C20 The Twin Sisters Who Liked to Play Pranks

In the Bloomfield Region, the female chieftains of the various primitive tribes represented three major racial powers, none of which could be classified as part of the Human Clan within Ostar's understanding. They were, in fact, distinct races, each with their own unique abilities. Luckily for Osd, these matriarchs seemed to have maxed out all their skills except for those related to managing their territories. Had they done so, Osd would have been out of a job.

The leader of the Twin Tribe, much like Rosie, the "Mouse Lady" of the Underground Tribe, belonged to the category of monster girls. During their visit, White Witch Gonias, who guided them, wore a subtly complex expression, as if recalling an embarrassing memory.

At first, Ostar noticed nothing amiss, but upon entering their dwelling, he sensed something was off. The wooden cabin had an odd atmosphere, filled with an indescribable scent, and the floor was covered in a strange, sticky, transparent goo.

"This slime... it looks like it's from a Slime!"

"Gonias, you did bring spare clothes, right?"

"Yes, Sister Chris, they're in the carriage."

"Good, just in case..."

Before they could fully grasp the situation, a sinister event occurred. The goo from the ceiling plummeted down. Despite their formidable powers, Chris and her companions could still fall victim to such traps if caught off-guard.

The descending mucus was the corrosive secretion of a demonic Slime, capable of dissolving equipment on contact. The gothic maidservant uniforms worn by Chris and her group were instantly eaten away by the substance.

Chris and the others looked on in surprise, but without a hint of embarrassment – they were far from bashful. Upon detecting the anomaly, they activated their personal energy shields, halting the slime's corrosive effects.

Beneath their outer garments, the underlayers of their gothic maidservant attire remained untouched by the slime. Gonias, who had been leading the way, seemed well-acquainted with the sisters' mischievous antics and had come prepared. Her own uniform was compromised by the slime, but thanks to the protective magic barrier, her undergarments were spared any damage.

Ostar was unscathed. The owner of the slime mucus, it turns out, wasn't the gentleman he appeared to be, who only targeted women and spared men. The slime's mucus attack didn't discriminate by gender. The only slight difference was that women were likely to have just their equipment, clothes, and undergarments dissolved, leaving the lady herself generally unharmed.

Men, however, faced a grimmer fate. If a man was the target, the slime would dissolve him completely, leaving nothing behind, not even bones. Sometimes, it seems, luck is inexplicably tied to gender. In certain respects, achieving gender equality appears to be a challenging task.

Previously, Ostar himself had been a target of the slime's attack, but he was fortunate to be standing near Chris and her fellow maidservants. Their proximity meant he benefited from the indirect protection of their magical defensive barrier, which saved him from harm.

Unbeknownst to Ostar, he had narrowly escaped death. The female chieftains of the primitive tribes in the Bloomfield Territory were known for their extraordinary combat abilities, with "Rosie" considered one of the more mild-mannered among them.

Without the formidable protection of Chris and her fellow powerful personal attendants, maids, and part-time female guards, any other lord assigned to this territory would likely meet their end without ever realizing how it happened.

"Big sister Gonias, this isn't fun at all. You're using your magic again, and we're not going to do anything weird. You don't have to be so tense!"

"Big sister Gonias, why did you bring a man here? Who is that lowly outsider?"

The female chieftain of the Twin Tribe made her entrance following the prank. The earlier slime attack was merely a jest, not a serious assault. Ostar finally met the chieftain sisters in person. Clairna and Claia, true to the demonic woman archetype, shared attributes similar to those of slimes. As twins, they were nearly identical in appearance, stature, and even down to their measurements, with hardly any discernible differences.

Gonias had previously warned about the personalities of these lovely tribal leaders. Ostar was prepared for their mischievous nature, akin to that of troublemaking children. They were a handful, but not to the point of being insufferable. A little guidance was all that was needed to keep them in line.

Clairna was the older sister, and Claia, the younger. Both stood around 152 cm tall, fitting the archetype of petite beauties often referred to as "lolis." Unlike Rosie, who was flat-chested to the point of being called an "airport runway," the sisters boasted curves that Ostar estimated to be well above a C cup—a striking contrast to their youthful appearance that bordered on incongruous. Clairna's hair was a soft pink, styled into an ultra-long ponytail that cascaded past her waist, while her eyes shimmered an aqua blue. Claia, in contrast, sported aqua blue hair in a similarly lengthy ponytail, but her eyes were a striking peach red.

The sisters' attire—or lack thereof—left Prince Ostar momentarily dumbstruck. Their bold and avant-garde approach was a lot to take in. As Slime-attribute demonesses, they couldn't wear conventional clothing or equipment; any attempt would simply dissolve in their unique slime. To circumvent this issue, Clairna and Claia opted not to don traditional garments. Instead, they fashioned a semblance of clothing from their own mucus, creating an ensemble that was provocatively alluring, catching Ostar completely off-guard.

