"I''ll look after you for now. Until you look healthy, that is."


    Orion lightly patted Sirius''s side after it was done eating. The famished dog ate quite a lot, which did not surprise him.


    "Alright, you can do whatever you want now. There not much to play outside, but I brought you a few things."


    Taking out balls and ropes from the large bag he carried home, Orion went out of the house and dropped the item in front of the house.


    ''I don''t even know if he will play with it.''


    The dog looked at the toys, before settling right next to them.


    "Well, that should be expected. You''re tired after all of that, right?"


    Caressing him one last time, Orion then returned inside the house.


    He opened the door, and walked inside the living room, sitting on the couch again.


    "Orion. Have you checked, just in case?"


    Amelia sat next to him, still waiting for the opportunity to bring her cake out.


    "If he was corrupted? I did, he was clean."


    "That''s a relief."


    All the women breathed a sigh of relief, since they took a liking to Sirius. They would be devastated for quite some time if something was to happen to him right now.


    "So, where were we? You wanted to bring out the cake before Sirius happened?"


    "Yes! That''s right! Wait for me!"


    With a bright smile, Amelia stood up and ran next door to pick up the covered plate from the dining table.


    She returned in a hurry and placed the plate on the small table.


    "There it is."


    She opened the lid and revealed a cake that surpassed even the greatest of chefs in Triazils.


    "Oh..."


    Orion blinked a few times, and realized what he had in front of him.


    "A cake which represents my elements."


    Indeed, the cake was peculiar. It was made in three parts, a white left side, a darker brown other, and a middle part where it looked like a pearl had been placed, but creamy with star bits all over.


    "The middle is just a big sugary cream I made, the left side is a vanilla sponge cake, and the right side is dark chocolate. I made it as close as possible, but it''s close to impossible for me to bake more than that."


    "So... happy birthday."


    Everyone spoke in unison.


    "Happy birthday!"


    One at a time, he looked at the people around him.


    ''Amelia... She has been with me since the beginning. We''ve grew together until now, and it is thanks to her that I still find the strength to fight.''


    ''Even though we''ve started on a rough foot at first, Karteira mellowed out quite a lot. To a point that it feels strange sometimes. I do love our training rivalry though, and her thirst for battle.''


    ''Dramia. Even though you appear to keep everything to yourself, you definitely look better with a smile. One day, you will find something to repair that broken heart of yours, I''m sure.''


    ''The rowdy Drania. Of course, how could I forget her. Noisy, always excited, but internally dealing with her power insecurities. The past while one day stop being important to you, believe me.''


    ''While I''ve known Kamala for no more than a month, I know more about her than anyone on this planet. Florian better get to work, she also deserves to be happy.''


    ''And last, Deveralna. I really don''t know much about her, except that she seemed to like me, and that she plays another persona when meeting people in the throne room of her palace. I''ll take this opportunity to learn more about her.''


    He felt as if his heart was at peace. Closing his eyes, he thought of Dylan and Florian. The first was most likely worried about him, while the second was unknowing, and in the middle of a conquest.


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    Then, he thought of Tiohr-nam. He could feel the link he had with her in his soul, just like he was feeling his elements pulsing with a warmth that comforted him.


    Lastly, he saw his parents in his mind. His father that he saw again during the ring recovery mission, and his mother, that appeared a few days ago to help him during a difficult and strange moment.


    But even though Orion was mentally tough, with a fortitude no one had since Noah went around defending the continent, he was still young.


    Just the fact that this specific birthday was different from the previous ones, and that so many people he didn''t knew about just a few months prior were here, it remain as an important memory inside him.


    And just like that, an expression that so rarely appeared on his face took everyone by surprise.


    ''Orion is... smiling. Really smiling.''


    Amelia watched in shock a delighted Orion, beaming from happiness. Something that never happened in her memories.


    Her, Karteira, Dramia, Drania, and Deveralna were all stunned. Only Kamala smiled in return.


    "Everyone, thank you."


    He was someone that smiled a lot, but always with restraints. Now that all the women in the room saw him like this, they would probably never forget about it.


    ''I had no idea he would give me a memory so precious all of a sudden.''


    Karteira thought, turning to Amelia. Their gaze joined, an both nodded. They were almost always on the same wavelength nowadays.


    Dramia and Drania remained locked in place. That smile reminded them of when Noah looked at his strange item in the past. They also didn''t understand why such a smile was directed at them.


    For Deveralna, it was way worse. Her mind was in shambles. She fell in love with his appearance, and his attitude when they first met, but now, she was learning a side that enticed her way more. To her, Orion was a mysterious and strange man, but she realized that he was also hiding a lot of his feelings inside of him, just like her.


    *cough*


    Kamala forced a cough to make everyone return to their senses.


