Rapture

Chapter 12

The sudden voice jolted me awake, pulling me out of the depths of slumber. My eyes flickered open, adjusting to the dim lighting, and there, perched right on my crotch, was Venidith, her mischievous hands tugging at my leggings. Confusion and irritation mingled as I tried to comprehend the absurdity of the situation.

Caught red-handed, Venidith froze, her gaze locking with mine. She wore a sheepish grin, attempting to salvage her prank by feigning innocence. But her eyes betrayed her true intentions, revealing a mix of seductive and unease.

"What on earth are you doing?" I asked, my voice tinged with disbelief and frustration.

With an awkward chuckle, Venidith mustered an excuse, "It's dinner time, you know?" Her voice wavered slightly, trying to maintain an air of carefree nonchalance.

"Dinner time?" I retorted, raising an eyebrow in skepticism. "Since when does dinner involve trying to strip me of my leggings?"

Her grin faltered, and she seemed to struggle for words. "Well, I thought it'd be fun," she mumbled, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the fabric.

Deciding not to escalate the situation further, I gently pushed her off me. "Next time, just let me know without, um, sitting on me," I suggested, trying to balance a hint of humor with my genuine irritation.

Venidith flopped dramatically at the end of my bed, feigning pain. "Ow!" she cried theatrically, "Hey, I'm just trying to give you a good time, you know?"

I stood up from the bed, stretching my arms to shake off the remnants of my nap. "I am already having a good time," I said with a yawn, "It's called a good nap."

Venidith got up from the bed, her mischievous grin never leaving her face. "Hmmm," she muttered, "You're a very simple man."

Rolling my eyes, I headed towards the door, hoping to put some distance between us. "No s**t," I replied, my tone indicating that I wasn't interested in engaging in any playful banter.

But Venidith was not one to give up easily. "Wait up!" she called after me, trailing behind with that alluring sway in her walk.

As I opened the door, it glided smoothly, a testament to the fine craftsmanship of the mothership. The lack of noise when it closed again highlighted the attention to detail in maintaining the ship. The hallways retained their familiar layout but now boasted a gleaming polish, and the once-worn surfaces were now in impeccable condition. Gustav's dedication to maintenance was evident, leaving no sign of rust or even a speck of dust in sight.

"It's unusually clean," I observed, taking in the pristine surroundings as I made my way towards the control room.

Venidith, who had followed me, responded with a casual yawn. "Gramps got access to manpower," she said nonchalantly, "So he makes use of those pesky bots to clean."

The thought of Sam and her rare talents crossed my mind again, wondering how she was faring amidst all the changes and preparations. Her intelligence and adaptability were indeed valuable assets, even without supernatural abilities.

As I made my way towards the control room, Venidith's voice trailed behind me, "Those buggers tried to clean me. I bathed and took the best clothes."

Turning my head to glance back, I caught her eyes and she flashed a playful smile, "Oh? You finally saw my beauty?"

She was dressed in a fit pair of Nike leggings and a white tank top that showed off her figure, slightly revealing her bust. I sighed, quickly averting my gaze and focusing on the path ahead.

"Do you like what I wore?" Venidith teased, "I chose them for your liking."

"Lil bit," I muttered, though it seemed she heard my response.

As we turned a corner, getting closer to the control room, I couldn't help but notice Venidith's mischievous grin. Gustav must have ratted out my preferences for my ex-partners when I was still in a relationship. It's true that in private times, I had occasionally requested certain outfits, but in public, I usually let them wear whatever they wanted, unless it was too revealing.

Finally, we reached the entrance of the control room, and the door smoothly slid open. Inside, Gustav and Juliette were engrossed in studying holographic images, likely related to the fleshling base.

Both of their heads turned as Venidith and I walked toward them.

"So, how was your nap?" Gustav inquired with a mischievous glint in his eye, "Did this little imp try to seduce Big Mara?"

Gustav burst into laughter as I waved off the comment, "No, caught her in the act though."

"He didn't give you any consent?" Juliette asked from her seat in an office chair, her attention still focused on the holographic display.

"He didn't..." Venidith mumbled, looking a bit sulky.

"Like I said, this man is unsinkable," Gustav declared, a playful smirk on his face as he pointed at me, "I've fed him aphrodisiacs the entire year."

"He didn't even get seduced by a passing Succubus," Gustav added, chuckling.

"Yeah yeah, where did you send Sam?" I inquired, curious about her whereabouts.

"Nearby lake, asked them to train," Gustav replied, motioning towards the holographic map, "Also, tomorrow will be the next pickup point."

Pick-up point meant that we would receive tributes from the village we recently rescued. Last time, it was a minor issue with their farming techniques, and all we asked for were a few sacks of rice and some meats.

"Alright, I'll go there," I affirmed, heading towards the exit of the control room.

"Venidith, stay here," Juliette instructed, her tone firm, "I need you to do something for me."

"Huh?" Venidith squeaked, her expression conflicted, "But I need to follow this knight, or else some witch could seduce him."

"You can go after Alexander when you finish," Juliette assured, gesturing for Venidith to stay put.

"Fine," Venidith grumbled, reluctantly walking towards Juliette.

"That's right, be a good lil' imp," I teased with a chuckle as I made my way towards the dispatch bay.

As I reached the dispatch bay, I noticed the absence of the truck. It seemed they had already utilized it for transportation. However, the village was just a short ten-minute walk away, so I decided to proceed on foot. The dispatch bay door slid open with a booming sound, accompanied by the clinking of moving chains. The half-open door provided ample space for me to step outside.

Leaving the mothership behind, I embarked on my journey towards the lakes.