I was still brushing Giana’s tail. A lot of thoughts went through my head, like what should I tell her? She might fall in despair if I dump everything on her, although… she is extremely tough.

  “There are some things that I haven’t told you…”

  Uhh, same here, don’t worry about it.

  “Do you mind if I get them off my chest now?”

  Uhh sure.

  Her 4 th tail was done, up to the 5 th . There was an enormous difference in softness between mine and her tail as hers felt like a brush and mine were soft and fluffy.

  “There are many things, but I want to get 2 off my chest right now… my name is Giana Kahlua, but my real name is Giana Hifan, my mother was supposed to be the next head of the family but she refused the position so when the time comes that responsibility might get pushed unto me.”

  She did it again, she was talking Hourai, but I had no idea what she was saying. So, she is probably the next head of a family. Why is that important?

  Does that mean that you have to do pain in the ass things?

  Giana turned around. “You don’t recognize the name ‘Hifan’?”

  Uhh, I think I heard it somewhere, but I’m not familiar with it.

  Giana gave me a breakdown of the 3 great 9t families and their specialties. Oures was apparently one of them.

  Wait! I think Rignef mentioned it!

  “So, I’m part of the Hifan family… which brings me to the second thing I want to tell you… it’s embarrassing but… I need you to know.”

  I moved to brush her 6 th tail and Giana hesitated, she was gathering courage and I betted that what she was going to tell me was going to turn my world upside down for the umpteenth time.

  “The Hifan family was hyper focused on creating hybrids… they did it under forced charm application and multiple [Elgard Overloads] …”

  Wait what? There is so much wrong with that!

  “I…I am a product of that…. I am a spirit fox, a sapphire mermaid and an Immortal jellyfish….”

  A hybrid of 3 species…

  My brush dropped, I hesitated a bit and embraced her from behind.

  Are you alright? How do you feel? Do… do you have an idea of who and what you are?

  Giana was shaking. “Thank you… Noelle was right, you do understand…”

  I’m sorry, I don’t… being a hybrid of 2 species is already confusing, I can’t imagine how it is to have a third… it might take several centuries for you to figure this out…

  “How… how is the progress on finding out your phoenix side?”

  0…

  Silence fell as none of us knew what to say.

  I finished brushing her 7 th tail and her 8 th tail and then the 9 th tail all in silence.

  One thing was for sure, Giana was very relatable. This might be what I needed all along. Someone relatable besides Raishin and Greg.

  I helped Giana stand in silence and broke the illusion layers around us. We walked back to where we left Noelle and Raishin behind.

  Only 20 minutes had passed in the outside world. Our hour long ‘talk’ was enough time in the outside world for Raishin to fix his fuckups. Or so I thought.

  “Why are they fighting?” Giana asked while shaking her head.

  Ugh, because Raishin is an idiot!

  I was about to freeze the hotheads when a cold flash went out and Giana froze them with frost magic. The mana however felt like mine.

  Oh right... about that pure mana I’m sor…

  Giana put her index finger on my lips. “I know that you didn’t know what it means, but I still appreciate it.”

  I do know now… so embarrassing…

  “Oh, then I will be awaiting the new load!” She said with a mischievous smile.

  I’m sure that she knows that it sounded wrong and worded it like that intentionally. It seems that we will get along just fine.

  So where are the others?

  “Hmm, Yv should have no problems finding Greg.”

  Mythical problems require mythical solutions!

  A large bottle of liquid shadow vodka appeared from my dimensional pocket. It was a high-quality vintage celebration edition, something Greg wouldn't say no to. No clue what it meant, but all I knew was that the cork makes a special and specific sound when it pops off and that the quality of this liquid shadow vodka was incomparable to the rest.

  I popped off the cork and the sound echoed through the streets.

  “What did you do… oh…”

  A wave of shadows rolled off the hill. Greg appeared from the shadow as if nothing happened, adjusted his tie and collar, and nonchalantly walked toward me.

  I froze the bottle as he reached out for it.

  Hello there Oblivious Price, I need to introduce you to new members of team Hourai.

  Greg looked around and smirked after he laid eyes on Giana.

  So, she has already tamed you? It is indeed time for some celebratory liquid shadow vodka!

  Greg tried to grab the bottle, but I tossed it into my tail.

  Hey! Easy with it!

  A breeze with blue and pink petals passed by moments later and Yvonne appeared.

  Well then, as the leader of team Hourai I welcome Giana, Ice cube Noelle and Yvonne to our team. I am Agnis Hourai, that there is ice cube Raishin and this here is the Oblivious prince.

  Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

  Hey Agnis that isn’t funny! So, when are we drinking the vodka?

  “I... I’m Yvonne Faer.” Yvonne made a polite bow.

  “I’m Giana Kahlua, your new healer.” Giana locked arms with me and played with one of my tails.

  Oh, how cute, Raishin is missing out, so is it vodka time?

  Ugh, this alcoholic. Let me thaw the ice cubes first.

  The ice cubes got thawed, and the hotheads had cooled down.

  Huh? Oh! You finally got a girlfriend, Agnis!

