Third Night: The Flying Boobies

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Morning arrived, and James woke from his slumber at precisely 4 a.m., thanks to his perk [Biological Clock]. As he surveyed his surroundings, he noticed the girl sleeping uncomfortably on the chair. Curiosity piqued, he wondered why she had chosen the chair over the spacious bed that could accommodate them both. Measuring more than 2x2 meters, the custom-made king-size bed seemed more inviting than a stiff chair. Shaking off the thought, he dismissed it as a minor concern. His focus was on his morning workout training and the impending meeting at dawn.

After an hour of intense training in the special room, he emerged and spent another thirty minutes swinging a sword. Refreshed from a shower, he made his way back to his office. His sprawling three-story manor, spanning over a hectare, was often referred to as the Redbox's Castle. It housed not only his office but also his loyal henchmen.

"Sir!" greeted the guard at his office with a salute. James passed by while ignoring the hardworking soldier. When he reached his desk, he infused his mana into his computer. With the enchantment [Mana Lock], the computer recognized James' mana and booted up, displaying the FirePanda Operating System. The enchantment acted as a safeguard, rejecting any attempts by others to unlock his computer. Should they attempt to do so, the house's Security System will be triggered as a warning.

Once the computer was open, he further infused his mana to activate the hologram meeting application. Through this application, his hologram appeared beside the computer, allowing him to connect remotely to the court. If desired, he could see through the hologram's perspective. It was in this virtual space that the case from yesterday's sexual soirée would be judged. Given his role as king, James had been invited to attend as a symbolic presence and the power of royal prerogative, allowing him to grant royal pardons. Both sides sought his favor, either for a pardon or denial of clemency. The case struck him as absurd, and he could only facepalm at the ludicrousness of it all. Nevertheless, he knew he had to attend to avoid incurring animosity from either party.

The case revolved around the victim, the third daughter of a duke, who was now two months pregnant. She accused the son of a nouveau riche count as the perpetrator, pointing to a party that took place two months prior as the likely occurrence. The victim's family reported that she had been under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time. However, it was evident that the victim had not consented to her pregnancy, adding complexity to the case.

Being in such an unrestricted soirée, it was obvious what would transpire. However, what puzzled him was the fact that the girl ended up pregnant. Contraceptive magic or even basic primitive condoms were readily available. Why the count's son hadn't utilized them remained a mystery. According to the [Bio] Mage scan, the fetus inside the girl was 90 percent related to the said count's son. However, given that two months had already passed, it was dubious whether the girl had been under any influence at the time.

Analyzing the crime from a motive perspective, the convict would benefit from entering a higher-ranked aristocratic circle. Conversely, the victim's family would gain financial advantages from the count's wealth. The judge had proposed marriage as a resolution, yet the victim had vehemently refused. Instead, she sought child support, while the convict argued that the victim had engaged in similar acts with three other nobles, all of which were consensual and thus legal.

"This is preposterous. I have had over ten sex slaves whom I bedded almost every day for two years, and none became pregnant. How could such an oversight occur?" James sighed. However, he realized this was no mere accident but a plot. The most likely suspect was the Duke faction taking advantage of the count's son's negligence in using contraceptives.

"But should I truly support the count's son?" James contemplated as he observed the court proceedings through the hologram. The proceedings seemed to favor the duke's daughter, but a recess was called until further evidence could be presented.

Once the absurd case concluded, his maids arrived to serve him a late breakfast as he listened to the reports from his butlers and maids regarding his concubines and the estate's conditions. Tilly, the catgirl tasked with attending to the princess's needs, was next to provide her report.

"The princess is still asleep. When I entered, she woke up, and I proceeded with the cleaning. As instructed, I fed her on the floor to humiliate her, and she obediently accepted. After that, I left." The catgirl maid gave a concise report, lacking any eloquence.

"Did she exhibit any suspicious behavior? Did she attempt to seek help or anything of the sort?"

"No, she did not."

"I see. Good work, continue monitoring while pretending to serve her. Fulfill anything she wishes if it is still within my budget." James replied. However, his [Lie Detecting] skills subtly signaled a minor alarm. It indicated that the maid was concealing something. It was a small alarm, so he decided to let it go, assuming it was likely a minor issue, such as a broken vase or a misplaced item. There was no need to make a fuss over it.

The day passed by until noon, and during his break time, James decided to invest time in honing his skills and further training. However, his attention was caught by a peculiar absence or rather, the lack of [Detection] ping. Princess Lily was nowhere within the range of his [Detection] skill. Closing his eyes, he expanded his senses, allowing mana to surge from his body, creating an invisible mist that filled the room and extended outward, reaching every corner of his estate. Despite his thorough search, he was unable to locate her. Concerned, he rang a mana bell to summon Tiana.

"Did you summon me, Milord?" Tiana arrived ten minutes later.

"Where is Princess Lily?" James inquired.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"She was in her room thirty minutes ago. She asked if she could explore the mansion, and I granted her permission," Tiana replied.

"Confirm her whereabouts visually and then report back to me. I wish to see her," James instructed, stroking his chin as he contemplated the implications of his detection skill failing to locate her. Was the princess skilled in assassination? If not, it was peculiar for his [Detection] to be unable to detect her.

"Yes, sir."

Less than an hour later, Tiana returned, confirming Lily's presence as she described. Indeed, Lily was lingering in the kitchen, gazing out into the garden and occasionally sneaking cookies from the chef. Yet, even when she was right before him, James's [Detection] still failed to detect her.

"Lily, why are you here?" James greeted her from behind.

"Eeek!" Lily squealed, dropping the pilfered cookies in surprise.

