AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Seriously, this would happen to me, wouldn’t it? Curse my stupid dick! I’m sorry litt—big guy, nothing personal, you’re just an absolute idiot.

I look to Bia’xx, who eyes me with a mixture of mirth and confusion plastered on her face. Fuck you!

Cira’xx looks as cool as a cucumber and Cura’xx’s gaze flickers between the two of us in confusion. Fuck you guys too, for good measure!

“Would Your Highness like for us to call her in here to talk things over?”

“…sure.”

I let out a breath I totally knew I was holding and deflate into the couch like a limp corpse. Though my body is still boiling, static overwhelms all my senses as my blood frosts over.

Man… this sucks.

Why do I do things? Damnit Dra’xx, you should have known something like this would happen! You shouldn’t have let me outside.

I audibly sigh. This is my fault, no one else’s. Well, maybe a little bit Dra’xx’s, but the question remains. What the hell do I do about this?

Do they actually want me to take responsibility just as I feared? Oh, dear Gods…

Curse my shitty impulses. This really is goodbye to my cushy downlow life. Now that I’m facing the possibility of its end, I don’t believe I’m ready.

Now that I know how irresponsible and impulsive I really am, getting black out drunk, sleeping with random women, showing off my power without consulting with anyone first so it can be a ‘surprise’.

Now that I know how childish I am, am I ready to be a Martial Cultivator? Am I at all ready to face my father?

Whether I’m ready or not, one thing is clear. In these coming moments, I must face the consequences of my actions. Hey, becoming publicly involved with the Vaia Clan can’t be that bad, right?

No, wait. There’s still the possibility it’s a different Vaia. Actually, of course it is! The Vaia lineage has long went extinct, but Vaia is still a popular human surname. In all likelihood, I’m overthinking things way too much.

Cira’xx said important guest, not Esteemed or Royal guest, so we can assume she is of relatively low status, even if she is some sort of human noble of the old country.

“Hehehehehe.”

A small giggle can’t help but seep out in my relief. I can’t believe I managed to scare myself so much. Think rationally, Jack.

Confidence returns to my posture as I sit up and lift my chin up to look Cira’xx in the eyes. You can’t scare me, bitch!

Also, I’m sorry big guy, you’re not stupid after all.

“Stop being gross.”

“No.”

“You seemed frightened out your arse just a few seconds ago. What were you giggling like a little girl for?”

“I was not! I just thought it was the Vaia Clan for a second is all. But they don’t exist anymore so it’s all good. I’m safe.”

“Not like you would be in any danger even if it was, what power do they hold nowadays to scare you out of your skin? Though to be fair, for a second I thought it was them too.”

“I wasn’t scared!”

“Though it seems like the Rei Ui are trying to pull something. It was a servant girl, right?”

“Hmm, I believe she said it herself actually. She was a ‘mere servant girl’”

“So, she’s suddenly an important guest now? How interesting.”

Cira’xx, what do you think you’re trying to pull?

I find it difficult to quash the hostility bubbling behind my eyes, so I find myself relieved Cira’xx has closed his while Transmitting to this Anne Vaia character.

Anne Vaia… I feel terrible for dragging her into this. I doubt she appreciates getting caught up in all the politics surrounding a man she likely now hates. Oh Gods, have I potentially ruined some poor girl’s life by thinking with my alcoholic dick? Am I a reprehensible person? I can handle ruining my own life, but not someone else’s.

My dick is stupid after all...

After a minute or two of solemn waiting, a lone figure dressed in red and white robes opens the hefty wooden door effortlessly, her long crimson skirt and raven-black hair swaying ever-so-slightly.

I was preoccupied other things that morning, so I never noticed, but she’s quite the beauty.

Eyes of burning blue pierce my own, so I smile and wave a little in response.

She crosses her arms and closes her eyes, head turning sharply away from me.

“Hmph!”

Hey, fuck you then!

