CHAPTER 13

The old dwarf explained a bit about the other Titan metals, and I couldn’t help but be interested in them. Even with the threat of having to fight in this planet’s war without even being asked hanging over my head, I was able to leave the smithy with a light heart having learned I was carrying around cheat level equipment for this planet.

“What do you think, Imperia?”

“Sounds like something the mortals and my more foolish children that crave war might think to do,” she replied. She had been downcast after hearing about what happened to her race. It looked like she hadn’t known of the event that had basically made her race slaves to the people in power.

“Will this affect you?” I asked concerned. I was technically a human- Biuna hybrid. Whatever magic they’d worked shouldn’t affect me. That might not be true for Imperia who was a bonafid Demon-kin.

“No. As if some Magian’s puny magic could make me serve them!” she replied, obviously offended that I had even suggested such a thing.

“Sorry. I just wanted to be sure. I would hate for you to be dragged into war just after waking up,” I responded quickly.

Imperia suddenly made a delighted expression and jumped into my arms. I caught her more out of reflex. “Lex. I wish you were a man. I would let you take me tonight!”

I coughed from surprise. “Well… If you want?” I asked suggestively holding her like a princess.

She smacked my chest with a playful pat. “Naughty. I was just joking!” she laughed with her cheeks turning red.

“Too bad,” I said with real disappointment.

Setting her down, we continued down the street. In the few hours of our shopping trip, I was able to learn a good deal of the language, but I was still a way from being fluent. With our bags from the shopping, we made it back to the Freelancer building.

“Lex, Imperia! Welcome back. How was the shopping trip?”

“Productive. Thank you for asking.”

“Good. In light of the women that you saved earlier today, the League director has decided to waive all your fees for the next month. Feel free to stay until the next moon.”

“Really. Thank you! That will help us out!”

Lodging had been one of my concerns, but at least for the next month. We would be good for a while. Our meals would also be covered apparently, which made Imperia and Argos happier than the lodging. After sitting through a meal with Imperia, I couldn’t help but wonder where they hell she was putting it all. The look on the receptionist’s face after her fourth refill made me decide to pay them later.

“I think that’s enough for tonight. Just look at her face. She’s worried about having enough for the rest of the people here,” I said.

Imperia gave me a glare, but nodded putting her fork down. “You try not eating for ten thousand years.”

“You were asleep, don’t give me that.”

She stuck her tongue out like a child then started digging into the latest delivery of food. I made sure to tell the waitress not to bring us anything else. She sighed with a look of relief. Definitely will have to pay them later.

While Imperia was finishing her meal, a bard was playing some music in front of the fireplace of the establishment. When a song about defeating the mother of demons started to play, I looked to make sure that Imperia was alright. I could barely resisted chuckling when she was nodding along to the song about her slaughtering people and conquering the world.

“Ring with some truth?” I asked.

“Quite a bit.”

“Good to know.”

The night drew to a close as we went back to our room. I forgot to ask for a double today and resigned myself to being used a body pillow again. Echo set out to investigate the remaining Kesh dens and I thought about things that we could do to destroy the dens a bit more efficiently.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

~~

It was the middle of the night when something drew my attention. I really didn’t need to sleep thus I was waiting for it to be a bit later. A scratching at the door drew my gave, but I couldn’t be sure it wasn’t just a rat. Switching my eyes to heat, I saw a person crouching in front of the door across from the us.

I watched for a good ten seconds before I decided that he was trying to pick the lock. It wouldn’t have been good if he was just trying to clean the floor or something. Having come to that conclusion, I tried to decide what to actually do about it.

I had checked the laws of this place while we shopped, but it was very someone wrongs you, take care of it yourself if you have the power to do so. I still wasn’t sure I wanted to kill the person if I could avoid it. While I was debating about it, Argos picked up on the sound. I put my finger to my mouth for him to be quiet and was surprised that he had actually understood it. His level of intelligence continued to amaze me.

