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Chapter 67: Red Hot Windless Night? by Harem-Fan

     A large area spanning about 10 miles diameter was surrounded by massive magically formed stone walls, 50 feet high.

     The location is known as Rest Area number 1. This location deep into the Beast Forest has a Gate Portal Station that opens for 2 hours every morning, and connects to a station called, you guessed it... Rest Area number 2.

     Because our large caravan of troops and carriages arrived at sundown, we will have to wait till morning to transfer, bypassing 1,000 miles of vicious terrain with some of the Beast Forest's most territorial monsters.

     And when we arrive at Station 2, we will then have to travel two days to get to station number 3, then wait till morning, and make the final trip out from Station number 4. Then we will be in the Southern Kingdom.

     And when we leave the forest, the Queen will transfer all of us to the Capital of Exodus City.

     Anyway this large area in the rest areas are all the same... It is essentially one huge camping ground guarded by the Northern Kingdom in station 1 and 2, while station 3 and 4 are guarded by the South.

     Each rest area has an Inn, Barracks, a few Stores, and a Mercenary Hall for missions. In essence, it's a small temporary town that can be wiped out at any time, so residents do not live here. One raging Dragon, and everyone just dies. So no sane people want to live here, and everything is run by Adventurers at high prices.

-

     As Our Carriage was parked next to Salem's carriage, our guards let some stable-hands remove the Horses for resting.

     A student from Exodus Academy came to our carriage with an invitation. The young woman said what was on the note.

     "The Royal Family invites all of the noble units to come for dinner in their pavilion tent. Although your presence is not mandatory, it is courtesy to arrive for the overall mission's benefit."

     The woman was polite enough, for a Southern woman, and I agreed to come.

     Kayo said to me.

     "I will not go, due to me having a meeting with other teachers from the other 5 Academies."

     "Sure, do you want Freya to go with you, since she had done this many times before?"

     Freya said to Kayo, hearing my reasonable request.

     "Sam is right, I know most of the teachers, so no one will give you attitude with me there, after tonight you wont need me to deal with them."

     "Alright then, I will go with you. And since Zoe gets to go with Sam, you and I get an arm tonight, while Zoe gets outside."

     Zoe, who had no care, felt she got shafted, and pouted.

     "Master, they are picking on Zoe!"

     I patted her head while she was pouting and said.

     "Well, then you get bath-time tonight? I will wash your back."

     "Master is the best to Zoe! Mwah~!"@@novelbin@@

     Frank and Nevin want the pink world to end soon, and Kelly looks like she wants a back rub.

     Soon, we all got ready for our different activities...

-

     Sadly, Nevin and Kelly had to go meet other friends in the main camping area, due to not having noble ranks and an invitation. I am sure if I asked Salem to let them in, he would, but Nevin and Kelly refused, because the nobles are a tough crowd.

     So it was Frank, Zoe, and I who arrived at a huge tent that sits around 100 occupants.

     The Knights at the door of the tent, looked at our invitations, and seeing that Zoe was both my wife and Summons, she made the cut.

     And when the three of us entered I was surprised at what I saw...

     This pavilion was a magical tent, with its dimensions enlarged, and a series of 4 long tables full of covered delicacies were arranged.

     It reminded me of the Harry Potter Hogwarts dining hall, and there was even a table at the far end for the Queen and her important people.

     The guards outside gave us seating numbers, to avoid conflicts.

     And as I looked at our seats, it was directly near the Royal table, my guess is it was Salem's doing. This way we were close enough to talk.

     Frank said to me as we neared our seats.

     "Look who is across from our seats... Vera Lucas and that guy from the South, um, I think his name was...Vasco Nano?"

     And then the woman and man with blue eyes and white hair both noticed the three of us. Vasco looked like a man who saw shit on his shoe, and Vera had dull eyes seeing me.

     Frank said first.

     "Hello Princess and a guy I don't remember."

     And from my left arm...

     "Phht~! Ah, Hello Princess and a guy we don't remember."

     I saw a flicker of amusement in Vera's eyes, but when she saw me look at her, she looked away, but I said politely.

     "Evening Vera, and hello Vasco Nano, 4th Circle Gravity Vanguard Knight of the Southern Knight Academy."

     I had no idea Vera really wanted to say hello, but her mother's scoldings are still fresh, and her companion is annoying. So she nodded wordlessly. I kinda get that she is conflicted, and I do not push her... We have a long time to work out her issues with me, but...

     "As a low ranking Knight, should you be calling your Princess by her first name?"

     I look at this handsome guy who is a Duchess Son, and I try to keep out of the mud, so I joke.

     "Leave it to a Southern nobleman to stand up for his charge like a wife should."

     "Giggle

, cough!" "Phht~ Hahaha~!" "Ahem~!"

     Frank tried to cover his gaff up, Zoe straight up laughed, fearing no one in the tent (including Salinas Argus), and Vera cleared her throat hearing me compare the Knights to women, and this is a true stereotype with gender reversals.

     Vasco stood up with his pride offended, and as he was about to throw out a noble duel (not life and death), he remembered I was also a 4th Circle Knight.

