WIEDERGEBURT Act II: Chapter 6

After Fay was successfully retrieved, the Nevarian Spiritualists were forced to dispose of the bodies of the two mercenaries and Grant Leucht. They couldn’t leave them as they were. Hellen made the decision to hide the fact that Grant was dead. She mentioned that she would inform Dante of what happened, but that it would be best if no one else discovered this, especially not the Head of the Leucht Family.

One of the Nevarian Spiritualists had a powerful earth affinity. She was the one who did most of the work, using the earth element to bury the three corpses, and then using it to repair the damage Eryk had done during his initial assault. Not everything could be completely fixed, but they did what they could.

As an aside, Eryk and Kari both received a stern lecture while this was happening. Kari, as the one who had killed Grant Leucht in anger, had received the greatest portion of Hellen’s lecturing, though it might have also been due to how she was the woman’s pupil.

They were very fortunate it had stopped at just a lecture. Fay might have made an almost full recovery, but she was still weak, and they really couldn’t afford to remain at the Leucht Family estate.

Since there were only five Mares, Eryk and Fay had to ride with someone else. Eryk ended up riding with Hellen. Fay was with Kari, who had insisted the other girl ride with her.

The two girls rode on the Mare in awkward silence. Neither seemed to know what they should say. Kari was still embarrassed by her outburst when she and Eryk had rescued Fay from Grant Leucht, while Fay seemed ashamed for an entirely different reason.

“I’m—”

“I wanted to—”

The two spoke at the same time. Because Fay was riding behind Kari, they couldn’t really look at each other, but that didn’t stop them both from blushing right to the roots of their hair. Another awkward silence past. Kari was the one who would break it, coughing into her hand.

“Fay… do you hate me?”

It was a simple question, but it seemed to make Fay distressed.

“W-what?! No. Of course not. Why would you think such a thing?”

“But… you won’t spend time with me anymore,” Kari said in a soft voice. She was trying not to let her emotions show, but her voice cracked a little toward the end. “I’ve tried… so hard to get you to spend time with me, but every time I do, you always… tell me you can’t.”

“T-that’s because I didn’t want you getting hurt… because of me.”

“Not being able to spend time with my best friend hurt more than any physical injury ever could.”

“Oh.” Fay paused as those words sank in. “I’m sorry.”

Kari could have accepted Fay’s apology and moved on, could have used that apology as a means of forcing her way back into Fay’s life and becoming friends again, but she didn’t think either of those were good ideas. Just accepting an apology like this would be half-hearted. Likewise, Kari did not have it in her to use her friend’s sorrow for her own purposes.

That was why she did something else.

“You know, when I found out Grant Leucht was trying to marry both you and me, a part of me was actually really happy,” she admitted.

“What?” Fay sounded like someone had struck her in the face.

Kari smiled, even though she knew Fay couldn’t see it. “The idea of marrying Grant Leucht was unpleasant at best and repulsive at worst, but the idea of having you become my sister wife appealed to me. If you became my sister wife, I thought… we could be rekindle the friendship we used to have.” She paused, then shook her head. “No, I thought we could be even closer than we used to be.”

“I see…” Fay released a long sigh. “So you have been thinking about that all this time.”

“I have.”

Another silence descended upon them as their Mares trotted down a wide dirt road that led to Nevaria. Many trees dotted the land on either side, broken up by buildings and farmlands. While she couldn’t see them from here, Kari knew there were several plantation communities run by minor noble families further out.

Kari glanced at the other four Mares surrounding theirs in a diamond formation, with Hellen’s at the very front, trotting along at a clipped pace. Because it was nighttime now, she couldn’t see very well. That said, she could at least see Eryk’s outline.

“You love Eryk, right?” she asked Fay suddenly.

“Wha—um… well… I… yes,” Fay stumbled over her words at first, but she eventually admitted it.

Kari nodded. “I assumed as much. Then… those words you said to Eryk during the Spiritualist Grand Tournament, you didn’t mean them, did you?”

“So you heard that?” Even though she couldn’t see her, Kari could tell Fay was grimacing. “I did not mean to say them. I was… just so frustrated. I know Eryk cares about me, but I also know that you are the one he loves, and I… well, I unjustly took the frustration I felt out of him, even though he did nothing wrong.”

Kari nodded as she calmed her racing heart, breathing in slowly, holding it, and then releasing it. Now that they were talking calmly, she could finally bring up what she wanted to tell Fay all this time. She needed to be careful, though. One wrong word could very well ruin her plans.

