First Client Second Time

We stroll through the streets at a leisurely pace while exchanging a word or two. Lyona remains her mostly silent self, needing some kind of a prompt to speak up. She does rarely start a topic on her own, though it doesn't happen that often. Not like it's an issue. I can tell that she enjoys being on the receiving end more.

Our brief chats revolve mostly around her and my work. And obviously, we wander onto the topic of the mercenary company too. I fill her in on most of the responsibilities and duties that are going to be expected from her if she doesn't change her mind at the very last moment. I do my best to emphasise the fact that she can do that at any time if there is anything that might not lie right with her.

She doesn't show any signs of such thoughts, though. Even if we don't talk that much. One thing I can discern is her desire to switch her occupation from a guild clerk to a mercenary one. It's nothing extremely desperate but she does show that air of fixation on the position. Which isn't too shocking considering everything she's told me earlier.

We soon arrive in front of the mansion and our upcoming headquarters. Lyona takes a moment to glance towards the massive residence before we head towards the less impressive establishment on the other side of the street. She's definitely seen it not just once but I would lie if I said that it doesn't fill you with at least some awe each time it appears in your vision.

Wondering about her opinion about that side of our business, I lead our new potential clerk into the company's main base of operations, making a mental note to ask about that sometime in the future. I would rather not spook her right here. There's no need for her to have any kind of interaction with our business across the cobbled road. Though, I bet I don't have to worry about much considering how talkative Elise seems to be around her.

In the lobby of our soon-to-bee reception hall, only a handful of contractors and other workers loiter around, adding finishing touches to the not-that-big-but-still-majestic chamber. It's mostly tapestries bearing our characteristic purplish shade and the crest present on all the uniforms worn by our troops and other girls. I bet it won't be long before we see some paintings on these walls.

Perhaps Neira will want to create another masterpiece to hang above the reception desk like the one in the brothel. This time, with our badass merc girls instead of her Elf sisters. And maybe with a tad less nudity, heh.

Anyway, things are looking to be almost done. Leaving the people working on the final details in peace, I turn to Lyona and gesture around with my arms.

"You might have already been here at least once before, but let me officially welcome you to Utopia's Mercenary Corps Headquarters. This might be the room you will be seeing most of your time here since you don't need local accommodations. At least according to Elise. Feel free to speak for yourself if she is mistaken." I chuckle lightly. "Also, feel free to comment on anything you wish and offer your feedback. Anything you would want changed, altered, replaced, or added will be taken into consideration."

Lyona looks around with a calm gaze. "I heard that your other place is decorated with lots of paintings."

"That's correct. Courtesy of our resident maestro." I nod at her. "You are well informed. We might do the same here."

"Perhaps it would be more interesting to switch things up a little bit?" she asks, turning her ruby eyes to me.

"What do you have in mind?" I raise a curious brow at the white-haired beauty.

"Instead of paintings, you could do statues. Or rather busts. Each establishment would be unique, like a separate entity. Of course, many will still be aware of the company's origins, but it could help create a more independent image in the minds of those who will be hesitant to take their request to a subsidiary of a brothel," our potential recruit explains. "Just to make their feelings and emotions more at ease. I'm sure you are aware that attracting customers is the first and most important point of a good enterprise."

I stroke my chin. "Naturally. I don't think we are going to have trouble finding clients. Last night convinced me otherwise. We might not have enough people to accept all the incoming requests. But, you aren't wrong. Making this place a bit more different from the usual style seen at the brothel is an interesting suggestion. I guess we'll have to look for someone good at sculpting. Well, I might already have some ideas from our employees."

"I suggested this course of action while having a solution in mind," Lyona admits. "I know someone who can be considered talented and fair. He does occasional work for some noble families in the capital. They use him quite often but I should be able to introduce you through some of my connections. If our project catches his attention, he might become a regular collaborator. There isn't much variety to the requests made by the higher classes so he is mostly bored from the mundane work."

"We haven't even signed your contract and you are already contributing so much." I smile at her. "Maybe I should hurry the fuck up before something unexpected ruins the chances of that happening."

That gets a faint smile from her and I bring Lyona in for a quick tour of the headquarters. We first move behind the reception, arriving in the backrooms. There's nothing much here besides a resting area for the clerk and a few other recreational facilities. Also, we put a small archive there so that we could organise the documents close to the main front. At least those that have to be at hand.

