The Witch Tamer, Book 1

by Naosu N R

  (Sounds like they are a bit too well off though.)

  But then Melanie told me something interesting after I'd napped later in the day.

  "Um, my sister says Irina has another boyfriend already. That might be why she's doing this," Melanie said.

  Shit.

  I really didn't want to be on the low end of the stick here.

  I sighed.

  ...

  We got texts from Shelly and Janey today, Melanie's sisters. Both want to meet with me tomorrow for a business opportunity discussion. And ironically they picked the same coffee shop that Irina ditched me from.

  Valerie sent me a selfie of her bruises and of her backyard porch, where she's resting and chilling out. (Looks like she dolled up though. Does she like me or something?)

  Another buyer is asking if we can do an order of 20 +2 throwing knives like the other one. I told them I'd need a few days.

  The +1 mana enhancement ring is helping out a lot.

  ...

  Shelly kept trying to call me, and wants to ask me out. Or so she says.

  But Melanie says to not trust her.

  So we decided to wait a bit and not reply yet.

  And if its a faction issue within the clan, I don't want my parents angry at me.

  ...

  At dinner, Diego tried to say he'll give me a $1,000 dollars if I let him sleep with Melanie.

  I told him to go fuck off.

  He got really angry.

  What the hell was he thinking? He's angry? I'm the one that's angry. But his stats are too high to try to stomp or punish.

  You can't just ask someone to sleep with their wife!

  ...

  Near the end of the day I tried to enhance my crowbar up to +3. I failed a few times but did it. I also got my hat up to +2 from luck with not failing.

  It seems like its getting easier for me to do the lower end enhancements.

  But by now Melanie and Simone are asleep in bed. And its really late.

  Damn.

  I got caught up in my experiments again.

  Chapter 18

  I got up and went through my routine.

  But after I had finished having spousal intimacy with Simone and Melanie, we were interrupted while in the shower.

  Bam, bam, bam...

  Its the sound of my room's door being banged on loudly.

  That's probably dad, by the sound of it. But why is he knocking so loud and angry?

  "Son, I need to talk to you," he said.

  "OK, coming," I called out.

  I signaled for Simone and Melanie to stay in the bathroom with it locked while I go to talk to dad. Dad wouldn't try anything, but I don't trust my brothers.

  "Yeah?" I asked after I was wrapped up and cracking the door.

  "How are you son?" he asked.

  "Fine."

  "Cut the crap. That girl didn't show up for your date did she?" his eyes are intense and hot.

  I almost relaxed, because he's not mad at me, but at others.

  "That's right..." I flinched.

  "Figures. Shit. They think they can make a fool out of us! I'll go kill her parents tomorrow," dad said.

  "Whoa. That's too much dad. She just probably is already dating someone," I said worried.

  Sure she stood me up, but I didn't want her to die for it. Jeez...

  "Who told you that?" he glared at me.

  "I didn't know until after this happened. But Melanie's sister told us she has a boy toy already," I said.

  "Those fuckers. Her parents took our dowry money and already made us a deal, under the pretense she was pure and a virgin. They are sooo dead," dad said.

  That alarmed me. I forget that mainstream culture does stuff that our clan doesn't do the same. And I'd been in the blinds of mainstream culture for so long. I should have realized there was more to it. He wouldn't tell me how much the dowry was.

  "Whoa, dad. Really. I don't want to be the reason for you killing anyone," I pleaded.

  "Nobody takes advantage of us and gets away with it. They are dead with a capital D," he fumed.

  "Might make them suffer more if they live instead," I offered, trying to help dad not kill someone. I couldn't totally defend them and bat for the other team, because that would backfire. But saying it like this might bring the damage down, I hope. I can't change Dad's mind anyway.

  "Hm...I guess there's some wisdom in what you say. Besides we wouldn't get our money back that way anyway," he laughed while starting to calm down and move away from me.

  I ended up having to follow him down the hall, stressed out.

  But then my brothers heard the ruckus of me pleading with him to not kill anyone. And that riled up them also.

  This is part of the trouble of being in a Demon lord clan family.

  Everything sets them off. And they can be pretty brutal in punishments. I was seriously wondering about this other family's survival probability. But somehow they do manage to have a lot of stability, ironically.

  Ryan jumped on it too, wanting to defend my honor.

