Author Notes;
In case you haven't noticed, I am trying my very best to paint this whole shebang from multiple angles lol
Whether I do it well or not, well, I have you all to scream at me, right? Right?
Anyway, my humble salutation to my long time patron, Corporal Sarratugga Rites and Private Nepgear. Both have been long time supporters to my stories. Both retiring from active service for the reserve. On behalf of my mom, I offer you all a sincere thank you for your relentless contribution.
Now, moving onto the good news... You all have my mom to thank for grabbing my head and telling me to make yet another 35% discount Recruitment Drive for new supporters. Starting from now to February 22nd, coinciding with the Lunar New Year holiday, all new supporters will have their first donation on a steep discount. It feels odd to have my mom to be the one to tell me to do this considering how I hate long holidays lol
Without further ado, however, enjoy the next RM chapter! And picture, of course.
https://www.patre-n.com/Heartbreak117
https://ko-fi.com/heartbreak117/goal?g=0
Vintage Yuki 1: https://postimg.cc/kRM7jNZ2
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Opening the door of my office, Bryn reveals herself to the knowing looks of Erika and Lola. Very respectfully, my trusted bodyguards and friends offer Bryn their salutes. Nodding towards them both while readjusting the scuff of her shirt with her jacket hanging on one of her arms, Bryn requests softly.
"The Marshal is... Tired." My Valkyrie says with a straight face. "Perhaps it will do her good for her to take a warm shower and drink a glass of milk before bed. Should anything come up, redirect the matter to the barracks opposite this house. I will be staying there to supervise my Night Witches, at least for the short term."
"Understood, Teacher." Erika replies dutifully. "I will make sure the Marshal rests properly after her... Strenuous exertion."
Finding herself amused by the way her former pupil addressed the matter, Bryn comments. "Just don't tease Yuki... Much."
And with that, my Valkyrie departs, with no sign of recent carnal activity whatsoever. Both Erika and Lola look at Bryn's back before sharing a look, ultimately finding themselves snickering at a prank that went right. Still, they were serious in wanting me to hit the shack, and with me being so utterly handled, I really need to follow through on their desire.
Sprawling on my chair, I languidly turn my head towards the doorway from which Erika has just poked her head in. Seeing my friend-cum-protector, I try my best to muster a gaze full of indignation and disappointment after hers and Lola's 'betrayal'... Although I can't deny that the outcome has been very enjoyable. I suppose I can extend some leniency to the pair, if I even remember to 'punish' them in the first place.
Still, I can hardly display any of my usual aura when I am not even half-naked. My pants and panties are... Somewhere in the room and probably unblemished, as Bryn was swift to make them non-existent on me. My shirt, too, is thankfully draped over the computer monitor on my desk. My bra, however, is left unclipped and dampened with my magically induced lactation when Bryn decided to drain this body of mine to sleepy exhaustion, literally. Even now, I can feel my breasts ache with every breath I take. And down below, my belly bulges slightly from being filled by Bryn's essence. I am sure that either Erika or Lola would have to use a spell to clean up the chair later. As painful and weird as it is to admit it, both of them have become quite an expert in cleaning up after my sexual escapades, so much so that there is no shyness between us when both of them see my defeated state.
Erika even teases with an annoying smirk. "Should have taken the easy way out, girl. But by the look of it, you enjoy every second of it. Can you even stand?"
I deadpan, gesturing to my lower half that is coated with a lewd sheen. "What do you think?"
"Figured, never sees you winning any of those bedside fights anyway." Erika makes one last jab at my expense, causing me to roll my eyes. "I don't even think you can even find it in you to be the top."
"Oh, please, as if you're any better." I quip, jutting a finger at Lola, who waves at me with a grin in return. "For someone taller than your partner, you let Lola push you down all the time."
"Yup~!" The dwarven girl nods with a wink at a blushing Erika, having been called out directly by me. Heh, shouldn't have intruded on that territory in the first place, girlie. "Although I must say that Erika is more of a switch. She is only submissive for what... 65% of the time?"
"It's still a ratio better than you, Yuki." Erika nods, finding her smirk when Lola defends her.
I feel my eyebrow twitch at being outnumbered like this. I decide to perform a tactical repositioning. "... Are you gonna help me up from this chair or not?"
