? No.” I mutter back, though the unease in my voice is undeniable. The sheer enthusiasm with which Broderick’s wives have latched onto him is both impressive and terrifying. I would’ve been long dead in his place.
If not from the damage taken, then from mental shock.
Ayame, meanwhile, has turned a pale shade of green. “I think I’m going to be sick.” she murmurs, her hand clamped over her mouth as she watches with growing disgust.
Broderick, for his part, seems to be enjoying the attention, though he’s clearly struggling to keep his footing. His wives coo and murmur sweet nothings in his ear, their hands roaming over his body with an almost frantic energy. I can’t help but wonder if he’s actually going to survive this encounter, but then he manages to extricate himself just enough to flash us a wink.
“Don’t just stand there, brother and his ladies!” he calls out, somehow managing to sound both thrilled and breathless at the same time. “Come meet the rest of my family! I’m not the jealous type, so feel free to kiss their hands, though don’t get carried away! Bahaha!”
I glance at Blossom and Ayame, who both look at me with expressions that clearly say, Please, no. I can’t say I blame them, since I’m probably the one who is the least interested in taking him up on his offer.
“Maybe later…” I reply back, offering him a weak smile. “We’ll let you enjoy your reunion first.”
Broderick just laughs, his booming voice shaking the walls. “Suit yourself!”
“Let’s let my sisters enjoy their beloved’s return, in the meantime I can show you three around the house.” Marjorie speaks up, seeing our great reluctance to approach the party.
And as such, we got a full tour of their home. Not surprisingly they have a few house servants as well, since keeping the glorified pigpens clean with so many giant sows living in it can’t be a simple task.
After a fifteen or so minute of showcasing we are introduced to the other two wives, Elise and Betty. They are also part of the mithril ranked adventurer team, so they are similarly strong to Marjorie.
Then, we are brought to their basement, where Broderick leads us down a spiraling staircase. As we descend, the air grows cooler, and the walls become lined with intricate engravings. I can feel a faint hum of magic emanating from the surroundings, signaling that this place is far from ordinary.
When we reach the bottom, Broderick approaches a heavily reinforced door adorned with glowing runes. With a flourish, he waves his hand in front of the door, and the runes begin to pulse, responding to his presence.
He turns to us with a grin. “This is where I keep all the kidnapped children.”
No one laughs besides him.
After seeing his joke land flat, he steps forward while shaking his head with disappointment. Broderick places his hand on the door, and speaks a word I can’t understand. The runes flare brightly, and I can feel the surge of magic that ripples through the air. Suddenly, a series of hidden mechanisms click into place, and I hear a faint whirring sound from behind the door.
“This is a defense mechanism we had installed.” Broderick explains, his voice reverberating slightly in the enclosed space. “It only responds to me or my wives. Anyone else who tries to force their way in… well, let’s just say they’d regret it.”
With that ominous statement hanging in the air, the door swings open silently, revealing a hidden chamber beyond. The room is dimly lit, but I can make out the glint of metal and the soft glow of enchanted items scattered around.
The walls are reinforced with thick stone, and there’s an unmistakable air of security here- this is clearly a place where Broderick & Co keep their most prized possessions. I can see numerous decorated weapons hoisted onto the wall and many shiny armors and robes displayed on dummies and other assortments of artifacts.
Now this is a place of real wealth. I can’t help but feel a little envious. Though, to be fair, these people have been working for decades while I started 8 days ago.
We step inside, and Broderick walks over to a large chest set against the far wall. He kneels down and, with a quick incantation, unlocks the chest. The lid creaks open, and I see that it’s filled with various items, all of them exuding a faint magical aura.
Broderick rummages through the chest for a moment before pulling out three items: a set of masks and robes. He stands up and holds them out, a mischievous grin on his face. “Here they are,” he says, presenting the items to us. “These are my gifts and the items that are going to be your new favorites.”
He hands a mask to each of us. The items are simple in design, yet there’s something unsettling about them. They’re made of a smooth, dark material that seems to absorb light, and the eye slots are covered by a thin, almost invisible mesh.
“These masks,” Broderick explains, “are enchanted to distort your voice and hide your eyes, while allowing you to see through perfectly. No one will be able to recognize you, even if they’re looking you right in the face once you take them off and walk in civilian clothes.”
He then hands us the robes, which are just as unassuming. They’re made of a dull, gray fabric that seems to shift and shimmer slightly as I hold it. “The robes are imbued with a height and width disorientation spell. They make you appear just different enough that even someone who knows you well would have a hard time identifying you. Though, they are not all-mighty.
Once significantly damaged the effect will dissipate, so try your best not to fight in them, or just demolish your opponents before they get to tear it apart.”
I was also worried that I would be easily spotted as I stand out from crowds quite a bit, especially with a gorgeous dog-kin and a beautiful Fujimori by my side. The three of us are as conspicuous as one can possibly get. Broderick also realized this and thought of an amazing countermeasure. I can’t help but marvel at what a good friend I managed to find in the middle of bumfuck nowhere.
As I slip the robe on, I can feel the magic taking effect. My reflection in a nearby polished surface looks subtly altered- shorter, thinner. A lot less outstanding, which is the ideal result. I absolutely love these items already. They are complete game-changers.