Chapter 92
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Chapter 92: Knights Of The Goss Empire
Linnevia opened the letter.
“Dear Lina, I hope this letter finds you well.
I know you’re not too keen on seeing me, but if I hadn’t intervened, the little fox wouldn’t have regained her voice.
Rest assured, this is a gift from me. I didn’t take anything from either you or the little fox. She’s still the same adorable little fox.
However, I must tell you something. This little fox is actually the daughter of the Fox Emperor. Four years ago, I stole her from the Fox Emperor, intending to raise her as my little pet, but this fox turned out to be incredibly stubborn.”
At this point, Linnevia frowned.
Yes.
Akatsukimaru did have a history with that black-haired woman.
But Akatsukimaru had been unyielding. Despite years of beatings, she had resolutely guarded her dignity.
Until she met Linnevia, who gave up her human identity to claim ownership of Akatsukimaru. From then on, Akatsukimaru‘s allegiance shifted to Linnevia.
“Now, this little fox is completely devoted to you. Linnevia, you’ve trained her so well that I pale in comparison.
Since your heart has been freed from its burden, I believe you can now fully commit to being the little fox’s master. I’ve restored her voice for that reason.
What I hope you will do is help her return to the Fox Kingdom and support her in becoming the Queen of the Fox Clan.
And eventually, ensure that the Fox Kingdom falls under the control of the dream demons.
I trust you can do this, Linnevia.
Love, Phyllins.”
“Linnevia!”
Akatsukimaru swiped away the letter that stood between them. Linnevia stared at her in shock.
“Akatsukimaru, are you really the Fox Emperor’s daughter?”
“Yes…”
Akatsukimaru nodded.
Linnevia remembered the nine tails Akatsukimaru had when she transformed into the nine-tailed beast. Of course! Ordinary foxes don’t have nine tails!
Oh, dear.
How had she not made the connection all these years?
“This isn’t important!”
Akatsukimaru pouted, upset that her confession had been so casually dismissed.
Linnevia smiled.
“So, what is important?”
The little fox girl lowered her head, her face turning red.
Having summoned all her courage for the first confession, she now felt too shy to speak again.
Suddenly, cool fingers lifted her chin.
Soft, warm lips met hers.
The answer was already clear.
——————
Rex City.
Iris and her companions used their tried-and-true method of bribing a noble’s convoy to sneak into the city once again.
Compared to Gerris, Rex City was much livelier, with adventurers and heroes clad in green outfits roaming the streets at every turn.
Having learned from their experience in Gerris, Naya avoided staying in the wealthy district this time, opting for the middle district instead.
Here, a variety of shops catered to all needs, and they wouldn’t have to spend ages searching for a commoners’ restaurant.
After all, commoners’ restaurants provided hearty meals with generous portions.
At the regular inn, what fascinated Naya the most wasn’t the food but the boasts of the patrons—heroes recounting their daring exploits. As she listened to them while eating, Naya couldn’t help but reminisce about her own days as a hero.
But now, she is about to become a mother of three.
“Hey, have you heard? There’s a strange figure in the Bear Forest.”
“A strange figure?”
“They say it’s an Earth Vein Guardian, born from the Leyline energy as the Earth Vein Flower gradually matures. It hunts down any adventurers who dare to explore the forest.”
“A world-class Leyline relic with a guardian—must be incredibly powerful, right?”
“Yeah, according to the heroes who escaped from Bear Forest, this guardian has long red hair tied in a ponytail, wields a broken dark-red greatsword, and constantly wears a grumpy expression. When it spots someone, it yells, ‘Judgment is upon you!’ It’s terrifying!”
“Red hair, just like that woman’s hair? Could it be her?”
The hero who had been talking pointed in Iris’s direction, and suddenly, everyone in the inn turned to look at her.
Red hair, ponytail, scowling face—it all matched!
Iris shot them a cold glare, her eyes warning them not to spout nonsense.
“Hey, don’t be ridiculous. The guardian is said to be male. Besides, Leyline guardians don’t leave the Leyline energy zones.”
“Oh…”
After the explanation, the heroes shifted their gazes away from Iris and went back to their boasting.
Naya couldn’t help but stifle a laugh.
Iris did resemble the guardian they were describing.
Whenever there were crowds, Iris’s face was always icy, as if everyone owed her a fortune. It was only when she was with Naya and Illya that she showed her softer side.
[System, from what they’re saying, the Earth Vein Flower should be blooming within a week.]
[Yes, host. I can sense it too. The Leyline energy is concentrating into one point, much like a black hole drawing everything in. Most of the surrounding matter has already been consumed.]
