《The Legend of the ruthless Empress Freya》


 Chapter 1 Prologue - Freyas Life.

    Ever since I was a little girl I have always wondered what my death would be like. When I was 5 years old I wondered if I would die at the hands of my parents, both alcoholics and drug addicts. At 7 I wondered if I would die of cold and/or hunger. At 15 I wondered if I would finally die at the hands of the yakuzas that I joined a few years earlier and today I finally got my answer.


    "Well this long awaited answer is not as interesting and entric as I thought it would be, if not quite rotten...cough cough !"


    My name is Freya AIHARA, I hate myst name because it proves my rtionship with my bastard parents. I was born in Tokyo in December on a snowy and extremely cold day in my parents'' shabby house. My father was an unemployed man who spent his time drinking to forget his miserable, meaningless life full of mistakes, while my mother was a heroin addicted prostitute.


    Sigh...not easy you might say and for good reason...for as long as I can remember I have been on my own in this world, struggling to survive without anyone''s help. Beaten by my parents for nothing, I understood very quickly that I would not have a normal childhood but rather a chaotic one devoid of parental love, attention and benevolence. In fact, it was quite the opposite:


    At the age of 4 I had to learn to heal my first wounds, my father in a drunken rage threw his ss on my shoulder leaving me with a bleeding and painful wound.


    Two monthster my mother decided that I would serve as a punching bag to evacuate her stress and unhappiness.


    Bruises, contusions, scars were my daily life and my reality.


    One day, when I was 7 years old, I came home from school, which I only attended to escape and learn in order to leave this vicious circle, I found my parents dead in the living room of our dingy house. My father had smashed his head against the whiskey cab (how ironic) and died instantly (I wish he had suffered more though). My mother had probably died of an overdose, at that point it was only a matter of time before that happened.


    I obviously never mourned them and even if I had wanted to, it would have been impossible! You see, I don''t feel anything but anger anymore... no more sadness, pain or even joy. For my survival and the sake of my sanity I forced myself years ago to close my heart to all emotions capable of breaking it into a multitude of small pieces.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Ahem, I digress! All this to say that from the age of 7 I was already mentally very strong... I had to live on the street, sleep under cardboard boxes, steal to eat and even fight to not stay weak. This whole circussted 3 years before a certain RYU (dragon in Japanese) made me join the yakuzas as hisckey. Apparently I had attracted his attention because of my cold, unruffled and fierce eyes. To tell the truth I didn''t care at all and at that time I thought that as long as I could eat I wouldn''t have to murder him (yes, at 10 years old I was already a heartless bitch aha).


    For 14 years I survived in this environment where I was nicknamed "the Empress of ice" because of my cold, distant and ruthless personality. And that''s how, at the age of 24, I was able to take over the Tokyo organization by my strength and intelligence alone! I was more feared than appreciated because I am not a nice person. With me it''s "talk if it''s important otherwise shut your mouth" because indeed I''m not talkative and I don''t trust anyone, that''s how it is and that''s how it will stay.


    Which brings us to today...I was finally the victim of a coup d''etat within the organization wanting my immediate removal. I put up a good fight but my "closest" subordinate (if you can call it close considering my personality) shot me right in the lungs.


    That''s why you can call it a pathetic death. Mmh finally I don''t care, it''s not like I can do anything about it anymore and life here was pretty rotten. That''s why I hate humans, they''re selfish and rotten to the core...I''ve been bathed since birth in the murky waters of violence and human nature. I know only too well that no one is your ally down here, not even your own parents!


    Aaah, the moon is beautiful today, pure white and unattainable, I can only look at it from where I am and feel absorbed by this magnificent white.


    "Sigh, frankly, seeing your life sh before your eyes is not funny at all, especially when I''m the one telling the story aha I had buried those memories deep in my heart and brain. And f*ck, I never thought a bullet in the lungs would hurt so much!


    I would have liked to discover the world and why not conquer it...too bad, my life ends here but I do not regret anything. Even if I had to do it again..."


    During a full moon night, Freya AIHARA, 25 years old, with a smile on her face (the only one she ever gave to this world), breathed herst.


    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 2 Titania Goddess Of Endless Chaos And Eternal Frozen Hell

    [Changes: dialogues between *...* are Freya''s thoughts in real life (when she talks to the system or talks to herself). Dialogues out loud will be normal and framed with " " (the same goes for telepathy)].


    ____________________________________________________________


    Somewhere in andscape made only of infinite darkness is a tiny light, so weak that it could disappear at any moment in this ck immensity. This light is a soul, Freya''s soul.


    *Where am I? It''s strange, there''s nothing, not even a sound. I can''t speak either, if I look closely I am only a light in this immensity*.


    As Freya''s soul awakened and took in the surroundings, she could be seen to shine more brightly than before.


    *Well, if I understand correctly I''m in hell, right? I was expecting to go there, but who would have thought it was just a dark, endless void.*


    Lost in her thoughts, Freya didn''t see a shapeing towards her. And suddenly a voice was heard,ing from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.


    - "You are not in hell my dear child, you are in my Kingdom!"


    The darkness dissipated to give way to a snowy mountain several miles high. At her feet was a woman of almost imaginary beauty, long blue hair reached down to her waist and her face could be seen straight out of a dream. She had ck eyes enhanced by long eyshes, a generous mouth slightly pink giving her a slightly childish look and a skin as white as snow.


    Freya after having observed for a long time this young and beautiful womaning from nowhere, spoke up.


    - "May I ask whom I am honoring?"


    - "Ara ara ~ Let me introduce myself, my name is Titania and I am the Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell, it is a pleasure to meet you. But tell me, are you not scared?" Asked the beautiful woman from the foot of the mountain.


    - "Not in the least, no disrespect to you I''m not really good when ites to emotions such as surprise or even fear. That said, the honor is shared Titania".


    - "Hahaha indeed I could see it myself when I watched your life story, you''re not the type to be easily impressed...I like that".


    - "So f..."


    - "However although you have questions I''m going to have to be very quick so hear me out. Out of all the souls of the dead wandering around my Kingdom I have chosen you, Freya. I saw how your unwavering determination allowed you to survive in your past life, those eyes you possess even managed to make me, Titania, shudder! I didn''t even think that was possible."


    Not even ttered by thepliment Freya asked


    - "Mmmh then for what have I been summoned here?"


    - "You see, there are a multitude of other worlds besides yours, thousands of universes and more. As Goddess, I have two worlds: yours and another radically different from the first, its name is KLEISARIA.


    There are different races that are purely fictitious in your old reality, such as the half-humans, the elves, the dwarves or the beasts. Unfortunately, as we speak, the humans inside are getting stronger and stronger and are stepping on all the other races that are inferior and useless to them. If nothing is done, they may well disappear within the next 100 years".


    Listening to the Goddess speak, Freya thought.


    *Always the humans, always the humans! Why do they always have to be at the center of problems no matter what world they are in? When I think about it, it''s not new, it doesn''t change and will never change I guess...I''m already getting bored*.


    Aftering back from her reflection, the light "spoke".<novelnext></novelnext>


    - "I understand the situation..but how is it rted to me? Why should I help? You should easily know that I hate humans more than anything in the world...they are selfish, greedy, violent and so on! Under no circumstances would I want to be associated with them again!"


    - "That''s normal I understand but you must have been interested in what happened next (I hope). I would like you to be reincarnated in KLEISARIA, not as a human but as a Wolf Demon who can control my two attributes, chaos and ice. You will also be given a system that only you will possess to help you in your task..I h..."


    - "What is this task ?"


    *Okay, let''s hear everything to the end*.


    - "To conquer and rule a part of KLEISARIA (or everything) as Empress".


    - "...."


    - "A powerful and ruthless Empress representing the oppressed races and fighting against the humans. I want you to crush them so they don''t forget that they are not alone and that some can still stand up and take up arms!".


    A great silence could be heard despite the gusts of cold wind that swirled again and again down the mountain, where a Goddess and a soul were conversing.


    - "Ahem, so if I understand correctly I will be reincarnated as a Wolf Demon so I can destroy and reign. But first, what is a Wolf Demon?"


    - "You''re right to ask, it''s a special course from the demon race that I designed especially for you. As I told you earlier you will be able to control chaos and ice, but that I''ll let you discover for yourself when the timees. The Wolf Demon course is special because it will allow you to evolve into a new monster never seen before in KLEISARIA, so you will be able to aplish your goals more easily.


    - "Mmmmh..."


    Giving her time to digest all this information Titania waited patiently for her to speak thinking that she would need at least that much to not panic. However, the unppable Freya was not even slightly frightened.


    - "What about the system you told me about? Would I be the only one with one?"


    - Yes, in the world of KLEISARIA there is no system, however the different races work in levels and can use magic as well as swords, bows etc. so they are not to be taken lightly. The system has been designed entirely by me to fit your course, as for the name it has, you will find out sooner than you think! I don''t have time to keep you here anymore, so is that okay with you???"


    Weighing the pros and cons quickly, her decision was quickly made.


    - "I don''t understand it all but I got the gist, it''s okay! I''ll do it !"


    *I''ll thinkter on how to proceed, nevertheless I must admit that it is quite interesting. I wouldn''t say no to a conquest if it meant living like an Empress and doing what I do best: killing.


    As these words left her mind, a dazzling sh appeared instantly from nowhere and the next moment Freya''s soul was gone!


    - Good luck...my child..." whispered the Goddess Titania before falling into a deep sleep.


    [System initialization...30%...60%...80%...99%]


    [System initializationpleted at 100%]


    [The Empress system has been sessfully installed]

 Chapter 3 Im A Demon Wolf With A System !

    -- POV Freya --


    *Mmmf*


    Still half asleep, I knew I could finally hear, see, breathe and feel my body move.


    *Aaaah I can finally move! But it''s not like usual, so what''s going on? I suddenly feel very....different*.


    As I slowly came out of my sleepy state, I could feel the smells tickling the tip of my nose again, or should I say...snout? Memories of my past life and my encounter with Titania were slowlying back to me as I realized where I was. I was standing in a small clearing surrounded by a huge forest that stretched as far as the eye could see. Green, lush and very dense. In this small ce blessed by the sun, a small river was flowing beside me to disappear among the trees.


    *So it''s true isn''t it? I was really reincarnated in another world after being murdered. So if I feel strange, it''s because I must have be a Demon Wolf.*


    While I was thinking, I walked over to the river where I woke up to see my reflection in the water. There, in the crystal clear water a small head appeared, I could finally see what I looked like and my head was much too cute to belong to a Demon Wolf.


    *Strange, I was expecting something a bit scarier. I''m actually extremely and dangerously adorable!*


    My head was that of a small wolf (still bigger than those on Earth but still small from my point of view) about 50cm high and one meter long. On my forehead were two small horns, one small and onerge, thetter was nestled almost between my eyes while the small one was a little above. My fur as ck as night contrasted perfectly with the idyllic setting in which I woke up. As I continued to observe myself with great attention, I could notice that not all of my fur waspletely ck...a line of white hair extended from the tip of my tail to between my two ears.


    *Not bad. I even kept those purple eyes from my past life, I think I look pretty cool despite the size. Mmmh .... So if I remember correctly I must also have a system. The problem is that I have no idea how to activate it.*


    Suddenly, a soft but somewhat monotonous voice was heard directly in my head.


    [Hello your Majesty, I am the Empress system in charge of guiding you and helping you


    in this world]


    *Eh!? The system? Wait, you can speak?*


    [My thoughts are limited to you but I can understand a basic conversation and respond to it your Majesty]


    *All right system, but can you stop with that name? Save it for when I''m on my throne.*


    [Well then what shall I call you from now on? Your highness? Master?]


    *Sigh, just Freya will do for now.*


    [Hai (yes) Freya-Sama!]


    That''s when I asked myself how to get into this system? And especially how to understand it? Every piece of information is important so I decided to ask the main person involved.


    *Uum..system ? Arg first of all I''m going to call you Kira (killer in Japanese) instead of System, it''s much more ssy and less embarrassing for me.*


    -- PING --


    [The System entity has been named Kira]


    * Wh...*


    [Freya-Sama thanks for naming me, what can Kira do for you?]


    *Tell me right now how to ess the system.*


    Despite the reincarnation I was still direct and unkind but who cares I''m currently a fucking Demon Wolf! Why should I act more gentle than when I was human when I''m not even human anymore! But I''ll still try to be nice to Kira as much as possible...after all she''s going to be stuck with me and I with her...a good understanding is important.


    While I was lost in my thoughts, I heard Kira''s soft, monotonous voice in my head.


    [To ess the system by yourself, think very hard about the word STATUS]


    *Pfff way too clich¨¦...but simple and effective. STATUS !*


    -- PING --


    A screen opened in front of me, showing me all the information about me.


    Slightly bent over and squinting my eyes, I carefully examined the screen that had suddenly materialized out of nowhere.


    [Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex: Female


    Course: Ice Wolf Demon of chaos (unique course created for the host) - Cub


    Race: Minor demon - Newly born child


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Level : 1/10


    Exp needed for next level: 0/150


    HP : 300/300                 MP : 175/175


    Strength : 50


    Defense: 30


    Agility : 42


    Stamina : 22 (may decrease)


    Speed : 40


    Intelligence : 110


    Charisma : 10 (cute)


    Attribute points to be allocated : 0


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (only elements the host can use due to its unique course).<novelnext></novelnext>


    Skills due to course/race:


    - ws (Lvl 1)


    - Bite (Lvl 1)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 1)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 1)


    - Humanoid form (blocked)


    Innate skills (does not change or evolve) :


    - Combat techniques (lvl max)


    - Katana mastery (lvl max)


    - Commander (lvl max) ]


    *Kira, exin all this to me with more details ! ....Please*


    As I said this simple word, I could feel chills run down my spine. It was obviously not in my nature to ask so nicely! At that moment I hoped I would never have to do this with other people if at all possible.


    [Right away! So as you can see, your status defines your current state, you can see your strength, agility, defense etc. For now everything you see can change, the level of course but also the MPs and HP. For the moment you should know your skills in more detail, I will exin the rest once you are ready].


    *Mmmh* I nodded my head in agreement.


    *Kira, open the skills page so I can read the details*


    [Done Freya-Sama]


    A new window was now open where my status was disyed a few seconds ago. This one included all my skills but unlike the previous system window, descriptions had been added.


    *So let''s see...first let''s look at the skills I automatically acquired due to my course and race.*


    [- ws (Lvl 1) - Inflicts damage to the opponent by using the power of the paws to shred].


    [- Bite (Lvl 1) - Inflicts damage to the opponent by using the power of the jaw to crush].


    *Mmh, these two skills seem pretty logical and basic to me considering my current race. However it is also possible to upgrade them, I wouldn''t have any trouble using them, I think...so far no disappointments. As I progress in this world, I could gain new ones and make them evolve throughbat. Let''s see what happens next.*


    [Ice Creation (Lvl 1) - Creates ice from nothing. The host can create anything but it spends MPs, the more the skill evolves the more endless the possibilities].


    *Ara ~ Ice, huh? Mmh that''s pretty interesting. Kira! My MPs are 175, how much do I spend using "ice creation"? And how can I upgrade this skill?*


    [You have two skills that you got directly from the Goddess Titania. Before exining in detail, you should know that in this world each being with mana can only use one element. Mana is the energy that surrounds you, you can feel it going through your body if you concentrate enough. It allows you to use magic].


    *Only one element ? But I have two...*


    [This is one of the many advantages of your Freya-Sama race. How much mana you spend when using "ice creation" depends on what you create. For example, a ball of ice will spend much less mana than if you decide to create 10 balls of ice].


    As I listened carefully to Kira''s exnation, an excitement that I hadn''t felt in a long time began to sprout in my soul. Like a child who has found a new toy, I began to ask all sorts of questions, overwhelmed for the first time by the prospect of using magic.


    *Kira, would I be able to create ice meteorites or even giant spikes that would fall on the enemy? Or create an imprable blizzard or an ice throne!*


    [Freya-Sama, you will certainly be able to create all of these, however your MP supply must increase as your skill evolves. To do so, regr use will allow you to evolve your current or future skills. So I suggest you to test each one to better familiarize yourself with your new body as well as your new skills].


    *Okay, I think I understood very well, finally it''s exactly like the video games in my old reality! I''ll keep reading my skills, I''ll call you if I need you!*


    [Yes Freya-Sama]


    *For now, the most important thing is to understand everything so that you don''t make mistakester on that could result in death. I was reincarnated this time, but I don''t think it will happen again! My long years in the yakuza have given me a pretty good sense of adaptation, but the threat is still real. I must be stronger in order to protect myself and achieve my goals as Empress!*


    Lost in my thoughts, I continued to go through the list of skills in order to familiarize myself with all the skills of my new one.


    [Devouring Chaos (Lv 1) - Allows you to absorb anything without leaving any trace (body, magic etc). Can also be used by the host to harvest more EXP. Can also harvest more attribute points to allocateter (str, agi, vit etc) only from a corpse of higher level than the host].


    *Ooh! So this is my skill from the chaos element! It seems to me that it is rather practical, I could recover more exp by absorbing the corpses of my victims what will allow me to have some in addition to the exp resulting from the kill. So for the moment I have an ice skill of offensive type and a chaos skill of type... support? We''ll have to test all that !*


    As I continued my reading, a skill caught my attention!


    [Humanoid form (blocked) - host must evolve to lvl 30 (when evolving to major demon)].


    I wasn''t dreaming, the word "humanoid" was floating in front of my head making me want to explode with anger. Was this a skill to be human again? Or was it just to take the form of one? Feeling my animosity rising, Kira spoke up on her own for the first time since we met.


    [Forgive me for interjecting, but this skill will not make you human Freya-Sama! You have already be a Wolf Demon and nothing can change that now. The humanoid form will allow you to walk on two legs and have two arms just like a human, which is slightly more convenient for you if you want to infiltrate human cities for example. However remember...you are no longer human].


    Taking the time to calm down, I decided to continue to go through the rest of my skills, which this time concerned the so-called "innate" ones, i acquired during my past life on Earth. They can''t evolve or change, because they are engraved in my soul and my body.


    [Fighting techniques (lvl max) - fighting techniques learned during the years spent in the yakuza. (blocked please acquire humanoid skill)].


    [- Katana Mastery (max lvl) - skill mastered and perfected for over 10 years. (blocked please acquire the humanoid skill)]


    [- Commander (lvl max) - allows the host to use her leadership skill learned during her year as the head of arge criminal organization. Held by the soul


    of a ruthless conqueror. ]


    The first two were blocked due to the fact that I''m only in my original Wolf Demon form at the moment. It makes sense, no one has ever seen a Wolf wielding a katana or using kungfu. This idea made me smile slightly at the ridiculous image of a wolf with a katana standing on its two legs. Thest skill was not really of any use to me at the moment, but I knew that there would be a day when I would be surrounded by my subordinates as Empress.


    After thinking it over and closing my status, I began to observe my surroundings for the second time and noticed again how peaceful this ce was. I decided to look around the clearing to see a little further on a cave that couldter serve as my shelter! When I arrived near the cave, I felt the presence of no dangerous or potentially deadly animals for a cute wolf like me.


    *Yosh! This cave will be my home from now on! And for now, it''s time to test my skills !*


    And so, with unwavering confidence and excitement, I headed into the forest to train and explore.


    *Finally, the story of my great adventure begins!*


    The Wolf Demon Freya takes her first step into the world that will one day know her as the ruthless Ice Empress Freya!

 Chapter 4 Test And Discover New Skills

    Information: System messages preceded by - PING - are automatic. They are not Kira''s words but rather a system notification (like when Freya opens her status).


    ___________________________________________________________


    -- POV Freya --


    The forest I was in was huge, in some ces the trees were so dense that it was impossible to see the sunlight through. You could hear birds chirping in the distance...so mixed with the sound of the leaves moving in the wind, it made the atmosphere less scary though. Each tree was different and simr at the same time, as if each of them (even though there were thousands of them) were one and the same entity.


    I approached a tree. It was so tall that I couldn''t see its sime, its big and beautiful leaves were dancing in the breeze as if to hypnotize me. Sitting on my hind legs, I looked up at this giant trunk.


    *It''s finally time to test my very first skill. Kira! What do I have to do to cast "ice creation"?*


    [You just have to imagine ice forming in front of you, but be careful because you don''t have much MP yet. I suggest you visualize something small to start with].


    *Yeah it''s true ! Caution is required indeed. I will start slowly.*


    Ever since this skill was announced I''ve been excited about the idea of being able to control ice like in anime on Earth. Imagining being able to throw ice spikes into my enemies'' necks made me smile horribly. As a sadistic smile appeared on my wolf face, I imagined in my mind small ice spikes the size of a hand.


    Immediately 3 spikes made of ice appeared in front of me,ing out of nowhere in the air.


    -- PING --


    [Notification: The host has learned the skill Ice Spike(s) (Lvl 1)]


    Making them disappear I marveled at this new notification.


    *Wow, that was fast! Kira show me the details of this new skill...please *


    [Right now!]


    [Ice Spike(s) (Lvl 1) - Attack type: allows the user to form one or more ice spikes that can be summoned or/and thrown within a 50 meter radius. Current maximum capacity: 3 spikes. As the skill evolves, the maximum capacity will increase as well as their sizes].


    *Hello there! That''s great news...but Kira, tell me how many MP I spent on this new skill?*


    [Hai! I open your status and as you can see you have spent 30 MP which limits your use to 5 times for now. I also took the liberty of sorting your status, so the most important information will be disyed. When you want to see your full status, feel free to tell me and I will post it for you right away].


    *She''s really very professional, I like that!*


    I was getting used to her presence and oddly enough it felt good to have someone to talk to, someone who wouldn''t stab me in the back at the slightest opportunity. Although if Kira had hands, I wouldn''t be so adamant in my statement.


    Shaking my head to disperse my thoughts, I leaned with more concentration on my newly optimized status.


    ___________________________


    [Name: Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Level : 1/10


    Exp needed for next level : 0/150


    HP : 300/300 MP : 135/175


    Strength : 50


    Defense : 30


    Agility : 42


    Stamina : 22


    Speed : 40


    Intelligence : 110


    Charisma : 10 (cute)


    Attribute points to be allocated : 0]


    _________________________


    *Kira, its perfect like that! Thank you*


    [You''re wee Freya-Sama, it''s my duty to support you and help you in your long journey!]


    At that very moment, without even realizing it, I had for the first time thanked Kira naturally without being irritated or annoyed. It was the first time in years and it came out of my mouth so naturally that I never paid attention to it. Regaining my focus, I decided to continue testing this new skill to see what its limits were and not get stuck in a potential future fight.


    Closing my eyes, I imagined a single spike this time, trying to limit my MP consumption to 30 again. In front of me a frozen woodpecker as big as me formed, guiding it through my mind I ordered it to crash into the tree trunk in front of me. At a lightning speed, it crossed the tree which was one meter thick without too much difficulty, to finally disappear once arrived in the 50 meters limit.


    *Wow! I didn''t think it was that powerful! If I could have had these skills in my past life I would have certainly ughtered them all with great pleasure hehehe ~*


    That same sadistic smile could once again be seen on my face contrasting strongly with my cute and innocent wolf appearance. One should certainly not forget that behind this fluffy and newly born appearance was a cruel and insensitive 25 year old woman who had already experienced death once.


    [N/A: Hey readers ! You probably think she''s not cruel and emotionless enough, that''s why I say that for the moment she''s talking to herself and to Kira. Freya is never unhappy when ites to her or her power, on the contrary (she''s selfish). So she lets herself smile and be excited in her head since she is alone. When she''ll finally has interactions with other living beings, the sadistic side (etc) of her personality wille out].


    Still rambling I knew I wasn''t done experimenting with my skills yet. As I was thinking about how to use "devouring chaos", I had the idea of absorbing a stone next to me. Thinking very hard about the skill as I had done earlier with ice creation, a dense ck mist materialized all around the stone making it disappear as if it had never existed.


    -- PING --


    [The host unlocked the skill Chaos Storage Space (Lvl 1)]


    *Nani? Kira please post the details*


    [Chaos Storage Space (Lvl 1) - allows the user to store everything except for living things (this does not include corpses). Its capacity is currently 100 spaces, this number will increase with each evolution...so there is no other way to upgrade the skill. Does not consume MP as it is not abat skill].


    *No MP!? Well that''s handy! I know now that I can use without fear of losing my MPs the skills not rted to the fights. So if I understand correctly now I have a stone in my storage ? How do I get it out?*


    [Freya-Sama, just think of one of the things you have stored and imagine it appearing near you].


    At that moment, the small stone that I had picked up a few minutes ago ended up at my feet without me having to move a finger.


    [I should mention thatter on when you use absorbent chaos on a corpse, you will only get the extra EXP after you make it disappear. Now that you have unlocked storage, if you want to store a corpse and still get the EXP, you can use storage at the same time as devouring chaos, so it won''t disappear].


    *I see, so it''s possible to use several skills at the same time if it''s the same element.*


    [It is also possible for your ice element, but as it is specialized inbat (attack as well as defense) it is important to be careful with your MP expenditure!]


    When I heard Kira talk about defense, I realized that I hadn''t created a spell in that category yet. This is how a simple oversight could cost you your life! I was really not proud of myself at that moment, although this was all new to me, there was no way I was going to lose my life because of such a silly mistake!


    *So let''s see, if I imagine a wall made of ice it should work.*


    Closing my eyes and using ice creation, I thought of a wall of about 1 meter forming right in front of me. Suddenly a wall appeared, it was as high as I had imagined and as thick as two doors stuck together.<novelnext></novelnext>


    -- PING --


    [Notification: Host learned the skill Ice Wall (Lvl 1)]


    I finally had a defensive skill but being considered abat skill it had to cost me MP. Looking at my status with Kira''s help, I discovered that this ice wall had indeed taken 20 of my MP.


    Kira exined to me afterwards that in the current state of things my MP regeneration was at the rate of three points per minute . It would take me a little less than an hour to recover all my points in case the number would fall to 0.


    Having done the rounds of the skills rted to my elements I started to exercise thoseing from my own Wolf Demon body. Biting and wing were also very effective, I could easily destroy a tree by concentrating my attacks on a single point.


    Practicing over and over again for several hours, attacking and defending simultaneously, all my avable attack skills as well as ice wall had reached level 2. As a result I could bite and w with more power, my ice spikes were now 6 and my wall twice as thick. With all my ice skills at level two, my ice creation level also went up to the next level. Except for my chaos element skills, I was already very proud to see these changes.


    *Fuu, that was exhausting! I have very few MP left but the good news is that I can finally breathe!*


    Lying down on the floor, I felt ready to sleep from exhaustion and fatigue at any moment, but the system decided otherwise. A sound that I could now recognize in a thousand words echoed inside my head, forcing me out of this state of torpor.


    -- PING --


    [Due to the leveling up of 5 skills, 3 points are awarded for each skill to be allocated to the host''s physical stats].


    I now had 15 points to allocate among strength, defense, agility, stamina, speed, intelligence and charisma. As my MPs slowly rose, I allocated each point in the most serious way. So I put 5 points in strength and 10 in stamina, my training had made me understand that my weak point was my ability to hold on in a fight. Considering the state I was in I didn''t really hesitate.


    ______________________


    Strength : 50 > 55


    Defense : 30


    Agility : 42


    Stamina : 22 > 32


    Speed : 40


    Intelligence : 110


    Charisma : 10 (cute)


    __________________


    Looking at my status with pride I could feel my stomach screaming with hunger. A raucous gurgling sound could be heard around the forest....I was hungry, very hungry. Several hours had already passed since I woke up and I hadn''t eaten once, dragging my body and mind instead. So my next mission was already set!


    *It''s time to eat!*


    But as I was about to return to the clearing to find food, the sounds of a creature approaching me at a run could be heard several meters in front of me hidden by this dense forest and its bushes.


    Then i saw it.


    *What the.¡­?*


    _______ Freya''s status at the end of the chapter _______


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Gender : Female


    Race : Ice wolf demon of chaos (unique race created for the host) - Cub


    Race: Minor demon - Newly born child


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Level : 1/10


    Exp needed for next level : 0/150


    HP : 300/300        MP : 175/175


    Strength : 55


    Defense : 30


    Agility : 42


    Stamina : 32


    Speed : 40


    Intelligence : 110


    Charisma : 10 (cute)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (only elements the host can use due to his unique race).


    Skills (all):


    Attack - ws (Lvl 2)


    - Bite (Lvl 2)


    - Ice Spike(s) (Lvl 2)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - blocked


    - Katana Mastery (lvl max) - blocked


    Defense - Ice wall (Lvl 2)


    Other - Humanoid form (blocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 2)


    - Chaos storage (Lvl 1)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]

 Chapter 5 First Blood And EXP !

    Emerging from the foliage in front of me was a huge rat almost my size. It had a tail covered with spines, bloodshot eyes, ws and sharp teeth. Its slightly ajar jaw was drooling slime while a heavy, feral growl was hearding from that same disgusting mouth.


    *Ew, honestly you''re my first prey here and I had to stumble upon something filthy.*


    While watching it, I asked Kira if she had any way of finding out what it was.


    *Kira, is it possible to tell me what this animal...thing is?*


    [Please ept my apologies, I don''t have the ability to give you any information about this animal. However, if you look at it intensely for a few seconds, the system might unlock a skill that can tell you].


    *Wait what? Hahaha are you ying a joke on me? So easily? And what''s with this super weird condition? And then I''ve been looking at it for a while and...*


    -- PING --


    [ Notification: The host has unlocked the Analysis skill ]


    *....*


    [Freya-Sama thanks to this new skill I can tell you that this is a level 1 thorny rat. Here is its information]


    __________


    [Race : Thorny rat


    Lvl 1/10


    HP 150/150


    Strength : 45


    Defense : 25


    Agility : 60


    Stamina : 30


    Speed : 45 ]


    __________


    While the rat was looking at me, probably wondering if he should attack or not, I was recovering from my shock caused by Kira''s statement and this new notification. From its status, it was clear that this rat had extreme agility and speed, even greater than mine. However, the rest was rather average and below my own current physical abilities. There was no point quantifying the level of intelligence or charisma. I wanted to ask Kira why, but the rat was alreadying out of his dilemma and charging at me with determination.


    My mind instantly went nk as the hairs on my back stood on end with excitement. I could finally kill! I was going to get my very first kill here and now! Smiling uncontrobly, I showed my sharp fangs andunched myself in his direction at full speed.


    *Hahahaha that''s it approach! Be honored to be my first victim in this world!*


    Screaming with excitement in my head like I had never done before I summoned 3 ice spikes. Rocketing towards the rat, momentarily stunned by my ability, he nevertheless managed to dodge thanks to his great agility and speed. Continuing in his momentum and arriving at my height he suddenly turned around to hit me with his tail, it was so fast that you could hear a slight whistle in the air.


    Unfortunately for him it was without counting my Demon Wolf eyes and my reflexes that I had developed over a lifetime. I quickly jumped backwards to bring up new ice spikes but this time directly under his feet. Three of them suddenly came out of the ce where the rat was standing and managed to skewer one of its legs, leaving blood on the ground.


    [ Thorny Rat - HP 105/150 ]


    As I moved into a defensive posture after striking the first time, I could smell the intoxicating scent of fresh blood wafting into my nostrils.


    *Ara ara ~ Mister rat, you are not very interesting after all. Despite your speed and agility you are not even able to dodge my adorable little ice spikes perfectly. *


    "Rrrrraaaaaoooah!!!"


    As if it had read my mind, the creature began to roar with pain and resentment. Its angry red eyes stared at me as if trying to scare me. I, true to my nickname of Empress of Ice, was outwardly very calm...too calm. But inside I was excited and delighted to finally be able to test my skills on a living being. Except for my sadistic smile and smug grin that I had shown time and time again in my first life, my expression would never betray anything else. As the sun set, two shapes could be seen moving between the trees, attacking each other relentlessly with obvious killing intent.


    I approached my future meal, taking care to dodge each flurry of blows its tail sent my way. loming with precision, in a snap I found myself facing him. Throwing my right paw with power, his left nk was lightly hit but not without leaving some of his flesh torn. I could feel his skin tearing at the touch as the rat screamed in pain.


    [ Thorny Rat - HP 60/150 ]


    Thrown into my killing frenzy and continuing in my momentum, it was my jaw''s turn to hit one of his legs as he jumped away tearing it off as he went.


    [ Thorny Rat - HP 30/150 ]


    The rat couldn''t stand anymore, two of its legs were already unusable, one with an ice pick lodged in the middle and the other one was missing altogether. In a moment of madness while I was admiring the effect of my many skills, in a fit of desperation he propelled himself with his front paws to suddenly appear in front of me. I could feel his breath as foul as his appearance tickling my nostrils dangerously as he opened his jaw.


    Forming a wall of ice I backed away slightlyte, his mouth closed on my shoulder causing a bearable but unexpected pain.


    [ Name : Freya


    Level : 1/10


    HP : 272/300      MP : 95/175 ]


    As the wall of ice hit his chin I hated myself for letting this disgusting thing get so close to me and hurt me.


    [Thorny Rat - HP 15/150 ]


    *Since you had the audacity to hurt me, I promise you that your death will not be without pain.*


    Smiling ferociously with an unhealthy gleam in my deep dark purple eyes, I walked over to where the raty. Clinging to life and dazed by the sudden blow from my wall, he could be seen writhing on the ground in a pool of blood that he was losing as time went by.


    *Yes! If you think I''m going to let you bleed to death in front of me, you''re wrong!*


    Arrived at his height I raised a paw to let my ws go along his right side, in a light movement neither too powerful nor too weak I made a small opening letting appear his ribs. As he had only a few seconds left to live, I suddenly plunged my paw into the gap I had created, grabbing his heart to crush it inside his rib cage. Then a very satisfying sound was heard followed by several small tinkling sounds.


    -- PING --


    [ Congrattions! The host has killed her first victim! ]


    [ You killed a lvl 1 thorny rat ]


    [ You gain 400 XP ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (2) ]


    [ Condition fulfilled to go to the next level (3) ]


    [ You now have 10 skill points ]


    *Oh wait a minute, I need to sit down and think about this!*


    Dragging the rat''s corpse into the clearing to prevent another creature from inadvertently jumping on me while I''m busy examining my new notifications, I finally arrived inside the cave.


    *Kira? Can you post my full status?*


    [Right away! By the way, congrattions Freya-sama on your victory, the first of many].


    *Thank you*


    ____________


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Gender : Female


    Course : Ice wolf demon of chaos (unique race created for the host) - Cub


    Race: Minor demon - Newly born child


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Level : 3/10


    Exp needed for next level : 50/300


    HP :  500/500 MP : 250/250


    Strength : 55


    Defense : 30


    Agility : 42


    Stamina : 32


    Speed : 40


    Intelligence : 110


    Charisma : 10 (cute)


    Attribute points to allocate : 10


    Elements : Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - ws (Lvl 2)


    - Bite (Lvl 2)


    - Ice Spike(s) (Lvl 2)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - blocked<novelnext></novelnext>


    - Katana Mastery (lvl max) - blocked


    Defense - Ice wall (Lvl 2)


    Other - Humanoid form (blocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 2)


    - Chaos storage (Lvl 1)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]


    ____________


    *I''ve got a lot of things to do so let''s be efficient! First of all Kira, please tell me why I went to level 3 so quickly*.


    [You''ve met the requirements for leveling up with your victory. Each level needs its own amount of EXP to advance. Level 1 needed 150, level 2 needed 200 and so on].


    *That''s what I thought, it''s quite logical but I wanted to confirm it*


    [Freya-sama, don''t hesitate to ask me if there''s anything that catches your attention].


    *Mmmh*


    I now had 10 points to divide into my physical attributes again, although intelligence and charisma were there, I didn''t really feel the need to change them right away. And then how while I was thinking the question of the usefulness of these two mental attributes came to tickle my curiosity. As if Kira had understood it, she hastened to enlighten me.


    [Freya-sama, intelligence is your ability to make quick decisions in various situations, it''s a bit like aputer (forgive the illusion). The higher your intelligence, the sharper and clearer your mind will be. So it will process information quickly].


    *Oh I see. It''s more interesting than I thought, but for now I''ll do without it. What about charisma?*


    [Charisma is your ability to charm and captivate those around you, which can make it easier for you to manipte, convince or lie. It can also be used to strengthen your mander" skill. Note that they are both passive skills. However, this attribute cannot be changed because it is directly rted to your physical appearance].


    *Well I''ll know what to increase when I finally get the ability to have a humanoid body, it could be very interesting to take down a human city only with my beauty kufufu ~ ...um...anyway.*


    Going back to my status, I started to distribute my points. So I put 5 in defense and 5 in endurance. Stamina for the exact same answer as the time before and defense because I had never changed it before and after what I had just experienced it was out of the question for my defenses to be low.


    _____


    Strength: 55


    Defense: 30 > 35


    Agility: 42


    Stamina: 32 > 37


    Speed : 40


    Intelligence : 110


    Charisma : 10 (cute)


    ______


    *Yosh! Before anything else let''s test "devouring chaos" and "chaos storage" at the same time, I should be able to get some more EXP while keeping the body without it disappearing. These two skillsplement each other extremely well upon reflection!*


    Thinking of the result I wanted, I activated "devouring chaos" and "chaos storage". An ever so dense and ck mist wrapped itself around the corpse of the mutted rat and in a few seconds it was gone.


    -- PING --


    [ Host absorbed thorny rat - lvl 1 with devouring chaos - +50 EXP ]


    [ Host stored x1 thorny rat - lvl 1 ]


    *+50 is not bad...probably. I''m still having trouble visualizing EXP vs levels, but I guess one encounter isn''t enough.*


    [ Level 3/10


    Exp needed for next level : 100/300 ]


    After checking all this, I approached the corpse to sink my fangs into it without further ado...I was starving. I didn''t even know how much time had passed since I woke up but it was already dark for a while. I started by tearing the belly and eating the entrails of the beast which surprisingly was quite tasty!


    *I don''t know if it''s because I''m starving or if it''s because I''m a Demon Wolf but it''s fucking good!*


    In the night you could hear chewing noisesing from the clearing followed by grunts of satisfaction.


    While I was busy eating on autopilot, I observed thest thing that intrigued me: the analysis skill.


    *Kira, please disy my analysis skill*


    [Analysis - allows the host to show information to anyone they target. It shows HP, MP, attribute points, level as well as the skill used when present. ]


    *It''s perfect anyway! Being the only one with a system, I think that''s why the skill doesn''t have a level.*


    Having finished eating, Iy down on my back at the entrance of the cave near the carcass of the poor rat that was still alive a few hours ago.


    Tomorrow was going to be a hard day, my goal was to reach level 10 even if I had to kill myself to get my first evolution. Raising my head to the sky half asleep after this feast, I let myself be carried away by the beauty of this pure white once again.


    I didn''t know why, but as long as I can remember, looking at the moon has always been my escape. It was there, white, pure, innocent, and proud. One look at it soothed the pain and fury of my heart.


    And so, bathed in the light of the moon that was already high in the sky, one could see the dark purple eyes of a little wolf glow at the thought of being able to touch her one day.


    ___Freya''s status at the end of the chapter ___


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Race : Ice Wolf Demon of Chaos (unique race created for the host) - Cub


    Race: Minor demon - Newly born child


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Level : 3/10


    Exp needed for next level : 100/300


    HP : 500/500 MP : 250/250


    Strength : 55


    Defense : 35


    Agility : 42


    Stamina : 37


    Speed : 40


    Intelligence : 110


    Charisma : 10 (cute)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (only elements the host can use due to his unique race).


    Skills (all):


    Attack - ws (Lvl 2)


    - Bite (Lvl 2)


    - Ice Spike(s) (Lvl 2)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - blocked


    - Katana Mastery (lvl max) - blocked


    Defense - Ice wall (Lvl 2)


    Other - Humanoid form (blocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 2)


    - Chaos storage (Lvl 1)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]

 Chapter 6 First Night, More Monsters And Fast Leveling

    -- POV Freya --


    Settling into a morefortable position I watched the moon, as if hypnotized. The cave I had found near the clearing was surprisinglyfortable, there was no noise and it was neither too hot nor too cold. As far as I could remember, it was the first time I had ever slept in such a ce. But it felt good.


    *Maybe I can make it my home. I don''t think I''ll go too far for now, I have to figure out where I am first!*


    Tomorrow was going to be tedious, because my goal was to get up to lvl 10 in order to evolve into a demon. As I didn''t really know the next evolutions, I took the opportunity to ask Kira some questions. She was always careful not to disturb me when it was not necessary, I liked this trait of her...personality ? But somewhere I felt for the first time that she was more avable. Knowing that she could never betray me, I found myself asfortable with her as I was with myself.


    [When ites to evolution you must first evolve your race before you can evolve your course. You are currently a minor demon, i.e. newly born. The evolution of lvl 10 will change you into a simple demon and the one at lvl 30 into a major demon. This is thest possible evolution for the demon race].


    *So I won''t be able to evolve afterwards? that''s not so good for me.*


    [No Freya-sama, as I said, once you reach this level, it''s your course''s turn to evolve, and as far as it''s concerned, the possibilities are almost infinite].


    *I understand, but why is the evolution of the course blocked before the lvl 30 ? *


    I secretly thought I had the answer, but I let her exin it to me, which she did with an enthusiasm that was hard to hide.


    [When you reach lvl 30, the "humanoid" skill is unlocked. In order to evolve your "Icy Chaos Wolf Demon" course, you must be able to change its form, which gives you better control over your elements and unlocks your innate skills].


    *I can''t wait to unlock this skill, I''ll be more powerful and I''ll be able to start mingling with humans to better destroy them afterwards hehe ~. That said my short term goals consist of two parts: reaching lvl 30 and learning more about this world and especially knowing where I am *.


    I wasn''t too worried about the future, I would just have to explore the forest a little bit more, kill everything that is alive and find a way to get answers to my questions. Suddenly the idea of running into an intelligent beast crossed my mind.


    *Since I was reincarnated in this world mainly to fight against humans, I would not kill intelligent creatures, let alone other oppressed races. I would not destroy them but save them...I would be their Empress.*


    [And I will help you with all my will Freya-sama!]


    *Hum...thank you! But I will be merciless to anyone who disrespects me, hurts me or even tries to kill me. Whether human, half-human, elf, dwarf, woman, man, child, old man...I will personally open the door to hell for him, making sure he suffers in the process.*


    My words may have sounded cruel, but the fact is that I was cruel. If you had had the childhood and the life I had, you would probably be like me today. I understood very quickly that life was not a game and here in this new world where thew of the strongest reigns I have no right to be weak andpassionate.


    But I didn''t forget that an Empress to be considered as such must have subordinates, trusted people and a people.


    *Aaaah it will be hard to learn to trust and gather subordinates when in my past life it was "me myself and i". That said, I just need to be stronger so that nothing and no one can threaten me, then I will save my future subordinates and create a kingdom...my kingdom, where no human can ever reach us! *


    It was with unwavering determination that I sank with fatigue, lit by the moon, the stars dreaming of conquest and battlefield.


    ___________


    The day was just beginning to dawn when I was already standing and stretching out on the ground. From the outside you could see a small, one-horned ck wolf with dark purple eyes stretching his little paws skyward with a satisfied look.


    "Aaarrrrr."


    Unable to speak, a slight growl could be hearding out of my mouth as I yawned as I finally opened my eyes. They were as bright as ever and seemed to be able to read the soul of anyone who looked into them.


    As I slowly got used to the sunlight, Kira''s soft, monotonous voice rang in my head.


    [Good morning Freya-sama, I hope you slept well. Do you feel ready for this new day?]


    *Hello Kira. Yes, it was divine! And of course I''m ready, more than ever because today is "road to level 10"!*


    Leaving the cave with a determined step, I headed towards the forest in the hope of meeting other living beings that could help me to level up quickly. As I walked through the trees, an animal was hidden 5 meters from where I was standing ready to ambush me. It was hidden in the thicket but I could easily detect its faint and almost imperceptible movements. Blessing my Wolf Demon eyes and my sense of observation, I mentally gave an order to Kira.


    *Well, the wait was short. Kira uses analysis on the bushes 5 meters in front of us! *


    [ Sharp-tailed snake


    Lvl 4/10


    HP 550/600


    Strength : 50


    Defense : 60


    Agility : 40


    Stamina : 30


    Speed : 50 ]


    *He lost HP, but above all what a crazy defense ! That''s almost double what I have.*


    The thing in front of me was obviously a reptilian type, its level was higher than mine and a lot of its stats were also higher than mine. Feeling the urge to fight bubbling up in my body, I was more than happy to have a statistically stronger opponent to fight against.


    *Hi there. Would you like toe and give a hug to onee-sama ?*


    I used an ice pick to make hime out of his hiding ce (-10 MP) and he did. In front of me was a snake of about 2 meters long, it had mostly ck scales, but some on its head were red. This time there were no ws or spines, but you could see that its tail was not ordinary. Its tip, unlike the reptiles on Earth, had a de, the tip of its tail was in fact a sharp de ready to cut.


    *Fiiuu! I wonder if I can keep the tip of your tail to use as a weapon after I ughter you.*


    As I watched him carefully, a new monster appeared from nowherending in front of the snake as if to im it as his prey.


    [ Spider-monkey


    Lvl 6/10


    HP 800/800


    Strength : 43


    Defense : 40


    Agility : 70


    Stamina : 35<novelnext></novelnext>


    Speed : 45 ]


    A spider the size of the spiny rat I had met the day before was standing in front of me looking threatening, ready to pounce on one of us. It was hairy and its 8 legs were of light brown color which contrasted greatly with its body which was of yellow color. It looked like a small monkey had been transformed into this horror.


    *Oi ! I know I wanted to level up quickly but still, enough is enough....That''s what a sane person would have said in this situation, unfortunately for you I''m anything but sane!*


    [ * Did Freya-sama really just call herself crazy? * ]


    My eyes glowed with excitement and murderous desire, the thought of turning them into EXP and food made me salivate with envy. Although they were both technically superior, it wasn''t enough to make me back down. However, I was not suicidal and I knew only too well that one mistake, no matter how insignificant, could lead to your death.


    *I''m going to observe a little bit what''s going on, I need to gather some information before I jump into the fray.*


    As I stepped back slightly to make room for these two monsters, the snake began to slide across the ground at a speed that was not at all ordinary. Its tail split the air in an attempt to reach the spider, but it was already disappearing on the branch of a nearby tree. It wasn''t called a "spider monkey" for nothing, judging by its statistics it outstripped both of us in agility. It was quite logical if we assume that it got its name from this particrity.


    Suddenly, a thread came out of the back of its body to hinder the snake''s movements, it was wriggling on the ground while twirling its tail cutting threads and some trees in the process.


    The tree in which the ugly spider was located fell, letting it crash violently to the ground as it was hit and pinned by a branch.


    [ Spider monkey - HP 734/800 ]


    Immediately, taking advantage of this opening the reptile swung its tail and in a sh a de could be seen cutting 3 legs off the spider.


    [Spider monkey - HP 620/800 ]


    Red with anger, the spider once again used its threads to restrain the snake. While he was busy cutting them off again, 3 ice spikes appeared above their respective heads (-60 MP) and shot down at the same time and with lightning speed on their restrained bodies. I had finally started to enter the fight after having gathered all the information I needed.


    [ Spider monkey - HP 420/800 ]


    Two spikes could be seening out of the abdomen of the insect, its blood was green, sticky and had a pungent smell. The high-pitched cries of suffering of the beast could be heard for miles around. Impaled on the ground by my spikes, the spider was desperately trying to get out of this situation as its blood flowed profusely causing it to lose precious HP with every passing second.


    [ Sharp-tailed Snake - HP 400/600 ]


    The snake was slightly luckier, hitting one of my spikes with his tail (breaking it in the process) he managed to dodge it and using his flexible body he only received an impact to the neck. He was luckier but his wound was still serious, his scales had been torn off and the skin was torn.


    In the blink of an eye I had managed to turn the situation to my advantage without even moving a finger.


    *Good! Now it''s my turn! *


    Keeping the spider at bay while making sure it didn''t die before I got to it, I cautiously moved towards the still immobile snake. Not wanting to replicate what had happened with the rat, I conjured up 1 ice pick which I used to literally nail it in ce before I got too close to it.


    "Ssfffflffslfsssf"


    Leaving him screaming in pain, I noticed that his HP had now dropped considerably.


    [ Sharp-tailed snake - HP 200/600 ]


    *Kufufufu! Saa..g¨¥mu hajimemashou! (Well..let the game begin) ITADAKIMASUU!*


    Still wearing that scary smile, I started to bite the snake while it was still alive. It had no bones and its scales were hard, but that was no big deal for my jaw which was small but very powerful. Activating the "bite" skill, I plunged my teeth into its viscera, making sure to tear them out with violence and cruelty. Seeing him struggling, suffering and helpless at my feet gave me this feeling of superiority that I couldn''t even describe.


    *That''s it! Keep fighting, it will only increase my pleasure!*


    Crunching again and again this body which was alive only ording to my good will, I felt once more the shivers running down my spine. This feeling of cruel domination was divine!


    On the groundy the half eaten body of the snake. I then turned to the spider who, despite her diminished intelligence, knew what was going to happen to her. When I reached her, I decided to use another method. Since she had lost a lot of blood and was about to die, I opted for a more immediate death.


    *I prefer to kill her quickly rather than let her bleed to death. Aaaah what a pity, you''re lucky spider-san !*


    Raising my left paw, I struck the hairy body of the monster without stopping. Flesh and blood could be seen flying in several directions and before I knew it she was a pile of unrecognizable mush.


    -- PING --


    [Congrattions! The host has killed two higher level monsters +300 XP ]


    [ You killed a lvl 4 Sharp-tailed snake ]


    [ You gain 1300 EXP ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (4) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (5) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (6) ]


    [ You have killed lvl 6 spider monkey ]


    [ You gain 2700 EXP ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (7) ]


    [Condition met to advance to next level (8) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (9) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (10) ]


    The notifications just kept popping up one after another, but it was thest one that made me smile.


    [The host is currently on level 10 - Would you like to evolve? ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    ___________


    N/A: There is no Freya status at the end because she has not yet seen all the important changes that have happened. All the notifications are not shown, this is only a part of it. If you want to know, you will find out in the next chapter ;)

 Chapter 7 Evolution !

    -- POV Freya --


    [Host is currently at level 10 - Would you like to evolve ? ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    *Finally!*


    My mind was flooded with notifications from the system that informed me of all my changes. Since I was only aware of some of them, I asked Kira to keep me informed of the other changes.


    [Freya-sama, as you can see you have finally reached level 10, congrattions! In addition to the EXP you''ve gained, you''ve also upgraded several of your skills].


    *That''s great news! At this rate I could be in my humanoid form in no time! Can you show me the notifications?*


    [Right away!]


    [The Bite skill has been upgraded to level 3.]


    | Notification: Host has learned the skill Intimidation (Lvl 1) ]


    [Icepick skill has been upgraded to level 3 ]


    [Your HP and MP have increased ]


    [You now have 90 attribute points ]


    *Wow. Kira opens my full status.*


    _______________________________


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice wolf demon of chaos (unique race created for the host) - Cub


    Race : Minor demon - Newly born child


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Level : 10/10 - EVOLUTION AVAILABLE !


    Exp needed for next level : 1000/1000


    HP : 12000/12000 MP : 600/600


    Strength : 55


    Defense : 35


    Agility : 42


    Stamina : 37


    Speed : 40


    Intelligence : 110


    Charisma : 10 (cute)


    Attribute points to be allocated : 90


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - ws (Lvl 2)


    - Bite (Lvl 3)


    - Ice spike(s) (Lvl 3)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - blocked


    - Katana Mastery (lvl max) - blocked


    - Intimidation (lvl 1)


    Defense - Ice wall (Lvl 2)


    Other - Humanoid form (blocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 2)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 1)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]


    ________________


    Before my eyes was my new status with quite a few very satisfying changes. My HP had increased to 12,000 and my MP was at 1000. Kira exined to me afterwards that every time I went up a level I gained +100 MP for each level I gained. The MP were simply always half of my HP.


    *Good to know.*


    In order to make myself stronger I decided to allocate the 90 attribute points immediately after rifying some points.


    *Kira, do you have a suggestion on how to use these points? I was wondering if it was possible for you to advise me.*


    [Of course Freya-sama. In my opinion, it would be wise to bnce your physical attributes so as not to be at a disadvantage in a fight. Since you have a lot of points, it''s also possible to keep some aside if you don''t want to use it all at once].


    *Mmmh, I understand your reasoning, it''s not a bad strategy right now...and then it''s not like I have any other options. I''ll take your advice, but I''ll keep the strength and agility on top for now!*


    [Excellent choice Freya-sama.]


    *Mmmhh.*


    Focusing on my status, I spread each point out carefully to make sure I didn''t make any mistakes. In the end, I felt my body heat up as if it was suddenly invaded by an unknown power. The first time I had not felt anything like that, but the sudden increase of several points at the same time managed to create this phenomenon of overflow. It was like a drug for me, the ck hairs on my fur stood up with excitement as I could feel my muscles forming inside my body. I hadn''t grown, but I felt so much stronger, faster...more powerful.


    "Grrr!"


    Grunting with satisfaction, I watched with pride as the new numbers were disyed.


    __________


    Strength: 55 > 65


    Defense: 35 > 56


    Agility : 42 > 65


    Endurance : 37 > 58


    Speed : 40 > 57


    Intelligence : 110


    Charisma : 10 (cute)


    _________


    *I could get addicted to this feeling very quickly!*


    The evolution of two of my skills as well as the appearance of a new one was for me the height of excitement. Indeed, "bite" had been upgraded to level 3 making it even more powerful than it already was and ice spikes now also level 3 allowed me to summon not 6 ice picks but 10 much bigger, stronger, faster and sharper ones. This would cost me 600 MP if I had to use them at the same time (60 MP per spike since they doubled in size and were more effective). Making a mental note to limit my spike use to 9, I asked Kira to show me the details of this new skill.


    [Intimidation (lvl 1) - mental attack type - allows the user to produce a heavy aura capable of freezing targeted enemies with fear. The more the skill evolves, the stronger the fear instigated will be (can go as far as killing weaker beings). Conditions of obtaining: to make tremble of fear 2 enemies of higher levels. ]


    *Hahaha...*


    [...]


    *I know you don''t understand why I''mughing, but I couldn''t help it. To think that those two bags of EXP that I fought earlier were so useful to me is just tooughable. I''d like to offer them a little prayer before I move on...*


    [If you...]


    *Just kidding, I don''t give a damn about those two corpses. Let''s move on !*


    [Yes, Freya-sama]


    I cleverly decided to store the remains of the snake in my storage in order to eat itter and collect the EXP. Unfortunately for me the spider was neither consumable nor storable, I had hit it so hard that there was nothing left but a puddle of greenish and smelly blood.


    Returning to my house, I made myselffortable and prepared to move on.


    -- PING --


    [ Host is currently at level 10 - Would you like to evolve ? ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    As these words floated before my eyes, I mentally shouted my desire to be more powerful.


    *YES!*


    My eyes began to hurt, then my front and back legs started to hurt, then my whole body started to hurt. At that moment, I could feel my bones being destroyed to reform, my blood was boiling inside my body giving me the impression to have each of my veins on fire. My vision was starting to blur as I tried to stay conscious for fear that the sound of my grunts would attract some unwanted creature.


    Unable to hold on, I fell to the ground as my consciousness faded.


    ________________________


    *Wh...*


    It was already dark as I woke up from this somewhat unpleasant experience. The stars were shining high in the sky and one could hear the nocturnal creatures working in the darkness.


    As I stood up, I wobbled from the sudden loss of my bnce and the change in my center of gravity...I had definitely gotten taller.<novelnext></novelnext>


    -- PING --


    [Congrattions! The host has evolved from a minor Demon to a Demon (next evolution lvl 30 - Major Demon). Due to your advancement rewards are now avable: ]


    [All skills go up one level.]


    [Intimidation (lvl 1) has be: Demonic Aura (lvl 2)]


    [The skill ws (lvl 2) has be: Demon ws (lvl 3) ]


    [The skill Bite (lvl 3) became : Hell''s Bite (lvl 4)]


    [The skill Ice Spikes (lvl 3) has be : Infernal Ice Spikes (lvl 4) ]


    [Ice Wall (level 2) skill changed to Ice Demon Wall (level 3)]


    [Ice Creation skill has been upgraded to level 3 ]


    [The skill Storage of Chaos has been upgraded to level 2]


    [Devouring Chaos skill increased to level 3 ]


    [You now have 100 attribute points ]


    [You gain +100 points in charisma]


    [ Your HP and MP have increased ]


    Information rushed through my head at the speed of light as I vaguely took in these new changes unable to concentrate.


    *Aaargh my head!*


    Kira''s voice, as soft and monotonous as ever, intruded on my thoughts as I cursed the slight pain that persisted and congratted myself for being even more powerful than the day before.


    [Once again, I offer you my sincere congrattions Freya-sama on your sessful evolution].


    *Thank you Kira. I had a bit of trouble at first between this sudden rush of intoxicating power and the iparable pain but I held on. I wouldn''t be a worthy Empress if I couldn''t even handle my first evolution!*


    [I didn''t doubt you, you didn''t even scream in the face of adversity].


    Hearing her words, the pain came back to my mind for a short while. At that moment, I had felt as if my body was being crushed with a sledgehammer to reshape it, stretching me again and again.


    *As if anyone would dare to touch a hair on this cute little one....little ?*


    Suddenly remembering that I had also changed physically, I galloped eagerly to the small river to observe my reflection. I had be very tall, taller than when I was born a few days ago. In the reflection in front of me was a majestic wolf, adult lion size with tworge blood red horns in the same ce as the previous ones. Her gaze was piercing, even more so than before as you could see her violet eyes shine with a glint of dominance. The she-wolf had a soiled fur of a hypnotizing ck, which could make anyone''s mind waver with a simple look. She stood there looking noble, fierce and proud. This she-wolf...she was the new me.


    *aaah this pain was well worth it!*


    [Hai! You are beautiful Freya-sama]


    *Thanks you (how cute)*


    Returning to the cave as I scrolled through the notification history, I almost let out a yelp of shock.


    *This is crazy! Besides my changed physique, I have so many new things. And it''s 100 attribute points, a treat!*


    Following my n (well, Kira''s n) to distribute my strength evenly, I hurriedly used those 100 points.


    *Yosh! Perfect.*


    _____


    Strength: 65 > 85


    Defense: 56 > 76


    Agility: 65 > 85


    Stamina : 58 > 78


    Speed : 57 > 77


    Intelligence : 110


    _______


    Another surge of power made me tremble with satisfaction, but this time it was more violent, more savage. I liked this feeling, it was the proof that I was still alive and that I was giving myself body and soul to be stronger day by day.


    In full strength and full of power, I was scanning the rest of my notifications. All my skills had gone up in level, most of them had even changed their name to match the new demon I had be. For the most part, their uses didn''t really change, they just became more powerful. But there were exceptions.


    [Infernal Ice Spikes (lvl 4) - allows the user to form multiple ice spikes that can be summoned and/or thrown within 200 yards. The "infernal" addition also allows the user to inflict severe burns from the simple contact of the ice. Current maximum capacity: 37 spikes ]


    *37 spikes! How is this possible?*


    [Since your skill has been upgraded to level 4, each spike spends about 200 MP. So it''s possible to make a maximum of 37 spikes with the amount of MP you have now Freya-sama. If I''m not mistaken, you haven''t looked at your new profile yet].


    *Oh yes, I have, but I''d rather keep looking at the skills that have changed slightly as I''ve evolved.*


    [ The skill Chaos Storage now has 200 slots (1/200) ]


    There were no other changes besides these two, but I was in an amazing mood after hearing all the good news.


    *Kira, open my full status please.*


    ____________________


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Demon chaos wolf (unique race created for the host) - Cub


    Race : Demon


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Level : 10/30


    Exp needed for next level : 0/10000


    HP : 15000/15000 MP : 7500/7500


    Strength : 85


    Defense : 76


    Agility : 85


    Stamina : 78


    Speed : 77


    Intelligence : 110


    Charisma : 110 (majestic wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 3)


    - Bite of Hell (Lvl 4)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 4)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - blocked


    - Katana mastery (lvl max) - blocked


    - Demonic Aura (lvl 2)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 2)


    Other - Humanoid form (blocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 3)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 2)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]


    _________________


    *Oh shit, look at those HP and MP! I''m going to have so much fun now!*


    With my charisma level now at 110 instead of 10, I suddenly went from a cute wolf to a majestic wolf. At that moment I only wanted to do one thing: kill again and again to rise as the most powerful being in this world.


    Pulling out what little was left of the snake from the night before, I began chewing on the flesh, thinking about my next moves in this forest.


    *Kira, do you think I should head west?*


    [I do think you should head in a different direction than the ones you took before. If you follow the river, you may well find more living things nearby. Maybe a herd or pack to hunt].


    *It''s true that now that I''m bigger, I can afford to take a few more risks. It''s decided, I''m going west!*


    At that moment, I had no idea that I was going to have an encounter that would change my vision of the world.

 Chapter 8 Encounter With Gaya (Part I)

    -- POV Freya --


    The next day, I decided to go west. The sun was shining in the azure sky, the birds were flying around singing the arrival of the heat. Being taller, I had no trouble observing the surroundings and directing myself. My eyes were as sharp as an eagle''s, I could see for miles if I took the time to concentrate. My new stats and powerful legs had no problem propelling me through this great forest. I spun in the wind, sometimes leaving traces of ice where my paws had rested.


    *Freedom is wonderful.*


    While continuing towards the west I took the opportunity to kill some thorny rats that were in my path to make my breakfast.


    *It''s only 500 EXP but it doesn''t matter, I''ll take it!*


    Hours passed and I finally managed to kill enough beasts to get to level 11. Yes, it''s fast, but I''m far from ordinary.


    Time passed but I still had no way of finding out where I was or even conversing with anyone other than Kira.


    *Don''t tell me I''m the only intelligent animal around here!*


    [There''s no way to tell, just keep exploring and you might find the answer to your questions].


    Following the advice of Kira, who had be more of a makeshiftpanion than a system these days, I kept running west. Before I could even realize it, I had arrived at the foot of a titanic mountain asrge as the one seen in Titania''s kingdom. It seemed to dominate the world for centuries, imposing and covered with ancient runes.


    [Freya-sama, be careful, I detect a strong concentration of mana in the mountain.]


    This warning from Kira only made my heart beat faster and the questions in my mind quicken. Why was there so much mana? I could feel the power emanating from the mountain myself. What was so dangerous inside?


    I was not suicidal but the curiosity was too strong, the prospect of discovering what was hidden there was exciting. I felt in my heart that I had to venture further, I felt that something important was going to happen.


    *Kira, use "analysis" on these runes*


    [ Ancient runes - grouped sealing magic - weakened ]


    *Eh? Grouped?*


    [This means that several beings are behind this magic. Given the strength of the spell, it can only be so. Furthermore, as marked during the analysis, the spell seems weakened. ]


    *It''s even more interesting, I''m definitely going to stick my nose into this story.*


    Smiling and showing my sharp fangs, I began to look for an entrance, however small, in the side of the mountain.


    After walking along the mountain for hours, I saw a cave that seemed to go deep inside. Cautiously moving forward, I began to use my eyes to get used to the darkness. This was easy since I was now a Wolf Demon and no longer a weak and pathetic human. Soon the darkness was no longer a problem, so I began to move forward into this cave that was actually a tunnel only to discover that there was nothing...not a single living thing.


    The tunnel was full of dust and the rocks stretched as far as the eye could see. There was not a sound, not a movement, not a breath as if this ce had been frozen in time.


    As I went deeper and deeper into this mountain I could feel the surrounding mana thickening. Using "Demonic Aura" I had the idea to consciously wrap myself in a cloak of aura to protect myself from the thick pressure of the mana.


    -- PING --


    [ You have acquired the skill Demonic Cloak (lvl 1) - allows you to put on a cloak made from your aura to protect yourself from magical attacks. Acts independently of the "demonic aura" skill. ]


    *Kufufu ~ Now that''s good news! Whatever happens, I didn''te all this way for nothing. Let''s continue!*


    As I continued to move forward, the notifications kept ringing. The more I progressed, the denser the mana became, which caused my new skill to reach level 4 before it stopped changing the moment I reached a dead end.


    [Your Demonic Cloak skill has reached level 4.]


    *What a cheating skill!*


    Snickering slightly, I turned around to face that dead end again. There was no other way, and huge rocks made it impossible to follow the path. But a question was running through my mind...was it natural? Certainly not.


    Summoning 3 ice picks, I backed up a few steps before crashing them against the rocks blocking the way. Nothing.


    *It seems to me that these small stones are stronger than they look, but it''s not enough to dare destabilize me.


    Using 15 ice picks simultaneously this time, I repeated the same movement.


    *Disappear from my sight*.


    Explosions could be heard inside the cave as ice and rock shed. It was in these moments of destruction that I felt the best, enjoying the disy of power and the joy of being the author.


    In the end, not a trace of the wall that had stood before me remained, clearing the way. Behind it was a huge room with a ceiling set with gems glittering like diamonds...it looked like a starry night. There was nothing in the room except an altar in the center where a...


    *DRAGON ???*


    It wasn''t fear that spoke, but the excitement of having such a supposedly powerful being chained in front of me without being able to resist. "Kill", "torture", "power": were the only words that echoed in my mind as my eyes began to glow with a dangerous and savage glow.


    As I approached, I could see that this dragon was very weak, yet elongated despite its enormous size. It seemed to be 5 meters high with wings of 3 meters, its scales were of crimson colors and in bad condition. The chains were holding his neck, as well as his four legs holding him down, tearing off his scales where the chains touched him. I didn''t know how long he had been there, but it certainly wasn''t since yesterday.


    *Kira, is it possible to analyze this dragon?*


    [I''ll try.]


    __________


    [Race : Earth Dragon


    Element : Earth


    Lvl 28/70


    HP : 21 000 / 85 000


    MP : 200 / 42 000


    Strength : 200


    Defense : 215


    Agility : 160


    Stamina : 196


    Speed : 145 ]<novelnext></novelnext>


    ________


    *Its HP are quite low, almost at the same level as mine. Can I kill it? Should I kill it?*


    As I was once again lost in thought, the mysterious dragon opened its eyes. Amber in color, they looked tired and weary of this life that was not a life.


    Suddenly, a woman''s voice, different from Kira''s, was heard in my head. She was more mature, powerful and the way she spoke the words sounded like she was singing.


    "Who...who are you? How did you get in here?" Asked the dragon.


    "So you can talk?"


    As Iughed at her, the dragoness straightened slightly and stared at me for a long time with her eyes as if she wanted to read my soul. After obviously not seeding, she spoke up.


    "Of course I can talk, wretched creature ! I am a dragon: great master of the skies and ruler of....."


    [ Earth Dragon - HP 19 893 / 85 000 ]


    "Aaaaaaarrgg"


    Before she could even finish her sentence 1 ice spike came down on her tail that had been left behind. Looking at her smugly, I raised my voice in her mind.


    "If you dare to speak to me in that tone again, the next one willnd in your throat. Now speak up and tell me who you are if you don''t want to end up on a skewer!!! "


    You could see her momentarily shocked by my voice much more powerful and authoritative than hers. After a few seconds of hesitation, I could hear her voice again, though this time with a much less dismissive tone.


    "You...how did you conjure that ice out of nowhere? This...this shouldn''t be possible!!!"


    [Freya-sama I suggest you don''t let her ask too many questions.]


    *You''re right. Right now I need to have my questions answered*.


    I then turned to the dragoness and red at her.


    "Shut up! I''m the one asking the questions here. Who are you and what are you doing here?" I asked her.


    "Fine! My name is Gaya and I have been sealed here for I don''t know how long. You are the first and probably thest person toe and visit me."


    "Why thest?"


    "I don''t know if you noticed but the dense mana on this mountain belonged to me. I have been sealed here for far too long by these chains that are imbued with sealing magic. As a result, my mana is continually leaking out of my body. I don''t know how long I''ll be able to hold out, maybe two or three weeks at the most."


    "I still don''t understand why you are losing your life."


    "A simple creature like you doesn''t even know that?" That''s what Gaya seemed to want to tell me, but dipping her eyes into mine she knew I wasn''t the type to give second chances. I had only spared her at first because this was my first conversation with a living being and she might give me some information about this world.


    "I am losing my life because my mana circuits are damaged. My mana is leaking so I lose my MP, but as soon as I lose them they regenerate creating a loop that over time damages my health. I can''t change anything. But if I may, can I ask you a question?"


    Intrigued by her question, I nodded.


    "What exactly are you? I have lived many years, I know every species that popte this forest but I have never seen a being like you. You can even use the ice element without incantations. "


    *Kira, it seems that here when you want to use an element you have to say an incantation*


    [It seems so]


    "I can''t reveal anything to you but since you exined your situation I can simply tell you that I came to this world to conquer it. I will be the empress who will march on the humans, burning their cities and killing their soldiers. I will stand on top even if I have to climb a mountain of corpses. "


    Gaya''s eyes glowed brighter and brighter with each word I spoke. I could see her head jerk up piqued with curiosity.


    "You haven''t told me your name, may I know it?"


    "My name is Freya."


    Closing her eyes and softly pronouncing my name as if to engrave it in her soul, she suddenly straightened her head staring at me again with determination.


    "Let mee with you!"


    "I refuse. What''s in it for me? Besides you are weakened and stuck in this cave, how can you even think of following me?"


    "I...I THINK I KNOW HOW YOU COULD FREE ME!"


    "Ara ara ~ and you think I''ll take your word for it? How do I know you won''t betray me once you''re out? Even though you''re weakened, I''m not foolish enough to trust you."


    "I..."


    "..."


    "It''s true you''re not wrong, but hear me out please. I know a way to get out but I can''t get anything to stop me here. You''re the only one who can help me and if you think I would betray you I have a way to prove you wrong. Please..."


    At that moment I thought about my goals in this world, what I had been reincarnated for in the first ce. I had a chained dragoness in front of me who was desperately asking for my help.


    *Kira! You heard the conversation, right? Give me your opinion on the situation.*


    [Yes, I heard everything. In my opinion you should ept the proposal, you came here to help those who are not human so why not start now? Besides, it might be useful for you in the future. Don''t forget that she is stuck here and can''t move, at best you seed and gain a powerful ally at worst she will stay locked up until she dies].


    *Kufufufu Kira have you be insensitive?*


    [Your interestes first Freya-sama]


    *It''s true, dragoness or not if she can''t help me or prove to me that I can trust her, there''s no point.*


    Even though I was in this world to help the oppressed races, it didn''t mean that I was a saint...quite the opposite. I was not yet powerful enough to have subordinates, but my meeting with Gaya had caught me off guard.


    She was there waiting for an answer, chained, hurt and alone for so long. I knew better than anyone what loneliness was like after being a victim of it for years. Then..I said the sentence that would change both of our lives.


    "Okay I ept, tell me how to do it and I will set you free!"

 Chapter 9 Encounter With Gaya (Part II)

    -- POV Gaya --


    I had been locked up in this ce for ages, I knew every corner, every rock, every wall by heart. I didn''t know what day it was, or even what year it was. I had grown up knowing that the time we dragons were given was a privilege. But today that privilege had be the greatest source of my suffering.


    Boredom took hold of me every day, until one day a she-wolf appeared before me.


    She was different and enigmatic, she was as if unapproachable. This she-wolf gave off a powerful murderous aura and her eyes seemed soulless but able to read yours. I didn''t know how she managed to reach me here, because the runes around the mountain were supposed to prevent any living being from entering this ce...but there she was.


    "Who...who are you? How did you get in here?"


    I was having trouble speaking, but I didn''t want to admit that it was because I hadn''t had a conversation in a while.


    *I hope she doesn''t leave before listening to me*


    As she watched me intently without saying a word, I felt a wave of difort run through my scales. But before I could speak again, she answered me.


    "So you can talk?"


    She was clearly mocking me. Was she testing me? Was she serious? I had no idea. In my former glory I was considered the mother of dragons, powerful and devastating. I wasn''t about to let a young she-wolfugh at me without saying something.


    "Of course I can speak, you miserable creature! I am a dragon: grandmaster of the skies and ruler of....."


    Before I could finish my sentence, a pain had seized my tail.


    "Aaaaaaarrgg."


    Looking down, I saw an ice spike embedded in my tail before disappearing.


    *Hein? Ice? No way! I didn''t hear an incantation!*


    I was stunned, I didn''t think it was possible. Just as I thought I was dreaming, her voice echoed in my head.


    "If you dare to speak to me like that again, the next one willnd in your throat. Now speak up and tell me who you are if you don''t want to end up on a skewer!!! "


    Her voice was dominating, powerful, seductive and frightening at the same time. In all my life, I had never been in front of a being like her. Who was she? She didn''t seem to be of a higher level than me, but there was something about her that made her so superior. The craziest thing was that she had summoned ice without incantations.


    Here, all creatures, intelligent races can use the elements present in nature. We have only one, each element chooses its own soul and to be able to master them, we have to pronounce some kind of prayers aloud.


    Weakened by magic I could not speak a word, so I had to use telepathy to have a conversation...but could she not speak?


    "You...how did you conjure up that ice from nowhere? This...this shouldn''t be possible!!!"


    I ventured to ask the question.


    "Shut up! I''m the one asking the questions here. Who are you and what are you doing here?"


    As her eyes red at me with obvious killing intent, I decided to tell her what she wanted to know. After telling her my name, I began to tell her about my situation.


    "I still don''t understand why you are losing your life."


    *...Eh?...*


    It was weird, why doesn''t she understand? In this world when you want to cast spells, the first thing you learn is to circte mana in your body. As you understand how it works, it bes easier to control your element. So how could she not know that when she was using the ice element? At that moment I felt an immense pressure emanating from her, as if she was suggesting that I think carefully about what I was going to say next.


    I decided to cooperate because I didn''t want to die, even if my time was short. I then had to exin to her how my damaged mana circuits were affecting my health, daring to ask her if I could ask her a question. She agreed.


    "What exactly are you? I''ve lived for many years, I know every species that poptes this forest but I''ve never seen a being like you. You can even use the ice element without incantations."


    She continued to stare at me and I had no idea what was going through her mind, her face showed no emotion. I had noticed that only her eyes seemed to convey anger when she wanted to.


    "I can''t reveal anything to you but since you exined your situation I can simply tell you that I havee to this world to conquer it. I will be the empress who will march on the humans, burning their cities and killing their soldiers. I will stand on top even if I have to climb a mountain of corpses. "


    Rather than anger or annoyance, her voice this time reflected unwavering confidence and determination. Despite the cruelty and hatred of her words, I couldn''t be shocked. Of course dragons are not pacifist creatures, but I had never really participated much in wars. So to hear someone talk about human lives as if they were just meat might have made me shudder.


    But the reality was different. I didn''t know who she was, but she charmed me. I had lived thousands of years, met thousands of people and yet she was the first one to shake me like that.


    *I absolutely must know her name*


    "You haven''t told me your name, may I know it?"


    "..."


    "..."


    "My name is Freya"


    Freya.


    *I''ll make sure I don''t forget it.*


    Whispering her name in my mind without knowing that she had heard me, I decided to ask her to take me with her. She refused.


    I knew it wasn''t going to be that easy, but at that moment I had nothing else on my mind. Why was I so stubborn, so childish? I must have been about 35 years old (in human terms) so acting like this wasn''t like me.


    Freya didn''t seem to trust me, which made sense. Trying to convince her, I thought for a moment I saw a hint of sadness in her eyes.


    "Okay I ept, tell me how to do it and I''ll set you free!"


    My heart leaped as I heard those words, I knew my nightmare was almost over.


    ______________________________


    -- POV Freya --


    I was determined to try and get Gaya out of her rocky prison. If I could use her power to my advantage afterward, it was a give and take.


    "So? Tell me how to get you out of there? "


    "That''s simple, kill everyone who put these chains on me and hold the seal in ce."


    "..."


    "..."


    "Can you be more specific?"


    I didn''t know what she was talking about, but I knew it wasn''t going to be easy. However, if I had the chance to level up it was always with great pleasure.


    "First of all, you are in Syn''s forest, in this forest the beasts and monsters are level 1 to 10, beyond that we are talking about the creatures that dominate this ce. They are the ones who sealed me by uniting their powers."


    "Who are they? What level are they?"


    Gaya looked at me questioningly as she continued.


    "Originally there were four of them, but now there are only three: Magni the Northern Sphinx, Warg the Southern Scorpion and Daggus the Eastern Lion."


    "And the fourth ?"


    "....that was me. Gaya the Dragon of the West."


    As I began to understand the situation, a question was in my mind.


    *Why did she end up here?*


    [It''s all very interesting, but don''t forget that you need to know their strength.]


    Not forgetting that the most important thing was to be careful, once again following Kira''s advice I asked Gaya what their level was.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Warg the Scorpion should be level 14, Magni level 16 and Daggus level 19"


    ? They were all at much higher levels than I was, but it was exactly what I needed to awaken my fighting spirit. I loved the prospect of letting loose on a battlefield, a ce where I could be myself and kill indiscriminately, a ce where blood flowed freely.


    "Why did those three seal you up?"


    "Greed? Jealousy? What do I know? I was the strongest of them and my quick leveling scared them. They waited until I was asleep to lock me in here, taking care not to leave any entrance...I don''t even know how you managed to get in."


    Ignoring Gaya''s questions I suddenly moved on to the second topic.


    "Once you are free, how will you prove to me that I can trust you?"


    This was an equally interesting part, I wanted to keep this dragoness but I didn''t want to live with the fear of being betrayed again by someone close to me, literally as well as metaphorically. Looking at me with a slight trace of embarrassment she dered:


    "A kind of...pet contract"


    *Nani???*


    *Wait, what do you mean by "pet contract"? And then, is it even possible? Since I''m practically a pet myself. A pet that has a pet is a sight to behold!*


    [Freya-sama, you are not a pet, you are in this world a unique entity].


    *Yes, I know, but it''s just that I find it crazy.*


    Watching the dragoness out of the corner of my eye as I conversed with Kira, I could see her iling in her corner as if she had suddenly be shy.


    "What''s wrong with you again? Is something wrong?"


    "Oh um... no, everything is fine."


    "Good. Now tell me what exactly a pet contract is."


    "It''s a contract that allows me to... um... bind myself to you. If you die I will die with you but if I die nothing will happen to you. You''re probably wondering what benefit I get from this..well it''s simple. I could feed on your mana which will allow me to regain my strength little by little. For the moment I am weak, but when I will have recovered my strength I could help you in your quest!"


    *What do you think Kira?*


    [I think it''s a good idea.]


    *I think so too! She won''t be able to betray me and she will be obliged to protect me if she doesn''t want to lose her life, it''s quite a practical method, isn''t it?*


    Having made my decision I looked at Gaya before asking her if she was sure she wanted to do this.


    "Yes I''m sure!"


    "Then how do I proceed?"


    "Let me speak the anchor spell : with this magic I bind myself to your life, our bonds be one and my heart bes hers until death do us part."


    *Weird that makes me think of...*


    -- PING --


    [ Do you want to ept Earth Dragon (lvl 28) by your side ? ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    ___Status Freya___


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos (unique race created for the host) - Cub


    Race : Demon


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Level : 11/30


    Exp needed for next level : 730/11 000


    HP : 15100 / 15100 MP : 7550 / 7550


    Strength : 85


    Defense : 76


    Agility : 85


    Stamina : 78


    Speed : 77


    Intelligence : 110


    Charisma : 110 (majestic she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 3)


    - Bite of Hell (Lvl 4)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 4)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - blocked


    - Katana mastery (lvl max) - blocked


    - Demonic Aura (lvl 2)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 3)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 4)


    Other - Humanoid form (blocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 3)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 2)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]

 Chapter 10 Contract ? And Beginning Of Hostilities

    -- POV Freya --


    -- PING --


    [Do you want to ept Earth Dragon (lvl 28) by your side ?]


    [ YES/NO ]


    *Shouldn''t we wait until she is released to proceed with the contract?*


    I didn''t know if it was a good idea to bond with her now since she was still locked up here. She seemed obviously impatient, but it wasn''t like me to act without thinking.


    [There''s no right or wrong time, it''s up to you Freya-sama. That said, if you do it now, it will be possible for Gaya to recover].


    *Oh yes, feeding on my mana is it?*


    [That''s right. However, that''s a figure of speech, she won''t literally eat your mana. As a "pet", you will be sharing mana which will then flow into your respective bodies naturally and automatically. This is called feeding on mana and it''s safe].


    *Is there any downside to this?*


    [I don''t know if there is, but it is advisable to be physically close to each other, so that the transfer can be made easier. ]


    *Uuurg*


    It''s true that I had nned to gather subordinates in the future, but I didn''t think it would happen so soon. Anyway, in the back of my mind I was determined, saving this dragoness would bring me much more than if I left her there. And then I had somehow given my word, even if I had not formted it in this way, for me it was the same.


    Looking at Gaya who must have been wondering what was making me hesitate I asked her.


    "Tell me, before I ept...can''t you change your appearance? If I take you with me, I can say goodbye to discretion."


    A horned wolf as ck as night apanied by a crimson dragon of 5 meters high it does not go unnoticed.


    "Well to tell you the truth, I could take on a humanoid appearance but with my non-existent MP''s, damaged circuitry and life threatening condition I don''t have the ability to do so at the moment. It will probably be several weeks before I recover before I can use it."


    "..."


    "...But once released I could use the little MP I have left to maintain a much smaller form."


    "How small?"


    "I''d only be about 3 feet tall with wings of about 50 cm. Let''s just say I''d be able to fit on your back after that."


    "Oh I see, but I''m stopping you right now, no way ! In any case, let''s hurry up and finish this contract, you have a lot to tell me."


    "Yes!"


    [ Do you want to ept Earth Dragon (lvl 28) by your side ? ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    *YES*


    A blinding purple light then suddenly came out of my body, while from Gaya''s body came a faint crimson light. Both of them went to the level of my heart before disappearingpletely. The dragoness, weaker than ever, trembled as a symbol was engraved on her... heart ? It was ck and purple and represented the fang of a wolf on a dragon''s wing.


    I didn''t really know what it was for, but the deal was done.


    -- PING --


    [Congrattions, you have made your first contract.]


    [You have earned the title: Dragon Tamer.]


    [ Because of your new contract, you can now ess Earth Dragon (lvl 28) status with more detail. ]


    *Kira, show me this.*


    [Right away Freya-sama.]


    __________


    [Name : Gaya


    age : 35 years old (in human terms)


    Sex : Female


    Race : Earth Dragon


    Title : Last of her kind (unlocked)


    Rted to : Freya


    Element : Earth


    Status : Weakened


    Lvl 28/70


    HP : 19 893 / 85 000


    MP : 200 / 42 000


    Strength : 200


    Defense : 215


    Agility : 160


    Stamina : 196


    Speed : 145


    Skills :


    Telepathy


    Earth Fist / Earthquake (lvl 5) - blocked due to sealing


    Earth cocoon (lvl 5) - blocked due to sealing


    Dragon fighting style


    Roar


    Humanoid form - blocked due to sealing


    Hand to handbat - blocked, requires humanoid form ]


    ________


    *What do you mean "rted to"? Am I not her master?*


    Turning to Gaya I noticed that she seemed happy for some unknown reason, I could have sworn I saw her blush.


    *What''s wrong with her?*


    I was confused but for the moment it wasn''t the most important thing.


    [You can ask her when the whole sealing thing is over.]


    *I''ll think about it! That said, I didn''t know that her skills had levels, and then how does she know her current level if the beings in this world don''t have a system?*


    [Intelligent beings who can use the elements don''t have a system, however, just like you, they can see personal information such as skills, level, HP and MP appear in front of their eyes in one of the corners of their field of vision. I can''t tell you more about this, I don''t have any other information about it. I rmend that you ask Gaya].


    *Aaah still so much mystery! But this is only the beginning. Kira closes her status I will look in detailter on my new title as well as hers.*


    Looking up, I could see Gaya waiting patiently for me to say something.


    "Well Gaya, there is a lot to talk about, I have a lot of questions about this world and how it works and about this contract, but for now I have to deal with your situation. Tell me about these three creatures that sealed you."


    "You can tell you''re not wasting time Freya hahaha ~ ...so I"


    "Sama"


    "Hmm?"


    "You are now under contract, I don''t know you and I don''t like this closeness you allow yourself to have with me. The day I trust you fully you can call me Freya but for now it''s ''Freya-sama'' understood?"


    "It''s understood Freya-sama."<novelnext></novelnext>


    I didn''t want Gaya to think that I had be her friend. Even though her status didn''t mention it, I was her master and I intended not to let her forget it. Maybe I was too suspicious, but for me to trust someone, that person had to be special. And for the moment I had not met this person or these people in my past life or in my present life. Those people that could be called "family".


    "Tell me what you know about Warg and the others. Since I''m about to pay them a little visit, I have to put all the chances on my side."


    "As I told you, Warg is in the South. He belongs to the race of water scorpions capable of controlling the element of water . Magni in the North is a sphinx controlling rock and Daggus who is in the East is a lightning lion."


    "Umu..!" I nodded, motioning her to continue.


    "Warg is level 14 and his skills are "Watery Projectiles" for attack and "Wall of Water" for defense. Magni at level 16 has "Rock Rain" for attack and "Stone Body" for defense. As for Daggus level 19, he is the strongest of the three and the most cunning. His attack is "Thunder Sword" and "Lightning Armor".


    "Oi! Don''t they have any other skills? Why is it always one attack and one defense?"


    *Now that I think about it, it''s exactly the same for Gaya''s status...*


    "Freya-sama I don''t know what your story is or where youe from, but here once you find your affinity with an element, you are automatically given two skills. One offensive and one defensive...all our life we strive therefore to make them evolve."


    [You who possess a unique system and course, it is easy for you to use multiple skills. In this world you are a much more powerful being than you think].


    Reflecting on her words heavy with meaning, I began to understand. Although there are other creatures and races above level 10, 20 or even 30, as long as I continued on the path of strength I would be almost invulnerable in the future. I was slowly beginning to realize that the standards of this world made me unique and that my path to the top would be very interesting.


    *...um, this information is valuable. The ice shouldn''t be an issue, neither the rock...but the lion''s attacks could be.*


    [If you don''t mind me saying, you won''t face him until the other two are defeated. It might not be so hard to kill him then].


    *Indeed.*


    "What I can''t figure out is how did they seal you in here? Where did these chainse from?"


    There were too many unanswered questions and I didn''t like it.


    "Freya-sama, these chains are made of pure mana powered by Warg, Magni and Daggus. They are formed when foreign mana is injected into a still body ced on a sealing rune. This altar where I am is rune."


    "How did you get here?"


    "I don''t know, I remember falling asleep in the forest and when I woke up I was here with these three traitors pouring out their mana to create these shackles."


    "Oooh?? Did you use the word traitor right??"


    Before I knew it, I had this big evil smile stered on my face in response to Gaya''s word. I hated humans, but I also hated traitors just as much, regardless of race, gender or age. I licked my lips without realizing it after making the decision to make them suffer.


    "I would break their bones, eat their entrails and bathe in their blood! I would rip off their limbs, gouge out their eyes and feed on their cries of desperation."


    After hearing my words, Gaya had frozen...she stood there without moving, as if she understood that she should not say a word. Even Kira was silent. As for me, I could not suppress my obvious hatred for any form of betrayal as well as my anger. My face was neutral while my eyes shone with a wild, cruel glow. My demonic aura came out of my body at full speed as if it suddenly filled the room, as if it could represent my emotions more than my own face. I was going to make them suffer. But I wasn''t doing it for Gaya, but for the satisfaction of exterminating these scum, the satisfaction of watching them beg for their lives.


    Regaining myposure and retracting my aura, I nced back at Gaya fearing I had frightened her. I wasn''t the type to worry about it until I was shot in the lungs. This was the reward for leading my subordinates using fear rather than mutual trust. One look was enough to tell me that there was no problem, the chained dragoness seemed to admire and respect me for some silly reason. The prospect of revenge no doubt.


    "Gaya, how long do you have left?"


    "I''d say two weeks, but with the bond we share now maybe a little more."


    That meant I had two weeks at most to find the scorpion, sphinx, and lion, kill them, and return.


    "All right, I''ll be back in a week. At that time we can talk because I have a lot of questions for you and we can decide what to do next."


    "Before you leave, can you tell me what your level is Freya-sama?"


    "Oh me? Level 11."


    "..."


    She looked at me not knowing if she should admire me or be afraid I wouldn''te back.


    "I wille back I told you, so don''t look at me like that! I''m much stronger than you think I am. I can even prove it to you now by turning you into an ice cream skewer if you want."


    "No I believe you Freya-sama. Normally no normal living being could have entered here because of the runes on the mountain. Even so you managed to reach me so I''m sure you''lle back, I would never doubt your power."


    "Good girl."


    Leaving the cave and the mountain, I headed south to confront and kill the scorpion Warg who was first on my list.


    *Yosh! Let''s go Kira !


    I was too far away to see that in the cave, Gaya was smiling like crazy waiting for my return.


    _______________


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Race : Ice wolf demon of chaos (unique race created for the host) - Cub


    Race : Demon


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Dragon Tamer


    Level : 11/30


    Exp needed for next level : 730/11 000


    HP : 15100/15100 MP : 7550/7550


    Strength : 85


    Defense: 76


    Agility : 85


    Stamina : 78


    Speed : 77


    Intelligence : 110


    Charisma : 110 (majestic wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Rted to: Dragon Earth Gaya


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 3)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 4)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 4)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - blocked


    - Katana mastery (lvl max) - blocked


    - Demonic Aura (lvl 2)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 3)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 4)


    Other - Humanoid form (blocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 3)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 2)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]


    ____________________

 Chapter 11 Freya Vs Warg

    -- POV Gaya --


    As Freya left the cave to face Warg, I didn''t dare ask her if she knew what a "pet contract" meant for dragons.


    *Aaaah how could I tell her?! I don''t want her to kill me for not telling her but...*


    We had just met and yet I had bonded with her.


    Among dragons, forming a "pet contract" means that the dragon agrees to submit its body, its soul, its entire being to the person concerned. This was a once-in-a-lifetime act, some waiting thousands of years to find the one, others making it a lifelong quest. For other races this contract was not as important, having different names depending on the beliefs, the most used being "pet contract". But for us dragons, it had a different name.


