Ch. 941: Chapter 941-950

Chapter 941 Do You Dare To Stop Me?

After a few days of traveling, Lux and his comrades finally arrived at the Atlas Stronghold, where they were welcomed by the Saintess, Cleo, and Commander Garen, along with his men.

The moment they saw Aurora, almost all of them took a few steps back, wary of what she was capable of doing.

"Y-You really brought her back," Cleo stuttered.

Lux arched an eyebrow. "Why are you surprised? Isn't that the reason I went to the Pantheon of Exile? Do you think I went there to buy cabbages?"

Cleo's face became flushed because Lux's reply was on point. He had indeed set sail to the Pantheon of Exile to bring Aurora back, but she didn't think that he would actually succeed.

Commander Garen, who was in charge of the Atlas Stronghold, narrowed his eyes.

"I applaud you for doing the unthinkable," Commander Garen stated. "But I'm afraid we can't let Princess Aurora go back to Agartha. Even though I also feel that she doesn't deserve to be locked up in that place, her existence is a threat to the peace of our kingdom.

"Even if I don't block you, once the citizens know that she has returned, they might attempt to attack her out of fear. I hope you understand, but I can't allow such a thing to happen."

Lux nodded his head in understanding. However, he also had something to say to the Commander of the Stronghold.

"I have two things to say to you," Lux said. "The first is that the exiles in the Pantheon of Exile are planning to return, and it seems that they have the means to do it. We have confiscated their contraband, but I believe that they still have more in places that are hidden. One of these days, they will cross the Purple Sea and return to these lands."

Commander Garen's expression immediately turned grim after hearing Lux's statement. If all the Exiles were to really return to Agartha, then another civil war might take place.

However, before he could even think of a way to inform the capital about the possible return of the wanted criminals, Lux raised two of his fingers to tell him the next thing that he wanted to say.

"The second thing that I want to say to you is that I don't care about your opinion," Lux stated. "Even if Lady Cleo were to help you and your men, none of you have the strength to stop us."

Garen, who was still not aware of Lux's abilities, sneered.

"It seems that the success of saving Princess Aurora has gone to your head, boy," Commander Garen said coldly. "Are you sure you can back up your words?"

Lux sneered, but before he could even reply, he felt someone tugging on his robe, which made him look at the young beauty beside him.

"Allow me to negotiate with Commander Garen," Aurora said softly. "Please give me some space. All of you back away for a bit."

Lux looked at Aurora before nodding his head. He then backed a few meters away and looked at Aurora.

"A bit farther," Aurora commented.

The Half-Elf nodded and asked everyone to back away with him.

Cethus originally wasn't going to budge, but after reading Aurora's comment in their Guild Chat, the arrogant Dragon Born backed farther away than Lux, Gerhart, and Lilian did.

Seeing that everyone had distanced themselves from her, Aurora turned his attention to Commander Garen, who had an aloof expression on his face.

"Commander Garen, I plan to return to Agartha," Aurora said. "Can you please let us use the teleporter that will take us back to the capital?"

The Commander of the Atlas Stronghold frowned. The teleporter was supposed to be a military secret, and no one should have been able to know that it existed.

However, after remembering that it was King Septimius himself who had taken Aurora to the Pantheon of Exile, it was only natural for the Princess to know that it existed.

"I'm sorry, Princess," Commander Garen stated. "I cannot allow you to return to the capital."

"I see." Aurora nodded before giving the Commander a mischievous smile.

She then placed her hand over her neck, removing her necklace.

"This is a gift given to me by Lux," Aurora stated as she held Fortuna's Tears in her hand. "As long as I'm wearing or holding this, my curse will not spread to my surroundings. However, since Commander Garen refuses to cooperate, I guess I'll stop wearing it. I just hope that you enjoy having bad luck for the rest of your life."

The corner of Commander Garen's lips twitched as he looked at the beautiful young lady who was outright threatening him.

As a citizen of Agartha, he knew full well how dangerous it was to be cursed by Misfortune's Beloved.

Even Cleo, who was standing beside him a while ago, distanced herself in fear. She had seen how much suffering those who were cursed with Misfortune had to go through, and she had no intention of becoming one of them.

"P-Princess, I'm just doing my job." Commander Garen couldn't help but feel his heart tremble.

Even his men had already backed away, leaving him behind to deal with the beautiful princess, who could curse them all to oblivion.

"I know. But, do you really think you can stop me?" Aurora asked sweetly. "Do you dare to try and stop me?"

Zane and Zeke, who were standing beside Aurora, crossed their arms over their chest and gave Commander Garen the "if you don't want to get hurt, kneel and beg our Princess for forgiveness!" stare.

Several emotions flashed across the Commander's face. He knew that if he let Aurora return to the capital, he would definitely be punished by the King for dereliction of duty.

After giving it some thought, he decided to steel himself and suppress Aurora. He also planned to use her as a hostage to make Lux and his people leave peacefully.

The beautiful Princess sighed because she could tell that Commander Garen had already resolved himself to deal with her.

Since that was the case, the smile disappeared from her face. She had been suppressed for many years, and if she said that she didn't feel angry because of this, she would be lying.

Lux had already done many things for her sake, so she decided to handle the rest on her own. However, before she could even do anything, Lilian walked past her and stood in front of Commander Garen.

"You're in the way," Lilian stated. "Scram!"

Without another word, the Wicked Queen Slime punched Commander Garen's chest, sending him flying towards the Atlas Stronghold.

The force of the punch was so strong that the walls of the fort were destroyed, and this sight made the soldiers gulp.

"Do you know where the teleporter is?" Lilian asked Aurora who was about to unleash her Curse Domain a moment ago.

The young lady nodded her head and pointed at the Stronghold.

"The Teleporter is inside the Keep," Aurora replied.

Lilian nodded before shifting her gaze back to Lux.

"What are you waiting for?" Lilian arched an eyebrow. "Let's go."

The Half-Elf chuckled before walking towards Aurora. He then held her hand and led her to the stronghold.

The soldiers manning the Fort didn't dare to block their path because they didn't want to be sent flying like Commander Garen.

"Are you coming?" Lux asked Cleo, who was a distance away from them.

The Saintess thought for a bit before nodding her head.

The only reason why she was in the Stronghold in the first place was because she was assigned to guide and monitor Lux. Since the Half-Elf was going to leave, it was only normal that she would leave with him as well.

When they entered the stronghold, they saw Commander Garen lying in the distance without moving. Clearly, Lilian's blow had knocked him unconscious.

By the time he woke up later, Lux and the others would have already long left his Stronghold.

Originally, Lux had told Aurora that they could instantly leave Agartha and teleport to their Guild Headquarters.

However, the beautiful Princess rejected his offer. She said that she wanted to see her sister, Princess Shayna, whom she hadn't seen for many years.

Aurora missed her dearly, and she wanted to say a proper goodbye to her sister and father before going with Lux to the Surface World.

Because of this, the Half-Elf decided to accompany her to the Capital City and make sure that the King of Agartha wouldn't imprison his daughter again.

Several minutes later, the group used the Teleportation Gate and traveled directly to the Capital City of Agartha.

As to how Aurora's reunion with her family would turn out, the Half-Elf only hoped that they wouldn't have to say goodbye to each other under bad circumstances.

 

Chapter 942 A Heartfelt Wish

The city of Shambala was bustling with activities.

Aurora, who was wearing a hooded robe, looked around her like a country bumpkin who had only seen the city for the first time.

She had lived most of her life in isolation, so being around many people after several years gave her the urge to do things she had never done before.

Lux, who understood what she felt, didn't rush to go to the castle. Instead, she took Aurora around to let her see what the city had to offer.

They went to some of the popular attractions of Shambhala like the Bazaar, the Food Market, the Great Fountain, as well as the Adventurer's Guild.

After their exploration ended, they rested at a tavern to have dinner. The Half-Elf could tell that Aurora was feeling anxious about meeting her family, so he decided to give it until morning to prepare her heart and feelings for their reunion.

Lilian, who deemed that she had already fulfilled her role, took Eiko and returned to Lux's Guild Headquarters.

She had no intention of babysitting the teenagers now that they had returned to the city.

Cethus and Gerhart also felt that they were no longer needed, so they also went back to the Guild Headquarters, leaving only Lux and Aurora in Agartha.

"How many rooms?" the Innkeeper asked as he looked at Lux and Aurora who had decided to stay in their inn for the night.

"Two," Lux said.

"One," Aurora stated.

Lux scratched his head when Aurora stated that they only needed one room. However, since that was what she wanted, he decided to go with the flow.

When they arrived at their room, Aurora removed her robe and sat on the bed. Zane took her robe from her, while Zeke carefully took off her shoes.

The Half-Elf could only smile at this scene because the two little skeletons acted similar to butlers, who were taking good care of their Young Miss.

After the two skeletons had set aside Aurora's things, Zane walked behind Lux and gave the Half-Elf a push towards Aurora.

