“...Sin?”

  Sincir opens his eyes groggily, taking in the steam of the bathhouse, as well as the face staring down at him.

  “...Ena?”

  Ena smiles. “Hey there, sleeping beauty... I wanted to ask you something, but I realized you’d fallen asleep against El’s boobs.”

  Right, he must’ve dozed off during their bath together, and Eleanor...

  Feeling his cheeks heating slightly, Sincir tries to move away from Eleanor once he realizes he is still very much leaning against her chest, but she pulls him back by crossing her arms over his waist and chuckles.

  “Rex...” Eleanor whispers into his ear, “We still have some time left.”

  “Sorry for having waken you up... Maybe I should’ve have left you nap for a bit?” Ena murmurs, snuggling closer to the two of them and resting her head against Eleanor’s shoulder as she meets his gaze apologetically.

  Sincir sighs, forcing himself to rex again against Eleanor... Being held by her like this makes him feel like a kid, but he’ll be damned if it isn’t comfortable.

  “It’s okay... I didn’t mean to doze off. What did you wanted to ask me?”

  Ena smiles. “I asked what you wanted... From life, I mean.”

  His brain being still too foggy for such a sudden heavy question, Sincir rises an eyebrow at her. “I’ll need you to be a little more specific than that, Ena...”

  She sticks her tongue at him, then rolls her eyes. “Fine... You’ve lived for a long time, but you don’t act as I’d expect from someone your age...”

  Sincir grimaces. “And how would that be, exactly? Demons don’t grow old, so we don’t see much of a point in thinking about life the way mortals do... You live one day at a time, focusing on the present, and before you realize, a millennia has gone by... Also, being reborn took a lot of weight from my shoulders, since I am no longer a Lord, and so I took the opportunity to rex.”

  Ena snorts. “I guess I can imagine that being the case... But I was more interested in what kept you going so far, and what do you look forward in the future.”

  “You’re asking me as a girlfriend,” Sincir guesses, to which Ena quickly blushes.

  “I was trying to imagine our future together,” she confesses coyly, lowering herself into the water slightly as she does so, “But it’s hard to when I don’t know what you want... Other than building your kingdom, that is.”

  Averting his eyes from her and toward bathhouse’s ceiling, Sincir sighs. “A kingdom is not what I want, but something I have to do... Being a Lord, or a king, for that matter, is a huge pain in the ass, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, unless they’ve been in the position themselves.”

  Ena nods. “I figured as much... Then let’s say you didn’t need to bring your subjects over. What would you be doing right now?”

  Funny... He was faced with the idea not long ago, wasn’t he?

  “I don’t know... Travel, maybe?”

  Eleanor snorts. “Seriously? You’ve never thought about it before?”

  “I never wanted much from life,” Sincir confesses thoughtfully, “Sex, afternoon naps, and peace...? I don’t see myself striving for something greater after the st revolution I led, and I’m not particurly into working hard, if I don’t have to...”

  ...Maybe he and Saendara are more alike than he realized?

  “That’s very like you,” Ena murmurs softly, smiling at him, then looks up, meeting Eleanor’s gaze, “And what about you, El? Once you’ve realized your revenge, what do you see for yourself?”

  Eleanor blinks, having clearly not expected the question. “I... I don’t know. Before Sincir, I always thought I was going to die fighting, and I only cared for that happening after I had killed the people who destroyed my hometown, rather than sooner... I would’ve continued chasing after cultists and demons, most likely, until it killed me, or there were none more left... You can probably guess at what would’ve happened first.”

  Ena grimaces. “Idiot... But what about now, then? Did his cock fix your brain?”

  Eleanor ughs slightly hoarsely. “Maybe... As much as I hate to admit it, tely I’ve started feeling as though there might be more to life than revenge, petty or otherwise.”

  “And?” Ena pushes.

  Eleanor sighs, averting her gaze away. “...An orphanage,” she murmurs at st, “I... I’d like to open an orphanage one day, for all children without a pce to go, and teach them... Without the religious bullshit or lies that we were put through, or overbearing nuns telling us what to do...”

  Her eyes having widened slightly, Ena swallows. “All... children? As in... All?”

  Meeting Ena’s gaze again, Eleanor smiles at her, although her blue eyes gleam somewhat sadly as they sustain the other girl’s. “No, I’ll hang demi-human heads above the walls as a warning... What do you think?”

  Ena presses her lips together, looking as if she might burst in tears at any second, then quickly averts her gaze. “You’re s-such an ass... I wouldn’t p-put it past you...”

  “I know what it sounds like,” Eleanor continues, now in a softer tone, “But I don’t mean to do this as a way to make up for what I did to you, or as a way to punish myself. I just...”

