We saw the villagers off at the entrance of the tunnel, which led all the way above ground and connected to an abandoned mineshaft.
I also found out that Aoi isn’t really the actual village chief but only playing the role of a stand-in chief. The real one was her father who had been away with the other hunters of their village on a hunt, which was also the reason why the slavers managed to capture them easily.
She most likely told me she was the village chief to make me think she was more important than she actually was and to take her more seriously I guess? Not sure if that was a good move on her part to be honest.
She did make me promise to visit their village in the future though. Since I planned to go through the forest on my journeys, I accepted it.
I asked if they could really return to their village on their own but they assured me that they would manage, stating that it would be rude of them to depend on me any further than this.
That left Delmare and I alone once again.
I turned to the Siren, “So… That happened… I didn’t think our date would end up like this.”
“Kukuku~ Neither did I. Being with Aster really is interesting~”
“Isn’t that a bad thing?”
“Oh! Not at all! Before I met Aster, my days were just spent together with my sisters. Sometimes there would be those sailors washing up on our shore and chancing upon us but those events were few and far between. And even after they showed up, we would be forced to run away because of my singing. I was so sure that my life would not change for the rest of time until Aster showed up~”
I scratched my cheek, “I didn’t really plan for that though… And it was pure luck that I even found you there…”
“Ehehe~ Rather than luck, I’d like to believe that it’s fate instead~”
I suppose we can just leave it at that.
She then reached up her hand to entwine her fingers with mine, “I don’t think I’ve said this before but… I am infinitely grateful to have met Aster. Every day that we are together is like a dream.”
“Eh? What does that mean?”
“Ah! I mean that every day has been really happy for me to the point that I find it hard to believe that it’s real!”
I squeezed her hand in reassurance, “Well, it’s definitely real so you don’t need to worry about waking up and everything disappearing~”
She squeezed my hand back, “Ehehe~ I know, but sometimes I’m just so happy that it feels impossible that it’s not a dream~”
“I suppose you’ll just have to get used to such bliss~ Speaking of which, what should we do now?”
Delmare turned back to the cave, “Umm… Honestly… I had planned to spend the entire day serenading Aster inside there… But I don’t think we should go back since those slavers are still there. Speaking of which, what should we do about them?”
“Mmm… There’s no way we can bring them back on our own, so I was thinking that we could go back to the city and inform the guards about them. I guess they’ll probably then send someone over to get them later. Sorry that your performance was cut short though…”
She shook her head, “It’s not Aster’s fault~ After all… We can always just go back home to do it again… Oh, I suppose I should apologise again for losing myself…”
“Hmm? Oh, you mean when you got turned on by my moan and started riding me without a care in the world? I’m already used to it~”
The Siren covered her face with her hands while her face went red with embarrassment, “Ahhhh! Don’t say it like that! I can’t help but get turned on when I hear your moans! I always try to control myself but I can never do it! I’m so sorry!”
I giggled, “It’s fine, Delmare. I don’t mind~ It is part of who you are after all so I’m not going to hate you just because of something like that.”
“Uuuu… I really love you, Aster… Not only do you listen to my songs… You also don’t mind my weirdness…”
“Well… I do enjoy listening to your songs, so that’s more like a reward for me~”
“As I thought… Aster really spoils me a lot…”
Hmm? Isn’t it the other way around though? She’s always serenading me with the songs that she comes up with without asking anything in return. Sometimes I even feel a little lacking as her lover because of that so I always made sure to properly pleasure her every time we have sex.
Oh well, as long as she’s happy I suppose.
“I suppose we should go back home now?” I asked.
“Umm… If it’s not too much trouble… Could we fly around for a while before we go back?”
“Ehehe~ You really like to fly I see~ You can actually use your Somatomancy to give yourself my wings to fly though.”
She poked her fingers together, “Umm… That… That is true… But… I’m scared to fly on my own…”
Mmm… I suppose flying is a skill on its own and I doubt she would be able to fly properly on her first try either… Worst case scenario, she might be distracted and unintentionally release the spell which would cause her to fall out of the sky.
That has already happened multiple times with her legs before so I won’t be surprised if that would happen while she was flying too and that’s a risk I wasn’t willing to take.
“I guess next time I’ll teach you how to fly on your own?” I offered.
Surprisingly, she seemed unreceptive to the idea and shook her head quickly, “I… I don’t want to bother Aster over something like this! Umm… Could I just let Aster carry me with you? Or is that a bother too?”
I denied that immediately, “Definitely not! I enjoy flying with you, Delmare!”
“Ehehe~ Then could I trouble Aster with this?”
Well, as I had said, I feel that I don’t really do enough for her in return for her singing so something like this was easy for me.
I carried her in my arms once again while she hugged my neck, her face pressing up against mine.
“Kukuku~ This is still the best after all~” She giggled.
I wasn’t sure what she was referring to but decided not to ask. Instead, I leapt into the air with the Siren and proceeded to fly around in the sky.
We didn’t have a destination in mind so I was simply just gliding in the air with Delmare and enjoying the sights below us.
Judging by how she was also making excited noises while hugging me, I think I can safely say that she was also enjoying herself as well.
“Aster! We’re so high up! Look! Even the people look so small below! Ah! Those are the villagers we saved just now!”
“Fufu~ Yes they are~ Be careful not to move too much or you might fall.”
“Kukuku~ Even if I do, Aster would catch me won’t you? Then I have nothing to worry about~” She giggled while cuddling her face with mine.
I’m happy that you have that much faith in me but do be careful ok?
Flying through the countryside, the two of us went past the farmlands outside of the capital, even flying past the manor that we had used back then.
I was expecting that place to be empty but it seemed like there were still a number of workers tending to the fields around the manor. I suppose it makes sense since this place technically belongs to Mother and the produce from the manor is also part of Mother’s business.
Flying past the main road leading to the capital, Delmare took the chance to wave at the people travelling on the roads below.
I decided to fly further out towards the edge of the territory since I’ve yet to explore the entire area despite being here for so long.
“Oh! Aster look!”
I shifted my gaze to where Delmare was pointing at to see a camp of some sort located inside the forest.
At first I thought it was just some kind of Mahun hunting camp until I realised that the inhabitants of the camp were monsters.
A monster camp this close to the capital? That can’t be good can it? Perhaps I should go and subjugate them since I’m already here?
Just as I thought of that, I felt Delmare tugging on my arm, “Aster! There’s Mahuns there!”
Sure enough, there were indeed a few Mahuns inside the camp but they weren’t prisoners. In fact, they were walking around the camp amongst the monsters like they owned the place.
Eh? Are they conspiring with the monsters to attack the capital or something? But looking at the monsters… I see a few Hell Wolves and even a few Goblins… The strength of these monsters aren’t even remotely enough to breach the city gates let alone pose a threat to the city.𝑂𝑽𝒍xt.𝗇𝓔t
Unless they were aiming at one of the nearby villages?
Right at that moment, one of the Mahuns led a horse cart out into the centre of the camp and I was quite surprised to see that the monsters seemed to be loading something onto the cart.
On closer inspection, I quickly realised that they were loading what appears to be the carcasses of dead animals.
Oh… It’s actually a Mahun hunting camp after all. Those guys are Kalomancers.
So that’s how the people of this World might use Kalomancy normally. The only examples I’ve seen so far were all related to binding slaves.
How interesting~
That kind of makes me want to learn it now… I wonder if I can learn it from someone in the city?
I’d also like to have some pets of my own~