The kiss leaves Larissa breathless, almost dizzy from the overwhelming passion and tender of the caress. "So?. What brought the two of you here, Landlady?. Or, are you going to tell me that you missed me?".
She giggles playfully, but the sourness of her lips is evident.
{She is a softy. I wouldn't be surprised if the Landlady is actually a Virgin…}.
"Not yet, Handsome. I just wanted to say goodbye. Girlande would have come too, but she is still quite upset with you. She doesn't stand the Nydrikoff House at all. And with a good reason. Those scheming relatives of the Bleached Blonde were quite cruel back then. She was the same, though not on purpose…".
"Let me guess. «Vosha simply followed orders»".
An apologetic smile appears on the Landlady, which only confirms the obvious. Verulkya, Natvoshka and Larissa, are acquittances from a long time ago. And is highly likely that Vosha is the person who warned the Hot Aunt about the attack against the Gadrigoth House.
The smooth dainty fingers of Larissa trail my face, with a dreamy, nostalgic sigh scaping from her red lips. "You see, Handsome. I wasn't always at the top. I'm still far from the heights Verulkya has reached. But Decades ago, i was in a similar, but somehow better and worse situation than you are…".
{How so?}.
"Although we were removed from our worlds against our will. I had access to my Stats, but my naive, innocent and clueless previous life made me unfitted for this reality, even now, i'm still forced to face it's cruelty. I suffered because of my indecisive hesitation, and fear to uncertainty. It wasn't until years later that i gained a degree of freedom to enjoy my life, unfortunately, duty calls again, and i must depart in a few hours at most".
"I suppose you'll take your girls with you". The Landlady blinks, not expecting my timely insight. "It's obvious you raised Galishia and Girlande like your own daughters. Or you are not their Godmother, Larissa?".
She pecks me tenderly. "Nothing escapes you when you set your mind to it…".
"I wish that could be true. But i never caught up to the Old Man in Azthea. Here in Loutharn, i mean, Nrahtuol, it's more complicated".
She giggles, groping my biceps. "I'm sure you'll do, Vurckair. At your age, Volttair wasn't as handsome, nor well built as you, and his battle prowess was average at best…".
{Understandable. Fighting styles in Loutharn over-rely on the Minions. Summons are a commodity, rather than properly employed, at least from what i could appreciate from the Young Descendants i observed. Which explains why Farllette, Seinnissia, and Ines, didn't want to show their real tactics, and techniques}.
"That is why is want to support you. I didn't do enough in the past, though i could have done a lot more, and better…". Grief fills her gaze, almost producing tears, but refraining from let them fall. "I should have paid more attention. Girlande wouldn't have been defiled, and her family might not have fallen…".
I tap the Landlady's forehead with mine, biting her lips to draw her appalled mind back to the present. "Larissa. You can't stay anchored to «What could have been». Cast off these moorings that you can't change, and go after what you desire…".
"That's precisely why i'm here, Handsome, to tell you that upon my return, «I'll want my awaited reward». This Tower is the sample of what you can get if you agree to marry me. It cost me a whole lot of iliads and dear myriads to acquire the terrain, then build it almost entirely from the rubble that it was. Please, take good care of it…". She murmurs, nibbling and licking my earlobe. "Defiling it as much as you'll want to wreck me…".
Larissa bites her lower lip, her seductive intent heightened as much as the hint of unbridled intimacy regarding every corner of this construction.
Sitting besides the Landlady, we proceed to enjoy the delicious breakfast prepared by Galishia, which doesn't stops Larissa from continuing her playful, flirtatious games, daringly touching my thighs, and squirming with stiffness as the third appendix of my lower frame, occasionally goes out of the bodysuit.
Which is an opportunity the Landlady doesn't let to slip. Whether it was a gentle squeeze, or a slow rubbing against her leg, she is invested on continue with her not-so-innocent attitude, not minding to be noticed by my Towermates.
Strangely, the most bewildered and astonished of all, wasn't Danaika, but Cadrissa, struggling with the Landlady's bold, indecorous behavior.
The time to leave arrives, descending to the Tower's basement, where two of the most attentive and kind women i've ever had the pleasure of meeting, are enveloped by orange Emts, transported to a place Larissa refused to discuss with me.
This suggests that her primary motive for participating in this pending «Duty», is in fact an excuse to conceal the new whereabout of the two descendants of the fallen Gadrigoth House.
Just like them. I reach a seemingly safe location, and with needed tranquil peace, my exhausted body begins to feel heavier, like my eyelids do, closing slowly, reminding me that i must rest for a full corporal reset that will allow my body to adjust, coping up with the sudden changes i've undergone with the Gifts i received upon reaching the Second Zenith in the two Stats i don't have Locked.
Entering to my dorm, i notice that Ines is in the adjacent bedroom, peeking through the door's gap.
"Do you need anything from me, Barking Bitch?".
"Yes. But first. I'm letting you know we've been grouped with Cadrissa and Esdrana in the same «Box». Just in case you haven't checked how it works the Identification Card of Takctoor…".
Nervousness appears in Ines, her right hand moving up and down, hesitant of touching something.
"Why the delay…?". My question is cut off by an ethereal message.
[ Do you accept «Ines Iscandaris» into your Friend's Tracking List? ]
[ Yes ] [ No ]
"Decide already, Lustful Beast!". She screams desperately, blushing ashamed, because not even three seconds had happened since her petition.
"Ines, you know very well that i'm interested in you further than what mere friendship can offer, or entail…".
She murmurs dimly. "I'm not that dense, and i don't want you to think poorly of me…".
"Be honest and direct. Like you adore to do, and that outcome you fear, will never occur. However, don't forget my intentions, and behavior…". I yawn. "«Good Night», Barking Bitch. I need to sleep".
She giggles, as we are probably around midday.
"«Good Night», Lustful Beast". Ines leans forward pecking my right cheek, realizing her action, and embarrassed, she runs back to her room, observing me through the gap of the door.
"Ines. Next time, i want my «Good Night» kiss here…". I signal my lips with my index, then point it down. "Or a repetition of your marvelous assistance".
An exaggerate scandalized gasp leaves her opened mouth, slamming the door of her room, while i am about to enter in mine.
But she opens the door. "Maybe i will". Ines remarks, her boldness disappearing with her flushed cheeks, closing the door again.
{She is so easy…}.
I pass near the bed, but my peripheral vision lets me see movement in the mirror, it's not my reflection, and this known but abhorred motion is not determined as motion either, since my Gift «Kinetic Domination» does not process it as such…