What does that mean... Huh? Where'd he go?"
After just one turn of a corner, Ash's figure had vanished without a trace, as if he had never been there at all. Eris looked left and right but couldn't find him, so angry she could only stomp her foot in frustration on the spot.
Ash didn't dislike girls without beast ears, it was purely... recently Eris was almost teen, and her development was quite remarkable.
Under such circumstances, if he really held her on his lap and stroked her freely, no matter how pure and innocent his intentions, in the eyes of others and under various social conventions and moral standards, he would have no way to defend himself, not even the last bit of room for explanation.
Just like the chief's granddaughter, the warrior chief's family's big-breasted dog-eared girl, her overly good physical development also made it hard for Ash to rub and nuzzle her like an ordinary girl.
———
What should have been a night of celebration full of laughter and joy, Ash's situation was instead somewhat lonely.
Though not being feared by the girls gave him some small comfort in his heart.
However, the obstruction from Eris and the others left him now able to only sit alone atop a tree, reading a book under the dense dark clouds.
Fortunately, he was born with night vision, otherwise with no moon he couldn't even read.
Only when the night was deep and quiet, and he estimated everyone else had fallen soundly asleep, did he slowly rise, intending to quietly return to his room.
But just as he lightly and silently approached his dwelling, he unexpectedly discovered that the fox, cat, and dog, three little beastgirls, had for some reason tiptoed up to his door.
Each one furtively and stealthily pushed open his door, poking their heads in to look.
"Mini, can you see?", Nona, the fox, had decent night vision to begin with, but no matter how she looked she couldn't find anyone, so she could only squint hard, peering while lowering her voice to ask.
"Nona quiet down... the rainy season is almost here, it's too dark, I can't see clearly either, nya," Mini, on the other hand, strained to widen her cat eyes, trying to make out the situation inside the room in the darkness.
"H-How about we go back first, and come again tomorrow?", The big-breasted dog-eared girl, Tersena, suggested in a small voice, her voice carrying a trace of timidity and hesitation.
Ash watched this scene quietly from the side, while the three beastgirls, chattering among themselves, slipped into the room. He really couldn't quite understand what they were trying to do.
For money? For wealth? Or had they set their sights on his body and wanted to night-attack him... well, just kidding, it's probably some kind of prank?
Thinking this, he silently walked forward, gave the dog tail a regretful glance, then reached out both hands and grabbed the cat tail and fox tail.
"Kya!?"
"Nya?!"
The two girls almost simultaneously let out startled cries, their delicate voices particularly crisp and loud in the silent night.
At the same time, their bodies also amusingly trembled in unison, this cute reaction making Ash nod in satisfaction, softly praising, "Oh~ though still small, the voices are quite cute."
"M-Mr. Ash, p-please don't...", Tersena said with a face full of trouble, her voice carrying a trace of anxiety and shyness, "If others see, it'll cause misunderstandings."
"True... anyway, come in first?"
His precarious reputation made him release his hands with slight regret, letting the two beastgirls regain their freedom.
Then, he pulled these few girls into his room. Tersena clearly seemed somewhat meek and hesitant, one couldn't tell what she was worrying about.
'It shouldn't be, right? I've only never properly "gotten close" to this one, does she have some misunderstanding about me?', Completely not feeling that bringing three girls back to his room late at night was any kind of problem, he pondered while his gaze unconsciously fell behind the three girls.
These three cute beastgirls were all wearing specially made pajamas, the back of the pajamas cleverly featuring a small opening, from which their swaying tails emerged.
The beastfolk's special pajamas, really very cute, made him unable to resist wanting to pretend he didn't have night vision, and crouch behind them to study them carefully.
Unfortunately... his morals restrained this behavior, and he could only silently reach out intending to light the oil lamp.
However, Mini, who could barely make out things by the faint light, suddenly pounced like an agile kitten, quickly pressing down his hand, "W-wait a moment, nya!"
