Coye Vol 3 Ch 18 (Patreon)

The very next morning, Coye was the first to wake. Sunlight was beginning to pour in from the cracks in the tent’s fabric and from a few holes which Byng needed to sew or patch. There wasn’t enough light to offend the senses, just enough to make the boy stir and realize he was no longer tired enough to sleep.

Coye rubbed his eyes and sat up, only to notice that Byng was no longer at his side. A quick glance around the tent proved she wasn’t very far off. Sometime during the night, she shifted again and found herself in yet another bizarre position. Currently, Byng was passed out in a face-down ass-up pose at the edge of her bed, naked save for all the intricate jewelry she had yet to remove from the night before.

He blinked at the surreal sight until he realized it wasn’t a dream. Coye scooted closer and placed his hand on her shoulder.

“Byng?” He called out, slightly shaking her in his grasp.

“Ngh…” Byng grumbled, turned her head in the direction of his hand. Then, she leaned close enough to chomp down on it hard enough to sting.

“Ow- damn it!” Coye exclaimed, yanking away his hand and rubbing the wound. He tried not to think about how close those sharp teeth of hers were to biting a rather sensitive area the night before.

“Bit longer, Marzhak… still… sleep…” Byng grunted in between inaudible snores.

“W-Well, alright, then…” Coye said, retreating while holding back a few awkward laughs.

He got up and left the tent to relieve himself again, and by the time he returned, Byng was sitting up normally. There was an immense tiredness in her eyes, and her dazed expression made it seem like she wasn’t aware of who or where she was.

Given how full of life and energy this girl was at all times, Coye was a little shocked to discover that Byng was grumpy upon waking up. He would’ve assumed she was a morning person, but he found the revelation to be a little cute. It was like a new side of Byng was uncovered because he was lucky enough to wake up beside her.

A few moments passed before Byng took notice of her guest. She looked at him with squinted eyes, unsure of what to make of the intruder. “Short-stuff?” She grumbled and yawned. “What the fuck are you doing here…?”

“Um… did you forget? We went on an adventure yesterday, a lot of things happened, and now we're a couple.” Coye tilted his head. “We… uh, also had a lot of sex.”

“Fuck, that sounds all kinds of awesome. Explains why you’re naked, too…” Byng stretched out and rubbed her eyes as Coye instinctively covered his shame. “It’s gonna suck when I wake up, and you disappear into my dreams again, though.”

“No,” Coye laughed. “All of that actually happened. It’s a little hard to believe, but it’s true. Wake up, Byng.”

Byng considered the implications of what her hallucination claimed, forcing her eyes open to verify. When she saw him standing in her tent with the sun coming in through the flap behind him, it all clicked into place.

“Oh, shit. You’re right! I remember now, all of that really did happen. Awesome.” Byng yawned again and opened her arms for him, signaling Coye to approach her for an embrace. “C’mere, you…”

Coye eagerly reciprocated her affection, stooping down and hugging her. It was a nice moment of morning intimacy, but after a point, it became evident that Byng had no intention of letting go.

“H-Hey, Byng… Byng?” Coye shook her shoulders a little.

“Shh. Sleep time.” She claimed, fading in and out as he held her in his arms. Before Coye knew it, Byng was resting her head on his shoulder and snoring again. Could she be any cuter? Coye had trouble containing his over abundance of love.

“Come on, Byng. We have stuff to do today.” He continued to shake her until finally, Byng began awakening for real this time.

“Fuck. Right, right… you’re right… ugh…” Byng growled as she stood up and scratched under her armpit. She looked down at what she was wearing and went over to the nearest shelf, starting the process of stripping each piece of jewelry off her body and setting it somewhere she could sort it out later.

Coye was sitting on the pelt pile, allowing him to gawk at her big butt first thing in the morning. Currently, he was thoroughly sated and wasn’t in dire need of another round of fun. Instead, he was just doing what men did- checking out his lover. It was childish, but Coye smiled in pride as he remembered tapping that.

Aware that her ass was being stared at, Byng silently admired the attention as she asked, “You gonna help me process all those weasels after we eat? We can skin them together and stop by the market before heading to Suz’s place.”

“Yeah, Sure thing. That sounds great. I have to ask, though… two dates in two days? Suzette might get jealous.” He said, feeling playful.

Byng stopped what she was doing to look over her shoulder, her face like that of a curious cat. “Wow. Are you actually being flirty with me first thing in the morning? Gotta say I’m impressed. Loving the confidence, short-stuff.”

Coye smiled and blushed, undeterred by her teasing response. “You can expect a lot more of it from now on, I think. Last night really changed a lot for me, and I wanted to thank you for that, Byng.”

Now, it was her turn to blush. She did so with a deep laugh as she removed her necklace of skulls and stashed it away. “Hey, happy to help! Nothing makes a man out of a boy faster than some good pussy, am I right, or am I right?”

Pleased to see a certain someone in a good mood, Byng opened up a nearby chest sitting on the floor and started to dress from clothes stored within it. She donned a pair of black short-shorts made from stitched-together hide, a rough-looking white shirt, and a gray wolf pelt vest.

These were nothing glamorous, but it hit Coye that this was the first time he’d seen Byng wearing anything that could be considered casual. Something about it made him think she looked adorable, but then again, he constantly thought that Byng looked adorable this morning.

“Y-You look really nice,” he remarked in an absent-minded yet dreamy tone.

“What, really? These are just random pieces of crap I crafted when I was bored, gahaha!” She said, happy to have the boy’s approval.

“Yeah, but I don’t think I’ve seen you in anything except your adventuring outfit.”

“And that isn’t a coincidence. I made sure I only wore skimpy stuff if there was a chance of running into you, y’know!”

“W-Well, you don’t need to walk around wearing skimpy clothes to catch my attention anymore. Safe to say you have it.”

