Ollie watches as Eris approaches him from where he stands by the city's gate.
He had been listening in on the conversation of course, he is kinda surprised by how they handled it.
And to be honest, he didn't really know what he was expecting though. But he had knew this would be the inevitable outcome.
Rudeus had already accepted Sylphie with all his heart after all, especially after helping him move on from his trauma induced impotency which is basically the same as moving on from his Eris shaped shackles.
If they had arrived maybe a week earlier or even a few days earlier, things might have been different. Might.
But then again, Ollie knows that the reason why Eris took this trip was basically to see if Rudeus had moved on from her.
Basically, due to the presence of Ollie, Eris had been subconsciously moving on from Rudeus, and she felt guilty when she realized that and also finding out that her feeling were not as strong as before, so she decided to take this trip in order to see if she was the only one feeling the same way.
To put it bluntly, she took this trip to seek validation for her fleeting feelings.
Although in a way, you could even say she's strong since she must have knew something like this was what she would find and yet she still came to face it head on.
Ollie is not going to judge her for something he caused himself, after all this was the outcome he wanted as well.
"Yo, Eris."
Eris walks right to him and lays her forehead on his chest.
"Just for a little bit… Let me stay like this, just for a little bit."
Ollie puts a hand on her head and brings her closer.
"You did good."
She stiffened at that.
"Really?" She whispers-asks.
"Really."
He says stroking her hair.
***
"So, are you okay?" Ollie asks Eris, after standing in the same position for about 20 minutes, various people had passed them, some smiling at the public display of affection, some bitter by it.
It seems even in another world, people would inherently want normies to explode.
"I think so… I will be." She says sighing. "I'm such a mess, aren't I?… Even after I expressed my resolve earlier, I'm back to a pitiful state."
"It's okay, it's okay. You can take it slowly. Emotions can be very convoluted, so don't beat yourself up for feeling that way." He says.
"Is that so?…" She says as she pulls away from him. "So does that mean you heard the conversation?"
"Geh!" Ollie reacts like a criminal caught in the act.
"It's okay Ollie, I was going to tell you about it anyways."
"Thanks for coming here with me, Ollie. Even though you didn't have to." She adds.
"It's fine, it's fine. I enjoyed the trip so it was fun."
"Fun huh?"
It's true that Eris also thinks the trip here was fun. It's also true that she feels restless right now.
She sighs audibly and without a word starts walking towards the gate.
As she walks out, she looks back one more time, holding onto the scarf tied around her neck, water vapor escapes her breath. "Let's go, Ollie."
◇◇◇
"Ollie! What is this amazing stuff? It's so… amazing! I don't think any other word fits it." Eris says with her limited vocabulary, holding the cup of ice cream to the heavens.
Ollie laughs at her antics. "It's called ice cream, Eris. There's more so you can have as much as you want."
Ollie had bought the items to make it from a couple of towns away.
She narrows her eyes on him at that.
"Ollie, I feel like you are trying to make me fat, what with everything you have been making me eat for the past few days. Even though they are delicious."
"Don't worry Eris, all the nutrients will go to your chest!" He gives her a thumbs up as she blushes.
"Pervert."
"Yes, that's me." Ollie replies as she sighs.
"You are really the most honest pervert in the world, Ollie..." She says sitting beside him in front of the fire. "Well, I don't hate it."
"Eris those are dangerous words to say to a guy who is sexually frustrated you know."
"Hehehehe." She giggles as she drops her ice cream on the table Ollie had formed with earth.
"Here you go." Ollie throws her sword to her and she catches it swiftly, immediately unsheathing it and blitzing into the forest, the sounds of sword cutting through the air and screams is heard before silence reigns again.
Eris strolls back casually to the clearing. "That's the second one this week." She says as she sits back down to enjoy her ice cream.
"Banditry can't be that profitable right?"
"Well, some of them do it for the thrill, some do it because they can and some are too lazy to do anything with their lives so they would rather plunder from people who are working hard. All in all, it's a selfish reason."
"Hmmm… I see. Well I don't have any sympathy for those types anyways." She says continuing to scoop on her ice cream.
"I thought so." Ollie says stretching his hands towards the direction Eris had walked back from.
"What are you doing?" She asks with raised brows.
"Hmm? Oh, I'm burning the bodies. They might turn to undeads if I don't right?" Saying so, a visible light appears in the distance.