Wait no, it’s fine. That’s an understandable reaction towards the person who put her in this situation in the first place. And towards the person who told her he thought she was a whore and didn’t remember anything about her after giving him her first time.

Yeah okay, fair enough then. Hate me all you want; I can take it!

It’s only fair, not only have I dragged the Cal Mira Manor into my feud with the Emperor, who probably knows I’m not a cripple anymore, but I’ve also dragged innocent little Anne into this as well.

I always thought I would get away fine as long as I faced a light slap on the wrist for my actions, but I don’t think I can get away with just that this time.

“Hey…”

“Bia’xx? What?”

“You said she was just a servant girl, right?”

“Yeah, why?”

“A Level 7… as a servant?”

“Huh, what?”

Level 7? Did I hear that right?

Reaching out with my puny spiritual senses gets me nothing out of the ordinary, which in of itself is out of the ordinary. It’s like there isn’t even a person where Anne is standing… a sign of a cultivator on a far higher level.

Then, with a mere glare, my second pair of eyes are ripped out of my metaphysical skull. I snap to hold my eyes shut as I’m hit with a sudden wave of nausea. Okay sure, I deserve that. Don’t wanna throw up though, even if I deserve to.

Through my fingers I catch her taking quick glances at me filled with remorse and thin veneer of anger. She’s not a monster, if a little impulsive, but a detriment to my continued wellbeing for sure.

So, she is powerful… that doesn’t spell good news. Some would say it spells bad news, but I personally would say it spells absolutely terrible news.

Members of the Vaia Clan were known to have impressive innate talent which manifested especially in the quick growth of cultivators during their youth. Anne Vaia…

Well, what more can I do? It’s time to face the result of my actions head on.

With somewhat renewed vigour, I shakily stand up.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I hold out my hand. “Anne Vaia.”

Focusing on her forehead so I don’t have to look her in the eyes would have been a good idea if I didn’t see her glare through my peripheral vison. I had hoped going for a ‘handshake’ as the humans call it instead of a bow and salute would close the gap between us if only a little. She hesitates before taking my hand in hers. It’s quite small and soft.

Progress I suppose. Though I don’t suppose she’s grasping it a little hard. Hard enough for me to struggle in keeping my polite smile from turning into a cringing frown from the pain.

“Indeed, it is nice to meet you,” looking directly into my eyes, she grins as she shakes it. “Jack.”

Never mind, I take it back, she’s a Demon in human skin! I can hear popping sounds for Heaven’s sake! Thankfully, when Cira’xx speaks up, she lets go

“Please, take a seat—some tea for the Lady—Your Highness, have you not already formally met?”

“Hahaha… not formally, no,” sitting back down, I look to Anne, cradling my hand. “I was hoping we could do that here.”

“Hmph!”

Again? At least try to appear reasonable!

“Now, now, I understand there might be some issues between the two of you, but it’s nothing we can’t work through.”

What stake does he have in this? Usually, even a Senior Disciple wouldn’t care enough to counsel two horny idiots, so why in the hell is the Clan’s Patriarch?

Fortunately, someone braver than I asks those questions for me.

“What do you care? Only Heaven knows how the hell you found out about us in the first place! It’s downright creepy! Patriarch, it’s time you tell us what this is all about!”

One nice thing I can say about her is that she wears her heart on her sleeve. Every facial expression and vocal inflection is animated, driven by strong genuine emotion unlike my own. Makes her very easy to read, and sort of fun to look at.

Fearless enough to talk to Cira’xx like some random old geezer, too. What type of pull does she have?

Her words also suggest she told no one about our whole shindig, which, on second thought, would have been stupid of her considering it’s a crime against the Imperials to fornicate on the Emperor’s birthday. Who wants to be sentenced to hard labour for a few years for a reason like that? Not that hard labour is much of a punishment for cultivators.

Cira’xx pauses, then sighs.

“I shall put up a Sound Barrier.”

With a small wave of his hand, the room we were in became completely isolated from the outside world and a thin sheen of dull grey envelops my vision.

