541-550

Chapter 541 - How Far Along?

Her question caused Hal to raise a brow and while thinking deeply would allow him to at the very least guess the answer to his next question, he decided he might as well ask and save himself time thinking and guessing,

"Your daughter?" He asked the Empress who chuckled.

"Ah, of course, you don't know I'm Tanya's mother. It further reiterated my thoughts that she was never your sponsor. She gave you the Royal Academy seal just so she could get you close to her and turn you on to her grand ambitions." She said.

"Tanya... I mean Princess Tanya is your daughter?" Hal asked.

He had of course not known of the relationship between the Empress sitting in front of him and the talented Princess he was aiding to acquire the Nexus stone.

That said, now that he knew there was a connection between the two, he could see the similarity in their looks.

Similarity he would have, before being told, thought was merely because they were both Harons and on some level, Harons share a similarity in looks.

"Oh, you call her Tanya?" The Empress asked with widened eyes.

Hal shook his head,

"No" He said.

"You called her 'Tanya' just now. Only adding the honorifics to throw off any possible suspicions which is an action that is in itself suspicious"

The Empress narrowed her eyes with a light smile as though she was teasing the blue-eyed young man both Hal ignored the look to answer her seriously,

"The only reason I forgot to add the honorifics is because I was answering reflexively after you called her Tanya yourself. I meant no disrespect" he said and the Empress paused,

"Why would calling my daughter by name be a sign of disrespect?" The Empress asked.

Hal shrugged,

"Because it's not the right etiquette. Even if the Princess and I were engaged to be married..." He began but was quickly interrupted by the Empress whose eyes were widened once again,

"You're getting married to my daughter? Hmm, that would explain the lack of honorifics. It must have been done out of habit. Which means you don't use honorifics during pillow talks" she said with a nod of sagely understanding.

Now it was Hal's turn to have widened eyes,

"What? I'm not getting married to Princess Tanya" he said with his voice a bit raised and not knowing why he was not being his usual perverted self who would have most likely accepted the accusation with his chest thrust out in pride.

"Why not? You don't think my daughter is good enough for you?" The Empress asked with a dangerous tone.

To which Hal thrust his hand up in exasperation,

"No, that is not what I meant. The princes and I just don't have that sort of relationship" he said.

"But you wish you did?" The Empress asked with her expression relaxed a bit and Hal opened his mouth to reply but then shook his head in frustration.

It was while he was shaking his head that the Empress burst into laughter. A boisterous one no less,

"Oh my goodness, you should have seen your face. Couldn't you tell I was just joking with you?" She asked as she elegantly covered her mouth while she laughed.

"You were joking?" Hal asked with furrowed brows.

"I was messing with you. All to make you feel more relaxed around me. It helps the conversation progress better and not become stifled." the Empress nodded,

"You joke?" For some reason, Hal found that a bit hard to believe.

The Empress shrugged,

"Not all the time. I usually do it when I am speaking with someone who thinks I'm a hardass. That image of me makes the prank all the more successful.

That said, I would prefer if you don't let this whimsical side of me be known outside of this study. I have an image to keep after all."

"Your secret is safe with me" Hal said with a light smile.

"I appreciate that. You should count yourself lucky, only a few people get to see this side of me. They are either those I trust to not let it be known or those that I know will not dare to speak because before they can convince people that they are speaking the truth, I would have killed them already" The Empress said and Hal believed her.

The Empress continued,

"I knew you were not in that kind of relationship with my daughter. She is much too focused on her ambitions to allow time for frivolities. Besides, you are already engaged to the Dane girl, are you not?" She asked and Hal nodded,

"Yes, I am"

He saw no reason to deny.

Especially since the Empress was sure to have sourced her information enough to know of the engagement.

The Empress gave him a sly sort of smile as she said,

"And you are also involved with the Antonov girl" it was not a question but a statement. One Hal as who use in denying as he smiled,

"Guilty as charged"

The Empress shook her head with that sly smile on her face,

"I am quite sure the list does not end with those two as there is clearly something going on with Valerie Cruz and many other ladies. My my, you are quite the promiscuous one, aren't you? Feeling obliged to spread the 'delicious goodness' that is Hal Doxon, are we?"

Maybe Hal should have gone along with the Empress' playful tone and equally playful words but something else caught his attention,

"I'm sorry, Your majesty but what did you call Valerie?" He asked.

The Empress paused,

"Interesting. You clearly have a history with that young lady and yet know nothing about her." The shift in the Empress's tone from an almost playful one to this almost disgusted tone took Hal by surprise but he was not going to fold.

"Valerie and I met months ago and we met only for a few hours. While she told me her name she never told me her last name and I was not about to question that choice when I did not actually have a last name to tell either." He said with a bit of a defensive tone.

He was only saying this to set the record straight.

He had no thoughts that that Empress would offer him information on who Valerie was.

That seemed the kind of task that Hal thought she would think demeaning and unbefitting of her status.

That said, he had neglected the fact that the Empress could almost be said to be addicted to gathering and disseminating knowledge.

The Empress shrugged,

"Very well then. Since I find you intriguing. I will offer you this piece of information before we return to the matter for which I have asked you here in the first place.

Her name is Valerie Cruz. She's the daughter of the Count of the Cruz county. Her last name was kept out of her introduction during the exams because her sponsor had preferred it that way. That said, information about who she is and where she is from is quite detailed in the published bio on all participants."

'I wonder if she and Penelope are related' Hal thought.

(In case you've forgotten, Penelope is a beautiful lady that was introduced when Hal was in the city. She was said to be from Cruz county. She was introduced in chapter 242)

"You know, even if it was a fleeting meet, it was clearly an impactful meet considering the amount of focus that young lady put into possibly facing off against you and putting you in your place." The Empress said and Hal asked with a mild smile,

"Are you perhaps interested in the details of the said meet?" He asked.

The Empress shook her head,

"No. That is information I feel I can very well do without. Now, what does my daughter have you doing for her."

Hal shrugged,

"Nothing. She met me in Salmon city and gave me a jade token with which to join in the Royal Academy entrance exams" he said.

"Trying to lie to me is pointless. I have been keeping an eye on you since you first visited her in the palace. She had you going to the Silver moon sect for her, didn't she? I really just want to know what she has gotten you mixed up in.

I am sure it is related to the throne. She is obsessed with ruling."

Hal furrowed his brows,

"While I do not admit to having anything to do with the Princess' ambitions, whatever they might be, I have to say I am a little surprised you would call her desire to rule, an obsession"

"So you admit to knowing of that desire" the Empress caught on and Hal made a noncommittal gesture with his head as he said,

"Well then, fine, my relationship with the princess has evolved to the point that we tell each other what our dreams are. You have still not answered my question though.

The Empress took a deep breath,

"I have nothing against Tanya striving for the throne. I know better than anyone that Amador is willing to give all his children the opportunity to vie for the throne. It's just that I know my dear daughter. I know Tanya and I can tell when her ambitions start turning into an obsession.

An unhealthy one"

Hal sighed,

"Well I have nothing to do with her plans" he said.

The Empress took a deep breath before smiling,

"Okay then, how about I rephrase my question; How far along is my daughter in her search for the Nexus stone?"

Chapter 542 - Bedtime Stories.

Hal kept his expression natural as he replied,

"The Nexus what?" He asked in what was meant to be a clueless expression.

The Empress rolled her eyes,

"The Nexus Stone. Don't play dumb, you know exactly what it is... Except of course, if you simply went to the Silver moon sect to retrieve the orb without knowing what it leads to?" She said to which Hal kept looking as clueless as he probably could.