Then, we venture upstairs and go through a few well-decorated rooms. While our girls will have their little barracks underneath the establishment, it doesn't hurt to have something more dignified available for some rare occasion. I did talk to them about giving them those rooms whenever they weren't occupied but they wanted to stay together in the military-themed bunkhouses.

There's also an actual main archive at the very back of the building. Most documents and papers are going to end up here. Whenever necessary, they can be moved to the reception archive before they are needed, saving the clerk time on going back and forth to look for them.

Finally, there's the underground. The barracks are mostly done too while the other facilities are still in the process of either being moved or constructed from scratch. That's mostly studios, workshops, labs, and forges. The training grounds seem almost done and look to be better than before. It must have been the highest priority after the garrison. And that's good. The girls deserve a good space where they can fully let go. 

After the tour, we move back up and end the journey in the room that's supposed to be my office for whenever I would need to be stationed here myself. When we step inside, Ria is already there, holding a small bundle of documents. She shows a friendly smile at both of us and invites me to join her. I sit down in the massive leather chair while Lyona gets seated opposite the ornamental oak desk on an only slightly more modest seat. My perfect accountant lady hovers over my side after setting down the papers between the two of us.

"Alright." I lean a bit back in my comfy chair. "Your last chance to back out. Not that you can't leave after joining. Just figuratively speaking. If you still have any doubts about this, now is the moment to clear them out."

She receives her version of the contract and starts quietly scanning its contents. I'm not really familiar with all the details written in it but I trust Ria with all my heart. She wouldn't have put anything unnecessary in there. Especially not with Elise's friend as the recipient. If anything important needed my attention, she would have contacted me before this moment.

It doesn't take Lyona long to work her way through all the clauses and she raises her enchanting gaze to meet mine. "Isn't the pay too great for the scope of my responsibilities?"

"You don't need to be wary," Ria answers before I can. "There are no hidden reasons for that. Everything is as clearly written. Your position is quite an important one and your salary only mirrors that. And it's an additional incentive to work really hard. Trust me, we can afford it."

The ladies stare at each other in silence for a few seconds before Lyona makes the faintest nod.

"I don't think I see any immediate issues with this offer. Though, some clauses feel a bit… too loose," she points out, a tad uncertain.

"Don't hold back. Lay it on thick," I instruct her. "Anything can be altered to suit the needs and wants of both of us."

"Also, don't forget the last paragraph under the listed duties. You retain full rights to reject fulfilling any requests different from the described occurrences. We can make them but can't force you into anything or terminate your employment because of that," Ria clarifies and I quickly catch up on what they are discussing.

"This is a clause mostly directed at us so that you can get properly rewarded for taking actions that aren't specified in your contract. I don't ever plan on scamming you out of your remuneration by insisting that you've been taking care of something outside the scope of your duties, thus not qualifying as work," I add to reassure her more.

"I see. That does sound logical," Lyona agrees. "Then I think I'm ready to sign. Can I do that right now or do I need to quit my current job first? Officially, I mean."

Snickering lightly, I shake my head. "Feel free to seal the deal whenever you wish to. You get paid for the days or hours, so you don't need to rush here to man the reception immediately. The money will flow after you properly settle everything with your former employer. That is, unless you need some upfront payment for that period."

It's her turn to shake her head next. "No, I'm stable financially. I appreciate the offer, though. I would like to sign today and come to start as soon as you open to the public. Tomorrow or the day after, most likely."

"That's good. We'll most likely start tomorrow. But in case you won't be able to make it, things should start picking up after tomorrow as more people learn about our not-that-grand opening. That's when we'll most likely have to write down plenty of requests since we are able to fulfil a few at once at best. Don't want to spread the girls too thin right from the start."

Ria lets out a muffled chuckle at my choice of words and I almost roll my eyes. These women just never give me any rest. Not a thing I say can't be taken sexually. That might be the curse that balances out all the blessings and luck I'm receiving in this world.

"Understandable." Lyona nods confidently. "I'll do my best to study and research the request to arrange your subordinates in the most effective and efficient way possible."

"Their comfort and opinions have the highest priority, okay?" I raise a brow at her. "We do want our clients to be happy, but just like on the other side of the street, our girls have to be even happier."

