Chapter 23: The Drasen Ways, Part Seven
Liri's mind was reduced to a television's white screen, with nothing but static between her ears as she failed to comprehend the situation. She'd been so sure that her tactic of showcasing her *uniqueness* would do away with these warriors' desire to fight for her. And yet, there were several drasen in front of her intent on doing just that.
Wanting to ease this growing headache, she asked:
"But… You all saw me back there, right?" She asked, a faint redness on her cheeks hinting at what she'd shown off earlier. "You're sure you want to fight for me, still?"
A chorus of agreement rang out then.
"Yes."
"Of course."
"Undoubtedly."
Liri lifted her hands up defensively.
"B-But, why?" Liri asked in response.
Of course, Liri already had an answer in her mind. As Alteria had said, Liri had been blessed with the passive ability to be able to attract a high number of people. However, she needed some form of confirmation that this was what was going on, otherwise, her mind wouldn't be able to handle it.
Now, it was one of the drasen fighter's turn to blush as he replied:
"I am curious."
"As am I," a woman stated firmly, with a similarly flushed complexion.
"Me too."
One by one, the warriors all stated this as their reasoning for why they were still here, ready to fight each other for the sake of her love.
"Should we begin tomorrow?" One of them asked Arisa.
"None of us here were among the fighters earlier, so we will need to figure out the brackets," another one stated.
"That shouldn't take much time at all. I don't really care who I fight," a girl said confidently.
Liri's frustration boiled until she all but yelled:
"Wait, wait, wait, don't I get a say-"
Her mouth was covered by a callous-covered palm before she could finish asking the question.
"Um, allow us a moment to discuss this," Arisa spoke from behind, her front pressed against Liri's back and her breasts nearly resting on top of her head.
"Huh?" The same girl arched a brow high, her lips curling up with frustration.
"I, ehm, we just have to figure something out. May we get back to you tomorrow?" Arisa asked politely.
For some reason, this request made the warriors scoff.
"Aw, your tail's stuck in your throat?" A man teased Arisa. "Sure. I am fine with giving you some time to cry yourself to sleep tonight. I will return tomorrow. Let me know what you guys decide on."
"No need," another woman said. "I will also return tomorrow. Please, do be sure not to take off into the night."
Casting scornful looks over their shoulders, the small pack of hopeless romantics walked away from Arisa's home.
The woman gave a sigh of relief before she addressed Liri.
"Sorry," Arisa said as she cast a worried look in the direction those people had walked. "I just… thought we should discuss how we're going to go about this."
"What is there to talk about?" Liri asked. "Can you really not just say 'no'?"
"As I said before," Arisa responded dejectedly. "If I do, I will be considered a coward… Even more than I already am."
Although Liri did not care for this at all, it was hard to express that fact with Arisa looking so small, at that moment. The self-pity in her eyes made it so that, for the first time since they met, Liri felt like the two were standing at equal heights as they talked.
It was thanks to that sympathy that she asked:
"Okay… So, we can't really say 'no', and I can't fight for myself. Can't I fight on your behalf, though?" Liri asked.
For some reason, that made Arisa's eyes bulge.
"That would be worse."
"What? Why?"
"If you fight on my behalf, for my right to be your lover, I will be labeled a chisna."
"A… What?" Liri asked, arching a brow.
"Have you not seen one of them? Ehm, they're a type of feline creature that has a tendency to be…" She looked away, blushing slightly, "obedient toward those they like."
The instant she heard that Liri felt she understood what the woman was getting at.
Essentially, if Liri was to fight for Arisa, it would be akin to the drasen woman taking a cardboard sign and painting "Liri's submissive little kitten" on it with an arrow pointing down at herself.
"Do you understand my meaning here?" Arisa asked. "It… I would rather they all think I am a coward than go through with that."
Liri sighed.
"So, what can we do, then?"
"Fight."
The voice that answered was not Arisa's. Rather, her parents had approached them while they'd been talking, and it had been her mother who made that suggestion.
"I… I suppose I have to," Arisa replied, lowering her head.
Her parents, however, were not satisfied with that answer.
They exchanged a glance and Arisa's father nodded at his spouse before he turned toward Arisa and said:
"Your mother and I noticed… it seems there are many who would seek to take your new lover from you, is that not the case?"
"Less now than there were before, thanks to some information they learned about," Arisa smirked, "but… yes. Liri is beautiful. Naturally, many noticed her presence as soon as she stepped foot in our tribe."
Crossing her arms over her chest, Liri tried to focus on the matter at hand and not the compliments Arisa was so fond of casually throwing out. Whether it was intentional or not, her words consistently proved to be embarrassing.
Arisa's father nodded again and said:
"In that case, it would seem you did bring back a trophy. Just not a dead one."
"Huh?" Arisa tilted her head.
Immediately, Liri almost gasped, quickly catching onto what Arisa's father was about to say.
"You have something that others in this tribe covet, Arisa. Do you know what an adult does when such a thing happens? They protect what they own."
He stepped forward, looking down at his daughter with slightly narrowed eyes.
"Accept their challenge. Face these strangers and fight them for the right to this woman's love. And, if you win… As far as your mother and I are concerned, you will have completed your Illian Hunt."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone