Fenrir brings the latest crate below deck before taking the heavy cloth off of it to see what is hidden within it.

He definitely is not expecting what he finds.

Rather than be more parts for the ship, ammo for its weapons, or anything else like that, what he sees is a girl with pearl aqua hair, horns, and a bright smile looking up at him.

“I escaped again!” Nell says and giggles.

Fenrir, nor anybody else for that matter, is not entirely sure how to respond.

“I bet you were not expecting this, my hero,” Nell says as she starts trying to get out of the crate, but the tips of her horns pierce the wooden crate and get stuck. “Ah – a-assistance would be appreciated,” she says with a bashful smile.

Fenrir grabs the side of the crate that her horns are stuck in with one hand while his other hand sits between her horns atop her head, pushing her head away while keeping the crate still. With freed horns, he lets go of the crate and grabs her hands to help her up out of it. It’s now that he realizes probably how uncomfortable she was given that she had to curl herself in such a way that her horns, tail, and wings would not get in the way.

“How’d you escape?” Fenrir asks.

“Well, Ull was not lying when he said that I could ‘seduce’ minds. May I demonstrate so that you do not get the wrong idea, though?” Nell asks.

“Uh, sure. Go for it.”

Nell’s eyes glow bright green as she stares into Fenrir’s own. His own eyes develop a light glow to them as Nell’s magic takes effect.

“Now, wrap your arms around me and pamper me like a hero is supposed to after being reunited with his princess! Goodness, must I teach you how you are supposed to act when reunited?” Nell says and Fenrir does exactly as she’s ordered him to.

Without any shame being in front of Serra and Cassiel, Fenrir finds his body moving on its own. He tightly wraps his arms around Nell in a warm embrace for a few moments before sitting down, pulling her into his lap, and then petting her head with one hand while his other arm wraps around her waist to keep her pulled close.

Nell’s smile practically reaches from ear to ear.

Serra looks happy for her, but Cassiel just looks immensely jealous.

Nell notices Cassiel’s jealous glare.

“Now, my hero, before my rival decides to ship me back to Ull, please pamper her as well,” Nell orders.

Fenrir lets Nell go, stands up, and looks at Cassiel.

Cassiel’s face is already turning red as she backs up. “Wh-what did you order him to do?” she asks.

“To pamper you, of course!” Nell explains.

Fenrir approaches Cassiel. Both Serra and Nell are watching with devious smiles as the blonde finds herself unable to back up any farther. She can still escape to the sides… except that she cannot because Serra and Nell now stand to the sides to block her escape. Cassiel can’t threaten him with her sword, either, because she does not have it on her right now.

She shakes her head while intensely blushing.

Fenrir grabs Cassiel by her arms, turns her around, and then he sits down and pulls her into his lap just like he did with Nell.

Cassiel tries to escape his grip despite how much she enjoys it, but Nell won’t allow that.

“Do not let her escape, my hero,” Nell orders.

Fenrir wraps his legs and one arm around Cassiel as his free hand pets her head.

As much as Cassiel loves this, she still feels like she is about to cry from sheer embarrassment. It would be different if they were alone, but…

“Is it not pleasant to be pampered by the one you love?” Nell asks.

“Sh-shut it! And – and it’s not the same if he has to be ordered to do this,” Cassiel whines.

“What’s wrong, Cass Cass? You know you like it,” Fenrir says.

Cassiel’s eyes go wide as she turns her head to look up at him. His eyes aren’t glowing anymore. Does that mean that he’s freed from Nell’s control? “How – how long have you been yourself?” Cassiel asks.

“I’ve been acting on my own since she ordered me to pamper you,” he explains.

“His eyes weren’t glowing when he grabbed you,” Serra adds on.

“Yep. I’m doing this of my own free will.”

Cassiel’s face burns even brighter. She wants to fight against this but instead finds herself slumping over within his grasp. She has been defeated. Might as well hang her head in shame and enjoy being pampered while threatening to kill anybody whom mentions it.