"Hmmmmm." Eris hums, observing Ollie, a spoon still on her mouth.
"I'm going to get embarrassed if you stare so much you know." He says blushing.
"Stop that." She hits his head lightly with the spoon. "Say Ollie, were you ever an adventurer?"
"Me? No way, no way. I have never even registered as an adventurer yet. I guess if I were to register, you'd be my senpai."
Eris eyes sparkles hearing that. "Is that so? Then let's get you registered in the next town."
"Ehhhh, do you want to be called senpai that much?"
"Of course not, I just thinks it's funny that I get to be your senpai." She says grinning. "Anyway. More please." She stretches the now empty cup to him.
"Haiii."
***
"Ehe hehehe… Oll..ie… hic."
A drunk Eris sits on the lap of Ollie as she rubs their faces together. "Eris, I thought you could hold your liquor." Ollie who is holding a mug of alcohol says to her.
"Wh-what hic are you ta-talking about O-Ollie, I'm n-not drunk you know, hic." She says as she starts rubbing his ears. "Y-you're so cute Ollie, hic… and fluffy~ hehehe~"
"Yes, yes, I should put you to sleep soon."
"Th-that's not fair! Hic." She yells holding his shoulders. "Are you g-going to hic leave too Ollie? Find someone else? Hic ~" She says resting her head against his chest. "I don't hic w-want th-that hic."
Ollie put his hand on her head, petting it. "I'm not going anywhere Eris, and I'll definitely take you along if I ever do."
"Really?" She whispers.
"Really." He assures her as she nods.
"Really, really?"
"Really really."
"Really, really, really?"
"Really, really, really."
She starts humming from his fingers going through her hair. "Ollie hic yo-your hands feels g-good hic."
"Is that so?" He says as he continues to pat her head.
It doesn't take long and she dozes off on him.
***
Eris runs against a tree and uses it to propel herself, increasing her momentum towards Ollie as their blades clang against each other, a grin present on both their faces.
Eris realizes that Ollie has perfected the Sword God Style already.
Since their journey had started, she has literally seen his growth and she thinks it's absurd, Ollie now handles the blade like it's an extension of himself and to be honest, it's a mesmerizing view and even for the Sword God Style which emphasizes speed and aggression, Ollie somehow makes it look beautiful.
She learns a lot just by watching him.
Of course, she has not given up on trying to defeat him though, there are more than one ways to defeat an opponent after all.
She takes a swing from the left towards his mid section and as Ollie moves to parry, she feints it, bringing it down to his right leg instead.
Ollie steps back throwing his sword in an overhead arc as Eris steps on the ground hard, not wanting to give him a breathing room. Her sword is poised to impale as she lunges for him, Ollie catches his sword with his left hand and immediately swings to the right, stopping a few inches before her neck, while her own blade's strike is stopped by his sheath.
They stay in that position for a while, a smirk present on Eris face but the smirk drops as Ollie side steps, a blade dropping on where he had just been.
"Oh, come on. How did you see that?" She whines as she stands properly.
Ollie just laughs. "Because I got that 360 vision."
"I don't know what that means, Ollie." She says, walking to the clearing where they camped out.
"I saw you throwing it." He says instead.
"I figured that's what you'd say." She replies then perks up. "Hey! Hey! Ollie, can we have ice cream today? Please pleeeeease?"
"Hmmm…" He put a finger to his chin. "Making that always drains me, I would need something to raise back my spirit when I make it… something soft." He pointedly looks at her chest as she blushes.
"Pervert… then I want thre— no four cups! I want four."
"Aye, aye! I'm all fired up now!" He says walking in front of her.
She looks at her breasts and gropes them.
Does he really like them that much?
***
Eris lies on the makeshift bed made by Ollie as she faces his sleeping face.
She watches his sleeping form, he looks peaceful.
Reaching a hand, she caresses his cheek, feeling warmth inside of her. After what had happened in Ranoa, Ollie has obviously been trying to cheer her up and that makes her feel happy.
She might still be wallowing if Ollie had not been with her, forcing her to be active and encouraging her.
Even though he has less than pure intentions, at the very least he is honest about it.
Her hands come to his lips brushing it, she still remembers the feeling of his lips on hers, his sweet taste. Her face reddens. She obviously likes Ollie, that much is undeniable, but how much does she like him she wonders.
If Ollie was to leave or disappear, what would she do? How would she feel?
