Chapter 961: Yoruha!
Chapter 959 of "Primordial Villain With A Slave Harem" opens with: "Yoruha!" Iris roared, hands white-knuckling her sword handle so hard the blade groaned. Every muscle... Find out what happens!
"Yoruha!" Iris roared, hands white-knuckling her sword handle so hard the blade groaned. Every muscle in her body screamed to swing. To stab. To eviscerate.
But despite the extreme amount of hostility directed at her, Yoruha smiled wider. Then, as if just remembering Feng existed, she tilted her head and gestured lazily. "Come on, little heartbreak. Join us. Letâs discuss the tragic woes of unrequited love."
Feng blinked. Once. Twice. "H-How did you know?"
Yoruhaâs smile widened but didnât answer.
Iris, knowing perfectly well she couldnât kill Yoruha just yet, stood. "Iâm out."
"Oh, donât be like that," Yoruha sang. "Stay. Help the child. Give her your... endless wisdom on how to repress feelings and brood under trees."
"Not interested."
Yoruhaâs expression sharpened into something sly, resembling a true foxkin much better than when sheâs yawning lazily. "Iâll let you help plan a prank on Ayame."
Iris paused mid-step. "... How cruel?"
"Lighthearted."
"...Not good enough."
"I donât want to get thrown out of his home because I traumatized one of his wives."
"He canât kick you out even if you did something like that."
"For now."
"Tch!" Iris clicked her tongue. "How about mild psychological damage?"
Yoruha tapped her chin. "Hmm... I donât know... I like non-harmful pranks only."
"... Thatâs better than nothing. But you must do it when Iâm present.
"Deal."
Iris sighed wearily and sat back down.
Feng, still dumbfounded, finally shuffled closer and sat stiffly, hands in her lap, trying to process everything.
Yoruha stretched on her branch, arms shooting high into the sky. She even closed her eyes to enjoy the stretches in full. "Letâs begin."
Both women stared at her expectantly. Not a word. Not a blink.
Feng sighed. Long. Heavy. Shoulders slumping. "... Fine. Iâll talk. Brooding on my own isnât working anyway."
Her fingers fiddled with the hem of her sleeve. "Itâs just... ugh... my dumb heart malfunctioned, okay? And somehow... somehow... I ended up... liking that dumb brute."
Yoruha gave a slow, solemn nod, stroking her chin with theatrical seriousness. "Mmm... Many such cases."
Feng slumped further. "...I know, right? Ugh... itâs so annoying. Itâs like my brain is screaming âNo, bad idea!â but my heartâs just... throwing rice at the imaginary wedding already."
Iris exhaled sharply through her nose. "..I still donât get it."
Both heads turned.
Iris scowled. "I donât understand why women keep gravitating to him. Sure, heâs strong, competent... and... decent to look at, I guess..." Her voice trailed toward the end, brow furrowing. "But seriously... this level? The way some act... I donât get it. I never will."
Yoruha tilted her head, grinning. "Mmm... denial."
"Iâm not in denial!" Iris snapped instantly. "Iâm perfectly aware of my feelings. I respect him. But thatâs it."
"Mmmhmm." Yoruha cupped her chin like an ancient sage.
"Yoruha."
"Okay, okay~" she chimed, tails flicking lazily. "Iâll stop. For now."
Feng sighed, dropping her chin into her hands. "...Itâs hopeless, isnât it? Iâm just... a side character in his life. Surrounded by all those incredible women... Look, even his cat turned into an ethereal beauty."
For a few seconds, none of them said anything. The breeze rustled through the treeâs magical leaves, carrying the scent of the forest with it.
Then, out of nowhere, Iris broke the silence. Her tone was firm, blunt.
"Stop it."
"...Huh? What do you mean?"
"Stop comparing yourself to others. Itâs useless. Pointless. You wonât get anything out of it."
Yoruha tilted her head, visibly surprised that the cold murder machine actually contributed something to the conversation. Truth be told, she only invited Iris to the chat because she found her reactions charming.
"I..." Feng hugged her knees close to her knees. "I know youâre right... Itâs just hard."
"How did you two deal with heartbreak then?" she asked hesitantly, eyes flicking between them.
Iris just shrugged. "Never had it."
"Same," Yoruha chimed casually.
Feng deadpanned. "...Why do you both sound like sages when youâre greener than me in the war of love? I at least tried to get with my crush while you two didnât even have one, to begin with! Yet here you are, lecturing me?"
Yoruha grinned shamelessly. "I already told you to stop questioning the wisdom of your elders."
But it was Iris who surprised them both again when she spoke up. "Whether you like it or not, that manâs not going to budge on letting children into his bed."
Fengâs face heated up. "I know that...!"
"Then donât act like youâve been sentenced to death," Iris said bluntly. "If you want any shot at being seen by him as a woman, then all you can do is improve yourself. Donât cling. Donât chase. Donât act like your world revolves around him. Be someone he has no choice but to notice."
Yoruhaâs eyes fluttered open and closed many times, unable to believe that Iris was spitting out genuine advice the teen needed one after the other.
Feng bit her lip, then nodded, and suddenly, she felt determination blooming beneath her ribs. "...Youâre right. I know youâre right."
"Good." Iris stood, dusting off her clothes and blade. "Get up. Youâre training."
Fengâs eyes widened "Wait, what? You just got back from fighting monsters like... an hour ago!"
"I did." Irisâs line of sight moved toward the mansionâs rooftop, where even now, soft thuds and muffled cries of ecstasy floated down from the utterly depraved celebratory orgy.
She turned her attention back to Feng. "For people like usâpeople who donât get free XP boosts by letting him rearrange our gutsâthereâs only one path. Work harder."
Her eyes flicked toward Lyra, the ever-silent shadow standing on alert, as always. The protector of the Elysiar family. A reminder that some didnât have shortcuts. Some just endured. And improved. Every day.
Feng rose to her feet. "Youâll really train me?"
"Letâs go." That was all the answer Iris offered.
Without hesitation, the three of themâblade, brat, and silent guardianâbegan walking away from the fairy-tale tree and the ancient fox perched on its branch.
Feng was practically bouncing between Iris and Lyra now, her steps lighter than theyâd been in a long time.
Left behind on the tree branch, Yoruha propped her chin into her palm, watching them go.
Her lips tugged into a rare, thoughtful smile.
"No social skills, huh...? That woman...?" A tiny chuckle escaped her lips. "Maybe I was wrong for the first time in a very long time."
Meanwhile...
At the very peak of the mansionâs rooftop...
A figure moved.
The hedonistic celebration was over.
"Itâs time," he muttered. His voice was quiet... but it echoed.
A storm was brewing.
The Kingâs birthday was around the corner.
The Greenvale War had ignited into full-blown chaos.
The Alliance of Elvardia was preparing their invasion.
And the Primordial Villain... was finally moving.