The inclusion of Jane in the most intimate circle of affection with me changed very little in the coming days. And that was not just because of the little scholar’s size.

  Though it did mean that she spent a rather large time on my lap in the carriage while we traveled back to Juneau. Initially, she’d claimed it was so Kassandra could spread her coils out more, but the girls knew better.

  Jane had been self-conscious for all of an hour the morning after our passionate interlude. She’d run out of proverbial gas long before I did, though insisted that I keep going as long as I wanted to even as she passed out. I’d just cuddled the small woman instead, startling her when she woke up being used like a stuffed animal, though the surprised squeaks were adorable.

  She’d needed a little healing after our interlude. Even with me doing everything I could not to hurt her, Jane’s enthusiasm had gotten ahead of her common sense. Thankfully, it was something that Kassandra easily handled without comment when she saw Jane limping slightly.

  My other girls didn’t treat Jane any different either, something that visibly relieved the mousy scholar. She’d done her best to hide her worries, but I’d gotten better and better at reading people’s moods and personalities. Seeing the worries melt away had been relieving for me as well when all four of them conspired over breakfast about what their next plans would be.

  I was happy to let the girls plot and plan. They were young women and had their whole lives ahead of them. That wasn’t to say I was an old man by any measure of the word, only having a few years on any of them. But this was their world and their lives were only just beginning. Add in the windfall of cash from our discovery and there was a great number of choices they’d need to make soon.

  The plotting continued on even as we loaded up on the courier carriage that arrived as scheduled. Jane claimed her ‘throne’ for the first time then, much to the amusement of the other girls. I could tell from the glimmers in each of their eyes that they all plotted to steal a turn using me as a seat going forward, but I couldn’t bring myself to care too much.

  The return trip to Juneau was uneventful. We stopped overnight at the way-stations to rest the horses and sleep the night through. The only change there was that all four girls willingly piled onto the bed and buried me in soft flesh and sweet-smelling hair.

  We didn’t get up to anything that night, but the following morning my lovely princess decided to wake me with her tongue, which ended up waking Kassandra up too, as she was draped over my chest.

  Kass just lay there watching my face contort with pleasure while kissing the side of my face on occasion, smirking the whole while. It was obvious to me that my dwarf lamia was quite happy to see me enjoying myself, knowing that all she needed to do for a turn was ask.

  We arrived back in Juneau late in the afternoon, the carriage rattling right on through the gates to come to a stop outside of Rue House, the dorm that the girls all shared.

  “It is good to be back,” Jane sighed, hopping down from my lap. She let out a small groan, rubbing her lower back while her tail flailed behind her to steady her balance. “I have so much I need to get recorded and cross-referenced. It’s going to take me days to get an official report put together, but I’m sure the queen will want another unofficial one as soon as possible. Even with the abbreviated one we already sent.”

  “Within the day, if she can get it,” I answered Jane, catching the wiggling tail with one hand and pulling the tufted end down so I could kiss it lightly. Jane eep’d quietly and shot me a blushing smile over her shoulder. “She’s been prodding me about an update ever since we arrived back in town.”

  I’d hand-carried the mini-report that they’d put together to Queen Gemma, letting the queen summon me away before we left Stonebrook on the carriage.

  Queen Gemma had since messaged me at least twice a day for updates after we’d gotten back from the ruins. The news that we had found palladium coins—specifically fully charged ones—had been top of her priorities and it was increasingly obvious that she wanted them secured somewhere both safe and under her control as soon as possible.

  She’d also kept me updated, and thus the girls as well, about the status of the research team she’d be dispatching to officially excavate the ruins and search them.

  “Mother will wait only as long as is necessary before she starts demanding them,” Rieka sighed, the wolf-eared woman standing as well as Jane carefully exiting the carriage. My princess hooked my belt with one hand, pulling me around to steal a quick kiss while we had the relative privacy of the carriage. “Thank you again for looking after us, Liam. If you hadn’t been down there, those traps would have likely killed one or more of us.”

  “If I hadn’t been down there, I doubt you four would have gone as deep as you did. You girls are smart enough to know when you are overmatched,” I rumbled in response, pulling Rieka against me using both hands on her hips.

  “But we overestimate ourselves when you are with us, Liam,” Rieka said while biting her lower lip delicately. “You shouldn’t have been the one opening that locked door. Even with there not being obvious signs of wards, one of us should have tested it rather than stuffing trinkets in our pockets.”

  “Lessons learned,” I said with a shrug.

