As soon as she noticed my arrival, Three stood up from the pile of books she was racking her brain trying to understand and bombarded me with questions.
I couldn't help but notice her appearance while trying to calm her down. Her light purple hair, straight and silky, reached just past her shoulders, with a strand of hair in front of each one.
Her clothes, with colors varying between different shades of purple, gave her a gothic look that only made sense in this medieval fantasy world, consisting of a dark shade at chest level, then descending into a long light dress to mid-thigh.
Her arms had detachable sleeves revealing the pale skin of her shoulders, with dark armor pieces in the middle of her biceps.
The beginning of the sleeves was spacious, opening in cones only to reveal a pair of armored gloves with ruffles at the wrists and claws on the fingers, with the small shield attached to the middle of her left arm standing out.
What Three wore on her legs was the most bizarre: long, armored, high-heeled boots (specifically stilettos), the kind you'd see in a rock band or a goth clothing store.
The metal plates and kneepads were covered in small metal balls used to deflect blows, and leather buckles with straps extending backward.
And on those same legs, held in place by what I could only describe as magic, since I didn't see any sheaths, were a pair of long, dark sabers and scissors so large they seemed straight out of a horror movie.
Out of pure politeness, I didn't say what I thought, but that didn't change the fact that, of all the people I've seen so far, Three wore the most unconventional clothing, in a world that seems straight out of an anime.
Why so much purple? What's the point of wearing armor on her arms and legs but not the rest of her body? Is she really going to fight in high heels? At least there's still practicality, unlike certain anime where women wear leather and metal bikinis. I understand the reason for the sabers, but what about the scissors? Do they even serve as weapons? Well, they look sharp and the length is the same as a large dagger, so they can pierce, but wouldn't you have to constantly open and close them to cut someone? Anime logic, Alan… Anime logic.
One, always the mediator, reprimanded her sister, asking her to show some basic manners.
And I, on the other hand, acted as if I wasn't in the middle of a mental gymnastic trying to find some sense in what she was wearing.
After an exchange of smiles, compliments, greetings, and hugs, where the purple-haired woman demonstrated more of her strange attitude (I'm sure she sniffed me and tried to lick my neck), I finally had the opportunity to fulfill what I promised her.
The large library currently served as a classroom, with me teaching Three and One about the history of the world before Midgard.
Just as there is a world before Christ and after Christ, I divided history into before the Cataclysm and after the Cataclysm, as this was the turning point that led to our present day.
"This is hard to imagine, a world without magic, so normal… Natural… And boring. How did people live like this? Countless kingdoms, fiefdoms, empires, and dynasties, all warring or trading with each other. And to think that everything changed in just one night. All because of the city we live in now. What mysteries does it hide? Is this related to our origin?"
The purple-haired Intoner spoke to herself, reviewing her notes, which were numerous, as she used this moment to satisfy her curiosity with incessant questions.
Now she found herself surrounded by piles of papers and notes while I was on my fifth pitcher of water from talking so much.
One, on the other hand, was much more focused on her questions, wanting to know about the rise and fall of ancient kingdoms and empires and their rulers while noting the important points in a small book.
It wasn't hard to imagine why; she was taking her role as leader seriously and wanted to learn from the past so as not to repeat its mistakes.
"And to think that everything we are doing is just a drop in the ocean of history. How many civilizations disappeared due to the disaster that changed the world? Will we end up the same way?"
I rubbed my wrists as I looked away, wondering how I should respond. Imagine that the world you know is barely a century old, and that there were billions of years of history before that, from the first living beings on the planet to present-day humans—how would you feel? It makes you feel insignificant, doesn't it?
No magic or legendary beings, just humans, and they've had the revelation that they are creations of a magical, world-destroying being. How can you belong anywhere after having the history of your existence revealed in such a way?
"Girls, just now, you realized how small we are in relation to the world, and as if that weren't enough, our planet is just a grain of sand in an infinite vastness."
"How… How do you deal with that?" Three raised her head, looking at me with a pleading look.
