Inside the Immortal Wonders Sect's meeting hall, Anya and Xendar were kneeling before Aerthus, who just smiled at them, shaking his head.
"I'm terribly sorry about the shame my daughter brought upon you and the Sect itself! I swear when I find her, I'll spank her so hard she won't be able to sit straight for a year!" Xendar said loudly and firmly, with a lowered head.
"I'll make sure it happens as soon as possible!" Anya agreed, not even arguing against her husband's words right now. "To do such a shameful thing… it is unacceptable!"
"Could you two stop kneeling?" Aerthus sighed, holding back a laugh. "It is not a big deal!"
"It is!" Xendar argued. "Announcing that she leaves the Sect like that? With a voice transmission? That is all? Telling us she is gone for now?!" He trembled with his face completely red from the shame he felt just remembering what happened not so long ago.
"It is our fault! We were too lenient in raising her!" Anya added, not daring to look up at Aerthus at all.
"That is true…." Dermitos commented, watching them with an amused smile but flinched as Anya glanced backward. She said nothing before she returned her gaze to the floor. "Ehehe… um, if Sect Head says it is okay, it is okay! No?"
"Exactly!" came another sigh from Aerthus. "I talked with her before she left for the Kingdom; we went through many things, and one was this possibility. Do you really think she just quit? You have so little faith in your daughter?" He chuckled, leaning back in his chair.
"I bet it is just one of Zelig's ploys." Carthus voiced his opinion, who was silent so far, not even surprised when Ren 'called' and told them she is leaving the Sect with Ariana in tow."
"It is." Aerthus nodded. "I know the man. He made this stipulation for her, that is for sure!"
"Then she should have renounced him and not the Sect!" Xendar said, agitated and clearly frustrated by the trouble his daughter had just caused back home.
"Why? There was no reason for it. She even takes the pressure off me a little! I can go and relax a bit, finally! I was waiting for this!" He laughed happily. "Since the events leading up to Leinor's death, I had to constantly guard against him. Now, Zelig's hand will be full, taking care of the fires she will light up under his ass!" Aerthus smiled from ear to ear. "She resigned with my blessing! Of course, others better not know it! Just announce that she is no longer part of the Sect. As to why we don't need to specify."
"Are you not afraid she will join Heaven's Gate?" Carthus asked, going through all of the outcomes in his mind he could come up with.
"Zelig may have tried recruiting her if he meets her earlier but by now? No. He won't even attempt it! He dislikes things he can't control, and do you think he is capable of doing so? Controlling Ren?" He asked, looking at her parents with one eye, seeing them flinch.
"Not really…" Anya and Xendar answered at the same time, "Still! A spanking is in order!" Anya added in the end, looking up at Aerthus, who just smiled, waving his hand, raising the two to their feet.
"You may be in for a surprise when all things settle!" He whispered, watching Anya, but they knew not what he meant as he never elaborated on it. Instead, clapping, signaling it was the end of the meeting and everyone should go their way.
…
….
…..
"This is the first time I'm wearing something like this!" Ariana sighed, sitting inside a carriage, fixing the black and white maid dress she was wearing. Shew as clearly looking a bit uncomfortable in it, while Ren just watched her with an amused smile.
"Well… you were the one who said yes to the idea!" Kitten commented as she tilted her head. She was sitting next to her, wearing the same outfit, clearly used to it and not bothered by it.
"I know…!" Ariana sighed, changing sitting positions one after another, not finding any way to sit comfortably with the outfit's short and tight skirt getting in the way. She even felt it showed way more than she would be comfortable with. "Damn… the wind goes through…, and it shows too much skin; who designed it?!" She grumbled in a frustrated voice.
"It suits you~" Ren chuckled as she was wearing an elegant, short white dress with purple flowers decorating it on the sides. "You should not be ashamed of your body Ariana; you grew up to be a beautiful flower~ For now, try to get used to the customs here. After that, we are taking over my family's almost destroyed branch to reform things from the inside."
"Are you really going to fight for the throne?" Kitten asked, clearly immensely curious. Sentios was also intently listening from the driver's seat as they traveled toward the city of Rozex. They were already climbing the serpentine road, sneaking around the Plateau of Harmony.
"Of course!" Ariana answered, "Why do you think we agreed to even leave our Sect?"
"I never was part of one! I don't know if it is a significant thing or not!" Kitten raised her hands in defeat. "I was always by myself! Mostly! My home is the world, not one place!"
"It sounds… lonely," Ariana replied, watching her with sad eyes, but Kitten shook her head with a smile.
