“So this is where you guys were,” I called out the moment I entered my subspace’s “prison,” waving to Tasianna, Shay, and Beth.
Without saying a word, Tasianna rose from her seat and offered me a cup of tea from a tray and some pastries, already back in maid mode. “Master Dwarf asked us to.”
“He said he would ‘help wind you down,’ but from the look of it, it seems Grimnir’s armor didn’t work as well as he hoped.” Shay snickered.
“Hah, I’ll show you what my armor can do once it has its finishing touches. You just keep flying around naked while I turn your sister into a damn flying bulwark, you hear?” Grimnir roared, still inside his runic armor as he accompanied me. “Speaking of which, you’re about to reach your max level, right? Get going so I can adjust its design to your rank A body.”
“Why are you lecturing me after everything that’s happened, Grimnir? Fine, come on, Brother. Let’s go hunting since we don’t have to stand guard any longer.” Beth sighed as she left the room with her laughing twin. “Lady Hestia, we’ll bring you something nice for dinner, so please don’t eat too much!”
“If you bring more mammoth, I’ll abstain! I have too much mammoth meat in my storage.” I groaned as I thought of all the steaks I had to go through, only to feel a bit queasy. Mammoth meat was delicious, but too much was too much even for my voracious appetite.
Some eagle would be nice. Or venison. High-ranking deer monsters are too rare to hunt all the time.
Our “prison,” as I had to call it since we needed one, really wasn’t all that bleak like the ones from a modern prison on Earth. Instead of a cell, it was just a furnished bedroom you would give to a guest. I was giving the “VIP” special for my prisoners, in other words, since I wouldn’t even drag somebody I truly disliked into my subspace in the first place. Similar to why I didn’t want the second seat Warbringer to enter.
Though in this case, we had to put Illvenus inside since on the return trip home, only Wendriosa could fly back. Protecting the subspace runes I gave her was more important. With the expansion of my allies and my parents wishing to keep in contact, Grimnir’s schedule had to be split between equipment smithing and subspace rune creation. A part of me wished we had a second runesmith, but Grimnir would only accept his apprentices. We still had nobody he believed was talented enough to learn his runesmithing techniques.
Ellaine learned Broggi’s artificer techniques, Daichi is Grimnir’s smithing apprentice, and Haruka technically is learning under Metosei, the artificer elder of the Railroad Guild. Maybe Daichi could do it one day, but he’s only been assisting Grimnir during runesmithing.
“Is it time?” A book closed shut, drawing my attention to a raven-haired dragonewt man sitting at a nearby table—my third brother, Taim. “I suspected your lecture would take you a while, but I was entirely engrossed in my book. Did our parents take too much of your time?”
He stood up and handed Tasianna the book he was holding, saying, “Read chapter eight on page 189. The poem should give you an idea of how to make it more singing-like. Keep your prose simple for the younger elementals and fae. History is never fun for those uninterested. Education is important, but you need to make a dull subject fun.”
“That seems rather difficult… the topic is fun, but writing down the words is hard,” Tasianna said.
“The issue for every author. Frankly, worry about bringing those words and thoughts to paper first. Perfection requires years, but not every book needs to be perfect. The whimsical fae never need that. They only wish for fun, and you must acknowledge this demographic as an author. Don’t sell your pride, but also don’t be stubborn.”
“I see, thank you, Prince Taimatrak.”
Hiehie, he is the only scholarly type amongst us sibling. He probably read enough books of various genres to help a newbie writer like Tasianna.
“Well, little light? Didn’t you hear me?” Taim said with a deadpan face when we came face-to-face, causing me to smile awkwardly.
“Even you are giving me a nickname, now?”
“Nongramos did it because the two of you are of one wavelength, so to speak. He gels well with you. I am doing it because somebody has to remind you to act like a whelpling and be more careful in Miononbolax and Caedhul,” Taim said with an annoyed look. “You aren’t just responsible for your life, you’re also needed to protect your other half, Hikari. Be a good little sister and take care of yourself more; otherwise, we older siblings will have to act more overprotective to make you realize.”
“Yeowch!” I yelped as he karate chopped my head.
I guess to a two-headed lich dragon, this kinda mindset would make sense.
“Is this the same for you and your mother?” I asked, prompting him to shake his head.
“Very late to show some curiosity when you saw Mother’s true form. We are both two-headed lichdragons, yes. You should have asked us about this when we had our family dinner, Hestia. Though I guess I can’t fault the youngest from stuffing her cheeks full so she can start growing a bit,” he taunted, causing me to remember how much I indulged. The amount I ate would be embarrassing for any young girl. “Well, enough of the teasing. Go. Speak with the elf. I’ll be listening in, if you don’t mind.”
