Chomp! Chomp!
Armed with an extremely starving stomach, when Ycarus was faced with his wife’s delicious cooking, no one could hold him back from eating like a whale. He took the meat and bit it off while simultaneously chewing rice. As he swallows, he makes sure that he will drink a sip or two of the soup, which helps him in swallowing all that junk inside his mouth.
Yassi ate leisurely, not minding her father’s unruly eating habit. She had already been accustomed to this sight and as she saw her father sipping soup, her hands moved as fast as lighting as her fork dragged one piece of her father’s portion of meat.
Swoosh! Peng!
Before being able to place the meat on her plate though, a fork had made it’s way through the air and impaled the table. This fork trapped Yassi’s fork and left her unable to reach for the meat.
Soon, another fork came and took away her stolen meat. The meat was then ingested by Ycarus, while he was waving his index finger in front of his daughter.
Yassi’s face twitched and then her sight sped forth towards Faye’s direction. Faye was looking t her teasingly as she slowly chewed on meat. Her plate was relatively empty as Faye was not that big of an eater.
Herebia, who was witnessing this sorry excuse of a family, did not have too big of a reaction. She just gazed at them quietly while she enjoyed her food. She had to admit, the king’s sister is definitely a good cook.
But... what would happen if someone threatened to take Herebia’s food?
This theory was tested when Yassi tried to fork her way through Herebia’s plate. She was about to take a meat when Yassi saw the look on Herebia’s face. It was incomparably grim and cold.
Withdrawing her hand as fast as lightning, Yassi took note that she should not do something like that again in the future. Herebia, not minding anyone other than her plate continued to eat leisurely.
This silence an tranquility lasted for some more minutes as everyone took in their food. After all of them finished eating, Faye stood up and collected their plates. Maid’s were not present due to the belief of people that they will only highlight the wife’s incompetence. So, in the Ignis Kingdom, maid’s and incompetent wives were viewed as bad.
Of course, maid’s are present in the castle of the Ignis King, the Dragon’s Ravine. Hell, even if queen had a Mark of Strength, she would still not be able to clean all the castle’s grounds.
Even if it is like this, the queen was still the one who cooks for their king. Well, that is tradition. In reality, the Ignis king’s wife was already dead and his food was being served by maids. Although this was against tradition, it actually did not really attract the ire of the Ignis kingdom’s citizens.
When Faye left the room with a stack of plates in tow, Ycarus looked at Yassi and then turned to Herebia. He cleared his throat and then smiled amiably.
“First things first, Let us do the introductions. I am named Ycarus, a general of the Ignis Kingdom. What is your name?”
“You can call me Requa.”
“Ms. Requa, is that good?” Ycarus turned his head and then looked at her daughter. “Anyway sweetheart, how did you met with Ms. Requa?”
The reason for asking her slightly incompetent daughter this question was due to the fact that Ycarus still hasn’t let down his guard. He was unaware of this person’s background and details about her. Who knows, maybe the name ‘Requa’ was not her true name.
Yassi who was not that familiar of the ways of the world, holds little to no doubt about the name ‘Requa’. If she did have some doubts, she would keep quiet of it because this woman besides her is the one who controls her life and death.
Herebia on the other hand, was already on full alert. If this brat will reveal the things about her ‘slavery’ and that Herebia control’s her life and death, with only a flick of her hand a head shall roll. During that confusion, she would use all her might to kill Faye and then exit with Hilroy.
Even if this meant she would have to start over again, Herebia needed to do this. This is to minimize the possibility of someone identifying her.
Then what did she come for in this household? That was information. She needed to learn this country’s state and maybe get on the good side of the Ignis King. That guy would be the guy who knows a lot of thing, and maybe he would have a clue on the...
Crystal Shards.
All of the things that Herebia had done were all for the Crystal Shards. She needed to be close to the sovereign of a kingdom, or this won’t work. After all, looking for information is better than looking blindly.
If the Ignis King didn’t cooperate, Herebia still had something up her sleeve. And that was...
[Zera : Scanner]
What’s to stop Herebia from searching through the king’s mind for the information about the Crystal Shards?
Yassi swallowed her saliva and then her eyes subconsciously turned to Herebia. Ycarus noticed this subtle signs but he didn’t show anything on his face. Afterwards, Yassi looked straight at his father’s eye. She needed to do this as to not show any signs that she was lying.
“I met her during the skirmish. Big sis Requa here saved my life.”
“Oh? It looks like that you have been in a dire situation then?” Ycarus looked at her daughter, disbelief coloring his face. Sure, his daughter brought back an injured soldier, but that was not enough evidence... wait...
!?
Ycarus almost stood up, as a bad premonition entered his heart. He looked around and then stared hard at her daughter. “W-where is the guard that I sent..?”
“Dead.”
This time, Herebia was the one who answered. While her head rested on her palm, she looked nonchalantly at Ycarus as she scratched the table in boredom.
