Chapter 229: To the distant village!
"You wish to take the quest to Amura village?!" The beautiful receptionist exclaimed.
She felt shocked because the request was C-Rank, but the rewards were barely worthy of an F-Rank quest. It might seem strange to most adventurers because the fee barely covered the travel costs, and it was a two-day journey each way for this quest.
Asmodeus, Yumiko, and Vinea stood at the desk almost two weeks after he began to treat Liana as his lover, and the female knights all swore allegiance to him one by one. His long raven hair, both glossy and sleek like silk and charming ocean-blue eyes were now a popular sight for both the young female guild staff and adventurers.
"Yeah, the appearance of demons seems to be a little worrying when we are so far south." Asmodeus spoke with his customer service voice, which made both Yumiko and Vinea tremble with the attractive and charming vibrations like a tempting devil's serenade.
He didn't care about holding back his appeal anymore—thanks to the women being beautiful and his looks, their group received many benefits from both male and female merchants. Thus, they abused it while they could.
"Are you worried for me, Mary?" He gave a wink to the thirty-year-old guild worker, who seemed to have a slither of elven blood, making her youthful and looked in her mid-twenties.
"D-Don't try to flirt with me, Asmodeus! You might be a rank C adventurer... but what if the enemy is like that damn cave you visited the other week, or the monster tide you and those knights helped stave off a few days ago?"
"Mary~ don't listen to this womanising playboy. We'll be fine, since me and Vinea are going with him, fufu."
Yumiko looked rather sexy in her pitch-black pants that were tight yet flexible and her lovely layered white and dark blue blouse hiding her silver gauntlets, which finally were upgraded to the second stage.
Stage two artefacts allowed her to change the pattern and look slightly. Also, her swords were stronger when the blades flicked out. Not only that, but she could now manifest a full set of silver and black armour up to her neck.
"Haa... Vinea can't you speak to him? It's something strange that the danger is high but reward is so low!"
"Sorry Mary~ but my beloved lord wants to do this. I cannot stands against the man who makes my heart race and is the reason I want to become stronger, fufu."
"Haha, Vinea and Yumiko when did you both become so adorable?"
"Shut up, Asmodeus!" Yumiko scolded him, her four tails tapping his legs while she blushed. Her love for him didn't fade but became more intense after he started giving Liana more attention. Thus, she forced this quest so he would be with her for four days at least.
"Hmph.... you slept with my sister first."
However, the fact he brought Vinea made her feel jealous... Because although the pair had done nothing but drink together and train. Vinea was someone who seemed to be closer to Asmodeus than most other girls.
'No... both her and Liana are so close to his heart these days I feel terrified I will lose my Empress spot!'
"..." Asmodeus looked unpleased for a moment, but couldn't help but smile gently as he noticed Yumiko's true feelings as her tails all wrapped around his leg.
'Such a needy little fox...'
"Whatever!" Mary complained, her body slumping over the desk. She knew he would ignore her warning from the moment she took over as their guild liaison. He never once stopped when she said it might be dangerous... Even though her only skill is "Danger Sense Lv.10", he would just laugh like a brainless fool.
'It's almost like he comes to me with these quests that make my heart tremble with terror because of the danger alarm on purpose... Wait.... Is he using me as some kind of toy? To take amusing quests, is that why his stupidly handsome face is smiling now?!'
"If you die, I'll bring you back and kill you again. Do you hear me, Asmodeus? I am giving you big sister's warning!" Mary finished her scolding and scanned their cards along with the needed quest information, her eyes looking at him with a worried shimmer.
"I won't die, I promise."
"Really?"
Asmodeus didn't chase women anymore since the surrounding ones were enough. However, this woman sincerely gave him help, and he didn't wish to make her worry. It was fun to joke and have fun, but he always promised this in the end to make her feel at ease.
"Yeah, I promise. Let's have dinner when I come back, my treat. You can bring all your co-workers."
"I see... Okay, Asmodeus... Mm! Please be safe."
"Fufu~ the blushing Mary is so cute! I want to take her home and cuddle her all night like a teddy." Yumiko mocked her drinking partner—like Asmodeus, she adored this woman and her genuine care, and Mary would often drink when he chose other women to sleep with.
