Chapter 1381: A Brand New Start
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The early morning sunlight spilled gently into the room through the floor-to-ceiling gla.s.s windows.
Rhode opened his eyes and looked at the white ceiling above him. He raised his hand to his forehead to s.h.i.+eld his eyes from the blinding sunlight.
Looking out the window, he saw the azure sky and woods. The distant clamors echoed with the singing of birds, creating a unique symphony. The sight of white clouds drifting freely across the sky left one pleased and relaxed.
It was an incomparably beautiful scenery that made one feel refreshed just by looking at it.
But at that moment, that was clearly not what Rhode was focusing on.
“Hoo-hoo-hoo… I can’t believe you’re up so quickly… What a surprise…”
Rhode heard a chuckle, as well as a voice speaking from his waist. Upon feeling the sensation that came from below his abdomen, he couldn’t help but knit his brows and let out a helpless sigh. Then, he lowered his head and said.
“Hey, aren’t you done yet? You should let me take a break.”
“No I’m not. Let’s do it again, shall we? Look, the weather out there is perfect. Shouldn’t we be enjoying times like these?”
Upon hearing his complaint, Lydia, who was between his legs, looked up with a wry smile. Then, she reached out her hand to tuck her fallen blonde hair behind her ear gracefully, before continuing her service.
“… Will you stop making up excuses, Lydia? It’s about time already… Wasn’t the whole of last night enough?”
“No can do. You and Erin have done it so many times together. So as her best friend, you can’t favor one and discriminate against the other. Last night I gave you to Erin, so it’s about time for my turn.”
“Oh? You can’t say that, Lydia.”
At that moment, another warm, tender, and snowy body appeared from behind Rhode like an octopus. Erin stretched out her slender arms languidly and embraced his body, pressing her soft b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his back. Erin smiled gently and looked at her best friend.
“Well, yesterday’s moonlight was really beautiful, wasn’t it? So isn’t it normal to do something romantic together under the beautiful moonlight?”
“Anyway, it’s unlikely that you can still get up in this state, huh?” Lydia asked, spreading her legs apart and straddling Rhode’s waist. She chuckled and reached her arms out to hug his neck.
“Hurry up and get it on with. Don’t keep your lovely younger sister waiting.”
“Of course I know that.”
Looking at Lydia’s pretty face with a smug smile, Rhode rolled his eyes. Then, he extended his arms, wrapped them around the young lady’s toned waist, and held her down.
“Whoa…”
Feeling the hot, intense pleasure, Lydia couldn’t help but groan softly. At the same time, Rhode held the slender young lady in his arms tightly and began his ‘battle’.
After it ended, Rhode walked out of the bedroom. It was already noon.
“Good morning, Big Brother. You seem to be in good spirits…”
The younger sister who sat on the couch turned around and stared at Rhode with an ironic smile. In the face of his younger sister’s gaze, Rhode snorted helplessly, before wiggling his somewhat sore back, plopping onto the couch, and staring at the young lady with dissatisfaction.
“As my younger sister, is this how you’re supposed to treat your big brother?”
“As your younger sister, I think it’s only right to pretend that I didn’t see anything. Besides, you were the one who caused the trouble anyway, so it is only right that you deal with it yourself, Big Brother.”
“Where are Christie and the others?”
“Bubble has taken them out shopping. Since they rarely come over, it’s only right that they enjoy a good time. Don’t worry, I’ve already informed Canary and Bubble of the meeting place and time.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Upon hearing his younger sister’s reply, Rhode nodded and squinted at the large screen in front of him. A glint suddenly flashed in his eyes that were overcome with boredom.
“What? Is there a problem?”
In response to his question, his younger sister didn’t respond immediately. On the contrary, she picked up the remote control and turned up the volume of the TV. They heard the host’s startled voice.
