Juia_Darkcrest
It was near dawn when John finally left Brod's office. He was beat, the info dump the two of them gave him was beyond his ability to fully retain with his mental exhaustion, however he managed to take in the key points;
One, they wanted him to grow stronger as fast as possible, before revealing him to the world as a successor to Lord Reinstar;
Two, they wanted him to make further connections with other guild masters and senior adventures, both in The Republic of St. Shurule and other nations;
Three, he needed to hide his status from the church for as long as possible, preventing the corrupt human supremacist from finding him and trying to make him a puppet for their order.
Finally, they would protect him while he was employed with the Adventures Guild, but he would need to become an adventurer so they could do it in an official capacity.
They would set him up with a team of low ranked adventures to gain levels and skill experience faster, but would include a higher ranked party as guards to ensure his safety. They would also keep knowledge of the new dungeon a secret from the majority of the guild, allowing them a private area to train to become stronger.
There was a ton of background information on the exploits of Lord Reinstar, but that all washed over John. The man was a SSS-Ranked adventurer, created new nations, killed the st demon lord by accident of all things, created most of the magical tools used today. Oh and built a floating city used by the mage guild that could move around the continent.
You know, totally normal things. If it wasn't for knowing DEN existed, John would have thought they were on drugs and telling him a bunch of fairy tales. They were stone sober though, their drinks remaining untouched for hours.
They also went over the current political environment, but after twenty minutes of that John called it. His batteries were drained, the dose of substance X wearing off. It didn't help he was constantly checking their thoughts with his Scouter Skill, looking for hidden intent behind their words. Surprisingly, they were being straight forward with him from what he could tell anyways.
"Okay, I am done for now." He cut Galba off in the middle of him discussion the possible traitors within the church. "I can't absorb any more of this tonight. Just...don't bother me until after Lunch, we can continue this discussion then."
"Okay John, we understand, it is a lot to take in." Brod said, standing with John. "I hope everything we discussed tonight remains a secret. The wrong person knowing this could end poorly for us."
"Well, I will be informing Nanael, I won't hide something this big from my future wife, but other than her and the people you deem worthy of the secret, my lips are sealed...no dosing me with substance X when I am drinking though. Got it? I literally have no filter then." John replied, and offered his hand to them to shake. They took it and he left.
I fucking need another drink...no...no...I need to limit my alcohol intake. God damn it, this was supposed to be my chill world.
As he made his way down to his room, he let his thoughts drift away from the situation at hand. The Great Cleric is about to become a hotbed of issues he was going to need to handle. With multiple governments going to want a piece of him, he was no longer confident it would be the rexing pce he thought it was going to be. He needed to secure a pce somewhere that was not full of politics.
Fuck, should I try another door? No, that is going to add too much to my pte right now, I am barely keeping up with the story lines as it is. StarCraft seemed straight forward, kill zerg and protect people, but my understanding is that will become a warzone pretty fast.
I got a dead kid in the DxD world at my feet, I need to find out if resurrection magic is even a thing first. Otherwise, it seems to be an option.
I am about to go into a space battle with a bunch of people I need to protect in Infinite Frontiers, a battle which I am unsure of the outcome. I can fly, but can barely use my weapons...where can I train gunnery skills of all things?
Finally, HOTD. Yeah, there are zombies, but the government is in turmoil and colpsing from what I could tell...and Alec said I could go nuts there and no one would really blink an eye. I am already in charge of the group, there are no ws anymore. It isn't safe, but its uncomplicated. Set up a safe area, gather supplies, rescue survivors.
Yep, its solidified now. I am going back to HOTD once I have my spells learned.
John finished his musing just as he reached his room. The door was closed so he opened it and walked into a wide awake Nanael, sitting down on the edge of his bed, dressed in her guild uniform. The silver pendant, his promise, was hanging from her neck, shimmering faintly in the dim ntern light.
She looked up at him, an expression on her face that John didn't recognize immediately. "I heard everything. Is... is it true?" her voice quivered a bit.
Sadly, the first thought that went through John's exhausted mind was that he was thankful she did, since he wouldn't need to expin everything again. The second thought was worry, because Nanael's demeanour and body nguage was concerning him.