Yassi looked at Herebia and then to her father next. “That is the truth dad.” She had decided that she needed to reenforce Herebia’s words as his father seems to doubt her. And after all, the fact that the 7th stage Practitioner is dead, was indeed the truth.
Herebia had indeed said the truth. The only problem was that in reality, Herebia herself was the one that killed the 7th stage Practitioner...
“Is that so... an enemy that could kill a 7th stage Practitioner, surely it is not a Cadet Practitioner (6th-7th stage)... Maybe you faced up with an Elite Practitioner (8th-9th stage)...”
“That’s where your wrong dad. We had faced up against someone wearing the Casket Armor!...”
Yassi was carried away with the idea of lying that she just spouted a nonsense that could not even be identified as bullsh*t. Ycarus who had thought that he was over thinking previously had his eyes darken.
His daughter, Yassi, was obviously lying...
The explanation to this is because those who could wear Casket Armor in the entire realm numbered less than 20! Not only that, those who could wear them were either Generals or Prince/Princess’s themselves!
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Ycarus, who was an Ignis General, naturally possessed a Casket Armor. This was the one he had previously cleaned, named Blaze. This Casket Armor of his was only used for important battles, and this fact held true to the other’s who possessed this armor as well.
How the hell would someone who could equip the Casket Armor, go out themselves and meet up with some skirmish troops?! This was lunacy! Pure, 100% lie!
Although this was a lie, Yassi had thought that she was only saying true things in different terms. The team had previously met with Oliver, someone whose strength could rival that of an Casket Armor. So she thought that she would use the term ‘Casket Armor’ in replacement of ‘Oliver’.
She thought that it was ok but then after she had spouted it out, then she found out that she had made an extremely huge blunder. Herebia realized the subtle change in the room’s atmosphere and...
Swoosh! Bang!
Without warning, a [Flame Pillar] had grown below of her chair! Of course Herebia had sensed the change in the elemental particles and was aware of this attack. Ycarus, the one who had created the spell, had previously been secretly creating had seals beneath the table.
Deciding that she had to end this fast, after landing, Herebia was already performing hand seals herself. Ycarus saw this and abandoned making hand seals. Flicking his fingers, he had sent forth 8 [Fire Balls] towards the direction of Herebia.
This fire balls were not used to kill, they were used to interrupt the hand seals!
Herebia knew this and her fingers sepd up. She wants to finish this spell faster than the arrival of the [Fire Balls]!
Swoosh! Boom!
The first fire ball had arrived, which Herebia dodged easily. What was unfortunate though is the fact that she had to jump. In mid-air she could not change directions, and the other 7 fire balls threatened to burn her in mid-air!
!!
Suddenly, the 7 approaching fire balls considerably slowed as the 10 meters around Herebia also followed suit. This was Herebia’s [Zera : Decelerate]! She had caught Ycarus, who didn’t know about this spell, caught off guard!
In the eyes of bystanders, Herebia had suddenly became much more agile! This only worked fro 10 seconds but Herebia felt that it was enough. Using the temporary boost slowness of her enemy, Herebia made hand seals as a black sword materialized in front of her.
She grabbed this sword and then sped forth, aiming for Ycarus’s neck! She had swung the black sword!
Clang!
Although Ycarus was slowed, his fast speed could actually slightly make up for it. As he had deflected the first swing of Herebia using a knife, Ycarus felt that he was about to lose. When the next swing was unleashed by Herebia in an extremely tricky angle, Ycarus gritted his teeth and...
Bang! Bang!
Using the elemental particles, Ycarus had made explosions under his sole so that he would be blown away from the sword swing! Herebia clicked her tongue as the time of [Zera : Decelerate] only allowed her to slow her enemies down like this for only another 3 seconds.
When Ycarus landed on his feet, a small spot of weakness was spotted by Herebia. This was because, when Ycarus landed he had experienced extreme pain from his feet. Not wasting this opportunity, Herebia positioned the blade towards Ycarus’s throat!
Clang!
At the last moment, Herebia’s [Zera : Decelerate] had run out of time and this led to Ycarus having the opportunity to block using his knife. Although he had successfully blocked the attack to his throat, his grip loosened and he had let go of the knife!
With her enemy unarmed, Herebia positioned her sword towards Ycarus throat but did not thrust it. She looked at him for a moment and then smiled amiably. She then withdrew he sword, which disentegrated into motes of light. Herebia then returned to the table, seating in a different seat as her previous one was toasted.
Herebia returned to her previous posture, laid back and nonchalant. “So? Do you enjoy fighting? Ha ha ha, Ycarus, it seems like you are getting cranky. Little Yassi, could I have some time with you’re father alone?”
Yassi was still dumbfounded because a fight had just broken out in front of her a minute or so ago. She snapped out of it due to Herebia mentioning her name. Yassi looked at Herebia, nodded her head and then jump down from her seat. She silently went out of the room.
Even though she knew that Herebia had the power to kill her father, she believes in this woman’s promise. Although this woman was quite cunning, Yassi had the gut feeling that Herebia valued her words.
