“More hynoar tracks. It's another group, no boots. They're traveling northwest.” So we have a pure hynoar-group heading northwest and a mixed hynoar-human group traveling south, both groups crossed our path.

I thought that only monsters are supposed to be here, far out in the Wildlands.

In fact, we fought them several times already, against some kind of grassy toads, a pack of great boars with horns like bulls, and some reptile chickens. The monsters around here are not very difficult. Except for Kyou-san.

She looks like shit, hardly able to keep her disgust hidden, but she's protecting Ara-san, while the alfr-girl casts spells. She's even using the [Cook]-class.

Is she seriously trying to get [Knife]-skills? Just what happened!? It's Kyou-san!

Well, she sucks like always. Ara-san sucks as well, but as long as she sticks with casting spells, she's quite capable.

Regarding melee combat... even with her [Acrobat]-class, Ara-san is unable to cope with it that well, unless she concentrates on dodging. I hoped for more.

She's just not used to it enough and tries to be flashy instead of effective.

I would really like to take some time to grind a bit and train both of them properly, but the main focus remains on the journey and to be honest, it'll still be faster if I do what they're not capable of.

It's a matter of simplicity.

Plus, I'm still worried about the squirrels, so I want to get away as fast as possible.

“I want to pick up speed,” I explain to the girls while pointing at the tracks. “Normally, bandits are supposed to be rare here, but it's the second group of people, which crossed our path for no apparent reason. Maybe there is a good reason, but if that's the case, I can't imagine it's good for us.”

It could be hunting parties, looking for a dangerous monster, which would mean, that said dangerous monster would be here.

Or they could be bounty hunters, and I'm pretty sure, that a bounty is put on our heads for kidnapping the crown-princess of Feuerberg. So even if we're not their intended quarry, they wouldn't mind catching us, when we meet.

The worst would be, that they're somehow linked to the squirrels. And since I'm suspecting, that the squirrels and the demons are working together now, it would mean, that a whole lot of trouble is chasing us, for whatever reason.

The girls have different reactions to my suggestion of raising our speed.

Rine is simple. “OK!”

Ara-san is eager. “I'll try my best, but we better don't overdo it.”

Kyou-san is still fighting her disgust. “I don't think I can do that.”

“Phew... try some stomach medicine. Like our cold, it should suppress your stomach issues." Being a hero has its advantages after all: "We'll compensate the exhaustion with spells and SP-pots. We still might overwork our muscles, but for that we have poultices and medicine.”

Even if we can burden our hero-bodies with much strain and can still force them to move, even if they're overburdened, it doesn't mean, that there is no damage at all.

We'll heal faster than regular people, and we can counter the consequences with consumables, but there is still a limit. Ara-san told me some details, with her vast knowledge about the hero-system.

First, you won't die outright, just because you're at 0 SP, but you will enter a state of delirium, which then might lead to death. Some of the alfr-heroes that returned to Aroahenn told her, that one of them died, by overstraining his body for too long.

Second, if you get too many sore muscles, pulled muscles, sprains, exhaustion, hunger and other rather small issues one after another, there is the [Worn Out]-condition, which, for some reason, is only curable by resting for a day. There is no known spell or item, that can remove it.

How random is this!?

Ara-san has many theories about how the hero-system changed our biology, but things like that make it hard to understand how exactly this is supposed to work.

Well, we have to challenge it for a bit.

After Kyou-san is ready, we're picking up the speed. I roughly guessed by how much we can move faster, without coming too close to any bad ailment.

During the travel, I hold Kyou-san's hand, she's the weakest link, and when she shows any signs of strain, I'll know right away.

Just cover it up as a standard hand-holding-session.

“Why are you constantly looking at me?” But she surely doesn't fail to annoy me.

“Are you alright?” Instead of explaining my thoughts, I decided just to make sure, that she feels well. I can look at her status, but in the end, these are just numbers.

“Since when are you concerned about my well-being?”

“Kyou-san, I'm just asking, if you're alright.” I don't have time for bickering; I'm still trying to figure out if I dare to lengthen the time of travel or shorten the breaks in-between.