  “You admired Father’s work,” Sincir deducts, once her voice slowly dies out, heavy with emotion.

  Eleanor nods. “And I’d like to continue it, if at all possible.”

  “You know, it’d be a lot easier to stare at those kids in the eyes if you skipped the revenge part of your journey altogether,” he advises softly, causing the nephilim to smile sadly again.

  “True... But I can’t live knowing they’re out there, killing more innocents... Or, if I’m being honest with myself, that they could return again some day, and take something more from me... No, I’ll only be able to sleep at peace once I see their dismembered bodies lying at my feet, as their blood seeps into the earth,” Eleanor whispers softly.

  Ena shudders. “I feel you... Had they not sent that assassin, maybe you’d be able to move on, or convince yourself they’re all dead by now, but... I don’t think there’s much chance the group has been dissolved in a mere five years, if they were still around back then.”

  Sincir sighs. “So be it... I’ll help you find them when the time comes, if that’s what you want.”

  Ena groans. “Okay, enough grim talk. We were supposed to be rexing, remember?”

  Eleanor nods, making a visible effort to rex again as sinks slightly and hugs him tighter. “Then I guess that makes it your turn, pipsqueak... And you can’t say that you’d travel with Sincir, or stay at the orphanage with me; You have to choose something for yourself.”

  Ena bites her lip. “Well, of those two, I’d choose traveling with Sin... Sorry, El, but too many bad memories of the orphanage for me to willingly go back to living in one, though I’d visit and py with the kids, if you’d have me. As for something for myself... I’d like to look for my elven parent one day, to start with.”

  Eleanor frowns. “That’s-”

  “A terrible idea?” Ena interjects, chuckling humorlessly, “Yeah, I know. But I’d like to know what happened, hear about how I end up in that orphanage from them... And then, I’d like to have a talk with whoever created those ws about half-elves... Maybe get them to be changed.”

  “I read the elves are ruled by a queen,” Sincir says, softly, “And that she is not exactly nice... I doubt you’d be able to convince her with words alone, Ena.”

  Ena smiles. “Oh, I know... But I want to tell her royal majesty to go fuck herself to her face at least once, even if it changes nothing.”

  “A noble goal,” Eleanor says, nodding seriously, and Sincir ughs.

  “Well, make sure I’m there as a witness, if and when it happens,” he says.

  Ena smiles at the two of them, leaf-green eyes gleaming with unconcealed love. “I guess this is really happening... We’re really together...”

  Eleanor rolls her eyes. “It hit you just know?”

  Ena chuckles. “Well, the fact we’re at a bathtub, naked, after having spent most of the day fucking, probably helped to make it a reality in my head... Little more than three days ago, I was so jealous of you that I was ready to kill somebody.”

  Eleanor snorts. “You’re welcomed.”

  Ena grimaces, then shakes her head, seeming to force herself to meet the nephilim’s gaze thankfully. “Look, I realize that if you had been selfish about Sin - and it doesn’t escape me that most girls out there would’ve - I’d still be the one left out, so... Thank you. Honestly.”

  Eleanor shrugs. “You looked so pathetic these past week that I couldn’t help myself... It was like watching a puppy drowning in a pool of water, or-”

  Ena grimaces again. “Okay, you can stop right there; I got the picture.”

  Knowing that a good part of Ena’s suffering was caused by his refusal to see her as a potential lover over these past five years, Sincir quietly averts his gaze.

  He should remember to take her on a nice date soon, just the two of them. Maybe she’d enjoy a night out in the city...? They could walk by the river, or visit the city walls for some star gazing... Sneaking by the guards wouldn’t be much of a problem for him, but a small bribe might work better, in this case.

  “...Sin?”

  Realizing Ena asked him a question, Sincir turns to her again, smiling apologetically. “Sorry, I had my head elsewhere... Could you say that again?”

  Eleanor sighs. “She asked what’s our deal with liking feet so much... Would you like to answer that one, love?”

  Sincir grimaces. “They’re fun to py with...? Easy to use as a humiliation tool...? Not much different than doing someone in the ass, or any other fetish, really... Why should there be something especial about it?”

  Ena frowns. “I just... Had never thought about anyone’s feet in a sexual way before.”

  “Welcomed aboard,” Eleanor murmurs drily, causing the half-elf to grimace.

  “No, wait, I don’t mean that now I do-”

  “Yeah, right, give it a week or two of fucking with us... You’ll get there soon enough, if you’re not already.”

  Ena grimaces further. “Fucking hell, I can see it happening... Stepping on you felt damn nice, El.”

  Her expression darkening, Eleanor gres at her. “To be clear, that stays in between the three of us; If I ever find out you’ve told Hanna, or anyone else about it...” she murmurs threateningly.

