"What exactly did you get from that Old One's relic site?"
Inside the luxurious carriage, Lileath, the Lady of the Lake, and Sulia flanked Ryan on either side, hemming him in. The goddess leaned against Ryan's shoulder, her emerald eyes brimming with curiosity. "Tell me, won't you~?"
"Yes, Ryan, even the Lady is asking. Why don't you tell us?" Sulia added, her curiosity just as keen.
"Haven't I already given all the benefits to you and Morgiana?" Ryan retorted, rolling his eyes.
The Knight-King's expression was faintly gloomy.
After the grand ceremony appointing the ten marshals concluded, the Bretonnian chivalric army had officially disbanded. The marshals and dukes returned to their respective provinces, and after such a prolonged campaign, even the soldiers were utterly exhausted. Everyone needed a proper rest.
Bertrand and Davout had both returned to their lands as well. Bertrand had gone back to his estate on the edge of Arden Forest, now elevated to the rank of Baron of Nottingham. Davout, on the other hand, had accepted an invitation from Duke Berchmond to spend the winter in Bastonne, his homeland, where arrangements for his marriage were already in motion.
Veronica had accompanied Ryan for a brief report on the activities of the Garland Council and had decided to return to the ducal castle with him for the winter. Winter was when the Head Sorceress's power was weakest, making it an ideal time for her to rest. In contrast, Teresa and Aurora were at their peak power during the colder months and planned to dedicate themselves to rigorous training.
Ryan had checked Teresa's condition and determined that it wasn't yet the right time to transfer the energy of the Old Ones to her. They would need to wait until the summer when her bloodline would stabilize.
Sorcerers are nothing but trouble, Ryan grumbled inwardly. He had long been annoyed by the sorceress pathway. While it allowed easy progression to Legendary status early on—almost by just lying around—it came with severe limitations later on, particularly due to bloodline constraints. Ryan suspected that Aurora's decision to guide Teresa onto the sorceress path was an attempt to spare her daughter hardship.
What a way to set her up for failure, Ryan thought, shaking his head.
At this moment, Veronica and Morgiana were riding in another carriage. The Lake Witch and the Head Sorceress were deep in discussions about the allocation of magically gifted girls. In Bretonnia, children with magical aptitude were typically sent abroad for training once they reached a certain age. If not, the Lake Church would take them in. Boys were never seen again, while girls were sent to the Lady's divine realm for training. Those who completed their courses returned to the mortal world as Lake Seers.
Veronica, however, sought to claim some of these gifted children for the Sorceress Assembly. Ryan had left this matter entirely to her, knowing better than to meddle. If he intervened, both sides would accuse him of favoritism, so he opted to stay out of it altogether.
Ryan's thoughts returned to the present as he surveyed the luxurious interior of Sulia's carriage. The Lady of the Lake was nestled on his lap, pouting playfully, while Sulia sat across from them, trying to coax answers out of him.
Ryan's face turned a shade greener. Ever since the marshal appointment ceremony, Lileath had refused to leave his side. Instead, she had teamed up with Sulia to drain his psychic energy, leaving him utterly exhausted.
Initially, Ryan had been smug, reveling in the fact that both the goddess and the knightly queen were his.
Now, the Knight-King just wanted to run—run as far as he could.
When will this end? he thought despairingly. Can't they use less energy?
The carriage was spacious, and on the other side sat Olica and Sylvia. Olica appeared to be jotting something down with a smug grin, while Sylvia looked utterly defeated, slumped against the seat with an occasional twitch. "I... I can't take it anymore," Sylvia muttered weakly.
"Ryan! The Lady is speaking to you!" Sulia snapped, breaking Ryan's train of thought. She hooked her arm around his and gently shook it, her full, ample figure pressing against him and further frazzling his nerves. "What did you find in the Old One's relic? Can't you share it with us? If it's confidential, we'll understand."
"Honestly, it's not much," Ryan admitted after a moment's reflection. With a wry smile, he explained, "The relic contained research by the Old Ones on how to curse the Star Gods. They discovered that while defeating the Star Gods wasn't too difficult, killing them was nearly impossible. If shattered, the Star Gods wouldn't die but would instead break into countless fragments. Worse still, if you inflicted massive damage on a Star God, it would unleash an unbreakable curse in retaliation. This curse would plague an entire species indefinitely, unable to be lifted or removed."
"Star Gods?" Sulia's eyes sparkled with interest. Over time, she had absorbed a wealth of knowledge about the Material Universe from Ryan. "Couldn't you ask Father about this? I remember he fought a Star God head-on on Mars."
"Hmmph!" Before Ryan could answer, Lileath crossed her arms and smirked triumphantly. She lifted one of her petite feet, encased in gray glowing pantyhose, and playfully traced the tip of her pink-and-white high heel along Ryan's pant leg. With an air of superiority, she wagged two fingers at Sulia. "You're mistaken about two things, Sulia!"