“...” Kyou-san's face turns forwards, not even looking at me. “...I don't feel well. My stomach is still a bit upset, the cold is still ongoing even though suppressed, and-” She musters her free, left hand. Her eyes directly wander to the ring on her finger. “A lot is going on.”

I didn't ask for that. Is there any point to it?

“Also...” Kyou-san turns to me again. “You. Won't. Tell. Me.” She stabs me in the side with her finger. “You used to tell me, whenever you made some plans or had pressing concerns, but now you only ask Arako and treat me, like I'm some sort of nuisance!”

“You are-AH!” She pinched me. How can being pinched hurt so much, if you have a bunch of [Vitality] and HP? It just doesn't make sense!

“I may be a nuisance for you, but you're a pain for me. So we're even!”

I pick her hand from my side and hold it firm, but now that all four of our hands are intermingled, we have a hard time walking, so I release the pinching hand again. “So, why are you pissed off?”

“You ignore me and my opinion! All four of us are part of this, and even if I complied to let you make the calls, it doesn't mean, that you shouldn't involve us! You're only the leader in combat!”

“So I should involve Rine as well?”

“Yes!”

“But... we never involved her in decision-making before!”

“Now it's different!”

“Are both of you talking about me?” Rine blissfully chimes in, when she heard her name coming up.

“Phew... Rine, we'll talk later.” I'm still feeling unwell about the scene from before. “And Kyou-san, please answer my question: Do you think, you can keep that pace going?”

Kyou-san blinks a few times. “That's what you were talking about?”

“Of course. What else?”

“...” She clearly just swallowed some words. “I think I need some SP soon. Should I cast the spell?”

“For starters. I like to limit the SP-pots we're using today as much as possible. But keep at least half of your MP. We'll use pots when you're past that.”

“Alright...”

…

That travel pace is a bit burdening, but now, that we're finished with making camp, I must say, that I'm proud of us. We nearly cleared double the distance, even though I'm a bit concerned for another reason.

The number of goods that we have to use to keep this pace up makes it less attractive to do it repeatedly. Kyou-san's spells are cheap, as long as we don't run into a hard fight, but SP-pots and the cold medicine aren't.

We can replenish the medicine, but for that, Kyou-san needs to compound these, it'll take time and herbs.

Also, I'm not too sure, where we can buy more SP-pots from now on, as we're not exactly planning to hit many settlements until we arrive in Zethtrin.

Maybe Kyou-san could also learn to compound a substitute, but for now, she can't.

By the way, Kyou-san holds up much better than Ara-san, who just expends more SP than the rest of us. Is it because of her being an alfr? I don't know, but Ara-san needed the consumables the most.

I have to look into it later.

―○●○―

We're camping near a small stream, which was not mentioned by anyone when we planned the trip. Ara-san also didn't know it before, so we have either strayed from the course, or we had insufficient information about the terrain.

The stream itself is no problem: We can just jump over it. But every water source includes the danger of meeting monsters.

At least there are some trees and bushes around, so we built the camp as hidden as possible. We didn't set up the tents, just a blanket on the ground. Plus a small fire, for cooking only, but it'll take some time until enough embers are there to use it.

“Buh.” Rine is sitting on her heels and pouting. Her elbows are on her knees, while she holds her head with both hands. She watches me, who is sitting straddle-legged on a stool, right before Kyou-san and Ara-san.

Kyou-san's face shows her hesitation, while she's stealing glances at my thigh. Ara-san's ears are upright with a bit of waggling.

I sigh. “Phew.” It's lap-time. I was the one who suggested that, but I'm not looking forward to it. But it's better to do it quickly. In this regard: “Both at the same time?”

Ara-san's ears are blushing lightly. “Momo, he just told us that he'd take us both at the same time! This makes my body heat up.” She rubs her thighs together, and this is strangely arousing and disturbing at the same time.

Kyou-san rubs her nose bridge. “Seriously, Arako.” Then she looks at me or more like, the most unpleasant place. A small sigh escapes her mouth: “At least that's normal.” She should know, that I'll hear it with [Perception], but maybe that was intentional.

Of course, she's talking about 'that.'

