The adults talk.

"You sure got a glib tongue… Boy."

'Boy, huh?'

The dim orange light seeping from the door's opening made way for the figure of a certain someone. Her back rested on the door entrance, barely enough to cast a shadow. I couldn't fully capture her but she was indeed enticing, at least going by her figure.

[Aisha Belka- Lv3]

HP: 1100

MP: 420

The newcomer, Aisha, stepped in and I could finally see her face to face. She was of above-average height and had tan skin as you would expect and long black hair that reached her waist, which also covered the right side of her face. Ironically, that was the only covered part.

She was in a dancer-like outfit, just like the rest of her kin. Various decorations rested on her hair and 'dress'. There were hardly any areas that were left to the imagination. I noticed she was barefoot, that was something that depended on each Amazoness. Some liked it, while others not so much.

Not that being barefoot or not made a difference after a certain point. It wouldn't be wrong to call adventurers superhumans. Some rocks and debris wouldn't even pose a particular problem.

"Are you done gawking?" she said. Although, there was no heat behind her words.

I nodded, "Yes, I am."

She looked somewhat surprised at my composed and casual response, she must have realised I wasn't actually truly 'Gawking' at her. Just merely observing her.

'A punch to the ego, it must be.' I nodded sagely. There was no doubt in my mind that she would usually grab the attention of any passer-by with that figure. It was natural with a figure like that.

"What can I help you with, miss Aisha?"

There was no particular reaction to me knowing her name.

In fact, It would be more suspicious if I didn't know about her. Sadly, in this era. Even some level 3s were famous. Aisha being a hot young woman just adds to that.

"So you DO know about me?" she smirked.

Light step sounds registered in my ears as she slowly inched closer and closer towards me, I don't know if it was intentional or not, but the lights reflected behind her swaying figure only added to her allure. It mixed well with her sun-kissed skin.

'She is dangerous…'

Aisha gained confidence, noting my reaction.

"Ok. Timeout." I swiped my hand in the air.

*Thud*

Aisha suddenly found herself on the ground. She was chained up from head to toe in incorporate rope. I could see her try to escape their biddings, but of course, it wouldn't come off. I'd sooner kill myself if a level3 escaped my biding spell. It even had some space magic for extra secureness.

She looked indignant at my way of treating her. Her face was red in anger and her eyes rapidly blinked in pure rage.

*Moan*

— Or not.

I weirdly looked at her. 'Is she actually getting off of this… I knew Amazoness were wild, but still.'

The reason only hit after another round of moans and squirms. 'That was the wrong spell…'

My bad. My bad. That was something reserved for Hephie and me… Definitely not for strangers.

"*Cough*" I briskly cancelled the spell, so she could unhand herself.

"Don't stop it." she blinked her eyelashes, dispersing the tears in them, all the while biting her cherry lips.

We both stopped when we heard that. There was an awkward silence as we locked eyes. My green eyes shook as I barely held my composure.

*Snicker* I failed, sadly.

"I will kill you..." she murderously said, squinting her eyes.

*Thud*

The sudden sound captured both of our attention. It seems that the poor innocent little fox couldn't handle it… It feels weird even to think that a fox is innocent. But it is what it is.

She performed the trademark ' Pass out with steam coming from your flushed face' anime move.

It was legendary to witness in person. The move being performed by a cute fluffy fox only added to its effect.

I clapped my hands, "That was my bad, ok. Let's deal with it like adults."

One look at her furious face was all I needed to figure that my suggestion to act civil was no-bueno. But we needed to have a talk anyway.

"We need to talk about Haruhime," I said.

Almost as if someone dosed water on her flames, she calmed down. There was still undisguised fury behind her current attentive expression, but it was better than nothing.

"I suppose you want to ask some questions, right?" I asked her once I saw she calmed down sufficiently.

"You said you are going to 'save' her… And how do you plan to do that?" Aisha seemed to be in a mood ready to strike depending on my answer.

I sat down on the side of the fluff ball and said. "You seem to misunderstand something here… I am not saving her. I am giving her an opportunity to save herself."

Aisha grimaced at me. "Huh. And who do you think you are? You think you're some sort of hero that goes around saving prostitutes?"

She continued, "There is a reason why these girls become prostitutes in the first place. What is it that you are going to do? Babysit her until she's all grown up? Do you even know her circumstances?"

That was beyond fair.

"... I can give her strength. I will not fight for her, I will teach her to fight instead."

I undid my transformation, returning to my usual form.

'Sword King….' I could hear a mutter.

Unexpectedly, she only turned even more cautious after that.

"And why would you do that?" she courageously asked, despite her apparent fear. There was nothing she could do if I decided to just kidnap Haruhime, after all. And It seems she put the fact that I just transformed in front of her eyes on the back burner.

I had to praise her will to fight for her companions. There couldn't have been that much time since she met Haruhime.

"I need subordinates." I simply said. "She's an interesting one."

She spat on the ground. "Some hero, you are."

"Never said I was one." I shrugged off her bizarre way of insulting me. It appears she was expecting me to start some justice speech because she shut up right after.

"So, you know about it?" Aisha asked after a moment of evident self-doubt.

"Know about what?"

"You either know it or you don't… So, do you know about it or not?"

'She must have told her already…' I rubbed the head of the passed out Haruhime. 'How trusting can you be?'

At least, Ishtar shouldn't know about it at this current point in time. Well, this was troublesome… I guess being transparent is better in the long run.

" If you mean her unique magic, then yes. I know. I wouldn't be here, otherwise."

She grew completive at that and eventually sighed and said. "From a rock to a hard place."

I nodded at that comparison. That was quite the apt way to describe it. Although, I'm sure being my subordinate shouldn't be worse than death by crystallisation. Not that they would know about that... There was no need to gloat about something that wouldn't happen this time around anyway.

--

if you want to help me out or read advanced chaps, pt/MunirSM