Woah. Is this what a Sound Barrier feels like? All the hustle and bustle of the Manor and movement or the training of the Sect Disciples disappeared. Feels like we’re in our own isolated universe, sort of similar to one of those pocket dimensions you hear about in novels and such where powerful old fogeys ‘escape the mundane world’.

Though, the mere presence of a Sound Barrier, however cool they might be, suggests some slightly uncool things will be our main topics of discussion.

“Do you mind if I ask you to deafen yourselves whilst me and His Highness here can have a little chat. In private. I would ask you to close your eyes too.”

Not even a brief moment passes before he does exactly as he’s asked, filling his ears with low-level fire and closing his eyes calmly. Then, Cura’xx follows suit. I know it can’t damage them, but that’s a bit much isn’t it. Just plug your ears!

“It takes more than just plugging your ears normally to cut off your hearing when you reach their level.” Bia’xx states as if she had read my mind.

“Wait, so when I invite, uh, friends over—”

“Everyone can hear everything, yes. It is torture. However, it serves as good mental training. Aia’xx of all people started using it as a queue to begin mediating—”

“Okay, okay I’ve heard enough deafen yourself hurry up!”

She shrugs, then does the same as the others. Motherfucker…

“You are quite friendly with your guard. More so than I expected from an Imperial.”

“Yeah, I suppose I am. They’re people too.”

“Hm, so your accent isn’t formal nor informal either, rather somewhere in the middle.”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to gauge how much was an act to get me into bed with you.”

“Ah.”

“Would you like me to tell you the conclusion I’ve come to?”

“Haha… not really.”

“So, you’re also the type of person to hide from criticism?”

“If it isn’t constructive…”

“It’s how you respond to it which makes it constructive or not.”

“I’d still rather not hear it. I already have a good idea of what your impression is of me anyway.”

“Who knows, you might be surprised.”

“Look, I understand why your opinion of me might not be the best. I get it. I fucked up bad. I would like to apologise to you for all this,” I lower my head as far as it’ll go while sitting down without looking like I’m trying to suck my own dick. “If there’s anything I can do to make up for it—”

“It’s fine.”

“What?”

Looking into her eyes for the first time since she ripped my other pair out in shock, I see… remorse?

“It’s okay, I understand. You have your own circumstances, your own demons,” she smiles, half-genuinely. “It’s not like you’re entirely to blame for all this, I have my own demons too. It isn’t fair for me to be mad at you when I am also partly to blame. Let’s face this together, okay?”

She holds out her hand. That was easy. Almost too easy. One minutes she’s roasting me over a fire and now she’s forgiven me just like that? I take her hand in good spirits. Guess some women really are easier to deal wi—”

My thoughts are interrupted by a resounding crack from my hand.

“Owowowowow, why, why!?”

It seems I have forgotten in the span of a few minutes that this girl is not to be trusted with handshakes.

“My apologies. When I saw that stupid look on your face, I got angry again.”

I take it back! She’s downright volatile!

Taking my hand back, nursing it, I ask:

“So, what do we need to talk about.”

“I wanted to ask, who precisely are you? Before we continue with whatever the hell the old man wants from us, we must have a basic understanding of one another. All the information I have is mere inference. You are an Imperial, correct?”

Is that all?

I suppose it’s only prudent. I sigh as I begin to speak.

“I am. I’m not sure if you would have heard of me at this point, but I’m the son the current Emperor, his youngest. Though even I’m not sure how official all that is anymore. Think of it as if I were a bastard son if that makes it easier.”

Very rarely am I compelled to talk about who I am. It always leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, so I try to change the subject.

Anne narrows her eyes at the mention of the Emperor. Not too many people are fond of my father, nor me by proxy.

“And what about you. Am I right in assuming you’re from the Vaia Clan?”

Confusion flashes across her face.

“You didn’t already know? I was under the impression that was why you approached me in the first place. In hindsight, you guided the conversation to my background very smoothly, like you knew what you were doing. You weren’t sent by anyone?”

