The head maid was by far the oldest of the women he had seen around. Likely in her seventies, the wolf-eared woman had retained more of her beauty than most women her age. There were wrinkles there and her straight hair, tied into a bun, had lost all colour. Her grey eyes were sharp and diligent, every bit the mixture of servant and maid Rykard expected. The outfit she wore resembled that of a typical headmaster, a bck-white robe, rather than the uniform most other members of the academy were covered by.

  “Head Maid Macassia,” she introduced herself.

  “King Rykard of New Eden,” he answered in kind. They exchanged a shaking of hands over the broad mahogany table. “I have been briefed on the situation you find yourself in. It seems we both were pyed a bit of a prank by the gods.”

  “You were hoping for actual maids for this harem nation you strive to build,” Macassia answered with militaristic dryness. “And we were unaware our proud academy had been sitting on a Dual Hexagon all these years. Now you are left without maids and we are left without students, stranded in this new realm.”

  “It speaks to your training that you have remained calm despite the circumstances,” Rykard complimented.

  Macassia smiled softly. “Thank you. Discipline and diligence are the proud achievements of our lines.” The corners of her lips dropped. “Discipline and diligence implore me that I ask for crity. Let us not waste time with idle pleasantries now that I have the Contestant himself before me. What are your intentions with our academy?”

  “Simply put, I want you to open to the public,” Rykard answered. The response made the head maid and her two attendants, fnking her tall chair, pull their shoulders back in response.

  “The Maclis Battlemaid Academy has trained three generations of servants in war and peace, coming from the noblest bloodlines,” Macassia stated. “To open our doors to the general public is…”

  “Necessary,” Rykard interjected gently. “Your staff is middle-aged at the lower end. I could attempt to provide you with men to continue your bloodlines, but in the best case, that means you’ll have about 100 new students in 18 years. It is doubtful you would even see the day that this academy restarts its noble purpose.”

  Macassia was quiet at that. She must have run that math herself. She’d be well into her 90s by that point and, although fitness and magic prolonged life, Beastkin did not have a higher life expectancy than the average human. It’d be a wonder if she was able to keep running the academy by that point, if she was even still alive.

  “I have contempted to restrict access to this academy to New Eden’s own noble lines, but the fact of the matter is that we have none yet that have started and how important the aristocracy will be to this new nation remains to be seen,” Rykard informed them. “It would have the same issues. Open your gates to all those that would wish to attend. Institute the necessary tests to assure the necessary quality of your education. In return for your loyalty and this service, I shall assure that you are provided with what you need. I’ll advertise your academy and your farms abroad, to let you continue your education as before.”

  It was a quick, simple, and efficient way to put it all together. The head maid looked at her hands and contempted for a little while. Then she let out a long sigh. “I agree to your terms.”

  Just like that, Rykard felt the mental switch flip. The situation the academy had found itself in denied both of them what they really wanted, but the desperation certainly made for easy negotiations. He gave her a pleased smile and a nod, then turned to Miyo. “Make this your personal priority until the start of the first semester. I want it to be advertised that this academy exists and that they are eager to teach.”

  “Certainly, Rykard,” Miyo agreed. “Should I advertise to the men as well?”

  “No,” the head maid answered. “If any of our rank want to find a new family, they will do so in their own time. Men will not enter these grounds. It is improper to have maids surrounded by males that are not their future masters.”

  “As you say,” Rykard knocked twice on wood and stood up. “My Estate will never be far from here. In due time, I assure you, at least some of my own daughters shall study at this academy.”

  “I will send messengers when there is a need to,” Macassia answered.

  The two exchanged another handshake, then the king left. It had taken him less then 10 minutes to bring this Hexagon to compliance. Then again, Miyo had id the groundwork for him, so he couldn’t cim the credit for that one.

  Now, they would return to the Estate, unlock the ability to pce the next Hexagon, and then it was time to sail to Regalia.

  _______________________________________________________

  “Mother Lust, this is just too fun not to do it,” Hey giggled. Her hands were wrapped around the waist of Helenn, moving the cherub of Subana up and down like the cocksleeve she was. The blonde had the same reaction as always to being used like this. Her eyes rolled up, her tongue lolled out, and she moaned in delight at every bounce she was made to experience. Rykard simirly delighted in the casual service he received.