[As expected, a world-class Leyline relic can’t be born without a guardian.]
Earth Vein guardians formed from Leyline energy were nearly invincible within the Leyline energy zone, able to rapidly heal by absorbing energy.
[System, this Leyline relic feels a lot like a celestial body. In space, scattered stardust condenses over time, growing in mass and eventually forming celestial bodies of various kinds.]
[That’s about right.]
[So, it’s not surprising that a high concentration of Leyline energy could fold space. After all, the more massive a celestial body, the more it warps the space around it.]
[Are you trying to apply science now?]
[Do you think the “end of the world” you talked about could mean the emergence of an ultra-high concentration of Leyline energy, far surpassing world-class levels, to the point where it becomes as dense as a black hole and folds the entire world’s space in on itself, delivering a higher-dimensional strike?]
Naya had heard of “dimensional reduction strikes,” but a “higher-dimensional strike” would be just as catastrophic for three-dimensional beings.
[Is your imagination always this wild?]
[Well, you won’t tell me anything. I have no choice but to guess.]
[Just focus on eating!]
This darned system—so cryptic all the time.
Fine, if it didn’t want to explain, so be it.
After finishing their meal, the trio returned to their inn.
The middle district inns ranged from luxurious ones for the wealthy to modest ones for commoners.
Naturally, Naya chose a luxurious one—complete with a private, artificial hot spring!
It sounded fancy, but in reality, it was just a private bathhouse.
Still, the bathhouse had a pleasant ambiance. The walls of the room featured magical illusions simulating outdoor gardens, and the ceiling was a transparent, open-air view.
But the best part of all was the private bathhouse itself…
Soundproofing is excellent!
Perfect for getting up to no good here.
Indeed, with magic in this world, certain things were even more advanced than modern-day Earth.
Unfortunately, Naya and Iris came to the hot spring with their child.
Illya, holding a rubber yellow ducky she bought outside, was awkwardly playing with it, amusing herself.
“Ah…”
Naya leaned against the edge of the pool, letting out a long, relaxed sigh.
Her moan made Iris’s bones go soft.
Iris sneakily slipped underwater and grabbed Naya’s leg.
“Iris!”
Naya, startled, quickly clamped her legs shut to stop Iris from diving deeper in search of “clams.”
Their daughter was right there!
Iris surfaced, looking up at Naya with a pouty expression.
Naya gave her an exasperated look.
Since they had set out on this trip, they’d only been intimate that one time when the little fox interrupted them at the inn.
After that, nothing had happened. In the palace, it had been a regular occurrence, but now they had to restrain themselves.
Although they couldn’t do anything naughty, Iris could still enjoy being close. She pulled Naya onto her lap, sitting her across her thighs.
“Naya, I have a question. Last night, you mentioned something about a system to Linnivia. What is it? And what do you mean by ‘you still have a system’? Is that mysterious energy inside heroes, the system you’re talking about?”
“!!!”
Naya’s shocked expression made Iris chuckle.
“Did I guess right?”
“Of course not!”
Naya quickly turned her head away, denying it with a tsundere-like tone.
But that was almost the same as admitting it.
The system was speechless.
Leo, Naya, and Linnivia had once been teammates, so it was likely they shared something significant.
And Naya had brought it up.
Then she had even added,
“Get ready, I’m definitely going to slay the dragon!”
It was too obvious.
Iris had seen it countless times. Every hero with this mysterious energy was obsessed with slaying the Dragon King, as if they were under a spell.
So, connecting the dots, Iris arrived at this conclusion.
“Why is it called a system? Let me think… A system, what kind of thing can be called a system? The word seems to be a homophone, the original term being ‘system,’ which refers to a set of rules.”
“Phew…”
Naya sighed in relief. Iris was only half-guessing.
[Relieved? She’s already figured out everything! Why don’t you ask her if she’s from Earth? How does she know so much?!]
[Not asking.]
[Why not?]
[Just not asking—watch it drive you mad.]
[Aren’t you the least bit curious? Iris knows way too much. She can recite poetry, reproduce asexually, and even understands English. She also set up a lab in the Dragon King’s palace that looks suspiciously modern.]
[I don’t care if she’s from Earth or not. All I need to know is that she’s the love of my life.]
[Ugh!]
Truthfully, Naya didn’t mind if the system was exposed. She would actually be thrilled if Iris figured everything out soon.
However, she was concerned about upsetting the system. If it got angry and decided to unleash all its energy in a fit, turning her into a mindless berserker, that would be a disaster.
Iris had once told her about a hero who, in his obsession with defeating her, exhausted all his energy and transformed into a berserker, fighting Iris in a ferocious battle.