"What is it? Do you girls want to just sleep here at my place?", He teased in puzzlement, but saw Mini, blushing with embarrassment, trying hard to refute, "No, it's just that we haven't said thank you yet..."
"Then just light the lamp first and then say it?"
"That won't do, nya!"
"Because... we have to properly repay you," Nona twisted her body and took over the conversation, and together with Mini, blushing, slowly lifted their skirts.
"Thanks to you, th-that's why we can be here properly, nya...", Mini said while embarrassedly turning her face away.
The two beastgirls almost synchronously revealed those smooth, beautiful thighs, but the room was too dim, by common sense, one shouldn't be able to see much.
"Mini, Nona... this is really too, too improper...", Even though the room was pitch black and nothing could be seen clearly, Tersena still couldn't help covering her face tightly with both hands, her voice carrying a trace of shyness and unease.
"It's fine, nya~ you can't see clearly here either," Mini smiled and secretly swayed her skirt. Nona seemed somewhat apologetic, nodding repeatedly, "Y-you can only see blurry figures... Mm, n-no problem! It's just... sorry..."
"What are you apologizing for...", Ash couldn't help but laugh, reaching out to gently rub her fox ears, making Nona explain in a small voice, "Because, you really can only see figures... it seems really insincere..."
"It's fine, a hazy feeling is sometimes nice too. Rather, if you could see clearly, it'd be troublesome in various ways..."
"I-In other words! W-Will we be violated?", Beside them, Tersena suddenly made a strange statement, and when Ash looked at her dumbfounded, she couldn't help but say nervously, "G-Grandpa said... human males are in a state of estrus at all times, and if you get close carelessly you might be violated, s-so that means!"
"No no no... no matter what, I wouldn't do that kind of thing... Anyway, are you also planning to repay me? Is that why you came along?", Ash didn't know whether to laugh or cry, waving his hands repeatedly, then couldn't help looking at Tersena who hadn't made any move yet, somewhat curious about her reason for coming.
"Huh? I also have to... I... I understand!"
Among the three, Tersena, with the most eye-catching figure, probably misunderstood his words, and was immediately startled, a flash of hesitation and difficulty crossing her face....
'Wh-What should I do? Why has the situation developed like this? It's like I'm forcing these girls? But... but at a time like this, as a proper gentleman, it's better not to say much, right?', Ash scanned his surroundings, those somewhat taboo astonishingly snow-white sights making him feel like he'd accidentally wandered into the girls' mysterious garden.
But before he could be moved, the door was suddenly pushed open, accompanied by Eris's vigilant low growl, "What's that noise? Enemy attack?"
Eris, who lived not far away, had just burst into the room and looked around, but couldn't quite see the situation inside, so Ash, quick-eyed and quick-handed, immediately pressed down the three girls' skirts.
When Roxy arrived afterward and lit the oil lamp, looking at the group of people in the room, and those three fidgeting beastgirls, she couldn't help but frown, her gaze going straight to Ash, "What are you doing, bringing these children to your room?"
"Isn't that a bit rude, suddenly? What could I do?", Ash spread his hands, feigning innocence.
"Really? You did nothing, and you brought them to your room?"
"Even if I did something, I couldn't bring three at once, right?"
"...That's true, I suppose?"
The well-reasoned argument made Roxy nod half-believingly.
But Eris still stared at Ash with a face full of suspicion. She crossed her arms, brows tightly furrowed, and questioned, "Then tell me, why are they in your room? In the middle of the night, this looks suspicious no matter how you look at it!"
Ash helplessly shrugged, explaining, "They said they wanted to thank me, it's that simple. Don't overthink it."
Nona then mustered her courage and said, "R-Right, right, we really just came to express our gratitude to Mr. Ash, nothing else."
Mini also nodded, "Yeah, we weren't doing anything bad, nya."
Tersena hid behind them, her little face bright red, but didn't dare say a single word.
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