Queen's Blade Unlimited Story: Chapter 2-3(a)

For Echidna's poll, in the end "I like them both the same" got a clear win with 26v-44%, followed by "Classic!" and "Unlimited!" with 17v-28% and 14-23%, and then "never liked her and still don't" with 2v-3%.
Well, sure seems like she got off easy, or maybe it's because she's always been kind of an obvious Dark Elf anyways, plus her skin tone has never been 100% consistent? (an issue some F.S. chars share)

Next, it's Tomoe's turn up for the poll!

And, as we start another story part with an apparent similarity to one of the other novels, let me remind you guys that if we ever hope to release even more cool stuff (like maybe any of the aforementioned novels?), we're gonna need more proofreaders to lend a hand~

Enjoy!




Chapter 2 : A match before her Majesty the Queen (Part 3)

The story thus far...
The trio of Elina, Airi and Michel found themselves sharing a room with the Warrior Priestess, Tomoe. And while Elina and Airi sought out Risty to learn of Leina’s whereabouts, Michel learned of Tomoe’s motives for joining a tournament so far from her native homeland as well as her selfless devotion to the task. Unbeknownst to all however, Queen Aldra, interested by Tomoe’s skills, arranges for a match in her presence, using a familiar fighter the angel Nanael recommended to her on a whim to her as Tomoe’s future opponent.

Nighttime Encounter

[I’m so exhausted I’m having trouble sleeping.]
Elina thought to herself, looking up at the night’s sky.
Considering how she’d given Airi essence, then hurriedly ate after having drinks with Risty... Yes, it certainly did make sense she’d feel that way.
(Well then, I’ll just have to use “that.”)
The blonde carefully slid out of her bed and tiptoed over to Michel’s, a dim light visible through his side of the curtains.
Inside, she found the boy gently sleeping under his lamp’s lights.
(Aww, someone looks like they’re having pleasant dreams...)
Smiling for a moment at his adorable sleeping face, the noble girl quietly slipped into his bed.
One of the things she’d made a point to order of him was to always carry it on his person.
[So as long as he was obedient, it should be somewhere around here...]
She groped around the boy’s waist.
[...Got it.]
The Vance girl clasped her hand, trying to make sure the right thing had found its way between her fingertips.
“A... hn...”
Michel shifted.
“Huuh... Lady Elina...”
“*Giggle* Did I wake you?”
“What are you doing in my bed... *yawn*?”
He asked with a sleepy look.
“Oh, I just want to mess around with it for a bit.”
Elina suddenly squeezed.
“Huh? Ah... wait!”
The sensation that got transmitted back to him dyed his cheeks red.
“You can’t, we shouldn’t overdo things like this!”
“As if you get a say in the matter.”
“I said no!”
“Stop yelling. She’ll hear you.”
The reminder instantly got Michel to shut it.
On the other side of one of the curtains, Tomoe, having returned by now, slept.
“In any case, resistance is futile.”
“Hyaaa, L-Lady Elinaaaa!?”
Elina suddenly spun herself over the boy, pinning him in place. The position left Michel with full view of her crotch.
“I’ll be gentle, so just sit back and relax, would you? My, feels like someone’s ready and raring to go.”
The blonde smiled, feeling the whistle grow in her grip.
“S-Stop~”
“No. Like I said, you don’t get a say in the matter... now, don’t make me repeat myself again.”
Elina’s tongue poked out at the item.
“I-If you don’t stop... I’ll... I’ll...”
“*Giggle* ...Go right ahead. I don’t mind.”
“No, I can’t... she’ll heaaaaaar...”

***

At this point, the unusual sounds coming from the other side of the curtain were beginning to wear thin on Tomoe’s patience, as if the severe pain in her left arm keeping her awake wasn’t bad enough...
(It’s a tad too late for me to tell them to keep it down now however, I suppose...)
Wishing wholeheartedly that they would though, she loudly coughed.
Tomoe had received an battle invitation from Queen Aldra herself, and the match was the very next day, so...
[If they would just notice without my having to intervene...]

“I-If you don’t stop... I’ll... I’ll...”
“*Giggle* ...Go right ahead. I don’t mind.”
“No, I can’t... she’ll heaaaaaar...”

Sadly, there was no sign of them letting up anytime soon.
[For goodness sake...! They really do leave me with no alternative!]
Resolved to putting an end to the nuisance herself, she turned herself to face the direction of the sounds but fell speechless instead.
(Wha!? How indecent!)
What stood out against the curtain was the silhouette of a boy with a woman laying on top of him. What they were doing was anyone’s guess, but... whatever it was, Tomoe had no doubt in her mind that it couldn’t be proper!
[Why, he’s just a child!]
“Cease your vulgar acts this instant!”
The priestess only managed to say half of that before opening the curtain and losing her voice yet again at the sight of Elina toying with Michel, his face red, his eyes teary and his breath rough.
“Oh my, vulgar you say? Quite the active imagination you have there, I see. Could it be you’re feeling a bit lonesome?”
Elina grinned. She didn’t seem the least bit regretful over what she was doing.
“I was merely playing with his whistle, that’s all.”
The blonde revealed what she had clasped in her hand to the priestess, an instrument from the looks of things and a fine one at that, considering the delicate inlays adorning it.
“See for yourself if you don’t believe me.”
The priestess timidly reached out to take hold of the whistle offered to her.
“Hyahn.”
“Huh?”
Her eyes darted over to the writhing boy.
“Want to try blowing on it too? Do you know how?”
“I’ve seen it done before, as part of an offering ceremony.”
The foreigner put her lips to the instrument and blew. However, no noise whatsoever came of it.
“T-Tomoe too now? S-Stop...”
“The way you blow on this one is a bit different. The tip needs to go further inside your mouth.”
Tomoe tried as advised, even using suction to remove any openings around her lips but try as she might, the whistle made no sound, it just grew.
[This is no mere whistle... wait, what if it’s some manner of tool I’m unfamiliar with, used for her own nefarious reasons? I have no proof on the matter, but then, it’s safe to assume this beautiful fighter is a vulgar individual so...]
The priestess handed the whistle back, glancing at the boy who for some reason seemed in a heavy daze.
(Well, at least I managed to get her off him, so that’s good.)
“In any case, please do try and keep it down at night. I’ll let you off with a warning this time, but anymore and I will be forced to take action.”
Tomoe chided the two before moving back to her side of the room.
“*Sigh* She sure knows how to kill the mood. Good night, Michel.”
“G-Good night~.”
Amidst the sound of the two seeing the other off for the night, the brunette noticed something... the painful shivers in her left arm had mysteriously died down.
(Huh...? What could have happened to it...?)
Although some pain persisted beneath the surface, it wouldn’t be enough to keep her from sleeping anymore.
And thus, Tomoe finally got some long awaited rest.

--

Spoilers? Like I already advanced earlier, it's not the first time Tomoe gets to kiss a shota's strange tool~