Role Reversal on a Another World

Chapter 9: Royal Blood? Priestess of the Goddess Vita!

"Huuuuh!?"

So came the funny noise from my mouth half open agape staring at the girl in dreadlocks in front of me with a what's sure to be a stupefied face since I've heard something quite outrageous. At the side from her there is a massive woman right in front of me kneeling in a prayer for a couple of seconds now and she just like me it's frozen in place. there are three other girls are looking at me as if they were seeing someone they shouldn't have seen even if the smallest one was trying hard since she was still paralyzed and then there is the cute looking elf is blushing and looking away but why I do see fear on her eyes?

"!"

I'm not imagining it. She just turned around to peek at me, blushed and then hurriedly turned around and looked towards the giant of a woman still kneeling who said something quite outrageous just now, I'm quite sure that woman said something quite preposterous first to me just now as it would be if you called any other stranger "God". The massive woman in question would more than give Shima a run for her money with that size of hers, she's kind of attractive if you're into muscle mommies but her features are a little square, not enough for them to be overtly masculine though to be a complete turn off. Last thing I want is to run into a He-Man look alike in this world not that I judge the fellows that are into that, but I will have to refuse. There is a shorter girl near the elf and she's a twin tailed short girl whose completely silent and blankly staring at me for some reason which makes me question why I just jumped out in front of them like this.

Well Shima and Rhea both said that I shouldn't return to the village if I came here and I can't regret it now since I managed to save many lives, on the other hand there is a semi tall girl of about 180cm with what seem to look like Viking dreadlocks. She's the one who seems to have been giving most of the orders in the battlefield so that means that she must be the one in charge.

The stench of blood was thick in the air but so was humidity which didn't make it any more pleasant to be here, I'm not an expert in weather matters but I think we'll have some rain coming our way soon and that can make things complicated, but I doubt that will happen immediately but in a couple of hours so we should be fine. So, I looked towards the girl in charge of this party, and I made up my mind.

So, I approached her and tried prying in something far more disturbing than what the giant of a woman said. "You with the dreadlocks. Did you just say Your Highness?". I asked a little perturbed since I decided that ignoring that mountain of a woman that had just called me a God out of nowhere was the best idea since she doesn't seem to be the sharpest tool in the shed in this Adventuring Party? I thought wondering if that's what they were called in this world as they would be in Japanese Light Novels and Manga. Thinking so I take a look at a different girl, I think Paula it's her name I think, she called me Royalty earlier and that doesn't sound too good coming from who seems to be the leader of the party. the very fact that the others or at least the giant woman isn't saying anything and just stares at me with a frozen stare means there is something to the story here.

"Y-yes! I=I mean NO! Sir just have an appearance similar to the Nosfalt Royal family!" sputtered the once confident sounding leader of this party before me like a total mess. She reminds me of those old movies where an attractive girl would talk to the nerd and the nerd would lose his bearings, talk funny only to then lose her interest.

"Are you the one called Paula?" I asked trying to commit her to memory since her appearance was quite the visage to a modern man like me to see for the first time. sure, the wolf women in the village of Heim weren't something you see back in earth but even with a different specie like them in front of me, something just didn't make me feel the immersion I feel looking at this beauty on armor and a Elf girl who is still crouching making some noises.

"Ngn"

The elven girl was moving a little and she seemed to be struggling trying to introduce herself, she had only tried peeking at me earlier, but I guess seeing Paula here talking to me must have blown away her shyness to the next world, She's so adorable though wearing not robes but silken garments that looked rather comfortable. they were bright white which looked an absolute nightmare to not only keep clean but to even camouflage in a adventuring party. I mean wouldn't wearing bright colored garments make it easier to for monsters to keep track and possibly take you off the census rather quickly. I thought as I disapprovingly shook my head looking at the elven girl who had the looks of a nineteen-year-old so no matter who old she was, she was good to go in my book though.

"Ngn"

Came the sound once again from the Elven girl and this time more ferocious, it's almost as if she could tell what was I thinking and wanted to defend her honor but couldn't. Elves are truly something else I thought staring at her beautiful sharp ears that despite their shape, had an elegant curve upwards like a fine piece of art crafted by renown artisans.

"Ngnnn!"

This time she shook harder, and her pure white skin was turning quite red, Was she okay? I thought seeing the state she was in while the other little one was trembling at her side, but this one couldn't shake it seems.

"Yes! my name is Paula!"

Came the response from the person in question, Paula taking my mind back from my observations of her party. Having decided that I had seen her friend a little too long I brought my gaze back to Paula. I was taking a good look at her Elven friend, but it couldn't be helped, I will have the time of my life interviewing that elf and see if there is any consistency with the Nordic myths in Scandinavia, I thought making a mental note in my mind, having turned back to look at Paula who had golden dreadlocks and a armor of some sort that I guess had some medieval vibes and in other aspects felt Amazonian in nature but it didn't feel like an amalgamation by some bad cosplayer, it felt very fitting for her which made me wish I had a figure of her if she was a anime character although thinking such things probably are very much rude. it's a crazy blend of two things yet she is sporting dreadlocks which look fantastic in my opinion, and She has quite the ass on her. I've always kind of known this but I'm an ass man aren't I, not that I discriminate the milkers.