“What? No, I had no idea. See… I don’t remember any of last night at all, I doubt I was in any state to be conducting a covert spy mission with a bunch of other drunks. Why would anyone send me to talk to you anyway?”

“My Bestowment, obviously.”

What in the Nine Heavens is she on about? Bestowment of what, her virginity? No matter what they say, losing one’s virginity isn’t some all-important and special event to rave on abo—

“You’re thinking something rude right now, aren’t you?”

An invisible pressure surrounds me, pressing down on my chest and making itself known that it could crush me at any moment. I’ll make a mental note not to think anything that might piss her off because she’s a mind reader apparently.

“No, honest! Anyway, what do you mean by Bestowment?”

The spiritual pressure around me disappears and I can breathe normally again. Scary. And for some reason, the scary girl’s face flushes a slight pink.

“Surely, I don’t—you must know, right?”

“Nope.”

She sighs and curses under her breath, something about ignorance or some other pejorative.

“Bestowment is a Bloodline Ability unique to women of the Vaia Clan wherein you may grant someone the rest of the Vaia Bloodline Abilities by having… intercourse with them.”

That’s stupid. How did they figure that one out? I’d love to know that story… hold on a minute.

“So, do I have the Vaia Bloodline now?” I quickly check my hands and arms for any weird glowing sigils that people in stories always have when they have a new dumb power, to no avail. “I don’t feel any different.”

“Of course you don’t. I may have been acting foolish that night, but I never had and never will have any intention of using Bestowment on a ruffian like you!”

“Hey…”

Meaning the ability is intention based. Thank the Heavens it can’t just be forced out of people. What a nightmare that would be.

“But I suppose we can conclude it was merely a coincidence we met that night. A terrible coincidence.”

Anne shoots me a nasty look. I feel like this is going to go on for a while. But she is right, it might just be a terrible coincidence we met indeed.

Anne coaxed the people I almost forgot were here out of their improvised meditation of sorts, Transmitting that it’s time for school and they need to wake up.

Joking, of course. I’m only half-certain Bia’xx fell asleep.

They seem reluctant to ask what we were talking about, one of them because she doesn’t care and the other two because they are fearful it was something Anne would slap them for asking about.

Which is quite strange. Not to brag, but status-wise I am far above Anne and for most of my life, the Rei Ui have feared my presence and conformed to my every whim. But now, it seems doing everything, or refraining from doing anything to not anger Anne is their primary concern.

Always thought it was annoying when people tried to suck up to you all the time, though, surprisingly enough I kinda miss it. Must be very irritating to live with suck-ups instead of just visiting them a couple times a month though.

So, I must ask myself, what the hell is the deal with this girl?

“Now that we’re finished, would you tell us what’s going on?”

Cira’xx nods his head awkwardly, like he doesn’t know where to begin.

“This one is not too sure how to word this—”

“Accurately. And quickly.” I add, reminding him here too. Notice me, damnit!

“B-by His Imperial Majesty’s decree, Jack Cal Mira of the Cal Mira Imperial Family is to marry Anne Vaia of the Vaia Clan on the 1st day of the 11th month and is to be publicly announced by the 12th of the 12th month. Such are the words from His Imperial Majesty’s mouth.”

…

…

…

What’s that smell, scented candles? Haaaaah, I’ve always loved the smell of—what’s that—a berry of some sort? Bayberry? What a refined taste, compliments to the chef!

Or am I just having a stroke because I don’t see any candles and I just heard something very ludicrous come out of the strait-laced Cira’xx’s mouth. Oh, how strange, it seems as if Anne, Bia’xx and Cura’xx also heard something completely insane come out of Cira’xx’s mouth. Mad!

“Did you just say… we are to be married?” Anne states, jaw hung open, suddenly standing with a back as rigid as a wooden pole.

“His Highness is to be married to the good Lady; you say?”

“Anne is going to marry him?”

What are the odds of that, four pals sharing the same auditory hallucinations! Funny how the world works sometimes.

