Continuation of
>>108263 -------
Both your head and your penis swimming in a sea of confusion, you stare at the door for quite some time, even long after Koakuma has taken her leave, trying to get your thoughts back on track and ponder your next course of action. Bringing you back to the earth from your little moment of pensiveness, however, is the sound of a light pair of feet nervously shuffling towards the door, the timid little fairy apparently trying not to attract your attention. Is she trying to sneak away from you?
"Are you trying to sneak away from me?" Might as well ask. The fairy stops dead in her tracks, as if she were frozen in place, slowly turning her head to look back to you over her shoulder with a smile utterly devoid of confidence.
"W-well, ah..." She's stuttering pretty hard, as if her tongue and mind are having difficulty conveying words from one to another. Her voice is as melodious and high-pitched as that of the other fairies, their speech having a sound and intonation to it somewhere between singing and childlike laughter.
"T-this humble servant didn't wish to disturb the honored guest in his thoughts, s-so I... I mean, ah... M-must get back to work, and..!"
Aw, and she's being so serious about it too. If she were any cuter, you'd probably give into temptation and take her home on a whim. Unable to resist, and wishing to ease her worries just a little as thanks for her help in guiding the scatterbrained mass of fairies under your 'command', you find yourself gently laying your hand upon her head, promptly ruffling her hair a little. She squeaks quietly at first, wings twitching as she brings her hands to her face in a somewhat intimidated confusion, but quickly seems to calm down. Her face turns more and more red with every passing moment, too.
"You did a really good job today, Fleur; just try to remember not to do more at once than you can." The image of her nearly dropping that huge stack of incredibly expensive-seeming dishes still sends shivers down your spine, although you do your best not to show it and put on a comforting face, keeping your tone of voice friendly and encouraging.
"I'll make sure to tell Sakuya what a big help you were, so keep working. Although, keep in mind that a break every once in awhile is a good idea, too." She glances to the side, still seeming unsure... although she refuses to remove her head from your hand, idly rubbing against it, in response to which you pet her a little. She almost seems to
purr in reaction, and you can feel her pressing against you ever so slightly.
"Why don't you join me for tea sometime today or tomorrow? I'd like to get to learn more about you and the rest of the mansion's maids."
"T-thank you, Sir..." Finally, she manages to mumble a response, her hands still busy playing with the edges of her uniform, or with their fingers; she seems to be the type that needs to find something to do with her hands whenever she's nervous. You probably know some other people like that.
"It is an honor to serve..."
"And you don't have to talk like that with me. Just call me Jin, and talk to me as you would with a friend, okay?" She'd probably have difficulty pronouncing and remembering your proper name anyway. Looking up at you, the fairy girl blinks those large and shiny green eyes at you a few times, face flushed bright scarlet, before nodding energetically and gracing you with a brilliant, sincerely happy smile. Her wings flutter slightly, presumably from joy, sprinkling some slightly sparkly substance around her.
SO MOE, YOU'RE GOING TO DIE "O-okay!" And with that, her timid little heart runs out of confidence, and she turns tail and runs off with great haste; even though you reckon she could probably move faster by flying, but she seems far too out of it to even think of such things right now. At least she seems more giddy and embarrassed now, rather than terrified at the big scary human exchange student invading the mansion these fairies call their home. Sigh. Now where were you before you got sidetracked by petting a fairy maid? While you'd like to go see just what it is that Sakuya is so busy with - and perhaps run into Remilia, getting the opportunity to further get on her good side before Sunday evening - you figure you'd probably just end up getting in the way of something important. Besides, it's not like you can think of any possible way to figure out where they could possibly even be, right? Wonder what Flandre is up to... Well, she'll find you when she feels like it - she knows you want to see her, after all.
You have more pressing concerns to attend to. Koakuma's 'advances' have left you a little more than concerned - not that a boy your age has anything against a hot woman touching him in various places, but there's several complications at play that render the situation far more awkward and risky than you're comfortable with. For one thing, she's essentially your colleague of sorts, her being Patchouli's personal assistant, and you being her apprentice - and having had some
very personal experiences with her, yourself. And then, well, there's the whole not wanting to have your soul sucked out thing. Even if it's involuntary and a passive effect on her part, if there's even the slightest chance that she might just give in to whatever strange reasons she might have for being so spontaneously attracted to you and humping you to death, you'd rather not risk it.
