Chapter 182
<span style="font-weight:400">Mio and I waited at a randomly chosen park in downtown Tsukiji early in the morning, enjoying ourselves with some crepes. The sweet, tender dough coupled with fruits and whipped cream spread across my palette like sex. A ravenous subus suddenly chomped down on myst bite.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hey!" I pouted.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Mmmmh! It''s got both the sweet taste of crepes and of you." Mio teetered left and right happily as she chewed, then brandished her chocte crepe in my face. "Here. Just one bite though, buster. It''s all I took of yours."
<span style="font-weight:400">I leaned in to take a bite, but Mio pulled it away at thest second and kissed me instead. Her tongue shoved the partially-chewed morsels of my crepes into my mouth. She grabbed the back of my head so I couldn''t get away. When our lips parted atst, I stared at her in disbelief and horror.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Ew… Mio… What am I? A baby bird?" I spat the crepes out and swallowed the urge to vomit.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Kahaha! What''s the matter? We''re sucking each other''s tongues and pussy all the time. <i><span style="font-weight:400">That''s</i><span style="font-weight:400"> what you''re grossed out about?" Mio asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Those are two different things and you know it…"
<span style="font-weight:400">The taste of fruits and crepes still lingered in my mouth, and I was red up to my ears.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Here." Mio tilted a water bottle in my direction.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Are you going to offer that to me through your mouth, too?" I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Without hesitating, Mio unscrewed the cap, filled her mouth with water until the cheeks were bursting, and pounced on me. Both of us went t on the bench, both hands clenched to the other in a battle of might.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Goddamnit, how did I know?!" I groaned aloud.
<span style="font-weight:400">The sensation of Yumi and Selene''s aura tickled mine. Both of them were in close proximity to us. In my moment of distraction, Mio sealed her lips to mine and delivered the payload down my throat. She finally let go, and I sat up sputtering from being waterboarded.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Ara~ Did we interrupt?" Yumi giggled.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Geh. You could have forewarned us that you were going to be flirting." Raniel turned the other cheek.
<span style="font-weight:400">Yumi and Selene were apanied by the twins, Raniel and Arniel. They all had ice cream in their hands.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Which means they really did find you two. Neither of you made it easy for them, did you?" I asked my subuspanions.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I thought for sure I was well hidden. But their sense of smell is no joke." Selene clicked her tongue.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Well, damn. Color me surprised." Mio sat back and seemed unimpressed.
<span style="font-weight:400">"So, do you believe us now?" Arniel asked me.
<span style="font-weight:400">The whole purpose of our little outing was to fan out across the city and test the light elves'' ability to find us. They appeared to have found Yumi and Selene first, then myself and Mio after. We should have been a needle in the haystack level of difficulty,bing through an entire city for two pairs of subi. But seeing was believing.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Yeah, I believe you two. That won''t make searching for them any easier. I''ve had my people looking for the rogues all this time, and we''ve only made progress when they choose to show themselves," I exined.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Then you''re in luck. While searching for you four, we caught the scent of what may be rogue subi." Raniel nodded proudly to herself.
<span style="font-weight:400">"In the city? Bullshit," Mio said. "How do you know they weren''t one of ours?"
<span style="font-weight:400">The disbelief was only feeding their ego.
<span style="font-weight:400">"There was a ship off the harbor of your city. We thought you might have gone there, but the scent was too dense. Meaning there were many," Arniel said smugly.
<span style="font-weight:400">"However, the rules to our test was that you four split into two pairs. That crosses you out of the equation from being there. What truly gave it away was Queen Saeko saying you searched the cities, but did you ever consider searching out at sea?" Raniel asked smugly.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I hate to admit it, but that is certainly a high possibility. Especially if they have mind-controlled the crewmen on board," Selene said.
<span style="font-weight:400">Out at sea… Why didn''t I think of that? Both twins giggled and wrinkled their noses, while shing shit-eating grins at us.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko… Let me peg the shit out of these two," Mio growled through clenched teeth.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I know you don''t like it, but sometimes we have to hand it to them. Selene, make some calls to the Tsukiji nest to be on standby. Yumi, let the Himeji and Kobe nests know to investigate suspicious ships. We''ll search the ship now," I ordered.
<span style="font-weight:400">"<i><span style="font-weight:400">We</i><span style="font-weight:400"> will?" the twins repeated curiously.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Aren''t you the queen? Why don''t youmand your subi to take care of this instead? I recall you also entered the keep while your army waited outside," Raniel said, seemingly genuinely befuddled.
<span style="font-weight:400">"It''s because I''m queen that I should take care of this personally. I care about my people too much to let them potentially wander into danger. When it matters the most, I''ll know I can trust them to do the same for me," I exined.
<span style="font-weight:400">The light elves pursed their lips from saying any more. After Yumi and Selene finished making the calls, we flew straight for the Tsukiji coast. I carried Arniel, and Mio begrudgingly carried Raniel.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hey, quit struggling or you''re fish food!" Mio eximed.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Then stop groping my private parts, you insatiable mutt in heat!" Raniel fired back.
<span style="font-weight:400">They were both going to end up falling into the ocean at this rate. At least Arniel was more behaved in my arms. Though… seeing that he had a boner and was beet red, I could understand why.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You said you and your sister were special to be champions at your age, right? What exactly does it mean to be champions?" I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"It means our devotion to the Everlight is pure and true. The Blinding Point and Sol Bulwark are among four artifacts belonging to the light elven race. For us, those bestowed with the artifacts are christened as champions. We have a sworn duty to carry out the Everlight''s and Empress'' will," Arniel exined, slowly growing less self-conscious as he spoke. Even the erection had softened.
<span style="font-weight:400">"There it is!" Raniel pointed to arge multi-story yacht in the distance, the size of which must belong to someone incredibly wealthy.
<span style="font-weight:400">We had gone far enough that the pier was out of sight. I thought the twins meant it was in the waters just off the harbor. Nope. I would never have considered searching this far. The light elves, through seabreeze and brine, managed to sniff out subi at this distance.
<span style="font-weight:400">Selene and I withdrew our auras. If there really were rogue subi on that yacht, and it was looking more and more likely, they wouldn''t sense using until we were on top of them.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I want fighting to a minimum. Make sure no one escapes, so we can interrogate as many as possible. If there are humans on board, prioritize their safety. Yumi, Mio, and Raniel will board from the back. Selene, Arniel, and I will surprise them from the front," I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Come on. The stern is the rear of the ship, and the bow is the front!" Mio flew in to nudge me, and I almost lost hold of Arniel. He clung tightly to my neck and squeezed.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Okay, okay! You guys go in from the stern, and we''re going in from the bow! Happy?"
<span style="font-weight:400">The six of us split up into two groups to assault the yacht. Selene and Inded on the <i><span style="font-weight:400">bow</i><span style="font-weight:400">, startling four subi who were lying on lounge chairs and tanning under the sun. I ced them all under my charm by the time they noticed.
<span style="font-weight:400">"How many of you are there?" Selene asked a magenta-haired subus.
<span style="font-weight:400">"There are—"
<span style="font-weight:400">An explosion from the stern caused the entire yacht to lurch to one side. Arniel lost footing and fell onto his butt. When I tried to help him up, another explosion knocked me over. I stumbled forward on top of him, burying his face between my breasts.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Just what are they doing over there?" I groaned.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko, we havepany!" Selene warned.
<span style="font-weight:400">Subi and baton-wielding human security emerged in force. One subus leading the charge fired a magic shard. I backhanded the spell out into the sea. As they poured onto the deck, a close quarterbat ensued.
<span style="font-weight:400">Arniel made use of his small frame to weave effortlessly between multiple foes. He dove past two subi trying to grab him, swept the leg out from underneath one, and pushed off the ground with his hands to kick the other away. Even without the spear, he was a capable fighter.
<span style="font-weight:400">A subus cursed under her breath. "What''s a light elf doing in this world?"
<span style="font-weight:400">Another subus went crashing past them and through the sliding ss door into the yacht. It was Selene who dealt the crushing blow, cracking her knuckles as she squared up for more.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Surrender and Queen Saeko may ask that I show you mercy," Selene said menacingly.
<span style="font-weight:400">Many of them wavered under Selene''s intimidating visage, but a desperation kept their hands and weapons up.
<span style="font-weight:400">"We just need to stall them until the ritualpletes!" a sharp-eyed subus eximed, rallying the others into a fiercer resistance.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">What are you doing? Blow through them! You have the power to do so!</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Beatrice shouted like she was right next to me.
