Chapter 125: The misunderstanding

「... And that concludes my report.」stated Mu. 

「How dare you agree to them bringing a Hyakki Yagyo Vice Captain to Wei Shimin sama's place?」Hou Yi thundered, slamming his hand emphatically onto the cold marble table before him, his anger palpable.

「He explicitly instructed us to employ any means and concessions necessary to bring the princess to him, unharmed」Mu retorted, shrugging nonchalantly as he calmly reminded the General.

「No, you've done well.」Beyond the projected screen sat the Supreme Commander of the Southern Subjugation Army on his levitating golden throne. As he occupied his royal seat, two sculpted dragon heads served as formidable armrests, their cold, metallic eyes mirroring the absolute authority of the second prince of the Yin empire. These fearsome dragon guardians seemed to coil protectively around the throne, their serpentine forms capturing the essence of power and dominance. The fearsome man appeared as stoic as ever, with his posture exuded regal poise, each movement deliberate and commanding. His gaze, sharp and piercing, surveyed the surroundings with a sense of authority that demanded immediate respect.「It is more important for us to get the princess than to worry about trivial matters such as a Hyakki Yagyo member… What about the hybrid who just took the title of the 13th Captain? He's not coming?」

「No, he's the son of Kailos, the head of the Yves House. I highly doubt his dad would jeopardize his son's life by escorting her into the lion's den. Not after they have just reunited.」

「Nevertheless, we must remain vigilant about those accompanying the girl.」Reminded Hou Yi.「This meeting presents one of the best opportunities for them to target Wei Shimin-sama directly.」

「Naturally.」Mu agreed. 

「You worry too much, Hou Yi. Those flies can never reach me.」Wei Shimin dismissed his right hand man's concern. 「What matters the most is that we will obtain Yue and by using her as a leverage, we will be able to recruit that person to our side. That would mean us receiving the support of another Heavenly General while my brother losing his. Two birds with one stone.」

「You speak as if you have already pacified Monas Kye, Wei Shimin… sama」Mu spoke up. 「May I remind you as long as Monas Kye is still fighting us, we will not have the leisure of both continuing campaigning here while clashing against the Imperial Authority of your brother, the Emperor. Only when Monas Kye, a legendary territory that has not been conquered by any outside forces, completely crushed by you, would you be able to possibly claim the Mandate of Heaven and rebel against the emperor.」

「Of course I understand that, Mu.」Wei Shimin leaned forward, his hands pressed against one another.「Almost all Monas Kye has fallen into our hands, with only mere pockets of resistance and the weak, peaceful fringe of the Southernmost territory still has not been subjugated. The complete annexation of Monas Kye would only be a matter of time.」

「Alsen, the most powerful stronghold of the Grasslanders, is still there. On top of that, they have finally elected a King to lead them. The last time the Grasslanders got their King, they were able to push back the Crusaders completely off their land, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Underestimating them might not bode well for you.」

「...」Wei Shimin remained silent. He was a proud man who placed confidence in his scheme and power, but he wasn't an arrogant fool. Even though the chance of Alsen claiming the final triumph in this war was low, Wei Shimin understood it was never zero. 「You said their new King is Wylan?」

「Yes.」

「They've elected a very capable man, indeed. It'd be better for us if they had crowned Kailos, a man blinded by grief, or Ectharen, a beast blinded by rage. But Wylan… he is shrewd and calculating, a man perfect for the job.」Hou Yi noted.

「... But that doesn't matter. Alsen will soon fall even if we don't lift a finger.」Wei Shimin declared before turning to the General.「Have you finished doing what I asked of you, Hou Yi?」

「Of course, Wei Shimin sama. We have gathered more than 50000 prisoners of war: those too weak, too old, and too young for us to enslave or put into forced labor camps.」

「Good.」

「... What… are you planning?」Mu asked. The chimera was taken aback from the order, given how 50k people are not a small number. 

「The reason why the presence of a Monas Kye King would prove so threatening is because he can unite the fragmented Grasslanders into a dangerous, cohesive force. But before those demihumans of Monas Kye can gather and coalesce around their newly crowned King to find a ray of hope, I will make them realize their King is powerless. I will make sure to show them their so-called King cares not for the people of Monas Kye but his own Clan. Cracks will appear within their coalition of different Clans and sooner or later, the authority of this so-called "king" will evaporate.」

「Say, Mu, if you're in Wylan's shoe, what would you do if 50k refugees come to your besieged city to seek shelter?」

「I… wait, you don't mean.」

「Exactly. Despite entering a truce, we did not promise to withdraw our troops or the territory we control. That means that Alsen is practically still being besieged by all sides. How much food do you think they have stored in the city? The city has a population of less than 40k people, if suddenly 50k people come to the city, begging the supposed King of the Grassland to help them, what would the king do? Turn them away? That's what I would do, since for sure they will not have enough food, water, and space to take care of 50k dependents. But if that's the case, the supposed "King of the Grasslanders," would lose all of his legitimacy for he had decided to forsake his own people. He will never be able to unify Monas Kye inhabitants… or at least the remaining inhabitants, under his command, and if he can't do that, then he poses no threat to us. Now, if he takes them in and we continue to place the embargo them, then his demise and the demise of Alsen, would come even sooner, for the 50k people he takes in would act as a locust plague that consumes Alsen from the inside.」

「... So, regardless, the last stronghold of Monas Kye will fall.」

「Exactly.」Wei Shimin smiled.

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「Let's see… Hmm… Maia said she needs some eggs」Ren turned to the small shop at the corner of the crowded market.「Half a dozen should probably be enough.」As Ren navigated the labyrinthine alleys of the crowded market, the air was thick with the scent of sizzling street food and the constant hum of bartering. The small shop at the corner beckoned, its display adorned with baskets of fresh produce and crates of eggs precariously stacked. As Ren approached, he noticed rows of refugees huddled on the edges, their weary eyes seemed to tell stories of displacement and hardship. As expected, the members of the Three Great Houses were already there to help distribute food and medicines, but given the sheer amount of people they had to take care of, their efforts seemed to be nothing but a drop in the bucket. Given Alsen is the last bastion in Monas Kye the Grasslanders still have control over, it makes sense why they keep taking refuge here. But… At this rate, with so many people assembled in one place, sanitation will become a problem. No, I guess that'd be the least of our problems. Keeping public order and the people well-fed would be the most pressing concern, Ren thought to himself.

「Aw, Ren-chan, you have not even gotten half of the items I asked.」Maia, holding a bag full of produce, appeared behind the elf as he asked the shopkeeper for the eggs he was tasked to buy.

「Huh, Maia?」Ren looked down at the full bag she was holding.「How can you be done with your shopping already?」

「And how can you not be done with yours? I only asked you to buy like 4 items, Ren-chan.」Maia pouted.

「Give me a break, Maia. It's hard to navigate these market streets. It's like a maze. It took me like 10 minutes to figure out where I can buy the flour.」complained Ren.「Besides, I never had to personally go buy things at a market like this.」

「You're right. I forgot you're a pampered prince sometimes.」Maia teased.「Do you also have attendants to get you things when you were High Shaman at the Vernys forest, Ren-chan?」

「Yeah, so what?」Ren blushed red with embarrassment.

「Well, we're Kibadios' servants now. You just gotta learn how to do these chores.」Smiled Maia.

「I know, I know.」Nodded Ren.「That's why I'm here to help you, am I not? After all, I do feel bad if I let you do all of the chores by yourself.」

「Well, I guess there's a learning curve for everything. But I expect you to get at least half the items on the list within 10 minutes the next time we're shopping.」

「Fine, fine. Once I get used to the layout of this place, it shouldn't take that long.」

「Maia nee-chan!!!」A kid suddenly hugged the Alchemist from behind, interrupting their chat.

「Ah, Tina-chan!! How are you doing now?」Maia patted the grinning girl's head.「What are you doing here? Where's your dad?」

「I'm doing great, Maia nee-chan!!」

「And I'm right behind her, Maia dono.」Kuron emerged from the crowd.「Fancy running into you here and sorry if Tina startled you. You shouldn't suddenly tackle people like that, Tina.」

「But that wasn't a tackle. I was only hugging Maia nee-chan!」argued the girl with her dad before turning around.「What are you getting?」

「Oh, Ren-chan just helped me to get some eggs. Since Kibadios sama is going to leave for a while, we thought we can make his favorite dessert: a flan!」

「What's flan? Wait, Kibadios sama is also leaving? My dad is going to leave for a while too, right, dad?」Tina asked her father.

「Yeah, I have something important to do. But Tina will be fine staying with Wylan nii-chan, right?」Kuron smiled tenderly at his daughter.

「Of course, I'm a big girl!」The kid pumped her chest.

「Yeah, Kibadios sama will leave with your dad to work on an important mission. If you're feeling sad while your dad's away, you can always come to play with me.」Maia reassured the girl.

