Chapter 130: The reunion
In front of their eyes, nestled in the middle of a floating island, shrouded in layers of fading clouds, stood the enormous oriental fortress. The trees swayed gently, their lush canopies whispering secrets of centuries past, while a crystalline waterfall cascaded down moss-covered rocks. Against this backdrop of nature's majesty, the fortress rose, adorned with countless crimson lanterns that danced with every passing breeze, casting warm hues upon the intricate lattice work of its ancient architecture. In front of the fortress were two equally giant jade lions statues, weathered by time yet resolute in their duty, stood as sentinels before the imposing gate of the fortress. From the airship landing area at the edge of the floating island, a neatly paved road wound its way through the lush foliage, a slender ribbon of stone guiding travelers toward the fortress's imposing gate like a silent beckoning. Along its edges, lanterns flickered, their gentle glow illuminating the path with an otherworldly allure. On either side were the servants, draped in silk garments, standing in silent reverence along the path leading to the fortress gate. The men wore flowing robes of deep indigo or rich crimson, adorned with intricate embroidery. Their trousers were loose and comfortable, allowing for ease of movement as they attended to their duties. Completing their attire were ornate sashes tied around their waists, symbolizing status and dignity. Meanwhile, the women's attire mirrored the grace and elegance of the surroundings, with dresses of silk in hues of emerald, sapphire, and amethyst. These robes cascaded in gentle folds, whispering secrets of ancient craftsmanship and timeless beauty. Elaborate floral motifs adorned the fabric, their delicate embroidery shimmering in the dappled sunlight. Over their dresses, they wore lightweight jackets with wide sleeves, offering both warmth and freedom of movement. Their hair was styled in intricate knots and adorned with ornamental hairpins, each one a work of art in its own right.
「Wow… Who could have thought!」Whistled Uri, his head leaned back on his hands.
「What am I looking at?」Gyo was utterly captivated by the spectacle before him.
「How is this possible?」Kuron chimed in.
「A flying fortress?」Falkor squinted, attempting to make sense of the mind-boggling scene unfolding before his eyes.
「That enormous entity… It's neither born from magic nor Runecraft.」Although Yue's eyes could not visibly observe the majestic floating fortress, her mastery of other sensory skills did allow her to detect the wonder that captivated the attention of her 4 other companions as they were enjoying the gentle caress of the winds on the airship's deck.
「Yue chan, you're also feeling it?」Maia asked. She had left Kibadios behind to come by Yue's side after she had noticed the flying fortress, only to find her companions were all captivated by it, much like her and her Master. Yue simply nodded since she, too, was speechless.
「...Exactly.」Mu stepped up from behind them.「Welcome to Wei Shimin's lair. The "mothership" that he personally brought into existence using his ever-lasting
「「「Did you say ever-lasting
「What is an ever-lasting
「Normally, you have to activate your
「Ho…」From the dark corner of the airship, with his
「Ha, As if. No matter how strong you think this Wei Shimin is, he cannot be compared against Adeus the Anomaly. Though, given the feat in front of my eyes, I have to admit, he may be close.」Ayer snickered. 「If he can control this floating piece of land with the fortress built on top of it, most likely it's some sort of psychokinesis
「You Astral don't have intelligence on him?」
「...」
「I command you to answer me as your Master, Ayer.」
「Tsk, maybe we do.」Ayer responded with irritation.「But it's not my job to keep track of all these small fries.」
「Even if one day, one of these small fries may turn into another Anathema to your kind. I'm pretty sure I was once a small fry in your eyes.」smirked Kibadios.「Anyways, Ayer, come with me. We'll infiltrate that land and check whether if my mother is still there.」
「...Why do you care so much for that woman? You knew her less than a week.」
「Yet, she's still my mother and I owe my life to her.」Kibadios glanced at the enslaved Astral. 「I thought you, of all people, would know how it feels.」
「...」
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As the ship landed and Mu led the group down the ship's staircase, Yue and the other found a group of officials dutifully awaiting her arrival. The men bowed deeply as she stepped off the ship, before one of them finally spoke.
