Chapter 578 – Festival in Masakam!

The very next morning, Kanae gathered Amethyst Hall and Vestrid around the firepit. Sawa was upstairs preparing breakfast for them. They had taken advantage of the chief's hospitality enough and needed to press on with their mission— find Bocchiri and convince the other islands to evacuate.

Before that, however, the rest of them needed to know what Isabella had told Kanae last night.

"Bad news. There's a good chance your sisters are here." Kanae turned to Hilde.

"That look of yours tells me it isn't the ones I care to have present. Which can only mean my sisters faithful to the Cult of Lust and Depravity." Hilde sighed.

"Everywhere we go, those fucking succubi are somehow around the corner." Petyr growled.

"I'm sorry, who are you talking about?" Sawa descended from the second floor with trays of salads.

Kanae and Hilde held each other's gazes to silently decide who should tell Hota'ree's chief. Gretchen beat them to it.

"Like the elves of Nu-hauta, the succubus race is also at odds with one another. Queen-Mother Zariah and her daughters serve the devil Satine hellsbent on turning the world into their personal ranch. Her Majesty, Kanae Toyomi, stands against them," Gretchen explained.

"Any devil-worshiper is unquestionably an enemy of mine. But why the archipelago? What could we possibly have that would draw them here?" Sawa furrowed her brows.

"We have a strong suspicion that one of the cultist temples is somewhere on the island of Tau'we. Would you happen to know anything about that?" Kanae asked.

"Tau'we, hm." The chief leaned against the wall and pressed her fingers together. "It is one of the islands under Toro's control. Maybe the cultists have gotten to him and the Iceweaver to harm the island."

"Then our destination is clear, Amethyst. We make way for Tau'we," Vestrid said, getting up to leave.

Everyone watched the Saint Priest storm out until Kanae chased after her. It took flying to catch up to the drakeling, who was marching briskly in the direction of the Rown ships.

"The only way to get around Nu-hauta is by their rowboats. You're not seriously going to walk all the way back or row yourself, are you?" Kanae asked.

"That Sawa thinks Bocchiri can be charmed by succubi. I think not. He isn't so easily beaten, especially not with Permafrost in his hands. Surely, you don't think the same?" Vestrid glared.

"Considering Bocchiri almost fought Petyr to a standstill, I'm with you. But we should be careful about letting slip about our relation to him in front of… you know, the person who hates his guts. We have next to zero information about Nu-hauta, and these are the first friendly faces we've met. I want to get to the bottom of the temples, but you won't see me flying straight there," she whispered.

The Saint Priest sighed.

"No, you're right. I'm getting too ahead of myself. I just can't imagine Bocchiri out there dealing with all this on his own. I should have been there for him, as his colleague and mentor. The next time I try to shirk my duties, you have my permission to knock some sense in me. Or get Petyr to do it. She probably wants to get a hit in after all these years." Vestrid grinned.

"Let's save the hitting for our enemies." Kanae chuckled.

When they returned, the others were ready to leave but Sawa looked like she had something to say.

"Whatever you plan to do, I encourage you to extend your stay in Hota'ree an extra day. The Fertility Festival begins at noon today," Sawa said.

"The— what?" Kanae gaped at her.

"It is a festival held every year throughout Nu-hauta before the start of spring, praying for bountiful harvests from the land and seas," she explained.

"Oh. See, when I hear 'fertility' I think of women getting pregnant and whatnot—"

"That, too!" The chief nodded enthusiastically. "Bachelors will take the opportunity to meet other bachelors. In a single night, a whole new generation will be secured! Oh, I hope to find my fated lover. Countless men hesitate to approach me simply because I'm Chief of Hota'ree. They forget that I'm a woman, too!" Sawa pouted, a stark change in personality compared to before.

Kanae gulped hard, having finally glimpsed Sawa Ohamae's femininity. The way her long dark brown hair draped down that toned and tattooed, sparsely-dressed physique made Sawa exceptionally sexy. Although the elf's fitness came at the cost of a modest bust, the tantalizing flashes whenever her leathers shifted left Kanae… wanting.

"You will stay for the Fertility Festival, yes?" Sawa asked again, snapping Kanae from her trance.

"Y-Yeah. Yeah! Of course, we will. Won't we, everyone?" Kanae glanced back at the others.

They didn't share the same excitement. But the looks Hilde and Gretchen were giving Kanae couldn't make it more clear that the two knew why she wanted to partake.

"In that case, may I offer you the attire of my culture?" Sawa offered eagerly.

A wardrobe of colorful and vibrant clothing laid out for them. The fabric's texture didn't feel like anything they had ever touched before. It somehow felt soft and rough at the same time. Papery, too. Bright dyes of green, yellow, orange, red, and more looked purposefully done to draw attention.