     He instead remembered what Queen Gale told him, and he said to me.

     "You really have the mouth of a gutter-rat, no wonder Vera's Mother dislikes your relationship with Vera. You really are a noble tree climber, even tricking the 1st Princess of the Anubis Kingdom and climbing stations."

     Vera did not want me to know her Mother hated me, so Vasco saying that made her heart hurt, because she is worried what I will think of her now.

     But unknown to Vera, I have long known what kind of women the South produces, but someone else got mad for me...

     BANG! A pair of small fierce hands slammed the table behind the preaching Vasco, startling him and Vera...

     But Zoe behind me, only had her smile grow knowing who was about to erupt in anger...

     "Dirty Bastard Vasco Nano, want to disparage my older Sister and my Betrothed again? I dare you..."

     Heat from magical Fire Element erupted from behind, as warm air swirled around a short woman who stood up quickly in anger.

     My eyes opened in shock, because I have seen this woman's picture many times... I once received a scroll from Daniella back in the Beast Forest, and this belly dancer beauty in a crimson dancers outfit (worn by mages of Whirlwind Academy, colors denote element), was the 3rd princess of Anubis!

     Zoe behind me said her identity as I was dumbfounded...

     "Dream Windless, 3rd Princess of the Desert Kingdom, 1st year in Whirlwind Academy, 18 years old. She is a 3rd Circle Fire Summoner, contracted with an 8th Circle Phoenix."

     I realize this woman is just like her mother Domino, but standing at 5 foot 4 inches, with long crimson-hair and brown eyes... Wait did she say I was her betrothed?! And why does Zoe know her so well... Oh, Maybe she found out from Daniella?

     "Sam might be afraid to hit a woman, but if you want, I can challenge you? I am a Summoner, can you handle me, bitch?"

     Just as my fear of this chili-pepper was rising, a calm voice came over as Salem spoke from not far away.

     "Princess Windless, can you please forgive little Nano for being hot-blooded? I can apologize on behalf of my southern noblemen for getting excited. Besides, I think if your Summons comes out, it will not only be Vasco who suffers, right?"

     The shorter redheaded hot-tempered Princess crossed her arms, glared at Vasco and said unhappily.

     "You are sworn Brothers with Sam Roland, so this Princess will ignore his comments, humph."

     Then Dream winked at me, and sat back down at her spot, talking to the woman next to her, ignoring my confused eyes.

     I heard the voice of a singer I once knew...

     "Wise men say, only fools rush in, haha! What did I miss, my best friend Sam?!"

     When I heard Chuck Donald call me his best friend, I felt an oily-chill run up my back, and when I looked, I saw him with Dial standing in her Academy uniform.

     My confusion ended, as Vera's continued, as she looked back at the crimson-haired beauty.

     I sat down, pointed for everyone else to sit, and I said to Salem.

     "Sorry to embarrass us all, I think the long carriage ride made us all a bit antsy."

     "Forget it, we will be in the South in only a few days, then I can show you around our Capital of Exodus, the sites are amazing... Like your Rosecrans Island, we have many floating palaces and towers devoted to magic."

     After some more perfunctory words from Salem to change the mood, the meal went on...

-

     I had not noticed Zoe vanish mid-meal to talk to someone she knew but I did not (Sister Phoenix), Chuck asked me while draining his wine.

     "Hey Sam, just like old times, I told Nevin we will team up again as a group, since we are tight."

     I like Chuck, so I had no issue with it, but when I looked at Dial's reaction to his words, she only blushed and looked into her glass of wine?!

     Frank, as confused as me, whispered in my ear.

     "Are you sure an Incubus Demon is not possessing your body, because all of these girls are really giving you hot looks? Did my Aunt share her crazy-for-you with every woman?"

-

     With her ears being sensitive, a certain Mage Queen bent her fork hearing Frank's whisper...

     Salem covered his mouth and pretended to look somewhere else, as his fun has become greater with Sam around...

-

     Soon, Zoe sat down, and I only now realized she was missing. She handed me a letter and said,

     "The 2nd and 4th Princess already found Husbands they liked, but the 3rd Princess will not give you up, so take this and be nice to her, Master."

     I had a feeling, so I looked into the letter, and it is exactly what I thought it was... A Letter of Intention?!

     When my eyes lifted to behind Vasco's admittedly handsome scummy face, the red-hot chili-pepper was blushing seeing her letter in my hand...

     I felt Zoe pinch my side under the table, so I gave Dream a smile, and her blush deepened.

     "Zoe, are you sure about this?"

     "She is a good woman, who will be good to you, Master. You cannot miss her love..."

     "Zoe, do you know something I don't? And are you planning for anyone else to join my harem?"

     "Master, Zoe is not that smart to know things, but... Zoe is indeed wanting another sister soon... Master, do not look pale, Zoe has magic to keep the Master in perfect health, no matter how many wives you have, you can never die from sex."

     At this moment, like a supernatural curse spread, 5 women in the tent felt a chill up their spines.   

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