CHAPTER 120: WE ARE YOUR SHADOWS

"Sleep with me."

I urged Tamayō.

"Uh..." Her face became flushed, fiddling with her hair for a short moment, "If you so wish, my Lord, I shall prepare myself now."

Prepare?

Anyway, by the look on her dazed and shocked face, this was an honor greater than most to her.

Ah, to lay with the Most powerful (according to Brokkr), even surpassing the gods!

I feel jealous for her, myself...

But—

Huh?

Wait! Wait! Wait!

Hah?!

What in the hell is this vixen doing?!

Levi’s influence, I see, has completely corrupted her mind!

Ahem. I used all the charisma I could fathom to ask Tamayō to sleep me—something I’d normally never do—but now she’s just taking off her clothes and I don’t know where to look!!

BOING!

"I... I am confident in my form to feel as satisfying as resting on a field of cotton..." She muttered, slowly taking off the sash around her waist, "But... It... It’ll be my first time too, so..."

As she drew closer to me, shoving her chest into my face, the trauma from before activated, so I held her shoulders and pushed her back.

"Wai-! What are you talking about?!" I begged for answers, "Why are you taking off clothes when we just want to nap?! Is this a kink of yours, perhaps?"

She tilted her head in confusion.

"My Lord, am I doing something inaccurate?" She asked, "Or did you prefer to mate with my garments on?"

"M-m-m-m-mate?!?!?!" my eyes began to revolve.

What does she mean "mate?!"

I’m saving my purity for m-my future soulmate. I can’t just be mating like some rabbit!

{Master, I recall you said "Tamayō, sleep with me," with the most serious of expression.}

(Huh? Yes, I did say that! But she began to go nude on me!)

{Master, don’t tell me... Do you know what the statement, "Sleep with me," mean?}

(There you go making a fool out of me again! Is there any other meaning aside from what it says?! Goodness, you’re not helping.)

Tamayō’s formerly hyped expression had begun to dim, and she was awkwardly tugging her robes back into place.

Geez... now I’ve gone and made her feel stupid.

Alright! Let’s explain ourselves properly.

"Why did you suddenly start taking off your clothes, Tamayō?" I asked, my hands still resting on her shoulders.

I wanted her to feel the authority and assurance of the great Dark Fenrir.

"Forgive me, my Lord," she said, bowing her head slightly. "I have little knowledge on those kinds of matters. I thought people usually do it without their clothes on."

"Of course not," I calmly corrected her. "Everyone does it with their clothes on—you don’t want to catch a cold while doing it, do you?"

"Eh? But we can’t get cold, my Lord."

"Yeah... I was just saying. But still; only weirdos do it naked."

Her eyes sparkled with a sudden look of enlightenment.

Well, I don’t blame her. She was literally born not too long ago.

"So... do you still want to do it?" I asked, my eyes blazing with purpose.

I was going to cheer up a subordinate!

"O... of course, my Lord." She blushed again—so cute. "My body is all yours."

But what’s with that ending?

"Turn your back to me," I instructed.

"Ah, of course."

Hehehe. She was way too nervous. Well, even I would be if I had to sleep with myself. I’m awesome!

I grabbed her from behind and let our weight fall into the illegally soft bed.

Ah, excellent...

I could feel Tamayō’s fluffy tails pressing into my stomach, her hair that smelled faintly of burnt flowers, her smooth skin, and the cloudlike bed beneath us.

I was literally wrapped in paradise!

"Uh... my Lord?" Tamayō turned her neck toward me.

"Hm, what is it, paradise?" I asked, still a little dazed.

"What... are we doing?" she asked.

"We’re sleeping, of course. Cuddling and sleeping."

Why did she even ask that?

Wait—don’t tell me Tamayō has never slept before.

"Ah, of course, I kn-knew that!" She suddenly got flustered.

Ohoho, so adorable.

She probably realized she hadn’t slept before. So me telling her outright would be embarrassing, since only she didn’t know. I can relate.

Her nine tails were swirling softly, tempting me to grasp one.

"Eep!" she flinched.

"Ah, sorry, did I startle you?" I apologized, still squishing the dark tail in my hand.

"No, go ahead," she replied, her voice nearly muffled.

Poor Tamayō didn’t even know what it meant to sleep with someone—taking off her clothes like it was a normal thing to do.

I feel sorry for her.

{I feel sorry for her, too.}

(Shut up!)

Maybe I should talk with her and teach her many things too.

I wonder if Shizuka, Hachiman, and the rest are also this unaware of customariness.

I suppose I’ll just have to teach them all, huh!

"Hey, Tamayō..." I whispered in her ear.

"Ahn!" she made a weird sound. "M-My Lord, not the ears please..."

Okay, maybe I might’ve bit it a little. But who wouldn’t? Fox ears are rumored to be a delicacy in some cultures.

"Do you... like it here?" I asked. "I mean, do you like being with me?"

"Certainly, my Lord!" she replied, stoic. "There exists no other being I would love to serve except you!"

"Hehe. Well, I’m glad to hear that," I tightened our cuddle, breaking her fortitude.

"If you were to say otherwise, I still would have allowed you to leave, you know..."

"..." She didn’t reply.

I continued, "I love you guys—all of you—but don’t tell anyone!! So, I wouldn’t like to think you’re all bound to me or anything. So if any of you decide to do something else, you’ll have my full suppor—"

"Please, don’t say such sad things, your Lordship!!"

Before I’d finished speaking, Tamayō turned to me, holding me tight. I could see a tear in one eye.

"We all love you too, and want to serve under you! No matter what, no matter where, we are your shadows and nothing shall ever change that... If... you were to turn us away, it would be akin to death, so... don’t say you would ever let us go..."

"..."

I was... a bit speechless.

Such devotion... Did I deserve any of it?

Because... in all honesty, I am a real jerk. I’ve done many bad things, and I’m not sugarcoating anything.

I deserve to be alone for the rest of my life, in fact.

"Ah, forgive me, I got carried away and did beyond my station!"