KAPPA 67 (Patreon)

After nearly five hours of waiting, Cairn heard the Guardian's Chamber opening, his pupils contracting as Vira withdrew her head from his cock, having just finished cleaning it.

"I'll be waiting if you die again," said Vira, punctuating her words with a wink before disappearing. Seconds later, Kaia, Tarou, and Zarah emerged from the chamber, the latter questioning, "Are you sure that idiot will be out here...?"

Having donned his clothes, shields, and armor instantly, Cairn, standing with crossed arms, responded, "That's not a very nice thing to say..."

Seeing Cairn, Zarah's eyes widened to their limits, a look of incredulity adorning her face as she asked, "How the hell are you here? There's no way you could have revived at the Church and returned here in the time it took us to defeat the Guardian."

Shrugging his shoulders, Cairn replied, "That isn't important right now. We still have a job to do. And, besides, everyone has their secrets. Unless you want to start sharing, don't expect me to expose mine."

Clicking her tongue, Zarah was about to tell Cairn he could fuck off and eat a dick, but her sensitive nose caught a whiff of something 'telling.' His body reeked of arousal and pheromones that belonged to neither her nor Kaia, causing a certain realization to strike her like a hammer to the head.

Noticing Zarah freeze, her golden eyes trembling, Cairn, caressing Kaia's head, perked his brows and asked, "What's wrong...?" while activating his Insight.

Feeling a mix of fear and anger, Zarah frowned but controlled her voice as she remarked, "You have the fragrance of an unfamiliar woman on you. It fills this entire area..."

Instead of directly questioning Zarah's assertion, Cairn looked to Kaia, the latter nodding in confirmation. Unlike Zarah, however, she knew the origin of the aroma.

Exhaling a sigh, Cairn muttered, "Whatever..." before preempting Zarah's response by calling out, "Get out here, you dichromatic hag. I'm not sure what you're playing at, but if you're going to drop hints, you might as well just appear."

"That's a curious way to address the woman you just spent the past two hours pounding as if your life depended on it," mused Vira, appearing right beside Zarah. The latter initially became statuesque, awed by the sudden appearance of her idol, but when her mind processed what Vira had said, she regained a look of disbelief and asked, "You—I mean, Lady Viraja—"

Silencing Zarah with a half-lidded stare, Vira waited several seconds for the former's terror to build before playfully musing, "There's no need for formalities. We are women who have shared the same rod. Address me as Vira."

Understanding that the 'rod' Vira was referring to was Cairn, Zarah looked at him with a hint of fear in her eyes, shaking from her core. She knew he had powerful connections, but to be consorting with 'the' Maa Viraja...the amount of leverage that provided him was beyond comprehension. If she played her cards right...

Seeing through Zarah's thoughts, Vira remarked, "If you want my favor, you must first win my favorite fool's."

"Is that what you're after?" asked Cairn. "You want her to join our party as a permanant member...?"

Directing her gaze to Cairn, Vira replied, "I'm merely taking into account your nature. Considering how often you've gone at it the past few days, I doubt you would be able to 'discard' her. With that in mind, it's better to have her on the same page as everyone else before you face the threats ahead."

"I'll do it!" exclaimed Zarah, looking frenzied as she added, "I'll become a permanent member of your Party! Please let me...!"

With Zarah approaching and embracing him with a look of desperation, Cairn felt an uncomfortable sense of incongruence. Fortunately for her, the past six days of exploration hadn't been entirely unpleasant. There were times when he felt like bending her over his knee and spanking her, but even if he did, he would probably end up rubbing it until the swelling went down.

"Relax," said Cairn, reciprocating Zarah's embrace and smiling as he said, "You heard Vira. I'm not the type of guy who can abandon someone I've grown close to or fond of. Just promise you won't expose my identity to your brother or anyone else..."

Hearing Cairn's words, Zarah's doubts about him being the Champion disappeared, her eyes glistening with expectation and excitement as she unhesitantly assured, "Asim and I barely even speak. Our paths diverged long ago, so I have no reason to expose your secrets to him."

Furrowing his brows slightly, Cairn said, "You should reconnect with him. He speaks very highly of you and takes pride in the scars he received to protect you..."

"..."

Hearing Cairn's words, Zarah lost her enthusiasm, a solemn and regretful expression adorning her face as she hung her head. Asim had protected her from the attack of a Reaper Mantis when they were on the way to the Capital. If not for the timely intervention of the Priest traveling with them, he most certainly would have died.

"Sorry..." muttered Zarah, her voice faint as moisture spread across her eyes. She didn't cry, but realizing she had been prepared to sever ties with the only person she considered family in pursuit of personal gain made her feel ashamed.

"You've done nothing to apologize for," assured Cairn, taking advantage of the situation to caress and kiss the top of Zarah's head. It was more than a little opportunistic, but there was something about girls with animal ears that 'compelled' him to pet them...

Contrasting her usual standoffishness, Zarah squeezed Cairn tightly as she buried her face into his chest, concealing a sly smile. Her shame and regret were real, but Cairn wasn't the only opportunist present...

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Hearing the truth of Cairn's identity over tea and snacks, Zarah couldn't help smiling as she asked, "You're planning to build your own country...?"

"More like a settlement," replied Cairn. "The Dungeon we're aiming for, The Cave of Desires, will likely take a year or two to harvest completely. After that, we'll have a few years to complete Restia's Quest to enter the Tower of Ascension. I'm still on the fence about whether I'll enter, but it's one of several paths I'm considering."

"What are the other ones...?" asked Zarah.

