After a fantastic meal, Kal, Ikuno, Kashka, and the others mingled with Sayaka's townsfolk for a few hours. Less than half the villagers left after eating, returning to their homes, businesses, or farms. Of those remaining, many had questions about Ikuno's declaration and the true origins of monster girls. Kal explained what he learned about Prentas over and over until he worried he might recite the story in his sleep that night.
Ikuno specifically sought out those who now had an issue with considering her a monster girl as well as a spirit. Kashka helped by steering them toward a few people who were actively avoiding them as they moved through the remaining crowd. These villagers often had bad personal experiences with monster girls, either through being abducted or having a man in their life taken, be it a husband or brother. The oni didn't try to convince these people that monster girls were miraculously good just because she was one, but she let Kal explain what they were trying to do by changing how monster girls approached finding mates.
It proved challenging to convey that some monster girls experienced powerful breeding seasons and struggled to control their urges. Interestingly, despite this being widely known, many people assumed monster girls, since they resembled humans, possessed the same level of self-control. Kashka and Kal recounted her recent heat, describing how her overwhelming desire to mate led to her attacking Kal, and explained how bad she felt afterward for losing control. They also talked about the rarity of a man remaining with a monster girl for more than a few weeks after being abducted. In such cases, the man's escape often resulted from a diminishing desire for sexual encounters as the monster girl's heat subsided or the presence of a male companion diminished her need. This, combined with the guilt of kidnapping gnawing at their conscience, led to 'allowing' the man to escape.
Many accepted this, but some townsfolk bore hatred too deeply rooted to tolerate any explanation. Thankfully, that number seemed extremely low compared to the towns and cities between Fazal and Lantaris, but this was expected given the difference in attitudes toward monster girls.
Eventually, the after-meal conversation wound down, and Ikuno made a final address to the remaining people of Sayaka, stating that she would be leaving once she regained her power.
"I have loved ones on the other side of the world who have not seen me in two years," she said in response to the crowd's disappointed groans. "However, Kal now has business in Silvermoon, which will require his attention, and I will be joining him on any return trips. If time allows, I will try to visit and hopefully be back once every two to three years instead of two hundred."
After thanking the people of Sayaka and the town council for the meal, everyone returned to the shrine. When they arrived, the sky had darkened, and only a faint glow remained on the western horizon.
Ikuno looked up at the stars peeking through the sun's final rays as the caretaker closed the gate behind them. "I'm not ready to go inside yet," she said with a faint smile that turned predatory when she looked at Kal, "but while my belly is full of good food, another part of me is empty, and I need you to take care of it."
"Then do it out here," said the caretaker's wife. "I'll ask my husband to stoke the campfire in front of our house if you want some light, but once the gates are closed, and there's no chance of children stumbling in on us, you are welcome to undress and make love as you please." As if to prove her point, the woman pulled her robes over her head, revealing a curvy body toned by her constant work maintaining the shrine. A small patch of neatly trimmed pubic hair grew above lips swollen with arousal as hard nipples capped breasts slightly smaller than Ikuno's.
"Don't mind her," said the caretaker, coming up behind them. "She loves showing off her body, especially to new people. My wife and I are at your service, Great Ikuno, and if you or your friends would like our assistance with your pleasurable nighttime activities, all you need do is ask." He looked pointedly at Asahi. "My wife and I enjoy the company of both women and men."
The middle brother's eyebrows raised in surprise before he looked at Yamori.
"You warned me this was something you enjoyed and wanted to continue even if we became a family. Better to try it now while we're still starting out to see if I have any issues," said the gecko.
"Why would you have a problem with it?" Ikuno asked.
"It just seems strange. Since we monster girls often become lovers with each other, sex with a man or woman makes little difference. But I've never met a man who enjoys sleeping with other men before, and when he said he would like to find another man to be a fourth in our little family, it felt... odd."
"Thinking about a fourth already, brother?" Ichiro asked, chuckling. "You haven't even become a trio yet."
"Just thinking ahead. Planning is the path to success," Asahi responded with a grin.
The caretaker didn't allow Ichiro or Asahi to build a campfire near their tents, but he and his wife had a fire pit in front of their little house, which they offered to Ikuno and her friends. Dioga, Zakku, and Ming declined the invitation to join them as they were in the middle of a serious discussion, judging by their expressions.
Once the caretaker had stoked the fire enough to take the chill out of the cool night air, most of the clothes came off. Chihiro was the exception. She removed the decorative outer layers but kept her undergarments, a loose shirt, and pants. The caretaker's wife also stripped before offering to gather their clothes and take them to their respective tents. She seemed to take particular pleasure bending over with her legs slightly spread as she took the discarded garments, showing off her glistening sex to anyone who wanted to look. Ria stored Kashka's belt and daggers, and Kal's bracers, but they let the woman take the rest of their clothing. She returned for Ikuno's dress and delicately carried it into her house before returning everyone else's clothes.
"Shouldn't she have gotten your dress first?" Kal asked. "You are the 'Great Ikuno.'"
"In Azum culture, the man is always seen first," said Ichiro. "A woman must be powerful in her own right and not have a male companion to receive the same treatment as a man."
"That's foolish. I'm not the patron spirit they held an entire tournament for."
"One thing at a time, Kal. We're trying to undo centuries of prejudice against monster girls first," said Ikuno.
"So they can be second-class citizens like human women?"
"Do you want to fight that fight with women who have been living this way for longer than I've been alive or with a bunch of monster girls who are fresh off the victory of being seen as equal to humans?"
"Ooooo... you have a point there," Kal conceded. "But in cities like Fazal, I wonder if either is possible."
"Fazal's slaves keep that city alive and have done so for centuries now. The return on investment for slave labor is just too high," said Ikuno. She looked around at all of the exposed flesh before turning back to Kal. "I expect this with me and the other girls, but your friends too?"
"We've spent a lot of time soaking with Dioga and Zakku this past week. Being naked in front of them is nothing new," Kal replied.
"Back to what you said about slave labor," said Ichiro, "that's why the ruling family of Soma and other Azumbahan cities maintain their slums. If they need something done, they put out a call to those living in desperation. It's an awful way to conduct business, but undeniably effective."
"If your family ruled Soma, do you think you would change that?" asked Ikuno.
"Honestly, no. There will always be poor and desperate people in any city. There is nothing I, my father, or even the Great Ikuno can do about that. The best I can do is see them as a resource to be tapped. Something Kal understands quite well."
"That's fair," Kal shrugged. "Though I wasn't thinking of using them as cheap labor."
"My father may be a bastard, but he did teach me the ins and outs of running our family once he is gone, and people management is a big part of it. Admittedly, he has people beneath him who take care of the day-to-day things, but he at least understands the process and passed that on to me." The eldest brother looked Ikuno over as she leaned back on the bench, soaking in the crackling fire's warmth. "I must admit I'm a little jealous of Kal. You have an amazing body, Ikuno."
"And if I didn't have a man already, I'd let you, and probably your brother as well, find out just how amazing it is. However, because of mine and Kal's bond, I gain more than twice the mana I need to recover from sleeping with him than I could from you and your brother."
"I'm still curious about this bond you all have," said Asahi. "You can speak to each other's minds directly, share thoughts and images, and now you can share magic?"
