“How was it?” Arthur asks as I approach him.
“Well, nothing much. I met with the prime minister, and he insisted that I’ll have to fight the three strongest Celestial Monkeys,” I reply nonchalantly, shrugging.
“That sly bastard!” Arthur exclaims, his fists clenching in anger.
“You know him?” I ask, genuinely surprised.
“Yeah, I know him. He came to the temple to assess me when I went to pick Excalibur last year,” Arthur explains.
“Anything happen between you two?” I inquire curiously.
“Nothing between us, but he had the same nasty look as the kid we saw earlier today,” Arthur answers, still visibly irked.
“It’s fine, let’s get going,” I say, patting Arthur’s tense hand.
Looking down at a nearby chair, I spot Stella sound asleep, snoring lightly with a small drool puddle forming at the corner of her mouth.
*Sigh.*
Stretching my arms out, I scoop her up and place her gently on my back.
“Should I carry her instead?” Arthur offers, but he quickly backs down, likely noticing the determined glint in my eyes. I can’t let another man carry my woman.
“Let’s get going,” I tell Arthur, who nods in agreement.
—
Now, Arthur and I walk through the Celestial Monkey cities, with Commander Lolan leading the way, his gaze fixed ahead, never turning back. There’s a noticeable tension in the air, especially between me and the commander. He seems to be a bit wary of me after the encounter with the prime minister.
“There’s no car to take us to our lodgings; is this how they decided to treat us!?” Arthur mutters angrily, walking close to me.
I sigh once more. “Well, we did come unannounced, so it’s no surprise that they’re treating us like this. It wasn’t an official visit,” I explain to Arthur.
“I see…” Arthur responds, scratching his head sheepishly.
After walking for a while, we reach a massive, dome-shaped duplex building. Six heavily armed soldiers stand guard around it, and wildflowers adorn the area, lending it an unassuming charm.
“Prince Jake, this is the residence specially built for esteemed visitors. It’s not that big because we Celestial Monkeys don’t receive many outsiders. Please, let me take you inside,” Commander Lolan says with a small bow, gesturing for us to follow him.
“Esteemed guests, my ass!” Arthur mutters under his breath as we follow the commander.
After navigating a few corners, we each settle into separate rooms, with Stella and me in one and Arthur in another. Arthur initially complained about sharing a room with me and even offered to sleep on the floor, but, well… that didn’t last.
“Woah!” I exclaim tiredly as I gently place Stella on the bed and then flop onto the mattress myself, exhausted from the day’s events.
“Kyu~ Kyu~ (Papa!)” Gogo’s soft voice interrupts my drowsy thoughts, and I raise my head slightly to see the cute Demon-rank beast perched on the bed beside me. It’s astonishing how this once-aggressive creature has transformed into a well-tamed and mannered pet, a testament to our bond. Taming a beast like him is a rare accomplishment. Taming a Diety-rank beast, on the other hand, is an entirely different challenge, nearly impossible considering their hot temperament. Some, like the void dragon, are downright headaches to deal with.
Shaking off my reverie, I decide to ask about Gogo’s concern.
“What’s the problem, Gogo?” I finally ask.
“Kyu kuyu ku (Papa, mom sleeping too much),” he chatters.
His observation startles me a bit. Gogo, who’s barely a month old, has picked up on the same thing I’ve noticed about Stella recently. It’s remarkable growth for a beast like him, as it suggests he’s becoming more aware of changes in intelligent beings.
“You did well to notice,” I commend him, patting his small head.
“Kyuuuu~ (Just worried about Mom),” he replies with innocent eyes.
“I see…”
I rise from the bed and place Excalibur in a corner, then proceed to shed my clothes. Curiously, Guida remains dormant, which suits me just fine. After stripping down, I head into the bathroom for a quick shower.
Upon finishing, I towel off and don a comfortable black pajama set. While changing, I notice Stella slowly awakening.
“Waaaah~!” She stretches sensually, her eyes fluttering open.
“You’ve been sleeping quite a lot lately. What’s the matter?” I inquire, taking a seat on the bed.
“I don’t know, but it feels like my body is going through some changes,” Stella responds, tilting her head.
“Changes?” I murmur, tapping my chin in thought.
“Wait… Don’t tell me you’re pregnant!” I blurt out, my eyes widening in shock.
Stella’s cheeks flush beet red as her eyes mirror my astonishment.
“M-Master, don’t say such perverted things! I am not pregnant,” she retorts, shaking her head in embarrassment.
“I’ll fetch something for you. There seems to be a kitchen here,” Stella says, rising from the bed.
“Wait!” I interject, halting her movements.
“How did you know where the kitchen is? Were you awake this whole time?” I ask, my suspicion raised.
“Hehe, I’ve been awake since we arrived at this building. I noticed you were carrying me on your back, so I pretended to be asleep,” Stella confesses with a mischievous wink before exiting the room.
“Sigh, what a crafty woman…” I mutter, sinking into the plush bed.
At that very moment, I sense a particular aura filling the room. Glancing to the side, I find Guida staring at me with intense hatred, killing intent, and jealousy blazing in her eyes.
“Master, I’m going to kill you!!!!” Guida bellows as she lunges at me, a swirling black aura forming around her fist. Seeing her sudden action, I instinctively cover my hand in a red aura, easily grabbing her fist and pulling her closer.
“Naughty woman, stop being jealous of her,” I admonish as I pin Guida to the bed.
“Hmph. I’m not jealous of her. I’m angry because you didn’t care whether I came out or not. It seems all your attention is focused on Stella,” Guida replies, her face turned away in a huff.
“I didn’t want you to come out for certain reasons,” I explain, shaking my head at Guida’s words.
“Also, I have something important to tell you,” I add, my expression turning serious.
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