So, off to the library with you it is. Again. Maybe you ought to ask Patchouli for some sort of trinket or spell that would allow you to travel to and fro from the Voile more quickly and efficiently, considering how you seem to spend half your time there whenever you visit the mansion. You also hope you're not becoming a bother to your mentor and benefactor, constantly relying on her and asking her questions... Well, true enough, she did encourage you to ask questions, herself. However, unlike Sakuya, who seems to mostly draw amusement from you repeatedly coming to her with your troubles, Patchouli seems to have growing doubts about your being sound of mind, considering how often you manage to land yourself in these situations. At least this time it doesn't seem to be through your own 'unnecessary' actions, for a change - who knows, she might even not spew harsh words at you once you explain your predicament to her. That always hurts, in a way... You'd definitely like for her to have a good opinion of you, now wouldn't you?
The sensation of deja vu fills you with a strange sensation of deja vu, as the doors to the great library of the Scarlet Devil mansion part before you as they have several times before. The first time you set foot in here, the dusty and poorly-ventilated air felt like a punch in the lungs, and the darkness obscuring your vision did little to prevent you from feeling hopelessly lost no matter where you looked. Now, it almost feels welcoming, somehow. Of course, you're not saying you wouldn't throw in some electric lights and give the place a good dusting and airing, but it's starting to feel like a second home within a second home. A third home? Well, you're living with your host family, yet the mansion is starting to feel awfully familiar... and then there's the library. Hell, you've even slept here once... In any case, you highly doubt Patchouli even lets any of the maids touch anything in here - geniuses tend to have some sort of bizarre order they see in their belongings, and hate nothing more than people trying to 'clean up the mess'. Honestly, though, there's books in piles on the floor, books on the -top- of some bookcases... Regardless, you're sure the wizard knows the location and contents of every single book contained within the colossal library.
Making your way to the center, you keep your senses sharp; you'd rather not be ambushed by the succubus on your way to explain to her master that she's been acting strangely frisky around you as of late. Would make for a rather awkward encounter; as if you don't get enough of those on a regular basis as it is. It would certainly fit your daily pattern to have Koakuma pounce you from behind the next corner, or something like that, but... no. More dust, some rather nasty cobwebs that you accidentally get stuck in your fingers, but no signs of life. Well, save for the faint light glowing from above some bookcases, emanating from the distance. You know where you're going. A left here, a right there, and you come upon the clearing amidst the maze of bookcases as you've done many times before, coming upon Alice and Patchouli in the middle of conversation. They immediately turn to face you in silence as you approach, causing you to awkwardly stop mid-step and give them an unsure smile in greeting.
"...Hello again. I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."
"You are." A blunt response from Patchouli, delivered with a complete lack of emotion in her voice and expression on her face. At least she's always honest with you - something you hold in high value, considering the little game you've inadvertently been playing with Remilia and Flandre these two weeks.
"Have a seat, then." You do as you're told, clumsily blurting out polite greetings to both your mentor and her blonde colleague, the latter returning the gesture with a reserved, yet friendly nod. Leaning her elbows on her desk, Patchouli then turns back to Alice, saying something to her in Romanian. Alice promptly stands up, giving you a brief glance before heading off to another part of the library, the little doll that had been seated in front of her jumping off the desk to follow her.
"Excuse me."
...
"So," Patchouli speaks in English once again, after Alice has vanished from sight, "what brings you here again so soon?" Those violet eyes of hers pierce right through you, a touch more inquisitively than usual, as if she were trying to read the answer from within your mind herself. Wizard or no, you'd like to assume (and hope) she can't do -that- much...
No point beating around the bush; best to get straight to the point. Gathering up some nerve, you return her gaze, looking her straight in the eye before speaking.
"It's about those precautions you mentioned earlier... and about Koakuma."
"Oh?" She sounds... surprised. Only mildly, though.
"Well, a young man such as yourself would most likely feel such urges when surrounded by females of suitable age on a daily basis... And it would be best to satisfy such urges in a controlled environment. Whereas private methods-..." Before she can segue into a spontaneous lecture on masturbation and/or pimping Koakuma out to you, you interrupt her.