    "I know you young ladies are not used to such a thing, but this is not the time to remain stoic."


    "Yes! Let me cut the cake now."


    Amelia stopped her thoughts, and sat next to Orion. Karteira went in the kitchen to bring plates and forks while also cooling her flushed face.


    The sisters sat quietly on the other couch, and Deveralna kept smiling, before she sat next to the sisters. Kamala ended up sitting next to her right after.


    "That reminds me, have Amelia or Karteira asked you about the massage yet? I know you''ve been busy with the sirens and all, but I was hoping you had heard by now."


    Orion blinked a few times before shaking his head.


    "No, I''ve heard nothing about that. Where does that come from?"


    Karteira explained, with everyone in the room except Deveralna sweating.


    ...


    "Oh, sure. I can do that."


    While Kamala explained, Amelia had cut the cake. They were about to eat it.


    "Once we''ve ate the cake, I''ll help you."


    "Already? It can wait, it is your birthday isn''t it?"


    He shook his head.


    "It doesn''t matter."


    Kamala nodded in embarrassment.


    "A-Alright, if you say so."


    As this conversation came to a close, they all enjoyed the cake Amelia made, Orion, Dramia, Drania, and Deveralna enjoying the vanilla part, while Amelia, Karteira and Kamala ate the chocolate one.


    ~


    "AHN! GH! WAI-"


    Kamala''s moans echoed from upstairs.


    "WAIT, I CHANGED MY MI-?! AH! IIIE! NOT THE TAI-! ANNH!"


    And then Deveralna''s voice followed right after.


    The previous victims of Orion''s massage were in the living room, their face completely flushed red.


    Orion, once the cake eating part was done, took Kamala with him upstairs. But right before, Deveralna made the mistake of wanting to experience it too.


    Now, they had to hear the scream of ecstasy and anguish of the two women that came from Orion''s room.


    "Are you sure their not having sex?"


    Drania said, red as a tomato.


    "What are you saying now?! Of course not!"


    Not believing what her sister said, Dramia slapped the back of her head.


    "You two made the same noises when he massaged your back."


    Remembering what happened in the Dead White forest, Karteira did not miss the chance to make them remember.


    "Impossible!"


    "No, I mean, she''s right sis. It does feel very good. To the point that you could even leak if you don''t contain yourself."


    "Ghh..."


    Dramia bit her lips remembering how horrifying this event was.


    "AAAAH!"


    Amelia closed her eyes, and began to analyse the situation by listening.


    "He''s almost done."


    "How can you tell?"


    Karteira asked.


    "He goes for the most pleasurable spots at the end. If you hear a sudden cut in their voice, that means he''s going for that."


    "How do you know that?"


    "Because I''ve heard all of you moan as I was the first out. I had time to understand how he works his fingers."


    Another round of blushing happened.


    "AH-GAH! NO! NNNN-"


    ''One down.''


    She smiled. The first one to fall unconscious was Deveralna, as she was not used to such an intense session.


    Kamala seemed to hold pretty well, as her moans sounded more relaxed than she expected.


    At one point, she didn''t ever hear anything.


    ''Seems like she really needed this to relax. At least it was helpful?''


    Sounds of footsteps in the staircase was heard, and not long after, Orion went through the doorway with a beeming Kamala.


    "Why are you all so red? You''re going to be sick if you don''t do something about it."


    "It''s your fault!"


    Dramia shouted.


    As he began to exchange words with an angry Dramia, Karteira asked Kamala with a flushed face.


    "How was it? Did that relieve your stress?"


    "Most definitely. I feel so much lighter, and my thoughts are clearer than I could have hoped."


    She turned to Orion and bowed a little.


    "Thank you. I don''t think anyone else would have done it as good as you. Do you mind if I ask you for another session in the future?"


    "If it helps, I don''t mind."


    With a smile brighter than before, she nodded.


    "At my age, it can be hard to find a good way to relieve the stress. You''re really good at this."


    He looked at Amelia.


    "What happened to the Queen?"


    "She fell asleep. I might have gone a little too far as I looked at the texture and feeling of her tail and her back."


    He placed a hand behind his head and looked up.


    "Yes, but she will feel better after waking up. She also hold a high status, so stress is an obligatory thing that comes with it."


    "If you say so. I hope she won''t hold it against me, like Dramia."


    "Wha- What does my name have to do with anything?!"


    Everyone laughed for a while, until the lamia Queen awakened.


    She did found out that her tail was more sensitive than before, and that her senses where more keen too. With difficulty, she returned downstairs, before joining them.


    The end of the day came faster than expected, and just like that, everyone returned home.


    All that was left was for Orion to go and see Keith, and then he would left the next day.


    Toward Bandir.