"My apologies, your majesty, but what the heck are you talking about?" He asked and at that point, Empress had taken to ignoring his words and when she spoke next while her words were clearly directed at him, it was more like she was speaking to herself.

"Hmm, if you have no idea what the orb is, I guess that would be understandable. It would fit with my suspicions that she is just using you to get what she wants. That said, you are clearly a smart young man who comes from a powerful family so there must be something you are getting from this.

Tell me, Hal, is she paying you to aid her search?" The last past was pointedly directed at Hal who narrowed his eyes but held his tongue.

Because had he opened his mouth to speak, he knew with certainty that he would be questioning the Empress' sanity.

Not because he genuinely thought her to be crazy but because that seemed to him the most appropriate response to her disregard of his opposition to a possible working relationship with Tanya in the search of the Nexus stone.

When several seconds passed without Hal saying a word, the Empress chuckled,

"Are you wondering how I know of my daughter's little plans?" She asked Hal and while he did not reply, she accurately judged that he was interested in knowing.

The Empress chuckled,

"What has that girl been telling you? By Zalser's laugh, did she make you think knowledge of the Nexus stone is a secret?

Hahaha, my dear boy, that idea would be completely wrong.

The tale of the First Emperor and his Nexus stone is a fable. One that is well known among members of the Haron family.

Especially members in line for the throne.

I told Tanya the tale of the Nexus stone myself.

It is mostly regarded as a fairy tale.

A legend that is meant to reiterate to all Harons what we know by birth, which is that we are special and not at all like any other bloodline in this world.

A legend to tell us we are blessed by the gods"

"Blessed by the gods?" Hal asked for further reiteration.

The Empress nodded,

"Yes. Well actually, blessed by one god in particular; Zalser, the Primeval Asura and progenitor of the Haron Bloodline.

While many other families boast of such blessings, one of them being the Danes and another being the Doxons, none of them can claim their patron god gave them the key to forever rule the continent.

The key being the Nexus stone that the legend has us believe Zalser planted in the Haron continent just for us"

(In case some of you think the name Zalser is familiar, well that is because it has been mentioned earlier in the novel. I do not mean when Tanya swears by his name in chapter 431, I mean earlier in the novel.

Zalser was introduced in chapter 2 and was revealed as the Emerald-eyed god sitting on an obsidian throne and smiling after striking and 'killing' Hal with a bolt of lightning.)

"So this Nexus stone was placed on the Haron continent by a god?" Hal asked.

The Empress rolled her eyes in annoyance at Hal who was still acting like he had not known of the stone before speaking to her,

"Yes, that is what the legend says and like stories told to children usually are, it is absolute nonsense.

I have learned through quite some books in my collection that the Nexus stone or better still Nexus stones are not the creation of any god. It exists just like the world exists."

Now Hal's eyes widened,

"Stones? there is more than one?" He asked and the Empress nodded with a smile that showed the enjoyment she was getting from delivering information to someone willing to learn.

Although, Hal had a feeling that even if it was with someone unwilling, she would still enjoy the act of information transmission nonetheless.

"Well, of course, there are two stones. If just one only allowed the First Emperor to rule the Haron continent or as it was called before our reign began, the Human continent, then it should be easy to guess that the Dystopian continent has one as well.

And judging from how the four major tribes have been able to hold on to their reign, I would say they are most probably sharing it. Ruling the continent in a pseudo but definitely not peaceful union.

This is of course just my guess as there is no actual proof besides the words of knowledge I am privy to thanks to the books in my collection.

Besides, even in the case of another Nexus stone, we will still need to defeat the Dystopians and then carefully search for the stone which is definitely no less well-hidden than the one the first Emperor hid."

"Wow" Hal said as the implications of the Empress' words dawned on him.

Not major implications of course.

It was mostly just the realization of the fact that even with things that did not involve the Empress telling her daughter bedtime stories that had now spurred the talented princess on a quest for supremacy, there was really not much one could sneak past a woman as knowing as the Empress was.

Just judging from her words, Hal was almost certain there were things she knew and had not revealed to any other human. The Emperor included.

Maybe the Emperor had the power in their relationship but the Empress definitely had the brains.

And if used for selfish means, the brains could very well become the power.

In fact, Hal suddenly thought, who was to say she was not plotting things as well?

"The point is, the Nexus stone is not some big secret. The fact that someone believes the stories as truth despite there being no evidence of the vault's existence is the only surprise in this matter. Although if anyone is to set out on a quest to find it by grasping to the bits of truth within the stories, then it is only fitting that it's my daughter"

"Bits of truth?" Hal asked.

The Empress nodded,

"Yes, the fact that Emperor kept the stone away as well as that it really exists. Although I guess the magnitude of those truths are subjective to your personal thoughts and whether or not one desires to find the stone.

Anyway, I know of the map and I know of the Orb and where it was before you acquired it, the location being the Silver moon sect.

Now that the Orb is in Tanya's possession and I no longer have the advantage of being a few steps ahead of her, I just want you to tell me, how further along she is in her search for the stone.

Does she finally know where the First Emperor's vault is?"

Hal sighed and made to once again deny knowledge when the guards announced Tanya's presence outside the study doors.

Chapter 543 - I'm Not Cute.

"Let her in" The Empress said and barely a second later, the large study doors opened, and in walked Tanya who was smiling jovially at her mother who smiled in return.

"Mother, I was just about to turn in for the night but thought it would be rude not to bid you good night before I did so" Tanya said with a courtesy.

"You haven't bid me goodnight in centuries. Please don't insult me with those petty lies" the Empress replied despite her eyes having an affectionate twinge to them as she eyed her daughter who indeed dropped all pretense,

"Very well, mother. I am here to be sure you are not invading my privacy through Hal. As I suspect it is your prime reason for calling him into your study"

When her mother had asked to speak with Hal once the Exams were over Tanya could not very well say no. Jovial was her mother might be in closed quarters, disrespect was something she would not tolerate and one Tanya did not feel like showing.

Also, she did not go in immediately Hal was in the study and waited appropriately to give her the privacy she (the Empress) wanted for at least the amount of minutes that she (Tanya) felt was acceptable.

Or more accurately, she waited as long as she could make herself.

"Get out" the Empress said and Tanya found it so sudden that she widened her eyes,

"What?"

"I said get out. Had it not been for your unwillingness to open up to me I would not have to go through such roundabout means to know what you are up to.

Also, respecting your privacy is merely a courtesy I grant you just to improve the trust between us. It is in no way a right you have that stops me from gathering information about you when I feel like it." the Empress said.

"You mean spy on me" Tanya said in exasperation and the Empress shrugged,

"If that is how you see it. Then sure. I will spy on you when I feel the need to" she said.

"Do you understand how wrong that sounds? It makes you seem incapable of letting me go, of letting me do my own thing and be my own woman" Tanya said with a light frown,

"I do let you do your own thing. I don't interfere with your actions, do I? I simply want to know what they are" The Empress retorted.

Hal cleared his throat lightly,

"Excuse me your majesty and your highness but I think this is a private conversation that an outsider like me should not be listening to." He said.

Tanya looked to her mother as tough to tell her that I see she should let Hal leave the study which would actually work to her benefit as it would stop any more questions.

That was of course in the case of an optimistic thought that Hal had not yet spilled his guts.

Hal noted the fact that Tanya did not permit him to leave. Clearly, only one person in the room could tell him to leave and she was the woman seated behind the desk.

"Fine, you can go. Clearly, I won't be able to get anything out of you today. That said, I hope to engage more with you once you are fully a student of the academy." She said.

Hal stood up, not really liking how ominous she made that sound.