"I-i-i was simply inquiring with the chef about lunch," she stammered, her nervousness apparent. Despite her suspicious demeanor, his [Lie Detecting] skill didn't raise any alarm.

"Let us have lunch," James invited her. Setting aside his suspicions, he was confident in his strength, being over level five hundred. He believed that regardless of her abilities, she would not be able to overpower him. Lily nodded quietly and meekly followed him. Unspoken words hung between them, accompanied by a deafening silence as they made their way.

Lily was astonished as the opulent dining room unfolded before her eyes. She couldn't fathom why or for what purpose James had invited her. For the past two days, she had been left to her own devices within her gilded cage. Why did he suddenly choose this moment to invite her to a meal?

Unlike her previous meals consisting of a single plate of steak or a bowl of cereal, today's lunch was truly sumptuous. A roasted firebird stuffed with a medley of vegetables and fruits graced the table, accompanied by an appetizing asparagus soup. A decadent cream cheesecake adorned with a dusting of chocolate and ground coffee was served for dessert. And if that wasn't enough, there was spaghetti with a fragrant black pepper sauce topped with grated cheese, followed by a creamy clam chowder soup with crab. Lastly, an enormous lobster, as big as Lily's head, was presented before her, its tantalizing aroma filling the air.

"Take your pick, and then let us chat at the table," James invited. This dining room, often used for parties or meetings with VIPs, was spacious and luxurious. However, Lily couldn't help but notice that no one else was joining them for the meal.

What a waste of such exquisite food, Lily thought. Furthermore, James hadn't even bothered to choose the dishes himself. He simply instructed the staff to prepare the feast.

How opulent! What an arrogant king! Lily's thoughts betrayed her own indolence, the memory of her maid delivering food to her bedroom even before she became a prisoner.

The lunch unfolded in an atmosphere of awkward silence, the loudest noise being the clanging of cutlery against the plates. The fear of James's tyranny kept the guards and butlers silent. They only spoke when spoken to, intensifying the already palpable tension. Sensing the awkward silence, James asked Lily to continue her story.

"So, what happens next with Mr. Smith?" he inquired.

"Mr. Smith w—" Lily abruptly halted, realizing she was about to ask who Mr. Smith was. It finally dawned on her that he was a character from her own story, the one accused of sexual assault.

"Ah, your Highness wants me to continue the story now?" Lily felt a bead of sweat forming on her brow. She hadn't prepared for this moment. She had intended to gather her thoughts, but James beat her to it. Now, she would have to improvise on the spot.

"Ahem. Last time, Mr. Smith presented his defense. After the recess, it was the victim's turn to deliver her defense. However, the situation seemed dire. With no way out, she finally spoke, 'Your Majesty. I shall now share with you the tale of the Flying Boobies.'"

"Huh?" Lily's bizarre choice of words piqued James's attention. Internally, Lily was sweating, grasping at whatever her gray matter churned out to her. The mention of "boobies" had stuck in her mind, and now she found herself using it again, just like us.

"Yes, she said that. When Eve had her device installed on them, their children didn't inherit her device. They remained as flat as a plain," Lily continued, trying to regain her composure. She felt a bead of sweat forming on her forehead as she realized she had gone off on a tangent. She had let her words flow without control, much like many authors do with their stories.

"Huh? So, is the offender…" He whispered.

"Wait, hold on for the story to finish," Lily hastily interjected, realizing her mistake. She needed to regain control of the narrative. She took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts.

"Ahem. So, where were we again?" she asked, trying to steer the conversation back on track.

"It was when the victim spoke out her statement, and the victim shared her story about the flying boobies," James responded casually, sipping another spoonful of soup.

"Yes, exactly," Lily said, relieved that James had followed along. She continued narrating, "So, the story begins when breasts miraculously grew on adult females. People at the time believed that the growth of breasts signified the transition into adulthood. The bigger the breasts, the more wisdom and maturity a woman was perceived to possess."

Lily paused, realizing she had fallen into another trap. She had taken the story on a different tangent, and now she had to decide whether to delve into the victim's tale or provide an exposition dump. She pondered her next move, unsure where the girl's story had even begun.

"Most men desired those who possessed breasts, so the country soon became divided into two factions—the haves and the have-nots. In response to the egregious desire of men, the have-nots devised a plan. They captured those who had breasts and performed a ritual that caused their breasts to shrink, equalizing them with the have-nots. The have-nots expected those that have to share their bounty with those without. However, the have-nots remain flat while those that have shrunk until become the same as the have-nots."

Lily continued her narration, trying to weave a coherent narrative. "Those with breasts wept in sorrow as their 'devices' flew away to heaven, never to return. Furthermore, they joined forces with the have-nots and continued the ritual on those who still possessed breasts. Sensing the impending doom, those with breasts sought support from the men. However, reality delivered another surprise as conflicts erupted among the men."

She paused briefly, setting the stage for the next part of her improvised story. "There were not enough women with breasts for the remaining men. Some men who desired spouses switched sides, joining the have-nots. The country was plunged into a real civil war, known as the War of Legal Lolis."

Before Lily could continue her fabricated tale, James was interrupted by his butler, who informed him of an upcoming conference with a duke.

"Greetings, Your Majesty. I apologize for my rude interruption, but your conference with the duke will commence in twenty minutes," the butler informed James.

"Damn it. Those damn aristocrats," James grumbled, tossing aside his napkin in frustration.

Lily's mood instantly brightened as she looked at Tiana, the genetically engineered catgirl before her. "Tell Tiana what you need. She is your personal maid," Lily suggested, eager to shift the focus back to the catgirl.

The second day had come to an end, but the third night was yet to unfold.