“I better,” Byng grinned and tossed the boy a matching shirt and a pair of simple trousers. “Catch! Your clothes are still super nasty, so you’ll need to get them washed.”

Coye caught the clothes and tilted his head. “Hey, wait a second… I thought you said you didn’t have anything I could change into last night?”

She raised a bemused eyebrow and smirked. “Yeah. It’s called a lie. Why is it that I would want you to head into my tent without any clothes on? Really boggles the mind, that one…”

“I should’ve figured…” Coye sighed, but then the two shared a quick smile at each other before Byng left to whip up something quick for breakfast.

After he got dressed, the next thing he did was pick up his tool belt and check on Shayla. It turned out that she was already awake, just waiting for the opportunity to present herself. She was significantly less groggy than his other lover, but she still let out a yawn as she was exposed to the world.

“Morning, baby…” Shayla said as she stretched, wings flapping behind her. Then she got a better look at what Coye was wearing and had something to say about it. “Oh, hey. Nice outfit. I see you’re going native and are already balls deep in the whole Goblin-fucker aesthetic.”

“Yeah, something like that. How are you feeling today?”

“Better. My mana is full again, but I’m still pretty tired… what about you, big guy?”

“Same, actually. I think I kind of want to take the day off after Byng and I get some errands done…” he said. Coye had wanted to potentially spend the night with Suzette, but he couldn’t picture it happening today. Not with how tired he was. Hopefully, his important visit this afternoon would make up for it.

“Hey, that sounds good to me. You’re gonna get a huge payday after you turn in those quests, so I don’t think anyone will hold it against you if you wanna take a few days to yourself, baby.”

He had almost forgotten all the gold he would make as soon as he returned to the Guild today. Even after splitting all the earnings in half, he’d still be making a pretty damn big chunk of change- especially for the Ravenous Boarman.

Suddenly filled with that much more excitement, he stood up and buckled his belt around his new pants and sat his cap on his head, lifting the brim so Shayla could ascend to her throne.

“Byng is making breakfast. You ready to go?” Coye asked.

“No use in sitting around here all day,” Shayla agreed, flying under the hat and changing her outfit into a more traditional, Fairy-esque blue leotard for today. It was very snug around the chest and had a heart-shaped boob window, interesting the boy greatly.

Just as they left the tent, Byng emerged from the other one carrying a big tray of assorted foodstuffs and two glasses of what smelled like some sort of fruit juice. Rather than introducing him to more cuisine from her Homerealm, the girl elected just to grab a bunch of whatever was on the shelf. There was sliced bread, cheese, meats, and various fruits and vegetables- nothing fancy to be seen.

That was ok. Coye didn’t blame her for not feeling like cooking, he was too happy about sharing another meal with Byng to care. They ate quickly and talked little, both wanting to get the day going.

Byng left to put away the dishes, not knowing Coye had saved a whole handful of food for Shayla that he snuck inside his hat while she was away. The Pixie was appreciative, but her appetite was larger than her small form suggested. She was looking forward to returning to the Guild where she could eat uninhibited to her heart’s content in Coye’s dorm room.

When Byng returned, Coye took out his hunting knife and followed her to a small crafting station she’d set up. On one side of the table was a massive pile of dead weasels, and on the other was an assortment of bags, ties, and containers to sort everything they wanted to harvest.

Before they even started, Byng turned her eyes to his knife and clicked her tongue. “Yeesh- no wonder you couldn’t skin an Owlbear. That thing looks like it could barely cut through butter. Let me see it for a second, short-stuff.”

“Huh? Oh, um… alright?” Coye obliged, holding out his knife for her to take.

Byng surprised him by throwing it over her shoulder. Then, from a pocket inside her furry vest, she produced a knife wrapped in a scaled leather sheath that she thrust into his hands.

Coye drew the blade, and upon inspection, it matched the one she used herself. Black, glassy, and so sharp it felt as if merely staring at it would somehow cut him. Before he could even ask her about it, Byng blushed as her hand found her messy hair and began to frazzle it even further.

“Things have a funny way of working out, y’know? It’s good that your hunting knife is a piece of crap because technically, this is yours by right.” She claimed.

“Byng… it’s a really nice knife, but I’m a little confused. What do you mean by that?”

She sighed, frowning. “It’s kind of embarrassing. You see, my Dazhak made a matching pair of these ordoghite knives for me when I left the tribe. One was for me, and the other was… gah, well… for whoever I chose for my mate… sooooo, here you go. A present from my dad as thanks for boning his daughter.”

‘How sweet,’ Shayla mused. ‘My dad would probably just laugh at you or try and prank you.’ She sighed, internally cringing at the idea of the remaining family she left behind at the Fleeting Bough all those years ago.

“Wow,” Coye looked at the blade in even greater reverence. Knowing that it was a gift from Byng’s father made it all the more special, and he clutched it to his chest. “Thank you so much, Byng, this is great. I was planning on ordering a Monster Stripper from the Adventurer’s First catalog, but I bet this’ll work even better. I just hope I deserve such an amazing gift…”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that. You more than earned it after last night, short-stuff.” Byng laughed as the boy blushed, and then she gestured at the table. “C’mon over and try it out!”

The activity was far from romantic, but it was something they could do together, which Coye enjoyed all the same. As he cut into the weasels, it became evident that his new knife could carve through just about anything like it was paper. The feel of the blade and its sharpness wasn’t lost on the young swordsman. Coye doubted he would ever have problems processing most types of monsters from this point onward, barring certain exceptions.

As the two adventures worked together, one thing Coye was sure of was that his pelts would definitely not be making him as much gold as Byng’s would’ve. Most were too damaged, but it wasn’t like he had a choice in how he nabbed them. He had Shayla to thank for the ones that were worse off, but that didn’t matter now.

At least he still had all of the bits and bobs to process. He would be gathering up their eyeballs, as well as their claws and their tongues, giving him a healthy amount of little trophies to sell to his new acquaintance. He would also sell the meat, even if they weren’t very pristine and weasels weren’t in demand.

