the girl in the tanto exclaims in my head.

“Girls, help this gentleman to his seat,” Ms. Tephalia orders her handmaidens.

“Yes, Milady.”

“Right this way, Mr. Kotori,” Ms. Ashe and Ms. Salelia say respectively before grabbing my hands.

“Uh, I can sit by myself—whoa you’re stronger than you look!” I exclaim as I realize they’re wrapping their snake bodies around my arms to lift me from the floor and gently sit me on the lounge couch at the center. The handmaidens giggle as they snuggle close at each of my sides, getting aggressive with their affections as they press their perky breasts on my arms. From my previous experiences with Komi, I thought I’ve grown used to this ‘attention,’ but it’s been so long since that time, having it done again with two girls on both sides instead of one, and being Lamia handmaidens on top of that, I was getting quickly overwhelmed.

the tanto girl says before I get that familiar stirring in my core.

Crap! There it is again! Why am I getting like this just from these touches?!

“Allow me to introduce you to two of my finest attendants, Ashe and Salelia. They’ve been very eager to speak with you since they got here,” Ms. Tephalia says.

“They … have?”

“Make yourself at home and mingle while I change into something more comfortable,” she says as she slithers over to a walk-in closet and out of my sights.

“Hii~! Call me Ashe!”

“And I, Salelia.”

“… Nice to meet you.” I try to not mind the stirring in my core by keeping the memory of the handmaidens’ names and profiles—though, thanks to my ‘Size Up’ skill, I could just look at the names above their heads if I ever forget anyway. Ashe’s on my left with twin-tailed hair and scales red as rust. She looks young, likely in her late teens, but her bright and bubbly demeanor that one could get from her voice alone gives her more of a youthful vibe that could liven up the energy of any place she could go to. It matches her modest, yet perky chest in wrappings that she presses into my arm. Salelia’s to my right with greenish-blue scales and cerulean hair tied in a braided ponytail. She’s calmer, cooler, and looks dependable like an older sister looking after her siblings, but she’s showing more sensual affection by not just trapping my other arm in her large breasts, but also using her hand to rub and draw figures over the chest of my shirt.

While I really am trying to occupy my mind remembering their names, noticing their sensual advances makes holding back these urges harder.

“You were probably too occupied to remember us, but you saved our lives during the infiltration last night,” Salelia says.

“Yeah! The way you used your Fire Magic on that axe guy was awesome!” Ashe adds.

Two Lamias threatened by a cultist with an axe, using Fire Magic to stop him … “Oh, yeah, I remember now. Wasn’t there a Centaur protecting you before I got there, though?”

“You mean Shane? He didn’t fight back much before you got there.”

“Even if he wasn’t used to fighting, you gotta commend him for his bravery, right?”

“Yeah, Shane was nice, but you were much more incredible. Not only did you stop him, but you even went as far as breaking his fingers as punishment.” Salelia moves into my ear. “It was so bold, I thought the fires got on me for how hot I felt,” she whispers seductively.

… I don’t know if they’re just sucking up to me or what, but Mr. Shane, please forgive me for stealing your thunder. Your guts will be remembered in my book.

“And … you looked really cool without your shirt on,” Ashe says before fidgeting in her seat with a reddened face. “If it’s not too much to ask … can I see it again?”

“… I don’t want to look rude towards Ms. Tephalia.”

“Oh, don’t fret yourself on my account.”

I thought my eyes might pop out of my skull when I saw Ms. Tephalia come back in the room. Instead of the modest dress that covered most of her torso, she’s wearing an exotic outfit like a belly dancer’s, showing so much skin that would make one question if it’s actually lingerie. Her voluptuous chest, the largest in the room no doubt, looks like it would burst out of her bra-like top at any moment; her abdominals tight and sculpted like marble; and finally, the loincloth-like bottoms tied by string sits so low on her waist that her womanhood would be revealed by a slight tug down. Even when she’s making her way to her seat, her bottoms were low enough from behind that I could see some of her peach-like butt cheeks, revealing just how much her ‘human half’ is there before shifting over to a snake’s. She takes her time getting to her seat with her eyes on me with a smile as if she was expecting me to drink in every ounce of the sight that is her mature body. She finally sits in front of me with grace and whatever modesty she has left like a noblewoman.

The tanto girl’s statement couldn’t reflect my feelings any more than they do right now.

“On the contrary, Jinma, I would like to see your battle-sculpted body under this lighting, if you’re comfortable with it, of course.”

“… I do feel a bit stuffy.” I’m about to reach the hems of my shirt and pull it up before the handmaidens stop me.

“Please, allow us~,” Salelia says as she pulls my shirt up while Ashe holds my arms vertically.

“Aaah~! It looks even better up close and personal!” Ashe squeals and claps her hands by the time Salelia removes my shirt and tosses it to the floor.

I think I just made this worse on myself. God, calm the fuck down. Though they’re really pushing the boundaries, they’re just egging you on as Komi did before. You shouldn’t be getting so heated up over this, so why am I finding it harder to keep myself from having my way with these girls?!

“W-What side-effects?”

“Hm? Did you say something?” Ms. Tephalia says.

“O-Oh, just muttering to myself … side-effects of a cold if I catch it from not wearing a shirt somehow.”

“Ah, then our breakfast will warm you right up very soon.”

“In the meantime~, we can keep your body warm~.”

“So hard~, and scars can be so sexy on a human man~,” Salelia and Ashe say respectively before giggling and really pressing themselves on me this time, not only feeling up my stomach and chest, but their snake bodies coil around each of my legs just tight enough to make me immobile, yet give such sensual feelings.

Trying to keep your whole body from trembling is like suddenly being put underground and holding your breath for as long as you can. That’s what I’m feeling right now as I try to contract and tighten every muscle in my body and keep itself from doing any sudden movements.

Tanto Girl, quick, what are these side-effects you’re talking about?!

Oh, god … and this is not helping if I have the third case.

Seriously? How did they come across that ‘cure?’

I’m not gonna rape a woman just to save my hide! Wait! I got it!

“Jinma, are you listening—?”

“Sorry, Ms. Tephalia, but is there a toilet near here?”

“… Behind that door?” She points to the door near one of the bookshelves at the corner of the room.

“Nature’s calling, be right back.” I practically jump out of the handmaidens’ holds and over the couch, picking up my shirt along the way before sprinting to the toilet and shutting the door behind me.

Shut up!