「Really?」

「Of course. And I can teach you how to make a flan too. Apparently, it's a special, delicious type of dessert that Kibadios sama taught me how to make before. It's soft, sweet, and melt in your mouth as you take a bite.」

「Really???」Tina's eyes brightened.「Are you going to make the flan for Kibadios sama now? Can I come and help? I really want to make Kibadios sama something to thank him for helping me and my dad!」

「Of course! Let's surprise Kibadios sama, okay?」

「Yay!」The girl happily shouted. 「Wait, Maia nee chan, You said Kibadios sama taught you to make this Flan thing? Is he good at cooking?」

「Huh… Ehtoo…」Maia looked puzzled, then look back to Ren, who simply shrugged.「Actually, I don't know. It's a mystery. Master seems to know how to make everything. He even taught me new, exotic recipes. But I have never seen him personally cook anything… Aaah, I guess I would give anything just to eat something he cooks.」

「Maybe he can't cook. That's okay! My dad can't cook, either. Anything he touched turned into black charcoal in the end!」

「Is that so?」laughed Maia.

「... Kuron…」Walking behind the two, Ren finally broke the silence as he turned to the Yves. 「Maybe you shouldn't leave Tina like this, especially given how dangerous this mission may turn out. After all, Tina needs her dad.」

「...」The Yves remained silent for a moment.「Thank you for your concern, Ren dono. But because I know how important and dangerous this mission is, that's why I volunteered. If we succeed in killing Wei Shimin and destroying the Yinese forces, then Tina will finally get to experience peace and true happiness. For her to keep smiling, I gotta contribute whatever I can in order to win back our peaceful life… Even if anything happens to me, as long as she can live, play, and laugh without having to fear for her life, I'm already content. One day, she will understand my choice.」

「... I understand. Sorry, I spoke out of line.」

「Not at all, Ren dono. I just hope you and others can keep Tina company while I'm gone.」

「Will do.」

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「Nii san… Nii san…. Nii san!」Wylan called out to his brother, who was intensely looking at the various gems displayed on the shelves. 

「Ah, Wylan, what do you need?」Gyo turned to his younger brother, who has been trying to get his attention to no avail. 

「More like, what do YOU need?」The Yves Head concernedly asked.「You've been spacing out while looking at these gems for a while. Are you thinking about your upcoming union with Kibadios sama? Are you against the idea? Is that why you've been so absent minded today? And what are we even doing here, in this shop?」The Yves fired questions after questions at his brother.「You know, if you really don't want to join Kibadios sama's group, maybe we can ask him if it's fine for you not to be the Yves representative in his harem.」

「What? No!!!」

「Huh?」Even Wylan was surprised at his brother's vehement declination.

「I mean… Maybe I don't look like it, but I'm really excited to serve the Young Lord.」admitted Gyo. 

「Really?」

「Yes… You see, I've always admired his confident manner since the first day he appeared before us. Or how despite the danger, he still fiercely argued that he should be the one who take on Wei Shimin, simply because it's his duty to do so. And just these last two days, I've also come to admire how he shouldered the fate of not only Monas Kye, but the world all on his own… I just want to be by his side to share his burden. Just like you said, Wylan, it's an honor for me to serve him. I just hope I'm good enough.」Explained Gyo. The mutant Yves paused for a moment, his face getting slightly red.「Besides, during the time we're in the dungeon… I… I'd be ashamed to admit, but after witnessing the Young Lord and Uri dono's… you know…nightly activity… I can't help but imagine myself in Uri dono's place.」

「... Is… is that so?」Even the usually serious Wylan was now also blushing. He would have never guessed there would be a day when his brother, who has always been devoting himself into smithing ever since he was picked up by the House of the Horns, would one day be fantasizing about satisfying his carnal desires.「But, why are we here?」

「I want to craft for the Young Lord something as my dowry to him. Maybe a vambrace? I'm looking for nice looking gems to put on them.」

「I see… Wait, if it's dowry, then we, the House of the Eyes, should prepare it.」

「Did you forget, Wylan, I've not been a member of the House for a long time. The elders probably don't want to have anything to do with me.」

「Who cares about those stupid elders!」argued Wylan.

「You're the Head of the House, Wylan.」Gyo, a large grin crossed his face, patted his brother's head.「You shouldn't say something disrespectful like that to your elders. Truth to be told, I don't care if I'm not part of the House. Just as long as I still have you, then I'm fine.」

「Nii san!!!」

「Besides, me making the dowry myself would make it more meaningful, right?」Gyo's eyes finally rested on the perfect gems.「What about these amethysts? They share the Young Lord's hair color.」

「I'm sure Kibadios sama will be happy with whatever you choose, Nii san.」smiled Wylan.

