A blue tentacle emerged from King Angus's neck, morphing and shifting colors. The tentacle molded itself until a second head of King Angus formed. The blue tendrils showed texture like that of skin, perfectly replicating The King's head. It reminded Hiro of the special effects he'd seen in sci-fi films back on Earth. Hiro had heard of symbiotes ever since meeting Rebecca, but this was the first time he saw one with his own eyes.
"I sense other beings in this room," the second head said, its voice deeper and more authoritative.
"King Angus's Symbiote, Lord Malus. Marissa greets you," Marissa said, bowing deeply.
"Hm? What do you mean by that, Malus?" King Angus's voice took on a note of suspicion.
"Marissa, what is that inside your stomach?" Lord Malus asked, his gaze narrowing as he scanned her.
Marissa's eyes widened. "Ah! This is my symbiote. I've named it Hiro." She motioned to her stomach, trying to coax Hiro out, but he didn't respond immediately. Marissa tilted her head in confusion and tried again. This time, Hiro meekly slithered out onto her hand.
"Hm? How did you acquire this symbiote? Did those girls sell it to you?" King Angus frowned, his gaze hardening.
"No, Your Majesty. They didn't sell it to me," Marissa explained quickly. "This symbiote came to me on its own."
"Stealing a symbiote is considered taboo…" the King frowned, his tone darkening.
"No, Your Majesty, I didn't steal it," Marissa interrupted. "There was another symbiote inside Rebecca, and it chose me instead."
"Hm? How could she host more than one symbiote?" King Angus asked, clearly perplexed.
"I was told it was a wild symbiote. Perhaps the other symbiote only took what it needed to survive, allowing this one to transfer to me," Marissa speculated.
"Is that possible, Malus?" the King turned to his symbiote counterpart.
"Yes, it's possible," Malus replied, his voice thoughtful. He extended another blue tentacle, forming a hand that stroked his chin. "However, I sense that this being is not of my species."
Hiro's heart sank. His secret was out. He braced himself, hoping for mercy.
"I see. Then what species is it?" King Angus asked, his voice heavy with curiosity.
"From the outside, it resembles a Parasitic Tentacle," Malus said.
"Hah? That's impossible," King Angus replied, taken aback.
"Indeed, it was impossible," Malus continued. "I surmise this is a new species. Do you know how a symbiote is born, Your Majesty? Typically, we procreate with each other, which is the most common way. However, in rare instances, a lewd worm may survive and evolve into either a symbiote or a parasitic tentacle. In a way, parasitic tentacles are our siblings."
"But..." King Angus began, clearly hesitant.
"Yes," Malus interjected. "A parasitic tentacle exists only to consume. There's no way Marissa could have survived if it had been a true parasitic tentacle."
"Good! It's a new species! Moreover, it's friendly to humans!" King Angus grinned, clearly relieved. Hiro cheered as The King's reception seemed optimistic.
"I see now why Count Evesys from Latvin Kingdom is so intent on getting his daughter back. This parasitic tentacle might actually be superior to us, symbiotes." Malus's expression turned grim.
"Huh?" King Angus was puzzled.
"Imagine a symbiote that can inhabit any female, King Angus," Malus explained.
"Well, that's certainly convenient," the King mused, "but even without using appraisal, I can tell this symbiote is weaker than you, Malus."
"That's only because it's still at a low level. It can grow. Marissa, you said you got this from Rebecca? You didn't steal this new symbiote, right? She still has her symbiote?"
"Yes, all three of them still have their symbiotes. This one was an extra. Even if it's not a symbiote, please, let me keep it. This symbiote will be beneficial to the kingdom," Marissa pleaded.
"Count Evesys is persistent. Matters concerning symbiotes are serious. They could demand we return this symbiote…" King Angus said, trailing off.
"Stealing symbiotes is illegal!" Marissa shouted, her emotions taking control at the thought of Hiro being taken away.
"If it comes to that, we may need to prepare for war," Malus added gravely.
"So, Hiro, is it? Do you really want to stay with Marissa?" King Angus asked, turning his attention to Hiro.
Hiro nodded his tentacle, though the others seemed confused by his silent response.
"He can't speak?" Malus and King Angus asked in unison. Marissa nodded.
"That complicates things... He wasn't even a true symbiote to begin with. Latvin could accuse us of stealing their technology," Malus warned.
"Hiro is sentient! He understands us! He *chose* to stay with me!" Marissa's desperation grew more evident.
