Chapter 133: Eunice’s Lament

Returning to the Baines Estate with four beautiful Adventurers and one visibly furious Moon Elf naturally drew slightly more attention than Damian would’ve preferred.

Then again, this was Rosewood Town, not Earth, and Damian had already reached the point where people seeing him return from Moonveil Forest with strange women, monsters, nobles or magical bullshit probably ranked somewhere below ’interesting weather’ on the local gossip scale.

"This is the temporary residence," Damian explained as they passed through the gates.

"The actual noble estate hasn’t been built yet, so everyone is currently crammed into what was originally supposed to be a much more normal property."

Paulina stared across the grounds before glancing toward him. "You call this cramped?"

"Relative to my future ambitions, of course. You’ve gotta think bigger!" Damian replied shamelessly.

Julia rolled her eyes while Janet immediately began inspecting everything with entirely too much curiosity, but Eunice remained quieter than usual.

The Moon Elf, meanwhile, walked behind the group with her chin raised as if acknowledging the Human architecture around her would somehow lower the prestige of the Wild Court.

Damian ignored both problems for now.

If these women were actually going to become part of his household, they needed to understand exactly what they were joining, so he spent the next hour dragging them through introductions with practically everyone relevant.

Vivienne came first.

The Steward received the news of Damian returning with three newly recognized Madams, one strangely silent fourth woman who was also introduced as a Madam, and an unknown purple-skinned Fey woman with the stoicism of someone who had long since accepted that her employer’s life operated according to different laws than everyone else’s.

"Madams, welcome to the Baines household," Vivienne greeted with a graceful bow.

Paulina immediately smiled, Julia blushed, and Janet puffed out her chest like she had personally conquered a kingdom.

Eunice opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

Damian noticed, and so did Julia and Paulina.

Even Janet’s smugness dimmed slightly when she glanced toward their nominal leader, but none of them said anything while Vivienne continued explaining the estate arrangements.

Damian similarly chose not to interfere, not yet.

Cassian was introduced next as the household Mage responsible for magical security, followed by Bram, David, Dax, Jory and the rest of the recognized retainers available around the residence.

Kellan greeted the Valkyries much more naturally after everything they’d experienced together, while several others immediately became significantly more careful with their posture once Damian casually referred to Paulina, Julia, Janet and Eunice as his Madams.

Again...

Eunice did not correct him.

Her expression became complicated every single time the title was used, but whatever argument she prepared seemed to die somewhere behind her lips.

Damian pretended not to notice.

They visited Central Lane after that, where Tana and Kevin received the group alongside Lisa, Getty, Elsie and Kat.

The reaction there was considerably less disciplined.

Lisa’s eyes nearly fell from her head when she realized Damian had apparently gone into Moonveil Forest with four women and returned with three confirmed partners plus another beauty nobody had ever seen before.

Getty maintained a professional smile for approximately ten seconds before curiosity won, while Kat and Elsie openly exchanged looks that Damian refused to acknowledge.

"Everyone, these are Paulina, Julia, Janet and Eunice," Damian introduced calmly.

"They’re Madams of the household, so treat them accordingly."

Eunice inhaled, about to speak.

Damian waited.

"...It’s a pleasure to meet all of you," she finally said instead.

Damian’s eyebrow almost rose.

Interesting!

Very interesting!

Paulina’s tail gave one tiny wag before she forcibly stopped it, Janet looked like someone had handed her a sealed envelope containing dangerous gossip, whereas Julia merely glanced toward Eunice with a faintly worried expression.

The Moon Elf stood farther back throughout the entire exchange with both arms folded, appearing increasingly offended that nobody had introduced her with some sufficiently grand title.

Damian deliberately left her waiting.

The Zephyrs came last.

Marek received them in one of the quieter rooms used for intelligence work, Corvin, Masen, Bria, Olan and Illya positioned nearby while the broader Hound network continued handling its own assignments.

Marek took one look at the group, then another.

Finally, his eyes settled upon Damian.

Damian smiled pleasantly.

Marek wisely decided that whatever questions naturally arose from his Lord returning with this assortment of women were probably above his salary.

"Madams, I am Marek Baines. I handle certain information, commercial and security matters for the household," he greeted smoothly.

Janet’s eyes immediately brightened. "Oooh?! Information?"

Marek looked toward Damian, but Damian shook his head.

Janet was a far better option than Marek, of course, but she would soon be occupied with something greater and would have no time for this.

Janet clicked her tongue. "So stingy."

By the time the introductions ended, Paulina seemed increasingly pleased with the organization Damian had built around himself, while Julia had begun asking practical questions about security and how the businesses connected to the household.

