Chapter 15: Toast

"First, I want to thank you for joining my guild. I promise you won’t regret it. I also want to thank Manaia for the great job she’s done keeping this clan united. Let’s give her a big round of applause, please!" All the village women applauded thunderously for 30 seconds for Manaia, whose eyes were filled with tears, clenching her teeth to keep from crying. "I want to tell you that I have plans for all of you, so don’t worry about the future and leave everything in my hands. Let’s leave the work for tomorrow, and for today, let’s just enjoy the moment. Cheers, everyone!" I raised a glass of wine that Zyra had brought me and started the banquet with a toast. Everyone raised their glasses, except the girls and boys, who had fruit juice for the occasion. "You did excellent, Jax, but tell me, what plans do you have and how can I help you achieve your goals?" "Have some meat, you took too little, and for today, stop worrying. Things will get better little by little, but I know you’ve worked too hard. Today, leave all your worries in my hands; tomorrow will be a new day." Reluctantly, Manaia stopped asking questions while taking more food. We sat at the head table with her apprentices Zela, Lyra, and Leila, as well as the guards Zyra and Vira. "Guild leader, thank you very much for deciding to help us. We are very grateful to you; please accept this toast in your honor." Leila took her glass and was about to take a big sip before I stopped her glass. My action caused her to make a sad face, and large tears formed in her eyes. "Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t stop you because I reject your toast, but because I don’t like how you refer to me. My name is Jax, so there’s no need for titles. Feel free to call me Jax, and I gladly accept your toast." A radiant smile blossomed on her face after hearing my words, realizing that I was not rejecting her. "Thank you very much, leader... I mean, Ja... Jax. To your honor!" Her stutter was very cute, making me smile, but her eyes were very determined. Leila raised her glass and took a deep gulp of all her wine. I couldn’t be rude, so I also emptied my glass in one go. "Cheers!" Everyone at the table shouted "Cheers!" and took a glass of wine. Zyra took one of the bottles and refilled everyone’s glasses, starting with me. "Jax, I thanked you in private, but I want to do it in public. We are very happy and grateful that you accept to protect us; we will never forget it." Manaia also offered me a toast, and we all took a gulp of wine. One by one, all the village women approached to offer me a toast and their good wishes. After drinking so many glasses, I felt a little dizzy. Despite my level, the wine was quite strong, and I didn’t want to use the [Dispel] skill to remove the negative effects of the wine. I just wanted to enjoy this moment eating and drinking with these beautiful women, unlike those damned squares from the Soaring Dragon kingdom, may they go fuck themselves wherever they are...! The air was still filled with laughter and the smell of roasted food. The tribe’s people were simple, but their joy was contagious. I sat back down at the table, Manaia beside me, her sweet smile and warm eyes refilling my plate as soon as it emptied. We ate and drank. The village women approached and began chatting, making a large circle with the tables to be all together. Some women kept looking at me with a seductive attitude that promised more than trivial conversation. I smiled at them, chatted a little, but my attention was on Manaia. She was dressed in simple tribal clothes that barely concealed her curves, making my mind wander to what she had made me feel before. As the conversation flowed around me, my hand, discreetly, slipped under the table. I felt the softness of her leg through the fabric. My fingers began to move up slowly, caressing her thigh. Manaia tensed slightly but kept a forced smile on her face, attentive to a village woman who was talking to her. My fingers continued to ascend, brushing the edge of her skirt, until I found the way. A barely audible gasp escaped her lips, quickly muffled by a sip of wine. Her eyes widened slightly, looking at me with a mix of surprise and pleasure, but also indicating that I should stop, that this was not the right place. The alcohol had already gone to my head, so I didn’t care too much what others thought anymore. At the end of the day, I was the leader of this clan, and all the women here would one day be mine. My fingers continued to wander over her thighs until they found their target. I began to masturbate her gently under the table. With my fingers, I traced the path of her slit over her panties, feeling how they gradually became wet. Manaia leaned forward slightly, her breathing became irregular, her cheeks flushed deeply. She gasped, moaning almost inaudibly, trying to pretend nothing was happening, forcing a smile at the people who kept coming to greet her or ask her trivial things. The poor thing was about to explode, which made it even more fun. Suddenly, Manaia put a hand to her stomach. "Oh... I’m sorry, I think I ate something that didn’t agree with me... I need to go to my hut for a moment." She stood up abruptly, almost knocking over her seat, and ran off with a speed not typical of an "indisposed" woman. The village women looked at each other, some gently laughing, others with understanding glances. They knew what was happening, or at least they suspected it. "Is Manaia okay?" a village woman asked with a mischievous smile. I assured them she was, that she probably just needed some air. I continued chatting with them, listening to their stories, learning about their lives on the island. They told me about hunting, gathering, and the tribe’s traditions. It was a way to familiarize myself with them, to understand their world. They weren’t just women to me; they were part of my future guild, my family. I needed to get to know them. After a while, I said goodbye. "I’m going to check on Manaia. I hope she feels better." The smile on my face probably gave away my true intentions.