“None at all, Big Brother…”
He came, he saw, he sat down… Taim was the same as always, even if he did seem more worried than before. I was already prepared for my older brothers to all lecture me for putting myself in such a threat in Caedhul, but I didn’t expect Taim to say it in such a manner. Then again, Father and the Empress-Mothers already gave me enough of an earful… so this was better for my mental state. I didn’t want to be irritated when I started my interrogation.
After all, it was already awkward enough that I had to do this in the first place.
“Mister Illvenus?” I called him as he sat on his bed.
His back was completely bent, with his eyes drooping as if he was seeing something on his comforter. He looked like he had just been hospitalized from an accident with how dispirited he seemed, and it only got worse when he raised his head.
He avoided my gaze, biting his lips not ‘cause he was afraid of me, but due to shame. It didn’t feel like he was a bad person, just like how I came to know him as my doctor, but his actions told me differently. He caused the elemental emperor accident that led to the deaths of those five true dragons. As the princess of Frozen Nest, I was obligated to investigate this with an unbiased view.
I must.
“Mr. Illvenus, you know this would happen eventually. That’s why you fled. If you had believed you wouldn’t be found out, you could have continued playing the innocent alchemist until my brother sniffed you out. You knew in advance, and this is the consequence of your action. You will speak, one way or another,” I growled, reminding myself of all the dragonewts, wyverns, and dwarves who had to die ‘cause of his decision to sabotage my home. “I’ll cut to the chase. When did you make a deal with the leviathans?”
“P-Princess Hestia, I am—”
“Keep your apologies. If you really feel bad about things, start talking and answer my questions. You’re part of the astrologists, or whatever you actually call yourself. My brother already checked your home in Frozen Nest, and even visited Kel’Thun for more information. We know you’re a Bole’Tarian sympathizer, or more specifically, you seek to fully understand the Origin and Edjurian gods.”
Hearing this, Mister Illvenus let out a deep sigh as he leaned against the bed’s back, looking up at the ceiling before turning to me. “So be it. The pathetic look won’t gain me any sympathies, I see.”
Bastard. I snarled as I noticed the shift in his voice. That stumbling mess he tried to emulate was a complete pretense. He calmed down enough for me to hear a clear lack of interest, shamelessly showing his lack of regret.
“From the way you spoke, I presume you already have a basic understanding of what the goals of the ‘astronomers’ are. Before the arrival of the Origin Gods, we watched the stars, identifying celestial bodies in a search to better understand our world. We wished to know why our sun always keeps appearing during the morning and disappearing at night, and why this sequence differs in Kel’Thun and in the most eastern part of Altrust. Why does the sun rise here, but it is still night on the other side of the world? Why does our moon change color, signifying the change of seasons? Have you ever questioned yourself about what stars really are?”
A barrage of questions accompanied by a passionate lecture, yet none of them answered mine. He spoke over me, clearly wishing to create his own narrative with this monologue.
“Peolynca is a planet, and it rotates around a star you call ‘sun,’” I replied, causing him to burst into a wide smile.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“Exactly! Either you learned this from our texts, or your world must have been blessed with wisemen. If it is the latter, then I wish I had been born there to study their words, so I, too, would reach the gospel of the intelligentsia. Ahhh… I wish I didn’t have to listen to the constant prattling of the religious zealots, blinded by scribblings and sanctimonious preaching from ambitious priests. The only thing right about this world is that the Origin Gods understand that they must remain in the clouds…” He reached his arm out, trying to touch something in the ceiling before closing his eyes, letting a single tear fall down his cheeks. “Did my ‘family’ die? Did you kill them all to gain my information? I later found out that I had forgotten to take one of my journals with me, but the ones I wrote on Frozen Nest shouldn’t have exposed me entirely.”
I nodded. “My brother did.”
“Nongramos? Of course. I’ve seen him here and there, but I only truly came face-to-face with him on the day you met him for the first time, Princess Hestia. Yet I had already heard many rumors about him from my brethren. A proud dragon who only wishes for the good of his nation, but is easily captivated by his desire to kill those who wronged him. Hehe, I thought I would die from his mere presence when he found me,” he scowled, looking frightened as he stopped his hand from shaking. “I am far older, but seeing a furious dragon is trul—”
“You really like to talk, no?” Taim interrupted. “The mark of a good scholar is their ability to summarize. The rambling of a desperate man is all I have heard. If this is supposed to give you some catharsis to organize your thoughts, then stop. You must know I am a lichdragon. If I intervene fast enough, I’ll have time to talk with your soul before it departs.”
