Dragoon

After Rudel began commuting to the girls' dorm, the girls… particularly a certain portion of them began raising voices of disapproval. Unaware of all that, Rudel was on his way to answer the princess' call as per usual. Since he became a third year, he hadn't been able to go every day.

But even so, he was called around once per week, and at the worst times, the princess herself would say, "You can stay over for the night." Even Rudel would end up refraining from that one. Such visits continued, and Rudel's feet as he made for the girls' dorm grew heavier by the day.

"I get the feeling if I spent my time reading or training, I'd get better efficiency. But I'm being called by the princess, for argument's sake."

He complained to himself as he walked down the girls' dormitory corridor when…

"I smell a man… a noble at that."

"Boss! I'm telling you this is bad, that guy's a bigshot even among the nobles."

"Even for you, he's someone you shouldn't pick a fight with, boss!"

Wearing uniforms considerably tampered with… that no longer even held their original form, three girls stood in the way of Rudel's path. Among them, one was clearly glaring at Rudel. And she was large! Rudel wasn't short himself, but she stood more than just a head over him. Such a girl drew closer to him.

"Do you have some business with me? I'm in a bit of a hurry."

Unlike Eunius' elegant ferocity, the demi-human girl contained an especially wild savagery. And that was how it was supposed to be… among the demi-humans, the beast tribes, the girls were of the tiger tribe heralded as the strongest. What's more, they were Rudel's upperclassmen. One wrong step, and even Rudel felt he would lose to them.

"Business? Of course I have some! There's no way it's good for a guy to be here! Now turn tail and get lost, noble boy!"

Looking down on him, and that yelling voice was enough for a gangster to feel dread. Her intensity received a full score, but…

"More importantly, aren't those clothes against the rules? I recommend you stop dressing like that. Shortening your skirts, and… your bosom is, well…"

The tiger tribe women's attire, to Rudel who had many noble women around her, it looked striking, even causing his heart to speed up a tick.

"Where do you think you're looking brat!? If you want us to stop so bad, then call over a teacher or something."

As the girl they called boss burst into a grin, she grasped Rudel's lapels and lifted him up. But Rudel had been petting too much lately, and as a conditioned reflex, he reached for those encroaching tiger ears. The boss was surprised for just a moment, but she instantly snapped, tried to throw Rudel down, and… crumbled at the knees.

"Eh? Wait a sec… ond. W-what is this!?"

Her knees stuck to the ground, her thighs were lightly shaking. As the boss sat on the spot, Rudel felt some relief that his legs reached the ground. But seeing that, the boss' followers wouldn't let him off.

"What did you do to our boss, brat!!?"

The tiger tribe women leapt at him… there were no survivors.

◇

"… How troublesome."

The ruckus having subsided, Rudel looked over the present state of the hallway as he thought over what to do. The tiger tribe girls' rooms were probably close, so he could just leave them there. He wanted to escort them, but when everyone was unconscious, that wasn't quite an option… and it hit him.

"I'll go ask Izumi!"

Rudel headed for Izumi's room. The unconscious tiger tribe girls were left behind. And as luck would have it…

"Good grief… where could my master be?"

(Keeping a princess waiting, he's a failure as a gentleman! Though I'm a failure of a lady! I want to quickly fluff up Mii and Ness…?)

As Fina walked down the hallway with her high knight guards, she came across the unconscious tiger tribe girls in the hall. She thought a bit and concluded this was Rudel's handiwork.  The forms of these tiger girls closely resembled the form Mii was left in after a good petting.

"There's no helping master."

(The master's leftovers are to be eaten up by his disciple! … crap, I'm so excited my drool is leaking out!)

Expressionlessly thinking over such things, Fina had the tiger tribe girls brought to her own room… and after that, she had a wonderful time fluffing them up.

"There's no one here, Rudel."

"Huh? That's strange… there were unconscious girls here just a moment ago…"

Izumi and Rudel who appeared later looked around, having found no one in the hall. And Izumi threw out the natural question.

"By the way, Rudel, why are you in the girls' dorm? What's more so naturally…"

◇

The next day, as Rudel had been unable to go to the princess' room the previous night, he was called out again. Rudel headed to the girls' dorm with feelings of gloom. There, he found the tiger tribe girls wearing uniforms that upholded school regulation. Fidgeting a bit, they acted bashful from from their unfamiliar attire.

The girls noticed Rudel and approached.

"W-we're really sorry about what happened yesterday! A-also… about yesterday…"

In regards to the women who were struggling with their words, Rudel thought they wanted him to keep quiet on their clothing from the other knight. That's how he took it. Sure enough, it was some stimulating attire, and anyone would want to keep it a secret… Rudel seriously thought.

"Yeah, I'll keep quiet about it. Don't worry."

"…? N-no, not that!"

The tiger girl fidgeted as she tried to say something. But the princess' appointed time drew close. Saying he had an appointment, Rudel made off. And as he headed for the princess' room, Ness was there waiting for him… with a collar.

◇

"Please make me your slave for the rest of my life."

Ness looked at Rudel with muddled upturned eyes. Her collar had a chain attached, what's more, she told him to make her his slave. A normal man would worry over whether to accept or not… but Rudel,

"Slavery has been abolished in Courtois. So the buying, selling, and possession of slaves is a crime."

An upfront, complete rejection.

But Ness didn't give up. Huddling her body to his, she pleaded in a cat's purring tone.

"It's a figure of speech. If you'll keep me for the rest of my life, I'll be satisfied."

"No, using the word keep for a demi-human is strange! … H-huh? Are you listening to what I'm saying?"

Ness began unbuttoning Rudel to strip him down… there, Rudel grew scared and took flight. He ran off towards Izumi's room at full force.

"Save me, Izumi!"

From Rudel's footsteps down the hallway, Izumi knew he was there before he came in… but her roommate was surprised as he suddenly burst into the room.

"Did you do something again?"

"She wants to be my slave! The black cat says she wants to be my slave! I'm going to become a criminal!"

On Rudel's answer she didn't quite get, Izumi had no idea what to do… so she arbitrarily opened the window and let him use it for his escape. To be blunt, Izumi was way too soft on Rudel. Normally, he had done enough to be presented to the dorm's prefects.

◇

And having learned of those happenings, Fina.

"I see, so master isn't coming today either…"

(Damn, before I even noticed it, master cucked my Ness away! This is irritating and just a bit arousing!!! What should I do, at this rate all my fluffies will be taken away… I'm so aroused I can't help it. Should I seriously try to get my hands on master? If I do, I'll never be troubled with fluffing for the rest of my life. Huh? Master's from a Three Lords' House, so there's no problem with him as a partner!)

She got all worked up alone.

And the princess' guard Sophina and her best friend Mii looked a little disappointed that Rudel wasn't coming. Fina spoke.

"Well, I'll just place my hopes on tomorrow."

(We're all at the academy, so there shouldn't be a problem if I leave a little time. I'll be fluffing again tomorrow!!! As I thought, fluff is the first step to conquest!)

But Fina's wish was broken oh-so easily by Izumi.