I shook my head trying to free myself from the rising lust that was growing within me. I mean you can't blame me; I was straddled by a muscle mommy wolf girl a couple of days ago and I had been sleeping with a total silver haired hottie that used me as a body pillow in her cabin. Raksha had all the plot she needed for her own story if you catch my drift. I shook my head once again once Raksha cleavage came to mind and I felt a little guilty since I had not finished reading her the books, I promised I would read her and perhaps I wouldn't ever see her ever again.

I know I should be asking about the whole Royal thing but given our situation I'm not going to get anywhere right now. the highest priority is to get out of here in one piece, so I relegated my questions towards the back of my mind since Paula seemed to be a nervous wreck. I mean Rhea had told me humans weren't normally so strong so maybe I frightened her? It would make sense since the Elf had similar response towards me, and she was paralyzed so that would make it harder for her.

"Umm, Sir? Did I do something wrong?" Asked Paula looking at me a little pale in the face. Startled by her look of uncertainty and fear I asked "What's wrong Paula? Why that face?" with my costumer service smile I had developed working with shopping malls as a part timer during High School. Paula visibly relaxed when she noticed I wasn't hostile and finally told me what was in her mind.

Paula shook her head a little and asked "No, I mean you keep shaking your head when you look at us so much so that you made Olga kneeling there twitch a little and force herself to talk, almost convulse despite being paralyzed" she answered. Paula then directed her gaze at the elf that was still trying to move. "Olga? you mean the elf's name is Olga?" I asked amused because that name is Slavic in Earth, I think? or do Scandinavians also use the name Olga? I thought. "Speaking of which, you're clearly a man right? Why are you so calm with us" asked Paula as she couldn't hide the sense of weird, she had towards me.

[Clap]

I clapped my hands to shift gears after suddenly coming to realization and despite their slight tremor I went on to add "Oh! where are my manners! My name it's Richard" I said. "The name it's Richard Monroe! nice to meet cha!" I tried giving my best smile and took Paula's hand into my own and shook it.

"W-what a-are you doing" came a rumble and a massive woman came almost dashing to my rescue and stood in front of me from her previous kneeling position. Was she protecting Paula? no wait! she was facing Paula not me. Wait what?

"You can't just take the young man's hand Paula! You'll dirty his Chasitity and how will you repay his mother if he isn't found eligible for marriage" exclaimed the giant woman. "What!" came an indignant shout from Paula although I couldn't see her because there was a massive giant of a woman standing before me. "You shut your mouth, Laura! He openly took my hand, and he did it in front of the party, that means he doesn't dislike and would be happy to marry me!" came the loud proclamation from Paula which froze me into place for a couple of seconds.

"Sheltered young men are rather naive in these things! I as his knight from now on shall protect him from all you starving beasts trying to lay your hands on him. You said it yourself Paula, He might be related to Royalty, how will you answer her Highness if she confronted you about it? Are you willing to surrender your head? huh!".

so came the most preposterous thing I've heard in my entire life, Laura here was getting ahead of herself, first of all there isn't any royalty in the United States of America, and my family been here for generations. I highly doubt any European Royals came to the US to settle down as commoners when they had all that wealth back in Europe, wait even if they were some forms of Royals that wouldn't matter to another world, I thought foolishly analyzing what was utter nonsense from that giant of a woman from the very beginning, but I couldn't help but want to debunk it after considering it first. "Surrender my head? He clearly took my hand first and there is no way in hell that I'm letting an old spinster like you lay your hands on that handsome man first!" shouted Paula in anger.

"What? First of all, I'm 29 years old! Therefore, I'm not 30 and secondly, I'm the most qualified in the party which is filled with horn dogs that cannot be entrusted with his...Mr. Monroe's Chasity since I'm the one who has been able to abstain from entering the brothels in the Kingdom despite being able to openly afford them. I highly doubt you lot can be able to boast the same virtue". So boasted the giant of a woman, I don't know if she knew but that sounded bad to me not that I knew what their social life was like in the first place. I only knew what little information Lady Pam had imparted to me the previous night's regarding the human society that it's so different from the beast people from her village.

"Hah? is that your way of saying you're cowardly and would rather die an old virgin spinster than living a little?" To these words Laura shook a little like a oak tree that was crashed into by a sturdy truck that rattled the tree, but the tree stood there, nevertheless.

"Hey, um" I tried being polite raising my arm in response to the nonsense being discussed in front of me but to no avail, not only did they not hear me, but the woman named Paula was far too big for any of my expressions or movements to be fully visible to the party of people. So, I decided to take action by my lonesome and ignored the squabble between Laura and Paula. I went ahead and looked back at both Olga and the little girl whose name by process of elimination should be Monica. Olga with shiny platinum silver hair with slight bluish hues of what remains of today's sunlight are quite something to behold.

Little Monica in the other hand it's wearing Dark Clothes which make it hard to tell what she's wearing under the fading sunlight of the approaching nightfall although her golden locks were more than apparent. Alright based on their appearance this place seems to be this worlds equivalent to Europe or similar since there is people of white skin and golden hair here.

chasing away such dumb thoughts I looked over and grabbed a hold of the Elven and little girl and sit them upright so that they're both facing me while at my back both Laura and Paula are going at it like a couple of idiots. I know doing this is not something that a civilized person does but their fellow party member seem to be not only in continuous discomfort, but the sun light was fading fast. We got to move out of here fast, I still don't know what the hell was I thinking taking down those two Giant Boars, but man did it feel good to kill those things which almost killed me when I arrived. I feel at certain amount of peace.

