Chapter 24- Looking Underneath the Underneath’s Underneath

Cael had his mind frantically racing trying to find the best way to resolve his current situation but sometimes as he was now learning, once you make your bed you just have to lie in it.

『Ah daughter I see you are awake, before anything else I would suggest you distance yourself from that hooligan over there.』

『Hooligan?』

Looking around to see where her father was pointing to she quickly noticed Cael before blushing furiously.

『Father, do you mean Caelus? He didn’t do anything to my body while I was asleep, did he?』

Using his sixth sense as a father Damian took note much to his dismay, of the fact his youngest daughter felt more shy than angry at the notion of anything having been done to her.

While reconsidering whether he should just kill the brat right now he remembered he had yet to speak the third punishment.

『Daughter, he threatened you while you were unconscious in order to bargain with me. It is taking all of my restraint right now to stay my hand from executing him but I know doing so will only make the hearts of the newly summoned heroes run cold. As such I shall now announce your final punishment Caelus the Hunter.』

At those words everyone in the room stared in anticipation not one of them wanting to miss what the old emperor would say next be it Selene, Alice, his classmates or the noble witnesses. Cael himself though was the very picture of cool confidence not worried in the slightest such was his absolute belief in his own ability.

『I, Emperor Damian vi Severin hereby decree you are forever banished from my lands never to set foot upon the Severin Empire again. You have six months to fully remove yourself before I give all the knights under my command a kill on sight order. Do I make myself clear?』

(God damnit, the geezer played me good with this last one. I have one request but he twisted things so that the request he gave me will become the shackles that bind myself. He knows that prideful as I am I won’t waste it on having the banishment removed but by being banished I will no longer be able to approach him with my request. It becomes a lose-lose situation where a gift becomes a curse. In the short time we’ve spoken he realised my intent to keep the blank check, bastard!)

『Crystal, just you wait eventually I’ll pay this annoyance back ten-fold! In the meantime I’ll hang onto this request and one day when we meet again hehe well we’ll see, you better look forward to it.』

As he finished speaking Cael turned and began walking from the throne room remembering to smile reassuringly to his two blonde friends on the way out. His own way of reminding them everything would be okay but at that moment a shout reverberated across the room.

『You can’t!』

Hearing the franticness practically dripping from that shout everyone turned to face it’s source only to be met with the second princess Selene. Seeing all the eyes gathered on her the teenage girl gulped audibly but steeled her resolve regardless.

『I said you can’t leave!』

Emperor Damian looked towards his daughter unsure of what kind of sorcery Caelus pulled to be able sway her so much to his side.

『Selene! … Even if you are my daughter my decree is absolute. It is impossible for me to go back on my word.』

Looking at her father’s eyes Selene knew he was dead serious but even so there are some things she could never budge on. Knowing she had no choice she was going to speak the unspeakable even if she knew it would damage her reputation forever.

『Father, you cannot banish Cael because he is the man who will be … 』

『I’ll take your daughter.』

…

Silence, absolute silence is what followed that statement that would make even Lily drop her jaw in shock. Barely managing to maintain his composure the Emperor couldn’t help but hope he had misheard.

『What … did you … say?』

Looking up into the Emperor’s eyes with more daring than anyone else in this world Cael made himself perfectly clear.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

『My final request, I want your daughter.』

While everyone else was too shocked to utter even a single word, the all-encompassing quiet was broken by the soft sobbing of a single teenage girl who looked so relieved it was as if the weight of the entire world was just lifted off her shoulders.

『That's … thank you.』

Looking at his sobbing daughter Damian was at that moment not the all powerful Emperor who ruled the lands of Eden but merely a simple father. While others may not have been able to read between the lines of that subtle exchange just then he was, his emotions rapidly jumping between furious and understanding.

Looking once more at his little girl who grew up before he even realised he sighed before turning to Cael with the kind of face only a father could make.

『Caelus, no more games.』

Nodding his head Cael agreed.

『No more games.』

『As I just said it is impossible for me to go back on my word so I cannot rescind the banishment but on that same note that means I cannot refuse this request. My daughter is yours Caelus to do with as you please but know this, if I find out you hurt her in any way not even the gods will be able to save you from me.』

Hearing Damian’s seriousness Cael was equally so in his response.

『I understand you have my word; I’ll keep her safe.』

As he finished speaking Cael looked over at the puffy eyed Selene and motioned for her to make her way over with a smile.