  Diego asked if he can have the mom as a bed toy if dad kills the dad. What a sick bastard!

  But it gets confusing when he was defending my honor also?

  I remember that he's in it for himself and not really defending me.

  It didn't get resolved and they didn't decide on it. Thankfully.

  Wait...

  Is that really true, or did they just wait for me to go to bed to finalize whatever they were going to do on their own anyway?

  Damn. I don't want to know anymore now.

  ...

  11:31 AM

  I almost got my phone taken away in class texting with Melanie before lunch.

  11:57 AM

  I was surprised when someone started talking to me.

  "Jay, want to come to lunch with us?" some guy said.

  Eh...weird. I usually do the loner thing.

  Why is someone doing this?

  This is Aron. And with him is Steve.

  "Sorry. I have a lunch appointment already with my friend," I said.

  "Lunch date? Who is she then?" Steve asked, pressing in a bit more.

  Wait, I didn't tell them it was a she. And he's a bit too interested I can see. Plus, some of my previous experiences with them weren't that great.

  Maybe they'd heard the rumors?

  "Take us with you," Aron urged.

  Their eyes look at me quite hard and cold, despite their fake warm smiles.

  "Sorry. Its a date. No other guys," I said.

  Both gave me a sour face and look pissed off.

  One of them looked like he wanted to fight me. But the other one was smarter and more level headed, making him back off.

  Actually it wouldn't be surprising for more of these guys to want someone like Melanie. She's quite a looker, and a nice personality also.

  "So its true, you do have a girlfriend?" some girl from near me said.

  I turned.

  A few days ago, some girl named Caridy started sitting by me.

  "Its...Caridy right?" I said.

  She was a new move in actually.

  Her expression seems masked, so I can't tell what she wants.

  "That's right. I was hoping to find someone to study with," she said.

  "Sorry, I have a lunch date. I can't help you," I said.

  "But what about after school?! And they said your grades are good!" she countered upset.

  "So you knowingly targeted me for what, free homework?" I asked, looking at her.

  'I-its not like that. You aren't bad looking. But I needed a little help. I thought I could help you back with something else," she said.

  "Like what?"

  "I could help you with PE maybe?" she said.

  I laughed.

  "We'll see. No promises. Let me think about it today," I said.

  "OK, give me your phone number," she said.

  We ended up trading phone numbers and then she smiled and took off.

  W
eird girl. But kind of nice...maybe. (What if I'm reading her wrong also?)

  Not sure what she wants. But she knows I have a girlfriend. So why would she do that? Or maybe its one of those things where girls want guys to give them free stuff or services because of their charms.

  This is why mind control is less of a headache. I don't have to deal with all the fake crap that people do. It makes love more convenient and reasonable with no deception in the way.

  At any rate, I can't do anything with her today anyway because I'm doing a dungeon dive today. I might be resting up tomorrow, so I could do something then.

  ...

  I went back to class.

  Each class I'm trying harder also. I want to do good so Melanie and Simone will be happy with me.

  'Hey, are you all healed up? How do you feel?' I sent by text to Valerie while in one of my easier classes through my cell phone.

  It didn't take long for a response.

  'Doing OK. Still hurt a bit. But that health potion you gave me saved my bacon. I'll be back working in another day. When can I see you?' she sent.

  Wow.

  OK, I have to be careful I don't interpret this wrong. She might just be all business.

  Does she understand I'm a bit younger than she is? Or is she just going after me for 'dungeon benefits'?

  Well she's cute so its OK. I hope it will stay reasonable though.

  'What did you want to meet for?' I sent.

  'Well...it may sound shallow but I was hoping by being friendly with you I might lower how much you charge me on enchants,' she sent with a funny smiley face, like she was being playful.

  Figures...

  This is a waste of time to just be used.

  While growing up my parents didn't like me being used, and had instilled that's what friends do. It was hard to get away from that.

  'Um, today I'm dungeon fighting. Not today, maybe tomorrow?' I sent.

  But then I was surprised again. when she replied instead of blowing me off.

  'OK, what time?' she sent.

  'You're serious?' I sent.

  'As serious as anything. But I don't have another dungeon team yet ready. Iverson and Fields said something and scared my other friend off,' she sent.

  'OK, maybe you should find us some dungeon team ups first? Can you find someone more trustworthy than those last two?' I sent.