I went for the Elf first since she seems to be the carrier of the supplies of the party, or at least teh important ones since when I came over, I saw Paula fumbling around Olga's bag. The elf faced me with cheeks dyed bright red and her pupils dilated and kept staring at me which surprised me since the sun should be facing her way meaning that a shadow should be obscuring my face which would mean that neither Monica or Olga should be able to make out my facial features quite as much as I can seeing their faces illuminated by the remaining sunlight.

"Ngnnnn!"

"Woah" I muttered in surprise when the Elf shook rather violently when I took a hold of her bag. She had gone pale, but I couldn't bother thinking of what the reason could be that made her act like that. I decided to ignore it and proceeded to fumble about picking out different bottles and asked. "Your name it's Olga, right?" to which Olga shook and blinked in the form of an answer. I faced her and picked up her chin and looked her in the eyes and spoke. " Listen Olga, I don't know why you're shanking but it's clear we are in a dangerous place, and we are losing daylight hours while those two argue over nonsense. I'm trying to look for something that can give you back your mobility and get us out of here".

Olga shook again and had some tears forming on her eyes but nodded slightly as she could showing understanding to what I said. I proceeded "Let's see, I saw Paula talking about some kind of Crystal and whatnot, it's clear we need to get out of here now so listen up! If the object I find It's related to curing your paralysis, please shake and if not remain still".

[Nod]

Olga nodded stiffly and looked at me in despair for some reason. Ignoring that I fumbled through her bag and came across three bottles made somewhat crudely and made of wood of all things. the caps were different however in the sense that they were all differently shaped, the tops of the would-be bottles had different shapes among them were circular, slightly triangular and completely squared. there was another long object that one wasn't a wooden container, and it was also made of wood. It's a strange object since it has a weird shape like a wooden Cuban cigar almost but was a little more rounded and thicker. the item was decidedly a little moist, but the other items didn't seem to be leaking so I think it's probably humidity or something. There was another pouch within her bag that contained her food, a lot of nuts and berries with some dry meat here and there.

"Here! Which of these items could cure your paralysis?" I asked showing the many containers and the elongated wooden construct I had no idea what it was, but maybe it was some kind of wooden incense that needs burning? I don't know since I'm not from here so I got to ask.

"Nggggnn"

Olga began thrashing wildly and keep staring at the cigar looking item made of wood, her eyes filled with tears and her complexion for some inexplicable reason was a mixture of pale and deep crimson, her eyes filled what looked to be horror or what you can attribute to be closest to horror.

"Nggnnnn!"

Olga thrashed even wilder than before. "Woah! calm down! I'm only trying to help you here. Which o-".

Suddenly Paula dashed here leaving Laura to her own devices and took the vial with the square cap and fed it to Olga immediately to which Olga recovered her movements right away and dashed forward to take her belongings from me with so much force I thought she wanted to hit me or something, although she never let out any bloodlust, so I don't think she hated me or anything.

"What's going on?" I asked slightly tilting my head and Paula immediately cleared her throat and looked away a little blushing and said "You cannot do that Richard! You mustn't touch any items you don't know like that, and you can't just handle a single woman's possession that way you know" came back the reply from Paula which she sounded a little indignant and was looking back at Olga with some pity in her eyes as Olga had grabbed her bag and had curled up into a ball rocking back and forth muttering something I couldn't quite catch.

"Look I'm sorry if I grabbed her belongings without asking but she couldn't exactly answer me in that state, and you were quite busy squabbling with Laura there about utter nonsense" I strongly asserted to which for some reason Olga raised her face and stared at me with disbelief. Paula wasn't too far apart from that sort of reaction as she eyed me like she was looking at something strange or unknown.

"Sir Monroe!" came Laura towards me as her massive frame that was quite the sight to behold and crouched in front of me and spoke. "Sir Monroe, I'd like you to make me your knight from now on! Ever since I laid eyes on you, I felt something I could never have imagined I've ever felt. never in my wildest dreams could have I pictured a man so valorous saving my and my party's lives. I wish to be the one to shelter your Chasity milord". Laura continued after setting one knee on the forest floor and she held her massive sword aloft presenting it to me liek some old Knight and Princess fairytale.

So i did what any other modern man would do in my place given the situation. I went ahead and ignored the woman and faced both Olga and Paula who had frozen over in shock but not by what Laura had done but what? In the other hand the little one, Monica I believe her name was. She was fully upright and was just silently staring at me with a face I didn't know how to describe since it was hard to interpret feelings or emotions out of her. she did look like a porcelain doll though but nevertheless she just stood there near Olga and Paula who still hadn't moved until Olga couldn't take it anymore and approached me.

"You...you don't know what you touched?" Olga posed the question with new light of hope on her eyes and expected an answer to which I replied. "Touched what? Remember I was trying to get you back to full strength and I only picked up what is clearly some kind of stick and medicine vials to cure ailments right?" I asked quizzically as I didn't know where they were going with this. it's getting dark and I don't think I can fight off the next stampede of monsters in the Darkness that now has set upon us.