“So, what is it, Miss Naya?”
“It’s my love for you, Iris.”
A completely evasive answer.
But Iris had a principle—if Naya didn’t want to say, she wouldn’t force her.
Since academic topics were off-limits, they might as well focus on more “biological” matters.
Iris lowered her head, pressing her forehead against Naya’s.
She leaned in, brushing Naya’s lips with a soft kiss.
Their bodies shifted, and the sound of their chests colliding could be heard.
“Mother! What are you doing to Mama?!”
Naya hastily pushed Iris away, realizing they were hugging in a rather awkward position.
She slid down Iris’s lap and turned her head, blushing deeply.
“Mama, your face is so red! Is the water too hot?”
“No, Illya, the water… it’s just right, just right.”
Illya swam to Naya’s side and imitated Iris and Naya by putting their foreheads together.
“Ahem!”
Are you seriously trying to show off in front of your wife? Iris!
Naya pushed Illya away.
“Alright, Illya, go play with your duck.”
“Mama, your forehead is really hot. Are you sure you’re not coming down with a fever?”
“No, no! Now go play with your duck.”
“Oh…”
Iris watched Illya continue playing with her yellow rubber duck and couldn’t help but think, I should probably get her more interesting toys to distract her during bath time so she won’t interrupt me and Naya.
Naya shot Iris a glance.
What else is in this dragon’s head besides dirty thoughts all day long?
The next day.
After breakfast, Iris suddenly spoke up.
“Let’s go, Illya. We’re going to buy some toys.”
They were going to stay in Rex City for at least another week, and Iris was getting frustrated by not being able to cuddle with Naya because of Illya’s presence.
She needed to find something to keep Illya entertained, so even if she was around, Iris could still sneak in some cuddle time with Naya.
“Yay! Toys!”
Among the dragons, there were almost none of the little human toys made for children. Dragon childhoods were filled with fighting, unlike humans, who played house.
Hearing this, Naya smiled with satisfaction.
Finally, this dragon woman is showing some humanity. When they had come to Rex City to buy Illya a rubber duck, Iris had grumbled about how useless the thing was.
The three of them, disguised as humans, held hands and headed out.
They arrived at a nearby toy shop.
Iris thought, If we’re buying, we should get something high-quality and complicated—something that will keep Illya busy all day.
After walking around the shop, she set her eyes on a set of building blocks.
“Shopkeeper, how much for this?” Iris asked, placing the set of blocks on the counter.
The shopkeeper sized up Iris and Naya’s clothing. Luxurious, but not quite like the noble attire from the Kingdom of Dia.
They must be nobles from another country, the kind he could overcharge to make a good profit.
“Seventy-nine gold coins.”
“Seventy-nine gold coins?!”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Naya gritted her teeth, suppressing the anger rising inside her.
“That’s way too expensive!”
He was definitely taking them for fools.
The shopkeeper leaned back with a smug expression.
“Since when are seventy-nine gold coins expensive? This brand has been priced the same for years. It’s all handmade, with intricate details. Look at this craftsmanship, the texture, the carving—it takes days and nights to finish one of these. If you think seventy-nine is expensive, maybe you should think about whether you’ve been squeezing enough out of the common folk or if your taxes are high enough.”
The shopkeeper took a jab at the nobility, dripping with sarcasm.
He figured that any noble with a conscience would feel embarrassed and pay up without further argument.
“Hmph!”
Suddenly, a sword was pointed at the shopkeeper.
“Wh-what are you doing, ma’am?”
The shopkeeper was instantly drenched in cold sweat, staring in terror at the blonde knight in silver armor standing before him.
The knight spoke coldly, “How much is this toy?”
“S-s-seven gold coins…”
“How much?”
The tip of the sword moved closer, nearly touching the shopkeeper’s nose.
“Five gold coins, no less!” he cried, tears welling up in his eyes.
“Friends from afar, does that price sound fair to you?”
Naya nodded.
“This craftsmanship is indeed handmade. Five gold coins is fair. Iris, pay him.”
Now that’s bargaining—the physical way.
Naya glanced at the golden-haired knight beside her, who had a child as tall as Illya with her, and smiled.
The little girl beside her was also blonde.
“Thank you,” Naya slightly bowed her head to express her gratitude to the knight.
“You’re welcome. As a knight of the Goss Empire, it is my duty to draw my sword and help when I see injustice.”
The female knight sheathed her sword at her waist, then looked down at the blonde little girl beside her.
“Semira, this is the way of the knight.”
“Yes! I understand, Mother!” The little girl nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling.
The wizard Of SILVER
Oh, I feel like the little girl will have a relationship with Ilya in the future…