「It is my honor to welcome you, Princess Yue of the Yue Kingdom, to The Celestial Island, residence of the Great Wei Shimin sama, Lord Magistrate of the Yongxi Province, Lord Commander of the Southern Subjugation Army, and Prince of the Yin Empire.」
「I see that your Lord is not here. Does he think that this greeting ceremony is beneath him?」The former princess coldly inquired as if she was admonishing the official. There was a frigid edge to her inquiry, a stark departure from her usual demeanor of grace and diplomacy. Her eyes, once soft with understanding, now flashed with a steely resolve as she confronted the official with her accusation.
The old man's eyebrows twitched, for in his eyes, she was merely a hostage, no one but a royal member family from a vanquished kingdom. Yet, as a seasoned diplomat, he simply brushed off her accusation. 「Of course not, Yue sama. But my Lord is a busy man so he could not make time for this occasion. Please get rested for today, Princess and tomorrow, my Lord would grace you with his presence during the banquet that we have prepared.」
「... and I shall grace him with mine.」Yue retorted as she coldly walked past the old man, followed by Maia and the rest of the group.
「...Tsk… What an arrogant girl.」The old man muttered under his breath as he looked at her from behind.
「Are you alright, Yue chan?」whispered Maia to the pink haired elven girl.
「... Yes, I'm fine, Maia chan… It's just… seeing these Yin Empire's emblems stirred up some emotion deep within me.」
「I know what you mean, Princess.」Gyo nodded.「For us, these flags represented nothing but hatred and aggression.」
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「You're not going to go down there and greet the Princess, Wei Shimin… sama?」The figure asked.
「No.」The Lord Commander confirmed as he glared down at the airship from the high tower's window.「You don't understand. If I were one of those Grasslanders, this greeting would be the easiest way for them to assassinate me. Until I can study and assess the danger those who travel with the princess possess, it's better for me to not appear directly in front of them to minimize the risk that they would have posed to me. 」
「I didn't think you're just a coward, Wei Shimin… sama.」The figure grinned.
「Coward? That's fine if that's how you think. I merely think of it as taking precautionary measurements. That's why I survived hundreds of assassination attempts on my life.」
「Has it been hundreds already? Your brother is really relentless, huh?」
「... That thing… is not my brother.」frowned Wei Shimin.「... Well, it doesn't matter. Soon enough, I will gain enough power to challenge that thing… the climatic battle is approaching. How's the preparation?」
「Five days. It will be ready in 5 days.」
「Good.」
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「Master, please be careful!」Maia's voice rang with concern as she called out to the hybrid. Upon reaching their temporary residence, a modest pavilion adjacent to the fortress, they discovered the hybrid had already arrived and awaited their arrival. After ensuring the group had settled down, he decided to bid them farewell momentarily, intent on exploring the vast fortress where his mother likely languished in captivity.
「I'm always being careful, Maia chan.」reassured Kibadios with a smile.「All I need are your goodbye kisses.」
「You sure you don't want us to come with you, Kiba chan?」Uri asked.
「Nope. Just stay here and ensure Yue chan's safety. I've already brought the trump card with me, right Ayer?」The hybrid stuck out his chin, awaiting his kisses, which Maia, Yue, Uri and Gyo eagerly offered him.
「Tsk, just let's go already.」Ayer angrily responded, knowing that he could not have refused Kibadios' command.
「Tsk, you're such a demanding slave.」The hybrid grinned.
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It did not take long for the silence to be dispelled as Kibadios and Ayer stealthily leapt through the dark corridors of the oriental fortress, skillfully avoiding the vigilant guards stationed along the way. 「... Those interactions… they truly are genuine?」Ayer hesitantly asked.
「What interactions?」
「The way you treat your so-called harem.」Ayer clarified.
