บท 28: Oh my Darling!
The marble pillars and immaculate walls were most imposing as Kano walked toward the Academy. It was always so small looking on screen. Of course, on screen he had never actually seen the entirety of the academy except in screenshots and loading screens. Until now, now he was actually standing right in front of it and was being blocked by two rather well armored guards. The full plate they wore was shined and polished with a rather obsessive mindset. Kano was impressed with the attention they had paid to every last detail of their plate. Even the gold inlay was polished.
"No further. Academy students and Instructors only." The guards monotoned at Kano without even moving. For a moment, he was taken aback as they sounded exactly as they had in the game. Almost like an NPC, but then again, they probably only needed to say one thing usually anyway to visitors. He doubted they had to say anything to people that were allowed through. "Priestess, Nastalia." Kano intoned through his mask. The guards jerked a little bit and one turned sideways.
"Wait here." The suit of armor stated flatly and marched away into the building. Kano stood idly there and looked around in boredom. Honestly, he really had nothing better to do right now seeing as these idiots wanted him to wait. Aside from getting some food stuffs for his cottage, he only had the one person he was even friendly with here in the village. Soon, he noticed some movement and saw the other steel plate that walked and behind him he saw a flurry of white robes and a shock of red. Immediately he knew that Nastalia had arrived. So, he waited. She walked up and appeared confused. "Do I know you?"
Kano glanced at the two guards and figured it would be alright, so he slowly took off his plague mask and gave her a stupid grin. As she realized who it was, she could not help but give him a smile back and shake of her gorgeous curls. For a moment, he was frozen as his eyes followed those curls and his head was empty as he drank in her cute face when she did so. She took notice of his rather dazed look and suddenly giggled while her face became as bright as her hair. "So, what brings you here, dear necromancer?"
"Your beauty of course." He found himself unable to resist flirting with this woman of the cloth, maybe it was her free nature, maybe it was her pretty face, maybe he was just a scumbag who really liked women. Honestly, he was not entirely sure, but he was feeling like the latter of those thoughts. He already had one girl, well, none had established their relationship yet. Which made him a little nervous, he was not sure where he stood with them. Then again, with how weird it felt that Earth was just a dream right now, maybe he should just take it easy.
The priestess Nastalia giggled again and smacked his chest with a light tap and left her hand touching it for a little longer than necessary as she bit her lip. "Flatterrer, alright. That grants you entry at least." She lifted her hand and gave him a come hither motion, as well as an extremely lascivious look. He gulped down some of his saliva in an effort not to drool before following along like a little lost puppy. They walked forward through a well kept garden with benches and statues to add to its natural decor. With how everything looked, he was certain he already knew the layabout of the entire complex.
The main foyer of the Academy was quite roomy and he marveled at the rotunda above covered in murals of ancient heroes and legends. He stopped short as he noticed one in particular. Her blood red crest was a stark contrast to her polished armor. Yet, it was her eyes that caught him, he knew those eyes. Those doe brown eyes were filled with defiance and strength, mixed with the wild auburn hair that seemed to reinforce her aura. Kano knew who this was and even mouthed her name as he gazed upon the extremely lifelike mural.
"How did you know her name was Verilous?" Nastalia stared back at Kano with a most confused look and her arms crossed under her now noticibly bountiful chest. This immediately arrested his attention and he was rather amazed at how much those robes hid. This also sparked his imagination to wonder just what else it looked like under there.
"I am a fan of history. Verilous the Pious was a... rather influential figure in the Chelandrian epics." Kano quickly covered up his mistake. "Also, just how many beautiful warriors are there honestly?"
"Oh, so you think she is beautiful?" Nastalia suddenly appeared much more feminine than usual. Her features were slightly askew on her cute face and Kano realized she was pouting. "Jealous of a painting? I don't see how such a drawing could compare to a woman of your caliber."
Kano quickly alleviated her feelings and even took the opportunity to move closer to her and touched her elbow. Her pouted lips slowly started fidgeting and he knew she was fighting to look angry still. He brought his other hand up and gently touched her chin. "Come now, don't be like that, please. I bet that the real Verilous was no where close to your beauty. Such a feat would be impossible for any mortal woman." 'That's right, Kano, lay it on thick!'
With such flowery words assaulting her senses, Nastalia soon warmed back up and could not hold it any longer. "You honey tongued devil. Such words are useless against the pure teachings of the Goddess." She threw back at him, but her smile was all he needed to know that he had won this round. Also, the sashay she had as she stepped away from him and sat upon a bench nearby only brought him more evidence to bare. "Now then, while I'm certain you will claim you are here to visit me, I know better than that. What brings our local grave keeper to the Academy?"