    *Maybe I should have told her that the real name of the contract is "Tuum usque in sempiternum".*


    [N/A: "Forever yours" in Latin]


    Although it meant a lot to me, it doesn''t force Freya to see it that way. She didn''t even seem willing to let me call her Freya, but that was understandable at the moment...we weren''t in an ordinary situation.


    Reflecting and taking the trouble to evaluate the situation I suddenly realized that everything had gone very fast. But I was happy. I didn''t even know why. I had just bonded with aplete stranger who was as beautiful as she was scary, and yet I wasn''t afraid of the future. Freya seemed to hold a lot of anger deep inside her, but I couldn''t be sure because it was impossible to know what she was thinking or feeling. I wanted to help her, it was like instinctive. Was it an effect of the contract?


    Suddenly I remembered an important detail.


    *Wait, didn''t she say she was level 11?*


    Yet she was already so powerful! In our world the leveling was not fast at all, on the contrary. Even Warg, Magni and Daggus, whom I hadn''t seen in years, couldn''t have gone up a level. I was sure of it because it was like that in this world, there had never been anyone like Freya, an entity that defies logic.


    Being able to reach me when she was only level 11, already proved this theory...Freya must have a unique talent and a special power. Therefore, she must have been born not long ago. Her progress seemed unusually fast, which meant that she had not been here long. At first I thought it might be a few weeks or even a month or two, but after thinking about it ....


    *A few days...?????*


    I had just bonded with a dangerous, domineering she-wolf who could make me flinch and shiver. She was cruel, angry, with a ruthlessly fierce aura and she was...young...very young.


    *I would be careful never to tell her my age....*


    There was no way for me to know it...but she already knew that information because of her system.


    *Dear Freya, be careful* I whispered before falling back to sleep.


    _____________________


    -- POV Freya --


    As I headed south, I could feel chills run through my body. I had a feeling that something very important had just happened, but unfortunately I couldn''t figure out what. Putting this thought aside, I continued to run through the night that had already fallen.


    Gaya had told me that Warg lived near a waterfall a few miles south of the mountain where I met her. I had been running for several hours now when suddenly the distant sound of wild water tickled my ear.


    *I think we are close.*


    Walking cautiously towards the ce where the noise came from, I could feel the presence of a creature much more powerful than those I had met in the forest.


    *I will try to remain discreet and observe before acting. Caution and discretion first!*


    [I agree Freya-sama, how do you n to proceed?]


    *I don''t know yet, I need to get close enough to ess his status. Then it''ll be easier to make a decision and set up a strategy.*


    [That''s actually very wise. Are you looking to set up an instant death strategy so you don''t waste time and move on to the others?]


    *Haha of course not, didn''t you hear me earlier? I will make him suffer as nned. Think of me as a rabid wolf stalking its prey to y with.*


    [My apologies, I won''t forget this.]


    While Kira apologized, I quietly poked my head out of the bushes, luckily I was ck and hidden in the night, so I wasn''t afraid to be seen. So I started to observe the area where the noise came from.


    There in front of me was a huge clearing, with argeke in the middle like I had never seen before. In the center of thiske was an ind on which stood proudly a massive tree. A weeping willow made of water and ss, its leaves were water flowing into theke and its branches were transparent like crystal. Butterflies with luminous bodies fluttered all around the trunk and the top. There wasn''t much else but when you looked into the dark water, the moon and stars reflected perfectly, making this scene, a scene straight out of a webnovel.


    *Gaya didn''t tell me that the waterfall was actually a tree. I wonder what it is*.


    [Syn Forest Water Tree - allows water element users to never run out of mana (MP) when they are nearby. ]


    *Aaaaah, that''s annoying. Now I understand better why he decided to live here. Unfortunately I still haven''t seen him...*


    [Freya-sama! I feel the presenceing closer].


    *Mmh I feel it too.*


    Slowly getting out of theke and walking on the ind where the tree was, I could see a huge scorpion with a sky-blue carapace that looked quite thick.


    __________


    [Race : Water Scorpius


    Name : Warg


    Element : Water


    Lvl 14/30


    HP : 20 000 / 20 000


    MP : 10 000 / 10 000 (unlimited)


    Strength : 100


    Defense : 115


    Agility : 67


    Stamina : 70


    Speed : 75 ]


    ________


    *Well I must admit that I am a little disappointed, it is certainly strong but it is not what I imagined.*


    [Do you have a n ?]


    *I''m thinking of attacking him head on, using my agility, stamina, speed and skills to catch him off guard. Even if his MP are currently unlimited, his life is not. So I just need to be faster than him and end his life before my MPs are exhausted...it''s a race against time.*


    [I understand your reasoning but it seems quite risky to me, don''t forget that despite your many advantages there are still 3 levels above you not counting the tree].


    *Daijoubu ! I would never get into a fight that I can''t win, and then if it gets too serious I can just break the tree or absorb its mana with "devouring chaos" to cancel its effects.*


    [Good luck and be careful.]


    *Always. Thank you.*


    Without making a sound, I slipped out of my hiding ce and started to form 10 infernal ice spikes all around me while releasing my demonic aura on Warg. Not having too much of a difference in levels, Warg was affected and couldn''t face me...his body didn''t respond anymore.


    No doubt an instinctive reaction.


    Taking advantage of the situation, I rushed at the scorpion, throwing 5 of my 10 spikes at its head and neck. The ice broke on impact, but not without doing some damage.


    [ Water Scorpius Warg - HP: 15 000 / 20 000 ]


    I had managed to take out 5,000 HP from him in one go, but that''s because he was standing still, I wouldn''t be so lucky next time.


    Moving again, the pain had woken him up from his trance he stared at me with hateful eyes before shouting.


    "MISERABLE!!! HOW DARE YOU??? WHO ARE YOU???"


    "..."


    "YOU...."


    Taking my silence as an insult, Warg got all worked up. But it wasn''t that I didn''t want to answer, it was rather that I couldn''t.


    The scorpion came towards me in a fighting stance, it had a long tail folded back on itself above its head that began to spin faster and faster. Suddenly, from the tip of his tail came a multitude of water droplets as transparent as they were robust as heunched his incantation.


    "Water! Come to me and drill: water projectiles!!! "


    The drops of water flew back and forth across the clearing crashing into the nearest trees with an exploding sound. I had managed to avoid almost all of them but a few had hit me in the shoulder and hip.<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Freya - HP : 14 120 / 15 100]


    *Aouch, it doesn''t feel good*


    Using my agility to zigzag between these water balls I threw my 5 remaining spikes at Warg aiming at his neck, tail, head and stomach.


    "Stand before my enemies: wall of water!"


    The scorpion effortlessly dodged my attacks while protecting himself from the spikes flying straight at him with a wall of water. Unfortunately for him, although he managed to avoid them, they would immediatelye back at him. You could see the ice and water shing violently as I closed in on my target.


    "DON''T THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE ME"


    *But I''m not even trying to escape, you filthy insect!*


    Coming both face to face, I released once again my demonic aura in order to engulf him with my presence, while using my w skill to tear off his leg. Frightened but not immobilized Warg swung his tail hitting my right paw and my right nk with power sending me flying and crashing into a nearby tree.


    [Freya - HP : 12 341 / 15 100]


    *Arg! I feel like I have one or two broken ribs.


    -- PING --


    [ Host to acquired: Pain Resistance (lvl 1) ]


    "HAHAHAHA!!! THAT''S IT STAY DOWN, THAT''S WHERE YOU BELONG DOG!"


    Ignoring the notifications, as I stood up, hisst words made me stop and shake.


    "ARE YOU SCARED NOW? IT''S TOO LATE FOR REGRETS!"


    *Scared ? To have regrets? Me?*


    I felt my body boil with uncontroble rage as my hair stood on end. I didn''t want to have fun anymore, I didn''t want to y his pathetic game. He had insulted me and mocked me openly with a smile on his face...it was too much.


    Standing up despite the pain in my ribs and the bleeding of my wounds I summoned 15 infernal ice spikes that flew as one in his direction. His walls of water spouted out on both sides of his position, but despite the speed of his incantations it was still too slow against me. Not needing to speak, or even incant, I was without a doubt in this world, the one who could cast skills the fastest.


    "WHAT..."


    7 out of 15 spikes had finally hit him hard, nting themselves in his tail and back crossing between the tes of his hard shell.


    [Water Scorpius Warg - HP: 10,037 / 20,000]


    "AAAARGH!"


    He only had half his HP left. Not wanting to kill it quickly, I decided to rip off its legs and tail with my ws and fangs to prevent it from escaping.


    "NOOOO! PITY I..."


    [Water Scorpius Warg - HP: 8,743 / 20,000]


    Violently shing his limbs one by one, I could see the fear and pain cross his eyes as he begged...but it wasn''t enough.


    *I will make you suffer for what you said!*


    Although my original goal was to make him suffer for acting like a traitor, this had turned into a personal vendetta.


    The moon was still high in the sky while in its light I could be seen smiling fiercely at my victim.


    *It''s a good thing I needed a guinea pig to check some things kufufufu ~*


    It was going to be a long night as his nightmare was just beginning.


    ___________________________________


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos (unique race created for the host) - Cub


    Race : Demon


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Dragon Tamer


    Level : 11/30


    Exp needed for next level : 730/11 000


    HP : 12 341 / 15 100      MP : 2 086 / 7 550


    Strength : 85


    Defense : 76


    Agility : 85


    Stamina : 78


    Speed : 77


    Intelligence : 110


    Charisma : 110 (majestic she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Rted to: Dragon Earth Gaya


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 3)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 4)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 4)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - blocked


    - Katana mastery (lvl max) - blocked


    - Demonic Aura (lvl 2)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 3)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 4)


    - Resistance to pain (lvl 1)


    Other - Humanoid form (blocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 3)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 2)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]


    __________________________

 Chapter 12 Teammate Little Sister ? And Bloody Rules

    -- POV Freya --


    The day was about to dawn as the moon could be seen disappearing. My blood-stained jet-ck fur rippled in the cool twilight wind. I stood there, above this scum who a moment ago was so arrogant. Now he was pathetic and weak and inspired only disgust and anger. Warg was unconscious because of the level of pain I had caused him by tearing off his limbs. Quickly breaking his jaw so he couldn''t make any incantations, I was stunned.


    *Sigh...not even able to endure this and you think you are powerful? Poor insignificant insect !*


    At this moment, I would have liked so much to be able to talk to him. In my past life when I tortured people in the organization, I always used mental torture in addition to physical torture.


    My skills were such that I could break dozens of humans without having to touch them. Using the power of my words, they were like venom pouring into the hearts of these men. Sometimes gentle and motherly, sometimes cruel and cold, or dominant and majestic, I could be anyone I wanted.


    "Grrgrrgrr."


    *Raaaah stupid wolf voice!!! All I can do is growl.*


    [Freya-sama, I''m sorry I can''t do anything. If he doesn''t have the telepathy skill there''s nothing we can do.]


    *It''s okay, I''ll take out my frustrations in another way hehehe ~*


    If Warg could have heard my cold voice at that moment, he would have certainly wished he was dead before his nightmare started.


    My amethyst eyes shone with an intense and dangerous glow as a thought crossed my mind.


    *Tell me Kira...*


    [Yes?]


    *Would you like to participate a little?*


    [I don''t understand.]


    Giggling slightly I pointed one of my ws at the fainting scorpion at my feet.


    *Don''t you have any interesting suggestions to start our little game of experiments?*


    [I..]


    *Don''t you want to see him suffer for hurting me? Don''t you want to hear his cries of despair? Don''t you feel angry?*


    Since I was born on this earth, I had never been alone. Kira who was the helper of my system, over time had developed into more than just a system for me. During all my existence I was alone and the forced cohabitation with her did not really delight me at first. But then, little by little, I got used to having her around. From then on, I started to act with her as when I was alone, being even grateful for her presence. I didn''t have to go through all this alone, even for a seasoned loner like me it was a huge mental burden.


    To thank her, today I wanted for the first time to make a gesture for someone other than myself. I wanted her to tell me what she wanted, although I already had a small idea of what it was.


    *Tell me what you want Kira.*


    [I''ve learned a lot from you and if you ask me to be honest I''ll tell you that right now I really want to avenge you in some way. I can''t exin it].


    Listening carefully, I let her continue.


    [I have never really had any desire other than to serve you, I was programmed to be that way. But after being with you all this time, I can feel this desire for superiority and dominance sprouting up inside me. Although I am still trying to understand the concept of emotions, I am all too familiar with those that arise in your mind. I feel like I am just like you. We are one body, we experience and feel the same things. I am you and you are me but we are different and at the same time one. A unique, beautiful and unstoppable being. I am Kira and today what I want more than anything in the world is to see Warg suffer].


    -- PING --


    [The unusual determination shown in the entity named Kira "system helper" has allowed her to learn self-awareness].


    [ Congratting, the host obtained the unique skill: Second Soul (lvl max) ]


    I suddenly felt a part of my soul split inside me.


    *What...*


    [FREYA-SAMA!!!]


    Kira seemed just as shocked as I was by this news.


    *Second soul? What is this?*


    [Second Soul (max lvl) - unique skill: a second soul formed from the Kira entity. Acting independently of the host and able to take control of its elements (ice and chaos) to support it. ]


    *Kira its crazy!!!*


    [I...I''m not the system helper anymore? I...I''m me?]


    Kira was confused, the system''s shocking announcement had caught us both off guard. Although stuck in my mind, Kira had always done her best to assist me. She didn''t know much about the world, she was discovering emotions, desires and I had repeatedly caught her being confused, sorry or even worried. I didn''t know what to say either but I felt happy and proud of her. It was a whole new feeling, like the pride of seeing someone fly for the first time with their own wings.


    Breaking the silence, Kira spoke.


    [Freya-sama I think I''ve be a soul in my own right!]


    If Kira could have had eyes, I could have sworn she would have started crying.


    *Let''s drop the "Freya-sama" okay? I''ve trusted you long enough now, you were born with me and we share the same body and the same goal. I respect you and you are not my subordinate, so from now on we are equals Kira.*


    [Freya-sa..um...how should I address you then?]


    *Freya or even Onee-san if you want hahaha!!!*


    [Onee-san? I don''t understand that word.]


    *Oh that! Well, it''s a word thates from my mother tongue meaning "big sister".*


    I had inadvertently slipped this term in as a joke, because our rtionship reminded me a bit of a big sister with her little sister. I didn''t think she would take the joke literally. But maybe the joke was a reflection of a deep desire in my heart.


    [So uh...onee...onee-san what do we do?]


    I didn''t know it, but upon hearing the word "big sister", Kira had felt overwhelmed with joy, therefore her shy and hesitant voice was absolutely adorable. As I caught myself thinking this, an idea popped into my head.


    *How about we finally start torturing that scorpion to celebrate? We can get into all this new stuff in more detailter! It''s been there a while and if I hadn''t stopped the bleeding while talking, it would have died*.


    [ Water Scorpius Warg - HP : 7 614 / 20 000 ]


    [Umm! Now that I can also control the ice and chaos around us, I think I can contribute for the first time today!]


    So, without even having to speak the "I" had naturally turned into "we".


    Motionless, I could see 2 ice peaks simr to the ones I used to make, forming above Warg''s unconscious body.


    [Onee-san! Look I did it! I can use the elements even from the inside!]


    *It''s perfect, now use one and aim for his eyes.*


    [Good!]


    A spike then rose up and went into one of the scorpius'' eye sockets.


    [ Water Scorpius Warg - HP : 4 321 / 20 000 ]


    [Like this?]


    *Hahaha yes great, the eye even came out with it!*


    Smiling ever so slightly, I couldn''t help but think that I really did look like a big sister (despite the atrocity of the activity). I had never acted like this, I was discovering these new feelings that were flowing in my mind and heart at the same time as her. At that moment my whole being was screaming: "protect her". I knew she probably wouldn''t be the only one I would have to protect, but she was the first one I had opened my heart to.


    "Aaaarrgggg wha...?"


    Warg had finally woken up from his slumber.


    *Yo sleeping beauty!*


    [Onee-san he can''t hear you, and then what is sleeping beauty?]


    Kira was much more familiar than before, it wasforting. Having remembered what I had said to Gaya earlier, she must have wanted to keep some distance from me so as not to annoy me. Giggling at her question I wasn''t sure how to exin.


    *Oh nothing a children''s story from my old life. Yosh! Now try to summon 5 infernal spikes and leave them above his head.*


    [All right!]


    *Rule number one, never disrespect me*


    While Kira was practicing, I crushed one of my paws on the scorpion''s throat. It was terrified and bleeding from the eye that had been removed. Unable to speak because of the pressure I was putting on his neck, he looked at me with watery eyes. Still in dead silence, I began to gently crush his throat with the power of my body, taking care not to kill him.


    *Rule number two, never talk to me in this tone*


    [ Water Scorpius Warg - HP : 4 000 / 20 000]<novelnext></novelnext>


    Looking at him with cold, cruel eyes, I ordered Kira to send a spike into his lower back to prevent him from moving too much.


    [ Water Scorpius Warg - HP: 3,265 / 20,000]


    *Rule number three, never underestimate my cruelty and even less me*


    Warg struggled unable to scream or move, his eyes pleading with terror, pain and despair.


    *Oh yes that''s it!!! Show me the despair one feels before dying at the hands of the one you called dog a moments ago!!!*


    Using the power of my jaw, I tore off the shell tes he had all over his body. For scorpions they were the equivalent of skin, the flesh was spurting out everywhere making theke red with blood. He screamed silently, making me want to break him even more.


    [ Water Scorpius Warg - HP : 1 000 / 20 000]


    *Rule number four, never touch or hurt me*


    Finally, Kira threw all the infernal ice spikes crashing into his skinned body causing his insides to burst.


    *Last and fifth rule, never break the first four*.


    [Um..onee-san, he can''t hear you anymore.]


    -- PING --


    [ Congrattions! Host killed a higher level monster +300 XP ]


    [ You killed a lvl 14 Water Scorpius ]


    [ You gain 36,000 EXP ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (12) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (13) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (14) ]


    [ Your HP and MP have increased ]


    [You now have 300 attribute points ]


    *Wow, 300 attribute points!*


    [Indeed it''s huge, that''s the advantage of having a system].


    Looking at my status I could see that it had already changed a lot since I arrived. Warg the Southern Scorpion was gone, only the rock sphinx and the lightning lion were left.


    [Onee-san, you are injured, rest a little in the forest. If you add your attribute points I think you can heal automatically when you change].


    *You''re right, I''ll do that. I didn''t pay attention because I was too busy enjoying the moment, but I really hurt all over. It hurts like hell*.


    [I''m sorry I can''t help you, I''ve never had a body so these sensations are unknown to me].


    Now that Kira had be a full-fledged soul, I could feel a touch of disappointment in her voice.


    *Kira...I promise to find a way for you to have a body one day.*


    I hadn''t even thought about it and my words were out of my mind. I didn''t know if it could be possible, but I was willing to try anything for my new little sister.


    [Onee-san....]


    For the first time I could hear that soft, monotone voice had changed. It was warm and full of life.


    ___________


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Gender: Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos  - Cub


    Race: Demon


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Dragon Tamer


    Level : 14/30


    Exp needed for next level : 300 / 15 000


    HP : 25 000 / 25 000 MP : 12 500 / 12 500


    Strength : 85


    Defense : 76


    Agility : 85


    Stamina : 78


    Speed : 77


    Intelligence : 110


    Charisma : 110 (majestic she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Rted to: Dragon Earth Gaya


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 3)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 4)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 4)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - blocked


    - Katana mastery (lvl max) - blocked


    - Demonic Aura (lvl 2)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 3)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 4)


    Resistance to pain (lvl 1)


    Other - Humanoid form (blocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 3)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 2)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]

 Chapter 13 To Meet Magni

    -- POV Freya --


    It had been several hours since my fight with Warg. After eating all of it to restore myself, I went to rest at the foot of a tree near theke. I didn''t know what time it was but the sun was already beating down through the leaves. My wounds were hurting and my broken ribs were strangely the most intense pain.


    [You need to distribute your attribute points quickly.]


    Kira''s theory was that I had to use the power shift to be able to heal. I had 300 attribute points, which was a lot.


    *After suffering those injuries, I think defense this time is the best decision. What do you think, Kira?*


    [I think it''s a good strategy too. We''re about to fight two more beasts of higher levels, who knows what might happen if you were to get seriously injured].


    *That would be very unfortunate indeed.*


    With that, I decided to add my points without wasting any more time.


    ________


    Strength : 85 > 140


    Defense: 76 > 151


    Agility : 85 > 140


    Endurance : 78 > 133


    Speed : 77 > 132


    Intelligence : 110 > 115


    Charisma : 110 (majestic she-wolf)


    _________


    Likest time my body began to heat up intensely as I fell to the ground in pain. The feeling of power was strong, but my injuries made the process much less enjoyable. My muscles and bones were forming in my body to make it more powerful, but due to my injuries you could hear cracking noises. I was writhing like a maggot on the floor looking for a way to escape the pain. I had never been in so much pain in my life, but I would never say so. I could only stand helplessly, trying not to faint.


    -- PING --


    [ Pain Resistance skill increased to level 2 ]


    As the pain gradually faded away, I could feel my bodypletely healed. Still numb and sore from the process, I couldn''t help but be in awe of the result.


    *Wow*


    [It worked!]


    *Yes, I''m healed! I''ve also be much stronger than before.*


    I could see my body was as strong as it was a few hours ago, but I felt different. I was light and fast but at the same time powerful, very powerful and my skin felt like it was made of steel. All my attributes had almost doubled and feeling these changes made me want to exercise my body so I could better evaluate them.


    My speed could match that of a sports car while my stamina seemed to never run out.


    My strength and defense were the most obvious and impressive changes. By controlling my strength, I could uproot a tree with one swipe of my paw and send it a few feet away. By putting all my strength into it, the tree was blown violently away, exploding in the process. One could see the trees in its path uprooted or destroyed by the force of the blow.


    My movements were also faster, more fluid and more precise. I had no trouble catching small creatures as I ran north, even though there were strangely few of them.


    My speed made me feel like I was flying, while underneath my feet were small craters full of cracks. I had to learn to control my strength, knowing that this was just the beginning if I didn''t train, I could cause a disaster in the future. Although I don''t mind, I prefer to keep a low profile.


    [It seems to me that Gaya told us about a canyon north of the forest, where the sphinx would have found refuge years ago].


    *Yes, here we are.*


    A newndscape was in front of us, a huge fault ran along the forest for several kilometers. It was made of all kinds of rocks full of mosses and exotic nts that were more and more weird. The fault was not very deep, we could see the bottom but itsyout made the descent difficult and dangerous.


    [Do you think it''s really here? This ce looks much more dangerous than the previous one. Not to mention the fact that you have to go down].


    *Ara ara ~ Are you afraid?* I asked her with a condescending smile.


    [I...Of course not!]


    *Really? You know me now...don''t lie to me. Why are you so worried, have you noticed something important?*


    [No, it''s not that. To be honest I''m mostly afraid of the uing fight...]


    *...?? *


    [Fighting alongside you for the first time...and what if I made a mistake?]


    *That was it. But don''t worry, my body is really more resistant than a few days ago, I''ll be able to manage. And then we have to go through this! In the future we will have a lot of enemies to face and if we are not ready and trained enough we could really die. Let''s take advantage of the fact that our current opponents are just bags of EXP to practice.*


    [Alright let''s go!]


    Kira quickly realized that it was in our best interest to learn how to fight together, we had already agreed on each other''s roles beforehand. I was to focus on physical attacks and tactics, and Kira was to lead the elemental attacks. It had been a while since I had used my chaos skills, but I decided to leave them aside during our mission to save Gaya. They were neither in the attack nor in the defense category, so there was no immediate need to use them.


    Thanks to my new agility, I had already reached the bottom of the rift. Jumping from rock to rock and mastering the speed of descent was not so easy because I had not yet managed to control my strength. I still managed to get to the bottom without creating andslide, although a huge crater was created when Inded.


    *Sigh...I like to watch my power, but here I wanted to try to be discreet!*


    [Mmh I think that with the aura that you unconsciously give off, discretion is not really an issue anymore. Haven''t you noticed that it''s been getting harder and harder to run into beaststely?]


    *Now that you mention it...*


    My Demonic Aura skill wasn''t active, yet I was scaring away the animals in the forest with my presence alone. The reason was that I had a unique passive aura linked to my course that kept growing as I did. It was invisible and different from the demonic aura that once triggered, escaped from my body like a veil. Indeed, this unique aura was simply what my body and my presence gave off. It was not a feeling of danger or fear like the demonic one but rather a feeling of powerful nobility. As a result, the animals in the forest, all below level 10, fled at my arrival.


    *Well, too bad! For now I can handle a diet of sphinxes and lions kufufufu~.*


    Walking along the bottom and still on my guard, I was beginning to lose patience when suddenly my eyes noticed a hole dug in the rock several meters above the ground on the right side of the rift.


    *I think our dear little Magni likes to climb.*


    Arriving just below the entrance, I raised my head to try to discover what could be hidden inside. I couldn''t see anything at this distance, as I was about to look for a solution, a wall of ice appeared from under my paws to carry me as far as it could. At a height of 5 meters since the skill had evolved, it was more than enough to dash towards the entrance using the wall as support.


    *Thank you Kira, I couldn''t have done it without you.*


    [You''re wee onee-saan ~]


    I told her these words because I wanted her to have confidence in herself for the next step. Of course I meant it, but if saying it could prevent her from making mistakes due to the stress of not being up to par, that was significant.


    Landing in front of the entrance, I began to advance calmly and cautiously in the tunnel dug in the direction of the master of the ce.


    *Kira, from now on be very careful. I will concentrate on the physical and tactical part, as I leave you the control of the ice I want you to stay alert whatever happens. Be ready to react to the slightest problem even if it seems minor, I trust you.*


    [Yes onee-san you can count on me!]


    We were going to have our first duet confrontation and I knew that it wasn''t going to be easy at first. It takes time to coordinate, understand andmunicate effectively in a fight. I had experience in this area so I knew I could adapt easily, however this was not the case for Kira who had to throw herself into a fight to the death from the start. Was I putting too much pressure on her?


    As if she had understood my worries, Kira reassured me.


    [Hey it''s ok, everything will be fine, trust me!]


    *Of course. Let''s keep going.*


    As we were going deeper and deeper without knowing what was waiting for us, a light appeared in the distance showing the way out.


    When I got a few meters away from the light, I decided to go carefully in case something was waiting for us on the way out. I passed discreetly the head and there an incredible spectacle stood in front of me. In front of me was a huge stone room several meters high. But the craziest thing was that the rocks in the whole cave were shining so brightly that it looked like daylight. I had never seen such a scene, almost hypnotizing. In the middle of this ce stood a huge stone pir that stretched to the ceiling, straight and imposing.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Perched at the very top of this column was the Northern Sphinx. It was muchrger than Warg and looked more majestic. Magni had the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle and the face ....


    *A woman?*


    I couldn''t believe it was a woman, she had short blond hair and a face aged by time.


    As I stepped forward, she turned her gaze in my direction. After getting closer, I could tell that she was not pretty at all. Magni looked like she had been disfigured by an unknown creature. Her face was burned on her right side and her left side had w marks. Her eyes were popping out of her sockets and I could have sworn she was blind if she hadn''t looked into my eyes.


    Getting ready to fight, I took a look at his status so that I could more easily set up a strategy.


    __________


    [Race : Sphinx


    Name : Magni


    Element : rock


    Lvl 16/30


    HP : 35 000 / 35 000


    MP : 17 000 / 17 000


    Strength : 120


    Defense : 180


    Agility : 150


    Stamina : 115


    Speed : 70 ]


    ________


    Her stats were higher than Warg''s, but that was normal since she was level 16.


    *Kira, I hope you are ready! We won''t  stop until she drops dead. We''re in her territory and her zone, one careless mistake and we''re dead*.


    [Yes onee-san!]


    *So let''s go lil sis!*


    ___________


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Cub


    Race : Demon


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon Tamer


    Level : 14/30


    Exp needed for next level : 300 / 15 000


    HP : 25 000 / 25 000 MP : 12 000 / 12 500


    Strength : 140


    Defense : 151


    Agility : 140


    Stamina : 133


    Speed : 132


    Intelligence : 115


    Charisma : 110 (majestic she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Rted to: Dragon Earth Gaya


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 3)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 4)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 4)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - blocked


    - Katana mastery (lvl max) - blocked


    - Demonic Aura (lvl 2)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 3)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 4)


    Resistance to pain (lvl 2)


    Other - Humanoid form (blocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 3)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 2)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]

 Chapter 14 The Art Of Manipulation

    [N/A : Feel free toment and rate the novel. I write non stop every day and even at night to make sure I can get 2 chapters out to you each day. I will admit that I need to have some feedback to know if you really like the story, the characters. Thank you and happy reading]


    _______


    -- POV Freya --


    [Race : Sphinx


    Name : Magni


    Element : rock


    Lvl 16/30


    HP : 35 000 / 35 000


    MP : 17 000 / 17 000


    Strength : 120


    Defense : 180


    Agility : 150


    Stamina : 115


    Speed : 70 ]


    ________


    I was standing in front of Magni apanied of course by Kira who had be a soul inside me. We were in their of the sphinx controlling the rock...my second victim.


    Her stats were high but despite the difference in levels between us, it wasn''t that incredible. Magni seemed very agile and had a very high defense.


    *I think her agility and strength stats are a perfect match for her race and element.*


    [What do you mean?]


    *Remember, Gaya told us that the Sphinx had an attack called "rock rain" and a defense called "stone body". Her agilityes from the fact that she can fly, do you think you can hit her ?*


    [Yes, as long as you get close to her to carry out your physical attacks, it''s not a problem, especially since we have a margin of 200 meters.]


    Staring at the creature in front of me, I could see that I had piqued her curiosity. Instead of attacking me, Magni jumped down from the pir and was on the ground a few feet away from me. The powerful muscles of her lion-like body were sculpted and slender and her ck eagle wings made a pleasant sound as they split the air. Standing in front of me Magni wasrger than me and towered over me slightly in terms of size.


    "An unknown creature and strange to say the least. Tell me, what brings you to my home?"*


    Her voice suddenly echoed in my mind, leaving me stunned for a few seconds. She could speak so she had the telepathy skill, but I really had no idea how she got it. Gaya had it, but Warg didn''t, and I hadn''t thought to ask her for details before leaving the cave.


    Ignoring her questions, I decided to ask my own. After all, she would soon find out sooner orter what had brought me to her suddenly. My voice in turn echoed in her mind with a firmness and coldness almost natural to me.


    "How is it that you can speak telepathically?"


    "I think you''re pretty rude, but since I''m interested in you I''m willing to answer."


    Gritting my teeth so as not to rip her head off with a paw, I held back to hear the answer to my itchy question.


    "If you don''t know that, then you''re not at my level. The telepathy skill is naturally obtained at level 15. Now tell me little wolf, what are you doing here?"


    *Little wolf?*


    [Calm down onee-san, I know you''re dreaming of torturing her but for now we can glean some information].


    *Tsk...fine.*


    Breathing in and out slowly I faced the beast.


    "First of all I am not a little wolf my name is Freya, and to answer your question I came here to kill you."


    "OH???"


    " ... "


    "Hahaha...There is no way you can kill me little thing. I''m the second most powerful creature in this forest. You think you can kill me easily? How foolish!"


    At that moment an evil idea was born in my mind. Why couldn''t I have a little fun? Using my natural skills in terms of mental maniption, I decided to act out.


    "I...I''m sorry in truth I don''t even want to be here. Oh great and noble sphinx please forgive me."


    [Um...onee-san what are you up to now?]


    *Hush, watch and listen. I will teach you the art of maniption.*


    [Pffhahah ~ onee-san you always surprise me!]


    Taking a submissive posture, I cursed myself inwardly for having such ideas. If there was one thing I hated was submitting to someone, I couldn''t bear the thought of having to bow my head even to manipte. However, the prospect of seeing Magni''s face change and losing her trust was worth some effort on my part. I didn''t like to submit, but I loved to manipte! It is not necessary to believe that in my past life I caused disasters only with the force of my fists, I could be anyone and sow destruction of a simple sentence.


    "Well I see that you have be more reasonable little wolf. Where did youe from? Who sent you here? That person definitely sent you to die, I wonder why."


    "I''m from the east, my family was taken hostage by a lion named Daggus. Being the most powerful of my pack, he ordered me to travel north to kill a weak and useless sphinx if I didn''t want the blood of my people on my heart."


    I insisted maliciously on the "weak and useless".


    "WHAT DID YOU SAY?? DAGGUS??"


    "Y...Yes. He said he was the most powerful beast and that he would soon rule the entire Syn forest."


    Watching Magni''s reaction I could easily see that she was seething with anger. Her face had turned red as blood and her paws were scratching the ground in frustration.


    My n was simple, get the two to fight in order to weaken them both. I knew only too well what kind of spirit was behind Daggus, Magni and even Warg (rest his soul). If they had been able to betray Gaya, they were able to do it again. Therefore, Magni did not even look for the few inconsistencies that might have been in my story.


    First, I had never met Daggus, so if she had asked me for more physical details I could not have made it up or lied. Secondly, she should have noticed my change in personality, but blinded by mypliments she didn''t notice. And thirdly...she''s pretty dumb.


    *Perfect, that''s how I like to manipte them, to break them. A self-righteous bitch,pletely stupid and blinded by her non-existent strength.*


    Although her level was higher than mine as well as most of her stats, it wasn''t necessarily the most important thing. An individual''s overall strength and power lies in everything that makes them a warrior. This includes intelligence, strategy, dominance, mental and poise. Magni, on the other hand, had none of these, she was for me a non-existent strength, a coconut: hard on the outside and empty on the inside.


    The pleasure of destroying her was all the more divine. I decided to push my arguments even further.


    "He told me to give you a message"


    "..." staring at me intensely as if she was going to explode she reached out.


    ? "Enjoy yourst moments as an ugly old creature, the world will soon be rid of your repulsive existence."


    *Kufufufu ~ this is for the "little wolf*


    [Pfffhahahaha ~ stop please onee-san ahaha ~]


    I could see Magni''s face twist into a hideous expression of anger, the veins even popped out of her red forehead ready to burst. Staying in character I hastened to continue.


    "Oh great and noble sphinx I am ready to give my life for my n, please help me defeat Daggus"


    Magni, still shaken by the "words of Daggus" was animated by an urge to kill. I didn''t know if she would decide to turn her rage against me, but if she did, it wouldn''t be a problem. Kira and I were already determined to confront her the moment we entered herir.


    "I CAN''T LET THIS GO! YOU WOLF, WHERE IS YOUR PACK?"


    Her voice trembled with anger and his eyes seemed to shoot deadly lightning.


    "In the East, my pack is trapped in Daggus'' territory. I am only allowed to return if I possess your head."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "HAHAHAHA! I''m going to pay him a little visit to remind him who I am and that no one has the right to make fun of my appearance!!!"


    " ... "


    "You! You could be useful to me, you''re going toe with me and we''re going to the East ! If you try anything suspicious I will kill you without hesitation, in the second!!!"


    *Tsk, wait a little bit, I''ll take care to cut your tongue for your words !*


    "I would never dare oh sphinx, only you can help me."


    As I bowed to her, Magni walked past me to lead the way. She was as pissed off as ever and didn''t even think to speak to me as she muttered insults at Daggus.


    "So you thought you''d send one of your pawns to kill me you little shit? You don''t know what''s waiting for you ahahaha I''ve alreadymandeered your pawn and I know about your ns! Laugh while you still can! "


    Me a pawn? Magni didn''t even realize that she was the one being manipted from the beginning, it was all part of my n. I stood behind her, making sure to retract my urge to kill her on the spot. But hearing her disparage me like that only made it harder.


    *Kira, remind meter to rip out her tongue for her insults and teach her the same little rules that I taught to Warg*


    [I''d be happy to do it onee-san. Since I''m a soul I feel every emotion stronger and at this moment I just want to shove an ice pick into her skull].


    *Oi ! You''re supposed to be the most reasonable of us, if you fall to the dark side who knows what will happen kufufufu ~*


    [Onee-san, know that I fell to the dark side the moment I became your helper system]


    Joking with Kira helped me to calm down, previously I had never left a person who insulted me alive. Even though I knew it was only a matter of time, I couldn''t help but be extremely frustrated that I had to let this go.


    I had to be patient because my reward was clearly worth it.


    My n was simple: manipte Magni into leading me directly into Daggus''ir. Being enraged and stupid, she would attack him without even asking if what I told her was the truth or not. The lion was the more powerful and cunning of the two, he would throw himself into the battle without question, convinced that he could easily defeat her thanks to his strength and intellect.


    As for me, I would continue to y my role until we reach the lion''s den. When the battle starts, I will discreetly move back to observe them from a more distant ce waiting for the best moment to intervene.


    [It''s a risky n, what if Magni talks to Daggus before fighting?]


    *She won''t.*


    [How can you be so sure?]


    *I just know. I know the psychology of powerful beasts, they don''t ask unnecessary questions and prefer to settle everything by force and killing. If something different happens, it''s okay, I''ll fight them both if I have to.*


    [WE !]


    *Haha~ forgive me, yes "we".*


    The sun was already setting as I ran behind Magni. We were heading north to defeat Daggus who had offended the sphinx and free my captive pack.


    But what the winged creature next to me did not know was that this was all part of my n. The sphinx did not know that in a few hours she would meet her end in excruciating pain...a tragic and cruel end.


    ___________


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos  - Cub


    Race : Demon


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon Tamer


    Level : 14/30


    Exp required for next level : 300 / 15 000


    HP : 25 000 / 25 000 MP : 12 500 / 12 500


    Strength : 140


    Defense : 151


    Agility : 140


    Stamina : 133


    Speed : 132


    Intelligence : 115


    Charisma : 110 (majestic she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Rted to: Dragon Earth Gaya


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 3)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 4)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 4)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - blocked


    - Katana mastery (lvl max) - blocked


    - Demonic Aura (lvl 2)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 3)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 4)


    Resistance to pain (lvl 2)


    Other - Humanoid form (blocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 3)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 2)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]

 Chapter 15 Fight Against Magni And Daggus (Part I)

    [N/A: In the previous chapter I made a mistake by saying that telepathy is obtained for creatures because they don''t talk...this is wrong. Beasts can talk, it is simply obtained at level 15 for all races. Sorry for my mistake, it is corrected. Happy reading!!!]


    ______


    -- POV Freya --


    The moon shone with a heavenly glow as two creatures could be seen running through the thick trees of the forest. A sphinx followed closely by a she-wolf as ck as night. That wolf was me and that sphinx was Magni. I had to adapt my speed because I was much faster than her which made me curse her silently in my mind.


    *Why is she so slow?*


    [You were slower than her just a few days ago.]


    My progress was extremely fast, so much so that once my mission wasplete I decided to finally leave Syn''s forest. For now I had to focus on the fight that was soon toe in these woods.


    "Wolf, we areing."


    "My name is Freya."


    "Yeah whatever, if you want my help listen to what I say and don''t be a smartass."


    *Tsk..*


    We had arrived at the territory of Daggus the lightning lion, I expected to find a cave as well but this was different. Hisir was in fact a small abandoned castle made of ruins and moss surrounded by burntnd. The fort was small, but big enough for a single animal. On the ckened earth all around the building, animal skeletons of all kinds littered the ground and I could see for the first time human bones, torn sacks and blood-stained armor.


    Since the castle was further away, we had to sneak into this graveyard.


    *I didn''t know that humans passed through this forest.*


    [We haven''te across any yet, but if they are the dominant race in this world, that makes sense to me.]


    *I''d like to avoid running into them until I have my humanoid form to infiltrate a city and learn more about this world and the standard of a human.*


    [Statistically speaking when Ipare your evolution after killing higher level creatures, I can tell you that I''m pretty sure you can get it after this fight].


    *Nani?! That would be great news! But how? Daggus is level 19 and Magni is level 16, they''re nowhere near level 30!*


    [I''ll exin with a simple example. When you fought Warg, he was level 14 and you were level 11, so you had enough EXP for 3 levels. That is, the number of levels that separated you at the time you killed him. In this fight, if everything goes well, you will gain enough EXP to go up 7 levels at once. So it''s a reward worthy of the task].


    *That sounds fair enough, but what about the other 8 levels?*


    [This is still a theory, but when you go back to free Gaya, it might be that sucking mana out of the air before it disappears with the "devouring chaos" skill can get EXP back as well as from the corpses. Since Gaya''s mana is of a much higher level, you will go directly to level 30. Of course this is only possible with the Chaos element of the Goddess Titania. Only you can do it].


    *Wow, I''m impressed Kira...you know how to exploit every single skill in the system to always find a way for me to grow quickly. Thank you!*


    [You''re wee onee-san, but it''s normal because I was born with the system in the first ce, so it''s natural for me to look into all the options concerning it. It should be used to the fullest].


    While I was thinking about how precious Kira was to me in every sense of the word, we had already reached the foot of the castle. Everything was in ruins and looked as if it had been abandoned for ages, but the most confusing thing was that a lion was standing above the ramparts.


    He was a brilliant golden color, almost blinding, his silky yellow mane waving in the wind and his circassian blue eyes looking down on us with challenge.


    [Breed : Golden Lion


    Name : Daggus


    Element : Lightning


    Lvl 19/30


    HP : 50 000 / 50 000


    MP : 25 000 / 25 000


    Strength : 190


    Defense : 220


    Agility : 167


    Stamina : 207


    Speed : 180 ]


    ________


    *I did well to take Magni with me.*


    These numbers were crazy because he was level 19. All of his stats were above mine and the sphinx''s, I had to follow my n and avoid a direct confrontation for now.


    "YOU!!!"


    Without even having time to think of something, Magni was already pping his wings and soaring to the sky above him in a rage.


    [You made a mess there onee-san.]


    *Kufufufu ~ indeed*


    Just as I had expected, Daggus didn''t even try to find out why Magni wanted to kill him, he just looked at her with disdain. The sphinx climbed higher and higher in the sky to almost be under the clouds.


    "Rock transform and fall like a shower: RAIN OF ROCKS!!!"


    Round shaped rocks the size of a fist formed in dozens above the castle. They seemed to be animated with their own wills as they crashed into the ramparts. I could see the lion muttering something when suddenly his golden body began to crackle. Lightning had appeared all around his body easily protecting him from passing projectiles, it was his "Lightning Armor" skill. Daggus stood there motionless and provoked Magni with his single condescending look as the rain of rock rained down on him.


    Unfortunately, his overconfidence suddenly ended as the speed of the projectiles and Magni''s height increased. Flurries of rock came at the lion as he tried to dodge.


    [Golden Lion Daggus - HP: 47,899 / 50,000]


    "HAHAHAHA so what do you think of my power??"


    Perched high in the sky, Magni wasughing out loud and hadn''t noticed a sword made of lightning bolts heading straight for her. When she saw it, it was toote topletely dodge and she was hit in the leg. The sword would have torn her leg off if she had not acted in the second.


    "Aarrgghh"


    [Sphinx Magni - HP: 32,180 / 35,000]


    I, who had ess to their statuses, could tell that Daggus'' attack was very powerful, if Magni hadn''t dodged and had a defense to match she could have died instantly.


    "How rude you are Magni to greet an old friend in this way."


    Daggus''s voice was husky and low, neither warm nor cold, and it rose up from the ground with power.


    "I don''t want to hear anything from you, you will die here and now!".


    As she threatened him, the sphinx swooped down on the lion like an eagle on its prey. Daggus had lost all desire to discuss and prepared to fight her hand to hand.


    The paw strikes flew to its golden body reinforced with lightning bolts while its jaw snapped on the reinforced stone body of the winged beast.


    [ Golden Lion - HP : 45 321 / 50 000]


    [Sphinx Magni - HP : 29 455 / 35 000]


    The blows rained down between the two of them at an incredible speed, I was even slightly impressed that Magni could stand up to him despite the big difference in levels. Not wanting to lose this pawn too quickly, I decided to finally enter the fight.


    Approaching discreetly I stopped at a distance of 200 meters beforeunching the countdown of the operation.


    *5...4...3...2...1 GO !


    When the signal was given, Kira conjured up infernal spikes of ice on Daggus'' back as I threw myself at him.


    [Golden Lion Daggus - HP : 40 203 / 50 000]<novelnext></novelnext>


    The ice had hit him and mixed with the lightning which slowed down the attack speed but still did some damage. Surprised and wounded by a discreet attack the lion turned around but I had alreadyunched my w skill tearing the flesh from his back despite the lightning.


    "WH..."


    [Golden Lion Daggus - HP: 39,100 / 50,000]


    In terms of melee attacks I was the strongest, as my attacks represented my physical power coupled with my w (lvl 3) and Bite (lvl 4) skills. Using my speed to dodge the rain of rock that Magni had started to fall again, I asked Kira to make a wall of Ice appear under Daggus to push him upwards towards the sphinx''s attack.


    Both beasts seemed shocked that they had not heard an incantation but were too focused on the current fight to notice. The wall of ice had hit the link hard in the ribs, breaking them in the process.


    [Golden Lion Daggus - HP: 38,500 / 50,000]


    "Who..who are you?"


    Gasping Daggus didn''t understand who I was and why I had suddenly appeared to hurt him more.


    "My name is Freya and I''m going to kill you both."


    "Don''t y innocent Daggus you...eh? Both of you?"


    Not bothering to answer, I positioned myself in my fighting stance...I was ready to kill.


    __________


    -- POV Magni --


    *Did I hear wrong?*


    It had to be, how could a young wolf as weak as her try to kill us both? Paying no further attention to her words I turned my attention back to the ck wolf and Daggus. The ice spikes faced the sword made of lightning with incredible violence and precision. The craziest thing is that she was also able to ce her physical attacks perfectly without ever worrying about her element. Moreover she did not make any incantation, who was she then?


    I couldn''t follow the fight anymore, the she-wolf was fast, too fast for me, and was linking elemental attacks and physical attacks without any difficulty.


    Suddenly an ice pick appeared in front of me and nted itself in my wing making me fall violently to the ground !


    *Damn it hurts!*


    As I looked towards the she-wolf to try to understand what was happening, I saw a smirk stuck on her face as if everything she had said so far was true. My blood began to boil. Did she really want to kill me when we first met? No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn''t understand why a she-wolf from nowhere would try to kill us. For power?


    The questions kepting up as I tried to suppress them as best I could to focus on the fight of my life.


    *Arrrggg*


    The spikes pierced me and with each blow, a burning sensation was felt on impact. This was definitely not normal ice. As I tried to protect myself as best I could, I felt a presence behind me...it was the she-wolf. Daggusy dead at her feet, his limbs torn off, his insides gutted and his face contorted by...rage? Desperation?


    The she-wolf was watching me intensely as a powerful and frightening aura came from her body. My body shook with fear and fascination as the ck beast advanced toward me with its protruding bloody fangs twisting into a smile.


    I was next...


    _________


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos (unique race created for the host) - Cub


    Race : Demon


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Dragon Tamer


    Level : 14/30


    Exp needed for next level : 300 / 15 000


    HP : 20 070 / 25 000 MP : 7 153 / 12 500


    Strength : 140


    Defense : 151


    Agility : 140


    Stamina : 133


    Speed : 132


    Intelligence : 115


    Charisma : 110 (majestic she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Rted to: Dragon Earth Gaya


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 3)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 4)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 4)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - blocked


    - Katana mastery (lvl max) - blocked


    - Demonic Aura (lvl 2)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 3)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 4)


    Resistance to pain (lvl 2)


    Other - Humanoid form (blocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 3)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 2)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]

 Chapter 16 Fight Against Magni And Daggus (Part II)

    -- POV Magni --


    The she-wolf stood before me with a devilish grin, her aura overwhelming me as I could not breathe. How had she killed Daggus so quickly? Why didn''t I feel her power earlier? Had she been lying to me all this time? She must have.


    So many questions were running through my mind as I tried to make sense of the situation.


    "Wha...what''s going on?"


    I had managed to formte a sentence despite the unbearable paining from my entire body. The ck she-wolf still facing me had a sly smile on her face. The submissive and fearful voice had disappeared to be reced by a cold and dominating voice.


    "What a stupid sphinx! Thank you for allowing me to carry out my n."


    As she exined what she had nned all along, I was paralyzed as I realized the stupidity of my actions. I had intended to ughter the she-wolf and her pack once Daggus was defeated with her help, but I had ended up unconsciously helping her of my own volition.


    "You are far more power-hungry than Warg, Daggus, and mebined Wolf!"


    "I seek power indeed, but my main goal was to destroy the seal that holds Gaya in the mountain in the west."


    Upon hearing his words I flinched...Gaya the earth dragon we had sealed 10 years ago? The mother of dragons?


    "Impossible! Why would you do such a thing? Don''t you know that she is the most powerful creature in this forest? If you release her, you can''t im to be the beast queen!"


    I had to do everything I could to dissuade her from killing me. If she sought to be recognized as the most powerful, she would never dare to free Gaya. I would just have to swear fealty to her and patiently wait for a perfect moment to kill her and make her regret her actions!


    My n was perfect, I was perfect! Escaping death is an easy thing for me the great sphinx Magni!!!


    "And? I don''t care about this forest, I''m not looking to be its queen or to stay here."


    Her tone was haughty and filled with disdain.


    "Arrg... "


    Despite the pain, I tried to continue my sentence to find out a little more.


    "...But then why release Gaya? Did she threaten you? I guess..."


    For someone toe up with the idea of freeing this dragoness, they must have either been crazy, ignorant, or coerced. That was the only exnation. As I thought about it, I could feel my body bleeding to death. But I could not die here, I was about to convince her. Just a little more, a little more time and everything would be back to normal.


    "I am her master..."


    "Eh?"


    "..."


    Her master? Why would a dragon as strong as Gaya obey the orders of a wolf as weak and stupid as her? My mind was spinning at a thousand miles an hour. While I had already forgotten the screams of pain in my body, an idea was brewing in my mind. A brilliant idea!


    *If it turns out that she is telling the truth, I must gain the wolf''s trust. I could manipte her easily to get her to betray Gaya and get rid of her once and for all. Once done I would take care of her and be the most powerful beast mwahaha ~!!!*


    My n was perfect! Unfailing!!! I could already feel that the wolf would not kill me. She had only been able to kill Daggus because I had done the dirty work for her before, but the fact was that she was still in better shape than me. So for the moment I had to keep a low profile in order to strike betterter.


    *Yosh! Operation Revenge is on! Step 1: Bait her.*


    "Wolf...I think we can help each other. I know a simple way for you to possess even more power than you''ve ever had."


    "...."


    *Step 2: Make her dream*


    "You say you are the master of the dragon Gaya, so why not kill her to level up and be the most powerful? Together we can rule the forest and more!"


    *Step 3 ...*


    Before I even had time to continue my n, I could feel the wolf''s aura bing much more powerful and overwhelming.


    "BETRAY YOU SAY ????"


    She was beside herself as her fur bristled on her back, her eyes were murderous, bloodshot and she snarled as she showed her fangs. I didn''t know why she was reacting this way, but I had to calm the game down quickly.


    "I..don''t you want to evolve? How can you be sure the dragon won''t betray you?"


    The moment before the she-wolf was ready to kill me, and now she was smiling wryly.


    "I made a contract with her."


    "WHAT!!! You bonded with her?"


    "Eh? Bound?"


    She had bonded with Gaya. Thest earth dragon in this world had bonded with the towering wolf standing before me. I couldn''t believe it. I had heard years ago that a dragon chooses her mate with the utmost care. That must have meant that she wasn''t just an ordinary wolf. I had underestimated her.


    As she stared at me with her cold, bewitching eyes she asked me a question I wasn''t expecting.


    "You seem to know a lot about Gaya. Tell me what you know about her will you?"


    "I...I know that she is thest of her kind still alive. I couldn''t say how long ago she was born but she is known as the mother of dragons. A powerful creature at her peak and respected by all dragons (all races)."


    "What else?"


    "Since she was sealed, she has lost 32 levels in thest ten years due to the mana she lets out."


    "How do you know that?"


    "Simple...logical deduction. After all, I''m one of the people who locked her up."


    I didn''t know what was going on as the she-wolf jumped on my chest, crushing it with power you could hear the cracking of my bones. I was in pain...a lot of pain..and I didn''t even understand her mood swings. All I could see was the anger in his eyes and his neutral face.


    "You sealed it for 10 years and weakened it..WHY?"


    "We...we were afraid of her power when she first moved to the west after the massacre of her n...we.."


    Before I could even finish my sentence, her fangs growled in front of my face.


    "Wolf! Wait I...I can help you be more powerful!"


    I was desperate as I saw them getting dangerously close. His eyes plunged into mine seemed both empty and so deep as I sank into his amethyst gaze. His paw crashed into my skull as I tried to continue my argument.


    "I.. NO...AAAARRRGGH"


    "Please...please!!! I can help you! Wolf!"


    "Thanks but I have the system and Kira for that. Sayonara!"


    *Kira ? System? What the hell is she talking about?*


    Were myst thoughts as her sharp fangs tore into my face and my mind shut down to let me fall into an eternal sleep filled with questions, regrets and disappointments.


    "Oh and...my name i..."


    _________


    -- POV Freya --


    "...my name is Freya!"


    [Onee-san, she''s already dead.]


    *Tsk!!!


    -- PING --


    [Congrattions! The host has killed two higher level monsters +10,000 XP ]


    [ You killed a lvl 19 Golden Lion ]


    [ You killed a lvl 16 Sphinx ]


    [ You gain 125,700 EXP ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (15) ]


    [You have learned the skill Telepathy ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (16) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (17) ]


    [Condition met to advance to next level (18) ]


    [Condition met to advance to next level (19) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (20) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (21) ]


    [Your HP and MP have increased ]


    [ Demon''s ws skill has been increased to level 4 ]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [ You now have 700 attribute points ]


    _______


    The notifications rushed past me, each one filling me with intense joy.


    *700 attribute points...wow*


    [Onee-san it''s amazing your n worked and now we can break Gaya''s seal!]


    *Yes and we also got a lot of information about her. I am now level 21 kufufu ~*


    [I told you so! Now you need to heal your wounds before you do anything. We''ll have plenty of time to take stock after that].


    I agreed with her, now I had to allocate my attribute points.


    _______


    Strength: 140 > 250


    Defense: 151 > 251


    Agility: 140 > 250


    Endurance: 133 > 253


    Speed : 132 > 252


    Intelligence : 115 > 255


    Charisma : 110 (majestic she-wolf)


    __________


    Unlike the other times, I could feel my body growing slightly to support my new muscles. The sensation that ran through my body was indescribable, I was addicted to these physical changes. My wounds were healing but not hurting because of my resistance to pain. My body was changing and so was my mind. I was now taller, slightly shorter than a human by the looks of it I would say I was 5 feet tall on my four legs.


    My mind was sharp and when I concentrated intensely, time passed much more slowly. I was lightning fast and as strong as at least 1,000 men. These changes were unbelievable and I was literally shocked at the difference in strength that this action gave me.


    [Congrattions onee-san! I see that a lot has changed. With your speed of evolution, you''ll be level 30 soon, I''m sure!]


    *Thank you! And yes, I can''t wait to be able to speak out loud! Testing my strength in human form should also be very exciting.*


    Sitting on the scorched earth dreaming of the future, I began to organize the information Magni had given me before she died.


    ording to her, Gaya was thest of her kind and a legend in the dragon world. Magni had also told me about being rted to her but I didn''t know what she meant.


    *What did she mean when she said I was rted to Gaya?*


    [I honestly don''t know more about it. I think you should ask her directly].


    *Mmh*


    I had a feeling in my heart that something was wrong. I had the main information, but I was missing a piece of the puzzle that seemed crucial.


    I had to hurry back to the West to ask him all the questions I had in mind.


    *Yosh! Let''s go back and find Gaya because we have a lot to do!*


    [What do you mean?]


    *I have to ask her some questions about her n, about her and especially about this contract that I seem to be the only one who doesn''t understand despite the fact that I''m directly concerned!*


    [I have to admit that there is something we are missing. Hurry up ande back then!]


    *Yes, but first...


    _______


    *Thank you for the meal!*


    Leaving behind me the skeletons of my enemies that I had eaten, I set off again through the forest to return to the cave where Gaya was waiting for me.  The path that had taken me a few days, would now only take me a few hours. Not bothering to control my strength, I went ahead because I wanted to get there as quickly as possible.


    My powerful body sped by at an incredible speed, the trees turning over in my path without me touching them. I was lightning fast and extremely agile despite my imposing body. I was going to find Gaya and get all the answers to my questions.


    _______


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos- Cub


    Race : Demon


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon Tamer


    Level : 21/30


    Exp needed for next level : 10 000 / 22 000


    HP : 60 000 / 60 000 MP : 30 000 / 30 000


    Strength : 250


    Defense : 251


    Agility : 250


    Stamina : 253


    Speed : 252


    Intelligence : 255


    Charisma : 110 (majestic wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Rted to: Dragon Earth Gaya


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 4)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 4)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 4)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - blocked


    - Katana mastery (lvl max) - blocked


    - Demonic Aura (lvl 2)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 3)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 4)


    Resistance to pain (lvl 2)


    Other - Humanoid form (blocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 3)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 2)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]

 Chapter 17 Congratulations

    -- POV Gaya --


    I was sound asleep when a thud of running footsteps woke me from my slumber. Half-conscious I scanned the dark cave with my eyes. Nothing. As a dragon, I had very good hearing, these sounds wereing from outside the cave, so I couldn''t tell who they wereing from. They were getting closer, louder and closer. The rock seemed to shake as I suddenly felt a powerful being enter the mountain.


    *I can''t fight, if this being is hostile it''s death for sure.*


    For the first time in a long time I was afraid, afraid to die after so many years of struggling to stay alive.


    *The presence is getting closer !*


    I stood there motionless, unable to hide or run away...I was trapped and vulnerable.


    *And to think that I was soon to be freed...*


    The being was already almost at the entrance of the room where I had been sealed. I looked with anticipation and fear at the ce from which she would emerge...I could feel hering. As she entered this ce, I could almost hear my heart beating rapidly in my chest, it was uncontroble.


    She came out of the darkness and I could finally put an image on this incredible power...it was her.


    *Freya !*


    She was back.


    ________________


    -- POV Freya --


    I was finally standing in front of Gaya and she seemed rather disturbed...no doubt my new power. A lot had changed since I left, but the most important thing was that I now had a little sister. Working on my rtionship side, I had decided to be nicer to the dragoness and treat her with more respect under Kira''s guidance. She was kind of the one who kept me from being too hard on those who didn''t deserve it. I could make an effort with my words, but my voice was still quite cold naturally.


    "Hello Gaya."


    "Well..hello Freya-sama! I didn''t expect to see you so soon!"


    She was right, I had dispatched the mission in just a few days.


    As I told her the series of events I had experienced, I could see her mouth open as I spoke.


    "Anyway, the point of all this is that I am now able to lift your seal."


    "I...I don''t know what to say...thank you..thank you from the bottom of my heart."


    "Wait a little while before you thank me because I have some questions to ask you."


    I was determined to ask her everything I didn''t understand about the contract. As for her past and her n, I had decided to wait for her to tell me about it on her own. I didn''t want her to know the details of my past life yet, so I wasn''t going to force her to tell me about hers.


    "Tell me what is this contract? Why did Magni talk about being rted to you? I don''t understand. Didn''t I be your master?"


    [Onee-san for the record no one has ever said that word.]


    *Isn''t that how it should be?*


    [I...I don''t know.]


    While I was thinking, Gaya spoke up.


    "Um...Freya-sama I need to talk to you about something important about this contract."


    "I''m listening!"


    "This pet contract is exactly what I told you the first time, I didn''t lie to you..however.."


    "Go on, I''m losing my patience."


    [Onee-san, be more calm.]


    I couldn''t be calmer, Gaya''s words scared me and I didn''t feel like waiting even a second longer before getting my answer at all.


    "This contract for us dragons is quite special, I would even say it is unique. It can only be formed once in a lifetime and know that dragons'' lifetime is extremely long."


    "..."


    "What I mean is that when I formed this contract with you, I agreed to give you my soul, my body until death takes me."


    "In other words..."


    "Yes...bonding with you means that I made you my partner for life."


    "..."


    My mind went nk. I couldn''t believe what Gaya was telling me..I was...her partner?.


    "When you say partner...is that the equivalent ofpanion ?"


    [Onee-san...I don''t think it is...]


    "The contract that is called a pet contract is known among all dragons as "Tuum usque in sempiternum" which means "forever yours". If I were to use human terms, I would say that I am now like...um...your wife."


    "Wha..."


    [...so that...]


    "Of course this is only a belief that concerns dragons! Freya-sama, there''s no need for you to ept it, you can pretend it''s just a simple contract without any solemn dimension!"


    I was shocked by what she had just told me. Everything made more sense and I now understood why Gaya had been agitated during the process.


    Despite the shock of the announcement I wasn''t really angry because it didn''tmit me to anything. I even felt sorry for Gaya who had to bond with me to survive, I had unknowingly deprived her of something important for the dragons.


    "I..I don''t know what to say. I guess this is all final...I didn''t know."


    [You should apologize right?]


    *Sigh..*


    Kira was right, we were nning to travel together anyway, I didn''t want to have a problem with her. And I must admit that she intrigued me


    "Look Gaya...I''m sorry."


    It wasn''t hard for me to apologize because I felt truly sorry. Even though I was going to save her, I had been able to gain a lot of levels during my journey, in a way it was also because of her. So it was already a win-win, but I had deprived her of her freedom.


    "Freya-sama..."


    "Freya...call me Freya."


    There was no way I was going to treat her like I was her master. I could see Gaya smile slightly as she continued.


    "Freya you are not responsible, I made this choice of my own free will and I would be more than happy to apany you in your desire to crush the humans who deserve it and save all those races who are oppressed. It is up to you to see this contract as you wish, I have no desire to impose anything on you."


    I didn''t know what to say but I had to make a decision. I had never had a rtionship in my past life and I didn''t think I would have one here either, but the force of fate alwayses knocking at my door when I least expect it. I didn''t know Gaya and I still didn''tpletely trust her at the moment, but I couldn''t ignore the sacrifice the dragoness had made to survive.


    I may have considered myself heartless, but since meeting Kira I began to see things in a different light. I didn''t know if I was going to spend my whole life with her, but I wanted to honor her decision and take responsibility.


    [Are you afraid? I don''t understand this "wife" thing yet, but I understood that the contract she chose to have with you is something strong].


    *I''m not afraid...I''m lost. How did it turn out this way? Just this morning I was in the forest and now I have a wife ?*


    [Theoretically you had a wife when you left the cave, but that''s just a detail pfffhahah ~]


    *Oi Kira ! The day you will have a body, make me think of giving you a little lesson! kufufu ~*


    [Glup...onee-san if it''s the same as Warg, thanks but I''ll pass! ]


    *Kufufu ~ who knows !*<novelnext></novelnext>


    After joking one with Kira to rx, I was ready to seriously give her my answer.


    "Look Gaya...I am aware of what you have sacrificed in order to survive. I will keep my word and release you so that you can apany me. As for the contract, it is stillplicated for me in my mind...if I ept that you be my wife what will happen?"


    "I will be close to you until the end of my life or yours. If you ept it, I will be your confidant and I will support you no matter what happens, no matter who you decide to face. Even if you were to go up against the whole world I would be there by your side ready to face it. I will take care of you and protect you with my life. Although I would naturally do it whether you ept or refuse. I will be your family and you will be mine."


    I couldn''t speak as Gaya''s words resonated deep within me. Someone to give your heart to... A family. I had already opened my heart to Kira and I had never regretted doing so, it could also be said that I considered her my family despite the circumstances. I didn''t want to admit it, but hearing someone say words that I had never heard before made me happy. Deep down I had always wanted to know that kind of happiness and to be honest her words made me envious. I also had the right to have a family, even if my path was going to be rough and bloody. Who said I couldn''t start trusting again? And this contract was valid no matter what.


    Seeing me lost in my thoughts, the dragoness spoke up again.


    "I will always follow you even if you decide not to honor the tradition of my people. But don''t forget that I decided to follow you before I made the pact. I know this story is crazy and I apologize for it, so don''t worry about me and make the decision following your heart."


    *Following my heart...what I really want in my heart...*


    [I will also support you no matter what choice you make.]


    I didn''t know it, but Kira was inwardly hoping that I would ept Gaya as my wife. She knew more than anyone what I had been through and who I had be. Kira wanted me to have someone other than her to trust, she wanted me to be happy and loved. Deep down...I wanted that too.


    Taking a deep breath I decided to stop making them wait.


    "Alright let''s try it!"


    My voice was firm and filled with determination as I continued.


    "I could never refuse after the sacrifice you made, you literally offered me your life. I would never treat people like you badly who have done nothing to me and whom I truly respect. But I must warn you that for the moment you may be my wife by contract, but as far as feelings are concerned it''s different. You''re not in love with me and I''m not in love with you so let''s get to know each other, pursue our goals and see how it goes."


    "..."


    "All of this is to say that I''m not against it and I would take responsibility, but feelings can''t be ordered. I agree to see how this rtionship will evolve and I will only call you "my wife" if one day my feelings are in line with the calling. Let''s say for now that we are...um...engaged? That way I don''t reject the possibility of you bing my wife one day, but I also don''t ept it because it would be too quick and foolish at this point in our rtionship. Be my fianc¨¦e and let''s see the rest in the future. Do you ept ?"


    I didn''t want to be disrespectful to her beliefs and I wanted to learn about this dragoness named Gaya but I didn''t want to fake a rtionship...that wasn''t my style.


    "I dly ept. I know that no matter what happens in my eyes as well as in the eyes of my fellows I am now your wife but I am happy and grateful that you have not rejected the beliefs of my race. I don''t know you either and there is no guarantee that we will get along at this point despite the circumstances. Time will tell, we indeed have plenty of time to get to know each other."


    "Then you are now my fianc¨¦e."


    -- PING --


    [ Congrattions ! ]


    [ Rted to : Dragon Earth Gaya > Engaged to : Gaya ]


    *This damn system !*


    [It''s right onee-san haha congrattions !]


    Sighing, I never imagined that one day I would be "engaged" to a dragon but life is full of surprises, especially mine. Nothing was set in stone and I had to let time do its thing. But I would be lying if I said that somewhere I was not happy.


    Now it was time to free Gaya and move up to level 30. I was going to have my first course evolution.


    _______


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Cub


    Race : Demon


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon Tamer


    Level : 21/30


    Exp needed for next level : 10 000 / 22 000


    HP : 60 000 / 60 000 MP : 30 000 / 30 000


    Strength : 250


    Defense : 251


    Agility : 250


    Stamina : 253


    Speed : 252


    Intelligence : 255


    Charisma : 110 (majestic she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Engaged to : Gaya


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 4)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 4)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 4)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - blocked


    - Katana mastery (lvl max) - blocked


    - Demonic Aura (lvl 2)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 3)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 4)


    Resistance to pain (lvl 2)


    Other - Humanoid form (blocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 3)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 2)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]

 Chapter 18 Release Gaya And 2nd Evolution

    -- POV Freya --


    Now that the "contract" thing was settled, it was time to get her seal off. I had managed to save time by finishing this mission quickly, but Gaya''s time was still running out. She was continuously releasing a huge amount of mana into the cave and with her damaged circuits her body was losing life.


    *Kira, do you know how I''m supposed to do this? The seal is no longer powered by the 3 bags of EXP but those chains are still there.*


    [Don''t worry, it should be quick enough. Go to the altar where Gaya is and use your "Devouring Chaos" skill on the chains. This way you should get some EXP to level up and at the same time get rid of the rest of the magic that is hindering Gaya].


    *Okay I see the picture.*


    "Gaya, I''m finally going to keep my promise, just wait a bit and you''ll be free!"*


    "YES!"


    I calmly walked over to the crimson scaled dragoness who was not hiding her joy and threw my chaos skill at the chains. They began to crackle and hum as I could feel a considerable amount of mana seeping through the ck mist and boosting my stats, it was fast...very fast.


    "How do you manage to do that?? That''s amazing!!!"


    Gaya saw me for the first time using a skill other than ice still without incantation and didn''t seem to believe it. She was wide-eyed as the chains gradually dissipated absorbed by my chaos.


    "Freya..who are you really?"


    "Hahaha ~ Me?.... a future empress."


    I didn''t want to tell her everything about my system, the mission given by Goddess Titania and my past yet. I was still a little scared, all this was new to me, but maybe one day she would agree to listen to me, I was strangely not closed to the idea.


    While I was still lost in my thoughts, a series of notifications started ringing in my mind.


    -- PING --


    [ You earn 245,000 EXP ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (22) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (23) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (24) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (25) ]


    .....


    After several minutes thest of them were disyed as the chains finally disappeared from Gaya''s body. With a dull crack, the magic was gone. That was it, the work was done and Gaya was now free


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (30) ]


    [ The Devouring Chaos skill is now level 4 ]


    *Phew I think it''s over...*


    -- PING --


    [ Host is currently at level 30 - Would you like to upgrade? ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    I finally had the message I was looking forward to the most. In a few moments I would evolve my race for the first time and discover my human form. But before that, I had to make sure that Gaya was okay.


    She was now standing and towering over me, she was still weak but I could feel that she was happy to finally be free.


    "This is it...I''m free...Freya... thanks you !!"


    I couldn''t even imagine what it was like to be locked up for 10 years without being able to talk to anyone, move...without being able to live. After all she had been through, I was happy to see her smile. How long had I been like this?


    *It all started with Kira* I thought with augh.


    [Huh? What?]


    *Ah hum... nothing*


    As I watched Gaya, I could see that she was trying to move her limbs one by one to exercise her muscles. Her scales on her wrists, ankles and neck were still damaged and even torn off.


    "How do you n to heal?"


    "Don''t worry Freya, I''ll heal by letting my body feed on your mana, that''s the advantage of being bound...I mean engaged. However, I think I need to get some sleep as the process is quite grueling."


    I could understand her, regenerating her circuits and body even with my help must take a lot of mana and right now hers wasn''t stable.


    "Mmh no worries, I was nning to evolve. If you wake up before I do, don''t be surprised at what you''ll see."


    "All right! Be careful. On that note...see youter..aww."


    The fact that we were engaged hadn''t changed much so far because we had agreed to get to know each other and so far everything was going great. What I didn''t know was that Gaya was taking things very seriously and that her heart had already more or less decided.


    [So it''s time?]


    *Hell yeah !*


    [ The host is currently at level 30 - Would you like to proceed with the evolution? ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    Taking a deep breath as I stood in the far corner of the room, I validated my answer.


    *YES*


    At that moment, a dark purple light appeared at my heart, then enveloped my entire body in a blinding beam. I could no longer see, hear or feel anything, my senses had disappeared. My consciousness faded as I fell into a deep sleep.


    _________


    -- POV Gaya --


    As I slowly awoke from my restful sleep, I could feel my body being much stronger and healthier than it had been a few hours ago. My scales were a bright crimson red and the ones that were torn or damaged were all healed and present.


    "I''m not dreaming am I?"


    I no longer needed to speak telepathically either and my voice echoed around the room. All of this had only been possible because of one person...Freya...my savior and fianc¨¦e. When I looked into her eyes, I could tell that she had not had a simple life. Her eyes did not belong to someone who was recently born and yet it seemed that way. Freya was a mystery to me.


    I wanted to protect her and I wanted to lighten the burden she seemed to carry for a very long time. Despite her imposing presence, her cold and melodious voice and her imperial air, she had a heart like everyone else.


    *Even if her heart is broken, I will be the one to fix it!*


    I was determined in my mission. I hadn''t known her for long, but as soon as I had seen her for the first time, a desire to follow her hade over me. Maybe it was fate...no...it was fate.


    Coming to my senses I searched the room for a sign of that ck she-wolf...she wasn''t there. Moving into the darkness to check again, I saw a form lying in the corner, a human form.


    "A human here? No way !!"


    Cautiously approaching, I could see the unknown figure moving. The woman lying there seemed to be waking up and scanning her body. She was from behind, so I couldn''t see her face and she still hadn''t noticed me.


    "1...2...1...2...Test...Test"


    "..."


    "How good it feels to finally speak out loud!"


    I would recognize that voice in a thousand ! Firm, cold, majestic and full of confidence.


    "Fr...Freya?"


    As she turned and walked towards me, I could finally see her human appearance. I was speechless and my heart began to beat furiously in my chest.


    "So? How do I look?"


    She was about 5''7" tall, and had long, dark hair that reached down to her waist. It had the distinction of having a white streak in it, though, which must have matched the white hair she had on her back in her wolf form. Freya had a perfect white skin, slightly pink, which brought out the intensity of her eyes. Deep dark violet eyes, piercing and glowing with dangerous ferocity. Her face showed no emotion, but I knew that the day I''ll see her smile in this form..my heart would surely stop.


    I wanted to see her pink lips smile...and in all my dragon life, this was the first time I had seen such an incredible woman. She was beautiful...gorgeous, of a cold beauty, mesmerizing and supernatural.


    "You...you are beautiful.."


    I could hardly speak in the face of this woman with such a strong presence and beauty. I was breathless, my heart was racing and I couldn''t turn my head away from her face. Mine was heating up as I told myself she was far too beautiful...dangerously beautiful.


    "Oh and look!"


    Freya was unaware of her beauty and as I watched, she shed two ck wolf ears on her head, a tail on her lower back and two horns on each end of her forehead.


    "This is my original humanoid form, but I can make these features disappear at will to look more like a human."


    In front of me stood a moon-perfectly beautiful she-wolf woman of about 26 years old.


    Slowlying to, a sudden detail jumped out at me...she was naked.


    _______


    -- POV Freya ---


    As I showed my new form to Gaya, I looked at the notifications I had recently received.<novelnext></novelnext>


    -- PING --


    [Congrattions ! The host has unlocked her race evolution: "Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Cub" bes "Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult"


    The host has evolved her race: "Demon" bes "Major Demon". Due to your advancement rewards are now avable : ]


    [All skills go up one level.]


    [Demonic Aura (lvl 2) has be Empress Demonic Aura (lvl 3) ]


    [The skill Demon ws (lvl 4) has be : Major Demon ws (lvl 5) ]


    [The skill Bite of Hell (level 4) has be Bite of Frozen Hell (level 5) ]


    [The skill Infernal Ice Spikes (lvl 4) has be : Infernal Ice Spikes (lvl 5) ]


    [The skill Ice Demon Wall (level 3) has be Ice Demon Wall (level 4) ]


    [Ice Creation elemental skill has been upgraded to level 4 ]


    [The skill Chaos Storage has been increased to level 5 ]


    [The elemental skill Devouring Chaos has been increased to level 5.]


    [ Blocked skills are now avable ]


    [You now have 300 attribute points ]


    [ Your HP and MP have increased ]


    So much information was listed I didn''t even know where to start! While I was thinking about how to proceed, Gaya spoke up.


    "Freya...wouldn''t it be better if you returned to your wolf form for now?"


    "Eh? Why?"


    Gaya was agitated and kept looking at me only to look away immediately.


    "Um..Freya you don''t have any clothes on."


    [Ara ara ~ I have my back turned for five minutes and you are already naked in front of your fianc¨¦e !?]


    Ignoring Kira''s mockery, I lowered my head and as a strand of hair fell over my face, I saw that I was naked. I didn''t really care but it seemed to disturb Gaya. I hadn''t seen myself in this form yet so I didn''t really know what I looked like. Maybe I was ugly, or maybe I had a scar on my face...who knows.


    Returning to my wolf form, I could see that once again I had grown. I was no longer 5 feet tall, but rather 5''7", I was as tall as I was in my human form. I was a giant wolf the size of a pr bear. The rest hadn''t changed much so I decided to check in with Gaya.


    "So Gaya, how are you feeling?"


    [She certainly seems to have recovered well !]


    "I''m in great shape! It will be a while before I can take my humanoid form as my MPs are slowly regenerating but I already feel like I''m saved and out of the woods."


    "That''s good to hear, perfect! For starters, is it possible for you to downsize? I''d like to look for a human city if possible so I can get there."


    Now that I was level 30, I had decided to look for a human city because I had learned from Daggus that one was not too far from here. The n was to settle down in an inn to finally check all my changesfortably. To tell the truth I was longing for a bath and I couldn''t stand sleeping outside or in an unhealthy cave. I wanted to leave right away.


    "I can reduce my height to 1 meter, but I couldn''t do more for the moment."


    The dragoness shrank again and again to finally be smaller than me, she was a mini version of herself.


    [Aww!]


    She was pretty adorable I must admit.


    "Yosh ! Hop on my back, I''ll exin the rest of our journey on the way."


    Gaya hesitated and seemed nervous. Her reaction made me chuckle.


    "Eh? I...really? But you said that..."


    "Kufufufu ~ Come on up I''m not going to eat you."


    And so Gaya, Kira and I were off to find our first human city. Beware, the empress ising!


    _________


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon Tamer


    Level : 30/70


    Exp needed for next level : 0 / 31 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 250


    Defense : 251


    Agility : 250


    Stamina : 253


    Speed : 252


    Intelligence : 255


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Engaged to : Gaya


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Major demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of the frozen hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Combat techniques (lvl max) - unlocked


    - Katana Mastery (lvl max) - unlocked


    - Demonic Aura of the Empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 4)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Resistance to pain (lvl 3)


    Other - Humanoid form (unlocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 5)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]

 Chapter 19 Encounter With Humans

    -- POV General --


    Near the southwestern entrance to the Syn forest was a town of humans who at that time were unaware of the one that was heading their way. This town was located on a small hill slightly above the surroundings, it was called Yarlford.


    Yarlford was not very well known despite being well popted because it was located on the southeastern border of the kingdom of Zal and was not very rich. Most of the people there were humans and the only half-humans present were either ves or orphans in the streets. In the kingdom of Zal, as in the entire continent, very wasmonce, so much so that no one openly criticized the practice. The city lord himself, a man named Fillber Harker, was a well-known ve trader from Yarlford.


    The Syn Forest was generally home to unintelligent creatures between levels 1 and 10, and was an ideal ce for the novice adventurers who swarmed the city. For more experienced adventurers, it was just a ce to pass through or get supplies.


    Towards the entrance of the city, as the sun wasing up, a group of adventurers could be seen walking towards the forest in search of some beasts to fight. There were three of them, two men and a woman. She was a level 6 mage of the light element based on healing and the rest consisted of a level 7 swordsman and a level 7 archer.


    "I hope today will be more will be more productive than yesterday, I need money for the festival tomorrow night!"


    The swordsman who had spoken these words was tall and muscr, his mid-length brown hair made a wisp that fell steadily in front of his ck eyes, which he always pushed back with a charming (ording to him) shake of his head. He was the self-proimed most handsome man in town and was therefore a relentless flirt.


    "Oscar I remind you that we all need money here! Why do you think I''m spending my time with you in this fucking forest! Tsk"


    The one who had spoken up and answered Oscar was the only woman in the party, her name was Alice Crowell. Her white dress, blonde hair and green eyes made her look like an angel but she was way far from it.


    "Come on, don''t be shy, I know you dream of spending a night with me hahahaha ~!"


    Oscar as he said these words tried to grab Alice by the waist in vain while the archer looked at them with disdain all the way. Coming from a noble family in the city, he was also in a group with them out of obligation. Richard of the Duyer family was a nobleman who had made a bet with his father that he could make a living easily. He had to turn to the guild because he thought the adventurers were rolling in money.


    The three adventurers were not friends at all and ended up teaming up for different, yet simr reasons.


    Oscar wanted money to buy drinks for the many women at the festival that was going to take ce the next night in the hope of getting them into bed. Alice needed money to pay her entrance fee to a bloody half-human ve fight in an unfriendly ce. And Richard simply wanted to win his bet to prove to his father that he was no longer a child.


    "What are we looking for then?"


    Alice asked the other two. The one to answer her was obviously the talkative and leader Oscar because Richard didn''t like talking tomoners and so kept his mouth shut most of the time.


    "Today''s mission is to hunt 5 red squirrels for 10 bronze coins each. The guild apparently wants to use their furs."


    "Mmmh well I hope we ship this mission very quickly because tonight is the big fight!"


    Alice was all excited and couldn''t wait to get home to spend her savings in this ce that meant death to all non-human beings.


    "Still hanging out there, this is no ce for a woman. And I don''t see how it''s interesting to see garbage hitting each other stupidly. If I''m going to use trash I''d much rather spend my time in a half-human brothel!"


    "Shut up! And that''s even worse, how can you touch them ?... it disgusts me."


    Alice couldn''t understand how Oscar could like to touch such imperfect beings as half-humans.


    For many, if not most, humans, other races were considered imperfect,cking most human qualities and therefore inferior. They were not seen as living beings but rather as objects to be used as they pleased.


    ______


    It was already almost noon when the trio finally killed theirst red squirrels, which Oscar put in his bag. The group had been walking for several hours and the return journey was just as long. Sittingzily in the grass for a moment, Aliceined again.


    "Damn it! A whole morning to chase five damn bugs! And look at my dress, it''s all stained with blood!."


    In reality, there were only a few drops. As she was about to slip behind a bush to put on her spare dress Richard for the first time since the morning spoke up and stopped her.


    "You! You''re not going to change here, are you? Don''t youmoners have any shame? Anyway, we still have a few hours before we can get back to Yarlford so get a move on, we''re going home."


    Alice did not want to retort because he was right, even if her desire to change her dress was strong, the desire to return was stronger. Going out of the thickets the raised hands in sign of reedition the young woman began to walk in direction of the city by sulking slightly. Oscar having seen this did not miss an opportunity to be...him.


    "Come on, don''t sulk, I''ll buy you a new dress for you if you want!"


    "You little..."


    Before she could finish her sentence the group felt the arrival of a powerful beasting from the east of the forest. Before they could say anything, the creature was standing there in front of them, obviously also surprised to meet them here.


    The three adventurers hade face to face with Freya and her group.


    "Form up everyone!"


    Oscar began to shout at the top of his lungs to wake up Alice and Richard shocked and unable to believe what was standing before them.


    "If we kill this beast to us the life of a king!"


    Blinded by his greed, the young man had not even realized that he would be running to his death and taking his group with him if he continued on this path.


    "Move ! Come on!"


    Alice and Richard then suddenly got into position,ing out of their trance-like states. As they pointed their bows and swords at Freya, she did not move and still watched them with amusement. The adventurers were unfortunately convinced that the she-wolf was between level 1 and 10, since she was in the forest. Therefore, they were not paralyzed by fear, but rather by the shock of its imposing size for a wolf.


    Richard shot an arrow first while Oscar was circling her to strike her with a sword in the back of the neck as soon as she''ll try to dodge. But against all odds Freya didn''t even try to dodge as the arrow flew straight at her.


    "What...is this creature stupid?"


    Alice couldn''t help but ask the question out loud, which caused Freya to frown slightly imperceptibly.


    "Hahaha it''s won!"


    The arrow finally hit its target, but the trio''s moment of rejoicing was short-lived as they could all see at that moment the projectile shatter on the imprable body of the she-wolf.


    Suddenly, all three fell to the ground as Freya''s aura dispersed into the air. Richard vomited under the pressure, while Oscar wet his pants and Alice was doing both. Freya still wasn''t moving and seemed to be enjoying the scene before her.


    "Im...impossible! How can such a powerful monster exist in this ce?"


    Trembling with fear, Alice tried to back away and run towards the city but a wall of ice appeared in front of her to block her way. It was cold, thick, impassable and at that moment the girl''s worst nightmare.


    Freya finally stepped forward ignoring the two men paralyzed by fear and stopped in front of Alice staring at her with her intense gaze.


    "It''s a shame you called me stupid, you could have lived."


    As she heard his voice, the girl unconsciously looked around to determine where it wasing from before realizing that it was indeed this huge wolf addressing her. Taking her courage in both hands, Alice finally dared to speak to Freya.


    "I...let me go please..."


    "Oh? and what about yourpanions right here?"


    "These...these are not mypanions, we had only decided to team up for only two three days before we split up."


    Freya inclined her head as she asked.


    "You wouldn''t give your life for them?"


    "Certainly not!"


    Alice''s answer was cold and left Oscar and Richard in total confusion. They were unaware of the mental conversation the two women were having and wondered if Alice had gone crazy.


    "You stupid...what did you say??"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Oscar had recovered from his emotions and despite his wet lower body and the shame that washed over him, he still managed to bark with pride.


    "Are you looking to trade us for your life?"


    "So what?"


    "You!!! If we survive this I promise to make you suffer you bitch."


    The two were already starting to fight when suddenly ice spikes out of nowhere pierced them simultaneously, causing both to die instantly.


    Freya had lost her patience with those humans who had irritated her to no end. Turning her gaze to the only one left, she smiled mischievously before heading back the way she came.


    ________


    -- POV Richard --


    I was running non-stop through the woods hoping to get to the city faster. I was terrified andpletely shocked by what had just happened.


    A wolf hade out of the bushes and suddenly attacked us, killing Oscar and Alice before escaping into the forest. I absolutely had to report this to the guild, a creature like that was far too dangerous to be left alive.


    "I..I have to warn father and get mercenaries..."


    Running out of breath, I cursed the beast in my mind as I vowed revenge. How had such a vulgar creature dared to put me in such a situation? I, a human and a nobleman.


    "Wolf, I will have your hide no matter what! When my father catches you, I''ll lock you up to teach you not to underestimate a human of the Duyer family ! And when I''m done with you and get tired of you you''ll be my mat !."


    Ruminating on my revenge, I finally reached the city running through the streets without worrying about my appearance towards my family''s mansion.


    What I didn''t know was that this same creature was heading straight for Yarlford.


    _________


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Title:


    Blessed by Titania Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon Tamer


    Level : 30/70


    Exp needed for next level : 0 / 31 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 250


    Defense : 251


    Agility : 250


    Stamina : 253


    Speed : 252


    Intelligence : 255


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Engaged to : Gaya


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Major demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of the frozen hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - unlocked


    - Katana Mastery (lvl max) - unlocked


    - Demonic Aura of the Empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 4)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Resistance to pain (lvl 3)


    Other - Humanoid form (unlocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 5)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]

 Chapter 20 Yarlford City

    -- POV Freya --


    -- PING --


    [ You earned 3000 EXP for killing your first humans ]


    *Sigh...what a pain in the ass those two were. At least they did me some good even though they were apparently too weak to give me a decent amount of EXP. *


    On our journey to the city, I didn''t expect to run into humans anytime soon. I was the only one to face them because I had asked Gaya to hide beforehand. A giant wolf was conspicuous enough as it was, so if a dragon were to be added to the equation it would be dramatic. I didn''t want to take any chances.


    The dragoness who wasing back to me, still in her mini form asked.


    "Why did you let thest one get away?"


    "I wanted him to let the city know that a creature more powerful than any other had taken up residence in this forest kufufu ~"


    Indeed, my idea was to let the rumor spread like wildfire in order to sow a little discord in this city. I didn''t attack the humans right away either, because I also wanted to observe them, gauge their strength and get an idea of what they could do. Unfortunately I didn''t get much information because the two I met seemed to be very limited intellectually.


    [Onee-san, you could have let me do it !]


    *Yes yes next time I''ll let you use the skills, I just couldn''t hold back any longer to pierce them.*


    When I first met them, I had deliberately chosen not to make any movements. I also wanted to get used to their presence a bit and try to control myself so that I wouldn''t freak out and raze the city once I got there...not yet. I still hated humans but I wasn''t stupid and I still knew how to control myself. And then with Kira in my mind who could calm me down if the need arose I felt much more confident. My desire to kill them all was still there, but after thinking about it observation and information are very important. Even with great power I didn''t want to throw myself at them without reason and without knowing anything about this world where they imed to be superior. I had to stay hidden until the time came.


    "Freya, how are we going to get into the city? You have your human form but I am still a dragon."


    The dragoness had a point, but I had an idea.


    "Follow me."


    Returning to where I had passed the humans, I pointed to the lifeless bodies.


    "I''m going to search the corpses and see if I can''t find some interesting stuff. As for the rest, it will depend on what I find. However I had the idea of going back first and then having you join me somehow once I find an inn and a room."


    Taking my human form which always seemed to disturb Gaya so much, I bent over the girl''s body to search the bag I had consciously spared during her death. It contained a purse full of coins, an identification te and a spare dress.


    *Who''s dumb enough to think of changing in the middle of a mission?*


    [She apparently.]


    *Anyway, it''s perfect, I''ve solved my clothing problem! Her death finally served me well kufufufu ~*


    So I put on the white dress that fit me perfectly and that should contrast well with the color of my hair before moving to the body of the man that I had found much too noisy. He had the same te and also a purse of coins but that was all he had.


    "Yosh! So we have 1 gold coin, 60 silver and 50 bronze. I still don''t know if it''s much but maybe we can afford a room, a bath and a meal."


    The tes they carried seemed to be used as identification cards. They showed name, ss, upation, and level.


    _____


    [Oscar Frost


    Swordsman


    Adventurer


    Level 7 ]


    _____


    [ Alice Crowell


    Elemental Mage of Light


    Adventurer


    Level 6 ]


    ______


    *It''s not too useful to me because with my analysis skill I can easily ess this information.*


    [But you didn''t even take the time to do it with them... why?]


    *Well, let''s just say I wanted to get an idea of their powers directly, rather than relying on my skill and finding out so easily. If I wanted to I could even kill them without them having to see me, but where''s the fun in that?*


    [Are you going to absorb the bodies here too?]


    *No. I don''t need to absorb them with devouring chaos because they wouldn''t bring me anything. Let them be eaten by the same creatures they used to hunt.*


    [Perfect and quite ironic.]


    Now that I had a dress, I couldn''t take my wolf form without tearing it, so I decided to continue on foot to the city. And if I had to cross paths with humans, I preferred to do it in my humanoid form, as it would be much less interesting for me. While walking, I thought of a way for Gaya to join me in all discretion.


    "Tell me Gaya..."


    "Yes Freya?"


    "Can you fly when you are so small?"


    I had a n in mind but for that she had to be able to fly.


    "I can fly yes, why?"


    "I''d like you to join me at night when it''s dark. How long will it take you to be able to return to your form?"


