The Handbook for Completing Demi-Human Girls

Chapter 561: Yali'er

To a Dragonewt who possessed the special mechanism of tail compatibility and would only have one partner in their entire life, the words Fisher spoke were truly too impactful, as if they were going to pierce through her soul.

With Fafnir as her witness, just before Fisher confessed, Yali'er was still meagerly imagining that Fisher actually merely had an extra entanglement with Jasmine. After all, having a third party was already unforgivable in Yali'er's eyes. Even bearing the pressure of Fisher's Mythic Rank, as a mother, she still expressed her true oppositional thoughts.

Who could have expected that after only a few sentences, it was no longer just a third party, but a fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth party!

Her scales grew increasingly agitated. Even a gentle Dragonewt like Yali'er was frightened to the point her tone trembled,

"You... you said how many?"

Fisher felt somewhat helpless, but ultimately, he still chose to be frank,

"Aunt Yali'er, you didn't hear wrong. Aside from Raphaela and Jasmine, the females who possess profound relationships with me... are more than the number of fingers on a hand."

Yali'er's mouth gaped slightly, as if the time upon her very body had frozen at this moment along with her extreme shock.

She never expected that today her daughter brought back a human lover who traveled from a distant continent, and this human brought her a little "human shock"... no, it should be a "Fisher shock"?

After a moment of silence, time still took the lead to flow starting from the area of Yali'er's lips. With a somewhat dry mouth and tongue she asked,"Does Ra-Raphaela know about this matter?"

"...She knows some."

"What do you mean knows some? Does she exactly know or not know?"

"She perhaps knows of the existence of some other females, or perhaps only knows of them but has never met them face-to-face."

"..."

Yali'er extended her own claw wanting to fetch the teacup before her, but her claw had already extended onto the wall of the cup yet paused exactly there on the cup's exterior. The rigid motion brought a bit of trembling, stirring the tea water within the cup into swaying ripples.

She wanted to pick it up, yet seemingly couldn't pick up that cup. Instead, she could only maintain that slight hoarseness as she spoke,

"So, you telling me these things is actually trying to tell me that I must accept all the others just like accepting Jasmine, is that right?"

"This sounds far too impossible."

"That's right, I am the first hurdle of this impossibility. I would rather Raphaela suffer a momentary pain now, enduring the heart-piercing agony of losing a partner, rather than wishing her to continue further with you, because perhaps one day in the future you will have to pay a price for this."

"I have already paid a price for this. Furthermore, if there are other prices in the future, even being sliced into a thousand pieces is what I deserve. But before that, I will fulfill the responsibilities I ought to fulfill."

"You have no responsibilities to fulfill, Fisher. Your responsibilities will only bring her suffering, distract her, make her worry constantly, and cause her heart and soul to feel scorched with your every action. Neither is it necessary to put on a facade of being brave enough to bear it."

"Are you doubting my feelings and attitude toward Raphaela?"

"How could I doubt your feelings toward her, it's just that even I myself feel contradicted. Mr. Fisher... if you truly don't love her, despising her identity as a Dragonewt, you should have brought her back to Naris back then, turning her into a slave for you to bully at will. Neither did you need to hurry back to the Southern Continent after many years to meet her again, and even come to see me. But if you truly love her, why would you act without thinking to share your love with others?"

Yali'er gripped the teacup. The more she spoke the more emotional she became, and her speaking speed also gradually accelerated. Soon, faint wisps of steam seeped out from her robe,

"Sometimes I feel fortunate and grateful, fortunate that you saved her, giving her a respect that appears bizarre in the eyes of humans. I am grateful that you released her to return, allowing her to help her compatriots resist the slavery of the invaders. You gave too much of this perfection that intoxicates her and made her tail-compatible, so now you want to reclaim some, is that right?"

"The laughable thing is, just moments ago I was still agonizing over the matter between you and Jasmine. I optimistically thought that relying on your grace toward Raphaela you could very quickly overcome this obstacle. I also believed in your seemingly terrifying capability to properly handle the conflicts between you, Jasmine, and Raphaela, preserving the mutually supportive feelings they shared over these years..."

"Then... you tell me you still have so many confidantes with profound feelings, more than five fingers! Mr. Fisher, even if you are ultimately truly blessed by Fafnir, truly making all the girls and the relatives of all the girls acknowledge you and your relationships. But what will your life be like? I simply find it difficult to imagine. How would dividing twenty-four hours a day be enough, how many days in a month would you condescendingly notice my daughter?"