Sawa called them bark cloth, made from the fibrous material between the bark and trunk of a tree. A meticulous process of soaking and beating the fibers made them soft enough to be woven like threads. Cotton and wool were a rare commodity on Nu-hauta, which they normally traded for from sailors and merchants on the mainland. Recent circumstances had put a stop to that, among other goods that usually arrived on the island.

Kanae picked a two-piece. The light tan skirt was made of loose and unwoven bark cloth that dangled down to her knees. A comfortable chest wrap tied around her bust decorated with hanging beads that clattered with every little movement.

Everyone else wore something similar, but Petyr went with the most modest gown to avoid showing much skin. Vestrid managed to look the best, dressed in a bright orange sash with geometric patterns that complimented her brownish scales. The outfit split at her thighs, exposing very powerful legs that could break bones in a single kick.

"Breezy. This is very suitable for quickly jumping into a fight with," Vestrid said.

"We're about to go to a festival, and fighting is all you can think about?" Kanae groaned.

"I can't help it. As a drakeling, my blood burns with the fires of—"

"I get it already!" She groaned even louder.

They emerged from the house to a much different Masakam than yesterday. One that was boisterous and full of life. On the beach, the natives erected large totems with humanoid faces carved into them. A quick glance, and Kanae recognized the distinct features of a rotund belly and swollen breasts.

As it turned out, the Fertility Festival also meant that.

All across Masakam, the locals were dancing around bonfires and playing music. Already pregnant women drew the most attention. Locals gifted them necklaces made from shells and pearls in exchange for a blessing in the form of a pat on the head. Which was odd to Kanae and her companions.

"Is it just me, or are your people holding those with child in reverence?" Gretchen asked.

"They are." Sawa nodded. "It is believed that an expecting mother is bathed in divinity, and offering them tribute is one way to have it rubbed off on you. This is typically popular between women."

Petyr broke off from the group. They all watched her go. She walked up to a pregnant elven woman who looked to be a few months from giving birth. Both of them faced a brief moment of awkwardness, staring each other down until Petyr reached into her satchel. She pulled out a gold jewel-encrusted comb to give to the surprised elf, who graciously accepted the gift and reached up to pat her on the head.

When Petyr returned, they continued to stare with a smug look.

"What? Wipe those smug grins off your faces. Even I have dreams of becoming a mother one day." Petyr growled.

"Well, my new friends. Please go out and enjoy the Fertility Festival!" Sawa exclaimed.

"Hmm. I am getting peckish. I hope the men of your island do not mind a succubus." Hilde drifted off on her own to look for willing victims.

Meanwhile, a game being played on the shore attracted Vestrid's attention. Kanae and Gretchen followed after her when Petyr had disappeared on them.

At first glance, it looked like a group of elves were chucking javelins into a palm tree. Upon closer inspection, someone at the very drop was dropping coconuts. Elves chucked their javelins in hopes of skewering into the tree. The game was being played precariously across the beach, narrowly hitting people on the misses.

"I wish to join this game!" Vestrid exclaimed.

"Five pearls on the drakeling." A particularly muscular elf tossed her one of his javelins.

"I'll take that bet." Another dropped marble-sized pearls into a clay bowl.

Someone else whistled to the man at the top. He plucked one of many coconuts near the crown, then waved. Vestrid gave him a wave back. Seconds later, the elf hurled the coconut down with all his strength.

Vestrid threw the javelin, not only staking the coconut into the tree but piercing part-way through the trunk. It knocked off the feathered headdress of a drunken elf sitting behind the tree. He raised both hands up and cheered, drawing the others into a jubilant hoot.

"This is your cut, drakeling. Good throw!" The first elf who had bet on Vestrid plopped three pearls into her palm.

"Looks like Nu-hauta's type of currency," Kanae leaned over and said.

"Pretty." Vestrid rolled one between her fingers.

They celebrated with a round of drinks with the players, but one among them wasn't enjoying herself.

"Ugh. I would much rather spend the festival inside an inn. I feel disgusting in this humid cage. Sick, more like it…" Gretchen fanned herself with a fan created from Holy Armament.

"Do you want to go back to Sawa's place and lie down?" Kanae asked worriedly.

"I may do that, yes." She wobbled on her feet.

Kanae propped Gretchen against her own shoulder.

"I'll help," Vestrid said.

"It's alright. Go ahead and enjoy yourself. I'll catch up," Kanae insisted.

Vestrid took her up on the offer. Kanae walked Gretchen all the way back to Sawa's house on the waters. The half-succubus laid down on a cot in front of the cold firepit.

"Thank you, Kanae. I'm just going to… rest my eyes a little…" Gretchen squeezed them shut and quickly drifted to sleep.

It must be the heat. Today did feel hotter than yesterday. Sawa wasn't kidding when she said the volcano was a problem.

