BXBX NOVEL Chapter 35: They are my allies nothing more.
"If you intend to strong arm him into serving you, I will defend husband with everything I have."
"Oh? Then come at me! All of you all at once!"
"Wow, the wombat is popular! Who knew they really liked him enough to face off against a princess right Liv? Liv? Oy! Put the sword down!"
"Well Smith-san is eccentric to say the least. The nail that sticks up will be hammered down."
I could hear the girls arguing with someone. How long was I out? I passed out after the beating from David Thomas. Was it over now? I noticed I was sitting on a chair and hurriedly tried to get up as I pondered such questions.
"Ah, Darling!"
Like a bullet Josephine ran towards me and grabbed both sides of my face to look at her.
"Do you feel better now? Are you in pain?"
The warmth of her hands and the affectionate tone of her voice made me feel her concern. I lightly held her right hand and answered.
"I am fine now Jo, thank you for worrying about me."
Like a radiant sun at dawn Josephine made a dazzling smile as she nodded.
"Great! I am glad! That is all that matters!"
Pulling her hands away I took a look at the people in the room. We were in a simple office. There were blue neon lights along the walls giving the place a futuristic atmosphere. A couple of couches were in front of the expensive looking wooden desk, and the chair I got up from.
David Thomas the Invincible was seated behind the opulent desk. On one of the couches Lilly was being interrogated by Bella and Jasmine. Liv, Aki and Robyn all sat together with Lilly. The other couch had two people I didn't expect. A tall bald burly African man, and a beautiful long-legged woman with red hair in a bobcut.
Before I could greet anybody. An authoritative voice commanded the voice of the room.
"Now that Cinderella is awake. Everyone be seated."
With one of the couches no longer having any room, Josephine pulled my hand and made me sit beside Amari and Mia. I noticed that both Isabella and Jasmine tried to get up but they were making inconspicuous attempts to keep each other seated.
Both couches could sit five people. The one I was on still had a spot available beside me, while the other had six people. But before Bella and Jas could stand up, Liv suddenly vacated her seat and took the open spot. Although she didn't have her helmet on her size made me sure it was her.
For the first time I could see her blazing red hair and beautiful Nordic features. While her appearance looked heroic, it didn't look masculine giving her a mesmerizing countenance. Noticing my gaze she looked down a little while whispering.
"Don't stare so intently John. I know my face looks like a man's you don't have to rub it in."
"Whoever told you such bullshit deserves a bullet to the face. You look beautiful Liv, like an angel or a Valkyrie rather."
The Norse woman then made a surprised face and blushed scarlet. A faint "Thank you" escaped her lips before she turned to face David. At that moment a felt something collide with my face sending me to the floor.
"You got balls flirting in front of me Smith! Aren't you courting my daughter? How can you show your infidelity so blatantly?! Have some decency you degenerate!"
"Infidelity? What the fuck are you talking about you senile bastard? Lilly is indeed amazing, but I am not courting her! Hell, I just met her a while ago!"
I could feel the gaze of my girls all telling me to shut up, but I just couldn't. The man was an asshole plain and simple.
"So you are saying my daughter is not good enough? Look at the balls on this fucker!"
What the hell was going on. What happened to the strict Revenant earlier? Why is he meddling in his daughter's affairs? While I was still confused, Lilly then cleared the misunderstanding for me.
"Father. Cease your foolish games. A man who never even celebrated my birthday with me has no right to interfere in my relationships. Get to the point so we can leave."
Unlike her usual playful voice, Lilly had enough hostility in her statement one would think she and her father were enemies. The Revenant in the chair made a wry smile before shifting back to business mode.
"As you wish. I gathered you all here to discuss the rewards for the enlistment. The nine of you are considered the elites who passed. For your performances you will be getting additional rewards. Apart from your group the rest has such pitiful performances I wouldn't even use them as porters."
