58 Vol 1. pt. 58 Patch 10.0: The King, the Rod and the Harem (1/2)
Fortunately for Fenrir, Corwin apparently carries some bandages in his bag with him at all times and is able to carefully remove the lure from Fenrir's ear without much trouble.
Fenrir crosses his arms and glares at the lure as Corwin bandages his ear.
”What the heck is going on?” Fenrir asks.
”I do not know, Fenrir, but perhaps you have forgotten how to properly cast a rod as you have not practiced in a couple of days?” Corwin suggests.
”There's no way that's true. Try it yourself!”
Corwin finishes wrapping Fenrir's ear and then does just as Fenrir suggested. The line is cast without any issues. In fact, it is a beautifully done cast that results in the lure plopping into the water farther away than Fenrir has ever managed.
”What?” Fenrir asks. ”Seriously? How did – no, I know I didn't forget. Let me try again.” Fenrir takes the rod from Corwin's hands and begins reeling it in.
Only, it doesn't reel.
”Seriously? What the—” Fenrir is cut off from Corwin taking the rod back to demonstrate how to properly reel the line in.
They're doing the exact same things, yet it's only working for Corwin.
”Alright, there's some sort of fuckery going on here. Why does it work for you but not me? Come on, you saw me reeling it in just like how you are now,” Fenrir says.
”I – I do not know, captain. I will admit that I do not see any flaws in your actions, so I struggle to understand why you are unable to perform properly,” Corwin says.
Fenrir is happy that Serra isn't around again.
”Alright, hang on.” Fenrir grabs the rod back and holds it down in front of Rock. ”Rock, bat the reel handle downward,” he says, holding the spinning handle of the reel directly in front of Rock.
She smacks her paw down against it.
It spins—reeling the line in—without any problem.
Fenrir tries smacking it himself, using brute force, using his mouth and even his feet – nothing will make the damn thing work!
”I'm beginning to think I'm getting pranked here. Either you two are working against me, or this rod is possessed and hates me for some reason,” Fenrir theorizes.
He holds the rod up right in front of his face.
”What's wrong? Am I not holding you gently enough? Is it because I didn't take you out to dinner first? Tell me how to make you work, damn it!” Fenrir pleads.
There is no response.
Of course, there is no response. It is just a fishing rod.
”How am I supposed to fish with a rod that hates me?” Fenrir asks, looking over to Corwin with sad eyes.
”A-ah, captain, perhaps we should swap rods?” Corwin suggests.
Fenrir immediately hugs the rod close to his chest. ”No way, she's mine. I already let you manhandle her enough.”
”Your rod is a she now?”
”Well, yeah.”
”I had always assumed something with such a long and firm length would be referred to as a male.”
Fenrir looks like he just saw a ghost.
He's either handling a man or a futa.
How did he not realize this sooner?
No, he shakes the thought out of his head. His rod is a girl, and one that doesn't have a dick. End of story.
Furthermore, after hearing what Corwin just said, Fenrir realizes that he's only safe around Cassiel, Tabitha, and Rock. Oleander, Serra, and apparently now Corwin all have their minds in dirty places.
”Onii-chan! Is it really appropriate for you to think they're all perverts considering that you love tentacles, have an unhealthy obsession with girls in sweaters, and haven't masturbated to anything but hentai in years?” Saya chimes in within his mind.
Fenrir mentally swats her away before returning his attention to the matter at hand – or rather, the rod at hand.
”Alright. Seriously, what's the problem?” he asks his rod. ”Is there like… a fishing skill requirement? No, that wouldn't make any sense, because Rock definitely wouldn't have higher fishing than me. Uhhh, what if… please let me reel you in?” Fenrir tries reeling it in after asking nicely, but it refuses.
He looks like he's ready to cry.
”Ca-captain, it is alright, please do not let it get to you,” Corwin tries comforting him, patting his shoulder.
Fenrir turns to look at the newest crewmember with rod in hand. ”She doesn't like me,” he says with large, watery eyes and his ears folded down against the top of his head.
The only other person to ever see Fenrir this depressed over something is Oleander.
”What if – captain, what is that?” Corwin asks, pointing at the bottom of the rod's handle.
Fenrir lifts it up and turns it over. There is a small but beautiful opal embedded into the bottom of the rod's handle. It is a filled with a myriad of light colors and is the most beautiful gem that he has ever seen.
He gets an idea.
He lets Corwin hold it. Now when Fenrir looks at the opal, it has a soft glow to it. When he lets Rock handle it, it has a soft glow. When Fenrir tries handling it, the glow disappears.
There is only one thing in common that Corwin and Rock have that Fenrir can think of that he doesn't have.
”Corwin, let me see your card again,” Fenrir asks.