"Calm down, Marissa," King Angus said gently. "It's clear that Hiro is beneficial. He even cured your legs. Is there anything else he can do?"
"Yeah! He can extract iron ore from Iron Pangolins! Hiro has become vital for our village!" Marissa said excitedly. As if on cue, Hiro extended a tentacle toward King Angus's desk and spat out an iron ore. He hoped the King would realize his worth, unlike the less intelligent girls he was attached to.
"Which symbiote can do this?" King Angus asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I think all of them can," Marissa replied.
"All of them?"
"Yes," she confirmed after Hiro nodded to her questions.
"Anything else?"
"They can also enhance strength and dexterity. Nana can move faster, and Cecile is stronger. The effect is temporary, though," Marissa added, recalling Clarissa's report on Nana and Cecile's performance during combat. "Moreover, Hiro can assist directly. By attaching itself to monsters, it drains their life force."
"King Angus, you need to keep them," Malus advised, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"Yeah, they're too valuable. They are not as strong as a true symbiote, but their use outweighs even a symbiote. We need to test this further. But if Hiro can extract ores, we could grant you mining rights in the neighboring town."
"Not just that," Malus interjected, "I suspect Hiro and the other tentacles the girls have are the same. Parasitic tentacles have the ability to undergo Mitosis, meaning they can split their bodies. This tentacle might have the same ability."
"Huh? That's crazy," King Angus said, his eyes widening. "That means we can have an army of enhanced soldiers using these new symbiotes?"
"Yeah. Even if it's limited to women, imagine having an army of symbiotes. Their power wouldn't just be in combat but also in industry, and even healing."
"Well then, war it is. Thank you for your time, Marissa. I'll do my utmost to help my precious niece. I'll summon fifty knights to guard the village," King Angus declared.
"Thank you, Unc— I mean, King Angus." Marissa bowed gratefully. Hiro, trying to show off his skills, made her kneel, surprising her, but she complied.
"He's quite intelligent, huh?" King Angus mused, impressed. "By the way, I have a daughter who has been rejected by symbiotes fifteen times. If there are any more 'spare symbiotes,' please consider giving her a chance."
Marissa tilted her head in response, considering his request.
"You mean Princess Tina?"
"Yes. She'll also be part of the guard, along with the fifty knights I mentioned earlier. It will be a good excuse—an energetic princess visiting a rural town with her bodyguard in tow," King Angus explained.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Hiro felt uneasy. While he loved women, not just any woman would do. The idea that Marissa claimed he'd accept any female was inaccurate. He had standards—he only accepted beautiful women! If this princess had been rejected by symbiotes fifteen times, he feared she might not meet his criteria. He didn't want to be paired with someone unattractive, like those low-rated games he used to watch on YouTube back on Earth. She needed to be a bishoujo, like the characters from the eroge games he used to enjoy.
"Alright, you're dismissed. I'll handle the situation with the Latvin Kingdom. I hope Count Evesys backs off after we reject his plea. All you need to do is ensure that those three girls remain firm in their decision to stay in our kingdom. Do they want to stay?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Count Evesys is Rebecca's father, and he tried to kill her to extract her symbiote. She fled here to save her life."
"I see. Make sure they feel welcome. I'll increase your allowance to ensure those girls don't return to Evesys, even if he begs. Spread rumors if you have to—that he plans to kill them or something."
"You want me to lie?" Marissa hesitated.
"Evesys is Rebecca's father, and they're tied by blood. We can secure Cecile and Nana through their knights' contracts, but Rebecca's case is different. Still, this isn't just a family feud—it's about symbiotes, a new breed that is more flexible and numerous. We have to be ready for war. Make sure these girls don't betray us," King Angus insisted, his tone more serious now, sensing how much Evesys wanted Rebecca's symbiote.
"Thank you, King Angus!" Marissa bowed deeply once more. Hiro, feeling pleased and relieved, slithered out and grabbed Malus's hand, attempting a handshake. He was happy—he finally had a place to call home.
He wanted to forge a sword for the King using his material analysis skill. However, he lacked the necessary amount of iron. More pangolins and armadillos needed to be hunted to gather the materials.
Marissa made her way back home. She walked slowly, and after leaving the castle, her knights and maids used a sedan chair to carry her to the carriage. With finances tight, she opted to return home instead of staying at an inn. That night, Hiro left her undisturbed.
