Hello, dear readers.
Last week I was unable to publish a chapter of this novel, as I had a sharp pain in my leg that prevented me from walking. Although this does not affect my ability to write, it does affect me quite a bit mentally, as it has completely disrupted my normal life (work, studies, etc.), so I initially preferred not to write while I was feeling unwell.
I think the pain is due to a problem with a nerve (although I have no guarantee that this is the case, as I did not do anything in particular to cause my leg to start hurting in this way). The doctor I went to recommended waiting and resting to see if the pain would subside, but it hasn't. This week I will have some tests done and I am going to see a specialist to see if they can tell me anything different, because it doesn't seem that my problem will improve with rest.
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If you want to support, you can do so at: https://www.patr eon.com/finlegost
There, you can find 18 chapters in advance.
Thanks to my patrons and to those who comment on the chapters. It means a lot to me and motivates me to continue this hobby of mine.
And, of course, thanks to everyone who reads this novel.
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"Ok. We're done setting up your stupid tent, now..." says Miria, with an impatient tone.
"... What's that important thing about Alessia that you want to tell us and why do we need to take so many detours to have a simple conversation?"
It is still dark and we are in the war zone, in the female section of the camp, inside the soundproof tent I got from my encounter with Beatrice.
After I finished editing our statuses, I slipped out of the arms of my sleeping girlfriends as best I could and opened an illusory door to the war zone.
"I imagine it's a delicate thing if we need to have the conversation at this time of night, in a tent proof from prying ears," says Irina, who looks at me with a neutral yet slightly frowning expression.
"It's complicated, but yes, it's an extremely delicate subject... I don't know where I should start," I say, suddenly doubting whether it's right what I'm about to do.
"You can try starting from the beginning. That's usually the best way to explain things..." Zia says, with a warm but condescending smile.
"...But first I want you to clear one thing up for me... Is Alessia okay?"
"Yes. She's fine. I just wanted to-" I start to say, but Miria interrupts me.
"That's the first thing you should have said! Really, little monkey, sometimes I'm surprised you can remember your own name!" says Miria, slamming her fist on the floor.
The four of us are sitting on the floor of the tent, forming a circle, as I preferred not to waste time pulling out chairs, seeing the looks the three annoying beauties were giving me while I was preparing the tent.
All three were clearly torn between drowsiness and irritation at the fact that I had woken them up so late at night.
But now that they know that what I plan to tell them is about a sensitive subject regarding Alessia, I have their undivided attention.
'Haa... Will it really be a good idea to ask this bunch of anti-male women for help?...
Yeah, I guess they're my best bet...
Considering their relationship with Alessia and the details of Alessia's past, I'm sure they're going to want to help me.'
"Ahem... As I was saying, it's a touchy subject. The truth is that I recently found out that..."
…
"You were right to ask us for help. This is too big a thing for a man to handle..." says Miria, looking at her friends with complicity.
"... We've been thinking about leaving this place for days anyway. It's gotten pretty boring lately."
I guess by that, she means the fact that there are a lot fewer people in the war zone now.
That's probably because it doesn't look like there's going to be any war anymore, so they must not be giving them a lot of missions.
That reminds me that Cael was supposed to keep giving me espionage missions.
But I never saw him again after he threatened to hurt my family, and right now I don't have time to be following the stupid orders of that damn stalker commander.
I don't even plan on going to see him to let him know of my intentions.
The times when I had to adjust to the wishes of others are long gone.
Right now, if anyone dares to step out of line with me, I'm going to make sure that person will regret it for the rest of their short, miserable life.
Whoever they are.
"As I explained, I just need you to help me take care of my girlfriends while I'm not with them..." I say, letting out a sigh of relief now that I'm done explaining my problem and that I could confirm that I wasn't wrong in trusting them.
'In the worst-case scenario, I probably would have had to end up murdering Alessia's friends...
It's not a pleasant thought, but I can't let the story of Alessia's past get out.'
"... I already have a few ideas to solve this situation. In return you will get the object I already showed you."