He was on his way to the door when Tanya reinitiated the ongoing argument of sorts,

"Why can't you just be proud of me? If I rule the Continent, it's an honor to you. Or would you rather the insufferable Creten become Emperor instead?" She asked.

"I AM proud of you. While I will be honored to see you on the throne, I would rather it not become your singular purpose for living. Also, don't insult your brother. He's a talented young man" The Empress replied.

That made Tanya irate and her voice raised a tiny bit,

"No, he's not. He's the absolute worst"

The Empress paused and for a second Hal did as well before he continued walking just as she said,

"I'm really glad we're talking. This hasn't happened in a while" The Empress said with honesty and what Hal could tell was a smile from her tone.

Tanya sighed,

"I'm glad we're talking too. I would have just preferred it was not an argument" she said.

"Oh, this is not an argument. It's banter." The Empress said with a delightful chuckle,

That was the last Hal heard of their conversation before he was out of the study completely and was joined by the guards that had guided him here and were clearly guiding him out.

He had no objections as they led him to the carriage that had brought him here and had it take him out of the Imperial palace grounds and back to his hotel.

When Hal entered the carriage though, he was more than a little surprised to find Elsa in the carriage as well,

"How did you get in here?" He asked. He believed the carriage, especially one in front of the Empress' residence would be guarded.

Elsa smiled,

"Well, that doesn't sound like you're happy to see me" she said.

Hal shrugged,

"Okay then. Elsa, it's so nice to see you here, how did you get in here?" He rephrased.

She raised her hand just as the carriage began to move and the tip of her fingers glowed pink,

"I was charming." She said in the form of an explanation.

She had actually not used the skill, it was just that she was familiar with the guards due to the many times she had frequented the Empress' residence whenever she was in the Imperial City.

"Ah I see" Hal said just as she placed the glowing fingers on his cheek.

Hal felt the sensation he was guessing the touch was supposed to make him feel.

He felt good.

Definitely aroused.

"Is this perhaps a skill of the Evgeny family of the Doxon Duchy?" Hal asked.

"It sure is. But I guess spell would be the more appropriate lingo" Elsa said as the glow intensified,

"Is it supposed to numb my thinking and make me putty in your hands?" He asked.

Elsa rolled her eyes,

"If you can still ask me that with a clearly lucid tone then it's not working as it should." She said, in early cursing his resistance to her charming spells.

"Oh, but it worked. Can't you see the lust in my eyes? Or better still, can't you feel this...?" Hal asked before he took her hand and placed it on his hardening organ.

"Hmm" Elsa moaned at the feel of it right before Hal captured her lips in an ardent kiss that had her inner thighs moistening at a speedy rate.

When they separated, with Elsa's lips still puckered, Hal chuckled,

"You look so cute"

Obviously referring to her speechlessness from getting kissed by him.

Made all the more comical due to her superior cultivation and her implied experience in such acts.

That seemed to shake her out of her trance,

"I'm not cute. Call me hot, call me sexy, but don't call me cute" she said with a pout that did nothing to help her case.

Hal shrugged,

"I'm sorry but that is all I see. Don't worry though... I like cute" he said just as Elsa unbuckled his breeches and pulled his cock out of them with what was clearly supposed to be an annoyed expression,

"I'll show you 'cute'"

She said before lowering her head to attempt the most intense fellatio she had ever given to date....

Chapter 544 - What Delights...? R-18

*Fap* *Fap* *Fap*

While she teased the top of Hal's cock with her tongue, Elsa stroked the rest of the organ which caused Hal to sigh with pleasure while he placed a hand behind her head.

The feel of Hal's hand on her head seemed to somehow spur Elsa even further and increase the amount of intensity she had shown already.

While she stroked the quickly hardening organ, she worshipped its wonderful length with her tongue, before taking the head into her mouth to suck on it as hard as she could.

She hoped to see and feel Hal squirming to her ministrations but while the blue-eyed young man moaned with pleasure, he still seemed very much in control of himself which Elsa took as a sign that they were still at a stalemate and no one was yet in control of this session of theirs.

Her hand went lower and she grabbed his balls to massage them and bring him that debilitating and mind-numbing pleasure that would put him completely at her mercy but like always, Hal appreciated the act as pleasuring to him but ultimately remained in control of himself.

At the very least, he was not begging her to never stop and why would he?

Even without saying a word, once she had had one taste, there was really no way she could stop herself from continuing with the act.

Something Elsa had already noticed and was not new to as she had felt it when she had first fellated him.

Elsa began to go lower.

Going from focusing on his cock head and rod towards the large balls she had been massaging since.

The scent of which, like every other part of his body was intoxicating.

It was not musky like she was used to with other men...

It was sweet...

A genuinely aphrodisiac scent that had her craving him the more she breathed it in.

(Note; This is Hal's natural scent and not the result of his release of pheromones. Hal's bloodline has already evolved to a state where, in a situation of sexual activity, his natural sweet-smelling yet manly scent can increase the sexual drive of the female in question.)

It had her wishing to indulge in the act all her life.

However, Elsa was not going to let this change her.

She was always the one in control of any of her sexual activities.

It was what (in her opinion) made her the very successful dual cultivator that she was.

Anyway, she knew how best to keep herself in control and turn the tides on a smug-looking Hal who actually dared to call her 'cute'.

"Don't you think you should speed this up?" Hal asked.

Not that he did not enjoy the act, it was just that they were in a carriage riding out of the Imperial Palace and at some point would reach their destination.

Despite how wide the imperial palace was and how far the journey to the hotel would be, they would arrive at their destination eventually.

Elsa took her head off his cock to smirk,

"Haven't you noticed the carriage going slowly?" She asked and now that she pointed it out, Hal did indeed notice the slowdown.

Elsa continued,

"I told the carriage driver I had something to discuss with you and should give me as much time as he possibly can. Also, I had the inlaid noise-canceling runes activated so that no one would hear your moans outside of the carriage" she said, and as she spoke, she reached behind and began to undo the fastener of the piece of clothing covering her breasts.

Dressing like she always did, according to Doxon customs, she was wearing a short skirt that barely reached her knees while her ample breasts were the only parts of her upper body that she covered.

Seeing her dressed like this gave Hal an idea about Sassy.

While the serpent familiar had stated a dislike for putting on clothes, the exposing clothing Doxon Duchy ladies wear should be more than enough to suit her interests. Exhibitionistic as they might be.

But we digress,

"'So no one would hear me moan?'" Hal asked with a chuckle that got Elsa smiling wickedly before she finally succeeded in releasing her ample assets and proceeded to sandwich Hal's large organ between them.

Indeed, the sensation was incredible and only got better when she fully indulged in the titfucking.

In all honesty, it indeed got Hal's sexual juices pumping and the young man found himself closer to an orgasm he saw no use holding back.

Committing totally to the act, Elsa wrapped her lips around the part of Hal's cock that still rose proudly out of the sandwiching of her large assets.

Hal groaned in pleasure and thrust his hips upwards as he got even closer to busting his nut and Elsa picked up on his signals.

She had her mouth around his cock head when he groaned and spewed a large amount of seed into her mouth.

Seed Elsa swallowed happily, not just because of its delicious taste but also because she saw it as a sign of her victory.

Hal who could guess her thoughts chuckled to himself as she rose and then straddled him.

Kneeling with her two legs folded on the carriage cushion on either side of him and Hal's cock looking enticingly erect as always.

"So how does it feel...?" She began before Hal reached between her legs with her underwear already exposed due to the riding up of her short shirt upon straddling him and cupped her pussy through the flimsy garment.

Despite the touch not being direct, Elsa found it impossible to finish her words as an orgasm built up within her and exploded almost as soon as it began.

Causing her to shiver uncontrollably while she tried to hold in her pleasured moans...