A few days after Marissa's return, Hiro successfully created an iron sword for Cecile and a bow for Nana. Nana still had to purchase the string and fletch her own arrows using goose feathers, but it was a step in the right direction.
Meanwhile, the three girls had gained some levels while dealing with the pests in Marissa's village. Cecile leveled up twice, while Nana and Rebecca each gained a level. The most surprising development was that Rebecca had acquired new skills: [Fire Mastery] and [Water Mastery]. This was likely due to her constant use of fire spells to light the fireplace and water spells to provide water for their baths.
Here are their updated stats:
[Cecile has leveled up to level 13
Level: 13/100
STR: 51 -> 61
DEX: 53 -> 60
MAG: 2
Spear Mastery has reached level 4]
[Nana has leveled up to level 15
Level: 15/100
STR: 22 -> 24
DEX: 74 -> 80
MAG: 2
Spear Mastery has reached level 5]
[Rebecca has leveled up to level 13
Level: 13/100
STR: 7 -> 8
DEX: 11 -> 12
MAG: 40 -> 45
New Skill Obtained: Fire Mastery
New Skill Obtained: Water Mastery]
Hiro inspected his hosts' status screens. Both Cecile and Nana had shown notable growth. Thanks to his *Growth Enhancement* skill, their stats were comparable to those of individuals at level 20, even though Cecile was only at level 13 and Nana at level 15. Rebecca had also made significant progress in her magic stats. Now, if only they could find a traveling merchant with a mage's staff, Rebecca could fully resume her role as the team's mage.
Name: Cecile
Race: Human
Age: 17
Class: Adventurer (Rank F)
Host Affinity: 60/100
Level: 13/100
STR: 61
DEX: 60
MAG: 2
B/W/H: 44/24/35
Skills:
- One-Handed Sword Mastery Lvl 3
- Shield Mastery Lvl 3
- Archery Lvl 2
- Spear Mastery Lvl 4
---
Name: Nana
Race: Human
Age: 18
Class: Adventurer (Rank F)
Host Affinity: 80/100
Level: 15/100
STR: 24
DEX: 80
MAG: 0
B/W/H: 44/24/35
Skills:
- Enhanced Vision
- Archery Lvl 5
- Spear Mastery Lvl 5
---
Name: Rebecca Evesys
Race: Human
Age: 17
Class: Adventurer (Rank F)
Host Affinity: 40/100
Level: 13/100
STR: 8
DEX: 12
MAG: 45
B/W/H: 24/24/25
Skills:
- Mana Manipulation Lvl 3
- Mana Sensing Lvl 3
- Fire Mastery Lvl 1
- Water Mastery Lvl 1
---
By the way, Hiro has also been able to see Marissa's status screen since she became his host. To be honest, her stats were so abysmal that Hiro could barely believe his eyes. Due to her disability, she was still at level one, and her stats and skills were mediocre. No wonder she had such low self-esteem. Hiro wondered if he should take her hunting occasionally to help raise her level—she was as weak as a worm.
---
Name: Marissa Daneswald
Race: Human
Age: 19
Class: Village Chief
Host Affinity: 90/100
Nutrients: 45/70
Level: 1/100
STR: 2
DEX: 2
MAG: 3
B/W/H: 50/24/35
Skills:
- Mana Sensing Lvl 1
- Leadership Lvl 3
---
"Hiro, do you have any more of your siblings?" Marissa asked. "The princess would like to meet you. She's a great warrior, and I'm sure she'd be a worthy host for one of your siblings."
Remembering his mistake with Rebecca, Hiro decided to use Mitosis in advance. He slithered out of Marissa and made a flesh bed on the floor, signaling to Marissa that tentacles were available.
Three days later, the promised knights arrived. The once dilapidated village became energized as the knights required inns and food. Additionally, they needed blacksmiths to maintain their weapons, causing the economy to boom.
"Sister Marissa! I heard you've been healed from your disability!"
"Luna! Welcome! Yes, I can walk now. It's all thanks to Hiro, my symbiote." Marissa swiped her skirt to reveal Hiro's tentacles wrapping her legs. Luna was a beautiful, petite girl with a cheerful personality, quite unlike Rebecca. Though she was modest in the breast and height departments, being even shorter and flatter than Rebecca, something about her caught Hiro's attention when she removed her cloak and handed it to Bertha.
*twitch*
A white cat ear twitched naturally atop her head.
Hiro shouted in his mind. A real kemonomimi had arrived! A catgirl!