"Heh, real subtle, Big Boss." Lola snickers, catching my blatant attempt at misdirection.
Still, the point is transmitted successfully when Erika shook her head with a fond smile at our familiar bout of antics. "For better or for worse, this reminds me of a simpler time... Lola, help me draw a bath for our dear Marshal over here. Afterward, grab me some spare clothes and a towel for her."
The dwarven girl gives Erika and me a two-finger salute. "Righto~! I will also get some milk on the stove for us all."
"Thank you for the trouble..." Erika then turns to me as Lola departs from my office. "Now then, I will carry you, but don't suddenly lactate or climax all over me, alright?"
I blush as I hold my hands up toward her. "That was only one time when I was still quite sensitive!" And yes, this isn't the first time Erika has had to carry me to somewhere I can clean up.
Erika and Lola have, a couple of times, found themselves being willing participants, because the atmosphere got into them.
Honestly, my relationship with Erika and Lola is much more ambiguous than one may expect. Erika and Lola, after many ups and downs in their life, become each other's lovers. However, with them having to constantly witness my shenanigans, normal and sensual alike, the lines between being my friends/bodyguards and something more blur over time. Perhaps it won't be wrong to describe our current relationship as being friends with benefits, more lewd than my ambiguous bond with Nicolae, who hovers more around the line of beloved family member than anything else.
By the time I finish everything, washing up and topping up on milk, the sunrise is but a couple of hours away.
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The new morning in Southend-on-Sea reveals a starkly different picture from the days before. There's a certain degree of pollution in the air, a direct result of all the ordinances being used and the subsequent fire outbreaks yesterday. This goes on to apply a filter in the air, turning what could have been a slightly hazy London morning into a borderline depressing atmosphere.
Seriously, kids. Make Arma, not War.
Still, with Southend-on-Sea now effectively the Belkans' home turf in less than 24 hours, the Erusean citizens there, or what's left of them, have half expected some intimidating business to be afoot, first thing in the morning, if only to keep the occupied populace in check. Yet, much to many people's surprise, the Belkans really pull through on their promise of public order and fair resource allocation. In the span of only a few hours after the fall of Shoebury and the wider Southend-on-Sea area, Belkan Military Police and Civil Affairs Troop have worked around the clock, coordinating with the Marine Logistics Group to set up multiple aid distribution centers. Where needed, field hospitals are propped up to reinforce the strained or understaffed local clinic. Elsewhere, the heaviest of sleepers in the Erusean neighborhoods find themselves being woken up to the aroma of chicken soup and freshly baked bread.
One by one, doors are opened cautiously, with heads poking out warily, still frightened or traumatized by the sudden yesternight occurrences. Those who are brave or desperate stamp on their fear and approach the awaiting Belkan soldiers, either on patrol or standing by for aid duty, and seek a new leash in life. Others, more cowardly of the bunch, stick to their familiar home, opting to bide their time and wait where the dice fall. Some cases, however, are more unfortunate than most. For instance, a few elderly citizens of Erusea are found by Belkan soldiers and medics going on wellness check patrol to have been passed out for some time. It's only thanks to the magical way of treatment that these sickly elders still long for this world, if only to one day see the faces of their sons and grandsons who are POWs. For the most part, the Belkans' actions have generated a surprising amount of goodwill from the local population. Unlike their own government, the Belkans really are making an effort to keep them alive, before and during this bloody war.
More than anything, the Eruseans have been surprisingly cooperative in the morning meal hour, a fact that is much better than what ONI initially estimated. And perhaps, that is for the best. What's left of the fighting men of Southend-on-Sea are either deeper in London or are subdued by the Belkans during their arrival. Those who remain in the sprawling coastal urban landscape are either much too young or enfeebled. Anyone who causes issues now would no doubt implicate the rest, something that the Eruseans themselves, those who are wiser than others, seek to prevent even without the Belkan Civil Affairs troops stepping in with the usual propaganda.
You may not accept the outcome, but that doesn't mean you are allowed to act out and implicate the rest of us who are just trying to live.
Words like that are passed around from one person to the next, from one household to another, until a reticent acceptance, a new normal, settles in Southend-on-Sea.
