Chapter 2002: Undead Empire

Quinlan grinned back.

"But of course. We also have our agricultural setup taking place as we speak. This undead empire could be quite troublesome if they undercut us when the time comes to rob Thalorind- I mean, supply its denizens with food."

Serika’s fingers found another pleasant spot beneath his collar, and he leaned farther back with a contented sigh. "Life is good."

"Sure it is..." Vex narrowed her eyes. The gorgeous hexwitch couldn’t believe she allowed the sly woman to take that spot before she had!

Across the table, Void had raised her eyelids just enough to watch those hands. Her cheek still rested against Scar, but there was open envy on her sleepy face.

"...umm, miss tanned bombshell? Could I be next?"

"Sure." Bronnya pushed her chair back and stood.

Void lifted her head from Scar’s arm.

"...Bronnya?"

"What? I’ve got hands too."

Very large hands.

The tanker came around behind Scar’s chair, flexing her thick fingers. Muscle shifted along her forearms as she reached toward the mage’s shoulders, her broad palms closing in from either side.

Both of Void’s violet eyes flew open in horror.

"Eh? Wait, I meant-!"

Scar stood to move her chair out of Bronnya’s way. Void immediately scrambled onto her back, locking her arms around the soul general’s shoulders.

"Go, Scar!"

Her mount remained exactly where she was.

"...Scar?"

"You can walk."

Void stared at the side of her mask in dismay.

"I’m asking to be rescued!"

"I heard you."

Bronnya reached around Scar toward the mage. With a horrified squeak, Void abandoned her uncooperative mount, dropped to the floor, and bolted toward the end of the table.

"Come here." Sera caught her around the waist before she could pass her chair, turned her, and drew her onto her lap.

"Ehh?!"

Void found herself facing the table with her back against Seraphiel’s chest. An arm rested snugly around her waist while the elf raised her free hand toward the approaching tanker.

"Sorry~ Void is under my protection now."

Bronnya stopped with her hands still outstretched.

For a moment, she stared at the two of them. Then she threw her head back and burst into laughter.

"Bahahahaha! Alright, alright! She’s all yours!"

As Bronnya retreated laughing to her own chair, Scar resumed her seat beside Sera. Void watched those enormous hands withdraw, then turned her bewildered face toward the beautiful elf holding her.

"Ehhh...?"

Sera smiled down at her.

"I’m no Serika, but I did learn from her. I could rub those shoulders for you, if you’ll have me~"

Jallen sighed from across the table.

"She’s being pampered again."

Void’s eyes lit up.

"Yes!! Please!!"

Sera barely had time to loosen her embrace before the mage tugged her robe down off her shoulders. Still seated on the elf’s lap, Void leaned forward to offer her bare neck, all trace of hesitation gone.

"Hehe~ You’re ready, then?"

"Very."

Giggling, Seraphiel placed her hands on the exposed shoulders and began to knead. Her thumbs worked outward from the base of Void’s neck, easing into the muscle with firm, careful pressure.

"Ohh..."

The mage’s eyes drifted shut. She’d been sitting so eagerly upright that Sera could feel the moment she surrendered, her weight settling fully into the elf’s lap as the tension left her shoulders.

"Like that?"

"Mm... Yes..."

Sera let her rest back against her, adjusting her hands to keep working along the sides of her neck. A small, helplessly pleased sound escaped Void when the elf’s fingers found a particularly tender spot.

"Mmm... Please keep doing that..."

"Gladly~"

Sera loved how readily the woman relaxed against her. She’d only offered a massage, and now Void was trusting her with every bit of her weight, making those sweet little sounds whenever her fingers found the right place.

Behind Quinlan, Serika caught Sera’s delighted glance and grinned back at her. "I thought you only took my lessons to further seduce Quin. Consider me pleasantly surprised." Her own hands kept moving, and he settled more comfortably beneath them while Bronnya wiped at her eyes.

"I did only take those lessons for that exact reason," the blonde beauty smirked. "But I might as well use it on my weary friend, right?"