Carefully shifting in the bed, I pulled one of my daggers from my belt and took aim. Putting all my strength into it, I threw the weapon aiming for the person’s stomach. If possible, I wanted to take him out without going so far as to kill him. Kicking from the bed once the weapon had stabbed through the door and then into the man. I slammed the door open to find the dagger hadn’t stopped at the man but had gone through the door into the room across the hall from us.

Deciding to worry about that in a minute, I took in the man that was trying to hold his stomach. Because I used so much force, it would be a miracle if he survived longer than the night. A roar came from the other room and a mountain of a man slammed his door open wielding a large two-handed sword that would have barely functioned in a fight in the tight halls.

“What’s the meaning of this!?”

He looked down to see the injured man. The thief was dress in dark cloths and a cloak that would have helped him make an escape once he achieved his goal. Now, it just marked him for a thief. I, on the other hand, only had my underclothes on as I had forgotten about it. It wouldn’t have been a big deal if I was still a man!

“This man was trying to break into your room, sir,” I reported like I would have in the military. Damn habits.

“Is that so. By the looks of it, he’s about to bleed out.” He turned to look back in his room. “Nyana. Come make this maggot able to survive my questions.”

A beautiful woman dressed much like myself came out of their room. At least she had the prudence to put on a nightgown so not all her assets were exposed for the world to see. At least it was still a nice sight to behold. She held out her hand and a stream of the energy that Imperia used washed over the man and the wound started to seal before my eyes. Healing magic was incredible.

Coughing up a mouthful of blood the man tried to make a dash for it, only to find the large man’s foot slamming into his face sending him into the wall. “Aithlin. Don’t play any games this late at night,” Nyana said with a yawn.

“Fine.” The man stepped on the back of the thief and started binding him with a rope.

“What are you going to do with him?”

“Its no coincidence that he chose my room. I am the commander of the expeditionary forces that came ahead of the main army. That can only label him as a spy.” He picked the man up and started for his room. “Needless to say, I have some questions for him.”

I placed a palm to my forehead. Did I just alter the course of the war from the very start? I walked back to my own room with the echoes of a headache forming.

~~

When morning arrived, I found myself once again being used as a body pillow. Personally, I didn’t mind it given that Imperia was on the soft side. She needed a bit more on the top, but it was still a good volume. Poking her, I made her wake up since I wanted to get started with the day.

“Imperia! Wake up!”

Twenty-two pokes later, and the sleeping demon finally woke up. For someone that has slept for ten thousand years, I didn’t understand who she could sleep so much now. “Five more minutes?”

“The sun is already up. I think its time we got to work.”

“Why must a queen work?”

I chuckled and poked her again in the side. “What? Queen of the lazy?”

She took a grand pose next to me. “Yes. I shall take up this label for those in need. Many shall flock to my side!”

For such a lame reason, she certainly looked regal taking the pose. “Sure. Whatever you say your highness. Then in order to start recruiting for your grand cause, I’m glad to see that you are wake.”

Realization swept over her face. “You tricked me!”

“Maybe. For now, let’s go have breakfast. Within reason.”

We got up and got dressed. After the little incident last night, I decided that I would start to sleep with a nightgown. Imperia had bought a few and Echo could make the necessary modifications later today. Imperia pushed open the door and saw the hole in the center of it. “Something happen last night?”

“Our neighbors had a rat that was trying to get inside. I dealt with it.”

“Oh? Well, as long as you didn’t get hurt.”

“Nope! Right as rain. In fact, I almost killed the rat on accident. Today while we’re hunting the Kesh, I need to work on controlling my strength a bit.”

“You have trouble controlling your strength?” Imperia asked and sounded genuinely surprised. “Given how gentle you always were with me, I thought you were pretty good at controlling it.”

“Of course I don’t have trouble when holding a beautiful lady. Rats on the other hand,” I said letting the sentence hang in the air. I chuckled when Imperia blushed. Grabbing the distracted demon’s hand, we went downstairs to get breakfast.