“Oh, that is right. You’ve reminded me why I came down here. I wish to give you a little lesson.” The lioness suddenly announced.


    “A lesson?” I asked, trying my best to keep my temper.


    I couldn’t let her goad me, but there was a chance she’d leek things about King Roth. I needed to keep my ears open and learn more about them. It was so I could obtain victory. That was all.


    “While your love for your women is admirable. It’s also a complete weakness.”


    “I’d say it’s my strength.”


    She showed her teeth once again. “Not every woman can be the queen. At some point, you have to decide. Without it, there is tension. The parts won’t work together. They’ll fight and eventually, they’d break. If you don’t have a queen to keep your harem in line, then your harem is bound for failure. It will tear itself apart from the inside. That’s all I wanted to say.”


    I hated that her words had a certain sense to them. Ever since I had left and the slave bonds were cut, the girls hadn’t been quite the same. Miki was depressed and isolated herself, Shao remained aloof and distant, and Celeste stayed with her mom. When I did bring everyone together, they often disagreed on things, and might even argue.


    I had only realized it a little at the time, but Lydia had always been the glue that kept everyone together. I didn’t know what she did, but she had always acted as the leader, guiding the other girls forward without me needing to be there. However, I didn’t know what happened to her, and I was only hoping the catgirl of doom was Lydia. Was that why the lioness came here? Was she here to finish the job? After considering everything, I could only pretend her words didn’t affect me.


    “We’ll see about that,” I responded simply.


    She reached up to her face and moved her fingers across it, demonstrating a claw mark. “Let my mark remind you then. Perhaps we’ll meet again before my lord ends you, Deek Deekson.”


    With that, she turned and walked away, her tail swishing as she left.