    The fact that Gaya was still stuck in her dragon form made our movements very restricted until she recovered to be able toe out into the light.


    "I thought it would take me several weeks, but your mana seems special, within a few days my circuits will be strong enough to be able to recover my MP and store it."


    Asking no more questions, Freya''s fianc¨¦e had realized that there was no point in forcing her to reveal her secrets. At some point, when she was ready, Gaya knew Freya would tell her everything.


    "Perfect, so for now follow me and when the city is in sight I will unfortunately have to ask you to stay in the forest until Ie to get you when it gets dark."


    [I do indeed think this is the best solution onee-san.]


    *Yosh let''s go! Once installed we will check all the changes of the evolution. I will also be able to distribute my attribute points quietly and above allfortably !*


    In my human form and apanied by Kira and Gaya, walking in the direction from which the humans came, we soon arrived in Yarlford.


    ________


    -- POV nameless guardian --


    *It''s already early afternoon and I still haven''t eaten. Damn guard duty! I''m up all day watching when I could be in the pub.*


    I really didn''t like standing around doing nothing while others were probably having fun, but I had to earn a living somehow.


    I was hoping today would be different and exciting, when suddenly I saw her.


    A young woman in the distance,ing out of the forest dressed in a white dress and..barefoot??


    "Hello Miss. Why do you wish to entry in Yarlford?"


    When she reached my height, I asked her the question that we guards were obliged to ask every new visitor. The young woman raised her head at my question and I was literally seized on the spot. She was beautiful. Her intense gaze made me tremble as I could feel her natural aura petrifying me. She didn''t smile and had a neutral face which made her even more enigmatic and frightening.


    She opened her lips and I could hear her voice.


    "I wish to enter. Is it forbidden?"


    Her voice was calm, cold andmanding. Ignoring the chill down my spine I told her that she had to show me her badge and that if she didn''t have it the entrance was at the price of a silver coin. The mysterious girl paid and I could see her walking away into the streets of Yarlford as one of my colleagues approached me.


    "Hey I came to rece you so you..."


    "..."


    "What the hell is wrong with you? Have you seen a ghost hahaha ~ ?"


    No. But I had just seen the most beautiful and scary woman in my life.


    I would only learn muchter that she was the cause of the tragedy that would soon strike our city.


    _________<novelnext></novelnext>


    -- POV Freya --


    Leaving Gaya in the forest, I entered the city and looked around. There wererge cobblestone streets filled with stores of all kinds. Humans were swarming like ants and all seemed busy doing their own thing. As I walked through the streets looking for an inn I could see that there were no free half-humans on the streets. The only ones I could see were chained in cages with cors around their necks or begging in the streets after or before being beaten by a human.


    *Tsk, this city disgusts me. How can they treat almost fellow human beings so cruelly?*


    I held back my urge to kill and my aura as much as possible to avoid being noticed, but this sad sight of discrimination and very was hard to bear.


    [We''ll see about thatter onee-san, look there''s an inn!]


    Heading inside without further ado, I ordered a room for two nights at the price of 100 bronze coins (50 per night). Lowering my head to hide my face and going up to my room, ignoring the eyes, I closed the door to finally be at peace. The room was small, with a table, a wardrobe and a bed. It was the bare minimum and although the bed seemed to be full of bacteria Iy down on it delicately so as not to break it to take stock.


    *First of all I have to take care of this huge number of attribute points.*


    I hadn''t opened my status since my evolution so I had a lot of things to check before I could take a bath, go out or eat.


    *50 points each should do the trick.*


    _____


    Strength: 250 > 300


    Defense: 251 > 301


    Agility: 250 > 300


    Endurance: 253 > 303


    Speed : 252 > 302


    Intelligence : 255 > 305


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    ______


    I could feel my body getting stronger again as a moan of satisfaction unconsciously came out of my mouth. This feeling was still incredible even though I had gotten used to it over time.


    I stood up to test the fluidity of my body, which felt even lighter, more flexible, faster and more powerful. Grabbing the chair from the table in my room to sit down, a cracking sound was heard as one part stayed in my hand and the other fell to the floor.


    "Damn! I need to get used to this new strength!"


    As I sat down on the broken chair, I asked Kira to keep me informed of my new changes.


    [Onee-san you have mainly gained HP, MP and level up your skills. However, your skills haven''t changed, some of them have different names but they are the same as a few days ago. To know now how much you spend on each use, you have to look at each skill in detail].


    "Oh? I thought I had something new, I''m disappointed."


    I spoke out loud because I was alone with Kira in my room at the inn, I didn''t need to converse with her in my mind at the moment.


    [You just started your course evolution so you don''t have to worry, the system should have quite a few things nned for the future].


    "You''re right! Right now I need a good bath. I still paid 10 bronze coins extra to have this option. I hope the water is hot or I destroy this town kufufufu ~"


    [All to the shelters pfffhahaha ~....wait...it''s a joke, right ?]


    "Hahaha ~ Come on, it''s almost dark so let''s head for the bath! You can show me my skills in detail once I''m nice and rxed in a tub of hot water!"


    As I headed to the bathroom, in an alleyway not far away, a little thing was staggering around, hurt and hungry.


    _______


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon Tamer


    Level : 30/70


    Exp needed for next level : 3 000 / 31 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 300


    Defense : 301


    Agility : 300


    Stamina : 303


    Speed : 302


    Intelligence : 305


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Major demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of the Frozen hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - unlocked


    - Katana Mastery (lvl max) - unlocked


    - Demonic Aura of the Empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 4)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Resistance to pain (lvl 3)


    Other - Humanoid form (unlocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]

 Chapter 21 The Little Girl With No Name

    [N/A: Dear readers ! It is my pleasure to introduce you to my favorite character in this story (not including Freya). I hope you enjoy this chapter and the two next because they are the ones I dreamed of writing since the beginning of my story. Some readers may be able to rte these chapters (21 / 22 / 23) and this character to a certain #tag in the synopsis (don''t watch if you don''t want to be "spoiled"). Feel free to give me feedback and thanks again for continuing to follow Freya''s adventures ! ]


    _________


    -- POV general --


    At the same time, as Freya was leaving to take her bath, a little half-human girl was walking with difficulty along the street. Holding her arm, she drew on what little strength she had to move through the crowd of humans bustling around her.


    The little girl had moon-white hair and amethyst violet eyes. She also had two small hairy ears above her head and a tail that were also white. She was not a ve because she was too young to have a good job but she was an orphan. This little half-human was half-wolf and was forced every day to rummage through the garbage in the hope of getting some food in exchange for the day''s loot.


    The orphanage was run by humans who exploited the young half-human children without families every day, forcing them to steal from the streets and stores for them in exchange for a meager meal. The rules were simple: the orphans, the "trash" as they liked to call them, were not allowed to speak or they would be beaten with sticks. The little girl was no exception, so she remained silent, even outside the orphanage. In her short life, she had never known anything but cold, hunger, misery, humiliation and beatings.


    The little girl was five and a half years old but was quite small for her age due to the fact that she was underfed and weaker every day. As a half-human, when she was hanging out in the streets, she was often beaten by human children who hit her for having white hair (which was not the norm at all). Every day she was in pain, every day she was afraid...but she kept getting up in the morning to do what she was told...she kept surviving. What else could she do?


    The sun could be seen setting as the little moon-haired girl walked back to the orphanage.


    _________


    -- POV ??? --


    *I managed to pick up a nice handkerchief in the garbage today that must have belonged to a prettydy...I hope tonight I can get a piece of bread. Yesterday I didn''t get any.*


    I had to hurry back before dark because if I arrivedte I knew that the guard would ask me to lie down on the floor and hit me with a stick.


    *Hurry, hurry...and don''t forget that you mustn''t talk !*


    One day when I was smaller, I had unintentionally said the word "sorry" and the guard had hit me in the face. It hurt, a lot. He said I wasn''t allowed to speak because we were his property and he preferred it when dogs were quiet.


    But I''m not a dog, am I? I have ears and a tail but I don''t walk on all fours. But if the man said so then it was probably true.


    "Oh, is that you, number 25? Hurry up ande in or I''ll feed you to the monsters."


    "..."


    The mean man who guarded the gate always said things like that to me, so I was used to it..but I was still scared. I didn''t want to get eaten by monsters so shaking I started walking faster to get to the big reception room of my house.


    There were all the other kids like me who had to collect things from people and give them away at night. There were a lot of us but we didn''t have much.


    "Good! I hope today was a good hunt, didn''t you my faithful little dogs! If you can''t fill this bowl all of you, no food for you tonight! Do you understand that? NO...FOOD !"


    My stomach rumbled as I told it to be quiet.


    *You can''t eat right away, wait a little while. Maybe the man will give us something if he sees the nice handkerchief I found.*


    The gentleman was passing in front of each of the others to collect their items when he arrived in front of me.


    "So number 25? Show me what you found."


    I rummaged in the pocket of my torn dress only to realize that the handkerchief was gone.


    "...."


    "So?? You got nothing ???"


    Seeing that I was shaking my head, the man started to shout while I was thinking very loudly in my head while shaking.


    *Sorry..sorry..I''m useless..i''m sorry..sorry...*


    I couldn''t tell him because trash shouldn''t talk. So I begged him without a word and closed my eyes. Then suddenly he hit me on the head and kicked me in the stomach while I was on the floor. I felt the blood flowing in my mouth, it was not good but I was used to it.


    *It hurts...it hurts...sorry...sorry...*


    I had to cry silently or else my sniffling would make him even more angry. Just as I thought he was gone, I heard his voice near the door saying.


    "You know where to go don''t you ?"


    He was talking about the room where the bad dogs are punished. I knew I had lost the handkerchief and that it was all my fault so I staggered to my feet and headed for the room.


    It was still dark with no light and nothing on the floor to sleep on. I was scared, I was terrified but I had been useless so I deserved it. The man pushed me inside and before closing the door he said.


    "You''ll stay there until tomorrow morning, got it? Tsk not even able to bring back anything good. If you hadn''t been so small I would have sold you as a ve to a nobleman or in a brothel."


    I didn''t understand everything he was telling me but maybe it was a ce where I could eat well and maybe I could even talk.


    "I..I hope to grow up soon so I can go there !"


    When I was alone I talked because there was no mean man to hit me.  Even though my voice was weak fromck of practice, it was my own little moment.


    "Maybe tomorrow I''ll get a piece of bread."


    Feeling the cold ground when i lie down I took out a small doll that I had once picked up from the ground, it was my only friend.


    "You know today I got hit again because my hair was this color. I know that people like me who are not human are inferior but I don''t know why they hate my hair. Other people told me it was ugly and that I must be cursed to have hair like that. But what does cursed mean ?"


    I didn''t know the meaning of the word but they all said I was born just so they could hit me.


    Huddled against the wall I continued to talk to my doll.


    "I wish I didn''t have hair like that...maybe I could have made friends and not been treated like a bad girl anymore."


    Dreaming of another life, I fell asleep shivering from the cold in that room devoid of any light.


    ________


    "Come on wake up you useless thing! Today you better bring me something decent or you know what will happen !"


    It was very early in the morning and the sun wasn''t even up yet. My back was hurting from the beating I had received the day before.


    "Come on move over a little, do you think that''s all I have to do ??."


    The guard was grabbing my hair to get me out faster as I tried not to scream. I kept my hands over my mouth and held back my tears.


    *Don''t scream...don''t cry...and don''t scream...*


    The man threw me out of the dark room and motioned with his hand to do my day''s work.


    *It hurts so much...why is everyone hitting me ?*


    I had asked myself this question every day since I learned to walk. My life had always been in this ce and even though I was often a bad girl and got hit, this was my home.


    I walked down the stairs of the building to the street. A new day was almost upon us, so I had to hurry up and find something to bring home. The mean man often told me to take from people''s pockets but I didn''t want to. I didn''t want my only friend to be taken so I wasn''t going to do it to others even though I was beaten up every day for it.


    *I''m so hungry...*


    The city was now full of humans walking and jostling me as they passed by, while from the top of my small meter I looked around for new trash cans to explore.


    Tonight I had heard that it was the day of the annual festival, I had never been there but the gentlemen anddies seemed very happy and said that it was an exceptional event.


    *If I hadn''t had hair like that, would I have been able to go ?*


    Many humans were preparing things on the main street in little wooden houses that could move. I think thedy there called it a "booth". Inside there was food that I had never tasted and that i wanted to try one day....but it was impossible because it was for humans and not for people like me with ears and a tail.


    *Maybe one day I could taste all kinds of food and never be hungry again !*<novelnext></novelnext>


    Human children were walking with their parents, smiles on their faces talking andughing early in the streets. I didn''t know what it was like to have a mom or dad and I didn''t know why mine weren''t there. Why couldn''t I have a mom too? Maybe I had never had one or maybe she was gone because of my hair. One day i heard they were dead but I don''t know much, I can''t read or write and I don''t have much of a vocabry...so it was hard for me to understand.


    *If I work hard, maybe the man will answer my questions.*


    I was walking down the street to find some trash cans when a rock hit me in the face.


    "Hey you trash !"


    They were the human children who had hit me yesterday. I didn''t want to see them because they scared me and hurt me all the time but I couldn''t talk because I wasn''t allowed to.


    The tallest boy''s name was Jay and he was the one that scared me the most. He would always punch me in the stomach to make me throw up even though I hadn''t eaten anything. I was usually too sore after that to bring anything back.


    "Still haven''t found your tongue ??"


    I closed my eyes in fear as he pushed me to the floor and grabbed me by the hair.


    *Please stop !!*


    I wasn''t supposed to talk in their presence either because they were human, so I gritted my teeth praying that this would end soon.


    "You still haven''t shaved your head either, half-human? You think you look pretty like this you scum? You like your ugly white hair that much ?"


    *No! I...I hate it too ! I hate it, hate it hate it !!*


    Jay hit me for a long time, I couldn''t move, I was hurting all over and my body was shaking all by itself on the floor.


    *Why are you doing this to me? What did I do wrong ?*


    The othersughed as the human boy pushed me and hit me onest time before walking away and shouting.


    "Hey next time if you don''t want me to hit you don''t cross my path pwhahaha ~"


    As I coughed and tried to get my weak little body to move, a figure entered the alley and approached me. My eyes couldn''t see her very well so I tried to be as inconspicuous as possible.


    *Am I going to get hit again ?*


    I closed my eyes waiting for the blows but I didn''t feel anything. I opened my eyes to see if the person had left and I saw two eyes as violet and bright as mine staring at me without looking away. No one had ever looked me in the eye, this was the first time.


    "Hey kid! Are you okay ?"


    ________


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon Tamer


    Level : 30/70


    Exp needed for next level : 3 000 / 31 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 300


    Defense : 301


    Agility : 300


    Stamina : 303


    Speed : 302


    Intelligence : 305


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Major demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of the frozen hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - unlocked


    - Katana Mastery (lvl max) - unlocked


    - Demonic Aura of the Empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 4)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Resistance to pain (lvl 3)


    Other - Humanoid form (unlocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]

 Chapter 22 The Little Girl In The Alley

    -- POV Freya --


    Morning had not yet dawned as I got up to stretch while Gaya was still sleeping in her little dragon form. The night before, when it was dark, she had joined me at the bedroom window and we had discussed what we would do in the city.


    *I must not wake her up.*


    During our nightly discussion, I told her that today I wanted to look at the adventurer''s guild and buy some clothes. I had 1 gold, 59 silver and 20 bronze coins left. From what I understood, 1 gold coin was worth 100 silver and 1 silver coin was worth 100 bronze...so I had a good amount of money on me for all my purchases.


    [Good morning onee-san! Did you sleep well ?]


    *Hello Kira. It was my first night in this form and in a bed, it was quite pleasant.


    [What are you going to do now ?]


    *I was thinking of getting some clothes first and then going to the guild. I can''t take Gaya so I can go now while she''s still sleeping.*


    The day was finally starting to break as I walked out of the inn still wearing the same white dress as the day before. As I turned into the alley that was to the left of the building, I saw a small half-human girl lying on the ground. The first thing that struck me was her shiny, pure white hair. It was dirty and tangled, but I couldn''t take my eyes off its beauty. It reminded me of the moon shining in the night, beautiful, bright and pure white.


    The little girl seemed to be beaten regrly judging by the bruises that covered her frail little body. As I approached her, I could see her trying to move in spite of her injuries to get out of my way. Seeing that I was moving towards her, she closed her little eyes for some reason I didn''t know.


    "Hey kid ! Are you okay ?"


    Opening her eyes, the little half-human looked into mine. I suddenly stopped as shock washed over me, bringing up old memories. This little white-haired girl had the same eyes as me, purple, dark and empty.


    [Onee-san ?]


    " ... "


    Her eyes brought back old demons from my past life...she looked like me. I saw in her, the little girl I was years ago, struggling to survive in a world without mercy. Instinctively reaching out, I grabbed her hand to help her stand as she staggered to her feet.


    "Are you okay? Do you hurt anywhere?"


    I didn''t even know what I was doing or why I was asking her this, I just wanted to do it. Maybe I felt like I was helping who I was before by doing this but I didn''t care. The little girl didn''t answer, she just stood there without saying anything while her leg seemed to hurt.


    Suddenly a gurgling noise was hearding from the girl''s belly and she looked away with fear.


    "Are you hungry?"


    [So it seems. Poor thing, I wonder what happened to her.]


    She still didn''t answer and just lowered her head. Perhaps she was mute?


    Without thinking, I gently grabbed her by the waist and carried her in my arms, even though her weight seemed to be non-existent. She didn''t resist but I could see the fear and the questioning on her face. Her ears were down and her tail tucked between her legs as I could feel her shaking.


    Knowing the life of beings like her (like me) in this city, I decided to make her enter the inn discreetly by jumping without difficulty on the ledge of my window out of sight.


    [What are you going to do with her?]


    *I''m going to feed her, the poor thing is starving.*


    Arriving in my room with the little thing still curled up in my arms, I put her gently on the bed beside Gaya who was still sleeping.


    "Don''t be afraid, it''s a dragon but she''s very nice. I''ll get you something to eat, don''t move."


    The little girl didn''t understand what was going on and was still shaking but remained docile as if she had been taught.


    *Tsk those dirty humans !!!*


    As I went to get her food I couldn''t help but hate them even more. Why should a young soul like her have to take a beating? Why couldn''t she smile andugh like a child of her age? I was overwhelmed with anger, disgust, regret and sadness.


    [Calm down onee-san, I don''t know why this little one affects you so much but you made the right choice].


    *Thank you little sister...*


    Kira''s words had rxed me and I went back to my room with a tray where there was a ss of water, a ss of milk, some bread and the equivalent of what seemed to be jam. The little girl had not moved and was startled when I arrived. Putting the tray on the bed I signaled her to eat.


    "Here, this is for you, eat while I look at your wounds."


    Hesitantly, she finally caught a piece of bread in her small white hand and bit into it. Her eyes lit up as the food disappeared into her mouth causing me tough involuntarily. Despite her frightened look, her little white tail was wagging happily from left to right.


    Leaving her to eat I squatted down to look at her knees, legs and arms. They were covered with bruises, some dated today, others from several days ago.


    I could feel my eyes re up as I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists to contain my urge to destroy this town right now.


    *Not now...*


    Using the ss of water and bits of my dress, I ran the cold water cloth over her little body that had been sore for far too long and bandaged the wounds that were still bleeding a little. The little girl who had finished eating looked at me without saying anything as my gestures seemed to relieve her.


    "Tell me, do you know how to speak ?"


    The cute little girl nodded without saying a word. I didn''t understand why she didn''t speak if she had the ability to do so. Not wanting to rush her, I decided to end the debate and start another topic.


    "Do you have a first name, parents?"


    She shook her head at both my questions, which made me realize that she was a nameless orphan, alone in this world that destined her to a fate worse than death.


    The mini dragoness was still sleeping and a little orphan girl was standing before me with white hair and a torn dress. As I watched this rather special scene, an idea then crossed my mind.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Let''s go buy us some clothes, how about that ?"


    I didn''t even understand why I was acting like this, I was in my bubble with only one thought in mind: seeing her smile.


    [What''s going on, Onee-san? You''re not your usual self.]


    *I...I don''t know.*


    Looking at the little girl in front of me, deep down I knew very well...I felt close to her, we were simr. If I wasn''t acting normally it was because at that moment nothing else existed but this fragile little girl.


    "So how about I buy you a new dress? I''m sure you''d look great in it."


    The little moon''s face brightened slightly and it was just what I needed to make sure she agreed.


    Judgmental looks flew in our direction as I walked out of the inn with a little half-human in my arms. Normally I wouldn''t have let this go, but right now I had better things to do than kill idiots.


    Walking down the street and looking for a clothing store, you could see the humans of Yarlford still as busy as the day before. Finding what I was looking for I entered the store with the little one in my arms.


    "Hello! Wee to..."


    The elderly-looking saleswoman, noticing the one I was carrying in my arms suddenly stopped talking and looked at her with disgust and disdain.


    "Ma''am, that thing is not allowed on the premises of my store ! Please leave it outside or leave !"


    Looking around and seeing that we were alone, I released a small portion of my aura towards the old woman as a warning. As she fell out of her chair in terror, I stared at her and said as calmly as possible.


    "I am looking for a dress for this young girl. I also want a pair of pants, a shirt and a jacket for myself. Go get me that !"


    The saleswoman was shaking and hurriedly prepared a few items and put them on the counter before running off to the back of the store.


    [Finally you can control yourself haha~]


    *You know, if I had to get really angry every time a human being breaks my nerves, this town wouldn''tst long kufufufu ~*


    I still had the little girl in my arms so I let her go and asked her to choose a dress that she really liked and would want to wear. She was still hesitating as if she had no right so for the first time I smiled and told her that there was no problem and that she had the right.


    [Onee-san you smiled?]


    *Eh? No...and then how would you know?*


    [There is a mirror in front of you, idiot]


    Leaving my little protege to choose an item of clothing, I approached the mirror. I could see my face for the first time. I was speechless at my almost supernatural beauty...I had kept the same features as in my past life but they were definitely more beautiful than before. My eyes were as I thought... exactly the same as hers.


    [Onee-san you are beautiful and your eyes...she has the same...]


    *Mmmh I know..thanks by the way*


    [Does she remind you of yourself when you were younger ?]


    I definitely couldn''t hide anything from Kira. While I was still looking at the little moon, I answered Kira.


    *Yes...I don''t know why but I can''t let her live like this. The thought of her leaving and going back to her unfair life where her days consist of beatings and insults is unbearable. I would like to at least see her smile once...I don''t want her to spend her life hating and isting herself from the world like I did. I don''t know her but I see myself in her. Have you seen her eyes? It shouldn''t belong to a child her age. Maybe I can save her heart while it''s still notpletely broken.*


    As I exined to Kira how I had felt since we first met, the little girl looked at me as if to say that she had found something. I walked over and could see the same kind of dress I was wearing, all white with a ck belt around the waist.


    "This is very nice! Don''t move I''ll take what I need and pay."


    For me I chose ck slim pants, a white shirt that I tucked into the pants, ck boots and a rather masculine ck jacket. Calling the saleswoman, I also asked her for two capes with a hood, one for the little girl and one for me. After paying the 3 silver coins I owed, I put the cape on her, hiding her ears and tail, and then we left to go back to the inn.


    It was already noon when we finally reached the room.


    "Hello Freya, how are you..."


    Gaya was awake and had suddenly stopped talking at the sight of the little thing in my arms.


    "Who is she?"


    The little one had been looking at Gaya with round eyes ever since she heard her talk about her little dragon mouth. cing her on the bed gently so as not to hurt her, I began to exin to Gaya about our meeting and the events that had taken ce after that.


    "These humans are monstrous ! Nice to meet you...my name is Gaya and I am Freya''s fianc¨¦e"


    As the little girl tilted her head in question, I suddenly realized that I hadn''t introduced myself. After saying my name guiltily, I decided to go and get food for all three of us without dy as the dragoness hadn''t eaten and I could sense that the little moon was also very hungry.


    Returning to the room with rabbit meat, vegetables and soup for each of us, I could see Gaya telling this cute little thing about our little journey sitting on the bed as I made a decision on the way.


    *Kira, i swear i''ll make her smile !*


    Tonight I will bring her to the festival, no matter what !


    ________


    [N/A: I don''t talk too much about the system because for the 3 chapters introducing the little girl, I wanted to focus on her and Freya. Rest assured after this chapter and the next one, the story will pick up and you will learn more about the adventurers in the city, the levels etc. Take care and thanks for always being there !]

 Chapter 23 The Little Girls Smile

    -- POV ???  --


    This morning after Jay was done hitting me, I met the sweetest and most beautifuldy.  I was in a lot of pain and bleeding but she didn''t hit me or yell at me for being in her way. She had the same eyes as me but hers were prettier and even though she was a little scary I could tell she didn''t want to hurt me.


    Just this morning I was getting my hair pulled by the mean man in the room and now I was in a room with the very, very beautifuldy who was feeding me. She was very sweet and it was the first time a human didn''t look at me with the urge to hit me. Why was she so nice? Earlier she had even soothed my long-suffering wounds. Why was she doing that?


    After eating, she carried me to a clean clothes store. It was very beautiful, I had never been in such a pretty and colorful store. Thedy of the store was not very nice to me but the prettydy scared her and she didn''t even hit me. After that, I was even allowed to choose a dress, I wanted to be as pretty as thedy so I chose a white dress to be just like her.


    Now we were back in her room and the little dragon Gaya who could talk was telling me all the things that the prettydy Freya had done. I wanted tough but I was trying to hold back so they wouldn''t get mad.


    "Would you believe me if I told you that she was actually a huge wolf hehe ~?"


    *A huge wolf ?*


    But the prettydy Freya was a human, how could she be a wolf? While I was asking myself these questions she came back to the room with food. It smelled great and I wanted to try it right away but I had to wait for permission.


    "Gaya what are you telling her again ?"


    "Oh nothing I was just saying that you were a huge wolf...because Freya, she thinks you''re human."


    I didn''t understand what they were talking about but maybe the prettydy wasn''t human. While I was thinking about many things at the same time, she crouched down in front of me.


    "Look..."


    As I looked, two ck ears like mine and a ck tail appeared on the prettydy. She also had two pretty horns on her forehead that made her look a bit like a mean madam, but I knew she was the nicer one.


    *Wow, she''s even more beautiful like that !*


    It was the first time I saw ady like her with a tail and ears like me. Were we the same then? I couldn''t help but look at her as she continued to exin.


    "I''m not a human, I should have told you earlier but my mind was a little off forgive me. In reality I''m not even half human, I''m a full  she-wolf."


    *A she-wolf? Does that mean she''s like me but at the same time not like me? I''d love to ask her but I don''t want her to think I''m a bad girl if I talk.*


    Still, I felt even morefortable with her knowing that she wasn''t human and I started to rx.


    "Here, taste this is very good."


    The prettydy Freya then gave me a spoon and a bowl with lots of food in it that looked too good! And when she told me I could eat, I started to do so. It was hot and had a lot of different vors that I had never tasted before. At home we only ate bread or leftovers from the human guards and it was not good. This was so good that I wanted to cry.


    *Itch shooo delichiouus*


    While I was eating the good food she gave me, the prettydy said something I never thought possible.


    "How about you and I go to the festival tonight ?"


    *Festival? OH YES!!! But ... can I go ?*


    It was horrible not being able to talk because I didn''t want her to think I was rude for not answering. Even though I knew she wouldn''t hit me like everyone else, I didn''t want her to scold me. But she understood what I was thinking because she quickly continued.


    "Nod if you feel like going."


    As I nodded shyly, I could see the prettydy smiling once again. She was really pretty and her smile made my chest feel warm even though I didn''t know why.


    *When I grow up, I would love to be like her.*


    _______


    It was already dark as the prettydy Freya carried me down the street to the festival. I was wearing my new dress and the hood she had given me.


    *I hope the bad man doesn''t mind that I didn''te home tonight.*


    I was afraid of his reaction when I got home, I knew he was going to hit me again but I wanted to see the festival so badly. Maybe the nicedy would be gone tomorrow and maybe I would never be able to leave the house after that, but I really wanted to go.


    As we walked slowly I could see all the streets lit up like the sun was still there. It was so beautiful and impressive! All these lights and smells were new to me and it was like I was dreaming.


    *There are lots of lights of different colors! Oh and there are humans dancing ! Ahaha ~ how funny.*


    I couldn''t help but observe everything and my tail couldn''t help but wag from right to left. Everyone wasughing and smiling, I had never seen the streets like this, it was magical.


    "Would you like to try something ?"


    The nicedy asked me what I wanted but I didn''t want to tell her so I wouldn''t look bad. The stand over there was making meatballs that I was really craving but I couldn''t say that either. Shaking my head and telling that I didn''t like anything, she looked around before whispering in my ear.


    "Well, you know what? I really want to try those meatballs over there! Unfortunately I''m afraid I won''t finish them all, could you help me?"


    If it was to help her then I would dly do it, especially since I actually wanted to eat some too but shhh. So I nodded my head to tell her that I agreed and immediately she walked over to the booth and asked the fat man for four big meatballs.


    *Ooooh, that''s a lot !*


    I was amazed, I had never seen so much meat! They had white smokeing out of them and it smelled great.


    "I heard there''s a fireworks showing up so let''s go sit quietly somewhere and watch them just you and me eating our food."


    *Fair...fairewoks ? What''s that ?*


    She walked away from the festival and quietly jumped on the roof of a house. I was scared so I closed my eyes, but when I opened them I could see the whole city below us, you could hear the music,ughter and singing going up to the stars.<novelnext></novelnext>


    *I feel like I''m flying !*


    The cool wind blew through my hair as thedy sat on the roof against a chimney and she sat me on herp. Her skin was cold but I felt good in her arms, like I was protected. But deep down I knew it wouldn''tst. I had no right to be happy when she could leave tomorrow.


    As she handed me a dumpling to eat, I could see her watching me eat before she spoke.


    "You know, I don''t know why you don''t talk but just know that you don''t have to force yourself and you can talk when I''m around. I don''t know what you''ve been through or where you live, but what I do know is that you don''t have to suffer for the sake of others. Life is precious and you should be able to smile,ugh and speak freely. Please don''t waste your life and live it the way you want. You are a beautiful little girl, your eyes remind me of beautiful gems, your little ears and tail are quite adorable and your hair is as beautiful as the moon....look."


    She then pointed to the moon in the distance in the sky as she continued.


    "This color has always calmed me, I can''t tell you why but when I look at this pure white I always feel good. Your hair has the same effect on me, it''s special and I think it''s the most beautiful color in the world."


    *Huh ? My hair? But...*


    I had always been told that it was horrible and that I should be ashamed of being born like this, but the prettydy was telling me straight in the eyes that she loved it. I didn''t know what to say or think as the tears began to roll down my cheek.


    "Promise me you''ll never hate them again..please, be proud of them because they make you who you are. Don''t let anyone hurt you and tell you how to be and especially who to be. This white is beautiful and pure and if no one has this color it''s because you are special."


    *Special ? Me ?"  I thought while sniffing.


    At that moment, thedy looked into my eyes again and whispered.


    "For me you are special..."


    *Don''t cry, don''t cry, don''t cry.*


    While I was repeating this sentence in my mind, I felt her hand wiping my tears and caressing my head. It was nice and warm.


    "If you need to cry you don''t have to hold back. Follow your heart and don''t let anyone tell you what to do, if you want to scream and defend yourself you have the right, if you want to cry because someone hurt you, you have the right. Don''t forget that the emotions you feel are very important, they prove that you are alive...never forget them. You are an amazing little girl and you are much stronger than I ever could have been, so live by always being yourself."


    Tears rolled down my cheeks as I looked into her beautiful violet eyes. Never in my life had I heard such words.


    At that moment a loud noise came from the city as thousands of lights lit up the sky to create a flower of lights. It was the most beautiful flower I had ever seen in my life, I felt like I was dreaming. Was it all true?


    I stood there watching the sky burn as thedy''s cool, pleasant hand caressed my head. No one had ever done this to me and I found it soothing, all the fears, sadness, pain seemed to leave my body and mind while under the moon and stars a sky of fire shone.


    "Shiro..."


    *Mmh ?*


    "In my nativenguage Shiro means "white". I like your hair the way it is and Shiro is a beautiful name that suits you perfectly. Don''t you like it ?"


    *I have a name ?!?*


    I had always dreamed of having a name like the other children, I thought I would never have one and yet the beautifuldy gave me one. I was so happy, this day was the most beautiful of my life.


    I nodded my head very quickly to let her know that I loved that name and that from now on I would be strong like her and that I would stop hating my hair. To tell the truth I already loved it because thedy loved it too.


    "So from now on you will be Shiro. Wear that name with pride throughout your life and be proud of who you are. "


    As she said this, she hugged me tightly for the first time and I could feel her cold warmth flowing through my body and warming my heart. I felt loved, protected like no one could ever hit me or scare me again.


    *So this is what it feels like to have a...


    ...mommy".


    _______


    -- POV Freya --


    As I held little Shiro in my arms, a small voice came out of her mouth. She was weak and sleepy.


    "...mommy"


    *Mommy !?!?*


    [A]


    She had finally spoken! That little one crying in my arms at that moment was sincere and happy. As I looked down to ask her why she had called me that, I saw that she had fallen asleepfortably in my arms.


    There she was, snuggled up against me, her eyes slightly puffy, her mesmerizing white hair floating in the wind and... she was smiling. A happy, sincere and innocent smile devoid of all fears. She was finally smiling like a child.


    This little girl was now called Shiro..and at that moment I swore to protect her and her smile.


    _______


    [N/A: This chapter closes the series of chapters on the discovery of my favorite character Shiro! The story picks up and Freya will finally discover the guild etc. The main characters are all introduced (Freya, Gaya, (Kira), Shiro), so the serious stuff begins !!!!


    P.S : Map of Yarlford avable on my discord.


    P.S2 : I got vinated, so I might be more tired than usual (my arm is actually hurting). So please excuse me in advance for any small dy in the publication of the next chapter.


    Thanks for always being there and supporting me !].

 Chapter 24 The Adventurers Guild

    -- POV Freya --


    It was already the day after the festival, Shiro was sleeping in my arms between Gaya and me. I was trying to get up quietly when the dragoness whispered to me.


    "Where are you going?"


    "I wanted to go to the adventurer''s guild, I couldn''t go yesterday as I saw Shiro"


    "Speaking of which, what are you going to do with that little girl?"


    I didn''t need to think about it because I had already made a decision yesterday. Maybe it was not reasonable and even dangerous but I knew what I wanted to do.


    "I want to take care of her...I would like her to be...my daughter.."


    Gaya didn''t seem to be surprised at all and even looked at me with an amused look. Aftering home the day before I had told Gaya everything and she had even almost cried.


    "Freya, you''re much more interesting than I thought you were ~ but I must admit that I''ve grown attached to this little Shiro too. We''ll take care of her and give her all the love she never got."


    I had to admit that hearing her say those words warmed my heart, it was indescribable.


    [You know how to be exceptional when it doesn''t involve humans haha ~]


    I was aware that it may have been selfish of me, but seeing that little moon in my armsst night made me realize that I wanted her in my life.


    *I don''t know how it''s going to turn out but I''m willing to take the risk.*


    [And we''ll be there no matter what, onee-san.]


    *Thank you..*


    At that moment I realized that thest few days had been wonderful. We were a group consisting of a dragon, a soul, a little half-human girl and a Demon Wolf in a city full of humans but it was wonderful.


    "Gaya I''m going to see the guild to learn more about the adventurers. Watch over Shiro while I''m gone and definitely don''t let her out for now. When I get back we can talk if she agrees to talk."


    "Very well, I''ll take care of her! And you, don''t try to rip the head off the first human who looks at you the wrong way pfffufu ~"


    "I''ll do my best haha ~"


    [Don''t worry Gaya I''ll take care of calming her down if necessary !]


    With those words from Kira I put on my jacket, cape and boots and walked down the stairs of the inn to the guild. I didn''t really know where it was but I wanted to discover the city quietly at the same time.


    The streets were dirty after the festival and half-human ves were busy cleaning every alley, every street under the direction of a human with a whip.


    *If I believe what I heard, all the ves belong to the lord of the city. It seems to me that his name was...*


    [Harker...Fillber Harker]


    *Mmh him...when I have nothing left to do in this town I''ll pay him a visit !*


    Even if I couldn''t strategically attack the whole city, I could at least kill its lord. Thinking about the best way to do it, I finally arrived in front of a huge building with a sign with a sword and a shield.


    "Here we go!"


    I entered through the door, taking care to hide my face under my hood as I could see dozens of adventurers of all kinds upying the ce. As I made my way to the front desk, I could see that they were all in a frenzy for some unknown reason. Arriving in front of the counter, a young brte woman with sses greeted me.


    "Hello, what can I do for you?"


    "I would like to get some information about the guild, the average level here and how it works."


    The young woman couldn''t see my face hidden under my hood but could hear my voice which had resumed its cold and dominant tone. Only my loved ones and family deserved me to address them warmly...certainly not a human.


    "I..are you an adventurer?"


    "I don''t have a namete if that''s what you''re asking. I just came here to gather information on how this all works. Aren''t you here for that or is that too difficult?"


    I didn''t care if I wasn''t polite, I had no desire to be after seeing the cruelty of this city. She was paid to be friendly...not me. The young woman visibly taken aback by my words adjusted her sses before speaking.


    "A namete allows you to enter a city without paying taxes if you are an adventurer. However, everyone has one because it is used as an identity card. It shows your name, profession, level and ss. If you decide to make one, you will have to pay two silver coins."


    I didn''t especially want to give them my information but bing an adventurer could be interesting for the future because I could have ess to important information.


    *In your opinion Kira, should I ept?*


    [The namete doesn''t seem to indicate your race or course, so I think it wouldn''t be a bad choice. Only your ice skill will be visible, don''t worry about that!]


    I then slid 2 silver coins on the counter while asking the receptionist to make me a namete.


    "Please ce your hand on this crystal, it will then transfer your information to a nk te."


    cing my hand on the sphere, I felt like a small shock.


    *Is this the same as my analysis skill ?*


    [More or less but much less urate, that''s why I can use the system to mask your chaos skill by countering its analysis with yours].


    The information was magically printed on this little piece of iron.


    [Freya


    Ice elemental mage


    ??


    Level 30 ]


    As the receptionist took the card to give it to me, a cry of amazement came out of her mouth as her eyes went wide with surprise.


    "LEVEL 30 !?"


    At that moment all the adventurers nearby looked at me with curiosity and interest wondering what I could possibly look like under this hood. Irritated, I lowered my head further before addressing the young woman not without a hint of irritation in my voice.


    "Is there a problem?"


    "No...it''s just that...no one in this town holds such a high standard. This town is only home to beginner or low-ranking adventurers who go to the Syn Forest to level without risk. We''ve never had a person of your rank before. Perhaps you could help us..."


    "Help you ?"


    This human probably thought I was going to help them with a task I didn''t know about. Intrigued, I let her continue while knowing almost 100% that I would refuse.


    "Two days ago, a request was made by one of the most influential nobles in the city. House Duyer is offering 10 gold coins to the one who can bring back alive a huge wolf living in the forest."


    [Don''t tell me that...]


    *Yes, it''s me she''s talking about kufufu ~*


    "This filthy beast has already killed two of our adventurers and almost killed Richard Duyer but in an act of courage he managed to face the creature alone before managing to flee !"


    [WHAT A LIE!!! AND THEN ONEE-SAN IS NOT A FILTHY BEAST !]


    *It seems that these humans are all shameless ready to take any credit. This city is getting on my nerves more and more.*


    "Would you agree to participate in the investigations that will begin tomorrow?"


    "No."


    My answer was clear, sharp and to the point. Stunned, the receptionist looked at me with round eyes thinking she hadn''t heard me correctly.


    "Why...why refuse?"


    *Because I''m the wolf and because I would never help humans.*


    But that I kept to myself.


    "Because I just don''t feel like it and I''m not interested. Do I have to find another reason? Now be nice don''t waste my time and tell me how the adventuring business works."


    "I..yes. Adventurers are ssified by rank. C for levels between 0 and 10, B from 11 to 20, A from 21 to 30, S from 31 to 40, S+ from 41 to 50, SS from 51 to 70 and finally SSS for adventurers above level 70. Be aware that in this city the level does not exceed C or D and everywhere else it is difficult to find adventurers above rank S+."


    [The leveling up in this world seems to be quite slowpared to you onee-san.]


    *Well, that''s good !*


    The receptionist told me that you could only choose a guild mission if it matched your level, which seemed logical enough. Apparently, even though the city was almost entirely made up of C-ranks, it was possible to find missions for all ranks, so that itinerant adventurers could continue to work while traveling. These missions were usually issued by other cities and were not done in Yarlford.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "The wall of missions is to your left, I also took the liberty of defining your adventuring profession on your namete."


    After these words I took my leave to walk towards the mission wall. I wasn''t looking for anything in particr, I just wanted to look at what he had to offer. As I scanned the various announcements, only one caught my eye.


    [MISSION RANK B/A


    1 - Capture a horde of fire foxes for sacrifice.


    2 - Help to capture half-human and (intelligent) beast ves.


    Location : Dark Forest


    Sender : Church of humanity


    Duration : 2 months


    Remuneration: 50 silver coins per fox and 10 silver coins per half-human/creature captured. ]


    *Kira...*


    [Yes?]


    *I think I''ve found our next destination.*


    [The Dark Forest? Why?]


    *To aplish my goal, I need to gather subordinates and build my kingdom. I thought I would start by helping those fire foxes and others who are apparently being held by humans to be ves. As I understand it, the humans who are taking care of them should still be there for a few weeks.*


    [This is a really interesting n. You get information from the humans and turn it against them. I love it!]


    *isn''t it ? Let''s go back to the inn, I have to inform Gaya and have a talk with Shiro.*


    I was heading towards the door when suddenly a tall, fat man blocked my way.


    "Hey beautiful ! Apparently you don''t want to join the expedition to kill that wolf scum? Are you afraid ? Hahahaha ~"


    As he said these words, his greasy, sweaty hand came to rest on my shoulder. At that moment, the air inside the building instantly cooled down without me even needing to let out my aura, my simple killing intent was enough. Everyone held their breath in fear as I looked up at the man and distinctly said 3 words.


    "Don''t...touch...me..."


    My voice was calm but icy and full of murderous intent as I plunged my gaze into his. The human fell backwards as my eyes met his before running off, obviously too frightened by a single nce.


    The room was silent as I exited the guild and could hear the others whispering.


    "She''s A rank..."


    "Did you also suddenly feel the cold? I still get chills from it."


    "I didn''t see what she did to him but he got scared.."


    The fact is that I had done absolutely nothing, I had simply looked into his eyes.


    *Tsk, humans are pathetic.*


    ________


    After a few minutes, I was already back in the hostel. As I entered my room, I could see Gaya awake and Shiro still asleep. At the same time, as if she had sensed my presence, the little moon woke up and gently rubbed her eyes. When she saw me a bright smile appeared on her innocent little face tinged with a blush as she remembered her actions of the day before.


    I walked over to her to talk about something important. As I picked her up and ced her on myp, she looked at me intensely with her little starry eyes.


    "Shiro...would you like me to be your mom ?"


    ______


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Title: Blessed by Titania Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon Tamer


    Level : 30/70


    Exp needed for next level : 3 000 / 31 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 300


    Defense : 301


    Agility : 300


    Stamina : 303


    Speed : 302


    Intelligence : 305


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - unlocked


    - Katana Mastery (lvl max) - unlocked


    - Demonic Aura of the Empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 4)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Resistance to pain (lvl 3)


    Other - Humanoid form (unlocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]

 Chapter 25 Freyas Wrath

    [N/A: Let me know in thements of this paragraph if you''d like me to publish the characters'' sheet as well. With a quick summary, their stories, personalities, physical descriptions and rtionships between them. I think it would help some people understand the characters better if they didn''t already. Happy reading !]


    _______


    -- POV Freya --


    She looked at me with her beautiful eyes as I continued.


    "You told me that you don''t have parents and I would like to take care of you. So if you want, I can be your mom..."


    Little Shiro just stood there without saying anything as her eyes started to cry. Before I could even add anything, she was throwing herself at me screaming and crying in her little voice.


    "MOM...MOM...MOM...!"


    Shiro was crying in my arms as she repeated the word she never had a chance to say before. She now had a family.


    [Onee-san...I have to say it''s pretty touching...]


    Gaya was watching the scene from the other side of the bed but I could see a small tear running down her dragon face as she smiled.


    "Sshhh everything is fine...now we are all one big family."


    [Onee-san, she fell asleep. This little one must have been sleep deprived for quite a while to sleep so often. I wonder how she held up]


    I put Shiro down on the bed still asleep from the emotion and fatigue umted during her little life.


    A family. Reflecting on my words I thought it was time to tell Gaya where I came from and who I had in my mind.


    *Kira...it''s time !!*


    [Yes..]


    "Gaya...today I trust you enough to tell you who I am."


    Her face lit up as if she had been waiting for this for a long time as I sat down beside her. I was ready to finally tell her my whole story.


    ______


    -- POV Gaya --


    I had been listening to Freya tell me her story, her past life and her goals in this world for over an hour now. I was shocked but not surprised...I knew in my heart all along that she was different. Even without knowing about her chaos and ice elements, as soon as she stepped into the cave where I was sealed, I knew.


    I finally knew who my fianc¨¦e was and what her purpose was. I also knew that underneath her cold and domineering exterior was a heart ready to love those she deemed worthy of trust.


    Freya was like that, the sweetest to her loved ones and the cruelest to her enemies. Because yes, her gentleness did not prevent her from being cruel to anyone who dared to anger her.


    "There..you know everything."


    I wasn''t angry, I was just happy that she finally trusted me fully to tell me all this. Even though as a dragon I did and always would see me as her wife, I couldn''t help but hope that one day she would see me the same way.


    "It''s still crazy that you possess a unique system and course bestowed by a Goddess !"


    I was proud and at the same time scared of Freya''s power. I, who had once been a dragon feared by all, couldn''t help but feel very small next to her. And yet she had only recently been born.


    *Sigh my fianc¨¦e is amazing..*


    Looking at Freya I remembered the part where she was telling me about her little sister.


    "So uh...I can''t hear you but I''m delighted to know you Kira, thanks for taking care of Freya and always helping her."


    The ck haired beauty kept silent as she seemed to converse with Kira then opened her mouth.


    "She''s delighted too and she congrattes you on uh...our engagement."


    I felt my cheeks redden and heat up as I heard Freya say those words.


    "I...thank you."


    *I hope I can take my humanoid form soon enough, it''s kind of hard to get close to her as a little dragon. It''s kind of...weird.*


    While I was lost in my thoughts, a very important piece of information connected in my mind to my horror.


    "Freya...if I understand correctly your system also allows you to ess other people''s information right?"


    "Yes that''s it, why?"


    "Do you by any chance...I''m just saying...but have you seen my age?"


    "Yes."


    There she was, still with her impassive face as her answer felt like a stab in my heart.


    *Arg system, why did you betray me ?*


    As I cried inwardly, Freya spoke in a warmer voice.


    "No matter how old you are, I remind you that I am 25 years old, not a few days old. Unless you are an old grandmother in your human form there is no problem kufufufu ~"


    Freya was still the same, confident, strong and impossible to unsettle. This thought made me smile as I saw her smile warmly back at me for the first time. I had seen her smile at Shiro before, but seeing her smile as she looked into my eyes was a totally different experience. I told myself that my heart would stop if I saw her smile in this form and it did. Her smile....her smile was as dazzling as the full moon she loved so much.


    *Damn...I sure do love her.*


    ________


    -- POV Freya --


    Gaya looked at me with incredibly soft eyes. I had never noticed it before but her amber eyes were really beautiful.


    Coming to my senses, I decided to exin to Gaya my desire to go to the Dark Forest to save and help the races in trouble there rather than capture them as stated in the mission. Being in the know now about the system and everything else, it wasn''t hard to tell her about my desire to start gathering subordinates.


    "That''s a great idea! When do you think we''ll leave?"


    "I would say in two days. I need to buy things for the trip, food, clothes, weapons.."


    "I''m sorry I can''t help you right now...I''ll get my human form back in two or three days if everything goes well. Until then I can only wait."


    I could see that she felt guilty, but she still had to rest because her health was more important.


    "It''s nothing don''t worry. I''ll get little Shiro to help me and we''ll be done in no time."


    Saying that, I could see my adorable little girl waking up as she looked around. Stroking her hair and face, I asked her with a smile.


    "Did you sleep well ?"


    Shiro was sitting on the bed and she finally spoke.


    "I...I slept well..thanks mom."


    [Arrg I think I''m going to die from too much cuteness. Don''t worry my little Shiro, when auntie gets a body she''ll hug you all the time !]


    *What kind of nonsense are you talking about ?*


    [Oi ! Hurry up and find me a body, I want to hold her !!]


    *And what about me ?*


    [First her...then you !]


    *Aaah I''m touched in the heart ! Meanwhile I can do this and you can''t !*


    As I said these words in my mind, I gently grabbed Shiro by the waist to hug her again.


    "M..mom?"


    "Yes sweetie?"


    "I..can I really talk now?"


    Nodding to her I began to exin that it wasn''t wrong to talk and that it was only those silly humans who wanted to hurt her.


    Despite her young age andck of vocabry, I noticed that Shiro was a very bright and intelligent child. She was a quick learner and quick to understand.


    "Thank you for saving me mom...also thank you little dragon Gaya for making meugh."


    My little moon said these words as she stood in the room moving her body from right to left like her tail while looking down shyly.


    [So cute...]<novelnext></novelnext>


    *Dangerously cute !*


    We were all in awe of this innocent little girl. As I was telling her that we were going to leave soon and that I had to prepare the trip, she didn''t want to let go of my jacket and wanted to apany me. If I had known at that moment what was going to happen...I would never have let here with me.


    ______


    We were on the city street, still wearing our cloak and hood to be inconspicuous. Shiro was holding my hand and walking beside me. I had offered to carry her earlier, but she had refused, saying she didn''t want to bother me.


    It was slowly getting dark and the lights of the city were getting brighter. As we passed a small empty alley to go faster, I felt Shiro''s hand shaking uncontrobly. In the distance, a group of children stood there and watched her, giggling, while my daughter held on tightly to my jacket.


    Instantly understanding what was going on, I took  her and hugged her tightly before walking over to the children.


    "Is there a problem?"


    The tallest boy who looked about 14 turned around and said to me.


    "No Ma''am, but the thing you are holding in your hands is not human. If you want, we can get rid of it for you."


    Upon hearing these words, I flinched...what had he just said just now?


    "Is it you who used to hit her for her hair?" I asked calmly.


    "Yes yes it is me!"


    He said this proudly before continuing with even more gusto.


    "Thest few days I haven''t found her, it''s a pity because I had nned to cut her hair and burn her arms with a burning iron, I heard it''s funny! If you want, you cane see. Just give me that trash."


    Putting Shiro gently on the floor, I whispered in her ear.


    "Sweetie, close your eyes and cover your ears okay? I promise you everything will be okay."


    Seeing that she had done as I asked, I slowly stood up before removing my hood to reveal my violet eyes glowing in the night like two gems. I only stared at the boy as I slowly walked forward while the other children ran off. The one who had been talking a lot a moment ago was mute and frozen in ce. Reaching his height, his cruel words still echoing in my head, I grabbed both his wrists with my hands as he began to scream from my overly strong grip.


    "So it was with those filthy little hands that you were beating my daughter? Interesting. Yet they''re nothing special and are actually pretty weak."


    I continued to squeeze his wrists as the cracking of his bones could be heard. He was screaming and crying but I didn''t care, I could finally vent my anger despite my impassive and inexpressive face.


    [Onee-san, you''re scary when you''re angry...]


    *Oh ? right now I''m pretty calm...you''ve never seen me angry Kira.*


    Loosening my grip and leaving his wrists scrambled, I brought my face close to him showing him my sadistic smile that hadn''t appeared in a long time...too long.


    "It''s a lot less fun being the victim isn''t it? I don''t want to get too much attention so you''re lucky tonight, I''ll just make sure you can''t walk or hold a fork anymore."


    Licking my lips, with a light kick, I broke his right leg and then his left.


    "If I hadn''t controlled my strength at that moment, you would have already lost your life, your body on one side and your legs on the other."


    Turning around to retrieve Shiro my heart stopped...she had disappeared. Only a piece of paper was lying on the ground where she was standing a few minutes ago.


    [ AUCTION - SLAVES


    Come and buy half-human ves with unusual physical features. Meet at the mansion of Lord Fillbert Harker, who will be your host tonight ! ]


    As I read these words, a murderous aura burst from my body and spread throughout the area...this time I was angry. I knew that Shiro had been kidnapped for that hair while I was far too focused on the young boy. I hadn''t even paid attention to her, it was all my fault.


    I had to kill, purge, and exterminate these humans who had dared to touch Shiro after promising her that everything would be okay.


    "None of you will leave this mansion alive...I will show no mercy."


    I then headed towards the mansion at breakneck speed, readying my ice and my fists. This night was going to be a bloody night dictated by my wrath.


    ______


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Title:  Blessed by Titania Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon Tamer


    Level : 30/70


    Exp needed for next level : 3 000 / 31 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 300


    Defense : 301


    Agility : 300


    Stamina : 303


    Speed : 302


    Intelligence : 305


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max) - unlocked


    - Katana Mastery (lvl max) - unlocked


    - Demonic Aura of the Empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 4)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Resistance to pain (lvl 3)


    Other - Humanoid form (unlocked)


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Chaos Storage (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max) ]

 Chapter 26 Bloody Auction (Part I)

    [N/A: I tried to do my best for this chapter focused on the fight, it''s harder to write than the heartwarming moments. I hope you can visualize the scene well]


    ____


    -- POV Auctioneer --


    *Tonight''s auction should be a sess! Thanks to our men patrolling the city we were able to collect some truly unique specimens !*


    The main hall of Lord Harker''s mansion was packed with nobles who came to buy half-human ves. Until now they had all been held by the lord and were only on the street at his pleasure. For the first time since he took over the city, an auction was held to get rid of his ves and make money.


    The nobles had all flocked like ants for the chance to unearth an exceptional ve that they could finally take home. The prospect of having an object to hit for some or to use sexually for others was much too tempting to pass up this opportunity. So the room was packed with noble humans who hade to participate.


    I stood there on therge dais facing the door of thisrge room and had to start the evening which was going to be rich and full of gold coins.


    "Hello everyone! Thank you foring in suchrge numbers to our first ve auction. They are of all races and ages so don''t worry you should all find something you like !"


    The crowd was quiet and eager as I continued.


    "Our specimens are all currently under lock and key in the highest room of the mansion so don''t worry they won''t run away either hahaha~! We''ll go get them once I tell you about the three stars of this evening !"


    Three of our ves were particrly special, they were a bull headed man very rare in this kind ofnd, an elf man and finally a small white haired half human wolf. She had been brought here in a hurry a few hours ago after being spotted by one of our guards. The girl was in an alley, eyes closed and ears plugged, while human children seemed to be beating a young half-human man. He hadn''t seen anything but the screams seemed to belong to apanion of this half-human.


    "I hope you arefortable! As I told you we have three particrly special half-humans tonightdies and gentlemen! A minotaur, an elf and a white-haired wolf half-human !"


    The eyes of the nobles seemed to be filled with greed and desire for these 3 specimens never before seen within the walls of this city. The little one apparently lived here but no one had noticed her until today, how lucky !


    "Thest one seems a bit too young to use her body, but her buyer will do what he wants! I don''t judge so..."


    Before I could even finish my sentence, a huge, thudding noise was heard outside the mansion. We were on the ground floor and only two doors were in the room, a huge one to get out of the mansion and another one to go up to the next floors.


    "Don''t worry, probably some trouble unrted to our evening here, the guards will take good care of this troublemaker."


    Just as I finished my sentence, the door to the entrance shattered to reveal a figure. As she stepped forward, everyone in the room could see what she looked like. She was a half-human with ears and a tail as ck as her hair. But she was different because she had two horns on her forehead...I had never seen a species like her. Her frightening eyes swept across the room to rest on us. They were cold, mesmerizing and dangerous.


    As she walked towards us, a powerful and natural aura filled the space, seeming to distort the air. It was cold, colder and colder, but I couldn''t say how this phenomenon was possible.


    Without even exining why she was there, two huge walls of ice appeared in front of each door to block our exit. The nobles panicked, some even began to hesitate to utter incantations to defend themselves.


    *What''s going on ?*


    I couldn''t understand how the situation had gone from wonderful to chaotic in a split second, I only knew that the person responsible was that filthy half-human creature.


    "GET THAT SCUMBAG"


    The guards assigned to the house were not mages but seasoned swordsmen who were well-versed in forms ofbat. She had no weapon and seemed to be unable to incant her ice magic after forming these walls.


    "She has no mana left, grab her and lock her up with the others !*


    As I gave my instructions, asking the nobles to calm down in the back of the room, the 20 guards present threw themselves at her as one.


    *It''s all over for her.*


    As I thought this, her figure disappeared and reappeared behind two guards before thrusting her two arms into their torsos leaving a huge hole in ce of their hearts. The young woman had them in her hand and was crushing them with a single press.


    "A DEMON !!! SHE''S A DEMON !!!"


    The nobles were terrified and screamed as she fought each of the guards with ease. Arms were torn off, bodies dismembered as she moved with grace avoiding each sword strike easily.


    The monster was smiling as blood spurted down her white face, making her feel like death from another world.


    She didn''t even need a weapon because only her body was enough to neutralize all the guards. You could see her hands crushing skulls with ease, her knees destroying rib cages and the worst was to see her rip the jugr of some with her teeth. She was wild, precise, cruel and deadly.


    I couldn''t feel my legs anymore, the scene that was ying out before me had paralyzed me with fear. The nobles around me were fainting or vomiting in front of this spectacle of a rare cruelty.


    "Please..."


    Some of us were still able to articte, but with unimaginable effort. There we were, locked in with a filthy half-human beast covered in blood from head to toe.


    The creature looked up at us after unterally annihting all 20 guards in just a few seconds that to us seemed like hours.


    "Where...i...my...d.."


    She was muttering words that I couldn''t understand, so to try and calm her down I decided to argue.


    "Ex..excuse me ?"


    "WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER ?!?!?"


    Her voice shook the walls of the mansion as I could see in her eyes a huge anger and a wild glow. She was looking for her daughter and hadn''t started killing the nobles yet, if I yed it right I might be able to save us.


    "That..calm down..we.."


    A nobleman''s head flew to the other end of the room as she spoke her words.


    "This is me allowing you to speak. Now tell me where my daughter is and I will let you go."


    I nodded at her request, even though I didn''t know who she was talking about.


    _____


    -- POV Freya --


    -- PING --


    [ You have earned 10,000 EXP for killing 21 humans. ]


    I ignored the notifications as I looked at the man standing before me. He was livid with fear but I didn''t care, at that moment all I cared about was finding Shiro. Containing my anger, I knew I had to know where it was before I couldsh out. I didn''t feel like arguing any longer so I quickly gave her description.


    "Small, white hair, wolf ears and tail."


    As I looked at him intently waiting for his answer, he managed to stammer out a few words.


    "In...in the highest room of the manor. The lord is there..with...with the key to the ve room."


    My blood boiled like it had never boiled since I had appeared in this world. My heart was screaming and I was feeling more and more guilty. Having gotten the information I needed, I grabbed the man by the neck.


    "You...you said that..."


    "I thought I heard you call me a scumbag earlier didn''t I ? Besides, I lied to you, just so you know, I wouldn''t let a single human live in this mansion. Now die like the pathetic bug that you are."


    His neck had just snapped under the pressure as his lifeless body crashed to the floor like a rag doll. The remaining nobles numbered 50 and were shivering and huddled together.


    "Mer...mercy"


    "Don''t kill us.."


    "I have gold...I...I''ll pay you !"


    I walked towards them as they all spouted their bullshit that I didn''t want to hear. Reaching the first one, I shoved my hand into his neck killing him instantly, the second one had his rib cage shattered by my right kick while the left one flew into the head of the third one taking him out in the process.


    [Don''t you want to use your skills ?]


    *No, I want to train my body and see what it can do inbat. Now please don''t bother me little sister, I''m not in the mood.*


    Kira knew better than anyone that I should not be disturbed when I was in this state. A state where I would kill everyone on sight for making a single move. I wasn''t one to yell often and although I did earlier on impulse, my anger was often calm. The calmer I was, the more cruel and sadistic my actions were. And I also found that the calmer I was on the outside and the more angry I was on the inside, the colder the air naturally became around me.


    In my mind there were 3 different stages of anger in me: raising my voice, screaming and then calming down and killing without stopping. I was currently in the third stage and I wanted to get rid of every human being in this mansion. The calm facade of my face hid an immense anger, it was not for nothing that I was calm because if my mind were to match my anger and my face...I would be nothing but a raging beast unable to think.<novelnext></novelnext>


    *I must hurry..!*


    Running across the room, I continued my ughter faster. Heads were ripped off, eyes crushed, tongues cut out, jugrs torn apart as the cries of despair echoed in unison. Soft music to my ears only slightly soothing the ocean of anger that was stirring in my mind at that moment.


    There were two humans left who seemed to be dead in the head after witnessing this. They couldn''t speak or run away so to go faster I grabbed their heads in each of my hands to crush them simultaneously in an explosion of blood and a sadistic smile of satisfaction.


    -- PING --


    [ You have earned 25,000 EXP for killing 51 humans ]


    [ A counter of human lives taken by the host has been added to the status as a trophy ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (31) ]


    [You now have 100 attribute points ]


    [You have learned the skill Natural Aura of the Ice Empress (passive) ]


    [You have earned the title: Ruthless yer ]


    *Mmh level 31, a counter, points, a new skill and..another title ? Kira, do titles give me advantages ?*


    [Yes]


    *Why didn''t you tell me this before !?*


    [You never asked and uh...I wanted to dy your finding out about Gaya''s title...]


    *Gaya''s title ? What does that have to do with it ?*


    [...]


    *We''ll see about thatter, once this story is over we''ll make a point! I must hurry to reach this room before something happens to her !*


    I broke through the back wall of ice to get to the stairs that led to the upper floors of the mansion. If the man was telling me the truth, Shiro must be on the top floor, the third floor.


    "Wait for me Shiro !!"


    ______


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 31/70


    Exp needed for next level : 7 000 / 32 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 39 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 300


    Defense : 301


    Agility : 300


    Stamina : 303


    Speed : 302


    Intelligence : 305


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 100


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Humans killed : 74


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Resistance to pain (lvl 3)


    Other - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Chaos storage (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 27 Bloody Auction (Part II)

    -- POV Freya --


    Theyout of the mansion was quite simple, two staircases on each side of a floor were connected to the next floor. All I had to do was go up to thest one, where Shiro was. The area was big but with my speed and intelligence, I didn''t have much difficulty to move quickly without running into all the walls of the house.


    *It''s strange that no one is there.*


    I couldn''t see any human, no one seemed to be inside the house. The stairs leading to the upper floors were destroyed after my passage, the steps were cracked and the walls were ready to copse. I couldn''t control my strength because I was too busy trying to find Shiro in this huge empty house, which worried me.


    [Onee-san be careful, you might end up copsing the building before you find Little Shiro].


    *Tsk*


    I had arrived at the third floor anyway, which contained only one door. Arge door with the words "entertainment room" throned in capital letters that gave me the creeps and made me ufortable. I didn''t want to know what kind of entertainment was going on inside but I had to get in.  Kicking violently, the huge door opened with a bang and flew into the room. I still couldn''t see what was there but my anger was growing for some unknown reason.


    As I entered the room, I saw many different beds, there were used torture devices and traces of blood. In the corner of the room, the corpses of half-humans were strewn on the floor with all kinds of wounds. I clenched my fists and looked around.


    *So the guards are all here...*


    There was a battalion of 50 soldiers forming a wall in front of Lord Harker.


    You could tell he wasn''t a handsome man, he was fat, hairy and dripping with sweat. As his lecherous eyes looked me up and down with a disgusting smile, two half-human women were at his feet passed out with what appeared to be broken ribs for one and an arm for the other. Harker had ced both feet on the heads of each of them and was enjoying keeping his dirty feet on their faces.


    "These half-humans are better a little broken hahaha ~"


    The blood was rising more and more in my head as I watched this scene unfold.


    *What if he had touched Shiro? What if she was already...*


    The wrath I had been holding back from the beginning suddenly released as everything near me began to freeze.


    [ONEE-SAN !!!]


    I could hear Kira screaming but I didn''t want to listen to her as a feeling of power came over me. My night-ck hair turned ice-white as I couldn''t control the rage that naturally came out of my body. Two sharp, pointed fangs appeared in my mouth, as sharp as the sharpest sword. Everything froze in a 200 meter space, even all the blood I had on my clothes and in my hair was gone. The air was cold and could burn the lungs of those who breathed, and an icy wind came out of nowhere making my hair flutter as white as Shiro''s.


    As I walked towards the lord, each step I took left the ground broken under my strength and frozen under the power of my icy aura. I walked slowly towards the soldiers keeping my hateful gaze on the lord, nothing existed around me but him. The human soldiers tried to stop me but in a sh, without even looking at them, ice spikes shot up from the ground and pierced them all over before they could reach me. In an instant, the room was stained red and all 50 soldiers were dead.


    -- PING --


    [ You have earned 25,000 EXP for killing 50 humans ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (32) ]


    [ You now have +100 attribute points ]


    [You have learned the Ice Empress Domain skill "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition) ]


    The notifications were ringing, but at this point I clearly didn''t give a shit. The lord was alone and shaking as his smug, lecherous smile disappeared.


    [Onee-saaan...Onee-san calm down ! You don''t control this skill yet !]


    I could hear Kira''s voiceing closer in my mind as I came to my senses. My hair turned ck again and the ice that had frozen the room disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.


    *I...sorry...*


    Bing aware of the notifications, I could only postpone looking at all those messages.


    *I don''t have time to check all this. Later.*


    Walking towards the human in charge of the city, I picked up the two women and dropped them further into the room...away from that pig. At this point, I was annoyed that I didn''t have at least one healing skill.


    Turning my gaze back to the human, I could see that he had pulled out a katana and was pointing it at me while shaking. He didn''t even seem to know how to use a weapon.


    *Kira disys his status.*


    [Fillber Harker


    Race : Human


    Element : x


    Lvl 1/10


    HP : 300 / 300     MP : 50 / 50


    Strength : 30


    Defense : 20


    Agility : 10


    Stamina : 10


    Speed : 10 ]


    In front of such pathetic statistics I almost felt likeughing. He allowed himself to kill, to torture half-humans who were undoubtedly more admirable than him. He gave himself the luxury to decide life and death while being so weak? I didn''t know if I shouldugh at this injustice or be angry.


    In an instant I was in front of him and I took his weapon, not without breaking his arm in the process. As I took his katana and he screamed, I could see that he had a key around his huge, slimy neck. I didn''t need it and there was no way I was going to touch him.


    "Where are the ves you were saving for the auction ?"


    He pointed his shaky pudgy finger at a second equally huge armored door behind a bed. I clearly didn''t need the key so I made four walls of ice to keep him out while I went to free the ves. I wasn''t going to kill him because I had a much more interesting idea.


    In my mind I didn''t care if Shiro could see me like this, it was my nature and I wasn''t going to hide it from her. I don''t want her to be abused but I don''t want her to be ignorant of this world and its cruelty so I won''t hide who I really am.


    _______


    -- POV Shiro --


    I had been locked in this room with all the other people for a while now. Earlier I was on the street while mom was scaring Jay and a human picked me up and brought me here. There were lots of people who were different like me. They weren''t human and had pointy ears, animal heads, ears or tails. They talked about being sold as ves, I didn''t really know what that meant but mom told me it was something bad. Even the kids from my old house were there.


    Everyone seemed to be afraid of what was going to happen so I started to be afraid too. Was I going to be here all my life?


    *No, I''m sure Mom wille and get me. She said I should stay strong and listen to my feelings !*


    As the children cried, grown-ups tried tofort them. A tall man with a horned animal head seemed to be arguing with others. I wanted to try to help them or make them smile, there was no need to worry.


    "We really can''t do anything? Look at all the people there are, there are nearly 100 of us and we will all end up with a human nobleman. Families will be separated, orphans killed and women raped."


    "I know! But what can we do? The gate is armored and there are hundreds of guards waiting for us behind it. Not to mention being able to leave the city unnoticed."


    They said they had a house in the forest but leaving the city would be difficult. I wanted to help them and now I could talk. I had to be strong like my mom and tell them something important.


    I approached the big man with the animal head and tugged on his sleeve to tell him I was there. The adults who were talking looked at me as if I shouldn''t be there until the man spoke to me.


    "What''s the matter kid ? You know this isn''t really the time."


    *You can do it, mommy said you can talk and you''re strong !*


    "Uh..sir...my mommy ising."


    "Your mommy?"


    The man didn''t really seem to understand, but he didn''t have to worry because I knew she woulde for me.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Listen little one, I can see that you love your mommy but outside there are evil humans who want to hurt us. Your mom unfortunately won''t be able to beat them on her own okay?"


    Although he may have been right, I had already seen my mom scare thedy in the store and Jay. My mom..she was scared of nothing.


    "No no, I''m sure she''lle because she''s super strong! She''s a little scary but she''s really nice. You just have to wait."


    Yes she was going toe because the day she gave me my name I knew I would never be alone again.


    ______


    -- POV Yorr --


    This tiny little half-human girl clung to me assuring me that her mother woulde with hopeful eyes. I didn''t know what to say to her even though I knew we couldn''t be saved.


    "I.."


    The words didn''te to me as her violet eyes stared at me and a smile broke out on her innocent face. How could a child like her survive in a world like ours? She was far too pure and needed to be protected at all costs. But by whom? And we were all stuck here with no hope of getting out free.


    The little girl stood there and stared at the door, whispering to herself about her mother. I didn''t know who she was but she was probably dead or worse. A half human in this town was bound to be a ve of the lord, we were all there and her mother was not.


    For us minotaurs family is very important and I would have given my life for my family, but who was there for her now?


    As I wasmenting the fate that awaited the little girl, the door suddenly opened and went off its hinges. This door that no one could open without the key, armored with several kilos impossible to break down even by dozens of beast men. This same door had been opened by what seemed to me to be a kick from the person standing in the light. We couldn''t see her well because the sudden influx of light had dazzled us all. As I rubbed my eyes, I could hear the little girl screaming as she threw herself at the figure.


    "MOMMY !!!"


    *Mommy? ....This little one was telling the truth ?*


    The mother of this little half-human was standing in the doorway and had just freed us with a single kick. As she crouched down to hug her daughter I could see that she was not just anyone. The natural aura of power that emanated from her was not something to be taken lightly, her presence made me feel like I was standing in front of a great Empress and her beauty was...stunning. I also understood why the girl had said that her mother was a little bit scary...she wasn''t a little bit scary, but FUCKING scary. There was something about her eyes, as purple as her daughter''s, something scary and gripping that I couldn''t describe.


    I didn''t know what to think as she stood up and walked towards us with the little girl in her arms. At that moment one question was on everyone''s lips.


    Who could she be?


    ______


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 21 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 300


    Defense : 301


    Agility : 300


    Stamina : 303


    Speed : 302


    Intelligence : 305


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 200


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Humans killed : 124


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress

 Chapter 28 Revenge Of The Slaves

    -- POV Freya --


    The door in front of me was armored and huge, but a single kick was enough to destroy it. As the light flooded the room, I could see hundreds of half-humans, beastmen and other races all held in a room lit only by candles.


    Suddenly, a small, recognizable shape ran towards me, shouting.


    "MOMMY !!!"


    It was Shiro, she was there in good health and most importantly without a single injury.


    [Thank God she''s okay !!!]


    *Yes she''s fine !!!*


    I was happy and relieved as I bent down to hug her gently. She didn''t seem to be scared which made me have a lot of questions but for now I had to get her out of here.


    -- PING --


    [Due to the host''s attachment to the individual named Shiro, she was added to the system as the host''s daughter. Congrattions your family is growing ! ]


    [ Get 100 citizens/subordinates ready to live in your future Kingdom to unlock the "Kingdom" menu and the many possibilities thate with it. ]


    As I held her in my arms, an unexpected notification appeared before my eyes. I didn''t know that a Kingdom menu existed which made me believe that the system was adapting to my actions and that the possibilities were endless.


    *So many things to check out once this story is over.*


    I had had quite a few changes since I arrived in this mansion, I guess it wasn''t all negative. I would have to have a long talk with Gaya when I got home and Shiro to exin what I had exined to Gaya earlier. The important thing now was to get her out of there, but I couldn''t leave all those ves.


    So I decided to walk towards the one who was standing next to my daughter a few moments ago. He was a head taller than me and had a bull''s head, he was a strong and sturdy minotaur ve.


    "Are you the one who protected my daughter ?"


    "I..."


    He apparently couldn''t look me in the eye or speak, which made the situation quite special considering he had the build of a warrior.


    [Yorr


    Race : Minotaur


    Element : x


    Lvl 2/10


    HP : 450 / 450.     MP : 50 / 50


    Strength : 60


    Defense : 50


    Agility : 35


    Stamina : 45


    Speed : 30 ]


    The minotaur named Yorr had no special skills and was rather weak which made sense to me since he had managed to get himself locked up by the weak humans of this weak city. I didn''t like to repeat myself but I wanted my answer.


    "Are you the one who protected my daughter or not ?"


    "I..no I didn''t do anything in particr."


    Squinting at his very evasive answer, I could see out of the corner of my eye that the other ves who hade to their senses wereing towards me.


    "Thank you, thank you for helping us !"


    "I don''t know who you are but thank you from the bottom of my heart !"


    "Thank you! Thanks to you my family will be able to live !"


    [You saved all those people onee-san !]


    The women and children were crying with joy while the men were relieved and moved to finally be free. Yorr who had also regained his senses spoke.


    "Excuse me but...could I know your name ?"


    "Freya."


    "On behalf of everyone here I thank you once again Freya-sama !"


    The ves in the room looked at me withplete respect and admiration before they all bowed their heads in unison. To be honest I was d to be able to free them in passing, but I had onlye for Shiro. While I was thinking about what to do next, Yorr spoke again.


    "I want you to know that you can be proud of your daughter Freya-sama."


    *Mmh ? My little moon ? Why ?*


    "When we were all desperate for help, she came to me without a tear on her face and confidently told me that you woulde to save her and that we didn''t have to worry. To tell you the truth I didn''t believe her at all and I even thought she was clinging to a vain hope.."


    Shiro''s blind trust melted my heart, but I was also worried. If one day I found myself unable to help her, what would she think of me ?


    [Onee-san you don''t have to worry, you will have plenty of time to make her stronger. For now, you can protect her without any problem, you just have to be more careful].


    Kira always had the words to dispel my doubts.


    *Thank you little sister.*


    As I looked at Shiro with a smile, I realized that we were still in this room. Walking towards the exit I turned to the men, women and children who were following me to warn them.


    "What is in this room is not a pretty sight, if possible keep the children from looking, those who are sensitive go out into the hallway and those with a strong heart follow me!"


    Without question, everyone did as I asked. Women, men and children had gathered to form a group and some men stood in front of me with a few women ready to follow.


    As we walked out, I pulled Shiro''s head closer into my chest before whispering to her.


    "Shiro sweetie, don''t look okay ? I had to deal with the bad humans and I''m sure you don''t want to see this."


    "Yes mom I won''t look I promise !"


    [A little Shiro !! Onee-san give me your daughter !]


    *Pfffhahaha ~ isn''t she adorable? And then you can always dream my poor one.*


    It was our way of releasing the pressure because all this time I had been worried about Shiro but I knew that Kira had been worried as well.


    The room was still covered with blood, human and half-human bodies and my ice prison still sat in the middle.


    "Those who can''t stay in the room wait in the hallway, no one should be able to get up here for a while. When we''re done here, I''ll find a way to get you all out."


    Turning to Shiro I said.


    "Shiro, you need to join the others, the bad man needs to be punished and you are too small to stay."


    "Okay mom but please hurry.."


    She seemed a little sad but knew it was important. Despite her young age, she was more mature than any other child and the thought of her ever throwing a tantrum seemed remote if not non-existent. Entrusting my daughter to a half-human cat, I motioned for the others to go. The more sensible former ves nodded as they walked through the door I had kicked down a short while ago, disappearing into the hallway.


    "Good !"


    ______


    -- POV Yorr --


    Freya-sama entrusted her daughter to another woman so that she couldn''t see what was going to happen. She was tender and gentle with little Shiro and I understood why she loved her mother and thought she was kind.


    However, it was not difficult to understand that she was the only one who received this treatment, for us she did not seem nice but rather imposing, dominant and cold. We all knew that she wasn''t going to hurt us and we weren''t afraid of her in a bad way but the fact is that Freya-sama was colossally powerful.


    "Good !"


    The young woman walked towards us as her attitude changed drastically. The gentle and loving person had given way to a cold and domineering person. Seeing this change, everyone in the room shuddered at this being who could kill us with a single touch.


    "Within these four walls is the lord of the city. I left him alive with the idea of torturing him, but I think if you want I can leave him to you."


    She spoke these words with an impassive, neutral face, as if taking life was not a problem for her. Did this little girl really know who her mother was? There were about 15 of us who stayed, although we were not warriors, death did not make us tremble but we had never given it. Seeing our hesitation, she went to a corner of the room to find two wounded and fainting half-human women.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Triss, Lia !!"


    An elf man had pounced on the two unconscious women and seemed to know them. As she watched this scene from the corner of her eye, Freya-sama continued.


    "This is the work of the lord, when I arrived here he was having fun stomping on them after breaking their ribs and arm. In this world, either you are strong and can protect yourself and your loved ones..or you are weak and end up being trampled by humans."


    She was right. If she hadn''te for her daughter, we would never have known freedom and those two young women would probably be dead.


    With a snap of her finger, she made the ice walls disappear to reveal a fat, disgusting human man. He was shaking and had even soaked the bottom of his pants, in a word he was pitiful.


    While I was wondering what to do, Freya-sama stepped in front of the human and broke his legs before looking at us with her intense eyes and saying.


    "He can''t escape anymore, if you want to take revenge take the torture utensils around you and make yourself happy."


    At these words, you could see a terrifying smile forming on her face. The man who seemed to know the two young women stood up and picked up a small dagger before walking towards the lord with determination.


    "Please ! I didn''t mean to hurt you...I...I was going to let you go after scaring you a little I swear !."


    He was crying and viscous fluid came out of both his nostrils and mouth as he begged for his life. The young elf ignored his pleas and thrust the dagger into the human''s belly.


    I didn''t know what to do or say, I felt terrified and excited about what was happening. I had to get stronger! I picked up what seemed to be a small axe and brought it down on the broken legs of this disgusting human.


    Seeing our actions, the few men and women who had not moved began to do the same with various objects, each more frightening than thest.


    _______


    -- POV Freya --


    The former ves seemed to be having fun as they stabbed, sawed, beat and tortured the human named Harker. His screams echoed throughout the mansion and I was sure Shiro could hear them too.


    *I should have cut his tongue out first.*


    [Sigh..onee-san, I know you enjoy the screams of a tortured human..]


    *Kufufu ~ yes! And then Shiro shouldn''t ignore what''s going on. Even if she can''t see, she has to understand that I''m not as nice as she thinks. She is smart, she knows that this world is not a fairy tale.*


    I had only exchanged a few words with Kira and the human was already dead, he had onlysted 5 minutes at the most. His blood was everywhere and had sttered those near him. As I walked towards them, I watched the elf and the minotaur carefully.


    *These two managed to make a quick decision earlier despite being shocked by my violence. They have a very interesting cold blood...with a little training I''m sure they''ll make very powerful subordinates.*


    I had not yet founded a Kingdom, but I was nning to do so if possible in the Dark Forest because I had heard that many races were taking refuge there. Currently the humans were storming it, but I nned to destroy them all and settle there with Gaya and Shiro.


    "What do you n to do when you get out ?"


    As I asked this question to the people in the room, I inwardly told myself that I absolutely needed these two. I had saved them and from the looks on their faces, I knew they could never betray me. I was too strong for them to even think about it anyway, but they all looked at me with deep respect and admiration despite the fear.


    *Yosh ! It''s time to make me some loyal subordinates !*


    ______


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 21 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 300


    Defense : 301


    Agility : 300


    Stamina : 303


    ? Speed : 302


    Intelligence : 305


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 200


    Engaged to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Subordinates: 2 / 100


    [N/A: The system counts Gaya and Shiro as subordinates even though they are not, as they have chosen to follow Freya of their own free will and will live in her kingdom. They are the only exceptions, the others will all be true subordinates].


    Humans Killed: 124


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 1) - under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 29 Subordinates And Escape

    -- POV Freya --


    "What do you n to do when you get out ?"


    I wanted to know in a little more detail about their future ns to see if it was possible to get them to join me.


    "We all wanted to leave for Syn Forest since the creatures there are less dangerous than anywhere else. We wanted to live there in peace away from the humans. As for me, I was captured only a few days ago."


    "It''s the same for me. I was traveling in the direction of the forest with Triss and Lia and on the outskirts of the city we were kidnapped."


    The elf had stepped forward to tell what had happened to him while apanied by these two half-humans (a rabbit and a cat).


    [Elyon


    Race : Elf


    Element: Wood


    Lvl 0/10


    HP : 350 / 350     MP : 150 / 150


    Strength : 42


    Defense : 20


    Agility : 45


    Stamina : 38


    Speed : 40 ]


    *Oh he is level 0 ? I didn''t even know it was possible !*


    [ording to Gaya it is when the individual has not yet felt the mana in the air. He is of the wood element I think so when he gets to level 1, his personal attack and defense skill will reveal itself. Logically Shiro should be at that stage too].


    *Oh but it''s true I never inspected Shiro''s status! Thanks to the system, I can see the element they resonate with the most before they even know it themselves. But why can''t I see anything about Yorr ?*


    [Because he has no affinity with the elements, I''d say he''s more of a warrior type than a mage type. You can be a warrior even if you are already a mage, like you for example, although using you as an example is not necessarily representative. But the opposite is not possible, if you don''t have an affinity with the elements you can''t do anything about it].


    *Mmh I see...I hope Shiro is a mage..*


    [I wonder what Shiro''s element is.]


    *Me too ! We''ll see !*


    Yorr and Elyon were standing there waiting for me to speak but I had to make my announcement in front of everyone, not just those in the room.


    "Let''s join the others I have something important to say !"


    While Elyon and Yorr carried the two unconscious women, I led the way down the hallway to where all the other former ves were waiting for us. They looked slightly terrified at the screams that hade out of the room a short while ago, but said nothing because deep down they were happy to have heard him suffer.


    "Mom, are you done ?"


    Shiro walked up to me as her little voice asked me a question. She was not afraid like the other children and seemed even braver than some women much older than her.


    Taking her in my arms gently and caressing her head I said.


    "Yes I''m done but I have to do something, will you wait a little longer before we go back to Gaya ?"


    "Umu ! I''ll wait !"


    My daughter was so understanding it was scary. I set her down on the floor to turn to the hundred or so former ves who were waiting with interest for my words. They were wondering what a powerful being like me could possibly have to offer them.


    "All of you here! Would you be willing to live in the Kingdom I am about to build? Free of all evil humans, where beasts, half-humans, beast-men and other races can live in safety and protection. A ce where no child, woman or man will have to be beaten or die without having known the happiness of being alive."


    My passive mander" skill had activated and I could hear my voice take on a solemn,manding tone, full of determination and confidence. The eyes of those in the hallway lit up wondering if such a utopia was possible in this world.


    "My name is Freya and I will be the Empress of this Kingdom. You are all free to ept or refuse. I will create a ce full of life where nothing and no one can reach us! Agree to be my subordinates and I swear to protect you all so that you can live,ugh, dance and sing until you die of old age. Follow me and I promise you happiness..."


    I hadn''t even finished my sentence that all 100 former ves were kneeling before me bowing their heads in agreement as they shouted in unison.


    "WE WILL FOLLOW YOU AND WE SWEAR ALLEGIANCE HERE AND NOW TO HER HIGHNESS THE EMPRESS !"


    Even the children had knelt down and spoken these words easily understanding that I would allow them to live happily.


    -- PING --


    [Congrattions! You have obtained your first 100 citizens/subordinates, the Kingdom menu is now avable in your status ]


    [ Please move to the ce you want to set as a Kingdom ]


    [ You now have +50 attribute points ]


    I stood before them and had begun my work to build my own Kingdom...all I needed was the location.


    "Get up, we have a lot to do. Yorr, Elyon I am going to ask you to stay in the Syn forest until Ie to get you !"


    Yorr didn''t understand and neither did Elyon so I exined to them what was going on in the Dark Forest and my idea to go build my Kingdom there. Yorr didn''t understand and thought it was too dangerous.


    "Your Highness, are you really going to go there alone ? The humans who capture our kind are numerous and at least B rank and maybe even A rank I..."


    "You all chose to follow me so trust and follow my orders. You all need not worry because if I follow the human terms you could say I am S rank."


    [You are actually more powerful than a human S-rank because of the systems and attribute points that make you rise very quickly].


    Everyone looked at me with shock and couldn''t believe they had met a being like me. Among the half-humans or any other race it was difficult to find any strong enough topete with humans. Most of them were ves or ran away with their lives, which prevented leveling.


    "Either way we need to get out of here, we''ll go through the back of the mansion so you can escape to the forest. The town must be in an uproar because I had to set fire to a few stores beforeing here to hide the massacre at the mansion. Once outside you will follow your original n and settle in temporarily while I clear the Dark Forest of humans. Any objections ?"


    The adults answered no as I took Shiro in my arms to walk down the stairs. Children, women, the wounded, and men were all helping each other out of this ce that had almost be their graves. There was no one left in the mansion so we managed to move quickly and finally reached the back of the mansion where a stone wall blocked the ess to the outside of the city.


    Putting Shiro down once again who had tired eyes as she yawned, I stroked her head again to encourage her.


    "Shiro, we''ll go back to the inn soon to find Gaya, just wait a little longer and you can sleep soon."


    She nodded her head even though she was tired as the others looked at us with a slight shock on their faces when they saw how I treated my daughter despite the personality I had.


    *Kira, let''s break down the wall so they can all get out of here quickly, it''s taking way too long here !*


    [Yes, let''s go !]


    I didn''t want to reveal my wolf form right away because I was waiting to have my Kingdom to show my true form to all my subordinates, so I opted for ice. Dozens of ice spikes appeared at my side as everyone backed away to safety. They flew at the wall while I watched the scene calmly and impassively as usual.


    A session of thuds could be heard in the stillness of the night as in the moonlight a band of ves tried to flee led by a special she-wolf.


    The wall had given way easily, leaving a gaping hole in its ce overlooking the outside of the city and the Syn forest.


    "Good ! Go on through !"


    With a smile on their faces, the half-humans, beastmen, and other now-free races moved forward one after the other eagerly. Yorr stood to my left and Elyon to my right waiting for my instructions.


    "Yorr, Elyon !"


    "Yes your highness ?"


    "In the forest there is arge mountain to the west, keep going straight and you should find it easily. This mountain still has arge amount of mana scattered in the air, if you can find the cave and enter it you will be safe from the beasts of the forest at least until Ie to get you. I can''t take you with me, it''s too dangerous right now and you have to take care of the weak ones."


    "We understand your highness !"


    "I want you two to look after the others until I arrive. If it''s possible get everyone to practice a little each day so you can defend yourselves more easily. It shouldn''t be long before Ie back so don''t die. And you Elyon once in the mountain try to feel the mana around you, you will eventually find your affinity and develop your attack and defense skill I''m counting on you !"


    "Yes your highness !"<novelnext></novelnext>


    I had named the two leaders of this group of 100, hoping that nothing untoward would happen before I came to pick them up to move into the Dark Forest.


    Approaching the group without crossing the destroyed wall, I raised my head to look at all those faces filled with adoration and respect.


    "I wish you all good luck, we will meet again soon and then the utopia I proposed will be real. Wait a little, be strong and remember only you can decide your life !"


    They all knelt before me once more before leaving in the direction of the forest as I saw their silhouettes disappear into the dark.


    Shiro had fallen asleep on the cold night grass while I talked with the minotaur and the elf. She was so cute with her bright white hair resonating with the moonlight that I almost didn''t want to touch her. She looked like a little princess from a fairy tale.


    Picking up the katana I had taken from the lord and taking her in my arms without waking her up, I started to run across the property to reach her entrance. No one was aware of the ughter that had urred and that all the ves in this small town had escaped. Shouts could be heard in the streets where I had set the stores on fire beforeing, people were scrambling and everyone was trying to find a way to put out the mes.


    [You were right to do that apparently.]


    *Obviously, it would have been tooplicated to kill the whole town without putting myself in danger. Gaya or Shiro might even have been involved too seriously.*


    Walking down the street as if nothing had happened, I made my way to the inn and my room where Gaya was waiting for us. When I opened the door a small dragon of one meter flew right into my face with an annoyed look.


    "Where have you been ? The city is abuzz and you weren''t here ! Wait...sniff...sniff...you smell like blood, what happened ?"


    I then began to tell Gaya what had happened as we left the inn: the kidnapping, the diversionary fires, the massacre at the mansion, the subordinates and their escape.


    As I finished my tale, she casually threw herself on top of Shiro asleep on the bed to see if she had any injuries before speaking.


    "You could have been careful ! What if Shiro hade back hurt or worse ?"


    I had nothing to answer because she was totally right.


    *Is that what it''s like to be yelled at by a woman ? Well, it''s not pleasant, kufufu ~*


    While I was letting down the pressure after that crazy night, Gaya approached me to tell me with a smile a good news.


    "Freya ! I didn''t tell you but...I could finally take my humanoid form once the night is over !"


    ______


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000     MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 300


    Defense : 301


    Agility : 300


    Stamina : 303


    Speed : 302


    Intelligence : 305


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 250


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates: 102


    [N/A: The system counts Gaya and Shiro as her subordinates even though they are not because they chose to follow Freya of their own free will and will live in her Kingdom. They are the only exceptions, the others will all be true subordinates. They are the only exceptions, the others will all be true subordinates].