Only when he was seated beside her on the bed did the two Little Skeletons move to the side of the room and laid down, with their backs facing the two.

Zane and Zeke even had their hands clasped over their ears, as if telling Lux that they wouldn't see, or hear anything, so he could do whatever they wanted.

Aurora looked at her two best friends with confusion because she didn't understand why they were acting this way.

She had been isolated for most of her life, so she wasn't aware of the things that were shared between men and women.

Although she wasn't as gullible, and ignorant as Young Aurora, she still didn't understand the "funny thing" that Lux and his fiances did whenever they slept at night.

All of this information was only narrated to her by the two Little Skeletons who were playing Lux's Wingmen, for the sake of their lonely Princess.

The Half-Elf was very aware of what Zane and Zeke were hinting at, which gave him the strong urge to kick the two skeletons out of the room.

He wasn't some kind of Harem Protagonist who would make love to every beauty that he saw!

(A/N: *Gasps!*)

(E/N: *Glances at Author, rolls eyes, shakes head, exit stage right*)

(E/N: Weh? Sure ka?)

"Lux, stay beside me tonight," Aurora said as she held Lux's hands in her own. "I don't want to be alone."

The Half-Elf stared at her pleading gaze before nodding his head.

"Understood," Lux replied. "I'll be with you tonight."

Hearing that, Aurora felt her face suddenly heat up, so she decided to take a bath before going to sleep in order to cool herself.

When she was done, Lux did the same and washed the dirt and grime from his body.

An hour later, the two laid on the bed, with Aurora clinging onto Lux's arm. Since she had no nightwear, Lux decided to lend her Cai's nightgown, which fit her perfectly.

The Half-Elf's resistance to beautiful women was quite high, especially after spending intimate moments with his two beautiful fiances.

Also, meeting peerless beauties like Hereswith and Queen Rhiannon raised his already high standards, making him nearly immune to any kind of honey trap.

Aurora was extremely beautiful. More beautiful than Iris and Cai.

Even so, Lux's feelings for her weren't as deep as they were for his two fiances, and the only reason why he had gone to the Pantheon of Exile to save her was because he felt sorry for her.

Aurora understood this as well, and she was very grateful that Lux had gone above and beyond his means to meet her.

But after being with him, she felt for the first time since she was born that she had found a safe refuge where she could just be herself, and not worry about the storm that was hovering above her head.

She was Misfortune's Beloved, and bad luck always followed her wherever she went.

But the Heavens had shown her a bit of mercy and gave her a bit of good luck that allowed her to meet someone like Lux, who accepted her for who she was.

Aurora looked at the face of the sleeping Half-Elf beside her and smiled. She remembered what her mother had told her back in the Dreamworld about Lux, and she felt that this was her way of giving her blessings to her.

"Thank you, Lux," Aurora said softly before kissing his right cheek.

After that, she hugged his arm, pressing it close to her body. She locked her hand with his before closing her eyes to sleep.

Truth be told, Aurora was very afraid that everything she had experienced was only a dream.

She was afraid that the moment she woke up, she would find herself in that dark, and lonely place, devoid of light once again.

Although she was feeling anxious, and restless, she still fell into sleep's embrace, while hugging the arm of her savior.

Aurora hoped that the next time she opened her eyes, she would still see Lux beside her, continuing this sweet dream that she was having.

The next day…

Lux and Aurora stood in the throne room. They were looking up at the King of Agartha, who was looking back at them with a calm expression on his face.

Standing at the base of the steps to the throne was the Saintess Cleo, who had escorted Lux on his journey.

Since this meeting was special, the King had ordered everyone to leave the throne room, with the exception of the Saintess.

Aurora was still wearing her hooded robe, and with her head lowered the whole time, no one was able to guess her identity.

"Raise your head, Aurora," King Septimius ordered. "What's wrong? Do you still feel guilty about what happened years ago, so you are unable to look me in the face?"

The King's voice was calm, and Lux was unable to read any underlying tones in his voice. However, that didn't mean that he didn't understand what the King was referring to.

A sigh escaped Aurora's lips before she took off the hood covering her head, allowing her father to see her for the first time in many years.

"I hope you are well, Father," Aurora said softly. "I missed you."

King Septimius' gaze was still calm, but his right hand subconsciously gripped the armrest of his throne for a brief moment before it returned to normal.

Lux was unable to see this because he was looking at Aurora, who had a sad smile on her face. If possible, he wanted to wipe that sadness away, but he held back.

A few minutes of silence passed before King Septimius closed his eyes.

"Leave us alone," King Septimius ordered. "That goes for you too, Half-Elf."

Lux frowned and was about to say no. However, Aurora grabbed onto his arm and shook her head.

"Don't worry," Aurora said. "I'll be fine."

Lux looked at the young lady before shifting his gaze to the hand that was holding his arm.

Aurora's hands were trembling, and clearly, she was afraid to be alone in the throne room with her father. However, she was doing her best to stay strong.

The Half-Elf knew that if he asked that he would stay, Aurora would not reject him. But he also knew that if he did that, she wouldn't gain the strength to stand on her own.

He understood that he couldn't always be with her, and he would not always be able to fight all of her battles for her. Because of this, he decided to trust her and pat her head in encouragement.

"I'll just be outside the door," Lux said. "Call me if something happens, okay?"

Aurora nodded as her face slowly turned red because Lux was treating her like a little girl who was about to play on the playground on her own.

Lux wasn't aware that something stirred within the depths of King Septimius' eyes after seeing the Half-Elf treat his daughter this way. But he didn't do anything and simply stared at the two of them.

A few minutes later, the door of the throne room closed, leaving Aurora and her father alone.

Half a minute later, King Septimius stood up from his throne and descended the steps.

With every step that he took, Aurora's heart beat faster and faster inside her chest.

Although she didn't want to admit it, she was starting to suffer a panic attack, but she endured and stood her ground.

When she was finally feeling faint, she felt two strong arms wrap around her body.

King Septimius pulled his daughter close to him and gave her a firm hug.

He didn't say anything, but this gesture alone made the tears that Aurora was holding back fall from her eyes like rain.

The pitiful girl, who was branded as Misfortune's Beloved, cried in her father's arms like she had always done many years ago whenever she was hurt or feeling afraid.

She wasn't aware that in the corner of the throne room, a hidden passage started to open.

A young lady walked out of it with tears streaming down her eyes. She was biting her lip as if she was doing her best to endure the surge of emotions that were overwhelming her small frame.

In the end, she was no longer able to hold it back. She cried her heart out as she ran towards her big sister who had returned after many years in exile.

On that day, two young ladies cried while holding each other in a firm embrace.

King Septimius looked at his two daughters and wrapped his arms around them, hugging both of them tight.

Unlike the two, he didn't shed a tear and only looked up at the ceiling, while holding his daughters close to him.

Deep inside his heart, he wished that his Queen, Bianca, was there with him to wipe away the tears of their two beloved daughters who had finally been reunited after so many years.

 

Chapter 943 Now, I Don’t Owe You Anything

"Hah~ this is the life."

On a balcony in the Royal Palace, Lux comfortably lay on a single bed, completely relaxed as he enjoyed the two soft hands that were massaging his back.

"You brat. You dare to take advantage of me like this?" the Saintess, Cleo, asked while shaking her head helplessly.

"You'll be my attendant for a year," Lux replied after sighing in comfort. "So get used to it."

A sigh also escaped Cleo's lips, but her sigh was different from Lux's sigh of comfort. Due to circumstances, she would now serve Lux for a year and would even accompany him to the Surface World.

King Septimius agreed to this setup and even asked Cleo to look after Aurora as her guardian.

Truth be told, Cleo didn't mind this mission since she did want to go to the Surface World. There were many things she wanted to know, and places she wanted to see.

A day had passed since Lux and Aurora met with the King of Agartha. The Half-Elf knew that the beautiful princess needed to spend some time with her family, so he didn't mind staying for a few more days.

'Fortunately, Aurora's father seems to have mellowed out a bit after her arrival,' Lux thought. 'I really thought that he would do something drastic, and send her back to the Pantheon of Exile.'

Lux had prepared a contingency plan just in case the King of Agartha decided to punish his daughter for returning to their Kingdom.

He was just glad that there was still a bit of love remaining in his heart for his daughter, so things turned out better than he expected.

"Right there… yes… that place is good.." Lux sighed in pleasure as two more hands landed on his back, massaging his body.

However, it didn't take long for the Half-Elf to realize that something was wrong.

The one that was massaging him was Cleo, so there should only be two hands unless she had four. Where did the other pair of hands come from?

Lux turned to look behind him and saw a pink-haired beauty, whose eyes were filled with mischief.

"Just lay down," Aurora said. "I usually gave my mother shoulder massages, so I'm pretty good at it."

The Half-Elf obeyed and closed his eyes.

"Ah… this is heaven~" Lux muttered.