'It seems that she isn't greedy, and is fine just being a girl that will pass by...' Vinea thought to herself as she watched the longing eyes of Mary, who watched the leaving Asmodeus and Yumiko together hand in hand.
"Well, Mary, make sure you don't get knocked up by him." Vinea joked with a wink before following the pair with a strange smirk on her face.
After nearly two months, Asmodeus and the others were part of this area of Baltimore completely and even felt a sense of attachment to the place.
Amura village was southwest of Baltimore, through the mountains and across a few lakes and the enormous river that eventually split Grigor and the Beast Kingdom. It wasn't a large or popular village, with most of the young people leaving for Baltimore to make their living.
However, for the people that lived there, it was a precious place on the coast. There was a special ritual towards a goddess who would bring them a good harvest from the sea.
However... strange monsters appeared two months ago, a half-human and fish monster. They carried tridents made of a strange marble and killed the villagers who tried to fish or step on the coast.
After being warned once, many of the remaining villagers stayed on land. But a few days ago, they found one of their friends dead on the beach with a trident-shaped hole in his chest.
These events, along with a few sightings of strange men in black leather armour, had all reached the ears of the guild and the garrison captain.
What felt strange was that the monsters, dubbed Murks, began moving closer to the village and increasing their aggression without reason.
"Lord Asmodeus, they've been increasing their activity in the past weeks at first, we saw them maybe once. Even those bandits we met in the city were actually hired by the same people. Yet we haven't found anything about their name or organisation. Other than they are targeting YOU."
'Are they targeting me because of my blessing from Serena and being her apostle? Didn't she mention that the god of death was obsessed with her?'
"What's the matter, Asmodeus?" Yumiko, who pulled her horse closer after loading their travel supplies, stroked his cheek with a look of concern.
"Hmm, we may be a little busy than what we expected."
"Oh, Lord Asmodeus, then what will you have us do? Do you wish for me to ask my sister to follow us, or should we take care of the Murks?"
"Mmm... let Liana grow closer to Erika and Sariel. Those three seem to enjoy questing together, while Ciela is gaining a lot from Fredricka at the moment... Alice and Velvet asked me to join them on a long journey after this quest though."
"How annoying..." Yumiko said as she folded her arms, her cheeks puffing up cutely.
"You are the one who allowed me to have other women as my Empress, so you should put up with it, Yumiko."
"Hmph, you are only allowed to tease me when we are alone. Forget the other women!"
"Ahem... I am here, Lady Yumiko." Vinea coughed, while her hands slipped down the chest of Asmodeus, while she gave Yumiko a sly grin.
"To look after our lord and his needs, fufu~" Vinea teased as she slid her tongue up his neck while her hand started to rub between his legs.
"Says the virgin~ Hahaha! Back off, Vinea!" Yumiko's eyes turned dull, her hand grasping the arm of Vinea before she could touch his crotch. The two women were always like this. Vinea is a cat, while Yumiko is a little fox.
Asmodeus pushed the two women and moved to his horse. The muscular warhorse looked at him with a serene gaze. It was a beautiful black with a thick, silky mane.
Despite being a female, it was already in control of the horses they kept and drained the males every night like its master did the surrounding females.
'In truth, this horse isn't a warhorse but a demon race... called a Nightmare which would evolve into a Bicorn eventually.'
"Do we have enough supplies and backup weapons, camp gear...?" He asked the two women who were wrestling in a grapple.
"Yes, Lord Asmodeus, we are ready."
"We have food, water, and spare potions, and also camping equipment, clothing, and other things, Asmodeus."
The two quickly separated after hearing his words and straightened their clothes, their faces flushing slightly because of the looks of the villagers.
However, he didn't stop their clashing because it helped Yumiko and Vinea release their stress and issues...
Asmodeus knew Yumiko was kind and accepted anything, but she never released her anger and irritation until Vinea appeared. Someone who could take her power and even beat her if she didn't pay attention.
'They are like sisters always fighting like cats and dogs.'
Yet when it mattered most, Yumiko would protect Vinea with her life and the same for Princess Vinea. They were closer than anyone else in the camp, apart from Asmodeus himself.
"Since you two are done playing, shall we head off? There is still a lot of sun left before nightfall. Let's try to clear this quest and return before it becomes troublesome. It's almost time to head to the south."
"Of course Asmodeus..."
"Understood, Lord Asmodeus."