    Humans Killed: 124


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 30 A Bunch Of New Changes

    -- POV Freya --


    Gaya had just told me that she was finally going to be able to take her human form, which was great news since we had to leave tomorrow. I was also looking forward to seeing what she might look like.


    "That''s great, your circuits fixed themselves pretty quickly !"


    "Yes ! I''ve been getting a lot of sleep which has allowed my mana to flow more smoothly over the past few days, so I''m healed !"


    She was happy and I understood her, it had been over 10 years now that she was stuck in her dragon body. So I opened her status to see what was going on.


    [Name : Gaya


    Age : 35 years old (in human terms)


    Sex : Female


    Race : Earth Dragon


    Title : Last of her kind (unlocked)


    Engaged to : Freya


    Element : Earth


    Lvl 28/70


    HP : 85 000 / 85 000


    MP : 40 000 / 42 000


    Strength : 270


    Defense : 300


    Agility : 260


    Stamina : 296


    Speed : 245


    Skills :


    Earth fist / Earthquake (lvl 5)


    Earth cocoon (lvl 5)


    Telepathy


    Dragon fighting style


    Roar


    Humanoid form - blocked


    Hand to handbat - blocked, requires humanoid form ]


    These stats were lower than mine especially in attributes but it had to be said that I had a system and points that made my growth a high speed train. Everything seemed perfect and considering her level without taking me as an example one could say that she was very powerful.


    "I''m going to go to sleep I''m still a little tired because I stayed up all night waiting for you."


    "You''re right, go to bed, I still need to see quite a few of my changes with Kira."


    "Good night Freya and good night Kira."


    "Good night Gaya."


    [Good night.]


    It was time for me to check on all the changes that had taken ce during my little escapade in the mansion. I wasn''t going to look at the notification history so I asked Kira to give me like a presentation of my changes as I listened carefully.


    [So to start with you got attribute points but I won''t dwell on that because you already know how to use them. You now have two new skills that involve ice because that''s your main element].


    *Please tell me the details of each one.*


    [Natural Aura of the Ice Empress (passive) - a natural, passive aura (cannot be controlled) that represents the host''s anger gauge. The angrier the host is, the colder the air around her bes. Linked to the skill "Empress''s Domain"]


    *She doesn''t spend any MP because she is passive, pretty cool. Now I understand better why as soon as I entered the mansion the air was getting colder and colder...my anger kept rising.*


    [That''s not all onee-san, this skill is also rted to the second one you got when you lost control].


    *Go ahead and show me.*


    [Ice Empress Domain "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition) - linked to the skill "Natural aura of the Ice Empress" this skill is an extension of it and is automatically activated when the host has reached a huge anger. A domain of ice is then created 200 meters around the host locking the enemies inside. If hostile intent is detected, spikes of ice immediately pierce the individual who caused it.


    Cannot be controlled at this time. ]


    *Oooh! That''s exactly what happened, but what does it mean that I can''t control it ?*


    [It means that you can''t activate your domain on your own right now. Your domain will only appear if you are angry enough. The more you use it, the easier it will be for you to control it and activate it whenever you want. You''re also spending 10,000 MP so be careful].


    *I see...what about my allies in the area ?*


    [Your allies are not listed because it goes without saying that they will not be harmed because only the cold and the attacks act if the individual has a murderous intent].


    *Well, that''s really convenient ! I hope I won''t have to use it in the next few days, I don''t often get that angry. What else is there ?*


    [You have a counter that shows the number of humans killed but as the system said, it''s useless and is just there as a personal trophy. Thest big change is the Kingdom menu which has been activated by your first 100 subordinates].


    *Can you open this menu Kira ?*


    ___


    [KINGDOM (please name it)


    Empress: Freya


    Wife: (Gaya) [N/A: Gaya is only her fianc¨¦e at the moment]


    Princess: Shiro


    Administration: ...


    Commanders of the armies: ...


    Chief of construction : ...


    Chief cksmith : ...


    Chief cook : ...


    Chief spy : ...


    Responsible for the cultures : ...


    ce : (please indicate a location)


    Subordinates / inhabitants : 102


    Official soldiers: ...


    ____


    *Well, it''s not a joke ! When did my life be a management game ?*


    I was shocked to see all these empty fields that I hope will be filled soon, but I didn''t really know what this menu was for.


    *Kira, do you know exactly what this menu is for ? Besides seeing my information about the Kingdom, is there any other use ?*


    [Yes, there is a lot, for the moment everything is empty, but I will exin. All your subordinates who have pledged allegiance to you will find it easier to level. Let''s say up to 20%, which is already a lot in this world. If you do well, your Kingdom should gradually be powerful...very powerful. In addition, those you appoint to the listed positions can be contacted telepathically even if you are not close to them, to make it easier to manage the kingdom when you are away. They...]


    *Wait, this is great ! Not only will my subordinates be faster to level for those who train, but I''ll be able to manage my Kingdom from afar !! Which means I still have to think about who I appoint to these positions !*


    [Yes ! I told you it was useful. Besides, it is possible to change the subordinates and/or set more than one person in the same position so you don''t have to worry about it].


    *You can continue, sorry for interrupting you !*


    [Ahem ! So uh posts can be added by the system if it deems necessary so other than everything I told you before, for now that''s it for the Kingdom menu].


    At the moment it wasn''t doing me much good because I wasn''t even in the ce where I wanted to start my kingdom yet. I had to name it but I had no idea what I was going to call it...I hadn''t thought about it.


    *Arg it can wait! I''m going to divide my attribute points !*


    ____


    Strength: 300 > 340


    Defense: 301 > 336


    Agility : 300 > 350


    Stamina : 303 > 353<novelnext></novelnext>


    Speed : 302 > 342


    Intelligence : 305 > 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    ______


    I had decided to focus on endurance, agility and speed because in a fight in my humanoid form I would be at an advantage. I already had enormous strength and a very good defense so I preferred to optimize my current body to make it even faster, more agile and enduring.


    I could feel my body changing again but this time I could feel it bing more flexible, lighter and more energetic. I could feel every part of my body to a degree that is impossible for a human being, everything was more fluid and graceful in my movements.


    *Wow, this feeling is not the same as the first few times but I definitely feel more in tune with my body !*


    Grabbing the katana that I had taken from the lord, I started to make some movements discreetly in the room without waking up the two who were sleeping peacefully.


    [When you move it almost looks like you are dancing onee-san !]


    *It''s true that I feel more graceful and then this katana definitely didn''t belong to this lord, I don''t know where he found it but it''s a wonder. And believe me, I know all about it !*


    It was an entirely ck sword, even its de was dark and shiny. It was light, sharp and made with incredible precision and perfection. I didn''t know who had forged it, and I may never know, but this weapon was now mine.


    Sitting back down on the chair I had broken a few days ago, I asked Kira the question that had been on my mind for a while.


    *So tell me what I need to know about the titles, you said they gave me advantages, right ? Why didn''t you say anything ?*


    [I didn''t think it was necessary at the moment and to be honest I wanted you to wait a little while before seeing Gaya''s title].


    *Exin to me what you mean by that..you know I don''t like to be yed with..*


    The air was already starting to get slightly colder as Kira tried to exin.


    [Wait onee-san, don''t get angry and listen to me. First I''ll exin the advantages of your titles. The title blessed by goddess titania is not of much use to you anymore because it is thanks to this title that you have a special course, two elements and a system. Then there is dragon tamer, which is automatic since you are engaged to Gaya, it only allows you to be the only one able to ride on her back when she is in her adult dragon form. And finally the title Ruthless yer gives you a bit more EXP when you kill your enemies while they are begging].


    *I see, yes it''s not extremely usefulpared to some of the other skills I have. But what does it have to do with Gaya ?*


    [Well...Gaya''s title is "Last of Her Kind" and has been unlocked since you formed the contract...]


    *...*


    [I''ll leave her description to you, you''ll see for yourself onee-san].


    As Kira finished speaking, a window showing me Gaya''s status appeared disying her title. There before my eyes I finally saw the details of her title and I understood why Kira hadn''t told me about it herself.


    [Last of her kind (unlocked) - title allowing the individual concerned to bear offspring, whether his or her partner is male or female, in order to protect the lineage and the race. ]


    I couldn''t believe my eyes. As I read the description I felt my ears redden and warm slightly for the first time as I quietly turned my head to Gaya. I had never thought about this kind of thing before so I was caught off guard not knowing what to say. It was a very important title that would allow Gaya to have descendants and not see her race totally disappear.


    *I...If I have children with her, will they be dragon or wolf ? Aarg what I''m thinking about ! This is not the time !*


    [Pfffhaha ~ You have the right to ask yourself that question since you are concerned onee-san. No matter what happens, her children will be yours. Even if you finally decide that you don''t have feelings for her...Gaya will never use her title because she has bonded with you and no one else].


    *That''s right...*


    I kept looking in Gaya''s direction as if she could hear my conversation with Kira. I had already spent time with her and I had to admit that I liked her more and more naturally even forgetting the contract sometimes. I had never been in love so I didn''t really know what it felt like but after learning about Gaya''s title my heart kept drumming against my chest every time I thought about her.


    *Kira how do you know when you like someone romantically ?*


    [Onee-san I have no idea, I don''t even have a body so I really can''t help you...but I guess you can feel it...]


    I couldn''t tell if it was love I felt for this dragoness, but if my heart decided that it was, I would dly ept it. Never before had a thought like that crossed my mind but I could feel myself changing little by little. Not because I was bing less cruel or less cold, but because I was opening my heart to others..and not just anyone..Kira..Gaya and Shiro.


    I didn''t know it yet, but when I woke up, this heart that had been silent until that moment, was going to be put to the test again.


    ______


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000.     MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 102


    [N/A: The system counts Gaya and Shiro as subordinates even though they are not because they chose to follow Freya of their own free will and will live in her Kingdom. They are the only exceptions, the others will all be true subordinates].


    Humans Killed: 124


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 31 Feelings And Gayas Smile

    [N/A : Feel free toment and/or leave a review this is the best gift for me :3 Thanks to those whoment each chapter every day (yes i have your names in mind kufufu~), you don''t know how much it means to me ! Enjoy your reading !]


    ______


    -- POV Freya --


    It was early morning and daylight wasing in softly through the window of the small room where we were staying. I had woken up early as usual and as I lifted my arms slightly to stretch, my left elbow was tickled by what seemed to be hair. As I turned my head thinking I saw Shiro, apletely unfamiliar figurey there beside me.


    "WHAT THE...??"


    My voice hade out without even paying attention to the ones still sleeping. The woman next to me woke up and sat up alerted by my surprised cry.


    "Freya ? What''s happening to you ?"


    The woman in front of me was Gaya.


    "Gaya you...you are finally in your humanoid form."


    Hearing my words, the dragoness who wasn''t really one anymore, stood up covering herself with the sheet and started moving her body in all directions.


    "This is it ! Finally !"


    Gaya had a more mature face than mine due to being the equivalent of 35 years old in human age which made her how to say...very attractive. She had perfectly proportioned curves and a generous chest unlike mine which was neither too big nor too small. The dragoness was quite tall but still shorter than me, I was 5''7" but she must have been 5''6". Her crimson hair was long and came to her waist and her amber eyes hadn''t changed but gave her a strangely more dominant look than in her dragon form. They were warm and seemed to glow with a mischievous gleam. Gaya also had two small horns that she could make disappear at will that were like mine on the same spot on her forehead, giving her a wilder look that went perfectly with her mature face.


    If I was a cold beauty like the moon, Gaya was a warm beauty like the setting sun. She was beautiful and I couldn''t look away from her very attractive appearance.


    "So how do i look ?"


    She asked as she spun around with a bright smile and the white sheet that made her a pretty dress. Her hair was floating while outside you could hear the sound of birds singing announcing the morning. The scene was divine and mesmerizing. Not being shy in front of others I stood up and grabbed her by the waist to hold her close to me, sliding my fingers under her chin to lift her head. As I licked my lips, her eyes were plunged into mine which shone with a wild glow as I answered her question.


    "To be honest you are the prettiest woman I have ever seen.."


    I was sincere as I saw no point in lying to her. As I said these words, her face turnedpletely red as she turned away with embarrassment. Seeing this mature woman act like a shy little girl created a contrast that made meugh...I thought she was very cute like that too. I almost wanted to tease her all day long just to see that expression.


    "Thank you..Freya."


    As she said those words, she smiled warmly at me which suddenly made my heart beat even faster. It was the same feeling asst night when I was talking to Kira but more intense. I couldn''t focus on anything else but those full lips that were to this beautiful woman in my arms, unable to escape. As everything around us disappeared and we unconsciously got closer, a small voice woke us up from our trance.


    "Hello mom, hello Gaya."


    It was Shiro, she was rubbing her eyes like every morning and looking at me with a smile that would make anyone crack up. Releasing herself from my embrace, Gaya walked away with a face as red as her hair.


    *How cute...*


    I then walked over to Shiro to stroke her head, to exin her the changes of Gaya and to ask her if she had slept well despite everything that had happenedst night.


    "Oh it''s great ! I didn''t think she could have this form ! And yes i slept well even though I don''t remember when I fell asleep."


    As she said these words, she hugged me in her small fragile arms to give me her morning hug while Gaya looked at us smiling. While I was enjoying this moment of pure happiness, Kira took the opportunity to finally show up.


    [Tell me onee-san, you seemed to be very enterprising a little while ago kufufufu~]


    *Ara ara ~ I don''t know if you noticed but I''m more of a dominant type...let''s just say I couldn''t help myself when I saw her smile.*


    [Yes, but Gaya almost had a heart attack, you know? What exactly were you nning to do ? hehe~]


    *I...I don''t know. I acted on impulse, I can''t even tell you what I was thinking.*


    It was like I was in a state that I had never experienced before. Was it love or physical attraction I couldn''t tell yet because I was just following my instincts.


    One thing was for sure, our rtionship had started to change.


    _____


    -- POV Gaya --


    Freya was taking care of Shiro and I couldn''t even think. The images of thest 5 minutes were reying in my head non-stop, preventing me from concentrating on anything.


    *What just happened ?*


    At that moment, I was so close to Freya, I could still feel her cold but warm embrace on my shivering body. Contract or not, I knew I had fallen in love with her long ago...like love at first sight..and after that scene I couldn''t help but think that she felt the same way.


    *How to know ? How can i be sure ?*


    It was always impossible to read her face and despite her smile which was only meant for Shiro and me I never knew what she was thinking. Freya had never known love and had acted on instinct and almost thrown herself at me. At the time it happened I felt like a prey to her predator, me..Gaya the great dragoness known as the mother of dragons. It was the first time I felt so submissive in front of someone, usually people trembled in front of me but in front of the presence of this she-wolf, her aura and her beauty...I could do nothing.


    I would never be like this with anyone else and this part of me would remain only between her, Kira, Shiro and me. Freya had her 25 year old face which was 10 years younger than mine but she didn''t mind, I was relieved and happy.


    *I hope she will call me her wife one day...*


    I had never felt so close to anyone, but for her was it the effect of the contract or something else? I was certainly linked to Freya but as she had said, feelings cannot be controlled. So I had to wait for her to tell me if anything had changed for her in her heart.


    "Gaya we need to go buy you some clothes before we leave and stock up on food for the trip. I would also like if possible to find a cart so that Shiro can travel morefortably."


    Freya telling me the ns for this morning brought me out of my thoughts. Her voice showed no hint of shyness but she was right, I was still dressed in the sheet and indeed had no clothes on.


    "Y..Yes, do you want me toe with you? I can easily pass off the sheet as a dress and if you give me your cloak it should be fine."


    Freya thought about the proposal before agreeing saying we would go faster this way.


    "Oh and we need to stop by the guild to get information about the humans stationed in the Dark Forest, I need their location and numbers if possible."


    "Got it !"


    I was barefoot but it did absolutely nothing for me and as I manipted the fabric into a small dress, Freya and Shiro were also getting ready.


    In 10 minutes we were ready to go, Shiro was dressed in her white dress with her hooded cape that hid her ears and tail. Freya still had her ck pants, white shirt and ck jacket that gave her a very seductive masculine look.


    *God..what a woman..!*


    I was wearing my white makeshift dress with Freya''s cape without wearing the hood because I could make my horns disappear. The she-wolf didn''t have her cape and I knew that by not hiding her face we would be noticed very easily. It had to be said that she was much more beautiful than me, not to mention her presence was impossible not to notice even with a hood.


    So we all went downstairs and for the first time I was going to see the city by day and walk alongside this little girl and her mother who was my fianc¨¦e.


    _____


    -- POV Jane --


    The Adventurers Guild was almost empty as everyone had been requisitioned to put out the fires that had suddenly broken outst night. I was at the front desk for the first time because I usually take care of the paperwork in another room but today was special.


    *There is nothing to do..*


    While I was bored a woman entered the room with a child in her arms followed by another woman in a dress and... barefoot ?


    *We''re not in a store here, for God''s sake, go get shoes somewhere else !*


    I was already feeling annoyed about this group even before they spoke to me but I couldn''t ignore the aura that was emanating from these two and that made me shiver as they walked towards me. But only one made it to my level as the one with the child had suddenly branched off towards the mission wall.


    "Hello, we would like to get some information about a mission."


    The one in front of me had crimson hair and amber eyes that stared at me without flinching, she was very beautiful and gave off a motherly but imposing aura.


    "What mission are you talking about and are you even an adventurer ?"


    "I.."


    "I don''t see a namete, do you have one ? If not, leave !"


    *She is barefoot, she is definitely not an adventurer !*


    Despite the fact that she was impressive I didn''t want to waste my time with someone who didn''t even have anything to introduce me to. As I asked her all these questions, she looked at me raising an eyebrow before speaking.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I''m not an adventurer, I''m just apanion, but I didn''t know that humans here were so rude !"


    *Eh ? Humans ?*


    As I was trying to understand what she meant by that, the other young woman who was younger approached us, attracted by the tense atmosphere.


    *What does she want from me too ?*


    I had no desire to discuss with these two women who didn''t even know how to formte a request correctly.


    "Is there a problem here ?"


    Her voice made me jump on my chair as I turned my head to check that it was the ck-haired one who had spoken. She was even more gorgeous, standing in front of me and towering over me, obviously taller than the other one. Her voice froze my spine because it contained no emotion. I couldn''t answer because I felt like I was dealing with someone I shouldn''t offend...under any circumstances.


    *Shit...*


    "Gaya what''s going on ?"


    "This youngdy refuses to listen to me and even asked me to leave."


    The woman named Gaya was saying these words while looking at me out of the corner of her eye with a hostile look and a hint of disdain in her voice. She was scary, her eyes seemed made of embers, I could only look away as the ck haired one continued.


    "I am an adventurer and I need information about a particr mission, is that a problem ? Should I teach you how to treat your customers well ?"


    Her eyes were icy and if the woman named Gaya was scary, this one was terrifying.


    *Who the hell are they ?*


    As I stammered something inaudible, an adventurer burst violently inside the guild saving me from the situation.


    "THE...THE LORD HAS BEEN MURDERED AND NO SLAVES ARE LEFT IN THE CITY !!!"


    ______


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000    MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 102


    [N/A: The system counts Gaya and Shiro as subordinates even though they are not because they chose to follow Freya of their own free will and will live in her Kingdom. They are the only exceptions, the others will all be true subordinates].


    Humans Killed: 124


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - ''conditional)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 32 Departure And Plans

    [N/A : Some drawings of my characters should be released in 5 to 7 days on my discord. If you want to see them feel free to join it (link in synopsis).]


    ___


    -- POV Freya --


    "THE...THE LORD HAS BEEN MURDERED AND NO SLAVES ARE LEFT IN THE CITY !!!"


    An adventurer was bursting into the guild with these words.


    *They found the body much faster than expected.*


    [Yes, but that shouldn''t be a problem, and the ves are already long gone.]


    That didn''t really change my ns, the rest was to know if I could get my information quickly because I didn''t want to stay a moment longer in this city. I then turned to Gaya and told her of a change of n.


    "Take the coin purse and go buy what we need, normally there should be enough for clothes, food and maybe even something to move around with the gold coin. I trust you Shiro, I''ll stay here for the information. Wait for me in the inn when you''re done."


    As Gaya took Shiro in her arms, they both looked at me with a worried look.


    "Mommy.. aren''t you staying with us ?"


    I stroked my daughter''s little head over the hood again, reassuring her.


    "I have some things to take care of but don''t worry Gaya will protect you !"


    She nodded with a serious expression as the dragoness spoke up in turn.


    "Even though I know your power, be careful and I will protect Shiro no matter what. Take the time you need, we''ll handle things on our end."


    She had a determined look and a serious face that showed she knew what she had to do. Nodding my head, I could see them walking away as I turned back to the unkind receptionist from earlier.


    "What do you mean the lord is dead ? I can''t do anything for you, you have to take this up with the guild master. Go up the stairs and it''s immediately to the right."


    She was giving instructions to the one who hade to deliver the news out of breath after running all the way here. The others in the guild were wondering if this was a joke and weren''t really paying attention to the situation.


    *These humans are really stupid, how can they not take information like this seriously ? Even if it''s not true, you should never take a chance.*


    [Indeed, it''s quite distressing.]


    Turning back to the youngdy, I could see that she was no longer busy.


    "Give me information about this mission concerning the capture of ves in the Dark Forest. Make it quick I''m in a hurry."


    "I...Please show me your namete before.."


    I handed her the iron te with a sigh. As she saw my level, the receptionist almost fell off her chair realizing my power.


    "I..so uh the mission to Dark Forest. For the moment I can tell you that there are mercenaries that should be 50, all between level 17 and 19 so rank B. There are also 20 adventurers who are currently participating also of rank B, and 1 mage of rank A level 29. The mission should be over in a month and a half, do you have any other questions ?"


    *So time will not be an issue. Also, is it just me or is she strangely much more docile ? kufufu~*


    [Necessarily after seeing your level haha~]


    "Tell me where they are."


    "So the forest is quiterge, but in the center of it there is the ruin of a temple in a small clearing. The 71 people there are set up in a camp there, as the center is where all the half-humans, beastmen, and intelligent creatures usually gather. Some have even apparently gathered to try to free the prisoners and resist...tsk disgusting !"


    *If I didn''t need the information you would have already had your head cut off..*


    I didn''t like the humans of this world who were judging other races without getting to know them, it was unbearable especially since she was also talking about my race and my course (although unique). I didn''t have time to raze this city, creating my Kingdom to protect Shiro, Gaya and the others was the most important thing but I still made a mental note toe back here once it was over.


    *Are they still looking for the wolf ? They''ll get it soon !*


    As I said this to myself, I clenched my fists and teeth in frustration. Since activating my "Frozen Wrath" skill, I had kept my fangs which had appeared at that time and my once "human" canines were now pointed and always sharp. This change did not bother me more than that because I never smiled in front of humans, the only ones who had seen me smile were now all dead. One could say that my smile was now bestial and wild in addition to sadistic.


    Returning to my conversation with the receptionist, I decided to hurry to join Gaya and Shiro.


    "Is there anything else I need to know ?"


    "No that''s all, I can provide you with a map if you decide to go."


    "I wouldn''t go but I''ll take the map."


    Of course I intended to go but I didn''t want her to connect the massacre that was about to happen to me. I didn''t mind but I wanted to avoid any unforeseen events before my Kingdom was officially established. The future was still too unclear for me to allow myself to draw attention but having a map was not a bad thing.


    "Here.."


    The young woman handed me the map which I took before leaving to join Gaya and Shiro at the inn.


    _____


    I entered the room to find a very beautiful woman apanied by a cute little girl. Shiro still had her little white dress on as she seemed to cherish it like a treasure, but the dragoness was now wearing a ck dress that made her even sexier than her homemade white dress.


    "Mommy !"


    My little moon was already throwing herself at me as soon as i passed the door frame, she was still glued to me and I thought it was adorable especially knowing her past. We hadn''t talked about it together yet because I was waiting for her to want to talk to me about it...for the moment she wasn''t thinking about it and that was good.


    Gaya was preparing the things she had previously bought as she handed me a bag.


    "I took the liberty of buying you some clothes, you can''t always wear the same ones can you ?"


    "Uh..well I don''t mind I.."


    "Oh no that''s not allowed ! I bought you clothes for our trip anyway, they''re in this bag."


    [Your little fianc¨¦e doesn''t mess around with cleanliness pfffhahaha~]


    I was both amused to see the dragoness like this and annoyed because I knew she wouldn''t let me off the hook with this.


    "Sigh..very good ! Tell me what else you found too."


    "We have food for five days and also a small carriage pulled by a medium horse that should get us to the forest in less than a week."


    It was perfect, exactly what we needed.


    "Then it''s time to go !"


    ___


    We walked out of the inn to the small carriage that Gaya had found for our trip parked just ahead. We could very well go in our original form but the trip would be too ufortable for our little princess. The carriage was quite small but could easily hold 3 people and the horse pulling it looked quite old but it didn''t matter.


    Putting all the stuff in the back before putting Shiro in it, I checked if we had forgotten anything.


    [Why didn''t you put everything in your storage space ?]


    *I wanted to travel like this for now, if we ever had to leave the carriage during the trip I would use it, but right now I prefer Gaya and Shiro to have ess to everything.*


    [Mmh yes that makes sense.]


    Without a penny left in our pockets we were finally ready to leave Yarlford and head to the Dark Forest where we would have a lot to do.


    Shiro sat in the back on a small cushion with food to munch on for breakfast while Gaya and I sat in the front leading the horse.


    As we left this human town, the dragoness asked me what the n was going to be once we got there.


    "The information you got is good ?"


    "I got information about the mercenaries and adventurers in the forest. The receptionist gave me a map so we should get there pretty quickly, they would be 71 and all clustered in a camp in the center in the middle of a clearing where the ruins of a temple are. As far as their levels are concerned, they are of rank B and A, this should not be a problem but I need to find a way to manage their numbers. I don''t want to destroy the whole forest since we are going to settle there and build the Kingdom."


    "Do you have any idea yet how to deal with their numbers ?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Gaya seemed worried, even though she knew I was powerful it wasn''t impossible for something unexpected to happen, like the sudden presence of a stronger-than-expected human. The number was indeed an important thing and alone against 71 I could not necessarily guarantee the safety of Shiro or Gaya. But that didn''t stop me from having nned every move we were going to make.


    "Well to be honest, I heard that some half-humans, beastmen and intelligent creatures have banded together to defend themselves and try to free the prisoners near the ruins..."


    "And ?"


    "And so I decided to join them to form an army, which should be able to solve the problem of numbers."


    [That''s just what you needed onee-san !]


    I had already nned to gather them but if it turned out that they had already gathered, it was perfect for my n and saved me time.


    Shiro had fallen asleep, lulled by the rocking of the carriage as it moved slowly along the winding road to the east. We were going along the Syn forest which was stuck to the south of the Dark Forest, everything was quiet and we could hear the horse''s hooves cking with each step.


    Gaya was holding the reins while I was looking at the map to know every corner, every mountain, every ruin in order to make the terrain my own.


    *If all the other races meet in the middle of the forest, there must be some advantage. I see a river that can be exploited, it remains to be seen how it looks on the ground.*


    [You can try to imagine, but nothing beats the experience itself. How do you n to sleep during the trip anyway ?]


    *I think Gaya bought a tent for Shiro and us, but I can sleep in my wolf form in front of the camp to prevent any attacks.*


    [Wouldn''t that make you too visible ?]


    *Yes...but my presence will be a deterrent because if I''m in my human form, the human bandits will pounce on us. Not that I can''t handle them, but I mind having to do so.*


    [I see haha~]


    The sun was high in the sky and it was already noon, so I decided to stop for lunch and enjoy the nature. Our carriage was parked by the side of the road so as not to get in the way while we sat on the grass next to it to start our meal.


    I wanted to take advantage of this trip to find out how I felt about Gaya after what had happened this morning at the inn.


    *This atmosphere is perfect...*


    [N/A: There will obviously be a rapprochement between Freya and Gaya during the trip to the Dark Forest, so the chapters involved will be more of a slice of life. I hope you don''t mind, anyway after that there will be plenty of action hehe~]


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 102


    Humans Killed: 124


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 33 Smiles And Flowers

    -- POV Freya --


    Our meal consisted of bread, dried meat, cheese and some cakes. All of this food had been bought by Gaya and Shiro a few hours ago. The three of us were sitting on the grass near the road eating and enjoying the greenndscape. Everything was very good and the setting was ideal, which seemed to make the meal even more divine.


    *How I love this serenity, away from everything...*


    [It''s really nice indeed. But I never thought I''d hear you say that.]


    *Well, now that I have a daughter and a fianc¨¦e, what I want most is to keep them safe from blood and war and live a happy life.*


    [I hope you can do it...]


    *Of course ! Sigh...but there is still a long, loong way to go. After I set up my kingdom in the forest, I''ll have to develop it, build it, run it, not to mention the humans who will surelye in legions once the news spreads. But I am determined to rule without fear and with unfailing determination ! Little sister, the day we are all finally free from the selfishness of mankind, I swear that you will stand by us !*


    [Onee-san...thanks...thanks for everything.]


    *You don''t have to thank me, it''s normal and it''s my role as a big sister to look after you too and make you happy kufufu~*


    Kira didn''t say anything more and I knew she was very moved by my statement. I wanted her to stand beside me and enjoy what I was going to build, what WE were all going to build. Together, as a family.


    Wanting to leave Kira alone for a while, I looked at my little moon who had finished eating and was taking the opportunity to discover the surroundings. Shiro had never left the city so she was running around with a bright smile on her face, absolutely amazed by everything around her.


    "Wow look there is so much grass ! And there full of flowers, I had never seen some like that ! Everything is so beautiful here, it''s amazing mom, Gaya hihi~!"


    We were watching her with Gaya while she was frolicking in the nature like a little fairy dressed in a white dress. I then decided to get a little closer to the dragoness to talk to her.


    "I think this little girl has been brightening our days every day since she''s been with us."


    "It''s true...she''s amazing and even though I''m not her mother I can''t help but be proud."


    As she said her words, a soft smile appeared on her sun-kissed face.


    "Gaya...do you consider her your daughter ?"


    ? I had asked her the question without really thinking, but I was still curious as to what she might answer.


    "Well...I...yes."


    She seemed embarrassed to admit it, like she had no right toe between us but I couldn''t see why. She had been with her as much as I had and even if I was the reason for her arrival, it didn''t mean anything. I was even sure that Shiro also considered her as a kind of second mother. Wanting to test my theory, I then called my daughter to Gaya''s astonishment.


    "Yes mommy ?"


    "Tell me sweetie, what does Gaya mean to you ?"


    "Uh.... she is like my second mommy ! Why ? Isn''t that right ?"


    The dragoness was surprised and moved by little Shiro''s statement and couldn''t help but bring a hand to her mouth to show that she was touched. I was d that she knew that Shiro considered her as such even though she and I had a special connection.


    "No no it''s fine my little moon, you can keep ying."


    She ran off again to go pick some flowers while I turned back to a tearfully moved Gaya.


    "You see...we are a family."


    I dipped my gaze into hers as she blushed intensely again. I couldn''t get enough of that expression that made me want to see more. How far could she resist ? My thoughts were flooded with this question as I stared at her face. I had nned to use this trip to rify my feelings for her and that''s what I was doing. By multiplying situations simr to this morning I hoped to understand my heart a little more.


    "You...you really mean it ?"


    Gaya asked me with bright, eager eyes.


    "Ara ara~ obviously !"


    I still wasn''t 100% sure what my feelings were, but I didn''t want to leave her with nothing until I made up my mind. I then leaned over to her to ce a kiss on her soft, rosy cheek. Gaya, taken by surprise, let out an absolutely adorable little cry and looked at me without a word, red as a tomato.


    *Kufufufu~ Long live surprise attacks !*


    The dragoness still didn''t speak as I leaned over to whisper softly in her ear.


    "At the end of this little journey I promise to give you my answer Gaya"


    After giving her a little mischievous wink, I stood up to go and join Shiro who was walking away from us without noticing. I left the dragoness there, who seemed to have entered a second state.


    [Onee-san you could be less aggressive haha~!]


    I smiled slightly after hearing Kira, I knew that I was maybe too enterprising and that I should ask her first, but I couldn''t hold myself back. Reaching Shiro''s level, I could see that she had made a beautiful bouquet with all the flowers that lined the floor.


    "Mom look ! I made a beautiful bouquet to decorate the carriage and maybe I can even make Mr. Horse look better ! Do you think he''ll ept a flower ?"


    As she asked me the question she gave me a little worried expression at the thought of the horse not epting her gift. She was so innocent that I had to save her from all the cruelty in this world.


    Taking her in my arms and cing a kiss on her forehead, I reassured her.


    "Sweetie of course he will ept your flower ! Who could refuse a gift from such a cute little girl !? I would almost eat you !"


    I began to guiltily rub her belly as I said this making her squirm withughter.


    "Hahaha~ mommy stop ! Hahaha~"


    Herughter rose into the blue sky and filled our souls with intense, indescribable happiness and joy. It soothed my heart and mind, making me want to stop time so that this moment would never fade.


    After i finished teasing her, we went back to the carriage to put away the things from the meal. Shiro wanted to help us despite the fact that I told her she didn''t have to, so the three of us got busy after lunch. I then exined to them what was going to happen next by handing a cake to my little Shiro.


    "We will soon be on the road again and then tonight we will find a ce to sleep. Let''s enjoy this ce a little more before we leave because we won''t stop until night."


    I wanted to move as fast as possible without rushing them too much because the more time passed the more likely the humans would capture those who were still atrge and whom I wanted to take as subordinates.


    [Don''t worry onee-san, I''m sure we''ll arrive in time to raise your army !]


    *Mmh, but you know how much I like to control everything, so the idea that an unknown variable could act while I''m not there yet..aarrg*


    In my head I was still running countless simtions to cover all possibilities, but not having all the information prevented me from being able to concoct the perfect, foolproof n.


    *Once there, and with the races ready to follow me, I''m sure I cane up with a n that will allow us all to free the forest of the humans that are there now, without a single death !*


    [That would be great !]


    During my long experience in the underbelly of Tokyo among the criminals, I had used my brain as much as my physical and verbal abilities. What made me a leader and will make me an Empress is the ability to excel in everything. The warrior should never underestimate the tactician and the tactician should never underestimate the warrior. At the time, with this mentality in mind I honed all my abilities whether they were mental, physical or intellectual. Whether it was strategy, knowledge orbat, I distinguished myself everywhere, because for me it was the very essence of a leader...of an Empress.


    *Once I get there and find my army, the game will already be won !*


    As I was thinking about this, a small voice woke me up from my thoughts. It was Shiro who had finished eating her dessert.


    "Mom can I go give the flower to Mr. Horse ? He finished eating the hay I put on him earlier hihi~!"


    Understanding that I must be talking to Kira, Gaya took the opportunity to answer.


    "I''ll go with you, right now your mom is busy ! Can I go with you ?"


    "Yes yes !"


    They both left in the direction of the horse to give him Shiro''s flower while I stayed there contemting the sky and thinking again about my rtionship with Gaya. Still so many unanswered questions at the moment.


    *Why do I always want to see her blushing ? Why am I always aggressive when I see her smile ? I don''t remember being like that despite my personality. And why was my heart beating so fast for no reason ?*


    [So many questions but unfortunately I don''t have the answer. On the other hand, your aggressiveness may be exined by your course. You are a she-wolf and coupled with your power and personality you have all the makings of an alpha male my dear sister !]


    *Pffffhahaha~*


    [I''m not kidding onee-san ! You''re not human anymore so you can''t expect to have the same reactions in the same situations. You have wolf instincts and not just any wolf, a powerful and unique wolf in this world. I think what you''re experiencing right now is..how to say this ? uh...a wild and primitive desire].


    As I heard these words I thought to myself that she was right. My naturally dominant personality coupled with my course made me much more aggressive than if I had been on Earth, but I wouldn''t try to suppress that side of me. I was like that and I would stay that way no matter what anyone said.<novelnext></novelnext>


    *Do you think that this bothers Gaya ? I don''t want to be used of harassment !*


    [Onee-san..tell me..you do not observe well, right...?]


    *Eh ? Why is that ?*


    [I noticed it from the beginning but...Gaya is already madly in love with you idiot !]


    *I...how could you even know that ?*


    [Sigh...I may not know anything about romantic love because I''ve never felt it, but I can assure you that it''s true. Didn''t you see how she blushes ? How she looks at you ? How her eyes shine when she looks into yours ?]


    *Mmmh. Well, if you''re convinced of that, I believe you ! On the tripter I''ll test your theory and I think it might be interesting...*


    [Sigh...if your life had been a story, readers would haveughed at this imposing, powerful empress with a celestial beauty unable to understand that the one apanying her is in love with her pfffhaha~]


    "Oi ! I discover all this for the first time, I am already busy understanding my own feelings ! And then I''m sure that if these readers had existed they would have been lenient with me don''t you think ? kufufufu~*


    [Obviously aha~ those who would agree to read your story could only be good people !]


    *That said a story about me would be...weird, wouldn''t it ?*


    [Why is that ? Your life is full of blood, twists and turns, love and adventures, you''d be the perfect main character !]


    *Do you think so ? And what the hell would the story be called anyway huh ?*


    [Mmmh..if I were the writer I think I would call it "The Legend of the ruthless Empress Freya" !]


    *Oh that sounds good ! So I hope one day someone will tell my story to the world haha~!*


    I could almost see Kira smile fondly as she whispered those words.


    [One day maybe onee-san...]


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 102


    Humans Killed: 124


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 34 Revelations Under The Full Moon

    [N/A: Don''t worry about the ending of the previous chapter, it was exceptional (4th wall stuff)! Sorry for those who didn''t enjoy it, thanks for telling me. This chapter is longer than usual because it''s special and I didn''t put Freya''s full status at the end on purpose. Happy reading]


    ____


    -- POV Freya --


    We were still on the road and had been all day. The sun was slowly setting as the carriage continued onward.


    "We''ll be stopping soon for today !"


    Shiro was still sitting in the back and sucking her thumb for the first time as she looked at the scenery in the distance with a tired look on her face. The horse she had gone to see earlier now had a flower crown in its mane and had oddly moved faster since then.


    *It wouldn''t surprise me if Shiro could even cure people with her simple kindness.*


    [Indeed.]


    Gaya was still by my side and we had talked about everything along the way. I was now more and more certain of how I felt about her. Never in my life had I been with someone as incredible as this dragoness. She had contracted with me to survive (which I thought was very brave at the time) and then she had followed me without ever doubting me, without ever failing despite the circumstances.


    I had never felt so confident with someone, so serene, so...happy.


    Everything was new to me and I was afraid at first to mistake this physical attraction for love, but the truth is that I was afraid to really connect with someone for life. I had been alone longer than I had been with someone, you can''t change bad habits like that, but seeing Gaya so loving, caring gave me butterflies in my stomach and warmth in my heart. I knew it in my heart, she would be able to die for me and for Shiro, she would be able to give me everything if I asked her to and to give up everything.


    After Kira''s deration I had watched her all day deciphering my own feelings and I hade to two conclusions: she was well and truly in love with me and I was much more attached to her than I wanted to admit.


    "Freya, shall we stop ? The little one is tired."


    Shiro was indeed starting to fall asleep against the edge of the carriage so I decided to stop for the night. Gaya untied the horse and tied it to a tree trunk in the forest which was only a few meters away from us while I went to get my little moon.


    "Shiro we''re going to stop for the night, you''re very brave to endure the trip, I know it''s hard but in a few days we''ll be able to settle down permanently."


    She shook her head as she answered me.


    "No don''t worry I understood that it was important to go where you want to go. I don''t know or understand everything but I won''t make you worry, I promise."


    "You know, you have the right to tell me if something is wrong or bothers you. To tell you the truth it would suit me because mommy want you to be happy, I don''t want you to hide your feelings from me."


    Shiro''s little tail then began to wag in all directions so I knew she was happy.


    "Mmh promise then mommy !"


    Taking her in my arms to give her a kiss on the forehead while she smiled, we went to join Gaya who had already taken the tent out to ce it at the front of the forest. When she saw using she stopped to give us a suggestion as to the night we would spend.


    "I hope it will be pleasant enough to sleep here, we could give the cushions to Shiro and sleep on the ground what do you think ?"


    "I''m not going to sleep in the tent, I''m going to sleep outside in my wolf form to avoid any attack."


    The dragoness looked disappointed and I knew why. She wanted the chance to stay with me and I felt the same way so I continued my sentence to reassure her.


    "That said, once Shiro falls asleep I wouldn''t mind a littlepany kufufu~"


    Her smile as radiant as the sun appeared on her face as the horizon was bathed in a soft, warm light.


    [Don''t worry onee-san, I''ll put myself on standby to give you some privacy].


    *Huh ? Standby ?*


    [In a manner of speaking, haven''t you noticed that sometimes I''m not "there" ? I can sort of lock my mind in my own space where I can rest and leave you "alone."]


    *I...no I never paid attention but now that you mention it I understand better. Thank you for the privacy tonight.*


    [Try not to scare her this time, right ? pffhaha~]


    *Me ? I wouldn''t dare kufufu~*


    While I was joking with Kira again, Gaya had finished making the fire and Shiro had fed the horse without forgetting to tell him how beautiful he was.


    *How adorable she is..*


    ______


    We were all around the fire and we finished eating. My little moon was really tired and the real moon was already visible and lighting us with its beauty.


    It was full and its light illuminated the road and the forest with such a radiance that we had the impression to be in full day. My skin almost seemed to glow in its light and I felt somewhat strange. My body was warm and I felt good, soothed and a bit drunk. It wasn''t a very strong effect, I could control it, but it was the first time I felt like that. Maybe the full moon ?


    Asking myself some questions without thinking too much about it, I took Shiro to go andy her down in the tent before she fell asleep on the floor. Gaya followed me so that once she was in bed she could say goodnight.


    "It''s your first night out but don''t worry Gaya and I are watching over you so you can sleep without worry. If you have any problem or even if you are afraid don''t hesitate toe to us, okay ?"


    I said these words to her as I kissed her tenderly on the forehead while holding her gently against me.


    "I am brave even though I am not as strong as you mommy, so you can watch quietly ! But if something is wrong I will tell you !"


    She was saying these words while she was barely awake which made her look really too cute, her ears were slightly lowered and her tail slowed down as she sank. Gaya also gave her a kiss on the forehead to say goodnight before leaving her in the little tent and in her dreams, which I hoped were wonderful.<novelnext></novelnext>


    We both came out of the tent and positioned ourselves a few meters in front so as not to disturb Shiro with our voices. Gaya and I were sitting on a huge rock that rose to the sky and seemed to be directly under the stars. With our strength, it wasn''t hard to climb it and make it a small observation and monitoring post.


    "It''s a beautiful night isn''t it ?"


    "Beautiful.."


    We weren''t really talking because we were enjoying the night, the soothing silence in the presence of someone we cared about.


    [Onee-san, I wish you a good night, I will leave you alone. Don''t forget, let your heart speak.]


    *Ah ? uh..okay I''ll do my best, thank you Kira and good night !*


    I was now truly alone with Gaya and as I looked at her, her eyes met mine so as not to let it slip away. As we looked at each other in silence, the dragoness broke it to ask me a question.


    "Freya.."


    Her soft voice sounded a little worried.


    "Yes ?"


    "I have something important to tell you but before that I would like to tell you my story...would you listen to me ?"


    I didn''t expect her to tell me about her past but I was willing to listen, as I nodded my head the dragoness began to tell me about her history.


    "There really isn''t much to tell during my childhood and adolescence. I grew up where an Empire called Vancesia currently stands alongside my parents and other earth dragons. We didn''t hurt anyone and we lived on big mountains facing west, every day happy and every day with a smile on our faces. At that moment no one cared about leveling up because we were naturally strong and wanted to live in peace."


    "You were just happy to be alive and all together.."


    "That''s right. And then one day, a war broke out between several factions of our own race. Some of them had been tricked by the humans who feared our forces and manipted them into exterminating us all. These filthy humans sought to bring about our self-destruction !"


    As she told me about this event, her fists clenched and I could feel an aura of power and hatreding from her body.


    "This happened about 11 years ago. At that time humans were not as powerful and dominant as they are today, but they were already beginning to be and were using stratagems to oust any creatures deemed too dangerous. The earth dragons were no exception and they came after us even though we had never been hostile to them.


    My family, my friends and I fought night and day for days on end while we had to endure taking down our fellow dragons."


    "..."


    "In the end we found ourselves outnumbered and one after another it was my allies and family''s turn to die without me being able to do anything. I saw my father die of exhaustion riddled with spears and swords...I saw my mother die burned alive by human mages while bound and unable to fight back."


    Her violent and murderous aura had turned into one filled with sadness and regret as she continued.


    "In a moment of extreme rage I used one of my skills called "earth fist" and on thend where the war was almost over I caused a huge earthquake splitting the ground for miles. After that, roaring with hatred and pain I crushed a whole army. That''s where the nickname "mother of dragons"es from, because at the moment I roared, I was also crying for all the dragons who died in the battle, without distinction of camp or ideology...I was simply crying for the death of my fellow dragons, those I loved so much and those I had killed".


    "..."


    "I fled to the West...after my anger I could not bring myself to kill more. There were a few dragons left on the side of the humans but they were all ughtered after the war as my title can attest. My family and I knew that the humans would never ally with us but some were young, naive, and eager for recognition. After that Inded in the Syn forest where I met Daggus, Magni and Warg who after a few months sealed me in the mountain and the rest...you know. "


    I had absolutely no idea what to say..her past was different from mine but it was no less full of suffering, fear and uncertainty. She had been alone all this time without even being able to trust those who had betrayed her, sealed her away and yet she had chosen me without hesitation.


    "Freya...I wanted to thank you for taking me away from this mountain and giving me back my life. You saved me physically when you freed me but in that moment you also saved my heart, mind and soul. Thank you for that..."


    As she spoke these words, I could see a tear gently fall from her cheek as she looked at me with a smile she had never shown me before. Under the rays of the full moon, this beautiful woman was crying with joy as she wore a most splendid smile. It was sincere, full of sweetness, gratitude and love.


    Without even thinking I grabbed her cheek to tenderly wipe away her tears as I looked into her eyes again. They were glistening from the humidity and the beautiful moonlight that descended on us from the starry sky.


    "From now on I promise to protect you and I promise that you will never shed tears of sadness again."


    At that moment, nothing else mattered more than her. This woman who had been hurt by life and lost her family was now part of mine. I didn''t want to understand my feelings anymore because I now knew exactly how I felt about her.


    I leaned closer to Gaya to hug her and show her that my words were not said without thinking. I could feel her heart beating in unison with mine as our bodies pressed together in an embrace filled with powerful feelings.


    Separating us, as I lifted my head, Gaya''s face was so close to me that I could almost touch it with mine.


    *Let your heart speak, right Kira ?*


    Thinking about my little sister''s advice in my mind, I grabbed Gaya firmly by the waist and pulled her close to me again. She didn''t even have the time to say anything or to blush that my lips were already closed on hers in a passionate kiss. She didn''t move right away, but after a few seconds I could feel her arms clinging to my neck as she kissed me back.


    Shivers ran down my spine and an immense heat invaded my whole body. As if the full moon was making me wilder, my hands began to grip the dragoness a little tighter as they slid down her back. As we kissed I could feel Gaya squirm slightly as her breath came faster. I wanted to dominate her, I wanted to make her mine !


    The full moon shone high in the sky as we continued to kiss passionately, alone in our little world. My hands became bolder and bolder and unconsciously roamed the perfect body of this woman in my arms.


    *I...I mustn''t scare her.*


    Pulling away from her, breaking our first kiss, I looked at her before smiling warmly and asking.


    "What did you want to tell me that was important after your story ?"


    Gaya then spoke words that I had never heard before, words that will resonate in my heart and that I will never forget...sincere and strong words.


    "Freya...I love you."

 Chapter 35 A Sweet Night Before The Storm

    -- POV Gaya --


    I had finally managed to say those words that had been burning my lips for so long and even more so this morning. Freya was still watching me with her piercing violet eyes and smiling. I could see her canines sticking out which gave her a wild and very seductive look.


    "I know..."


    Her voice wasmanding but soft at the same time and tickled my ears. I hadn''t even started to respond when she was already speaking up.


    "I think I''m in love with you too. I''ve never experienced love but everything I feel for you, my emotions, my beating heart, I think I can''t be wrong. Actually no I''m sure....I love you too Gaya."


    As she said these words, she knelt in front of me gracefully holding my hand as if I were the most precious thing in this world.


    "Gaya...I''m not the nicest, calmest person..hum..to tell the truth I''m quite the opposite. I lived a first life far from love, tenderness andpany of anyone. My heart is wounded and I thought I could never love in my whole life. I like to torture, to kill humans who deserve it, I am addicted to fighting, cruel, sadistic and I even enjoy hearing the screams of my enemies. I have many more faults than qualities and I have been called the Empress of Ice since I was born but if you ept it, I would like you to be my wife. I don''t really know if it works like that in this world but officially be my wife...marry me."


    Her words instantly made me cry with happiness, I had never felt this way before and the joy that washed over me was not possible to describe. Her words were clear, her voice determined and still dominant despite her words because..well..Freya was still Freya. She was indeed ruthless, cold and frightening but she was also loving, caring and protective of those she loved. It should not be forgotten that except for her and Shiro, I myself was rather cold and dominant with the others. Certainly not as much as she was, but because of that, I didn''t care if she was imperfect, ruthless, if she liked to kill and torture...I didn''t care either because I loved her.


    There she was, beautiful, terribly attractive and staring at me with her hypnotic eyes. Empress Freya...the one who was about to take over the world was kneeling in front of me and asking for my hand. The beauty of her face and her hair blowing in the wind made it impossible for me to concentrate, to think and to speak. I felt like I was living a waking dream.


    Coming back to my senses I hurried to answer to show her how my heart had already decided long ago.


    "Yes !...yes, yes, yes, a thousand times yes !"


    I was happy, so happy ! To think that the woman of my life was that she-wolf who had once threatened and hurt me when we first met. I knew that theoretically I was already her wife, but making it official like this made the moment even more magical and wonderful.


    *Mom...Dad...I finally found the only one who makes my heart beat !*


    Freya held me in her arms, smiling and enjoying this moment alone while I let my emotions run wild. The rustling of the tree leaves apanied the sound of the wind as under the sky we embraced as if there was no tomorrow.


    "After the battle with the humans, you will be my one and only wife."


    Saying these words, Freya kissed me passionately again as if to seal this promise of marriage. She held me tightly in her powerful arms that always made me feel protected from any danger. Her lips were perfect and her tongue was soft. Her kiss was slightly bolder than earlier and I could feel her usually cold body getting warmer as our kiss intensified.


    My mind didn''t seem to be working properly as we ran away from each other breathless with stars in our eyes. I could see a bestial gleam appear in Freya''s eyes before she stepped towards me again to bury her face in my neck. I could feel her warm breath and I could feel the she-wolf''s fangs graze my skin giving me goosebumps. She then gently ran her tongue up my neck as she seemed to growl driven by her primal instincts.


    I couldn''t help but let out a moan and a small cry as she bit the back of my neck and then attacked my ear which she also nibbled. I could feel that I was red, my heart was racing and I was hot...very hot.


    I felt trapped by a wild beast again, but it was not an unpleasant feeling. To be honest I was enjoying every moment as if Freya would wake up from her second state any day. Seeing this younger woman so powerful, so beautiful, so wild possess me in this way was driving me crazy.


    "Gaya.."


    The she-wolf whispered my name with a warm breath into my ears, I felt her hands grab my hips more firmly as she easily carried me down from the rock. Once down, she pressed me against the rock to kiss me harder as this time her hands went down to my buttocks to squeeze them tightly.


    "Freya I.."


    I didn''t know what was happening to me because it was the first time, but feeling her dominate me like this only made this experience crazier. I wanted her to make me her wife, I wanted her to keep kissing me all night long and for this moment to never end.


    The she-wolf broke our kiss and as I watched her lick her lips with a look of desire that showed her sharp teeth, her stunning amethyst violet eyes seemed to devour me.


    _____


    -- POV Freya --


    The beautiful dragoness was in front of me, she belonged to me and I wanted to spend the whole night knowing everything about her. It was like a dangerous desireing out of nowhere and controlling my entire body and mind. Gaya was breathing heavily as I could see her red face and chest heaving with her breaths.


    "I acted without thinking...I''m sorry."


    I could only apologize for the behavior I had exhibited. When she had told me that she was officially epting to be my wife my mind had gone nk. At that moment I absolutely wanted to make her mine and in the second, but I should not rush her. Everything was fast, maybe too fast for her.


    "This..this is nothing. I was surprised but to tell the truth...I liked it."


    Stunned at her answer, I looked up to see her body shaking and her breathing still heavy. Her dress made her look very seductive if not sexy and her crimson locks of hair falling on her chest made me want her all the more.


    *Control yourself, damn it !*


    I struggled inwardly not to attack her further as I approached her again to whisper in her ear.


    "I want our first night to be special, let''s finish our journey first, save the races to be saved and after that I will marry you with our daughter and all my subordinates as witnesses. Once eveninges...we can pick up where we left off."


    Gaya nodded with an adorable smile as she ced a light kiss on my lips in eptance.


    "I will then look forward to that amazing day and night you promise me."


    It was her turn to wink at me mischievously as she climbed back up onto the rock.


    *Oh ?? You''re much less shy now ! Don''t worry, you''ll never forget the first night we''ll spend together ! Kufufu~*


    Licking my lips as I imagined what I was going to do to her, I went back to her side to watch the surroundings. I hadn''t turned into a wolf after all for obvious reasons and also because there were finally two of us to watch so I knew there would be no problem.


    Under the still full moon, Gaya''s head was resting on myp as we enjoyed this sweet starry night that neither of us would ever forget. She was falling asleep as I could hear her say twost words before entering the realm of dreams.


    "Thank you..."


    _______


    Morning was breaking as I could hear a little girl gently waking up in the tent. I hadn''t slept all night as my body and mind were still reeling from the events of the evening. It didn''t matter because I wanted to watch anyway, but I had to admit to being distracted at times by the woman sleeping silently in myp.


    "Good morning mommy"


    Shiro whispered these words to me as she gave me her daily hug as always trying not to wake Gaya.


    "Good morning my sweet little moon, did you sleep well ?"


    I was in a good mood and full of energy despite myck of sleep.


    "Yes ! Thank you for the pillows it was veryfortable !"


    While I was smiling at Shiro, Gaya was slowly waking up as she raised her head resting on myp. I thought to myself that she was still beautiful as I ced a light kiss on her pink lips.


    "What about you my love ? Did you sleep well ?"


    Gaya answered me shyly with a nod as a little voice I hadn''t heard since nightfall manifested itself in my mind.


    [Eeh ??? Onee-san, what did I miss ??]


    *Sorry little sister but this is a secret that only Gaya and I share kufufu~*


    [Haha~ I''m happy for you then! You look so happy...]


    *It is ! I''m trying to enjoy our little quiet moments as well because soon we''ll have a long battle ahead of us !*


    If everything was going well we should reach the Dark Forest within 3 days which was perfect ! The sooner we got there, the more efficient my army''s organization would be. For the moment I was betting on the cooperation of the different races that were fighting against the humans at that very moment. I knew that thew of the strongest reigned, but I did not want to rule by violence anymore. In this world we all had to stick together and I had sworn to myself that I would be the link that would bring all races, all species together under one banner...that of Empress Freya.


    I did not want to impose my way of thinking or my authority on them, I would only take under my wing those who decide to follow me of their own free will. It won''t be that easy, because even if the races are fighting together today, there is no guarantee that this will still be the case once this story is over. The races in this forest were nothing like the ones in Syn''s forest, their levels could go up to B level and maybe even higher. It was up to me to convince them, to rally them to my cause and if I had to prove my power and superiority, I would do so with great pleasure.


    "Freya, I didn''t ask you this before but what do you n to do with Shiro once you get there ?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    It was a very pertinent question that reminded me that with all these events I hadn''t told Gaya what I had nned.


    "Actually I would like you to stay with her. We are heading to a ce we know almost nothing about, meeting people who may not be as kind as we think. I know your power and I know you can protect our daughter ! For my part, I will strategize in great detail to make sure nothing can bring us down."


    The dragoness understood my choice to leave Shiro to her, until we were sure we were in the presence of real allies, it was impossible to entrust our daughter to strangers. We were going to meet warriors who had been fighting continuously for several weeks.


    "Are you sure you can prepare a foolproof n ? I trust you, of course, but I know as well as you do that humans are deceitful."


    "Well, if they are deceitful, I will be maniptive, calcting, bloody and ruthless ! I will leave no human alive in this forest and if I have to I will use all my power to exterminate them."


    The end of this little journey was going to be red with blood and littered with bodies but I was sure of one thing...I was going to win.


    I was going to win to mark with a red stone my advent and the beginning of my legend. I was going to win for those who believed in me and who were dear to me. I was going to win because I was Freya..and I always won.


    I didn''t know it yet, but the events of the Dark Forest would earn me a new nickname to add to my collection.


    [N/A: Maybe some people will think their rtionship is moving too fast, but don''t forget Freya and her hybrid wolf instincts that face the full moon. Also, there won''t be a huge amount of room for romance once the Dark Forest is in sight (next chapter), hence my choice to leave the system out a bit and focus on Freya x Gaya !]


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 102


    Humans killed : 124


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 36 First Blood ! [Dark Forest War - Part I]

    [N/A: For all of you who will be seeing your characters appear, be aware that they may not be as powerful as you thought. They won''t go beyond B rank (for now) to fit the story, however I thought it was nice that you could watch them grow and get stronger and stronger through Freya''s kingdom menu ! So don''t me me too much if you''re not totally satisfied].


    _____


    -- POV Freya --


    It was morning, we had been on the road for three days now and we finally reached the outskirts of the Dark Forest. Thanks to the guild''s receptionist, I knew where the human camp was, but I really wanted to meet the group of half-humans who were still fighting first.


    The forest was huge because we could see it for a day now from the road we were traveling on.


    *I think it''s time to split up.*


    [This is the best strategy to allow you to act without having to worry about protecting Shiro and Gaya].


    Gaya and Shiro were to stay out of the forest with all our stuff until I found the group of resisters and made sure they were no danger to them. The dragoness could easily protect herself, but if we had to fight while trying to watch over a little girl, it could end badly.


    "Gaya, Shiro it''s time !"


    Both knew perfectly well what they had to do, just stay and watch while waiting for my return which was to beter in the evening.


    I kissed the crimson haired beauty tenderly on the lips before telling her to be careful.


    "Honey, don''t forget to never show your horns for the moment and that Shiro must constantly wear her hood in case youe across humans. Be careful and if anything happens I''d rather you run away with Shiro than put you in danger, is that understood ?"


    Gaya was nodding her head with a serious and determined look because the rxing days were now over and we had to be careful at every moment.


    Crouching down this time in front of Shiro, I caressed her little head as she liked it while also cing a kiss on her forehead.


    "Sweetie, always stay with Gaya and listen to everything she tells you, it''s very important. Be brave and don''t worry mommy will pick you up tonight."


    My little moon looked at me with eyes full of love and determination saying.


    "Mommy you can trust me, it''s mostly up to you to be careful ! Please don''t hurt yourself.."


    She hugged me as she said these words while I could almost see a few tears forming on her adorable little eyes.


    "I''ll be back as soon as I can, I promise okay ?"


    She also nodded her head with a small smile before walking away and grabbing Gaya''s hand. The two loves of my life looked at me with a mixture of concern and love knowing that what was next would not be easy.


    Waving to them onest time, I walked alone into the forest, the forest that would be my kingdom and that I would rid of the humans.


    *It''s just you and me now Kira !*


    [Indeed, just like the very beginning haha~]


    I walked slowly between the trees in order to understand the environment before rushing in without thinking. There were all kinds of trees, from tropical to fir or even oak. They all had the particrity of having dark green leaves, almost ck. The ce was not ugly, on the contrary it seemed calm, full of serenity and nature, which exined why the half-humans liked toe to this forest. I felt like I was in several different ces because the diversity was so incredible, like abyrinth of lush greenery stretching for several kilometers.


    *It''s beautiful here...*


    I watched the y of light and shadow as I was absolutely speechless looking around, amazed by this enchanting forest.  There was wild grass, fine and tender, that was soft to the touch and covered the ground as far as the eye could see.


    The vast forest I was walking through was so well stocked on all sides with sulents, grasses and foliage, birds, and wildflowers that one would swear that an eternal spring had taken up residence. The sky was blue and you could feel a cool breeze stirring the leaves of the nts as I went deeper and deeper into the forest, disappearing more and more.


    [What are you going to do now onee-san ?]


    *I''d like to cover as many areas as possible in this forest to quickly find where all the half-humans are gathered. I have to be quick, every second is crucial !*


    I now had to cross the forest around the area of the human camp to try to detect the slightest movement of my future allies. Once the group was joined, I could start to think about a strategy ording to the number of people there and the abilities of each one...nothing would be left to chance.


    I kept walking because I didn''t want to run and miss something important, I was only a few kilometers from the enemy camp and I didn''t want to be noticed. They were still far enough away but I had to be careful because one wrong move was enough to ruin a whole n.


    As I continued eastward from the temple ruins, a distant sound of fighting made my ears perk up instantly.


    *Something''s going on, looks like I did the right thing heading this way.*


    Holding back my strength and hiding my aura, I ran through the trees silently to get closer to the noise that was getting louder. Arriving without too much difficulty at the ce concerned, I hid in the bushes to observe before acting.


    [It''s here !]


    In front of me was a particrly surreal scene. Some humans who seemed to be mercenaries were fighting a figure that I could not describe because of the dust that surrounded it, it seemed to be defending another one.


    The men were 4 in number and surrounded the two half-humans trapped against a rock. The dust cleared as I could finally see the two people in danger, a young woman and a child.


    The young half-human was dressed in ck and wore a cloth mask covering the bottom of her face. Her eyes were original because they were of different colors, golden on the left and blue on the right, which made her look very special.


    [Luna


    Race : Half human


    Element : Lightning


    Lvl 15/30


    HP : 30 000 / 30 000 MP : 15 000 / 15 000


    Strength : 100


    Defense : 125


    Agility : 170


    Stamina : 135


    Speed : 160 ]


    The girl named Luna seemed to be 18 or maybe 19 years old and already had a rather interesting level for her age. Judging by her appearance, I guessed that she was half human and half panther, a race I had never met before in this world. She had ck hair that waved slightly to her shoulders, which sometimes showed tinum blonde highlights in the sunlight.


    She was exhausted and was doing her best to keep the little boy next to her from getting hurt. The boy looked about 12 years old and was a half-human rabbit named Hans. He was terrified and I could see him crying from where I was standing as Luna''s body formed a wall between him and his attackers.


    [Aren''t you going to help them onee-san ?]


    *Yes of course, but I have to evaluate every detail first, for the moment young Luna seems to be doing a bit better.*


    I wanted to check before I go that no other human was hiding in the bushes like I was currently.


    *Yosh, it looks like there are only 4 of them !*


    The 4 humans were mercenaries but didn''t seem to count in the list the receptionist had given me.


    *They must have gone to the ruins before they came across this half-human girl and this child.*


    They were all level 20 and seemed to be handling only weapons, which was still enough to overpower this girl who had to neutralize them alone. Two of them had swords, one had a long spear and thest one had a halberd. They wereughing and openly mocking Luna and her courageous andpassionate act.


    "Hurry up and give up you filthy animal ! If we weren''t going to bring you back alive you would be dead already. You can''t do anything against us ! If you don''t want to die let it go and maybe we can not damage you too much haha~!"


    One of the swordsmen, the one who had spoken, even seemed to be particrly enjoying this situation. Luna was exhausted and almost on the verge of copsing while she remained standing on her own will power. Her eyes still hadn''t given up as her body was exhausted and were ring with hatred.


    *Oh ? I like that look... Good ! Let''s go, this has gone on too long !*


    Getting up from my hiding ce, I walked calmly towards the 6 people who were in front of me. They weren''t strong enough to scare me. As I put up a wall of ice in front of the young adult and the child, amon reaction made them all freeze in ce as soon as I arrived. The humans looked wary and ready to run away, while Luna dropped down, relieved to see another half-human arrive to save them.


    "What exactly do you n to do with them ?"


    My voice had returned to its usual cold,manding tone as I continued to walk with slow steps towards these 4 humans who were far too confident of their abilities.


    "Who are you ?? Are you with her ?"


    The one who had mocked Luna earlier spoke with a deep authoritative voice, he was quite small but muscr and strong. I didn''t like his tone at all, but it didn''t matter because in a few minutes he would be dead.


    "You don''t need to know that...just know that thest moments of all of you have arrived."


    Seeing that I took my katana out of its scabbard that I had at my waist, they all got into a fighting stance beforeunching themselves at me. I didn''t even move, waiting patiently for them toe towards me.


    The first one to reach me threw his halberd aimed at my legs to immobilize me instantly. With a slight footwork his weapon was already passing me by as he looked at me with a confused and angry expression. The second one was already in front of me and was pointing his sword at my face with a haughty look.


    "Is that all you can do ? Gentlemen, I am disappointed."<novelnext></novelnext>


    My mocking tone filled with disdain made them explode with anger as the little human screamed at the top of his lungs.


    "KILL HER ! WE CAN MAKE DO WITH THESE TWO !"


    After these words, the four of them ran towards me again with a faster and more precise momentum to try to pierce me from all sides. They were swinging their weapons without any flexibility and without even thinking intelligently about a strategy. I didn''t even have to force myself, I could see each movement clearly and in a slowed down way, thanks to my intelligence which when I concentrated allowed me to elerate my reasoning speed.


    In only 3 movements, without having moved even a millimeter, their arms fell to the ground in a stream of blood mixing with the green grass. Their hoarse screams rose to the sky as they rolled on the ground like pigs.


    "Kill me ? Know your ce bug...."


    The confident and eager looks had turned into terrorized looks filled with pain. Despite the pain and their cloudy visions, they were all crawling for the chance to escape as I walked in their direction with my sadistic smile that had automatically appeared on my face.


    "I...no.."


    "We get it...we''re noting back here..."


    "You...you can keep the girl and the kid but let us go..."


    They were all trying to save their miserable lives, but I had no desire to spare them. Being caught up in time, I was going to settle for killing them quickly even though I dreamed of torturing them.


    *There will be other opportunities kufufu~*


    I stood before them as theyy in their blood at my feet, weak, pleading and miserable.


    "I''m not keeping anything at all, they are not objects."


    My emotionless voice was thest thing they heard before my katana sliced their heads off without hesitation or mercy.


    -- PING --


    [ You have earned 2,000 EXP for killing 4 humans ]


    Approaching Luna as the notification rang in my mind, I could see her looking at me with eyes full of fear, admiration and gratitude. The little bunny was clinging to her and didn''t even dare look at me as I asked them a question.


    "Do you know where the resistance fighters, that are fighting the humans are ?"


    As she nodded her head at me a wild smile appeared on my face.


    *Finally...the real work begins !*


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp required for next level: 2 000 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000      MP : 40 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 102


    Humans killed : 128


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 37 Grouping Of Half-Humans [Dark Forest War - Part II]

    [N/A : Good news ! A little art representing Freya, Gaya and Shiro is now avable on my discord !]


    ____


    -- POV Freya --


    The young Luna was on the ground, exhausted and wounded in the thigh. Despite her ck pants covering herpletely, one of the mercenaries had obviously managed tond a blow.


    "Can you get up ?"


    As I asked her, she looked at me intensely without hiding her admiration. She stood up with difficulty but seeded thanks to my help and that of little Hans.


    He had stopped crying and although he seemed frightened he managed to stammer a few words.


    "Thank you very much...for...for...saving us, ma''am".


    You could see his ears twitching slightly as I answered him.


    "It''s nothing, actually I came here to free the forest from humans."


    They were both stunned by my words not knowing what to think. They had seen that I was strong, but they didn''t know the full extent of my power which made them doubt my statement.


    "Who..who are you ?"


    "My name is Freya, I am here to create my non-human kingdom and rule it as its Empress !"


    Both of their eyes widened with surprise as Luna asked me a question.


    "Freya..Freya-sama, I did see that you were strong, but in this forest some humans are very powerful. It even seems to me that a level 29 is part of their rank."


    "Ara ~ Do you think I couldn''t do it ? I am indeed relying on the help of the resistance fighters but never underestimate my power youngdy."


    As I spoke these words, I released my demonic aura all around us. The air thickened, the wind grew stronger and you could almost see space warp as time passed. I hadn''t targeted the two on purpose so as not to hurt them, but they were well aware of what was happening and how powerful I was. But they didn''t know that it was only a small part.


    ____


    -- POV Luna --


    In front of me stood a half-human of overwhelming power, I didn''t know what her level was but I could tell it was at least double mine. She was so terrifying and gorgeous that I didn''t dare to move in front of those prating violet eyes.


    Freya-sama had appeared out of nowhere to help me as I tried to protect this scared and endangered little rabbit. On my way back to the mountain, I came across him running away from the 4 now dead mercenaries. Seeing the control she had over her body, her powerful aura and her overwhelming presence, only one thought crossed my mind.


    *I must be stronger !*


    This half-human wolf was apparently looking for those who had decided to resist the human invasion in the forest and having her by our side would be a great asset. In my heart I admired her very much, how did she do it ? Could I ever reach her level ? So many questions raced through my head as she suppressed her aura and spoke in her cold voice.


    "So...where are they?"


    "I..I''ll take you there right now !"


    Our base was not in this part of the forest because we had decided to stay as far away from the camp as possible. All the races were gathered between two mountains to the north that formed a sort of canyon, invisible if you didn''t know how to find it.


    As we made our way to this spot, the she-wolf walked behind us gracefully with an imperial air while little Hans was still clinging to me.


    "Luna, what can you tell me about your numbers ? Is there a leader ? Do you have a n ?"


    She was asking a lot of questions while I was stunned by a detail.


    *Does she know my name ? How ?


    Ignoring these questions, I tried to answer so that she could know more.


    "There are about 30 of us but unfortunately very few are able to fight. Of this number, only 10 of us are of a high enough level to hope to damage humans, but even that is not enough. We don''t have any particr leader because each one of us has her own way of doing and fighting and nobody is experienced enough to take into ount each of our abilities and to transform them into a good strategy. So we don''t have a particr n..."


    It was sad to say but I was telling the truth, we were not organized at all. I couldn''t guess what this she-wolf was thinking but I hoped she would decide to help us anyway. We resistance fighters had been together for a very short time and no one really knew each other. We were only fighting with the same objective, but that was all.


    _____


    -- POV General --


    North of the Dark Forest, between two mountains, a small camp stood there, filled with half-humans, beastmen and other races. It was not well guarded, for most of the people there did not know how to fight and stayed hidden and on the alert to flee as soon as danger arose. One could see children, old people, men, women, all of them physically or morally injured by humans.


    The fighters of the camp were four in number and were far away from each other to watch the area, the others having not yet returned from their daily patrol.


    It was early afternoon and in the distance three people could be seen advancing towards this part of the mountain: a she-wolf, a young half-human woman and a young half-human boy. It was Freya, Luna and Hans who finally arrived at the camp.


    When they arrived, four women rushed to them and asked them to exin why they hade. When they recognized Luna, they lowered their guard slightly, looking suspiciously at the one standing next to her. These women seemed exhausted in every sense of the word by this confrontation that was going on without being able to find a solution.


    "I found this little boy in the forest running away from humans, wanting to help him I found myself in an almost desperate situation when Freya-sama arrived to rescue us."


    The four half-human women were all of a different race and possessed the same level as Luna. And while Luna continued her story, Freya stood there in silence, her face still neutral and expressionless as she carefully observed these women to detect their potential ande up with a strategy.


    The first one was amia, the lower part of her body from the waist down was that of a snake with shiny ck scales. She had long straight ck hair like Freya''s but her face was slightly younger than her. The snake woman was watching silently as Luna continued her story with her piercing gray eyes. Her arms and torso were covered in scales in some ces, making her body a natural armor giving her the look of a formidable warrior. This woman''s name was Nixia.


    The second was quite different as she was a hybrid, born of a vampire and a wolf. Her hair, ears and wolf tail were dark brown, her skin paler than Freya''s and her eyes red as blood. She was looking at Luna while analyzing Freya with one eye, as if she had sensed her hidden power. It was easy to understand that she had a proud nature just by observing her straight and imposing posture. This hybrid woman''s name was Ralph.


    The third was calm and had a gentle face that contrasted with the weapon she carried. Indeed, she handled a sword almost as big as herself that she always kept on her shoulder in all circumstances. She was a half-human cat with red hair and ck streaks who, like Luna, had eyes that were both ck on the right and dark green on the left. This young woman was called Emilia.


    Thest and fourth was also of the vampire race but unlike Ralph she was not a hybrid. Her blond hair fluttered in the wind as she remained silent as she watched with her red eyes. She was smiling slightly while she was listening to Luna''s story with rapt attention. Her name was Thorunn.


    When the young panther woman''s exnation was finished, everyone turned to Freya. Everyone had a different look in their eyes, showing different thoughts ranging from recognition to mistrust, fear, respect and curiosity.


    "Are you as powerful as she says you are ?"


    Nixia was the first to speak as she slid soundlessly across the floor in her direction. As she raised her eyes to look at Freya, her scales shivered for a brief moment when she saw the hardness, coldness, and dominance in her gaze. Themia was also cold by nature as were most of the people present, but this was definitely the first time she had met such eyes.


    "I could kill you all in an instant if I so desired, does that answer your question ?"


    The spines of the five women present were run through with cold sweat as Freya''s ever calm voice spoke these words with great sincerity and enormous confidence. Before any of them could respond she continued.


    "I intend to take this forest as my territory and build my Kingdom there. I already have some subordinates waiting for my victory and I will not go looking for them until I have exterminated every human in this forest. I havee all the way here to offer you all to follow me ! You can refuse to join me, I don''t care, but if you agree to see me as your Empress and address me as such, I can promise you that no one can stop us."


    The rest of the people in the camp had moved closer upon hearing Freya''s speech intrigued by the possibility of a brighter future.


    The women warriors in front of Freya seemed to be thinking but were still skeptical of her strength. This time it was Ralph''s turn to speak despite her quiet natured personality.


    "What is your name ? You think you cane and ask us to be under you ? Are you really more powerful than me ?"


    As she finished her sentence an aura of defiance emanating from her body shot towards the ever calm and impassive she-wolf. Everyone was watching this exchange with attention while being quite confused about the situation. Ralph was proud and the idea of a stranger iming to be more powerful was unbearable for her, but she also wanted to test Freya to see if her words matched her actions.


    The purple-eyed she-wolf still didn''t move as the hybrid woman''s aura surrounded her on all sides.


    "Im...impossible ! Even though you are of a stronger level than me you shouldn''t be so nonchnt !"


    Her voice trembled with shock as she made her aura disappear after failing. No one in these mountains were able to guess Freya''s level at that time. She knew that it would not be easy to convince the resistance fighters, not to help her but to obey her. Helping each other for a few weeks was one thing, but pledging allegiance to someone was another.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Nixia, who was torn in a dilemma then spoke up again to ask a question.


    "I recognize your strength and I think you''re probably at level 25 to be able to stay so calm, but I can''t believe that creating a Kingdom in thisnd is possible. Why do you think you can do it ? What do you have that we don''t ?"


    At these words, Freya''s eyes began to crinkle slightly and glow with a disgruntled gleam as the wind became a little cooler. The change in temperature had been noticed, but no one knew it wasing from this she-wolf and her annoyance. She didn''t like being thought of as weak and hearing that her level was "probably 25" irritated her greatly. Freya had concealed her aura so much that none of the women were able to really understand her power.


    Only Luna and Hans who had briefly witnessed her "Empress Demonic Aura" skill knew that no one should piss her off.


    "So many questions I could easily answer in a single moment without even uttering a single word..."


    As she spoke in an even colder and moremanding voice, a savage smile appeared on her face frightening the female warriors standing before her. Stepping forward slightly to face them, she spoke in a determined and defiant voice.


    "How about the four of you fight me ? I''ll only show you my true power if you can get me to take a knee."


    Freya wanted to y and show them who she was. She was ready to defeat them without mercy if it meant receiving their loyalty as a reward.


    [N/A: Dear readers, not all of your characters have appeared yet because it''s hard for me to get them all in at once. For now, let''s just say that these are the first warriors that fit well with my plot. The others will arrive as we go along so don''t worry].


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp required for next level: 2 000 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 102


    Humans killed : 128


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 38 An Empress Never Kneels [Dark Forest War - Part III]

    [N/A: I''ll spare you the incantations, it would take too long to write and I''m not very good at making things up. Just remember that everyone has to incant before casting a spell (except Freya)].


    _____


    -- POV Freya --


    The four women in front of me looked at me with confusion as if I had just said something totally absurd. But I was serious...very serious, I wanted to fight them to prove that I wasn''t just a "half human" who was a little stronger than normal.


    I had observed the status of Nixia, Emilia, Ralph and Thorunn during all our conversation and even if I could not see their skills yet because they were not part of my subordinates, I had nevertheless a very good idea of their strength.


    [Onee-san, if you decide to fight them be careful not to hurt them seriously, they are all level 15 and you are level 32. On the other hand I remind you that you are special because of your course and the system, your overall strength is close to level 40 in this world even if it is theoretically difficult to evaluate your strength].


    *Don''t worry, I know what I''m doing.*


    Kira seemed a little skeptical about my idea of having to face them all at once, not for me but for them. To be honest I was doing this for strategic purposes but also because I was hungry for a fight. These four women wanted to know my power ? Very well, I was going to show them.


    "So ? What do you say ?"


    The temptation to know my abilities was too strong and matched with my ns so it was just perfect. So the four of them nodded quickly thinking they could together force me to bend the knee, while I felt my blood boil with excitement as my warrior spirit awoke at the thought of facing them.


    We went deeper into the mountain so as not to disturb the camp and arouse the suspicions of the humans and find a perfect spot for our little group fight. Luna didn''t want to fight because she was wounded and the little Hans was still clinging to her which made the experience impossible anyway.


    [The idea of settling down in the hollow of these mountains is a very good idea.]


    I noticed that we were indeed almost invisible once in this canyon hidden by forest and mountains on all sides as the women in front of me stopped to let me know we had arrived.


    Nixia, Ralph and Thorunn were mages whereas Emilia was obviously a swordswoman. While walking I had taken advantage of it to open again their status and to think of a strategy for the war of territory against the humans.


    [Nixia


    Race : Half-human Lamia


    Element: Dark mes


    Lvl 15/30


    HP : 30 000 / 30 000 MP : 15 000 / 15 000


    Strength : 150


    Defense : 165


    Agility : 120


    Stamina : 140


    Speed : 110 ]


    ____


    [ Ralph


    Race : Vampire-Wolf


    Element: Lava


    Lvl 15/30


    HP : 30 000 / 30 000 MP : 15 000 / 15 000


    Strength : 170


    Defense : 130


    Agility : 110


    Stamina : 125


    Speed : 160 ]


    ___


    [ Thorunn


    Race : Vampire


    Element: Wind


    Lvl 15/30


    HP : 30 000 / 30 000 MP : 15 000 / 15 000


    Strength : 170


    Defense : 145


    Agility : 100


    Stamina : 135


    Speed : 150 ]


    ____


    [ Emilia


    Race : Half human


    Element : x


    Lvl 15/30


    HP : 30 000 / 30 000


    Strength : 165


    Defense : 125


    Agility : 170


    Stamina : 105


    Speed : 137 ]


    ____


    They all had a reallymendable strength and at that moment I absolutely wanted them to join me because with the advantages that the system gave me I was sure to be able to make them warriors who would be feared by everyone in the world. Face to face with the girls, Nixia then spoke with her sweet voice to ask me once again if I was sure I wanted to face them together.


    "Here we are. Are you sure you want to face us four against one ?"


    I didn''t answer as I closed my eyes to take a deep breath before slowly opening them and beckoning them with my hand to attack, nonsense a small smile in the corner provocatively.


    [Good luck onee-chan]


    *Luck ? I don''t need it Kira. I will build this Kingdom from scratch with only the power of my arms, my will and those who will follow me. I never leave room for luck little sister kufufu~*


    [I don''t know why, but I figured you would answer that haha~]


    Indeed, I wasn''t going to let luck decide my future and who I was going to be. I was ready to build this Kingdom even if it had to rest on a mountain of human corpses, an ocean of blood or and of entrails. The first step towards this reality was in front of me, these women wounded and bruised by humans throughout their lives that I was about to face.


    "Then let''s go !"


    Nixia as she spoke conjured up two perfectly identical spears of ck me, they crackled and themia seemed to be able to fight hand to hand with them or just with her magic. I was watching with curiosity and fascination when I felt a growling from behind me, it was Ralph who like a wild beast was throwing herself at me as if I were her worst enemy.  She was growling and seemed to have gone crazy but her gestures proved the contrary. Indeed, while I easily avoided the powerful blows she was throwing at me, I noticed that they were precise and always aimed at one of my vital points.


    Jumping back gracefully to get away from her, two spears of ck mes were alreadying at me as Inded delicately. My mind was racing and I could see that I was surrounded. Everything was slowed down and I could see the two spears of fireing from my left and right sides while behind me was Thorunn who had silently approached and in front was Nixia apanied by Ralph.


    *Good ! Very good ! I see that there is a good coordination.*


    As I was about to jump high, a sword-wielding figure hovered over me and began its descent ready to strike me with a deadly blow..it was Emilia.


    [They are particrly vivid and effective].


    Blocked on all sides I used my speed, my precision and my strength to avoid the two spears, to block the sword of Emilia with my katana and to move away Ralph and Nixia with a kick not too violent not to kill them on the spot.


    Thorunn always smiled whereas she pronounced her incantation. The wind around her elerated as four des of wind shot in my direction.


    [You''re not going to use the elements ?]


    *Not yet, I want to understand their power. They all seem to have incredible potential.*


    I had decided not to move whereas the wind des arrived towards me, Thorunn seemed delighted and rxed her shoulders by thinking to have won but I disappeared already to reappear behind her and to send her to crash against the mountain.


    "Always be on guard.."


    Emilia who seemed to have felt my movement was alreadyunching herself on me sword in hand and was swinging it without ckening while I dodged each blow easily and with flexibility.


    The catgirl was out of breath so I grabbed her big sword with one hand and with a movement of my arm it went crashing with it user near where I had sent Thorunn a little while ago.


    "What..."


    Nixia and Ralph, who had been watching these movements, did not understand how I had managed to get them so easily without even using my magic. Appearing behind them this time, I whispered mockingly.


    "Oi ! Weren''t you supposed to make me get down on one knee ?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    I didn''t want to end it too quickly so I didn''t move to see what they would do to seed.


    "Don''t underestimate us !"


    Ralph shouting these words still darted around but this time her eyes shone more intensely, with frustration and excitement.


    *Oooh perfect. Keep looking at me like that.*


    Her movements were faster than before and more precise, if a human of the same level had to face her in these conditions he would quickly lose his life. But I was not just anyone. Grabbing her shirt cor with one hand, I crushed my knee into her belly to cut off her breath. Everything happened in a split second and the hybrid woman unfortunately couldn''t see iting. I threw then Ralph at the sides of Thorunn and Emilia who were always on the ground incable to rise.


    It remained only one more.


    Turning my nce towards the beautifulmia, I smiled with all my teeth making bring out my fangs which gave me an even wilder air. I was smiling because I was having fun. Even though they couldn''t match me, it was a pleasure to fight with half-humans who I hope will be part of my army.


    Nixia was not as agile and fast as the others so she relied mostly on her ck me magic to defeat me but it was not enough. Her spears were spinning in the air before she grabbed them in each hand to try to get me in closebat. She couldn''t move that fast but her control of her weapons was perfect. Nixia spun her spears with grace and ease while moving her lower body to prevent me from predicting her movements.


    *This technique can be reworked and be formidable but for the moment it is not perfect.*


    This way of fighting prevented me from reaching her but it only concerned the ces she could see, the blind spots were her main weak point. I used my speed again to jump into her back and grab her wrists to prevent her from moving her arms. With a controlled elbow strike, I sent her into the rock to join her fellow fighters.


    Whereas Nixia, Ralph, Emilia and Thorunn were all on the ground exhausted and defeated, I advanced to face them and pronounce of a powerful voice a single sentence.


    "An Empress never kneels."


    Although I sent them crashing into the mountain walls, I knew that with rest they would not suffer too much from their injuries. These women were all strong despite their level and my eyes shone with excitement at the thought of them joining my ranks.


    During our fight, all the inhabitants of the camp had gathered around us to observe curious and excited despite the circumstances. They all looked at me with admiration and respect not without a small hint of fear as I could hear them whispering.


    "She didn''t use her magic once..."


    "It looked like she was controlling her strength too..."


    "She must be much more powerful than that then !"


    "Do you think she can really save us ?"


    "Yes for sure !"


    I was satisfied because the purpose of this move was to make everyone understand that I wasn''t kidding and that I would take back this forest no matter what. I also wanted people to respect me and see me as the Empress I was and would be.


    Sweeping the crowd with my eyes as they froze in ce, I quickly counted the people present.


    *Mmmh 20, if I count Nixia, Thorunn, Ralph and Emilia that makes 24, even 26 with the small Hans and Luna.*


    [They are not numerous, it misses besides 5 other people if Luna did not make a mistake.]


    *Yes, we have to wait for them before I can start exining my n. As for the number, I think that many are locked up in the ruins, whole families or even ns. *


    [Time is running out !]


    While I was conversing as usual with Kira, the four women in front of me had risen and were all looking at me equally with enormous respect. For the very first time Thorunn took the word followed by Emilia.


    "Is this really all your power ?"


    "How all this is possible ? What is your level ?"


    Seeing that I finally had their full attention, I closed my eyes to release my entire aura this time throughout the mountain while we were still hidden by those natural walls. The rock shook and the ground vibrated as the half-humans fell to the earth almost unconscious. The four women in front of me were shaking and couldn''t move in front of this aura that paralyzed them. I had not targeted anyone and yet everyone was affected by my demonic aura alone, I had not even used my natural aura because I was unable to do so at the moment. Even without showing my real physical and magical skills they were all convinced.


    Retracting my aura slowly as i was opening my eyelids revealing my hypnotizing and dangerous eyes, I could see absolutely all the half-humans including the female warriors kneeling before me as one.


    -- PING --


    [Congrattions ! You have obtained 26 citizens/subordinates.]


    A smile appeared on my face as I could hear Kira speaking to me.


    [An Empress never kneels huh ? Haha~ Indeed onee-san...indeed]


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp required for next level: 2 000 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000      MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 128


    Humans killed : 128


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 39 Human Camp And Prisoners [Dark Forest War - Part IV]

    [[N/A : Lots of descriptions and little dialogue, sorry if you''re not a fan but it''s important :3]


    _____


    -- POV General --


    As Freya gained new supporters, the atmosphere was very different where the humans were positioned. Huge metal cages were everywhere in the clearing with hundreds of half-humans, beastmen and other races inside. They were all squeezed together without any possibility to move properly, they were literally treated like animals.


    There were rabbits, cats, elves, foxes, dryads, dwarves and many more. They were all of different ages, but they had two things inmon: they could not fight and they had been captured by humans.


    Those cages were ced near the ruins of a triangr shaped temple simr to those built by the Mayans on Earth. Around this ruin were stone pirs, also half destroyed and overgrown. Weeds, brambles and ivy were frantically winding their way over all the stone structures in the clearing. If one forgot the sad sight of the locked ves, their dpidation contrasted sharply with the perfection and harmony of the forest.


    In this ce were the 71 humans that Freya wanted to kill, there were 50 mercenaries, 21 adventurers including a mage. They were there for one thing only, to capture as many intelligent beasts as possible in order to sell themter as ves. However, it was easy to state that the mercenaries were not teaming up with the adventurers at all, but were only there to collect their share of the wages. They all seemed to be separated and didn''t even look at each other, but the forest was their hunting ground and they were having a great time.


    ____


    The leader of the mercenaries, a tall, muscr man with long ck hair and a beard thatsted several days, spoke up while stamping his foot on the ground with a disgruntled look.


    "Where the hell are the four who were supposed to join us already this morning ? Don''t tell me that....! We had to set up in that clearing next to those dirty adventurers because it was the only ce in this damn forest that was easy to find ! Don''t you dare tell me they got lost those fools !!"


    He wore a sword at his waist, was dressed in tough leather clothes and proudly wore a short wolf skin cape over his shoulders. He was 40 years old, level 25, and his name was Grim. Contrary to what the receptionist had said, the level of the mercenaries was not between level 17 and 19 but rather between level 15 and 25 which exined their number. Grim was the leader and what he hated most of all was having to rot in a ce, which didn''t really fit his money and adventure hungry personality.


    "Tsk, if it wasn''t for the mass of gold coins the Church promised, I wouldn''t be here rotting with this trash !"


    As he spoke these words he sent a huge kick against the bars of the cage that stood nearby scaring the young children inside who had been separated from their families. They had managed to capture 130 of them but had found no fire foxespared to the adventurers. But if Grim was upset it was because he had no desire to stay there. He had to, because he had already epted the job that the Church of the Kingdom of Zal had given him. His group had to take as many ves as possible and capture the fire foxes present for a unique magical sacrifice.


    Mercenaries did not work for a guild, but for various people who could afford their services, and unlike adventurers, their methods included ****, murder, looting, and other horrible things. That''s why adventurers didn''t like mercenaries, because even though they were doing a simr job they couldn''t stand to be in league with men of no value or morality. However, it was still a matter of perspective, because for the half-humans in the cages, all these humans were still the same no matter what, no matter how much time passed.


    "Grim calm down. We only need to wait for them a little longer, they were probably dyed beforeing. Let''s wait another two days."


    A young woman near him touched his shoulder to signal him not to get upset. The group of 50 mercenaries were waiting impatiently for their fourrades who were supposed to join them since the morning to tell them if they could leave with the merchandise they had already collected for several weeks. Obviously they were already dead and by Freya''s hand, but no one knew that yet.


    "Jessica, do you know if there are any more specimens to be captured in the area around us ?"


    The woman at his side was his right arm and possessed level 23. She was a brte with green eyes, also dressed in leather and wielding two daggers strapped to her ribs.


    "We haven''t seen anything yettely, I feel like we''ve cleared the forest and the remaining creatures that were resisting have retreated to run from us. It would seem that our work is done."