Once Kanae was sure that her subordinate wasn't going to wake, she left the house to rejoin the festivities. Sawa was just coming back, too.

"Kanae! Vestrid told me you had come this way. There's something I'd like to talk to you about. You are a succubus," Sawa said.

"Did the horns give it away?" Kanae swished her tail side to side.

"My apologies." She coughed into her hand. "What I meant to ask is… How do you attract a partner? I'm not getting any younger. Nu-hautans typically wed in their early 20s. I'm in my early 30s and haven't been able to earn the eyes of any bachelor yet. I figure a succubus might guide me in the right direction."

"Are you asking me for advice on how to approach a man? I don't think the succubus method is going to work for… every other race. Just find some people and go with the flow! Try them!"

Kanae pointed Sawa to a group of young elven men pouring a cask of beer into their friend's mouth. The guy underneath was practically drowning in alcohol. It looked like something right out of a college party.

Fortunately, Sawa seemed ready to give it a try. Kanae joined her in walking over to them. She muttered under her breath as if to work up the courage.

"Greetings, men! How goes the festival?" Sawa struck up a conversation with them.

They tensed up and straightened their backs.

"Oh, uh… H-Hello, Chief Sawa! We're enjoying the festival just fine, thank you!"

"No danger here, Chief. Just having a bit of fun before going back to patrolling the island!"

They sat the cask down, lifted their drunken companion up, and waddled away in a hurry. Sawa sulked.

"I'm sure those guys were so drunk, they didn't want to look pathetic in front of you. How about them over there?" Kanae directed Sawa to a party of dancers.

Instrumentalists performed on lap drums and small stringed instruments. Festival dancers performed snappy and gyrating movements with their hips. It quickly came to Kanae's attention how provocative their moves were. Every now and then, an interested spectator mustered the courage to pair up with a dancer. Some were rejected. Those that accepted pressed their bodies together, front to back, and grinded as though they were having sex.

Kanae nudged Sawa. She stumbled forward into an unwitting male dancer and fell into the rhythm right away. However, he turned around, bowing apologetically to her instead.

"Try another!" Kanae encouraged her from afar.

This time, Sawa approached another dancer but from the front so he saw her coming. Instead of taking her as a dance partner, he stepped aside as if to let her through. Kanae was beginning to feel frustrated in Sawa's place.

"You." Kanae grabbed a random elven man and charmed him. "Why are people avoiding Sawa Ohamae?"

"Th-There's no way in three hells are any of us worthy enough for her! And, uh… Chief Sawa is kind of an intimidating woman…" he muttered.

Kanae pushed him aside, fighting the urge to compel someone with succubus magic to give Sawa a good time. It would only make things worse. The chief continued to bravely approach bachelors, just to be turned down or excused themselves every single time.

There could only be one solution to this. Be the solution. Kanae entered the dancing crowd, wading through the intimate couples. She reached Sawa at last and held her waist from behind. The elven woman jumped a little and looked backwards. Their eyes met, and her gaze softened.

"I figured I'd try my hand at finding a dance partner." Kanae winked.

"Invitation accepted," Sawa cooed, grinding her ass.

Kanae shuddered in pleasure as Sawa's hips gyrated like a motor. She resisted the desire to activate Futanari, fearing it might spook the elf away. Sawa parted away from Kanae and turned around, swaying to the rhythm of the music. Both arms lifted into the air and fell back down as fluid as two mesmerized snakes.

In trying to imitate the movements, Kanae only ended up looking silly. However, there were far too many people around in the dense mass of dancers for anyone to have noticed. Sawa laughed, then returned so close that their chests were pressed together.

Kanae reached behind to cup a handful of Sawa's butt. Sawa threw both arms around Kanae's neck. They slow-danced but really it was like dry humping each other with clothes on. Their lips were inches apart, and Kanae wanted to close the rest of the gap. She couldn't, because Sawa was much taller.

Whispers in the back of Kanae's mind were telling her to take this woman. Make the elf hers. Without realizing it, Kanae exerted a Charm on Sawa, whose eyes went wide in surprise. The elven chief leaned closer, supple lips parted, and saliva-dripping tongue hanging out—

An explosion rocked the island.

"What was that?!" Kanae panicked.

"Kanae… I'm under your… control…" Sawa murmured stiffly.

"Sorry! It just happened!" She quickly dropped her control.

"It's alright." Blushing against the torchlight, the elven woman brushed the hair from her face and cleared her throat.

Chaos had fallen over the festival. Everyone was staring at the gargantuan volcano in the distance. The vent spewed lava with enough force to send balls of molten rock flying. Some hurling right towards Masakam.

"Stay away from the water! Grab the rafts and hide underneath!" Chief Sawa shouted.