  Ena shudders. “Yeah, not poking the beehive on that one, don’t worry... I’ll pretend it was a nice dream, the ones you keep to yourself. That good with you?”

  Eleanor nods, then smiles at her. “Throw in a foot rub at some point, and I’ll consider us even...”

  Ena’s eyes widen slightly. “You just had one from Sincir!”

  “Yeah, but getting one from you would feel a lot different...”

  “Okay, stop,” Sincir interjects, knowing they’ll start fucking again if he doesn’t, “I think we should get out now, or we’ll be too te to visit the guild today.”

  Ena throws him a disappointed look, but she doesn’t argue, sighing. “I guess we’ve been here for a good hour or two by now... Sure, let’s get out.”

  She is the first to exit the bathtub, walking toward the towels they left near the door... Her wet, slightly golden skin makes for a nice view, and Sincir doesn’t bother to pretend he isn’t staring, which causes Eleanor to chuckle.

  “Want me to leave first?” she offers through a whisper, softly running her fingers over his abs under the water.

  “So I’d have a boner through our walk to the guild...? No, thanks,” he retorts, snorting, and then rises to follow after Ena.

  “...I think it might be a little too te for that,” Eleanor points out, smiling as she raises an eyebrow toward his midsection.

  Seeing that Ena has also turned around to stare at his very obvious boner, Sincir grimaces and hurries to walk toward his own towel in order to cover himself, lest to two of them jump him again, for another “interrogation”...

  Some time ter, having dried and dressed, he meets with Eleanor at their living room.

  “Ready?” he asks as she comes down the stairs wearing casual clothes and her sword belt.

  She shrugs. “Sure... But you should know-”

  Eleanor doesn’t get a chance to finish her sentence before Ena comes down the stairs as well, wearing simir training clothes and also carrying her sword.

  Sincir grimaces. “I thought I said you weren’t coming?”

  Ena presses her lips together and crosses her arms as she stops next to Eleanor. “Look, I know it’s an important meeting, okay? But we’re a team... C’mon, I promise I’ll do whatever you tell me to!”

  Eleanor chuckles. “Are you sure about that promise...?”

  “...Except for prostitution!” Ena quickly adds, grimacing over her own words, then gring at him.

  Sincir rolls his eyes. “I wouldn’t have tried to pimp you, because I know you’d have hated it... Okay, fine, you can come, so long as you promise to behave and keep from bickering; Either with me or Eleanor.”

  Ena makes a face, but she nods. “I’m not a kid... Or Esme. I know how to read a room.”

  Sincir sighs. “Let’s go then, before the sun sets...”

  They leave after saying their goodbyes to No and Rez, who promise they’ll have dinner ready by the time the three of them come back... He hopes they don’t burn something again.

  Outside, the city is preparing for its usual busy nightlife, as the sun already hangs low on the horizon, and Sincir leads the way while the girls follow after him in comfortable silence...

  “What’s the pn?” Eleanor asks after a couple of minutes of walking.

  “I’m not sure,” Sincir confesses, “We have some information they’ll probably want, and I’m hoping that’ll be enough to convince them to help us... Or at least, to stop them from digging into my identity.”

  “...And if not?” she pushes.

  “Then we’ll have problem... Oh, it’s one of those corn stands! Wait here for a minute while I go grab some for us.”

  The girls throw him weird looks as he returns with a small bag of steaming corn, handing each of them one.

  “Let’s leave some for Mary, as well. Her shift is about to end, and she was really hungry when I picked her up for our date the other day.”

  As they resume their walk, Eleanor shakes her head incredulously. “There should be a limit to shamelessness... Show some concern, would you?”

  Sincir shrugs. “Why would I? The world might end, and I’ll do my best to stop it, but rushing to my death or worrying needlessly won’t help us...”

  “...The world might fucking what?” Ena repeats, having frozen as she was about to bite from her corn.

  Noticing Eleanor is also staring at him like he has grown a second head, Sincir blinks.

  Right, they wouldn’t know about it... How should he go about expining this, though...?

  “...Imagine a world surround in a bubble which stops demons and angels from coming in; That’s Itera right now... And that bubble is what we, celestial and infernal beings, call the Veil. Following so far?”

  Albeit hesitantly, Ena nods, while Eleanor narrows her eyes at him. “I’ve heard Father mention something of the sort before... One of the kids asked why the angels didn’t descend to rid the world of evil, and he said they couldn’t, not without the help of the fateful... Is that why?”

