The Bounty Hunter

Chapter 35: The New Plan

November 12th, 2088

Its been 4 days since I rescued Veronica.  Its also been 4 days since the start of our romantic relationship.  I was taken completely off-guard when she gave me her first kiss while also stealing mine, but I have to admit I greatly enjoyed it.  Her bright, clear laughter was also lovely to hear and seeing that smile on her face made me finally acknowledge my own feelings for her.  

I knew that we had a connection from the beginning but I never thought it would have developed into mutual love.  Shes a kindred spirit and the first person whose feelings I believe that I can accept.  Despite what Reiji says, I am not in fact a dense rom-com harem protagonist.  I know very well that Kira is infatuated with me, but I think that it is a coping mechanism.  After the events of Hafor I think that she became overly-attached to me since I am the only living remnant of her happy life from before. 

I care deeply about her and in a different scenario I could easily see myself being together with her.  But its because I care that I refuse to take advantage of her misguided feelings.  Instead I treat her like my younger sister in order to hopefully channel her feelings into familial love rather than romantic love. 

I am also aware of Hikaris feelings for me.  I believe them to be genuine, but there are too many things that divide us.  I cannot tell her about the other world nor can I tell her that I am in fact a ruthless cold-blooded killer.  I dont want to imagine her reaction.  Lastly and most importantly is the difference in lifespan. 

As a wizard with strong magic, I will maintain my youth while also living for far longer than the average human.  I cant imagine what it would be like to grow old and die while your lover stays young.  Nor can I imagine watching your lover grow old and die without you.  Shes my beloved childhood friend whom I care deeply about.  I cant subject her to that nor can I endure it myself.  Both Kira and Hikari will eventually give up and move on so I just need to wait.

I gave Veronica a magic artifact I had made that has an advanced illusions spell on it.  It changes Veronicas appearance to that of a cat-kin.  Should someone touch her ears or tail the spell could even mimic the sensations of touch.  To anyone coming in, Veronica is simply Kiras older sister who came back from traveling.  I also gave her a necklace similar to Kiras in order to protect her.  Thankfully, the city guard activity has decreased so these are just precautions. 

When I was leading the Bounty Hounds to their demise, the city guard saw that I left the city and thus assumed that Veronica was on the run outside of the city.  After several days of searching just to be sure they have given up.  It has reached the point where I can let Veronica do things outside alone without worry.  She has been adjusting well.  It must be very freeing for her to finally be able to cast off all the poisonous relationships she had from her past life.  Veronica Fells is no more, only Veronica remains. 

Shes still a taciturn ice queen around everyone except me, where she turns into a shy, meek, charming girl with a lovely smile.  After experiencing this gap moe first hand, I now understand why Yamamoto Rin has stolen the hearts of all the guys in my class.  Shes just too damn cute.  I have also finally managed to touch an elfs ear, after nearly 10 years here in the other world. 

It was the day after I saved her when I noticed that Veronicas eyes were locked onto my ears.  She saw that I noticed and her ears turned red at the tips.  She then timidly asked if it was okay to touch them.  I saw my chance and told her Id let her touch them if I could touch her ears in return.  She instantly agreed and had the most fun as she continually rubbed my ears while saying Theyre so cute and round.  I then reciprocated and had a lot of fun running my fingers along her ears and touching her points, but I forgot an important point. 

Just like a beast-kins ears and tail, an elfs ears are an erogenous zone.  They are sensitive to excessive touching, particularly so if the elf is attracted to the individual doing the touching.  I think Veronica forgot about it as well in her excitement about my ears, so only after she started panting heavily with a flushed face that we remembered and we stopped. 

Although we have strong feelings for each other, its still a bit too soon to start with that sort of thing.  Fufufu, take that Reiji!  You are constantly pestering me by wondering aloud about those unanswerable questions about the fantasy world, yet I actually have those answers!  I know what a beast-kins ears feel like!  I know what an elfs ears feel like!  Ahem, but I digress.

This unexpected romance, although wonderful, is responsible for throwing one of two wrenches into my original plans about leaving this world behind as soon as Kira is independent and happy.  The other wrench is due to a revelation about Kira.  I had finally gotten around to asking Grandma Kuma why Kira hadnt gone through the rapid puberty that all beast-kin experience before they turn 12. 

Apparently, it is because Kira is a variant.  Variants are mutant beast-kin who have a unique and often quite powerful trait linked to their heritage.  They are rare to the point of many thinking they are just a myth.  There are only three identifying characteristics of a variant:  their maturation occurs after 12 years of age, it lasts far less than the usual year and they have a birthmark related to their trait. 

Cat-kin variants literally have 9 lives.  For Kira to truly pass away, she needs to die 9 times.  Beast-kin normally have a shorter lifespan of around 80 years, but for Kira shell live closer to 900.  Dying from old age only counts as 1 life.  Being filled with so much vitality will also mean that shell retain her youth just like an elf would as she ages and that each life would last for around 100 years instead of 80.  Kiras variant birthmark is that mole that looks like a very small 9 beneath her left eye. 

Apparently, a cat-kin variants birthmark is literally a counter of how many lives they have left.  If they die, the birthmark changes to the remaining total.  This is the only change that occurs, its not like they are reborn as a baby or something.  While this is all very shocking and such, the main point to take away from this is that her maturation is still to come at an unknown date.  And I dont know if Grandma Kuma can last that long. 

She turned 82 this year and has been getting weaker and weaker.  Beast-kin women are not considered adults until after their rapid maturation finishes and they experience their first heat, so if Kira is left alone after Grandma Kumas death shell be enslaved for breaking the Chain of Blood.  The wonderful logic in this world concludes that an orphaned child with no remaining relatives to claim them must have flouted their familial duties and had been punished by Adligo.  Thus, they should be enslaved in order to try and regain Adligos favor.  Its bullshit like this that makes me so eager to leave this world behind. 

But I cant leave Veronica and Kira behind like this, so theres only one reasonable solution remaining.  It would unfortunately invalidate the majority of the work I have done for the past 3 years in this world.  It would also require quite a bit of preparation on my end and things still may end up being dangerous for the girls.  Its a big sacrifice to ask of them.  But if they accept, I may be able to finally find peace and leave this damn world behind.  Moving to a new world is a big deal, so everything should be ready before I ask.

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