<span style="font-weight:400">I summoned my de to parry a swipe from one subus and kicked another away. There were so many standing between us and getting in.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Shut up… I''m not going to kill the subi <i><span style="font-weight:400">you</i><span style="font-weight:400"> led astray to begin with…"
<i><span style="font-weight:400">Pathetic. Now is not the time to worry about others. If they usher a dryad into your world, then that puts my Mio in danger. I will tear your mind and psyche to shreds should thate to pass,</i><span style="font-weight:400"> she vowed.
<span style="font-weight:400">One dryad was strong enough to incapacitate me and two light elven champions with their artifacts. Mio almost got hurt alongside me. Magic began to ooze from my body, blending in with the subi auras all around me.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Kneel." I lifted the de of the First Temptress,manding the rogues and mind-controlled humans to drop to their knees.
<span style="font-weight:400">"This power… are you…?" Selene gaped at me.
<span style="font-weight:400">Two hands with long, painted ck nails fell upon my shoulders. It was like Beatrice stood right behind me, guiding me forward. Before I realized it, I was already below deck in a dining room where furniture had been cleared away to make an open floor. A dozen subi were arranged around a runic circle, surrounding a couple of unconscious humans tied up in the center.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Stop her! The portal isn''tplete yet!" a ritualist cried.
<span style="font-weight:400">With a single swing from the sword conjured hazy bolts of magic. They fired forth, seeking out each subus in the room which exploded with devastating force. The yacht teetered to the side, and the humans in the circle slid out of it. However, the center opened a deep, ck void.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Shit. Was I toote?" I braced for something toe out.
<span style="font-weight:400">Countless tentacles came surging out of the abyss. They snatched subi and humans alike. A few came for me, but I leaped out of the way and let them plunge through the floor. Water started flooding through the more the tentacles wreaked havoc on the yacht''s hull.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I can taste it! The feast on the other side! Let me through, so I can have a taste!" a shrill voice howled from the other side.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">It''s not over. Not yet. The portal isn''t strong enough to let the dryad through. Now is your chance to escape. Find Mio and get out of here!" </i><span style="font-weight:400">Beatrice red like an rm.
<span style="font-weight:400">The others rushed downstairs and stopped at the door.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko!" Mio called out worriedly.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Stay back!" I shouted.
<span style="font-weight:400">Think. At this rate, everyone on this yacht was going to the bottom of the sea. If I didn''t free the subi and humans from the dryad''s grasp, they were going to drown.
<span style="font-weight:400">Unless…
<span style="font-weight:400">I flew up and dove through the portal. Mio''s screams were all I heard before emerging into a red hellscape of craggy, obsidian mountains. The surface of the world was covered in ayer of charred, green roots. Or vines? No… Those were dryad tentacles. The same tentacles that were trying to enter my world.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Is this… Elza?" I gasped.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">This, errant queen, is our true feral home. A of parasites where only the strong survive— at least until we were dragged into Elza to serve the demon lord,</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Beatrice said.
<span style="font-weight:400">I dove away as tentacles reached up to try and capture me. Countless deep, red eyes like the ones I saw back at the garrison in Elza stared at me from below.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">Fool. You have brought us here to die. If you want to live, tap into my strength again. Dig deep into the de of the First Temptress,</i><span style="font-weight:400"> she urged me.
<span style="font-weight:400">A familiar aura tickled my own. Beatrice''s aura. It filled me with an indescribable power, one that made me believe I could conquer everything and anything. As more tentacles rose to meet me—
<span style="font-weight:400">"Stay out of my home!" I pointed the de to the sky, summoning a massive raging storm that brought powerful thunder strikes to the surface. The tentacles retracted from the portal to defend itself. Seizing that opening, I flew back through the portal just as it began to close.
<span style="font-weight:400">The seawater was up to our waists now. Subi that I mind-controlled earlier were picking up the unconscious and bringing them out. I grabbed thest passed out subus and followed after them. As soon as I escaped, Mio tackled me with a hug and almost knocked the girl out of my arms.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Geez… You fucking idiot. Why did you go and jump in there like that?" Mio asked, shaking as she held me.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I''m sorry for worrying you," I apologized quietly, then nced past Mio''s shoulder to Selene and Yumi. "Did we get everyone out?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Yes. A subus you charmed assured me all are ounted for, humans and subi alike." Selene nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">We brought them back to the harbor, leaving behind the sinking yacht. They made for twenty-four subus and neen humans. The humans we set free, but we weren''t sure what to do with the subi while the mirror artifact was still recharging.