“So you really can control people?” Fenrir asks.

“Right!” Nell answers.

“How did it feel?” Serra asks.

“Weird. Like, I was still in my body, and I was able to try resisting but nothing happened. It was like… I was inside of a giant mecha on autopilot,” Fenrir explains.

The word “mecha” causes Tabitha to look up from her work on a new engine, but when she sees no such thing, she returns to her work.

“In trouble if caught,” Bonekraka says. “What if trick?”

“She’s not tricking us. Also, Nell, sorry about what I said back on his ship. I wanted to save you right then and there, but I couldn’t ever put others’ lives at risk, even if they’re virtual. No way would I let that prick ever even get near Serra or Cass,” Fenrir says. He feels Cassiel press back into him slightly more than before.

“No, no, it is beyond alright, my hero. You gave him the exact answer that I was hoping you would. I would not have wanted to be rescued by a man willing to offer his own wives in such a deal. Your answer to him – your defiance, it made me love you even more than I already do,” Nell explains, her cheeks flushed and voice soft.

“Oi, haven’t ya only known him for like, a week?” Tabitha asks, peeking over at them.

“Every princess needs a hero to love!” Nell answers.

“In other words, you’re thirsty for some wolf.”

Both Fenrir and Tabitha look concerned when they see the dramatic side of Nell take over her expression. With her hands on her cheeks, Nell squirms from side to side as she fantasizes about what Tabitha said. “Just imagine it! A lonely princess on the run through the forest, escaping her cruel king, her gown and hair covered in dirt as she stumbles through a downpour, and then she trips and gets most of her dress torn away! Then, while on her hands and knees trying to get up, she hears the vicious snarling of a beast approaching from behind! That’s when a wild wolf—”

Fenrir doesn’t know whether she’s referring to him as a wolf or if she is referring to an actual wolf.

“I’m goin’ to stop ya right there,” Tabitha says, earning a disappointed pout from Nell.

“Hot,” Serra says.

“Oi, don’t go encouragin’ her delusions,” Tabitha says.

Cassiel stays silent, but Fenrir feels her pressing even more against him. She’s also hanging her head even lower than before to make absolutely certain that nobody sees her face.

“Tabitha, we’re surrounded by a bunch of perverts,” Fenrir says.

“Don’t try getting’ in the same boat as me. Me and the green guy there are the ones surrounded by a bunch of deviants. Those two boy lovers, you and your harem of deviants – how could ya all be so shameless when around somebody who looks like a little kid?” Tabitha scolds them.

While Cassiel continues hiding her face, Serra and Nell both look at Tabitha and seem proud of their perverse minds.

But then Nell’s expression turns serious.

“Something wrong?” Fenrir asks.

“As much as I would love to stay here with you all, I cannot. He will know to search here, and the lord of this city will be forced to allow him to search. I must leave before I am found here,” Nell explains.

“Why you come at all?” Bonekraka asks.

“I am here to give my hero a gift. It is a gift that only I can give, and it is something that I believe he is truly worthy of. None others have ever even caused me to consider entrusting it to them, and Ull does not even know the true extent of the blessing I can give you. If he did… I am sure that it would be impossible for me to ever escape.”

Cassiel finally looks up, intrigued by what Nell is saying.

“What gift are you talking about?” Fenrir asks.

“I was given this body by the Western Serpent, or as she prefers to be called, Manasa. Manasa turned me into her daughter and gave me the ability to choose a champion to protect me. I have chosen you, Fenrir, as my champion,” Nell explains.

Even Tabitha and Bonekraka are intrigued by this.

“What does that mean?” Fenrir asks.

Nell whispers something into Serra’s ear. Serra nods. Nell then gets closer to Fenrir and Cassiel, whispers something into Cassiel’s ear, and gets her permission as well.

“Fenrir, my hero,” Nell says, grabbing his attention so that he looks directly at her, and then presses her lips to his own.

The kiss feels like nothing he has ever felt before.

An intense energy flows through his body and modifies his very being.