"Of course. I'll learn all I can about them to make sure that nothing troubling takes place. Do you think they will mind me trying to prod them with some rather boring and perhaps annoying questions about themselves?" she asks.

"Why don't we ask?" I snap my fingers with a smile and it takes only about a minute for someone to knock on the door. "Enter."

The sexy but ferocious ladies pour into the office and line up in two rows behind Lyona's seat. Those with visible skin seem to be sweating a little bit. I must have interrupted their training or practice. The shorts and t-shirts or tank tops they are wearing further support that notion. The gallery of taut, slim bellies is hard not to stare at. Their gym wear is clearly designed to display their sculpted midriffs with pride. 

And joy. For the observer. Most likely me.

Ressia steps forward and salutes. "Eden Beta reporting for duty, Boss!"

They all stand with their chests held high and their hands joined behind their backs. They really are making a scene. But, I might have to get used to that. Something tells me they are going to act this way in front of everyone who isn't directly connected to our chain of command.

Not that I'm going to complain. Military girls have always been a decent turn-on.

"At ease," I command and they relax visibly. "This here is Lyona, our new employee and the person who will help me manage you. She will be responsible for manning the reception, taking in the requests, and assigning you to them alongside me, for the most part. You should treat her well or someone might find themselves bound to guarding some gluttonous prick's morning trips to the shitter for the rest of their service."

Most of the ladies chuckle at my little joke but I don't miss the hint of anxiousness that passes through at least a few of them. I show an obvious smirk to relieve them of some of that tension.

"Now, she was wondering if you would be okay with her interrogating you girls a little. To do her job properly, Lyona will need to know you inside-out. What do you say?" I ask while propping my chin atop my joined palms.

"We are like an open book, Boss!" Ressia exclaims loudly. "She may ask anything!"

"Anything?" The goth lady turns around to show her sides to both of us.

"Yessir!" the wolfgirl confirms.

"What's your most preferred position?"

Ressia's cheeks explode crimson in a flash but she does her best to remain just as confident as a moment ago.

"From… behind. With my butt higher than my head… And my tail pulled… And maybe a hand around my throat…" she reveals with just a tiny bit of struggle.

"Oh. I meant in a party." Lyona's eyes widen briefly as her skin flushes with rosiness just barely enough for me to notice.

The other women snicker quietly as Ressia turns even redder. No one can fault her, though. Even I've been sure that was the topic of Lyona's question. What else could it have been after confirming that she is allowed to ask anything?

"B-Back too…" the ashamed wolfgirl stammers out.

"And she is damn good at that. I've seen her with a bow. Trust me, you don't want to be far away from her. She can nail you right in the chocolate chip mid-sprint. Both the hunter and the prey. Not that she isn't just as lethal in close combat," I try to butter her up a little with fully-earned compliments so that she doesn't feel only embarrassed in front of everyone.

Ressia's tail turns into a high-speed wiper as it wags from the praise and she stands a little prouder. As a result, it pushes her firm chest more into the tight material of her tank top, emphasising her more-than-fair bust. And her nipples are clearly hard, most likely from imagining the mentioned position. Thankfully, she doesn't seem to notice.

"Thank you." Lyona nods at her gratefully. "And I apologise for the confusion. I'll be more specific in the future."

"Think nothing of it!" Ressia replies with more vigour and confidence. "We have no secrets in front of Boss and will gladly answer all questions if it will help us serve him better!"

"I appreciate that," I add, nodding at her too. "Now, I think we've proved the aforementioned point with this so you are free to return to your previous activities. Soon, you are going to get some real field experience. You earned it."

They all perk up at that and salute together before scurrying out of the office. Ressia leaves as the last one, sneaking a longing gaze at me through the gap in the door before fully closing it, her cheeks quite crimson again. Lyona is facing me once more so she misses all of it. But I don't. It's a clear message that the one she imagined in the described position was me and most likely only me.

"Well, that went well." I smile wryly and evoke a tiny smirk from the silent princess as a result.

"I apologise again. I did not think my words through enough. But, I'm glad to see that they don't have any issues working with a Human stranger. I've heard that most of your employees don't have the best experiences with that particular race," she says.

