Chapter 175 They Belong To Me
A brilliant beam of celestial energy shot from his hands, slicing through the air with blinding speed, colliding with the approaching horde and illuminating the darkness.
The beam blasted through the zombies, obliterating them with bursts of luminous mana.
The girls stood in awe, their eyes wide with astonishment, as the celestial beam relentlessly carved its way through the undead, mowing them down like a scythe through wheat.
Their decaying bodies crumbled away, and the ground trembled under the spell's power. The remaining zombies lunged forward but were swiftly dispatched by Ella's arrows.
Not long after, the remaining horde was wiped out as Archer lowered his arm and looked around, catching a whiff of burnt skin and rotten organs.
When he turned around, Archer saw the three girls holding their noses.
He started laughing before speaking. "Let's look around to see if they have, uh... good stuff."
Archer quickly walked around, leaving the girls to shake their heads at his greed. They started looking around but didn't find much.
He found a journal along with a small chest of gold, which he threw into his Item Box. Then he sat at a desk and began reading the journal.
After a while, the girls found him engrossed in reading. Ella walked up to him with a smile and asked, "What do you have there, Arch?"
He spoke but didn't look up from the journal. "It's a journal detailing the experiments they conducted here, but it seems that not everything was written down. They were using the townspeople for experiments in an attempt to create powerful undead soldiers."
Archer placed it in his Item Box and turned to the girls. "So, did you three find anything?"
They shook their heads, and Sera replied while smiling at him. "No, there were just loads of undead strapped to stone tables."
Ella nodded, but Teuila handed over another book. "I found this, but I can't read it. It appears to be written in a language from another land."
He took it from her and opened the front cover, reading the title out loud. "The Necromancer's Compendium."
Getting interested, he started reading and soon learned that it was a spellbook containing all types of necromancer spells.
Archer threw the book into his Item Box as he jumped off the table he was sitting on and kissed each girl.
Once he had done that, they all started to leave the cave and made their way to the entrance.
Archer and the girls left the dimly lit cave, emerging into the lush forest. The sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, casting shadows on the forest floor.
The air held a crispness that carried the refreshing scent of pine and earth, Archer and the girls made their way through the once dangerous forest, now bathed in an aura of tranquility.
Sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting dappled shadows on the lush green undergrowth.
The air was filled with the songs of birds and the gentle rustling of leaves, a stark contrast to the chaos they had endured in their recent battles.
As they strolled along the meandering path, Archer took a deep breath, savoring the fresh scent of the forest.
Teuila walked alongside him, a contented smile gracing her features, while Ella and Sera followed suit, their steps light and carefree.
In the distance, the unmistakable sounds of clashing swords and magic spells echoed through the stillness.
The muffled shouts and grunts of adventurers engaged in combat drifted to their ears, carrying the weight of the ongoing struggle.
Archer's keen senses picked up the distant commotion, but he chose to pay it little mind. His priority at the moment was to cherish this moment of respite with his girls.
He glanced at Teuila, her blue hair dancing in the breeze, and a sense of peace washed over him.
She noticed Archer's distraction and playfully nudged him. "Hey Arch, what do you think is happening over there?" she asked, pointing in the direction of the distant sounds.
Archer shrugged nonchalantly, a wry smile forming on his lips. "Probably just some adventurers testing themselves against beasts. Nothing that concerns us right now."
Sera chimed in, her voice calm but laced with curiosity. "Indeed, Our battles lie elsewhere, and for now, let us revel in the tranquility of this forest."
As Ella glanced at the tranquil surroundings, she expressed her approval with a nod. "It's truly wonderful to experience a moment like this."
After walking for a few hours, they caught sight of the town in the distance and made their way towards it.
As they neared the town, the guards at the gate hastily abandoned their posts. Soon, the mayor emerged from the town, accompanied by his wife and a sizable group of villagers.
Mayor Viden and his wife approached the four adventurers. Once they were close enough to talk, the mayor asked, "How did your quest go? Did you find out what was going on?"
Archer proceeded to explain everything that had happened, recounting the events that resulted in the loss of lives.
The mayor's face turned serious as he listened to the news of his people's deaths. Everyone who heard was saddened but relieved that the nightmare would come to an end.
Viden thanked Archer for his help but seemed puzzled upon seeing the three girls. He asked, "Hey, Archer, who are these beautiful girls? They weren't with you before."
Archer smiled as he introduced the girls, saying, "These are my fiancées, Ella, Teuila, and Sera."
The girls smiled but noticed the disdainful look the woman was giving Archer. Ella thought to herself. 'Why is she looking at him like his scum?''
Viden spoke up before his wife could explode and initiate an argument. He was aware of her strong aversion to harems, influenced by her aunt's experience of being in one and feeling miserable.
Sera confronted her, asking, "Why are you looking at him like that, woman?"
Tesfira didn't back down; instead, she stepped forward, giving Archer a piercing stare, and started lecturing Sera.
"Why are you defending him, girl? He clearly doesn't respect women and will force them to do whatever he wants! Men who seek out a harem are scum!"
Sera was shocked when she heard this. She couldn't believe that Archer would ever force anyone to do something against their will. She even wondered if they could get whatever they wanted just by asking him.
As Sera prepared to speak, Ella stepped forward, her face filled with anger, and rebuked the woman. "Who are you to judge him? Maybe you were hurt by a man in your past, but don't judge our fiancé who hasn't done a single thing wrong and would support us in anything."
Tesfira refused to back down as Viden tried to calm her down but She shrugged him off and ranted again. "Well, maybe he does treat you girls well, but there will come a time when he forces you to be together at night."
The three girls were shocked, knowing that Archer would never do such a thing. Finally, Teuila spoke up. "No, you're wrong. Archer wouldn't force us to do anything."
Upon hearing this, Archer's anger surged, and he spoke in a low growl, his frustration evident from the woman's attitude. "I would never force my girls to do anything like that, even if they were in the same room. They belong to me and me alone, and no one will touch them!"
The three girls heard the possessiveness in his voice and embraced it. Tesfira was taken aback when she heard the innocent-looking boy growl like a beast.
She stepped back as Viden began speaking. "I'm sorry about that, Archer. Tesfira has experienced a lot of hardships due to such relationships. Her aunt was in one and was treated no better than a slave."
Archer nodded, a smile gracing his face. "No problem. I will treat my girls well and support them in whatever way they prefer. Anyway, we should continue traveling. It's afternoon, and we want to put a few miles behind us before nightfall."
Viden extended his hand, and Archer shook it as the man spoke. "I'll inform the guild that you've completed the quest. Once again, thank you for saving our town, you and the girls are always welcome here."
"I will keep that in mind. Farewell, Viden." He said as he turned around
The three girls smiled and followed behind him. They walked until they were further away, and then he turned to them.
"Do you want to fly for a while?" he asked.
All three nodded in agreement. Archer walked a short distance away from them and transformed into his dragon form.
He lowered his body so Ella and Teuila could climb on and get comfortable.
However, Sera transformed into her own dragon form and expressed her desire to fly alongside him.
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