  The electric spell that had knocked me out had hurt like a bitch, but belaboring the point wasn’t going to help at this moment. I’d just have to be more careful in the future so that I didn’t make similar mistakes.

  “I would still prefer you didn’t have to be the one who paid for them in blood,” Rieka pouted up at me cutely, her black-tipped ears laid back against her platinum-blonde locks.

  Rather than arguing with her, or pointing out the fact that I hadn’t bled—as far as I could tell since they’d pointedly not let me look at my arm in the wake of the trap to find out—I just kissed Rieka again.

  This had the benefit of distracting her as well as getting the fluffy banner of her tail whipping back and forth happily.

  Shayla and Kassandra slipped out while I smooched the princess, both of the girls grinning slyly at the affectionate display.

  When I finally emerged with Rieka in tow, Kassandra was handing some coins to the driver of the carriage and getting a bow in return. Jane and Shayla were standing a short ways up the path from the carriage, by a large, sheltered message board that I remembered from the early days.

  Apparently, the local Hunt and Trade Hall would cherry-pick missions appropriate for the students here to work on and earn extra funds. I also remembered Shayla saying that it served as an announcement board for the school at some point.

  When the carriage clattered away, Kassandra slithered back towards us with a proud smile on her lips.

  “Well, that’s that. We are home safe and we’ve got another grand adventure under our belts. I think all of us have earned a night of rest and relaxation in our own beds before we should have to worry about schoolwork or anything else, like writing reports for the queen,” Kassandra declared happily, mischief twinkling in her gaze as she eyed me up.

  “Maybe, come have a look at this,” Jane called, waving furiously as she pointed at something hanging on the wooden board.

  “What have you got there, Jane?” I asked, turning to amble towards her and Shayla with Rieka and Kassandra on either side of me.

  “A general announcement to all the students who are part of the combat magics track,” Shayla explained for Jane, her beautiful red, brown, and cream wings pumping nervously. “Apparently, things are getting a bit tense to the northeast.”

  “Damn,” Rieka swore, her ears drooping while her pace picked up.

  The notice that Jane had been pointing out was on neat paper and actually shielded from the elements behind a pane of glass that was attached to the board over top of it. The telltale glimmer of silver runes around the edges told me how it attached to the wood, and that it had to have been someone from the administration who put it up. That was before the official-looking blue-and-green seal at the bottom.

  To All Students On The Combat Magic Track

  Due to increasing tensions that our allies the Ironclaw Clan are reporting, additional forces will be moving through the territory near Juneau to support them. This may stir up some of the local monster population and drive them into new grounds. Be aware of your surroundings when performing missions for the Hunt and Trade Hall.

  Additionally, students on both the combat and summoning tracks that have excelled may find themselves receiving deployment orders from the royal family. Conflict between our allies, the Ironclaw, and the barbarian tribes of the northern steppes presents an opportunity for hands-on experience in a higher level conflict.

  Any student can volunteer for assignment, though it is encouraged that you do so as part of a larger team if you are not part of a combat track. You will receive credit towards your mastery for time spent on assignment, but understand that the deployment only ends when ordered, not on your own whims.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  Questions can be directed to your dorm overseer, and are encouraged even for those experienced in such conflict. Keep in mind the deadline posted below and do not wait until the last minute to sign up if you wish to be considered.

  The Mage-Council of Juneau

  “Huh,” I mumbled as I studied the proclamation again, rapidly skimming over it for additional details.

  The ‘deadline’ as was stated on the sheet looked to be several weeks out, but I wasn’t as familiar with dates and months on Cortha as I was back home. The girls normally handled all of that, and I just had to keep in mind the schedule back home to make sure I didn’t miss shifts back when I still worked a regular job.

  “How much do you want to bet—” Kassandra began, only for Jane to cut her off.

  “No bet. Considering how well Liam performed in the trial, it’s a foregone conclusion they are going to want us to go.”

  “But you girls are students,” I protested, getting looks from all four of them. “Powerful mages, sure. Skilled summoners, of course. Brilliant women of station, definitely. But you are still students, not soldiers.”

  “You remember back when you first started with us, Liam?” Kassandra asked gently, sliding to wrap a single coil of her tail around my legs but not trying to climb me like she usually did.

  “Yeah, I remember you mentioning that you had to take a set number of missions to earn credits as well as to earn the mana-infused coins for your classes.” I gestured towards the bulletin board meaningfully and the girls nodded.