"It's not your fault. If anything, it's mine and the other side of my business. At one point, you get so used to it that you automatically assume anything closely to suggestive or implicative is related to sex. I really hope it won't make your work harder," I share my concerns with her again.

"The guild is already full of lecherous men. And women too. The receptionists are used to some level of hidden meanings," Lyona informs me. "Considering that your main customers can let their pent-up desires right on the other side of the street, I don't think many will bother to chat up the mercenary clerk with their corny lines. Much fewer than in the guild, that's for sure."

"Great. I look forward to working with you, then. Your uniform will be waiting for you in the backrooms. Elise swore she knows your figure perfectly well and already commissioned it from our tailor. I hope you are okay with that." I sigh amusedly.

"Figured. I look forward to seeing it, then." She stands up and makes a polite bow. "And thank you. For this opportunity and everything. I'll see you tomorrow then, Boss."

I laugh out loud and wave my hand at her. "No need for that. You can say that it's Ressia's thing. Most of them call me Sir or Leader. You are free to pick whatever suits you. Alastair or Al is fine too."

With both of us up, I escort Lyona to the door of the office and we part ways. Before anything, I let Ria fill me in on the details of the contract so that I don't suddenly freeze on the spot whenever our new employee asks about anything related to it. Of course, I can always connect with one of my amazing ladies for help, but that feels like cheating. I should at least play my part as her employer.

Then, as I kind of expected with how reluctant Ria is to leave, we fool around for a moment, breaking in the desk as she calls it.

True, it comes very close to breaking a few times. Considering that I haven't put up the silencing ward, people below us will hopefully think that we were nailing down some furniture so that it doesn't move around unintended.

Which isn't that far off from the truth. We might have used a different hammer for it, though.

The next few hours I spend assisting the contractors around the headquarters. Ria obviously returns to the mansion and dives back into her own world which is full of numbers, letters, and tables. Freshly energised, she is definitely going to work twice as fast today.

As I'm standing in the lobby and admiring how everything fits just so well together, an unfamiliar voice reaches my ears from behind.

"Hello?"

Turning around towards the entrance, I find the head of a middle-aged man poking through the gap he has opened. He has rich golden hair, impressive and neatly trimmed full beard and a fancy top hat attached firmly to the apex of his head. His eyes are vivid red, full of wisdom and also vitality.

"Yes? How can I help you?" I ask with my hands on my hips. "A delivery of some sorts? Perhaps more furniture?"

"Oh, no. I'm just a requester. This is where the headquarters of Utopia's Mercenary Corps are located, right?" he inquires back, stepping into the lobby.

"I'm sorry but we aren't open for business yet. The official opening is tomorrow. There's still a bit to do," I apologise while gesturing around.

"I know, I know." He waves his hands placatingly. "Her Majesty told me the date but I'm getting more anxious the closer we get to the deadline without anything concrete established."

"Ah. You must be the person Her Majesty was going to recommend us to. It was a birthday party, right? I can see how it can be stressful with an approaching deadline." I smile openly and signal for him to approach.

"Correct. I was looking to hire a group of ceremonial guards to watch over my daughter's little party. Her Majesty assured me that I would not be disappointed with your finest. I wanted to take a look at them if that's alright. Not that I don't trust the Queen's judgement, but you get me."

"I guess it won't hurt to discuss the terms of the request a day earlier. Let us move to my office while I let the ladies know to armour up." I invite the man upstairs and he gladly follows.

After we are seated, he stands up abruptly once more. "Goddess! Where are my manners? Abarth. It's my pleasure."

He extends his firm hands to me and I do the same. "Alastair. Mine as well. So, anything you wanted to clarify, sir?"

"How many of your mercenaries would you be able to assign to our request?" Abarth asks.

"Considering the fact that Her Majesty is your referrer, I'm inclined to see through your request to the best of our ability. I currently have a dozen skilled fighters at my disposal and can give you all of them if that's your wish," I respond.

"That's a good number. If it's no trouble for you, I would be glad to have them all." He nods.

"And what can you tell me about the request? Details of the party? The location? The schedule? The planned entertainment? Your expectations?" I pry for some useful information.