Suddenly, a gruff voice reached his ears which made his body stiffen.

"I see, so you want to go to heaven, right?"

Lux opened his eyes to look at his right side and saw the King of Agartha looking down on him with a calm expression on his face.

"Are you enjoying your massage?" King Septimius asked. "Not only did you ask the Saintess of my Kingdom to massage your back, but my precious daughter is also doing the same. But let's not talk about that. I'm also free right now, so why don't I also give you a massage, boy?"

"A-Ah! My bones… are breaking! Ack!" Lux shouted as the King's strong hand rested on his shoulder, holding it in a vice grip.

Aurora and Cleo giggled after seeing this scene because they never expected the Half-Elf to suffer under the hands of King Septimius.

"Father, please stop hurting Lux," Aurora said softly. "He's done so much for me."

"Tsk." King Septimius clicked his tongue before pulling his hand away from the Half-Elf's shoulder.

A minute of awkward silence descended on the balcony before the King spoke once more.

"I visited the Pantheon of Exile this morning and took care of the Exiles who were plotting to return to Agartha. We cannot afford another civil war, so it was best to nip them in the bud before they started to take action."

Lux didn't really care about this because it wasn't his problem. However, he still asked the question that was on his mind.

"What happened to the King of Exiles as well as the Saints that were serving him?" Lux inquired.

"They died by accident," King Septimius replied.

Lux immediately propped himself up after hearing the King's words. His face became serious as he asked King Septimius another question.

"And their bodies?" Lux asked.

This was a very important question to him because the bodies of Saints were priceless.

King Septimius snorted before tossing a ring toward the Half-Elf, which the latter caught by reflex.

He instantly recognized the ring because it was a Bounty Ring, which bounty hunters typically used to store the dead bodies of their target.

Lux peered inside it and sure enough, Louis and the four Saints who served him were inside it.

He didn't expect that the King of Agartha would act swiftly and mercilessly after hearing that a possible civil war would happen once the exiles managed to escape the island.

The Half-Elf wasn't aware that Aurora's father wouldn't allow any chance of unrest to fester within the Kingdom, especially after the rebel uprising that had happened in the past.

"Blackfire, come," Lux ordered.

Immediately, the Black Coffin appeared beside him and happily opened its lid.

Lux tossed the Bounty Ring inside it. A few seconds later, the Black Coffin nudged his head as if it was a playful pet that was very happy with his Master's attention.

The Half-Elf smiled and patted the Black Coffin for a few seconds before it disappeared completely.

With the addition of Five Saints in its arsenal, Blackfire now had eight Saints under its control.

However, in order to maximize the value of their corpses, Lux would need to use Precious Artifacts or Beast Cores so that their ranks wouldn't regress when they were revived.

Lux had used most of his High-Ranking Beast Cores to revive the two Saints that Blackfire had gotten long ago and used the rest to help Hereswith's recovery.

So, as of right now, he didn't have enough resources to prevent the Saints' Ranks from regressing, but that didn't mean that he was out of options.

This was also the reason why Blackfire preferred to devour near-death creatures. As long as they still had breath in them, their Ranks wouldn't regress once they were transformed into Lux's servants.

In fact, if Lux added artifacts and Beast Cores, there was a high chance that they would even increase their Ranks and become stronger, like what happened to Lux's grandma, Vera.

"Consider that as payment for saving my daughter and preventing her curse from infecting other people," King Septimius stated. "Now, I don't owe you anything."

Lux nodded and thanked the King for his gift.

The reason why Aurora's father was feeling extra generous was due to the fact that Aurora had dispelled the Curse of Misfortune from Princess Shayna's body.

After becoming a Ranker, Aurora was able to use her power to remove the curse from other people. However, she could only remove one curse every month.

She deemed that this quota would increase after her Rank increased.

Aurora hoped that the day would come when she would be able to dispel the curse on everyone who had been infected by her bad luck, allowing them to live normal lives without ever worrying about hurting themselves or others.

"Aurora, later this afternoon we will visit your mother's grave," King Septimius said. "I'm sure that she will be happy to see you."

The young lady nodded her head and smiled at her father.

During her trial, she had talked to her mother and wondered if the talk they had was real or not.

Lux and she believed that there was a possibility that both of them had traveled through space and time and had a chance to talk to Queen Bianca when she was still alive.

Of course, their assumptions might be wrong, but they would rather believe that the loving Queen whom they had seen in that Dreamworld, was real.

 

Chapter 944 Grasping Happiness With Both Hands

The Royal Family's Mausoleum was located a few miles away from the Capital City of Shambhala.

This building stood in a very beautiful place, surrounded by nature, and blooming flowers.

Due to how important it was to the royal family, it was heavily guarded to ensure that no grave robbers would dare to disturb the eternal rest of the members of the royal family who had passed away.

Lux was surprised when he was invited to join them at the last minute. Currently, there were only four people visiting the Queen's Tomb, and it was none other than King Septimius, Aurora, Princess Shayna, and Lux.

It didn't take long before they arrived at their destination. Queen Bianca's tomb was made from white marble, and the words "to the Queen who loved her family till her last breath" were written on the plaque above her tomb.

Seeing this, Aurora wasn't able to stop herself from tearing up as she approached her mother's tomb to offer her prayer.

King Septimius and Princess Shayna did the same.

Lux blinked once, then twice, as he focused his eyes in front of him. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

While the members of the royal family had their eyes closed and offered their prayers, Queen Bianca's ghost hovered in front of her two daughters.

The Queen glanced at Lux before pressing her finger over her lips as if telling the Half-Elf to not say anything.

Lux obediently nodded his head and kept silent.

Queen Bianca smiled and gave the Half-Elf a brief nod before hugging her two daughters.

Naturally, they could neither see her nor feel her hug. But her face looked so happy and peaceful, that Lux felt as if his heart was being poked by a needle.

Minutes passed in silence until the members of the Royal Family opened their eyes.

Aurora placed an offering on her mother's tomb and lit a small candle beside it.

They would hold a vigil until the flame of the candle was snuffed out; for that was the tradition of the Royal Family.

During this time, Queen Bianca sat on her own tomb and looked at her two daughters with a loving smile on her face.

Although she didn't look at the Half-Elf, her words reached his mind.

"When I saw you when I was still alive, I thought I was just dreaming," Queen Bianca said. "Seeing that you are with my daughter right now, it seems that our meeting wasn't a coincidence."

The Queen then glanced in Lux's direction with a look of approval.

"Two times. We met twice," Queen Bianca stated. "The first one was when we were in the flower field, and the second one was when I was dying. Back then, I asked you to promise me to help my daughters and help them you did.

"Words cannot express how grateful I am to you. But still, I want to tell you this—thank you, Lux. Thank you for everything."

The Half-Elf smiled. "I only did my best. It was Fate that brought us together."

Suddenly, a mischievous smile appeared on Queen Bianca's face.

"Since Fate had brought you and Aurora together, doesn't that mean that you and her are a match made in heaven?" Queen Bianca asked. "Tell me, did you manage to get to First Base?"

Lux almost choked on his saliva after hearing the Ghost Queen's question.

It was easy to read on his face that he didn't know how to answer her question. His awkward expression earned him a giggle from the beautiful woman who seemed to still have regrets in her life, preventing her from crossing to the other side.

While the Half-Elf was at a loss for how to reply, the Queen shook her head helplessly.

"What are you, a pansy?" Queen Bianca looked in disdain. "My daughter is so beautiful, and you still haven't made a move on her? Are you really a man?"

"I already have two fiances," Lux countered. "And yes, I am really a man."

"And?" Queen Bianca arched an eyebrow. "My husband had two other wives aside from me. I don't see any problem here. Just so you know, my daughter is a top beauty. I'm sure that after her curse is lifted, the number of men who would love to marry her would form a line circling this entire planet. Are you sure you don't want her?"

"T-This isn't something that can be rushed. I have to consider her feelings as well."

"Fine. But if you don't hurry up, my daughter will be snatched away by others. You're not the only man in this world, you know?"

Lux scratched his cheek before asking the Queen the question that was on his mind.

"Your Majesty, why are you still here?" Lux asked. "What's keeping you from crossing to the other side?"

"My daughters, of course," Queen Bianca replied. "I was so worried about them that it weighed upon my soul, preventing me from being able to enter the Cycle of Reincarnation. But now, after seeing Aurora safe from harm, I feel like the shackles that bound me have disappeared."

Lux didn't notice this earlier, but Queen Bianca's ghost had become a little more transparent, allowing him to see through her.

She then glanced at her two daughters with a sweet smile on her face.

"Now, I can rest in peace knowing that the two of them have grown into beautiful ladies," Queen Bianca said softly. "In the past, Septimius and Shayna would visit me, but the two of them seemed to be distant from each other. Now, that distance is no longer there.

"Aurora has returned, and I'm sure that, given enough time, the wounds in their hearts would also heal. You see Lux, when people said time will heal everything, it's not entirely true.