  'OK, let me see what I can do. Also do you think you can give me another free health potion?' she sent with a heart.

  I put my phone down, not liking that comment. Its using people and kind of annoyed me, even though most women do it to guys.

  Maybe I should drop Valerie.

  Were my parents right after all?

  'Jay? R u there?' Valerie sent.

  I didn't answer.

  ...

  3:17 PM

  I spent a good half hour in mating with Melanie right after school in an abandoned parking lot in her (dark tinted windowed) truck. She sometimes cusses while having marital intimacy.

  Then we started to drive to the dungeon.

  I went in there solo.

  First, I tested the hide and sneak skills.

  It was trial and error. At first, I fumbled it a bit. And the more you aren't sure about how it works, the more you fail. Plus, I'm not a hide and sneak class, so I'm barely getting anything out of it.

  And its also possible that later I may not end up even being able to use hide and sneak because its not part of my magic class.

  I had 4 skirmishes in a row from failing it while trying to bypass mobs, using a stumble through of hide and sneak.

  Then,...success!

  So is that how it works?

  I was trying too hard to go fast with it. But I have to be a bit slow, while also staying in the darker parts of the cavern.

  My skill didn't go up that fast.

  But I did figure out better how to use the skill appropriately. It took about 2 hours to work that out.

  I worked hard.

  I checked my watch after awhile.

  It was now close to 6 PM. I was sweating a lot and starting to feel the burn of a long exercise. My mana was still good also.

  "HAAAAAAH!" the sound of someone yelling and charging me from behind was heard.

  What the freak?!

  Oh gosh!

  They are trying to attack me!

  I barely pulled out of the way with only a minor glancing hit, as some huge guy with an expensive halberd came after me. Its not a monster! But a human target! An advanced murder attempt for loot!

  Right away I dodged again, and again while noticing this guy has super expensive and decked out gear with tons of enchant work and enhancements. The halberd alone is like Excalibur quality, according to my low level eyes.

  I tried to run. He's slightly heavier, so he's having a hard time chasing me while he cusses me out to fight him like a man.

  He's chasing me down the tunnel. Shit. He's trying to assassinate me!

  My only chance is to go to the narrows! This is why you think about your map location, and retreat options in a dungeon before needing to use them!

  In reality, I'm not fleeing, but baiting him! The huge overly expensive super stat halberd gives this guy too much victory chance. So to counter that I have to draw him into an area that's too narrow and small to use the halberd

  I ran past a few monsters also, with this guy chasing me. I have a slight advantage in that I'm both quick thinking, and lighter on my feet, while he has that huge casing of armor around him.

  Sometimes he has to deal with the slimes chasing both of us. The slimes easily can face against him more with his reduced mobility, while I slip easy out of their grasp; which further encouraged them to go after 'the slower prey'.

  But I got nervous when the number of slimes chasing me and him increased. He had to fight them off even more because he's behind me!

  But this is weird, I thought while running.

  This guy is too decked out in wealthy gear to be random.

  Is he a hit man maybe?

  Or?

  Did someone else send him?!

  He's persistent and doesn't lose chasing after me while I try to avoid him and mobs. Room after room he continued to seek me out with a strange fixation.

  After ten minutes of running, I managed to get into the narrows. This is a spot of kobold cave warrens, too small to fight with a halberd. Plus, sometimes you have to crouch lower also, and this guy is tall.

  "You bastard! I'll still get you!" he challenged.

  Then I hit him with my stun spell.

  He resisted it! Wow!

  Crap! he charges forward. But he's using a long sword now. Its also enchanted but not anywhere near the lethal level that other halberd was at.

  I dodged that time. Then hit him again with the stun.

  Then I cut him again.

  But the cut feels shallow and too low damage.

  Crap. I flinched, knowing he's got a huge advantage still. His armor was almost as good as the halberd

  Wait, there's that one spot on the dungeon floor with the pit chasm below it. That place is so deep it probably goes on hundreds of feet below also. If I pull him there and use the stun...

  Hah!

  I ran again after feinting to him that I couldn't find him purposely.

  He gives chase.

  "No! Don't hurt me!" I yelled back, while inwardly I'm thinking I've got him by the look on his face.

  Then I hit the kobold chasm and bridge area.

  Stun activated!