"Not really! I'm fine being alone! I like freedom, and I dislike noisy and crowded places! I have my Master, and that is enough for me!"
"I can relate to that…." Ariana nodded with a bit of shyness creeping onto her face as she replied subconsciously.
"Well, then you are not going to like Rozex." Sentios interjected from the front, "It is an orderly palace but a very, very populated city."
"There is a limit to how much incest can be done to preserve a bloodline. It can't be THAT populated!" Ren argued as she rolled her eyes.
"Not like that…." Sentios twitched his mouth. "The bloodline is not kept up by solely intermarriage. It has its refreshments from time to time."
"The way you explain it sounds like an awful advertisement for an illegal brothel in the slums of a city," Ren replied, tilting her head backward. "On paper, I was promised to my own cousin, remember?"
"I do." he shook his head, "But that does not mean every single Naulin only bred with their siblings. It is more complicated than that! They constantly take in talented people and use them as…." He stopped, searching for the right words, but Ren continued for him.
"Studs and bitches! No need to sugarcoat it!"
"Master!" Ariana yelped out.
"What? I am right! I was about to be brought here when I was still a teenager to lay down all my eggs at once so they can fertilize them and raise little flesh puppets in search of some shiny variants, one that can steamroll others!"
"M-m-master!" Ariana groaned once again. Her face was turning bright red as she imagined it.
"That is… not far from the truth," Sentios murmured. "Look, I am trying to say that the city is not only home to the Naulin bloodlines. There are around a hundred smaller families here and countless servants and civilians. They support not just the nobles but the whole city, ensuring everything functions perfectly."
"Servants? You mean slaves or samples for breeding variables?" Ren asked with a sarcastic smile.
"The servants… well, on paper, they are not slaves. But I can't argue with that notion. They are the lowest caste in Rozex. They are not owned per se but are not regarded as if their words could stand up against anybody above them. No matter the circumstances." Sentios continued calmly, "The servants and the caste above them, the civilians, make up most of the city's population. Around… 80%? Roughly! They run the shops, workshops, manufacturers, and whatnot. Those who are named civilians have basic rights, like being able to own housing, the ability to trade, etc."
"Oh, how generous…." Now Ariana was the one who rolled her eyes, crossing her arms before her chest. She was already annoyed by hearing Sentios's explanation of the city.
"Above them are the noble houses. They make up 15% of the remaining population. They are responsible for governing different sectors in Rozex. Be it the city's police force, any bureaucratic organizations, trading posts, or whatever that has any official power or makes a lot of money. They usually have some kind of bloodline connection to the Naulins, but it is a weak one only."
"Let me guess, my little brother could be only a noble, yes?" Ren asked, and Sentios's answer was immediate.
"Yes. He has no real Naulin blood in him. I mean, it can't be seen externally. Even if he had the same hair color, without the eyes, you could forget his admittance into the true power structure. He would be branded as a bastard. Even if he shows talent, he could only become a retainer for one of the main families."
"How heartwarming!" Ariana complained once again. For her, the word family and the love shown between family members was something she always treasured. It was a sacrosanct concept.
"So the remaining 5% is the true Naulins?" Ren asked while she leaned forward, grabbed onto Ariana's hip, flipping her before pulling her into her lap. She was making her let out a loud yelp as she started to pat and caress her head like that of a cat. "Relax, Ariana! It is a different culture, that is all~."
"Yes," Sentios said in the meantime. "The remaining percentage encompasses the main lines that carry the complete look of what a Naulin means. They are descended from Zelig, and they can trace their lineage back to him, down to the most minute detail. There are five such lines. You only know about one. This was connected to Rudrick as his branch held onto the throne for the past 700 years. The other four are also not to be looked down upon. They are still strong. With a wealthy background, only they were suppressed by Rudrick's family branch's strength. During the time I spent under Rudrick, I saw how they operated. There was constant fighting behind the curtains. I can't imagine the state of the branch right now… It was already greatly weakened when Rudrick's ploy came into the light, and he had to flee. They were probably immediately attacked by the other four and were heavily damaged. Now that Rudrick had died, everybody accompanied his fate. Anybody who had his blood planted inside of their body is dead. I would also be dead if not for you." he sighed heavily, lamenting those who were not so fortunate and lost their lives just because they were Rudrick's slaves.
"I get the feeling you liked some of the people who were part of the family," Ren said, still stroking Ariana's head, hugging her from behind. A blissful smile was plastered all over her disciple's face as she was doing so.
"Yes." Sentios answered honestly, "When I came into contact with them, it was not all doom and gloom. There were good people here who were part of his family line."