"Mmmnghhhh... oh my gods..."

... But ultimately failed to do so as she placed her palms on Hal's chest as though to use him as an anchor as her entire body weakened due to the orgasmic pleasure coursing through her.

"How was that?" Hal asked her with a genuinely inquisitive smile that Elsa found herself answering before her mind could process that he was being a tad sarcastic.

After all, the answer was very clearly answered by the shivering of her thighs and the throbbing of her clit against Hal's palm as his hand was still cupping her pussy and almost constantly passing pleasure into it.

"That... Was... Incredible" Elsa saw no reason to lie.

Then Hal pulled against her flimsy underwear and tore it off to expose her plump, wet, and spasming pussy lips to his fingers which began to stroke it lightly.

The light stroking still caused Elsa to undergo mini-orgasmic spasms and she was brought to climax more than once.

In all honesty, there was no way she would not be this putty in Hal's hands since just by sucking him off, her inner thighs were already wet and her pussy was already craving release. Release it was sure to get, and did indeed get, at Hal's hands.

Squirming, Elsa moaned with pleasure as Hal continued to tease her pussy, and his thumb flicked her erect and throbbing clit.

"Mmnnghhh" she moaned and bit her lip before attempting to grab hold of Hal's erect cock but the blue-eyed young man stopped her with a firm hold on her hand and a disapproving expression,

"No, no, no, you had your fun. You had free reign to do as you wished and you were clearly pleased with the result that was you making me cum once.

Now is my turn to reciprocate and your turn to be on the receiving end."

Elsa nodded with her cheeks a bright pink of obedience and arousal.

It never once came to mind for her that Hal's 'firm hold' was nothing to the Semi-saint that she was.

All her thoughts were centered on his fingers delivering her so much pleasure than she had ever gotten in an entire dual cultivating session with any man.

Hal released her hand and Elsa let it fall on Hal's lap just as Hal's now-free hand reached towards one of her perfectly round, large, and perky breasts to grab hold and knead the ample flesh while also teasing the erect nipple.

"Nnghhh" Elsa groaned in pleasure at his touch on her sensitive breast before Hal leaned forward and captured the nipple he had been teasing in his mouth to rake his teeth over the erect nub and give her the delicious mix of pleasure and mild pain.

Hal's devil sharp teeth hurt her despite her semi-saint body.

All the while, Hal never stopped teasing her pussy.

In fact, the teasing got even more intense and eventually evolved into a full-blown fingering as two of his fingers went into Elsa's tight pussy, and the Evgeny lady who had her two hands holding Hal's head against her breast clenched her pussy around the invading fingers while also moaning at the intrusion.

As she moaned, she could not help but wonder,

'If his fingers already have my eyes rolling into the back of my head with pleasure, what delights will I be privy to when he pushes that cock into my pussy?'

Chapter 545 - See You Later... R-18

Almost as soon as she had this thought, Hal pulled his hand away from her pussy which didn't really do much in the way of stopping Elsa's orgasmic spasms which continued despite the retraction.

Anyway,

Hal placed his hands on her waist and lifted her over his erect cock before easing her slowly on it.

Elsa bit her lip lightly,

She would have very much preferred the pace of getting that enticing cock inside her to be much faster but she knew she was to accept that Hal was in control at the moment and was the only one who could dictate the pace.

That said, she still groaned to show off her need but other than a cocky smirk, Hal made no other acknowledge that he had noticed the groan or had any idea what message it was supposed to get across.

Instead, he proceeded with the tantalizingly (and frustrating to Elsa) slow pace that suited him and saw to getting the Evgeny woman even more hot and bothered the more it went on.

Eventually, though, the teasing had to end and the end was marked when the head of Hal's thick and hefty pleasuring tool poked right through the folds of Elsa's pussy.

With just the head, Elsa's eyes widened and she clenched her pussy around the intruding cock head that made her feel more full in her nethers than she had ever been all her dual cultivating life.

Like many other women before and surely, many others after her, Elsa's eyes were opened.

She could see the light.

She could see that she had been missing out all her life.

Surely, what she had enjoyed and partaken in for centuries was a mere shadow of the true meaning of pleasure.

Hal continued pulling her down and Elsa's pussy continued to take as much of his large cock as it was fed.

Hal leaned back to better appreciate the look on her face as she enjoyed and reveled in the feeling of having him inside her.

While he leaned back, Elsa reached over at him and wound her arms around him, interlocking her hands in his air.

*Pah*

The sound of her wonderful ass hitting Hal's laps which announced the complete immersion of his cock inside of her tight snatch was loud and impactful but it was destined to be followed up with a succession of similar sounds as the lifting and thrusting began in full swing,

*Pah* *Pah* *Pah*

"Nnghh... Ohh... Yessss" Elsa moaned as she began to take over Hal's efforts to lift her by rising on her own and then falling right back down on his cock.

While she did so, Hal thrust upward into the wonderful warmth of her tight pussy.

The Devil's smile was wide as he indulged in the pleasure of being balls deep inside Elsa but getting even more enjoyment in the look on her face as she surrendered to her most base instincts and became the main reason their session increased in intensity.

*Pah* *Pah* *Pah*

"Oh fuck me, Hal... FUCK ME..." Elsa said with a bit of a yell that Hal was sure that in the absence of the activated noise-canceling runes would have alerted several denizens of the Imperial city.

And that was despite the fact that they were not completely out of the Imperial Palace just yet.

Hal chuckled,

"I fully intend to" he said as the intensity of their session grew even further.

Now with a collective effort of the two.

The aim of the intercourse was not release... Of which Elsa had already had plenty.

The aim was to enjoy this wonderful session for as long as they possibly could.

Which was actually not that long considering the carriage was now out of the Imperial palace and now on the Imperial city streets.

Hal suspected that the driver, now a bit more aware of what was going on within the carriage he drove (How could he not when the carriage was bound to be shaking due to the rutting within?) was in more of a hurry to get the carriage's occupant(s) to their destination.

A 'suspicion' that edged closer to 'fact' due to the carriage now moving at a faster speed that told of urgency.

Hal had a feeling Elsa, despite being in throes of pleasure at the moment, also had this realization...

She just did not care...

Neither, for that matter, did he...

*PAH* *PAH* *PAH*

While the intense session continued, Hal took his hands off Elsa's waist as their usefulness there had long diminished since the sex-crazy part of the Evgeny woman was unleashed.

He placed his hands on her large unattended breasts that had been bouncing constantly since the intense pounding began.

Kneading the ample assets, Hal alternated between the two.

Like she had the last time Hal was paying attention to her breasts, Elsa grabbed his head and held him against her while she moaned at the double stimulation as well as the fact that the intensity never lessened.

If anything, It seemed to increase.

"Mmmnnghhhh, oh, you're the best..." Elsa moaned.

"I know" Hal said with a cocky smile.

The carriage was now almost at the hotel and at that moment, Elsa edged ever closer to her umpteenth climax during this session of theirs while Hal also got closer to spewing his shed deep inside her tight pussy.

When the carriage finally stopped in front of the hotel, Elsa yelled out in the joy of her climax while Hal groaned as he released his seed inside her.

The two held into each other tightly as they rode our their orgasmic climax together and once it finally fizzled out, Elsa slipped off of Hal and onto the chair.

Her gaze when she looked at Hal said it all; she wanted more.

This session was nowhere near enough for her.

However, with a light smile, Hal pulled up his pants and once he was presentable once again, he opened up the door.

Doing it in such a way that no one outside would be able to look inside at Elsa whose breasts were still very much exposed.

He was not yet done with Elsa.

This session of theirs was definitely not what he considered enough for making her his woman.