"Or rather, aside from Raphaela, could it be the other girls you know are all docile and timid people? Even Priest Jasmine who I know would generate conflict due to you and Raphaela, could it be the other girls would be easier to talk to than her? However, are girls like this what make you so entranced, unwilling to let go?"

No, not merely not easy to talk to, everyone is simply a villain.

Fisher also had to think this way.

He quietly listened to the entirety of Yali'er's reprimand toward him. Only at the end did he softly say,

"It seems my actions have disappointed us both... it is just regrettable, the events that transpired in the past and the problems we currently face aren't a story, they aren't that perfect."

"Aunt Yali'er, I understand your dilemma, you also need not avoid it. If my actions back then hadn't been this perfect, not leaving Raphaela with regrets, then right now you and she wouldn't be this conflicted. You might perhaps even think, 'If only I hadn't been this perfect toward Raphaela back then'. This way you might perhaps have a reason to more resolutely tell Raphaela to abandon me. You don't wish to think this way, but your worry for Raphaela forces you to doubt whether my doing so is fair to Raphaela..."

Yali'er looked at the completely frank Fisher before her, unable to resist opening her mouth once more,

"That's right, if only you had always been this perfect... Mr. Fisher, you have thousands and tens of thousands of good qualities, but uniquely in this aspect... I truly cannot compliment you. Could humans truly possess such insatiable greed or desire? One isn't enough, two isn't enough, three isn't enough, four still isn't enough... but rather so many? And after that, exactly how many more are you prepared to want, Mr. Fisher?"

"I have already turned over a new leaf, Aunt Yali'er..."

Although this wasn't the first time Fisher had spoken this sentence, ever since he returned, every time he spoke this sentence it came from the bottom of his heart,

"But if I truly carried the perfection toward Raphaela to the end, then this would be a disaster for the other females I know, I swear."

"Disaster? Now is a disaster, Fisher. If you truly carried this emotion to the end, they fundamentally wouldn't be a problem to you, and such disputes wouldn't continuously arise now..."

Hearing this, Fisher merely cast a glance at Yali'er before him. He once again warmly opened his mouth to say,

"Aunt Yali'er, if I truly carried out this perfection, I wouldn't even have come to the Southern Continent to meet Raphaela. Perhaps I would have calmed my mind, using that perfection which lasted from beginning to end to make up for the regrets of the past, marrying the current Empress Elizabeth, filling the wounds in her heart. This way, she wouldn't have killed all her relatives, she wouldn't have turned into the paranoid appearance she has now..."

"Empress Elizabeth?"

This name was so familiar, yet so chilling like a shadow.

She was without a doubt the most terrifying enemy of the Southern Continent over these years. Naturally, Yali'er, living in the Red Dragon Court, deeply understood this point.

Yali'er looked at the solemn Fisher before her. After repeatedly confirming he wasn't joking, it was as if she realized for the first time exactly what kind of terror the husband her daughter found ultimately involved.

"She..."

"Aunt Yali'er, Elizabeth Gothrin... she is my first love, and also the person I once loved the most."

Yali'er was momentarily speechless as well, because she very quickly and keenly found his connection with Elizabeth from the story Fisher told previously.

First was the matter of fleeing Naris with Jasmine and being wanted. She knew Elizabeth was the first Empress in the history of West Continent's Naris. And differently from the tribal rules of Dragonewt tribes where the strong in power or bloodline continuators could become King, she could perhaps also guess that behind this Empress who broke conventions to ascend the stage definitively hid power struggles and even conspiracies.

But the key was, it sounded like that Empress and the Fisher before her eyes were still inextricably linked, deeply mired in the whirlpool of intertwining love and hatred. Their relationship was hard to define, but Empress Elizabeth was also included within that number "more than the number of five fingers".

And the fundamental reason causing this current state was that she was Fisher's first love.

According to the Dragonewt's perspective, a first love meant an entire lifetime.

Although humans didn't have such rules, and Fisher was furthermore the foremost among humans in emotional greed, it could be seen that his feelings for Elizabeth were extraordinary.

He was right. If Fisher didn't leave this "first love" to whom he was deeply attached, if he was truly so perfect, just like in fairy tales, an upper-class Nari gentleman like him fundamentally wouldn't have come to a place like the Southern Continent, and fundamentally wouldn't have encountered Raphaela who was captured as a slave at that time...

And such consequences, Yali'er as a mother simply didn't dare to imagine.