He took off his sword belt and sat it beside his armour stand to give himself a moment to think, but in the end, he could not come up with anything more meaningful to say, so he led with his old faithful, sarcasm. (Not the time John)
"Yes, it is true. I told them I want you to be my wife." He said, smiling at the beautiful woman while trying his best to not ugh at the exasperated look that formed on her face.
"No not that you...jerk!" She said, her expression becoming a mixture of anger and embarrassment.
"Why not? It is true. I want the beautiful Nanael to be my bride, to build our home together, to start a family together, to grow old together."
"Grrr...you know that is not what I meant." She said, her demeanor softening a bit.
He approached her then, grasping her hands in his. He looked her in the eye and spoke. "It is true, all of it. I am not from this world. A god sent me here after I died in my original world. Now Brod and Galba want me to be some...unifying force to bring the nations back together. This is not what I want though. I just want to spend my life with you at my side. Everything else is insignificant in comparison."
He then bowed his head to her. "I hope you forgive me for not letting you know sooner. I was hoping that my past, or ck there of, would never come up. How do you expin to people you are from another world? How would you prove it? I was afraid you would just think I was crazy."
He held his head bowed for a minute, not knowing what was going through her mind then. If he wasn't so tired he might have recalled the Scouter skill to check her surface thoughts, but right now, he could barely keep his focus on probably the most important conversation he ever had since coming to DEN.
She let go of his hands, then shuffled down to the head of the bed. "You must be tired. Here, y down John." She said, and indicated she wanted him to use her p as a pillow.
He did, taking his boots off first. Her thighs, unlike Rias', were muscur, but were still comfortable to y on. He could feel the power she was capable of even when she was at rest like this. He felt her fingers running through his silvery hair, brushing his scalp. It was nice...it felt like home.
"John-sama, there is nothing to forgive. Lord Reinstar, he is still pretty much worshiped by us beastfolk, even to this day. The fact they want to make you his spiritual successor...it is a bit overwhelming for me. To think I will be by your side while you go on to achieve great feats, it is more than I could ever dream of.
The fact that you would put that all aside to spend your life with me makes me incredibly happy and is more than I deserve. Much more. So no John-sama, do not seek forgiveness from me. Seek your comfort, seek your peace in me. I love you John-sama" She said softly, still stroking his hair.
"I love you Nanael." He replied, slowly drifting away at her touch.
"Sleep now John-sama. You need to rest. I will protect you."
With that John passed out.
Nanael stayed there for a few minutes, looking down at the man she agreed to marry, even before she found out he would be a powerful person in the years to come.
She had to prepare. There would be women being thrown at him in droves at some point, offers of marriage from some of the most influential people in Shurule and the surrounding nations, all eager to make ties with him. She couldn't stop the offers, but what she could do is limit her man's lust, so if he did accept any as his wives, it would be with empty balls and a clear mind. (Head wife - Check)
She was intimately familiar with all the adventures in town, more so than even Galba and Brod, as she dealt with them directly everyday. She would assemble his adventuring party, screen out the undesirable people, and ensure they were all of the right mindset (in her mind) with the right skills to keep him safe.
They would also be his new concubines, though she wouldn't tell him that. Not until he got to know them anyways. Plus, she needed him to do something for her first.
She reached down to his pants and stroked his cock over his clothing.
Yes, she needed to be the first he used that on, to put babies in her belly, cementing him to her for life. (Thank her friend for this view)
First though, she needed to do a few things. Like put her resignation letter in and update her adventures card.
I wonder if my armour still fits?
Later that morning...
Gulgar POV
Gulgar had just finished cleaning up the breakfast dishes and was about to take a break before getting started on the lunch menu. Lunch was generally simpler since it was usually only guild staff members there at lunch time, with the odd adventuring party around. He enjoyed the work nearly as much as being an axe welding shielder for their party in his past.
The hours were long here, but the pay was good, and he wasn't being tossed into crazily dangerous situations due to Brod's and Yaspers antics so it was a win-win all around for him.
Not that Brod and his brother didn't keep drawing him into their crackpot schemes.
"Can't just let the bear chef be a chef can you...nooo...you need me to intoxicate our healer then douse him with substance X so he talks. I tell you, that can't be good for him, there are warnings for a reason. You think they'd listen to me...nope! Just feed it to him, I will do the rest. God I haven't even seen either of them today. I hope John is okay." He said to himself, regretting going along with Galba's pn.