"Actually, that's not what I had in mind. You see, Koakuma, she's been, ah... showing a strange interest in me, lately."
Her demeanor changes immediately. Well, as much as you can gauge from her face, really; the corners of her lips curl downwards slightly, her eyes narrow, the look in her gaze takes on a tone so cold it sends a shiver down your spine, and her voice becomes dangerously suspicious. Leaning forward, towards you, in her seat, she speaks slowly, pronouncing each syllable with disturbing clarity.
"...A strange interest? Do elaborate."
"W-well, what I meant to say is, she's been acting awfully friendly with me lately, and I'm a little worried that she might, ah..."
"Do not attempt to obfuscate your words. Tell me
exactly what has been happening."
Guess there's no escaping it. You tell her everything, from the time she was on top of you in your bed, to how she groped your ass just a while ago. By the time you finish your quick recollection, the mild frown on her face has deepened into an ominous scowl.
"...I see. So this is why you expressed curiosity towards succubi earlier. I should have guessed there was an underlying cause for this spontaneous curiosity..."
"Um, I-..."
"I also should have suspected something like this would occur. Allow me to explain something. The contract between Koakuma and myself binds us in several ways - she receives a portion of my power, we are able to communicate over great distances, and we share senses to a degree."
"Share senses? What does that-..."
"What it means, is that she most likely felt you aiding me during my moment of weakness earlier this week." 'Aiding'? Well, at least she's trying to word this in a manner that's not -too- awkward; at the same time, you're doing your best not to start remembering things at an inappropriate time.
"Also, she has not had access to a male in quite some time... While I have trained her rather strictly to keep such desires of hers in check, it seems my familiar has decided to disobey me after this experience." Huh. So does that mean it's also been a while since Patchouli has done such things..? Wait, no, you weren't supposed to be thinking about that. Focus, focus! Meanwhile, Patchouli rubs her temples with a frustrated grumble, before standing up in a motion rather sudden for one of her frail physical condition, a rather upset glare in her eyes.
"You should have told me sooner."
"I would have, I'm sorry, I just..." Searching for the words, you stand up as well, trying to keep this from escalating into yet another incident. Drama seems to seek you out without mercy, whenever you visit the mansion.
"I didn't want to give you anything else to worry about. I've caused enough trouble for you already, haven't I?"
"And by not telling me immediately you have done so yet again. I hate... not knowing things." That she does, indeed...
"Be quiet, now..." She closes her eyes for a brief moment, furrowing her brow and standing there in silence, as if in deep focus. When she opens her eyes again, there is an unusual look of shock in them that you've never really seen before.
"...She severed our link. I cannot trace her nor communicate with her."
"...She can do that?" This is starting to sound like it's going to be one of those days, again...
"Temporarily, yes, but it would require a significant effort on her part... She is hiding from me." Patchouli spits a curse in a tongue you can't even begin to identify, before rushing off somewhere - from what you can piece together in your memory, she's going in the direction of her private room. Stopping briefly and glancing over her shoulder, she shoots a furious glance right at you, stunning you momentarily. She's scary right now.
"Come!"
"Er... Where are we going?" You take a few cautious steps towards her, unsure about this whole thing.
"I will cast the necessary protective spells upon you to defend you from my succubus, should she attempt anything foolish. And then, you shall assist me in tracking her down so I may reprimand her as I see fit."
"Hey, wait a moment! This isn't her fault, I-..."
"Do not argue! I will not have my familiar running amok, disregarding my command and attempting to avoid me like a disobedient child!" She's yelling now. Have you ever heard her yelling before? Even when she speaks, her voice is usually something not much louder than a whisper. But now, the way she is... her voice echoes throughout the entire library, sound waves rebounding off the high ceiling, the countless bookcases. Her hands are squeezed into tight fists, her face a harsh grimace.
"Now come! I will require your assistance in this."
[] Do as you're told. You'd like to stay on Patchouli's good side, plus you'd like to avoid being ambushed by Koakuma unprotected. Avoiding another incident would be best.
[] Refuse to help. You never wanted to get Koakuma into any trouble; you'll figure out a solution for this on your own, and Patchouli will simply have to respect that decision.
[] (Write-in)
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Fleur route locked. のヮの