When Yali'er learned Raphaela was captured, when she knew her husband was killed by humans, when she learned of her sons losing their lives on the battlefield one by one... that kind of heart-shredding pain, she absolutely didn't want to experience it once more no matter what.

Yali'er's expression suddenly appeared somewhat sorrowful. She lowered her head to look at the teacup tightly pinched within her hand yet unmoving, not knowing exactly what she was thinking about.

She was truly an extremely fragile female among Dragonewts. A cup like this, even the Raphaela from childhood could easily crush it, but for her who was already old and frail right now, no matter how hard she exerted herself it wouldn't produce a bit of change.

It was as if what lay before her eyes was no longer a teacup, but that fate fraught with misfortunes, a fate that couldn't be defeated nor escaped.

Like a sinful affinity, making you weep bitterly and curse, yet it still gazed at you like an ancient well without ripples, apathetically, freely letting suffering torture you...

Yali'er didn't open her mouth again, and the candlelight behind her also quieted down, tardily unwilling to emit bright radiance and heat.

For a very, very long time, she finally inquired softly toward Fisher,

"As a mother, am I asking for too much, Fisher?"

Fisher looked at Yali'er. Shaking his head, he said,

"...It is I who asked for too much, Aunt Yali'er..."

The somewhat dim gaze of Yali'er raised a little, looking at him, watching him continue to say,

"It is I who tasted too much sweetness and grace, mistakenly thinking these are all what I deserve, little knowing they all have a price, and an extremely expensive price at that. Although I am foolish to this extent, at least my adoptive mother left me two precious gifts before passing away, they are morality and responsibility."

"Therefore I don't wish to escape these problems. I cannot let these prices fall upon Raphaela and the others. I want to exert all my strength to ensure their safety and happiness..."

"Aunt Yali'er, I am telling you these things not to evoke your guilt or to excuse my crimes. I am doing this entirely for Raphaela. Holding anticipation, even though she knew the truth she still brought me to see you, wishing to obtain your blessing and acknowledgment, and I can no longer let her be disappointed. As her mother, you naturally have the right to know everything, and also the right to decide whether to accept me..."

"My speaking these is merely a guarantee. I guarantee my feelings for Raphaela, I guarantee my capabilities won't let her down. Can you understand, Aunt Yali'er?"

Yali'er gazed intently at Fisher, as if wanting to excavate damning evidence of false pretenses from the body of this terrifyingly unhuman creature before her. But looking into his black eyes, she only felt the guarantee of a soul.

Perhaps it was precisely this soul that mesmerized Raphaela?

Yali'er naturally knew tail-compatible Dragonewts viewed their partners as perfect, or perhaps exactly the opposite, she naturally saw those imperfections, it's just that...

Her claws released the teacup in her hand bit by bit. With lowered eyes, she said,

"Last night, Raphaela didn't send someone over, but rather took time out of her busy schedule to personally come to the Myriad Flower Court... she told me she would bring her tail-compatible partner to see me today..."

"..."

Meeting Fisher's silent gaze, Yali'er closed her eyes, continuing to say,

"She said the partner she yearned for day and night hadn't forgotten her, just like her. Her partner came for her from a very distant place, hurrying back into the precariously swaying Dragon Court to reunite with her..."

"We had never met before, but at that time, through Kexir's words, I already knew the matter between you and Jasmine, hence I harbor doubts about you. But the smile on her face pretending everything hadn't happened, and her dragging her exhausted self amidst the piles of official duties anxiously to come see me... she said she hoped to gain my blessing, allowing the traditions of the Dragon Court to protect the feelings between her and you..."

"I don't participate in many Dragon Court affairs, but I still understand our predicament very well. Honestly, under war, saying our lives hang by a thread is a pleasant way to put it. She further has to handle such complex matters, having to face formidable enemies that I sitting here have never experienced..."

"Merely two and a half years ago, when she suffered a massive defeat in the war in the north, beaten full of wounds and covered in blood, carried back by Jasmine... her appearance then, truly made me very heartbroken and regretful... over these years, I have always not wanted to cause trouble for her, didn't want her to see my worry of being afraid she would end up with a fate identical to her brothers..."

Yali'er was almost about to shed tears. It was only right now, borrowing her head tilted slightly due to the urge to cry, that Fisher abruptly realized that when he and Raphaela first entered previously, Yali'er was halting before a row of scale fire candles freshly replenished with oil.

Those were eleven candlelights, representing Raphaela's deceased father and her ten brothers.