"The first step is not to overthink it, then admit that no matter how hard you try, there are things beyond your control that you can't do anything about. Finally, you need to find meaning in what you do and not fail to act when necessary. I may not agree with everything you are doing with Midgard, but I would be lying if I said the change wasn't positive. For the average citizen, the working man, the loving mother, the innocent child, those who wake up every day not knowing what will happen in the future, this really matters, because now, there are no Lords to take their lives on a whim, they can be happy and have fewer worries now. It may not seem like it, but you have all made a difference, something significant that has benefited many, but it won't always be like that. At some point, there will be people you can't save, or moments when you will have to make a difficult choice, and while it will hurt, and there's nothing wrong with feeling bad about it, you can't let the pain consume you. You also shouldn't stop doing what you love just because it doesn't make a difference in the grand scheme of things, or to stop asking for help, because although you are strong, you are still people."
Both remained silent, thinking about my words. I didn't dare speak for a few moments, letting them process the information, but the lack of response made me continue.
I stood up from my seat, stopping between the two and placing a hand on each of their shoulders, speaking in a gentle but tired tone.
"Listen, despite my long explanation, this is the kind of subject without a guaranteed answer. Everyone deals with it differently. Being aware of the vastness of everything in relation to our small existence is difficult to handle. I was just a child when this first happened to me; one night I looked at the sky and saw infinity, and after that, I couldn't stop thinking until I found my answer. I don't know what's going through your heads, but I believe it's related to what Mother said. I won't interfere, but if you want to talk, I'm all ears. Keeping everything to yourself can destroy you from the inside, believe me." I offered a reassuring smile, which they returned, albeit tremulously. Returning to my seat, I rearranged my papers, preparing for the next explanation.
"How about we lighten the mood a bit with a simple question? How often do you think about the Roman Empire?"
They both exchanged a confused look. Slowly, Three raised her hand and answered.
"All the time?"
"As you should."
-XXXXXX-
Confusion or humor, the best ways to distract someone from negative thoughts.
The class continued, but without regaining the previous enthusiasm. Perhaps it was my fault for delving into the subject too quickly, as I don't believe the sisters have a formal education.
I should have started with the basics. This already serves as a lesson for physics and chemistry classes.
Speaking of education, at some point the subject turned to the incomprehensible books in the library, and to my surprise, I recognized the titles of many of them.
I avoided mentioning this right away, but holding an edition of The Lord of the Rings in my hand, I almost cried upon finding yet another thing from what I believed to be my world of origin.
At that moment, I realized why people didn't understand what was written in them.
The languages spoken on the European continent, which is now Midgard, and probably the world, were slowly dying out, replaced by the angelic alphabet and the language of chaos, not to mention, of course, that the books were written in the dialect of the 21st century.
I could understand the ones in English, Japanese, and a little of Spanish, but there were what I thought were French, German, Russian, and more.
I smoothed the book cover, smiling nostalgically while holding back my laughter; I can't wait to read all the ones I find.
"Alan, is there a problem?" One asked worriedly.
"I can read some of these books," I replied, making her eyes widen in surprise.
"W-what?!"
"If you give me time, I can teach you to read them too, and translate them so they can be copied and distributed to the public."
"Alan, you don't ne… MUHP!"
Three quickly interrupted her sister, covering her mouth with her hand, and then stared at me with the curious, yet crazy look I was already used to.
"How much time do you need?! Which materials?! Do you need assistants? Can I help too?! Can we hire scribes to start the translation process faster?!"
"Hm… I'd need a few days to prepare the necessary materials and search this library. There must be dictionaries and textbooks here somewhere; that would speed up your learning. If all goes well, I'll also create a dictionary comparing the languages in those books with the ones we speak now, but that will come later."
"Okay, I can't wait to access the knowledge in this library! There's a lot to learn here, but so little time!"
I admit, I feel the same emotion as Three, although more controlled. This place is a way for me to reconnect with my world and I… I want to share it with someone.
"Three, he already promised to teach you, and now you want to put more work on his shoulders?!" One exclaimed, freeing herself from her sister, but then groaned in pain as her cheeks were pinched.