“You know I also love Eryk,” she confessed. “I love him so very much.”

“I know,” Fay said in a whisper.

“However, Eryk isn’t the only person I love,” Kari continued. “Fay, you were my best and only friend when we were younger. The times we shared together are something I’ve cherished for so long. You were more than just a friend to me. You were the sister I had always wanted. You are the sister I still want.”

“K-Kari, are you suggesting…?”

“Yes.” Kari nodded once. “Fay, would you consider marrying Eryk with me?”

While Kari had told Eryk that she wasn’t considering marriage yet, the truth was she already felt certain they would get married. She knew Eryk’s feelings for her were not false. She didn’t know how she knew this. Maybe it was instinct, maybe a hunch, or maybe something else entirely. All she knew was that Eryk wanted to spend his life with her.

Kari also wanted to spend the rest of her life with Eryk.

Fay took a deep breath and blew it out all at once, causing Kari’s hair to shift. Kari said nothing and let the silence extend. She’d done all she could, proposed her idea to Fay, and now she could only wait for the other girl to either accept or reject her proposal.

It was a nerve wracking experience.

“You talk of marriage, but don’t you think it is a little too soon?” questioned Fay.

“Do you think it’s too soon?” Kari returned the question with one of her own. Fay didn’t answer, causing her to smile. “I know you have also decided that Eryk is someone worth marrying. You wouldn’t have challenged me so openly if that wasn’t the case. Besides…”

Kari looked at Eryk again, even though it was dark and she couldn’t really see him that well. With the two moons shining a little luminescence upon the land, she could at least get a general view of him, and even though she couldn’t see him very well, just knowing he was there made her heart flutter.

“… I really do love him. My heart races just thinking about him, I constantly have him on my mind. Even when I am thinking about the ruins and dungeons I would like to explore, I am always imagining myself exploring them with him rather than alone.” She took one hand off the reigns and placed it against her chest. “My heart resonates with him. I feel like… yes, I feel like I have always loved him since long before I can even remember.”

Fay didn’t speak at first, but then…

“I think I understand.”

“You feel the same way?”

“A little…” Fay hesitated before confessing, “when I first met him, I felt an unusual jolt in my chest. I didn’t think much of it at first, but the more time I spent with him, the stronger this feeling became.”

Kari nodded. That was exactly how she felt. She had known it before, but Fay’s words confirmed that this girl was also in love with Eryk.

“Then… do you think it would be possible for us to be in a relationship with him?” Kari asked, trying hard to hide her worry. She didn’t know what she would do if Fay refused. “We don’t even have to think about marriage right now. We can’t marry until we turn 18 anyway. But… I would like it if we could both be happy, together, with him.”

The silence that descended seemed deeper than before, though it was broken by the clomping of hoofs. Kari felt jittery as she let it extend. She couldn’t help but think about what would happen if Fay rejected her idea.

“I do not think that would be a bad idea,” Fay admitted at last. “I have never given much thought to marriage and romance until I met Eryk, so I do not know how this would work, but… I am willing to give it a try.” She paused before letting out a final admittance. “I too would like to have my best friend back.”

Kari’s lips trembled as she tried to contain her joy. Her eyes stung with tears that didn’t fall, but they weren’t sorrowful. She was so happy. If they weren’t riding a Mare just then, she would have hugged her friend for all she was worth.

“I’m so glad…” she whispered.

“Me too,” Fay said, and then she changed the topic. “By the way, I get why I’m riding with you, but why is Eryk riding with Hellen?”

“He can’t ride a horse,” Kari answered.

“You’re joking.”

“I am not.” Kari giggled.

“I never expected that,” Fay muttered. “That’s actually kinda cute.”

“Isn’t it?”

Fay released a soft laugh while Kari continued giggling, letting her own joy permeate her being. The simple act of being able to laugh with her best friend was a pleasure she hadn’t experienced since she was young. It made her feel light. She felt like the world had gone back to the way it should have been.

And then, as if she had remembered something, Kari brought up another topic.

“I forgot to mention this… but there is at least one other person who will be marrying Eryk alongside us.”

“What?”

And just like that, the two girls continued talking all the way back to Nevaria.

***

The eastern gate was closed when we arrived, but after Hellen spoke with the night shift guards, they opened it for us and allowed our group to enter.

Nevaria was quiet. The dark sky was lit only by the twin moons and stars, while the streets were lit by monster core lamps. I glanced at the buildings, masked in shadows, their outlines barely visible.