"Good, so that at least clears that up. Come with me 'Uncle'." A voice from behind him said. He felt his ear being twisted as bck figure pulled him downwards.
He was about to retaliate when he realized who it was.
"Nanael? What are you doing." He asked, half bent over due to their height difference.
"Oh you know, gathering all the perpetrators of st nights kidnapping together to have a little talk. Now come along, we have to go and find my dear uncles Galba and Brod." She said pinching him harder.
"Ack! Nanael!" He said, and was forced to follow her out of the room, lest he lose his sensitive ear to his clearly angry niece.
Damn it Galba. Never again am I going to follow one of your crackpot schemes (He will, poor guy has no backbone against his family)
Brod POV
He wasn't sure how it came down to this. One moment, him and Galba were discussing what else we were going to tell John at their next meeting. The next moment, well, they were on their knees in his office, along with Gulgar, with a very pissed off rabbitman walking back in forth in front of them.
Nanael was wearing her old adventuring gear, a practical, albeit now tight fitting bck leather jacket and pants with metal ptes sewn in the inside to increase its protection while still remaining silent when moving. She had a bandolier over one shoulder, with a dozen throwing knives sheathed on it. At her waist were two longer sheaths for her two long daggers, one of which she was currently holding, running her finger nail along it as if testing its edge.
They could easily put a stop to this, but something told him that he better not, not yet at least. She was like family to him and he swore to her father he would protect his daughter. Interfering at the moment would drive her further away, something he was not willing to do.
God, this reminds me of that time with Yasper. If it wasn't for the fact I knew Nanael's mother, I could swear she was her daughter instead.
"Nanael" Galba started to say something but shut up when her gaze snapped to him.
"No, I am the one talking here, Uncle. I have been the 'Good Girl' long enough, it is now my turn to say something." She said, then sheathed her weapon. "I put this gear away seven months ago, taking a position as a guild receptionist here, all to appease my three uncles in front of me, to be safe, to be protected. I agreed to it because I wanted to make you all happy, and I would like to think I have done a excellent job."
"You ha-" Brod said, but once again was stopped when she fred her aura, her blue eye emitting a dangerous gleam. To him, she looked adorable and he couldn't be more proud, but most people would be on their knees, shaking from the killing intent she was radiating.
"Be quiet, I am still speaking. Interrupt me again, and John-sama and I will leave, never to return." She barked at him, then visibly calmed herself for a moment before continuing. "Now, John-sama is the first man I have ever been interested in. He doesn't discriminate, he dotes on me, didn't try to force anything with me, and makes me happy. After he told me about what you offered st night, he said he didn't want that, that he would be happy enough spending the rest of his life with me.
So, you want to send my man into a dungeon to sy monsters and get stronger so you can use him to push some schemes to change the world? And you didn't even think to ask me about it? No, that is not how this works 'Uncles'. You don't get to change my life yet again without me having input."
She turned her intense gaze back down to him then. "Now, I am not against John-sama gaining power, authority, and changing our world for the better. Far from it. However, I will be the one putting his adventuring party together, and I will be the one guarding them until they reach at least my level so I can join them. I will be present for every decision moving forward as we are partners and what affects him will also affect me." She said, her voice radiating an intensity he didn't know she had.
"This is my notice of resignation as a receptionist 'Uncle', and 'Whisper' has now returned to the adventurer pool." She said, using the nickname they had given her when she was training under Galba to be a thief and assassin*.
Brod wasn't sure what to think about this new development. The only thing that came to mind would be that Yasper would be proud of her little niece, if she could see her now.
He missed his insane cat girl, but hoped Nanael didn't fall too far down this particur hole of insanity.
* - AU. She never lets the original MC know what she did as an adventurer.
Juia_Darkcrest
Announcement I have finally started a OG work. It will be a reader driven, almost like a choose your own adventure style book, and I think it has potential to become a really good post apocalyptic read.
The Narrator | Scribble Hub
I could use a few people to read the prologue and cast votes on the first direction I will be taking, deciding on 'Earths' new magic system.
This work will be taking back seat to DEN and MFGR, but I should be finishing MFGR in the next 5 months or so, then my attention will be on DEN and TN.