As payment for helping me, I offered them the smaller of the two [Pseudo Dimension] I have, which is used to be able to camp and rest in the no man's zone without having to worry about monsters.
This is the object for which they have been saving for so long, and for which, but for me, they would have had to save much longer.
"We would have helped Alessia even without a payment. She's our friend, dumb little monkey," Miria says in exasperation.
"Miria is right, and besides, your girlfriends! I still can't believe you did that to Alessia!..." exclaims Zia, extremely indignant.
"... Is it really true that men think with their penis instead of their brains?"
"I didn't do anything to Alessia. She is more than pleased with the relationship she, Delia, and I have," I say defensively.
'I guess I should include Melisa in that sentence too...
But I think for the moment they already have more than enough information to digest...
And, judging by the reaction of the three of them when I told them about Delia, they're not very receptive to the subject.'
"We'll talk to Alessia to check it out. And I'd also like to hear more about those 'ideas' you have another time, but I think the best thing now is for us to quickly look for a Traveler to get to the capital as soon as possible..." says Irina, looking at me with a mixture of pity and exasperation.
"... I don't understand how it occurred to you to come here, hundreds of miles away from where she is, if you really understand the magnitude of the complicated situation you are in."
"That won't be a problem. I can take us directly to the capital," I say, a little annoyed by the tone of superiority with which Irina just spoke to me.
I can understand that they don't like men very much, but Irina is looking at me like I'm the dumbest living thing on earth.
"I guess you're not as stupid as you look. But Irina is right; you were oblivious..." says Zia, sighing.
"... Even if you know a Traveler who can take us right now, that will only leave us somewhere near the capital. It's probably going to take us several hours to reach the place where Alessia is."
"I don't think I'm explaining myself well..." I say with a strained smile.
'Patience, Emir. They're your girlfriend's friends...
And they agreed to help you...
Haa...
I hope I did not make a mistake in asking for their help'
"... Space Travel!"
Irina, Zia, Miria: !!!
In the middle of the circle we are forming appears an illusory door.
The door stands between us for a few moments, after which I make it disappear so I can appreciate the surprised expression of the three, with-a-more-than-justified-nickname, annoying beauties.
'I wish I could capture the image of their expressions of disbelief for posterity.'
The three women have an expression of mute astonishment, staring open-mouthed at the spot where the illusory door has just disappeared.
After several seconds, the first to recover is Miria, who looks at me with a frown and says, "I didn't expect that, but I guess even the simplest beings can surprise us from time to time. Anyway, that's not important. We should go pack!"
After her words, she jumps to her feet and leaves the tent.
"She's right!" says Zia, standing up to follow her girlfriend.
"You... I'd really like you to explain to me how you did that..." says Irina, slowly standing up while looking at me as if examining a pig that has suddenly sprouted a pair of wings.
"... I've seen your strength firsthand, and that's not the strength a Traveler would have. Haa... But Miria's right; we should go pack."
"I guess Alessia and Delia will likewise end up explaining everything to you when we go to my house, so there's no point in hiding it..." I say with a smirk, seeing that I finally left them speechless for a few seconds.
'Not even while I was telling them the story of Alessia's past did they stay quiet for that long...
They always have an opinion for everything, and they always seem to think theirs is the right one...
It's extremely annoying...
But I guess I'll just have to learn to live with that particularity of theirs.'
"... Yes, I have the Traveler class, but it's not the only active class I have."
…
It is already dawn when we appear in my house through an illusory door created directly into the dining room.
As we create a lot of noise on the first floor, Alessia and Delia quickly emerge from the stairs, looking very worried.
"Master! Where the hell have you been?"
"Emir! Thank God. We were so worried."
They both speak at the same time as they come down and see me, but they stand still in place when they see my three companions.
"Hi Alessia. How have you been these days?" says Miria, with a carefree smile, before I can say anything.
Zia and Irina say nothing and just stare at Alessia, Delia, and me intently.