Although not entirely true, Herebia did indeed value her promises. If nothing would go wrong for her in an extremely unsolvable way, she would stick to her words. Like for example, if Yassi did reveal their ‘slavery’, she would not kill Ycarus.
But... the deal did not contain the clause about not killing Yassi herself so Herebia would probably kill the brat first if that were to happen. If Yassi would remain smart and keep quiet about this then Herebia could even teach her a trick or two.
After watching his daughter leave, Ycarus quietly sat in a chair opposite of Herebia. He then stared at the woman in front of him for a while and then with a deep sound his voice echoed out.
“How much of my daughter’s words were true?”
“About 75%.”
“Which points were true?”
Herebia was not surprised and then tapped her finger on the table. “The fact that I saved her. The fact that the guard died. And the fact that we faced something that could easily slaughter you at your current state.”
His voice wavering, Ycarus proceeded to question Herebia.
“Th-then what points were false?”
“The fact that I saved her. The fact that the guard died because of enemies. And the fact that the opponent we faced did not wear something that you people call a ‘Casket Armor’.”
This answer of Herebia threw off Ycarus’s senses as the man was greatly confused. Saved her yet didn’t? Died not because of opponents? A man that was as strong as someone who is wearing a ‘Casket Armor’?!
Actually all of Herebia’s answers were correct.
She did save Yassi from Oliver but is planting a guillotine on her neck considered one? That’s just silly.
The 7th stage Practitioner did die but according to Yassi, that man died due to ‘an encounter with someone who wears a Casket Armor’. In reality though, that guy was used as a memory bank by Herebia.
As for the one with ridiculous strength? Someone who had the Mark of Strength would be enough to explain the situation.
What Herebia was curious about right now is about this things called ‘Casket Armor’. Hearing the words Armor, Herebia remembered the ‘Heavenly Beast Gear’ of the Crystal Shards.
‘Are they based on those things? Then if that is so, I need to be careful around someone who is wearing something like that. Those would be monsters at the same level as Oliver.’
Although she though highly of them, that was for those wearing the armor when she faced them. If they weren’t, like Ycarus here, they would be easy pickings. They would be weak without their armor and be prone to sneak attacks.
“You are greatly confusing me. Anyway, tell me you’re real name. I know that the name ‘Requa’ couldn’t possibly be your real name.”
“Oh, how rude. Doubting the authenticity of a lady’s name. You, Ycarus, sure are not a lady’s man.”
Herebia with her boredom started to play with her hair. She twirled them using her finger as she slightly leaned forward.
“Hey, Ycarus... I have something to propose about. Are you interested?”
“What do you want?”
Ycarus felt that when she talked with this woman, an invisible hand had already latched it’s way to his heart, waiting for the command to grip it and crush it to pulp. Due to this feeling, Ycarus’s breathing became slightly ragged and his heart started to pump faster.
‘Is this fear? Talking to this woman gives me the creeps...’
Herebia’s fingers stopped twirling her hair and then she looked straight at Ycarus’s eyes. Her face slowly contorted into a grin. Herebia had finally shown her true malevolent side.
“You’re wife is taking her time, huh? Do you believe that she went and washed the dishes? If so, wouldn’t she be running to this place because we had made a big ruckus?!” Herebia grinned broadly which actually resembled a smile. “Hey, hey, Ycarus... do you want your wife dead?”
“What nonsense! You actually dare to threaten my wife in front of me!”
Ycarus had thrown away his fear and fury emanated out of his voice. This woman was making an extremely bad joke, and Ycarus didn’t like it one bit. “Even if you could defeat me, I won’t let you touch a single strand of her hair!”
“Ah, what bravery... unfortunately for you, before the negotiations even started I had already won. You just have to choose, your wife or your daughter? Is it really worth it to get you’re daughter killed because of the stalker the Ignis King had planted on you!?”
This time, at the end of her statement Herebia had raised her voice. She had finally figured out something about Yassi’s talent on controlling flame. Although not that young, no normal human could possibly be able to control fire as proficiently as Yassi at her age.
No normal human could.
Ycarus was greatly shaken and then he started to shiver. This decision was actually something that he could easily answer. Of course, Ycarus would certainly choose his daughter over his wife.
“I... I...”
Memories flashed forth in Ycarus’s mind in an extremely abnormal way. Although the flashing of memories seemed weird, Ycarus was sure that this memories were correct.
‘Dear, what should her name be-‘
‘Let’s name her Yassi-‘
‘Protect our daughter at all cos-‘
‘I will definitely, at all co-‘
‘No!! Do not touch he-’
Ycarus blinked and the memories stopped flashing in his mind. He then entered a quiet state as resolution slowly bubbled from his heart.
As for Herebia, she had a thin smile hanging from her face. The [Chaos Thread] that had impaled through the back of Ycarus’s head slowly disintegrated as if it didn’t even exist. When they were conversing, Herebia had secretly formed hand seals and cast her spell.
This was... [Zera : Memory]!