Janet was already mentally cataloguing which people looked easiest to bully into becoming prank accomplices, and Eunice remained caught somewhere between belonging naturally among them and knowing she had already declared that she could not.

Which brought Damian to the two elephants in the room.

One was Eunice and the other possessed silver hair, pale-purple skin, an unbelievable figure and enough pride to fill three rooms.

Damian dismissed Ronan and Stella first.

"You two have done enough today. Go cultivate, rest and report tomorrow morning," he instructed.

Stella bowed immediately despite looking reluctant to leave Damian alone with several women, while Ronan simply gave his Lord one long stare before deciding he had developed sufficient life experience to know when ignorance was healthier.

The two disappeared, leaving Damian alone with the Four Valkyries and their increasingly irritable Fey guest.

Damian rubbed his hands together. "Alright then!"

The Moon Elf narrowed her eyes.

He pointed toward her. "We’ll deal with you first."

Her expression immediately became offended. "Do not point at me like some common creature!"

"Introduce yourself. Tell them who you are, why you’re here and what you’re supposed to become," Damian continued without acknowledging the complaint.

The Moon Elf turned her head away. "Hmph!"

Damian stared at the side of her face, then sighed.

"Wild Court destruction..."

She froze, her shoulders stiffening visibly as the four Valkyries looked between them with confusion.

Damian smiled.

The Moon Elf slowly turned back toward him, fury burning inside her pale eyes.

"You...!"

"Introduction," Damian reminded pleasantly.

Her lips tightened so strongly that Damian wondered whether Moon Elves possessed some secret racial ability allowing them to bite through their own teeth without injury.

Eventually, pride collided with the terrifying possibility Damian had planted earlier, and self-preservation for her people won.

The Moon Elf straightened.

"I am Serravalierderrdeluna! Hmph, but you people may call me Serra," she announced in the haughty tone of someone expecting trumpets to sound from the heavens.

Silence.

She lifted her chin even higher.

"I am a Trueblood Great Fey of the Wild Court, serving directly under Her Majesty Lunaria!"

More silence.

Paulina and Julia blinked with surprise, Janet tilted her head, and Eunice politely waited.

Serra’s eyebrow twitched.

Nobody bowed, gasped, nor even seemed to recognize the supposedly impressive names.

"Do none of you understand what I just said?!" Serra demanded indignantly.

Damian smiled at her.

The Moon Elf noticed, and her fury collapsed slightly.

"...Hmph."

She crossed her arms again and reluctantly continued. "I was forced to accompany this Human back to civilization and become his wife in exchange for the continued safety of my people."

Four heads snapped toward Damian immediately.

Paulina stared at him, Julia’s mouth fell open, Janet looked like someone had just handed her the greatest comedy material of her life, and Eunice’s expression became so complicated that Damian genuinely could not identify the dominant emotion.

Damian responded by winking dramatically.

"You see, I’m a very important noble among Humans! If Serra’s assault upon me was reported properly, the Human race would naturally gather its armies, invade the Deep Moon, destroy the Wild Court and salt the earth afterward!" he explained solemnly in a loud voice.

Serra nodded grimly.

Damian continued without blinking. "So by graciously accepting her as compensation, I am actually protecting her civilization!"

Silence descended upon the room.

Paulina slowly looked toward Serra, and Julia did the same.

Janet’s eyes widened, while Eunice stared at Damian as though her opinion of him had just fallen through several floors.

Two conclusions became painfully obvious.

Firstly...

There was apparently no known limit to Damian Baines’s shamelessness!

Secondly...

This Moon Elf was... a fucking idiot.

She was not an idiot in the malicious sense nor unintelligent in the academic sense.

But socially?

It was clear that she was painfully and catastrophically sheltered!

She had apparently listened to an enemy threaten an entire civilization, accepted every word at face value and surrendered herself into marriage without once stopping to ask whether Damian even possessed the authority to command humanity!

Janet could no longer endure it.

"Hey. Is this your first time outside your Fey plane?" she asked carefully.

Serra froze, and that hesitation answered the question before her mouth did.

The Moon Elf raised her chin. "Indeed, and what is it to you, Halfling?!"

Janet slowly covered her face, Paulina looked away, Julia stared toward the ceiling, and Eunice closed her eyes.

Well...

That settled it!

Serravalierderrdeluna, proud Trueblood Great Fey of the Wild Court and servant of Her Majesty Lunaria, was essentially an ignorant country bumpkin tourist who had wandered into another plane and gotten scammed within twenty-four hours.

The four women slowly looked toward Damian.

Julia’s gaze radiated pure disdain.

Eunice’s looked openly scolding.

Paulina seemed torn between disapproval and reluctant admiration.

Janet...

Janet looked almost impressed.

Damian finally chuckled and raised both hands in surrender.

