Refusing My God’s Advances

I ended up spending 5 gold at the butcher's shop, and that was only leaving a small tip of 5 silver. Sven, the burly butcher seemed happy all the same.

After finishing up, Aria and I walked back to the Bathhouse in silence again. I think it was because we both felt awkward about the earlier situation. I wasn't sure what to say, so I opted to stay silent until we got to our destination.

Upon entering the bathhouse, the foxy lady rushed over to me, wrapping me in a hug. My face was smushed into Mary's pillow-soft melons, preventing me from breathing.

 My first reaction was to try to break free, but then I remembered that I was a superhuman juice monkey. Trying to break free quickly could do something stupid like rip off her arms, or something wild.

So I suffered. I suffered real good.

When she finally let go of me, I did an imitation of Aria earlier, gasping for air. 

"Ah, my little cute blood-haired boy! Those girls of yours look so cute all cleaned up! You have to go see them... Wait! Who is this!" Mary exclaimed as she shoved me out of the way with more force than I expected. "How can you wear the Robe of Hideousness and only look average?!"

"Umm..." Aria stammered as Mary advanced on her, but I pushed between them again, gently pushing Mary back.

"That is because a goddess is hiding under there," I said, enjoying using the cliché line.

Mary smiled at me, and then I looked down, and quickly pulled my hand back. No wonder she had felt so soft... Now I was curious to know what Aria looked like under the robe! 

"You are an eager one, but I don't think we are destined for each other, Hero. Leave this girl here with me, and go see the others you have collected. They are both excited to see you," Mary said, but I put my hand up, keeping it away from her chest this time.

"Just wait," I said, and then turned to Aria, gently putting a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay with getting cleaned up with her? I don't think Mary is as bad as she seems."

"I heard that boy, but you have crossed the line," Mary said in a none-to-friendly voice, making me turn back to her.

As I did, her fist sunk into my stomach, lifting me up to my tippy toes before I dropped like a sack of potatoes.

"Leon!" Aria cried as I looked up gasping for breath, but Mary put her hand up to stop Aria from coming to me.

The mature woman now had red fox ears with white tips, and five tails with the same color pattern. The creature that stood over me exuded a presence that was stifling as she glared down at me

"My name is Mariella, the Five-Tailed Fox of the East, and I will be your new trainer. While your strength is impressive for someone who has just come into this world, it will mean nothing if you don't know how to use it. From now on you will call me master and come visit me every morning for a lesson when the sun rises!" The violent woman declared as I was still gasping in pain.

I had never felt anything like that in my life. The impact of the punch made my eyes feel like they were about to pop out of my skull. The only thing stopping me from puking my guts out was the fact that I was in too much pain. 

All that I could think of was that I never asked for this, but after that punch, I kept my mouth clamped shut. Why was there a monster like this hiding in plain sight at a bathhouse of all places?! 

"Get up. It is rude to keep such pretty girls waiting," Mary said in a voice that said I would get more of the same if I didn't listen. 

I got up and then looked at Aria, but she didn't seem as worried as before. I guess she must feel more comfortable around a strong woman, rather than a man.

"I will take care of this one," Mary said and pointed at the door.

With one more quick look at Aria, I left the place.

---

Once the door closed, and Mariella was sure the hero was gone, she went down on one knee to Aria. 

"Princess. Are you sure about this?" Mariella asked, and Princess Aria of the eastern Kingdom of Reshan nodded.

"He is not like other people. I don't feel scared around him, but he grabbed my hand..." The princess explained, trailing off, making Mariella stand back up in rage.

"I am going to pummel that boy into the ground!" The Five Tails growled.

Mariella had been in a summoners contract with Aria since the day she was born, transferred from her mother, who died during childbirth. This was the fate of all Queens of the Reshan nation. Each time there was a birth, Mariella would have to say goodbye to a lifelong partner.

Because of this, Mariella was fiercely protective of the women. This desire to protect was the reason Princess Aria was so far from the capital. There was trouble brewing, and people working against the welfare of the kingdom. 

After two separate assassination attempts, Mariella removed Aria from the castle to hide her on Aria's father, King Darien's orders. Now they were supposed to be laying low until things could be fixed in Marquisto. The problem was that corruption spread further than just the capital, reaching out across Reshan.

There was a very good chance that the kingdom could fall, or a coup might be staged. If that happened, it would never be safe for the princess to return home.

"Please don't!" Aria pleaded, and Mariella sighed, putting her hand over her face. 

This was her fault. After watching each woman she had been contracted to die in the same fashion so many times, Mariella had enough. She vowed after Aria's mother died, and Aria was born that she would die with this girl. Because of this choice, Mariella was always quick to chase off men.

But this one was different. 

At first glance, the Hero seems like nothing more than a normal young man. If anything, he was much less than what she could consider an actual man. 

Yet, unlike the legends said, the hero did not just sensely kill the demons. He was not asking for handouts, but the strangest part was that he didn't really seem to care about anything except the angel, and now demon. Just what kind of Hero acted like this? According to the angel, he didn’t even want to come help the town. Only came because of a quest he had to fulfill.

Was it even safe to let the princess near him, or was this girl going to die before Mariella's eyes just like all the last? Could she even stop the girl if she wanted?

"Mary... You know he is different, and I know you are worried about me, but I think he is the one... I have never felt like I have today. Just touching him had left me breathless. When he looks into my eyes, my mind turns to mush and my face starts burning up!" Aria explained, starting to blush as she did.

Mariella sighed, realizing that the princess had indeed fallen for the Hero. It was a complicated situation, and Mariella's protective instincts clashed with her desire to fulfill her vow.

"Princess, I understand your feelings, but you must be cautious. We are in a foreign land, and we know little about him. I will do my best to protect you, but I need you to be aware of the risks," Mariella said, her tone serious.

Aria nodded, her blush fading slightly as she composed herself. "I know, Mary. But something about him... I feel like he's the key to changing our fate. And I'm willing to take that risk."

Mariella sighed again, resigned to the fact that she couldn't sway the princess's heart. "Very well, Princess Aria. I will support you in whatever choice you make. But promise me one thing: if you sense any danger, don't hesitate to use the magic pendant to summon me. Your safety is my top priority."

"I promise, Mary. Thank you for understanding," Aria said, and Mariella gave her a reassuring smile.

"One final thing. I am serious about training that boy. If you are serious about him, then he needs to be strong enough to protect you. This is not up for negotiation," Mariella declared, and Aria nodded, suddenly feeling very bad for the man who called her family. Something that her father barely even did.

With that, the two women prepared for Aria's bath, discussing the events of the day and the potential dangers ahead. The path they had chosen was uncertain, but together they would face whatever challenges awaited them in this new world.

Meanwhile, Leon, oblivious to the deeper complexities surrounding Princess Aria, headed towards the tailor's shop to reunite with the other girls and share the news of Aria's decision to join the party. Little did he know, his journey was just beginning, and the threads of fate were weaving a tapestry filled with both peril and possibility.