    But Grim was not reassured, this was all very strange to him.


    "Yet I feel like we are missing something but I can''t figure out what !".


    _____


    On the side of the adventurers who numbered 20, the group leader and only level 29 mage Kirk was counting the ves.


    "We have about 120 not counting the 2 fire foxes. If the Church offers us 50 silver coins per fox and 10 per ve, in the end we should all split 1300 coins."


    The adventurers had also been hired by the Church, which had taken care to contact them through a guild in addition to the mercenaries to have the best chance of sess. The two foxes were in a separate cage from the others and were among the rare races capable of taking human form despite their original animal form. They were therefore hunted to be sacrificed because they were considered too dangerous and inhuman. Gaya as an Earth dragon was also concerned, which exined the war that had been waged years ago to exterminate them and Freya was no exception.


    The leader of the adventurers was quite short, thin and dark. He really didn''t look like a level 29 fighter and for good reason, he wasn''t a warrior. Kirk was a fire mage, which was more than enough to defend himself against the forest races. He possessed an attack called "fiery whip" that conjured up a ming whip capable of tearing and burning the skin and a defense called "me armor" that protected his entire body from physical and magical attacks.


    Like the mercenaries, he had finally decided to leave the area in a few days, fed up with the situation. As he joined his group of 10 men and 9 women, he went to sit on a rock while sighing.


    "I think it''s a waste to sacrifice them, it would be much more interesting to experiment on them and understand why they are able to transform into half-humans. Maybe one day they will be able to make their ears and tails disappear pretending to be real humans. Tsk disgusting."


    He couldn''t stand the thought of mingling with the half-humans while being unaware of their race. Like most of humanity, he was obviously one of those who treated other races as worthless objects.


    "It''s true that killing them for no reason is a shame, you might as well make the most of them before you get rid of them."


    The one who spoke was the second leader of the adventurers. He was level 27, used a huge hammer, and called himself Sam. Freya didn''t know it yet, but the information given by the receptionist was not at all up to date and as she always said: information is important because one small mistake can bring a whole n crashing down. The battle ahead was shaping up to be a lot thornier than expected.


    "If only I could keep one to conduct my own research..."


    Kirk was unhappy that he couldn''t use these prized foxes and was desperate to find a way to keep the human race from being invaded. He was fiercely attached to his human race and had a boundless admiration for it. He believed himself to be on the side of justice and enlightenment, driven by a deep desire to rise to the top to gain more responsibility.


    The foxes in the cage were in animal form and trembled at his words. The adventurers didn''t know it, but they had captured a woman and her husband while their daughter was in the resistance group. They had sacrificed themselves to help her escape as any parent would, but had no idea that she had not given up on freeing them. Only, frightened and wounded the foxes locked in whispered.


    "Do you think Naia could have escaped far, far away ?"


    The girl''s mother was far more worried about her daughter than she was about herself and as she asked her question tears formed in her green eyes.


    "I...I don''t know. But since she''s not here we can assume that she''s at least safe."


    As for the father, he couldn''t bear the idea that his happy and naive daughter was now alone and on her own. They knew in their hearts that they didn''t have much time left and had epted their fate if it meant that Naia was safe.


    While these worried parents prayed for the safety of their only daughter, the other 250 prisoners were no less anxious. Families had been separated as the children were all herded into one cage. Except for them, the others had been crammed together without being able to move, without food and very little water for days.


    All the prisoners were beaten daily to weaken them and prevent them from rebelling or trying to escape. Even children, old people and women were beaten without any remorse, without any mercy or respect. No one had any real hope for what would happen next, and the exhausted spirits had long since given up. If anyone could hear their thoughts, they would not be able to bear the despair in their words.


    "Please..."


    "My children...someone save my children."


    "Die...I want to die."


    "..."


    "Mom where are you...? Dad I''m scared !"


    "Someone..."


    "No..no more beatings please.."


    "..."


    As time passed, souls were breaking and it wouldn''t be long before everyone turned into an empty shell.


    It had to be done quickly, the cruelty of humans had struck again and Freya was not yet aware of this fact although she knew that time was running out. The situation was much moreplicated and dangerous than she had thought. The she-wolf not only had to defeat her enemies, who were more powerful than she had expected, but also had to save the prisoners physically and psychologically.


    The humans in the clearing didn''t care about the harm they inflicted on these poor people, they only saw the money, the recognition and the fun that it gave them. The adventurers thought they were acting for money, justice and the preservation of the human race, while the mercenaries were only interested in the money they would earn from their hunt.


    No one suspected yet that a unique and powerful being had burst into the forest and was already nning their extermination, which would not be without suffering. The humans were rxed and patiently waiting for time to pass as a mercenary hurriedly entered the clearing shouting.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "THE...THE GROUP THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO JOIN US IS DEAD ! I WENT TO MEET THEM, THINKING THEY WOULD BE HERE SOON, AND I FOUND THEM A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE TRAIL ! THEIR LIMBS WERE CUT OFF AND THEIR HEADS WERE MISSING !"


    The humans couldn''t believe their ears while those of the prisoners stirred slightly as they clung to the slim hope this cry had awakened in them.


    Who could kill four level 20 mercenaries ? Freya of course. All the pieces of the chessboard were in ce and the ck queen, cruel, merciless and driven by a strong desire for destruction, was about to confront the opposing pawns. Who would be checkmated ? No one really knew yet.


    The time of the confrontation was not far off as dark clouds began to cover the sky, presaging a bloody and deadly tragedy.


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp required for next level: 2 000 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 128


    Humans killed : 128


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 40 Everyone Gets Together [Dark Forest War - Part V]

    -- POV Freya --


    Before me stood 26 new citizens for my Kingdom, 26 battered and weary hearts that I vowed to protect as I had protected the ves of the manor. They had not spoken a single word, but there was an unwavering determination in each one''s eyes. The mountains were silent and imposing as I finally activated my new menu.


    *Kira, it is time to define the forest as my kingdom.*


    -- PING --


    [Do you want to set the Dark Forest as your first Kingdom location ? ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    *Yes !*


    -- PING --


    [Congrattions, your Kingdom is now located at: Dark Forest]


    [You have earned 100 attribute points.]


    [Find a name and start building !]


    [ Building constructed: 0/1 ]


    I finally had the location of my Kingdom, the name and organization could wait until we took out the trash. What I wanted was to allow those who had pledged allegiance to me to level up during the uing war. There were not many of us so every little advantage was wee.


    *Kira, please open my Kingdom menu !*


    ___


    [KINGDOM (please name it)


    Empress: Freya


    Wife: (Gaya)


    Princess: Shiro


    Administration: ...


    Commanders of the armies : ...


    Chief of construction : ...


    Building constructed : 0/1


    Chief cksmith : ...


    Chief cook : ...


    Chief spy : ...


    Responsible for the cultures : ...


    Location : Dark Forest


    Subordinates / inhabitants : 128


    Official soldiers : ...


    I still had a lot of things to do, once the humans were killed my days would not be any calmer, but everything in its time. Looking at those who were still kneeling I finally spoke.


    _______


    -- POV Nixia --


    After witnessing her power, no one could ignore her words. There was a fire burning in her mesmerizing eyes and her frightening aura seemed both protective and reassuring. This morning we still didn''t know what to do and now we finally had someone to guide us, someone to help us. Not to mention her heavenly beauty and despite her natural coldness, we were drawn to her. I knew and we all knew that she was the person who would deliver us from this life of misfortune. It may have seemed crazy to see all of us kneeling before her, but there was something unique about this woman thatpelled us to follow her.


    *Well...as far as I''m concerned it would be more...bent over? Lowered ?*


    As my mind rxed in spite of myself, the Empress'' voice echoed through the mountains.


    "I introduce myself again, I am Freya and I dere the Dark Forest to be my Kingdom. I am the Empress of it and since you have decided to follow me, I promise to protect you as I already protect those dear to me."


    *She''s not alone ?*


    I didn''t even have time to think about anything else when she started again.


    "It''s time to gather our forces to counterattack. I know that you must be missing about five people, and I have two people waiting for me outside the forest. I have to go and get them before night falls and once we are all together I will exin my n."


    Na?a, Ynir, Trioa, Persea and Caipy were indeed missing and were looking for possible people still hidden to bring them back to the camp. We didn''t really know each other except for our sad past and they had no idea what had happened while they were gone, but it was up to us to exin it to them. Even if they decided not to follow the Empress, they would at least ept her help to rescue the prisoners.


    "I''m going to go ! Nixia, I want you to take charge of exining the changes to those who I hope will arrive soon. Luna, take care of the children and little Hans, Emilia prepare me a list of the weapons you have, Thorunn and Ralph keep the camp until I return !"


    Her orders came with incredible ease as if she was born to lead. Her amethyst eyes conveyed their passion as we responded with a heart full of hope and respect.


    "YES YOUR HIGHNESS !"


    In just a few hours our camp had finally regained confidence with theing of this mysterious Empress. No one really knew what was going to happen and how she nned to create her Kingdom, but we were all fascinated by this unique and powerful being who had given us hope.


    As I watched her disappear with her great speed, the girls gathered around me with serious expressions on their faces. Ralph was the first to speak.


    "I do believe that the Empress could aplish great things. My wolf instincts tell me that she deserves my allegiance..."


    That this proud and brave warrior would agree to pledge allegiance to someone, was something almost impossible. And yet the Empress Freya had seeded in this feat. Emilia nodded her head at her words while Thorunn obviously smiled in the same vein.


    "Her Highness Freya saved me and little Hans. I don''t really know who she is yet but I want to follow her, I want to learn from her and be stronger. Have you felt her aura ? Her presence ? She was born to lead and I''m sure that no one as incredible as her wille before us again. Half-humans, beastmen and all other non-human races have been tormented for far too long. It''s time to change, it''s time to wake up and fight back ! I feel a new air on the horizon and I sense that this change will be produced by her highness Freya..."


    Luna had spoken the words that were in all our hearts and minds. Finally we all felt the same at that moment and we had the desire to follow this Empress who wanted the happiness of all the oppressed races.


    Each of us had been hurt at some point in our lives by humans and I was no exception.


    I had spent years being tortured by humans who found it amusing to experiment on my scales. Ralph had seen her n ughtered by adventurers who sought to exterminate them. Luna had also seen her parents die sacrificing themselves to prevent her from being captured for her unique eyes and unusual race. Thorunn had spent her life running from the Church and Emilia was an unattached young woman traveling from country to country fleeing humans or fighting them. Coming out of my thoughts, I decided to carry out the task I had been given.


    "You know what you have to do, so I''m going to do my part of the job !"


    They all spun in an opposite direction as I saw the five members who had not witnessed the spectacle of our monumental beating and the Empress who had taken us under her wing returning in the distance.


    There was Na?a who was one of the main targets of the humans because of her origins. She was small, 16 years old with red hair and green eyes that were the characteristics of her entire race. She was a fox and a level 10 fire mage.


    "We haven''t found anyone...everyone seems to have been captured."


    Naia had a look of disappointment on her face as she said these words.


    "Don''t worry, we''ll soon release them all and your parents too."


    The one who had spoken stood beside her with eyes filled withpassion, it was Ynir. She was a half human with butterfly wings and two small antennae on her forehead. Ynir had ck hair with rainbow highlights in some ces and light blue eyes. She had joined because she wanted to protect the forest at all costs from those humans she hated so much and who had also taken her family from her.


    "Wait ! I have something to exin to you. There have been many changes while you were away..."


    I decided to exin to them what had happened here while they were away. As I exined in as much detail as possible, everyone''s face was surprised and excited. I was doing my best to make them agree to follow the Empress because I wanted to stand by her side to realize her dream...our dream.


    "..."


    They were speechless and did not know if it was possible for such things to happen.


    "This is..."


    Trioa couldn''t speak as she seemed happy and eager to meet the Empress. She was a half-human wyvern and had two wings on her back as gray as her eyes and hair. She was a tall 20 years old, very shy and always kind.


    Caipy, the oldest of us all, stepped forward to ask me a question.


    "You seem to respect her unconditionally judging by your speech. Is her goal to protect this forest ? If so, I think that me and Persea here will have no problem pledging allegiance to her when she returns."


    Persea at her side nodded her head to confirm her words. They were both equally protective of the forest due to their races. Caipy was a Dark elf with dark green hair, matte skin and ck eyes. No one really knew her age, but she was undeniably the oldest of us all.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Persea was a dryad who couldn''t stand to see humans in the forest, she had golden hair with a crown of flowers and soft green eyes. Both of them, they could sometimes make us forget our worries. Caipy and Persea were warm and motherly to all the members of the camp, which always gave us strength.


    "Her Highness Freya not only wants to preserve the forest from humans but also wants to build her Kingdom here so that she can save and wee all oppressed races. Her Highness proposes that we walk beside her to build with our own hands this ce where no one will ever be mistreated and killed again."


    The five of them looked at me intently and slowly allowed themselves to be won over by this idea. They had not yet met the Empress who had left a while ago. Who could she be looking for ? She had mentioned two people but had not given any further exnation, so we had to wait for her.


    _____


    Everyone was gathered in the camp and all the tasks given by the Empress had beenpleted. We were all waiting, looking in the direction she had gone, as the sun was just starting to set.


    Women, children and men unable to fight were patiently waiting for the return of their Empress, their heroine who had given them hope and lit a fire almost extinguished in their souls.


    Na?a, Trioa, Persea, Caipy and Ynir were at my side, impatient to discover this being that I had described as formidable, when suddenly we saw a dark and enormous forming from the trees. It was impossible to see properly because it was slowly getting dark and the trees were too dense, but it was definitely not a half-human.


    "Is that her ? I feel immense power emanating from that figure.."


    Ynir had moved to a guard position while I tried as best I could to identify the creature.


    "I...I don''t know..."


    I felt an aura simr to the Empress, but its form did not match what I had seen earlier. The figure finally emerged from the darkness and there stood a huge, imposing wolf, terrifying, powerful and dominant. It had two horns and a fur as ck as night, dark and disturbing. Its eyes were the same as those of the Empress because they shone with the same dangerous, wild and cold glow.


    "Y..your highness ?"


    Luna had stepped forward cautiously questioning the majestic beast before us. It was hard to speak as the surrounding air was overwhelmed by its presence and natural superior aura.


    As everyone held their breath, a small girl appeared on the back of the imperial beast. She had a tail and two wolf ears as white as her hair that seemed to glisten in the wind. The eyes of the little half-human were strangely the same color as the wolf she was riding and everyone wondered who she was.


    The giant wolf then began to move back slightly into the darkness leaving only its shadow in front of us. We could see its shadow shrink more and more to take on human form before putting on clothes and emerging from the bushes with the little one in its arms. It was indeed the Empress.


    People were kneeling down one by one after discovering her identity to greet her and wee her back. I myself was leaning forward to show my respect and I could see that the five who had not yet met her were naturally kneeling.


    We were all delighted to see her but one question was on all our lips: who was this little girl ?


    Our question was quickly answered as the little girl spoke up.


    "Wooow mommy ! Are these all the people you''re protecting ?"


    Before us stood the Empress and Princess of this Kingdom.


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp required for next level: 2 000 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 100


    Engaged to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 128


    Humans killed : 128


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 41 The First Day Of Our Freedom [Dark Forest War - Part VI]

    [N/A: Get the epic music ready for the end of the chapter and especially the next ones. I''m sure you''ll enjoy it all the more hehe~! Enjoy !]


    ____


    -- POV General --


    Everyone in the mountain was speechless in front of this absolutely adorable and lively little princess. No one could have imagined that just a few days ago her life was so sad and that she was mute, beaten and orphaned.


    Freya walked up with her in her arms, stroking her head gently with a motherly smile on her face. Everyone couldn''t believe that she, the powerful and cold Empress, was so protective of her daughter. When she swept her eyes over the crowd, they instantly understood that this treatment was only for her.


    "I apologize for the dy, I was taking the time to show my daughter my original form that she had never seen."


    As she spoke these words sheid her daughter on the ground in front of all these new citizens and subordinates before speaking in a powerful and solemn voice.


    "I present to you my daughter Shiro. I am not her biological mother but I love her just as much, if not more ! Please give her a warm wee, I''m sure she would be delighted to get to know you."


    Then her voice took on a much colder and more threatening tone than usual making the crowd flinch.


    "I trust you all to do this but just in case, if someone hurts her, makes her cry or knowingly insults her I will get really angry. So be careful."


    In one sentence the people present could easily guess that she was her treasure and she would not forgive anyone who would hurt her. Freya didn''t really want to scare them but it was still hard for her to change her old ways.


    "Mommy...you know I''ll be fine and I''m sure no one will hurt me. You said it right ? You trust them."


    After the mother, it was the daughter''s turn to speak. Shiro was one of the only ones able to prevent her from falling back into her old ways because she was very precious to Freya and her kindness melted her heart.


    Everyone thought they heard an angel speaking because her voice was so soft,passionate and full of innocence. In an instant the hearts of those present were all under the spell of this little white-haired princess who was as cute as she was kind and innocent.


    "WE SALUTE PRINCESS SHIRO !!!"


    From the height of her five and a half years, Freya''s little moon had already won over the hearts of her subordinates...all of them without exception. Shiro shook her hand shyly in front of so many people who greeted her so nicely while hiding slightly behind Freya with a smile. The contrast between Freya and Shiro was quite impressive but although the crowd feared the Ice Empress, they could see that she was not evil and that was just her personality. She had after all offered to help them, to join the Kingdom she would build and had a totally adorable daughter.


    "I have to introduce you to another person important to me...here she is."


    As the she-wolf finished her sentence, a small flutter of wings could be heard over the mountain. A small dragon flew over the area tond near Freya before transforming into a beautiful woman.


    The crowd didn''t know what to say or think, so much had happened before their eyes. The ten female warriors after meeting Shiro were now intrigued by this dragon with crimson scales.


    The citizens were still kneeling as they watched this woman who had just appeared in her humanoid form. They were fascinated by her beauty which, although not as breathtaking as Freya''s, was still incredible and mesmerizing. The dragoness also possessed this powerful and dominant aura and despite her more expressive and gentle face than the she-wolf she alsomanded respect.


    "Is it her older sister ? Or maybe a friend ?"


    "I''d say she must be her big sister."


    "No way she''s a dragon..."


    From everywhere you could hear whispers and questions that people were asking about Gaya''s identity. Freya stepped forward again slowly raising her hand to ask for silence.


    "First of all stand up I would like to introduce you to this dragoness."


    As everyone obeyed, Freya continued.


    "I present to you Gaya, she is an earth dragon..."


    The warriors almost stopped breathing at the announcement of the dragoness'' name and her origins. They had thought of this race but had found it impossible because they had all been massacred many years ago.


    "Your Highness...you mean the mother of dragons Gaya ?"


    Persea the dryad had spoken uppletely shocked by the statement that had just been announced. Everyone here knew in some detail the anger that had affected Gaya and had given her her nickname, but she had not reappeared for years, so much so that she was thought to be dead. And yet the dragoness was in the Northern Dark Forest alongside Empress Freya and her daughter. Why was she there ? What could their rtionship possibly be ?


    "As I said, this is indeed Gaya, known as the mother of dragons, and if you''re wondering what our rtionship is, well...


    ____


    -- POV Freya --


    ...she is my wife."


    -- PING --


    [ Congrattions! You have just named Gaya as your wife ]


    [ Engaged to > Married to ]


    [ You have gathered 5 more subordinates ]


    The notification made me smile mentally as I saw a shocked look on all the faces and heard their voices whispering through my hearing.


    "Her Highness bonded with thest dragoness ?"


    "Unbelievable !"


    "The Empress must be really powerful, I heard that dragons always choose their partners with great care !"


    "I''m sure they''ll be able to protect us...thank you for hearing my prayers !"


    After a moment of shock andmotion, though with many questions on their minds, they all knelt down again, shouting.


    "WE SALUTE THE WIFE OF EMPRESS FREYA, GAYA-SAMA !!!"


    *Should they really kneel like that every time ?*


    [Well theoretically...yes. You''re their Empress and you''re getting ready to fight on the front lines to save those who might not even have been saved. So yes, they kneel onee-san haha~]


    In my life I had been a gang leader and although always referred to as the Empress I had never really been one. This form of imperial respect I wasn''t really used to. Should I let them ? This question appeared for a moment in my mind before disappearing immediately.


    *I''ll have time to look into itter.*


    Once everyone had digested the information, I signaled that they could go and rest because I had to discuss our n for tomorrow''s war. I had nned to attack with the ten warriors those 71 people who had to die.


    "This way your Highness, Princess Shiro, Gaya-sama"


    Taking Shiro in my arms and apanied by Gaya, I then followed the ten and only people of this camp capable of being of great help on the battlefield. I hadn''t officially met the others yet so we walked to arge tent that had been set up in a hurry to make introductions and discuss strategy.


    There wasn''t much inside, arge table with chairs around it, a map that had been drawn by Ynir, Caipy and Persea who knew the forest like the back of their hand.


    While the five I had not met introduced themselves, I took the opportunity to look at their statuses.


    ____


    [Persea


    Race : Dryad


    Element: nt


    Lvl 15/30


    HP : 30 000 / 30 000 MP : 15 000 / 15 000


    Strength : 100


    Defense : 170


    Agility : 110


    Stamina : 125


    Speed : 160 ]


    ____


    [ Caipy


    Breed : Dark elf


    Element : x


    Lvl 15/30


    HP : 30 000 / 30 000


    Strength : 110


    Defense : 120


    Agility : 160


    Stamina : 145


    Speed : 150 ]


    ____


    [ Na?a


    Race : Fire fox


    Element : Fire


    Lvl 10/30


    HP : 12 000 / 12 000 MP : 6 000 / 6 000


    Strength : 90


    Defense : 85


    Agility : 110


    Stamina : 100


    Speed : 120 ]


    ____


    [ Ynir


    Race : Half human butterfly<novelnext></novelnext>


    Element: Light


    Lvl 15/30


    HP : 30 000 / 30 000 MP : 15 000 / 15 000


    Strength : 120


    Defense : 130


    Agility : 155


    Stamina : 165


    Speed : 150 ]


    ____


    [ Trioa


    Race : Half human wyvern


    Element : x


    Lvl 15/30


    HP : 30 000 / 30 000


    Strength : 150


    Defense : 170


    Agility : 140


    Stamina : 125


    Speed : 150 ]


    Persea used a variant of the wood element as a dryad. She had a defense skill called "nt Wall" and an attack called "Rose Garden" which allowed her to immobilize the enemy with brambles, so she would be in the center.


    Caipy was not a mage type at all, but was rather a healer who had a huge knowledge about nts. The elf was like a druidess, a living library about botany which was really very practical. She would be in the back ready to heal.


    Na?a was obviously of the fire element although not as strong as the others, she had some very interesting skills. Her "fire arrow" attack formed small arrows for the moment but was able to follow the enemy as if he had a radar. Her defense was also a wall of fire that could be very useful. She would be in support to prevent her from getting hurt.


    Ynir had a magic that was lessmon among other half-humans butmon among members of her race. She had light magic and could only create illusions that served as both defense and offense. She would be in support to cover anyone who needed help.


    And finally Trioa, who was not a mage either but an archaea, used her wings to rise into the sky and shoot at her enemies from above. It was a rather simple technique but very effective. She would therefore be in the air.


    *Ralph is ava mage, with her va fist" attack and her "hot breath" defense she will definitely be in the front line because she is more skilled in hand-to-handbat. Thorunn and her "wind des" could be positioned in the middle supporting us with her "tornado" defense skill.*


    [Makes sense to me. Next ?]


    *Nixia will also be in the center because she is not as fast as me or Ralph. She will attack with her spears of ck mes and will have no trouble defending herself with her "me shield". As for Luna with her skills she has all the qualities to be an excellent spy and assassin. She will take care of eliminating the enemies behind their backs.*


    She had indeed with her speed and agility that her race gave her, the ability to sneak into the shadows and corners to assassinate without difficulty after having paralyzed her victim discreetly with her attack "lightning needle". Her defense was weaker and was called "lightning step" allowing her to elerate.


    Using the confusion from the beginning, Ynir was supposed to free the prisoners by using her mastery of light to sneak in with an illusion.


    *I think this is the perfect n...*


    As I sat down on one of the chairs, Gaya on my right and Shiro on myp, my brain was spinning at full speed and I already had a strategy of cements that could optimize the skills of each.


    "Good ! It''s time to share my n with you..."


    Night had fallen, the camp was quiet while under a tent the first war council of my Kingdom was taking ce.


    _____


    -- POV General --


    The sun had not yet risen as in the Dark Forest ten figures could be seen slinking through the gloom led by a human-looking she-wolf. They all walked with great determination in their eyes and absolute confidence in their Empress.


    These women who carried the future of the prisoners in their hands had no right to fail, for on their lives depended a multitude of other lives.


    The air was heavy, the minds focused, the des sharpened ready to cut and the fangs sharpened ready to tear.


    The sound of hearts beating in unison was in every ear as they approached the enemy camp that had caused them so much pain. As they all waited for the signal from their Empress, Freya raised her katana in the air staring at the horizon with a glow of courage and bloodlust that made them all shiver.


    "Create Hell and return victorious. Forget the fear, ignore the suffering and let the pleas of our enemies, their cries of despair reach the heavens. Offer me their hearts, flood the ground with their blood and let your cry of rage be heard ! Fight as far as your arms and legs can carry you, let''s take back this ce by the sole force of our courage, our anger and our determination ! They want to lock us up and kill us ? Today will mark the first day of our freedom, the day we finally take back what they have taken from us and free those they have locked up. The time for retaliation hase...kill and destroy everyst one of them !"


    War cries echoed through the forest as eleven women went to war for their friends, families, fellow half-humans and their Kingdom. The beginning of the end had begun and an atmosphere of death reigned in the clearing.


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp required for next level: 2 000 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 100


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 133


    Humans killed : 128


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 42 Ralph Vs Grim [Dark Forest War - Part VII]

    -- POV Grim --


    I was still asleep when suddenly I was awakened by the screams of my men. They were shouting that we were under attack, running in all directions. As I emerged from my small tent, I saw several half-human women advancing toward the adventurers that I had never seen before. Theirbined auras were not to be taken lightly and as I drew my sword to fight a frightening wolf howl echoed through the forest.


    *What...Jessica what is going on !!?"


    Jessica was at my side. She seemed as stunned as I was and could only give me an idea of the situation.


    "I..I don''t know. Arrows of fire suddenly flew into the clearing, setting the adventurer tent on fire. They are currently fighting four half-humans while four others are heading towards us !"


    At my right-hand woman''s announcement I couldn''t help butugh at the thought of panicking for even a moment.


    "Only four for us ? Hahaha~ they should havee with an army to fight us. Capture them and once that''s over we''re going home !"


    As I giggled, a hot sensation was felt in my thigh. The pain was unbearable as I turned around to see who could have hurt me. In front of me was a red-eyed half-human wolf growling and threatening. Her hands were covered inva and ready to fight.


    "You ! You dirty dog !!!"


    Jessica had also been suddenly attacked by what appeared to be another cat-eared scum with a huge sword. The rest of my men were also busy containing the onught of the other vicious animal filth.


    "I''ll make you regret what you did !"


    How had a filthy scum hurt me ? How had she dared ? The beast in front of me was still snarling at me with a crazed look and staring at my cloak when she spoke.


    "Human, it is you who will regreting here, you who dare to wear the skin of ourrades, know that your end will not be without pain. My mission is to immobilize you until my Empresses to take care of you all, so let''s have some fun, shall we ?"


    *Empress...what ?*


    I was thinking that she was definitely not normal as she threw herself at me with a continuous frenzy and palpable hatred. Her fists passing within inches of me made my clothes and sometimes even my skin burn. How could she be so fast, so precise ?


    *I''m level 25 and the leader of the mercenaries, I can''t lose !*


    As I concentrated, screams were heard throughout the clearing, no one knew who was alive and who was not...it was total confusion. My weakest men were falling despite our numbers and facing only four women.


    "Wha...what is your level ?? No one told us that there would be A-rank monsters here !"


    "We are level 15..."


    I couldn''t believe my ears, how could such creatures stand up to us like that ? My mind was confused, but I certainly wasn''t going to let animals overpower and kill me. As I got into position, a beastly smile appeared on my opponent''s face.


    My sword whirled in the air as we threw ourselves at each other. Despite the difference in level, the fight was almost equal, even without a weapon, with her reflexes, her speed, her inhuman strength and her element, it was difficult for me to deliver a fatal blow. The blows were raining down while we were fighting with a huge intensity.


    "You animal !"


    I was beside myself as the blows rained down in all directions. The half-human had a formidable fighting style based on brute force and didn''t let me rest. But I needed more to fall. With a powerful movement, I threw my arm holding the sword to decapitate her but she jumped in the air to dodge, I could see her hands grab my wrist to send me against a rock pir making me spit blood.


    *What strength ! I have to get rid of her quickly to help my men ! *


    Although she was a B-rank mage, herva was not as powerful as it looked, so it was easy to block her fists with my sword that was forged to counter low-level magic. Iron andva fought valiantly while around me were the bodies of some of my subordinates, injured or dead.


    Her kicks aimed at my face were numerous but I always managed to block and push her away while the rage was growing in me. I then decided to use my famous feint which consisted in creating an opening in my guard to incite her to attack me in order to target her vital points afterwards.


    "Bring it on dog ! I''ll show you what it''s like to fight a human !"


    Pretending to inadvertently drop my sword and bend down to retrieve it, the half-human rushed at me with a smile to send her ws across my body. She no longer had herva fists and was trying to tear me apart rather than burn me.


    *It worked !*


    Turning 180 degrees, my foot met her belly to send her waltzing into a tree, stunned by the blow she hadn''t seening. She was resistant but the difference in level was beginning to be felt as she stood up breathless and much more injured than me. Her eyes were only full of hatred and resentment as she wiped the blood that had spilled from her mouth.


    "So ? Do you still want to fight me ? I was nning to leave you alive but I changed my mind ! Once I''ve had my fun with you, I''ll let my men do with you what they want. Don''t me me, we''ve been stuck in this forest for a long time. The warmth of a woman even a b*tch like you might cheer them up haha~"


    As I finished my sentence, I could see her hair bristle as the half-human growled louder.


    "You only know how to growl ? Come on,e to me girl !"


    She then moved into an attack position but this time she was on all fours like a wild beast. I didn''t have time to wonder as the creature was already charging at me with a higher speed than before. Her attacks had be much lower than before and I could only dodge without finding the moment to strike.


    The half-human on the ground was making me move backwards more and more, her arms and legs were moving perfectly coordinated and precise. Several minutes had already passed and I had in front of me a wild beast enraged and ready to do anything to kill me. She was circling around me while attacking me from both sides while a blow finally managed to reach me and in the leg.


    "Wha..."


    My bones cracked as intense pain invaded the area.


    "Aaaarg !!!"


    The blow had been so powerful that my bones had probably fractured on impact. Ignoring the pain it was my turn to strike back, this had gone on far too long and I couldn''t afford to lose.


    Without thinking, I threw my weapon at her who was surprised, managing to wound her in the stomach. My sword had inflicted a rather important cut on her, which made her lose blood.


    *That''s it ! That''s how it should be. Dogs will never beat humans.*


    The half-human was injured and bleeding, while I had a broken leg and no weapons. I never thought in my life that I would have to fight so intensely with a half-human, and a level 15 one at that. How had she acquired this power ?


    "You ! How is it that you are so powerful ?"


    I really wanted to know because the more I thought about it, the more fear began to take over me. It could be that there were even more powerful ones hiding in the forest without our knowledge. If that was the case, even if I were to defeat the beast in front of me, there was no guarantee that I would get out of here alive. My mind was filled with doubt, anger and iprehension.


    *I...I must get out of this forest even if I have to leave my men behind. I could easily find others but I only have one life !*


    In my heart I had made my decision. I would kill this woman and escape immediately, leaving the battlefield behind. My body was shaking despite myself and I couldn''t help the visceral fear that was growing in my mind. Remembering the beginning of the battle, I realized that there had been a powerful and frightening wolf''s cry but I couldn''t see that wolf anywhere.


    "Who are you looking for human ? I''m right here !"


    Ignoring the pain and slipping her legs around mine, the half-human made an immobilizing hold on me as she spun around my body without giving me time to retaliate. Her legs were around my neck and I could not move. My leg was in excruciating pain as I strained to throw my foot towards her shoulder. The toe of my boot hid a small dagger in it that sank into her arm as she let out a scream as she released her grip.


    "Aaah !"


    A smile appeared on my face as I saw the blood dripping from her almost unusable arm.


    *Hehe~ you''ll pay for this you trash !


    We were both out of breath and hurt but this was not the time to think about it because we were not going to stop until one of us was dead or unable to fight.


    Seeing that the wild beast that was my opponent was immobile because of the pain Iunched myself as best I could to give her a powerful punch in her wound. While I was almost there, an arrow suddenly nted itself a few centimeters away from my foot making me step back and abandon my attack. Looking up I could see a woman withrge gray wings aiming at me with her bow and arrow.


    "This...this isn''t fair ! Fight like a warrior without anyone''s help, where is your honor !?!"


    These words hade out without me even being able to control them. I was about to finish her off and another flying filth arrived to help her in our fair fight. My rage was at its peak, I already had to endure the pain, the humiliation and on top of that I had to face a filthy beast that didn''t even know the concept of honor.


    "Human..."


    The wounded half-human in front of me slowly raised her head as she heard my words, seeing the murderous look I gave her ally in the skies.


    "You don''t know what honor is. Don''t you dare talk about it in front of me while you murder innocent people, ughter entire ns and destroy without mercy. You don''t even have an ounce of honor, you are just the dark side of humanity and its cruelty. You''lle and talk to me about honor when you''ve risked your life for someone other than your little self."<novelnext></novelnext>


    This filthy b*tch dared to lecture me and talk to me about honor with her superior air and disdainful tone. Turning my head to assess the battlefield, I could see that everyone was busy, even Jessica was struggling and still fighting the other cat-eared bug.


    "You persist in despising and hating us, but who are the most despicable among us ? Who kills the old, beats the children, rapes the women and kills the men? Who really deserves to be hated ?"


    Her words resonated within me like daggers to the heart.


    "How dare you ? You ve !!! A human should not justify his actions when it concerns inferior beings like you !!!!"


    My muscles twitched with anger as my face turned red. I didn''t want to listen to her and her bullshit anymore, I wanted to kill her, dismember her and hang her limbs for all to see. How dare she talk to me like that ? How dare she lecture me, the great Grim ! I had to defeat her and make her regret her words. We were both in a bad state and tired from this longsting fight. As we stood face to face for thest time, we knew that this would be ourst attack. One of us was going to fall...it was time to find out which of us would win.


    No one else existed but this woman who had hurt me so much, I was focused only on her and my desire to kill her. As the gong of attack sounded in my mind, Iunched myself in her direction with the goal of driving the dagger of my boot deep into her heart in a final kick that would contain all thest of my remaining strength. As I soon reached her level, I could see that she didn''t even move and smiled.


    *What...*


    Suddenly an arrow of fire shot through my shoulder as something wrapped around my ankles. I only had time to look down to see brambles twisting around my legs before I fell and lost consciousness.


    I didn''t know it yet, but when i woke up i would be facing their Empress, and if i had known it...I would have wanted to die by the hand of this half-human a long time ago.


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp required for next level: 2 000 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 100


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 133


    Humans killed : 128


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 43 Emilia Vs Jessica [Dark Forest War - Part VIII]

    -- POV Jessica --


    "Only four for us ? Hahaha~ they should havee with an army to fight us. Capture them and once that''s over we''re going home!"


    As Grim spoke these words a red-eyed half-human hit his thigh causing him to turn around. I didn''t even have time to say anything as a sword was already brushing against my cheek leaving a slight gash.


    "Huh ?"


    Before me stood a woman with cat ears and tail and red and ck hair. She carried arge sword that she could hold with one or two hands without difficulty. Pulling out my daggers, I stepped in front of this half-human to fight her. The cat didn''t say a word and stared at me with her different colored eyes that couldn''t belong to a human.


    *Tsk...I must finish her off quickly before it''s toote.*


    I turned my head towards Grim to see that he was still fighting the she-wolf with his sword and could note to help me. I was alone against her and I had to take my courage in both hands to kill her and save my life.


    *I thought it would be easy here...what could have gone wrong ?*


    The clearing was filled with screams, the sound of steel shing and the smell of blood. Despite my level 23 I didn''t like to be in situations like this, usually in a melee I would support someone or attack in a group but this time I was alone.


    While I was thinking about a strategy, the half-human was stomping the ground heavily as she rushed towards me. Seeing her swording towards me, I prepared myself for the impact by brandishing my des and contracting all my muscles. The impact was terrible and threw me several meters before biting the dust. My opponent was agile and in a controlled salto, she fell back on her feet with ease.


    *Obviously with your body of beast you are more advantaged than me...but don''t im victory right away !*


    Getting up with difficulty, I raised my weapons which had never left me and whose iron was more resistant than her dirty rusty sword.


    "Come on fleabag !"


    I was determined to defeat her and this time by myself. Our des shed and their sound echoed through the clearing as behind us the battle raged.


    The half-human was defending herself well, fighting back and using her strength and skill with the sword. I had more experience so I could easily parry all her blows but I should not make this fightst otherwise I would be disadvantaged. Seeing a loophole, I sent my foot in the belly of the cat girl which made her stagger before she could regain her bnce.


    *God, what is she made of ?!*


    In reality, it wasn''t her body that was hard but my blow that was far too weak. I was specialized in surprise and discrete attacks so fighting an opponent face to face wasplicated.


    The half-human took advantage of my moment of distraction to attack me, I tried to react but it was toote. My opponent was fast and agile and despite my experience and level, a tremendous kick hit me on the left side. There was no blood on the spot but my ribs were broken as I fell to the ground in pain.


    "Aaarg...you...cough cough"


    Deep inside I was panicking, I didn''t know what to do and I felt the end was near. ncing at my leader, I saw that he was also having trouble with his enemy. Looking then at the half-human who still hadn''t uttered a word, I stood up as I spoke.


    "Wait ! You...you are strong. Join me and together we could take on the whole world !"


    I obviously didn''t mean any words but I wanted to get her to let her guard down and why not trust me, to make sure I survived at least until the end of the battle. I obviously wasn''t going to keep her with me and was even nning to capture her to torture her and get revenge for her beatings.


    For the first time I heard her voice which was quite soft but at that moment filled with hatred for me and myrades.


    "Why should i join you when I just pledged my allegiance ?"


    *Huh ? What is she talking about ?*


    Holding my ribs with one hand to ease the pain and wiping my sweat with the other I didn''t understand what she meant. As she put her sword on her slim shoulder, a sly smile appeared for the first time on her face, which had been neutral until then.


    "Why should I follow you when you can''t even hurt me with everything you have ? I know a person far beyond your weak power, she could kill you with a snap of her finger so don''te spouting your nonsense at me."


    That filthy cat was calling me weak without an ounce of fear in her voice..me, a human was being put down by an animal. As my teeth and fists clenched, a scream from my right startled me. Turning my head, I could see Grim clutching his leg which had obviously been broken by the blows of his opponent who was now fighting on all fours.


    *What ?*


    How could this be possible ? Our leader could not defeat this woman who, despite her wounds, was still standing up to him. I wanted to question the one in front of me but she was no longer there.


    Suddenly I felt a presence in my back before finding myself face down on the ground by a sweep of the footing from behind. I had dirt, blood in my mouth and I wanted to vomit as she pulled me by the hair to send a knee blow in my face. I was in pain, bleeding and humiliated by a sub-race like her.


    *I...I will kill her...*


    "I WILL KILL YOU !!!"


    Picking up my daggers and ignoring the unbearable pain of my broken bones, I charged my opponent to start swinging my des in her direction again. I was animated by the same rage that shone in her eyes but unlike her I was not calm at all, my head was spinning I could not think straight. The fight never seemed to end as she nimbly dodged my sloppy and inurate blows.


    However, despite my injuries I could see that she was getting exhausted as I attacked. I might have been in bad shape, but my body was more enduring than hers, which had been sweating like crazy for a few minutes now.


    "So, little b*tch ? You may be more unharmed than I am but you won''tst much longer !"


    She was on her knees and breathing heavily as I pointed my weapon at her forehead with a satisfied smile on my face. In my head all the images of the possible tortures I could inflict on her after locking her up with the others were running through my head.


    *Cut out her tongue ? No, I want to hear her scream. Break her ribs ? That''s for sure, I have to give her back what she deserves. Maybe I could cut off her ears and tail, that sounds funny to me hihi~!*


    While I was daydreaming, she was still getting up exhausted from moving around so much despite her endurance and agility. The half human gave me a dark look as she spoke again.


    "Fight as far as your arms and legs can carry you..."


    *Huh ?*


    "...Let''s take back this ce by the sole force of our courage, our anger and our determination !"


    I couldn''t understand a word she was saying as she seemed to have lost her mind.


    "What are you talking about ? Have you gone mad already ?"


    Brandishing her sword again as she trembled, she added.


    "These are the words of our Empress that are engraved in all of our hearts. I will not give up because I have no right to give up or fail. Enjoy this moment because I will not stop until you are neutralized even if I have to hold my sword with my teeth !"


    Her words gave me goosebumps as I saw in her eyes an unwavering determination to defeat me. She dashed forward despite the fatigue with force, swinging her weapon at mine with ever increasing fervor. The half-human showed no sign of fatigue as she was focused, determined and driven by an unknown force. Could it be her Empress who inspires her so much and gives her this power straight from her soul ?


    Neither of us wanted to give in but her blows kepting down harder and harder creating a shock wave that made my whole body vibrate. I could feel the victory slipping away as the half-human arced her sword over my right arm, slicing it off instantly.


    "Aaaarg my arm !!!"


    Blood gushed from my badly cut limb from the rusty but still sharp sword. The pain prevented me from seeing her clearly as she approached me. Desperately seeking help from one of myrades I looked around to see that no one wasing. Grim was still busy and the others were still fighting hard as arrows rained down on them.


    *Damn it !


    How did I get here ? I hade to this forest to capture and y with ves, but now I was left with an arm amputated and lying in the dust. I had never regretted a choice so much in my life, I would have been better off staying in the capital quietly and not running any danger.


    *Yes...I should have stayed in Zalhythe.*


    The capital of the Kingdom of Zal had always been my favorite ce, always cheerful with no problems or danger. At least there they chained the ves and subraces while here I was literally beaten by one of them.


    "Is...is your family locked up in here ? I...I can free them if you let me go."


    I had no choice but to stoop to begging for my life. At that moment I found myself disgusted, dirty and humiliated to have to ask for mercy from a filthy race like hers. Seeing her look at me with disdain as if I were an insect made me want to vomit and disappear. I couldn''t think anymore as the half-human stuck her de still full of my blood on my chin, lifting my head.


    "Human..I have orders to leave you alive, you can thank the Empress !"


    I didn''t know who this Empress was, but I hoped with all my heart that she would show mercy since she was leaving me alive. Maybe she just wanted to leave us with a warning ? I had received it well and at the cost of my right arm so if I managed to survive I wouldn''te back to this forest again.


    "I..I don''t know who you''re talking about but I would be grateful for this second chance !"


    "Huh ? Who''s talking about a second chance? I just said I shouldn''t kill you."


    As she said these words she giggled for the first time with an amused glint in her eye as if I was wrong about everything.


    *Why leave me alive if not to give me a second chance ? She must want money....yes she does ! Haha~ no need to worry about that right now !*<novelnext></novelnext>


    As I was reassuring myself, the half-human that arrived in front of me was shooting my daggers before grabbing my left arm and dragging me unceremoniously to where Grim was standing before tying me up.


    "Grim !"


    He was on the ground with his leg broken, a ming arrow having pierced his shoulder and bound by what appeared to be brambles. He was breathing shallowly and probably in excruciating pain from the wounds he had.


    "What have you done to him you monsters !!??"


    The half-human who had fought me and the one who had beaten Grim looked at me without an ounce of pity in her eyes as the she-wolf answered with a mocking voice.


    "Us monsters ? Haha~ cough cough !"


    The red-eyed womanughed as best she could as blood dripped from her stomach wound. I then decided to turn my head towards myrades still in battle. There were now eight half-humans fighting the remaining 30 level 16 mercenaries. They couldn''te to our aid because I could see that they were already struggling to stay alive as the attacks came from all sides.


    "What...weren''t there only 4 of you? Where are the adventurers who were fighting these four ???"


    Turning my head in panic, I could see that in the clearing there were no adventurers left, they had all disappeared without me even realizing it. Looking for where they could be to help us a cold de met my cheek. It was that pesky cat that was hindering my movements having guessed what was bothering me.


    "They''re not here but a little further away. If they can be eight to fight them it''s because our Empress is fighting alone in another area the adventurers you are looking for.."


    I couldn''t believe my ears. She was fighting alone, 21 people including a level 29 and 27 ? Impossible ! Just as I seemed to be going crazy, an explosion was heard outside the clearing followed by an icy wind of collossal power.


    "What was that ?"


    I was panicking as the cat was giving me a terrifying answer and left me with a livid face.


    "It''s her...our Empress."


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp required for next level: 2 000 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000.    MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 100


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 133


    Humans killed : 128


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 44 The Eight Girls Vs The Mercenaries [Dark Forest War - Part IX]

    -- POV random mercenarie --


    While the leader and the underboss were fighting, myrades and I were faced with four half-humans who seemed to be a team. There was a snake woman, a cat-like woman with eyes of different colors, a woman with gray wings, and a blonde woman who looked more human than any of the others. We had already been fighting for a few minutes and some had already fallen, so that we were down to 40 against them out of 48.


    "Spread out and surround them, we can get them with wear and tear and with our numbers !"


    One of myrades who had decided to lead us took themands to give us every chance to seed. Without thinking we all ced ourselves around them to leave no chance of retreat. The feminine looking creatures were using the elements while we were only level 16 mercenaries with swords and bows. In the end, despite our numbers, they were able to protect themselves with masterful coordination.


    *Do they have a person who deals with strategies ? How do animals like them manage to fight as well as we do ?*


    So many questions in our heads but it was not time for questioning because I could already see the snake muttering something and making her two ck spears reappear in her hands. As she twirled them in the air with perfect control, the young blonde woman began to incant her spell as des of wind appeared before her.


    "Don''t weaken, get closer little by little so you can reach them ! Those who use bows aim at those who can attack from a distance !"


    The temporary leader''s orders were clear, simple, precise, and we were all d to have someone to guide us. We marched as one, as a human tide, as soldiers. The wind des hit us from all sides while we endured the pain that was not so unbearable thanks to our thick clothes. Some of us fell exhausted and wounded before being pierced by an arrow from the sky.


    There were only 38 of us left.


    "Advance the lines !"


    The leader''s voice hung over the wind as we almost reached the women who were giving us hell. The fighters in the front line were finally reaching the snake woman they were greeted by her ck firences in closebat. The half-human slid across the ground gracefully as she dodged the swords or blocked them with her weapons. She twisted her body left and right, making it impossible for the five who were aiming at her to predict her movements. This snake woman seemed to be an illusion to herself that it was impossible to take your eyes off of her, and she yed with them with a smile and a look that would make any man shiver. Suddenly its tail wrapped around one of the men and sent him crashing into a stone pir with force, killing him instantly. The others panicked and swung at the tail made of scales but they were as hard as steel making their swords bounce off it.


    The remaining four didn''t even have time to be surprised when two spears cut them down to ash, making the snake woman smile dangerously.


    There were only 33 of us left.


    On the other side of the battlefield it wasn''t glorious either as I could see the blonde woman simultaneously fighting five people with none of us able to go to their aid. The winged creature in the air was raining arrows to cover them and let her ally fight.


    "Archers ! Aim that nasty flying beast at me quick !"


    Of the 33 who could still fight, only 6 were archers and tried as best they could to aim at the beast but its mastery of the skies was undeniable. The gray-winged creature flew through the skies with incredible ease, its wings were powerful and so precise that the half-human seemed to walk through the air. She even seemed to be enjoying the situation, provoking our archers with a childish smile and a fewughs.


    The battlefield was chaotic, the blonde woman was now fighting with her bare hands and managing to catch the swords with her strength. The half-human didn''t want to take her time and the blood falling on her clothes seemed to annoy her as she twisted the necks of myrades with ease. The other two trapped with her by the wall of arrows were shaking and had even started to wet their pants. Without even having time to breathe, I saw their heads roll to the ground as she sliced them with her nails.


    There were only 28 of us left.


    *What a...what a monster !*


    As the fear invaded my heart to the depths of my soul I could see that everyone in our ranks was also beginning to feel this visceral fear. Without uttering a single word, these three monstrous women had created panic and despair. The fourth was nowhere to be found, but there was no time to look for her, as four new beasts arrived to help them. A fox, a woman with butterfly wings, an elf and a dryad.


    *Why are they here ? I thought they were fighting the adventurers !*


    As most of us looked around with the same idea in mind, a calm andposed voice rose in the air.


    "Na?a has neutralized the chief and Persea has tied him up, Emilia is still in her fight but it shouldn''t be long before she finishes with her. I managed to free the prisoners and they are all waiting in the forest at the ce indicated by the Empress."


    Everyone held their breath as the butterfly woman spoke to her allies. How could this be possible ? Grim defeated and Jessica about to be defeated ? The ves freed ? At that moment we knew it was only a matter of time before we were all dead. We were only 28 mercenaries left with 8 half-human women of the same level if not stronger.


    Without even having time to make a move, screams could be heard at the back of the ranks everywhere. Screams of fright echoed behind us without us being able to tell what was going on.


    "Who is it ? Why are you shouting from the back ?"


    One of ourrades was shouting that his neighbor was dead without him knowing why. Immediately afterwards many voices were raised to dere the same phenomenon among those present next to them. A total of 10 people were on the ground with their throats cut, an expression of surprise still frozen on their cold faces or with an arrow in their skulls. The arrows allowed us to identify the shooter in the sky but the other bodies nobody knew who had killed them. In reality it was the one who had disappeared.


    There were only 18 of us left.


    "Well it''s about time !"


    The snake woman had spoken and then uttered a sentence that would make us lose all reason.


    "Did you hear the Empress earlier ? Let''s destroy them !"


    As she finished her sentence, a sadistic smile appeared on the faces of all the half-humans present, as frightening as in our worst nightmares. At that moment there was panic and everyone was trying to run away while fire arrows, wind des, daggers and brambles were flying everywhere. It was a stampede, no one was coordinated anymore while blood spurted everywhere. Heads were rolling on the ground, people were begging and crying, some had rolled into a ball and others had given up and were standing with empty faces and destroyed minds.


    The elf covered the retreat of myrades running eastward by throwing small daggers filled with poison at them. Those who were hit would instantly convulse with foam in their mouths and blooding out of their eyes. This scene was horrible, cruel and it terrified me. Was I going to end up like that too ?


    The men who had miraculously managed to avoid the poisoned daggers, were immediately caught in what seemed to be an illusion.


    "No...let go !!!"


    "Monsters !"


    "Kill them !"


    My fellow mercenaries were swinging their swords in the air, their faces livid and their eyes wide open. They were no longer aware of reality and seemed to be seeing monsters and were delirious, so they were attacking each other while thinking they were fighting one of the monsters. In the confusion I could do nothing for them as I hid under a body to survive. I could see their limbs being cut off with screams from Hell while all around the massacre continued.


    There were only 12 of us left.


    *Mom...Dad save me !*


    Liquid poured from my eyes and nose as I plugged my ears with my hands unable to hear the despair of this clearing, so peaceful only a few hours ago. Bodies were flying in all directions as brambles wrapped around them to crush them to death in huge streams of blood. It was Hell, there was no other word for it. These women were our worst nightmares, women from hell who came with the sole purpose of killing us without mercy.


    "..."


    Suddenly no more screams could be heard so I decided to discreetly pull my head out from under the corpse that was on top of me. The ground was burned, blood covered everything. The bodies were charred, disemboweled, cut up or in ashes. It was a sight of horror that I couldn''t stand while I cursed those filthy half-humans for doing this to us.


    It seemed that I was the only one left.


    *You...you''re just monsters...how can you ughter us like this without any mercy ?*


    As I sniffed I felt a hand grab me by the cor and pull me out of my hiding ce. A woman dressed as an assassin, with two ck ears, one blue eye and one golden eye. She lifted me up with a disconcerting ease and smiled in a sadistic and amused way.


    "Oh !! Look what we have here ! Looks like i''ve found one more rat !"


    *One more ?*


    I didn''t understand what she meant as the fear came over me, I didn''t want to be alone with these psychopaths let alone all of them at the same time. Closing my eyes instinctively, I could feel my feet take off the ground and my heart beat wildly.


    *Please...please..please..*


    I knew in my heart that thinking no half-human would attack us was foolish. We had beaten hundreds of their kind every day without remorse, even smiling with satisfaction. It was our punishment, but no one deserved to die like that. After all, we had not killed anyone.


    Feeling the grip loosen and my body fall to the ground, I slowly opened my eyes to discover that I was not the only one left alive and that there were actually 10 of us. Myrades were bound and gagged like animals, crying and terrified. The 8 half-humans surrounded us, stained with the blood of our allies, with a dominant aura. It was an absolutely frightening scene because it was mixed with the uncertainty, fear, pain and anger in our hearts. What were they going to do to us ?


    In our eyes we wanted to die rather than find out what was going to happen next and the reason for our captivity.


    "Yo ! Here are two more."


    As we were plunged into despair, a brown half-human wolf with red eyes came forward holding her belly from which blood was flowing with her right hand and dragging Grim with her left. She was followed by a female cat who was also dragging Jessica bound, gagged and bloody. Our sub-chief had lost her right arm and despite the makeshift tourniquet, she was still losing blood. Her life did not seem to be in danger but she was livid for some reason. Probably blood loss.


    "Then the job is done."


    The snake woman spoke these words as the two neers threw our unconscious leader and Jessica unceremoniously in our direction.


    "Ralph you''re hurt ! Let me see that."


    The elf with the poison daggers suddenly lunged at the red-eyed she-wolf, obviously named Ralph. She seemed sturdy and was bearing the injury and blood loss rather well as no pain could be seen on her face.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Ah..this ? It''s nothing I''ll be f...cough cough !"


    The unconvinced elf then took her a little further to heal her while those still present looked off into the forest.


    "The Empress is fighting..."


    The half-human who had picked me up spoke in a surprisingly respectful voice as the others followed.


    "I''m dying to take a little peek. After all, we''ve never really seen her run amok."


    "You...you think we have the right ?"


    The half-human Ralph who had returned, had her eyes twinkling as she stated that she wanted to see their Empress in battle while the snake woman seemed to be eager for it as well.


    "I must return to the cave where the prisoners are hidden while we wait for her Highness, do what you will after all we followed orders to the letter. Just don''t forget your prisoners."


    The butterfly woman walked away in the direction of the forest saying her words while each one began to smile with excitement with eyes full of respect and admiration.


    "Let''s go !"


    That was thest sentence I could hear before I was knocked out. I knew that when I woke up I would be facing a monster.


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp required for next level: 2 000 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 100


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 133


    Humans killed : 128


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 45 Freya Vs Kirk [Dark Forest War - Part X]

    [N/A: Don''t forget to read my note at the end]


    ________


    -- POV Freya --


    The battle was already raging in the clearing as I found myself facing the 21 adventurers who had followed me further in, intrigued. Luckily they were not in solidarity with the mercenaries and had sensed my power, which I had released slightly, making things easier.


    [The leader seems to be this Kirk who is a level 29 mage of the fire element. There''s also Sam level 27 who seems to be pretty skilled but nothing you can''t handle].


    *Tsk the receptionist and that bogus information ! But thanks for the information Kira. I''m not interested in the mage, even tied up I don''t know what he''s capable of doing until I find a way to seal the magic.*


    [What are you going to do with him then ?]


    *Kufufu~ Kill him of course ! Capturing Sam would be more beneficial for gathering information, the others will serve as my EXP. I asked to capture at least the mercenary leader and a few others so that my dear subordinates and warriors can have some funter on.*


    [So have a good lu...no...have fun !]


    *Kufufu~ of course.*


    The other 19 adventurers were between 17 and 20, so I didn''t have much of a problem. I wanted to have fun and test my power with and without my elements so I was going to y with them a bit. I stood under the dark trees with none of them really able to see me as Kirk spoke up.


    "You ! Come out and show yourself ! Are you the one behind this attack ?"


    He sounded quite confident even though he was no stronger than a shrimp.


    "Are you afraid of us ? Or of me maybe ? haha~"


    [Oh oh...]


    Young Kirk had broken one of the rules that should not be broken under pain of death. I had already nned to make him suffer, but it turned out that I was now going to enjoy it much more. I came out of the shadows of the trees and stood in front of them, and they took a step back when they saw me. The chief had not moved but hispanions had all instinctively stepped back at the sight of me, surprised and shocked at my appearance.


    Still in silence, I scanned this band of humans with my piercing and threatening gaze. The leader had lost his words before he pulled himself together and addressed me again.


    "You are the creature responsible for this ?"


    Raising my head in disdain I ignored his question to ask him my own.


    "Do you think you are strong enough to leave your prisoners unattended ?"


    My voice was calm and showed no indication of my state of mind. I knew how to hide my emotions perfectly and this cold voice of mine was natural. When I spoke to humans, I was always cold anyway. As he looked at me with a smile on his face Kirk replied.


    "Pfffhahaha~ Obviously ! And then the mercenaries will do their job well, I don''t think they can lose at 50 to 10 ! I can see why you wanted to take us on to keep your little friends from getting hurt against us...wise move."


    *Mmmh no actually I only wanted to have you all to myself but if you are convinced otherwise then you can die with that belief, I don''t care.*


    Seeing that I still did not answer, the little human raised his hand and said.


    "Get away from me ! I''ll take care of her myself. Stay here and don''t let anyone intervene."


    *Oh ? Human, do you really think you can defeat me alone ?*


    He seemed sure of himself which amused me a lot knowing the difference of level that there was between us. I ced myself in front of him while hispanions moved back several hundred meters, surrounding us and creating an arena.


    "Don''t mind if I keep you around afterwards, I have to say you look pretty gorgeous for a half human. Too bad you weren''t born without that tail and ears, I could have made you my wife...I''d just put you in my bed tonight. Be honored you filthy creature !"


    *Honored ? While a beauty like Gaya is waiting for me at the camp ?*


    My neutral face finally moved as I consciously frowned at these words. The air was getting cold around me, but I controlled my anger to enjoy and revel in the moment her life would leave her body.


    Kirkughed loudly as I pulled my katana from its scabbard and walked slowly toward him. We were fifty yards apart as he regained his seriousness to incant and conjure up a fire whip of incredible length.


    "That''s how you tame the beasts, my dear ! Come here so I can teach you some manners !"


    The adventurers behindughed seing their leader''s confidence while I closed my eyes to take deep breaths. I didn''t want to finish them all off instantly so I had to concentrate on not getting angry. It was time to attack.


    Clutching my katana, Iunched myself at him, careful not to show my full power. His whip cracked loudly as the adventurer sent it at me, leaving trails of me behind and cutting through all the trees around. With my flexibility, agility and intelligence I could see all the blowsing at me as I dodged and maintained my speed.


    [Watch your left !]


    His whip was so long that even with its base facing to the right, the tip could hit me on the left. It was glowing and burning all around him as I approached Kirk, who was already beginning to incant to form an armor of mes.


    *This is getting interesting !*


    I wasunching myself again but this time with more power to spin around him as his head searched for me and his whip snapped in the air seeking my skin.


    "So human is all you got ?"


    I spun like the wind as Kirk couldn''t even guess or know my location.


    *It''s time to have some fun...*


    _______


    -- POV Kirk --


    I was dressed in my me armor as the half-human ran in all directions, everywhere and nowhere at once. She was fast, much too fast, and could appear from anywhere. Thinking I saw her behind me, with a swing of my right arm, my whip crashed into a tree behind my back without touching even a bit of her flesh.


    "Above !"


    A voice could be heard overhead as I looked up to see the half-human. She wasing at me with a forward foot that hit me right in the arm despite my armor that didn''t seem to hurt her.


    "Aaaaarg !!"


    My left arm was literally shattered and hanging as if it was dead. The pain was so horrible that I could barely control my mana and keep my armor on. Looking up in rage at the half human, I could see that she was standing in front of me with her cold, neutral face.


    "I''m disappointed.."


    "You...you''re hiding your strength ?"


    Sighing and not giving me an answer, she leaned forward in an attacking stance, beckoning me to attack with her finger. Her gesture was filled with condescension as the anger rose more and more within me. Ignoring the pain, I threw my whip in her direction as she seemed to yfully avoid it with wide, controlled movements. The half-human was clearly not normal to resist this. Usually as a level 29 I only need to use it once to burn the legs off my opponents.


    "All of you ! Come and help m..."


    I hadn''t even finished my sentence when she had already anticipated and created 4 walls of ice to iste us. I was alone with her cracking her neck as she spoke.


    "Well...can you repeat what you were telling me earlier, right to my face ?"


    Her question was simple but being terrified and confused I didn''t dare answer. Her presence became unbearable as she got closer to me always slowly, second by second. The time seemed infinite and my body was shaking all by itself while I felt my legs giving way under my weight.


    "Are you sure you are level 29 ? You are far too weak."


    Her voice was cold and full of disdain as she stopped right in front of me looking down on me with a hard look. I was on my knees before this supposedly inferior race and my arm had turned blue. The veins inside had exploded with the power of the blow in such a way that I still wondered how my arm was still hanging on.


    "So...Are you going to repeat your sentence ? Go ahead I''m listening !"


    Her presence was such that her words were like orders not to be broken. Without even thinking I began to repeat my previous words stupidly.


    "To...too bad you weren''t born without...without that tail and ears I....I could have made you my w...wife...I''d just put you in...in my bed tonight...be honored."


    As I finished, the woman shook her head in disappointment.


    "No no no, you forgot the best part ! Finish the sentence or you die right away..."


    I could still fight with my whip but it was useless against her. My armor didn''t work well because of my arm and anyway it didn''t stop her. I could only obey hoping for mercy.


    "Filthy...c..creature."


    I had barely finished my sentence when a violent kick hit my right arm which also broke into pieces.


    "Yeah that''s what I wanted to hear !"


    The pain had rendered me speechless as my mouth opened without making a single sound. Lowering my head to look at my arm I gasped as I saw this monster of a woman crouching next to me staring at me.


    "You could scream a little bit though. You see...I really didn''t like all those things you said to me, I almost got angry."


    I couldn''t believe that she wasn''t angry at that very moment. To me she was terrifying and by being calm it made the experience even more horrifying. I couldn''t help but think what I would have be if I had actually made her angry.


    "If I remember correctly you also wanted to tame me didn''t you. Let''s y, shall we ?


    "..."


    "See that little hole in the wall ? It can only let through a small body like yours. If you can get out of there before five minutes I''ll let you live."<novelnext></novelnext>


    She was indeed pointing to a small passage at the level of the ice wall where I could easily crawl through. This was my chance. Nodding silently, she stood up with an excited gleam in her eyes.


    *I have to run ! The hole is only a few meters away !*


    I started to run when a de suddenly cut my legs at the calf level. I could see the bone as I screamed this time at the top of my lungs as blood spurted over me and her.


    "Ara~ Didn''t I tell you ? You are not allowed to run kufufu~"


    I could see her licking the blood that hadnded on her lips as a savage, sadistic smile appeared on her face. I was standing before the devil herself.


    "Tick..tock..hurry up."


    Struggling not to faint, I began to crawl in my own blood that was flowing freely. My vision blurred with tears as I used myst bit of strength to reach the hole that was my only salvation.


    I was using my broken arms despite the pain, I could hear the bones cracking each time I crawled a little further. The woman was following me smiling silently and seemed to be enjoying herself immensely.


    "Aaaarg !"


    My strength was failing me as I struggled, I couldn''t feel my legs or arms, yet I kept going with determination. I had only one more meter to go to stay alive.


    *Almost...just a little longer...*


    As I was about to touch the icy wall with my blue fingertips, boots crashed into my hand causing me to scream again as a horrificughter echoed.


    "Did you really think I would let you go ? I only wanted the pleasure of watching you crawl away like the insect you are. In this forest you are nothing, a mere gnat who thinks he is powerful by tormenting the weak."


    With these words she grabbed me by the neck to lift me off the ground.


    *N..no !*


    I felt her hand forcefully pierce my chest causing blood to spurt on her face turning it red. She moved my ribs and searched my insides before pulling out my heart. Thest thing I saw was her beautiful face that to me represented death, licking and biting into my still warm heart with a monstrous satisfied smile.


    _______


    -- POV General --


    Not far from the clearing stood four walls of ice rising high into the sky. As they fell simultaneously, the adventurers could see the body of their leader lying lifeless and unrecognizable. Freya stood over him with blood on her mouth and his heart in her hands.


    "Mo...monster !!!"


    Kirk''spanions mourned his death and could not understand how he could have lost to her as anger mounted. In a powerful voice Sam raised his hammer, shouting.


    "Let''s kill her ! Let us avenge our fallenrade valiantly !!!"


    As the final battle began, 9 women arrived on the scene smiling, happy to be able to witness the spectacle.


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    ? Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 3 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 38 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 150 [N/A: You''ll see the detailster.]


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 133


    Humans killed : 129


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 46 The Dancer Of The Battlefield [Dark Forest War - End]

    -- POV General --


    The sun was high in the sky but none of its rays could reach the forest because thick clouds had formed. A light rain began to fall as Freya stood among the trees facing 10 men and 9 women. The whip of Kirk, who was now a corpse, had cleared the area of all trees so that a new clearing had emerged.


    In the background and hidden under the trees were Freya''s new subordinates who hade to observe their Empress in all her grandeur. They each had bound and unconscious mercenaries on their side, whom they had dragged up here by the cor.


    The furious adventurers wept silently, clenching their teeth and fists at the sight of the body of their leader andpanion. Freya, with a defiant look in her eyes, crushed Kirk''s heart in her hand and licked her lips. That was the signal, the men and women couldn''t take it anymore as they began to move forward.


    "Don''t just charge ahead without thinking, we need to switch to formation two !"


    Sam, with his huge hammer had takenmand and was leading the group while the she-wolf watched them without moving. Without a word, four women and five men, all archers, stepped back and knelt down, aiming their bows at the sky. The remaining 5 women and 5 men did not move as their swords, spears and daggers waited.


    "Shoot !!!"


    At Sam''smand the archers fired bursts of arrows without stopping at Freya who looked upzily at the tide. Raising her katana to the sky and with one powerful and quick movement all the arrows were swept away in an instant. The adventurers did not understand as Sam ordered another salvo.


    "Fire more arrows !"


    As the archersplied, the she-wolf could be heard clicking her tongue absolutely weary of the situation. More arrows appeared in the skies as the same scene yed out before everyone''s eyes.


    "Humans...you won''t be able to hurt me, let alone kill me, with your bits of wood."


    The adventurers were enraged and all wanted to throw themselves at the she-wolf who was openly provoking them after coldly murdering their leader. Sam was probably the most angry at having lost his best friend but he kept a cool head. As he searched for an alternative, the she-wolf advanced on Kirk''s body and blew his skull off with a heel strike. His brains exploded with power as many pieces flew to the feet of the horrified humans.


    The 9 observers were amazed by the aplomb of the majestic she-wolf. Their eyes were shining and they were holding their breaths impatient to know the next move of the actors of the scene that was ying in front of them.


    "How dare you ?!"


    Kirk''s best friend could no longer control himself as he ran at her followed by hispanions. Freya was smiling, d to finally get some action before their executions. Sam was the first to reach her and as he swung his hammer with force and power the others surrounded her pointing their weapons at her.


    The she-wolf was trapped by a wall of humans but didn''t seem to care. As the huge hammer came down on Freya and the swords split the air in her direction, she closed her eyes.


    Relying only on her other highly developed senses, the Ice Empress wanted to test her body and her ability to react with her eyes closed.


    "Am I dreaming or is she closing her eyes ??"


    Nixia couldn''t believe that Freya was nning to confront them without seeing them and couldn''t help but worry. The half-humans beside her did not speak as their hearts beat rapidly with excitement and apprehension in their chests.


    "Insolent !"


    Freya''s actions were driving the adventurer crazy as he was about to touch her on the head. There was nowhere for this closed-eyed she-wolf to go, a hammer was about to hit her while spears and swords were not far off as well.


    "Die !"


    Suddenly, in one swift fluid motion she avoided Sam''s weapon while moving her body in time with the wind to dodge the other attacks. The adventurers were all in shock as she dodged each weapon one by one.


    "Attack until she can''t move ! Barrier with your body if you have to but pierce her !!!"


    The blows began to rain down on the young woman again. Her katana was tucked away at her waist and her eyes were still closed. Freya was moving gracefully with sweeping, precise movements so much so that one could believe she could still see. Her feet were like feathers on the wind, her hair fluttered as her body moved elegantly among the deadly weapons.


    The she-wolf was content for the moment, only to avoid and had not attacked once. The sound of iron echoed as the humans were shing their weapons with each other, unable to even scratch their opponent.


    The scene was surreal, a woman fighting an entire group driven by rage and revenge. She stood there with her eyes closed, alone, calm and graceful. She was jumping on swords and spears with her toes and propelling herself in a backward somersault. Freya wasnding on her hands to spread the des with two controlled kicks. Whenever a blow came, no matter the side or the power, Freya always managed to get out of it. The she-wolf was sliding across the floor, leaning on her hands, jumping and moving her incredibly flexible body with such beauty.


    "Amazing ! And all with your eyes closed !"


    "It looks like...she''s dancing..."


    "It''s incredible and..."


    "Beautiful yes"


    The 9 warrior women couldn''t take their eyes off this other woman whom she respected more and more. In the cold rain as the attacks rained down, Freya remained focused and was dancing with grace.


    The Empress seemed to dance in her world as the water streamed down her beautiful face. With each movement, her hair floated in the air glistening with rain beads.


    "The dancer of the battlefield..."


    Luna had uttered this phrase in awe of the beauty of the scene that the Empress she admired offered her. Some even blushed, unable to take their eyes off this elegant and heavenly woman.


    "The most magnificent demonstration of strength that I have ever seen..."


    It was Persea''s turn to speak while Caipy followed right after.


    "Indeed...her Highnesspletely dominates them and yet she hasn''t even begun to attack. Her power is undeniable and so is her superiority. They don''t stand a chance."


    The elf was right, no one could touch her as the adventurers grew more and more breathless, slowing the flow of their blows. Finally pulling her ck de from its scabbard with her eyes still closed, Freya spun around blocking every strike with her katana making her mastery resonate in the new clearing.


    Sam was losing patience and her movements were also bing sloppy, imprecise and slow. Many of the men and women were also exhausted and almost mad from being unable tond a single blow on her.


    "We..we have to find a....way to get her..cough"


    As Kirk''s best friend and new leader finished his sentence, Freya suddenly opened her eyes. Just then, a powerful aura came out of her, it was colder and a strong wind emanated from her body. The violet eyes were cold and still shining with a cruel glow as the she-wolf smiled showing her gleaming fangs before speaking.


    "Thanks for the warm-up. Now let''s get down to business."


    All the beings present at that moment had their mouths almost wide open. Even the female warriors in the forest were shocked at this statement. Everyone could see that Freya was moving with ease but topare it to a warm-up was almost beyond the realm of possibility. The adventurers were drenched in rain and sweat and couldn''t believe that she was having fun with them.


    "Don''t be fooled by her words, she''s only trying to throw us off !"


    As if to illustrate her words, the she-wolf doubled her speed to emerge just behind the archers so far away from theirpanions and useless. Her ck de pierced the throat of one of the women while the others, frightened, began to scream and run for their lives. Without giving anyone time to reach the trees, Freya increased her speed again. No one could see her anymore as she reappeared behind each runner one by one to kill them.


    "Please.."


    Without wasting any time and despite their pleas that made her smile she dutifully applied herself. Two women had their throats slit, thest one had  the ck de driven deep into her skull and three men had no head or arms left. There were two left and the she-wolf had not forgotten them.


    The first was still running as she suddenly grabbed his face and squeezed it, shattering his bones with her strength alone. Brains and blood were running down Freya''s hands and arms as she turned her head to thest archer. Thest one was paralyzed as she reached his level with a big smile.


    "I..n..no..please !"


    Little did this adventurer know that begging only made the experience more delicious for Freya. In trying to save his life, he was plunging straight into the monstrous abyss of Hell. Wanting to see his desperation up close, the she-wolf crouched before him, plunging her gaze into his as she broke his entire left leg.


    "Aaaarg !"


    He screamed to death as Freya still watched in silence as his eyes and face contorted with pain and fear. Just as he thought he would end up impaled by her katana, he saw here up to his ear and whisper a few words.


    "Say hello to your little friends from me".


    Before he could answer, the she-wolf sank her fangs deep into his neck and pulled arge piece of flesh out. Blood flowed abundantly from the gaping wound of the adventurer who had not even had time to understand anything. His eyes rolled back before his body fell to the ground with a thud.


    As the 11 adventurers ran to help them, the 9 archers were already all dead.


    "Noooooo !"


    Freya slowly stood up, licking her bloody lips before spitting on the ground over the dead body.


    "Tsk disgusting !"


    Most of the humans vomited on the ground, unable to bear such a scene, others fell to their knees, dropping their weapons in surrender. A demon stood before them and no one had the strength or will to fight against it anymore. Only Sam was still shouting at Freya and herpanions, he had gone crazy and out of control.


    "Move you b*tch that''s an order !?? Are you afraid ?? You make me ashamed !!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Fear, anger and sadness had turned into a murderous, vengeful madness. Sam had fallen to his lowest point as he began punching his allies in punishment for being so weak. Freya watched the scene with disgust, not even being surprised at the stupidity of the humans of this world.


    "Stand up and fight it''s an order !!!"


    The she-wolf didn''t want to see any more as she charged at Sam to unleash a series of punches at breakneck speed. She controlled her strength so as not to kill him, but his entire body was shattered and the adventurer was struggling to breathe. Sam had only a few hours of life left as his bones had punctured some of his organs making him suffer horribly. Despite his injuries, Freya didn''t care that much because a few hours was more than enough time for the rest.


    "Glragadje"


    The adventurer could no longer speak andy on the ground deformed, unrecognizable and broken. The she-wolf then turned to the remaining 10 humans to see only destroyed souls. Fear had taken over their minds and no one could think straight. All weapons were on the ground as bodies shook violently at Freya''s approach.


    The remaining adventurers stood there as they could not move and waited for death like a herd being led to ughter.


    "You are much calmer all of a sudden kufufu~ "


    The Empress wasughing at the situation as seeing these filthy humans kneeling before her gave her an unparalleled sense of superiority and power. Her 9 subordinates at the back were still as mouthful by her casualness, her power, her cruelty and didn''t say anything more. She was perfect, beautiful and dangerously deadly.


    "I don''t need you and I have a delicious moment waiting for me. Let''s get it over with..."


    As she said this, the she-wolf went on a one-way rampage. She exploded heads with her feet, broke necks with her hands, slit throats with her katana and tore out carotids with her fangs.


    The rain had stopped while in the clearingy the bodies of the adventurers coldly killed by Freya. The day was clear and beautiful after the rain and the air was extraordinarily clean. Smoke no longer crawled over the surface of the earth, but rose in columns into the blue sky above the bloody scene. The Empress stood in the middle bathed in the divine light of the sun, looking at the corpses with a smile. It was her first victory for her little Kingdom.


    The war was over, this fight was over and the dancer of the battlefield had won.


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 38 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 133


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 47 Having Fun While Questioning

    [N/A: Chapter really, reallyyy longer than usual. Sorry to those who are bothered by it, I couldn''t do otherwise (the system takes a lot of space at the end too). Enjoy it]


    _______


    -- POV Freya --


    -- PING --


    [ You have earned 20,100 EXP for killing 20 humans ]


    [ You now have +200 attribute points ]


    After my fight against Kirk and hispanions by killing all 20 of them I had managed to increase my EXP but the harvest was not enough to get to level 33.


    *It''s a shame, but at least I have attribute points.*


    [Don''t worry, Onee-san, with the construction of your Kingdoming up, I think you''ll be able to level up easily.]


    The little war was over but I still had a lot to do before I could join my daughter and my wife.


    *I miss them..*


    They had been waiting patiently at the camp since this morning, probably worried about me even if my chances of losing were almost 0. The strategy I had put in ce the day before was a sess and everything had gone as nned. My 10 and only female fighters had to kill at least 4 mercenaries each to increase their EXP since they were also managed by my system indirectly and capture some of them, including the leader.


    "You cane out."


    In the middle of the fight I had noticed that they hade to observe so I made sure to give them a nice show to reward them. As the half-humans came out from under the trees, I could see that there were only 9 of them because thest one had to be in the cave that Gaya had spotted before joining me in the campst night. All of them without exception walked towards me before kneeling down once more while Nixia spoke.


    "Your Highness, your fight was wonderful and worthy of you. Please ept once again ourplete allegiance and our lives that we offer you today."


    The snake woman spoke in a serious and determined voice as she closed her eyes. The other women beside her did the same before raising their voices.


    "Please."


    "Your Highness."


    "Yes Empress"


    "We also speak for Ynir, please forgive her absence."


    Each in turn, they offered their devotions to me wlessly and forcefully as they awaited my response. I didn''t show it, but I was d to have met them and to be able to lean on them in times like this.


    "You did a great job and without you nothing would have been possible. I have sworn to protect you and the people of my Kingdom and I will not go back on my word so stand up and look at me with pride !"


    The kneeling women then stood up looking me straight in the eye never wavering as I smiled at them. They were slightly confused by my beauty as I looked at those they had dragged here. Ralph saw that I was waiting for information and spoke up.


    "Your Highness, we have captured 10 mercenaries, the sub-chief and the chief."


    She was wounded in the stomach but I knew that proved that she had given her all to defeat the chief.


    "Ralph...Are you okay ? Is anyone else hurt too ?"


    "Oh..uh...yes but it''s nothing and no one else is hurt. Thank you for asking your highness."


    The hybrid she-wolf scratched her head embarrassed and unsure of what to say. While Iughed inwardly at her behavior, I spoke again.


    "In that case congrattions. When the construction of the Kingdom will be a little more advanced I will reward you all without exception ! Now it''s time to interrogate them before joining Ynir and the freed prisoners ! Let''s have fun kufufu~!"


    They were all passed out and lined up in front of us as I signaled the girls to wake them up. The 9 then began to p the prisoners one by one until they woke up dazed and disoriented. The first one toe to was the leader of the mercenaries, he didn''t look good and looked like he could throw up at any moment. The woman at his side was grimacing because of the pain in her arm, which Emilia had obviously cut. The other 10 mercenaries were still gagged and would remain so because I didn''t need to hear them. Only Sam, Grim and Jessica interested me.


    "Who...who are you ?"


    Grim had spoken first as they all looked at me in fear as they saw the ones that had tormented them behind me.


    "You are...the Empress ?"


    Jessica had obviously heard of me and asked me this question as she began to tremble.


    *I haven''t done anything yet, my power is still hidden so why is she shaking ?*


    [Instinct]


    Wanting to start with her, I leaned towards her face to get a closer look as I answered her question at the same time.


    "Yes I am the Empress, my name is Freya and you currently are my prisoners. I have a few questions to ask you, can I count on your cooperation ?"


    As she opened her mouth to answer, Grim''s voice was already shouting in my ears.


    "No !!! Don''t tell her anything...cough!!! Jessica I forbid you to...cough cough...tell her anything....aaaaaarg !!!"


    Without me having to say anything, Ralph had already taken care of sending her foot in his face.


    "Sh*t up human, no one asked you to speak !"


    Ralph was pretty wild with a strong temper but I didn''t mind. She reminded me a bit of a tomboy and reminded me a lot of the female yakuza leaders of their sections.


    [She''s hot-blooded !]


    *Yes kufufu~ but I know that with her one will never be bored*


    Regaining my concentration I waited patiently for Jessica''s answer, whom I was still staring at. She was still shaking but still managed to formte a sentence.


    "I...if I talk, will you let us live ?"


    Giving Nixia a slight nod, I could see her grabbing one of the mercenaries with her tail. With a smile, she wrapped herself around him while squeezing him tighter and tighter. The man screamed as he disappeared under the scales. You could hear the sounds of bones cracking as Nixia squeezed with her tail. And then after a thud the snake woman loosened her grip to leave only a mush of blood, organs and bones in pieces. Wonderful.


    Nixia was also very sadistic like most of the ones around me, but her snake race also made her cold and mysteriously dangerous. Her tail alone was a weapon and possessed great power.


    Turning back to Jessica, I continued.


    "Every useless sentence you say means death for one of your friend. So yes or no are you going to answer my questions ?"


    Jessica had no choice but to nod her head almost paralyzed with fear.


    "Fine. So for starters, why does the Church want to sacrifice Naia and her family ?"


    As I spoke this sentence, I pointed to the young fox behind me who looked at Jessica with a slight growl.


    "Fo..for us humans, a creature capable of turning into a half-human from birth is far too dangerous and inhumane. The Church does not support this idea and...and we share this view. Her sacrifice is necessary for..."


    This time it was Naia receiving my signal. No sooner had I finished nodding than the fox was already pouncing on one of the mercenaries to break his rib cage with a sharp blow to the stomach. He was coughing up blood and coughing as she continued to break his bones in the same ce while unleashing her anger on him. The man was on the verge of dying from the blows as Naia sank her fangs into his throat almost ripping out his entire neck.


    Jessica didn''t understand why I had ordered this attack and tried to demand an exnation.


    "But ! But you said that..."


    My third nod was to Thorunn who hurried forward in turn before biting the neck of the human in front of her to drain him of his blood. The scene was horrible to see as the body of the unfortunate man withered very quickly with an expression of immense pain. It was quick and not very bloody, but it was still worth seeing. I could easily understand that Thorunn did not like to get dirty and as a vampire she preferred to drink the blood of her victims rather than waste it.


    Jessica didn''t speak anymore as a smile appeared on my face before I answered her question.


    "Why are they dead ? Well, you said something very unpleasant so one of your men had to die and then the other one is entirely your fault because you spoke unnecessarily without my permission."


    My subordinates seemed to be having fun as they giggled with a wild gleam in their eyes. Grim was silent and looked at Ralph out of the corner of his eye with fear, she had obviously traumatized him.


    The remaining 7 mercenaries were crying their eyes out and begging. Jessica didn''t speak anymore and closed her eyes as if waking up from her nightmare.


    "..."


    I had all their lives in the palm of my hand, it was my game and we yed by my rules. There were no more filthy humans beating poor innocentsughing, only poor insects ready to crawl for survival.


    "Well let''s continue ! What is this famous sacrifice ?"


    "It..it is an important sacrifice led by the Supreme himself. In the Kingdom of Zal it is a very important tradition, meant to purify ournds to ensure the hegemony of humanity. Now that the Church knows that there are fire foxes hiding here, they will stop at nothing. The Supreme will hunt them down himself if necessary to drag them to the altar of sacrifice."


    [I think for now he won''te, but that could be a big problem in time].


    *In fact, I must hurry to fortify my Kingdom, time is running out ! Construction and development will be the priority !*


    Her story of sacrifice made no sense, but it was impossible to understand the logic of the humans of this world. It was all just excuses to justify their actions and get rid of troublesome races and creatures.


    "What can you tell me about the Church of humanity ? Who is its Supreme ?"


    "I...I don''t know. For this mission only Grim has met him."


    Turning to the main man I approached him as Ralph grabbed him by the cor to face me. His leg was broken and hanging over the side and you could see bones sticking out in some ces so that getting on his knees was torture for him. Ralph didn''t care at all and pushed him to his knees in front of me as she screamed at him.


    "Answer the question !"


    Grim looked up with tears in his eyes, he looked at me defiantly through clenched teeth and sniffling like a little girl. He didn''t want to answer ? Fine.


    ncing this time at Luna who understood, I could see her thrusting one of her daggers into the belly of a mercenary, slowly working her way up to the neck. Blood spurted out as she grabbed his intestine and kicked it out of his body. The entrails in her hands and using her speed Luna strangled the mercenary with it letting him fall to the ground, motionless.


    *They''re all pretty imaginative, I like that !"


    The half human looked at me as if she was waiting for something so I nodded again to show my approval which made her smile. Grim didn''t know what to do as I turned to him again.


    "So ? What do you know about the Church ? And who is the Supreme ?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Not wanting to see more of hisrades die and not wanting to suffer anymore, the former leader finally began to speak though with difficulty as Ralph growled behind me in warning.


    "The Supreme has no name because he represents the highest position in the Church, he knows everything and decides everything, he is the Supreme Leader. His identity is unknown, even the King does not really know who he is. Some say that he is sent by the Gods to help the human race in the Kingdom of Zal to rise. He appears only with a veil over his face and has sworn that he will destroy all dangerous races or enve them."


    "Where is he ? Is he a mage and of what level ?"


    "He..he is still in the capital of the Kingdom in Zalhythe in the Church near the pce and as for rest I have no idea. But what is for sure is that if one day he decides to move here, your little Kingdom will be nothing but ruins hahahaha~ cough cough cough !"


    Without me even having to move, this time it was Emilia''s turn to choose one of the 6 remaining mercenaries before using her strength and her sword. The half-human was cutting it like one would cut tuna for sushi. Quick, precise and efficient.


    "Your threats don''t scare me at all, but you should avoid saying such things because you''ll regret your words."


    Seeing that he didn''t know any better, I gave Ralph a nod this time, she who had been waiting for this for a long time now. The hybrid she-wolf approached him as Grim backed away frightened with pleading eyes and regretting his words. It was the half-human''s turn to grin wildly as she thrust her hand deep into the former chief''s throat. His teeth exploded on impact as Ralph enjoyed making him suffer. Then withdrawing her hand, a piece of bloody flesh could be seen dangling between her fingers, it was his tongue.


    "Arrgghhgguuunh gghuuunh"


    Grim was choking on his own blood as he held his throat despite his torn tongue. He tried to breathe as his eyes turned red and his face blue. After watching him calmly with a smile, the mercenary copsed in his own blood...dead.


    *I''ll think about doing that next time !*


    Ralph threw his tongue on the ground in disgust as she returned to stand behind me with a satisfied look in her eyes.


    "Do you have anything else to tell me Jessica ?"


    She was trembling on her knees on the floor as she begged for her life having nothing to offer me but her services. I didn''t want to keep a human like her around at all so I turned to Persea and asked her to take care of her.


    "P...please !*


    Jessica was being lifted into the air by brambles that seemed almost alive as they prated through the woman''s severed arm. She screamed in pain, her mouth spitting blood as she struggled with the force of desperation. The nts sank into her and finally came out through her mouth and eyes, killing her instantly. Jessica''s body was still hanging in the air in a totally delicious sight.


    "Hahaha~ excellent !!"


    I couldn''t hold back augh as for the first time a scene excited me so much. It was beautiful, the screams divine and the result beyond my expectations. I had chills and a huge, creepy smile formed on my face despite myself.


    "A true work of art Persea bravo !"


    [10/10 without hesitation !]


    The dryad turned to smile at me and leaned forward slightly before speaking.


    "I thank you your highness."


    The others said nothing but were happy to have also been able to witness this most original kill.


    There were five mercenaries left and one dying Sam, unable to speak. I had already had EXP and I wanted to allow the girls to level up so I didn''t want to kill them. It was Caipy and Trioa''s turn to kill two. This was our exceptional little moment of rxation after the battle so we nned to enjoy it.


    The elf chose a human and simply poured a liquid from an unknown nt down his throat, but that was enough to give us another nice moment. He was convulsing on the ground with his eyes rolling back as mushrooms grew all over his body from the inside. They fed on the blood and devoured the living host. Finally the mercenary was nothing but a pile of flesh filled with nts, dying slowly.


    As for Trioa, she didn''t really have any ideas so she decided to simply shoot two arrows into the eyes of the man she had chosen.


    ______


    It was already almost noon as my subordinates finished killing the rest of the prisoners. My mind was calm and I was in a good mood. Despite what people might think of me when they saw me with Shiro and Gaya, they should not forget that I was cruel, sadistic and a heartless b*tch to my enemies.And these filthy humans didn''t deserve my pity and painless death.


    I had learned a little more about the Church which ordered the mission but I still had time to investigate once I was settled. My priority was the construction and management of this Kingdom that still had no name.


    But one thing at a time, it was now finally time to meet those we had saved in the clearing and who were in Ynir''s care.


    _____


    [N/A: If you''re not a fan of "gore" don''t hesitate to tell me, this is my first book so I can''t quite find the limit to satisfy everyone. On the other hand it will not always happen like that, I specify that the context was particr (prisoners of war, interrogation etc ). Thank you !]


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 133


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 48 The Kingdom Of Zal

    [N/A: This chapter is shorter than usual this time because it''s a bit like a chapter starting a new "arc". I warn, there is very little dialogue].


    ___


    -- POV General --


    While the battle was over for Freya and her new subordinates, no one among the humans was yet aware that the world was about to change dramatically. No one knew yet that this change was born in the Dark Forest out of sight and would turn the world upside down starting with the Kingdom of Zal.


    The Kingdom of Zal was a veryrge and prosperous ce where humans loved to live and grow. The capital Zalhythe was always cheerful and full of life while the ves'' were miserable and full of blood. The city was very big and surrounded by a thick wall that protected the citizens from all attacks. Everyone felt safe there and no human could deny that Zalhythe was very pleasant. The King''s castle was centrally located and slightly elevated so that anyone in the capital could see it no matter where they were. It was huge and its structure rose into the sky and was the tallest building in the entire capital. Many churches were also present throughout the city.


    The current King was named Theophctus Zal and was one of those who had given their entire lives for the Kingdom. He was 55 years old and still ruled his people and territory with an iron fist despite the years that were beginning to take their toll. The King had two sons and a daughter whom he "cherished" more than anything else in the world in his own way, as the Queen was no longer of this world since the birth of the Princess. The first Prince was 23 years old, his name was Erzian Zal, the second was 20 years old, his name was Is Zal and the Princess was younger, she was only 18 years old and her name was yna Zal.