Coye also recalled Snyther’s standing offer to buy monster penises off of him, but the boy restrained from harvesting any on account of how weird it would’ve made him feel. He wasn’t that desperate for gold.

Once they had been at it for a while, Byng and Coye settled into a nice and steady rhythm, making it easier to chat as they worked.

“You know, yesterday was a lot of fun when we were working together. I really wouldn’t mind doing a lot more questing with you, Byng.” Coye thought aloud.

“You don’t say? Gahaha! I guess we did make a pretty good team when we weren’t getting our asses handed to us by stupid, dumpy, oversized birds…”

“Yeah,” Coye laughed, wondering if she would ever be able to let that go. “It’s just a shame about your rank. Even if you party up with me, you can only accept quests that are one rank above you… if I end up reaching Gold-rank eventually and you’re still where you’re at now, you wouldn’t be able to come along.”

Byng raised an eyebrow, looking down at her current weasel and its lack of a foot. “Oh, I see where you’re going with this, short-stuff.”

“S-Sorry, but I never claimed to be good at being subtle…”

The huntress sighed as she faced Coye, wiping some blood off her knife with a nearby rag. “It’s cool. You have a point, anyway. I’m not against changing my mind… actually putting in some real work and grinding, I mean.”

“Really?” Coye couldn’t hold back his excitement. “I was worried you might not think so, what with your religion and all that…”

“Eh,” Byng shrugged and waved her knife around dismissively. “My God isn’t a big deal to me right now. Kuhrkakk sure as hell wasn’t much help yesterday, so I’m a little grumpy… but that doesn’t matter.”

Pulling on his limited knowledge of Orc culture, Coye quipped, “At least Sherge pulled through, r-right?”

Byng started to laugh, proud to see he was learning. “True! The sex was everything I hoped it’d be, and more…”

Coye blushed while Shayla rolled her eyes at the boy getting a big head.

“Anyway, what does matter is that if I want to stick by your side, then I have to start accepting more quests. I could give a herkahl’s hemorrhoid about whether or not the King of Feral Arrows approves of what it takes to remain by my man.”

“I’m happy to hear that. Not the stuff about your God, I mean, but…”

“Don’t mention it, gahaha! You know, If you end up with anyone from the Guild in your growing harem, we really are gonna have to look into getting one of those formal parties set up!”

‘Great, I’d never get to leave the hat while we’re out adventuring if that happens…’ Shayla grumbled.

“That’d be something…” Coye off into the distance and wondered if that actually had a chance of happening. He didn’t really know any of his Guildmates besides the Baddest Bitches, and though he was burning with optimism over his new lot in life, he still couldn’t see it.

It didn’t take long to finish processing their kills. In under a half-hour, they had everything packaged up nicely. Byng was keeping all of her materials, although she was kind enough to donate all of her weasel’s eyeballs to Coye’s house and card game fund.

Once they were done, Byng prepared a large backpack for him to carry both his parts and his dirty clothes. Lastly, she deposited all of their proof of kills into one of her Bags of Holding, and once Coye strapped on his bandolier, they were ready to go.

As they set off, Coye looked back at Byng’s camp with a warm smile. He knew it wouldn’t be the last time he’d be visiting, and he couldn’t wait for the next.

They left Cransmere the day before, neither really knowing what was going to happen, but today  they returned as an official couple. It was surprising just how much can change in a single day, but Coye was learning that surprises weren’t a bad thing by any means.

By the time they arrived, it had just turned afternoon, and the market was starting to get busy. The odd village people were running their errands, going from stall to stall and haggling about the prices of this and that. As usual, a few eyes lit up once Coye was present, but just as many were on Byng. There seemed to be less so than yesterday, so word must’ve gotten around, and it wasn’t as surprising to see the two of them together.

Coye hit up some of his usual places, selling the meat for 12G a piece and a tanner taking the pelts for 8G, leaving his market total at a respectable 340G. For the rest, he’d have to visit Snyther. He considered looking around to find another alchemist but eventually decided that it was better to default to the devil he knew versus the devil he didn’t.

While they were there, Byng was having a grand old time. She darted between stalls, inspecting all sorts of wires in rapid succession. Despite admitting that she didn’t buy things often or visit the market regularly, her curiosity seemed to have absolutely no bounds. Byng asked every merchant she came across an inquisition’s worth of questions about each item she was interested in, often to the point where it would visibly annoy the seller, eagerly absorbing the information and filing it away in her brain for later.

Coye was a little embarrassed by her actions, given how much he didn’t like standing out in public, but he knew that was just how Byng was and that she didn’t mean anything by it. Besides, it was fun to watch her zipping around, soaking in all of the sights while marching to the beat of her own drum, caring little for what everyone else thought of her.

An hour had passed once Byng ran out of things she was interested in, forcing them to move on to the next item on their agenda. Despite its numerous and nigh supernatural problems, Cransmere was a decent town. The thing about decent towns, though, is that there’s always a place where you could find all of its shadiness congregating.

For Cransmere, that place was Lettimore street.

It was a back alley on the southeast side of town, where unsavory types could be found doing their business out in the open or in one of the many taverns, brothels, and gambling dens that made up the street. Coye had been here a few times, once when Suzette (who was oddly familiar with the area, come to think of it) gave him the grand tour of the city two years ago, and here and there when he’d accepted a quest that required him to meet with the client.

Nothing good could be found on Lettimore street- it was like Cransmere’s own Little Dewhurst. Thus, Coye tended to avoid it.

‘Woah, you didn’t tell me there was a place in town where anything fun happens! We need to hang around here more, baby!’ Shayla remarked as she watched a pair of rogues graduate from playing a round of five-finger filet to just up and stabbing each other.

Coye noted his partner’s interest and then promptly disregarded it.