"You really don't know? Olga you're quite the lucky woman, if any other man had touched that thing which shouldn't be with you in missions in the first place, that alone would have spelled your utter social death back in town. making a young beautiful man touch something so.... well, you know" She grinned with a flush of deep red on her face and looked over at Olga to which Olga slightly nodded agreeing with her before she shot back and said "Shut up! We got to get out of here Paula, now isn't the time for your dumb games". Olga was clearly hiding something and wanted the topic gone and I was here for it but their look it's weird.

Something it's off...What do they mean when they say I touched that? I quickly shook my head and decided the topic wasn't worth the pursuit. "Okay, Listen Up!" I proceeded to talk to Paula and ignored Laura, Olga and just I had imagined the little one was called Monica. Paula tells me that they as a party had been hired privately by a lord in the nearby Nosfalt Kingdom and were paid twelve gold coins per person which turns out to be a lot of money. back on Earth Gold Coins would also been valuable to according to Paula you can live an innumerable number of months without having to work again for a while should you budget the amount correctly. I can't quite gauge the equivalent to the US Dollar, but it seems that three gold coins was probably around $3000. more or less since you can pay for lodging, food and clothes for months with it so taking in consideration that such a small party decided to come take a look at this hell hole of a forest I can safely assume that they came here because the reward was just too much to pass up.

I was asked who I was and where was I staying at before meeting them, I decided that now wasn't the time for that and I promptly dodged the questions then told them I would tell them later but right now I needed to get back to civilization and we needed to get moving. Monica was not talking still and remained quiet the whole time, but Paula, Olga and Laura seemed rather regretful they couldn't know the answer to those questions immediately. nevertheless, Olga came forward still blushing and picked up a gem that to my eyes looked blue or aquamarine, it was hard to tell because the gem would radiate like a gaming keyboard with LED customizable lights that varied on the color a little when the gem glowed in the now almost pitch-black forest.

"Hurry up and use it Olga!" Paula spoke visibly angry at her friends' antics and Laura went ahead and grabbed a hold of her from behind since it seems Paula was about to let Olga have it and like always Monica was unconcerned and firmly looking at my direction towards me and the way I interacted with the group. she was like some kind of observer that wasn't deterred by whatever was happening even when she was cured from her paralysis.

I tried to avoid her gaze and directed my thought to Olga in front of me. "Olga if the crystal it's expensive I'll help you pay for it when I can or something, but we need to leave!". I assured her while her friends followed my lead and nodded along to what I had just said to Olga.

Olga had a conflicted look on her face using it and her party had a fed-up look with her antics, they had almost died because Olga wouldn't use the gem and now, we were in pitch black darkness and yet Olga still looked conflicted. I asked what the problem was, and she just shook her head like a frustrated scholar that couldn't bother to explain things to ignorant children but nevertheless made up her mind and threw the gem towards the ground with great force while grabbing a hold of me and her party members.

Laura picked up on what was happening quick and basically bear hugged the entire ground with me at the center of the group.

[smash!]

The gem hit the ground with surprising force given the forest ground was covered in leaves which should have cushioned the blow, and the floor was sort. this elf would have had to have an incredible amount of arm strength to shatter a jewel like that on this kind of ground or was it magic I wondered. the gem quickly shattered and a bright white light not blue enveloped the entire forest all around us which showed me a silhouette among the tree tops I hadn't realized was there this entire time I was bickering with these girls and Laura performed her comedy skit with Paula. It seems that Rhea was standing by just in case something happened to me since her gaze wasn't anywhere else, realizing this I smiled at Rhea which was looking down from her spot towards me and she also smiled before she left out of sight just a quickly after I noticed her. as rough around the edges she was with me, it seems that she had gotten attached just as I had gotten a little attached to the village. I do feel sorry for Raksha and the rest but when I become a established person I will come back and bring many books back to that energetic girl back in the village. my thoughts were cut short by the glow of the gem as it increased and suddenly everything went white, and I lost consciousness.

*

---Olga POV

[Crash!]

I fell in a hard floor of pure white, I rubbed my back trying to soothe the pain and I got up. looked around and I saw all my party member with that handsome boy had made it back safe and sound to the Church of the Goddess of Life Vita. I could now sigh a breath of relief despite their clear whining at the way we landed in here, but the outcome was a positive one since I had feared shattering the gem would have transporting us back to Elven nation of Alfheim further north. If i had failed and taken people who hadn't gone to the immigration proceedings the elves have established for the other races, not only would I have been deemed a traitor, but it would have been deemed an act of war and that alone would have gotten my group murdered. what's worse, my country wouldn't be a nice place for a man to go to since men are basically high-level exports to the elves by the humans. in exchange we elves provide humans with rare ingredients they need for potion making.

What's more we elves have a extreme level of mana that while not impossible to beat, the humans would have to have lost their collective minds to declared war upon to take. our resources by default. Our long lifespans have helped our race a little over the eons, but it's been thousands of years since anyone back home birthed a Elven male. normally we elves need a ritual to mate with other species not that there are any which have men other than the humans. we can take the route of the beast people and use the sacred tree and keep our specie alive that way but doing so diminishes the offsprings potential magic by quite the margin. this doesn't mean that elves born from this method would be without magic, but the quality is just so different from those birthed through natural means. with the right rituals an elven woman chance of reproduction via natural means goes way higher if they should mate with a human male.

Looking at Richard's face I can tell he's quite gorgeous. If I had known he would appear before us today I wouldn't have brought this thing with me to carry around. thinking so I grabbed the wooden object in my bag and although I had the urge to absolutely destroy it because it made me go through something so shameful, I held back since doing so would probably lead into making a scene here.