We made it to the Nevarian Spiritualist headquarters and were directed toward the staples, where I climbed off the back of Hellen’s Mare. The other three Nevarian Spiritualists, along with Kari and Fay, also disembarked from their steeds. The three Spiritualists looked exhausted, more so than Kari or Fay. This was despite the fact that they hadn’t done anything. I could only assume it was a mental exhaustion.

“You three are dismissed,” Hellen told her subordinates. “Go home and get some sleep. Remember to keep what you saw tonight a secret.”

“Ma’am,” the two men and one woman saluted her before walking off. It was a curt goodbye, but I couldn’t blame them.

“As for you three.” Hellen turned to us. “I suppose there is nothing left for you to do. You can both escort Fay back to her home and then return home yourselves. I must report what happened to Commander Dante.”

“Um… I understand,” Kari said, suddenly shifting in place. “About what happened…”

“I will be sure to let him know the truth,” Hellen said. Kari just nodded.

The square-faced woman parted ways with us, leaving the three of us standing alone outside of the Nevarian Spiritualist Headquarters.

“I guess we should escort you back home,” I said to Fay.

“You don’t have to,” Fay replied with a shake of her head.

“No, I do have to.” I gave Fay a hard stare. “After what happened, I would never have peace of mind if I let you travel alone, so please let me—no, please let us escort you.”

I gestured toward myself and Kari as I spoke, because I knew Kari felt the same way I did. Fay looked like she wanted to argue. However, as she looked between us, her will, or perhaps her desire, to contradict us slowly faded.

“I understand. Thank you.”

“There’s no need for that,” Kari said before I could. “You’re important to us.”

“Right.” Fay gave Kari a gentle smile.

We started walking down the street, taking several turns as we moved past the Marchant’s District and toward the Noble District. The Noble District was on the opposite side of the Imperial Royal Palace. It actually comprised most of the south-eastern section of Nevaria. A part of that likely had to do with how massive each estate within the Noble District was. They just took up so much space.

As I walked, I could not help but feel Kari’s and Fay’s eyes on me. I tried to ignore the feeling for a time. However, that was like trying to ignore someone after they had climbed onto your back. I just couldn’t.

“I get the feeling you two have something to say,” I began.

Walking on my left, Kari smiled at me. “I’m impressed you could tell that so easily. Yes, we do have something we wish to discuss with you.” She cleared her throat. “Do you remember… what we discussed the night after you won the Spiritualist Grand Tournament?”

The night after I won the tournament was… ah.

“You mean in regards to courting both you and Fay?” I questioned, turning my gaze from Kari to Fay. Even though it was dark, the redness of Fay’s cheeks were so vibrant I couldn’t possibly miss them.

“Yes,” Kari said. “I spoke with Fay about it on the way here.”

“And?” I asked, still looking at Fay. “How do you feel about that?”

Fay placed a hand against her chest, gulped, and then took several deep breaths. It felt like she was mentally preparing herself. At the same time, I couldn’t help but think that she was just trying to hold back her embarrassment.

“I agree that it’s a good idea,” she said at last. “I plan on talking to Father about it, but I do not think he will be disagreeable to thought of me becoming your Second Wife. The only reason he didn’t want me to marry Grant Leucht was because he didn’t like that boy, or the reputation of the Leucht Family.”

I noticed her use of the term “Second Wife”, which referred to marriage. If she was using it, then I guess that meant Kari believed marriage was a very real possibility. Of course, when courting someone, it was always under the assumption that marriage would follow, so that was understandable. Nobody courted someone just to have fun.

“I’m also going to speak with Mother,” Kari added. “We can’t make anything official yet, but I’m sure she will invite you over at some point to speak with you. Oh, but it probably won’t be for awhile, so please don’t worry. I’m going to tell her that I’d like to enjoy spending time with you before we begin talks of marriage.”

“I understand.” I accepted her words easily enough, nodding along. Perhaps it was because Kari had been the one who made most of our decisions in my last life, but I always just followed along with what she wanted.

We didn’t talk much after that, though not because we lacked a conversational topic. All of us were tired. Fay had been knocked out, kidnapped, drugged, and Grant had nearly raped her. Meanwhile, Kari and I had worked all night to see her safely returned home. Everyone had experienced a trying time.

The Valstine Family’s mansion soon came into view. I was surprised to find Bertrand waiting by the front gate. Seeing him standing there made me wonder if he’d been there this whole time.

Upon seeing us walk up to him, his eyes expressed relief. “Lady Fay, it is good to see you back. Everyone was very worried.”