Given that his alchemist acquaintance hadn’t even told him the name of the shop, Coye was worried that he wouldn’t be able to find the place. Those concerns proved unnecessary, as although there were plenty of so-called ‘street alchemists’ trying to sling potions to anyone who would listen, there was only one actual alchemy store on the street.

It was hardly a store, more of a dark and rundown little shack in the back of an alleyway. The only indication that there was a store at all was a sign pointing in its direction. The place was named ‘Whose Brews,’ and once it was in their sight, they headed toward it with apprehension.

Shayla's interest in Lettimore street did not extend to Whose Brews. They hadn’t even stepped in the door yet, and she was already trembling. It gave her bad vibes, but she tried to keep it to herself long enough for Coye to do his business and leave. This got much harder after Coye and Byng shared an uncertain glance at each other and actually entered the store.

Whose Brews was darker than even the dimly-lit Adventurers Guild by a great deal, and the only light source came from a chandelier hanging from the ceiling in the center of the room. With only five blue-flamed candles burning within it, it didn’t do much of a good job illuminating the wares, which littered ten shelves pushed up against the walls.

From what little Coye could see, there were many bottles of brightly colored liquids, some of them glowing and translucent in the darkness. He also recognized a good number of plants and mushrooms scattered around haphazardly, and then there were various other ingredients that he couldn’t guess what they were supposed to be.

Coupled with the cauldrons taking up a bunch of the store’s floor space and the numerous types of glassware on the shelves, it seemed that this place wasn’t only for selling potions and acted as a supplier for other alchemists. There was a counter and door to the back rooms, but the owner was nowhere to be found.

Shayla was sweating. On every shelf, she found something new that terrified her, and her shaking was now noticeable to Coye.

“Hey, can you give me a second?” Coye asked Byng as he pointed off in the direction of what would most likely be the most unpleasant restroom he’d ever made use of.

“Sure thing, I’m in no hurry!” Byng said, already breaking off from him to go and look at all the weird stuff on display.

Coye made it to the predictably disgusting restroom and wasted no time in absorbing the details of its filth. He removed his hat and took Shayla into his palm, seeing immediately how rough a state she was in.

“Shayla? What’s going on?”

“Nothing- fine. I’m fine, I mean. Fine, fine, fine.” She muttered, her eyes dull and her body listless.

“Shayla-”

“What do you want me to say? You already know I don’t like alchemists. I can’t help that I’m scared of them!” Shayla barked, losing what was left of her cool at the drop of a hat. This must’ve made her notice how intense she was acting, as she took a deep breath and tried steadying herself.

It didn’t work.

Shayla could only hear the sounds of screaming and the rusty hinges of an iron cage being shut. She tried not to think about it, to push those memories where they belonged, but she couldn’t. Not when there was a decent chance that this was the place where…

No- Shayla repressed it.

“Look, if you want, I can have Byng sell the stuff for me, and you and I can duck out. I don’t want to be here if you’re this uncomfortable.” Coye offered.

“No, no. Don’t worry about me. You said that one of Britni’s friends is an alchemist, right?”

“Yeah, that would be Tiphanie-”

“Exactly. So either way, I’m gonna have to get used to being around them sooner or later… and I’m sure they’re not all kidnapping Pixie killers…”

“Shayla…” Coye looked at her with a deep frown on his face. He didn’t think it was healthy for her to justify it like this, but he didn’t want to risk arguing with Shayla and setting her mood off even worse.

“Just get things done as quickly as you can so we can head off to Suzette’s, ok, baby?” Shayla said, closing her eyes and taking another deep breath.

Coye relented, and they left the bathroom to do just that.

He found Byng over at one of the furthest potion racks, and she held a sickly green bottle in her hand. She was about to shake it when she noticed Coye return, at which point she came over to join him. Together, they made their way to the front desk, where a bell was built into a horned skull. He pressed down on the button, and from the back room came a series of threatening cackles in response to the ringing.

“Be with you in just a moment, my dearest, most treasured and valued customer…” the suspicious store owner said from afar.

Byng looked at Coye, asking, “Where in the fuck did you say you found this guy again?”

Coye shrugged. “I was just in the market looking around for any alchemists, and-”

The man burst onto the scene after opening the door behind the counter. Multi-colored smoke billowed into the room from behind him, swirling in his wake. Mervis Snyther looked just as shady as the last time Coye saw him, and today he wore a thick pair of goggles, long rubber gloves that went up to his sleeves, and the number of stains on his robes rivaled Dorothy at her worst.

He looked at the pair of adventurers and rubbed his hands together while focusing on Coye. “Ah, excellent, excellent. The girl from yesterday. I wasn’t expecting you so soon.”

Byng snorted as Coye sighed. This time, he found the energy to correct his acquaintance. “I’m not a girl, but whatever. I have things to sell you if you’re interested.”

Snyther lifted the goggles from his eyes and looked Byng over top to bottom. “Quite right, quite right. I’ve no idea how you managed to sneak a live Goblin into town without using a Submission Collar, but I can give you quite a price for it, oh yes.”

Byng found this assumption significantly less humorous than the one about Coye’s gender. Keeping her cool, the huntress made her point quickly and efficiently. She unsheathed her ordoghite knife and slammed it into the front counter, all while glaring menacingly at the suspicious shopkeep.

“I’m not a Goblin, and I’m not for sale. I’m his woman- you got that, fargahrk?” She growled as she removed the knife, leaving a clean impact where it hit.

Coye blushed, and the man proved himself a coward as he raised his hands and trembled in his pointed shoes. “Er, yes, of course. What you do in the privacy of your own bed is of no concern to me, young adventurer, so long as you’ve got the goods?”

Coye was tempted to leave right then and there after all the disrespect shown to him and his lady friend, but he bit all of that back. He wanted the gold, and it wasn’t worth the trouble. He got out the remaining things he’d yet to sell, and the alchemist inspected each in great detail. Of course, this entailed a bizarre mixture of licking, sniffing, and prodding, which Coye, Byng, and Shayla could’ve gone without having to witness.