"Some wounds in the heart and soul would still persist as the years go by. You don't heal, but simply grow numb to them. But in my perspective, my family will be able to heal just fine. So, once again, thank you, Lux. Please, keep my daughter… or daughters happy, okay?"

Queen Bianca gave the Half-Elf a playful wink as her soul slowly rose up until she disappeared through the ceiling.

Lux could feel a lump in his throat as he closed his eyes. As a Necromancer, he could see the dead and even had the power to revive them. But seeing how peaceful Queen Bianca's face was, he felt as if it was not his place to do anything.

He then glanced at Aurora and Princess Shayna and saw how sad they were as they offered a prayer to their mother.

Because of this, Lux steeled himself and waved his hand. If there was a chance for him to help them have a happy ending, he would not stand idly and be indifferent to it.

Outside the Mausoleum, Queen Bianca's ghost looked down at her family before looking at the heavens above her.

A slight hesitation appeared on her face as if she was feeling conflicted.

At that exact moment, a Black Coffin appeared in front of her, and several rows of texts shone on its surface.

'Are you sure you want to cross over to the next life? Do you really have no more regrets left in this world?'

Lux had asked Blackfire to intercept Queen Bianca's soul and ask her this question. If she really wanted to rest, and go to the cycle of reincarnation then he wouldn't stop her.

But if she still wished to be together with her family, he would make it happen.

Queen Bianca didn't reply right away. Her ghost was getting more transparent with each passing second, and Blackfire knew that once she crossed a certain threshold, it wouldn't be able to do anything.

Suddenly, a tear fell on Bianca's cheeks before opening her eyes.

"I still want to be with them," Bianca said. "I want to see them grow up and get married. I want to hold my grandchildren and kiss them goodnight. I want to do a lot of things, but… it is no longer possible."

The Black Coffin's lid opened, but it didn't make a move to absorb Queen Bianca's soul.

'If you wish for happiness, you have to grasp it tightly with both hands. It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow, but rest assured, there will come a day when you will once again hold your daughters in your arms. If you are willing to take that step then come.'

Queen Bianca looked down on her family members as if she was trying to engrave their faces into her soul. A moment later, she closed her eyes and took a step forward.

Blackfire did the rest, and soon, the Queen of Agartha was safely within its protective embrace.

'It is done, Master.'

'Thank you, Blackfire.

Lux opened his eyes and looked at the family of three who had just finished their prayer.

For now, he would not tell them anything because similar to the soul of his Grandmaster, Hereswith, Queen Bianca's soul had also reached its limit.

It would take some time for Blackfire to nurture it until the Queen's soul had fully recovered.

He just hoped that when that day came, Aurora, Princess Shayna, and their father would regain the smiles and the happiness that they had lost many years ago.

 

Chapter 945 Suffering From His Karma

"Don't worry, I'll visit you from time to time," Aurora mumbled as she hugged her sister. "Now that you are no longer cursed, make sure to see the world a bit and experience the things you missed during those years of confinement, alright?"

As someone who had suffered the pain of loneliness, she didn't want her sister to go through the same thing and hoped that the latter would regain her freedom, doing the things she had never done in the past.

Naturally, she could have invited her to come with her to the Surface World, but she was sure that her father wouldn't agree.

'Also, she's still too young for Lux,' Aurora thought as she glanced at the Half-Elf who was leaning on the wall with his eyes closed.

When the two sisters were talking, Aurora told Princess Shayna all the things that Lux did for her. Also, while she was on the topic, she also told her sister about the "funny" thing that Lux did with his fiances.

This made Princess Shayna's face turn beet red, which confused Aurora.

As a daughter of the Royal Family who was meant to be the wife of someone who could help their Kingdom become more prosperous, she was educated in such matters and was more knowledgeable than Aurora.

Of course, this husband of hers was still undecided because, at least right now, King Septimius had no candidates in mind. There was also the fact that Princess Shayna was only twelve years old.

Her father didn't intend for her to marry until she was sixteen or older.

As to whom she would marry, they would need to go on a fishing trip with him first.

"Be careful up there sister," Princess Shayna said, while doing her best to hold back her tears. "Also, be careful of red-headed Half-Elves. Don't let him do that 'funny' thing to you anytime soon."

Aurora blinked once then twice before nodding her head.

"Eh? But according to Zane's and Zeke's description, it feels good," Aurora replied.

The two girls then glanced at the two Little Skeletons standing by their side, who seemed to be dead set on observing the tiled floor of the palace as if it were a work of art.

Princess Shayna then reluctantly pulled back before approaching the Half-Elf, who had his eyes closed.

Sensing that someone was glaring at him, he opened his eyes to look at the young princess, who would bloom into a beautiful flower a few years from now.

"If you make my sister cry, I'll make you pay for it," Princess Shayna stated.

Lux smiled. "That's unfair. Crying is a very normal thing to happen."

"You're not allowed to do anything funny to her!"

"…Are you talking about tickling her? Okay, I won't."

Princess Shayna's face became flushed because she was certain that Lux didn't understand what she was talking about.

Because of this, she glared at the Half-Elf again, making the latter chuckle.

"Father, I'll be leaving," Aurora said with a smile.

King Septimius nodded and rested his hands on her shoulder. "Remember this—if you need my help, you can count on me. I have already set the coordinates of the Teleportation Gate to Lux's Guild Headquarters in our family's Private Gate."

Aurora hugged her father one last time before walking towards her sister, who was still glaring daggers at the Half-Elf, who had no idea what was going on.

"Are you ready?" Lux asked.

"Yes," Aurora replied.

Lux extended his hand, and Aurora accepted it.

A few seconds later, both of them turned into particles of light and disappeared from the Kingdom of Agartha.

———————

Heaven's Gate Guild Headquarters…

A gentle breeze washed over Aurora's body as soon as she materialized beside the Teleportation Gate.

She immediately noticed that she was standing on top of a mountain that overlooked what seemed to be a small town.

The sun was shining down on her, and it made her feel warm and alive.

She then closed her eyes in order to take everything in, taking deep breaths and allowing the fresh air to nourish her body.

Lux smiled while looking at the young beauty who had officially regained her freedom.

Truth be told, he intended to let Aurora meet Iris and Cai since the two of them were close to her age. He also hoped that the three of them would become good friends, allowing Aurora to have companions while he was away.

Suddenly, the Teleportation Gate glowed faintly, and three people stepped out of it.

Before Lux could even greet them, Valerie cried out and ran towards him.

Before the Half-Elf could even react, the "plain-looking girl" jumped into his arms, forcing Lux to catch her.

"Sir Lux! I missed you!" Valerie said as she hugged him tightly.

Ali and Ari, Valerie's handmaidens, sighed at the same time before looking at each other. They then walked towards Lux, and to his surprise, the two hugged him as well.

"Someone help, there is a sexual harasser here!" Ali said in a monotonous tone while hugging Lux tightly.

Ari giggled, as she too hugged Lux tightly. "The greater the misunderstanding, the more effective it is! Count me in!"

The Half-Elf blinked repeatedly because he had no idea what was happening. To his surprise, a fourth person hugged him from the back, leaving him no room to escape.

"This looks fun," Aurora commented. "I'm joining as well."

Lux, who was feeling several soft things pressing against his body, suddenly found himself unable to think properly.

His mind was completely blank, and because of this, those who were passing the Teleportation Gate like Garret, Cethus, Gerhart, and Emma, looked at him weirdly.

At that exact moment, the Teleportation Gate once again activated and two more people appeared beside it.

"…"

"…"

When Lux returned to the territories of the Crystal Palace, Lady Augustina immediately sensed his presence.

Coincidentally, she was with Aur at that time, so she shared the news. To her surprise, the Dragon Prince immediately headed to the Teleportation Gate in haste, making his Aunt shake her head helplessly.

Piccoro followed Aur as his bodyguard, and when the two of them stepped on the Teleportation Gate, the first thing they saw was Lux being hugged by four beautiful ladies.

Aur narrowed his gaze before walking toward the Half-Elf, who had an absent-minded look on his face.

Without any warning, Aur reached out to pull Lux's ear, making the latter cry out in pain.

Cethus, who was observing this scene, sighed before glancing at Gerhart.

"Want to grab something to eat?" Cethus asked.

Gerhart nodded and left with the Dragon Born.

Garret and Emma did the same, leaving their pitiful Guildmaster suffering from a karma that he wasn't aware of.

Lady Augustina, who was watching this scene from the castle, chuckled before taking a sip of her tea.

"It seems that his future will have nothing but trouble," Lady Augustina said as an understanding smile played over her lips. "Well, to each their own."

 

Chapter 946 This Lady Will Play With You

Eiko kissed her Papa's reddened cheek in order to make it feel better.

Currently, the Half-Elf and his guests were having some tea on the balcony of his Guild Headquarters.