Actually, it's already half-awake, it just doesn't bulge my trouser yet. But seeing Ara-san like that, makes my body remember that it was changed so that I'm basically into bestiality.

Or would it be alfriality?

Doesn't matter, when I don't focus, I have the hots for Ara-san. Same goes for Rine. And even Kyou-san, if she's quiet.

Remember, all of these girls are no-goes. Ara-san is from another species, Rine is clingy as crazy, and Kyou-san is a nagging bitch.

Is there still no one, who wants to trade with me?

...I'm sure that some sick bastard would kill me for not being happy with this situation.

“Let's just get it over with.” The irritation in my voice is easy to hear. “If we try both of you at the same time, we might cut time again and be more efficient. And Ara-san, I'm only talking about lap-sitting!”

“That's too ba-, good! That's good.” Ara-san panics a little, her ears are down and shiver. “I need to focus more, or I might end up behaving like a human.” She puts her hand on her chest, taking deep breaths.

Kyou-san is playing with the ring on her finger, while she frowns. “I like the idea of not wasting time, but...” She doesn't even end her sentence, staring at my lap as if it's a trap.

“Let's just do it.” I slap my thighs to show them my determination. “Just get over here!”

With open displeasure, Kyou-san straightens her skirt, while Ara-san just comes closer. “Left or right side?” She flicks her ears and then decides: “Right!” I don't know her reasoning, and I don't care.

Ara-san's butt is touching my thigh. She tries to find a good way to sit until she ends up with her body facing right,stable and balanced.

I check her class. [Acrobat]. Maybe that's the reason her behind feels meatier than I thought it would.

Stay low, son! It's not the time for you, yet. Maybe it will never be the time, but stay strong, don't be led astray. That girl is not human! You can not have children with... Maybe I could?

I mean, something changed with Ara-san and me, so maybe the curse really made it possible for Ara-san and I to have children. If the curse can make Rine a hero, then it could also be capable of making Ara-san able to carry my children.

Stay low! Don't think about it. That goes for you and me, son!

The moment I believe it, might be the moment, I fall for her. I mean, she's intelligent, we get along well, and she's somewhat interested in me, so when the species don't matter anymore, there is no logical reason to not...

Wait, Ara-san is a sloven, who can't even get her life organized, as long there is nobody who leads her. She may be good at her work, but she takes poor care of herself.

Plus, she likes sex jokes too much. So there are reasons, why being involved with her won't do me any good.

“Hey. Don't stare at Arako.” Kyou-san stands in front of me, her arms akimbo and in a bad mood. She inspects between my legs. I'm glad, that the lower armor parts are a bit stiff, making it harder to see. “And don't move.”

She turns around and let her body fall on my thigh. For a moment, she's wiggling, about to fall, and reflexively my left hand wanders to her upper body. Even though I was about to grab the natural handholds of a woman's body, I realized it early enough to switch to her hip instead.

Kyou-san turns her head to me but doesn't say anything. Her breathing is flat, and her face is a bit red, most likely due to anger or shame, but she's smart enough to accept that it's hard for her to sit on my lap that way without some stabilization.

This might be the reason, Ara-san changed to [Acrobat]. In that class, she has the [Balance]-skill, which enhances her equilibrium manifold.

After breathing in deeply, Kyou-san put her left hand on my shoulder and put some weight on me. I don't like it, but it's still tolerable. Rine often leans on my whole body, which is much more contact.

Kyou-san is soft. Her whole body is.

Rine's skin is soft as well, but she works out, so after a bit of pressure, you'll feel her muscles.

But now that I hold Kyou-san's hip, I can feel almost no resistance. It's not fat, just softness.

The way she leans on me is tingling some male instincts, I totally forgot about. Like the wish to protect her, even though I truly want to get rid of her. But without that fake smile, saying no word, she's currently so defenseless.

But why is Ara-san mimicking her and begins leaning on me? “Ah, my own Kenta-kun-pillow.” She even puts her head on my shoulder! Well, Rine did it as well, but there is a problem: Ara-san's ponytail is now in my face, making it hard to see or breath!