"He sure is pretty" said Paula as she gazed down at the man who'd saved us from death itself in that accursed forest. "Yeah well, I'm sure the noblewomen in the kingdom would give a pretty penny for him on the spot if they saw his eyes and features" I responded as I made my way back to them. Laura and Monica were both passed out as well in the pristine white floor of the Church of Goddess Vita whom most the world pay reverence to, Especially the humans whenever a human woman births a boy.

We were in quite the spacious church in the near entrance of the Kingdom of Nosfalt, in the city of Pastoria. "I didn't really think the Crystal would bring us here after shattering. I'd gotten it back in Alfheim from my mother as a means to get back home". I continued as I saw the joyful face she, Paula was making observing Richard quickly lose complexion and go blue.

"What?" Shouted Paula in absolute distress when she heard what I said. "Calm down it all went well in the end, didn't it? We are all safe and the boy here is with us no?" I tried playing it off, but I could understand what she was feeling. when I had heard, I could teleport to a nearby church using Teleportation Crystals I had thought it was possible but the fact that my mother had given me the crystal made me wonder if the crystal was compatible with the inferior ones the humans use that we sell them for their adventurers. they got to be low quality as we can't allow them to be powerful enough to teleport potentially a mage squad of humans directly to the capital of Bjorn using our own products. If I had failed, we would all have been dead, except that boy since his looks...he's got to be related to the Nosfalt Royal family somehow.

Ruffled Paula approached me and yelled "How could you tell me to shut up and accept this? Was this why you were so guarded with that thing? Could a war really have broken out with the Elves if we had landed in your homeland?". Paula was speechless and pale at the revelation. "But I've met your Elders and the other elves which includes your mom so wouldn't that outcome be too exaggerated?" Paula postured trying to soften the impact of what could have possibly happened to us upon arrival.

I backed off quick and made a beeline towards Richard, the boy to attempt to wake him up. "Look there was a reason why I wouldn't use it with those accursed rabbits and I sure as hell couldn't use it paralyze with those two boars making their way to kill us while we were in that state" I said as just imagining our end was enough to send many shivers down my spine. "Well, the point here is that the registration to the church paid off and we're here safely. While the Elders and my mother know you Paula since we've known each other for a while now, the rules of the homeland don't change. the rule breakers aren't so easily forgiven specially if they're human although I doubt, they wouldn't have killed this man". I said pointing at the serene face resting on the magnificent white tiled floor in this church.

Noticing my change of conversation Paula slightly grimaced then proceeded to caress the boy's jet-black hair which really made a contrast with his clear white skin and the luxuriously decorate church floor, his eyes were quite something alright, As an elf who was raised in a forest we as a race can see just as well as daytime in a forest but looking at him so close now that we are in a illuminated church with white mana stones I can't help but think that this guy is really good looking...I want to touch his head too I think to myself. Looking around I notice the gorgeous flooring in this building. I think this floor it's made of marble. looking at Richard and my party member it really hammers down their species which i usually ignore since I've known them for some time. What really gets me it's one thing I always admired from the humans no matter where you go. it's their sense of urgency. since the humans possess such low lifespans, they are, at least the talented ones of them quite eager to make an impact in the world one way or another to metaphorically live forever immortalized in their works. that extends to that beautifully crafted statue of the Goddess looking down at the believers with a almost motherly smile that despite being made of marble can express emotions quite incredibly. It isn't that my kind can't do the same and make fine works of art, but we are less prone to do it since we live for so long that we don't see the need to leave anything behind except our meticulously written knowledge which go eons into the past all the way to before things were this way and all the way to when mankind was at their infancy.

I decided to turn a blind eye to Paula who was now touching Richard since I could understand her feelings. Males were even in human society where they birthed them quite rare, and any born to a commoner by chance would immediately be purchased by a noble house in the hopes of gaining political leverage in the world. It was quite striking that Richard here didn't show the usual signs of timidness and gracefulness normally taught to boys from a young age. now that strength he displayed against the boars was unheard off, even I who was paralyzed at the time could more or less peek now and then at the incredible fight that unraveled before us a couple of minutes ago, or was it an hour? I can't tell with humans' sense of time.

Of course, the number of males wasn't so low as to make them almost extinct, brothel houses did exist throughout the human kingdoms and empires across the world where men who weren't fit for nobility would be rented out to impregnate the local women for a exorbitant fee. humans also had access to offshoots of the sacred tree in which to women could conceive a baby but that way no male would ever be born so many women worked back breaking jobs to pay such a fee and have a shot at mating with a man rather than go the magical route of most of the world. nevertheless, the number of men here were very low, if i had to guess there were at least twenty males per one hundred women which landed many women single forever.

I take a better look around the church trying to steel my nerves for once he wakes up. I admire the artwork in the ceiling depicting the goddess blessing women of the world with fertility, too bad men aren't too proactive and seek women the way women will absolutely swarm a single man out in the streets. I look back and now Paula is cradling his head while I was momentarily spacing out. I'm at a loss for words, i don't know how to approach a man now that i think about it.

