“Is that a no on the arm wrestling?” Grella asked when I stared blankly at her.

“My Lady,” the girl behind her said, “you mustn't introduce yourself with such requests. It only makes it harder to lure strangers into a dark room where you can strongarm them into fulfilling your barbaric fetishes.”

“You make it sound like I wanna do a lot more than arm wrestle her!” Grell protested, turning around and putting her hands on her hips with a pout.

“My Lady’s heart rate spiked upon witnessing this unknown Lady’s display of power. What’s more, your face is flush, your breath rapid, and your palms sweaty. I am of the firm belief that my Lady does, in fact, wish to do a lot more than ‘arm wrestle.’”

“Damn it, Dyona, what have I told you about monitoring my heart rate without permission!? Not to mention ruining my chances of snagging a hottie… or calling me your Lady when we aren’t near anyone important!”

“My Lady, it would seem you have failed to notice the woman currently held sweetly in our savior’s arms.”

“Um… Hi!” Lucy said, waving happily - if a little embarrassedly - from her current position. I moved hurriedly to lower her only to be met with disappointed puppy eyes when I did. A moment later, though, she was smiling at the newcomers. “I’m Lucy!”

“Lucy…” Grell asked, pinching her chin and tilting her head to one side. “Lucy… Lucy… Do I know a Lucy?”

“You study her portrait nightly, my Lady, constantly claiming that you will conquer her and then sweep her up into your arms?”

“Come on Dyona, you know I do that with all the pictures of hot women I own. Is she the one with the legs from Crownick?”

While Dyona sighed, kneading her forehead with her hands, I took a moment to evaluate the duo in front of me. The first of them - Grell - was… puzzling, mostly on account of her peculiar fashion sense. The baggy trousers and boots she wore seemed almost designed to cover her up and make her look tough. Her shirt failed to complete this look though, especially around the chest, where her buttoned blouse seemed to be almost straining against her breasts. Combined with her slender limbs and long blonde hair, I couldn’t tell if she was actually tough or merely halfheartedly trying to look the part.

Her companion, meanwhile, had an almost demure look about her. One mismatched with her viperish tongue. She wore black shoes, a black dress, and had a white ribbon tying her long black hair in a ponytail. If we were in the tower, I’d have assumed she was a maid. I didn’t know if humans allowed such loose takes on the uniform, though.

“Um… Actually, I’m the Heroine,” Lucy said eventually, choosing to grant relief to poor Grell who was still making blind guesses.

“The Heroine!?” Grell demanded before turning to glare at her companion. “And you couldn’t just tell me?!”

“My Lady was so ardently challenging her memory that I couldn’t bring myself to interfere,” Dyona proclaimed while placing a hand against her chest. “Do you wish to punish me for my impertinence?”

“And have you spit in my food again? Right in front of me, too… So disgusting...” Grell shook her head before turning her attention towards us. “Anyways… Uh… Greetings, your Heroine-ness! My name is…. really long and rather unimportant! Just call me Grell!”

“Dyona, your Ladyships,” her companion said with a deep curtsy. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Eena,” I replied simply, glancing Lucy’s way for guidance. She, however, was focused entirely on Grell.

“You look familiar…” she said. 

“I shouldn’t be,” Grell replied. “My family has made very sure we’ve never… I mean… Uh… Quick! Dyona, say something distracting!”

“Shall I confess my undying love for you?” Dyona asked with an arched eyebrow. “Perhaps my everlasting devotion and desire to remain by your side?”

“Something believable, Dyona!”

“I won’t press if you don’t want me to,” Lucy promised, placing a hand on her chest. “As long as it isn’t something that would harm us, anyways?”

“Hah! Even I’m not dumb enough to harm the Heroine! Or her companion, for that matter.”

“Girlfriend, actually,” Lucy informed them, reaching out with her hand to grab mine. 

A blush touched my cheeks as our fingers began to intertwine right in front of these strangers. I knew it was likely no big deal to Lucy - a simple romantic gesture - but to me it felt as if something terribly intimate was being done in public. All the same I enjoyed the contact far too much to pull away.