"Erm... Sorry, I thought you would still be asleep..." I say, looking apologetically at Alessia.
"... As you can see, I already went to get some reinforcements."
"Master! You... You... Agh... Fine!..." says Alessia, who seems to be debating between the intentions of running to hug me and jumping down from the stairs to punch me.
"... I think... I think first of all we should make introductions."
After saying those words, she looks at the bewildered Delia, who is standing next to her and, taking her affectionately by the hand, starts to lead her towards us.
When they arrive next to us, Alessia begins to make the introductions.
"Delia, this is Zia, Irina, and Miria..." she says, as she points to each of the people she is naming.
"... All three are very good friends of mine and are the people Master was talking about the day before yesterday."
'Wait! What?'
"Hi, nice to meet you," Delia says shyly as the three annoying beauties respond with a smile and a wave of the hand.
"The day before yesterday?" I ask, stunned by that piece of information.
"Yes. You were sleeping for a whole entire day. You had us worried sick," Delia says, looking at me with apprehension.
"Really?" I ask, incredulously, though I know they have no reason to lie to me.
"Yes, it's true. How do you think we felt when you didn't wake up? And what is worse, when you finally woke up, you disappeared without telling us anything!" says Alessia, who suddenly gets a nervous twitch in her right eye as she looks at me while clenching her hands into fists.
'Ahh...
That explains how it is that I felt so wonderfully rested when I woke up...
And...
Now I understand why Alessia seems to be suppressing her anger at me...
Hmn...
Should I have left them a note?...
Nah...
I had no way of knowing that the abuse of the f*cking energy potions had caused me to sleep so long...
Another reason for me not to drink them again...
In fact, as soon as I can, I will get rid of them...
It is better not to have them within reach of a thought...
I might be tempted to use them again.'
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." I say submissively, because I know I really messed up this time.
The fact that it was unintentional doesn't absolve me of guilt.
"You better be sorry!..." says Alessia, looking at me with irritation.
The three annoying beauties silently watch this whole exchange of words between Alessia, Delia, and me.
But based on their expressions, I can guess that they are amused by what they are seeing.
Then Alessia, turning to her friends, continues speaking, "... Hello, girls. It's so good to see you again. This is Delia, my... Our-"
Seeing that Alessia is having trouble explaining to her friends the kind of relationship she, Delia, and I have, I step in to help her. "Don't worry. I already explained to them that Delia is our love partner."
"Ohh... I..." says Alessia, relieved, blushing adorably.
"... well... Thanks for that."
"You're welcome," I say, giving a little bow with a half smile.
"Now... Go make us breakfast or whatever. I want to talk to my friends alone," says Alessia, who frowns at my expression.
"Are you serious?" I ask, surprised by the request.
Delia doesn't seem to agree with Alessia very much, but she doesn't say anything, as always happens when she finds herself in a situation where there are strangers present.
"That's the way I like it, Alessia! Men need to be kept on a short leash," Miria says, looking at me mockingly.
'Haa... I'm already beginning to regret bringing them here.'
"Miria, don't say that. It's because of that kind of comment that we have a positive relationship with so few men," Irina says, sighing.
"But it's the truth! Men are like animals," Miria says, puzzled by the reproachful comment.
"You're right, my dear. But there are a lot of people who don't like to be told the truth to their face," says Zia, putting a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder and pulling her to herself to give her a kiss on the forehead.
"Hahaha... I had really missed you girls..." says Alessia and, turning to me with an apologetic expression, she continues talking.
"... Yes, Master, I'm serious. I'd like you to leave us alone for a moment, if you could."
"Hmm, ok." I say and walk off towards the kitchen, as I start to come up with a beautiful plan to get even for the comments of the three annoying beauties.
'I think I still have a few magical valerian plants left in my inventory... It will be poetic to use against them something I used in the past to avenge them.'
"But don't go too far away!" says Alessia, a little of the worry she must have felt at not finding me in bed with them seeping into her voice.
"Ok, my love. Don't worry." I say, flashing her a warm smile before leaving the room.