This was nothing more than a teaser.

A taste of things to come and looking into Elsa's eyes, he knew she realized this.

Almost at the same time, she realized that no man would ever be enough for her unless it was Hal.

She had stepped on this path and there was no looking back.

"See you later" was the last thing he said to Elsa that night as the lady made no attempts to call out to him or go after him for a continuation before he closed the door and walked into the hotel.

There were five women in his suite eagerly waiting for him and he had kept them waiting long enough.

Inside the carriage, once she had deactivated the noise-canceling runes, Elsa told the driver her destination and the carriage pulled away with the lady having nothing else on her mind than Hal's cock and when she would once again feel it wreak havoc inside her and bring her the pleasure she was sure to never forget.

Chapter 546 - I Decline.

The Royal Academy...

The most impressive structure on the Haron continent held the best of the young generation the Haron Continent had to offer.

The size of the academy was about half the size of the Imperial palace which considering how large the Imperial place was in size (even larger than the Doxon Duchy palace. The only Duchy palace Hal had been to thus far) was quite impressive.

The Royal Academy was completely away from the Imperial Palace. It was in a district of its own.

(Remember, the Imperial city is the size of a Duchy and since it is already tagged a city, areas that should be named cities within the Imperial city are instead called districts)

The Royal Academy was in the center of the Royal district and while quite a number of the newest members of the Royal Academy had already seen the Royal Academy, it was a new sight to others such as Hal, Melinda, and Valerie.

"Oh, isn't it just incredible?" Nicole asked as she walked with Hal and Melinda.

Both of whom admired the Academy's structure.

They were here along with all other passing participants of the Royal Academy Entrance exams for their Orientation.

All new members of the Royal Academy were required to participate.

It was the moment in which they would show their various tokens and be given robes as pertaining to those tokens.

Also, for those who did not already have Elders or other distinguished members of the Royal Academy interested in them, depending on how well they performed during the entrance exams which all Elders and all distinguished figures in the academy had watched, they could get a chance to become green-robed students.

The Orientation was quite a big deal and while none of those elders would show up personally to scout youngsters to bring under their tutelage, they would still be present via Runic slates.

The Orientation was taking place just two days after the entrance Exams.

Two days Hal had spent inside the Harem space with Rita, Marla, Karmen, Lillian, and Olivia as the center of an orgy with the five women for twenty-time-warped days.

While Hal's cultivation had not really had a noticeable increase in that time, the ladies had definitely reaped the fruits.

Even now, they were still digesting their gains.

Anyway,

When all eighty-four who had passed the entrance exams stood together in a large hall, Valerie quickly found Melinda and walked closer to her, glaring at Hal as she did.

An action Hal sighed and ultimately ignored.

He would let her be and do as she wished for now.

Maybe when he had said she was his woman back when they met, it had been laughably silly, but now he was more than qualified and had more than proven himself enough to be able to say it without being scoffed at.

She WAS his woman.

That had not changed.

Anyway, while he ignored the glare, he did greet her with a smile,

"Hello, Valerie. I trust you slept well"

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't, what's it to you?" Valerie asked in a snide tone.

Hal shrugged,

"It was just a greeting. But if you didn't sleep well, I could offer my assistance."

Valerie groaned,

"I'll walk away now Melinda. We'll talk again once this cocky ass is no longer with you" she said.

Melinda sighed even though she was smiling,

"Okay then." She said.

Valerie had just turned away from them when barely a second later, Hal was already in front of her and pressing his face closer to hers.

The young lady was startled but she collected herself quickly and frowned at Hal who was smiling,

"For someone who seems to really want to beat me up, I'd expect you not to run away from me"

"I'm not running. I just don't want to see you right now. As for the beating, trust me, it's coming" Valerie said and as though to prove her point of not running from him, she stepped closer to him. Their faces now only inches apart.

Hal shook his head, still with a smile on his lips,

"That's a shame..." He began but Valerie quickly interrupted him as she leaned back with an incredulous expression,

"Why? Don't tell me you think just because you are at the Cosmic Aurora realm right now, I'd never catch up to you. If that's what you're thinking then you are sorely mistaken because I'm going to catch up and I'm going to Kick... Your... Ass" she said, punctuating each word with a poke on his chest.

Trying not to think of how good touching him felt to her as well as the memories of their forest romp that was brought to mind.

"I don't doubt that. But that is not what I meant" Hal said.

"Then what did you mean?" Valerie asked.

Hal sighed,

"I meant to say that it's a shame you see me so much as an enemy when I feel we could have really gotten along and when I say 'gotten along' I do not mean anything perverted" he said.

Melinda rolled her eyes with a smile that said she did not believe him while Valerie was much more vocal with a similar thought,

"*snort* I don't believe you" she said.

Hal shrugged,

"I'm being serious. It would have been nice to discuss your inheritance. After all, you did say you went through with getting it just because of me" he said.

Valerie sneered,

"Because of you? Ah, don't flatter yourself. I did it for myself. My life choices have nothing to do with you..."

Right at that time, the orientation officers arrived and they called the room to decorum.

Then the Orientation started in full swing.

The Orientation was to be watched by all interested Elders and distinguished figures in the Academy and by 'interested', it means all those who wish to pick a potential protegee.

Those in the hall could not see them as the connection was one way but in case of an unattached student who showed promise, those interested would make it known to the Orientation officers who would then tell the lucky student the name or names of those interested.

If there was more than one, the student had the right to choose.

They could even choose to decline even though that would be considered quite foolish.

There are two types of Tokens, the gold token, and the jade token.

When it was Nicole's turn, she stepped forward and produced a gold Token as was standard of being the best of her academy and by taking into consideration, her performance in the Entrance exams, she was given a blue robe instead of the lowest white robe.

When it was Hal's turn though, there was an obvious change in atmosphere that was warranted of one who was definitely and beyond doubt, the best of all Eighty-four who passed the Entrance exams.

While it was believed and known by many that his sponsor would claim him (the sponsor being Princess Tanya) a lot of those watching were still optimistic to see him given a Blue robe which would be the perfect time to swoop in and have the best be in their tutelage.

Alas, Hal was given a green robe as someone who had been claimed by Princess Tanya, who, while not being an Elder was still a distinguished figure in the academy.

So they turned their sights and hopes to the one second only to Hal Doxon, they turned their sights to Melinda Dane.

Melinda had a gold token and indeed was unclaimed.

Her sponsor, the one who had given her the token was her father Devon Dane and despite being a man of impressive status and a nickname that is known among the top echelons of the Haron continent, was not an Elder or a distinguished figure in the Academy.

However, Melinda was still given a green robe with Hal noticing the Orientation officers sharing a look as they presented her with the robe,

"Who claimed me?" Melinda asked.

"Someone whose wish to tutor you personally can not be ignored." Said an orientation officer.

"But I didn't get to choose. Or even get the chance to accept or decline" Melinda said, having guessed, like many watching, where this mysterious claim had come from.

"You have no choice in the matter" said another.

"Sure I do..." Melinda said as she dumped the green robe she had been given on the desk in front of the Orientation officers,

".... I decline"

Chapter 547 - So As Not To Embarrass Myself.

The Orientation officers blinked before they looked down at the green robe on their desk in disbelief before they looked back up at Melinda who was wearing a light frown,

"Excuse me?" One of the orientation officers said to which Melinda shrugged,

"You heard me. I decline. I mean we all have the rights to accept or decline claims." She said.

The other Orientation officer frowned while the one who had so far been the most vocal continued,

"Well, you don't have that right..." He looked ready to launch into an entire speech but was quickly interrupted by an urgent beep on the board that those watching were using to communicate with the Orientation Officers.