“… According to the investigation of the satellite, Telescope One, astronomers have unexpectedly discovered a brand new planet at the edge of the solar system, which has a unique orbit of its own. It’s a new discovery, and there’s no conclusive answer from the scientific world as to how it came to be or how it formed at present. But according to the inference, there is a high probability that there is life on this planet. Multiple nations are currently exploring the possibility of launching satellites to conduct scientific research and investigations on it and are hoping to find the mysteries of this new planet…”
“We should be fine, right?”
Looking at the news report, Rhode raised an eyebrow. His younger sister nodded in response.
“Don’t worry, Big Brother. The barrier we set up outside the continent is capable of stopping their invasion. No matter what kind of detector they send, they will definitely be destroyed if they enter the outer asteroid belt. With the current level of human technology, it will not be possible to break through our barrier protection for another 200 years. Of course…”
At that moment, an inscrutable smile appeared on his younger sister’s face.
“When that time comes, whether or not it will still be necessary for Earth to send a detector over is another matter.”
Upon hearing his younger sister’s reply, Rhode waved his hand in boredom. But at that moment, he seemed to recall something and said.
“We’ll talk about that when it comes. Anyway, there’s still another 200 years to go, so I don’t think the situation’s too terrible for us. And with Earth’s current situation and thanks to Stefania’s help, they can forget about sending a joint investigation fleet to look into the continent… Come to think of it, how are the magical wars.h.i.+ps and the rest of the stuff now?”
“The wars.h.i.+ps, ‘Autumn Breeze’ and ‘Normandy’, have entered a trial period, thanks to the control system ‘s.h.i.+pwoman’ that Miss Stefania gave us as a complimentary gift. Otherwise, it would be a real headache for us to operate the wars.h.i.+ps. After all, mages in the Dragon Soul Continent aren’t experts in the field of mechanical operations. As for the other wars.h.i.+ps, Lapis is still leading a team of researchers and doing investigations, so it shouldn’t take too long.”
“Is that so…”
After hearing his younger sister’s reply, Rhode fell silent again. He leaned back on the couch and stared at the sky out the window.
“As much as I’d like to say that time pa.s.sed so quickly, the truth is that it seems like only three or four years have gone from when I transmigrated to that world to after I came back to Earth… If I had the choice to work in real life during that period, I’m afraid I would still be struggling to get ahead in life.”
“The meaning of time is judged by existence itself, and I’m sure you’ll do well in everything, Big Brother…”
Knock knock knock.
At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Then, the door opened with Angelina walking in. After seeing Rhode and his younger sister, she was slightly surprised. However, she quickly lowered her head and bowed to the two of them.
“Master, Your Majesty the Void Dragon, it is almost time.”
“Alright, let’s get going then.”
Upon hearing Angelina’s words, Rhode nodded, stood up, and straightened his black suit. The younger sister also stood up at the same time, came to his side, and reached out to fix his tie.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve, Big Brother. Honestly, if Mom and Dad were still alive, I don’t see how you’d be explaining this to the two of them… Well, this is something that requires a long explanation.”
“And that is why I’m on my way to do that now.”
Rhode replied, extending his hand and pinched his younger sister’s cheek.
“Don’t act like you’re innocent. You’re also in on it!”
The car whizzed down the highway and sped off into the distance. Rhode leaned against the window and stared out at the city. Towering buildings, a transportation network that surrounded the entire metropolitan area, as well as trains that hurtled by… Everything seemed so familiar that he even had some doubts as to whether it was just a dream, one that lasted up to four years, and that he had finally woken up. However… Gazing at his younger sister sitting beside him, he knew very well that this wasn’t a dream or delusion, but reality instead.
It had been three months since the Dragon Soul Continent arrived in the solar system.
During this period, Rhode and the others could be said to have been constantly busy. They created protective enchanted fields around the continent, using dragon soul powers and an asteroid belt to create a safe and complete defense network.
This way, even if there was any trouble, they could stop it in an instant. On top of that, the authority framework of the Dragon Soul Continent also needed to be reworked. The current authority framework of the continent had continued from the Creation War. But now, it no longer held any meaning. Hence, under the efforts of Rhode and his younger sister, the entire continent formed a complete unity.
