The highlight was the central square: a colossal statue of a muscular lion-man towered over everything, wielding a massive war hammer and this slender, curved sword... Oh, a katana!
He had a mane flowing down like a king’s cape, his expression fierce and gallant.
"This is my late father," Sakura said quietly, voice softening. "King Leorin. He built Shishi-no-su into what it is today. He was the last of the great were-lion demigods that perished in the 7th Celestial War 12,000 years ago."
Your father sure is muscle-bound. And 12,000 years ago? How old are YOU again, Sakura?!
We wandered through lantern-lined alleys where geisha-like beastkin played string instruments, the music... was kind of haunting, but still melodic.
Temples with golden roofs housed massive bells that rung deep notes, vibrating through my chest.
The highlight was the central square: a colossal statue of a muscular lion-man towered over everything, wielding a massive war hammer and this slender, curved sword... Oh, a katana!
He had a mane flowing down like a king’s cape, his expression fierce and gallant.
"This is my late father," Sakura said quietly, voice softening. "King Leorin. He built Shishi-no-su into what it is today. He was the last of the great were-lion demigods that perished in the 7th Celestial War 12,000 years ago."
Your father sure is muscle-bound. And 12,000 years ago? How old are YOU again, Sakura?!
But the statue really was magnificently built. Like a superhero’s sculpture.
I stared up, impressed. "He looks like a legend."
"If you stayed," she slipped in, amber eyes watching me. "you could very well be part of that legacy."
Uh-huh. Nice try.
***
We continued to a grand palace wing, where she introduced me to the kingdom’s god-touched: Kurosawa Ren, he was called.
He lounged in a lavish room filled with scrolls and odd inventions, an attractive guy appearing to be in his twenties with messy black hair, wearing a mix of yukata and medieval tunic, looking like he’d just woken from a nap.
Apparently, he’s been here for forty years now... and he still looked so young.
Would I also age so slow? Well, Lotus is going to make sure of that.
"Yo," Ren said, waving lazily. "So, are you from ’earth’ too?"
Oh? Another earthling like me!
"Ah, yes. Seattle," I nodded, "You?"
"Japan. I used to be a college student."
Figures.
But I couldn’t quite distinguish the faces of Asians apart; Chinese, Korean, and Japanese look exactly like one race to me. Can’t tell them apart.
"So... How did you bite the dust?"
Haha... Funny question to ask all of a sudden, but I guess it’s kind of an inside joke now.
I replied. "Uhm, cancer. You?"
"Get this, I was chased by this rabid dog down a Tokyo street. Then I tripped and fell into the road." He suddenly laughed, slapping his knee. "BAM! —a truck slammed into me. I didn’t die though, I just stood up from the ground and found myself here in Shishi-no-su, with that system thing speaking to me."
"Mr Ren, take it from me, you definitely died," I put a hand on his shoulder, "You just didn’t notice."
"Haha! You think so? I didn’t feel any pain though?" he chuckled, "and hey, just call me Ren."
We really hit it off immediately.
And Ren was an interesting guy, true and true:
Demonstrating his "cursed virginity" by trying to hug a seductively-dressed passing cat girl attendant, only for electric sparks to zap from his groin, sending her yelping away.
He explained it deadpan:
"You know, I was a son of a priest back home. So when I arrived here, I became paranoid about Sakura-san’s sisters always trying to jump me. Therefore, I cast a high-level electric barrier spell on my dick, so it shocks anyone coming at me with lewd intentions. It did wonders in chasing the girls away, but I made a mistake somewhere in the spell. Now it feeds off my magic, and won’t stop till I’m dry. Which should kill me, but god-touched folks particularly have bottomless wells of magic power. So...yeah, I’m now an eternal virgin."
Pfft. So, an unwilling virgin for sixty years so far? Talk about biting off more than you can chew.
"The worst part is that I eventually got bested by hormones and tried to get with this cute cat girl, two years after I transmigrated here..." He sighed dramatically, flopping back on his cushions. "My dick zapped her to high heavens, and now she won’t stop ignoring me. A curse of my own making, man."
"Uhm. Yeah... that’s rough." I said, not knowing if I should laugh at him, or console him. "But wait—what language are we speaking again?!"
"Ah, I don’t really get the details, but I just understand everyone here. Even their written words." Ren shrugged, "Maybe it’s a feature for god-touched from another world? Anyway, I’m speaking English with you, though."
Ah, it adds up, then.
It’s weird, but he’s way more understandable than other residents of this world.
Sakura then alerted me that we would soon be going to the next destination—her sisters.
But as she led me away to meet them:
"W-Watch out for them, Ben. "Ren swiftly grabbed my arm, his face serious, "Those girls are immoral seductresses... I’ll be praying for your safety."
Hmph!
I chuckled internally.
After undergoing Izra’s madness? What could be worse?
The wild-looking ogre from the summit, maybe. But Sakura’s sisters couldn’t be that bad... right?
***
The palace halls grew more opulent as we approached their quarters; silk banners, incense smoke curling, soft music drifting from behind screens.
Sakura pushed open the doors with a strut. "Sisters, our guest has arrived."
I stepped in, my heart rate picking up just a bit.
The room was a den of luxury: low tables laden with sake and sweets, cushions scattered around a central hearth.
Eight women lounged there; each a beastkin beauty, tails swooshing, ears perked, eyes locking on me with predatory interest.
The adventure in Shishi-no-su is just beginning!