"Of course." Ren giggled. "My mother came from here, don't you remember? Some good guys had to be present!"
"Exactly." Sentios echoed her reasoning. "I was close to some of her relatives, and even though she was exiled and any official statements were condemning her, behind closed doors, there were people who wished her the best."
"Sadly, if only one person shits onto the dinner table, it will ruin everything else around it," Ren said with a lamenting tone, looking out of the carriage's window.
"Ugh… well… yes…" Sentios twitched his mouth while Kitten just giggled at her words. "I just don't know how many of those people are still alive."
"We are going to see it for ourselves soon," Ren said, watching as the city's landscape came into view as they arrived at the top. Watching the huge city it was home to gorgeous, hand-crafted, white buildings. They were all decorated with statues of people or carvings of real animals, and those were only found in fables. They were shining in the sunlight with either golden or amethyst color, not to mention the similarly sparkling roof tiles. It was as if they were nearing a city, told in fairy tales about how heaven could look. There were five spiraling spires in the distance, reaching towards the sky, forming a perfect circle. They were completely identical in looks and were the main headquarters of the five actual ruling families of the Naulins. Around them were extensive, luxurious courtyards capable of housing a thousand souls at all times. Surrounding those were 15-meter-high walls decorated with flags flapping in the wind, showcasing the families' crests. Their carriage was slowly heading toward one of the spires. Its white flags had an amethyst eye on them with a golden drop of blood in its pupil.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Sentios asked as they arrived at Rozex. He was still amazed by the architectural beauty of the city, no matter how many times he saw it. Rozex was perfectly designed and built by Zelig a long time ago. It was built up by his detailed instructions, down to the last tile on the wide city streets. It was not a naturally developed city like the Capital of the Empire. When the Plateau of Harmony appeared, it was the same for the city.
"That… I can't deny it." Ren nodded. Ariana was mesmerized by the aesthetic beauty of even the smallest buildings present, be it a shop or a storage shed. It could qualify as a noble's home in any other city.
"Maybe one day the city can not just look pretty from the outside," Ariana said in the end, finally bringing herself to blink her eyes and recollect her thoughts from the initial shock.
"Mmm…" Ren patted her head, "I like the sound of that~ Let us see if it can be done~."
Inside the Immortal Wonders Sect's meeting hall, Anya and Xendar were kneeling before Aerthus, who just smiled at them, shaking his head.
"I'm terribly sorry about the shame my daughter brought upon you and the Sect itself! I swear when I find her, I'll spank her so hard she won't be able to sit straight for a year!" Xendar said loudly and firmly, with a lowered head.
"I'll make sure it happens as soon as possible!" Anya agreed, not even arguing against her husband's words right now. "To do such a shameful thing… it is unacceptable!"
"Could you two stop kneeling?" Aerthus sighed, holding back a laugh. "It is not a big deal!"
"It is!" Xendar argued. "Announcing that she leaves the Sect like that? With a voice transmission? That is all? Telling us she is gone for now?!" He trembled with his face completely red from the shame he felt just remembering what happened not so long ago.
"It is our fault! We were too lenient in raising her!" Anya added, not daring to look up at Aerthus at all.
"That is true…." Dermitos commented, watching them with an amused smile but flinched as Anya glanced backward. She said nothing before she returned her gaze to the floor. "Ehehe… um, if Sect Head says it is okay, it is okay! No?"
"Exactly!" came another sigh from Aerthus. "I talked with her before she left for the Kingdom; we went through many things, and one was this possibility. Do you really think she just quit? You have so little faith in your daughter?" He chuckled, leaning back in his chair.
"I bet it is just one of Zelig's ploys." Carthus voiced his opinion, who was silent so far, not even surprised when Ren 'called' and told them she is leaving the Sect with Ariana in tow."
"It is." Aerthus nodded. "I know the man. He made this stipulation for her, that is for sure!"
"Then she should have renounced him and not the Sect!" Xendar said, agitated and clearly frustrated by the trouble his daughter had just caused back home.
"Why? There was no reason for it. She even takes the pressure off me a little! I can go and relax a bit, finally! I was waiting for this!" He laughed happily. "Since the events leading up to Leinor's death, I had to constantly guard against him. Now, Zelig's hand will be full, taking care of the fires she will light up under his ass!" Aerthus smiled from ear to ear. "She resigned with my blessing! Of course, others better not know it! Just announce that she is no longer part of the Sect. As to why we don't need to specify."