"I won't let this opportunity pass! Think of all the knowledge we can acquire here! There might be something about us, or how to better govern Midgard! The more people who learn the language of these books, the less work Alan will have! Besides, he'll have to visit us more often, won't he? Don't you want to spend more time with your boyfriend?"
"He's not mine…"
"*COUGH! COUGH!"
I coughed into my fist, drawing their attention before the situation got out of control, much to One's relief, who was as red as an apple.
"Three, that's enough, let go of your sister. And One, you don't need to worry, I want to do this, and I have plenty of free time. And spending more time with you would be great!"
"Oh!"
The Intoner looked away while fiddling with her fingers, while I offered my best charming smile.
"For God's sake, you guys are so tacky." The purple-haired sister commented, breaking our stupor, and at that moment, shame hit us like a bull.
-XXXXXX-
We left the cathedral through a side exit, entering a courtyard where what would become the sisters' future army trained.
The stares and comments thrown our way bothered me, but it was impossible not to attract attention when two floating books, two intoners, and I were walking outdoors.
And not because One was hugging my arm while holding the plush dragon in the other and Three remained seated on my shoulders.
"Three, get down from there, you're not a child anymore." The red-eyed sister spoke with barely contained anger, trying to maintain a calm face, but failing due to her clenched teeth and murderous glare directed at her sister.
I couldn't see Three's face, but her response was what I already expected.
"No."
A completely emotionless refusal, however, the surprise came when she slowly began to close her thighs around my head.
"Three…"
"What? I'm not doing anything."
Honestly, it was starting to hurt; she was still wearing her armored boots.
"Get down before I drag you."
"You're just jealous because you're not in my place."
And as always, she had to make the situation worse. I sent a pleading look to Noir and Rubrum, however, the books only flew by slower, leaving my field of vision.
Traitors!
I did my best to ignore the sisters arguing, and when we finally approached the people training, I noticed the large number of women present using various types of weapons.
I prayed with all my heart that they wouldn't get the wrong idea, for the sake of the sisters' reputation and my peace of mind. However, it was useless; the glances and murmurs confirmed the rumors that were to come.
Me and my luck.
"It seems that having a faction led by women with the desire to improve Midgard has inspired the female population to take up arms and act in the name of our cause." One spoke proudly, puffing out her chest as she hugged my arm tighter.
"Of course… Of course… It's absolutely not because of the large number of men killed due to wars, diseases, monsters, and the generally miserable life of Midgard. And now with a civil war underway, the female population is outnumbering the male. Hm… Maybe a repopulation program is necessary."
"THREE!"
"I'm just kidding… Unless…"
"NO!"
"Damn it!"
After a quick question, where again, we were almost worshipped as gods wherever we went, we discovered that Two, Five, and Four were in a nearby tent.
At first, I imagined it would be a resting place, but the closer we got, the more I realized the military theme.
Soldiers in metal and leather armor were running around everywhere, messengers were arriving and departing hurriedly, crates full of weapons and equipment were being loaded onto large wagons, and those I believed to be veterans were discussing plans and strategies.
Inside the large tent, filled with tables, chairs, and maps covered in markings and small wooden figures representing allied and enemy forces, I found the remaining sisters, mostly identifiable by their hair color.
"Sisters, over here!"
Everyone present turned in our direction, and the sisters approached. However, to my horror, or delight, depending on the point of view, I felt the lust that plagued me return with force upon seeing Five's clothes, or rather, the lack thereof.
Five's arms and legs were covered in an extremely detailed and ornate black and gold armor that offered excellent protection, especially at the joints; however, this was the only part of her body that could be considered protected.
Her clothes, if they could even be called that, considering how little they concealed, consisted of a spacious black shirt with gold trim, open in the middle, exposing most of her breasts and stomach; a little more and I would have seen everything.
The bottom of her shirt concealed part of her hip, but did little to hide the dark yellow panties she was wearing.