“I am sorry for worrying all of you,” Fay said.

Bertrand shook his head. “I’m just glad you are all right.” He then turned to Kari and I, bowing low at the waist. “Thank you both for seeing Fay back safe and sound. Words alone cannot express how grateful I and the rest of the Valstine Family are.”

Kari and I accepted Bertrand’s gratitude, knowing that not doing so would have been rude, even though the truth of the matter was that neither of us had saved Fay because of her family.

Fay stood before Kari and myself. She looked as uncertain as I felt. Now that the time had come to part ways, none of us knew what to say.

“I…” Clearing my throat when it cracked, I glanced at Fay with the utmost seriousness. “I am going to try my hardest to make you happy, Fay. However, all this is new territory to me, so I, um, I hope you will be patient with me and let me know when I do something you don’t like.”

I’m pretty sure my speech sounded incredibly awkward, but I didn’t think anyone would blame me. This really was uncharted territory for me. The idea of taking on two wives had never occurred to me, and now I was courting Kari, Fay, and Lin at the same time. I had leapt from loving just one woman to potentially loving three, and I was worried that I wouldn’t do a good job of making them happy.

I felt like that saying about having “too many eggs” in one basket was made for moments like this.

Fay’s head was tilted up as she looked at me. I wasn’t sure what she was looking for, but then she smiled.

“You can be incredibly awkward sometimes, you know that?” Her words made me blush, but she continued. “Instead of telling me about how you will probably make a lot of mistakes, you… you should just k-kiss me and tell me you love me.”

I wondered how much effort it had taken Fay to say that. She wasn’t even looking at me anymore. Was the ground really more interesting than me? I didn’t think so.

“Is that really okay?” I asked. “To just do it like that?”

I felt like simply acting in that manner was too simple for a situation like this.

Fay bit her lower lip, but then she nodded. “I… think it is perfectly acceptable.” She shook her head suddenly, and then amended her statement. “No, this is how it should be done.”

“I see.” I glanced at Kari out of the corner of my eye, seeking her opinion, but she just beamed at me, which made me turn back to Fay. “I understand. If that’s how I’m supposed to do things, then that is what I will do.”

I stepped up to Fay, who had to tilt her head further back, and hesitantly reached out to cup her face. She stiffened on initial contact, but then her body relaxed and she leaned her face into my palm. It was like she was nuzzling my hand. Fay was still looking at me, but then she shut her eyes and pursed her lips. I knew what she wanted. Leaning down, I placed my mouth gently over hers.

Fay’s lips were different than Kari’s. Fuller and a little rougher, they gave a completely different feel as I kissed her. That didn’t really mean anything. It was just an observation. Her mouth was still warm and soft, and her full lips made me want to nibble on them, though I held myself back for now. I was still uncertain about this whole situation, so I didn’t want to just jump into anything.

Pulling back after what felt like several minutes, I opened the eyes I had closed to see that Fay’s were still shut. Her long eyelashes looked enchanting from up close. Likewise, her lips contained a glossy sheen that made me want to go back and kiss her again.

“Fay,” I began.

“Yes?” Her eyes were still closed.

“I love you.”

It was the first time I had said those words to someone other than Kari. Even the woman who saved my soul many decades ago had never received those words, though that was because she died before I could say them.

Fay opened her eyes, a tremulous but joyful smile appearing on her face. “I have been waiting for you to say for that almost a month now.”

“Sorry it took so long.”

“I do not mind.” Fay shook her head. “You’ve said them now, and that is what matters.”

I was distinctly aware of Bertrand’s gaze on us, so after giving her one more kiss goodbye and promising to see her again, I let the old servant escort Fay into the mansion. Kari and I stood there as the gates closed.

“I’m glad this all worked out,” Kari said after a prolonged silence.

“Me too.”

I thought about asking Kari if she was really okay with sharing me between her, Fay, and Lin, but I didn’t. This girl was not the kind of person who would do something without thinking about it. Only after considering all of her options and selecting the one she liked best would she commit to something. If she was telling me to court her and two other women, it was because she had decided this was the best choice.

“I suppose all that’s left to do is escort you home,” I said at last.

“Yes.” Kari agreed as she glanced at me with a twinkle in her sparkling blue eyes. “And I expect a kiss goodnight just like the one you gave Fay.”

“That goes without saying,” I replied, holding out my hand.

Kari grabbed my hand with enthusiasm and the two of us began making our way toward the Imperial Royal Palace.