Of course, within the authority framework, Rhode and the others continued to use the original structure. For instance, the Light Dragon was still responsible for the Country of Light, the Dark Dragon was in charge of the Country of Darkness, and Rhode and his younger sister still ruled the Void Territory. The only advantage of joining forces was that there would be no more war between them. And the main reason for that, of course, was Rhode.
Most of the Dragon Soul Continent didn’t change. Under Rhode’s cautious measures, ordinary people were completely unaware that there was another civilization on another planet not far from them. Of course, with the level of civilization in the Dragon Soul Continent, it never occurred to them the possibilities of exploring the world beyond the sky.
But there were some whose lives changed as a result.
“… Next up, we present to you the rising star of tomorrow. Currently sitting at the No. 1 spot on the pop star charts and having won the Rising Star Idol Award last month—enjoy the song, ‘Stars’, sung by Anne~!”
Soon after, the lovely and cheerful singing erupted from the car stereo, echoing in the vehicle.
“Anne sure is capable. I didn’t think she could actually sing…”
“To be honest, I think this look suits her better.”
Gazing at the middle of the screen, where the blonde young lady bounced on the stage with a splendid smile, the corners of Rhode’s mouth curled into a smile. The current Anne no longer needed to wield a s.h.i.+eld and fight enemies on the front lines to the death. Instead, she had an ident.i.ty and profession that suited her better—singing on stage as an idol. It was apparently more suitable for her than swinging a s.h.i.+eld on the battlefield.
Everyone had their own lives and now, they were able to put aside the burden of fighting and start doing what they wanted to do. It wasn’t that difficult for Rhode. And although he was still a Void Dragon, he wasn’t completely powerless on Earth.
“I didn’t think she’d be able to adapt and do this well.”
Watching Anne running and jumping on the screen, Rhode couldn’t help but recall that moment she tried to drag Lize along with her to form a duo. Back then, Lize turned ashen at that proposal. Unlike Anne, who always liked to stand out, Lize didn’t like the idea of being noticed by tens of thousands of people in public.
“But this isn’t too bad. In fact, it’s much better than those two misfits.”
Rhode said and couldn’t help but let out a snort. The thought of Erin and Lydia gave him a headache. According to his original plan, things would have been fine if the two young ladies simply managed their territorial affairs in the Dragon Soul Continent.
However, he didn’t expect that they, who loved enjoyment and prosperity, would be more interested in life on Earth instead. Not only did they go over to Earth every other day to hang out, but they also reached a cooperation agreement with the original Creator Dragons. They became special guests of B&M company, and occasionally helped with the promotion of the <> game. Due to their outstanding looks, and the fact that they looked exactly like the characters in the game, the two became hugely popular among players.
An online game promoted and marketed by its very own archangel and moon queen… The thought of it sure was bizarre…
The car left the highway and entered a relatively quieter and more peaceful path. Soon after, lush trees and tall gra.s.ses shaded their view from the modern city, and natural scenery came into sight. The car drove along the path, before stopping in a nearby clearing.
“Alright, let’s get going then.”
Patting his younger sister’s hand, Rhode stepped out of the car and headed for the clearing in front of him. And there, waiting for him, was a person who he couldn’t be more familiar with.
“Ah, Leader…! Why did you take so long, Anne has been waiting all day!”
Anne, who wore a mini-skirt, grinned and waved at Rhode. Lize, who stood beside her, also didn’t wear her usual cleric’s robe and put on a long, plain dress that brought out her innocence and cuteness as a young lady. One had to admit that in terms of clothes, Earth had a much better range and selection than the Dragon Soul Continent.
“Alright, alright, Anne. Rhode has other arrangements too.”
Marlene, who stood on the other side, reached out her hand and patted Anne’s shoulder gently. Unlike Anne and Lize, Marlene’s outfit was more of a professional woman’s. Honestly, those long, slender legs paired with black stockings were refres.h.i.+ng to Rhode. After all, she didn’t get to dress like this in the Dragon Soul Continent.