  “That does look like fun,” Lyvia agreed. “May I?”

  “Sure,” Hey stated. Her hands were repced by the leviathan dy’s tail.

  The blue-skinned woman’s military strictness was repced with a small smile. “I like this one,” she stated while using Helenn to get Rykard off.

  They were on a couch in one of the estate’s rger living rooms. Always using the bathtub for these return orgies got a bit repetitive, plus it had only been Helenn that waited for him. The return trip had been uneventful. Lyvia had integrated herself well with the others and seemed eager to further prove herself, especially to Miyo.

  The time they got together was limited, but there was a natural connection between the redhead and the admiral. They exchanged many discussions about warfare, Miyo’s current primary job. Lyvia always paid the sufficient respect. It appeared the harem queen had slotted in above herself and below Rykard in the hierarchy - just as it should be.

  “Let’s see then how my competitors did in the st two weeks,” Rykard hummed.

  Quite well, was the answer. Everyone had made progress in some way. The Ouroboros Swarm had made enormous progress, turning two new summoned Hexagons and three Coastal Tiles into desert. By hard borders, they were now the rgest nation on the map - although Rykard had to question how much use they could derive from those deserts long term.

  “If Altana doesn’t get a handle on them, the swarm will be an enormous issue down the line,” Rykard mumbled. “Invading through all of those deserts would be a pain.”

  “Let us hope she proves as apt as you suggested she is,” Miyo stated. “Your personal growth?” A bit of eagerness snuck into her tone. The vixen did always want to know how much stronger he could get.

  Sadly, the answer was boring this time around. “Seems like these recent events did not challenge me enough to create any growth.” The redhead let hear a disappointed hum, then a soft moan when he cupped one of her rge breasts. “Don’t worry, there’ll be time to grow yet. Let’s see how you fared in my absence.”

  The addition of Lyvia had expectedly increased the military Leadership of his harem tremendously. Otherwise, no movement.

  His nation had expanded among all fields of analysis. The addition of Maclis obviously did its part, but so did the work of his harem.

  Rykard gnced out of the window. It was already well past noon, too te in the day to immediately set out again. Plus, there were arrangements to be made. “We’ll leave in the morning,” he said.

  “Who is ‘we’?” Hey asked. “Besides you and Lyvia, of course.”

  Rykard chuckled. “It would be interesting if it was just me setting over to Regalia, wouldn’t it?”

  “A splendid idea,” Lyvia remarked sarcastically.

  “You should also decide what the Buiga will build in your absence,” Miyo added. “They are eager for a mission and have been fttening surrounding hills out of boredom.”

  “I’ve noticed,” Rykard remarked. “Hard to miss it when the wave I have seen dozens of times before suddenly has a level top.”

  Rykard considered the questions.

  “Have the Buiga build an infirmary,” he decided. That was the easy part. “A big one, with proper sound isotion and spare bedrooms and secure doors. We’ll need a pce for the kids to stay where they can’t hear what we get up to. I’ll put the necessary magical connections in pce once the walls are standing.”

  “That is the wise decision. I’ll have them design it with extensions in mind,” Miyo stated.

  “As for who will tag along - Mena, Tena, and Helenn.” The succubus had her fill, so switching her out for the cherub felt appropriate. He wouldn’t be away for that long this time either, hopefully. The twins, he wasn’t done properly getting introduced to the harem - although the st couple of weeks had certainly helped.

  With the decisions made, the harem got to work. Primarily this meant that the four women that he did take with him took a backseat so that the three he did not could enjoy him for the rest of the day. Building arrangements were made, a restful sleep had, and then Rykard was back on the road.

  ‘The duties of a king sure are many,’ he thought, taking a gnce back at the Estate. It had been over a month since he had st just stayed a day at home. The longest he had stayed at any pce recently had been the Divine Game and that had hardly been home. ‘Once all of this is over, I’ll take a year off and just enjoy the family life.’

  “Will you attempt to conjure a carriage again?” Tena asked.