Without a doubt, she knows she'd hate it.
She does not want that to happen.
One thing that is also clear is that she doesn't mind being intimate with him, and they have been very intimate through this journey, that they sleep on the same bed every night.
This is the first time she had ever traveled alone with a boy like this, the last time, they had Ruijerd around.
She brings his head to her chest —Ollie seems to like them a lot— as she strokes his ears and takes in his scent, her core tingles a bit from that. Ollie always causes these kind of reactions from her that she now yearns for his touch, his breath on hers ear, his gentle caresses.
She feels his arms grab her bottom, as she muffles her moan with a hand.
She can tell Ollie is still asleep. He is just a natural pervert that his hands seeks such things even while sleeping. It's not the first time after all.
Sighing, she continues to stroke his ears with a smile on her face.
***
"What are you doing now, Ollie?" Eris asks Ollie who is drawing what looks like magical symbols on the ground.
"There is something I just realized I haven't checked, so I want to try it now." He says continuing what he is doing.
"And is this safe?" She asks. The mana calamity has led her to believe that magic can be truly devastating if used improperly.
"Yes…" He says as she stares at him pointedly.
"Maybe."
Stare.
"Probably."
Stare.
"Okay, we won't die."
"Ollie, that doesn't assuage my worries at all!" She yells at the idiot.
"Don't worry, don't worry, I have a barrier set and this magic runes would also act as an anchor as well." He says to her.
"Whatever, just know I will personally kill you myself if you let anything happen to you." She says.
"Oh? Are you worried about me?" He teases.
"Are you an idiot?! Of course I am."
She looks at him with a "Wasn't that obvious?" Look.
"O-oh. I'll be careful."
"Why are you getting shy? If you get embarrassed like that, I'm going to get embarrassed too, you know." She says with a red face.
"It's not my fault, I just thought you looked really cute just now." He says.
"Hmph, just get whatever you're doing over it, so we can leave." She says feeling butterflies in her stomach.
"Hai, hai." Ollie stretches his hand over the runes as they start glowing.
"[Sinestros Custos]" She hears him speak a word filled with power as a bright white light fills the surrounding.
As Eris blinks the light out of her eyes, a ridiculous scene greets her.
"Oh, it worked." She hears Ollie say but her attention is on the creature in front of them.
Standing at an height of almost 10 feet tall, a very imposing wolf? looks down at them. Fur that are as white as snow, red eyes that shine with intelligence, sharp fangs and equally sharp claws.
All these just adds to the majestic presence, but Eris can tell, she can't defeat this creature in front of her, it is dangerous and that is underselling it.
"Ollie, what is this?" She asks in awe.
"Hmm." He puts a finger to his chin. "A white wolf?" He ask as she turns to look at him with a passive look.
"I don't know if I should take offence to being referred as merely a 'White wolf' my liege."
A very refined voice speaks out and both Ollie and Eris look at the wolf who had just talked.
"Wow, you can talk?!" Ollie says with surprise.
"Ah." The wolf looks like he had just received damage.
"Ollie, shouldn't you know that if you brought him here?" She scolds.
"Eh, but this is the first time I'm seeing this guy, though."
"What?!" She says as her hand reaches for the hilt of her sword.
"Calm down, little lady. I am sworn under an unbreakable contract to my liege here, so I cannot harm him or his own..." The wolf says.
"I am one part of Cerberus, the guardian of Hell's gate." He says as he lowers his head.
Both Eris and Ollie "oohs" at that.
"That's pretty amazing, yosh, I'll call you Wolfy." Ollie says as he walks closer.
"That's very lazy Ollie." Eris adds as she walks closer to the wolf as well.
"At least call him something like Fluffy. His fur is very soft." She says, brushing through its white fur.
"Hmm, I understand in the case of my liege, but to act so carefree little lady." Wolfy/Fluffy says. "And calling the guardian of Hell such names you would give a house pet, I don't know how to feel about it." He almost sounds sad.
Touching his fur, Ollie narrows his eyes at the wolf. He walks closer to Eris and pulls her back. "Eris, this guy is dangerous."
"Eh? What are you saying all of a sudden, Ollie? He seems to be pretty loyal to you, if you ask me. And what does he mean by guardian of Hell's gate?"
"That's not the problem here Eris. The problem is that this guy, Fluffy Wolfy's fur…" He points at the wolf who groans at the name. "It can rival my own!"