  “I’m not quite there yet, but I don’t think it will take too long.” Giana said while she gave me a hopeful look.

  Uhh, I need to sort my thoughts, what is your excuse Raishin? Let Greg hear what ridiculousness you’ve cooked up.

  This chick is suspicious! There is no way she’s into me! It must be an attack!

  When you think you’ve seen it all…

  Well… just a question, Oblivious Prince, do you think there is anyone nearby that might be into you?

  Greg looked around and shook his head.

  No? Why would anyone be interested in me?

  Noelle and I facepalmed.

  I apologize on Greg’s behalf Yvonne…

  “I…its ok…” Yvonne said trying to hide her disappointment.

  Raishin and I will bust a hole in his head to help out, just give the word.

  Yeah!

  And Raishin needs the hole in his head mended as the stupid is getting in.

  Hey!

  It was finally time for the vodka. Yvonne and I were the only one who didn’t touch the alcohol. Greg had demanded more vodka and since it was a special occasion, I obliged and took out 4 more.

  So, what’s your plan on winning Greg over? I’m not joking in that Raishin and I need to crack his head open.

  “C…can you tell me more about that?”

  I told Yvonne about Greg and how he behaved with and around Elliana and how disappointed Raishin and I were in him.

  Yvonne seemed unnerved. Not without reason. I assured her that Raishin and I would do our best to help her out. I even told her that I had a trump card, but that I would only reveal it when necessary.

  “S…so what is the p…precise status with you and Giana?

  It will be a race. Will I sort my feelings first, or will her charm finish me off.

  I shattered some illusions as the intoxicated Giana was flinging charm magic at me.

  I think it will be the latter.

  “B…but you like her r…right?”

  We looked at the wrestle match between Noelle and Raishin which Raishin was losing.

  I do. I need to sort my feelings to find out what I would do now because I like her and if I would otherwise never do that

  “W…what do you mean?”

  They told you that I wiped a city off the map after they messed with Giana, right?

  Yvonne nodded,

  Something like that, I would normally ignore that city and let others deal with it.

  “I…I think it was romantic!”

  Hmm I guess a vixen would find it romantic yeah.

  I evaded an intoxicated vixen who dove at me, missed and crashed into the pavement. Nothing suggested that she got injured from that, but the damage the pavement incurred suggested that Giana was boasting some serious toughness.

  Ok no more alcohol for you! Nilah help me with this charm magic!

  Nilah appeared and the idols reacted. She created a clone which sucked up the charm magic and disappeared, after which I caught Giana in a giant [Waterball].

  “C…can we pet her? She’s not g…going to attack us r…right?” Yvonne asked while keeping her distance from Nilah.

  She will steal your mana but she won’t attack as long as you have no ill intent toward me.

  Giana broke out of the [Waterball] and started [Siren Song]. I felt a strong tug toward Giana and was forced to plug my ears with snow.

  Troublesome vixen!

  Yvonne jumped up and blasted Giana with nature energy, which knocked her out of her intoxication.

  Yvonne and I then dragged this mess of a party to a hotel. The AA would be a bad idea as everyone there would know who we were and who the idols were.

  6 rooms!

  “3 rooms!” I looked at Yvonne, who smiled nervously.

  So, you have turned against me?! 6 rooms!

  “5 rooms!”

  4 rooms!

  “D... deal! 4 rooms please!”

  Damn you, Yvonne! You tricked me!

  “4 rooms for you mister, here are the keys.” The clerk said as he handed me 4 keys...

  Ok I got this. Raishin gets his own room, Greg and I will share a room and the idols can split 2 rooms.

  “Hey lil’ bro! let me share a room with Raishin!

  Uhh, Raishin’s room is a health hazard, I can’t let you in there as we will lose a member of our team in the first night and we can’t have that.

  “Come oooon! I can take it!” Noelle said as I tried to keep her away from Raishin who was telling some game brag story to Greg. Something about him soloing a raid boss, which was obviously bullshit.

  Giana was red and extremely quiet, Noelle was doing everything to share a room with Raishin, and Raishin and Greg were obnoxious drunkards by speaking loud.

  I dragged them to the 3 rd floor, tossed Raishin in the room he would get, and blocked Noelle from following.

  What a pain in the ass. I pushed Noelle in another room and faced Giana.

  Can you look after her for me Giana?

  Giana cooperated and kept Noelle under control. I tossed Greg in another room and Yvonne took the opportunity to hop in and close the door.

  Eh? Well, nothing is going to happen between those two. Guess I’ll get a room for myself.

  I claimed my room and sat down on the bed.

  What a day… and this bed is so shit!

  No bed could compete with my tails, so I laid down in my tails.

  So, these tails are super attractive, eh? I always had the feeling they’re chick magnets, but not to this extent… At least Giana will keep the charm users away. Our goal was to find out what the deal was with that quest, and we got successfully distracted… if the idols were assassins, all 3 of us would be dead…

  Was it a mistake to let them join? They will go through a lot of bullshit now… but they did choose for it and I did warn them. I did my best, right?

  Either way, as the leader of team Hourai I will do anything to keep my team members safe. Old or new.