BXBX NOVEL Chapter 118 117: Heart-To-Heart
1) We hit 715K Views... just a few days ago we were at 580K... this is so utterly insane man... I never really thought that something I started on a whim would garner so much attention! Besides that, this week we broke 400 Powerstones, which is also really cool! Thank you all so much!
2) A special shoutout to Darted_Table for the... 5,000 Coin Magic Castle!? Man was that something incredible to wake up too lol... I really can\'t thank you enough for that!
Kat PoV
Watching Leone bury her face into Jahi\'s chest, I held back a smile, enjoying the way Jahi instantly wanted to go and give Jillian a piece of her mind for what she did.
Besides that, both Anput and I heard Jahi say "I have something special in for us..." to the Vampire, making the Jackalkin turn towards me with an anticipatory gaze.
Giving her a nod, I returned my attention to the pit, where Greselda quickly brought an unfortunate classmate to her knees, her dagger pressed against the feathered girls throat.
"Miss Greselda wins!"
Glancing at Hawn, I pursed my lips as I wondered just how close he and Jillian were...
After all, if Jillian had the help of one of our Combat Professors, things could get real interesting in this class...
"Numbers 49 and 2!"
Stepping out into the pit, I watched as the blonde girl that sat beside Greselda walked out, her eyes flitting about as she nervously shuffled forwards.
Bowing slightly to the white robed woman, I dropped into a loose stance, watching as she lifted a long quarterstaff in her hands.
She clenched and unclenched her hands, staring at me with a mix of determination and anxiety.
"Begin!"
Shooting forwards, the blonde brought her staff down towards my head, grunting slightly as I pivoted to the side.
I could very easily slip my dagger forwards now, either coming up from underneath and burying it under her modest chest, or stabbing towards her petite throat, severing her head from her body...
However, I had both a wooden dagger and was determined to just be \'mediocre\', so as to not have to really deal with all the uppity nobility in our classes.
So, instead of striking a lightning fast lethal blow, I decided instead to block her next strike, meeting her swiping staff with my dagger, the blow ringing up both our arms.
Jumping backwards, I stared at her as she panted slightly, her deep green eyes wide as she let out a shout.
Charging at me again, she slammed the staff into the ground, but this time the heavy blow lodged the staff inside the sand for a brief moment, which allowed me to step forwards and press the dagger in the center of her chest.
She sighed in defeat, before smiling at me.
"That was good! I\'m Countess Aurim! May I ask your name?"
Giving her a curtsy, I replied "Katherine Zara. A pleasure to meet you, Lady Aurim."
She let out a melodic giggle, cover her mouth as she smiled at me.
"The pleasure\'s all mine, Miss Zara! I must say, you were quite good!"
I shook my head, saying "It could have been better."
Which it could have; I could have easily hit her a moment after Hawn shouted \'Begin!\', but that would have made life here much, much more complicated and annoying.
I was rather content allowing Jahi, Anput, and Leone have that attention, supporting them from the side as they shined brilliantly.
Giggling again, Countess Aurim just smiled at me, before turning to walk over to Greselda.
Rejoining Jahi and the others, I was met with a mixture of slightly annoyed and exasperated gazes, as the Demoness just sighed.
Ruffling my ears, Jahi rolled her eyes at me, letting out a slightly mocking "Good job."
Keeping my expression neutral, I bowed to her, accepting her \'praise\'.
However, as I turned back around, Leone stepped to stand beside me, her eyes crimson as she whispered "What were you and Aurim talking about?"
Feeling her possessiveness, I held back a grin as I replied "Nothing much, Lady Leone. She just complimented me on the fight."
"Really?"
"Really."
Narrowing her eyes, Leone continued to stare at me before letting out a huff, crossing her arms under her ample chest as she too turned to watch the next match.
It was between Ulysses and the studious girl, Miss Grangeri.
Her long auburn curls bounced around as she avoided the Duke\'s precise slashes, and she ground her teeth as she lanced her blade, which was supposed to be a rapier, towards the man, making him grunt as it jabbed into his chest.
"Miss Grangeri wins!"
Ulysses frowned in annoyance at his loss, however I had to hold back a chuckle as Leone snorted in mild amusement, thankfully lost among the clamoring of the crowd.
"Jahi~ Why is this so boring~?"
Draka walked over, her small harem a step behind as she stared out onto the pit.
"Oh, never mind. That was..."
"Misssss Grangeri."
Hearing Rialo Meduso speak, we all turned to nod at the Duchess and Countess, and Draka smirked as she stared over at the auburn haired girl.
"That\'s another one I want! She seems like such fun~!"
Jahi rolled her eyes, asking "How many women do you plan on keeping, Draka?"
Pursing her thin lips, the Dragonkin tilted her head, holding up her hand as she started counting off her fingers.