Once the appraisal process was finished, Snyther put out an offer. “Impeccable quality, simply impeccable. 220G for the lot- I take it you find these terms acceptable, yes?”

Coye sighed as he was eager to get out of here so that Shayla could relax. He was about to open his mouth to accept the offer, only to get cut off by Byng.

“Are you joking right now?” Byng scoffed and leaned over the counter, giving the alchemist a fiery look. “Do you know how hard he had to fight to gather all those? I don’t think you do. If you did, you’d realize they’re worth 350G at least.”

“Wha- Byng?” Coye blinked.

Snyther drew back from the Gengaggi’s glare and crossed his arms. “I need to make a profit on these, you know. They only have so many uses! 260 is as high as I’ll go, miss.”

“You’ll go up to 340 if you value this arrangement, and you want my man to continue with it,” Byng bit back, holding her ground.

The two then left Coye in the dust for the next five minutes as Byng and Snyther fought a decisive battle of words before it culminated in the girl offering an ultimatum.

“300 or we walk.” She stated, adding finality to her tone.

There was a short pause as the businessman weighed his options, followed by a sigh as he bent over and pulled out a magical lockbox from under his counter. “Very well, I know when I’m beaten,” he admitted, pressing a magic ring in his pocket against the lock.

Snyther then counted out thirty ten-pieces of gold, sliding them across the front desk toward Coye and taking the trinkets in return. He looked over at his lover, impressed, only to find her smiling back at him with a look of confidence on her face.

“What? We may not have gold back in Grurguhrohk, but we sure as hell know how to barter!” Byng joked, clasping her hand onto his back.

“That’s for sure,” Coye observed.

At the mention of Byng’s Homerealm, the alchemist's ears perked, and his eyebrows were raised. “Pardon me,” he interjected. “But did I hear you correctly when you said Grurguhrohk?”

“…Yes?” Byng looked back at the man, weary to be done acknowledging his existence.

“You wouldn’t happen to have access to any freshly severed Orc-”

Byng raised a finger to Snyther, albeit not the one she was tempted to. “Yeah, so, here’s the thing,” she said as she met Coye’s gaze. “I have got one hell of a bad feeling about the rest of that sentence, so I’m gonna go ahead and suggest we get the fuck out of here before we hear the rest of it. Short-stuff?”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Coye shook his head in disbelief, and together the two left Whose Brews while blatantly denying the man an opportunity to speak.

As soon as they left, Shayla could suddenly breathe again, and she started doing so in abundance. ‘Thank fucking Titania. I couldn’t stand another five minutes there. That place just… isn’t right somehow, and I don’t think it’s because that guy is a gigantic creep, either.’

Coye took Shayla’s words to heart and agreed that something felt off about the entire experience. Still, Snyther offered reasonable prices and the convenience of not having to peddle to other alchemists. For the time being, at least, Coye still planned on using his services so long as Shayla didn’t mind. He could make sure he stopped by alone next time if he had to.

As they exited the alley together, Coye turned to Byng and said, “Thanks again for the help in there, I would’ve haggled a little bit myself, but I just wanted to be done…”

“No big deal, short-stuff. I got you! I’m ready for a change in scenery, though. You want to head over to Suz’s place like we promised?”

Coye lit up and smiled at the suggestion of seeing the older woman, and he nodded, “Yeah, I have something I need to say to her, so now’s as good a time as any.”

Byng gave him a knowing glance, and together, they left the grungy depths of Lettimore street behind them and worked their way back to Mainstreet again, heading to Darkwood General Store. They held hands, but Coye was growing increasingly used to it and didn’t even notice if anyone was staring at them or not. The only thing on his mind was how nice and natural Byng’s hand felt and the excitement of getting to see Suzette so he could do what was needed.

As they approached Suzette’s shop, they half expected her to ambush them as she did the day before. They found it somewhat surprising when she didn’t, but they figured she just might be busy. This wasn’t the case, as when they entered the building, there weren’t any customers present despite the sign indicating the shop was open.

“Hello?” Coye Called out, assuming she was either in the back room or perhaps doing something in her house. “Suzette? It’s me-”

“And Byng!” Byng helpfully added.

‘And the tiny voyeur who watched you have sex,’ Shayla snickered to herself, which Coye took as a sign that she was feeling better.

There was silence for a couple of moments until they heard rustling from the storage room, and out popped Suzette, looking like an entirely different person and the woman who met them yesterday. She wore one of her signature tight, revealing dark dresses, but her face was scrunched up in a horrifying display of discontentment, irritation, and darkness. Her eyes were twitching and red, giving off the impression that there wasn’t much standing in the way of her snapping.

Coye and Byng both instinctively flinched at the sight of her, but once the woman noticed who exactly was standing in her store, she eased up significantly, clutching her silky, gloved hand to her breast and letting out a sigh followed by an apprehensive smile.

“Oh, my. If it isn’t the precocious youngsters, back from frolicking about, no doubt…” Suzette said, closing the door behind her and entering the room formally. “You must forgive me. I’m in something of a mood today.”

“Uh, yeah. You don’t fucking say!” Byng laughed uncomfortably, prompting the widow to blush.

“Dear me. Was it really that obvious?”

‘Obvious? No, you only looked like you were about to knife someone in the back, Suzie…’ Shayla sighed.

Desiring to show some initiative, Coye stepped forward and took Suzette by the hand in an attempt to comfort her. “What’s wrong?” He asked.

It worked, and the corners of Suzette’s luscious lips raised into a little smile. “I appreciate the concern, but really, Darling. It’s nothing important, I’ve just been expecting a shipment of goods to arrive from Dewhurst, and things are running behind schedule. That alone isn’t unusual, not as far as shipments coming from that degenerate town are concerned, yet… typically, things are usually only one or two days late. As of right now, it’s been four days, and I’m starting to consider the worst-case scenario.”

