My Dungeon Life: Rise of the Slave Harem

“Celeste, get here as quickly as possible!” I ordered.

“I am!”

The fight was a stalemate, and King Roth was getting closer and closer. However, none of that would matter once Celeste made it back.

“Keep fighting!” I ordered the girls, even though they were all still bickering with each other.

They had spread out now, each one trying to fight separately from the others. This also made things more difficult for me. I couldn’t use any group spells on them, because they were no longer within range of each other. I had to run back and forth, healing or helping the girls as I could.

“Master, this is going badly,” Alysia warned.

“I get that.” I cursed.

The orb would change the course of things. Celeste finally flew through from behind the boss room door. As she flew overhead of the battle, she let out a cry.

“Master.”

I held out my hand excitedly as her size grew to normal. Unfortunately, her words were heard by the furious magician. She lifted her hands, and a moment later a dozen lightning bolts shot out, striking Celeste in the back.

“Celeste!” Terra cried out.

“No!” Miki yelled.

Celeste collapsed, her speed carrying her over the battle as she slammed into the ground harshly, rolling several times as she hit the ground. I cursed as I raced over to her. It wasn’t until I reach her that I realized how bad of a shape she was in. This wasn’t caused just by the lightning bolt right now. Rather, the only reason she had been struck was that she was already extremely damaged.

Her body was covered in filth. Fairies didn’t get dirty, so for one to show that much dirty, it was proof of how much mana they had lost. She was covered in wounds. Her beautiful transparent wings were covered in rips and holes. Her breath was raspy and weak, and I could see blood coming from her abdomen. I immediately began healing her as she coughed up blood. She hadn’t intended to go to her large size, but it took mana to remain small, and she no longer possessed any.

“Celeste… wh-what happened?”

Tears fell down her cheeks. “I’m sorry, Master. I failed you.”

I shook my head. “No… you didn’t fail me. You…”

“I couldn’t find it. I couldn’t find the core.”

She reached into her bosom, and then pulled out a small form. As I reached out to take it, her body went limp. She wasn’t dead, but she had used up all of her energy. She had fallen unconscious. I looked down at the form to see Astria. After making sure Celeste was healed and safe, I took Astria and gently put her on the ground nearby. I healed and refreshed her body carefully. Her body grew to a full size as if she was coming back to life. She was also nearly as beaten and as tattered as Celeste. After a few desperate moments, she coughed, her eyes fluttered open. She immediately turned to see the unconscious Celeste nearby.

“F-foolish girl… shouldn’t have saved me… it was… trap.” She looked away.

“She’ll be fine with some rest. So will you…” I said, grabbing her body as I applied some more healing.

Her wings were nonexistent, and blood seemed to leak from her ears, her eyes, and her mouth. She looked like she was dying.

“You should… have left me.” Astria turned away with shame. “I’m… broken now.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

My hands tightened on her and I spoke through gritted teeth. “I never would.”

“I can’t help you, I was a waste… of resources. Just… go tend the others.” Astria said.

“I won’t.” A tear fell from my eyes, and then another.

I realized I was crying, and my tears were falling right onto her chest, but I couldn’t stop.

She looked down at the tears raining on her. “M-master?”

“I thought I lost you.” I shook. “Don’t do something stupid like that again. Don’t leave me again.”

“Wh-what are you saying?” She made a strange face. “I’m not even a fairy…”

“You’re mine! Do you hear me?” I shook her, feeling a rush of extreme emotion. “You’re mine, and I will never let you go. I will never let any of you go. So, you can never scare me again.”

It was probably the worst moment for it, but after so much loss, after fighting nonstop and being pushed back again and again. After reaching this point where we were desperate and defeated, I had finally been pushed over the edge. Finally seeing Astria, finally reclaiming this small victory, however short-lived, and caused all of these emotions to well up inside me.

“Master… h-how do you feel, about me?” Astria’s voice was extremely odd, but there was some strange intensity about it.

I grabbed her face, our eyes locking. “I love you.”

I leaned down and kissed her, even as the tears continued to fall.

{Harem Master has increased to level 66.}

{Harem Master has increased to level 67.}

{Harem Master has increased to level 68.}

A bright light exploded out, and I couldn’t help but pull back as Astria’s body became swathed in light. The sudden sun-like light exploding out was enough that everyone fighting froze and turned to look at what was happening.

Astria’s body rose into the air, swathed completely in mana. Wing sprouted from her back. They grew out in intricate patterns, growing larger and larger until they filled the sky. Each wing was nearly twelve feet across, dwarfing the woman herself.

{Astria has begun to evolve! Astria has evolved into a Fairy Empress!}