    The two Princes were fighting for the throne and were not on good terms because of the situation and their ideas which differed too much. Erzian wanted to be king in order to expand the territory and make the kingdom a global and super-powerful human nation, which was an ambitious and dangerous project. Is, on the other hand, preferred to see their Kingdom be an economic power and therefore concentrate on their alreadyrge territory rather than expand it. In this atmosphere stood Princess yna, who never left her apartments, always apanied by her servants but also always alone. She had renounced her right to be an heiress and lived unhappily and reclusively, hating this world and her family for not loving her like a true daughter and sister.


    The King in ignorance was not a good father and despite his love for his children he was the kind of person who was immersed in his work and forgot everything else. Theophctus also preferred to spend his nights drinking in the presence of various women and his days managing his Kingdom rather than living a normal family life. His children were left to their own devices and they only met at official events in or outside the castle.


    Behind the facade of a happy family, loved and admired by all the people, there was in reality a separate family, neglected and devoid of love.


    In this Kingdom there was another branch of power just as important as the royalty, the so-called "Church of Humanity". It was not connected with the management of the kingdom, nor with the knights, but its power among the citizens was so great that the Church was considered as important as the royalty. Headed by the Supreme, it controlled all the beliefs of the humans and it would not be a lie to say that in this huge country, hatred towards different races was conveyed and fanned by its members. The Church''s adage "All imperfect races are born to serve only one, splendid, marvelous and in the image of the Gods: the human being" was in everyone''s heart, so that the mistreatment, hatred and disgust of other races was very natural.


    As Freya had learned, the Supreme was a human whose face no one had ever seen, yet whom everyone feared and respected. Some said he was actually a woman, others thought he was an immortal man, but these rumors had never been verified. Most of the time he ruled the kingdom in the shadows, never leaving the church in the capital and always sending his men.


    The followers of the Gods were called the "Protectors of Mankind" and only epted orders from their superiors who were directly under the orders of the Supreme. Over the years, the roots of this parallel branch had invaded the entire kingdom, so that the leader of the Church stood on the same step as the King in terms of influence, which did not please the King too much.


    The Royalty and the Church worked together, but tensions arose as time went on because the battle for absolute power in the Kingdom was vicious and was fought in the shadows. The nobles found themselves torn between their beloved King whom they respected and the Church who shared their beliefs and morals.


    Unlike the Supreme, Theophctus did not see half-humans and other races as a threat, but simply as objects and boasted that he could crush any rebellion or attack against his country. This is why he saw the Church as a faction with too much power given their ideas and even thought that hunting these races was a way to scare the people into controlling them. The Supreme, on the other hand, did not like the King''s casualness in this matter and saw him as azy and out-of-date leader. His priority was to annihte all dangerous creatures and enve the others in order to control the birth rate and never again find sub-breeds in the wild. He wanted to raise humans to the top.


    Both branches had their own armies, which could not help to ease tensions, as each feared a sudden attack by the other to regain power. On the side of the King, there were the knights who were men and women proud to lend their swords to their country. On the side of the Church, there were the Pdins who dedicated their lives to serving the Gods and tormenting the sub-races appointed by the Supreme. In the end, they were all just puppets, believing they were acting for a noble or divine cause when in fact they were on a giant chess board where their respective leaders were facing off.


    All this tension was obviously well hidden behind false smiles, handshakes and official and important meetings concerning the Kingdom. No human citizen had any idea that their rtionship was so tense and even praised their two leaders with fervor and respect.


    ______


    While Freya was preparing to meet with the prisoners they had freed, far away in the capital of Zal and in the church, an emergency meeting was taking ce between three people.


    The three of them were dressed in white and gold robes and were in a closed room away from prying eyes and ears. The room had only tworge sofas arranged around a small low table where there was a tea set and three steaming, filled cups. There were two men, one tall, one short and one woman. All three had brown hair and all three were protectors of Mankind working for the Gods through the Supreme.


    "We still haven''t heard from our little mission, what''s going on ?"


    The little man spoke in a low voice, looking around to make sure no one could hear him. He seemed worried and for good reason, the report they should have received hours ago still hadn''t arrived.


    "The mercenaries employed directly by his Excellency were all supposed to leave the forest already this morning. I don''t know what happened but something must have dyed them. That said, they probably got drunk on the road and forgot to keep us informed."


    The woman saw no reason to worry as they were mercenaries and she thought there was no point in knowing what was going on in their heads.


    "Let''s wait a few more hours and if tomorrow we don''t hear from them we''ll be forced to notify his Excellency."


    As the tall man finished his sentence, chills were already running down everyone''s spine before the woman spoke up again with a hesitant voice.


    "Umm...do we really need to tell him about this ?"


    At her words the two men seemed torn between the answer "yes" and "no". The small brown man then began to shake his head before answering.


    "I don''t feel like breaking the news to him...you know how much he doesn''t like it when his ns don''t go as nned. Couldn''t we start by trying to work out the problem ourselves ?"


    "Mmh that''s right, I don''t think it''s necessary at this point to notify him of the situation. If there really is a problem, I''m sure we can handle it on our own. The sacrifice is due in two months, so we have time to get these dirty foxes to present to the Supreme."


    All three nodded simultaneously reassured that they would not have to face the Supreme and his wrath. He was the kind of person who always controlled everything in the shadows like a puppeteer and when a n didn''t go ording to n no one wanted to suffer his anger.


    Without knowing it, these three humans, by hiding this information, had offered Freya precious time and an additional dy. It was at this point that the Empress might have been arrested, the ruler and his paranoia towards other races would have pushed him to send men to check instead of waiting stupidly. But these three protectors were not as paranoid as the Supreme and the idea that a half-human could defeat a human was for them totally impossible.


    "What do we do if tomorrow we don''t hear anything ?"


    The little man who was always worried asked this question to his two sidekicks while they looked at him with amusement. The tall man didn''t even have time to answer when the womanughed.


    "Hahaha~! Don''t worry, if we don''t hear from you we can just send someone to check on the ce, right ?"


    She then turned to the second man to see if he agreed with her suggestion. He nodded as he sighed, unsure if this was the best solution.


    "Yes...the important thing is to have everything ready for the sacrifice in two months, we still have quite some time before we can panic. Besides, there''s nothing to tell us that there''s really a problem, it''s possible that we''re stressing over nothing."


    The three were reassured and smiled thinking they were in control of the situation and keeping the Supreme from getting worked up over nothing without knowing that their decision would be heavy, very heavy with consequences. As the three of them left the room to go back to their duties, a smile was drawn on their faces, delighted to have found a solution to the problem of the moment.


    Would these three humans and their silence be the cause of the Kingdom''s downfall ? No one knew, but as Freya always says, one small mistake can easily bring down the whole thing.


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Sex : Female<novelnext></novelnext>


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000    MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 133


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 49 Subordinates And Tender Reunions

    -- POV Freya --


    I was walking through the forest followed by Persea, Nixia, Trioa and Na?a in the direction of the cave Gaya had spotted. The day before, before returning to the camp with Shiro, I had asked her to discreetly fly over the area to find a suitable ce to hide the prisoners. I wanted to wait until the confrontation was over before risking taking them out to join the camp.


    The other girls were not there because they were collecting weapons from the dead and all the useful objects, destroying the cages and taking the carts and horses to move those still hidden.


    [You look like you had fun onee-san. But you have blood all over you, so you might scare them, right ?]


    *Mmh it''s possible, but you know I''m not a goddess descended from heaven, innocent and pure kufufu~! I''m the Empress of the Ice and I''m ready to do anything to protect those who find refuge here, even if i have to...*


    [...yes I know "walk on a pile of dead bodies" haha~]


    My goal wasn''t to scare them of course, but I wasn''t a gentle person and I didn''t want anyone to misunderstand me. I was going to protect them all but they all needed to know who I really was, Shiro and Gaya were no exception.


    As I spoke with Kira, we came to a ce near the first clearing, well hidden. It was a cave with brambles that hid its entrance. Persea had ced them under mymand before our attack this morning, so it was hard to find a way through if no one had told us before.


    "This way, Your Highness"


    Persea led the way as I entered the cave. It was quite small and could barely hold the 252 former prisoners but it was a perfect ce to hide. In front of me were hundreds of skinny, weakened, scared, and bruised people. They seemed happy to be out of danger but nothing could erase what they had been through. At that moment I couldn''t remain impassive and as my fists clenched, my cold aura slowly began to emerge.


    "Your Highness !"


    Ynir who had stayed in the cave then suddenly rushed at me after feeling my anger rising. The 5 women didn''t know about my "Frozen Wrath" skill but it wasn''t hard to understand that I was about to get angry and very angry.


    Taking a deep breath and as my natural aura calmed down, I cursed those humans.


    *Those humans were lucky I didn''t see the treatment they gave them. I wouldn''t have let them be killed by the girls otherwise...*


    [Careful onee-san, you almost activated your skill. I never thought I''d say this, but please go through the "angry screaming" stage first before you explode your aura so calmly].


    This skill was a very important asset but the fact that I couldn''t control it was a problem. Theoretically I kept my cool and rarely snapped, but I had found that seeing the cruelty of humans through other abused races always made my mind explode. It was exactly like in the manor, when I saw the lord trample those poor young women, Triss and Lia. The increase in my anger in those moments was searing, even if I remained calm my mind was overflowing with murderous urges.


    "Forgive me, I didn''t mean to frighten you."


    As I approached these people, Ynir exined that she had told them the whole situation, that they already knew me and also wanted to pledge allegiance to me.


    As they were all about to kneel down, I hurried to stop them.


    "Don''t kneel down, you have suffered a lot and I don''t want to put you through that. As I already told those waiting for you at the camp : from now on I promise to protect you and build you a ce where everyone can finally live happily. You have all been very brave and now it''s over, you are finally free and you will stay free !"


    As I finished my sentence, everyone''s faces lit up, giving that dark cave a blinding glow of radiant smiles. They looked relieved and I couldn''t help but give a slight mental smile as they thanked me.


    "Thank you very much your Highness"


    "You saved us"


    "Then it''s her the Empress !"


    "What a beauty...stunning.."


    "Thank you !"


    -- PING --


    [Congrattions! You have obtained 252 citizens/subordinates.]


    As I watched this new notification, a shape behind me slid to my left to rush at two figures sitting in a corner.


    "Mom ! Dad !"


    It was the young Naia who was reunited with her parents who had been captured. The fox had told me about what had happened almost to the point of tears so seeing her hug her parents warmed my heart. They were smiling with joy and as I approached, I could see them crying their eyes out.


    Naia, who had noticed my presence, got up to introduce me.


    "Dad, Mom, I''d like you to meet the Empress, her Highness Freya. Without her we might not have been able to save you all or protect those waiting in the mountains."


    The two foxes who both had red hair and green eyes stood up bowing respectfully to me before introducing themselves.


    "I am Naia''s father your Highness, my name is Tao, thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing us to see our daughter again."


    "I am Naia''s mother, my name is Viana. Thank you very much your Highness for looking after my daughter and it''s an honor to meet you."


    They didn''t dare look me in the eye as they lifted their heads, but I knew they were deeply grateful.


    "Nice to meet you too. Thank you for your praise but I was not alone and your daughter is I must say very brave"


    The vixen''s parents seemed surprised at my words as they looked at their daughter obviously with questions. I had noticed that Naia was still very cheerful despite the situation, a bit naive and airheaded. For her parents, who had not seen her on the battlefield, it was indeed hard to believe that she had gone to the front.


    As I withdrew to let them enjoy their reunion, I could see that there were many people who wanted to talk to me or thank me personally and I had decided to listen to them all. But this ce was far too small though and there were two people waiting for me at the camp, I couldn''t keep them waiting any longer.


    Standing in front of everyone at the entrance, I pped my hands lightly to show my desire to speak.


    "The battle is over and there are many of you who may have a loved one waiting for you back at camp. Let''s get out and head north, once there you can rest then I''ll make sure to listen to all of you !"


    As everyone got up to get ready to go back to camp and I walked out of the cave, Trioa approached me with a question.


    "Your Highness, it should be an hour before we reach the camp, should I leave early to announce our victory and arrival ? With my speed and in the air I could easily get there before the group."


    I was dying to announce the victory myself and see everyone''s faces when we unexpectedly would have arrived, but I didn''t want to ignore those who were waiting. They were all scared to death and waiting for good news, and as Empress I couldn''t put my desires above everything else.


    "Very good idea Trioa, I''m counting on you."


    "Hai !"


    I could see her flying high into the sky and racing north with her powerful wings as thest of them came out of the cave.


    Everyone was there now, Thorunn, Ralph, Caipy and Luna were waiting for us with horses and enough to move everyone. There were 5 carts, all pulled by one horse, not counting the 3 other horses that belonged to the two mercenary leaders and Kirk. So we had 5 carts and 8 horses.


    To get into these carts, people helped each other with courage despite the pain. The oldest were supported by the younger ones, the children held hands to encourage each other and the men carried the weaker women. While Trioa went to warn the others, we were ready and started our way to the camp.


    ____


    We were soon to arrive and there were still a few yards but I could already hear the voices of the whole camping to greet us.


    In an instant 21 people were throwing themselves at us to find the people they knew. Even little Hans seemed to be reunited with his parents who were luckily among those who had been freed. It was a festival of tears and warm hugs for the families that had been separated and then reunited, unfortunately many were not so lucky. Most of the former prisoners were alone but I could see the others in the camp hugging them as well, whispering that it was all over and that they had been brave.


    In the end, everyone was warm in the heart and despite the suffering, there were 283 happy, relieved and smiling people in front of me.


    *Two people are missing...*


    [Indeed.]


    As I turned to look for the ones I didn''t see, I could see long white hair floating in the wind as a little girl seemed to be hiding in the tent.


    *Kufufu~ I think she wants to scare me. She''s acting more and more like a child...I''m reassured*


    [Go ahead and see ! y the game onee-san, don''t you dare break the heart of my little niece so adorable pfffhaha~!]


    While Kira''s words made me smile, I headed for the tent, letting everyone else meet quietly before talking. I was eager to get back to my daughter and wife and I knew they were too. As I lowered my head to enter the tent, a small thing suddenly clung to myp.


    "Boo !"


    It was my little moon who had just jumped on me to scare me as sheughed and hugged me. Gaya was standing back and giggling in a corner amused by the situation. I had decided to y along, trying my best to look surprised.


    "Oh !"


    [Pfffhihi~]


    I was acting very badly because I couldn''t stop smiling. In the tent Shiro and Gaya knew perfectly well that I was not surprised but we didn''t care. They were smiling and I felt happy and fulfilled. As the dragoness approached me, I took Shiro in my arms and gave her a kiss on the cheek as sheughed. She hugged me tightly in return, burying her head in my hair. Her tail as usual was still wagging energetically showing that she was happy.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Mommy ! I''m d you''re okay !"


    My little moon was so cute so I decided to answer her quickly, fearing that my heart would stop from an overdose of cuteness. I couldn''t exin the bond I felt with her but one thing was for sure, she was my daughter whom I loved dearly


    "Mommy''s strong you know and I''ve brought back more people to protect ! How about you, everything is fine sweetie ? I''m sorry I took so long."


    "No, no, you had work to do, it''s normal and it''s really good, I hope I''ll get along with them. And I''m fine especially since you came home !"


    Shiro continued as I listened attentively.


    "I waited for you wisely with mom Gaya and even though I was a little scared for you I didn''t cry hehe~!"


    [A I''m cracking up !]


    My little girl was so cute as she said this while trying to look serious to impress me. She was putting her fists on her small waist and puffing her chest out with a proud look. Despite her expression I couldn''t help but hug her again and kiss her on the forehead with a warmugh.


    "Of course, you are the bravest and I am very proud of you !"


    As Iid my little moon on the ground and stroked her head, Gaya waited patiently with a smile and eyes full of love. She was as beautiful as ever and seeing her gave me butterflies in my stomach every time. Seeing that I had released Shiro, she came forward and spoke in a shy and adorable voice.


    "Thank God you''re okay ! I knew you''d be fine but...I couldn''t help but be concerned..."


    As she said these words I was drewing her closer to me to giving her a hug. Our daughter was looking at us with stars in her eyes as I moved closer to her face to kiss her gently on the lips.


    *I missed this feeling...*


    Her lips were soft, her scent intoxicating, and as we kissed, I couldn''t help but think I loved her.


    As we parted, I pressed my forehead to hers as our eyes closed before whispering a few words to her.


    "It''s all right now, I''m back my love..."


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Gender: Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles: Blessed by Titania, Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp required for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000    MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defence: 336


    Agility: 350


    Endurance: 353


    Speed: 342


    Intelligence: 340


    Charisma: 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate: 300


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 385


    Humans killed: 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack  - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of Hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal Ice Peaks (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Katana mastery (lvl max)


    - Demonic Aura of the Empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 4)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Ice Empress Domain "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Other - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 50 Organization Of The Positions (Part I)

    -- POV Freya --


    It was already afternoon and everyone had had time to rest, eat and drink. There was still some food left over that the girls had hunted and cooked by several women who had stayed in the camp. The weather was as clear and beautiful as ever, and many voices of joy could be heard rising in the sky.


    While I was still with Gaya and Shiro who were finishing eating, Caipy''s voice could be heard at the entrance of the tent.


    "Excuse me for disturbing your Highness, but it seems to me that the newly present people are ready to talk to you. We have exined your future ns to them and they are also aware of the identity of the Princess and your wife."


    "It''s perfect."


    The time for reunion was over and I had to move on to the important things. If I wanted to build my Kingdom well I had to know now who among my subordinates had useful skills. My search was not limited, the choices could range from "knowing how to cook" to "havingbat potential". I needed to know as much as possible about everyone so I could assign positions ordingly. This was not going to be an easy task.


    "Well, let''s go."


    Rising to my feet and dusting off my still bloodstained clothes, I walked out of the tent with Gaya and Shiro. The sunlight was the first thing to catch my attention before Iid eyes on 283 people kneeling before me.


    *Again ?*


    I loved this sign of respect that they gave me, but deep down I had the impression that I didn''t deserve this treatment despite being their Empress. This feeling hadn''t left me since thest time and for the first time I doubted something.


    *Why should they kneel after being subjected to so many things and humans?*


    After all, my Kingdom would onlye into being because of the people who will live in it. It was these same people who were kneeling before me that would make my dream possible.


    Gaya and Kira, who had noticed my absence and understood what was bothering me, were quick to reassure me.


    [Onee-san, if you want to rule over a huge kingdom, you''ll have to get used to it. Don''t worry about it. Look, they are smiling.]


    "Honey, it''s their way of showing their gratitudes and respects. You''re going to give them a new life, trust me there''s nothing you don''t deserve."


    I couldn''t help but smile slightly as I silently thanked them. I realized that I was slowly changing because of the three people I cherished most in the world. I had never had such people in my life before and at that moment I was thanking Goddess Titania for bringing me into this world.


    I straightened my head and had no more doubts.


    "Stand up, from now on you can just bow to me. Save that salute for the big events."


    As they got up, I continued my little speech.


    "I do indeed intend to build a Kingdom so that we can all live safely, for this I need you all ! Things will not be easy and even ratherplicated at first, but I promise you that the result will be worth the sweat of our hard work. I am ready to receive all of you one by one to listen to what you have to say and assign you to a position that suits you."


    Contrary to what I thought, they all seemed excited and happy to be able to participate. Finally this dream of mine was everyone''s and we were going to work hard until it became a reality.


    These little interviews were going to take up a lot of my time, but they were necessary and I wouldn''t be alone.


    "Those who wish to learn to fight and thus be part of our future army, please move to the right."


    It was necessary to divide as many people as possible to better organize. So, 160 people simultaneously moved to the right. These people were all of different races but had a burning desire in their eyes to not have to go through the same things again. They wanted to learn how to fight if they were given the chance to try.


    *All right, 123 people left. I''ll list specific positions to speed up.*


    "The positions I''m going to list are quite varied and quite vague at the moment but the aim is to be able to get you to form groups ording to what you''re best at or where you want to work."


    They all looked at me silently, shaking their heads in understanding as I continued.


    "I will then receive you all in groups. For the other 160, you can head to the 10 women over there, they will help you until I cane to you."


    Looking at Nixia and as she approached I asked her to go with the other girls to deal with the many volunteers.


    "Try to see with them if they already know how to use an element and separate them in terms of fighting styles. Since there are 160 of them take 16 each. I''m counting on you."


    "Yes, Your Highness"


    I wanted them to sort out the new warriors in some way. Even if they weren''t fighters yet it would be easier to create specific sections.


    *Yosh ! *


    All I had to do now was to state the positions and gather them ording to their choices. Once that was done, I could receive them to get a better idea of their talents and at the same time discover the different races present.


    *Let''s go !*


    ___


    After several long minutes I had finally named the things that seemed important to me. I knew I couldn''t think of everything, but I was counting on others to help me. Other ideas could just as easilye up at any time so it wasn''t definite.


    I had thought of the positions that would give us a good start. The areas were : cooking, management, manufacturing (cloth and other), building, farming, hunting, cksmithing and childcare. Everyone had been divided up and all that was left for me to do was to receive them.


    I was sitting on a chair in the tent and a long line was waiting outside, full of people waiting to see me. Gaya was sitting next to me while Shiro was still on myp almost asleep.


    "Come in !"


    ____


    The sun was already starting to set as thest people were leaving the tent. I had spent the whole afternoon listening and meeting everyone. My new subordinates all seemed to have their hearts healed even though their physical wounds could still testify to their hard lives.


    "I am tired.."


    I had blurted out that sentence as I stretched to crack my bones and rx my muscles. It had been a long day but everyone had left with a job to do in the Kingdom. Luckily they all knew how to do something in particr as former ves, which made things much easier.


    "I guess you''re going to work again ?"


    Gaya had gotten up with that question and was now hugging me, standing behind my chair. Shiro hadn''t been sleeping and had decided to go y outside with the other kids for a while now so we were alone.


    "Mmh, the Kingdom''s constructions must be started as soon as possible. Luckily in this camp there are tools, weapons and quite a few things so it''s imperative to finish the preparations. I haven''t finished working but you can go rest and meet up with Shiro if you wish."


    Gaya had stayed by my side all day, greeting each person with dignity and never showing any sign of fatigue. If I was tired, she must have been exhausted.


    Taking my face in her soft hands and lifting my head, Gaya stared at me before answering with a serious expression.


    "No ! I''ll stay with you. With two of us it will be easier to get ahead and then if the Empress is working then so is her wife !"


    I grabbed her from behind the chair to sit her on myp before answering with a chuckle.


    "Haha~ very good my love, then we must..."


    Before I could finish my sentence, Gaya had kissed me quickly and lovingly on the lips before standing up again as she spoke.


    "When you call me "my love" I can''t help it and then this kiss, think of it as a gift to give you courage."


    As she said these words, I could see her wink at me, which made me smile dangerously as she tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear. It was a habit she had when she was shy, which made me want her even more.


    Not wanting to let her go so easily, I rose to my feet and towered over her with my height, approaching her gently. While Gaya was stuck between me and the table unable to leave, I grabbed her buttocks to sit her on the table and slid my fingers under her chin. My naturally cold, intense, hypnotic gaze was locked into hers, warm, soft andforting as I spoke in amanding voice.


    "Honey...when you''re this enticing, you have to take responsibility for it kufufu~"


    "I..."


    The dragoness was all red and I was wondering again how a woman like her still acted like a young girl in my presence. I smiled with all my teeth before kissing her and tasting her tongue that had me hooked every second. It wasn''t a full moon night but my desire to touch her was still strong and I wanted to give in to my bestial instinct. Unfortunately we still had a lot to do and organize.


    Gently breaking off our passionate kiss and after kissing her forehead, I returned to my chair proud of having teased her.


    "Are you always this...wild ?"


    My wife asked me, turning her head away as she fidgeted, still sitting on the table. I didn''t want to answer to tease her again, so this time it was my turn to wink at her with a mischievous wink full of innuendo.


    [Uh huh ! Onee-san, if you don''t want to work all night, you''d better get back to work.]


    Kira was right, it was time to debrief this day before finding Shiro who was probably already eating with the other kids.


    "Yosh ! Gaya take some paper and write down everything I''m going to tell you."


    "Yes !"


    It was time to get my memory working. We hadn''t bothered to write down so as not to appear impolite in front of these people who were looking at us with smiles. I was the Empress and Gaya my wife, so we received them as such.


    "So...we have : 25 for the buildings with 4 people who can handle architecture and carpentry. 20 are farmers, 5 are hunters, and 10 can handle the cooking. The manufacturers who can handle things for the time being are 10. The ones who are good at management are 5 and 6 are experts in nts and botany. Finally there are the old people who are 13, 25 children and 6 people volunteering to look after them."<novelnext></novelnext>


    [It was worth spending the day there, everyone knows what they''ll have to work with in the future.]


    Indeed, there may be some specific areas missing but for the moment that''s all I can think of.


    As I summarized all this, Gaya took the trouble to write down the numbers and information on paper and ink to keep track of the ounts. Suddenly she stopped writing and looked up to ask me a question.


    "It''s important to write everything down so should I also write down the races present in each category ?"


    [N/A: I will no longer specify "half-human cat", I will simply write "half-cat" or "half-wolf".]


    Indeed, there were quite a few races that I had never seen before but we were still too few to have a real diversity. Among the races present for these positions were: half-tigers, kobolds, half-rabbits, minotaurs, centaurs, half-cats, ogres, two fire foxes, elves, true white wolves, half-wolves, hybrids, half-spiders and dryads.


    "That would be nice, yes. I''ll dictate them to you as easily as possible. So...."


    Each race could be more or less gifted in one area depending on their origins, which is why, for example, most rabbit half-humans were specializing in cultivation rather than carpentry orbat.


    "Builders : kobolds, minotaurs, centaurs, ogres and a fox.


    Farmers : half-rabbits and elves


    Hunters : white wolves


    Cooks : half-wolves, half-rabbits and half-cats


    Management : half-tigers and half-rabbits


    Manufacturers : half-spiders and half-cats


    Childcare : fox, half-cat and elves


    Medical : elves and dryads


    We have no cksmiths at the moment as for the children and old people the races are varied enough I don''t think it''s necessary to note that at the moment."


    The evening wasn''t over for us yet, but once it was, our Kingdom could finally begin to really exist.


    [N/A: Image of the detailed table inment of paragraph, it will be updated only on discord. Also be aware that this arc may seem boring to some, there is a lot of management and organization (but not only). I apologize but the creation of the Kingdom takes time and I want everyone to understand].


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles: Blessed by Titania, Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp required for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defence: 336


    Agility: 350


    Endurance: 353


    Speed: 342


    Intelligence: 340


    Charisma: 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate: 300


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 385


    Humans killed: 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of Hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal Ice Peaks (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Katana mastery (lvl max)


    - Demonic Aura of the Empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 4)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Ice Empress Domain "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Other - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 51 Organization Of The Army : Friend And Soldiers (Part II)

    -- POV Freya --


    As I left the tent with Gaya to find Shiro, for the first time I looked around more carefully. It was dark and the light from the many campfires was perfectly illuminating while the sound of crackling mes brought a warm atmosphere. People were chatting while eating in a serene and unbarred atmosphere.


    There were tents, smaller than the one where I slept with Gaya and Shiro but just as practical. Everything was very basic but with the extra hands and the many things taken after the battle, the camp was starting to look like something. There were many wooden tables, benches by the fire and even beds like ours all over the ce. Kitchen utensils, tools, clothes, food, there was everything. The weapons were stored a little further away so that no one would get hurt with them.


    I didn''t want to start building the Kingdom on the mountain, and the recovery of the neers was the priority. We had to get everyone healthy again before we could think about moving anywhere. Once that was done, we would go near the ocean that was on the map to the west of the forest and look for the 100 people who were missing. We now had enough to transport everyone without worrying and where I wanted to go there was apparently arge expanse devoid of trees. It was more convenient to be in such a ce for several reasons but for the moment it was not the most important.


    *Where could Shiro be ?*


    As I looked around for my daughter, a worry that was not known to me began to arise in my heart. I suddenly felt a pang in my stomach at the thought of not seeing her. The camp wasn''t huge, but there were a lot of people and Shiro could have wandered off without anyone knowing.


    The girls were still with the soldiers and even if I had to talk to them I had no thought for anything else. Crossing the camp without a nce at those who were bowing to me, I finally found Shiro near a fire with another child. Gaya was still next to me and looked at her also full of questions.


    "Shiro,e here !"


    Relieved, I called her to give her some instructions.


    "Shiro, when you go out to y, make sure you always stay in front of the tent or close enough so that Gaya and I can see you okay ? And when you y by the fire be careful, you are still too young so don''t get too close !"


    My little moon nodded her head in understanding which made me breathe a long sigh of relief. As I looked up, I could see the other child who was a little girl of the same age as Shiro. She seemed to be a hybrid because she had leopard ears and tail but also small ck feathered wings on the back. Her hair was ck with golden spots as was her tail and ears reminiscent of a leopard''s fur.


    "Hello youngdy, what''s your name ?"


    I could obviously see her name but I had decided not to analyze people if it wasn''t necessary. The little hybrid girl had her head down looking at the ground and was shaking as she stammered her name.


    "Ka..kate...ma''am. Excuse me...your highness !"


    Kate was really very shy, quiet and really introverted but she was cute and seemed to get along well with Shiro delighted. She must have been through quite a bit of horrible stuff and I hadn''t seen any leopard hybrids like her in the camp, so Kate was an orphan.


    "Mommy, this is...this is my first friend. Kate, this is my mom, her name is...uh...mommy. And then right behind her is my second mom, mom Gaya !"


    It was reassuring to see her act more naturally with someone other than Gaya and me. Apart from us, Shiro too was very shy and not very talkative, it was this personality trait that must have brought them together. Stroking my little moon''s head, I smiled back at her.


    "We''re proud of you !"


    "That''s great ! Nice to meet you." Replied my wife at the same time.


    Then I turned to Kate smiling as I spoke.


    "I am delighted to meet you Kate, I hope you will continue to get along well with my daughter. You can call me Freya since you are her friend."


    It was her turn to get a pat on the head as I winked at her. Kate had stopped shaking a bit and smiled shyly at me in response, nodding her head.


    [You''re getting good with kids !]


    *Pfff, you can tell me that when I will stop making them shake with a simple look. And she''s Shiro''s very first friend, that''s important.*


    [Okay, whatever you say, mama hen hehe~]


    Turning to the two little girls ignoring Kira''s words I stood up to leave, not without making sure my little moon hadn''t forgotten my instructions.


    "Both of you, don''t y too far away and you Shiro when you get tired, go back to the tent okay ? We still have work to do unfortunately. Don''t get lost, always stay where there are people and especially remember to y well in front of the tent or I''ll worry !"


    "I promise !"


    "Goodbye your high...Lady Freya."


    I didn''t even have time to answer that they were already running towards the tent as I sighed.


    "You take your role seriously it seems haha~"


    Gaya was giggling after witnessing the scene but I didn''t know why. I had only talked to Shiro to make sure nothing would happen to her.


    *Did I overdo it ?*


    [Mmh well...after all you are her mother but considering your usual personality, the contrast is quite incredible, even I was shocked by you].


    I never really had a role model so I couldn''t tell if my reaction was normal or not, it just came from the heart. Either way I didn''t care and my wife and daughter''s happiness came first.


    "Let''s go !"


    Motioning for the dragoness to follow me, I headed this time to where the 10 girls were still who must have groupes the new soldiers. Crossing the camp in the opposite direction, I took this time the trouble to greet the crowd of people who were bowing to me again as I passed. It was actually the whole camp, no matter where I passed I was treated like the Empress...it was better for me not to see them kneel anymore outside of shall we say, solemn moments.


    "Here we are."


    The female warriors and the 160 new recruits had been gathering a bit away from the camp all day and had finished eating. When they saw meing they all stood up and bowed before taking a very military stance, straight, staring at the horizon.


    "Good evening your Highness, good evening Gaya-sama."


    Despite the fact that they were men and women still ignorant ofbat, I could see that they had already been trained very well by my 10 female warriors. They were all very skinny with little muscle but that burning desire to protect was still evident in them. Despite their still fragile physiques, they looked like real soldiers, standing and saluting the leader. The girls had done a very good job so far.


    "Good evening."


    "Good evening, did you have time to do what I asked ?"


    As I asked the question, Thorunn spoke up while the others nodded.


    "We took the liberty of dividing them up based on our own skills and specialties inbat."


    The 10 girls did indeed havebat skills that were not entirely simr, so I had nned to create sections with them in charge. Without knowing it, they had really made my job easier.


    "Fine, join me in the tent for a meeting with all 10 of you. The rest of you can go rest."


    "Hai !"


    _____


    We were all gathered around the table in the tent with Gaya to finally talk about the organization of the army.


    *If I understood correctly, they have already taken care of separating the volunteers based on themselves...let''s see how it goes.*


    Seeing that I was ready to listen to them, Luna took the floor to exin what they had done during the day.


    "Your Highness, as Thorunn told you earlier we have taken the liberty of separating the soldiers into groups. This way it will be easier for you to get an idea of the talents each soldier has."


    I pondered these words as I crossed my legs, staring at each one with my squinting, violet, piercing eyes. Every time my gazended on one of them, she flinched and looked down. In my mind their work was perfect and I even thought they were verypetent despite never having been in an army.


    "This is perfect ! I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised by your decision making regarding my order. It further confirms the choice I made."


    The 10 in front of me smiled before wondering about my choice. I had promised a reward on the battlefield and I hadn''t forgotten it but before I made my announcement I needed to know the details.


    "Before I do, I would like you to take turns telling me who you think has the same fighting abilities and specialties. Emilia you start."


    I already had my little idea but nothing prevented me from checking. The woman cat rose to make me hear what I had asked.


    "On my side I have 36 volunteers who just like me can''t use elements but can fight with a weapon or without since there also are intelligent beasts. In the number mentioned above, there are centaurs, ogres, kobolds, minotaurs as beastmen or half-humans. Regarding intelligent beasts, there are tigers, bears and wolves your highness."


    I had noticed that there were in this world, many more people unable to master magic because they had no element. I had been lucky to run into the girls, but there were so few of them protecting the camp because they were the only ones. Ralph rose in her turn while Emilia sat down.


    "I was able to gather 30 volunteers gifted in hand-to-handbat and knowing how to do magic for some. They will be able with training to acquire pure and raw strength. As races there are centaurs, half-tigers, half-wolves, ogres, kobolds, minotaurs and half-bears. Although low level, 13 are mages and 17 are non-mages."


    *Mmh, if like Ralph they focus on hand-to-handbat relying on their rages and elements even if some are mages, that would be a huge amount of firepower !!*<novelnext></novelnext>


    [That''s for sure ! And then as a half-human, ws and fangs are just as important as a weapon].


    For the moment everything was as I had imagined, so it was Trioa''s turn to stand up and speak.


    "Your Highness, those whoe close to my abilities are all races capable of flying. There are 17 volunteers : harpies, half-wyverns like me, half-dragons and as intelligent beasts, griffins. 7 can use magic and 10 are unable to."


    "Ooh half-dragons ? Are they stronger than the other races ?"


    After hearing Trioa I couldn''t help but turn to Gaya and ask her the question quietly.


    "No more than half-wolves or half-tigers. They are not dragons, they were only born with our wings but their strengths are no different from others."


    I was not yet familiar with this world but in my old one, dragons were considered in fantasy as one of the strongest creatures. So it was impossible for me not to think that half-dragons would have an advantage over other half-humans of "fierce" types.


    While I was thinking, Trioa had sat down and Nixia had stood up.


    "In my group there are 28 volunteers who specialize more in rangedbat whether with magic or with weapons. There are elves, ogres, kobolds and minotaurs. 10 are mages and 18 are non-mages who have opted for weapons such as bows or crossbows."


    Themia was indeed a very strong half-human and her magic could attack from near and far. However, in hand-to-handbat she was much less strong despite her strength, so it was normal that she specialized in rangedbat.


    Only Caipy, Persea, Luna, Ynir and Na?a were left, but before one of them could stand up, I took the floor.


    "Naia, I want you to join Nixia''s group. You are strong but you still need to learn to master your element and evolve it,bat experience is also very important"


    She was only 16 and I couldn''t have her alone for the job I was going to give the other 9. Once they were all done talking, I could finally tell them what I had nned to reward them with.


    [N/A: Table with details in the next chapter. But you can find the details of the different races mentioned here. I work hard for you hehe~ And don''t worry I haven''t forgotten the dwarves. Everything happens for a reason, I always n everything (well almost but this is nned)].


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 385


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 52 Organization Of The Army : The .... (Part III)

    -- POV Freya --


    We were all still sitting in the tent talking about organizing the army. I had so much left to do : check the EXP the girls had earned, allocate my attribute points, finish organizing the army, supervise the new positions, go get the ones waiting in the Syn forest, and prepare for our migration to the sea.


    *Aaarg ! It''s so hard to build a Kingdom from scratch, it''s not all exciting !*


    [That''s true onee-san, but once you''veid the foundation everything will be easier...probably]


    As Kira finished her sentence, my little moon entered the tent rubbing her eyes and yawning. When the girls around the table noticed her, which took a little while because of her small size, they stood up in unison to greet her respectfully. Shiro didn''t understand that this gesture was meant for her as she crossed the room without giving them a nce, heading straight to me to tug at my sleeve.


    "M..mommy.."


    "Yes ? Do you want to go to sleep ?"


    As I gently took her in my arms, motioning to those around the table to wait, she nodded softly, making her little voice sound tired.


    "Kate went back to sleep with the others, why can''t I sleep with my new friend too ?"


    [Ouch...well...I''ll leave you, byyyye !]


    *You...tsk*


    I didn''t want to hurt her feelings when she looked sad, but it was a safety issue. Her ears were slightly down and her tail was not moving any more.


    "Sweetheart, right now I would be way too worried if you went. However once we get settled somewhere and build a safe ce for all the kids to sleep, you''ll be allowed to go or even invite her into our house."


    My little girl''s eyes sparkled after saying these sentences as she smiled at me again.


    "Is that true ???"


    "It is, I promise ! Come on, now go to sleep you are very tired. Good night, have sweet dreams."


    As I gave her a final kiss on the forehead, Gaya came over to grab her and put her in the little bed at the back of the tent. While the dragoness put her to sleep, I signaled to those who had to finish talking to continue. They were smiling after seeing Shiro, but when they saw my look and the sign I had made, they quickly became serious again. So Luna stood up to continue the meeting.


    "Um...so in my group there are only 9 of them but just like me, the volunteers specialize in everything that has to do with discreet, quick and silent lethal attacks. There are half-cats, half-leopards, elves and half-dragons, 5 are mages and 4 can only use their physiques."


    *I can see why there are mostly only races based on agility, speed or strength. What do you think ?*


    Kira didn''t answer because she was really gone and I knew it, but out of habit I started talking to her. Luna sat down and while I thought Caipy was going to get up, it was Ynir and Persea who got up at the same time for some unknown reason.


    "Your Highness, there are two of us and we only have one group because as a half-butterfly with my skill I am not really a fighter. Therefore I have taken the liberty of joining Persea''s group if you will allow me."


    Ynir wasn''t totally wrong but I was still nning to give her an important position even if it was shared.


    "Of course I understand, if that is what you think is best then there is no objection from me. I''d rather have someone near me who knows her own weaknesses than someone who overestimates herself. So exin to me the characteristics of your group."


    The dryad and the butterfly woman seemed relieved as they bowed respectfully before Persea continued.


    "Without counting myself and Ynir, there are 14 volunteers who will be good fighters in the forest because they are used to it. So there are only elves and dryads in our group who are all mages with a nature-rted element."


    I already knew how to divide them up, but to see that they had really made my job easier was a relief. Only Caipy and Thorun were left and it was the elf who stood up.


    "As in Persea and Ynir''s group I have only elves and dryads with me. They are few, but like me they know about nts, medical or otherwise. These volunteers are 6 and know no element."


    I was still silent as thest one to stand up was the vampire.


    "Regarding my group, there are 20 volunteers and they are pretty versatile. Right now, all of them without exception can use magic for ranged battles and use their bodies for close ones. There are centaurs, half-tigers, ogres, kobolds, minotaurs and half-wolves."


    So the 160 volunteers had been divided ording to their bodily or magical abilities. It was perfect, I had already nned to do it this way so all I had to do was announce what I had been thinking about for a while now.


    As I sat back in my chair and crossed my legs, the girls in front of me held their breaths.


    "First of all, I want to congratte you on your organization and the initiative you took. When we were still in the clearing, I promised you a reward and I will keep my word. Stand up !"


    Without waiting a second the 10 women stood up to stand behind their chairs waiting for me to continue.


    "I will make you themanders of my army ! Everyone in your group is now your soldiers !"


    -- PING --


    [ Congrattions, you have named themanders of your army ! ]


    [ Your army now has 170 soldiers, including 10 femalemanders. ]


    *Finally !*


    At these words, a proud smile and a determined look could be seen on the face of each as I continued my announcement satisfied with the notification.


    "Thanks to your work, I don''t have to distribute the soldiers myself, so I will only exin your duties in more detail. Trioa !"


    "Yes your Highness.."


    The time had finallye to appoint them to the positions ofmanders.


    "You will be themander of the airbat section. As you proved to me during our recent battle, you are fully capable of taking on this role."


    Her wings were closed behind her back and the half-wyvern smiled.


    "Emilia !"


    "Yes !"


    "You will be theremanding the section specializing in closebat without magic. Even though you are not a mage you are agile and strong."


    She stood straight with her sword stuck in the ground simply nodding, waiting for me to finish.


    "Ralph !"


    "Present !"


    "You will be the sectionmander on hand-to-handbat based on strength with and without magic. I''m counting on you to pass on your rage and wolf pride to your soldiers !"


    "At yourmand, it would be a pleasure !"


    The red-eyed hybrid was excited, and as abat nut I knew she couldn''t wait to start training her soldiers.


    "Nixia ! You''ll be themander of the section that will handle ranged attacks. I know perfectly well that you are strong in hand-to-handbat as well, but for the moment your strong point is your magic. Naia, I am appointing you as the vicemander of this squadron, learn alongside Nixia and one day you will have amanding position."


    The two also nodded proudly, not speaking out of respect and waiting for me to name the others'' position.


    "Luna !"


    "Yes your highness !"


    "I''m putting you in charge of the section dealing with silent attacks. So you are themander of the spy and assassination squadron. You''ll may have less work than others so you can spend time with the children you enjoy in your spare time."


    I noticed that despite her serious look, Luna liked to take care of children, even if she tried to hide this side of her personality. A real tsundere in short. Her look was also filled with pride while she still looked at me with great admiration.


    "Ynir, Persea ! I am appointing both of you asmanders of the same section. This is the squadron of guardians in charge of protecting the forest, since in your group there are only races very familiar with this environment. You will be the ones who will fight best among the trees."


    "Understood !"


    That left Thorunn and Caipy.


    "Caipy ! As you might have guessed, you are themander of the medical section within the army specializing in healing and poisoning. In fact, it would be very interesting for you to work with Luna to provide her with poison."


    They were all waiting patiently as I finally got to thest one.


    "Thorunn ! You are quite versatile and I noticed that you can fight from a distance as well as from close range, so you will be themander of the section based on versatile magical attacks. In a war it''s also important to have a part of the army that can help the others in any circumstance."


    I had finally finished naming them all that they were on their knees thanking me speaking as one once again.


    "Thank you so much your highness, we are grateful for the trust you give us and we will not fail. From today we are themanders of Empress Freya''s army !"


    I stood up to look at them as I released some of my demonic aura into the tent taking mymanding voice.


    "You are now the sword of the Kingdom ! The soldiers in your group, you are in charge of protecting them and training them, as for you I will personally take care of your training."


    An ominous smile appeared on my face at the thought of facing them again. During their training, I had nned to take the opportunity to check on the progress of each of them.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "You will be known as the 10 chaosmanders and I promise to make you more powerful ! The army will grow as will our Kingdom so the task will no doubt get harder and harder, but I''m counting on you to prove to me that nothing can stop you !"


    "Hai !"


    My goal was to make them the face of the army and thus train them to be the most terrifying. I wanted the mere mention of their names to make humans tremble, to bring chaos to those who deserved it. Each of the girls was equally cruel when needed and I had no doubt that in the future, their titles would resonate in the hearts of all human cities.


    The 10 femalemanders in front of me would spread terror, despair, death and without an ounce of mercy.


    ____


    -- POV General --


    The next afternoon, while Freya was slowly building her Kingdom, in the church of the capital of Zalhythe three people had just received bad news.


    "What do we do ?"


    It was still the same three protectors, still in the same room and still on those same couches. However, unlike thest time, they were even more worried and agitated. They had just realized that something had happened in the Dark Forest. No news had been given by either the guild adventurers or the mercenaries. The only woman in the group was biting her fingernails as stress overcame her.


    "So...what do we do ? I...should we really not tell the Supreme anything ?"


    These three protectors didn''t know what to do because now the message was clear : they should have taken this matter seriously from the beginning. They regretted not informing the Supreme before and now these humans were in a bind, created by their own lies and silence. The taller man tried to keep hisposure as he was answering.


    "We must...we must send mercenaries or adventurers again to cover up the first failure !"


    "Impossible ! We didn''t tell the Supreme, do you think he won''t find out if we act like this ?? He has eyes everywhere...maybe even here."


    The little one whispered, but the panic in his eyes was clear. The other two shuddered at the thought and as the panic overtook them, the door suddenly opened revealing a figure far too graceful to be the Supreme. The figure stepped forward as a soft but confident voice boomed through the room.


    "You three ! I need your help and it seems you need mine."


    "You...here...how ?"


    It was Princess yna.


    What was she doing in a ce like this ? Why was she outside the castle and why was sheing to seek help from three protectors ? At that moment, so many questions were on their lips. The four people in this room were probably destined never to meet. They came from twopletely different backgrounds, but on that sweet afternoon...fate had changed.


    As Freya was beginning to organize her forces, an unusual meeting was taking ce in Zalhythe. New characters were entering the scene and would upset the bnce of the Kingdom. One thing was certain : things had begun to change and fate was all the more uncertain.


    Chapter 52 - Organization of the army : Themanders (part III)


    [N/A: Detailed table of the organization of the army and itsmanders. Here.]


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000    MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 385


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 53 The Forgotten Princess

    [N/A: no dialogue]


    -- POV yna --


    Ever since I was a little girl, I grew up surrounded by stupid people. I was the princess of my kingdom but I wasn''t proud of it. As I grew up I discovered that I was living in a hypocritical world, an unhealthy and selfish game. When I was 5 years old, I was still naive to believe that my father would read me bedtime stories, that my brothers would y with me and that we would all have a good time together. I was naive to believe that the world was full of good people and love. The reality was quite different, being born into the royal family did not only mean wealth, happiness and a quiet life. Living in the royal family also meant conspiracies, corruption and hypocrisy. Being in the most influential family in the Kingdom from a very young age I understood that nothing was normal. Where I lived, I was surrounded by a nefarious and rat-filled environment.


    My father spent his time fighting for the poprity of the citizens in a ridiculous tug of war with the Church. My older brother Erzian was more busy scheming to gain the throne, not hesitating to resort to atrocious means. My second oldest brother Is was the least despicable of the three, but he too would stop at nothing to get the throne back without Erzian''s knowledge. I wasn''t involved in politics, I didn''t care about the Kingdom, and yet I was aware of everything against my will. As a Princess I knew in spite of myself all the dark workings hidden from the eyes of the citizens and who their leaders really were. Every nobleman, every family, everyw, every citizen was for me stuck in a world of denial that was being destroyed by themselves.


    It was in this environment that I grew up. As I grew older, I gained knowledge and the more I grew the more I was able to understand the world around me. Until one day I realized that I had to escape if I did not want to die slowly, consumed by the darkness of the Kingdom. It was when I was 10 years old that I realized the horrors that were done to people who were different.


    I was still young and looking for something to y with in my room. I was alone as always when in the courtyard right outside my window, a grouping formed. At that moment I didn''t know what was going on and my childish curiosity pushed me to look discreetly by opening the window. Usually there was never anyone passing by my window but this time there were knights dragging a half-human man and woman right in front of me. They were full of blood and could barely walk because of their many wounds that would have made any human copse. The man and woman finally fell exhausted right in front of me while I was still hiding in the thickets outside my window.


    I will never forget what happened next. As I looked at these two dying people without understanding, the half-human woman on the ground smiled at me and whispered weakly that I must be the same age as her beloved daughter. She then weakly handed me a medallion saying that she wanted to entrust it to someone she thought was good before she died. I didn''t know what she was talking about or why she was telling me this so I didn''t move without seeing the huge kick that flew into this loving mother''s head. Thest time I saw her she was being dragged by her hair, her husband behind her towards Erzian''s quarters. I ended up discreetly picking up the medallion that had rolled onto the grass before returning to my room shocked, sad and confused.


    I didn''t understand what had happened to them until muchter.


    These two half-humans had panther ears and tails and had been tortured on Erzian''s orders because he wanted to find where they had hidden their daughter. I had never heard the name of this famous child, but my brother said she was my age and had very rare eyes: golden on the left and blue on the right. Erzian wanted to offer her eyes to the Church to curry their favor...he was only 15 years old.


    A yearter I was able to make the connection and really understand what I had witnessed. It was then that I knew I could not stay. I could not believe that my brother was capable of doing such things, let alone that this behavior was considered normal in this world. I couldn''t tolerate it, not after what I had seen. Why did two loving parents have to die? I still remembered the eyes of that half-panther woman, when they stared at me that day I saw no hatred for me despite what she was going through. I had never seen such a look, neither in my father, nor in my brothers nor in anyone else. I knew that they had been tortured for days afterwards, but I understood that they had never spoken, no matter how painful it was. They had died under my brother''s orders and for what? For eyes? Would my brother have gone so far as to murder me if my eyes had been different too?


    After that, for a long time I was scared and terrified to live under the same roof, in the same Kingdom as monsters who saw no problem with their actions. I had only seen this scene but I knew it wasmonce and normal for everyone. Beating and murdering half-humans was normal and encouraged, and the thought was unbearable. When I felt weak and on the verge of giving up, I always thought of that little half-panther girl who had to live alone because my brother had taken her family away from her with his selfishness. In my moments of despair, I would hold the medallion and think of her while talking to her to give me courage. It was blue like my eyes and a small L seemed to be engraved on it. This medallion came from a person that the world considered dirty but for me it was the most precious thing. I didn''t know if the little girl at the time was still alive today but one thing was for sure, even if I was the only one in this world who remembered them, their sacrifice...there would still be a soul in this rotten world who would continue to recognize their will. The will of two parents to protect their child even at the cost of their lives and at the cost of a sudden, painful and eternal farewell.


    So at the age of 11 I decided to do everything to escape from this suffocating prison and get away from all these monsters. This world was crazy, this Kingdom and its inhabitants were crazy and I was going to be one. Just like the people around me, I ended up wearing a mask to hide who I really was, which allowed me to hide the deep disgust I felt for this world. I wore a mask to escape, to forget and the more time passed, the more I lost myself too. Who was I really? The Princess? yna? Sometimes I didn''t really know if my life was my own or if I was just a shadow of a puppet in this kingdom.


    Sometimes I wanted to escape through death, but when I thought of those two half-humans and their courage, which I had never seen in anyone else, my idea disappeared at once. Was this world really rotten everywhere? What was hiding behind the city walls? I wanted to find out. All races other than humans were treated like garbage without exception, while I was publicly treated like a jewel. Yet I was not special, I was certainly no more worthy of respect than those who died every day to protect their own. I was a princess in name only, but in the end, underneath that dark veil that covered the world, I was nothing. I was only thest of my family and the one who was simply ignored.


    When I was 16 years old and had the right to be an heiress, I refused without even setting foot in the throne room. I was a recluse, far from everything and my only twopanions were my servants who rarely stayed. I lived a daily nightmare, I was ignored, forgotten and misunderstood but not without reasons. Unlike my brothers I had no magic so I was of no benefit to them in their quest for power and my father seemed to have forgotten me long ago. My life consisted of wandering the halls and rooms of this great castle in solitude, with no one to really support me. I was not interested in social life, invitations from the many noble families always ended up in my trash can, and no one was allowed to enter my part of the castle.


    I had be....the forgotten princess.


    What no one knew was that since I was 11 years old I had been trying to make myself forgotten, to make myself ignored so that I would gradually disappear from people''s minds. People knew my face thanks to the numerous paintings representing me, but nobody had ever seen me in the flesh apart from my family after my 12th birthday. I worked quietly and tirelessly to cut myself off from the world despite the enormous psychological burden that constantly weighed on my mind. I wanted to get out of here, I wanted tough, dance, sing, smile and feel the fresh air of a world devoid of death, secrets and betrayals. I wanted to go on an adventure, to discover fantastdscapes, to meet unforgettable people and to look for this girl. Since I was 11 years old, I had sworn to myself that I would return this medallion with my own hands. In spite of my life, I was full of hope and dreams that kept me going every day. I may have been naive, crazy and probably totally lost, but those thoughts were the only things that kept me going.


    At the age of 18, I just wanted to survive to finally start living.


    _____


    Today I had finally decided to venture out of the castle and into the church. I had heard that she had hired adventurers and mercenaries a few weeks ago and I nned to seek out information to possibly run away with them. At the time I didn''t know that all these people had been killed on their mission.


    *Courage yna...you can do it*


    For the first time, I was about to get out of that prison. I hadn''t nned oning back, my heart was pounding, my hands were sweaty and I was shaking with fear and excitement. I had survived alone for so many years to be able to experience this unique and special moment that marked the beginning of my escape.


    No one could imagine what was going on in my heart and mind. Locked up since forever, I was finally going to tread the ground behind these gates, like a baby bird opening its eyes for the first time.


    *The baby bird that I am will fly in the sky the day I leave this city. On that day, my wings will p with power to carry me ever higher into the sky and one day I will stand beside your daughter. Do you hear me? I will stand beside you and tell you how great your parents were to the end and how much they loved you.*


    I was determined and today nothing and no one could stop me from going to the church that was my way out. 18 years of waiting, 18 years of suffering would soon end. It was with this thought that I dared to take a step out of my room that I was leaving for the veryst time. I didn''t take anything with me, I didn''t want to keep anything that could remind me of this confined life except for what I had on my back and the medallion.


    The sun was still high in the sky when I decided to sneak out of my quarters for the first time in 18 years. I had memorized all theings and goings of the knights and covered my head with a shawl to try to hide my face. I didn''t have much to disguise myself with, I was the princess and all I could wear were expensive dresses that could feed an entire family for years.


    As I walked carefully down the hallways to the garden, my legs shook more and more with each step and I couldn''t control them. For the first time, I felt like I finally had my destiny in my hands, that I could finally choose who I was going to be and what I was going to do. As I clutched the medallion around my neck to help me move forward, the garden gates were in sight.


    *Courage...courage...courage*


    Only this word echoed in my head in rhythm with my heart as I sped through the garden. I wasn''t wearing proper shoes for running, my feet were already hurting and I could feel the blood flowing but I didn''t care. My golden hair flew in the wind barely hidden by the veil as I ran towards my freedom. I was running towards my destiny and my new life that was calling me to the horizon.


    [N/A : I hope you liked this chapter. It was not nned as it is also built around one of my readers'' characters. I hope you enjoyed it though because I really enjoyed writing it even though it was pretty hard !]


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer<novelnext></novelnext>


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 340


    Defense : 336


    Agility : 350


    Stamina : 353


    Speed : 342


    Intelligence : 340


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 385


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 54 Advancements And Departure

    -- POV Freya --


    It had been a week now since we had organized the positions and people were really starting to adjust. Everyone was healed as fortunately no one had been seriously injured. Most were malnourished and needed to eat, drink and rest. During this period of time, I had not been idle and had finished organizing what remained to be seen.


    Each position had a leader who would be responsible for everyone and would report to those in charge to make it easier. So I had appointed the other members who were now appearing in my Kingdom menu.


    For the management and all that was administrative Gaya had offered to be close to me and help me with it in all circumstances when our Kingdom grew. The chief of the assassins was Luna, the one of the physicians was Caipy and for the guardians it was obviously Ynir and Persea. As for the other positions, they were almost all new faces.


    For the cooking section there was a half-rabbit named Irrena, she had been chosen by the others because her cooking was divine. I myself was very much in favor of this choice because Gaya, Shiro and I were obviously eating her food every day.


    For the manufacturers section, the leader was a half-spider named Taegen. He was the oldest of his race and wove the best threads. His skills were exceptional and the clothes he created with the others were beautiful. Taegen produced yarn from his lower half which was that of a spider that had 6 legs and brown hairs running all over it.


    For the section of those who volunteered to take care of the children, Viana, Naia''s mother, was the leader. She had volunteered and the others had epted. When we arrived near the sea, I nned to build an orphanage that would also be a school for the children to learn. Not all the children were orphans because out of the 25, 5 were with their families including little Hans. These children would onlye to learn just like Shiro but I wanted to create an environment that would be conducive to their development.


    For the building section, there were several leaders because each one excelled in a field. Tar and Kan two minotaur twins for carpentry, Naghel and Eurytion two centaurs for architecture. All four of them shared the organization of the workers, of which Naia''s father was a part, and were already preparing ns for the buildings that I had asked them to do.


    As for the farming, there were also two leaders, an elf named Ylindros and a half-rabbit named Ka. They would both be in charge of managing the crops, making sure everything was going well and giving directions to the other farmers. Although each was an expert in the field, good organization required one or more section leaders.


    We didn''t have a cksmith yet, so that left hunting, which was led by a male wolf named Wol. There were five of them in all and they were white wolves from the same n of which Wol was the leader.


    ____


    KINGDOM


    Empress : Freya


    Wife and 2nd ruler : Gaya


    Princess: Shiro


    Administration : Gaya


    Commanders of the armies: 10 / Nixia - Ralph - Luna - Caipy - Ynir - Persea - (Na?a) - Trioa - Thorunn - Emilia


    Chief Builders: 4 / Tar - Kan - Naghel - Eurytion


    Chief cksmith : 0


    Chief hunter : 1 / Wol


    Chief Guards: 2 / Ynir - Persea


    Chief manufacturer : 1 / Taegen


    Chief cook : 1 / Irrena


    Chief Spy/Assassin: 1 / Luna


    In charge of the farming : 2 / Ylindros - Ka


    In charge of the children: 1 / Viana


    Chief Medical Officer: 1 / Caipy


    Location: Dark Forest


    Subordinates / citizens: 385


    Soldiers: 170


    _____


    All of them were now in my Kingdom menu so I could contact them at any time by telepathy no matter where I was. The connection could only be made by me thanks to the system, but this function was one of the enormous strengths of this menu. I could also ess their status at any time as long as their names were in the system.


    *Things are starting to go really well. I think we can leave here tomorrow morning !*


    [It''s true, this week has been exhausting for you, but the result is worth it. Now all you have to do is set up your kingdom and name it].


    I still hadn''t found a name and since we weren''t really at the ce where I wanted to start building, I had even used that as an excuse to get out of the way.


    During this week I also took the opportunity to allocate my 300 attribute points that had been lying dormant for far too long.


    ____


    Strength: 340 > 390


    Defense: 336 > 386


    Agility : 350 > 400


    Stamina: 353 > 403


    Speed : 342 > 392


    Intelligence : 340 > 390


    ____


    I had simply assigned 50 points everywhere so that there was not too much difference. My strength was such that I could crack a small mountain with one punch. My skin was as tough as steel while my reflexes, flexibility, agility and speed were in the realm of the impossible. I didn''t think I was the strongest person in the world, but as I gained more and more attribute points, my skills rose to levels unattainable by any race in this world.


    I had not done this in front of everyone but rather hidden in the tent so that no one could see me because no one knew yet about my two elements and my special course. The femalemanders had a lot of questions and guessed that I was special, but I could see that they didn''t dare to ask for fear of making me angry. For the moment I hadn''t nned to tell them yet, and my chaos element wasn''t really as useful as my ice element, to my great misfortune. That said, Kira had informed me that it was possible that I would develop a chaos attack and defense skill, which was a new thing to add to my long list.


    The girls'' training had also been a sess. When I met them, they were all level 15 except for Naia who was level 10. Today, by training them relentlessly, I was able to increase their levels by two points each. Eachmander was personally in charge of training their soldiers who also benefited from the advantage of my system. They were weaker and started from scratch, but I knew that their efforts would pay off one day, as would their determination.


    As I had announced at themanders'' meeting, the girls also trained with me in their spare time. We would go into the forest many times to hunt for creatures that could earn them EXP and then end the day fighting against me.


    During these times, I would always take the opportunity to exin to each of them what was wrong with their stances, attacks or reactions.


    Ralph often tended to be overconfident and let her guard down to attack. She needed to be more strategic, which would make her all the more formidable because she already had a keen and calcting mind. The hybrid woman also needed to learn not to push her body too hard because her rage to win prevented her from taking a critical look at her condition. That''s why Ralph had been hurt by Grim, the first time because he had managed to fake it and the second time because she had found herself more exhausted than expected.


    Nixia had to work on her weak point closebat, in order to be able to deal with all situations. Her technique of hypnotic movements with her snake tail was very practical but she had to be able to react at 360 degrees. Themia worked on her dead spots while perfecting her already exceptional control of her ck mesnces.


    Emilia was undoubtedly the most gifted because even without magic, her strength coupled with her agility and speed almost surpassed even Ralph''s technique. Her mastery of the sword was also incredible, but shecked stamina and more precise movements, which was her weak point in a fight thatsted. When she had fought Jessica, the cat woman had relied on strength, sometimes giving useless blows that made her get tired. Emilia was almost cornered by the enemy while she was exhausted and without her mental steel things could have turned out badly.


    Luna was good at sneaky, deadly attacks, but her weakness was numbers. The day I met her, despite the difference in levels and numbers, she still managed to hold her own against four mercenaries. The idea was to train her to face several opponents with her weapons and her element to get her used to dealing with such situations. As a spy and assassin, it was quite possible that in the future such events would ur due to unforeseen circumstances. So Luna could not always rely on her discretion.


    Trioa was trained by Gaya who could help her to fight in the air. In this field I was not really of much use so I was only content to throw ice spikes from the ground. The gray-haired half-wyvern had good control of her wings so her training consisted only of following Gaya through the forest as she flew at high speed avoiding the trees and the dragoness'' attacks.


    Thorunn as a vampire had strength, the wind element and good speed. What shecked was experience inbat as she relied too much on her vampire strength and canines to kill. But if a stronger enemy were toe along, she would end up in big trouble too. The vampire was now themander of the versatile attack section of the army, so she had to be powerful in hand-to-handbat as well.


    Ynir and Persea were training together to perfect their teamwork. The dryad was also working on hand-to-hand attacks while the butterfly woman was working on her light element by strengthening her illusions. She didn''t have much strengthpared to the others, so for the moment it was Persea who took care of this part, supported by Ynir''s magic.


    Na?a, due to her youth,cked experience in everything and was training sometimes with me and sometimes with the othermanders. She was working hard to catch up with them and her naive and airheaded spirit was gradually changing into a focused and determined spirit not to give up.


    Finally, Caipy spent most of her time collecting nts and teaching her small group all the secrets of nature. Her training was also essential because even though her section was lessbat oriented, she had to learn to fight. The dark elf used her knowledge of different poisons topensate for herck of experience which was very clever while training.


    These numerous fights had also been very beneficial for me because I had managed to increase the level of several of my skills by using them. My "infernal ice spikes" skill had risen to level 6, my "ice wall" to level 5 and my "demonic aura of the Empress" to level 5 as well.


    [I''m impressed by the number of things you can do. If I were you, I''d be exhausted, slumped in bed].<novelnext></novelnext>


    Indeed, for a week we were all living a rather strenuous lifestyle as we prepared to leave the mountains at the same time. I had told the whole camp a few days ago and we were finally ready to leave and set up our kingdom by the sea.


    While I was in the tent resting and thinking about everything we had done during this week, my dragoness wife slowly came in to talk to me.


    "Freya, I think everything is ready ! They are just waiting for your orders, as for me I have been ready to go for a while."


    "Perfect, thank you."


    I couldn''t leave my daughter again, my responsibilities and my subordinates for the moment so Gaya had offered to go and get those who were still in her old cave in the Forest of Syn. She knew the way well and was strong enough to protect them on the way back. I was a little skeptical at first but I couldn''t handle everything and I had to trust her, I had to believe in her strength and her ability to return without a single injury.


    "I would contact you every day by telepathy, morning, noon and night. If you should not answer, I will not hesitate toe. If anything should happen to you..."


    I couldn''t finish my sentence as my eyes glowed more and more wildly as my body grew cold. I knew that if Gaya got hurt, I would totally lose my temper like I had never lost it before.


    "Don''t worry honey, I''m strong don''t forget that ! You don''t have to be the only one carrying the burden of an entire Kingdom, I''m here too. I promise you I''ll be back with those you saved in Yarlford before you even have time to worry."


    She hugged me as she whispered her words and my heart soothed.


    "Promise me..."


    "I promise."


    [N/A: Positions details. Here]


    _____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Gender: Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 390


    Defense : 386


    Agility : 400


    Stamina : 403


    Speed : 392


    Intelligence : 390


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 385


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 5)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 55 Towards Their Glittering Future, Towards Their Dreams...Towards The Sea

    -- POV General --


    As the sun slowly rose behind the mountains, Freya''s camp was already almost empty. They had hundreds of half-humans working to make sure everything was ready, because departure was imminent.


    To see such arge camp migrate to another destination was something incredible. Thanks to the carts recovered after the battle, it was possible to move many of the people present. One cart was reserved for the transportation of all the objects that could not be carried, while the other four were used for those who wanted to. The carts were particrlyrge because they had been taken for the purpose of transporting 250 people in cages, so there was enough room and no one was against using them. The 160 soldiers had decided to walk for training, and the safety of the others had to be taken care of anyway as they made their way through the forest. As everyone took their seats, the purple-eyed she-wolf was at the front of the procession waiting. There were three horses avable, a huge ck stallion that Freya was going to ride apanied by Shiro, a gray mare for Gaya and thest one was simply used to carry some goods.


    "Are we ready to go ?"


    Freya was talking to Ynir who was at her side while she was petting her horse she had named Inferno. He had yellow eyes, was muscr, tall and shiny ck. Since Grim''s death he had not let anyone ride him and had been more than a little out of control. But when Freya introduced herself to him, she subdued him with a simple look and the stallion seemed to like his new mistress even more than his old master. As the she-wolf gently stroked his mane, Ynir bowed slightly in response to her question.


    "Yes your Highness, though some are notpletely ready, it should not be too much longer."


    The Empress was waiting for everyone to pay attention before starting the journey, but a few people still seemed to be struggling to get organized in the back.


    "Empress !"


    A Kobold was running up to Freya with an alert look on his face as he stopped in front of her, taking the time to bow his head before continuing.


    "I apologize for taking up your precious time but I don''t know how to ce myself."


    The Empress had had the soldiers ced at the front and back of the procession to maximize security, however there were still a few half-human soldiers who seemed lost. For the first time they had to protect others and at the cost of their lives if necessary. Many of them were anxious because despite the training they had received, no one had gone beyond level 5 yet and no one had any real experience.


    The soldier in front of Freya was a Kobold who was lost in the tide of people around him and having recognized the she-wolf, he had decided to ask her directly. None of the soldiers had seen the power of their Empress yet, which might exin this innocent if overly familiar approach. The Kobold had already been impressed by her presence and natural aura, but he had never seen her up close and personal before, and that''s why he had ventured to ask her. As he raised his head, he could see that Freya was staring at him without saying a word while she frowned slightly. She was certainly much more pleasant than in her past life, but she didn''t appreciate being addressed in this way, without introducing himself and with such familiarity.


    For the first time the Kobold was facing the she-wolf with her eyes directly into his. At that moment his strength disappeared as he fell to his knees disoriented and trembling despite himself.


    "I..."


    Before the soldier could even formte a sentence, a spear was already nted in the ground right in front of his nose. The Kobold gasped as Freya didn''t move an eysh as amia approached, speaking words in an irritated and cold voice.


    "You ! Go to the back !"


    "Yes ! At your orders Commander !"


    This soldier was one of Nixia''s soldiers, whom she ruled with an iron fist like all the others. As the Kobold ran to the back of the procession, too happy to have the opportunity to leave, Nixia bent down to apologize.


    "Please forgive this soldier who did not know where to stand, I will make sure to inform them better from now on your Highness."


    Freya still didn''t speak as she simply nodded her head before seeing themia join her soldiers.


    It was full daylight and everything was finally ready. The front soldiers were Commander Ynir, Commander Persea, Commander Emilia and Commander Thorunn, while the rear was in the hands of Commander Nixia, supported by Vice Commander Naia, Commander Ralph and Commander Luna. The medical section was among the travelers to monitor and the air section flew over them to keep an eye on them, trying not to be spotted.


    In the silence that reigned in the mountains Freya, followed by Gaya and Shiro walked in front of the attentive crowd and as they stopped all eyes were turned to this Empress. No one dared to speak, fascinated by her beauty enhanced by the rays of the sun that fell on her white skin that seemed to glow. Freya was dressed as usual in a ck shirt tucked into her ck pants, a ck jacket that she wore only over her shoulders giving her a confident and powerful air. Her hands were covered by white gloves that held her katana firmly in one hand and her daughter''s hand in the other. Freya dressed in ck with her masculine posture, prating gaze andmanding presence did not look like an Empress but rather a Demon King. The she-wolf''s hair flew in the wind and her eyes, more intense than ever almost hidden by a few strands, scanned the crowd as she stuck the tip of her sword into the ground before speaking.


    "Today we leave for the West, the journey will take all day but we can finally settle down for good. We will be venturing into the forest so everyone be very careful, no one must get hurt, no one must disappear and no one must disobey orders given during the journey. By now you all know the people in charge of the many positions so if there is any problem, please go to them rather than to me. If something important happens I will be alerted immediately but I am counting on you not to let that happen."


    As she finished her sentence, Freya ced Shiro on Inferno''s back before riding him gracefully in turn, holding the reins firmly. Gaya dressed in gray pants and a very feminine white top was on her horse at her side and smiling. The dragoness was to ride with them for a little while before she headed off in another direction, towards the Syn forest. The beautiful crimson haired woman was looking at her wife with pride and love as she listened to her speak again.


    "To all cart drivers and soldiers, forward march !"


    Suddenly all were marching, along with the one guiding them to their future. Most had a lump in their stomachs that represented the fear of walking through the woods but the excitement of finallynding somewhere to live happily and protected from all human cruelty. This procession of 286 people was moving towards their dreams all silently in the forest.


    The journey had begun.


    ____


    It was almost noon when the travelers stopped to quickly eat what had been prepared by a few people given the situation. The 10 femalemanders were gathered together, constantly watching and talking. Usually they were not the type to talk much, buttely they had all be really close and considered each other more as friends than colleagues. After all, going through a battle together and surviving it brings one closer.


    "Her Highness had mentioned possible seconds forter when our ranks arerger. So, have you spotted any interesting soldierstely ?"


    Thorunn spoke while drinking the blood of an animal she had kept aside while Nixia spoke in her soft, cold voice.


    "I don''t know...there is definitely a girl I''m thinking about but I can''t really figure out if she has potential because I can''t evaluate her."


    Themia seemed to be in a dilemma as Ralph still answered with her somewhat naturally aggressive voice.


    "Why ? It''s notplicated, you attack her and see if she can avoid or counter and the matter is settled !"


    The hybrid, like most of them, usually mute, was now speaking without worry with all the others, even if her silent personality reappeared once she became serious again. As for Luna, her eyes sparkled at Nixia''s announcement and she couldn''t help asking for details. Always discreet and also not very expressive, the half-panther had eyes that shone only when there was the Empress or when it concerned a pretty girl.


    "Go on, exin in detail !"


    She always had an expression that always contrasted with her natural face as she started to blush slightly despite her efforts to hide it. Themia sighed, totally aware of Luna''s thoughts as she exined to the others who this girl was.


    "Sigh, she''s an elf named Kurumi, always rxed as if nothing could hurt her. At first she was no different from the others but as time goes by she seems to have found her way. I have the impression that she is good at fighting and born to be a warrior but her looks and personality don''t match."


    "That is -to say ?"


    Ynir didn''t understand what Nixia was getting at.


    "Well...she''s so nonchnt and always looks weak that it''s hard for me to really gauge her strength. Of course she''s not level 5 yet but I don''t know...I have a feeling that she might be very strong in the future. If only I could get an idea of her overall strength."


    "Mmmh, either way you''d like her to fight seriously. Aaand just to know....not that I care but, what does she look like ?"


    The half-panther had spoken again, trying to sound disinterested while fishing for information. The other girls sighed as none were fooled enough to fall for it.


    "She has pink hair and blue eyes and is quite small. However I warning you, you''d better not go to my soldiers, let alone hit on them !"


    Luna flinched at her sentence as she tried to deny it while hiding her embarrassment as best she could.


    "No, that''s not true, what makes you think that I''d hit on someone ? You...you don''t know me very well I...I''m disappointed !"


    All the girlsughed in front of this young woman who despite a heart at first sight cold had a soft heart like no one else. The only femalemander who cared for children next to her position was her.


    "To return to the subject of the young elf, I advise you to wait. You''ll see in time what happens. If you have any problems, don''t hesitate to ask us for advice."


    Persea, as maternal as ever, spoke these words with a wide smile on her face. Her flower crown was still on her head and made her look almost like a nature goddess. She was always gentle and never had too much trouble rting to others. While Trioa and Thorunn giggled next to each other almost choking, the atmosphere was joyful. Everyone was in a good mood and ate while continuing to joke around before they had to leave.


    Freya on her side was only apanied a little further by Gaya and Shiro who was dressed in a little white pants and a little white top. She was alsoughing alongside her two happier than ever moms.


    "Do you think I could put flowers next to my new bed ? I hope we will see the sea from the window, I have never been there ! Eh say, we''ll see the sea ? And when I go to school I''ll be with Kate right ?"


    The little one had so many questions and was very excited to get to her destination. For the first time, little Shiro was going to have her own home, a healthy, protective and loving home. She couldn''t stop talking without stopping as her mouth was full and stars were in her eyes.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Itsch my firscht home hehe~! Are woue ghere yetch ?"


    (it''s my first home hehe~! Are we there yet)


    Gaya was wiping Shiro''s mouth as Freya looked at them in silence with her heart pounding. They were her family, the reason she was fighting and her reason to live. The lunch break was almost over and it wouldn''t be long before Gaya would be separated from this group for several days. She had her own mission that she wanted to aplish at all costs and was going to head to the forest where she had met Freya.


    On their side, the citizens and the soldiers, led by the Empress, were heading with their soul at peace and full of joy towards their glittering future, towards their dreams...towards the sea.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 390


    Defense : 386


    Agility : 400


    Stamina : 403


    Speed : 392


    Intelligence : 390


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 385


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 5)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 56 Back To Where It All Began

    -- POV Gaya --


    I had left Freya, Shiro and all the others for a while now to head alone to the cave where I had been sealed all those years ago. Not much time had passed since I met Freya, only a few weeks, but every day felt like a dream, as if the life I had spent locked up was already long gone, as if all the happiness I had not had washed over me in one fell swoop.


    As my gray mare galloped through the trees, I reyed in my head the incredible events that had spiced up my life in every way. Life was full of surprises and my meeting with this exceptional she-wolf was the most beautiful, not to mention the little Shiro who had be our daughter as well by force of destiny. My mind wandered as a tree branch almost made me fall off my horse.


    *Don''t be distracted, you have a mission to aplish !*


    Regaining my concentration and still in a mad rush, I stared again at the horizon. For the first time, I was going to be able to directly help Freya by bringing back the first 100 subordinates she had saved during our visit to Yarlford. I knew the way to this cave far too well and even though it had been my prison, it was also the ce where I had been rescued and the ce where I had fallen madly in love with Freya at first sight.


    *The return journey will take longer than the outward journey, so I must save as much time as possible now.*


    Among the people I had to bring back were children, men, women of all races. Bringing back so many people in a discreet way was not an easy task but I was determined to bring them all back without a scratch. At this speed, I knew I would reach Syn''s forest and the cave in just a few hours, but the return trip would take us 3-4 days if all went well. Freya and the others were moving slowly and would normally not reach the sea until the end of the day, while I was at full speed, going with the wind. I was torn between the desire to hurry up and get back as fast as possible and the desire not to fail and thus take more time.


    *Sigh*


    As I sighed, I could finally see a boundary among the trees in the distance. The ones in the Dark Forest were dark green, almost ck, while the ones in the Syn Forest were green and sometimes even slightly yellow.


    *Here we go !*


    I slowed down instinctively as the border was ahead of me, I had finally arrived at the boundary that delimited the two forests. I had been gone for several hours now and the afternoon was getting hot and almost stifling. The sun was beating down hard on my face, turning it a light pastel pink. I hadn''t put on my hooded cloak yet and without my horns that testified to my race, I currently looked like a human for safety.


    "Ya !"


    I was once again throwing my mare at full speed as I entered the Syn forest from the east, heading west. I was finally going to turn back to where everything had changed for me, where I had met my wife, where I had been set free.


    "Where it all began.."


    ___


    -- POV Yorr --


    It had been several days since we had all left Yarlford with the help of the Empress. In the end we knew nothing about her except that she had promised to take us to a ce she would build for all the abused races. Time passed and we still had no news from her. Had she abandoned us ? Was she like all the others, dangling unattainable dreams in front of us ?


    *No ! She came to save us, we just have to be patient !*


    Elyon and I were responsible for the 100 people in the cave. As the Empress had told us, there was indeed a hole in the big mountain west of the forest. Just as she had said, this mountain was full of mana in the air and the creatures living in the vicinity did not approach it by instinct. We hunted despite our strength, which was not great, and we simply lived waiting for the return of this powerful she-wolf.


    Triss and Lia, Elyon''s friends, were slowly recovering and although they had not witnessed the events that had taken ce in the mansion, these young women were eager to meet their savior. These half-humans had not had the chance to pledge their allegiance to her and the wait was bing quite long for them as it was for us.


    Elyon had started training to feel the mana as requested by the Empress, apanied by several volunteers. The Elf had discovered that he was of the wood element and that his skills were grouped into one rather special one because he could create trees capable of defending him and attacking. His creations were for the moment quite small because Elyon was only level 3 but the more he trained, the stronger and more resistant they became.


    I was training my physique and helping to hunt to improve my reflexes, strength and endurance. I had never fought except for the creatures I was hunting, so I had no idea what moves to make or what weapons to use. In the back of my mind, I hoped to be able to join the Imperial army once we were picked up.


    Speaking of weapons, there were also dwarves in our group, who spent their time inspecting the cave for minerals and stones that they could use to forge objects or weapons in the future. There were 15 of them and the most experienced one was called Yuric, small, bearded and always scowling.


    We also found out that all the 10 children present were orphans, so the adults spoiled them as they could every day. This cave was ourndmark, our home and our fort that we hoped would be impregnable.


    While I was still in my thoughts, looking at the cave and these people with a thoughtful look, Elyon had approached me.


    "Yorr ? How much longer do you think we''ll stay here ?"


    The elf couldn''t help but ask me this question every day. Today he was not apanied by Triss and Lia who seemed to be sleeping in a corner.


    "I don''t know, probably a few days, a few weeks..."


    "Maybe the Empress had some problems and..."


    Elyon hadn''t finished his sentence as his eyes darkened. I knew he was imagining the worst and the thought made me shudder as well.


    "No way ! Didn''t you see how easily she freed us all ? When we were all locked up, no one believed the little one,me first and yet she was right. Let''s believe in her highness, she wille I''m sure !"


    No one knew if I was right or if we were waiting with vain hope but we were still waiting with a ball in our stomachs that was growing day by day. And while everyone was busy or killing time, suddenly mana vibrations were felt at the entrance of the cave. The entirety of the people were all present so I knew it couldn''t be one of us.


    "There''s someone in the cave ! Everyone, back up !"


    Elyon and I had felt this power that seemed different from the empress''s. It was less startling, but still far too powerful for us who were just former ves in hiding. The thing that had entered the cave was definitelying towards us and I could read the panic on everyone''s face.


    "Don''t be afraid ! We...we will find a way out of this situation if it turns out to be dangerous !"


    I could only throw out baseless promises in hopes of appeasing those who had already begun to tremble. I didn''t know what this creature was, or if it was hostile to us, but I could only wait by the side of the Elf who was preparing to incant at any moment.


    "I..I''m not very strong, if a fight were to start here I wouldn''tst long but I could at least buy you some time with my skill."


    "..."


    I didn''t know what to say...saving as many people as possible was the most important but I didn''t want it to be at the cost of anyone''s life. We had all been saved, we had all survived and for what ? To finally die here ? No way ! If I had to, I was going to fight too.


    "It arrives..."


    ___


    -- POV General --


    While inside the cer, the half-humans were panicking and trembling with a sword of Damocles over their heads, Gaya walked along the corridor calmly and quietly. The dragoness was again lost in her thoughts after entering the mountain. Her heart was clenching and she needed a lot of courage to move forward, because even though this ce was where she had met Freya, she had to remember that it was also the ce where she had been imprisoned, too weak to defend herself. Her heart was beating faster and faster as she moved forward, sliding her hand over the cold rock filled with many memories.


    The entrance to the great hall that was once her prison was in sight and the crimson-haired woman could already sense that there was somemotion inside. As she entered the ce, the half-humans were huddled in a corner trembling with their eyes closed while a minotaur and an elf faced her.


    "Who...who are you ?"


    Yorr had spoken first, signaling Elyon to wait before doing anything stupid that might lead them all to their deaths. The two former ves tried to hide their fears as best they could from this beautiful unknown woman who had ventured into their temporary home.


    "Are you the ones Empress Freya rescued some time ago ?"


    Gaya stepped forward as she in turn asked a question, eager to leave to join the others. As those present heard her words, their heads slowly rose and their eyes opened.


    Yorr and Elyon did not know who she was and did not understand the situation. A woman was standing in front of them and seemed to being from the person they were most looking forward to but they were still confused. The dragoness grew impatient as she crossed her arms to show her annoyance.


    "Yes...we were sent here by our Empress and we are still waiting for her toe and get us. May I ask again who you are ?"


    The minotaur had rxed slightly upon hearing that the dragoness knew the Empress, but he still didn''t fully trust her. Gaya was much stronger than them and even if she wasn''t as strong as Freya, she would have no trouble taking them all out.


    "My name is Gaya, I''vee here to get you all and take you to the Dark Forest where Freya is about to build the foundations of her kingdom. Over 200 people are already at her side to help her realize this dream and you are all wee."


    At these words, some had begun to weep with joy at the thought of not being forgotten while others hurried to gather what little they had to leave. What was her position in the Kingdom ? What was her rtionship with Freya ? Yorr and Elyon still stood still as so many questions remained in their minds. With a smile on her face and having figured out what was going on, Gaya puffed out her chest slightly with pride, staring at the two curious people before answering.


    "I am the Empress'' wife.."


    As the dragoness finished her sentence, the entire cave had suddenly be silent. Then suddenly, 102 people were once again on their knees, this time before the wife of their savior. Even the minotaur and the elf who had stood stunned for a moment were before her, their heads bowed and knees bent in respect.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Forgive us for doubting you and being suspicious. We did not think the Empress had a wife, and still we did not think she woulde for us."


    Yorr felt ashamed of the behavior he had shown to the wife of the one he had admired since his rescue. The others weren''t proud either but felt more relieved than disappointed, unlike the minotaur who felt bad about it. Gaya looked at them all with her amber eyes as she raised her hand to ask them to stand up.


    "Please stand up, it is normal to be on guard. We have a lot to do and n before we leave, I would like you to gather everything you want to take with you as we will be leaving as soon as possible. I will tell you all the details on the way."


    "Yes !"


    The dragoness had finally arrived in the ce where it all began for her and was now working to bring back the subordinates of her dear and loving wife whom she wished to see again at all costs. The return trip was going to be more difficult and longer than the first one, but Gaya was determined to bring them all back even if she had to put herself in danger for that.


    This unusual group that was about to leave didn''t know it yet, but a few people were lurking around the mountain, still looking for that famous giant wolf whose bounty was stered all over the walls of the Yarlford guild.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 390


    Defense : 386


    Agility : 400


    Stamina : 403


    Speed : 392


    Intelligence : 390


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 385


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 5)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 57 Checkmate

    -- POV Gaya --


    I was finally surrounded by the people I hade to find and they were all healthy and happy that I had arrived despite a great fear. When they learned of my connection to Freya they all knelt down, but I wasn''t the Empress so I didn''t want them to kneel down either.


    Ever since Freya had confessed her feelings to me I had vowed to stand by her and help her, if she was the iron hand I would be the silk hand. Since I was with her, I had understood that she was not the warmest with the others and despite a soft temperament with Shiro and me she was still very intimidating. Even today I still get chills down my spine at the thought of her piercing and dominating gaze that seemed to read my soul. Even though she was only loving with those she considered family, Freya still retained her extremely dominant side that would always give me chills.


    *Sigh*


    As everyone got ready, I sighed because I already missed her. I waspletely hooked and all I was waiting for was to be able to go home and have her finally marry me. As Empress, Freya had a lot of responsibilities and even though the battle with the humans was over, our wedding had to wait until the Kingdom was settled. I couldn''t help but feel excited as I muttered in my corner.


    "She told me that she wanted the wedding to be beautiful and that she would like to carry me into the bedroom herself...hihi~"


    I was a dragon and had lived much longer than Freya and yet I looked like a shy girl barely out of her teens caught in hers. As I finished my sentence, my cheeks turned red and hot as very specific images appeared in my mind leaving me with an embarrassed smile.


    *Get a grip on yourself, this is not the time to be thinking about this !*


    I was trying to get my head around it but my brain couldn''t stop thinking about what would happen once I was on the bed. I waspletely absorbed by these images where I could almost feel her touching me, kissing me, licking me and even biting me. Sweat was pouring down my forehead as I couldn''t hold still and forced myself to forget about thesest 5 minutes for my own mental and physical health.


    While I was mentally fighting with myself, Yorr and Elyon had approached me discreetly a little intrigued by what I could be doing turned towards the wall.


    "Um...Gaya-sama ? We''re ready to go !"


    Regaining my seriousness despite my red face and sweaty hands, I looked around to see that everyone had the few things they had in small backpacks.


    "We don''t have much because we ran away with nothing, the ones who are the most loaded are the dwarves who carry stones and minerals of all kinds."


    Elyon exined this to me as he pointed at them. The 15 dwarves looked almost mute, in their worlds and unfriendly but appearances were not to be trusted. They looked like the type to grumble and be cheeky but they had already shown great respect when I had arrived.


    "All right. If you can carry everything I don''t see a problem with you keeping these...stones."


    The dwarves bowed their heads in thanks as I smiled before exining what to do next.


    "A horse is waiting for me at the entrance to the cave, it can only carry two or three children at a time so we''ll have to take turns. For the moment I will go out and make sure there is nothing dangerous, we are traveling with more than a hundred so any risk must be avoided. I am going to ask you please to wait a little bit more until Ie back. Please don''t go out no matter what !"


    Everyone nodded their heads at mymand because no one was unaware that the dangers were real and that one wrong step could lead to their death.


    Waving goodbye, I headed back to the exit to inspect the surroundings. Even though I had hidden my horns, I still had the hooded cloak on just in case. The sun was still in the sky for a few more hours which would make us travel a bit by night. The mare that my wife had given me I had named Pearl because her eyes shone like two beautiful pale pink pearls. She was very docile and just as Inferno had done with Freya she seemed to have epted me.


    Pearl was waiting for me at the entrance and as I gently petted her she neighed as if to ask me where I was going. The two horses that my wife and I had seemed particrly intelligent despite the fact that they were "just" horses. As she shook her head I quickly calmed her down and exined.


    "Shh stay here okay ? I''ll be back soon !"


    The mare calmed down as she watched me leave, looking for the least amount of trouble around. The forest was quiet and no creatures dared to approach sensing the difference in strength which made me think that we shouldn''t have too much trouble going through it. I was walking without really knowing where I was going, walking between the trees and scanning the surroundings when all of a sudden some voices were raised on my right.


    "Honestly, I don''t believe in this story !"


    "Oh yeah ? And why ?"


    "We''ve beenbing the forest for weeks without finding anything. We started by the South, the East, the North and now we are obliged to go towards this enormous mountain but I doubt that this famous wolf is here. If you ask me, it''s that little shit of a nobleman who invented this story after having killed his two teammates."


    I still couldn''t see who was talking and how many there were but one thing was for sure, this human was talking about Freya. The voices seemed to be heading not far away into a kind ofrge natural hole in the ground almost resembling an arena. It was only possible to enter by road, as natural earth walls surrounded the area, preventing any escape.


    *I think I''ll go and have a look*.


    As I approached this hole hiding among the trees surrounding this ce, I could see that the humans had set up a small camp inside. There were 5 tents arranged in a circle and a huge campfire in the middle. The humans must have been adventurers and there seemed to be 5 of them. I couldn''t see their levels like Freya so I could only assume.


    *They look to be C-rank or maybe B-rank, either way I don''t think anyone is above level 15.*


    I leaned in slightly to check if I had missed anyone when the same voice was heard again just below me. The same human who had been talking about Freya was still shamelessly talking about her.


    "Honestly, if that wolf really exists and we kill it, I think I might actually keep something hahaha~!"


    He was an old adventurer, quite muscr, blond with ck eyes and while heughed out loud hispanion next to him looked at him horrified in panicked whispers. He was smaller, frailer and had brown hair and eyes.


    "You...you don''t think about it, it''s forbidden ! It''s a guild mission and paid for by the Duyer family to boot ! You can''t do that, if you do that you are literally stealing from our employer. What if the boss hears you ?"


    "So what ? Since that bastard lord died the city and upside down so I can help myself a little right ? I''ll just take a fang or two and wear it as a ne, I''m sure that would be really ssy. Oh and stop with the boss, he doesn''t need to know that !"


    I hadn''t lost a beat of their conversation as the blonde haired human talked loudly about skinning my wife. As I walked away to observe from another ce, the little adventurer uttered the name of the pretentious adventurer and then at that moment all discretion was no longer possible.


    "Wait ! Beauty !"


    "PFFHAHAHA~!"