"Well, it's good that we weren't transported to your homeland then replied to Paula at the comment I've made earlier trying to get rid of the silence that had fallen in this room. "Get away from him Paula and place his head on the floor. I'm going to wake him up and the last thing we want to ingrain as a memory it's some perverse woman touching him while he was unconscious" I teased. "How dare you!" shouted Paula visibly flustered as she immediately let go of his head into the ground. I don't think he took any damage, but this woman could be a little nicer to this boy who saved our lives. if he really is Royalty then we are royally screwed if he finds out she has touched him without any permission.

"I'm not some rapist woman who'd attempt to rob a boy of his chastity while unconscious!" she yelled and was muttering to herself in spectacular fashion but then she looked back up with a nasty look on her face and spoke in a mocking tone. "Besides wasn't it you who made him touch that thing you use to keep yourself company at night? Heh!" continued Paula as she snickered as she looked at me like some pitiful existence.

Now she's crossed the line, I felt the very hairs on my head and even my back stand on end at what she just said. "I -I will not argue with you but know that I couldn't move at the time because we were surrounded" I exclaimed before dodging her mocking stare and decided to gingerly move Richard as he slept.

"Richard, Richard, Richard" I spoke softly as he begun moving a little. his actions were so cute I wanted to take him home with me back at Alfheim and make him my husband. Alright! I've decided that I will get close to this treat of a man, and he will be mine I thought.

"Ngnn"

Richard begun to move a little and suddenly he immediately sprung up like some kind of wound-up toy. "Where am I? Woah!" he asked and immediately backed off from my very closed in face that was observing him momentarily. my goodness those eyes aren't fair game to use on a woman, His well-built physique unthinkable from boys in the Royal Capital anywhere in the world would struggle to even have such warrior like physique. his purple eyes, white skin and jet-black hair with his dark robes make him look like a otherworldly god has descended here in the mortal world.

"Are you sure you're not a God?" I asked teasingly trying to get him to lighten up. "Not you too!" Exclaimed Richard dismayed at my question and stood up and begun to look around the place. "How long have I been out?" he asked while he took an interest in the statue of the Goddess Vita, and he approached it with almost stars on his eyes. "Maybe about 6 minutes at the very least? If you look around Monica and that muscle head Laura are still both passed out" I said while pointing at the pair with my chin who weren't waking up yet.

"That so?" he said he gave the pair an uninterested look and looked back at the statue and said, "This statue workmanship is simply incredible, was this made by hand by artisans or is there some weird spell that can create art pieces like this". he had lost clue onto where he was and touched and felt the statue all over the place, but something here bothered me. he acted as if he had no idea what or who that statue really was? there is no way some human was well fed and with such clear skin on this world would be ignorant of the goddess, much less approach it without much reverence like a run of the mill art piece.

"You don't know who the Goddess is?" came Paula cutting into what I clearly should have asked first, this woman wants to take my chances I have with Richard. I clenched my fists tightly and said, "Out of this conversation Paula, I was talking to him first". Paula then rolled her eyes at me and said "You can flirt with him later, but what he said can't be ignored you know? How can a boy be both pampered enough not to know of the Goddess Vita and outgoing enough to crush two monsters like the Giant Boar back in the forest" continued Paula.

She had a point, how could a boy his age be both competent and pampered like that? much more to the point, how can a man be this strong and easily take on two giant boars. I've never heard of a man being this strong, they're all very frail and can barely reach the height of 150cm at their peak. I've seen boys struggle carrying fur coats made of Artic Foxes they normally get as gifts from the nobility in the kingdom.

"That aside, shouldn't we wake up those two? Do you guys know the religious leader in this church or is this your hideout?" He looked a little pale at the blunder he made but recovered fast enough to change the subject with a valid point. it's true, I recorded this place with the high level "Teleportation Jewel" before but I didn't ask permission but I know the leader of this place and she goes to the brothels today and comes back absolutely smashed until early morning so we should be alright. The priestess Lilia shouldn't be laying her hands on a man while she retains the position of spiritual leader in the Church, but she doesn't listen to me and does whatever she wants. that works well for me though, while I don't want her to find out I'm here, should she come and make a fuzz I will use that fact and get her to shut up or risk losing her precious position. I smirked at my genius but composed myself and looked back at Richard who was slightly trembling at my smirk.

"Should a man that saved our lives be trembling like a newborn like that in front of us?" I asked. he looked away and I continued "You have a point though, we got to move out of this church before priestess Lilia comes back knocking but don't think we won't ask you questions got it?" I asked to which Richard promptly nodded and begun shaking both Monica and Laura.

"Ngn...Milord?" came a slightly gruff voice from Laura and she opened her eyes wide before backing off at a incredible speed and immediately began kneeling in reverence front of Richard and said "I Laura I'm your knight and will guard your Chasity.

"Ngn" begun moving Monica before she leisurely opened her eyes and calmly got up and went in front of Richard and stared down the kneeling woman and said "enough of that Laura. Sir Monroe here could be related to the Royal family. this I'm sure off and bothering him is the fastest way to lose your head you know?" came a very reasonable statement from a cold looking facial expression from the always expressionless Monica and she then tugged at his robes and said, "It only makes sense that I should be his guardian instead of a massive woman like you".

"What the..." came a puzzled Richard looking lost but the duo proceeded to ignore the very subject of the conversation, so he shook his shoulders and begun moving slowly towards the door. As if I'm going to let him get away from us now, I follow suit and hear Laura lose her cool at what Monica has just said which makes me stop for a minute.