"Are you not afraid she will join Heaven's Gate?" Carthus asked, going through all of the outcomes in his mind he could come up with.
"Zelig may have tried recruiting her if he meets her earlier but by now? No. He won't even attempt it! He dislikes things he can't control, and do you think he is capable of doing so? Controlling Ren?" He asked, looking at her parents with one eye, seeing them flinch.
"Not really…" Anya and Xendar answered at the same time, "Still! A spanking is in order!" Anya added in the end, looking up at Aerthus, who just smiled, waving his hand, raising the two to their feet.
"You may be in for a surprise when all things settle!" He whispered, watching Anya, but they knew not what he meant as he never elaborated on it. Instead, clapping, signaling it was the end of the meeting and everyone should go their way.
…
….
…..
"This is the first time I'm wearing something like this!" Ariana sighed, sitting inside a carriage, fixing the black and white maid dress she was wearing. Shew as clearly looking a bit uncomfortable in it, while Ren just watched her with an amused smile.
"Well… you were the one who said yes to the idea!" Kitten commented as she tilted her head. She was sitting next to her, wearing the same outfit, clearly used to it and not bothered by it.
"I know…!" Ariana sighed, changing sitting positions one after another, not finding any way to sit comfortably with the outfit's short and tight skirt getting in the way. She even felt it showed way more than she would be comfortable with. "Damn… the wind goes through…, and it shows too much skin; who designed it?!" She grumbled in a frustrated voice.
"It suits you~" Ren chuckled as she was wearing an elegant, short white dress with purple flowers decorating it on the sides. "You should not be ashamed of your body Ariana; you grew up to be a beautiful flower~ For now, try to get used to the customs here. After that, we are taking over my family's almost destroyed branch to reform things from the inside."
"Are you really going to fight for the throne?" Kitten asked, clearly immensely curious. Sentios was also intently listening from the driver's seat as they traveled toward the city of Rozex. They were already climbing the serpentine road, sneaking around the Plateau of Harmony.
"Of course!" Ariana answered, "Why do you think we agreed to even leave our Sect?"
"I never was part of one! I don't know if it is a significant thing or not!" Kitten raised her hands in defeat. "I was always by myself! Mostly! My home is the world, not one place!"
"It sounds… lonely," Ariana replied, watching her with sad eyes, but Kitten shook her head with a smile.
"Not really! I'm fine being alone! I like freedom, and I dislike noisy and crowded places! I have my Master, and that is enough for me!"
"I can relate to that…." Ariana nodded with a bit of shyness creeping onto her face as she replied subconsciously.
"Well, then you are not going to like Rozex." Sentios interjected from the front, "It is an orderly palace but a very, very populated city."
"There is a limit to how much incest can be done to preserve a bloodline. It can't be THAT populated!" Ren argued as she rolled her eyes.
"Not like that…." Sentios twitched his mouth. "The bloodline is not kept up by solely intermarriage. It has its refreshments from time to time."
"The way you explain it sounds like an awful advertisement for an illegal brothel in the slums of a city," Ren replied, tilting her head backward. "On paper, I was promised to my own cousin, remember?"
"I do." he shook his head, "But that does not mean every single Naulin only bred with their siblings. It is more complicated than that! They constantly take in talented people and use them as…." He stopped, searching for the right words, but Ren continued for him.
"Studs and bitches! No need to sugarcoat it!"
"Master!" Ariana yelped out.
"What? I am right! I was about to be brought here when I was still a teenager to lay down all my eggs at once so they can fertilize them and raise little flesh puppets in search of some shiny variants, one that can steamroll others!"
"M-m-master!" Ariana groaned once again. Her face was turning bright red as she imagined it.
"That is… not far from the truth," Sentios murmured. "Look, I am trying to say that the city is not only home to the Naulin bloodlines. There are around a hundred smaller families here and countless servants and civilians. They support not just the nobles but the whole city, ensuring everything functions perfectly."
"Servants? You mean slaves or samples for breeding variables?" Ren asked with a sarcastic smile.
"The servants… well, on paper, they are not slaves. But I can't argue with that notion. They are the lowest caste in Rozex. They are not owned per se but are not regarded as if their words could stand up against anybody above them. No matter the circumstances." Sentios continued calmly, "The servants and the caste above them, the civilians, make up most of the city's population. Around… 80%? Roughly! They run the shops, workshops, manufacturers, and whatnot. Those who are named civilians have basic rights, like being able to own housing, the ability to trade, etc."
"Oh, how generous…." Now Ariana was the one who rolled her eyes, crossing her arms before her chest. She was already annoyed by hearing Sentios's explanation of the city.