“You can talk with the dead?” I asked.
“No. Lichdragons are natural necromancers, but we lost that ability when Ilsaphone ascended to the position of the Goddess of Death. Souls are submitted to her, without question, but the process isn’t fast. Cast the spell fast enough, and I will gain some of the information stored in a soul,” he explained, making me think it was similar to [Original Sin, Yaldabaoth]. “Yes, yes, the astronomers were invaluable in uncovering the mysteries of what Peolynca is, but why are you dwelling inside hideouts like worms? Why not continue your work? There is only so much that the gods may reveal to us.”
“Why search for why a puddle is drying up, when there is a river flowing next to it?”
Huh? Is he trying to say that astronomy isn’t important now that the Origin Gods exist? Was Nong’s assessment of them actually true?
“Because I wish to quench my thirst from the water of that puddle,” Taim answered, causing Illvenus to burst into laughter.
“You are delusional! That is like saying that the life of an ant is worth more than a dragon! I know you as a fellow scholar, Prince Taimatrak. Yet it really is true that your pursuit of knowledge is merely to satisfy your own curiosity. Then why is mine worth any less than yours? Why understand our world, when the Origin Gods’ existence reveals more than just one universe? Why should I stare at stars in the sky when there are lights even brighter than them dwelling above us?” he blurted out with reddened eyes, throwing his comforter away to stand up from his bed. He stomped towards Taim, but Grimnir slammed his foot between them.
“You say all that, but it’s obvious enough that you’re still invested in your ‘little stars.’ Why does it matter if the world isn’t interested in your works?” Grimnir stated.
“Because he is a shell ready to die. Simple as that,” Taim answered, sipping his tea as he clamed stayed in his chair. “Elves are immortal, but not their soul. Just like our ancients, they require constant mental stimulation to not wither away like Father. This elf was on the brink of giving everything up until he ‘ignored his stars’ to seek the power of the Edjurians.”
Depression. Uncle Karydrinos was the same generation as Father, but their attitudes were worlds apart. One enjoyed his life and purpose, while the other fell into an emotional drought.
“And that brought enlightenment!” Illvenus replied. “Why do we Peolyncians only look at the Origin Gods, when we know there are beings beyond our world? Why are we not questioning what is beyond the veil? We know reincarnation from Earth exists, but why can we not see this world? Visit it? Why? The answer is obvious! The Origin Gods only seek to keep us alive so that they can gather faith and power. They fear the Edjurian Gods they fled from, which is why they maintain our cage. Doesn’t that speak enough about our situation? These tyrants killed our elemental emperors, usurping their role, and we are supposed to be thankful? Why do we all accept living under these invaders’ yoke like pets bred to please their owners? Are we toys or living beings?”
“… I see, so you aren’t an Edjurian sympathizer. Neither do you seem to actually hate us dragonkin. Then why did you cause the incident in my home?” I said, mostly annoyed that Taim’s guess was correct. This guy was a rambler, and he wanted us to hear him speak all of this out.
Illvenus’s shoulder lowered, once again letting out a deep sigh. He turned to me. “I had wanted to apologize. Genuinely.”
“Do you really regret it? I don’t believe you.”
He shook his head, causing me to click my tongue. “I accepted Kiedaceus’s deal. Regretting it would only insult those who died in the process.”
“An empty apology is just as much of an insult, even if you were in the wrong here. So stop speaking about yourself for a moment and answer my questions already. When did you accept your deal with Kiedaceus?”
“I came to Frozen nest because of it.”
“Why? Did you wish to revive the two Elemental Emperors?”
“Haha, did you not listen to what I said, Princess Hestia? Everybody knows the elemental emperors were killed, or, at least, that is what the Origin Gods wanted us to believe. Even I was shocked when I met the Water and Wind Elemental Emperor at the glacier. No, I was only asked to find a way to bring down Thalaxarus’s barrier. Kiedaceus could wait for me, so he asked that I simply take my time to not expose myself, and so I did, until I found ‘Frozen Nest denizens’ who wished for its destruction. I helped a potential monster grow and granted them tools, potions, and such. The elementals were the hardest to persuade, but when the preparations were finished, all I needed to do was inform one of the dragons going to the glacier of some information. Yothmlak was simply the easiest to manipulate.”
I clenched my hands into fists, letting a deep breath out as I wanted to punch him so very badly. He snickered. My emotions must be clear for all to see.