<span style="font-weight:400">"The best we can do is use one of Hana''s love hotels and have a couple of loyal subi guard them," I suggested.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Allow me to volunteer. None of them shall escape so long as I breathe," Selene said proudly.
<span style="font-weight:400">It was settled. We would leave them under Selene and several subi''s watchful eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Well, color me a believer. Still can''t fathom that some light elves can actually sniff us out by scent. What the hell do we even smell like?" Mio asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Raniel and Arniel snapped to Mio''s side and began sniffing like dogs while circling her.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Like a fragrant flower," they answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">Without a doubt, light elves had definitely evolved to feed themselves to the subi race.
<span style="font-weight:400">"As soon as I get back to the dorm, I''m taking a long nap." I sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Pass out? We skipping sses today?" Mio asked excitedly.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Wait…" I pulled out my phone and saw that it was past noon. "MIO, WE JUST MISSED A FINALS EXAM!"
<span style="font-weight:400">The shouting made Mio plug her ears to my panic.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I don''t know what the big deal is. We can just—"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Selene, Yumi. I''ll leave the prisoners and twins to you. Good work today. Everyone, dismissed!" I snatched Mio''s hand and began flying towards the university.
<span style="font-weight:400">We got to Tsukiji campus, still smoking from the battle on the yacht. Students were just now pouring out of buildings to head to their next ss. I checked the time. It was five minutes past our exam.
<span style="font-weight:400">Inded with Mio and pushed our way inside. The professor was at the bottom, straightening out papers and packing things into his messenger bag. He saw using down and offered a scolding look.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko, Mio. d of you to finally join <i><span style="font-weight:400">after</i><span style="font-weight:400"> the exam has concluded," he said.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I''m sorry, Professor. We got caught up in something… Take it now? Or retake it?" I asked desperately as my potential future of failure shed before my eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">"No, I''m afraid you can''t. But… there may be a way for you two to make up for it, if you catch my drift?" His lips creased into a lecherous smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">A wrathful shiver ran up my spine.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">This impudent old fool wants to have his way with you and Mio? Absolutely not. Seize his mind. Teach him a lesson,</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Beatrice ordered loudly in my head.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I caught it alright. You''re going to let us retake the exam. But there won''t be any funny business or strings attached," I said while cing a charm on him.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Sounds… good. I''ll be in my office and free today at 4:00 PM. See you two there," he said.
<span style="font-weight:400">As we watched him exit, Mio casually remarked, "What? Didn''t wanna snack while taking the test?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"And let that mutt have his way with you? Not a chance."
<span style="font-weight:400">"Oooh? A little possessive streak going today, huh? I got some Bea vibes from that one," she teased.
<span style="font-weight:400">Beatrice? Ugh.
<span style="font-weight:400">I rubbed the side of my head and sighed. Thest thing I needed right now was to hear more about her. She was already whispering to me through my thoughts.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">Is something the matter, errant queen? You should be rejoicing. Imend you for your actions. Mio is a precious gem not to be besmirched by the likes of low-brow buffoons,</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Beatrice said.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Please, just shut up already," I muttered.
<span style="font-weight:400">"What''cha standing around for? We got a testter, and I wanna get some grub!" Mio hollered from the other end of the room.
<span style="font-weight:400">The ss was beginning to fill with students while I stood around. I hurried to catch up with Mio. We took a break before heading to the professor''s office to take the exam. However, I couldn''t help but be distracted the entire time. Especially with Beatrice constantly whispering the incorrect answers.
<span style="font-weight:400">On our way out of the campus building, I paused at the exit.
<span style="font-weight:400">"What''s eating youtely?" Mio turned around and asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Looking her in the eyes, I was reminded how much she meant to me. Or maybe that was Beatrice''s siscon obsession with her. Regardless, I had promised time and time again to tell the truth when it came to Mio.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Don''t freak out, but… ever since we encountered the dryad in Elza, I''ve been hearing Beatrice in my mind the entire time," I confessed.