The dungeon collapsed.
Above us, the midnight skies of Farmist returned, clear and endless.
We fell to our knees, breathing heavily beneath the stars.
The battle was over.
The Evil God of Humility—Hummel—was no more.
Ash drifted through the night air as I turned to look at the girls—my companions, my bonds. This wasn't the end. It was merely the next step toward something far greater.
Soon, the cavalry from the Astarte Kingdom arrived at the ruins of Farmist. Desmond, Aurora, Kira, Kana, and Ion were each guided gently into a royal carriage. The King himself provided a separate carriage just for me.
Merlin volunteered to pull our carriage herself, hitching up with pride. If necessary, she said, she could summon undead to help. I didn't doubt her.
My other girls were exhausted, drained from the final battle. I sang them a soft lullaby, soothing them into deep, peaceful sleep. One by one, I carried them into the carriage, each of them a light weight in my arms—symbols of the bonds we had forged.
Surrounded by nine beautiful girls fast asleep, I took my seat at the front with Merlin, who was calmly leading the way behind the royal procession. The wheels creaked softly beneath us. The stars twinkled above.
But then, Aisha stirred.
"Darling..." she mumbled sleepily.
"What is it, Aisha?" I asked with a smile.
"Darling, not fair..." she pouted, eyes still half-closed. "You kissed Yuki... and Hilda..."
"I'm sorr—" I began, but was cut off as Aisha leaned forward and kissed me.
I froze in surprise... then kissed her back. Her warmth, even in half-sleep, was fierce and full of love.
Outside, Merlin's ears twitched. She turned red instantly upon hearing the kiss, covering her ears and galloping ahead in a flustered panic, her face burning crimson.
Once Aisha fell back asleep with a satisfied smile, I slipped out through the side curtain to the front bench. I sat beside Merlin, who was still visibly red-faced.
We traveled in silence for a moment. I reached over, curious, and gently brushed the tuft of her moose-like tail.
"Master!?" she squealed, her face flaring even deeper. "W-What are you doing!?"
"Sorry, Merlin..." I said, chuckling. "I was just curious."
"You meanie!" she pouted.
We both laughed softly and continued our journey under the moonlight.
---
Meanwhile…
In the divine realm, chaos echoed.
"My dungeon... destroyed by a Tamer?!" Byjack, the Evil God of Diligence, shouted in disbelief.
"Hummel is dead!?" Cynthia, the Evil Goddess of Love, gasped. Then she changed her tone with a coy smile. "Ara~ that's good, right? Hehe."
"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, CYNTHIA!?" bellowed Dengka, the Evil God of Dreams.
"Hummel made his own decisions," Cynthia replied, brushing her hair back. "He went rogue. Not my fault."
Dengka clapped mockingly. "Sure. But you wanted him gone, didn't you?"
"Why are we fighting!?" Serdeck, the Evil Goddess of Charity, cried out. "Amarath is unconscious, and now Hummel is gone! What do we do now?!"
"I'm done helping you, Cynthia!" Dengka snapped. "I'm walking my own path."
"I'm with you, Dengka!" Gaive, the Evil God of Temperance, declared.
"Fine. At least it's not her," Dengka growled.
Cynthia clenched her fists, her aura flaring in rage.
"I'm taking Amarath with me," Serdeck declared, lifting the unconscious Goddess of Patience onto her back.
As the gods broke apart into factions, Byjack lingered, smirking to himself.
"I could use my Word Magic on Cynthia..." he thought darkly.
"Ara~ Byjack tha—" Cynthia began, only to suddenly go silent. Her expression dulled, her eyes blank.
Byjack stepped close, whispering in her ear, "Be my forever slave, Cynthia… and give your body to me."
His Word of Diligence took hold. Strong. Unrelenting.
Even the Evil Goddess of Love couldn't resist.
She wasn't even sure if she wanted to.
As Lust and Sloth embraced, the shadows deepened between them.
---
Back in the mortal realm…
I was exhausted myself. I turned to Merlin. "You should rest too."
"I'm fine," she said, but her heavy eyelids betrayed her words.
Just then, two mounted royal guards approached and offered to take over pulling the carriage—under the prince's orders.
Merlin stepped aside, relieved, as the horses took over. I drifted off into sleep.
By dawn, we arrived at the Kyouro Empire for a brief stop so the horses could rest.
I stepped out of the carriage, stretching. We were in the Hinabata District—a bustling pleasure quarter. Drunkards staggered around, arguing with geishas and lovers alike.
A strange thought struck me.
Can I really take care of all of them?
Why did my Tamer Class turn beasts into girls? Was it a blessing in disguise… or a curse I still haven't uncovered?
Aisha and Hilda's words still echoed in my mind.
Why do I need to tame more?
"SLAVE-HOARDING SCUM!!!" a voice boomed.
I turned, and there he was again—Hanzaku Koru, the Takahata GuildMaster. The noble who had once accused me of enslaving women. Rumored to have been in the same party as the famed Baran Algorit.
Now, he stood drunkenly flanked by guards, arm wrapped around a geisha.
"GUARDS! SEIZE HIM!!" Koru shouted.
My girls were still asleep, exhausted from the battle. I didn't resist.
Chains clinked around my wrists. They took me to the Emperor's palace.
---
Meanwhile…
Back at the carriage, Merlin was ready to hitch herself again—until she noticed I wasn't there.
She shook Aisha awake.
"Master is gone."
"WHAT!?" Aisha shot up in panic. "Where's Darling?!"
"Huh? Master...?" Reshia mumbled.
"Ares~?" Yuki blinked, covering her mouth.
"Blood Sense!" Aisha shouted.
"Soul Sense!" Merlin added.
They locked onto my trail instantly.
The carriage jolted into motion as they began the chase.
Would they reach me in time?
And what awaited me at the Emperor's court?
And somewhere deep in the shadows… something darker than any dungeon began to stir.