「What do you think?」
「...」
「To me, they're really my precious treasures…」admitted Kibadios.「There were time when I treated them as nothing but my slaves, a means for me to relieve my pent up sexual frustration as an incubus hybrid… I know this is cliche to say, but they changed me. They gave me the motivation to fight, not only for revenge but to preserve… to protect my momentary happiness.」
「...」Ayer remained silent, trying to figure out why the man who he had sworn to personally eliminate would profess the feeling that he was supposed to hide deep within himself.「Like I said, no matter how you struggle, your ending is written in stone. Either you will perish by the hands of those you betrayed you, or by the hands of us Astral. You want to fight us? That's a mere unattainable fantasy.」
「Have you ever tried? How do you know if you don't try?」Kibadios questioned Ayer back. 「You're free to switch teams and join me, Ayer. After all, among the Ennead, you're not that bad…. Maybe it's time to live that fantasy.」Kibadios glanced at the otokonoko.
「Dream on. The moment I break free of this cursed collar, it will be your nightmare! I will make sure to make you suffer for the humiliation you inflicted upon me.」Ayer ground his teeth.
「Well, until then, be a good guard dog for me, my Ennead slave chan.」 Kibadios provoked the Ennead.「Anyways, are we moving the correct direction?」
「... If you don't trust me, you're free to turn back.」Ayer clicked his tongue. After all, Kibadios had commanded the otokonoko to activate his famed
「Don't blame me for questioning since all you could ascertain is that you sense some demihuman presence.」
「There's a limitation to my sensory skill!!! How the hell can you sense your "MOM" when I have never met her!」Ayer screamed, though such loud commotion quickly drew the attention of a few guards.
「Did you hear that?」The guard looked around after rushing toward the dark hallway where both Ayer and Kibadios were just at.
「... There's no one here.」The guard walked to the end of the hallway and looked out of the woodframed window.「Unless there are intruders and they decided to jump out of the window, hahaha!」
「Must have been the wind, then…」The other guard shook his head. As both the guard finally walked away, Kibadios slowly emerged from the shadow that cast upon a side of the wall and pulled Ayer out with him.
「Keep your voice down!」ordered Kibadios, whisperingly.
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「You're sure this is it?」Kibadios questioned, standing before a formidable stone gate nestled deep within the fortress's basement.
「... All I could sense is that there's a lone female demihuman behind this gate… though she's not moving.」Ayer confirmed.
「...Thanks…」Kibadios patted the otokonoko's shoulder.「Ayer.」The deliberate use of the Ennead's name rather than referring to him as "my Ennead slave" was a gesture of respect and gratitude for the otokonoko's efforts. It seemed that Ayer, too, noticed the significance of the choice of words, as he remained silent, refraining from any resentful retort to his supposed master. Soon, Kibadios pushed open the gate, revealing a windowless chamber steeped in ancient mystery. The air within was heavy with the scent of rust and dampness, tinged with a hint of decay. Old, rusty chains hang from the ceiling while dim torchlight flickers sporadically, casting eerie shadows that dance across the worn stone floor. The floor itself is uneven, cracked with age, and strewn with debris from years of neglect. The walls stood bare, saved for one unadorned mirror that reflected the giant green pod that stood in the middle of the room. There, Kiabdios' gaze fixated onto the woman that floated motionlessly within bubbling liquid.
「Is that the one you're seeking?」Ayer asked, though he had already kinda known the answer since the resemblance between Kibadios and the woman was uncanny.
「Yes, that's her.」Kibadios nodded.「She looked just like how I remember.」
「...」Ayer glanced at the Runic symbol engraved on the pod.
「I'm here, Mother. I'm finally here.」Kibadios touched the pod.「It's time to go home.」
「Not so fast, Brother!」A familiar voice called out to the hybrid, causing both him and Ayer to turn around, their attention focused on the ripple forming on the mirror on the wall.
「... Mu…」Kibadios readied for battle.