***

It was quite a bit later when I returned home. Actually, I think it was technically early in the morning, but such semantics meant very little when my mind felt like it was wading through sludge.

I had escorted Kari back home, which had taken about half an hour or maybe even longer. Kari had made sure our kiss lasted quite a good deal longer than when I had kissed Fay. I wasn’t sure if that was a sign of her feeling uneasy or not, but I was honestly too tired to let it bother me. Once Kari had let me go, I used the Flash Step to return home within just under a minute.

After making sure the front gate and door were locked, I stumbled into my bedroom. I paused after shutting the door. Staring at the lump on my bed, I realized that someone else was already occupying it, and that someone could only be the only other resident aside from myself.

I walked up to the bed and looked down at Lin. She lay underneath the blanket, her expression tense as though she was in pain. Her long tail was lying on the floor, lightly thumping against the ground as if agitated.

“Darling…” As I continued to stare at her, she muttered something in her sleep. “Come back… safely… zzz…”

I felt my heart melt at her words.

I discarded my clothes and didn’t bother picking them up, and then I lifted the covers and climbed into the bed, which creaked a little as my weight was added to Lin’s.

As if she could sense my presence, Lin cuddled up to me. Her naked chest pressed into me as she tucked her head underneath my chin. Her arms and tail wrapped around my body as though seeking my warmth. I sighed and wrapped my arms around her in return. It was still uncomfortable letting this girl sleep with me, especially when I hadn’t slept with Kari yet, but at least for tonight, I would indulge Lin and share my bed with her.

***

Hagen Leucht was sleeping when a presence suddenly appeared beside his bed. His eyes snapped open and he sat up, pushing away the arm resting on his chest, and then glanced at the cloaked figure standing naught half a meter away. The man wore a large cloak that covered his entire body. A hood had been thrown over his head, and it kept Hagen from seeing his face.

“Skygge,” he said with a frown.

“Ke ke ke. Lord Leucht.” The cloaked man known as Skygge bowed before him, but he couldn’t sense a hint of sincerity in that bow.

His two concubines were still sleeping peacefully. He glanced at their naked, nubile flesh. Both of them were woman whom he had conquered after thoroughly defeating them in combat. They had agreed to become his after that. He hadn’t sired a child with either of them, and he probably never would. After the death of his wife, he stopped caring for such things.

“You know better than to interrupt my rest.” He glanced back at Skygge. “Knowing that, you must surely have a good reason for doing so now.”

“I have just received dire news that I believe you should hear,” Skygge said. “It’s important enough that it couldn’t wait until later.”

“What is this news?”

“Your son attempted to kidnap Fay Valstine,” Skygge announced, causing Hagen to narrow his eyes. “He actually succeeded after hiring a pair of mercenaries and took the girl to your estate out in the countryside. However…” The cloaked man paused. “Ke ke ke. It seems he had greatly underestimated Eryk’s resolve. The young man cooperated with Princess Kari and a group of Nevarian Spiritualists led by Hellen Brynhild to attack your estate and rescue Fay Valstine. Your son was killed.”

Hagen took a slow, deep breath as fire burned his throat. Smoke poured from his mouth and nose. His normally dark eyes became a fierce red as he stared at Skygge.

“Are you telling me that Eryk Veiger killed my son and heir?” he asked.

“No, I am afraid Eryk had not laid a hand on your son. Ke ke ke.” It was impossible to see Skygge’s face with that strange cloak of his, but Hagen had the sense that he was smiling. “The one who killed Master Grant was Kari Astralia.”

While Hagen made sure to keep his face impassive, his teeth were gnashing together behind his closed mouth. He remained silent for a moment. Then he made a decision.

“I want you to begin accelerating our plans,” he said. “You may begin by killing off Eryk Veiger and Kari Astralia. Be sure to make it look like an accident.”

“Of course. Ke ke ke. I will do as you command.”

With a hollow laugh, Skygge slowly melted into the shadows around the ground, leaving Hagen alone to his rage. More smoke poured from his nose as he took deep breaths. Looking at his hands, he clenched them into fists as he struggled not to unleash his Spiritual Aura. He didn’t particularly care if these two women burned to death, but he was at least practical enough to realize that he would need to have one of them produce him an heir now.

“Eryk Veiger. Kari Astralia. Fay Valstine,” he said those names slowly, his mind boiling over. “I didn’t plan on doing anything to them yet, but now that it has come to this, I will not allow them to escape my wrath. Those three will most assuredly die.”