"Yesss..." Void exhaled in utter bliss.

The mage then turned her face toward Quinlan.

"Could I join Unbound? Please...?"

Lilith’s hand struck the table hard enough to rattle the cutlery.

"What the fuck did you just say?!"

Void shrank back against Sera, whose hands paused on her shoulders.

"I’d be very useful..."

"You don’t get to abandon the Lilies because someone rubbed your fucking neck! This isn’t something to joke about!"

"Is this necessary?" Scar sighed from her seat beside them.

Across the table, Jallen lowered her head until her forehead met the wood with a dull thud. "Someone kill me."

Bronnya slapped her thigh and howled with laughter.

"Bahahaha! She’s defecting for a massage!"

"It’s unfair!" Void protested, twisting on Sera’s lap to look up at the woman holding her. "Look at her! She’s soft, kind, so feminine... Her hands are amazing, and she actually wants to spoil people!"

Sera’s cheeks warmed at the praise. "Well... This is unexpected," she giggled.

Now that she’d found someone to cling to, the mage faced her own team with growing indignation.

"Our healer is the queen of nagging! She only wants to stab things. Even when she’s healing me, I have to hear about how I got hurt, why I’m tired, why somebody else is carrying me..."

Jallen lifted her forehead off the table and looked straight at Quinlan.

"Please. Take her."

Void’s complaint died in her throat.

"...Eh?"

The healer leaned back in her chair, tilting her head as a manic gleam entered her eyes. She looked thoroughly delighted by the prospect of handing Void over, and the mage’s fingers tightened around Sera’s sleeve.

"My boss is a psycho bitch."

Lilith turned toward her.

"Excuse me?"

"You’re a psychopath, Lilith Ravenshade."

Their captain held her gaze for a moment, then closed her mouth. Jallen waited until Lilith had settled back in her chair before continuing.

"My tanker just asked if the undead baked her bread."

Bronnya tried to answer, but another burst of laughter folded her over the table. "Bahaha! Guess I did do that!" Tears were running down her face, and Jallen let her struggle through it beneath a look of utter contempt.

"My mage can’t stop bitching, and my best teammate is a fucking cute ghost girl."

Scar raised an eyebrow at Jallen. She said nothing.

"I’m tired of running this clown show. If Void thinks she can find better company, please, let her. Perhaps I can finish a meal without having to micromanage her existence."

The woman who’d been pleading to change teams stared across the table, all her eagerness gone. She’d wanted a massage. Now Lilith had fallen silent while Jallen discussed giving her away.

"Jallen...?"

"Yes?"

"I didn’t mean..."

"You explained yourself very clearly."

Void’s eyes filled with tears.

"Sorryyy... It was just a joke!"

She leaned so far forward that Sera had to tighten an arm around her waist to keep her from slipping off her lap straight into a dogeza position. The mage reached across the table toward Jallen, her voice breaking into a pitiful whine.

"Take me back... Pleaseee..."

Bronnya made a strangled sound and buried her face in her folded arms. Her whole body shook with the effort of laughing quietly enough to hear the answer.

Jallen watched the pleading mage with utterly cruel detachment. Zero emotion visible.

She took her time considering the request, letting Void wait while she reclined comfortably in her chair.

"You’ll behave."

Void nodded frantically at Jallen, her head bobbing so fast that Sera’s fingers slipped from her neck.

"Yes! Yes, I will! I’ll be good!"

"And I can expect to hear less about what a terrible person I am?"

"You’re wonderful! The best! Please..."

The healer let her suffer through another moment before giving her answer.

"Fine."

Void sagged back against Sera.

The elf rubbed her shoulders again while the mage sniffled.

She then leaned in, whispering straight into the mage’s ears. "Treasure Jallen. I might be kind to you, but that’s because you’re like an adorable doggie. When you come to me for scratches, it’s fun. But taking care of a dog who keeps soiling itself, day after day? I’d have skinned you already."

"!!!" Void shuddered from head to toe. Then, with pleading eyes, she turned to Jallen.

"Mommy... Help..."