After a few more bits of nagging, Clara and Madeleine agreed to make the trip. With how teleportation formations worked in the tower, it was impossible to tell where someone had decided to go unless you were a formations master.
Not only were formations masters bored enough to do this much too rare, when teleporting to a location with a fog barrier, tracking one’s location was impossible. It was an added layer of protection given by the tower to Corners without established key wielders.
In addition, the Snow Palace was Ri’s private residence. As such, she could decide who could and couldn’t use her formation. The only person capable of overriding her authority was Saru, but she obviously wouldn’t do such a thing.
Because they had to keep their connection to one another a secret, Ri, Clara and Madeleine rarely saw each other. However, thanks to Clara, they had spoken to each other quite frequently in the last decade, aside from when they were in trials, of course.
However, that didn’t mean they didn’t come to the tower frequently. Usually, the stronger younger generation members would take up residence in the tower instead of living within their clans and sects. So, Clara and Madeleine deciding to go didn’t alert anyone too much.
Unfortunately, though, nothing could be this perfect. Because of Clara’s unknown past, the Sapientia had taken keen interest in her and had thus decided to monitor her. As such, her action of leaving their quadrant was well documented. That said, even more unfortunately for them, today would be the day Dyon told Clara that there was no need to return to the Sapientia quadrant. He knew she was in danger there and didn’t like it.
Dyon was like a little boy on Christmas Day as he sprinted across the Snow Palace completely naked, barrelling for the door like a mad-man. Ri was still too weak, so he had gently wrapped her up and left her on the bed for the time being, going to greet Clara and Madeleine alone.
The moment he opened the door, he didn’t even give them a chance to react to his full glory before swooping them into his arms.
Despite her feigning anger, Clara ended up giggling along with Madeleine at Dyon’s childish actions.
With one swift motion, he re-entered the Palace, slamming the large doors closed with his foot as he balanced both Clara and Madeleine on each of his shoulders. He only lamented the fact he hadn’t known about Clara’s invention earlier so he could have seen them sooner.
As he was making his way up the stairs, Dyon felt a tug on his ear. He would never suspect his sweet and caring Madeleine to do such a thing, so obviously the culprit was Clara.
“Tell me, how did you bypass my surveill – I mean my invention like that? You suddenly appeared out of nowhere.”
Dyon grinned, “What, were you planning on using this chain to monitor me? Have you no faith in your husband?”
Madeleine giggled like the amiable big sister babysitting two rowdy children.
“No faith whatsoever.” Clara replied without hesitation.
“Our husband has gotten quite popular. Even the Sapientia fairy Aritzia is so very interested in you. In the long history of the Sapientia News Network, especially during Aritzia’s tenure as their head editor, they’ve never spent so much time and space on a single person.” Madeleine was only passively commenting as she took advantage of her position of Dyon’s shoulder to stroke his hair, but she only managed to pour oil on the already raging fire that was Clara.
“Ow, ow,” Dyon protested. “This Aritzia doesn’t even know that all her articles are about the same person. The masked man and Dyon Sacharro are two different people to her, spare me!”
By now, Dyon had made it back to bedroom to find Ri taking a nap with a smile on her face, not bothering with them in the least.
“Who asked you to be so popular?” Clara berated. “For now, news of Madeleine being your wife has remained within the Flaming Lily Sect and only a select few core disciples and Elders know of this fact. But, now that you should be exiting soon, the Flaming Lily Sect might decide to become more liberal with the information. Since people can’t find you, they’ll go to find Madeleine. Don’t you know how to be more lowk –?”
Dyon dived onto the large bed, causing Clara to squeal mid-nag. Somehow, in the process of diving onto the bed, Dyon’s hands had unclothed Madeleine and Clara. Madeleine had been wearing her sect’s formal dress, but how Dyon managed to unclothe Clara who had been wearing pants and armor was beyond them. The methods of a horny man truly were astounding.
“Okay, I’m listening now.” Dyon said innocently, leering at Clara and Madeleine’s barely covered bodies.
Clara rolled her eyes, but actually didn’t mind her body being exposed in front of Dyon like this. Despite being separated for so long, the moment the met again, they felt right at home again.
Dyon plopped down between the two of them, closing his eyes to listen to Clara’s ravings with a content smile on his face, when suddenly a thought crossed his mind.
“You mentioned the Flaming Lily Sect, are there movements I should be aware of?”
Madeleine interjected, “Because of the odd political landscape of that quadrant, I have no choice but to go back for every campaign. During a campaign three years ago, while I was in the Emperor Trials, we lost one of the final two towers of a universe we have a weak position in.
“So, right now, the Fiery Lotus Sect owns 7 of the 8 towers and will likely make a big push, once again, to conquer the last tower and force an invasion.
“They’ve come close in the past two campaigns, but we managed to hold them off. However, this time, we’ve gotten word that they’ve partnered with the Golden Crow Sect to form a joint attack and force us to split our focus.
“If we lose this tower, we’re only a step away from losing a universe. If that happens, we’ll slip down from the Emperor God Clan ranks down to the King God Clan ranks…”