They were being served by the Maids who worked under General Garret's family, and for some reason, these maids had amused smiles on their faces.

Aur calmly drank his tea, and he was seated on the Half-Elf's right side.

Valerie sat on his left side and was even hand-feeding Lux a cookie, which the latter accepted.

Aurora watched this scene with great interest because this was the first time she had seen something like this.

Her father had more than one wife, but all of them called each other sister and got along well with each other.

But the pink-haired beauty's gaze would shift to Aur from time to time. She didn't understand why he was acting that way, but for some reason, Aurora could feel that something was amiss with the handsome Dragon Prince, who seemed to be seething from within.

"Um, I would like to introduce our guest to all of you," Lux said after he finished eating the cookie that Valerie had given him. "Her name is Aurora, and she came from Agartha.

"Aurora, this is Valerie, and this is Prince Aur from the Crystal Palace. The two side characters over there are Ali and Ari. Don't worry, they don't bite."

"Hoh~ side characters?" Ali arched an eyebrow. "I'm not getting paid enough for this."

"Don't bite?" Ari smiled mischievously before looking down at the Half-Elf's midsection. "Lux, it seems that you like to play with fire. Worry not, this lady will gladly play with you."

Lux ignored the two side characters and shifted his attention to Aurora. "I hope that you will be good friends with them."

Valerie looked at Aurora with a curious gaze, while Aur pretended not to care. Even so, if one looked closely, they would notice that he would give Aurora side glances from time to time.

"I also hope to be good friends with them," Aurora replied with a smile.

"Oh! A friend!" Valerie became excited. "You'll be one of my first friends aside from Lux. I hope we get along!"

Valerie extended her hand for a handshake, which Aurora gladly accepted.

"Do you want to explore Vesperia City?" Valerie asked. "It's the city over there."

Aurora glanced in the direction where Valerie was pointing and nodded her head in understanding.

"Can I?" Aurora asked as she looked at Lux.

"Of course," Lux replied.

Aurora smiled and nodded her head. "I want to see the city."

"Great! Let's go!" Valerie stood up and walked towards Aurora, grabbing her hand.

Truth be told, Valerie didn't have any girl friends that were around her age. Ali and Ari were her servants, and while she didn't treat them as friends, she viewed them as family.

However, Aurora was different. She had a feeling that Lux cared about her, so she wanted to know more about her as well.

"We're going as well," Ali stated. "Thank you for the snack."

"Hehehe, I'll bite you later, Lux." Ari smirked as she waved her hand at the Half-Elf before following her Mistress.

Aur placed his cup on the table and eyed the Half-Elf beside him.

"Aren't you going with them?" Aur asked.

"I'll observe from a distance," Lux replied. "I already told you that Aurora is Misfortune's Beloved. I want to better understand how her bad luck works."

When they were in the Inner Sanctum, Aurora "slipped" over nothing and leaned on the barrier holding the Golden-Eyed Naga, making it crack.

She had done the same with the barrier that held the Blood Ogre, causing it to break as well.

Truth be told, Lux was constantly anxious about Aurora's safety. The only reason why he wasn't overly anxious was due to the fact that Zane and Zeke were always with her. As long as the two Little Skeletons were with her, things would probably be fine.

"Lucky her," Aur stated.

Lux scratched his head because he didn't understand why Aur kept on saying that Aurora was lucky.

Since he didn't want to argue, he secretly followed behind the four girls, who were making their way towards the Teleportation Gate.

Aur, who had nothing to do, decided to follow as well.

Now that he had seen the lady that the Half-Elf had strived hard to save, he wanted to know just how close her relationship was with Lux.

———————

City of Vesperia…

Similar to what happened in the City of Shambhala, Aurora looked around like a country bumpkin. Everything was simply new to her.

Aside from the Dragon Borns, there were no other races inside the city, which made the locals look at Aurora as if she were a rare creature.

The four girls hadn't walked far when suddenly, the sky suddenly went dark.

At first, they thought that a cloud was just blocking the sky, but when they looked up, they saw a swarm of black birds that were flying above their heads.

Suddenly, all of these birds defecated at the same time, dropping their payload over the four girls, who were walking close to each other.

Zane and Zeke, who was beside Aurora, immediately raised their hands and conjured an umbrella that was made up entirely of bones.

The sound of something pelting on top of it reverberated in the surroundings, as the Dragon Borns, who were also within the range of the Carpet Bombers, dodged to the side.

Ali and Ari sighed and gave the two little skeletons a thumbs up.

Zane and Zeke did the same, making the two girls giggle.

However, it was at that moment that they heard a shout coming from the other side of the street.

"Get out of the way! The pigs have gotten loose!" a fat Dragon Born shouted, informing everyone of the danger that they were in.

Over a dozen Black Pigs that were around two meters tall charged down the street, making everyone make a path for them.

Once again, Zane and Zeke stood in front of Aurora and used their bone umbrella, which was covered with bird poop, as a shield to protect the ladies from the stampede.

The sound of bone being crushed spread in the surroundings, as the Black Pigs slammed into it.

Fortunately, even though cracks appeared in the Umbrella's surface, it held and stopped the pigs from advancing any further.

As the four ladies continued to walk through the city, several "accidents" happened. Pots of flowers, which were placed near the tops of houses, fell towards the pink-haired beauty who was oblivious to what was happening.

Fortunately, Zane and Zeke were there to handle everything, preventing anything from hurting Aurora and the girls.

Aurora wasn't stupid and soon realized what was happening. Because of this, she apologized to Valerie, Ali, and Ari, and decided to cut their trip shorter than expected.

However, the series of accidents didn't stop as they walked back to the Teleportation Gate, making Lux and Aur, who were watching from a safe distance, speechless.

"Are you sure bringing her here was a good idea?" Aur asked.

"D-Don't worry," Lux replied. "As long as Zane and Zeke are with her, things will be fine."

Aur scoffed but he didn't say anything else.

From the tone of Lux's voice, he understood that the Half-Elf had no intention of getting rid of the pink-haired beauty, who was the carrier of bad luck.

——————————

In the deepest layer of the Abyss…

Within this ever-expanding space where neither demons nor devils dared to tread.

At the center of it all, a creature of unimaginable size slept, surrounded by countless angels singing a lullaby and playing a soothing tune with their instruments, preventing this primordial existence from waking up.

This being was an Outer God, the oldest of them all and also the most powerful.

It was so powerful that the demons, devils, and angels all agreed that it was best for it to remain asleep for eternity.

This creature was known by many names.

The Blind Idiot God.

Nuclear Chaos.

Daemon Sultan.

The Deep Dark

The Cold One, and many other names that had been passed down since time immemorial.

Of course, this being had a name, and those who knew simply called it…

Azathoth.

It was said that the moment it woke up… all creatures would bow to its will or be destroyed completely.

Since all the angels were busy doing their sacred duty, they didn't notice that somewhere in the Abyss, a man… or perhaps someone that used to be a man, was looking at the sleeping Outer God with a determined look on his face.

In his hand, a Golden Lion Figurine could be seen, and a faint smile hung on his lips.

"Soon," the being who used to be a man said softly.

He didn't say anything else before he, too, closed his eyes.

What he needed was an opportunity, and when that opportunity came…

All of creation would bow to his will.

——————

End of Volume 4

The Calm Before The Storm.

Chapter 947 Stop Being A Worrywart

"Your body is very beautiful, Aurora," Valerie said as she looked at the young lady in front of her. "I feel a bit jealous."

"Jealous?" Aurora asked back. "Your body is as beautiful as a painting. I'm sure that if Lux sees it, he would be speechless with how magnificent it is."

"R-Really?"

"Really."

After their expedition in the city, Aurora, Valerie, Ali, and Ari decided to go to the Guild's Bathhouse to wash their bodies.

Right now, they were relaxing in the natural spring, without anything covering their seductive bodies.

"How about us?" Ari asked in a mischievous tone while striking a pose. "Do you think Lux will have a nosebleed if he sees our body?"

""Um? Why would he get a nosebleed?""

Aurora and Valerie asked at the same time, which made Ali giggle.

Ari scratched her head because she had forgotten that the two young ladies were still innocent about some things.

"Hey, Aurora, what is your relationship with Lux?" Ari asked.

Aurora smiled before answering Ari's question.

"Right now, we are friends," Aurora stated. "But I plan to become one of his wives someday."

"Y-You plan to be his wife?" Valerie's eyes widened in shock.

Aurora nodded. "From the moment he saved me, I decided to stay by his side for life."

"…You are very brave and bold, Aurora," Valerie said softly. "I wish I was as brave as you."

The pink-haired beauty eyed the plain-looking girl with a gentle smile.

"Do you like Lux?" Aurora asked.

"I do," Valerie answered in a heartbeat. "But I have a feeling that I'll get pregnant if I tell him that I like him."

"Huh?" Aurora tilted her head in confusion. "How can you get pregnant by saying that you like him?"

