The male was dressed in semi-formal clothing. His hair a blonde color swept back, like Draco Malfoy’s hair. His eyes were colored blue, and a stubble decorated his lower face. He gestured towards the armored man and proceeded to converse with him, all the while the female continued on observing me with caution.

By the way, I removed my armor when I carried the maid, so I’m currently naked as the day I was born, good thing my genitalia was covered with my fur.

The armored man bowed before the man then ran off to god knows where. He just stayed there, observing me with the female with the same caution. The children however, were busy talking, speaking, and exclaiming while pointing at me with stars in their eyes.

I stood there waiting, now knowing what I was waiting for. It was tempting to use the stone to go back to the dungeon, but if I left prematurely, it may sour future relationships, and quite possible, have my head on a bounty board.

After all, from what I learned from observation, this man has power. Not the physical power mind you, but the power of social and political ties. If it was one thing my old family, not that I liked them anyway, reminded me of every day, it was that you don’t mess with politicians if you don’t have some backing.

I mostly agreed with them, since as a politician, you have connections to certain people that can make your life miserable if you mess with them the wrong way. One thing I learned from father being prosecuted due to a mishap with one politician.

That’s probably the main reason why they kept on pushing me to be the best, to save their faces from social isolation. Nobody liked them, and in turn, nobody liked me, but I didn’t give them any reason to hate me. On the contrary, they just ignored me, unless they wanted to have some type of conversation where then I had to plaster another fake smile just to get it over with.

I just can’t understand what warranted the stabby stabby action. I really don’t get it. Was it dislike? Disgust? Or hell, even just for fun? Or maybe it was to get back at my parents who were, quite frankly, horrible people?

Questions that would never be answered I suppose…

While I was busy walking through my thoughts, the armored man returned with a vial, golden liquid taking up its content. The dressed man took the vial and handed it to me, which I accepted in confusion. He gestured for me to drink, as seen from his actions mimicking drinking something. I narrowed my eyes at him, then the bottle.

What was in this bottle? Was it poison? Something harmful to my system? Or enslavement juice? I looked back at them and refused to drink until more information was given. Seeing my plain refusal, the dressed man took it at face value.

The dressed man sighed, then mimicked something like talking. So, something like speaking? Translation juice? Or being able to speak with them without the language barrier?

I can talk after all, as seen from my previous engagements with the monkeys. The problem was understanding, so if this liquid was to remedy that problem, then I see no problem with it. Trusting the dressed man just this once, I corked open the lid then proceeded to down the contents.

One word, the juice tasted non-existent. I didn’t taste anything, no bitter, no sweet, no anything. I felt the liquid rush down my throat and a few seconds later, the vial was empty.

“Can you understand me now?” the dressed man spoke towards me. My eyebrows perked up. I can understand him. Finally! Language barrier! I have conquered you!

“Yes,” I replied with my deep and hoarse voice, causing most of the people to flinch by just how deep it is.

“Excellent,” not flinching in the slightest, the dressed man held his hand out, “My name is Bentley Shaiydon, and it is with my deepest sincere and gratitude that I thank you for saving my wife’s and my children, Sophia and Aubert.”

I grasped his hand gently – I don’t want to break his hand – and proceeded to shake it.

“Please, call me Jionni,” I replied, “we may be different species, but I know to spot a child when I see one. A child’s life is important, whomever it may be.”

The people standing there were all shocked speechless at my politeness and intelligence. Bentley recovered and withdrew his hand, coughing once to clear his throat.

“That, I agree with you, Mr. Jionni,” he responded as he gestured for everyone to leave, except the armored man. “Mind if you follow me for a bit?”

“I don’t see why not,” I said and he faced towards the garden, while the others went back inside their mansion.

“Excellent,” Bentley then paced towards the garden, with me and the armored man in tow. “Ah, forgive me for the late introductions, but the man beside you is Luke Gardner, from the Gardner Barony, and one of most trusted knights.”

The armored man, now named Luke, bowed towards me with respect.

“I thank you for saving Young Master Aubert and Young Mistress Sophia, Sir Jionni” Luke said with his head bowed, “and sorry for attacking you out of the blue.”

“Please, no need for formalities, I would have done that either way,” I then stopped and looked at him before continuing, “and please raise your head. If I was in your position, I may have done the same thing. I was an unknown after all.”

Luke raised his head and flashed a smile at me, a genuine one. Bentley saw all of this and did not interfere, so plus relationship points, I guess?

We continued on our pace towards a secluded part of the garden, carefully maintained daily by the groundkeepers. Bentley stopped, and I did the same. He then faced towards me. A serious expression hung on his face as he looked at me.

“Now, that we’re alone, let me get straight to the point. Can I ask you what the man you killed was trying to do to my children?” he asked, observing every detail of my face as he did.

“Sadly, no, I have no idea what they wanted to do with your children, although I have a guess,” I replied with a hand on my chin. “They didn’t have any weapons wielded when moving towards your children, so probably a kidnapping.”

“I thought as much,” with a sigh, Bentley took a seat on a chair that was just standing in the corner. Luke went to his side and stood attentively. Me? I sat on the grass, the green stems crushed under my huge ass.

“… Mr. Jionni, how about a mutually beneficial partnership?”