After the beep, the Orientation officers took a few seconds to read the message before they all looked up at Melinda while one of them addressed her,

"Come with me" he said.

Melinda furrowed her brows,

"To where?"

The Officer smirked,

"Where else? Of course, we're going to meet the one who claimed you personally. I wonder if you will be able to decline in their presence" he said as he led the way out of the hall under the assumption that Melinda would follow.

Melinda took a deep breath and then shrugged,

"Fine" she said and followed after the Orientation officer while one of the other officers remaining in the hall looked directly at Hal even though his words seemed to address everyone,

"The girl's presence is the only one required so you will all remain here as the orientation continues.

"Splendid" Hal said with a false smile that did not hide his curiosity of what was going to be discussed between Hal and the mysterious claimer.

Speaking of the mysterious claimer, he could quite accurately guess who it was as he felt there were likely only two individuals on the Haron continent who could cause such a hush-hush reaction in regards to the claiming of a new student...

... And only one of them had so far been shown to have an active part in the Academy...

...

"It's the Empress isn't it?" Melinda asked as she followed after the Orientation officer who paused briefly before walking on.

"That is information I cannot disclose" he said.

Melinda rolled her eyes,

"That's a yes. Honestly, why hide the fact that it's her when we are the only ones here?" Melinda asked.

The Orientation officer sighed,

"While I neither accept nor debt your guess, I have to point out to you, miss Dane that we are not alone" he said and gestured at the various walking students of the Royal Academy going about their business.

"None of them care about our conversation" Melinda said with a sigh.

"You might change such thoughts after you realize all eyes are on you miss" the Orientation officer said with barely a glance around them.

Indeed, when Melinda looked around, she noticed she was indeed getting looks from males and females alike.

The attention she knew could be very well credited to her beauty made even more attention-grabbing from behind (which was the view they mostly got) by her long calf-length silky black hair.

The Orientation officer continued,

"It will be better we keep quiet while in earshot of all students" he said as he led the way to a Teleportation circle which after a quick input of coordinates took him and Melinda away from the populated area to the very center of the Royal Academy.

Right next to a building that while not the tallest building in the Royal Academy and could very well go unnoticed in the midst of the general grandness of the Academy, Melinda could easily note had three floors.

The building had an isolated quality to it, it was away from all prying eyes, and a tad bit unassuming.

That was not to say it was not elegant because it was.

In fact, it looked to have been built to be simple and elegant.

At the very least, it was not to be overly eye-catching.

"This building is for the Principal and the Principal alone" the Orientation officer said as he allowed Melinda to take a few moments to take in the building in all its simplicity.

"One person makes use of a building with three floors?" Melinda found that a little hard to believe.

The orientation officer chuckled a bit before he said,

"Actually, yes. She needed the space for her books. This building used to hold dignified members of the Academy in the days before the Empress' administration but once she took over, things changed.

Or at least, that is what I have been told.

Many wondered how only she would make use of such a large building but as it turns out, she just wanted to turn the building into her personal library.

Apparently, her study was nowhere enough to hold all the books of knowledge she has.

The strange thing is, from what I've heard, she is on track to get even more.

I mean, how many books can one person read?

Even if she is over 5000 years old, there has to come to a point when enough is enough... Right?" At this point, the Orientation officer paused and looked over at Melinda as though to be sure she was following the conversation.

"Right what?" Melinda asked in confusion as she looked over at the Orientation officer for a second before returning her attention to the building as she said,

"So, she's waiting to speak to me in there?" It was a question whose answer was fairly obvious and Melinda was only asking to prompt the Orientation officer to get moving.

Not because she was not enjoying the gossip she was getting without asking but because she wanted to get the meeting over with.

The Orientation officer nodded his head as he guided Melinda to the building but then pausing at the entrance,

"Anyway, I absolutely admire the Empress and her mere presence in the Academy makes me feel safe but... Well, the books are just too much" he said.

There was a way he said it that told Melinda he was trying his best not to sound offensive because he knew the Empress could very well hear him.

However, since he had felt free enough to state his opinions, then this topic must be the sort of thing the Empress hardly regarded as anything other than a nuisance not worth her attention.

Then they finally went inside the building, heading towards a staircase that led to the second floor.

From the bit Melinda could see of the first floor, it had a lot of rooms and the second floor was no different.

She found it a bit surreal to think that all those rooms were filled with books.

If so, then Hal had grossly understated the Empress's love for knowledge acquisition.

The Orientation officer guided her to the third floor and a room that he opened and led her into.

The Empress was waiting for Melinda there, sitting behind a desk like she had when Hal had visited her in her Study in the Imperial Palace.

"I've brought her, your majesty" the orientation officer said.

The Empress looked up at him with a flat expression devoid of any emotion as she said,

"Very well, that will be all"

The Orientation officer bowed before backing away and out of the room. Leaving Melinda alone with the Empress whose expression changed the moment the door was closed.

Going from flat and void of emotions to smiling as she stood from her seat to walk around her desk towards Melinda who found the sudden change a little creepy.

"Your Majesty, are you okay?" She asked the Empress who was now only a foot or two away from her.

The Empress shrugged as she said,

"Of course I'm fine. It's just that while I did tell your little fiance not to let anyone know about this side of me, I feel he must still have told you the moment he got the chance.. So it was best to drop the act and not embarrass myself."

Chapter 548 - I Can Help You Nurture It.

Melinda smiled lightly as she asked,

"What if you were wrong and due to one reason or the other, Hal never told me about this side of you? Would you not have revealed it to me prematurely in that case?"

The Empress shrugged,

"Maybe... But was I wrong? Has Hal not already told you of our meeting?" She said.

Melinda shook her head,

"No, you are not wrong. He did tell me of your meeting with him and it is why I declined your claim."

The Empress' mouth widened in sudden understanding,

"Oh, I see. You feel I am trying to use you to get to him and you want to avoid that" she said to which Melinda cocked her head to the side a bit,

"In part yes. But mostly I just don't like the idea that the only reason I even got on your radar, the only reason you even consider claiming a new student who, not to brag, is definitely only second to one among all participants in the Royal Academy was a tad bit... Insulting" she said with a wrinkle of her brows.

The Empress waved her hand and a gentle force of Cosmic energy brought the two chairs in front of her desk closer to her and Melinda.

The chairs now faced each other and the Empress gestured towards the one close to Melinda,

"Do sit" she said and with a small nod Melinda sat down just as the Empress sat on the other.

The Empress then flicked her wrist and retrieved a stool from inside her Spatial ring and also retrieved a bottle of cultivational beverage with two goblets that she set on the stool.

She filled both goblets and handed one to Melinda who knew and understood the immense significance of having the Empress of the Haron continent personally serve her drinks.

"Continue" the Empress then gestured after a sip of her beverage and after a sip of hers during which she marveled at the almost explosive effect of the beverage on her cultivation, Melinda continued,

"First off, trying to get me to spill on Hal is a difficult task that had I not been worried about you actually trying, I would have bragged was impossible.

So what then, my importance is all tied to how much information I can reveal about my fiance?

Despite his philandering nature, I like to think of my relationship with Hal as a partnership. Not a partnership where I simply have no choice but to live only for his goals but a partnership where that is my choice.

A partnership where that is what I want.

A partnership where I do not lose my individuality.

If all I am good for is a gateway into his plans, a pawn to be used to get at him, then I lose that individuality and would rather not be claimed.

Secondly, the amount of attention being your protégée would garner would be much too annoying and restricting.

If everyone starts tiptoeing around me because I might have a connection with the Empress who is not only the second most powerful figure, both politically and also most probably cultivationally, then where is the challenge?