『Come on silly we got to get going soon or poor old me will get skewered by some no name knight. Are you coming or what?』

Hearing the invitation Selene beamed a smile and rushed over waving at her father as she left.

『I’m going, of course I’m going.』

When she arrived at Cael’s side he couldn’t help but ruffle her hair a little at the adorable sight she made.

『Good girl, you don’t have to cry anymore.』

At hearing the way he was talking to her like a little kid Selene puffed her cheeks out in indignation and knocked his hand off her head.

『Stop that! I wasn’t crying.』

『Sorry, sorry couldn’t help myself.』

Waving one last time at Alice and Alex as he left Cael said his farewells.

『Bye guys take care and try not to be killed by that demon lord. I’ll go sight seeing ahead of you but feel free to come visit me later when you have some time off, ‘kay?』

Alex being the easy going guy he was stayed very straightforward with his farewells, merely reminding him to stay safe and not get into anymore trouble. Alice on the other hand.

『You better not have any inappropriate sexual relations you hear me you’re too young for that sort of thing, as your teacher I forbid it.』

Needless to say it was awkward in more ways than one with Selene at his side blushing up a storm the whole way through her little tirade. Concluding their respective farewells the duo made their way back towards the courtyard for their final and most important piece of business.

🙦🙥🙧🙤

Walking side by side alone on the same path they took only yesterday Cael asked the question Selene had been dreading.

『What did Lillianne do?』

Wearing a sad little smile Selene responded.

『She drugged us.』

『I figured as much. Instinct isn’t something so weak huh?』

『Yeah, you were her original target, she’s at that age afterall. While Granny might have raised her to be a civilised person what she is would never change. Normally she would be fine staying secluded by the Elder Wood with nothing but her mother for company but … 』

Sighing to himself Cael cut her off already understanding what she meant.

『I get it.』

『Cousin really isn’t a bad person but her instincts just got the better of her. It was only after taking a few sips did I realise the drink she gave you is a powerful illicit drug called Liquid Love. It’s a kind of drink distilled from the pollen of pink nebula flowers the kind silkie grow in their “breeding pens” it has the effects of dulling the mind, raising the libido and lowering the inhibitions; effectively the perfect date rape drug.』

『How did you recognize it?』

『All noble women are taught at a young age to be wary of an unnatural taste of strawberry in our drinks. It’s the only major indicator of it being spiked into something but because people normally like the taste of strawberry they don’t think too much of it until it’s too late.』

As they kept walking something else occurred to Cael, something important.

『Why can’t I remember anything? Even if the drug dulled my mind I feel like I should still remember at least something.』

『You’re right you should still roughly remember what happened, I mean I do … anyway after I accidentally got caught up in cousin’s plans she felt horrible so she suggested I use my magic to erase your memories. After that I should go on with my life acting like it never happened and not speak a word of it to anyone.』

Widening his eyes a little Cael took a little step back from Selene.

『Whoa, whoa, whoa, are you saying you can casually erase people’s memories. Like how much time are we talking about here?』

『Uhm~ let’s see here if it’s not resisted the spell can be used from anywhere from a few minutes to someone’s entire life. If I remember correctly I only took about 8 hours from you.』

『8 hours?! Holy crap! Must have been some night … no wait, please don’t say such scary things so calmly one little mistake and I would’ve been a frickin vegetable!』

『Hey! I assure you it was perfectly safe.』

『Perfectly safe my foot!』

After arguing back and forth for a few minutes the pair finally calmed down. Returning to their little Q and A.

『What was Lillianne doing during all this?』

At that question Selene could only nervously chuckle before responding.

『She uh, she said she didn’t want to be left out and drank some of the Liquid Love herself. I was so embarrassed in the morning you know! What the hell was she thinking?!』

『Ugh.』

『Are you alright Caelus?』

『Yeah I’m fine, but I feel like I forgot something really amazing.』

Selene could only look at him with a deadpan expression following such a confession.

『Pervert.』

Ignoring Selene’s barbed words Cael focused on the crux of the matter instead.

『Haa~ so what are we going to do about her?』

『Haa~ I don’t know.』

Unable to come up with a good answer the two just continued their sighing all the way while trudging their feet to the Elder Wood.

『Haaaaah~』

『Haaaaah~』

It went without saying that they wasted a lot of breath on the trip over and arrived as clueless to a solution as when they first departed.