Ostar dubbed their attire "Mucus Armor," a creation of the Slime's own secretion. Its high viscosity and density meant it wasn't translucent, sparing any concerns about transparency. The armor was undeniably risqué in design, easily stirring the imagination. It featured shoulder guards that only partially concealed their chests, leaving the lower halves exposed in a manner that seemed almost deliberately wicked, as if the slime itself clung to them, enhancing their allure.

Beneath their armor, the skirt-like structure barely covered half of their belly buttons, the design being overly revealing, akin to a Japanese school swimsuit (sukumizu). At a glance, one might even mistake them for wearing nothing but their underwear, given how the triangular shape resembled briefs so closely.

Below that, their stockings and shoes were composed of slime, with each sister sporting a pair of bracelet-like adornments on their wrists and ankles. Clairna's special armor was a shade of pink, while Claia's was aqua blue, perfectly matching their respective hair colors.

These Slime-attribute demon sisters, Clairna and Claia, seemed blissfully unaware of how their attire was excessively provocative and dangerously enticing. Both boasted a healthy ivory-like complexion, a testament to their status as tribal chiefs who seldom ventured outdoors, sparingly joining in the daily activities of their tribe members, thus preserving their porcelain skin from the sun's touch.

The mischievous grins on the faces of these beautiful tribal leaders suggested a hint of mischief. They were unfazed by Ostar's lingering, meaningful stares, showing not even a flicker of shyness. Such attire was normal for them; they were well accustomed to it.

While Ostar could appreciate their appearance, there were more pressing matters at hand. The sisters, Clairna and Claia, posed a far greater threat than Rosie, the timid "Mouse Girl" who wouldn't harm anyone. The "Slime" sisters were a different story altogether.

Legend has it that the Oberiske Empire's Fourth Fleet suffered a devastating attack by an unidentified mucus upon landing on these shores, resulting in the loss of over half their crew and warships, swallowed whole by the slime. The remnants of the force, terrified, beat a hasty retreat to the sea. Consequently, Emperor Augustus VIII was forced to reroute and abandon the original landing plan.

It was Clairna and Claia who had launched the attack, wielding their Slime demon attributes to become immune to physical (martial) attacks and highly resistant to most magical assaults.

Among the female chiefs of the primitive tribes in the region, Clairna and Claia ranked second to last in combat strength, just above Rosie the "Mouse Girl." Their abilities posed a significant threat to the Human Clan. Against other demon creatures, however, their effectiveness waned, capable only of dissolving the opponent's gear before succumbing to counterattacks. Hence, their combat prowess was lacking, but their resilience was notable—they could take a beating and keep on ticking.

"Construct a port? Absolutely not. Those contemptible outsiders, they came ashore last time with the intent to ravage our village. Why would we facilitate their return by building a dock? That would only lead to another war."

"My sister's right, there's not a single good one among those foreigners! Moreover, we don't have the final say over this beach. Even if we decided to construct a harbor, the coastal islands are governed by the Lornos Beer tribe. Without their consent to open new sea routes, our hands are tied."

Clairna and Claia's stubborn resistance didn't surprise Ostar; they were notoriously difficult to persuade. The scars left by the Empire Navy's previous assault were still fresh, and their distrust ran deep.

Asking them now to rally their tribe to build docks and a city felt akin to inviting a wolf into the fold. Their faith in the newly appointed lord was nonexistent. They scarcely heeded their own leader, the White Witch Gonias, so Ostar, the fresh-faced lord, was nothing more than a contemptible outsider in their eyes.

"It seems we're at an impasse. What must I do to win your approval?"

"We sisters respect only strength. Defeat us, prove you're stronger, and we'll yield to you. You can even have the title of Clan Head. But if you lose, don't expect us to spare any courtesy for Sister Gonias. You'll vanish just like those despicable outsiders."

"If that's the stance you're taking, then I have no choice. My apologies for the offense."

Ultimately, it boiled down to a show of force. Ostar signaled to Chris and the others with a glance, indicating it was time to act. Naturally, they would exercise restraint, avoiding lethal force. Handling the mischievous sisters wouldn't be difficult; their relaxed and composed demeanor was a testament to their overwhelming strength.

Ostar needed these chieftains to govern the primitive tribes effectively. Killing a chieftain would tarnish his reputation among the tribes, complicating the recruitment of others. In the worst-case scenario, the female chieftains might band together, making individual recruitment impossible. But the primary reason Lord Ostar refrained from violence was his chivalrous nature; he had no desire to harm the women. Recruitment was clearly the better strategy.

"Hold on, I haven't even laid out the rules yet—why are you all starting already...!"