How will I better myself?" Melinda paused to show that this was a question she was hoping to get answered.

Then the Empress burst into laughter.

"Well, I'm glad my worries make you laugh. I wouldn't want to be taken seriously anyway" Melinda said with a sarcastic smile.

As she wiped a tear from the corner of her right eye, the Empress waved at Melinda as though to tell her to calm down.

Once the mirth was finally out of her system, the Empress began,

"Sorry, dear. Your worries are genuine and I am not mocking them. It's just that your statement of me being the strongest politically was so touching and completely wrong that I could not help but laugh."

"Wrong?" Melinda was a tad confused and then the Empress leaned forward,

"Being my protegee does not mean people will tiptoe around you. Actually, you will be the target of a lot of oppression. Academy rules prohibit me and any of the elders from taking direct part in student conflict.

Other than lecturing you and giving you impressive and effective ways to cultivate as well as impressive and effective ways to stand out among your generation, there is not much we do for you kids.

You earn your reputation yourself.

You fight for yourself.

And trust me, a lot of things in the Royal Academy are solved in altercations.

Only victors, only the strongest have the right to stand tall.

Now, it is a source of pride for all Elders when their protegee does well and as many of them have never liked my administration and would actually love to see me brought down, their protegees will most probably target you specifically.

If you wish to better yourself against worthy opponents, I doubt it will be hard to find competition.

If you don't believe me, you can ask two of my other students if you ever get the chance, they are my daughter Tanya and Elsa Evgeny.

Adversity was never far from the duo and was made even worse by their rivalry with each other.

Both chose to belong to different guilds so that they could constantly go against one another.

It's one of the reasons I have decided to only accept one student at a time.

Anyway,

It's hard to be at the top and as many beneath you will smile and admire you, just as many or maybe even more, will be devising plots to bring you down.

This is especially true in the Inner Court of the Imperial Palace.

However, I won't like to bore you with talks of politics and will much rather move right to soothing your first worry.

No, Melinda, I did not claim you to get at your little fiance.

My business with him is with him and with him alone.

Besides, what fun will it be to go through roundabout means to know him better when it will be more interesting to talk to him one on one?

No, I want to claim you because you have potential.

Because, like we Harons are said to be, you are blessed by the gods.

Although I suspect your blessing is both much truer and much more direct than ours."

Melinda assumed a confused expression,

"Blessed by the gods"

"By one god, in particular, I presume. Although considering the history of your Dane family, I think it is far more likely to be a goddess than a god"

Melinda opened her mouth to speak but the Empress interrupted,

"Oh, don't deny it. I can tell.

I can also help you nurture it.

My library is especially for such cases.

You are the perfect student for me Melinda and I for one would never be glad to force any woman into the shadow of any man.

Have I soothed your worries enough for you to reconsider my claim?" She asked.

"I believe you have" Melinda said with a light smile.

The Empress smiled before she downed the rest of the beverage inside her goblet as she said,

"Wonderful. I should warn you though that now that you are my student, Laziness will not be tolerated. I want to see you filled with zeal and passion for all I will teach you.

Also, I want to reiterate that I cannot interfere in student conflicts unless I absolutely have to. As such, I cannot stop anyone from challenging you to a duel or from annoying you so much they frustrate you throughout your time in the Academy.

For most of the time, you will be on your own like any other student.

The rules of interference are even more binding for me than other elders in the Academy"

Her words were clearly meant as warnings but the more she spoke, the more Melinda grinned.

At the end of it, the golden-eyed beauty held out her now refilled goblet to clink it with the Empress'

*Clink*

"I wouldn't have it any other way"

Chapter 549 - I Dare Say...

Three Days Later...

The Doxon Duchy

The Doxon Duchy palace...

The Doxon trio of Ivan, Artyom, and Elora was inside a small hut in the backyard of Ivan's residence in the Doxon Duchy palace.

(Ivan and Artyom are Hal's cousins born of his mother, Svetlana's brothers while Elora is a member of a Doxon branch family.)

"I just wish grandfather would shut up about that bastard" Artyom said in annoyance.

"Is it really surprising that he does not 'shut up about it?' I mean he had a front-row seat to Hal's amazing feats during the Royal Academy entrance exams. Not to mention the fact that he survived an assassination attempt that you two had commissioned.

It only stands to reason that he will brag about it to anyone who would hear once he returned" Elora said with a shrug as she took a sip of the cultinational wine she had in her hand.

The 'he' she was referring to was of course the Ex-duke of the Doxon Duchy, Kirill Doxon.

Artyom leaned downward with a look of mild shock on his face,

"'Amazing feats?'" He asked to be sure he had heard right.

Elora rolled her eyes,

"What? Are they not amazing feats? An enemy he might be but that does not make his accomplishment any less impressive. If anything, you should acknowledge the impressiveness of it all and then devise fitting countermeasures. That's rivalry 101" she said to which Artyom sneered,

"Rivalry? That little bastard isn't worth anything in my eyes. He's no rival of mine" he said.

Elora's mouth took an 'O' shape of understanding,

"Oh of course. He can't be your rival. He's rival to anyone who actually has a chance of becoming Duke of Doxon after the Duchess and we all know that it's not you."

Now the sneer turned into anger as Artyom rose to his feet,

"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked.

Elora acted as though she had not even noticed the outraged rise as she said,

"Just what I said. You can never become Duke"

She said it with a smirk of derision that only served to trigger Artyom further as he raged,

"I am perfectly qualified to rule the Doxon Duchy. The only reason Ivan is the face of our faction within the family is because I allow it" he said with his voice raised a tad.

However, almost as soon as the words left his lips, he paused and looked over at Ivan who now took an interest in the conversation despite having been silent since it began.

Ivan's eyes were narrowed as he said,

"'Because you allowed it?'"

Artyom gulped as he attempted to smile but it kept slipping off his face whenever he tried,

"It was a slip of tongue. Surely you can't take what I said in the heat of the moment seriously, can you?" He began and looked set to continue his attempts to appease Ivan when Elora cut in,

"Heat of the moment? Oh please, you were just saying what's been on your mind for so long. You were simply being true to yourself for the first time in forever" she said with a light smile as she went on to sip her beverage as though impervious to the tense atmosphere she had created,

"Is this true, Artyom? Have you really been dissatisfied at being second best?" Ivan asked, calm as he could be.

Artyom's eye twitched with dissatisfaction at being called second best so casually to his face but he swallowed his dissatisfaction as he said,

"Not at all. I like how things are."

"Then what was all that about 'Allowing me to be the face of our faction?'" Ivan asked.

Artyom sighed and chuckled awkwardly,

"As I said, it was a mistake. What I actually meant was that I am quite competent myself and I am qualified to be Duke. I'm just... Not as qualified as you are" he said.

Elora rolled her eyes,

"Oh, please! That's not what you meant. Grow some backbone man, tell Ivan what you've always said behind his back. Tell him how you think he's a disgrace to the Doxon family for pining after your grandfather's approval.

Tell him how you've never seen him as actually worthy of ruling the Duchy especially since being mopey is not a standard criterion for leadership"

Ivan took a deep breath as his anger seemed on the verge of blowing up while Artyom continued to look apologetic.

At least that was before Elora began the second round of her winding comments,

"You know what's funny? Artyom has a point" she said and the two men turned to her,

"I do?" Artyom asked,

"He does?" Ivan asked in annoyance.

To which Elora nodded her head with what was clearly meant to be a melancholic smile,

"Of course, he has a point. He is a capable young man. Had it not been because of the favor you have been showered all your life Ivan, you would not be able to laud your superiority over him because I dare say you would both be equal.