"She is so afraid of owing your affection of coming from afar, worried that her failures in the Dragon Court's war would cause you to suffer criticism, worried she herself isn't good enough for you, worried I wouldn't acknowledge you. That's why she had to come personally late at night, cautious yet excited toward me, even not hesitating to conceal what happened yesterday with Jasmine..."

"And I agreed. Last night, I told her with a smile to let her bring you to see me. As a mother, I will acknowledge your existence. One day I will attend your wedding, and give names to the children birthed by you two..."

"I am already old, aside from worrying about the children and not letting them be disappointed, I am actually completely incapable of doing anything. But Raphaela gave all she could do to you, acting as a tail-compatible partner. You acting as a human, I don't extravagantly hope you can experience the entirety of her scorching, emotion-filled heat... I only hope, or rather request... I beg you, don't let her be disappointed and sad."

"One day, if her war fails, and her Dragon Court is annihilated because of it, and she once again possesses nothing... Fisher, I entreat you not to forget what she did for you last night. Do not disdain her, nor look down on her. Take her safely away from here, going anywhere is fine, escaping to a place where she won't be bullied by other females you know who are hundreds and thousands of times stronger than her..."

"This is the price of obtaining my consent. Can you do this, Fisher?"

When Yali'er opened her eyes again, only pleading remained within her eyes.

As Raphaela's mother, how could she possibly know nothing about the current predicament? She was merely pretending not to know, pretending not to care, because she didn't want to cause trouble for Raphaela, making her distracted.

For this, she even didn't hesitate to satisfy this request of Raphaela's which in her eyes still required consideration. So when Fisher and Raphaela came to pay a visit, it was only then that she appeared so affable, as if she had already accepted Fisher.

But after Raphaela left, she still couldn't feel at ease, worried about Raphaela's future, thus needing to inquire about the matters between Fisher and Jasmine.

She was merely helpless toward herself being incapable of doing more things, merely unwilling that she herself couldn't help her daughter, only able to rely on words, hoping to obtain the promise of Fisher, whose Rank was far higher than hers.

That was an emotion unrestricted by Rank and power, something that even finishing reading all Completion Manuals couldn't obtain.

This point, perhaps it was only at this moment that Fisher was so certain.

He solemnly looked at the Yali'er before his eyes awaiting his answer. Lowering his head slightly, he guaranteed toward her,

"I promise, Aunt Yali'er."

"..."

Yali'er gazed at the Fisher before her eyes, gazing deeply at him, yet having no other words.

Until the next moment, a loud bang transmitted from outside the Myriad Flower Court. It seemed something had landed outside the door.

Subsequently, within the sea of flowers outside the Ancestral Court, another burst of anxious, wildly running footsteps transmitted over.

"Pat pat pat!"

Yali'er was slightly stunned. Subsequently, she stood up, brushing the tears at the corner of her eyes while picking up the already drunken teacups before Fisher and herself. Turning her head, she walked toward a place not far away to replenish the tea water, only leaving Fisher sitting at his original spot with a somewhat aged yet so sturdy back.

The footsteps outside the door drew closer. Fisher also adjusted his expression. Following that, turning his head with a smile, he exactly saw the panting Raphaela rushing over anxiously after crossing a stretch of sea of flowers.

"Mother, Fisher..."

"Raphaela, how come you returned so quickly?"

She supported the door leaf with one hand, still worried some mishap would occur, causing her mother to become displeased and generate any opinions toward Fisher, so that's why she rushed back quickly.

At this moment, the atmosphere inside the door was still warm, just like spring blooming.

Fisher sat relaxed and naturally in his original seat, looking at her.

And her mother, having her back turned seemingly pouring tea, upon hearing the sound of Raphaela returning turned her head somewhat astonished. Smiling, she questioned,

"It seems there truly wasn't anything the matter, to actually return this quickly."

"Ah... what else could be the matter, they are all minor affairs, so they were resolved very quickly."

"Is that so... you've returned at a perfect time, Fisher and I were just discussing the problem of whether the firstborn will be a boy or a girl. It's truly distressing. Right, Fisher?"

"...Indeed it is so."

Yali'er smiled and looked at Raphaela again, continuing to ask,

"What do you think, Raphaela?"

"Eh?! A b-boy... a gi- wait, what? Baby?!"

"Ah my, do you think it's better to be a boy, just what I thought. If Raphaela gives birth to a boy he will definitely be strong and lively."

"Mother!!"