Eris looks at Ollie with an indescribable look, but her astonishment is present.
"You can't be serious, that's what's dangerous?"
"So this guy has to leave!" He continues.
"Ollie—"
"My liege—"
Ollie snaps his fingers and Fluffy Wolfy dissolves into motes of light.
"There can only be one." He says blowing in his index finger while nodding to himself as Eris hits his head.
"Ollie, you're an idiot." She says sighing.
"If you want to stroke something fluffy, I am right here."
She picks her bag as she starts walking. "Fluffy Wolfy was better."
"Haha, we both know that's a lie Eris, you wouldn't be stroking my ears everyday if I wasn't your favorite."
"Sh-shut up." She says blushing as they both resume their journey.
◇◇◇
Unbeknownst to the duo, a silver haired man with golden sanpaku eyes in a white coat adorned with fur looks north, having felt an unusual presence. It had felt chaotic and ancient. He wonders what that was. One thing is certain though, he does not recognize it, which means it's new.
Another abnormality.
Likewise in a white void like space, a man with no distinct features apart from being a white humanoid looks in a certain direction.
He is not smiling.
◇◇◇
"Wow, we finally made it back, I can't believe we spent a little over three months on a journey. For a modern guy like myself that's quite the feat." Ollie says to no one in particular as they both overlook the Sanctuary from a cliff face.
There he goes again saying things that does not make sense.
She looks at him with a flutter in her chest as she holds the scarf tied around her neck then looks back to the view.
"Come on, Ollie, let's go." She says as she starts walking down.
"Hai, hai…" He says as he keeps pace with her. "Oh! I can see Nina from here, she looks very bored."
She looks towards the direction but the town is still very far from. "Ollie, I know you are a beast-kin but surely not even you can see the town from here." She says skeptically.
"Huh? I can see it very clearly though… I can actually see very far you know, it's sometimes distracting so I do not use it all the time."
"Is that so? I believe you then." She lies.
"Eris, you are definitely doubting me aren't you?"
"What are you saying Ollie? I believe you hundred percent."
Such banters accompany them as they make their way to town.
***
"Ollie! Eris!"
Nina runs towards Ollie and Eris upon spotting them, tackling Ollie in a hug.
"Nina, I missed you too." Ollie says rubbing her head.
She separates from him with a blush. "Hmph! As if I would miss you."
"Oh!…" Ollie looks at her in surprise as he claps. "It seems you have started walking the tsundere path Nina." She looks away in embarrassment.
"What kind of skit is this?" Eris ask from the side staring at them with a blank face.
"This is not a skit, Eris. This is Nina." Ollie opens both palm towards Nina while looking at Eris as if presenting Nina.
"Oi! She was not talking about me!…" She punches his shoulders.
"I can't believe you guys left the dojo without saying anything to me." She says. "You guys are really terrible, you know."
"Since when did you become our parents that we have to inform you where we go?" Eris asks.
"Sorry, sorry, I will definitely tell you next time. You can even come with us." Ollie placates her. "And I have souvenirs."
"Is that so? Then I'll take your word for it. This place has been really boring since you guys left you know, the girls won't stop talking about how their relationship is going amongst themselves. I even missed you of all people, Eris."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Eris narrows her eyes at her and she gulps. From her movements, she can tell Eris is definitely stronger than before.
Shaking her head, she continues.
"Anyway… Ollie is it finally time for you to…" She squirms. "… with me?" She starts blushing.
"…Hey! What's that about?!" Eris looks at her. "And what's with that look."
"Well, Nina wants me to fuck her brains out." Ollie says casually.
"W-w-what! How shameless! You p-pervert!" Eris points at her with a red face as Nina equally points back, a blush present on her face as well.
"You're one to talk! You have been letting him fondle your boobs everyday!"
"Th-that's j-just a compromise!"
"But you enjoy it don't you?"
"Now, now girls, calm—" Ollie tries to placate them but he is cut off with a—
""You shut up! (Ollie!)""
— As they both storm off.
Ollie looks at their retreating back with bewilderment.
"Ehhhhh, what is with this rom-com cliche?"
Did he perhaps use UCII to make this world a romance comedy?
◇◇◇
In the middle of the night, hearing the knock on his door, Ollie opens the door to find—
"Eris.."
She is adorning an almost see through nightwear as she looks sideways sporting a deep blush.
"C-can I come in?"