Kano sighed as play time seemed to be over and he stepped over and joined her. He explained the situation he had earlier with the blacksmith and his suspicions of what really happened to the two women. He left out the part about the kiss. No one else needed to know that bit, that was his own fault anyway and should in no way reflect the poor woman involved. This also brought him back to a question he had been thinking about of late, why was he more scandalous of late. When he thought about it, he had pursued all of the girls he knew of late. Tiffany, Vicky, Sarah, even his former Drill sergeant had been affected. Now he knew he had been flirting pretty hard with his partner. He kissed the Detman wife and the young monk Li an. Now here he was hitting on the priestess. 'Am I scum? A womanizer?'
"I'm sorry Kano, its just a fact of life out there. Its one of the many reasons I stay here in the Academy instead of living out there. A woman is just property to a lot of men and they control the Family." Her voice was despondent and Kano wondered it that was what had happened to her. Did her family suffer some strange fate and she was sold to the church? Something in him told him not to ask and he simply sighed in disappointment. Just as he was about to say something to Nastalia in order to pick her mood back up, he was interrupted by another.
"Shameless lecher! Why are you here!?" Nastalia and Kano both jumped, only then realizing how close they had been sitting as well and her wondering when he had moved so close as to be touching her... Kano jumped up and ran forward with his arms out in a gesture of taking someone into his arms. "Li li! My darling! I found you!"
Li na's eyes opened wide in shock and she ducked the arms before twisting around and away. A foot smashed into the marble floor, crushing it but also shooting her instantly down the hall and withing a breath she was gone. Both Kano and Nastalia looked on in shock before they both began to laugh uproariously. He had to hold himself upright with his hands upon his knees as he fought to breath in between laughing. It slowly became easier to control his breathing and he looked to Nastalia in order to speak to her, but he noticed she had covered her mouth and looked to be trying to be as serious as possible. Kano quickly reigned in his laughter and stood straight as he followed her eyes to someone standing dangerously close behind him. It was the hooded figure that seemed to be a member of their team. Being so close, he was able to catch a feminine scent and deep within the darkness of the hood, he found a set of purple eyes with a rather ethereal feeling to them. "How gorgeous..." he breathed out as he looked deeper into the purple haze. 'What is with these women and hiding the goods?' Of course, as he thought about it, they probably did it to save their own hides seeing as how dangerous the men in this world were to them.
"Do you really love her?" the voice from the hood was almost musical in nature. It stunned Kano for the umpteenth time this day. 'Just full of surprises today, aren't you life?' Yet, the earnestness in the voice caused him to think upon the words uttered. His brow furrowed in consternation as he pondered just what he was feeling. In a couple of breaths, he smiled and pierced his gaze deep into the lavender pools.
"Love, is a strong word for this feeling. Like, is closer at the moment. I find her naivete and softness in stark contrast to her vigorous warrior facade. It makes me curious and intrigued. I want to know her more." He let his eyes bore into hers as he spoke then closed them as he lifted his arms in a classic pose of confusion. "As far as in the future? Who knows? I can't say I won't grow to love her. I can't say that as a man in his prime I am not attracted to her, as I most certainly am. That in and of itself can not be helped. I find many women attractive. I find few that I want to know."
Kano stopped as he let his words seep in, before he turned to look back at Nastalia and pointed his arm at her as he continued. "Take our dear Priestess here, this goddess among women has hair that looks to be born from the deepest flames, and yet, her spirit is just as fiery. Her soul is free and unrestrained and I find that enchanting in such a way that I want to talk with her more and more, if only to hear her voice. To catch a glimpse of that freedom she holds. Yes, her face is sculpted to match any heavenly host, and yet, that only catches the eye. My heart yearns for more. My very soul yearns for more. One day, I will find a woman that will capture me. She may even tame me, but I hope that she simply loves me for me. That will be the most true miracle I can hope for."
His arms dropped as he finished, only then did the hooded woman realized that he had somehow wrapped his free hand around her and held her close. She had become entranced herself in his words. Kano felt a small pointy object touch his neck and he slowly backed away. 'This woman pulled a dagger on me... I wonder where she hid it?' The dagger disappeared under the cloak and the hood turned to him once more. "I think... you are dangerous."
"Not nearly as dangerous as you, I see. I find that exciting as well." he responded with a wink as he strode past her back to Nastalia. "My dear beautiful priestess, I fear my welcome has run out so I will away with myself. You know my abode, please, you are welcome anytime."
Kano reached out as Nastalia proffered her hand and without any embarrasment he placed his lips upon her silk like skin. Upon such close inspection, he marveled at how light in color it was with a few freckles just like her face to break up the monotony of it. He brazenly used his tongue to connect a few freckles and smiled at her lecherously as she jerked away. The blush upon her face told him everything he needed to know at that time. "Until next time, dear Nastalia."
"Shameless is too simple for you, dear Necromancer." Nastalia returned, but the twinkle in her eyes made him want to do it again... maybe upon other bits of her.
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