“They deserved a chance to live, no?” he said, smiling softly as if he believed he had done something good. “Though considering I didn’t hear any commotion in the sea beyond the leviathans attacking Frozen Nest, I presume you managed to subjugate them. I can feel true ice mana from Tasianna. A new Ice Elemental King has been awakened, which means their plan failed. Haaa, the leviathans distracting all those ancients was such a good opportunity. Maybe I should have been more forceful and stopped you from going to the glaciers, but that would have only attracted attention.”
“You didn’t believe we could do anything even if you had Princess Hestia accompany me,” Tasianna chimed in.
“It was complicated. The elementals wanted you, Tasianna. Only you. None else. I just couldn’t find a good reason to persuade Princess Hestia from going. That is all.” He shook his head. “Regardless, I managed to fulfill my goal, despite the permanent death of Water and Wind. Thalaxarus’s barrier is done. Hahaha… but I guess you must be asking yourself this: I made a deal with Kiedaceus, so why was I with Quasdrakeen’s Bole’Tarian mercenaries? It is simple, really.”
He paused, smiling in pain with a twitching eye. “That anchovy betrayed me as I fled into the ocean. That’s why.”
Huh?
“Why, right? I asked myself that as well, but I guess I should have expected it when he told me my reward. As you summarized, although the astronomers are interested in learning about Edjurl, we do not support those fanatics in Bole’Taria. We do not wish for even more gods to invade Peolynca. In fact, if possible, we want the Origin Gods to disappear. We can accept the subordinate gods, but all the Origin Gods must disappear so that Peolynca can be ruled by Peolyncians. This is our home!” he yelled. “‘But the enemy of my enemy is my friend.’ Quasdrakeen offered me what I wanted, because she wants Kiedaceus to lose what he is hiding in a small cavern.”
“Stop jumping around the subject. Say it already, yflei,” Grimnir demanded.
Illvenus frowned, looking like he didn’t want to reveal it, but seeing Grimnir lay a hand on his shoulder, he eventually nodded. “An arm. An arm filled with Edjurian mana. An arm Kiedaceus said belonged to the Archdemon of Lust! Lecullantis did not fully manage to destroy every bit of her! Naturally, for the Queen of Body Growth, she would lose one of her many hands, hahahaha!”
<No, that is not possible,> Aurena interjected immediately. <Outside of the orb Elder Marsven hid from everybody, the body parts of the archdemon have all been destroyed. What remains of them is their demonic energy. That is different.>
<Lecullantis could have made a mistake, but Goddess Plesia wouldn’t overlook this,> Kramps added. <… No, wait, Goddess Aurena.>
<… That is a possibility. I will talk with her. Hestia, since I cannot verify this information, I suggest you not fully believe this elf. Considering your position and your safety, all right? Your life is extremely important.>
I guess that’s your way to chastise me like my Mom and Father, huh? I thought before the System messages from my two gods went silent.
“I want to research that arm. I want to inspect and understand the demonic mana inside, as I couldn’t do it with the scale necklace the elemental emperors resided in. I do not understand what Kiedaceus actually is planning with the arm, but I do know that he isn’t just planning to evolve into a rank SS. He has his eyes on becoming a god.”
If the Water Elemental Emperor is to be believed, you need Edjurian mana for that. Does Kiedaceus know how apotheosis works?
“Quasdrakeen saved me to thank me for taking the barrier down, and I revealed my deal to her. She wants me to get rid of the demonic arm, as she doesn’t want to think about any variables when the two inevitably have to fight. I don’t think Kiedaceus has his eyes on ruling Kargryx, or dominating the dragons. I believe he only wants to color the sky and ocean red to gain experience. He wants to level up very badly, so with his eyes locked on a war, we can aim for that arm!”
“We?” I tilted my head.
“Of course, Princess Hestia! Kiedaceus didn’t show me the arm, but he showed me where the cavern is. It is deep in the depths, in the abyss layer. It is so dark down there that you will need a guide. Please, allow me to apologize to you by help—”
[“No.”]
Huh?
“Hestia, grab him!” Taim shot from his seat as my [Danger Perception] activated from a sudden aura attack.
Move! Remembering Quasdrakeen’s face, I stomped away from the threat, only to see something green dash through the doorway before appearing before me.
[“Good work dodging that, little scamp. Never let your guard down!”] Nong’s voice appeared once again as he sank his claws into Illvenus’s chest, pulling out his heart before slicing off his head. “We do not negotiate with traitors!”
Scheiße! Nong!