"Y-You see, in my dreams, whenever I tell him that I like him, he makes me feel good…" Valerie's face became beet red before continuing the rest of her sentence. "Then after he makes me feel good, he whispers in my ear, 'Get pregnant, Valerie. I will take responsibility.'"

Ali's and Ari's eyes widened in shock after hearing Valerie's confession.

They didn't expect that the innocent princess that they'd been protecting for many years was no longer as innocent as they thought she was.

Aurora, on the other hand, looked at Valerie with a curious expression on her face.

"How can someone get pregnant?" Aurora asked. "Can you teach me?"

"Okay!" Valerie replied with excitement.

Now that her mother had told her how a woman really became pregnant, she was more than happy to share this information with her new friend.

"First you need to start with a kiss," Valerie said as if she was very knowledgeable about the topic. "After that, both of you will take off your clothes and sleep on the bed together. When morning comes, you will be pregnant."

Ali and Ari blinked once then twice before giving each other a sidelong glance.

"That's it?" Aurora asked.

"Yes," Valerie nodded. "But, Sir Lux does more than that in my dreams…"

Valerie's face was now as red as an apple, as she recalled most of her recent dreams. Truth be told, her mother only told her that in order to make a baby, the couple must kiss first and lay on the bed naked. After that, they would sleep together.

She didn't mention any other "activities" and simply told her daughter that when morning came, she would be pregnant.

Of course, in order to make it more realistic, her mother told her about the difference in the body parts of a man and a woman, hoping that adding this information would make her daughter less ignorant about the things that were done in the bedroom by married people.

"What else does he do?" Aurora was genuinely curious about Valerie's dreams.

"H-He fondles and sucks my breasts like a baby," Valerie replied.

"Anything else?" Aurora's interest intensified after hearing Valerie's reply.

"T-Then he…" Valerie covered her face and was unable to continue with her explanation.

She could feel her cheeks burning, and she found it hard to say the other things that the handsome Half-Elf did to her in her dreams.

Ali and Ari sighed as they looked at the two innocent babies who were having a serious discussion about how to get pregnant.

Seeing that Valerie could no longer say anything, Aurora didn't press her for answers. Instead, she asked a different question, shifting the topic to something else.

"Have you met Lux's two fiances?" Aurora asked.

Valerie shook her head. "Not yet."

"Actually, I will be meeting them soon. Lux will be taking me to his home world, Solais."

"You can go to Sir Lux's home world? I thought Elysians couldn't travel to Solais?"

Aurora frowned. "I don't really know the details, but Lux thinks that it is possible for me to go with him."

"How envious. I want to go too…" Valerie sighed.

While the Ladies were busy talking about a certain Half-Elf, the Half-Elf in question was having a serious discussion with Lilian.

"You are going to keep watch over her, right?" Lux asked. "If something happens to Eiko, I'll fight you even if it's the last thing I do."

"You're too uptight." Lilian shook her head helplessly. "I asked Eiko to give me a small part of her for safekeeping. Even if she dies, which I pray would never happen, there will still be ways to revive her. Being overprotective of her will only make her more reliant on you.

"Because of this, she will be unable to stand on her own and make decisions for herself. Right now, what Eiko needs is to learn how to be independent."

Lux sighed. "But she is still a baby."

Lilian arched an eyebrow. "All Slimes start as babies. From the moment they are born, they have to fend for themselves or they'll be killed by other creatures. This is how we adapt and evolve. Why do you think there are so many races of Slimes in the world?

"They start as the weakest of creatures, but when they manage to overcome this weakness, they become true powerhouses. Besides, Eiko is not an ordinary Baby Slime. She is already a Fairy Princess. But her bloodline isn't fully awakened yet. But once it is, she will be a force to reckon with."

Lux scratched his head. "I know, but I can't help but worry…"

"Are you stupid?" Lilian flicked the Half-Elf's forehead making the latter cry out in pain. "You should be more worried about the creatures that stand in her way. Have you forgotten that she can throw one of those bombs that can wipe out entire cities from the face of the world? Stop being a worrywart."

Lux didn't have words to refute the Wicked Queen Slime's statement because Eiko was indeed capable of doing what she said.

"Fine." Lux finally relented. "After she says goodbye to Iris, I will let her off to go on her own adventure. Her starting point will be Leaf Town. I think that is the best place for her to start."

Lilian nodded. "I have to thank you for creating such a town. I never thought that such a thing was possible—a place for Slimes and people to work hand in hand to become stronger."

This was also why she had a better impression of Lux and his Guild compared to when she had first met him. Because of this, she didn't hesitate to lend her hand when they went to the Abyss to rescue his fiancees.

"I'll wait for you and Eiko in Leaf Town," Lilian stated. "How long will you be gone?"

"One or two weeks," Lux replied. "I'm sure that Iris would like to spend a few days with Eiko before she goes on her long journey."

Lilian frowned, but in the end, she decided to not say anything. Although she felt like a week was too long, she decided that this would also help Eiko say her farewell to her Mama.

After they finished their talk, the Half-Elf went to the town to look for the Baby Slime.

It didn't take long for him to find Eiko, but when he saw her, he couldn't stop his lips from twitching.

Three miles away from the town of Edea, which was the name of the town that was currently being constructed at the base of the mountain, two little troublemakers were busy making weapons of mass destruction.

Lux could see sixteen small hills of Blast Bombs that were piled up on top of each other, making him feel as if several nuclear bombs were ticking away in front of him.

Due to how focused Eiko and Glee were, they didn't notice the Half-Elf observing them from a distance.

After returning to the Guild Headquarters, Eiko went to look for her best friend, Glee, and asked her to help her make some bombs for her Papa.

Naturally, Glee was more than happy to help, and they began making Blast Bombs and converting them into Heat-Seeking Missiles.

But to Lux's surprise, the two also made a new type of weapon which they called the Supersonic Blast Bomb.

As the name suggested, this Blast Bomb could travel at supersonic speeds while having the firepower to destroy an entire city.

The only problem with this bomb was that it would fly straight, and it was nearly impossible to change its trajectory.

Even so, if used properly, it could seriously injure a Saint, and even possibly kill them if it landed as a direct hit.

Lux remembered what Lilian told him a while ago and couldn't help but reaffirm her statement.

He truly didn't need to worry about Eiko.

What he should be worried about were the fools who dared to get in the way of his Trigger Happy Daughter, who wouldn't hesitate to watch the world burn right before her eyes.

----------------

Author's Note: Only one chapter today, went to the dentist. will post 3 chapters tomorrow.

 

Chapter 948 You’re Treating Me Like A Child

Since Eiko and Glee were still busy crafting Blast Bombs and didn't seem like they had any intention of stopping, Lux decided to return to Solais in the morning.

Valerie then decided to spend the night in the Guild Headquarters and sleep with her first friend, Aurora.

The two ladies, one a peerless beauty and the other a plain-looking girl, lay on the bed while talking to each other.

"You know, I didn't notice it earlier, but looking at you closely now, I have a feeling that this isn't what you truly look like," Aurora said as she lightly cupped Valerie's face. "Of course, I won't force you to show me your true appearance. But can I ask why are you hiding your face? Don't you want Lux to see it?"

Valerie didn't reply right away. She was trying to find the right words to explain her current situation.

A few minutes later, she finally organized her thoughts and gave her reply.

"You see, my family holds a great deal of influence in Karshvar Draconis," Valerie answered. "Several months ago, this Guild Headquarters was inside our territory. However, some things happened, forcing Sir Lux to seek Asylum here at the Crystal Palace."

Valerie's tone became a bit sad after saying these words.

"Since my family is a bit special, I decided to disguise myself when I leave the Pala—our home. I've long been used to wearing this disguise, and I also met Sir Lux with this face. Right now, we are good friends. However, I am afraid that things might change if he sees my real face."

Aurora giggled as she lightly caressed Valerie's cheeks. "What? Are you going to tell me that you'll get pregnant if Lux sees your real face?"

Valerie pouted, which made Aurora giggle a second time.

"My mother told me that I shouldn't show my real face to people outside of our home, especially in front of men," Valerie stated. "According to her, people might abduct me if they see me walking the streets of the capital."

"Mmm," Aurora nodded. "I have my fair share of this problem as well. The only difference is that those who dared to abduct me ended up being cursed with bad luck. I'm sure that even now, they are regretting the choices they made many years ago."

The pink-haired beauty sighed after remembering those traumatic memories.

Perhaps influenced by the sadness that briefly passed across Aurora's face, Valerie decided to give her friend a hug, which the latter returned with a hug of her own.

"Actually, I kind of understand why people would want to kidnap you, Aurora," Valerie said. "You're so beautiful. Even as a girl, I feel very attracted to you."

"And I feel the same as you," Aurora smiled. "I'm sure that behind this face you are wearing right now is an incredibly beautiful girl. Since you like Lux, why don't you show him your face?"