  “I believe we told you back then too that we had to be ready to be called on by the queendom to act in times of conflict. It’s an expectation for those trained in combat by the nation to put those skills to use. This doesn’t look like a full draft, as that wouldn’t happen without a major conflict. But if the Ironclaw Clan called for assistance, then the tribes are going to be pushing harder than usual this year.”

  Rieka had taken over for Kassandra, slipping her arm into mine and hugging my arm between her breasts. The soft sensation and her gentle but straightforward words penetrated my frustration at the situation and I growled, but nodded.

  “It’s not a guarantee,” Jane said, clearly trying to reassure me. The little mouse kin woman had her tail in both hands and was gently wringing the fluffy tip as she talked. “But it is something we will be keeping an eye out for. It’s possible that they’ll pass over our group since Shayla isn’t part of the combat tracks beyond minoring in summoning, or because of our recent trip away. We did miss a lot of classes…”

  “You know what I’m going to say,” I murmured, my free hand going to ruffle Jane’s fluffy mohawk of hair and tickle the back of one of her ears. She squeaked quietly and rubbed her head into the hand, blushing but not stepping away.

  “I’m going to start looking into commissioning proper armor for us,” Kassandra said from my left. “My uncle will happily take the commission, and we have the funds and supplies to enchant them ourselves. Some other bits and pieces of equipment will be useful as well. If we are called upon, then we will be ready. If not, then we have the supplies to properly protect ourselves when we crack another ruin open.”

  “That is good,” Shayla said, visibly relaxing and her antennae unfurling to wave through the air gently. “I had been about to mention that. After what Liam went through down there, and the traps we ran into? I think I’d be much happier having some kind of protective equipment before we went on another trip.”

  “Especially with the extra funds you all have,” I prodded gently, looking between Rieka and Kassandra pointedly. “I know you two wanted to invest in your lands, but you probably should have done this sooner.”

  Rieka grimaced but nodded in agreement, so I didn’t try to push further. I was just as guilty for not insisting before. I’d let my own pride and confidence get in the way of ensuring that the girls were properly protected, but not any more.

  “It’s just too bad that we can’t get something for Liam,” Jane mumbled, her bottom lip sticking out in a pout. “Shape-Shifting is a powerful ability, but any clothing, armor, or jewelry he wore would have issues adjusting to his form when he shifts.”

  “I’ll do some experimenting back home,” I promised them. “I’ve been getting better about using my Dimensional Pocket to store stuff when I shift so I stop tearing up clothes. If I get good enough, I might be able to slip stuff like shirts off and on again using that power. It’d be a more useful state than just treating the pocket like a snack dispenser.”

  “But we like it when you dispense snacks,” Kassandra whined, her eyes dropping to my belt line meaningfully while her playful grin told me she was teasing.

  All three of the other girls blushed, but did not argue with Kassandra, something I took careful note of but refused to comment on out here in public. It seemed my sassy spaghetti was starting to rub off on the other girls.

  “I’ll keep you posted. Speaking of the snack dispenser though…” I let the sentence trail off meaningfully that got all four girls' eyes to light up in anticipation.

  I let the moment drag on for several seconds until Rieka rolled her eyes and poked me in the nose pointedly.

  “Spit it out already, Liam,” my princess ordered, so I laughed and held my hand out in front of me.

  A flare of energy and four small packages of waxed paper about the size of a deck of playing cards appeared, stacked neatly on top of each other.

  “This is very sweet. It’s a chocolate confection called fudge back home,” I explained, nodding to the pile for each of the girls to take one. I had worried about chocolate affecting Rieka negatively, but apparently it was something she’d encountered before and her part-canine nature was unaffected by it.

  Kassandra wasted no time in unwrapping her bundle and taking a small bite out of the corner. My redheaded troublemaker let out a moan that could only have qualified as ‘lewd’ regardless of the setting or source. Her thick hips bobbed back and forth as she swayed happily in place while chewing on the confection.

  That was all the cue the other three needed, each biting into their own hunk of fudge. I’d gone simple with this one, having picked it up in the mall back home from a chocolate shop. It was just a rich milk chocolate with candied pecans studded through it, but the girls all groaned and moaned happily as they nibbled on their treats.

  I smiled as I watched them enjoy it. The sounds of happy sighs or contented little grunts coming from each while they sampled the sweets. I couldn’t wait to see what they thought of the more varied flavors I could bring with me when I came back.

  “Liam,” Rieka mumbled around another bite of chocolate, some of it smeared on her upper lip. “If you were to give some of this to my mother, then she might offer you marriage into the family.”