“Big yikes,” Byng said, sucking in air through her teeth.

“Crap, I hope it’s nothing important.” Coye frowned and squeezed her hand, alleviating most of her remaining stress.

“Important? From Dewhurst?” Suzette laughed. ”Maybe twenty-odd years ago, but certainly not in this day and age. No, the shipment is mostly just clothes, books, and other non-perishables that I ordered on a whim because of some suspiciously low prices… but you simply must forgive me for prattling on about this. I’d rather not drag down your moods with business talk, so give me just a moment…”

Suzette pulled her hand away, disengaging from the conversation as she walked toward the door she emerged from moments ago. Before she re-entered, though, she turned her icy glare at Byng, who felt a prickle down her spine.

“Before I go and make tea, I seem to recall telling you that you weren’t allowed to set foot in my store until you had yourself a bath, young lady…” she reminded Byng, her voice like the crack of a whip.

“Gahaha, yeah, uh… I guess I remember something about that?” Byng’s heart sped up as her eyes shifted left and right. “And hey, I rinsed off last night! Isn’t that good enough for now? We just thought we’d come by and tell you how it all went!”

Suzette narrowed her eyes, giving the subject a little thought before hanging her head. “Very well… but this is the last exception I’ll be making, I hope you know.” She warned before disappearing.

A few moments later, she returned with a tray of cups and a large tea kettle, just as promised. She set them down on the front counter, replaced the open sign with one that said the store was on a break, and then served her guests.

“So,” Suzette clasped her hands together, unable to hold back her excitement. “How did things turn out with your little game? Given that you’re wearing matching outfits, I assume it went rather well!”

“Yes, well, you’re not wrong… I guess the clothes are kind of a giveaway…” Coye laughed lightly and scratched behind his ear as his face filled with color.

“You shoulda been there!” Byng beamed. “It was a long, long day of back-and-forth upsets, but short-stuff over here clutched the victory from right under my nose at the last second! Not only that, but he did it after saving my life from a real dangerous monster!”

‘I still feel robbed that I didn’t get to watch either of the finales last night…’ Shayla grumbled.

Suzette sat down her cup after taking a solid sip, her eyes open wide. “My goodness. I knew that you were strong and brave, Darling, but to think that you were something of a hero on top of all that!”

“N-No, Byng is exaggerating a little bit… I just did what anyone in that situation would’ve done.”

“Yeah, right. Not just anyone would’ve gone back into the forest in the dead of night, all alone, just to save one girl…” Byng swooned in an over-exaggerated manner that made Coye blush.

‘All alone, huh?’ Shayla laughed.

Suzette looked at the boy with a grim expression, almost as if she didn’t believe it. “Darling, surely you’re not serious? That’s…”

“A gigantic turn-on?” Byng suggested.

“No- well… yes,” Suzette admitted with a sigh. “I was going to say foolhardy, but I won’t deny there’s a romantic charm in risking your life like that for a girl. I suppose I can’t really comment on it, considering I’m not an adventurer… I’m merely glad that everyone made it home in one piece.”

“So am I, but I did what I had to…” Coye stood by his actions.

“Speaking of,” Byng cackled. “That wasn’t even the most exciting thing that happened last night! When it came time to collect his prize… Coye claimed me as his woman!”

Coye looked away and hid behind his teacup, sipping deep. This gesture did nothing to protect him from the dark gaze he felt from coming across the countertop.

“You don’t say!” Suzette marveled, closing her eyes as a deep smile spread from ear to ear. She dropped her teacup on the floor, The porcelain shattering into a dozen pieces as the burning liquid soaked onto her feet. “Are you suggesting that you and Byng are in a… committed relationship, Darling?”

‘Heads up, she’s gonna pull a knife on one of you depending on how bad your answer is,’ Shayla sarcastically warned.

Coye had thought Suzette was happy with their current arrangement, but her actions proved otherwise. That was ok, considering what he was going to ask of her.

“Uh, maybe I should tell the story in a bit more detail...” Coye sighed and set down the cup.

Over the next few minutes (once Suzette had cleaned up her spilled tea and broken glass), he enlightened her about the details of all three rounds of their Zurgarrah. Byng frequently interjected to correct or embellish certain parts, but overall the narrative was cohesive, and Suzette was thrilled. The older woman listened, enraptured. She was clearly living vicariously through the story of their adventurous deeds.

Whatever nastiness Suzette had brewing inside of her couldn’t hold up for long in light of hearing everything that had transpired, especially when they got to the more erotic parts, which Byng was more than happy to share gratuitous amounts of details on.

As the obligatory recap ended, Suzette was all smiles. Genuine, non-creepy smiles, that is. “I’m so happy for you, Byng…” the older woman expressed from the bottom of her heart.

“Thanks,” Byng blushed and scratched her scalp. “I’m pretty hyped about it too, y’know?”

For a moment, Suzette glanced in Coye’s direction. She desired to say something, but she wasn’t sure what. It wasn’t anything terrible, but a slight air of expectation was still coming off of her.

If he was going to broach the topic, now was the time to do so.

“Hey, Suzette? I have something I need to talk to you about while we’re here.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Suzette asked, doing what she could not to sound too desperate.

“Yeah, and you need to hear it too, Byng.”

“Yeah? Well go on, short-stuff! We’re listening. Remember, just think about everything we talked about last night if this gets too hard for you, gahaha!”

Shayla was on the verge of saying something nasty, but she bit her lip. Instead, she settled on grumbling, ‘Pep talks to fend off your anxiety are supposed to be MY job, damn it…’

Coye took Byng’s advice and nodded his head before moving on and beginning to talk about his feelings. “Last night, I really got to thinking after Byng and I-”

“Slammed it like you wouldn’t believe,” Byng interjected, only to shrink back after Coye gave her a disappointed expression. “Sorry, I’ll be quiet…” she promised.

