"Limbo kingdom?" Caesar inquired, "that same kingdom where the rumored underground council referred to as "Requiem" resides?" his words continued as an indiscernible frown appeared on his face. He didn"t believe in fate, nor luck.Crowley nodded his head, "I"m surprised you"ve heard of it," he said, "that is one of the main reasons why I don"t wish to go, my strength is rather lackl.u.s.ter. As such, I wouldn"t be able to defend myself if anything were to go haywire."
As Crowley spoke to here, he handed a neatly folded letter to Caesar. It carried a faint fragrance reminiscent of coursing rivers and luscious brush. A dark, red emblem ominously sealed the letter and Caesar was forced to pry it open with his hands.
The letter itself smelled of fresh ink as Caesar read the eloquent contents. His brows creased even further before finally placing the piece of parchment down on the table. A slight vein emerged on his forehead as he squinted his eyes.
"You call this an invitation, father?" he asked, "this is clearly a threat sent to our kingdom. They are forcing us to attend this "party" so that they can export our resources, but at the same time form a facade of friendship. From a spectators point of view, this will effectively conceal their venomous goals."
Caesar"s hands trembled with rage ever so slightly as he stood up from his chair, a slight breeze from the window seeping into the room. "Very well, I accept this condition. I shall attend this party as the representative of Rahvin kingdom" Caesar declared as he exited Crowley"s room.
Unfortunately, Rahvin kingdom was in no position to negotiate with behemoths such as the Limbo Kingdom. However, business was Caesar"s best a.s.set. If he were not capable of changing the current outcome that Rahvin kingdom faced, then he was no competent ruler.
In such a world, it was quite common for the strong to bully the weak. Clearly, news of the cloud-steel mine had reached enemy ears, as such, they would be dealt with by the upper echelons. War was not even necessary, the larger kingdoms would merely blacklist them from the market, resulting in starvation, unrest, and sickness.
Such was the fate of a kingdom which acquired something they could not protect. The mine, although a blessing, at first sight, was merely a calamity hiding behind a clever ruse. The floor beneath Caesar creaked with every stride.
Rahvin kingdoms only saving grace was Caesar"s silver tongue, which could potentially persuade a few ignorant souls. Not to mention the fact that Requiems invitations letter still exited, he could perhaps rely on them for a.s.sistance.
Thinking to here, he soon transversed the large halls and reached his personal chambers. The door was cracked open and Ahri could be seen at the foot end of the bed. A towel was wrapped around her curvaceous figure and the ends of her damp hair dripped down to the ground.
Her towel suddenly fell to the ground and her four tails appeared. Ahri then proceeded to grab the towel and dry off her tails one by one, very carefully. She looked quite cute from where Caesar was standing and he decided to wait until she was done to enter.
He patiently waited behind the door for around a minute or so before finally walking in, surprising Ahri. Like a frightened rabbit, she hopped onto the bed, fearful of anyone seeing her fully nude body.
She quickly grasped a few of the larger blankets and covered her body with them, glaring fiercely at Caesar. Her ears that she normally kept hidden were raised and a small fang protruded out of her mouth, resting on her lower lip.
Caesar"s previous bad mood seemed to vanish as he unb.u.t.toned his shirt, took off his boots, undid his pants, and entered into sleepwear. He ma.s.saged his left shoulder as he tilted his head to the right, releasing an exasperated sigh.
His perfect abdominal muscles, chiseled features, pale skin, and piercing red eyes were eye-full for Ahri and she couldn"t help bet advert her gaze. "H-have you been worked hard later?" she asked, quickly changing the subject. Her hips had still ached from yesterday, and her body was in no position to continue.
Caesar knew of her awkward situation so he simply entered into bed and let Ahri rest on his broad chest. Her peaceful breathing calmed him down and her aroma seemed to soothe the soul, further liberating him of his worries.
They continued to appreciate each others company for a few more moments before Ahri hesitantly opened her thin lips, "Caesar, have you ever lost someone you cherished?" she asked quietly and raised her upper body.
The room descended into silence as she looked up at the ceiling, "you constantly shove people away, as if you are fearful of forming a connection" Ahri said, "you did it when we first met, and this only exception to this was Elizabeth, but now, it would appear you are distancing yourself from her."
As Ahri"s babbling continued, Caesar"s eyes closed. Elizabeth"s charm seemed to no longer work on him, thus, he treated her like a normal daughter. He would no longer coax and spoil her, as that was behavior unbefitting of his lineage.
Soon, Ahri"s long speech ended and she gazed into Caesar"s eyes curiously. Her vibrant yellow eyes seemed to shine even bright as she blinked, like a curious cat. This sight caused Caesar to relent and begrudgingly pat her on the head.
"I have not just lost loved ones, I have been betrayed by them as well," Caesar said, "there is nothing worse than loving someone with all of your heart, but all along, they never reciprocated those feelings. Instead, they merely stole from you."
He paused as he stretched his arm out, clutching his fist, "I believe that if I were to come across him in this life, I"d kill him" he said ruthlessly and ma.s.saged Ahri"s hair. He didn"t want to see, nor wait for her reaction. Thus, he blew out the nearby candle and decided to go to sleep.