“Oh?” Grell asked. “Is that jealousy I hear, Heroine? Don’t worry I would never steal your woman from you!”

“She’ll just scheme about how she can bed you both,” Dyona chimed in.

“I don’t really do jealousy,” Lucy admitted before Grell could react. “And Eena’s free to sleep with whoever she wants! Personally though, I think I want to keep sex to people I feel things for.”

The way she squeezed my hand at that last bit sent a new rush of red through my cheeks. At the same time, though, her words confused me. What did sex have to do with love?

…Well, I suppose I knew the answer to that. At least, I knew what people on Earth would have said. That love and sex are intertwined and that it’s worth saving yourself for someone you have feelings for… Personally, I just couldn’t understand it. Yes, sex was better with emotions - undeniably so, at least for me - but even random flings would still be sex. Yes, I suppose there was a higher chance of something going wrong, but by and large it still felt good. Just because I’d pick one over the other didn’t mean I saw a reason not to indulge in both.

At the same time, though, if Lucy was abstaining…

Lucy squeezed my fingers again as if she knew what I was thinking. Perhaps she did. The bright smile on her face was certainly easy enough for me to read - it was reassurance to do whatever I thought right.

Still, I shook my head. “My bed is full enough, for the time being. I certainly wouldn’t mind a session or two at a future date - if we hit it off… Though, speaking of that, there’s still the small matter of how long we’ll be in each other’s company. I can’t help but notice that there’s a few things missing from your carriage…”

Like the horses. And half a wheel.

“Sorry, my brain’s just imploding from the idea of the Heroine getting laid,” Grell said. “I mean, you two aren’t married, are you?”

“I believe your family would have informed even you about such momentous news,” Dyona said, frowning between us. “Perhaps the Heroine means she’s saving herself?”

“Either way, if my family got ahold of this kind of info, it…” She froze. “Uh… wouldn’t be meaningful in any significant way?”

“I already promised not to press,” Lucy reminded her. “Though I don’t think I can avoid being curious at this rate. I still won’t push, though!”

“Our thanks, my Lady,” Dyona said, bowing again. “And to you, too, Lady Eena. Your concern for us is appreciated. We shall be fine without assistance, however - I’m sure that Lady Grell can simply carry our carriage the rest of the way towards Gour.”

“Like hell I can!” Grell protested.

“Oh?” Dyona asked, arching an eyebrow. “Did you not say not two hours ago that you could reach the city faster walking? Surely you weren’t positing leaving our carriage behind to accomplish that, were you?”

“T-That’s…” Grell stuttered, shrinking back a little. “I mean… I keep saying I’d have been happier on a horse…”

“My Lady. Did you not promise me a proper vacation? One where each part of my body could rest?”

“Well… Yes…” Grell admitted, hanging her head low.

“So surely you should be able to carry the carriage and me to Gour. Yes?”

“Well… I… Wait. Why would I be carrying you?!”

“Who begged me to include her on my hard won vacation?” Dyona retorted, narrowing her eyes. 

“Um… If it’s not too much trouble, maybe we can help?” Lucy suggested. “Me and Eena are on our way to Gour, too!”

“We are?” I asked, curiosity caught. “Come to think of it, you never actually told me our destination…”

“Well, I was going to keep it a secret,” Lucy confessed. “But… Remember those skewers we bought on our first date? I wanted to take you to where they were made - the city of Gour!”

“Is that so?” I asked, recalling the conversation in question. “Does that mean you wish to show me some new cultures?”

“Kinda?” Lucy said. “But I also just thought it would be a really good place for our next date! It’s also known as the City of Cuisine, after all!”

“...Cuisine? As in… different dishes? New types of food? Things I haven’t tried before?!”

“Maybe they’ll even have stuff made with potatoes!” Lucy suggested with a twinkle in her eyes. Part of me couldn’t help but wonder if she was teasing me… but even if she was it hardly mattered.

An entire city devoted to cuisine…

“Are you going for the Dragon Feast Festival?” Grell asked, interjecting herself back into the conversation with wide eyes. “Maybe we could all go together!”