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Having just finished with another round of exploration within the dungeon, Kibadios was certainly not in a very good mood. The initial excitement and anticipation he harbored for reaching the 100th floor had dwindled into a murky dissatisfaction. As he ascended beyond the 60th floor, the dungeon's challenges morphed into an exponential crescendo, leaving him to ponder if the first 60 floors had merely served as a preliminary trial.

Despite having Ryuu, Yue, and Uri accompanying him, the group encountered formidable impediments while navigating through the labyrinthine corridors of the 63rd and 64th floors. After a grueling four hours, Kibadios finally set foot on the 65th floor, only to be greeted by familiar faces from the Hyakki Yagyo: Erik, Amaira, and Baxley. The trio had dedicated themselves to exploring the dungeon since the previous evening, even going so far as to camp on the 50th floor overnight. Kibadios decided to join forces with the trio as they ventured onward, progressing through the challenges presented by the 66th floor. Two hours of relentless combat ensued, the group confronting high level monsters that tested the limits of their skills. Amidst the struggle, Kibadios took the opportunity to strategize with the trio regarding his plan to deliver a triumphant victory for Alsen in their battle against the Empire, outlining a plan for the trio to conduct "guerrilla warfare" against the entrenched Yinese Forces by attacking their supply routes. In this clandestine operation, Erik expressed confidence that it would be a cakewalk for his team.

「Do not try to engage them directly.」warned Kibadios.「Always prioritize your lives and withdraw if you ever face with large number of Yinese troops.」

「Aw, I never would have imagined you to be such a worrywart, Boss.」Amaira playfully teased her new Boss.「Don't you worry! Even if there are a thousands Yinese troops, the three of us can take them on, right, Erik?」

「Depends on who we're facing. If they're general class troops, I doubt we can deal with more than 10 of them at a time.」Erik, adopting a logical stance, responded.

「Come on! Can you at least agree with me to make us sound cool?」complained Amaira.

「Now now, Amaira chan.」Baxley held back the angry mutant leopard beastman.「Erik was just saying what he thinks.」

「Hmm, Let's get one thing straight here, I'm not really worried about you guys.」smirked Kibadios.「If I lose one of you guys to those no name soldiers, then it just means I lost one of my useful tools to use in this war. Instead of dying, I'd like to put you guys to better use.」

「「... Wow, boss…」」Both the giant and beastman commented.

「Hm, I think now I know why Ashura sama took a liking to you. That statement right there would be exactly what he would say to us. You two are basically two peas in a pod. No wonder why he made you our Captain.」Erik shook his head. 

「Ha, really? Say, Erik, now that I'm your boss, do you regret not trying harder to kill me back then during our clash?」grinned Kibadios.

「You kid, boss. I was totally outclassed back then, wasn't I? Do you regret not killing me on that night cuz now you have to work with me?」Asked Erik.

「Nah, the more tools I have, the better.」Teased Kibadios.

「Ha, one of these days, maybe one of your tools will challenge you for the title of captain, boss.」Erik glared back, sparks flying between the two's gazes.

「Ooohhh, cool! When that time comes, can I be the referee?」Amaira, fascinated by the dynamic, eagerly suggested.

「Now now now, we still have the Yin Empire to deal with. Now's not the time to fight among one another.」The giant tried to break the friendly tension between his teammates.

「You know what? Once we crush the Yinese forces, I'll give you a chance to take the title of Captain from me.」Promised Kibadios.

「 "Once we crush the Yinese"? If anything, I like your confidence, Kibadios… sama」Erik, amused by Kibadios's confidence, smiled and agreed,「You have a deal!」

「Hah? Just give up. There's no chance you can best our Master in a fight.」Ryuu waved his hand. 

「You would never know until you actually try, right?」Erik looked at the hybrid. 「Boss?」

「Exactly!」agreed Kibadios.「Oh, by the way, do you know where's your Big Boss?」

「Ashura sama? I think he's ahead of us. He said he wants to be the first one to conquer this dungeon so I guess he should be at least on the 90s floor by now.」

「I see.」

Embarking on the second exploration of the dungeon, or technically the third, if one took into account the trial, Kibadios uncovered the intricacies of its design—crafted by Faye and his master to mimic a game. With each ascent to a new floor, a "save point" materialized, ensuring that upon returning the next day, one would be seamlessly transported to the last floor explored. This gaming feature proved particularly advantageous for the hybrid, sparing him the tedious necessity of starting from the first floor each time. The group invested another hour and a half to ascend to the 67th floor before deciding to retrace their steps, mindful of the encroaching lateness of the day. Despite Kibadios's initial intent to catch up with Ashura, the ticking clock led him to estimate that another day might be required to bridge the gap. 