The plain-looking girl blushed before shaking her head. She had long been tempted to do this multiple times already. But every time she tried to convince herself to do it, a part of her rejected it.

"I don't want Sir Lux to see my true face." Valerie sighed. "I will make him like me with my current face. That way, I will know for sure that he doesn't only look at someone's physical appearance. My mother said that if I manage to make Sir Lux fall in love with me with my current looks, she will convince my father to let the two of us be together."

The smile on Aurora's face widened after hearing Valerie's words.

"My, how romantic," Aurora commented. "Good luck, Valerie. I will support you."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I hope that both of us succeed. By then, we will be calling each other sisters."

"I think I would like that," Valerie said. "Make sure to tell me what Sir Lux's fiancees are like when you return, okay?"

Aurora nodded.

The two chatted for another hour before both of them went to sleep.

The next day…

Lux, Eiko, and Aurora were bidding their goodbyes to Valerie, Ali, and Ari.

Although they had only been together for a short time, Aurora and Valerie had become very close, which also made the Half-Elf quite happy.

"I'll be visiting again, Sir Lux," Valerie said as he hugged the red-headed teenager.

It was Aurora who suggested that she did this, and Valerie decided to give it a chance. Fortunately, the Half-Elf didn't mind, which made the plain-looking lady quite happy.

"You can visit me anytime," Lux replied. "Just make sure to not make things difficult for Ali and Ari, okay?"

"…You're treating me like a child," Valerie pouted before pulling back. "I'm already an adult."

The plain-looking girl even puffed her chest, as if letting Lux inspect them to see if they belonged to a child.

The Half-Elf lightly coughed as he forced his gaze to shift from Valerie's chest to her face, and gave his reply.

"Of course you are." Lux smiled. "That's why you should take better care of yourself, okay? Especially now that you have a new friend you can visit here in the Guild Headquarters."

"Un!" Valerie nodded before turning to Aurora to give her one last hug as well.

"Remember what we talked about, okay?" Valerie whispered.

"I know," Aurora whispered back. "Count on me."

Aurora then took the initiative to stand beside Lux and hold his hand. Her gaze landed on her new best friend and gave her a playful wink, making the latter giggle.

Eiko was also firmly perched on top of her Papa's head as she waved at her best friend, Glee, who had also come to say goodbye.

"Bye bye, Glee!" Eiko said.

"Bye bye, Eiko!" Glee replied. "The next time we meet, let's destroy entire mountain ranges, okay?"

"Un!"

"Yay!"

Everyone, with the exception of the Half-Elf, who heard their words, smiled because they thought that they were only joking.

Only Lux knew that the two weren't joking. He could even feel beads of sweat forming on his head at the thought that the two would start destroying the mountain ranges around the territory of the Crystal Palace.

If that really happened, he was sure that if Lady Augustina didn't kick them out, Piccoro certainly would.

After finally saying their goodbyes, Lux, Eiko, and Aurora, turned into beams of light and shot towards the sky.

Their next destination was the world of Solais.

A place that Elysians couldn't possibly travel to at this point in time.

As to why Aurora could do it? The reason was due to her being Half Abyssal and Half Human.

Since Abyssal Creatures could travel to Elysium and Solais, Aurora could do it too by default.

Valerie looked at the sky for nearly half a minute before making her way back to the Teleportation Gate to return to Karshvar Draconis.

In the distance, Aur also looked at the sky with his hands behind his back for a few seconds before taking a step forward and disappearing completely.

He still had many things to do, and he had already delayed them to spend some time with the Half-Elf, who had returned to his own world to reunite with his two lovers.

 

 

Chapter 949 Do You Plan To Take A Second Wife?

"Manma!" Eiko kissed Vera's right cheek, making the silver-haired lady smile.

"I missed you too, Eiko," Vera replied and kissed Eiko's head, making the baby slime giggle.

They had just arrived at Barbatos Academy after traveling from the Wildgarde Stronghold.

Lux's Grandma then glanced at the young lady who was beside her grandson with great interest.

Earlier, she had seen Aurora, but the latter was wearing a hooded cloak that hid her face. However, after Aurora saw Lux's family member, the pink-haired beauty revealed her face and gave Vera a polite bow in greeting.

"Grandma, this is Aurora," Lux said. "Aurora, this is my Grandma Vera. She is the one who raised me."

"It's an honor to meet you, Lady Vera," Aurora said with a smile.

"The pleasure is mine, Aurora," Vera replied. "But please, just call me Grandma."

"Understood, Grandma." Aurora's smile widened.

A single glance was enough for Vera to know that Aurora liked her grandson, so she had a good impression of the girl. Although she didn't know if the young lady's feelings would bear fruit, Lux's grandmother was very willing to support her from the side.

After all, the more great-grandchildren she had, the better!

Vera then glanced at her surroundings and noticed that a crowd had already formed around them.

Lux might be popular in the academy, but he wasn't popular to the point that a crowd would come in droves just to look at him.

Clearly, their attention was focused on the pink-haired lady by his side, who mesmerized them with her peerless beauty.

"Hey, do you think that she is the Half-Elf's new lover?"

"Aiyah~ this bastard. Why is he getting all the beautiful ladies? Can't he show mercy to us single people? How will I be able to live like this?"

"Well maybe if you didn't look like a skinny sardine, you might stand a chance."

"What did you say? Have you checked your reflection in the mirror? Even dog poop looks better than you!"

"Bastard, you want to fight?"

"Who's afraid of you? Bring it on!"

Seeing that things might get rowdy really soon, Vera decided to lead Lux and Aurora towards Iris' residence in the academy. However, even as they left, the eyes of the male students were still glued to Aurora's retreating back as they sighed bitterly.

If only they could have a lover as beautiful as her, they would definitely brag to the high heavens and make sure that everyone, including their mothers, knew their names.

"Grandma, are Iris and Cai around?" Lux asked.

"No, they're not," Vera replied. "Both of them are challenging a dungeon right now, and the soonest they could return is tomorrow."

Lux nodded his head in understanding.

Ever since Iris and Cai were sent to the Abyss, the two decided to become serious about getting stronger.

Because of this, they spent a lot of time diving into dungeons and challenging the monsters that stood in their way.

Vera then chuckled as she continued to walk. "You ask about Iris and Cai, but you don't ask about your Father. Aren't you curious what he's doing right now?"

"To be honest, I'm not," Lux replied. "The things that Father does are none of my concern."

Vera didn't make any comment as she continued to walk forward. Truth be told, she also didn't know what her son, Alexander, was doing.

However, whatever it was, it was something very important since he had been away for nearly two weeks, leaving Alicia to handle the affairs of the academy.

While they were walking down the hallway, they came across three familiar people, which made Lux arch an eyebrow.

It was none other than Keane, his Master, and Captain Jack Spawow.

Eiko immediately greeted the Pirate Captain, and the latter greeted her with a smile.

"Eiko, sweetheart, it has been a while," Jack Spawow grinned. "How have you been?"

"Yar!" Eiko replied before jumping towards the Captain's shoulder, making Jack Spawow laugh.

"It seems that you've gone on a great adventure," Captain Spawow said as he lightly patted the baby slime's head. "I am glad to know that you and your Papa live an exciting life."

"Aye!"

"Good girl. We can still make a Pirate out of you."

Keane, who had been away to train with his Master, walked towards Lux and shook his hand.

"I've heard everything that happened," Keane stated. "I'm glad that everyone was able to return safely thanks to your help."

Lux nodded as he eyed the no-longer-skinny swordsman in front of him. Judging by the sweat that still stuck on his friend's body, the Half-Elf assumed that he had just finished training with his Master.

Since Keane wasn't wearing a shirt, his lean and toned body was visible for everyone to see. He had also cut his hair, making him look quite handsome, which was a stark contrast to his lazy appearance in the past.

Although the young swordsman was just standing in front of him, the Half-Elf could feel the raw strength and sharpness that was emanating from his body.

After a brief probing, Lux wasn't able to hide the surprise in his eyes because Keane was now a D-Ranker, which was of the same Rank as Cethus.

This proved that he hadn't been slacking off while he wasn't with Lux, and his advancement was truly terrifying.

The red-headed teenager was only able to become a D-Ranker due to special circumstances, and he also only recently became a C-Ranker due to what happened in the Abyss.

As for Cethus, he was a Dragon Born, so he had a backing that allowed him to gain some resources to help with his advancement.

Seeing his surprise, Keane smirked because he didn't expect Lux would react this way. For some reason, it made him feel quite accomplished because although he didn't want to admit it, he looked up to the Half-Elf and treated him as a leader.

In order to hide his embarrassment and change the topic, Lux cleared his throat and asked his friend a question.

"How is Rose?" Lux asked.

This simple question made the smiling swordsman suddenly turn beet red, which made the Half-Elf laugh internally.

Keane's Master, who just went by the name "The Void", rested his hand on his disciple's shoulder before replying to Lux's question.