“Thank you. Anyway, yes, after we slept together, I started to really think about life and what I wanted out of it. Byng helped me move past the guilt I felt over having feelings for multiple girls at a time… and now, I’m feeling a lot more sure of myself. I want to start living life and doing things I never would’ve thought about doing before, and if that means I end up having more fun with other women because of my condition, then… I’m not going to beat myself up over whether or not it’s ok to do that.”

Suzette wasn’t sure what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t this. She blinked and tilted her head, asking, “Darling, are you going somewhere with the chauvinistic monologue, or…?”

“Y-Yes,” Coye grew red in the face, then reached across the table to take Suzette’s hand. “I’m trying to say that if you’re ok with me even after hearing all of this, I want to be with you… just like I am with Byng. You know, in a more official capacity?”

There was a silence as Suzette continued to stare at him. “You’re asking me if I would be committed to you while you openly pursue other women behind the thin pretense of self-fulfillment?”

The boy gulped, realizing how awful it sounded when you put it like that. “Um…”

‘Told you that you sound like a total sleazeball, baby…’ Shayla patted his head condescendingly.

The air was tense until Suzette couldn’t keep the charade going, and she started to laugh. She looked over at Byng and asked, “What exactly did you do to this boy to make him realize all he wanted in life was to be a licentious layabout?”

“I gave him some good pussy?” Byng cackled. “I dunno, I think he’s always had it in him, and he just needed a little help being honest with himself, gahaha!”

“Y-You’ve got it all wrong,” Coye worked himself up into a tizzy and tried to defend his point of view. “This isn’t about intentionally seeking out other girls, more about being open to the idea of letting new things into my life and-”

“Darling,” Suzette smiled softly as she took her hand away from Coye’s and used it to cut his cheek, tilting his head to look directly at her. “I understand that this was some sort of dramatic, life-changing revelation for you, but surely you must understand there’s no way to phrase this that makes you sound any better. If there’s something you want from me, then you should show a little of this honesty Byng is claiming you’ve developed. I’ve already told you that I like honest boys, haven’t I?”

Although he was put on the spot and felt even more embarrassed, Coye grasped onto the silver thread of hope that Suzette dangled in front of his nose. He balled his fists, staring the older woman in the eyes. “Fine. I’m in a period of my life where I want to mess around and try new things, and that extends to girls. But… at the same time… I feel so strongly about you and Byng that I don’t want to string you along. I… I know it sounds awful, but I’ll do whatever it takes to make it work! So, please… Suzette…?”

The woman stared at him for what felt like eons, appraising him with her golden eyes. She didn’t indicate her thoughts one way or another, but eventually, she began to stroke his cheek with her thumb tenderly and turned to Byng.

“Dear me,” she sighed. “The way he says such morally compromised things while having just the cutest look on his face… there’s going to be ten of us before we know it, isn’t there?”

“Or more!” Byng cackled.

“Wait, then… do you mean…?” Coye stared back at Suzette with his typical puppy dog eyes, unable to hold back his glee.

Although Suzette had lived a rough life with a partner who never appreciated her, she found this prospective arrangement desirable. Being in a harem meant she would have a family of sorts, something she hadn’t had in a very long time. There were also the boons it might bring her career, but she could ruminate on that later in private.

Suzette didn't hesitate, telling him, “Yes, Darling. I can tell that your intentions are pure, and if you’re truly alright with an old woman like me… then I would love to be a part of this little harem of yours.”

“Suzette!” Coye rose to cross over to the other side of the front desk and give her a hug, but she wasn’t done talking yet, and she thrust a finger in his face.

“However,” Suzette added, her voice stern. “I’m sure I don’t need to remind you that harems are typically a privilege only enjoyed by the wealthy and the nobility. If you wanted to live a life of romanticized promiscuity, I expect you to put in the effort to make it work.”

“Of course! I’ll do anything. I mean it!”

“Good. I also have to say that no matter how large our arrangement grows, I expect you to never show any favoritism. I would rather you string me along than for you to treat me as a second fiddle… I-” Suzette paused and began to grow forlorn. “It’s just that… you know how my last relationship went. I was undervalued, ignored, and unloved… honestly, I wouldn’t even dream of entering into a harem if it was anyone but you, Darling… but-” When Suzette noticed the boy's insistent look, she halted again and waited to hear him out.

“I would never pick favorites!” Coye declared. “When I think about the both of you, my heart gets all warm and fuzzy, and I can’t stop it from beating so loud and fast! The sensation is different but the same! I don’t think I have it in me to-”

Byng and Suzette once again exchanged looks, their faces bemused but blushing all the same.

“Mayhaps ten was indeed too low of an estimate,” The older woman sighed, dejected.

“For real,” Byng nodded.

‘I don’t know how things keep working out for you, baby. If you weren’t as cute, pure, and innocent as you are, your ass would’ve been tossed on the street by now.’ Shayla smirked, enjoying the entertainment that this romantically lucky boy provided her with.

As the fires of determination still burned in his heart, Coye sought to make use of them. He pushed past being the joke of the conversation, drawing Suzette’s attention back to him as he spoke, “While we’re on the topic of ‘us,’ I wanted to ask if you knew anyone I could see about buying a house somewhere in town. I wanted to look into moving out of the Guild sometime soon so that I can better support this new lifestyle of mine…”

Suzette looked at him with no small amount of pride and tilted her head. It was rather manly that Coye wanted his own place instead of asking if he could start staying with her, although she wouldn’t have minded if that was what he wanted.

“Hm, that would indeed be a good first step, Darling… let me think…” Suzette said, thinking to herself.

She had acquaintances who bought and sold property in town, but something else came to her mind. There was a glimmer in her eyes, albeit only for a moment, followed by doubt and a shake of the head.

Noticing Suzette’s momentarily strange behavior, Byng asked, “What’s up, Suz? You look like you have an idea.”