“What’s there to shout about? We have serious business to attend to this time, so can’t you behave yourself? This isn’t a wedding; can you stop making a din? It’s making my head spin.”
Mini Bubble Gum stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at Anne with a disgruntled, pouty face. Meanwhile, Canary stood beside her with a smile, whispering something to Christie. Christie opened her eyes wide and listened intently to Canary, nodding from time to time.
As for Lydia and Erin, they stood on the other side and also whispered to each other. No one knew what they were saying.
“Master, it’s ready.”
And at that moment, Sonia came over from the side, spoke softly to Rhode, and handed over a large plastic bag she held in her hand. Rhode reached for the plastic bag and nodded to her.
“Thank you,” Rhode said, turning to the crowd and beckoning to them. “Let’s go.”
He turned around and walked deeper into the woods. Upon seeing his movement, the rest stopped fooling around and followed behind him and his younger sister quietly.
The woods were silent, with only the sound of footsteps echoing through it. Soon, Rhode crossed the forest path in front of him and arrived in the depths of the woods.
The beautiful river, with crystal clear water flowing downstream, made a crisp and pleasant sound. The green lawn was decorated with beautiful flowers, and the sound of birds chirping in the woods made this place look like a paradise.
The most striking thing, however, was the black tombstone within it.
“…”
Upon seeing the tombstone, everyone closed their mouths and stopped talking. Rhode and his younger sister held hands and arrived in front of it. Then, they opened the plastic bag, from which they took out one offering after another and placed it respectfully in front of the tombstone.
The offerings were bland, unexciting, and nothing worth wondering about. There were grilled chicken wings, dumplings, fruits, cooked food, and some snacks, no different from what the others brought whenever they visited a tomb. The younger sister took out plate after plate quietly, arranging the food in front of the tombstone.
Earth and the Dragon Soul Continent were different.
If they were in the Dragon Soul Continent, there would still be a day when the spirit of the dead could be found and resurrected, whether it was at the end of eternity or in h.e.l.l. But Earth was different. Earth didn’t have the power, rules, and the Order of the Dragon Soul Continent. Here, after one pa.s.sed away, one would be buried under a pile of yellow dirt. Perhaps in a few tens of hundreds of years, after the top beings of the Dragon Soul Continent integrated perfectly with the rules of this world, the Order of Earth would change.
But the time hadn’t arrived yet.
While Rhode and his younger sister were busy, the others stood quietly in the back. Most of them had already heard about this tradition from Canary and Bubble, and Rhode had indicated that he wouldn’t let them come forward to help. Even Marlene and Sonia, who hesitated for a moment, returned to the group that stood at the back.
Soon after setting up the offerings, Rhode took out a bottle of white wine and poured two gla.s.ses in front of the tombstone. Then, he poured the rest of the wine in the shape of a circle before retrieving a piece of yellow paper and lighting it on fire.
After that, Rhode and his younger sister each took three incense sticks and knelt respectfully in front of the tombstone, bowing their heads.
“Dad, Mom, we’re here to see you.”
Looking at the tombstone in front of him, Rhode’s expression remained calm and unchanged.
“You guys must be surprised. But well… For some reason, Younger Sister came back to life again and I’m also back to give my respects. I said before that I would come and take a good look at both of you when it is all over. And now that the trouble that plagued your son is over, I’ve also brought Younger Sister back with me… Please rest a.s.sured that all is well with our health. We’re still quite well off. We have a home, car, and…”
With that said, Rhode looked over at Christie who stood a short distance away and looked somewhat uncomfortable.
“… Yes… Our child is doing great too. Everyone’s healthy and safe…”
As Rhode chattered away, he kowtowed thrice and inserted the incense sticks into the censer, before taking his younger sister’s hand and standing up. Then, for the first time, there was a somewhat subtle, disturbed look on his face.
“And… Perhaps the two of you are a little surprised, but as I’ve promised…”
Rhode continued, turning around to gaze at the young ladies quietly.
“… I will introduce you to the family members who have been with me and are most important to me. I will tell you everything about them… As well as what I’ve been going through all this time…”
(The End)