"Above them are the noble houses. They make up 15% of the remaining population. They are responsible for governing different sectors in Rozex. Be it the city's police force, any bureaucratic organizations, trading posts, or whatever that has any official power or makes a lot of money. They usually have some kind of bloodline connection to the Naulins, but it is a weak one only."
"Let me guess, my little brother could be only a noble, yes?" Ren asked, and Sentios's answer was immediate.
"Yes. He has no real Naulin blood in him. I mean, it can't be seen externally. Even if he had the same hair color, without the eyes, you could forget his admittance into the true power structure. He would be branded as a bastard. Even if he shows talent, he could only become a retainer for one of the main families."
"How heartwarming!" Ariana complained once again. For her, the word family and the love shown between family members was something she always treasured. It was a sacrosanct concept.
"So the remaining 5% is the true Naulins?" Ren asked while she leaned forward, grabbed onto Ariana's hip, flipping her before pulling her into her lap. She was making her let out a loud yelp as she started to pat and caress her head like that of a cat. "Relax, Ariana! It is a different culture, that is all~."
"Yes," Sentios said in the meantime. "The remaining percentage encompasses the main lines that carry the complete look of what a Naulin means. They are descended from Zelig, and they can trace their lineage back to him, down to the most minute detail. There are five such lines. You only know about one. This was connected to Rudrick as his branch held onto the throne for the past 700 years. The other four are also not to be looked down upon. They are still strong. With a wealthy background, only they were suppressed by Rudrick's family branch's strength. During the time I spent under Rudrick, I saw how they operated. There was constant fighting behind the curtains. I can't imagine the state of the branch right now… It was already greatly weakened when Rudrick's ploy came into the light, and he had to flee. They were probably immediately attacked by the other four and were heavily damaged. Now that Rudrick had died, everybody accompanied his fate. Anybody who had his blood planted inside of their body is dead. I would also be dead if not for you." he sighed heavily, lamenting those who were not so fortunate and lost their lives just because they were Rudrick's slaves.
"I get the feeling you liked some of the people who were part of the family," Ren said, still stroking Ariana's head, hugging her from behind. A blissful smile was plastered all over her disciple's face as she was doing so.
"Yes." Sentios answered honestly, "When I came into contact with them, it was not all doom and gloom. There were good people here who were part of his family line."
"Of course." Ren giggled. "My mother came from here, don't you remember? Some good guys had to be present!"
"Exactly." Sentios echoed her reasoning. "I was close to some of her relatives, and even though she was exiled and any official statements were condemning her, behind closed doors, there were people who wished her the best."
"Sadly, if only one person shits onto the dinner table, it will ruin everything else around it," Ren said with a lamenting tone, looking out of the carriage's window.
"Ugh… well… yes…" Sentios twitched his mouth while Kitten just giggled at her words. "I just don't know how many of those people are still alive."
"We are going to see it for ourselves soon," Ren said, watching as the city's landscape came into view as they arrived at the top. Watching the huge city it was home to gorgeous, hand-crafted, white buildings. They were all decorated with statues of people or carvings of real animals, and those were only found in fables. They were shining in the sunlight with either golden or amethyst color, not to mention the similarly sparkling roof tiles. It was as if they were nearing a city, told in fairy tales about how heaven could look. There were five spiraling spires in the distance, reaching towards the sky, forming a perfect circle. They were completely identical in looks and were the main headquarters of the five actual ruling families of the Naulins. Around them were extensive, luxurious courtyards capable of housing a thousand souls at all times. Surrounding those were 15-meter-high walls decorated with flags flapping in the wind, showcasing the families' crests. Their carriage was slowly heading toward one of the spires. Its white flags had an amethyst eye on them with a golden drop of blood in its pupil.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Sentios asked as they arrived at Rozex. He was still amazed by the architectural beauty of the city, no matter how many times he saw it. Rozex was perfectly designed and built by Zelig a long time ago. It was built up by his detailed instructions, down to the last tile on the wide city streets. It was not a naturally developed city like the Capital of the Empire. When the Plateau of Harmony appeared, it was the same for the city.
"That… I can't deny it." Ren nodded. Ariana was mesmerized by the aesthetic beauty of even the smallest buildings present, be it a shop or a storage shed. It could qualify as a noble's home in any other city.
"Maybe one day the city can not just look pretty from the outside," Ariana said in the end, finally bringing herself to blink her eyes and recollect her thoughts from the initial shock.
"Mmm…" Ren patted her head, "I like the sound of that~ Let us see if it can be done~."