"Alright, alright. I admit I may have taken advantage of the situation slightly."

"Slightly?!" Julia snapped.

Damian rolled his eyes at her.

Did they seriously believe he intended to actually marry Serra?

Pfffft, please!

My Brother In Christ, Damian already possessed three confirmed partners in Valoria, while Mu Qingyao and Shen Xueyi remained unresolved situations waiting for him in Shengyuan.

He had indeed decided to relax many of his old romantic limitations after transmigrating.

Why wouldn’t he?

It was a different world with a different culture and he was living a different life.

But that did not mean Damian wanted to collect women like magical artifacts until he required an accountant to remember anniversaries.

Seven, that was probably his absolute emotional limit.

Even that sounded exhausting if he was being honest.

Serra was beautiful enough to cause traffic accidents on Earth, but Damian barely knew the woman beyond the fact that she was arrogant, sheltered and had tried to interfere with his people.

Marriage after just one fight?

Pfft, was he some sort of... harem protagonist?!

He simply needed some justification stronger than ’I kidnapped a foreign Fey noble’ for keeping Serra nearby while he figured out what to do with her and learned more about the Wild Court.

The ridiculous marriage agreement accomplished that beautifully.

Damian eventually had Vivienne arrange an isolated guest room for Serra and politely informed the Moon Elf that wandering around without permission would be a poor decision.

Serra responded with approximately twelve insults involving Human inferiority.

Vivienne took her away anyway.

Once the door closed, Damian exhaled.

One elephant down.

Now came the difficult one.

............

Damian sat inside his study with Eunice, Paulina, Julia and Janet arranged around him.

The mood became considerably quieter once Serra disappeared.

Damian leaned backward slightly and looked directly toward Eunice. "I want to ask you again, properly this time. How do you feel about me?"

Eunice visibly stiffened.

Paulina glanced toward her, Julia lowered her eyes, and Janet’s usual smile disappeared.

Eunice folded her hands together over her lap and spent several seconds gathering herself before answering.

"I care for you deeply, Damian. That hasn’t changed," she said softly.

Damian remained silent.

Eunice continued, her voice gentle but firm. "I hold genuine affection for you, perhaps more than I should have allowed myself to develop, but my oath of celibacy is absolute while I remain upon my current path."

Her fingers tightened together.

"And beyond the oath itself, my faith comes first. Lord Orpheus and the Church gave me meaning when I needed it most, so any relationship that required me to place another person above that devotion would eventually become unfair to both of us."

Nobody mocked her nor did anybody argue immediately.

After all, this was not Eunice saying she found Damian unattractive or disliked his personality.

It was even worse, because she loved him but still chose something else.

Paulina shifted uncomfortably. "But surely there are ways around the oath? Different orders or branches of the Church, perhaps?"

Julia nodded slowly. "Or you could remain faithful without remaining formally sworn to celibacy. Those aren’t necessarily the same thing."

Janet leaned forward. "What if Damian became extremely religious?"

Damian looked at her speechlessly.

Janet shrugged. "Hey, I’m trying!"

Despite herself, Eunice laughed softly, then sadness returned.

"It’s not so simple," she replied gently.

Paulina’s ears lowered.

Eunice looked toward all three women in turn. "I appreciate what you’re trying to do, truly, but this isn’t merely a contract somebody tricked me into signing."

Her expression softened. "I chose this path."

Julia looked down.

Eunice smiled sadly. "And I chose all of you too, once."

That hurt.

The Four Valkyries had spent slightly over a year together.

They had fought monsters, slept in forests, argued over money, shared food, laughed at Janet’s nonsense, survived disastrous quests and built the kind of trust that only developed when people repeatedly placed their lives in one another’s hands.

Now Paulina, Julia and Janet were joining Damian, and not merely romantically, but practically and socially.

Eventually they would join mechanically too, once Damian trusted them enough to empower them the same way he empowered his household.

Their paths were changing, but Eunice’s was not.

The Priestess looked toward her companions with glistening eyes.

"I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every day we spent together. Even the terrible ones," she said.

Janet sniffed, Paulina turned her face away, and Julia’s lips pressed together.

Eunice smiled through the sadness. "Whatever happens after this, I’ll cherish those memories forever."

Damian felt something tighten inside his chest.

He had expected this possibility... they all had!

But expectation did absolutely nothing to reduce the weight when the moment finally arrived.

The Four Valkyries.

The first party Damian met in Valoria.

The women who shaped a ridiculous portion of his early life here without ever realizing it.

The people whose existence pushed him toward relationships, attachment, responsibility and building something larger than himself.

Paulina, Julia, Janet had chosen him.

Eunice had not.

Which meant...

The Valkyries were about to break up forever!