Oh, she also carried a long sword on her hip strapped somewhere, a gigantic white spear on her back, forged in the shape of a cross (the kind of weapon that's bigger than the user and would belong in an RPG. Honestly, I can't complain, I use one too), and her leggings had high heels as well.
Several questions similar to those I had when I saw Three's clothes came to mind, however, in my confused thoughts, I could only say one thing.
"FIVE, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WEARING?!"
In a swift movement, I escaped One's embrace, grabbed Three by the waist and lifted her off my shoulders, ignoring her protests, and removed my coat, my face burning red, trying my best not to stare at the sight worthy of an 18+ animation I saw when I was younger.
If I wasn't dying of lust, then I would die of embarrassment, either from not being able to bear what I was seeing or from remembering the stupid things I did as a hormone-fueled teenager.
"Oh, darling, you're a gentleman, but don't worry, I want people to see. It would be a shame to hide all this from the world."
Contrary to what I expected, Five ignored my coat and stepped forward, closing the distance and pulling me close by the collar of my shirt.
I felt two large, soft things touching my chest, forcing me to look ahead as soon as I caught a glimpse of the pair of mountains below.
We were face to face and I swallowed hard, sweating nervously at the beauty before me. Her golden eyes stared into mine like two suns, and the mole under her left eye only enhanced her charm.
Her red-painted lips drew closer to mine and her seductive perfume reached my nose, clouding my mind.
"ENOUGH!"
Whatever God exists, he has my thanks. One stepped between us, separating us immediately.
I stepped back, taking a handkerchief from my pocket and wiping the sweat from my face. One exchanged a furious look with a confused and surprised Five, but a wide, provocative smile quickly replaced those feelings.
"Now I understand, you didn't waste any time acting, did you, dear sister?"
"W-what are you trying to say?!"
"Don't play dumb, you saw the prize in front of you and grabbed it before anyone else. Too bad, I thought sisters should share, but maybe it's my fault, I need to be more assertive. Tell me, have you already [CENSORED], and then [CENSORED], with both hands and [CENSORED], on your [CENSORED]…"
Then, Five said things I never thought possible, even in the most hardcore pornographic stories read by a repressed teenager.
Where the hell did she learn that?!
Every word that came out of her mouth created unforgettable images in my mind. One, Four, and Two blushed deeply, with wide eyes and open mouths, just like me. Three, however, was already taking notes.
"Noir, Rubrum, please kill me."
However, the books didn't respond, the first one creating four hands to cover the sides of its body and those of the second.
With little choice, I moved towards Four and Two, leaving the blonde sisters behind, discussing things that shouldn't be said aloud, especially in a place with so many people.
Fortunately, both were dressed less scandalously. Four being more modest than her blue-haired sister.
Four had her brown hair tied in a pair of long twin tails and wore a large green coat with black, fluffy edges on her shoulders, with goggles resting around her neck where the coat was buttoned.
Underneath, she wore a short white dress with ruffles and long sleeves, the left ending in a long brown glove, and the right in a large black metallic gauntlet that would affect the balance of anyone without super-strength.
All of this was complemented by a green vest with a bow in a darker shade, brown tights with a leaf pattern, long diamond-patterned socks that alternated between light and dark green with blue lines, and brown heeled boots.
Honestly, the socks were the only thing that bothered me; I found them funny, but I would never say that out loud.
Two, on the other hand, had her light blue hair in a short, messy cut, with a flower of a darker shade pinned to her hair, the same color as the long scarf wrapped around her neck, both ends of which touched the ground behind her.
Of all the sisters, she and Three were the ones who most displayed their favorite colors. Two wore a dark blue bra adorned with embroidered bows that extended down towards her stomach, long gloves of the same color that reached her biceps, a short skirt with ruffles, tights, socks, and heeled boots, all long and blue.
Her weapon also followed the theme of being too large for a normal person to use, being a large, single-edged sword with a blade made of dark metal and forged roughly in the shape of an arrowhead, with its twisted white hilt in an intricate pattern of angel wings covering almost completely the other side of the weapon.
Oh, she also added blue ribbons to the tip of the handle, giving an adorable touch to the piece of metal the size of half her body.