"Huh?" let out Laura enraged and got up immediately from her kneeling position and proclaimed "I'm a Knight working as a adventurer. I'm far more qualified than a adventurer pretending to be a Knight" huffed Laura. Monica and I weren't having it, Paula was just smirking at our charade for some reason, and she muttered "You know we wouldn't be able to do any of this anymore if we hadn't been rescued by Richard you know?".

"We can have these conversations somewhere else. we'll get caught by the local priestess if we stay here, right?" I cut in into the conversation and made my way into the door where Richard was already at. "Hey Richard, thank you for saving us but you do know you owe us an explanation, right?" I casually say which in turn makes Richard in front of me who was already opening the door to the outside shake a little then he droops his shoulders and says "Fine I'll tell you guys everything, let's just get out of here. The last thing I want it's captured by some zealot that does experimenting on me" he continued genuinely concerned.

Paula soon followed after me and said to Richard "Umm, y-you know that's not priestesses do, right Mr. Richard?" it was quite cute seeing the usual sex fiend acting like someone respectable to be able to hit it off with Richard. "She's right, I as you knight milord wouldn't allow anyone to lay a single finger on you" concurred Laura and placed her massive hand on Richard's shoulder as if to reassure him. once again Richard didn't react like I've seen other boys react when they're touched by a woman, he looked a little relieved actually.

"You guys can flirt all you want back at our lodge" I said slightly irritated that those women were touching him all over. I was jealous but also very much concerned for the lives of those three casually touching this boy. whoever he is, his physique and skin care show he's lived a good life, this means that he isn't born to humble families at all. his fearlessness towards women who normally should intimidate any man regardless of their position at the prospect of being left alone with said women was really interesting I thought. "We can talk about this later" I said.

"Richard I'm going to cast a illusion spell in you right now so please do not allow others to touch you or the illusion will break. You three prevent anyone from touching him" I warned to which all three of them nodded and Richard stood still, seeing this I casted my spell "Uncerto" which was a spell that turn your diluted your very existence. we knew he was with us, so the spell had minimal effects on us but even then, if we allow ourselves to wonder and we will lose sight of him. I communicated all of this information to the four and we proceeded to leave the church under the cover of the night.

Once outside we feel the usual cold breeze you feel this time of year at this point in the Kingdom of Nosfalt which is known for its winter and its events with snow. it seems that our comedy skit around Richard have delayed us about two hours since we first landed into the Church of Goddess Vita, thankfully I didn't have to use my blackmail material on Lilia just yet. these cobbles stones are so symmetrical it's interesting that humans think of such things even when making common streets. we moved slowly but making sure we covered Richard around us which wasn't that easy given that he was so unusually tall for a man. he was basically Paula's size and taller than Monica which meant we had to encircle him to prevent other people from bumping into him. I hadn't really analyzed how tall he was in comparison to me, but I think he's taller which would make him third tallest in the group. we continued moving and despite being so late relatively there was people everywhere we looked. there were some women walking with their husbands in plain sight which was courageous if they were commoners but the jewels the men carried, and their dresses spoke of their status in the world. speaking of which isn't Richard's hair a little too short for a man? I thought now that I was seeing the contrast between the couples up ahead walking into a local restaurant known for Boar meat that we adventurers hunt and sell to the guild. the men had long hair and wore luxurious dresses which accentuated their frailty and carried various expensive items. the noble ladies wore knightly suits which highlighted their status as high-ranking officials for the kingdom.

"Woah! those must be very rich women, right? I mean just look" asked Richard in a hushed voice as he looked very interested in the couples who had just walked into a restaurant. I wonder if Richard was interested in that sort of dress the man ahead was wearing. Hm even as strong as he is now, he still has his delicate side, doesn't he? I thought when I saw those young men wearing their luxurious dresses. We kept walking through the center of the city making our way to the other side and I said, "Would you like to dress like that similarly?" I asked trying to keep the conversation light and Richard quickly responded "Yes, When I start making my way up as an adventurer surely, I would be able to afford clothes like those" he finished which got a nod of approval from Laura his self-proclaimed knight and Paula looked determined, Monica looked a little puzzled as if we were talking of something else, but she didn't say anything. this isn't good they're thinking of gifting him clothes like those men were wearing and I can't allow that to happen. I clenched my fists as we almost made it towards our lodge "the starry lodge" in the ends of the city of Pastoria. We weren't carrying much money, so our accommodations were very much humble.

[Gurgle]

""""!""""

All at once we turned and looked at Richard. since he was in the middle of our formation there was no way to hide the fact that it was his stomach that was gurgling in hunger. Richard on the other hand was mute and said "Sorry about that, fought about fifteen hundred rabbits before I encountered the two boars that attacked you guys. I'm completely famished" but he was hiding his face much more with his dark robes and kept it that way, we didn't say anything, but I gestured to the other three and they nodded. This wasn't good, we have a man with us, and he is starving, we couldn't live as women any longer if we allowed this to stand. "Speaking of Boars, we sure left those behind, didn't we? ha-ha" continued Richard awkwardly trying his hardest to avoid the conversation about his stomach.