I am having a stroke, right? Or is it burnt toast your supposed to smell? Oh, Great Phoenix above tell me I’m having a stroke.

“Truly, I understand your shock, but in accordance with His will, my Lady and His Highness are to be married.”

Is this what energy overuse feels like? I think I got brain damage. Not sure why the others also have brain damage though. Maybe there’s a cold out and about. A cultivator cold. Some bioweapon? Bioterrorism!?

…

God damnit, I knew this would happen! I called it way back! I’m too smart for my own good!

I am to marry Anne of the Vaia Clan.

“Can I ask why we are to be married?”

“The distance between humans and angels in the Empire is growing further and faster than ever before. Civil unrest and rebel groups in regions such as Pe Ann and Va Ann, namely the Dragon Flag, are a consequence of this.”

Cira’xx’s face scrunches as if even he can see through the transparency of it all.

“His Imperial Majesty cannot allow this to happen, thus, to promote peace and solidarity between the two, He has decided to give the humans a legitimate representative, and who is a better representative than the eldest daughter of the governor of the former region of Talugia? Of course, the only way the other Imperial Families, the Nobility and the general populace would accept that is if she has backing. His Imperial Majesty himself is willing to be that backing.”

His words strike through my skull with perfect clarity, yet I can’t even begin to comprehend any of their meaning. If I wasn’t already sitting down, I would surely have toppled over by now.

There’s still time for me to have a stroke. Unless… can cultivators even have strokes?

“You… you are serious?”

“My Lady, this one would not be so foolish as to jest about a topic so staid.”

As much as I hate to say it, Cira’xx’s voice is dead serious. Be it on his head to joke about this.

“Why… after all they did,” she spoke calmly and slowly, but deep in the back of her throat simmered a crackling fire. “Do they dare pretend to care about humans!”

Genuine fury. Not once since I left the capital had I heard such rage behind each and every syllable of a person’s words. Anne’s expression betrayed sorrow, biting hard on her bottom lip to stop the tears pooling in her eyes from spilling out, fists balled up as if preparing for a scrap.

I can’t say I’m all too pleased that old bastard is interfering with my peaceful life after all this time either, it’s not like I want any of his attention. All things considered though; I’m not too too bothered by this revelation.

However, knowing about the Vaia Clan’s fall, and the subsequent treatment of humans afterwards… her reaction seems the opposite of overblown.

“Now, now… this could be considered a major step forward for humans, a cause for celebration. Cohesion—”

“We never would have needed to take a step forward if weren’t for you disgusting lot!”

She sighs, defeated.

“All I ask is… why now, after all this time.”

“Currently, we are undergoing a period of national distress. Cohesion among our citizens during these hard times is tantamount to our prolonged survival.”

“National distress?”

At the same time, Anne and I exclaim our confusion.

“This one means war. Now the situation at the Fortress has settled, it is now time to focus our attention to taking back the homeland from those Half-Demon Talyngursan scum whilst they are still vulnerable.”

“War… what… are you going to have us fight in your war?”

“Of course, it is only what you owe us after we have decided to grant you people a long-awaited liberation. It is the price of freedom.”

A deep mocking oration from outside the barrier sends a loud ring through my skull, echoing through my body and rattling my insides. This venom, this snobbish vernacular, this arrogance… it all feels devastatingly familiar.

Space twists and rends in the form of a sturdy, robust figure of a man, towering over even the standing Anne, who looks on in complete bewilderment. With a flash of azure light, he manifests in the room as some kind of ethereal transparent spirit.

The room vibrates as if shaking at his presence and the Sound Barrier around us cracks wildly.

Ah. I get it now. Now I understand. It only took facing this for the second time for me to understand. This is why they bow to his every whim. This is why they so readily do as they’re commanded. This is why the Rei Ui have no other choice but to scrape at his feet like rats.

It the answer to an equation I had never understood.

Power. He has power above all others. Such is the nature of a God.