“One,” Suzette admitted. “But I would need the time to look into it. Even then, I’m not sure I’m comfortable with this idea in the first place… but… I do so love spoiling my Darling, so I won’t dismiss it outright.”

“Hey, you don’t need to worry about it if you’re unsure. I’m not in a giant rush.” Coye said.

“I’ll think about it, so give me some time, dear.”

“Alright,” Coye nodded his head with a smile.

“So,” Byng leaned over the counter, resting her elbows on the wood. “Now that the dust has settled and we’ve both pledged ourselves to be short-stuff’s women, how about a group hug? Or maybe something a little more steamy?”

“Certainly,” Suzette told her new harem sister with a smile like honey. “I’m down for all that and more... as soon as you accompany me to the bathhouse for a nice and thorough scrubbing.

“Gah!” Byng trembled, even though she really should’ve seen it coming. “Come on, Suz! It’s a special occasion!”

“I’m sorry, my dear, but you already played that card. Put it back in the deck.” Suzette said, still refusing to budge on this topic whatsoever, leading Coye to have a rare laugh at Byng’s expense.

“Ok, ok! We’ll talk about it soon, I promise…” Byng pouted, which was good enough for Suzette.

All in all, Coye was experiencing new heights of happiness, the likes of which he never even knew were possible. Even though things were a bit bizarre, he had officially declared his intention to potentially develop a harem if it happened to naturally occur on its own. It was a big step forward in life, if a strange one.

As usual, Shayla felt a little left out. Even so, nothing could stop her from the happiness she experienced vicariously through Coye’s personal growth. She saw the enjoyment and love coming from the boy when he was with his two girls, and she felt special knowing he felt the same way about her. At least for the moment, Shayla convinced herself she was happy being Coye’s dirty little secret.

Many things still need to be discussed regarding the new status quo, but for now, Suzette announced that she needed to get back to work for the day. “I’ve Got to keep the store running, and besides, my olfactory tolerance is lowering by the moment. Were you still planning to stop by and see me later tonight, Darling?”

“I’ll try,” Coye nodded. “But I’m worn out after all the questing, and I want to lay around and do nothing… If I don’t visit you tonight, then I will tomorrow. For sure.”

“I’ll hold you to it,” Suzette smiled and bent over purposefully, making it clear she was expecting a kiss from her new, official lover. Coye delivered and then some, kissing the mature woman with courage and enthusiasm. Not one to leave well enough alone, Byng saw fit to throw in a wolf-whistle that served to make him red in the face.

Once he was done, Byng was already close to racing out the door as she waited for him. “C’mon, short-stuff! We gotta go turn in all our quests! Oh, man… Dotty is gonna freak when she sees what we brought back, gahaha!”

“Oh, crap… Miss Whittle…” Coye froze, realizing that he’d have to see Dorothy once again. Memories of yesterday morning flashed across his mind, his heart sinking.

With a raised eyebrow, Suzette inquired, “Somebody I need to know about?”

‘Not if I can help it…’ Shayla grumbled.

“Our boss,” Byng explained helpfully.

“Ah, yes…” Suzette recalled meeting with the Guild Mistress in question roughly two years ago when she registered the quest that led to her meeting Coye. Apart from that, Dorothy was a regular who stopped by Darkwood General Store on a fairly regular basis to pick up large orders of RealMonster cards. They didn’t talk much, so she hadn’t put two and two together when Coye was telling her about what had happened yesterday morning.

“I’m sure she’ll have forgiven you by now, Darling.”

"I hope so," he mumbled.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” Byng proudly thumped her chest with her fist. “You just leave that to me! I’ll clear everything up, right as rain!”

Coye was skeptical, and he looked at Byng with a frown. “I don’t trust you. You’re probably just going to loudly announce that we’re a couple now and claim that makes it all better, drawing a ton of attention to us in the process!”

Byng averted her eyes, clicking her tongue at her intentions having been so blatantly predicted. “Tch. Whatever, we’ll deal with it when we get there!”

That was far from reassuring, but it was the best Coye would get out of her. He slumped his shoulders in resignation, waving goodbye to Suzette and leaving the older woman to her work.

Once the two youngsters were gone, Suzette no longer had to restrain her glee and could adequately express herself. She pumped her fists in the air, congratulating herself on her victory. Things were official; she was in an actual relationship for the first time since her husband’s… accident, and although it was unconventional, that suited her just fine. So long as she was getting as much love as anyone else he brought into the fold, Suzette didn’t mind.

Of course, as a merchant with lofty aspirations, she also imagined what kind of things could come from this new setup. Coye was a mighty adventurer, as was Byng. If he kept recruiting strong and lovely ladies from his Guild, who knows how many connections she might end up with? Adventurers bring treasure, monster parts, and all sorts of things that lead to profit...

Maybe she could even open up other stores across the province? Yes… this arrangement suited her in more ways than just one. Coye was exceptional- she knew that from the moment they met, and she was happy to see him growing into his potential… however much of a promiscuous trollop he turned out to be.

Suzette had many reasons to be pleased with herself on this fine afternoon, and as she made her way to the door to change the time, she found herself dancing like a maiden at a ball. She twirled and smiled, only for her expression to turn to utter embarrassment when she saw Coye and Byng had reopened the door and were about to re-enter.

Coye blushed, Byng smirked, Shayla held back laughter, and Suzette froze her little victory dance in place as she blinked.

“Darling. Byng. W-Why are you still-”

“I forgot,” Coye looked at his feet. “I wanted to buy some more cards before I left…”

“Me too! You don’t gotta be shy, Suz. I’d be celebrating, too, if I were you! Gahaha!” Byng cackled as her face became smug and condescending.

Not used to being caught in a state of embarrassment, Suzette did the only thing that made sense to her at the time.

She kicked her new lover and harem sister out the door, her face red with shame.

“Out! Out!! And don’t you dare return until you’re ready to visit the bathhouse!” Suzette shouted and locked the door.