What? Too fast for you? It's actually not that impossible for the occupied people to accept their invaders in the span of a day. In fact, this is much more tame than many other cases in history. There are cases where the invaders have been welcomed with drumrolls and parties. The Eruseans of Southend-on-Sea, though, while they aren't enthusiastic, are still much more preferable than the dreaded prospect of them being patient insurgents. This is because these people are just tired, physically and mentally. Their morale is at an all-time low, which makes them quite manageable for the Belkan Civil Affairs and Military Police troops. As for why they are all such downers, well, you must understand that there's still an Erusean civil war ongoing, despite the Belkans already being at the literal gate. Suffice to say, that doesn't do much good to the words: National Unity. Reality is a harsh remedy that forces even the most stubborn to adapt. With the way the Belkans come knocking, those in Southend-on-Sea know not even a miracle could save their god forsaken kingdom.
"Orderly and steady, citizens." Says a Military Police, standing on the rear troop compartment of an open-top Humvee, into his megaphone.
"We got enough soup for everyone. Chicken, carrots, and potatoes... Everything you need to get your energy back. All are served hot with fresh bread, baked with care and the finest of ingredients. We are the land of bread for a reason..."
"Please queue up to receive a water bottle and a bag of candy should you need them." A female soldier announces to the Eruseans with faces in disbelief at having received generous portions of hot soup and delicious bread, more salivating than anything they have ever cooked. "The food is precious, yes, but don't forget to take it easy with these after you have finished the main course. At the very least, your children back home will appreciate these treats."
Gulping audibly at the bags full of colorful and eye-catching candy wrappers on a folding table, an old grandmother asks the female soldier with a dry, coarse voice. "C-Child... May I call you that...?"
The female Civil Affairs soldier beams a bright, warm smile. "Yes, you can, Grandma!"
Seeing the harmless smile on the girl's face, the old grandmother finds enough courage to step a bit closer to the table, under the watchful eyes of other citizens like herself. "Child... I have always meant to ask... Y-You speak Erusean too, and so well at that?"
"Hehe, that's because my job is to communicate with people of other nations, quite a lot at that, grandma!" The female soldier replies with a nod. "It's why I have to learn and master a lot of foreign languages to foster a good communication experience for everyone! In fact, I have successfully grasped four languages already!"
"Y-You look so young... But so talented." The old grandmother compliments with a surprising degree of sincerity. "And hard working too... A good trait..."
"Thanks for the compliment, Grandma." The female soldier smiles before turning around to take a bag of candy and two bottles of water from the table. "Grandma, if you don't mind, perhaps we can help you carry the food bag back to your home?"
"Won't that... Inconvenience you, child?" The old grandmother says uncertainly, fidgeting with her frail arms that are holding the hefty bag of soup and bread.
The female Civil Affairs soldier chuckled. "Don't worry, Grandma, the others can cover for me. For safety's sake, my friend and I will help carry this heavy stuff back home for you. And for convenience's sake, we can help catalogue what your home is lacking and file a request for logistics to supply you with some stuff. This is something that will be done later, but we can skip a bit of the queue if we do this early."
Although she's old and weak, it doesn't take much for the old grandmother to figure out that the Belkan soldier is offering a favor out of the goodness of her heart. "T-Then... I must trouble you, child... My home doesn't have much, other than the kids... B-But at least it's clean... And warm!"
With a cheerful smile, the female soldier gently takes the food bag from the old grandmother, putting securely in it the bag of candy and water bottles. "Well, I am told that I am good with kids, so your place sounds like it will be a fun place, Grandma! Oh, where are my manners... You can call me Nae."
"M-My name is Edda, c-child... Nae." The old grandmother smiles in relief. "Thank you, Nae, for your kindness."
Nae nods with both hands, carefully holding onto the food bag. "Lead the way, Grandma. Let's get you home safely so that you and your family can enjoy a hot meal! Can't have you all eat something cold in this dreadful weather!"
And with that, the old grandmother is escorted by Nae and one other soldier. The way they amicably chat on the way back garners no small interest from the other Eruseans who are still waiting for their food. This sight lends credence to the increasingly vocal idea that:
These Belkans aren't so bad; we just misunderstood them all this time.