5-12: Maybe Another Day?

"Ahn... Finally out of there, felt like we were in there for days..." Cassidy said as she stretched, taking in the fresh sunlight.

"We were. Just doesn't feel like it, huh..." Eleanora responded.

"Wait, really?"

"Time gets real weird in the dungeon. Sometimes it's one-to-one, sometimes there's an odd difference in time." Sable explained as she stretched her back.

"So, Ver, you gonna see Liafi first, or...?" Cassidy asked, eyeing Veronica.

"Yeah. Something tells me this ore might be important." Veronica answered, looking at one if the smaller chunks she had picked up.

"Well, don't keep her waiting. Ah, but first..." Cassidy trailed off before quickly rushing over to Veronica and kissing her.

"Jeez Cass... if you wanted a kiss, all you had to do was ask." Veronica said with a smile.

"Where's the fun in that~?" She giggled.

"I thought you two were... uh..." Seraph pondered, her initial thought being wrong.

"You saying I'm not allowed to kiss my best friend?"

"No, no! It's just... I've only e-ever seen anything like that with lovers." Seraph said as she went red and tried to hide her blush.

Before Veronica or Seraph knew it, Eleanora and Aviris quickly ran up and kissed Veronica on her cheeks, making a sly smile that said something like "we do this too".

Seraph blushed harder, yet was unable to look away. Sable looked astonished that her own friend and second princess would do such a thing. Sirtia was also blushing, but seemed more curious. And Kazue looked like she was planning something.

"U-Um... thank you Elly, Avi..." Veronica said quietly, embarrassed by what the girls are putting her through.

"Anytime~" Eleanora cooed. Aviris said nothing but gently caressed Veronica's chin before dropping her own hand and started on her way back home.

"I-I should go now..." Veronica excused herself, trying to get out of this predicament.

"Um, r-right. We'll see you back at the house then." Seraph waved goodbye, going in her way back to the house with the others starting to follow behind.

Then, Veronica was by herself. She took a deep breath and marched her way to Liafi's place.

The workshop was closed up tight with no visible lights.

'Is Liafi even here?'

Veronica knocked on the door lightly, waiting to see if Liafi was there. No response. She knocked a bit harder and then waited. No response again.

"Maybe I'll come back another day..." She said to herself.

However, as she turned around as the door opened.

"Ah, Veronica, it's you." Liafi's voice said from behind.

Turning back around, Veronica noted that Liafi looked a bit tired. And skinnier.

"Did you..."

"Give birth? Yeah. Yesterday. Wanna come meet your daughter?" Liafi said with a smile.

"Y-Yeah!" Veronica responded with her own smile.

Liafi led Veronica inside, quietly shutting the door.

"I just put her to sleep. So please be quiet." Liafi whispered. Veronica nodded and continued to follow Liafi, stepping as lightly as she could.

In the bedroom where two had conceived the child, a cradle was seen. In the cradle was a small bundled half-goblin. The same size of a human, but would more than likely have the same characteristics as a Goblin.

"This is Nia. Our daughter. She so cute. And she has your eyes." Liafi quietly giggled.

Veronica was aflutter as she looked at the child, her child.

"According to the doctor, she'll grow as fast as other Goblins. So by next week, she'll practically be a teenage girl."

"R-Really? That... that feels too soon..." Veronica said, a bit saddened as she wouldn't be able to keep the swaddled goblin girl tiny for much longer.

"Heh. Both a blessing and a curse. But, she'll be staying with me until I can make absolutely sure she can be out on her own."

The two stared at Nia in contempt, not wanting to wake her.

"Ah, so what was it you wanted?" Liafi asked, remembering the Veronica came here for a different reason.

"Ah, right. Uh, I've got some mysterious ore. So I wondered if you knew anything, or could figure something out about it." Veronica requested, debating on touching the baby.

"Hm... alright, let's go to the front so I can take a look at it." Liafi answered, slowly leaving the room.

Hesitating for a bit, Veronica then followed Liafi to the store part of the building was. Liafi made her way behind the counter as Veronica carefully place the ore down.

"That's a decent amount you got there." Liafi said, picking up a chunk. "Hm... I've never seen anything like this before... give me a moment please." Liafi ducked underneath the counter, digging up something. Eventually, she came back up with a book, which she quickly sped through the pages.

The glimpses that Veronica saw of the book showed that it was of various types of ores, minerals and alloys. Liafi was surprisingly great at keeping information, as various notes on different materials were written. None of them could be read as the pages turned too fast, but she definitely made sure to know what she was doing.

"Odd... I'm not seeing anything in here that matches woth what you brought me... Say, do you mind if I experiment on these? It would be interesting to research."

"Yeah, of course. Not much else I can do with them anyways."

"Nice! Thank you. Now then, what happened to that axe I gave ya?"

"Uh... I uh... broke it..." Veronica was embarrassed to admit.

"I see. Are you gonna make that a habit?"

"No! No! I-It's just-"

"Relax, I was just teasing."

Veronica sighed in relief.

"Um, that's all I had for you. Mind if I visit daily? To interact with Nia and whatnot." Veronica asked, looking towards the bedroom.

"Of course.He'll, if you want, you could move in~ Uh... ah, here's a spare key to the shop door. Let yourself in whenever." Liafi said, placing a key on the countertop and putting away the ore.

Veronica nodded, taking the key and placing it in a pocket.

"I-I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Sure thing, sweetheart~"

Veronica left Liafi's workshop/home, with a key to the place in hand. All that was left was to go back home and check in on the other girls.

The walk was surprisingly calming. The team houses were all lit, more than likely all eating dinner. Which was the first thing that Veronica smelled when she walked into the team house.

"Welcome back, Veronica. Just in time for dinner." Kazue greeted with a rather sexy apron on.

And now, Veronica has discovered a new fetish...