"First," Lileath began smugly, "Ryan's father only defeated a fragment of a Star God—not its true form!"
"And second," she continued, raising another finger, "even then, he could only seal the fragment!"
"Is that so?" Sulia mused thoughtfully, while Ryan's face darkened.
The Knight-King, clearly annoyed, wrapped an arm around the goddess's slender waist and whispered in her ear, "It sounds like our Lady of the Lake is feeling rather bold, doesn't it? Are you implying that my father is beneath your notice?"
"I never said that!" Lileath protested, flustered. "I was merely stating facts!"
"Selective facts," Ryan quipped, releasing the goddess and pushing her to the side. He then turned to Sulia and pulled her into his arms, holding his blushing wife close. "Don't listen to Lileath. The truth is, she's nowhere near strong enough to take on a Star God. She wouldn't even stand a chance against a fragment."
"Hmph! If I had my Lileath's Crown, Sunfire Amulet, and Moon Staff, plus enough psychic energy from Ryan, I could take on a fragment!" the goddess huffed, pouting indignantly as she thrust her nylon-clad feet into Ryan's lap, demanding a massage.
"So you gained absolutely nothing?" Sulia pressed, still fixated on the relic's potential. "The Old Ones wouldn't have left behind useless knowledge, right?"
"They spent ages studying the Star Gods but couldn't solve the curse issue," Ryan replied with a nod. "But it wasn't entirely fruitless. Among their findings was a method to distort Warp fissures and temporarily banish a Star God to a pocket dimension outside of reality. While this wouldn't destroy the Star God, it would trap it in a void tunnel for a time, causing enough disorientation to deter it from returning anytime soon. The catch is, this method requires an immense amount of Warp energy."
"Father has just arrived. I plan to ask him about this directly," Ryan added thoughtfully.
Olica, who had been quietly writing, perked up her sharp ears. She was clearly eavesdropping. "Master, can you teach me this method someday?"
"Of course," Ryan replied with a smile. He hesitated briefly before addressing Olica. "But... is Sylvia okay? What kind of 'training' have you been putting her through?"
"I'm not fit to serve Ryan anymore. I've been... ruined," Sylvia muttered weakly, her voice tinged with despair. The head maid's disheveled appearance, combined with her dazed expression and occasional spasms, painted a pitiable picture. "Ryan will hate me."
"Hehe~" Olica chuckled mischievously. "Master, why don't you check Sylvia's condition yourself later? For now, it's a secret."
"Fine," Ryan relented, albeit reluctantly.
A Day Later, North of Redfish Village, Châlons Forest
The cabin that Angron had built within Châlons Forest had become a place of legend. Greenskins fell silent at its sight, Beastmen wept bitter tears, and Skaven fled without hesitation. Any non-Order creature that ventured near disappeared without a trace.
In contrast, veteran hunters and opportunistic traders frequented the area, hoping to chance upon Angron selling his mysterious wares. His prices were fair, but his restocking times were erratic, and he steadfastly refused to sign supply contracts, leaving merchants at the mercy of his whims.
Snow blanketed the landscape as Angron fed honeyed milk to Russ's twin pandas in the cabin's courtyard. Inside, the Emperor personally instructed young Devonshire on how to use psychic energy to inscribe Old One glyphs.
"That's incorrect," the Emperor said, watching his grandson's clumsy strokes. "First the horizontal line, then the vertical, followed by the circle."
"Like this, Grandfather?" Devonshire asked, a spark of psychic energy dancing on his fingertips as he etched a jagged glyph. "It feels... odd."
"Yes, that's correct." The Emperor carefully guided the boy, his icy demeanor softening ever so slightly. "In Old One script, stroke order often changes the meaning entirely."
"Got it, Grandfather!" Devonshire nodded enthusiastically and attempted another glyph, this one resembling a solar cross. "What does this one mean?"
"That symbol represents Elrath, the Light Dragon of a far-off realm in the outer cosmos," the Emperor explained. "Elrath once served as an envoy for the Old Ones."
As the lesson continued, Ryan, Sulia, Olica, and the Lady of the Lake arrived at the cabin. They paused at the door, catching sight of an astonishing scene:
Devonshire was perched on the Emperor's shoulders, happily scribbling glyphs on a giant mirror with psychic energy.
Ryan's heart skipped a beat. His son was riding on the Emperor's head!
"Rebellion!" Ryan nearly shouted, panicking as he prepared to intervene.
Sulia, however, reacted faster. Shock flashed across her face, followed by a radiant smile. She gently tugged Ryan's arm and shook her head, signaling him not to interfere.
"They're bonding. Let them be," Sulia whispered, her voice filled with delight.
Understanding his wife's intentions, Ryan hesitated, then nodded. Together, they stepped back, gesturing to the Custodes to remain silent.
Outside, the couple exchanged a knowing glance, their eyes brimming with unspoken joy. Sulia's face glowed with happiness as she laced her fingers with Ryan's, prompting him to lean in for a tender kiss.
All is well.
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