"The Second High Priestess of the Rowan Tribe is now Keane's fiance," the Void replied. "The two of them will officially marry in three years."

If Lux was only surprised earlier, he was now shocked. He knew that Keane and Rose liked each other, going as far as kissing in secret, but he didn't expect that they would quickly become officially engaged, let alone marry in three years.

"Congratulations, Keane." Lux grinned from ear to ear. "I guess the two of us will become brothers-in-law soon."

"Yes," Keane replied, looking very satisfied with this arrangement.

Lux then cleared his throat and asked Keane a question.

"Do you plan to take a second wife?" Lux asked.

Keane shook his head firmly. "Rose said that she will stab me in the back if I take a second wife. Also, I have no intention of doing so. Having her as my wife is already a blessing."

The young swordsman gave Lux the "I'm-not-like-you" stare, making the Half-Elf cough lightly.

Keane's Master, Grand Void, looked at his disciple in satisfaction. For people like them, having one wife was enough. Having more would only make their swords dull and their sword life complicated.

A moment later, the two groups separated and promised to have dinner together.

"You can stay in my granddaughter's residence while you are here in the academy, Aurora," Vera said after arriving at their destination. "I'm sure that my granddaughter will be very happy to meet you."

"Thank you, Grandma," Aurora replied. "I also want to meet her as soon as possible. The same goes for Cai. I've heard a lot of good things about her from Zane and Zeke."

"Oh? What did they tell you about Cai?" Lux asked with great curiosity.

He knew that Zane and Zeke had told Aurora many things about him, but he didn't know that they had also told the young lady about the High Priestess of the Rowan Tribe.

"That's a secret," Aurora replied as a blush crept onto her face.

After talking with Valerie, Ali, and Ari, she had gained a bit of understanding about the things that she wasn't aware of in the past.

The two handmaidens made sure to enlighten her and Valerie, explaining that the "funny thing" that Lux and his two fiances were doing was the real reason why girls get pregnant.

Their little lesson made the two innocent girls lose a bit of their innocence as they were now exposed to one of the many truths in the world.

 

Chapter 950 Definitely 10 Out Of 10

A faint sound of someone's soft breathing spread inside the quiet room.

Lux looked at the young lady sleeping beside him with a half-dazed look on his face.

Her hair was long, lustrous, and pink, and she had a face that could charm anyone who saw it. On his chest was her right hand, and on his shoulder rested her head.

The young beauty was sleeping peacefully and even had a faint smile on her face.

Memories of what happened the night before resurfaced inside his head, making him remember why Aurora was currently sleeping on his bed instead of the guest room.

——————————

"Can I sleep with you tonight, Lux?" Aurora asked as she stood outside his room, carrying a pillow in her arm. "I'm afraid of sleeping alone."

"Of course," Lux replied.

The Half-Elf didn't mind Aurora sleeping beside him since Eiko was inside the room as well. Not to mention, Zane and Zeke always followed Aurora, so he was certain that nothing untoward would happen between the two of them.

However, his confidence started to waver the moment they laid on the bed. The young lady wrapped her arms around his body and nuzzled on his chest.

For some reason, he felt his body heating up as if Aurora was releasing some kind of pheromone that was making his little brother react.

'F*ck…,' Lux thought as he desperately controlled the urges of his little brother, who was now starting to rear its head. 'Calm down, little guy. We must not fight battles we can't win.'

Aurora, who was oblivious to the changes in Lux's body, simply enjoyed his warmth and fragrance.

Feeling safe and comfortable, Aurora fell asleep soon after that, leaving Lux to fend for himself and control his urges.

'She feels so soft,' Lux thought. 'She also smells good.'

Lux, who was already a veteran when it came to skinship, still found himself unable to feel calm with Aurora clinging to his body.

She was wearing a black, one-piece nightgown that enhanced her charm by several folds, making it difficult for him to regain his composure.

Fortunately, he managed to regain his calm a few minutes later and went to sleep.

He wasn't aware that just a little past midnight, Aurora opened her eyes in a daze.

Her eyes glowed faintly in the darkness as she looked at the face of the handsome Half-Elf, who was sleeping beside him.

Aurora seemed to be in a trance as she lowered her head to kiss his lips for a few seconds.

When the kiss ended, she went back to sleep with a satisfied look on her face, resting her hand on his chest where she could feel his heartbeat.

——————————

Lux continued staring at the sleeping beauty beside him before looking at the window of his room.

It was still a little dark outside, and yet, he knew that the sun would be rising soon.

'I guess I'll sleep for a little bit more,' Lux thought before closing his eyes.

For some reason, he felt more tired than usual, which was also why he decided to sleep a little more before waking up.

Half an hour later, the door of the room opened and two young ladies entered sneakily.

Iris had felt Eiko's presence inside her fiance's room, so she knew that Lux had returned to Barbatos Academy.

However, instead of surprising him, the ones who were surprised were them.

While they did expect that they would find Lux sleeping, they didn't expect that he would be sleeping with a young lady, whose beauty surpassed theirs.

They had just returned from their dungeon expedition and were feeling quite tired. Their goal was to sleep beside Lux, but seeing that he had company, the two didn't know what to do next.

Of course, they had an idea who the young lady was.

The Half-Elf had informed them where he would go and whom he planned to save. Since that was the case, Iris and Cai believed that the beautiful girl sleeping beside their fiance was none other than Aurora.

The two ladies gave each other a knowing glance before leaving the room. They were truly tired and had no strength to do anything aside from sleep.

Fortunately, Lux didn't sleep in Iris' bedroom and used the room he usually slept in when she was inside her Residence.

If the handsome young man dared to sleep with another girl inside her bedroom without her permission, then things wouldn't have ended as peacefully as they did now.

A few hours later…

Lux felt something poking his cheeks, which made his brow furrow. At first, he thought that it was Eiko trying to wake him up.

However, when he realized that both of his cheeks were being poked, he knew that whoever was poking him wasn't alone.

When he opened his eyes, he found two baby slimes taking turns poking his cheeks.

They were none other than Eiko and Fei Fei, who immediately giggled after seeing that they had succeeded in waking him up.

Lux stared at the golden baby slime for a few seconds before his eyes widened in shock.

Since Fei Fei was here, that could only mean one thing.

He glanced at his side and realized that Aurora was no longer beside him. The sunlight was already strong outside the window, and to his surprise, it was already noon time.

The Half-Elf scrambled out of the bed, and immediately headed to Iris' bedroom, only to see that they were not there.

"Pa!" Eiko, who had followed behind Lux, jumped on top of his head and giggled.

Fei Fei did the same, but instead of jumping on the Half-Elf's head, she landed on his shoulder.

"Wei~"

"Eiko, where is your Mama?" Lux asked.

"Bath!" Eiko replied.

"I see, thank you," Lux stated before going to the pool area of Iris' residence. Since his two fiances were already there, he decided to join them and enjoy some quality time with each other.

He removed his pajamas and entered the pool with a smile on his face.

A moment later, the smile on his face stiffened as he came face to face with a pink-haired beauty, who was completely naked, standing in front of him.

Her hair was still wet, and there were still water droplets on her skin, which meant that she had just finished bathing.

The Half-Elf's eyes subconsciously moved to her chest before moving downwards. When he saw that place, his weakness activated, making him fall into a daze.

'Nice thighs,' Lux thought. 'Definitely 10 out of 10.'

Even Little Lux rose up to give his approval, making his face redden out of embarrassment.

Due to how focused he was in appraising the profoundness in front of him. He didn't notice that Aurora had approached him and was looking at him with concern.

"Are you alright?" Aurora asked as she touched the side of his face. "Your face is a bit flushed. Do you have a fever?"

The Half-Elf raised his head to look at her. But before he could even give his reply, two ladies appeared behind Aurora, which made Lux stand at attention.

Both had smiles on their faces, and they were looking at him as if telling him, "do you like what you see?".

Perhaps knowing that the situation had turned for the worse, Lux's little brother deflated, as if taking evasive action, leaving his Big Bro to handle the aftermath.

Because he couldn't think of any kind of excuse to say in this situation, he decided to man it up and walk towards his two fiances with a smile on his face.

"I missed the two of you," Lux said as he hugged their bodies before giving Iris and Cai a kiss on their cheeks.

To his surprise, the two ladies didn't say anything and simply held his hand, and pulled him towards the pool.

Although they had just taken a bath, they didn't mind doing it again in order to spend time with their lover, whom they knew didn't have the guts to cheat on them.

Aurora looked at Lux retreating back with a tinge of red on her face. She was still not aware of many things, especially when it came to matters between men and women. But she was certain about one thing.

'He liked what he saw,' Aurora thought. 'I think I have a chance.'

The young lady glanced at the pool one more time before going back to her room.

She wasn't aware that inside the pool area, Lux and his two fiances did a bit of catching up, which took an hour to finish.