One and Five had voluptuous bodies. The first chose classy clothes, but which hid enough of her beauty to leave me curious, while the second had no problem showing off her assets to the point of driving me crazy.
Four and Three had slimmer bodies and seemed to prefer extremely intricate and detailed clothes, giving them a cute but refined appearance, complemented by their porcelain, almost doll-like skin, something that checked some of my preferences.
But Two, she was a mix of cuteness and tomboyishness, helped by her mostly bare upper body, exposing the muscles that were forming, like the V-lines on her hips and six-pack abs.
I believe any other man would be happy to be surrounded by beautiful women; I, on the other hand, had spent enough time with them to know what I was getting myself into.
So despite the beauties in front of me, I kept my feelings under control. This wasn't a harem anime, and exceeding my luck would end with someone heartbroken or dismembered inside a bag.
School Days! *Cough* *Cough*
"Four, Two, come here! Give me a hug!"
I smiled, opening my arms, and soon found myself being crushed by two pairs of arms, mostly Two's.
"It's good to see you again, Mr. Alan!"
"I thought you weren't coming back!"
"Sorry, I had a lot to do before I got back."
I broke the hug and stroked both of their hair, receiving a complaint from Four and a laugh from Two.
"I still find it impressive how much you've grown. And it seems you've all picked up a sense of fashion, probably from a certain someone who traveled with you, right?"
"Actually, it was Five who started this idea of fancy clothes. She said that since we're going to be rulers, we should start building our image. Although her suggestions were too revealing, we put her as consultant while we chose what to wear." Four blushed, looking away in embarrassment.
"Five said Four should show off her legs more since she doesn't have much to show on top." Two commented innocently, slightly raising her hand above her breasts, much to her sister's dismay.
Glancing, I saw that the brown-haired sister was flat as a board, but those legs… I clicked my tongue, shaking my head and quickly trying to change the subject.
*Where are your pet pigeons? Don't tell me they ran away."
"No, they're right there."
Two pointed with her thumb to a crate full of straw, serving as a nest for the four birds I saw earlier.
However, they were too big to be considered normal pigeons, each the size of a dog now and with some of their feathers in their respective owners' favorite colors.
"Are they magic pigeons?"
"I think so, pigeons shouldn't be so strange."
Four stared at the green pigeon with half-closed eyes in suspicion, making the animal shudder with what I thought was pleasure. Two had a better relationship with her pet, holding it in her hands and rubbing her cheek against the bird's head.
Hm… I'll pay more attention to them and if they're a danger… Well, I'll have roasted pigeon for dinner.
"Hey, I know this might seem sudden, but have you had any problems since the fight with Mother? Have you heard voices, had nightmares, or acted strangely at any point?"
They both stopped, and the mood of our conversation shifted immediately, their expressions becoming somber.
"I haven't felt anything different, but that doesn't mean I'm not paying attention to it."
"Aside from each of us having something that keeps growing, nothing has really changed."
"I understand, but listen carefully, if you feel anything different, no matter what it is, even if it's just a false alarm, don't hesitate to ask for help, whether from your sisters or me. I'll come as quickly as possible."
"Thank you."
They both spoke simultaneously, and after Five and One finished their discussion while Three watched, everyone present in the tent returned to the main topic: the war that was to come.
A fleet of pirates in the Land of the Seas, a cult of Necromancers in the Land of the Mountains, a clan of Beast Tamers in the Land of the Deserts, and a horde of monsters in the Land of the Forests.
These were the problems they had to deal with, each faction having a leader who plundered what the Lords left behind, desiring to take the empty spaces.
Unfortunately, the sisters didn't have enough strength to take down all the enemies at once, and if they threw all their resources into crushing one of them, they would leave themselves open to attacks from the others.
In the end, it was decided that they would take down their targets one at a time, using only enough resources to focus on one while protecting themselves from the others.
I listened attentively, but stayed out of it. I had made it clear that I didn't want to get involved in this war. However, perhaps I could help a little in the Land of Forests, after all, I live there.
-XXXXXX-
Honestly, the conversation had become background noise in my mind.