My right hand is slowly approaching her face and rips it off my shoulder. “No Kenta-kun-pillow here!”

“Buuuh!” Rine makes every effort to tell me, that she doesn't like it to be left out. Girl, we did it already today. Lap-sitting, that is.

For some reason, Rine stands up. “Don't come closer. I'm serious!”

“I will!” She's still pouting and doesn't listen to me at all. “I want to join you! It's unfair that you three have fun without me!” Now she turns around, walking backward with her butt first. It's her usual beautiful butt, which makes me crazy at times.

And she's aiming right to the point, where a god wants to rise, between Kyou-san and Ara-san!

“Girl! I have only two legs! There is no lap left, and the point you're aiming at is bad!” I look at the two girls on my lap. It looks like we have to abort this try since otherwise, Rine will join in...

Ara-san isn't even looking at me, she's more or less wiggling on my thigh, while her ears blush.

What are you even thinking about!? And stop looking so hot!

On the other hand, Kyou-san sighs. “Just suggest something different for her to do.”

That's actually a good idea, almost as good as just throwing both girls from my lap and running away. Nah, not so good of an idea, if I think about it. Rine will catch me and force herself on me.

At least that's the vibe I'm getting from her.

So I just follow Kyou-san's advice. “Rine, it's impossible. Is there anything else you want to do?”

Rine's movements suddenly stop. Her head turns to me, her eyes are sparkling: “Anything I want?”

There is only one answer: “No.” When I look at these eyes, I'm sure, that she will ask me for something like a kiss or something.

My eyes are wandering to Kyou-san, who still leans on my body, looking between Rine and me. This girl was my first kiss.

Stop it!

That was directed to my son, who's about to do ascension to a god, ready to create life. He wants to be freed and do his deeds. And he's constantly whispering into my ear, that I have three girls here, who are more than capable of helping.

“Pheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew!”

All three girls are turning to me, Ara-san twisted her body a bit, but still holds balance without any form of support. Kyou-san grips my shoulder tighter and tries to do the same, her breasts just brushed my shoulder. Rine just tilts her head sidewards.

After I let some steam out, I can calm down my voice. “Rine, just wait. I'm currently doing something, and if you feel left out, then it's a pity, but we already did much today. Now is not your turn!”

“But you just asked me, if there-”

“Yes, and now I decided otherwise. You have to wait!”

“But-”

“Rine.”

“Kenta, I... *sob*” She's about to burst into tears. What a pain! I have only a little resistance to this!

I could easily close my eyes and try to ignore it, but that won't stop it, I think. And I'm not able to cover my ears as well, I still have two girls on my lap!

I try to facepalm, but the normal motion would lead to me embracing Ara-san, which causes me to stop.

Kyou-san whispers something. “Just say to her, that she should stop crying because you like her smile.” There is a definite undertone of reluctance in her words, but technically it's not a bad idea.

Just that it would make me sound like some playboy, which would put me on the same level as Inoue Masahiko, aka Fake. Since Kyou-san doesn't have my good hearing, I lower my head to her ear: “Don't give me pick-up lines!”

Kyou-san almost lost balance, looks like my breath on her ear was a bit of a surprise. “Don't do it ever again!” She's agitated. “Then just say something nice to Rine-chan for a change!”

Ara-san chimes in. “Maybe you could ask her to be patient since you have some other idea for later. Then you'll win time.” That's somehow convincing, but I think it stems from Ara-san's laziness to deal with things, which doesn't interest her.

“Rine. Please don't cry.” We already did it today, but I have an idea. I stretch my right hand, the one on Ara-san's side, to her: “Here. You can hold it until we're finished.”

And the sun, which is known as Rine's smile, is rising. She takes my hand as if it's something precious and cuddles with it. Seriously, she kneels down, to put her cheeks on my hand, as if it's some sort of stuffed animal.

What's wrong with this girl!?

You gain 1 WP. Making all of your wives happy shows your capabilities as a husband.

Another irregular one. I often have the feeling, that this curse makes things up as it goes, but this would require some sort of intelligence.

If it was intelligent though, wouldn't it notice that I don't have any prerequisite for being a husband at all?