    I had burst outughing. When his name had reached my ears my mind had gone white as it superimposed the image of this proud, pretentious, and...ugly human on his name. Yes, this man was extremely ugly and his name was Beauty. I couldn''t help butugh while holding my ribs because in all my dragon life I had never heard such a thing. Tears welled up in my eyes as the two adventurers spotted me.


    "YOU ! GET DOWN !"


    Beauty didn''t seem to get that I wasughing at his first name so with the idea of gleaning information about, what they were searching for and exactly how many adventurers they were, Iplied. As I walked down the small hill to the path, the two adventurers looked at me suspiciously because of my hidden face.


    "Why are you here ? Show your face !"


    The human spoke to me without any respect as he reached up to forcefully remove my hood and uncovered my face.


    "Oh, you should have told me earlier that a goddess like you was hanging around ! What are you doing here ? Would you like to y a little game with me ?"


    The ugly man had suddenly changed his tone as he looked at me with disgusting eyes, sliding his fingers over my cheek and licking his pale blue lips. He wasn''t shaved and up close his stench stung my nose so much I couldn''t help but wince. I was caught off guard and could not suppress my unease. All half-humans or creatures generally had a much better sense of smell than humans and as a dragon I was no exception to the rule so finding myself so close to him made me nauseous.


    "What ? What''s wrong with you ?"


    Beauty snarled as he began to yell at me, holding my wrist tightly and sending a mind-boggling amount of spit in my face. I was still stunned by the horrible smell that kept seeping through my nostrils. I didn''t know how long these adventurers had been in the forest, but it had been quite a while.


    "You think because you''re a little cute you''re better than me huh ? You''ll see if you''ll still be proud with that !"


    As Beauty finished his sentence and pulled a dagger out of his sleeve, I was still a little confused and dazed. He pointed it at my face before attempting to cut my skin with it. I barely had time to get out of the way and pull back before he had already touched one side of my cheek.


    *Are humans always so touchy ?*


    As I stood up with a clear head, I could feel a little blood running down my face. There was a cut just below my right eye on my cheekbone, slight but visible. I hade down on my own to look for information but I was taking way too long.


    *Damn it, I should have taken care of it directly !*


    I had listened to a man spit on my wife, I hadcket of discretion because of an unfortunate, if funny, mishap, I had almost fainted because of the stench of a human and on top of that I had a cut on my cheek.


    It had been over ten years since I had fought a human but there was no time to bring up old demons.


    "All right, that''s enough..."


    As I stood up irritated and serious, I stared at the blonde adventurer with contempt and mostly disgust before speaking to him.


    "You ! You can hurt me, stare at me, insult me but I forbid you to talk about the woman I love in this way ! You wanted to y is that it ? Well let''s y !"


    Just as my sentence was finished, I pulled out the two daggers I had hidden behind my cloak, behind my back beforeunching myself in their direction. He had not had time to understand that his throat was already cut and his arms broken. Approaching the boy I looked at him with a friendly smile before asking him a question.


    "How many adventurers are hanging around the mountain ?"


    He was shaking and stammering but I had managed to figure out that most of them hadn''t arrived yet, that they would arrive tomorrow at dawn and that for now 5 had been sent out to scout.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Thank you."


    While it was his turn to have his throat slit, three other adventurers came out of their respective tents alerted by the noise, weapons in hand. The lone archer wasted no time as I could already feel two arrows heading at high speed for my position. Jumping up and spreading my wings, I rose into the sky to avoid the projectiles that were far too slow to be able to hurt me.


    "A...a half-human...kill her !"


    Humans hadn''t changed one bit in decades and I couldn''t help but wonder if their entire race was so bad as I charged at the archer to punch him in the face turning his neck 360 degrees.


    "Die !"


    The second one wasn''t smart and had screamed behind my back before evenunching his attack. I had no trouble ramming my des into his skull while thest one ran away.


    "Wait !"


    Running after him and reaching him very quickly, I kicked him sending him flying against the earthen walls of theirir killing him instantly.


    "You wanted to y...we yed. Checkmate !"


    I had gotten the main information about the adventurers and knew that we should therefore hurry and leave. Touching my wounded cheek, I couldn''t help but shiver as a single phrase came to mind.


    *She''s not going to be happy...*


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years old / Mentally: 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 390


    Defense : 386


    Agility : 400


    Stamina : 403


    Speed : 392


    Intelligence : 390


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 385


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 5)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 58 The Masked Princess

    -- POV General --


    As Gaya prepared to guide those hidden beneath the mountain and Freya neared her destination, back a week earlier, another person was also moving forward into her future.


    Princess yna had finally made it out of the castle undetected, managed to sneak into the Church, and even had a chat with three protectors whose names she didn''t even know. The princess had learned that the mission had failed and that they were looking for a way to repair the damage. Her desire to escape led her to propose to find people willing to go with her to see what was going on in the Dark Forest. The protectors were at first reluctant but finally epted as they had no other choice but to remain discreet.


    yna now had money, 10 gold coins to carry out her mission and had a week to find volunteers capable of fighting. She had been wandering the streets for a day, not even knowing how to proceed or where to start. Her fear had overtaken her excitement and she had not dared to approach even one passerby for fear of being recognized. The princess was finally out in the open for so many years and anything was making her panic and suspect passersby of watching her. She didn''t risk the protectors turning her in because as she had stated, they needed her help too. They would much rather help the princess escape than face the wrath of the Supreme. And then it''s not as if the Church and the Royalty were on good terms so finally the three humans felt they were gaining on the exchange.


    yna, once out of the religious building, had walked around the city for the very first time, this time paying attention to everything she saw. At first, the princess had been shocked by this city full of life and people, marveling at absolutely everything. yna may have been 18 years old, but she still had the eyes of a little girl when faced with so many new things and discoveries. She had never known anything outside of her castle life, she was literally like a baby bird opening her eyes for the first time in her life. But reality soon caught up with her as she began to see the first ves on the streets and in the many shops. At that moment, her fascination with the city hadpletely disappeared, giving way to the same disgust she had felt for so many years already.


    She had smiled in front of so many happy people and let herself be fooled, but now the princess could no longer smile when these same people were living openly happy in front of so many unhappy people. She wasn''t in a position to help them right now, so all she could do was run away and hope that maybe she coulde back one day and free them all.


    "I have to hurry.."


    As yna muttered these words, she had decided to snap out of her torpid state and get moving so she could escape. The three guards had given her enough money to fulfill all the requirements, get dressed and eat until the rendezvous date. She couldn''t help but feel weak even though her determination didn''t waver. The princess didn''t realize that she was already incredibly strong considering what she had already had the courage to do and what she had been through.


    So the princess'' quest to findpanions she didn''t really want to have, in a huge and unknown city, had begun.


    ____


    -- POV yna --


    *I''m going to start by finding something to wear, I can''t keep this dress and these shoes.*


    My feet were all messed up and bleeding and my shoes were broken. I didn''t look very good in my expensive outfit, which waspletely trashed. I needed to find clothes, shoes and most importantly something to hide my face.


    "Let''s go !"


    I had received quite a few scratches on my arms, legs, and face during my run and my body was in excruciating pain from running around so much. I was not a mage and certainly not a warrior, just a weak, ignorant, lost and confused young woman. I had never known anything in my life and here I was, alone with a week toplete my mission or I would not be able to escape with their help. Of course nothing was stopping me from leaving now...but I wasn''t like that. They had helped me and I would help them as promised.


    As I walked the streets looking for a ce to buy clothes, a sign shone in the sun with a shirt symbol. I had finally found something to wear and couldn''t help but rush into the store.


    The ce was clean and well maintained, the clothes were sorted by gender and there seemed to be everything. The salesman was a well-dressed young man who once the door was opened and the bell above jingled turned to greet me.


    "Hello, if I..."


    As he adjusted the sses he had on his face I could see him looking me up and down before speaking to me in a much less friendly voice.


    "Ma''am, I hope you have the money to pay. We''re not in a store that fits into...everyone''s budget.."


    I nodded slowly as I held up my purse, taking care to lower my head while jingling the coins in the small cloth bag. The young man with a smile then leaned in before inviting me to call on him if I had any questions.


    *Tsk, I know this kind of attitude change all, too well*


    I hurriedly picked out some clothes and shoes before paying and hurriedly walked out still with my shawl on my head. I was now dressed in a dark blue skirt, a simple white top andfortable brown shoes. This outfit had cost me 50 silver coins so I only had 9 gold and 50 silver coins left, which seemed really expensive for what it was.


    But I had no idea how much money was worth in this city because I hadn''t studied, I had not had a tutor, too busy being forgotten. I had to sacrifice my education and a lot of other things to get there...I was a very stupid and ignorant princess.


    *Don''t think about it...*


    Shaking my head to get rid of the negative thoughts, I now had to find something to hide my face more easily as well as my hair.


    As I wandered back through the many streets, a small store full of various things piqued my curiosity. It seemed to have everything and as I looked through the many items avable after entering, I finally found the two things I needed most.


    *Perfect !*


    In a corner of the store there was arge white hooded cloak with a ck mask that could cover the upper part of the face. It was simple but special because it had the particrity of having a light blue crescent moon at the forehead.


    "This is..."


    I thought it was beautiful and without hesitation I grabbed it and the cape and bought them right away. I had also chosen a leather shoulder bag in the same color as my shoes. I had 9 gold and 20 silver coins left. Once out, I put on the cloak and mask, happy to finally have my hands free and not have to put my head down. My new bag was at waist level and I was finally ready to conduct my research and as I walked through the streets, I had made a decision that I would not break.


    *I''m not taking off this mask until I find you !*


    ___


    Six days had passed and I had finally attracted the attention of some adventurers. Using the money from the three protectors, I had posed as an anonymous employer and offered the guild a bounty of 50 silver coins per head to go to the Dark Forest and back to investigate the 71 missing people. The guardians had given me instructions on how to proceed and I had to specify in the request as the employer, that the strongest adventurer would be the leader. Once he returned, he was to give the result of his investigation to the guild, which would normally pass the information on to a person serving as a messenger for the three at the main church.


    During the week I had also bought a small dagger just in case, even though I didn''t really know how to use it.


    Ten people from different groups had responded and all I had to do was to join them and pretend to be the employer''s messenger. I had nobat experience at all and had never seen blood except for that famous day when I inherited the medallion. I was obviously terrified of being on a battlefield, but if joining these adventurers would get me out of this town, there was no need to hesitate. I wasn''t nning on following them all the way, but staying with them at first would be beneficial, if only to learn a little more about how to survive outside.


    *The appointment is set for today !*


    The week was over and it was time to gather. We were all to gather in front of the guild before riding to Yarlford, a town near the forest, before venturing out.


    *Okay, don''t get noticed*


    Clutching my precious medallion still hanging around my neck, I headed towards the many people waiting outside the guild. They were all separated to chat with their respective party members while I was alone. My heart was pounding in my chest as I made my way to a corner and made myself as inconspicuous as possible. I didn''t have a namete since I wasn''t a real adventurer but rather the employer of these people and a fake messenger. However, none of them were to find out that I was not strong like them, let alone that I was the princess of this Kingdom.


    Among these people there were three groups, one of three, one of two and one of five. In the first group, there were two men and one woman wearing dark red capes and carrying swords. Their faces were hidden under a hood and if it wasn''t for the woman''s long hair, I would have taken her for a man. In the second one there were two sisters, twins who seemed to be mages since they had no weapons with them. Both women were quite small and dressed in two fancy red dresses, hidden in some ces by light armor. Thest group consisted of four men and a single woman.


    "Good ! Gather round ! You all read the mission guidelines just as I did, and it looks like I''m the leader."


    The only woman in thest group stepped forward as she looked at everyone with a smile on her face before speaking again.


    "You are all going to show me your nametes so we can all check this together. I think I''m the strongest but let''s take a look anyway."


    The first group consisted of a level 23, a level 21 and a level 25. The twins were both level 28 and thest group indeed had the strongest members. The four men were level 28, 29, 31 and 32 while the woman who was the leader was level 35.


    She was tall, had green eyes and ck hair and carried a thin sword at her waist. I didn''t know her name yet but I could easily guess that she didn''t look very friendly as she nted her eyes on me.


    "You masked damsel, show me your namete !"


    She had spotted me and I could only reply that I was not an adventurer.


    "I...I am not an adventurer. I''m only here under orders from the employer, I''ll just keep him informed of the...the mission before your full report when you return."


    As I finished my sentence, the woman approached me before smiling with all her teeth as she spoke in a honeyed voice.


    "Oh I see. My name is Sarah, can you give me your name in return youngdy ?"


    "A..."


    I didn''t know what to say as I had never thought of a pseudonym until now. I had managed to keep my mouth shut at thest moment but I was already in a tricky situation in the first few minutes. As I panicked with my eyes closed and clutching my medallion, a thought suddenly came to my mind as I thought about this precious object and my mask.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Lu....Luna ! My...my name is Luna."


    "Well nice to meet you Luna, you are quite mysterious but I am looking forward to getting to know you..."


    I suddenly felt ufortable as I looked away, nodding my head. At the same time, Sarah regained her seriousness as she turned to the others.


    "Good ! We''re not going to go directly ! Let''s gather outside the city gates to learn a little more about each other before we travel."


    It was finally time to leave the capital, I was all excited to leave this monstrous city, not knowing that another ck haired monster had set her sights on me.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 390


    Defense : 386


    Agility : 400


    Stamina : 403


    Speed : 392


    Intelligence : 390


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 385


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 5)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 59 A Place To Call Home And An Unexpected Event

    -- POV Freya --


    It was getting dark as we all slowly but surely made our way into the treeless area. Everyone was tired, even my little Shiro was sleeping next to Kate in a cart reserved for children. I was in the front from the beginning, which is why I was the first one out of the forest. The treeless area was vast and I could feel the fresh sea air tickling my face and nose. It was and of dry earth and grass that stretched as far as the eye could see. As the carts came out of the trees one by one, I threw Inferno at full speed to reach the edge of this great in.


    "Go !"


    "Your Highness !!!"


    Trioa shouted as my othermanders tried to join me before being stopped by Emilia who, without a word had made a move to stop them all.


    I didn''t say anything, too absorbed by what was happening in front of me. My glittering eyes were fixed on the horizon, in front of this immensity while my horse galloped. I could no longer hear the sound of his hooves pounding the ground or the sound of birds as I felt like I was flying, free...time seemed to stand still. Inferno galloped faster and faster and carried me on his back with vigor until he reached the west side. As he stopped, his two front legs rose up as he neighed and reared at the edge of a small cliff offering the others a vision almost out of a dream. My long ck hair flew as my single white strand reflected thest light of day.


    As Inferno calmed down, the setting sun tinted the horizon with its warm color while I remained silent in front of this magnificentndscape.


    [Wow..it looks like...]


    "...the end of the world !"


    In front of me was the sea that stretched as far as the eye could see. The water was calm and shone with an intense red, colored by the sunset. I felt like I had reached the end of the world, as if it belonged to me and I was alone while my eyes remained hypnotized by this ce of beauty.


    "Kira...this is where we will live..."


    My voice rose softly as I whispered these words that made me smile. We had finally all arrived at the ce where my Kingdom would soon stand, where we could all live in peace.


    "Your Highness ?"


    Trioa had flown to me and was waiting behind me, her dot on the heart and head bowed. As my gaze moved from the sea to the trees, I could see that the carts had all stopped in the middle and were waiting.


    "Where''s Shiro ?"


    The first thing that came to my mind was to show her this scene before the sun had fully set. The light was still strong and I didn''t want her to miss such a sight.


    "Princess Shiro is in that cart over there, she should normally be awake."


    "Very well, thank you."


    I was once again throwing my horse in the direction of the ce Trioa had pointed out to me. The cart was mostly made up of children and among all these little colored heads, it was not very hard for me to distinguish onepletely white one. I approached the cart before getting off the horse and walking towards Shiro. Viana and five other women were looking after the youngsters and when they saw me, they hurried to their knees.


    "Your Highness, we took good care of the Princess during the trip. Have youe to pick up her ?"


    As Naia''s mother spoke, I could not hide the slight annoyance that ran through me as my cold, powerful voice rang out.


    "Get up, I don''t like people kneeling before me for nothing. Save it for important events."


    "Y..yes!"


    The six women eagerly stood up as I saw almost all of them look down, their hands shaking. I didn''t want to scare them, but I couldn''t be any more friendly. Even though I wanted to rule my Kingdom firmly and be addressed as the Empress, to make up for my coldness and aura I had decided to be more encouraging and sincerely congratte those who deserved it.


    "Thank you for taking care of my daughter during the ride."


    That was all I could say to them as I passed them to get my little moon. The six half-human women were smiling, obviously happy for this sign of gratitude despite the fear I inspired in them.


    My daughter was alone and was trying to stroke the horse that had brought them here to thank and congratte him. The scene was quite funny because she couldn''t even reach his belly and kept jumping to try to reach him.


    *Pffhaha~*


    It was so funny that Kira and I couldn''t stopughing. As I approached her, I picked her up so she could reach her head.


    "Thanks mommy !"


    This little girl had such a pure heart that she still managed to impress me. As Shiro petted the horse, I talked to her about how I wanted to show her something.


    "Sweetie, there is really something beautiful I want to show you. Will youe with me ? It seems to me that you have never seen the sea before, have you ?"


    My little moon then quickly turned her head towards me with her mouth open, not even knowing what to say as she vigorously nodded her head.


    "Haha~ all right let''s go. Quickly before the sun disappears !"


    Inferno was already standing by as if he had understood our conversation so it was quick to get my daughter on it before doing the same, to once again gallop to the end of the in. Once we arrived, Shiro couldn''t take her eyes off this fascinatingndscape that could absorb all our thoughts. As far as I was concerned, it was no longer the horizon that held my gaze but my little girl and her eyes full of stars. For me they were worth a thousand times and even more that beautiful setting sun.


    I leaned slightly to whisper three words to her that I had never said to her before.


    "I love you."


    This time her eyes stared at me as she answered in her little voice.


    "I love you too mommy...th...thanks for showing me the sea for the first time."


    Hugging her while we were still sitting on the horse, I quickly kissed her forehead as she gently closed her eyes lulled by the rhythm of the waves.


    "This is where we will all live. If you wish, your room can even have this view....


    ....wee home my dear."


    My little moon was not asleep and I could see her smiling sweetly, her face buried in my shirt and her little arms around my waist. Shiro''s eyes were still closed and even though she was turned towards me, I hadn''t missed the little bead of water that was gently running down her pink cheek. My daughter was crying.


    "Baby what''s wrong ? Do you hurt somewhere ?"


    I couldn''t help but worry as I took her face in my gloved hands to wipe her eyes. Shiro sniffled while shaking her little head indicating that I shouldn''t worry before answering.


    "No mommy...I...I just wanted to say thank you. Since you became my mom, every day I am super happy. I have a friend, no one hits me, no one yells at me and most of all I have two really nice moms with me. When I wake up next to you in the morning, my stomach doesn''t hurt anymore, I''m not scared anymore and I even feel warm in my chest...


    ....Is this what they call a family ?"


    She looked at me with her big, still wet eyes patiently waiting for my answer.


    "Yes...this is what a family is. In a family we love each other and protect each other. You are my daughter and Gaya is my wife and your mother, you are both my first family and I will always protect you."


    *You too Kira I love you and you are obviously part of my family too*


    [Thank you..I..I love you too onee-san]


    Kira''s voice was almost inaudible and I knew that she was touched by my words. While I was stroking Shiro''s hair, no one else was talking because we were all enjoying this magical but not perfect moment. It would have been perfect only if my wife had stood by our side.


    Gaya had been gone for several hours already and I was about to contact her telepathically to find out the progress of her mission.


    Nobody hade to disturb us during our moment because nobody dared to disturb me when I was apanied by my daughter or my wife. We were quietly trotting back to the camp that was forming little by little before our eyes. When I had almost reached it, Persea appeared before me.


    "Your Highness, your tent is ready and the Princess'' bed is inside if she wishes to rest. The members in charge of the kitchen are preparing food and the others are helping us set up everything."


    "Very well thank you. Once finished rest all and eat, I must contact Gaya then no one disturb us."


    The dryad bowed before leaving and passing the message on while I got off my horse and carried Shiro in my arms who had actually fallen asleep. Before leaving, I did not forget to caress Inferno who had carried me until here without ever getting tired all day.


    "Go and rest too, you''ve worked well today."


    The ck stallion neighed, almost nodding his head before walking away to a watering hole.


    [You''re lucky to have found him, he''s already extremely loyal to you]


    *Indeed, he''s a good horse and I''m d to have him. I''m sure we''re not done being amazed by him and Pearl.*.


    As I mentioned Gaya''s mare, I walked into my tent with my little moon still in my arms. The tent looked bigger and new things had been added. In addition to therge table and 12 chairs around it and the three beds, there was a wooden desk and small dressers with candles. Our beds had changed and looked morefortable while my chair was also different. It used to be simple and like all the others but now it was bigger, had armrests and carved designs on it.


    "I wonder when they had time to do all this !"


    [During their week of recovery they were pretty busy though you know ?]


    I was thinking about what Kira had told me while gentlyying Shiro on her little bed, which was now covered with a very soft material. After giving her ast kiss on the cheek, I got up to sit on my newfortable chair. I was going to test for the very first time the telepathy at distance.


    *Tell me Kira, how do I contact Gaya ?*


    [Just open your Kingdom menu and mentally select Gaya''s name from the list to ess her functions].


    As I followed Kira''s advice and selected Gaya''s name, a whole new window appeared before me.


    -- PING --


    [Named individual : Gaya


    Status


    Information


    Physical and mental state


    Telepathy ]<novelnext></novelnext>


    There were some new things but for now I wanted to talk to my wife


    -- PING --


    [ Contact Gaya telepathically ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    As I mentally answered yes, I felt like a connection was being made in my mind. It was a very special feeling, as I felt and saw two golden threads connect together and go away as I tried a sentence to test.


    "Gaya ? Can you hear me ?"


    "AAAAAHHH !!!"


    It was indeed the voice of the dragoness I had heard screaming. She seemed to have been surprised by this sudden voice that had appeared in her mind.


    "Fr...Freya ? How do you...? Oh yes, that''s right. Pfff you scared me, I think I could have died of a heart attack !"


    I was happy to be able to hear her even though she was grumbling after being scared like that. I could already see her puffing out her cheeks in protest but before I bothered her any further I wanted to be sure of one thing.


    "Is everything okay ? Have you met any people ?"


    "...Uh yes, a few adventurers, there were five of them but it wasn''t a problem for me. We are currently still walking at our own pace to get there as quickly as possible."


    I was relieved to hear this and as I became more rxed, I continued to ask her questions.


    "Why are you walking at night ? Shouldn''t you be resting ?"


    "Adventurers are supposed tond towards the mountain at dawn, so we need to walk longer to avoid running into them."


    At her words I stood up from my chair almost knocking it over.


    "Do I have toe ?!?!"


    "Honey no ! Don''t worry we''ll get there in 3 days if all goes well ! Just stay where you are and start construction...please."


    She seemed strangely panicked but her words had reassured me.


    [She''s right, don''t worry about her onee-san !]


    Just as I was about to reply, a sentence that I didn''t expect from Gaya suddenly echoed in my mind and left me speechless.


    "Freya ? Just now, wh-who was that ?"


    "Huh ?"


    [Wh...]


    This...was unexpected.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 390


    Defense : 386


    Agility : 400


    Stamina : 403


    Speed : 392


    Intelligence : 390


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 385


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 5)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 60 Discovery And Very First Family Meeting

    -- POV Freya --


    "Freya ? Just now, wh-who was that ?"


    "Huh ?"


    [Wh...]


    I couldn''t believe what I had just heard. The tent had be silent like the three of us. A lot of questions were running through my head as I restarted the conversation to confirm what had just happened.


    "Gaya, can you hear Kira ?"


    "Kira ? You mean I heard the little sister you told me about ?"


    "It would seem so...Kira, I believe you are able to speak to others via the telepathy of the Kingdom menu."


    She seemed to be the most shocked of the three of us. It was understandable, since what could be called her birth, she had only been able to converse with one person, me. We were very close and shared almost everything, but the prospect of being able to talk to other people must have been wonderful news for her. I could hear her little voice echoing in my mind again.


    [I...]


    "It''s okay Kira, take your time."


    My little sister had be oddly shy as she spoke to another person for the first time in her life. She wasn''t an introvert, but it would take some time to get used to it and I knew she was a little scared.


    [Nice to meet you Gaya, my name is Kira].


    Gaya didn''t understand everything that was going on either but was extremely polite.


    "Nice to meet you Kira ! You can be on first-name terms with me, we''ve spoken a few times with Freya as our messenger, but I''m happy to be able to talk to you directly. I...thank you for always helping her and being by her side."


    [It..it''s nothing, thank...you for bringing her what I can''t.]


    It was strange to hear two people in my mind without interfering and especially when those two people were talking about me as if I wasn''t there. Despite the strangeness of the situation, I couldn''t help but be happy for Kira. Hearing my little sister speak with my wife for the first time, almost made me emotional as a warm smile that I didn''t show to anyone else, appeared on my face.


    "Little sister, this is great ! That''s a pretty exceptional revtion. I can''t believe we made such a discovery."


    I felt like my head was heating up, so much information, so many possibilities could exist through the system. Even Kira didn''t know its ws and its real capabilities. My mind was teeming with unanswered questions, theories, ideas and excitement.


    ____


    We had calmed down and we had taken advantage of this moment to exin to Gaya what the system really was, so that she could understand the conversation. The dragoness had been attentive the whole time and despite the subject being unknown to her, she had managed to understand everything perfectly.


    Shiro was sleeping and we had been talking for ten minutes now.


    [I don''t understand how this is possible. I can''t use your telepathy skill though...it''s iprehensible.]


    "Freya ? Why can''t she use the telepathy skill you got at level 15 ? She''s right, based on what you told me, it doesn''t really make sense, does it ?"


    For my part, I thought I had found something. It was just a theory but I was almost 100% sure she was the answer. As I straightened my head, I breathed in to exin to them what I thought was an interesting lead.


    "Listen. When I connected my mind to yours, Gaya, I saw two threads connect to each other very vaguely before they went away. I think they were each of our mana links, yours Kira, yours Gaya and mine. The reason you, Kira, can''t use my telepathy skill that I acquired at level 15 is because it is an automatic skill. This skill is from this world and therefore you cannot interact with it, but when I contacted Gaya I used another form of this same skill. The difference is that this time it is the system that supports it via the Kingdom menu. The two threads I saw, must have been my mana link and Kira''s."


    [Which would mean that as a recognized and individual entity, my soul is automatically taken care of by the system ?]


    "Exactly !"


    [...]


    That was a lot of information, but I knew that it could not be anything else. Everything seemed logical to me and above all I hade to the conclusion that the Empress system left nothing to chance, it was perfect. Gaya, who until then had remained silent, spoke up after thinking for a long time.


    "Which means, for the moment, she can only talk to members who have their names listed in your Kingdom menu."


    "For the moment yes, but I think that''s already really good ! So..."


    This discovery had also made me realize another really important thing. If Kira and Gaya could talk to each other through me as well, then that meant that there could be more than one of us conversing at a distance.


    "I''d like to try something ! Gaya, give me a moment I''ll get back to you shortly."


    "No worries Freya, on my side we stopped so contact me as soon as everything is ready"


    With these words, I ended the conversation because I had a very specific idea in mind. Kira didn''t know what I wanted to do and was panicking a little bit because she knew that it was going to concern her.


    [Something ? Onee-san wait !]


    I didn''t listen to Kira at all as I walked over to Shiro who hadn''t eaten yet so she woke up with a hungry stomach. She was rubbing her eyes softly as she looked disoriented.


    "Mommy ? Is it morning already ?"


    "Haha~ no sweetie, it''s still evening and you fell asleep. Stay here and I''ll go get you some food and I''d like you to help me with something too."


    My little moon looked up as she smiled, happy to be able to eat and help me. I was getting up to leave the tent when I noticed two soldiers standing in front of it, on either side of the entrance.


    *Why are they here ?*


    As I walked out, I took the opportunity to question them.


    "You two, didn''t I give the order to rest ? What are you doing standing like that in front of my tent ?"


    The two soldiers were actually women, one half-bear and one half-cat, holding tworge spears in their hands. As my voice reached their ears, I could see them stiffen before turning to greet me. The cat-eared woman on the right still had her head down as she replied.


    "Your Highness, we are here at the request of Commander Emilia and Commander Ralph. Our role is to help you if there is anything you need or simply to pass on any messages that arrive outside or inside your tent. Do you want us to leave ?"


    [That''s new]


    *Indeed*


    I was still thinking as I stared at them. It was a good move because it allowed me to not be disturbed but to be aware of what was going on outside the tent at all times. What I didn''t like was that I wasn''t told about it. I knew that as the kingdom grew, I wouldn''t be able to know everything right away, but that''s why there were management positions. They were just to keep me informed of any decisions.


    "Sigh, no, it''s okay, you can stay. But make sure you take turns so you''re not the only two who don''t get any rest. Have one of you two bring two meals back to the tent, thank you."


    "Hai !"


    I returned again to my quarters while thinking about the decision that Emilia and Ralph had taken.


    *It will be necessary in the future that theye to speak to me about this kind of things. I know that they want to avoid disturbing me as much as possible but I remain the Empress. It''s my job to know every little thing that happens among my subordinates and the smallest orders given.*


    [It''s nothing, you''ll just have to be stricter on that point].


    *Mmh*


    While I was still in my thoughts, the bear woman and the cat woman returned bringing two good meals that Irrena and her team had prepared.


    "Thank you, go eat if you haven''t already"


    "Thank you your highness, we are going right now, others wille to rece us."


    ____


    I was now sitting and leaning back in my chair while Shiro ate happily sitting on myp. Her legs were swaying to the rhythm of her tail and I could even hear her humming slightly. I had already wolfed down my meal in just a few minutes and my daughter was almost finished with her meal so I decided to test my theory.


    "Sweetie, how would you like to talk to Gaya ? She''s not with us but I can use magic to get you to talk to her."


    Her mouth was still full as she responded excitedly.


    "Yesh I want tcho !"


    I also wanted her to talk to Kira for the first time to see if it was possible to all connect and have our first real family meeting. Shiro still didn''t know about Kira and I was afraid she wouldn''t really understand so I tried to exin it as simply as possible.


    "Shiro my dear, there is something else I would like to tell you. You know that I have a little sister that you have never met. She is also part of our family but she can''t physically be with us because she is in my mind."


    My little girl tilted her head to the side to show that she was trying to understand. After frowning for a few seconds, she seemed very interested.


    "Is she stuck in your head ? How can you talk to her ? What''s her name ?"


    This may have been sudden, but surprisingly her questions vibrated with intense excitement as I answered her.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Her name is Kira. Do you want to talk to her too ? You can only talk to her in your own head if you concentrate well. Don''t be afraid, you will hear my voice, Gaya''s voice and my little sister Kira''s voice."


    Shiro nodded with a serious look on her face as she had left her te for a long time, far too absorbed in the idea of talking to Gaya from afar and meeting the sister I had in my head.


    -- PING --


    [ Contact Gaya and Shiro by telepathy ? ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    *I knew it ! You can select multiple people !*


    While I was delighted with this discovery, the same feeling was felt in my mind. I could see the same two threads connecting before they left and split back into two. One part was going away and the other was connected to Shiro who was on myp waiting.


    "Mom Gaya ?"


    Her little voice was now in my mind and I could see her focus as she closed her eyes.


    "Shiro is that you ?"


    It was the dragoness'' turn to have her voice echo in my head as Shiro suddenly opened her eyes shocked by what she had just heard.


    "Oh ! Mom can you hear me ? I can hear you magically ! This is really magical hehe~!"


    Gaya also seemed very happy as she answered Shiro and chatted with her a bit. Kira and I had remained silent so as not to disturb them during their discussions, but after a few minutes, my little moon addressed Kira.


    "Ki..kira ? Uh...I don''t know if you can hear me but mommy said she has a little sister. I hope you''re doing well even though you''re locked up and I''m very happy to have a new person in the family. T..thank you for taking me in. Oh and I forgot...my name is Shiro !"


    The next thing we all heard at that moment was Kira''sughter that hid a deep emotion. She had been seeing Shiro through me all this time and had grown enormously attached to her. It must have made her feel much better to finally be able to talk to my daughter than to my wife, after all Kira had also fallen for her little angelic face. I couldn''t help but smile, even though I knew my little sister would have cried if she had a body. Her voice was joyful, warm and soft as she softly answered this little girl on myp.


    [Hello little Shiro. Thank you for being so kind to me, I''m so happy to meet you and to finally be able to talk to you. You can call me aunty Kira or just Kira, it''s up to you. I would hug you but it''s impossible, so I hope you''ll agree toe and talk to me whenever you feel like it okay].


    "Of course, aunty Kira ! Besides you look as kind as mommy hihi~"


    This time it was Gaya and I who didn''t talk while Shiro got to know Kira.


    We spent a very long time after that talking andughing all four of us for the first time. I was happy, my heart was overflowing with love and joy. This feeling was inexplicable but I epted it with great pleasure. We could finally talk together as a real family and this discovery had left me even more determined than ever.


    *I would find a way for Kira to stand by our side with a body, no matter what*


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 390


    Defense : 386


    Agility : 400


    Stamina : 403


    Speed : 392


    Intelligence : 390


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 385


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 5)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 61 Three Destinies, Three Paths

    [N/A: I want to make it clear that yna is not a main character. She is in a way for this arc but in each new volume there will be a new person who will appear, destined to impact Freya''s life and the others (for good or bad). We will then follow that person in the same way. This volume is a bit of an introduction to the princess but this pattern will be repeated].


    ______


    -- POV General --


    Three days had passed since the telepathic conversation with the family, and three days had also passed since the adventurers'' meeting in front of the Zalhythe guild. Freya was about to start construction, Gaya was going through two forests, and yna was finally getting ready to leave.


    _____


    -- POV yna --


    I had been staying at an inn for three days waiting to join the adventuring group. Sarah, who had be the leader, had given us time to prepare our things before we left. Some wanted to buy new weapons, others to restore their stocks or simply to rest. As for me, I didn''t have much to do, so I locked myself up and waited for the day of the second meeting, which was now an hour away.


    Three days ago, when we had gotten to know each other better, I had not been able to remember even one name. That day, I had been far too busy watching Sarah''s eyes, who stared at me the whole time without blinking.


    *I must have been imagining things...yeah right ! Haha~!*


    As I repeated this sentence in my head for the hundredth time, I was walking in circles in my small, cramped room, quite different from the room I had grown up in. I felt strange but I didn''t know if it was excitement, fear of the unknown, joy or my instinct. Maybe a little bit of everything or none of it. My brain was heating up, my heart rate was racing, my breathing was getting faster and faster and my eyesight was flickering as I sat on the bed with my medallion in hand.


    *Still feeling dizzy...*


    Since I was young, over the years I had developed a bodily reaction to all my phases of intense stress. I never talked about it because I always managed to calm myself down, but it wasn''t always easy.


    *Don''t stress, everything will be fine !*


    The time of the appointment was approaching so I hurriedly put on my shoes, my cape and my bag before leaving again in the direction of the guild. We had to leave today for the city of Yarlford which would be our first andst stop before the Dark Forest. It would take us 1 month to reach it and once there we nned to rest for 3 days before leaving for the forest. If my calctions were correct, the adventurers would be there in about 1 month and a few days. I wanted to find a way to get away before I had to go to the forest but I still didn''t see any opportunities. Maybe during the trip I could take advantage of it and sneak out at night.


    *For the moment I have to get out of here already*.


    I had arrived in front of the guild where everyone was already waiting for me, ready to leave. There were two horses each pulling a cart that would be used to move us and store the foodmonly bought tost us 1 month.


    "Oh Luna you''re here !"


    When I arrived Sarah was already rushing at me as usual for some reason.


    "He...hello Sarah."


    The leader was dressed today in a cloth jumpsuit, simple and green to remind the color of her eyes. The same sword was around her waist but this time she also had chest armor and what appeared to be steel gloves.


    "Good ! Everyone is ready and everyone is here ! Everyone get in the back of the vehicles, my group and I will take the reins for the first day."


    The time of departure had finally arrived. A smile unconsciously appeared on my face as my fists clenched to contain my excitement and apprehension. Once the gates of the capital were passed, I would no longer be the princess. I would give up the title that had made me so unhappy to start a new life.


    *I will finally discover the outside world...*


    ____


    -- POV Gaya--


    We had been walking for three days, almost day and night to avoid running into adventurers. Our group was moving faster than I thought, everyone was looking forward to settling down permanently with lots of other people. From what I understood, this was the first time that so many half-humans and other races had gathered in an organized way.


    I had talked to Yorr, Elyon, the half-rabbit Lia, and the half-cat Triss, who kept asking me questions about Freya. I had exined to them in advance the organization that had been set up for the moment and the positions avable. Yorr and Elyon wanted to join the army, while Lia and Triss were aiming for the management section because they wanted to run as secretaries for Freya.


    Once I gave them a piece of information, they would pass it on to the other 98 so that everyone would be aware of the Kingdom''s progress which was handy.


    Despite the excitement, our bodies were tired and anxious to get some rest knowing that we would not have to walk againter. Freya, Shiro and me, we had all been talking with Kira for three days now, so none of us were shy or embarrassed anymore. So I was also very eager to see them again. That said, I was still a little nervous because I hadn''t told the she-wolf about my little injury for fear that she would get upset. The cut I had received had bled but had almost closed despite my slower healing due to being away from my wife. It was still visible but would soon disappear.


    Despite this, a smile was on my face as we were soon to arrive.


    "We will arrive in an hour, just a little more courage !"


    ____


    That''s it ! The camp was in sight, ced in the middle of arge expanse of grass andnd. We had already seen the sea for several days but this vision was quite different. In front of us was a scene out of a dream. There were half-humans everywhere, working with smiles on their faces, all together as onemunity. The wind was cool and pleasant in this in where there were no trees to block it and the sun was shining in the sky.


    The construction of the houses had begun and seemed to go on easily and rather quickly. Everything was well organized and as we walked along with our eyes fixed on this ce, Persea and Ynir the two guardianmanders of Freya were walking towards me.


    "Gaya-sama, we are delighted to see you safe and sound with new people. Please join her Highness in your tent, we will take care of the others who can meet the Empresster."


    I was d I didn''t have to deal with them as the head manager. For now they were just going to be fed and we would see what happened next.


    "Okay, thank you very much !"


    So I headed to the tent that was thergest of all and slightly away from the others. As I walked in, I could see Freya sitting in a beautiful chair with her legs crossed and a drink in her hand. The she-wolf seemed to be waiting for me as she must have sensed my aura since my arrival in the in. She was dressed this time in white pants and a white shirt unbuttoned at the top that she had not tucked into her pants. This woman was stunning, incredible, beautiful.


    "Honey I...am back."


    As I said these words, she moved forward to hug me before taking my face in one hand to kiss me but suddenly she stopped short. Her thumb was touching my small wound while I could see Freya slowly backing away.


    "Freya...it''s nothing, just a little scratch of nothing !"


    She didn''t say anything as the ss she was still holding exploded. Her hair began to fly gently as the air cooled and a quiet but powerful voice came out of her mouth to say only one word.


    "WHO"


    ____


    -- POV Freya --


    Gaya had just arrived and I was really happy to see her again, but I didn''t know that she had been injured. Her cheek had a scar on it from the first day she left. The dragoness must have done this to herself while fighting the five adventurers she had told me about.


    At the moment, my anger was gradually building up, but several things were bothering me. First, Gaya had not told me anything. Secondly, she had been hurt and thirdly, even though it was nothing, I couldn''t help being angry. My wife was in front of me and had been hurt while I wasn''t there, by humans who probably wanted to do horrible things to her...it was too much.


    "WHO"


    Who had done this to her and why ? Images I didn''t want to see shed by as all the worst case scenarios yed out in my head. I was angry at myself, at her and at them. In this dangerous world, if Gaya could have been injured even slightly, it proved that she had been in danger at some point.


    [Calm down onee-san ! Breathe, she''s fine ! I know you are imagining a lot of things and that''s why a simple injury makes you angry but please, calm down ! This feeling is new to you, you''re worried and it''s normal but learn to control it !].


    As I slowly came to my senses, I could see that around me the table, the chairs were overturned and Gaya looking at me with worried eyes.


    "Excuse me, I still have a hard time dealing with seeing people hurt and even more so when ites to you."


    The dragoness smiled gently at me as she shook her head.


    "No, I''m the one who''s sorry I should have told you before, precisely because I know how you are. Forgive me."


    I kissed her softly on the lips in response as her hands grabbed my neck to intensify our kiss. I had missed my wife terribly and it seemed the feeling was mutual. As we parted with a smile on our faces, a little girl apanied by a soldier came running towards us.


    "Mom you''re home ! Wee home !"


    It was Shiro returning from her afternoon with Kate. Our daughterughed as she hugged Gaya who stroked her head while telling her she was happy to be back. So the little incident was quickly forgotten, but not for me. As I put the room back together, our little moon settled down on her bed to y and the dragoness sat down on a chair to ask me a question.


    "So tell me, how''s the nning and building going ?"


    During our conversations, I hadn''t talked to her too much about this topic because it was far tooplicated for her to understand without a visual n. With my knowledge of the modern world, I had decided to build a city with a modern look. While picking up the ns scattered on the floor, I began to exin to her.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "With the two architects, we worked extensively on the kind of house I thought was ideal. We also saw theyout of the streets, their widths and other important points."


    For the design of the houses, we finally agreed on stone and brick houses that we could paint afterwards. They would have a maximum of one floor and would sometimes be glued together, sometimes separated to create roads. The streets would all be paved andrge enough to not feel crowded. I wanted to add a huge public square filled with shops, parks and why not even a pond.


    The fields would be made outside the city, behind a small river to the south that joined the sea and that we would use to supply the Kingdom with water.


    "We''ve already started the houses but not the floors. Not until everyone is housed, then we''ll see if it''s worth building one. For example, if the person in question wants to open a business downstairs and live on the first floor. Anyway that''s another thing again."


    Gaya was still looking at the ns with great attention as I continued.


    "I have already made a list of buildings that we absolutely need in addition to the houses. There is, a school, a barracks for the soldiers near a training ground, a cksmith shop, an orphanage, a hospital and a central kitchen, which will be transformed once everyone is housed and able to cook at home directly."


    The businesses for the moment were not up to date, we had not even decided on our currency, business management and all that went with it. As I finished speaking, I could see my wife look up from all those ns before looking at me with glowing eyes.


    "This is beautiful...this city and this Kingdom are going to be absolutely gorgeous !"


    I was happy to hear her say that, as a smirk appeared on my face.


    *And you haven''t seen the ns for our future home yet.*


    The work had begun and the machine was set in motion. Soon we would all be able to live here and expand our Kingdom, but we had a lot of work ahead of us.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 390


    Defense : 386


    Agility : 400


    Stamina : 403


    Speed : 392


    Intelligence : 390


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 385


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 5)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 62 Newcomers And Plans For The Kingdom

    -- POV Freya --


    It was alreadyte afternoon and I had just finished reviewing all my ns with Gaya. After the incident with the little wound, we had not discussed the subject, which was now closed, but I still kept the information in mind. The dragoness had not exined to me why the adventurers had been there, but I suspected that the Yarlford guild was acting to find me.


    *I''ll deal with thatter*.


    At first, I had the idea of saying hello to the humans in the small town in my wolf form to take out my anger on them because I hadn''t forgotten everything I had seen there, but that was dangerous. I was now responsible for hundreds of people and I didn''t want to act on a whim that could impact my new Kingdom. I needed to be methodical, but one thing was certain, I would go on the offensive if the opportunity presented itself and I was sure I wouldn''t make a mistake.


    [Onee-san, shouldn''t you go talk to Yorr and hispanions ? They must be waiting for you impatiently hehe~]


    *Ara ara~ you think ? kufufu~*


    Kira was right, it was now time to wee the neers I had already met several weeks ago. I was still in the tent with Gaya and Shiro who obviously wanted to apany me and we were about to go. I then turned to the two soldiers at the entrance, to give them the order to gather those I needed.


    "Have one of you two get the section leaders andmanders to the location of the new arrivals. When this is done,e and tell me immediately."


    ? "Right away !"


    We had to spread them out so they could find their ces as quickly as possible so as not to interfere with the others who already knew what to do. Time was not really counted anymore, but I wanted everyone to be housed and start living a peaceful life, in their own home. I also wanted the Kingdom to be built quickly so that I could marry Gaya and why not explore the forest and its surroundings in more detail.


    Taking my ck jacket, I buttoned the top of my shirt and tucked it into my pants to look more presentable. When I was in my tent, I allowed myself to getfortable, especially since the clothes made by Taegen and his group were fabulouslyfortable. The spider man made fine but strong threads and was able to shape them into any form. So in just one week, I already had quite a few clothes ranging from T-shirts to suits.


    I had obviously exined the different shapes of clothes I wanted, mixing modern outfits that I used to wear in my old world and that were much more in my taste. A lot of people had also started to wear this kind of clothes which gave a new freshness in this world.


    "Your Highness, everyone is ready."


    It was time to join those who were waiting for me while everyone else continued their work always with a smile and good mood. Gaya and Shiro followed me and we crossed the many constructions still in progress to arrive at the ce where 102 people were standing apanied by all the section leaders andmanders.


    "Your Highness, Gaya-sama, Princess Shiro."


    Everyone bowed to us as I spoke.


    "Wee everyone, I only remember a few of you, but I''m d to see that you have arrived safely. I assume that every leader here has already introduced themselves to you ?"


    Nixia then stepped forward to answer my question.


    "We have indeed introduced each of them to the different positions we lead and they have even had time to think about their choice for a while now thanks to Gaya-sama."


    Indeed, my wife during the trip had already exined to them how the Kingdom worked for the time being, which made it easier. As I turned my head towards the dragoness to smile slightly at her as a sign of thanks, four people walked in front of me at the same time. I recognized the minotaur Yorr, the elf Elyon and the two half-humans I had saved in extremis from the lord.


    Suddenly, the two men took a step back to let the two women kneel before me before uttering a sentence each. It was the cat woman who spoke first.


    "I...my name is Triss your Highness and today I wish to pledge my allegiance to you. Elyon told us what happened at the manor and...and I wanted to thank you as well for saving my life your highness. Please allow me in the future to serve you."


    Then it was the rabbit-eared young woman''s turn to speak.


    "My name is...Lia. Like Triss, I kneel before you in gratitude and loyalty. In...in this camp I was reunited with my mother, my father and even my little brother Hans. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you have done for my family your highness and I wish to serve you to the end."


    -- PING --


    [ Congrattions! You have obtained 2 citizens/subordinates ]


    Standing before them, I could see them shaking, fists clenched and faces down as a notification rang in my mind. These two young women had never been my subordinates because the day I had released them they were unconscious.


    *Oh the little Hans I met the first day with Luna ?*


    I didn''t know that Lia was Hans'' older sister and I couldn''t help but be relieved for her and her family. Triss didn''t have anyone here besides the ones she already knew, but she also seemed happy to be here.


    "Look up."


    I wanted to see their eyes to analyze their determination to follow me. As I took turns looking into theirs, Lia was blushing as she tried to resist the urge to turn her head away.


    *Why the hell is she blushing like that ?*


    [Onee-san...seriously ?]


    Kira seemed to beughing at me as I asked the two young women to stand up. Gaya had already exined to me that they wanted to help me in my daily work and be our secretaries. I found the idea interesting so I epted without hesitation.


    "Lia, Triss, from now on I ept that you are part of the management section as personal secretaries. Gaya is the head of it so I strongly advise you to join herter so she can exin your job in detail."


    The two half-humans bowed shyly before moving behind the dragoness who had joined the other section heads on the sides to facilitate the distribution. There were still 100 people left who had then stood behind each other after Yorr and Elyon. They stood in front of me in a line and all wanted to thank me and tell me which section they had chosen. Yorr was first and was alreadying forward bowing respectfully to Shiro and me.


    "Your Highness, it is an honor to see you and the Princess again !"


    At that moment, my little moon answered without me even having the time.


    "Oh sir ! I remember you, everything will be fine now because you are protected by my mommy !"


    No one could help but smile at these words spoken with such innocence and kindness. The minotaur also smiled as he bowed his head once again visibly touched by her words.


    "I thank you Princess Shiro."


    Then turning to me he continued.


    "Your Highness, I wish to join the army in the ranks of Commander Emilia. I have no magic but I am sure I can be strong and be able to protect all these people."


    "Oh ? I don''t like idle talk, so you will have to work to illustrate your words. If you feel you can do it, you are free to go wherever you want."


    It was after that in the turn of Elyon to appear in front of me whereas the minotaur ced himself behind Emilia.


    "Empress, I thank you once again for saving us all, just like myrade I wish to join the army but in the ranks of Commander Nixia."


    With his skill that ording to Gaya created trees that could defend and attack, it was a very good idea for the elf to join Nixia.


    "Sure go ahead, I have no doubt that you can surprise us one day."


    The elf walked away with a smile on his face and determined eyes to get behind themia. Deep down I hoped that Yorr and Elyon would join the army because I had a good impression of them the first time, despite their weaknesses. I only had 98 people left to see and it was going to be a long evening.


    ____


    I was back in my tent with only Gaya because Shiro had gone to eat with Kate and the other children who had just arrived. I had just finished interviewing the neers and a lot of things were very positive.


    For starters, there were 15 dwarves who could forge weapons, tools and many other things, which was a huge plus for the Kingdom. The most talented one was called Yuric, he was very passionate about his craft and with him I knew we could do some amazing things. He was not very talkative but when I told him about the projects in progress and showed him the ns that contained modern ideas, his eyes lit up and the dwarf did not stop talking after that.


    10 children had joined the other orphans who were being taken care of by Viana and her team and 10 people wanted to help in this section which was perfect. 7 wanted to join the doctors'' section led by Caipy but to work in the future hospital and not as soldiers. 5 were farmers and 5 also knew about cloth work.


    Of the remaining 48, there were 8 who were seniors and the remaining 40 joined the army with 5 permander.


    "I think things are going perfectly well !''


    I was happy because we were gradually getting new people with special talents who could contribute to the emergence of this Kingdom. All the ns were ready and everyone was helping every day so that one day we could see the ce that we would all have created with our own hands.


    "I think it''s crazy that you thought of all these things, it''s the first time that such a ce exists. The projects are crazy, modern and at the same time very nice. There is space, wonderful ces and I can already imagine what life will be like once all the buildings are built."


    Gaya was still in awe of the ns I had already shown her not long ago and it wouldn''t be long before she could actually see them. The builders were basically only 25 but I had ordered that the soldiers help the workers to physically train and advance in the constructions. So the speed of progress was enormous and thanks to those who managed it perfectly, everything was coordinated and meticulously prepared.


    The stones were broken and collected in the forest before being cut by the workers. They followed the ns of the leaders to the letter and the power of the different races was more than useful because the work was hard.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The dwarves had set up shop a little way back to build a makeshift forge to begin preparing the various things I had asked of them. They were geniuses at their craft so I didn''t need to worry too much.


    The soldiers, in addition to helping the workers, took turns watching and hunting to vary their training while still helping. Themanders were doing a great job and weren''t getting much rest either. As I was thinking of a way to not overwork them, Gaya asked me an interesting question.


    "Honey, I still haven''t seen the ns for our house. Is it going to be a castle ?"


    I didn''t want to live in a huge castle with only the three of us, so I had designed arge mansion that was both modern and old, not too big but imposing. For now it was enough, I could very well expand it as I went along if it was needed. I still hadn''t shown the ns to my wife for a simple and good reason, I wanted to surprise her.


    "This is on purpose. You and Shiro won''t find out about the house until after the construction is finished, when everyone will be living in their own house instead of a tent. It will be hard to hide the outside of our house but the inside will remain a secret until the day of the revtion kufufu~!"


    The dragoness frowned as she put both fists on her hips and questioned me further.


    "When will the first city be finished then ?"


    I had indeed gotten an estimate from the site masters on site who exined that we could house everyone and have a city almostpletely built in a short time. Everybody was working hard with an unheard of strength, pushed by the same desire and the same dreams. The constructions were very fast and with my help, my strength and my skills they would be even faster.


    As I looked at Gaya I replied with a big smile.


    "One month !"


    [N/A: Tables updated HERE. I just wanted to do it on discord but hey, I think everyone has the right to see them for better understanding. Changes are in blue]


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 390


    Defense : 386


    Agility : 400


    Stamina : 403


    Speed : 392


    Intelligence : 390


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 5)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 63 The Princess And The Adventurers (Part I)

    -- POV yna --


    *It''s time...*


    Everyone was ready and all the adventurers were already starting to settle into the carts we had at our disposal. The leader had gone to confirm some information she had obtained about the missing adventurers. In the end I didn''t really know what had happened but Sarah apparently liked to collect clues at the bar that was avable for adventurers in the guild. She had told us that this way it was possible to get leads before we even left.


    *Well then...


    As I was about to get on the back of the cart alongside the twins, Sarah who had returned, called out to me again from the front of the first vehicle.


    "Yoo-hoo Luna ! Come on, there''s a seat next to me !"


    I didn''t really want to go to the front but I also didn''t want to bother anyone and especially not her. So I headed to her side so that we could finally leave. There were only three seats at the ce she indicated to me but surprisingly nobody but me hade to sit beside her. The members of her group were behind and were already busy ying cards.


    "This is your first time out of this town isn''t it ?"


    So Sarah''s words echoed in my mind, I didn''t dare say anything for fear of saying too much. The woman beside me giggled, as she continued to speak.


    "Rx, I guessed that because you seem way too surprised by everything as if you''ve been in Zalhythe your whole life. I''m a pretty good observer you know, that''s actually why I volunteered for the mission. Fifty silver coins to go and investigate is a bargain don''t you think ?"


    "Uh...yes..."


    As Sarah spoke to me, I could see the houses scrolling by as we made our way through the city. It was veryrge so we hadn''t made it to the exit yet but with every meter my heart was racing. The sound of hooves was rising in my ears and after only a few seconds, I could only hear it. My eyes were fixed on the huge, doorless entrance to the city that had been my prison. The wall surrounding Zalhythe was gigantic, thick and made of stone, and when I looked up to observe it, I had the strange sensation of seeing it fall on me. Medallion in hand and head in the clouds, I didn''t even hear Sarah speak to me as my breathing stopped.


    *Just now, the...the door...I...*


    We had all just passed through the door in our carts. I was doing the best I could to remain as stoic as possible but it was not an easy thing to do. While it was natural for others to leave the capital, I couldn''t help but want to jump up and down, scream and cry with joy.


    While I remained calm and still, I could feel a tear beading under my mask reaching the corner of my mouth.


    *It''s...salty*


    I was leaving Zalhythe, I was leaving the city that bore my family name tinged with a ckness as dark as the hearts of its inhabitants.


    ____


    The first day, I had spent it looking around me at each newndscape. I was discovering for the first time the forests, the viges, the rivers and the animals that ventured on the road. I felt like I was living a daydream, everything was so beautiful, so vast, I was not even able to see what was at the end of the horizon. Everything was foreign to me, the smells, the mountains, even the fauna and flora.


    I realized that the world was huge and that finding the person I was looking for would not be so easy and even very difficult. How could I find this girl in such a huge world ?


    Until now I had only thought of a way to get out of the capital, but now that it was done I suddenly felt lost in this huge world. I didn''t have a map, I didn''t know anything about life outside, how to survive, how to defend myself, or even how to navigate. For the moment, the only people who could help me were the adventurers I was traveling with.


    We hadn''t taken a break since we left so as not to waste any time, so I had been stuck with Sarah all day.


    "I have a feeling it won''t rain tonight, so that''s good for us."


    "Mmh."


    I didn''t even know what to say to this woman who was constantly talking to me about everything and nothing. The sun was slowly setting as I was about to answer again, the leader asked me a question that froze me in ce.


    "Are you really the employer''s messenger ? You don''t seem fit for this journey and I have the impression that you don''t know much about the mission. Am I wrong ?"


    I didn''t know all the details of the mission, I only knew that adventurers and mercenaries had disappeared in the Dark Forest but the protectors hadn''t told me more. So the adventurers had to investigate and I was only with them to learn more about life outside and how to survive before I could leave them discreetly. Sarah was right all along...I had nothing to do here.


    "Well...I.."


    The words wouldn''te to me so I could feel the dizziness slowly returning. As I tried my best not to arouse her suspicions even more, I could feel the dark haired woman''s heavy gaze on me. I could feel her slowly approaching me to gently whisper a few sentences in my ear.


    "I''m not trying to find out who you are, you can rx. Only, if you really want to pretend to be a mission messenger, you should at least make some effort. Instead of having your de in your bag put it around your waist, your shoes are not suitable for long trips, your skirt although very cute neither and nobody wears white on a scouting mission haha~"


    As she finished her sentence leaving me motionless, Sarah winked at me.


    *Why would she help me ?*


    I thought she would report me to the others and leave me on the side of the road and yet she had remained discreet and even gave me advice. I still didn''t understand her action and words as the leader changed the subject.


    "Luna...since you seem to be unaware of quite a few things, did you know that the ones we are looking for are actually all dead ?"


    "Sorry !"


    My mind was busy deciphering her previous actions that it was already assaulted by a shocking new piece of information.


    *Dead ? How is that even possible ? Isn''t this just a fact-finding mission ?*


    Despite my mask, the one next to me had no trouble understanding my agitation and anguish as she continued her exnations.


    "I found some information at the guild. The adventurers and mercenaries were supposed to capture half-humans and fire foxes for the Guild and the Church and they never returned. They must be dead, there is no other exnation."


    Sarah no longer looked at me and looked away while gritting her teeth.


    "I lied to you. I''m not doing this mission just for the money or because I''m a good observer. The truth is that my little brother was part of the adventuring group. His name is....was Kirk. I decided to take this mission to find out what happened to him first and to avenge him. I''m sure those half-human scum in the forest had something to do with it ! I don''t know how, but they managed to wipe them all out !"


    I was already hugely stressed by the next part and learning that the mission wasn''t what I thought it was, was enough to make me break down. Sarah''s words felt like a stab in the heart. All the pressure I had built up, all my fears came out in a flood of tears that I tried to hide. I was terrified and had no idea what to do. My mind had shut down and a flood of emotions poured into me that could not be stopped.


    *I must leave before it''s toote ! No ! I must warn the half-humans...No, I am too weak. So what to do ?*


    I had left without knowing anything about this world, without any knowledge, without anything or anyone but there was one thing I didn''t want to do and that was to participate in this. I didn''t want to help these adventurersmit more atrocities, I didn''t want to have their blood on my hands. I was caught between anger, guilt, fear, regret and sadness.


    Of course I didn''t want to die either, but the first thing that worried me was that I had participated in the setting up of this mission. I was the one who had posted the ad anonymously, I was the one who hadn''t tried to understand what this mission really was and I was the one sitting next to those people I despised so much.


    *Forgive me...forgive me...*


    I had unknowingly be someone I swore I would never be and all because of my own stupidity. How could I even face this girl I wanted to find ? What would her mother say to me if she had been there ?


    *Forgive me...forgive me...*


    As I clutched my head in my hands, still repeating that phrase in my mind, Sarah who took it as fear and not guilt put her hand on my shoulder.


    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to scare you so much. I guess you really didn''t know what happened. Don''t worry, I''ll protect you and kill all that garbage, you can trust me ! "


    Her words didn''t reassure me at all, quite the opposite. She was smiling at me with a strange gleam in her eyes but I couldn''t even answer or move an inch. The shock was too great and my emotions too intense. Thest thing I saw was Sarah screaming my fake name before I passed out, unable to handle it any longer.


    ____


    As I slowly opened my eyes barely able to remember what had happened, my first instinct was to check if I still had my medallion, if my mask was still there and if my hood was still hiding my hair. I didn''t see the person sitting next to me who had suddenly started talking. It was Sarah.


    "Don''t worry, I didn''t take off your mask. You suddenly passed out so we decided to camp out there, it was gettingte anyway. What happened to you youngdy ?"


    "I...aarg"


    All of my memories were flooding back into my mind as my heart began to race again. I remembered everything, the truth about the mission, Sarah''s brother, the half-humans in the forest, and most of all my unintentional and silly involvement in it all.


    "Luna, calm down ! Everything is going to be f..."


    "Leave me alone...please.."


    I had no strength left, no energy left and I wanted to be alone. In my most difficult moments I had always been alone so Sarah''s presence made me ufortable.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The leader left the tent where I had been ced alone before telling me that I could call her if there was anything.


    When my eyes saw her leave the room, I grabbed the medallion from around my neck as small salty droplets fell on it.


    *I...I''ll fix it. I have to find a way...*


    I didn''t know how to do anything, I had almost nothing on me and I was probably a perfect target but my heart couldn''t let this happen. I had doubted, I was lost, confused, weak...but if there was one thing that kept me mentally strong it was the will of these parents. The love and gentleness in the eyes of this mother that I had never seen in any human had pushed me to endure and to be strong always with a smile.


    *I may not be the strongest or the smartest but if I can do something I will ! I will not let anyone kill more innocent people and break up families without doing something, especially if I helped in any way !*


    I had made my decision. I was going to try to get stronger in the time I had and find a way to get into the forest alone to warn them. I didn''t know how well I would be received, I didn''t know if it would work but I didn''t want to sit back and do nothing. I had an important goal, but I also had a voice in my mind and heart that was screaming at me to fix my mistakes.


    *Maybe I could convince them to be the scout, that way I could get a head start on the group.*


    As I closed my eyes, I could still see the eyes of this half-human woman and her smile. Yes, I was probably naive, stupid, useless, lonely and unconscious, but I also knew that for the first time in my life I had a tremendous determination. I couldn''t save those parents who had died so horribly, but I could still try to help those who could still be saved. I may have been naive to believe in the goodness of the forest half-humans and races, but I had no other choice. I didn''t have anyone''s blood on my hands, I was just trying to help and do what I thought was right.


    *I would find a way to help them.*


    It was my decision and for the first time I could maybe save some people in my own way. I still didn''t know what my future would be, but one thing was sure...I was smiling.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 390


    Defense : 386


    Agility : 400


    Stamina : 403


    Speed : 392


    Intelligence : 390


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 5)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 64 The Princess And The Adventurers (Part II)

    -- POV Sarah --


    I was finally off to avenge my brother.


    Kirk Ashray was my younger brother and I, Sarah Ashray, was his older sister. We had grown up in a small vige called Eelry near the capital with both our parents, until the day our peaceful life came to an end because of wild animals. At that time, I was 17 and Kirk was 14 and the day the attack took ce was also the day we lost our parents.


    The entire vige was ravaged by a horde of monsters that passed through and many died that day as well. The ce where I lived with my family was normally not surrounded by dangerous beasts, at least nothing that the fighters there couldn''t handle. Something must have happened in the area but no one ever knew what and even today I didn''t know.


    Luckily, Kirk and I had gone fishing, not suspecting for a moment the despair that would overtake us a few hourster. There was a beautiful waterfall and we went there every day to swim, train and bring back food for the vige. We had a simple life, away from everything and happy. I was very close to my little brother because he was the only one I had and we shared the same desires, tastes and dreams. Our taste for blood and our desire to be adventurers were for example the same and in the vige where we had grown up, we were often called "the inseparable twins".


    When we returned that day, there were survivors but our parents were already lying dead on the ground. ording to witnesses, they had been trampled by wild wolves that had never been seen here before. Kirk and I had been nning for years to join the capital''s adventurers'' guild together and to form our own group once he reached the required age of 16. That''s why we were also training every day, relentlessly, and yet we had not been able to save what was dear to us.


    Since that day we have never been the same and when my little brother turned 16, we went to Zalhythe to join the guild. I was level 12, 19 years old and Kirk was level 8. That was 7 years ago to the day.


    After that we went on mission after mission to forget our sadness and anger, leveling up and moving up the ranks. As our strength grew, our indifference to other races gradually turned to disgust and then to visceral hatred. Kirk began to worship the church and their ideas about the lesser races being evil. I was not as faithful as he was, but the half-humans and other races were indeed a burden to humanity and we had already seen the proof. Whether all these inferior races were intelligent or not, they were still dangerous, savage and untrustworthy.


    *It''s already been 7 years...*


    A few weeks ago Kirk had told me about a mission given by the Church to capture half-humans. Having developed a particr interest in experiments on living subjects, Kirk boasted that he would do this quickly so he could get back to his research. He was looking for a way to turn a half-human into a human, especially by cutting off their attributes. So far, his experiments had been a failure because every ve he bought died from their injuries. Kirk was thrilled to be able to capture future ves on this mission, but my little brother never returned.


    After several weeks, without any news of his messenger bird, I realized that he had been killed. Kirk was a pretty good fire mage despite his small size and body so I couldn''t believe for a second that he didn''t respond for another reason. I didn''t know the details of his mission but I did know that he had gone to a forest called the Dark Forest with Sam, his best friend and hispanions. With my group I decided to go in search of him after gathering as many clues as possible.


    Luckily, an ad to investigate their alleged disappearance had appeared in the guild at the same time. I had nned to go there anyway, but if I could earn some money on top of that, it was perfect. There was something strange going on in the East and I was going to find out and avenge Kirk.


    ___


    Today I was on the road, apanied by my group, a very interesting youngdy and other adventurers. I had be the leader because of my rank, which suited me because it was easier for me to be the one giving the orders. To be honest, I didn''t give a damn about this mission and the others, I just wanted to avenge my brother but I was going to make sure I got my money back after that. That''s why I didn''t report this youngdy who had appeared from nowhere to join us and because of my strange attraction for her. She said her name was Luna and that she was the messenger of the mission''s employer, but that was a lie. I had been an adventurer for years now so I knew who was traveling for the very first time and she was one of them. The youngdy reminded me more of a noblewoman running away from something or someone.


    The girl hid her face behind a mask covering the upper part of her face leaving only her mouth and eyes visible. The very first time I had met her, my heart had started to pound when her beautiful turquoise blue eyes fixed mine. I had never seen her face, but I wanted to possess her, I wanted to lock her up and keep her all to myself. These urges took me every day as I tried to gently engage her in conversation to learn more about her life even though she was not a great talker. Luckily, Luna was isted and didn''t mix with others at all which was a relief to me because when an adventurer got too close to her, an irresistible urge to slit his throat would arise deep in my mind.


    By her side, I had discovered impulses buried in me that I didn''t even know were there. On the first day, Luna had broken down in tears in front of me for some unknown reason and instead of feeling sad or touched, an unhealthy urge to see her cry more had appeared in me. At that moment, my lower body had reacted and an uncontroble sexual arousal had taken hold of me. Killing, butchering, slicing up beasts, half-humans turned me on, but I had never felt this kind of sensation for a human before. I wanted to protect her, to touch her, to give her my love, to smile at her and at the same time I wanted to see her once again, turn her watery eyes towards me. Luna reminded me of a wounded little animal looking for someone''s love and I wanted to give it to her.


    *Once I settle things in this forest...you''ll be mine*


    ____


    -- POV yna --


    It was already the morning of the 29th day of our journey and I had done everything I could to train with the dagger I had purchased. Despite my 0 level, every night, while everyone was sleeping, I tried to reproduce the gestures that Sarah had shown me during the day.


    The leader had oftene to me to offer her help, but I wanted to have as little interaction with her as possible. To put it simply, I didn''t like her. As the trip progressed, I found myself bing more and more ufortable around her, as if my whole body instinctively refused her presence. Sarah was very tactile with me and I couldn''t help but feel disgusted. Of course I had never shown my true thoughts and I continued to act as I always had. I didn''t talk to the other adventurers at all, so Sarah was the only person who could help me with her experience. I put my personal feelings aside to use her knowledge and be stronger because this was not the time to be picky. Time was short and I had to learn to fight, even if only a little.


    So far, the journey had been trouble-free and day by day I felt that I was improving in my movements, my positions and my little attacks. Every night I would fall asleep with pain all over my body and in the morning I would wake up sometimes almost unable to move. However, I was not weakening, I was animated by a desire to surpass myself. This strength that I had discovered in myself was new, this fire that burned in my heart was new, while the thought of being able to help, even if only a little, made me grow wings. Somehow, the guilt also forced me to continue. I had only thought about myself and I had not thought for a second about the consequences of my actions or the lives I had put at risk. I had to fix my mistakes and to do that I had to get stronger and make up for my shorings.


    During my training sessions, I had felt an unknown flow through my body. I could feel it flowing through my whole being and when I concentrated, it became more and more noticeable. Maybe it was mana, but ording to my family I had been without it since birth. I didn''t really know what it was, but it was a nice feeling, growing as my level grew despite myck of it.


    The 29 days had passed in a sh, I was level 2 and we were already close to our destination.


    *Tomorrow we will arrive in Yarlford, so that leaves me only 3 or 4 days to refine my n*


    Now that I was a little stronger, I felt less afraid to venture into the Dark Forest alone. Sarah had told me about the creatures that could be found there and if they were weak to her, these creatures were deadly to me. But there were also apparently a lot of very weak half-humans who managed to live there despite everything and it was them that the Church had targeted.


    *If they can survive in this forest, then I can too...I must ! Everything I''ve learned in this month of hard work will not go to waste.*


    I hadn''t thought of aplicated n, precisely because in any case I had to go into the forest to warn the small viges or gatherings of other races. They would probably know the area better than I or the adventurers, so hopefully they would find a way to hide before the others arrived.


    Sarah always had an eye on me so once we got to the Dark Forest it wasn''t going to be easy. However, once in town I would have more freedom of movement so buying what I needed would be simple.


    The journey to the forest was to be made on the road to the southern end, where the path to the ruins began.


    *For 4 days they would walk along the forest and its trees without entering it. On the morning of the second day, I would have to disappear inside without anyone stopping me*


    Once I had managed to sneak through the trees, it was not rming that the adventurers would discover my disappearance. They had a mission to aplish first and foremost and had to get to the temple ruins first.


    ___


    The sun was setting and the outline of a small town could be seen in the distance, sitting on a small hill. Behind Yarlford was also arge forest where I could see a huge mountain overlooking the ce from its height.


    "We have finally arrived !"


    Ahead of us was the famous city where we were to rest for a few days before heading back. Time was flying by at an extraordinary speed and it was already time to move on to the "buying" phase of my n.


    One by one, the two carts went inside the walls while I looked around and started to find my bearings.


    "Looking for something little Luna ?"


    Sarah smiled at me as she ced her hand on my white thigh in the spot that wasn''t covered by my skirt.


    "N..no, I was just looking at the buildings, I...I''ve never seen ones like this"


    The leader was still smiling as she nodded her head before parking our cart in the corner reserved for roaming adventurers. I had held my breath when she touched me and was just starting to breathe again as the dark-haired woman made an unexpected and disconcerting proposal.


    "If you want we can share a room, if you don''t have a lot of money, you can save money that way right ?"


    Her tone was different and her words sounded almost like an order as I left without responding, terrified. My back was turned and I headed for the first inn in sight, not seeing the smile on Sarah''s face and her tongue gently caressing her lips.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya<novelnext></novelnext>


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 32/70


    Exp needed for next level: 22 100 / 33 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 390


    Defense : 386


    Agility : 400


    Stamina : 403


    Speed : 392


    Intelligence : 390


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Kingdom (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 5)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 4)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 65 Rise Of The New Empire

    [N/A : Only description + this chapter is extremely (like really) long, I apologize but you know me now, the description is important and here we are talking about a whole Empire. So there is no status at the end. Courage and good reading]


    ____


    -- General --


    During the month that yna had been traveling with the adventurers, Freya and her people had not stopped working hard once. Today, it was hard to believe that everything had been built in one month when one saw the extraordinary result.


    In the ce where the Empress had settled a little more than a month ago, there was no longer any in. This immense expanse of grass was no more and in its ce stood an entire kingdom...an Empire. In this Empire, you could see the different races that had settled there working, guided and protected by their Empress Freya. Most of the important buildings had been built and the number of houses was growing every day. With the strength of everyone, their abilities, their wills, and their particrities, the construction had made an exceptional leap. Everyone worked and even took turns working at night while others rested. Soldiers, citizens,manders, the Empress, her wife and many others had all put aside their duties to help.


    During that month, some of the creatures had spotted a dragon with crimson scales going back and forth to the mountain carrying tons of stones. Gaya had been in charge of transporting stones, ores, wood and special dirt that served as cement when wet. With her strength, she had also helped to make a huge and deep hole all around the Empire, leaving several meters untouched as an entrance big enough to pass through. With her Earth Fist skill, the dragoness had no trouble doing the job alone even though it had been quite hard. The crack however was not stuck to the houses, it was located one or two kilometers away to leave room for fields and breeding but also to be able to expand the Empire if necessary.


    This idea came from Freya, so she was able to erect ice walls just before the hole, on the side of the city, in order to transform her entire Empire into a fortress with a moat. These ice walls were then covered with special dirt that hardened in the sun and served as a base by Gaya and the winged section from the sky. From there, with the help of everyone, the stone bricks were piled up and after long days became a huge wall protecting the people inside. It extended on both sides to the sea and was higher than any building. Once this was finished, Freya and Gaya had again dug a rift around this defense but this time inside and instead of remaining empty it was filled with water.


    The river that passed by the ancient in had been diverted by the Empress so that it could flow inside her Empire before joining the sea on the right and left sides. Thus the fields that had been built just after on a part of the remaining grass were perfectly irrigated.


    The group of the farming section had been one of the few sections that had not helped much, too busy with their work. The 25 half-rabbits and elves had worked thend, nted various things and built pens for the animals captured in the forest. Thanks to their work, the Empire was now able to sustain itself without going back and forth to the forest to often. In time, Freya wanted her city to be self-sufficient in order to avoid the extinction of many creatures in the Dark Forest.


    The dwarf group had not helped much physically either, as they were the only ones who could make what Freya needed. The forge was one of the first important buildings to be built so that the dwarves could work easily and quickly. It was built on two floors, on the second floor there was a kitchen, a shower room and a dormitory for the smiths who had asked to sleep together. On the ground floor, which was reserved for their work, there was the main room, thergest room where the dwarves forged and a second room that served as a warehouse for their creations. After the forge was built, the she-wolf had told them briefly about the facilities of her former world without telling them the details, and the passion of the cksmiths had never waned. They began by building pipes that would be used to carry water to severalrge wells in the city to supply water to each building. The dwarves then made many objects that they found extraordinary and ingenious, and even reproduced ss with sand. Their help had been crucial during this month of hard work.


    Thanks to this, the other important buildings were built quite quickly. In addition to the forge and the fields, there were now three bathhouses, a hospital, an orphanage, a barracks for the soldiers next to a training ground, a general kitchen and the Empress'' mansion.


    The public baths were easy to build because the river water now flowed throughout the city. The buildings were quiterge, scattered throughout the Empire for the citizens and consisted of fourrge baths, two for women and two for men.


    The hospital had arge room filled with beds for future patients, a room reserved for operations, a kitchen, a bathroom and a room filled with offices for the doctors who worked there that also served as a rest room.


    The orphanage was quiterge, as it had to amodate the children and the many adults who cared for them and taught them. There was arge dormitory, a dining room, a kitchen next to a small storage room, an entertainment room, a shower room with a huge bath, a study room and several rooms upstairs reserved for the adults who slept there. There was no school yet because it had been decided that all the children for the moment would study at the orphanage, even those who were not orphans.


    The soldiers'' barracks was one of thergest buildings in the Empire. All the soldiers without families had to be housed there, so its size and height was quite significant. On the ground floor there was a huge canteen, arge rest room, an armory and the offices of the differentmanders. On the first and second floor there were many rooms for the soldiers, up to 6 per room. Finally, on the top floor there was themanders'' quarters, with 10 individual rooms, a kitchen, a dining room and amon lounge. And finally, right next to the soldiers'' barracks was a training ground surrounded by trees.


    For the time being, the general kitchen was also built, but Freya''s idea was to turn it into a giant warehouse for the Empire''s foodter on. It was only there to feed everyone during the construction, but once everyone had their own ce it would be useless. The Empress wanted to assign all the cooks to a particr building so that the people living there would not be bothered by the food. So for the moment there were 10 cooks for the manor, the barracks, the orphanage and the hospital. Once the work was finished, 3 would go to the manor, 1 to the orphanage, 1 to the hospital and 5 to the barracks. At the moment there weren''t many cooks, but Freya figured that as more people showed up at the gates of the Empire, it would be easier to manage the work. Everyone was well aware of this and everyone helped each other out. The femalemanders had also done an exceptional job of helping everyone despite their constant fatigue, they were the most effective in terms of strength and direction.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The sun was shining in the sky and the first city of the Empress had risen. The paved streets were not all finished, but the houses already popted the former in by the dozen. The streets were wide enough and snaked through the city which made it pleasant, full of space and not at all stuffy. At the moment there was only one main street that was wider than the others, going from the entrance of the Empire to thest building at the back, slightly far away and recognizable among all : the Empress'' mansion. Before reaching it, the main street passed in front of the numerous buildings and led to a huge square with a fountain in its center, hidden by the shadow of a gigantic tree.


    It was located in the middle of the city where many future businesses would be built. This fountain was imposing, majestic, magnificent and a stone statue was enthroned in its center. It was a woman dressed in a simple dress, barefoot with her hair blowing in the wind, who seemed to be the guardian of the ce under this majestic tree. She had been perfectly sculpted by the dwarves and it was easy to see that this woman had generous curves. Contrary to what many had thought at first, the statue of the woman did not represent Freya but the goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell. Exactly in the middle of this new city, this new Empire, the statue of the beautiful Goddess Titania stood in the middle facing the sea.


    Freya had not exined who this woman was, except that she was a person who had helped her realize her dreams. So the citizens naturally began to thank her in addition to the Empress and see her as a sort of celestial guardian entity.


    Thanks to her strength and chaos skills, Freya had also taken care of moving an astronomical number of trees from the forest that had been rented all over the city, including the huge one in the main square in the center. In addition to having supervised with her wife absolutely all the instations, the she-wolf had taken care to choose the location of each thing meticulously. In this great imperial city, the Empress had decided a month before where the numerous parks and the two small ponds that would be held inside would be located. There were three parks, one in the west, one in the south and one in the east. They were devoid of buildings, filled with trees, flowers and greenery. There were also benches along small dirt paths and a few kiosks. As for the ponds, thanks to the joint work of the dwarves and the workers supervised by Freya because of her knowledge, the irrigation system was perfectly realized and operational. As a result, water flowed through the entire empire, providing water to almost every building, feeding the vegetation and feeding the two ponds. They were quiterge and rather long, which led to the construction of several stone bridges to cross them.


    But in this town of more than 300 inhabitants, there was one building that was bigger than the others, the most northern, more beautiful and slightly higher than the rest, it was Freya''s mansion. It was beautiful, made of stones that had been smoothed and cut with meticulousness. This mansion was shaped like a 3-sided square and had a beautiful garden in its center. It was thest major building to be constructed and was muchrger than the Empress had imagined. In front of it was therge main driveway that continued on to its doors. To enter, there was no stone wall as Freya did not want to iste herself but rather there was a rather imposing gate decorated with a wolf''s head on the outside. Once past this gate, the paved path surrounded by grass, continued for several meters before reaching the entrance to the mansion to walk around it. The front of the building was simple with a small fountain and a staircase of several steps that led to therge door. On either side of the staircase at the first step on the left was a pir with a two-horned she-wolf on its four legs and a dragon with outstretched wings on the right.


    When one entered through therge door, there was arge hall with a corridor on both sides and stairs that went up to the right and left of the room to the first floor. Other than that, there was only arge door in front of the entrance that led directly to the throne room. This room was able to amodate all of Freya''s current citizens. It was long, very spacious with huge windows in the back overlooking the garden of the mansion. At the back, following the red carpetid out on the floor, in front of those same windows in front of a 5-step staircase, the Empress'' throne was there. It was huge, ck and made of sculpted materials like stone and ice. The armrests were made of ck stone as was the backrest which rose upwards with a wolf''s head with two horns in its center. All around this backrest there were also ice spikes that made this imperial seat rather scary. Next to this throne, there were two smaller ones. The one on the right was gray and red, adorned with a dragon''s head and belonged to Gaya while the one on the left waspletely white with a symbol of a full moon and belonged to Princess Shiro. Thisrge room had a perfect light that gave a perfect imperial atmosphere, solemn and incredible.


    The first floor of the mansion consisted of the throne room, an equallyrge reception room next door, arge kitchen, a dining room and several unupied rooms. This area was for anyone who came to the Imperial Mansion, so they were not allowed to go up to the upper floors without good reason.


    The second floor was reserved for those who worked with Freya, so there was a meeting room, the offices of the many section leaders who did not work at their ce of work (like the farmers or the cksmiths), a kitchen, the imperial library that did not contain any books yet, Freya''s imperial office, Gaya''s office and some rooms that would be used for those who in the future would be in charge of many tasks like cooks, servants or secretaries.


    Finally, the third andst floor was reserved only for Freya and her family, it was strictly forbidden to go there without an urgent reason. It was smaller than the ones below because it was only built for three people, but it was still veryrge. After the stairs there was arge hallway that continued to the right and to the left passing through the two wings of the mansion. There were five bedrooms, only one of which had a double bed, Freya and Gaya''s, a yroom that the she-wolf had requested to spend time with her family, a kitchen, a dining room that was also arge living room, arge bathroom with arge bath and a room with two offices. There were still other rooms but they were not useful yet so they were left for the moment. This floor also had a special ce built on Freya''s order, it was a small staircase that led to the top of a small tower. The roof and the whole tower were made of ss and there was a table and chairs, greenery but what made this ce special was the breathtaking view of the sea that stretched out in the distance. The Empress had thought of this little extra that she had imagined thinking of those who made up her family, being sure to make them smile.


    In the middle of this mansion, which was finally almost as big as a castle, there was arge garden with grass, trees and dirt paths. In the middle there was also a fountain surrounded by a garden of sumptuous flowers. This garden extended to the end of the small cliff because the building had been built at its edge. Therefore, Freya had nted trees at the edge of this famous cliff just after a limit made with a stone wall. In the middle of this small forest, there was a white kiosk that was bathed in sunlight. The garden was beautiful and there was a soothing, serene, warm and soft atmosphere. This ce had been made entirely by the Empress who had worked for the pleasure of seeing her wife and daughter happy.


    Finally, outside the mansion on the left, there was Freya''s personal training ground that was destined to evolve over time and on the right the stable where Pearl and Inferno would live.


    This great house was to the north, imposing, magnificent and represented the new Empire that had just been built by the Empress and her citizens. The very first Empire in this world that was not of the human race, the first Empire in the world to be different and modern. The first Empire to symbolize the end of an era of terror, despair and death for the half-humans and the first Empire that would be the refuge, the ce of peace, the paradise for all those who woulde exhausted, wounded in search of a ce where they could be happy. This Empire had made everyone''s dreame true.


    The Empress had built her Kingdom and it was time for her to be crowned and marry the very first person to have made her frozen and ruthless heart beat.


    ___


    [N/A: It''s possible I''ve forgotten some things, if so I''ll talk about them in the next chapters. I could have continued to describe but it would have been too long (so I did the "main thing"). Also, I''m sorry, for the illustration images I found matching the Empire description you''ll have to see on Discord (there are way too many)].

 Chapter 66 First Visit And Wedding Eve

    -- POV Freya --


    -- PING --


    [ The Kingdom menu has been updated ]


    [ You now have +100 attributes ]


    [ All your subordinates have gained 1 level ]


    [ You have earned 11,000 EXP ]


    [ Requirements to advance to the next level (33) ]


    [ You now have +100 attribute points ]


    [ Devouring Chaos skill increased to level 5 ]


    [The skill Chaos Storage has been increased to level 4 ]


    [ Ice Demon Wall skill increased to level 6 ]


    [ Ice Creation skill increased to level 5 ]


    This is it, after a long and exhausting month, we finally had a ce to call home. Everything was just as I had imagined and even better. This long month had made me think a lot and moving forward hand in hand with other people had touched me more than I thought. In my old life I would never have believed this possible. Outwardly I had not changed and I emanated the same aura to others, but inwardly I finally felt like I had found my haven. The construction of this Empire was no longer just a dream but a reality that we had fought for with the sweat of our brows.


    Not all the houses had been built yet, but no one was staying in the tents anymore, so it was time to take a break. Most of the new citizens had gathered in the central square and parks to enjoy their new haven. No one was working anymore, everyone had already given a lot during this month that had been tedious so I asked everyone to stop and enjoy this new city for those who wanted to.


    The pace of work was about to return to normal so I wanted to officially announce the creation of the Empire with my coronation and my marriage with Gaya.


    For the moment, my daughter, my wife and I were not in the city with everyone else but in front of the newly built mansion. I had of course activated the telepathy skill from my Kingdom menu so that Kira could talk with them as well. I was standing in front of the gate of our new house with Shiro and Gaya who had been banned near the area for the month and it was finally time to show them the result.


    "Are you ready ? You can open your eyes kufufu~"


    I held my wife by the hand on the right side and had our daughter in my arms on the left side. They both had their eyes closed and opened them at the same time while I whispered a few words.


    "Wee home"


    My little moon had her eyes wide open with her mouth open as she discovered for the very first time, her new, huge, first real home.


    "Mommy...it''s...it looks like a princess''s house, just like in the stories Lady Viana tells at the orphanage"


    She was still in awe as I gently responded by gently pinching her cheek.


    "But you know, you are a princess my dear. You''re even the cutest and most beautiful Imperial Princess in existence !"


    Shiro giggled as she hugged me, her eyes still fixed on the building. The dragoness, on the other hand, still hadn''t spoken as I could feel her hand squeeze mine a little tighter. I knew she was waiting to visit before she couldment, so I decided to go ahead and start the visit. Unlike Gaya, my little moon was very talkative and keptmenting enthusiastically on everything she saw.


    "The front of the house is full of grass and super big ! I wonder if we can y here with Kate. Oh mommy ! A fountain with a wolf and a dragon, right there !"


    Shiro looked wide-eyed at the two statues in front of the stairs as if she was analyzing them before continuing.


    "It''s a bit scary but like that the bad people won''te in hihi~"


    Whileughing, we had arrived in front of the big wooden door of the mansion. With my strength, it was not difficult to open it by pushing it lightly with my foot, unable to use my hands which were already taken.


    There was no one in the building because for the tour, I didn''t want any soldiers or anyone other than the three of us inside. This was our moment, to ourselves.


    "Follow me, it''s this way"


    As the two girls turned their heads to observe everything, I led them to the door opposite that led to the throne room. It was a wooden entrance, heavy and huge, which normally could only be opened by two people. With a second light kick from me, the door opened wide without any problem, to let us see this room, which for me was one of the most magnificent. As I put Shiro on the floor to let her discover the ce, Gaya had her eyes looking everywhere as she finally spoke.


    "I...this room is gorgeous !"


    Our voices echoed and we could hear Shiro''s little running noises as she ran around discovering every corner. As we walked along the red carpet to the small stairs, our daughter zigzagged through therge stone pirs on either side whileughing.


    "This is the biggest room I''ve ever seen in my life !"


    Shiro was having fun pretending to fly with her arms around the big huge room with her little feet. As she finished her sentence, she stopped to look up at the ceiling which must have seemed gigantic from her small size.


    "When I speak I hear my voice repeating a bit of what I say. Mommy, is that magic ?"


    Before I could even answer her, Kira with a very soft voice answered.


    [No it''s not magic, it''s called echo and it happens when a room is very big my dear little niece hehe~]


    My little sisterughed as she watched from my mind every cute move my daughter made.


    "Echo? Uh...hello Echo my name is Shiro ! Take good care of this beautiful room !"


    We couldn''t help but smile warmly either as the little girl in front of us looked so pure.


    [Hello Echo haha~]


    After crossing the room, we were all facing the three thrones that majestically dominated the entire ce, illuminated by the sunlighting through therge windows at the back.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Here are our three seats, the middle one is obviously mine and the other two are yours !"


    I could see Gaya and Shiro slowly moving forward to take a closer look at these imperial thrones, while examining them by touch. Despite their materials which were stone and ice for mine, they seemed ratherfortable. There was a kind of cushion iid in the seat so that we could sit longer without getting sore over time.


    I didn''t want to sit on mine until the coronation as my wife sat on it and our daughter climbed on it as best she could with her small knees and small arms. She seemed to be climbing a wall so I obviously helped her into her seat not without an unconscious chuckle.


    "It''s soft and not hard at all ! I really like this chair mommy !"


    My little moon was pping her feet in the air as she smiled with all her teeth and I stroked her head. Her smile was as dazzling as the white moon in the dark night and knew how to warm our hearts.


    [This ce is as impressive as it is beautiful onee-san]


    "Kira is right Freya, I can''t even imagine what''s next !"


    With a mischievous smile, I beckoned them toe with me to continue the exciting discovery of this mansion that was now ours.


    ____


    After that, the visit of the ground and second floor was quite quick because there was not much interesting for our family. We had done all the rooms adjacent to the throne room before going upstairs. For the second floor, I didn''t want to bother Shiro so I nned to exin more about the different work ces to Gayater.


    So we had finally arrived at the top floor which happened to be our private quarters. At the top of the stairs, there was another small staircase that led to the top of the tower with a view of the city, the garden and the sea but that was the surprise at the end. The corridor went left to cross the left wing of the mansion, which consisted of the bedrooms, the personal library, the dining room, the living room, the game room and the shower room.


    The right wing, wasposed of everything that was a little more work rted with our personal offices, the kitchen and the other bedrooms.


    "Sweetie, would you like to explore your new room ?"


    "Oh yes !!!"


    As I took Shiro''s hand in mine, I headed down the left hallway to enter the farthest room. This room was in the back of the wing of the mansion because it was the only one on this side that had a perfect, all-epassing view of the sea. When we entered, both my wife and daughter were amazed to see a ss roof that could be closed with curtains that could be pulled from the door. The room wasrge, white, bright and even had arge balcony shared with the room to the left next door which was ours.


    "Mommy...is this my room ?"


    "Yes sweatheart"


    My little moon''s eyes were shining even brighter than when she discovered the throne room. For the first time she had a ce where she could do what she wanted, a ce of her own in this cruel world...her refuge. The bed was still small and its sheets were white with a moon symbol embroidered on them. There wasn''t much to it because the decoration was secondary for the moment and I wanted to let my daughter decorate as she wanted. This room, I had built it here for my little girl, who could wake up with the sound of the waves and fall asleep under the stars.