"It's going to be just one day, in the evening hours. Nothing big, only a few close friends of my daughter are going to show up. They are all young noble ladies so I don't think they are going to cause your subordinates any trouble. Especially since I just wanted some pleasing to look at knights to serve more as a gallant decoration rather than actual guards. The event is taking place at our family mansion so our regular sentries will naturally be present and continue to do their jobs as usual. I can send you the full schedule after returning home but it's not anything complex. They aren't planning to leave the mansion and just share a pleasant time during an all-ladies evening. Something akin to a tea party. My expectations are simple too. I would like for your respected subordinates to pretty much stand to attention around the main chamber like the royal guards and look the part. Of course, they will be allowed to move, drink, eat, or take care of any necessities. Hopefully, retaining the decorum of a valiant knight while at it," Abarth sums it up for me.

"It does sound simple enough," I agree. "They are elites. They wouldn't have a problem standing actual guard for three days and nights straight so some pretend play isn't a problem. As for the presentation, I can only hope that this will be enough to satisfy your needs, sir Abarth."

At that moment, the door opens and the girls walk inside with a proud gait, fully geared up in their official uniforms and armour. Knowing exactly what to do, they surround us by positioning themselves by the walls, facing the middle. Their faces remain neutral as they hold their chins high, reenacting the perfect definition of an English guard stationed in front of a palace. They keep their weapons displayed before them and stay completely still, almost unblinking.

The man examines them attentively, moving his gaze from one girl to another. From the little bobs of his head, I can guess that he finds our getups pretty satisfactory. The ladies might not be wearing blindingly shiny full plate sets, but the designer uniforms merged with pieces of perfectly fitting armour and legendary-looking weapons create quite awesome image. The black and purple colours just add to their ferocious charm. Especially with the girls of a lighter carnation or fur. Yuru looks as badass as always with that massive sword strapped to her small back.

"Yes. Yes. Her Majesty wasn't exaggerating. They look very inspiring. Somehow, they manage to evoke both awe with their beautiful uniforms and the feeling of skilled professionalism. They don't seem like poster guards in the slightest. I can tell that they are more than capable of handling themselves in most if not any fights," Abarth compliments them, and to their credit, they don't react even faintly.

"Definitely. They are C-ranks, in the end. Even though that was just the highest they could have placed during the exams. If not for that, you would be looking at at least B or A-ranks right now." I chuckle quietly. "Do we have an initial deal, then?"

"Definitely," he parrots me with a wide smile. "The party is in three days. I would love to submit the official request right now and we can calmly discuss the particularities during that time."

That's good with me so we proceed to talk a little more about this arrangement with the girls present. They remain standing on guard, clearly wanting to impress our guest and show that they are fit for his request. After ironing out the most important parts like the price, we bid farewell to our first client, both sides unable to wait for the big day.

For the rest of the current day though, I continue helping with the headquarters wherever I can. We wrap up all the important stuff and finish preparing the place for the grand opening. A few of the merc girls give me a hand with the last cleaning bits and we dust things off, mop the floor, and even polish all the surfaces. They are excited about their first job and I can't really blame them. Everything they did during my absence was leading to it.

Unsurprisingly, the next two and a half days fly by incredibly quickly. The brothel continues to operate as usual, with us gathering more and more info on the cosplay and roleplay services. Surprisingly, no rumours get out into the wilds as our loyal patrons keep their mouths relatively shut, listening to my polite request. Thanks to that, we are nearly done introducing their feedback. Some of the themed rooms are ready too. 

I especially like the library-themed one. Might want to bring Cornelia here once in a while. Maybe she will be interested in teaching me a lesson in her research mode.

As for the day of the party, the girls have been buzzing right from the morning. It's not until the evening that they are needed and they can barely sit still. It gets so bad that Cornelia and Elea send me out to the headquarters to calm them down. Some affectionate headpats, tail brushes, ear scratches, pecks, kisses, and affectionate rubs work perfectly well. I enjoy seeing the side of those badass women only I will ever get to witness behind closed doors.

Their time soon comes and I conduct an official departure for them in the lobby. They slip into their resolute personas and head out in a practised formation. This will further advertise us to the people on the streets. And they have lots of fun doing that anyway.

Now, while they do that, I stay in the headquarters to receive any potential requesters until the closing hours, which today are synchronised with the brothel opening ones since Lyona is absent. She's been doing a great job the last two days, proving herself in battle from the very start. Plus, she looks super cute in her black and purple uniform, which isn't that far off from the lolita dress I've seen her in during our interview.