"Well, there was that one adventurer... this Grangeri... oh, and there was this really beautiful half Succubus in our class... then there was that widowed shopkeep... Ah, let\'s just go with \'a lot\'."
Rolling her eyes again, Jahi shook her head as she said "Well, let\'s hope you can satisfy all of them. Otherwise..."
Draka chuckled, nodding as she said "Yeah, a bloodbath\'ll occur. However~"
Peering over her shoulder, Draka grinned at Fresca, who blushed furiously at the Duchess.
"Well, I think my dear Fresca can attest to my stamina and prowess~ After all..."
Stepping back, Draka smiled gently at the crimson Fresca, gently rubbing her stomach as she said "She\'s expecting~!"
We all fell silent, staring at the blushing maid as she squirmed in Draka\'s grasp.
"Wait, wait... You already got her..?"
Draka nodded, a giant grin on her face as she stared at her maid.
"Yup! She\'ll stay here with me in the Capital, and mom\'s even coming up to see her grandchild when they\'re born! Who\'d a thought that I\'d be bless so soon!"
Jahi nodded, staring at Draka with both envy and worry.
However, she soon glanced over at me, pursing her lips as she narrowed her eyes.
Actually...
Feeling everyone\'s gaze on me, I shook my head swiftly.
"No."
Stepping over to me, Jahi pouted slightly as she tried to say something.
"No."
Sighing, Jahi looked back at Draka, who was chuckling.
"You have to find a way to convince her, Jahi~!"
Rialo nodded, staring at Fresca with both immense joy and slight envy as she rubbed her own stomach, saying "It\'ssss both a blessssing and a cursssse. You need to time it wissssely..."
"Ha! We have nothing but time, dear~! Besides, if I remember correctly-"
"Sssstop! No more!"
The Lamia blushed furiously, her tail swaying slightly as she half-heartedly glared at Draka, making the Dragonkin smirk.
Walking over to Fresca, I smiled at her as I glanced down at her belly, making her blush again.
"So? Are you happy?"
She nodded, grinning as she stroked her stomach.
"Y-Yes, I really am... Even if she just wanted me to warm her bed, I... I really am happy with her. She\'s just so..."
Nodding, I peeked over at Jahi, who was in a disucussion with the Draka, Leone, and Rialo.
Anput stood off to the side, a contemplative expression on her face as she watched the next match.
"I understand that. I mean, I can\'t speak of Lady Draka, but..."
Smiling gently, Fresca and I nodded to one another, understanding the others convictions.
"Well, I wish you and the little one luck, Fresca. Keep me updated when you can!"
Fresca nodded, still stroking her stomach.
Moving to stand next to Anput, I was about to ask what was wrong when she said "Do you think... Jahi would want a child now?"
She laid a hand on her midriff, and my eyes went wide as I asked "Are you on medication?!"
The Jackalkin chuckled, nodding.
"Yes, yes, I am. Both mom and mother told me to take it before I came, and they gave me enough for a year. But..."
Glancing back at Jahi, Anput pursed her lips.
"Anput, I... I think that, while she would accept the child now, it just... wouldn\'t be the best time."
Turning her obsidian eyes towards me, Anput tilted her head.
"When would a \'good\' time be then?"
Chuckling, I said "Likely in a decade or so. We graduate in a few years, and then depending on what she wants to do, she might not be home that often. If Jahi wants to be an Adventurer, Knight, Soldier, or just stay at March Asmodia, we don\'t know. What I do know is that now... now is too early. Sure, we would all love the child, but..."
Anput sighed, frowning slightly as she said "The Empire really is just so... different. In the Sultanate we would be trying daily for a child, to create a large family as quickly as possible. After all, you never knew when the sands would take someone\'s life, nor when a rival would stab you in the back. Yet here... you all move under false pretenses and plan for decades to come... what if they don\'t come?"
I sighed as well, laying a hand on her shoulder as I shook my head.
"Anput, that was really deep coming from you."
Glaring at me, she was about to snap something when she saw my grin.
"We\'ll be here in a decade; hell, we\'ll be here in a century, and maybe even a millennia. You want to know how I know that?"
She nodded, and I took her chin and gently tilted her head towards Jahi.
"Because she won\'t let anything happen to us. Not only her, but the Marquess, the Countess, the Empress and her wives, your parents... we have some of the most respected and strong people on our sides, and each of you is immensely talented, Jahi especially. Trust her; trust us. Yes, life is different here, but..."
I trailed off, staring at the side profile of Jahi, loosing myself in her eyes as she glanced over at us.
"What are you two talking about?"
Anput chuckled, placing her arm around my shoulder as she gave Jahi her typical arrogant grin.
"Nothing~! Come on, the next match is about to begin~!"