How harsh, I could understand why though. The ones here were excellent, my girls killed more than thirty zombies each, on top of contributing to brute's subjugation. Finally, Liv, Aki, Jo and Robyn were the ones that have landed the killing blows on the stalker.
'Why are the others so useless? Just how bad did they do?' I wondered.
"Amari and Mia being descendants and sponsored are no surprise, but I am beside myself that hardly anyone from the Alphabet, Meta and Tesla groups passed. The ones that survived were only able to so by hiding among the corpses of their allies. What a pathetic showing. And it had to happen when the enlistment was in my domain."
The anger and irritation were evident in the superhero wannabe, it seemed he didn't notice his rants leaking in his explanations. However, he suddenly made a huge smile as he stood up and walked towards me.
"Which makes your situation all the more astounding John Smith. You not only took a band of Formless and turned them into a capable force, but both bosses were taken down practically by your group alone. Once this news comes out all seven continents would be in an uproar.
"While normally you would get rewards, you see John you violated some rules. You murdered over 25 wraiths in the enlistment. Most of them were small fry sponsored by small countries and groups, but they were sponsored nonetheless.
If we allowed blatant murder without consequence, the North American battle front would be shunned by the other continents." At this point even though he had a grin, I could feel the rage from David.
Luckily an angel immediately spoke up to save me.
"Your majesty Invincible, permission to speak!" Bella declared.
"Granted."
"Your majesty, the reaper handbook allows crimes of vengeance. Should the murder be done as an act of vengeance and not malice no punishment would be given as the reaper acted within his rights."
"Daughter, you are the overseer of this enlistment, what really happened?"
"Sir! Oliver Kelly actively used other reapers as bait and sacrifices out of both necessity and amusement. John Smith was attacked and left to die after their first encounter.
"However, Oliver Kelly is the only one among John Smith's victims that could be considered a crime of vengeance. The others including the minor Janice Brown were murdered in cold blood and had no other basis."
Lilly who looked annoyed at her father earlier now conversed with him professionally like a soldier. It seemed their personal and work lives were clearly separated.
"So she says John. Answer or you will not only lose your rewards but will get penalized," David challenged.
"Your majesty please let me…"
"Denied. You are neither his kindred, nor his attorney Ms. Taurus. I allowed your first interruption as I still did not know what happened. The bastard must defend his case himself."
The only one young enough to be a minor from the ones I murdered was the busty woman who could turn invisible, so she must be Janice Brown. You ask why did I kill all of them? Truthfully, I did it not only because of Red, but also because of how they treated the Formless.
"David. I murdered them because they treated the Formless like shit. Liv, Aki and Robyn were part of their group, but they betrayed then left the three of them to die. As Formless, in order to stop them from doing the same to me I ended them instead. Given the same choice I would do so again."
To kill someone meant to cut off any possibility of their futures. Naturally I didn't do it on a whim. I quickly learned in hellsgate that the main thing needed here was the ruthlessness to survive. Ideals were like farts in the wind.
The Revenant then continued in a stern voice. "The ones who would have the authority to perform crimes of vengeance for a reaper are either the reaper himself or his kindred. You were neither the one abandoned nor were you the spouse of those that were. Explain."
"He has yet to agree to be my kindred, but I already consider him mine." Liv's clear confession took the room by surprise.
Aki then added. "I am the same, John Smith-san currently occupies the position of my kindred."
"Same for me your highness. The wombat is allowed to get vengeance in my stead." Robyn confessed.
David then made a bored face as he continued. "You are all aware that a reaper can only have one kindred, right? John cannot be a spouse for all three of you even if you agree to share. John, settle this matter. Who do you consider your wife?"
The entire room focused on me all six of my girls plus Lilly had hopeful smiles. Wait what? Why was even Lilly expecting me to choose her? I admit all of them including Robyn looked gorgeous, but that was beside the point. I came to Hellsgate not to pick up chicks but to get stronger.
"None of them, they are my allies nothing more. I will bear the punishment for the murders. I am fine losing my rewards."