Leave it to Shino and Mari to perfectly read what the girl needs and looks best in.

Today, she wasn't able to come due to important family matters which she promised she'd done everything she could to get out of the way but just had no luck in it. I told her that it was alright and it took a moment to convince her that it wasn't going to ruin her image for taking a leave literally a day or two after starting work. 

Sometimes, there are just things we have no control over. She was honest with me, I could tell. Same as with the brothel, I'll have to find a substitute at some point in the near future because it's silly to force everything solely on her. And because of days like this one.

Thankfully, when the time to close comes, there are no latecomers so I can close up right away and head to the mansion to start the night alongside the girls. It honestly feels like working two part-time jobs. Not in the bad way, at least. But my circumstances are quite favourable. I love both of them with my whole heart.

At some point in the late evening, perhaps two or three hours in, I get a ping from one of the mercenary girls.

~Leader. Oniri speaking. I would like to consult you about the job,~ the half-blood ninja Foxkin says.

~Go on. Any trouble?~ I focus on our connection to feel her emotions.

~No, Sir. But the hosts are paying more and more attention to us. They are trying to involve our members in their celebration more directly. We've been trying to politely turn them down citing our role but we don't want to start sounding rude. What should we do?~ she explains and pleads for help.

~Hmmm. Technically speaking, you aren't on real guard duty out there. And making the client pleased is the core of this request and this line of work in general. If they are the ones initiating this, I don't think you have to resist too much. You can have some fun too. But, while I know that a bit of alcohol won't impede your senses, maybe leave a few girls out of it just in case. Never too safe,~ I suggest a new course of action.

~Orders received. We will not disappoint. Thank you for your assistance, Leader. Oniri out.~

I chuckle under my nose, causing the person I've been speaking to before this mental conversation to raise a brow at me. Shino has really turned them into real soldiers. I'm starting to feel like some kind of a general.

Refocusing on my own surroundings, I dive back into our lively party. The lobby and the recreational area are as full as always. I have my hands full too. Though, I do wonder what's exactly happening on the other side of the town where the birthday celebration is taking place.

It turns out that I might actually have a chance to investigate as about two hours later, another communication comes in.

~Boss. This is Ressia. May we speak?~ the wolfgirl slips into my mind.

~Naturally. What did they come up with this time?~ I ask amusedly.

~The ladies have been drinking with some of us and chatting about our work. Your person came up quite often, of course, and now they really want to meet you. Like, they basically demand you to show up since you are our superior and they want to speak to our superior or they are going to sabotage the request. The host is trying her best to calm them down but she is outnumbered. I'm afraid we won't be able to de-escalate this situation on our own. They are a bit tipsy.~ Her voice carries a note of disappointment in herself.

I rub my eyes with a sigh. Young noble ladies. Yeah. That sums it up pretty well. It seems that the guests have hijacked the party from the host. Perhaps it would be wise to show up and spare her the trouble. It's her big day, in the end.

~I don't really have a matching set, though,~ I think out loud inside our link.

~You do.~ A giggle reverberates through it, one that I very much recognize. ~Do you really think we prepared all those fancy armours for the girls but completely forgot about you, Sensei?~

I snort lightly. ~I should have known. You little minx. So, where's my super suit, Shino?~

~Already in your ring, Sensei. I hope you like it.~

Excusing myself from the crowd, I disappear into the open night and jog to the headquarters to change without anyone around. The main lobby is empty so it's more than enough. Dismissing my current clothes, I summon the unfamiliar armour someone has slipped into my spatial storage when I wasn't looking.

In a flash, I appear in sturdy black boots, reinforced black leather pants, shiny dark purple metal chestplate, and a long black coat with a hood. Purplish accents decorate many little details of my war outfit while the logo of our company protrudes from the plate and is definitely etched into the back of the coat. Buttons and cuffs aren't safe from some of those either. All in all, it's damn edgy, but it is decently different from my usual suit while still remaining close to Utopia's style and theme.

"I'm going to have a word with that tiny vixen about her vision of me." Snicker to myself, pull up the deep hood, summon my draconic artefact to shape it into a glorious greatsword, and head out.

I have a party to crash.