Even now had it not been because of your lightning blessing, I am sure he'll be able to take you.

But because he is an idiot who can't think for himself, Artyom has allowed himself to be turned into your lackey. An underappreciated lackey no less.

If only he could grow a pair, he would have put you in your place long ago" she said.

Almost as soon as she was done talking, only two feet away, a figure shimmered and turned visible.

Suddenly, it was not just the trio in the hut as they were joined by a young man, who despite having the eyes of a Doxon and their characteristic good looks could never be used as a comparison for any of them.

Anyone would look drab compared to him.

"I agree with you Elora and I feel obliged to add that Artyom's lack of ambitions could very well be the death of him." Hal said.

"What the... How the... When did you get here?!" Artyom stumbled with his words before finally posing his question.

A question Hal acknowledged with a mocking smile,

"Was the shimmer of dispersing invisibility too subtle for you? Of course, I've been here the whole time. I can here along with Elora but felt it would be rude to interfere in your conversation" he said.

He paused and let that sink in before he added,

"However, I felt it would be okay to be rude if it would allow me to get you to finally see reason. Why be a subordinate to Ivan who clearly has grandfather issues and wants to please said grandfather by proving he is better than me when you can simply compete with him for the title of Duke.

I mean, I have no interest in becoming Duke and even if I did, you will have a better chance killing Ivan than you would trying to injure me."

Ivan frowned deeply but his attention was focused on Elora and not Hal as he asked her,

"What is going on here? Why would you bring him here?" While he had no idea how Hal had evaded his senses, he had noted from the young man's words that Hal had come here with Elora and since Elora had not denied it, then it must have been true.

Sure enough, Elora shrugged with a grin,

"Is it not obvious. I'm on Hal's side.. He seems to have a lot of pain planned for you two while he has nothing but pleasure in store for me. I had a taste of it last night and I dare say, I'll kill you two myself if it meant I would get to feel it again"

Chapter 550 - Why Show Hostility?

The night before...

It had come as a bit of surprise or even shock when Elora entered her residence and despite having sensed around and being sure that there was no one else in there besides her, she soon found a smiling Hal sitting cross-legged in a chair she was sure had been empty just seconds before.

"Hi" the young man said.

Needless to say, she was startled as was evident by her leaping back a few steps but she quickly recovered with the appearance of a Five ring skill circle right in front of her, out of which thrust blue chains composed of Cosmic energy.

Hal sneered at the display and with barely a show of effort and his legs still crossed, he swatted the chains aside with his bare fist,

*Bam!*

Elora furrowed her brows but did not let the 'little' display deter her as she summoned more Skill circle rings that all began to revolve around her and threatened Hal with the emergence of even more chains moving even faster and being even more deadly than the ones he had just swatted aside,

"I have no idea how you got in here, but I sure as well will know how you get out!" She said in a menacing tone that was devoid of coquettish behavior.

"You're being way too hostile. All I did was sneak into your residence and say 'Hi'" Hal said with his less still comfortably crossed.

Elora's upper lips twitched as she took on a battle stance which two of her chains that looked to be completely focused on attack seemed to follow and point at Hal as she said,

"Surely you should know that entering a lady's room without invitation and with such nefarious intentions like I am sure you have, is not to be met with anything but hostility"

Hal chuckled,

"There it is, the Double standards"

"What double standards?" Elora asked in confusion.

Hal shrugged,

"Just because I am male, you assume I have nefarious plans" he said.

"Don't you?" Elora asked and Hal paused before he said,

"That is beside the point. If it was a lady sitting here like I am, will you show the same level of hostility?"

Elora nodded with an expression that said the answer to that question should have been obvious,

"Of course, I'll show the same level of hostility. This has nothing to do with gender. No one sneaks into someone's residence as you have without an agenda. For all I know, she (the hypothetical lady) is here to kill me or even more likely, take advantage of me. I'm a very desirable lady after all" she said.

Hal eyed her from head to toe and back with his eyes highlighting her wonderful curves as he said,

"You sure are"

Elora ignored the look and the comment and tried to reject the fact that she actually felt commended instead of being annoyed or irritated,

"What? If you were in my shoes and a lady entered your residence uninvited, you wouldn't show her hostility?" She asked Hal who raised a brow before saying,

"We're getting off track"

"You're avoiding the question" Elora said,

Hal shrugged,

"I'm not" he said.

Elora relaxed her stance a bit before she said,

"Then answer the question"

"Alright then, I might not show hostility..." Hal began and Elora interrupted with a chuckle,

"You're a fool"

Hal acted as though she had not spoken and continued with his unfinished statement,

"... Not showing hostility does not mean I won't be alert. I mean, take this situation for example; I've been smiling with you while you look ready to skewer me with your chains, and yet I already know of the trap that is ready to activate right under this chair I'm seated on"

*Bang!*

Almost as soon as he was done talking, there was an explosive sound as a circle ring appeared suddenly under Hal and quickly bound him to the chair. Holding him tightly before then wrapping around him until he looked to have been trapped in a cocoon of chains.

Despite what looked to be a successful implementation of her inlaid chain traps in the room that took longer to activate as she hoped to catch Hal off-guard, Elora was not happy as was evident by the lack of a smile on her face,

"How did you know?" She asked Hal whose smile remained unchanged despite the cocoon bind,

Hal sighed,

"I know a thing or two about traps. You seemed much too interested in talking with me than in actually attacking me with the chains you had already summoned around yourself. Almost as though you were buying time for the accumulation of enough Cosmic energy and enough time to pass the energy to the trap without tipping me off.

Of course subtle as it was, I still sensed a bit of the energy and that is why I became sure of what had, up until that time, been a suspicion"

As he spoke, a bright royal blue glow shone beneath the chains and with a loud sound that sought to compete and win against the sounds of the chains' activation, Hal released enough force to break them all apart.

*BANG!*

It was so loud that Hal was glad he had already cast noise-canceling runes to avoid any interruptions which, considering what he was planning to do, were all unwanted.

The resulting force caused Elora to slide a few steps back but remained standing as she sent her chains at Hal who had now summoned his Cosmic Armament to swat them aside.

As he did so, he walked closer to Elora who now looked to be totally in battle mode as was evident by the increased ferocity of her chain attacks and those Hal could not swat aside on account of them being sneaky and many, he dodged with impressive displays of agility and insane reflexes.

*Bam*

*Bam!*

*Bang*

She was damaging a bit of her furniture in the process but Elora did not care. The defeating of Hal was much more prevalent than the damage of her chairs and desks.

She noted that Hal was taking this limited-space battle of theirs with levity and made to take advantage of that.

Indeed, every glimpse of Hal's face she got was the young man grinning with amusement as he swatted and avoided her chains without ever going on the offensive.

Elora smiled as she seemed to have finally cornered her opponent and made to deliver a crippling blow when she felt Hal grab her shoulder from behind and speak softly into her ear,

"Not showing hostility does not mean I don't know what I'm doing" he said as the 'Hal' Elora had been attempting to cripple waved at her with curious Dark eyes before dispersing like an illusion.

The Doxon lady made to leap away from Hal but found herself unable to.

Indeed, Hal's hand on her shoulder was causing her to feel so good that her legs were shaking with the pleasured tingling that was running down her spine,

"Mmngh" she tried and failed to stop the moan that leaked out of her lips while she struggled with the feeling of having all her defenses stripped down.

A feeling that was further emphasized with the disabling of all her skill circles.

Almost as though her mind could not handle keeping the skills active and submitting to the pleasured feel of Hal's hand on her shoulder at the same time and thus decided to focus on only one of the two.

Hal chuckled lightly as he said,

"Besides, why show hostility when there are much more fun ways to deal with you?"