Thanks to Rowan casting a barrier before Kibadios got in the dungeon, as he returned, again, the hybrid found that only two hours had passed on the outside world. This time, as proof of his growth, Rowan was able to maintain the barrier continuously for 1 and a half hours, almost three times longer than he had the day before. 

「I know you can do this, Rowan chan.」Kibadios patted the healer's head as a reward for this extreme effort.

「I will try my best again to make it last longer, Master!!」Eager to exceed his Master's expectations, Rowan declared with enthusiasm.

「Wow, just like Ashura sama said. That Rowan can really mess with the time we experienced inside the dungeon.」Amaira remarked. 

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「Hmmm…. What is my adorable future harem member doing in a jewelry shop?」Kibadios asked as he hid on the pavement opposite the shop and discreetly spied on the two Yves brothers. On the way back, he had noticed Gyo and Wylan on the street but before he could call out to them, they had already entered a shop in a hurry. The owner, of course, was welcoming and greeting Wylan with open arms, given how they had all believed he was their King. Not one of the shopkeepers would interact with Gyo, though. Kibadios reckoned it was because they were discriminating against Yves since he was a mutant, but it did not seem to bother the older brother that much, since he kept intensely studying the collections of gems in front of him. 

「I wonder what they are saying about?」Rowan asked.

「This is a jewelry shop, right? Is Gyo buying gift for someone?」

「Who's that guy?」Erik asked.

「He's Master's… I don't know…」Ryuu struggled to find a word to describe the relationship. He was thinking of "betrothed" or "fiance," but those implied the person would have an equal standing to his Master, which Ryuu quickly dismissed, since to him, they were nothing but his Master's servants.「He'll be part of Master's harem soon.」

「Huh? Soon?」

「It's a "tradition" thing.」Uri smiled. Of course, he did not elaborate further since doing so would reveal Kibadios to be the true King of Monas Kye instead of Wylan.

「"Tradition" thing… Part of the Boss's harem…. "Tradition" thing…」A lightbulb clicked inside Amaira's head. Putting on detective attire with a cigar pipe, the girl embraced her newfound cosplaying role.「Let me guess, because he was already a servant of the House of the Horns, he was ordered by Kailos dono to join the Boss' harem to take care of the Boss. He had no say in the matter, am I right?」

「「Huh? That's not quite… right…」」Ryuu, Uri, and Rowan simultaneously answered. 

「... Close enough…」Kibadios, though, agreed with the assessment.「Because technically, I was the one who proposed for him to join my harem. Maybe he does feel forced to just obey my wish because he did not want to upset me or my dad, whose family had taken him in and raised him since he was a kid?」

「Tsk tsk tsk, Boss, you know what you did?」Amaira clicked her tongue while shaking her head.

「No?... Yes?... Maybe?」Kibadios was unsure of what the girl meant.

「You see, I bet 10 copper coins that he already had a girlfriend!」Amaira confidently unveiled her deduction.

「「What?」」Ryuu and Rowan exclaimed in disbelief. 

「Yes. But because he felt obligated to join the Boss' harem, he did not object to your proposal. But that means he has to break things off with his girlfriend, and that's why he's here, in this jewelry shop, trying to find the perfect parting gift for the girl!」Amaira confidently deduced.

「That's… possible?」Kibadios, intrigued, turned to observe Gyo once again, musing.

「Wow, that's a shoujo plot right there!!!」From behind the group, Reuk, along with Haden, suddenly appeared.「You… Amaira, am I right? Do you want to collab with me to write a shoujo manga?」

「The heck is a manga?」Amaira raised her eyebrows.

「...」Standing on the side, Erik seemed unimpressed, as if he also had to deal with Amaira's rather imaginative mind for many times that he was almost certain none of what she deduced was correct.

「Master, where are you going?」Rowan called out to the hybrid as he realized Kibadios had decided to walk away.

「Back home? Gyo'll be visiting us later tonight, right? We can always ask him then and if what Amaira said was right, then maybe we can call this whole things off.」

「But why? It's a privilege for Gyo to serve you, Kibadios sama!」Ryuu argued.

「「Huh?」」Rowan and Reuk looked at one another. The two people who have known Kibadios for the longest were rather surprised at how much the hybrid has changed. After all, there were time when Kibadios would not care whether Gyo had a girlfriend or not. He would have taken Gyo's willing consent as his final answer and pinned him down to consummate the relationship right then and there. After all, that exact scenario had happened to Rowan himself. The transformation in Kibadios's attitude, from one that would coldly assert his dominance to one being considerate to others' feelings, left them astonished.