  “Now now,” Kassandra chastised around a mouthful of her own. “No trying to cut the line using your mum, Rieka! Princess or not, Liam is shared property.”

  “Does he really count as property?” Shayla asked innocently, but I swore I caught a lusty glimmer in her black eyes as their corners crinkled with a smile. “I wonder if I can use my newfound funds to buy out a larger share then…”

  The girls’ banter continued for several minutes as they enjoyed their treat. Jane and Shayla ended up wrapping up part of their shares to enjoy later, though Kassandra and Rieka both finished their squares of chocolate at a steady pace.

  “Well then,” I sighed, glancing up at the sun drifting towards the horizon. “I guess that means it’s time for me to head back to Earth for now. I’ll pick up that power and get to training Mana Reservoir so that I can grant it to you girls in the future. I’ve been gone long enough that I’ll have quite a bit of work piled up waiting for me.”

  “Boo, I wanted to steal you for the night,” Kassandra said with a pout even as she licked chocolate off her fingertips.

  “I think most of us wanted to,” Rieka dryly replied to her friend. “But Liam does have a point. We’ve been monopolizing him for the last week or more of time. He does have a life back on his home world to tend to.”

  I almost said it, but I held the statement for now. I didn’t want to admit to the girls that I preferred Cortha to Earth at this point. There wasn’t really anything I could do to change my situation. I was bound to Earth as part of the Traveler pact, and the whole of the System operated on the mana used to summon me and other Travelers.

  The girls already summoned me with any excuse they could possibly have had, but I didn’t need them feeling that they had to burn through their newfound wealth just to summon me because they felt obligated.

  So instead, I shared kisses and hugs with each of my girls in a prolonged farewell.

  Jane was first. I scooped the smaller woman off the ground effortlessly and she went with it, letting me manhandle her without protest while she dove in for a kiss and her tail wound around my middle. It was clear to me that Jane’s feelings ran deep, and had for some time as she kissed me with the same level of vehemence that Kassandra normally did.

  Shayla went next once I set Jane back down. Her wings fluttered out like two delicate sheets, enfolding us just enough to give the feeling of being cut off from the rest of the world as the soft fluff of Shayla’s neck ruff and her cuffs tickled my face while she caressed my lips with first her fingers, then her own mouth. Her antennae bobbled and stroked my face as well, the soft appendages acting like a second set of hands that were intent on memorizing the shape of my face.

  When Shayla stepped back, she kept her wings spread to block the view of me from passersby. Something Rieka took full advantage of when my princess threw herself into my arms. Rieka kissed me hungrily, her hands knotting in my shirt and her tail whipping up a frenzy behind her as she ground herself against me. My arms went around the wolf woman automatically, one hand cupping her tight bottom and the other settling in the small of her back as she moaned into the kiss.

  Kassandra waited patiently until Rieka disengaged before my dwarf lamia slithered up. She had a coy smile on her lips as she beckoned for me to bend over. I did so, squatting down so I was on equal level with the dwarf lamia.

  Rather than her normal enthusiastic tackle and plundering of my mouth, Kassandra pulled me into a delicate kiss while her coils wrapped around us several times. I could feel the slow, pulsing squeezing of her coils against my legs, but she didn’t try to tangle me up in them as her curly mane of red hair draped over us while her hands met behind my neck.

  “Thank you again for looking after us, Liam,” Kassandra whispered as our lips parted, her eyes misty already. “Going to miss having you around constantly, so don’t be surprised if one or more of us summon you for a bit of alone time.”

  “I’m always at my girls’ beck and call,” I replied with a smile, kissing Kassandra’s forehead lightly and reaching around to give her tush a squeeze, which brought her normal sultry smile to the forefront. “I’ll make sure to get plenty of rest and take care of my work needs before any of you call me back.”

  There were a few more words of parting, each of the girls telling me that they loved me in their own way. Rieka promised that she’d have more concrete times on when they’d have their full report for her mother.

  It was when Kassandra finally made the requisite gestures with her spell rod and ended my summoning to return me to Earth that I finally got the notification I’d been waiting for.

  Find and claim the ancient human ruins for the Coldeye Queendom before the Emirate of the Red Sun does. Ensure your contracted companions are kept safe.

  Bonus reward if you are able to scout the ruins for illicit research to be secured and/or destroyed on behalf of the Dimensional Security and Repair.

  Reward - 4000 SP COMPLETED

  Bonus Reward - Power Unlock. - AWARDED

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