Shrugging his shoulders, Cairn replied, "At this point, it's far more likely that I settle down and start a family. I definitely seek power, but only to protect the things I care about and to ensure I can live freely. I have no desire to rule, but if that's the direction things go, I don't mind founding a nation or city-state."

"I see..." muttered Zarah, a peculiar gleam flashing across her eyes as she mentally took stock of all the women in Cairn's life. As far as she knew, he wasn't 'beholden' to anyone, so if starting a family and settling down were his penultimate goals, there was a chance she could become more than a mere Scholar or Researcher...

"Ambition is good, but you're overestimating yourself," said Vira, nursing a cup of cocoa as she listened in on the conversation. Zarah's body tensed when she heard this, but before she could play things off or ask what Vira was talking about, the latter asserted, "The fact that you regard it as an opportunity automatically precludes you from contention. He might deny it, but Cairn here desires a woman who is borderline dependent and unquestionably loyal to him. You're much too strong-willed to become his Queen or Consort."

Though he didn't appreciate Vira's words, Cairn didn't attempt to refute them. Instead, he shrugged and affirmed, "She's not entirely wrong. I'm going through a bit of a phase right now, but if and when I settle down, it will either be with Elle or someone who has few expectations or ambitions for the future. I don't want a 'conditional' relationship."

Understanding that his final few words were directed at her, Vira licked her lips seductively but didn't say anything. Zarah and Kaia didn't need to know about their arrangement, and if she brought it up or pressed him too hard, there was a non-negligible chance Cairn would resist or seek a way to annul their contract. Even if he didn't, Restia could take matters into her own hands, something the busybody Goddess was known to do...

Seeing the interaction between Cairn and Vira, Zarah immediately gave up on becoming his future Queen. She didn't particularly care for romance or politics in the first place, so instead of mulling over what could have been,  she proposed, "Then, if you do found a nation, how about making me your Chief Researcher or placing me in charge of the Ministry of Education? I doubt we'll simply stop having sex, so I expect at least 'some' preferential treatment in exchange for you ruining my prospects."

"Ruining your prospects...?" Cairn questioned, raising his right brow with a confused look on his face.

"She's suggesting that you've 'fucked' her so thoroughly she can never be content with another man," mused Vira, causing Zarah to frown and blush. She was unquestionably seizing the opportunity to secure her future, but Vira's words weren't incorrect. Before meeting Cairn, she would only have sex maybe once or twice a month, if that. After spending six days on the receiving end of his ever-growing libido, she would now get wet just being near him...

'Seriously...?' Cairn asked himself, staring at Zarah with a hint of disbelief. He had definitely been going to town on her, but he doubted it was to the extent she was suggesting. If that were the case, wouldn't she be at least a little less standoffish?

Deciding not to overthink things, Cairn adopted a wry smile and replied, "Sure. I mean, it's not like I had anyone else in mind for the positions. If things develop in that direction and you're willing, I see no reason not to appoint you to them."

Though Cairn's words didn't inspire much confidence, Zarah adopted a smile of her own, her tuft-tipped tail swishing behind her as she stated, "For a nation to endure, a comprehensive education system is as vital as water and wheat. I'll sort out the specifics. You just need to provide the necessary funds."

"That shouldn't be a problem," replied Cairn, feeling it was a bit early to discuss such topics, but it was a good way to pass the time while Zarah, Kaia, and Tarou recovered from battling the Ground Dragon. The notion that Zarah was with them for the long haul also made him feel strangely relieved, so his smile relaxed as he asked, "What other positions do you think we'll need to fill? I'm planning to handle most of the scouting and recruiting before we depart, so if you have any suggestions, I'm keen to hear them."

Interpreting Cairn's words as a kind of 'test,' Zarah became serious as she began to list out everything she believed was necessary for the founding, management, and growth of a nation. Vira's presence placed tremendous pressure on her, but instead of feeling intimidated, her excitement grew as Cairn, rather than questioning or doubting her like her contemporaries in the Institute, seemed to listen attentively and seriously regard everything she said...

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As Vira had drained him beyond exhaustion, Cairn politely refused Zarah's invitation to have sex in favor of therapeutically brushing Kaia's hair and fur. Rejecting her felt awkward, but since they had decided to rest within the Interspatial Pouch, Zarah ultimately just shrugged before heading out to see what kind of plants filled their surroundings. Vira had revealed that the pouch was actually a kind of Dungeon, so Zarah had a lot she wanted to see, confirm, and study about its structure.

"How are you holding up...?" asked Cairn, running a thick-bristled brush along the backside of Kaia's lower body.

"I have calmed down considerably," replied Kaia. However, although her face was calm as she sat with her eyes closed, Cairn could feel the heat radiating from her body.

"Is there anything I can do...?" asked Cairn, his tone tentative, barely a whisper. In response, Kaia's eyes opened, her wine-red eyes meeting his as they stared at each other for several seconds, completely silent. Then, with an affectionate smile, Kaia bumped her head against Cairn and said, "Thank you...but if it's just this much, I'll be able to endure until we return to the surface. If you still wish to help..."

Pulling away from Cairn, Kaia slowly lowered herself onto her side, exposing her white underbelly as she relaxed with her eyes closed and muttered, "Then you can massage my belly..."

"Sure..." replied Cairn, understanding that Kaia didn't want to become a 'burden' to him. She was fully aware of his apprehensions, so instead of attempting to force the matter, Cairn sat next to Kaia and began rubbing her belly, doing his best to keep a straight face as she twitched, moaned, and kicked her legs in response to his touch...

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