"This reminds me, shouldn't we go to the Adventurer's Guild to report on your missions? I also want to register and make money on my own." When he said that we all went silent, not only was he right that we had to report to the guild but what is he talking about becoming an adventurer? doesn't he realize the reason we are hiding him with magic is to protect them from the women here? I shook my head in disapproval and Laura was aghast at the thought of allowing a man to work under her protection. Paula was had a befuddled expression on her face and Monica as always wasn't reacting much.

"Hey Richard, Paula is going to go to report to the Guild and we're going to fetch some food alright?" I displayed my best smile and pushed a strand of hair that covered my vision behind my ear and Richard visibly blushed. He's so adorable, hearing what I said Paula made a puzzled face before I shut her down with a stare. "Monica, could you take Richard to our lodge meanwhile Laura and I get some food for us?" I asked Monica but unlike both Laura and Paula, Monica wasn't opposed to the idea and quickly pulled Richard by the hand and took him towards the lodge. Laura wanted to say something, but I convinced her otherwise when a figure came into view.

"Blessed those who receive grace from the goddess to have run into you my Dear Olga" came a sweet voice from another elf. She was my age, but her attire was that of a priestess. a pure white dress with many decorations and embroidery made of pure gold that squeezed certain parts of her body that somehow made a contrast of pure and lascivious. the same time. unlike me, her hair was emerald, green, and her eyes reflected like that very gemstone and unlike other elves she was completely stacked.

"What do you want Lilia? tired from the fun at the brothel?" I asked with a sneer to which Laura showed a face of pure disgust and Lilia eyebrows twitched and she answered "A priestess does none of that, please don't joke around" she said with the most earie smile I've ever seen, and she raised her mana and concentrated it enough that only we could feel it. Laura visibly shook a little in fear and I managed because I have higher mana levels than humans, but this woman was dangerous. Elves were already born with obscene levels of mana to begin with, and she was in a different league. She had been born by natural means and her mother had done the ritual with a high valued male from the Empire further north. We Elves aren't usually that visibly developed like she was, we have healthy appetite for sex like any other living thing, but her libido was in another realm. I remembered the incident with my item back in the forest and I quickly shook my head trying to forget the cringe, I can feel the blood rushing to my head. I'll make sure Richard never finds out what that was and I'm going to get rid of it to make sure it never comes up again, I thought.

The Elders back in Alfheim called her "The Succubus Spawn." behind her back since she never calmed down and wanted to not only assault every male, she saw but made actual plans into possibly kidnaping men regardless of their social status. That would have caused a war with the humans and that's something we couldn't allow so she was banished never to come back again. when she discovered the "The Church of the Goddess of Life" she because an instant zealot due to the number of boys she tasted due to faith, and she never missed a night drinking and descending into lust at the local brothel.

"Well calm down Lilia, I'm merely joking. what brings you to us? I'm planning to pick up some food with Laura here." I said trying to defuse the situation I myself had lit on fire. Lilia sighed and said, "Well I was making my way back to the church, but I guess I'm a little famished myself" and she thought about it for a while and threw her hand around my neck and continued "So what are we eating?". Laura and I froze stiff at her comment but how do we get rid of her? I can't let Richard wait for us when he is starving like this.

"Come on! Let's go! I'm hungry" exclaimed Lilia impatient at our loss of words before continuing "I can introduce you to some young men I know may be in the marriage market you know?". Lilia made a lecherous face and pulled us along towards the same restaurant the noblewomen had walked in with their husbands. Laura and I wanted to cradle our heads in despair at our predicament, but how do we get rid of this woman and get back to Richard with enough food? thinking so we made our way towards "The Pastoria Grill" the most famous grill in the city renown for quality cooked meat from Giant Boars.

I could only picture a hungry Richard waiting for us starving back at the lodge which kind of made me want to do my best, so i looked at Laura and conveyed somehow, we were going to take some food home back from this restaurant to Richard and I guess Monica since she is looking after him.

*

---Rhea POV

That lot sure looked like a nice bunch. I'm sure the kid it's going to be alright from now on, it's much better this way since now our village doesn't carry the risk of being ransacked and put our people in danger. thinking so I made my way with the boars Richard had killed back to the village, they were heavy but not much of a match for Shima and I. Just like me Shima actually stayed behind when the kid was doing his thing with the two boars in that fight. she looked like a woman that was proud of her man, good grief to think both Raksha and Shima fell for the same man. Pam is right, perhaps it's better that he left to be with his kind rather than risking our village coming apart.

That said how am I going to explain things to Raksha? this was a worry i had and I hope my idiot daughter doesn't say anything unnecessary to her, I explained to Shima that she should silently make her way to Pam and let her come up with a believable story.

Up ahead was Raksha sitting in the porch of our house looking towards the forest with her books at the side. Damn it, this isn't going to be an easy one, giving up I made my way forward and made it towards our house. The entire village was deathly silent in which you only heard the wind rustle the leaves of the trees.

"Mom!" came running Raksha towards me running with eyes filled with expectation. "How did Richard do?" she asked excitedly and begun looking around "I don't see him anywhere, where is he?" she asked with a pure smile. This hurts, I wonder if Shima has made her way towards Pam already.

"Raksha come inside, we need to talk!" at her side was my giant of a daughter with a somber expression to which Raksha let out an single "Huuh?" and pondered when had Shima made it inside the house. this is going to be a long night I thought as I gazed at the very clear night skies quickly closing by rainclouds coming from the west. sighing, I went inside with Raksha to make sure the news does not break her heart.