  Sincir waves his hand dismissively. “I know demons are supposedly the evil side of the story, but as far as your precious Creator is concerned, I’m fairly convinced he wishes for Souls to stay on the path of reincarnation... Not dragged to Heaven or Hell. If he wanted otherwise, he would’ve made them angels to begin with, rather than humans, wouldn’t he? As such, the Veil protects against demons as well as angels, and stops them from crossing over to Mortal Pnes without a mortal to act as a conduit-”

  “Mortal Pnes? There are more Iteras?” Ena murmurs incredulously, interrupting him.

  “There are more Pnes,” Sincir corrects, “Mortal ones, Heaven and Hell, and Elysium... But that’s besides the point-”

  “Don’t just brush the existence of other worlds aside like it’s not big deal!”

  “Don’t scream that shit in the middle of the street, idiot!” Eleanor hisses at her, before turning to gre at him as she continues, “And you could’ve told us earlier about something so important.”

  Sincir rolls his eyes. “I didn’t tell you because it isn’t all that important... Not to you, anyway. As your teacher, I was more concerned that you’d be able to survive a mugging attempt, and activate a buff without setting yourselves on fire.”

  Eleanor sighs. “Whatever, let’s leave that conversation for another time, then... Continue, please. Since you mentioned this Veil, and the destruction of the world, I assumed it isn’t an infallible shield?”

  Absently taking a bite all of his corn, Sincir smiles sadly as he throws his audience a look over his shoulder. “Nothing is, as far as I’m aware... Which is to say, poke a hole big enough in the bubble, and it pops, permanently. Care to take a guess as to how to make that happen?”

  “...A Lord,” Eleanor guesses grimly, “Like you.”

  Oh, he didn’t expect her to get it immediately.

  “Or a Seraphim, but that rarely happens,” Sincir continues with a shrug, “Funny fact; There are demons out there stronger than some of the weaker Lords, but the energy necessary to summon them is still considerably smaller, so they don’t destroy the Veil when they show up, which makes it clear there is something special about summoning a Lord...”

  Maybe the absurd amount of mana they have? Or the fact they’re connected to a Domain?

  ...Perhaps both?

  “...Anyway, don’t worry your pretty heads over this. It probably won’t happen.”

  Ena stares at him incredulously. “It probably won’t happen? What does that mean? And what happens when a Veil is destroyed, exactly?”

  Sincir sighs. “It’d take several thousand sacrifices to amass the energy necessary to summon a Lord, so it’s rare for a group of cultist to get away with that... Or for them to even want to, for that matter.”

  That was before the crystals, but since he hasn’t told them about his recent discovery yet, Sincir decides to leave that part out, for now.

  “As for what happens...” he continues while meeting their gazes, “Imagine armies of millions, fire raining from the sky, earthquakes... I assume neither of you have ever been to a battlefield before? It’d be like that, just everywhere, and a thousand times worse, until there was nothing else left to fight over.”

  Eleanor curses. “Lovely... But it expins some things.”

  Ena, still having a dark expression on her face, throws her a look and raises an eyebrow. “Like?”

  Eleanor sighs. “You don’t get it? Sincir is a Lord, and he is here... He also tells us he came to spare his people of the war in between Heaven and Hell, which means he wants the Veil to stay as it is, and his pn is to use it as a way to keep other demons away... He wants Itera, as his new kingdom, because it has the Veil,” she whispers grimly.

  Sincir chuckles. “Impressive, as usual. Yes, I was sent here so I could find a way to steal the Veil for my people, and have it protect us against the rest of Hell, as well as Heaven... It was somewhat of a gamble, and I half expected to end up dead, but here I am, so...”

  “There is something you’re not telling us,” Eleanor says, gring at him, “Since you ran away the other day, you’ve been grimmer than usual, and you wouldn’t have mentioned the end of the world if the possibility of it happening was that small.”

  Sincir smiles at her, then nods toward the guild’s building, which is now within sight. “I’ll tell you about it when we’re back home, okay?”

  Both Eleanor and Ena grimace, but they don’t argue, falling silent behind him as they finally begin to tackle their corn with grim expressions on their faces...

  Once they arrive at the guild, receiving the usual looks from the other adventures (which they ignore), Sincir heads toward Mary’s table; Or, at least, he pnned to, but she is already walking toward them by the time he reaches the middle of the guild’s hall, with a grim expression on her face.

  “...The boss wants to see you,” she says as she reaches them, “Now.”

  Sincir points a thumb toward the girls behind him. “Can they come?”

  Mary throws Eleanor and Ena a look, then sighs. “He didn’t mention wanting you alone, so I suppose.”

  “Here, this is for you... Your shift is about to end, right?” Sincir says, smiling as he offers her the bag of corn.

  Staring at the small bag he extends toward her, Mary blinks, then grimaces, gring at him.