They spent hours talking about supply routes, strategic positions, soldier numbers, and other logistical matters, only finishing in the late afternoon.
I thought that from then on, I could say goodbye and return home. Maybe I worried unnecessarily; the sisters seem to be fine.
However, they asked me to stay for dinner, and who am I to refuse free food?
Unlike last time, our dinner was more casual. We sat around a table on a balcony of the Cathedral, eating, drinking, and talking. The pigeons were there too.
For a moment, I observed the starry night with the moon shining in the distance amidst the dark clouds, and further down, I saw the lights of the settlements forming in the Cathedral City.
These people, right now they were laughing and smiling without a care in the world.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" One asked, looking in the same direction as me.
I didn't know if she was talking about the sky, the people, or herself, but I nodded anyway.
"I hope to make this last forever."
"It won't be easy, there will always be some ambitious idiot wanting to rule the world."
"We'll kick his ass if that happens!" Two said next, punching the air as food escaped from her mouth.
"Two, don't talk with your mouth full, that's rude!" Four poked her sister's cheek hard, making her apologize before swallowing.
"I believe that doing a good job is the best way to prevent new Lords from emerging. People will have no reason to replace you if you are a competent leader and give them a decent life."
We all stared at Five in surprise, while the blonde shrugged, nibbling on a piece of chicken.
"What? I'm taking this leadership job seriously too."
"Of course, and you nagging Four about how to govern competently has nothing to do with it?" Three commented, making her sister shrink back in embarrassment.
"Well… I recognize when someone is better than me at something."
I glanced at Four, who now looked ready to cry tears of joy. I offered a subtle nod, which she returned with a big smile.
"I'm proud of all of you."
The table fell silent, and all the sisters turned toward me with expressions that were difficult to describe. I admit the synchronicity startled me, but I quickly cleared my throat and continued.
"It's amazing to see how much you've grown as people, I'm happy to see how well you're getting along. You've become responsible adults and now you're using your abilities to change Midgard for the better. So, again, I'm proud of you and I can't wait to see the changes you'll bring."
I expected thanks, maybe a hug or a tease from Three and a flirt from Five, but instead, I saw tears, not of sadness, but of joy.
At that moment, I realized something important: the closeness the sisters had to me wasn't just born from their false memories or the time we spent together, but also because I gave them something they craved: validation.
The life in their memories is nothing but a lie, their parents don't exist, their perfect older sister tried to kill them, and their mother… Let's not talk about her.
Intoners may not be human in terms of race, their powers and true purpose in the world were to cause destruction, but they are still people with feelings.
In the midst of all this confusion, what remained? Me. I was the only one who hadn't left or betrayed them in any way. The only one who showed he cared and encouraged them to be better, congratulating their efforts.
I made a promise to myself that night, born not of lust or romantic love, a promise I intended to keep.
-XXXXXX-
I landed on the soft grass, listening to it crackle beneath my shoes with each step.
The sound of the waves crashing against the shore and the gentle breeze blowing through the hills formed a perfect landscape on this sunny day.
However, I felt as if I were about to face an army.
"Are you sure about this, Lord Alan? It's been a long time."
"No, Noir, and you?"
The book didn't answer. Rubrum didn't show any reaction either.
I readjusted my clothes and checked the gifts, sweets, cheeses, and wines I held in one arm, and the open letter in my free hand.
Swallowing hard, I approached the two-story house in the distance. Made of wood with a small porch in front.
I climbed the steps and wiped my shoes on the doormat, pausing with my fist in the air before taking a deep breath and knocking on the door.
Nothing happened, and I shifted uncomfortably. Minutes later, I knocked on the door again, but no answer came. After waiting a while and knocking a third time, I finally heard something.
"I'M COMING, DAMN IT!"
I never thought I'd be so happy to hear that furious voice in my life. The door opened, and she appeared.
"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU…"
The words died in her mouth, and she stared at me with wide eyes. I, on the other hand, grinned from ear to ear.
"Finally, we meet again, Rose."
END OF CHAPTER