“I’m not even sure what that is, but I believe my date with Lucy will be a private affair?”

“Well, sure,” Grell agreed, “but the festival lasts for days! We can hang out during one of them, right?”

“...Perhaps,” I agreed, glancing Lucy’s way.

She, of course, smiled. “Maybe! Especially if we’re all going together, anyways… I bet if the three of us work together, we can lift the carriage and Dyona without any trouble!”

“...Well, I suppose I might have something to do with the damage to their wheel,” I admitted, eyeing the reason why I hadn’t suggested merely pushing the thing. It wasn’t as if I couldn’t lift the thing with a single hand if need be.

“I think it was already broken from the rats,” Grell told me. “Though hey, I won’t say no to good company on the road! Especially when it’s two beautiful women and we’re all going to be feasting together!”

“Speaking of, is anyone going to inform me of what this feast is actually about?” I asked. “Or do you intend to keep me in the dark, until it’s too late for me to refuse?”

“Well, it’s mostly just a really big feast!” Lucy told me. “It’s based entirely on food stalls and outdoor cooking, though! Everyone makes the best, most delicious smelling things they can!”

“An interesting idea,” I confessed, trying not to salivate at the mere idea of such deliciousness. “But what does it have to do with dragons?”

“Well, supposedly one came down the mountain hundreds of years ago, drawn to the scents of the town. It was still small back then, just starting out! And the whole place could have easily been wiped out! But instead, they managed to turn it aside by bribing it with some of the food that drew it to the town in the first place! They satisfied it so well it left without harming anyone! So now the city celebrates every year, making a feast so big it could satisfy a hundred dragons!”

“An interesting story,” I remarked. “If true…”

“It’s a children story,” Grell declared. “Real dragons would never play so nice… but that’s exactly why I’m going! If one really gets drawn down to town, I wanna give it a beating!”

“And here I thought you merely wished for my continued company during this vacation,” Dyona sighed, shaking her head. 

“I don’t think it would be a very good idea to fight one,” Lucy warned. “I’m told even late stage Heroines struggle with them…”

“Is that so?” I asked. A late stage Heroine was supposed to be about on par with a Demon Queen. Strong enough to kill one, at least. If a dragon could kill them… Well, the very thought of such destructive power sent a shiver down my spine.

“Don’t worry!” Lucy said. “Dragon attacks are really rare! At most they usually scoop up a cow or something in passing… I think humans are too small and flighty for them.”

“But if a dragon was going to come down, it would totally be during this feast!” Grell declared. “You do see them from the city sometimes, you know?’

“Through telescopes, perhaps,” Dyona countered. “They mostly stay in the mountains.”

“Mountains which are practically right next door!” Grell pointed out. “And they do come down sometimes. Rarely. You know, to snatch a cow or whatever. Or they might even come to visit the city! You remember the stories about dragons taking human form to mingle with the people in town, right?”

“More children’s tales,” Dyona stated matter of factly. “All I can say is that we are unlikely to see any dragons this year.”

“Bah, you’ll see!” Grell scoffed. “You’ll all see! And then we can all go punch it!”

“Well, first we have to get there!” Lucy pointed out. “So why don’t you get in the wagon, Dyona?”

The woman in question froze for a moment before turning to look at Lucy. “Ar-Are you serious?”

“You’re on vacation, right? So let’s go! I’ll help Grell carry it!”

“I suppose I might as well help too,” I offered, shaking my head. “Let’s hurry. With luck we can make it to the city by nightfall.”

If possible, I’d prefer a solid inn room to hide my teleporter circle rather than a tent perilously close to strangers.

Even more than that, though, I had to admit that I was looking forward to the festival. To the feast. I just hoped with all my heart that despite the holiday’s name - and Grell’s multitude of flags - it remained a feast only for humans.

…Well, mostly only for humans, anyway…

~~~

Author's Notes

PS: Almost forgot, but I wanted to show off a picture from my friend Lulla! A family portrait, of sorts, featuring Devilla, Sallina and Nivera. https://i.ibb.co/D9bWXC7/Family-Portrait.png