    "Thank you mommy, thank you, thank you !"


    She hugged me with moist eyes and a tail that was livelier than ever and hadn''t stopped wagging once since we arrived. Gaya was on her side smiling and stroking her head still amazed by the details of each ce, which had been built with frightening precision.


    While Shiro finished discovering her room which she seemed very proud of, I decided to show Gaya our room. It was right next to our daughter''s room and could even be essed through a door from inside or from themon balcony. At the moment, Shiro was still very young, so I found it more convenient and reassuring for the three of us that things were done this way. So the dragoness and I stood in the hallway, in front of therge door to our room a handle in each of our hands to open it at the same time.


    "Are you ready ?"


    "Yes !"


    [Go open the door !]


    The room was just as beautiful as the previous one, simple andrge. This time not only was the roof made of ss, but the wall that led to the shared balcony was also made of ss. Like arge bay window illuminating the room from all sides. Our room didn''t have much decoration either at the moment but it was our refuge. The walls had purple and red reminders that matched the atmosphere perfectly. The four-poster bed had deep ck sheets reminiscent of my hair color and crimson curtains reminiscent of Gaya''s, all around.


    "I...I don''t know what to say.."


    At that moment, my wife looked like Shiro, her amber eyes shining brightly and she was as excited as a child discovering a treasure. While she kept looking around with her hand over her heart, I took her by the hips from behind and whispered a sentence in her ear.


    "My love, this is where we will spend our first night. Now that the Empire is built I will keep my promise and marry you. I have already informed the others, the wedding preparations have already begun and we will be married after the coronation."


    The dragoness blushed as she turned to me to hug me. She didn''t say a word, but a radiant smile appeared on her sweet face.


    [You love her, right ?]


    *I love her madly*


    "I love you madly too honey"


    ____


    The sun was setting as I finally decided to show them the tower that I was saving forst. We had already visited the garden, which was so much more enjoyable for the three of us that we had already nned to have tables set up in the garden to eat at every day. The sun and sea air blended into an idyllic, serene, family setting as we walked out of the garden to where my surprise was.


    "Here''s thest thing I wanted to show you."


    We were back in the hallway and in front of us was thest staircase we hadn''t taken yet. All three of us were inside the manor, but this staircase had the distinction of exiting from the outside before going up to the tower.


    As we climbed the stairs quietly, we could see flowers and all kinds of nts, climbing to the top. The staircase was not closed, which exined the air that passed by and the presence of the flora that grew on the railing.


    [Wow !]


    We had finally reached the top and from this ss tower the sea and our kingdom stretched out. Shiro didn''t speak or ask any questions, too absorbed by this extraordinary view. As for Gaya, she had her hands over her mouth and could not hold back her tears. As I held them both in my arms with a smile on my lips and a look filled with love, I watched the sun slowly set in the distance.


    "This first sunset, I wanted to see it with you. Tonight the coronation will take ce and tomorrow the wedding. I wanted to tell all three of you, Kira, Shiro, Gaya that I am grateful for what you have given me in my life. I love you...I love you so much and I will never regret the choices I made that led me to this very moment."


    For the first time in my life I let my heart speak fully, as in the ss tower of our new home were the people most dear to my heart.


    [N/A: No status until we talk about the changes]

 Chapter 67 The Empire Of Lights

    -- POV General --


    Night had fallen, the moon was shining in the starry sky and everyone without exception was standing in the throne room waiting for the arrival of the Empress. After a full day of rxing and enjoying the new city, Freya would finally be crowned.


    Thest week of the month was spent by Taegen making an outfit for the Empress at the request of the she-wolf. So the preparations for the wedding and the coronation had been taken care of by the teams that weren''t building.


    The decoration of the throne room was the work of the dryads who had volunteered, supervised by Persea. There were white, ck and purple flowers that softened the room because it seemed scarier at night than during the day. Indeed, there was only moonlighting through the windows illuminating this imposing ck and white throne. Simple ck gs hung from the pirs on either side of the room. There was no symbol representing the Empire because it had not yet been decided, but their deep color contrasted well with the moonlight.


    In the throne room, the door to the reception hall was wide open and there were many tables filled with good food cooked by Irrena and her team. The citizens were all present and at that moment the Empire waspletely empty. The entrance had been blocked with the help of the guards'' skills, so it was no longer possible to enter. Brambles, roots and a wall of earth prevented anyone from entering during the official ceremony and wedding. As for Ynir, she had used her magic of light based on illusions to try to conceal the entrance as well as possible. The butterfly woman did not yet control arge perimeter but a mystical mist had spread around. Thanks to the various measures that had been taken, no one could leave or enter the Empire on the Empress'' orders for the next 2 days.


    When one entered this throne room, the first people to be spread out on either side of the red carpet near the entrance were Freya''s citizens. She had hardly ever met them again except when they had pledged allegiance because they were not among those who worked with her directly. They made up more than half of the poption and had a boundless respect and admiration for the she-wolf, whom they saw almost as a goddess. There were absolutely all the races that were present and working in the city in the different positions that existed, so there were many.


    Continuing along the carpet there were all the soldiers of the Empire, standing up straight, hands at their sides, in a line and perfectly ced. They too were numerous and were longing to be able to see the Empress pass the step of this enormous door. These soldiers didn''t have uniforms yet, but it was easy to tell which section each one belonged to by the white armbands they had. Depending on the section, a different symbol was in the center of the armband, corresponding to the differentmanders. A ck me for Nixia, a red fang for Ralph, a dark blue sword for Emilia, a grey wing for Trioa, a yellow lightning bolt for Luna, a green leaf for Ynir and Persea, a red eye for Thorunn and finally a golden cross for Caipy.


    After the soldiers, the line came to an end and approached the throne. On the right side, there were all the femalemanders slightly more rxed because of their positions. They were waiting patiently, looking towards the door, with great excitement in their eyes. For all of them, the Empress was the young woman they respected most in the world and who had brought them all together. These half-human women were ready to follow Freya to the end of the world if she asked and entrust their lives to her if necessary.


    On the left side, there were all the other section leaders who, like thesemanders, saw the Empress as their protector. Only Taegen was missing, who was finishing up with Freya on the final adjustments to her Imperial outfit.


    At the very end of the big red carpet, in front of the small stairs leading to the throne, stood Shiro and Gaya. The dragoness was dressed in a big and beautiful ck dress with some red points and a white imperial cloak without hood with ck fake fur as cor. The white-haired half-human was wearing, as usual, a very cute white dress with exactly the same cape as her mother.


    Everyone was waiting impatiently for the she-wolf and as everyone''s heart was beating faster and faster, the spider man slipped through the door to his ce at the front of the line. Everyone in the room was holding their breath waiting for a glimpse of Freya when suddenly therge door opened atst, drawing a silhouette in its frame.


    "WE GREET EMPRESS FREYA !"


    At that moment, all the voices of those present had risen as one in greeting as they all leaned forward with their hands over their hearts.


    The young woman said nothing as she walked with a confident step to the back of the room. She was dressed majestically in an outfit reminiscent of both the modern suit and the clothes an emperor would wear. Not to be outdone, Freya wore ck pants and a white shirt, but this time over her shirt was a ck button-down jacket that came down to her waist. This jacket was not feminine at all and looked like a very ssy officer''s jacket. The end of the sleeves as well as the cor raised, were embroidered with golden threads which appeared on the ck. The buttons were also gold and buttoned on the side. The Empress had white boots up to her calves and white gloves hiding her powerful hands. On her shoulders, was put exactly the same white cloak with the same ck fur at the level of the cor which reminded her own. Unlike Gaya''s and Shiro''s, Freya''s cloak had golden embroidery at the end and reached almost to her ankles.


    As the Empress walked forward with a cold face, her fists closed, her eyes looking straight ahead, the people present could not take their eyes off the spectacle. Everyone was silent and the only sound that echoed in the huge hall was the cking of the she-wolf''s boots with every step she took. Her cloak and loose hair fluttered behind her as she walked with the same determination. Her violet eyes didn''t even look at those around her as they still sparkled as brightly as two gems.


    After slowly ascending the steps and positioning herself in front of her throne, Freya grabbed her cloak with her right hand, making it fly gracefully as she turned around. Her face, with ck strands falling across it, was perfect and theck of emotion gave her an air of inessibility. The she-wolf''s ck ears pointed to the sky while her long tail was hidden by the cloak. The two ck horns on either side of her forehead were evidence of her special course that was unknown to all and made most tremble. As the Empress finally faced her people, despite the fear they felt, respect and admiration, some could not help but murmur, entranced by the one standing before them.


    "Gorgeous..."


    A kobold in the back couldn''t hold back that word as he blushed like many in the room. From her beauty alone, Freya could take the hearts of men and women alike.


    "So powerful and at the same time so beautiful !"


    One of the soldiers with an armband representing a leaf, felt perfectly the enormous power that emanated from Freya despite the fact that she was hiding it. In order not to frighten the others she contained her aura and power. He was an elf and for people of his race, beauty was always a normality, however she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.


    "Later I would like to be this strong !"


    Little orphan boys and girls were many who said this to themselves in hushed tones. It was the first time for them to see the Empress up close, so powerful, so terrifying, so majestic and so confident. But despite the fear she inspired, everyone respected, admired and trusted herpletely.


    Everyone was hypnotized by the Empress, unable to look away and in a second state. Even themanders and section leaders who used to work with her couldn''t help but shiver at her presence.


    After sweeping the room with her piercing gaze, Freya finally spoke, her powerful, cold andmanding voice shaking the walls of the room.


    "Today I officially announce the creation of our Empire ! Thank you to all of you who have helped make this dream possible and have agreed to trust me. Here, for the first time in the history of this world, stands a city of people hunted, hurt and humiliated by humans. Difference and weakness do not deserve contempt, gratuitous violence and insults, but today all that is over ! Raise your head, be strong, be proud to be who you are and to exist because I am proud of you ! From now, no more evil humans will reach you and none will ever dare toy a hand on any of you again !"


    Suddenly, Freya released some of her power into the room as she continued, her voice filled with unwavering determination, her eyes shining with a savage glow.


    "Today those who dare stand in my way will end up in hell ! I will stop at nothing to protect this paradise that we have built together with courage ! I will watch over all of you...I will do so, even if I have to end up covered in the blood of my enemies or called a ruthless Empress by the whole world !"


    As Freya made her aura disappear in front of the silent and emotional crowd, she tapped her sword on the floor making the thud echo through the room before resuming.


    "I, Freya, in my name as Empress, here and now name this Empire : Elysium ! In an ancientnguage this word means skies. Elysium...where the sun, the moon and the stars are. This ce will bear that name and you who are the lights of the sky and of this Empire, wear it proudly in your hearts !"<novelnext></novelnext>


    To Freya, the sun represented her wife, the moon her daughter and the stars her people. If they represented that, then it was not wrong to say that the she-wolf was the sky itself. Elysium...where the many lights that illuminated the world were gathered, where everything begins and everything ends. The Empress was the sky that carried and watched over those lights so that they would never be extinguished.


    "Long live the Elysium Empire !"


    Freya had raised her sword in the air and was barely finishing her sentence when everyone, fist to heart, serious face, determination in the eyes took up her sentence.


    "LONG LIVE THE ELYSIUM EMPIRE !"


    At that moment, the moon that was high in the sky, made its rays sparkle through the window illuminating the whole room with its magnificent white rays. They fell on the Empress giving her a heavenly and hypnotic look while Yuric the dwarf leader approached with three crowns.


    The first to be crowned was Shiro, her crown was a small white tiara made of lots of small moonstones with the same full moon carved on the front.


    "Thank you !"


    The little girl thanked Thorunn who was in charge of cing them on the heads of the three leaders. Earlier, the femalemanders had drawn straws and it was the vampire who had been chosen, to the displeasure of the other 9.


    The beautiful woman bowed respectfully as she heard the words of the little Princess as she came before the dragoness. It was Gaya''s turn to wear her white tiara which wasrger than Shiro''s and made of small moonstones too. It also had small red stones that met in the front where thergest one was iid, carved in the shape of a sun.


    "Thank you."


    Then Thorunn arrived in front of Freya, who towered over her. The young blonde woman''s hands trembled slightly as she reached for thest crown. The Empress''s was not a tiara but a real crown, it was white like the other two but the difference was that it was made with the ice element. It was big but not too imposing and there was neither sun nor moon in front of it but rather a ck and sparkling gemstone. It was a stone that had been brought back by the dwarves...the only ck stone they had found in the ancient cave of Gaya.


    "Y..your highness."


    The vampire and dwarf bowed as their work was done and moved to the front of the line to resume their seats, standing among the others.


    After sweeping the room with her piercing gaze, Freya, crowned, finally sat down on her throne and crossed her legs. At that very moment, absolutely all her subordinates knelt before her as one. The scene was spectacr, everyone was in unison, their hearts were beating to the same rhythm, their minds and souls as well while in this great room an Empress was born.


    "ALL HAIL EMPRESS FREYA ! ALL HAIL GAYA-SAMA AND PRINCESS SHIRO...AND ALL HAIL OUR ELYSIUM EMPIRE !!!"


    In this throne room Freya smiled very slightly, imperceptibly as she looked at her daughter and then her wife before rising from her throne again and speaking.


    "Rise, from now on you are all invited to join the reception hall where there is food and drink for everyone. This is an exceptional event so enjoy it, have fun,ugh, sing and dance because today you are all free and you will remain free !"


    As radiant smiles appeared one by one on the many faces, the she-wolf spoke to deliver her final sentences.


    "Tomorrow, in front of you all, I will marry Gaya here. Do not forget, this event is just as important as tonight !"


    "YES YOUR HIGHNESS !!"


    In a final bow, the citizens dispersed to therge hall to the side, supervised by the section leaders andmanders leaving Freya alone with her wife and daughter. Shiro looked tired and as she yawned, the she-wolf took her in her arms to give her a kiss on the forehead as the little one murmured softly.


    "Mommy...you''re amazing..."


    The dragoness would alsoe up to hug them both as she immediately replied to her daughter.


    "You''re right...she''s the best"


    Freya didn''t answer as for the very first time in this life, her eyes were wet as she had never felt as happy and loved as she did that night, bathed in moonlight.


    ___


    [N/A: Sorry to all those who don''t like the name, please bear with me. For those who wonder Elysium means "heavens, skies/sky" in Latin]

 Chapter 68 The Woman Dressed In White [The Empress Wedding - Part I]

    -- POV Freya --


    The day had finally dawned on the Elysium Empire, Gaya, Shiro and I had not slept in the mansion because it was there that the reception would be held after the wedding ceremony. Exceptionally asst night, everyone was invited to the buffet that would be held symbolically in therge grassy area in front of our mansion after starting on therge square. A few days ago, themanders had almost begged me to let them all organize the event as a sign of thanks. I finally agreed because deep down I wanted to be surprised too. So Gaya and I had received very specific instructions the day before, we were not to go to the main street before noon. The sun had just risen, so I had a few hours before I had to get ready. The wedding was to start at noon in the main square, and then there would be a huge banquet even morevish than yesterday. I didn''t know much about it, but one thing was for sure, I was looking forward to finally marrying the woman of my life.


    We both slept in separate houses that were still uninhabited so we wouldn''t see each other until noon on the big day. This day was going to be beautiful, unique, exceptional and one of the most beautiful of my life so I didn''t care to sleep alone in a house or on the floor. Shiro had slept with Gaya because as a bridesmaid she was going to get dressed with the bride. So now I was alone in this house, with a few hours to go before I had to go to the manufacturers'' building for my suit.


    I had also received a lot of system notifications since the end of construction and yesterday''s event, but I nned to check on all of that in a few days. For now, I just wanted to walk around the city without going through the main street, while Shiro and Gaya were already getting ready.


    As I walked out of the house, I could see Inferno waiting patiently for me at the door. He had followed me herest night before lying down in front of the house just before falling asleep.


    "Hello my friend, I have some time to spare, will you keep mepany ?"


    As I petted him, the ck stallion hen shook his head up and down making me chuckle slightly at the sudden enthusiasm.


    "Yoshi yoshi~"


    Climbing on his back, I decided to ride around the city on the northeast side to enjoy the mild sunny morning. I hadn''t been to the beach yet, much too busytely so I wanted to go there and see it for myself. As I was going, Kira asked me a question that had crossed my mind before.


    [Onee-san, are you nning to build boats to explore the area ?]


    *For now, no, we have to concentrate on the forest. There are still families and ns there, we need to find them and bring them here. After the wedding, I will send the tenmanders and some soldiers to patrol the whole area. I don''t have time to worry about building a fleet*


    The priority was obviously the half-humans and other races that still remained in the forest and were hiding from the humans. I had made the Dark Forest my Empire, and as I had sworn, I would protect all who lived there if they would join me.


    Focusing again on my path, I could already feel the sea air intensifying.


    "We''re almost there..."


    The Empire had been built on an ancient in that ended in a small cliff, where my mansion proudly stood. So there wasn''t much ess to the beach, two to be exact, which followed the river to the left and right of the wall. So I walked along this dirt road that was gradually turning into sand before finally arriving on this beach. The noise of the waves was powerful and the sand was not white but ck like coal. It was a beautiful sight that knew how to soothe me while my heart was racing at the idea of seeing my wife in a white dress.


    [Are you nervous ?]


    *Of course ! I''ve never been married in my two lives. You know, I''ve never known the love of a woman, or even the love of a family before this day, so yes I''m a little nervous...but happy*


    As I chatted with my little sister while riding along the beach on my horse, time passed and my heart beat in my chest faster and faster. In just a few hours, Gaya would officially be my wife.


    ____


    The sun was now high in the sky as I walked out of Taegen''s workshop, I was finally dressed to get married and the ceremony was about to begin. I was wearing my crown that stopped just before my two horns and this time I was dressed entirely in white and gold. On my shoulders was still my white and ck imperial cloak which this time did not have my hair falling over it because it was tied in a ponytail. My suit was pure white with a golden crown on the cor that had also been carefully embroidered on the back of my two gloves.


    "Your Highness...it''s time."


    Luna hade to pick me up to perform the ceremony in the town square. The young half-panther woman was also wearing a simpler, white suit that was a change from her clothes, which like mine were always ck.


    [Ready ?]


    *More than ever*


    As I followed Luna with Inferno at my side, I finally entered the square where thergest tree in Elysium stood. In thisrge square, there were hundreds of half-humans who had made the effort to find white clothes for the asion. All of them had a smile full of happiness, love and gratitude.


    "Hello your highness !"


    As I looked around, I could see the square that had been decorated with thousands of flowers from the forest that covered it almost entirely. Simple white banners were also present everywhere underlining the festive atmosphere. In front of the fountain was a white arch on a podium where Viana was waiting for us to get married. To get to this arch decorated with intertwined crimson and purple flowers, we had to walk on a big carpet of golden threads carefully woven and beautiful.


    *Wow*


    I didn''t know what to think or what to say as this vision warmed my heart. As I walked forward to reach the podium, all my subordinates leaned forward to greet me with a smile. For the first time, not one of them had looked away in fear or intimidation. There was a special atmosphere in the square, time seemed to stand still, happiness was in everyone''s heart and birds were singing in the sky. The day before my coronation, the moon and the stars had been our witnesses and today it was the sun''s turn to shine on this timeless Empire.


    As I walked up the steps to the podium to stand under the arch, I could see all the citizens standing on the sides of therge, wide carpet.


    There was absolutely everyone, the femalemanders were wearing the same white suit as Luna although some had chosen dresses instead. All of my citizens were facing me again as they had the day before and on each white garment at chest level hung a purple rose and a crimson rose.


    The ce was silent while in the distance, the sound of a horse''s footsteps could be heard. Inferno was at the bottom of the arc on the side so it wasn''t him, so I couldn''t help but look at the entrance to the big square with curiosity. Suddenly, the silhouette of a mare appeared with a beautiful woman and a little girl on her back.


    *...*


    In front of me, Gaya was riding Pearl with our little girl in front. There was not a sound as they rode softly forward with radiant faces. Their heads held high and proudly wore their flowered crowns as the sun''s rays fell like a heavenly light on these three glowing beings.<novelnext></novelnext>


    *My Queen and my Princess...*


    They were beautiful, divine and at that moment I didn''t even know if my heart was beating anymore. While I was at a loss for words, Gaya and Shiro dismounted from the mare and stood in front of the golden carpet hand in hand. As they walked slowly forward, the people around them began to tap their feet in unison. I didn''t know if it was a custom of this world, but the rhythm that echoed throughout the Empire made my heart race. As the dragoness reached the foot of the stairs and let go of Shiro''s hand, who stood next to Viana, I could finally see her face more easily, hidden behind her veil. Her dress was beautiful, embroidered with golden threads like my costume. It was easy to understand that this white dress had been made with great precision and skill. In all my life I had never seen such work and It fit the shape of the dragon perfectly before finishing with arge traine. For the first time, Gaya had her hair tied up in a bun where there were flowers that made her a second flower crown.


    "I..."


    As my wife stood beside me, I couldn''t even speak. This had never happened to me before, but seeing this absolutely stunning woman in front of me left me speechless. Understanding how I felt, the dragoness took my hand gently before smiling at me with eyes full of love and determination.


    "Let''s go."


    "Yes !"


    And it was together that we walked hand in hand in front of Viana who was waiting. The noises had stopped and we could hear the wind making the leaves of the majestic tree sing, protecting us with all its greatness.


    "Today we are all gathered to celebrate the union of the soul and heart of two beings who have met. Your hearts beat in unison and your lives are already linked by the thread of life. May your love be your strength and may your unique bonds bring you happiness."


    As the fox woman spoke these words, she ced an empty ss on the table in front of us. At that moment Gaya grabbed it to clutch it in her hand while closing her eyes. I didn''t really understand what was going on while Kira who had remained silent out of respect quickly whispered an exnation.


    [Gaya pours her mana into the ss, I guess it''s a way to get married in this world]


    I could indeed feel a reserve of mana forming in the ss as the dragoness opened her eyes again and handed it to me. I took the ss and poured a small amount of mana into it while concentrating on not breaking it. I could feel Gaya''s essence mixing with mine, swirling as I handed the ss back to Viana. She took it in her hands before raising it to the sky as she continued her speech.


    "May Elysium witness this day that will remain engraved in the memory of us all. Long live the Empress and her wife."


    "LONG LIVE THE EMPRESS AND HER WIFE !!!"


    Everyone''s voice rose to the heavens as Viana returned the ss to Gaya who ced her soft lips on it to drink half of its contents. Once done, it was my turn again to finish the ceremony as I began to drink. I felt like warm liquid flowing in my throat while in the ss nothing was liquid. The feeling was unique and warmed my whole body in a special way as both our chests began to glow. As our manas blended in our body, mind and soul, the dragoness looked at me with a smile and eyes filled with immeasurable happiness.


    "Mommy.."


    While our chests were still glowing, our little girl was in front of us holding a small pillow with two rings on it. The little moon had a dress as white as her hair with a purple sash reminiscent of our eye color. She was smiling blushing as her tail and ears wagged with joy.


    "Thank you sweatie."


    As I took the two rings, Shiro quickly left to return to stand shyly next to Viana. My wife and I smiled lovingly at her as I took the dragoness'' hand and ced her wedding ring on the ring finger of her left hand. It was made of red and purple stones just like mine and was simple but beautiful. I then watched as Gaya took my left hand to replicate my previous gesture as she trembled slightly. Her hands were warm and I could feel her warmth despite my gloves and hers reaching up to her elbows. As Gaya looked up, I could see her eyes shining like two amber stars full of life. They warmed my heart and for the first time my citizens saw me smile.


    "Freya..."


    ? Gaya whispered these words as I pulled her closer to me to lift her veil and kiss her with all the love I had for her. I could see no one, only this woman in front of me dressed in white, beautiful, gorgeous....this woman who was mine and whom I sincerely loved. Our chests had stopped glowing while we continued to kiss, alone in our little world. This kiss was different from all the others we had had until now.  There was something extra, like it was filled with all of our love, all of our soul...like we were one.


    "I love you."


    Breaking away from her embrace I leaned in to whisper those words in her ear. I wanted her to be the only one to hear them because at that moment they were meant only for my wife. As Gaya blushed and lifted her head, tears streamed down her sweet face with a unique glow.


    "I love you madly too !"


    As she answered, the dragoness threw herself into my arms sobbing as the entire crowd began to cheer us on.


    "Hurrah !"


    "Long live the Empress and her wife Gaya-sama !"


    "Congrattions !!"


    The white wolves howled, their heads skyward, the soldiers pounded their chests, themanders cheered, and the many citizens jumped for joy,ughed, danced and sang. In the sky, the winged creatures swirled and celebrated our wedding by dancing in the skies and under the sun. Gaya and I watched this spectacle smiling, still embracing, happier than ever and next to Shiro who had joined us.


    In the Elysium Empire, its many lights were twinkling with vigor celebrating the very first wedding that was taking ce in its midst. The day was not over yet but everything made me so happy and proud of everything we had aplished so far.


    [Congrattions onee-san...]


    Kira finally spoke and as I answered her, I closed my eyes to enjoy this unique moment that I will never forget.


    *Thank you little sister*

 Chapter 69 The Afternoon Before The Wedding Night [The Empress Wedding - Part II]

    -- POV Gaya --


    I hugged Freya as hard as I could while I cried with joy because in all my life...I had never felt like this. As we exchanged mana, the mark on my chest began to heat up. The tattoo that I had had since my contract with the she-wolf and that was as important to me as my ring or my tiara had glowed enveloping me in its warmth.


    As I looked up, I could see the face of my wife, this Empress who was holding me in her protective arms. At that moment, she was closing her eyes depriving the world of the glow of her violet gaze. Her face slightly smiling in the sunlight, her white skin shining while Freya looked so peaceful with her hair blowing in the wind. In her white suit, she was my light. My eyes had stopped crying and as we walked down the stage the imperial she-wolf who had opened her eyes, took my hand in hers and whispered.


    "I must admit my wife looks absolutely beautiful today kufufu~"


    As she whispered this to me, I suddenly felt her tongue lick my ear discreetly as Freya straightened up as if nothing had happened. My face turned red as I tried to keep my seriousness. My wife winked at me discreetly as she waved to the crowd on the golden carpet, Shiro at her side.


    *She''s such a tease !*


    I chuckled inwardly as I watched her change from a loving wife to a cold and respected Empress. This young woman was so amazing, more than I could ever be in one long lifetime. She had only been here a few months and yet she had already aplished so much. As I looked at Freya, one thing was for sure, she was not done tinting the world with her color and one day the whole world would know her name.


    I couldn''t help but look at the she-wolf standing next to me as we left the mat and began our walk to the mansion. All of Freya''s subordinates lined up to lead the way to our house and formed a huge line all the way down the main paved road. Cheers came from everywhere, rising into the sky as we walked down the middle of this imperial road. Shiro was smiling and shaking her hand to say hello to everyone as her eyes, as violet as Freya''s, shone with pride. She was very small but stood tall and acted like a perfect little Princess.


    By her side, my wife was doing the same, her face cold again...her poise, grace and beauty as powerful as ever.


    At the far end, as we reached the gates of the estate, there were themanders and section leaders who bowed as we passed. Inferno and Pearl were thest ones and stood in front of the gate, rearing and neighing to celebrate our union in their own way.


    As the three of us stood in front of thatrge wolf-headed gate, Nixia stepped up to us.


    "Your Highness, Gaya-sama, Princess Shiro, we have taken care of the reception as well, please enter."


    With a slight nod, Freya would lead Shiro and I inside the mansion property, while everyone else waited for permission to enter. Therge expanse of grass in front of the mansion, which until now had been empty, now had a huge tent open on the sides that covered the entire garden. Under this tent were our three thrones which had been moved and positioned on anotherrge tform in front of arge table. Our three seats and this table dominated the height of all the tables below which formed a square with arge space in the middle. The two tables closest to ours were themanders'' and section leaders'' tables, followed by the citizens'' tables.


    The four legs of the tent had the same purple and crimson flowers climbing up the vines and the same ck gs as yesterday were hung. The difference was that, this time there was a two-horned wolf''s head embroidered with gold thread above a star, a sun and a crescent moon embroidered with white thread. It was the g of our Empire, the emblem of Elysium that everyone was proud of. Every time Freya''s violet eyesnded on it, I could see one of her canines slightly protruding in a wild little sneer.


    "Your Highness...um please go sit down, the rest will start soon"


    Ralph, the red-eyed half-wolf, had joined us and advised us to go. So the three of us went to our respective thrones to sit down. In front of the gate, the many people wereing to take their turn to sit around the tables to eat. As for the beasts without humanoid form, there was a corner of grass filled with fresh meat carcasses hunted by Wol.


    ___


    Several hours had already passed and we had eaten many dishes that Irrena had cooked especially for us in the kitchen of the manor. The citizens had a buffet, which was easier considering their numbers. Freya, Shiro and I were served personally by Triss and Lia throughout the meal, who took care of it with a smile. During this time we were even treated to a few performances from those who wanted to entertain everyone. Many had presented themselves, honored to be able to pass in front of the Empress, the Princess and me.


    There had been Nixia''s ck fire spear dance, the singing of the elves who had sung alongside the orphans, Ynir''s illusion show, the magnificent show of the dryads and their elements rted to nature and many others.


    The sun was already beginning to sink little by little, while in a few hours the full moon would appear in the sky. Shiro had gone to y with the other children near Inferno and Pearl who seemed to be watching over her while in front of us were the people who wanted to congratte us once again.


    The first one to pass was the white wolf Wol, leader of his n that formed the hunting section. As he bowed, lowering his two front paws, his soft voice rose.


    "Empress, Gaya-sama, allow Wol to offer his most sincere congrattions once again on behalf of the white wolf n."


    He had a habit of talking about himself in the third person, which had amused Freya greatly at first and piqued her curiosity. As I nodded silently, the she-wolf replied with her powerful voice.


    "Thank you Wol, thank you for the work you have put in so far."


    "You honor Wol your highness. Wol thanks you."


    It was then the turn of Viana and Tao, Na?a''s parents to kneel before speaking as Wol joined hispanions.


    "Congrattions your highness, Gaya-sama. I was more than happy to be able to attend your wedding."


    The first to speak was Viana who was towards the left, then it was Tao''s turn to speak.


    "Thank you for what you''ve done so far your highness. My congrattions."


    As I looked at them with a smile, Freya looked at them with her piercing eyes that always seemed to analyze everything before she answered.


    "Please, thank you to you. May you continue to live happily here with your daughter."


    Whenever my wife addressed her citizens, she always had this solemn, determined and powerful tone. With her voice alone she could rekindle hearts, soothe minds and break down the walls of the soul.


    *Freya...how far will you be able to go ? To heaven or beyond ?*


    I didn''t listen to the people who were taking turns at our table, too absorbed in all the questions that had popped into my head. As my mind wandered, for the first time in a long time, I closed my eyes to think of my parents, my brothers, my sisters, and my friends who were no longer there to watch over me.


    *Would you be proud of me today ? After all I''ve been through, do I have the right to be so happy ?*<novelnext></novelnext>


    I wondered if I deserved this happiness when all my family had died, leaving me alone, terrified and wounded in this vast world. The day I met Freya, the heart that was mine and that had given up on life started to beat again. She saved me and gave me a reason to live and to fight again for my loved ones.


    *Mom, dad...I hope that from where you are, you are proud of me. Look at me from up there...watch me show you that my life that you protected from yours will not be wasted. Thank you for everything...thank you so much..*


    As I had my head down, I suddenly felt a hand rest on mine. I opened my eyes to see the she-wolf''s eyes looking at me with a hint of concern.


    "My love...is everything okay ?"


    Her previously cold andmanding voice had be soft and warm as she ran her gloved hand over my face. It was cool, pleasant and with one touch my wife had made all my worries disappear.


    "I''m fine thanks honey"


    As my gaze was locked in hers, the citizens in line looked away out of respect and to avoid upsetting Freya. It wasn''t hard to guess that she only showed this warm side to her family and that in cases like this where we were the center of attention, they shouldn''t let their eyes linger for too long. So, as we straightened up again to face them, the meeting continued.


    _____


    Night had fallen as the lights of the mansion and the town came on. They had been made with mana absorbing stones and so the lighting was fully automatic throughout the Empire. Thest people to arrive had passed and people were getting tired. As we rose from our thrones, Freya looked off into the distance.


    "Where is Shiro ? I don''t see her ?"


    Our little girl wasn''t around, and as the she-wolf''s gaze changed instantly, a small voice could be heard behind us.


    "Mom Gaya...mommy..."


    She was rubbing her eyes with her right hand and helding Kate''s with her left. Viana stood behind her looking at them smiling as Shiro spoke.


    "Can I go sleep with Kate now that the orphanage is open ?"


    Her little voice was soft and almost pleading, I didn''t know what to say so I looked at Freya who didn''t say anything either, seeming to think. Kate faced with the silence decided to venture to speak. As she looked down at the ground, she opened her mouth to let her small, slightly shaky voice be heard.


    "Your Highness Lady Freya, I...oh yes sorry...congrattions ! And uh..if..if it''s a problem with me sleeping with Shiro I..I apologize"


    The little hybrid with the little ck wings closed her eyes and squeezed Shiro''s hand who was still looking at us with a pleading look. The she-wolf in white looked at them for a moment before kneeling down at their height to put her two gloved hands on their two little heads. The two little girls didn''t dare say anything as Freya finally spoke.


    "Of course you can sleep together, Shiro if you decide to go, listen carefully to Viana and the adults who look after the children. You Kate, have fun with my daughter okay ?"


    The two friends, seeing Freya smile warmly, rxed as Kate murmured a shy thank you and our daughter threw herself into her arms.


    "Thanks mommy I love you ! I''m going to sleep with a friend for the very first time hihi~"


    My wife hugged her back, not without turning to me to give me a mischievous wink.


    "Pffff~"


    I giggled softly as I caught Shiro who came to hug me too before leaving. As for the she-wolf, she was giving instructions to the fox woman before letting them go to sleep.


    "Watch over her, the orphanage is next door, if anything happens you know where to find me. Needless to say, I hope nothing happens, right ?"


    Freya had built the soldiers'' barracks and the orphanage next door so that themanders would not be too far away and Shiro could go to school next door. So the families of the children who were not orphans and the soldiers'' family had been given priority to live in the houses nearby.


    "Yes your highness don''t worry about that !"


    After bowing, Na?a''s mother walked away taking Kate and our daughter by the hand who was waving at us. Everything had been put away and all that was left were the tables. As we stepped off the stage, Freya pped her hands for the full attention of those remaining.


    "Thank you all foring and making this day amazing ! It''s time to get some rest, the tidying up can wait until tomorrow and my wife and I are very tired. So I would ask you all to leave the Imperial property and go home. For those who work here from tomorrow, I will wait for you at noon in the meeting room, as for the others you know your positions."


    Everyone who remained bowed after hearing her words, which were always absolute. Freya was the Empress of this nascent Empire and no one dared and would never dare to go against what she said. Yet this was not a dictatorship or a reign of terror, all the citizens of Elysium were acting on their own with great determination.


    As they all left one by one, my wife grabbed my hand and pulled me into the mansion without saying a word. She sped through the mansion without even looking around as the stairs and hallways were decorated with bright red roses. My heart was racing as we reached the floor where our quarters were. I didn''t even have time to set foot on thest step as my wife picked me up and carried me like a princess.


    "What..."


    Freya had a smile on her face showing one of her fangs as she answered me.


    "Would my wife be surprised ? Didn''t I tell you, that I would carry you in our room on our wedding night kufufu~?"


    My face reddened furiously as I didn''t answer, too confused by the situation. The she-wolf was carrying me down the hallway with her strong arms, finally stopping at the door to our room. Freya was breathing heavily as a wide, feral smile appeared on her face again as she kicked the door open.

 Chapter 70 (R18) An Unforgettable First Night [The Empress Wedding - Part III]

    [N/A : Okay, so this chapter is normally not rmended for readers who are too young. I know you will read it anyway (yes I see you) but I wanted to say it anyway. Have a good read !]


    ____


    -- POV Gaya --


    While I was still in Freya''s arms, the door opened with a thud. The room was pitch ck as no light was needed. The full moon shone down on the room from the wall and the ss roof and was enough to illuminate the room giving it a mysterious atmosphere.


    With a determined step, my wife entered the room and went to the bed to put me down gently. She turned around to close the door still in silence while my mind was in turmoil.


    *Get a grip on yourself ! You''re a dragon after all ! Breathe...*


    All the words of encouragement I was saying to myself in my head were not working as my heart was racing. I was sitting on the dark bed, dressed in my white wedding dress, next to my wife who was slowlying back to sit beside me. In this room, both dark and light, the she-wolf''s eyes shone more intensely than ever. When she was in the half-light you could only see them...intense, beautiful and mesmerizing.


    "Gaya ? Sorry if I scared you..."


    Freya took my hand again as her voice once again conveyed her concern. I was certainly tense, but it wasn''t for the reasons that were going through her mind. A whirlwind of feelings wasing over me and I was just trying to control them to enjoy this moment.


    "No I''m not afraid ! I...near you, I would never be afraid"


    As I whispered these words, my wife, who looked gorgeous under the moonlight, smiled at me before taking my face in her hands to kiss me. Her breath was warm, her tongue slightly cold but soft and her embrace full of love. As we continued to kiss, I could feel her removing her gloves to be in direct contact with my skin. Her fingers gently roamed my arms, then my shoulder and neck.


    "Mmmh"


    I couldn''t help but let out a moan. Her tongue roamed my mouth with passion and her hands became more and more enterprising. As I began to finally let go, my wife was backing off to check if she was being too aggressive with me.


    My face was red, my body hot and my breathing jerky as I managed to whisper a sentence between breaths.


    "Honey, don''t stop...please"


    ____


    -- POV Freya --


    The wedding was over and I found myself alone in our room with my wife. Kira was long gone and Shiro wasn''t sleeping in the next room either...we were alone in the Imperial mansion.


    Gaya was panting before me as I had just broken our kiss. I was dying to jump on her but I didn''t want to rush her because after all, if this night was my first time, it was for my wife too.


    "Honey, don''t stop...please"


    Her eyes were shining with desire as she managed to say that short sentence. At that very moment I was licking my lip, divinely enjoying what I had just heard. This time, instead of kissing her, Iid her gently on the bed, cing myself right on top of her, my gaze locked in hers as I spoke.


    "My love, I will try to be careful and gentle if that is what you want. It''s a full moon night so I''m not sure how I''ll react once we get started..."


    Gaya smiled at me as she ced her hand on my cheek before responding.


    "Freya, you seem to forget that I''m a dragon, don''t worry about me. I...I think I could handle it..."


    As she spoke the end of her sentence, she turned her head away, blushing, ashamed of what she had just said. Her neck was facing me as a sudden urge to smell her overwhelmed me. Plunging my face into the crook of her neck, I smelled her scent that with each breath made my entire body heat up.


    "Freya, I..."


    I was no longer listening to what she was saying as I finally gave in to my wolf instincts after getting her permission. Gaya smelled so good, her scent made my head spin, it was indescribable, unique, enticing and intoxicating. I wanted more and more, I wanted to smell her and taste her.


    As I began to lick her neck delicately, the dragoness under me breathed faster and faster.


    "Mmh"


    Her sweet voice excited me as I bit her neck making her moan louder. My hands couldn''t hold back anymore as I began to roam her body while running my tongue and fangs up her neck. I could feel her form underneath her dress, which although beautiful was extremely ufortable for me at a time like this.


    "W..wait, I''ll take it off"


    Gaya straightened up to sit on the bed before standing up and shyly turning her back to me and whispering.


    "Can you unbutton the buttons that are on the back of the dress please ?"


    As my wife said this to me, I could briefly see golden buttons shining in the moonlight. Without hesitation, I got up to remove one by one what was holding her dress in ce. As thest button was removed, the white dress slid down Gaya''s body andnded on the floor, leaving her in her underwear.


    She squirmed awkwardly as I watched her, enjoying the view before me. Her underwear was white and simple but what attracted me most was her bare skin, clear and beautiful. Right in the middle of her two breasts, there was the symbol of our contract tattooed on her as if to tell the world that she belonged to me. Gaya was so beautiful that I didn''t need to think before approaching her more, attracted by this woman who for me was the most beautiful.


    "Don''t...don''t tell me I''m fat"


    The dragoness joked shyly as without a word I abruptly kissed her. For the first time atst, I could feel her skin under my fingers. It was soft, fluffy and pleasant to the touch, it was simple...I could not stop. As we continued to kiss passionately, my hands gently squeezed her round breasts which gradually revealed two small mountains underneath the fabric.


    "Freya"


    Hearing Gaya say my name turned me on even more as I made our kiss more intense to the point of making her back up against a wall. My wife was stuck between the wall and me as I grabbed her hands to lock them above her head making any movement impossible. While my left hand held her hands, my right hand continued to explore her body from her breasts to her belly button.


    "More..."


    Gaya''s body was burning up and at her words, I grabbed her and carried her to the bed as she gasped, already quite aroused. As shey back down on our bed, I began to remove my top clothes with crity. I took off my cloak, my jacket, my shirt to find myself in underwear. I was wearing a kind of gray sports bra made of bandages that I preferred to bras, much more practical inbat. I still had my pants on and as I was about to take them off as well, my wife''s hands grabbed my arm to make me fall on top of her.


    ___


    -- POV Gaya --


    Freya was standing in front of me, no longer wearing a top except for the bandages covering her chest. I could see her arms, shoulders and belly for the first time. The she-wolf was beautiful, her skin was just as white as her face and I could even see the shape of her abs showing on her belly. Freya was actually quite muscr with a strong, sculpted and firm body.


    *Incredibly attractive*


    I could feel my panties getting wetter and wetter as the mere sight of this gorgeous, sexy young woman drove me crazy. As she was about to take off her pants, I couldn''t help but pull her towards me, far too excited to touch her.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Oh ?"


    Her voice made me shiver as a wild glint shone in her eyes. That look that made me lose my shit, made me shiver with excitement as she kissed me again. I felt her hands slide over my belly gently as she began to kiss my neck this time slowly moving down. Freya''s lips were cold and with each kiss I couldn''t help but moan. No matter how much I bit my lip to muffle my sounds, feeling her discover my body was way too much.


    "You''re so beautiful.."


    My wife, who was at my belly level, was looking at me with a crazy smile while she was licking my belly slowly, keeping her eyes locked in mine. She went up to my bra which she suddenly removed with her teeth wildly. My breasts were now naked and totally exposed to this hungry she-wolf.


    ___


    -- POV Freya --


    Her breasts had a size that to me was perfect. In the moonlight, her two nipples pointed to the starry sky above us. As I began to suck on them gently at first and then more and more voraciously, Gaya arched her back with even louder moans.


    "Aaah..aaah"


    Her nipples were hard, pink and I could feel the dragoness shuddering with each bite.


    *More...I want more..*


    Her moans made me growl and all this was not enough. I wanted more...I wanted to devour her, taste her and hear her scream with pleasure. As I left her breasts to move down to her crotch, my wife''s breathing quickened as I got closer.


    I would finally stop in front of her panties which were white and soaked, before looking up to stare at her.


    "Looks like you like it my love"


    Gaya was sweaty, flushed and out of breath. She didn''t say anything and I could tell she was anxiously awaiting the next part. With a smile, I ced my two hands on either side of her hips to grab the piece of cloth, again with my teeth. Turning my head with a jerk, the panties tore off letting me see her intimate area.


    "You look delicious"


    I couldn''t help but say these words, licking my lips as what I saw turned me on. The dragoness had small pink lips that were glistening, already quite wet from the situation.


    "Don''t...don''t look at it like that !"


    Gaya was embarrassed and her voice weak and soft as she literally shook with anticipation. I could see the entrance to her vagina twitch as I bit my lower lip. Without waiting, I dove between her thighs to taste her. As I gave a first very, very slow lick on her soft lips, my wife was already arching her back.


    "Aaah Freya !"


    Her words made me smile as I focused on what was in front of me. My tongue began to lick her, taking great care to enjoy every moment. The juice that flowed from her body had be like a drug to me, even more intoxicating than her perfume. I wanted to savor everything without leaving a single drop. I felt like something was igniting inside me as my lower body began to heat up more and more.


    "Yes aaah..please...moree aaah"


    My wife''s voice echoed through the room as she gripped my head with her hand, plunging my face even further into her crotch. I wanted to know every nook and cranny of her body so I finally entered my tongue inside her hot, wet cave.


    "AAAAH YEESS"


    Gaya had let out an uncontroble scream as I began my faster and faster back and forth. The more she screamed and moaned, the more I grunted in satisfaction. With each stroke of my tongue, I could feel her juice flowing into my mouth as if it would never stop, intoxicating me more and more. My wife had grabbed the sheets and squeezed them tightly as she arched her back in spasms of pleasure.


    "Honey...don''t stop...make mee...pleeease"


    She could barely articte as her face was sweaty and a trickle of drool ran down her mouth. With my strength, while being careful not to hurt her, I suddenly turned her around to get her on all fours.


    "Freya ?"


    The dragoness seemed surprised as I sneered with a glint of lust in my eyes.


    "I want to observe your body from every angle"


    Her beautiful round buttocks were in front of me, naked, smooth and plump. As I finished my sentence, I grabbed both her buttocks in each of my hands to massage them.


    "Noo aaaah not...aaaah..here"


    My wife seemed to be very sensitive to this area, which made me smile even more with excitement and desire. As I continued to massage her buttocks, I dipped my face into her thighs again to continue my work.


    "I...aaah...if you keep this up I..."


    Gaya was on all fours, face down on the bed, thighs spread, offering herself to mepletely. Seeing her so submissive made me want to dominate her more and more. Without hesitation, I withdrew my tongue to insert two fingers inside her.


    "Fre..Freya...Aaaah I..I''m..I''m..cummiiiaaaaah!!!"


    At that moment a stream of her juice came out of her body as she cum for the first time. My fingers were still inside her as I began to move back and forth without giving her time to rest.


    "You like this don''t you ? kufufu~ Go ahead and tell me"


    "Y..yes...I... I love it."


    Gaya had started moaning again to the rhythm of my fingers as she now moved her hips unconsciously, guided by the pleasure she was feeling. With each movement of her pelvis, I could feel the electricity running through my crotch, far too excited by the scene that was ying out before my eyes. My right hand then grabbed firmly one of her buttocks before pping it, leaving a red mark.


    "Aaah more ! Freya ! Dominate me..!"


    As she screamed these words at me still on all fours, tongue sticking out of her mouth, eyes almost revolting, I would speed up the movement of my fingers and slightly intensify the spankings I was giving her. The sound of pping was rising in that room, in rhythm with my grunts and my wife''s screams and moans.


    "Yeeees faster ! It''sing...aaaaaah."


    The dragoness was cumming for the second time, as she slumped onto the bed, exhausted, shaking and panting. As I approached her, I leaned towards her ear to bite it and whisper something that made her blush.


    "My love...this is just the beginning. Tonight you will finally bepletely mine"

 Chapter 71 (R18) Freyas Tears [The Empress Wedding - End]

    -- POV Gaya --


    My body was shaking, I couldn''t stop the spasms that went through it every second as I rolled over onto my back. My breathing was shaky and as I opened my eyes again, I could see Freya had risen above me still on her knees. She had bitten my ear and now looked at me with wild, lustful eyes and a satisfied smile. As her canines glistened, she licked her fingers full of my juice passionately while keeping her purple gaze in mine.


    "Mmmh delicious"


    This scene was incredibly sensual. In the moonlight, the sweat from her body shone on her skin, giving me a divine sight. Fine droplets were beading on her beautiful drawn abs that moved to the rhythm of her, ever so calm breathing.


    I didn''t know how this young woman remained so sexy in all circumstances, I desired her whole being and I wanted her to possess me. Seeing my wife with that face so provocative and smiling wildly drove me crazy.


    "Freya.."


    As I whispered her name, I slowly approached her. The she-wolf had made me cum twice already and I wanted to return the favor. As I got close to her, my face right in front of her belly, I started to lick her abs. I was on all fours, tasting her skin for the first time, both cold and warm. Freya said nothing and looked down at me with a smile as she saw me as submissive.


    "I love seeing you like this, you are beautiful my love."


    As she said these words to me, I could see her loosen her hair to let it fall down her muscr back to then remove the bandages that covered her chest. I had stopped staring at her belly and instead focused on her every move. As she dropped thest bandage, a tattoo simr to mine appeared between her breasts. It was smaller, white and ck in color but still represented a wolf''s fang on a dragon''s wing.


    "I think it appeared during the ceremony when my chest started to glow."


    As she spoke to me, Freya leaned down to my ear to whisper the next part.


    "Now I am yours and you are mine.."


    Her words made me shudder as she straightened up. Her breasts were smaller than mine, which made her look much more masculine. Even so, they were neither too big nor too small and the urge to touch them was irresistible. I didn''t have time to do anything, as the she-wolf was getting up off the bed to take off her pants.


    "The serious stuff is about to start my love"


    Freya began to unbutton them with a smirk on her face and as she got to thest button, I got up in turn to kneel in front of her. She let me do it without saying a word while I dropped her white pants on the floor. Her panties were ck and showed a lot on her white thighs.


    Still on my knees, I began to look down at her body as my teeth bit my bottom lip. Freya was much less shapely than me and was definitely very masculine. I loved her body and I had to admit that I preferred it that way because it turned me on.


    As I swallowed nervously, I took her panties in my hands and gently pulled them down to the floor. She was also soaked after the she-wolf had heard my moans for so long.


    "I.."


    I didn''t know what to say as I saw her bare crotch before me. Without waiting, I began to lick the juice that had run down her leg mixing with her sweat. It was warm and reminded me of the taste of mountain flower honey. As I began to lick her wet lips, I could hear my wife grumbling. Every time I gave a lick, hoarse moans came out of her mouth.


    "Aaaah yes baby like this."


    Her hands on my head were pushing me more vigorously as I held onto her hips to bury my tongue deep inside her.


    "Aawwrgrh."


    Her moans had turned into a real grunt as I could see the hairs on her tail bristle. My crotch was starting to wet again as I heard my wife enjoying the pleasure I was giving her. I waspletely focused as a husky, breathless,manding voice rose in the room.


    "Look at me"


    Her deep voice made me wet myself even more as I quicklyplied. At that moment, above me stood a she-wolf I had never seen before. Freya''s eyes glowed like they had never glowed before, her fangs had grown and long strands of hair fell over her sweaty face. Her gaze was wilder than ever and I could almost see steam escaping from her mouth with every breath.


    "Aaarrrww !"


    While moaning, my wife kept her eyes in mine as I continued to pleasure her with my tongue.


    "I...I feel iting"


    As she spoke, her breathing went faster and with her hands, she intensified mying and going as she moved my head.


    "Aaaaaarr"


    Freya had let out a real beastly growl as she cum in my mouth. The carpet in the room I was in was soaked with my liquid that had dripped profusely onto it. As I pulled back slightly, I didn''t have time to look up at the she-wolf as she was already thrusting into me.


    "My love that was divine"


    On my back, I was lying on the ground while Freya was on top of me making strands of her hair fall on either side of my face. Her pupils were both dted and her loving gaze had turned into a look filled with lust.


    ____


    -- POV Freya --


    I had cum for the first time a few seconds ago. It was an incredible sensation, a strong current of electricity had taken over my entire body and all my limbs had contracted to enjoy it. The pleasure had run through my whole being filling me with an indescribable happiness. My wife had been perfect and all I wanted to do was to continue all night. I was on top of Gaya and trying to calm myself as my heartbeat was deafening.


    "Honey...I belong to you."


    As I caught my breath, I straightened up to see the dragoness shyly spread her thighs to give me a great view of every part of her naked body. She was beautiful and what she was telling me didn''t calm me at all. I wanted to take her immediately on the floor. I slid down to her thighs to bite her as an urge to mark her overtook me. Gaya already had a bite on her neck and for some reason my instinct was to do it again. The dragoness began to moan as I ran my tongue over her thighs to bite them right after.


    "Aahhmmh"


    Flipping her over this time on her stomach, I would then attack her buttocks which looked appetizing. While my tongue roamed over her two big mountains, Gaya was gripping the carpet. I had noticed that for her, her buttocks were a very erogenous zone so I lingered a little more in this ce. The dragoness shivered as I ran my tongue and hot breath over the hand marks I had left earlier.


    "Honey...please..."


    My wife had turned to look at me with a pleading look full of desire. At that moment, without warning, my fangs sank into one of her buttocks wringing a loud moan from her.


    "Aaaah yess"


    I didn''t bite her too hard so as not to hurt her ,but enough to leave a temporary mark. As I flipped her over onto her back to lean into her face, I could see her catch her breath. I then lifted her chin with my fingers to approach her pink lips to lick them sensually.


    While my wife still had her legs spread, I positioned myself so that our two private parts could touch. In a scissor position, my legs on either side, I began to slowly move my pelvis.


    "Moan harder for me my love !"


    As if obeying, Gaya''s moans grew louder and more obscene as the rhythm of my hips quickened. The sensation of pleasuring myself at the same time was so divine that I couldn''t stop myself.


    "Fa..faster aaaah."


    The dragoness''s pleas made me lose my mind as I also began to moan fiercely.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Aaarrww, baby your body is so delicious"


    Gaya''s lower lips were soft, warm and deliciously sticky. Our private parts rubbed together as we were locked in our world of lust. I could feel her juices mixing with mine as I moved back and forth more quickly. I had opened my eyes and what I was seeing and hearing was exceptional.


    My wife was crying with pleasure, a trickle of drool at the corner of her open mouth as she screamed my name.


    ''Fre...Freya...yes..aaaah..I...Freyaaa"


    Seeing her expression so submissive and obscene made me want to ravage her even more.


    "Aaarwwh yes, go ahead and continue ! Scream that you belong to me"


    As my head spun due to pleasure and I managed to formte my sentences, I grabbed her right breast with my free hand. The other was busy holding her leg to keep the pace.


    "Yes I...aaaah..I belong to you...I...aaah I''m yours !"


    "Aaarww"


    We moaned louder and louder as I pinched her nipple with my fingertips. At that moment, I could feel a flood of juice flowing between us and onto my lower lips. I continued to massage her breasts as we soon climaxed at the same time. Gaya was almost convulsing as her crimson hair was strewn across her face and the floor. As we were almost about to cum at the same time, I saw her close her eyes as a notification that I was not expecting at all appeared.


    -- PING --


    [ The title of Gaya allows you to proceed to a fusion of your manas to conceive an offspring from your two beings. This can only be done when the host and her partner make prolonged intimate contact ]


    [ Do you want to start the fusion ? ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    I didn''t even read the notification, although I could easily guess what it was about. Without even hesitating for a second, I answered, more sure of my answer than ever.


    *YES !*


    I loved her madly and I wanted to get Gaya pregnant because I also wanted to expand my family. My wolf instinct was also involved because I had this uncontroble urge to impregnate my wife and have offspring. It was like a bestial and innate need that I couldn''t describe or exin. I hadn''t told her anything about it yet because I wanted to keep it a surprise and tell her once I was sure she was indeed carrying something in her womb.


    "Aaaaah."


    "Aaaaarww."


    As we cum at the same time, both of our tattoos began to glow intensely illuminating the entire room. I could feel it warmth invading and embracing me as my mana went crazy and made me fall to the floor in exhaustion.


    "What...what happened ?"


    The dragoness must have felt the same thing, her arms were shaking and she couldn''t straighten up.


    -- PING --


    [ Congrattions ! The mana fusion has seeded, the individual Gaya is now pregnant ! ]


    A wide smile appeared on my face as I approached my wife and kissed her passionately. I was happy, fulfilled, I wanted to jump for joy and shout it to the world. Gaya seemed to notice something different about me as she broke our kiss to ask me a question.


    "Honey, what''s going on with you ?"


    I didn''t answer as I stood up carrying her in my arms to the bed. I sat her gently on the ck fabric before looking into her eyes as I took her hand. My hands trembled with joy as I knelt down in front of her to touch her belly.


    "My love...you are pregnant.."


    Gaya seemed to lose her tongue for a few seconds as her voice trembled and she put her hand in front of her mouth.


    "I....No it''s imp....how ?"


    So I was exining everything from the beginning, her title, the mana fusion, our tattoos and the notifications.


    ____


    "...so yes, you are pregnant"


    We were tucked under the sheets in our bed. Gaya had her head on my chest as I stroked her hair. I had just finished my exnations as she straightened up to punch me in the stomach.


    "You ! That''s...you..you could have told me about that you sneaky wolf !"


    She would grab the pillow next to her to hit me with it as Iughed softly.


    "Haha~ I wanted to make sure there was no false joy haha~ sorry my love"


    As my wife rested the cushion on her side, she kept her head down with her hair falling over her face. I couldn''t see her eyes, but tears were silently falling into herp. As I rushed to hug her, we both fell onto the bed in each other''s arms.


    "I..I''m pregnant.."


    Gaya was finally letting her emotions out as she melted into tears in my arms. As thest dragon I knew this was a very important thing to her, not to mention the fact that I knew she dreamed of carrying a child. The dragoness sometimes spoke in her dreams and on several asions I had heard her whisper the word "baby" as she unconsciously touched her belly. Her tears would not stop as she cried into my chest.


    "I had already given up on this dream a long time ago...I...Thank you for always making my heart beat faster. Thank you for giving me what no one else could ever give me, thank you for being there for me when nothing was shining in my dark world. Thank you for being my light. Thank you for your love and everything. Honey...I''m so happy !"


    As I stroked her head I thought about everything she had gone through before she met me and the dreams she had to give up. I wanted them all toe true, I wanted her to be happy like she was now, for her whole life and beyond.


    "Me too my love...me too.."


    As I answered her, I put my hand on her belly that was warm and thought that in a few months the fruit of our love would be among us. I felt an unknown emotion run through me. Was it pride ? Was it joy ? Or maybe something quite different and unknown. The dragoness sniffed between each word as she thought of our daughter who did not yet know the news.


    "We...we''ll have to tell Shiro tomorrow"


    At the mention of my little moon, my heart warmed more as a pure, loving smile came across my face. Our family was growing and in that moment, as I answered the mother of my future child...I was at peace.


    "Haha~ yes she will be the first to know"


    Iughed nervously because I could feel something rising inside me. Gaya was in my arms sobbing with joy as I looked up at the full moon that had been with us every moment. I hugged my wife even tighter, closing my eyes as tears streamed down my face for the first time.

 Chapter 72 Feelings Of A Little Sister And Changes

    -- POV Freya --


    The sun was beginning to rise and outside the sound of the waves and the birds were gradually waking me up from my sleep.


    *Oh my head*


    I grabbed my face in my hands as I could feel the pounding in my skull. As I breathed softly, lying on the bed, the memories of the night before came back into my mind. I remembered our first night which had been incredible and especially the wonderful news that for the first time in this world had made me cry.


    *Gaya !*


    Quickly straightening up on the bed, I looked for my wife to check that she was okay. The dragoness was sleeping soundly beside me, her hand under her face with many strands of her crimson hair. She was smiling and her eyes were slightly swollen from crying a lot during the night.


    Gaya had a peaceful, happy face and seemed to be swimming in a pleasant dream. She was still naked, her body was red in some ces with bite marks on her inner thighs, neck and breasts.


    *I...I hope I didn''t hurt her*


    As I thought aboutst night, I leaned down to ce a kiss on her forehead before slowly getting up to find something to wear. Our clothes were still scattered on the floor as I made my way to my personal closet, which was quite small at the moment. I put on arge ck robe before tying my hair in a ponytail and walking out onto the balcony facing the sea.


    [Good morning onee-san, did you sleep well ? hehe~]


    As I sat on one of the sofas looking at the sky, I could hear my little sister''s voice.


    *Kira...Gaya is pregnant*


    I hadn''t even thought of saying hello to her when I was already telling her the news. I had gotten my wife''s permission the day before and I had decided to tell her before Shiro because it seemed normal. She had been with me from the beginning, we had discovered this still mysterious world together. Kira had the right to know and as I finished my sentence she remained silent.


    [....]


    *Kira ?*


    Then I straightened up slightly from my seat worried about her silence, her little voice was moved and I could almost hear her crying which was not possible.


    [Onee-san...I...I''m so happy, congrattions ! Our family is growing..I ...I wish I could hug you...]


    *Kira...*


    [But don''t worry about me it''s not important haha~! Congrattions again !]


    Despite what she was saying, I could sense something else in her words. Kira was sincerely happy but my previous life had taught me well to recognize when there was something else. Her voice at that moment had the same hint of loneliness that I carried in my voice in my past life. My little sister didn''t know all of these feelings yet and had a hard time hiding the variations in her voice. I knew better than anyone what this sadness and loneliness was that weighed on Kira.


    *Little sister...you are just as important as my wife or my daughter. We were already a family before all this, remember ? I swore to protect you and make you happy and I will keep my promise. Am I not your big sister after all ?*


    I wanted to reassure her that she wasn''t alone and that I would do anything to make sure she could walk beside us one day.


    *Kira...I also promised to find a way for you to have a body. I haven''t forgotten that promise and I think about it every day in a corner of my mind. *


    Speaking to her in my mind, I then took on a voice that was both serious, grave but also maternal and loving as I continued.


    *But don''t ever say that none of this is important because you are important to me...to us. I don''t want you to hide what you feel from me, how else could I look after you ? I love you and today I''m not afraid to say it, so don''t be afraid to tell me when it''s not right, okay little sister ?*


    My heart was clenching in my chest as I finished speaking. My chest hurt and an urge to hit something was rising inside me. I was angry at myself for still not having found a solution when suddenly Kira''s voice rang in my mind.


    [Onee-san calm down I...forgive me. I''m really happy for you and for our family but when I see you three...I...I wish I could be with you. I love you all and you big sister are still the dearest person to me. Not being able to hold you in my arms is bing more and more unbearable...I...I love you too. Sorry, I didn''t mean to worry you...]


    *No Kira I understand from the bottom of my heart what you are telling me. This unattainable happiness is what we have all experienced in our own way. I know you are happy with us, but as your happiness grows, this pain intensifies...*


    [I...yes...]


    I then suddenly stood up and walked over to the railing of the balcony that overlooked the sea. Staring at the sea, I spoke again, more determined than ever.


    *Little sister...when the child that is growing in Gaya''s belly is born, you will be able to hold it in your arms. Do you hear me ? Until then, please wait a little longer...please..*


    I, Freya, who had never done this before, bowed my head and almost begged her to trust me. My trembling hands were on the railing and as I waited for her answer, the stone began to crack and to split. I didn''t pay attention to my strength anymore and started to release it little by little, too focused on the conversation.


    [Onee-san, your strength ! I...Okay okay, don''t worry about it ! After all, it looks like I''ve inherited your strength of character, so I''ll continue to trust you as I''ve always done so far !]


    *Kira...*


    Without letting me continue, she continued.


    [Now hurry up and check all your changes, or when I get a body I swear I''ll keep little Shiro all to myself haha~]


    *Oh ? I''d like to see that my dear little sister kufufu~!*


    While we had regained our good mood, Kira''s voice had resumed its brightness.


    ____


    *So, let''s see !*


    Since we had finished building the Empire and the coronation ceremony, I had quite a few notifications to check and attribute points to distribute. To start, I wanted to see the changes in the Kingdom menu.


    *Kira, please open the Kingdom menu*


    -- PING --


    [ The Kingdom menu has been updated ]


    [ The Kingdom has be an Empire ]


    [ Congrattions ! All hail the Empress ! ]


    As I read the notification, I sighed wearily, unable to understand this strange automatic system that sometimes seemed quite clever and alive.


    __


    EMPIRE ELYSIUM


    Empress : Freya


    Wife and 2nd ruler : Gaya


    Princess : Shiro


    Management : Gaya


    Commanders of the armies : 10 / Nixia - Ralph - Luna - Caipy - Ynir - Persea - (Na?a) - Trioa - Thorunn - Emilia


    Chief Builders : 4 / Tar - Kan - Naghel - Eurytion


    Chief cksmith : 1/ Yuric


    Chief hunter : 1 / Wol


    Chief Guardians : 2 / Ynir - Persea


    Chief manufacturer : 1 / Taegen


    Chief cook : 1 / Irrena


    Chief of intelligence : 1 / Luna


    Agriculture administrators : 2 / Ylindros - Ka


    Chief childcare workers : 1 / Viana


    Chief medical officer : 1 / Caipy


    Location : Dark Forest


    Subordinates / citizens : 385


    Soldiers : 170


    _____


    When I had tried to contact Gaya telepathically a month ago, I had noticed that there had been a few changes. I wanted to check them with my own eyes as I selected my wife''s profile.


    -- PING --


    [Individual named : Gaya


    Status


    Information


    Physical and mental state


    Telepathy ]


    *This is all new ! I guess the "Status" allows me to see what I already know, however the "Information" and "States" options I had never seen before.*


    So I wanted to start with the "Physical and mental state" option to understand a little more what it was all about even though it seemed obvious. As I concentrated, a new window opened in front of me.


    [Individual : Gaya (wife)


    Mental health : Excellent (rested)


    Physical health : Excellent


    Particrity(ies) : Pregnant - 0/4 months ]


    As I scanned the information in front of me, I discovered an interesting piece of news.


    *Oi ! I..I thought we would have to wait 9 months..! It looks like in 4 months our child will be born !*


    [That''s great news !]


    *So that means I have 4 months exactly to figure out what to do with your body. That''s more than I need !*


    [Thanks Freya...]


    For the first time in a long time, Kira had called me by my first name. As I smiled slightly, I continued to inspect the many windows in front of me. For the "States" option, I could get an overview of theplete status of one of my subordinates. From the moment his name was on the list, I had ess to almost all their information. My heart was relieved because it meant that I could also look after my family no matter what.


    *It''s great, even if we''re separated, I''ll know how they''re doing no matter what *<novelnext></novelnext>


    For now, this discovery was very good news. I was hoping that my other notifications were all equally important as I went through the system history.


    [You now have +100 attributes.]


    [ All your subordinates have gained 1 level ]


    [You have earned 11,000 EXP ]


    [ Requirements to advance to the next level (33) ]


    [You now have +100 attribute points ]


    [ Devouring Chaos skill increased to level 5 ]


    [The skill Chaos Storage has been increased to level 4 ]


    [Ice Demon Wall skill increased to level 6]


    [Ice Creation skill increased to level 5]


    All of these notifications were sent out after the intense month of building we had. Several of my skills had gone up in level and so had all my subordinates. The system took care of my subordinates by only leveling up their attributes because for their skills, it was up to them to level them up with serious training.


    *Let''s start with the attribute points. I have 200, that''s perfect !*


    ___


    Strength: 390 > 425


    Defense: 386 > 421


    Agility: 400 > 435


    Stamina: 403 > 428


    Speed: 392 > 427


    Intelligence: 390 > 425


    ___


    Again, the same feeling of fullness invaded my body and mind. This time I felt like I was floating in the air, I didn''t feel anything, only every part of my body was changing. My body became harder and colder while my mind expanded. I had passed the 400 mark everywhere and this time my five senses were expanding as well and I almost felt like I was everywhere and nowhere at the same time.


    My hearing was sharper, I could hear the rustling of leaves and when I concentrated I could locate a particr noise. As I stared at a rock in the sea several feet down the beach, the sound of the waves crashing and the rock crumbling filled my ears.


    *Unbelievable..*


    My eyes could see into the night, but this time I could see the surrounding mana swirling in the air.  For the moment it was only faintly, but my vision had greatly improved.


    *I have to test something*


    While I was still in my ck robe on the balcony, I got up from the couch, cracking the floor.


    *And shit..*


    [Don''t forget to be careful, as your strength increases, you have to be extremely careful. Over time you retain your strength naturally, but after each little evolution you need a few hours]


    Kira was right, I had to be careful not to hurt others and destroy everything. Being careful this time, I sat cross-legged, closing my eyes and concentrating only on what I felt, heard and perceived. My mind was working at a blistering pace as my own mana linked with the surrounding mana.


    -- PING --


    [ Host learned the skill of Mana Detection (lvl 1) ]


    *I knew it !*


    The stronger my body became in this world, the more I was able to interact with this world. I didn''t really know what the system was, but it allowed me to gain new things with each step. The possibilities were infinite and a lifetime might not be enough to understand and discover all its secrets.


    As I slowly opened my eyes in satisfaction, I could hear my little sister whispering.


    [Do you want me to show you the details ?]


    *Yes of course, thank you*


    [ Mana Detection (lvl 1) : Skill that allows you to feel and see the mana around you. As the level increases, you''ll develop more control over your surroundings ]


    As I read the details of this new skill, I smiled wildly because it meant that from now on with a lot of practice, I would be able to act directly with mana which was everywhere.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense: 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    - Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 73 Start Of The Meeting In The Imperial Manor

    -- POV Freya --


    I had just discovered that I was now able to visually perceive mana, although it was still very weak. It was everywhere in this world and ran through every being whether they were able to use it or not. For the moment, my new skill wasn''t really useful but with practice I could take it to the next level.


    *Kira, I guess you don''t know much about the system now, am I right ?*


    [Indeed, I understand the basic functioning of the system, so I am able to answer your questions. I have a much more numerical understanding of this world than you do, thanks to the fact that I was not a full-fledged soul before. However, since I was separated from the system, I no longer have ess to new information]


    It was true that my little sister knew a lot about this world and it was easy to understand that when she arrived with me, she was just a system helper, coded and receiving information in different forms. However, now everything I was now discovering, Kira was also discovering and we had to find the answers together.


    I was still cross-legged on the floor as I continued to check what had changed. During this month I had used a lot "storage of chaos" and "ice demon wall" which were now level 4 and 6. My two main Chaos Devouring and Ice Creation were level 5 and it seemed like a step up.


    *I think I can now create anything I want out of ice, my main skill is now level 5*


    Mentally searching my system I found the one notification I was looking for.


    [ Your two main skills are level 5. You can now create ice without using your MPs thanks to ambient mana if this creation is not targeted forbat and use devouring chaos to devour living beings ]


    As I finished reading the details, I began to concentrate my ice element in the palm of my hand. I imagined a small box that instantly appeared in my hand without consuming my MPs. It simply appeared made of ice and in an instant. This little object didn''t melt in the sun because there was mana inside and it was perfectly formed.


    *Wow, I guess this is going toe in handy. To think that my crown and throne had to be made a few weeks ago using my attack and defense skills*


    I found thisughable because before I could create any object, I had to create a wall of ice so that Yuric and his team could carve a crown. The dwarves had had a lot of trouble and the operation had been repeated several times. For my throne, I had simply invoked the ice around it like a crown of spades around the imperial seat. I could hear Kiraughing as she also found it very ironic and so funny.


    [Pfffhaha~ indeed ! Just don''t tell Yuric he might have a stroke hihi~]


    While I smiled and she giggled in her corner, I continued to experiment with this box. As it was ambient mana mixed with my own, I had perfect control over it and could change the shape of the box at will.


    *It''s crazy, I can manipte it to my liking*.


    With a snap of the finger, the box turned into a small ss. The ice was still the same as before, no amount of mana had been added, the ice had simply adapted to the shape I wanted. I didn''t know what the limits were yet, but my eyes were shining with excitement and a desire to do a whole battery of tests was running through my head.


    [As long as there''s mana in the air you''ll always have ice, it''s convenient.]


    As I nodded my head, I tried to concentrate on the possibility of devouring living beings.


    *I don''t understand*


    It meant nothing and everything at the same time. What was the use of absorbing living beings ? If it was only to kill, what was so special about it ? While I was thinking, Kira started talking as if she had guessed what I was thinking.


    [As far as living things are concerned, you should test to see if you can''t unlock a skill. As it is, the message doesn''t really make sense, but don''t forget that the system is based on your achievements. Both the Devouring Chaos and Ice Creation skills have a lot of potential but they are not really skills in their own right. It''s kind of like they literally represent your two elements]


    *You''re right, thank you. It was a global level, it''s up to me to take advantage of it to unlock skills. The more I experiment, the more I have the chance to open my fields of possibility and to have really interesting things !*


    So all I had to do was test this out when I had time, because at noon my first meeting was already taking ce in the Imperial Mansion.


    *Yosh !*


    As I slowly got up, my new ears detected a rustling of sheetsing from the bedroom. I rushed into the room to see a very pretty dragoness waking up slowly on the bed. I smiled as her eyes opened to see me beside her.


    "Hello sleeping beauty"


    Gaya quickly sat up just as I had when I woke up, remembering all the events. Her hair fell in a mess on her still sleeping face and as she grabbed strands to tuck behind her ears, my wife answered me.


    "He..hello honey."


    Her face was once again turning red as she said hello to me and touched her neck. Images of our crazy night of love wereing back into her head as Gaya hid behind her hands.


    "I.."


    Then suddenly she touched her belly remembering what was growing in it. My wife''s amber eyes were filled with love as she gently stroked her belly with her hand. I approached the dragoness to ce a kiss on her soft lips while cing my hand on hers.


    "It''s not a dream, you''re pregnant, my love*


    We bothughed like children, still as happy asst night. Thest days we had spent were the most beautiful since I had arrived in this world. Apanied by my wife, my daughter and my little sister, every day was a treasure. As I stood up to grab some clothes for her while thinking about it all, Gaya pulled me to her to kiss me on the cheek, whispering only two words


    "Thank you."


    Smiling, I would walk over to her clothing closet to pull out a ck robe that was more feminine than mine. The ones we had looked very luxurious and made with care as if they were silk. I could see my wife getting up, giving me onest beautiful view of her body before she disappeared under the fabric.


    Seeing my disappointed look that I had not been able to hide as it was so natural, Gaya approached to take my hand and speak.


    "I''m not going to run away, I told youst night, my body is yours just like my heart and soul. Nowe on honey, I am very hungry...maybe because I am pregnant now hihi~"


    As she pulled me out of the Imperial room, my wife giggled not as shy as before. A small smile appeared on my face as I followed her.


    We opened the door together as a delicious smell wafted down the hallway.


    "Mmh I wonder what smells so good !"


    Walking through the hallway with Gaya, I found myself in front of therge open door to therge dining room in our quarters. It was veryrge with several fireces inside. There wererge couches in the first part, with a still empty bookcase and what looked like a small coffee table. We still had plenty of time to decorate and fill this room so there wasn''t much.


    As I entered the room, Triss and Lia were inside waiting patiently for us. As the two young women saw meing, they bowed to me.


    "Good morning your highness, Gaya-sama I hope your night went well. We will serve you breakfast as the head cook Lady Irrena exined to us."


    As it turned out, the half-rabbit and the half-cat didn''t like the management and therefore offered to take care of the manor''s tasks as maids. This term was notpletely true because the two half-humans did much more than just the maintenance of the manor and the cleaning. There was also serving, taking messages, and quite a bit more like two female butlers. Finally, were still my secretaries because they were in charge of following me in turn in all my movements, managing my appointments and being aware of everything. At the moment they were on their own so I didn''t want them to burn out too much before I found a team for them to manage but Triss and Lia were very determined and worked perfectly.


    The two half-humans were sleeping in two rooms on the floor below, as were Irrena and the other two cooks who were working in the mansion for the moment.


    "Hello, very well thank you very much"


    But for the moment the work could wait because it was time to eat.


    ____


    Breakfast was over and I was ready to go to the meeting room and meet themanders of my army.


    *It''s noon, time to go*


    [Indeed, you have work ahead of you and your wife went to work before you haha~]


    Gaya had already left as the head of management to take care of the other section leaders and Shiro still hadn''t returned but I wasn''t too worried about her. Triss was in charge of taking care of our daughter when she arrived if my wife and I were still in a meeting. So today it was Lia''s turn to assist me.


    I had changed into ck pants, a red shirt, white gloves and my imperial cloak without forgetting my ice crown. As I left my room, the half-tabbit bowed to me in silence before following me.


    [Did you see how her ears fall back when she bends over ? I think it''s cute haha~]


    *Huh ?*


    I had stopped for a few seconds in the wide hallway, stunned by what Kira had just told me. Since she didn''t answer anymore, I decided to put it aside and talk to herter.


    As I reached the stairs leading to the lower floors, two soldiers greeted me, standing tall and pounding their fists vigorously on their hearts in unison.


    "Good morning your highness !"


    Nodding only as I passed, I walked down the stairs to the meeting room always followed by Lia. My subordinates who hade to work were numerous and when I passed some in therge corridors they all bowed with a big smile.


    *It is for these smiles that we work hard*


    As I arrived at the door of the meeting room, this constant thought kept me going with determination each day and even more so the next. Lia walked past me to open the door for me while I could see all the femalemanders sitting in the chairs and talking, suddenly stand up and greet me.


    "Good morning your highness, we hope you had a good morning !"


    I walked over to my chair that was at the end of the table as I answered them.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Of course, I hope you did too. So let''s..."


    As I reached for my chair to sit down, the backrest I pulled towards me exploded into a thousand pieces in my hand, shattering my seat.


    *Sigh...here we go again*


    "Empress !"


    Lia and the femalemanders were rushing towards me but I stopped them dead in their tracks with a wave of my hand. I was far from weak so they didn''t need to make a big deal about a simple broken chair.


    "Tsk..it''s okay, I''m not made of ss ! That said...I think it''s fine the way it is kufufu~"


    Not understanding what I was saying, the people in the room looked at me with questioning eyes. Suddenly, with a snap of my finger I made arge seat appearpletely frozen behind me. It was almost as big as my throne and quite simr because ice spikes were sticking out from everywhere, giving it an aggressive look.


    *Not bad !*


    I was pleased with myself as I sat on it crossing my legs and staring each of mymanders in the eye.


    "Let''s start !"


    As I said these words, I went back to my cold, serious self, indicating that we were not here to y. The 11 young women in front of me were shocked and as many questions crossed their disconnected minds I pped my hands and frowned.


    "Y..yes, forgive us your highness !"


    With a simple look, they knew it was time to start and that they were taking way too long. Soing to their senses, themanders hastily sat down in their chairs while Lia stood behind me and spoke up.


    "The meeting regarding the measures to be taken and the organization to protect the forest races begins."


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense: 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    - Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 74 First Strategy Meeting

    -- POV Freya --


    I was in the meeting room of the manor and all the femalemanders of the army were standing in front of me. Lia had just announced the beginning of this meeting so I straightened up to speak.


    "To begin with, Persea, Ynir are the gates of the Empire open ?"


    The butterfly woman would nod to her dryad partner before answering me.


    "No your highness, we were just waiting for this meeting and your permission to do so"


    "Perfect, once this meeting is over, open the doors while maintaining the illusion at the entrance. Your section will patrol the area around the wall to protect it if necessary. For the section in the air, has a scouting been done ?"


    Persea and Ynir nodded as the gray-haired young woman spoke up. Trioa had prepared notes as she answered me with what she had written with slightly shaky hands.


    "We haven''t spotted any humans in the forest yet, there are also half-humans and beastmen still scattered throughout all areas of the Dark Forest. As you ordered, we have located their various camps which I have marked on the map."


    It was important to always keep an eye on the surrounding area, it had been over a month since the adventurers had been killed and still no sign of more adventurers. I knew the humans all too well to know that they were up to something. We had to stay on guard and get as many people back as possible before the counterattack started. Trioa had already done a good job as the people they had found would not need to be searched.


    "Very well, I want all of your best soldiers out on patrol for the next few days. We don''t know if we''re running out of time so the sooner we act, the less trouble there will be."


    As I gave my orders, Caipy timidly raised her hand.


    "Your Highness, regarding my section what should I do ? There are still only 12 of us and no one has mastered magic yet."


    I had not forgotten the dark elf as I looked into her eyes.


    "Send one of your soldiers to each section to assist them medically, except for Luna and Trioa. As for the other 6, it''s up to you to decide, they are under your responsibility.


    Turning then to the half-panther I exined my choice.


    "Your team will be in charge of the area closest to the roads and Yarlford to the southwest. As head of intelligence you are the most likely to run away in case of an unexpected encounter. Therefore, you can''t have a doctor in your team for more mobility. Unfortunately Trioa can''t handle it with you as she will be tasked with flying over the northeast mountains with her team."


    "Of course your highness !"


    With a serious face, Luna nodded as I ran my fingers under my chin to think.


    *I also need to be able to have enough food to amodate the neers, I could check on that with Gaya once this meeting is over*


    While I was lost in my thoughts, the beautifulmia with the ck scales spoke up followed by Ralph.


    "Your Highness, I would cover the area to the north where half-humans are hidden. I would have no trouble finding my way around there as it is a swampy area. Of course, the vicemander Na?a will apany me."


    "As for me I would take the Southeast area, I''m pretty good at getting respect from other races like the ogres."


    The two half-humanmanders had serious faces and eyes that shone fiercely with determination. If Nixia took the northern zone, she would indeed have a better chance of sessfully navigating the swamps. As amia, she was used to this environment more than anyone. I wasn''t worried about the young fox either because she understood quickly and was getting better every day.


    As for the young hybrid woman, her alpha temperament and her strength made her quite capable of dealing with ogres. They were proud creatures and sometimes a bit stupid, basing themselves only on the strength and the value of an individual.


    *Emilia could also have gone, but I feel that Ralph is perfect for that*


    I knew that I could trust them both, so I nodded while they understood without me speaking that I counted on them. Only Emilia and Thorunn were left. Luna would leave for the Southwest, Ralph the East, Trioa the Northeast, Nixia the North while Caipy would stay in the Empire and Ynir and Persea would take care of the defense.


    "Emilia !"


    "Yes your Highness"


    "You will be in charge of patrolling the center of the forest. You are themander with the most soldiers, so it will be faster for you to cover the area. Be careful when you''re there, despite Trioa''s patrols we don''t know for sure if any humans are lurking around."


    Turning back to Thorunn, I stared at her with my violet eyes before addressing her.


    "You will be with Emilia, spread out all over the center of the Dark Forest and find the races that still inhabit it !"


    The vampire and the half-human cat nodded, indicating that they understood. With their 66 soldiers together, the searches of the temple, the caves, the camps would be that much faster and more efficient. Emilia and Thorunn were both powerful women and just like the othermanders I had appointed, I trusted them.


    "Empress.."


    Lia leaned towards me to give me the map she had prepared during the discussion, which showed the areas covered by the differentmanders.


    "Good job !"


    As I congratted her, I could see the young rabbit woman bowing with a slight blush.


    [Aww~!]


    *Sigh..*


    Shaking my head and sighing slightly at the situation, I stood up from my ice seat, towering over them from my height. I could feel my passive "Commander" skill activate as I spoke.


    "Now that you know what you have to do, prepare your soldiers and leave tomorrow. The priority is not to fight, but to offer our help to those who are still hiding. It''s up to you to organize yourselves as you wish, but I don''t want anyone to get hurt. If anything happens, as leaders you will be held responsible."


    My words may have sounded harsh but it was reality. On our decisions depended a multitude of other lives that we had no right to foolishly endanger. The Empire was still small, but I knew that it would one day be perhaps more than an Empire...as a symbol for all races. Therefore, themanders had to take their jobs seriously now and be excellent leaders.


    With this thought in mind, the women in front of me still silent, I continued.


    "The humans wille no matter what, that''s a certainty. After what we did towards the ruins, there is bound to be retaliation. Never forget that and on your mission, put your life and the lives of others first. I don''t want unnecessary fighting, especially if you have people among you who want to join the Empire. I have promised protection, so it must be granted as soon as the will to join us has been formted and epted. I trust you !"


    As I finished saying what I had to say, the 10 young women stood up in unison. They all knew that saving the life of another race was more important than taking the life of a human. Their eyes shone on their warrior faces, they were beautiful, determined and I knew with that look they would not disappoint me.


    "At yourmand your Highness, we will not forget that the priority must be the people being rescued !"


    I looked at them with pride as a satisfied sneer crossed my face and one of my canines glowed. There wasn''t much more to say and I had to go to my office to check on what had been said during  Gaya''s meeting. I also had a lot of other things to organize, people to meet, so I had to finish this strategic meeting.


    As I was about to release them to go back to their organizing and preparations, the door to the room suddenly opened with a bang.


    "Mommy it''s me !"


    It was Shiro who had pushed the door open with all her might with her little arms. She was running towards me with a wide smile as Triss ran behind her.


    "Princess pleasee back ! Her highness is in a meeting.."


    Obviously, the half-human cat had not been able to stop her and my little moon was already hugging me. The women in the room bowed in silence as I grabbed Shiro to carry her in my arms.


    "Hey sweetie ! Did you have a good evening and morning with your friend ?"


    As I spoke to her, I waved the others off as I didn''t want to hold them back any longer. Knowing their assignments, themanders bowed onest time before leaving the room. Only Triss and Lia were left, and they also left to wait for me at the door. Shiro was all rosy cheeks and couldn''t help but respond to me with a non-stopugh.


    "Yesterday I was a little tired but you know I didn''t sleep right away. Kate and I told each other a lot of things and I told her how strong and brave I thought you were. Afterwards I don''t remember much because I fell asleep but this morning it was great with all the kids ! Did you know that the morning Kate eats a lot ? I didn''t know that but she eats at least twice as much as me can you believe it ? hihi~"


    My little moon was happy and kept talking to me without stopping about all the things she had done. She was telling me that she was looking forward to going to school, making more friends even though Kate was her best friend. My daughter''s tail as usual was wagging from right to left and her little hands were making big gestures to better exin to me. Shiro was absolutely adorable.


    As she finished, I didn''t have time to answer when she asked me a question I wasn''t expecting.


    "What about you ? Did you have fun with mom Gaya ?"


    [Pfffhahaha~ given the good news I have to believe they did ! hehe~]


    *Shhh, good thing she can''t hear you !*


    While I ignored Kira''s joke, I kissed my little girl''s pink cheek before answering her.


    "Of course my little moon, we even have some very big news to tell you !"


    Shiro''s eyes opened wide as she grabbed me by the shirt to shake me as best she could, excited and curious.


    "Oh mommy tell me pleeease !"


    Then suddenly she stopped, releasing my clothes as she lowered her head and ears.


    "Sorry, I...I didn''t mean to shake you."


    A small sad look crossed her face as I pinched her cheek gently.


    "Sweetie it''s okay don''t worry, your mommy is the strongest in the world hehe~"


    To make herugh, I winked at her, puffing out my chest with a proud look and happily sticking out my tongue.


    "Hihi~"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Shiro had startedughing out loud again as she also stuck out her tongue to imitate me. Her smile was one of my treasures and as I kissed her on the forehead, I headed for the door.


    "Let''s go see if Gaya is done, we both want to tell you."


    My little girl still in my arms nodded vigorously as I opened the door to see Triss and Lia talking on the other side.


    "I''m not going to my office just yet, I have some important things to do. You can go on with your work, meet me in an hour in the lounge of my private quarters."


    True, I had a lot of work to do, but telling Shiro that she would soon have a baby brother or sister was more important.


    "Sure your highness, we will take our leave then."


    The two young women walked away as I took the opposite path towards the second meeting room.


    "Mommy...how do you keep from getting lost ? Everything is so big.."


    Shiro was looking around and I knew she was lost. From her small height, it was indeed easy to see this huge mansion even bigger and confusing. As I continued walking, I smiled and told her not to worry.


    "Don''t worry, when you''ve spent more time at home you''ll know every ce by heart."


    "Is that true ??? When ??"


    "Well...with time. Patience is very important you know ? If you''re patient and determined, I''m sure you''ll be able to do great things."


    "As amazing as what you are doing mommy ?"


    Shiro clenched her fists and looked at me seriously and silently. I had never seen my daughter''s eyes shine with that gleam that did not appear the first time I met her. From the height of her five and a half years, my little moon was already beginning to change.


    "You''re going to be more amazing than me sweetie."


    At these words, her gaze still kept its serious look but her tail had begun to p furiously betraying her emotions. She then turned to where we were going while I heard her whisper to herself.


    "More amazing than mommy...is it possible ?"


    Chuckling slightly, I hugged her gently as I spotted Gaya in the distance talking to her team.


    "Shiro, I don''t think you''ll have to wait until you know what the surprise is"


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    - Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 75 Family Time Before Complications

    -- POV Shiro --


    Mommy had just told me that she had something to tell me but I had no idea what she meant. She carried me in her arms and we walked through therge hallways of the house to join mom Gaya.


    "Look, there she is !"


    As I looked up, I could see my other mom waving at us. She was talking with a lot of other grown-up people, probably about veryplicated things to me.


    "Hello your Highness, Princess Shiro !"


    Mommy was the Empress of all the people who lived in the city that had just been built. I didn''t really know how she managed to do all this, but I had never seen a ce as beautiful as this. People were always nice to her and our family. Mom Gaya used to say that she was like a Queen and I was the Princess of this Empire. I didn''t really know what a Princess was supposed to do, but even though it was going to be hard, I promised myself that I would try until I seeded.


    "Hello."


    As Mommy answered the grown ups, I waved my hand still shy and impressed with everyone.


    *Sometimes they''re a little scary, but they''re all nice so I have to be polite and always nice too !*


    They were talking to my moms and saying that the management was good and everything was ready for tomorrow.


    *Management ? Mom Gaya often uses it when she talks but...I don''t know what it means*


    I still couldn''t understand, everything was too hard. I couldn''t read or write yet, so I couldn''t help them even if I really wanted to. My mommy said I was still little, but I wanted to grow up quickly to help others and especially to make my moms smile. I loved it when they congratted me because it meant that I had helped and that I was useful.


    *When she strokes my head and congrattes me, it''s the best thing in the world hihi~! But uuh...no there is also when I spend time with my family, with Kate and also when Lady Irrena makes me cakes. They are delicious and with a ss of milk it''s even better !*


    I was still lost in my thoughts and thedies and gentlemen were already leaving.


    *Oh no, I didn''t have time to say goodbye..*


    I was disappointed that I didn''t get to say goodbye as mom Gaya kissed me on the forehead.


    "I missed you this morning, did everything go wellst night ?"


    She smiled and stroked my cheek. The sensation was very pleasant and as I answered my tail was already starting to wiggle.


    "Mmh yes it was really great ! We told each other lots of secrets with Kate before we went to sleep hehe~! And you know...you know she''s my best friend !"


    I didn''t know if I had told her, but I wanted to say it again. Even now I thought it was great to say that I had a best friend. I was really happy because now I was like all the other kids I envied before.


    "That''s great, you can bring her over to the house, it seems to me that Freya won''t mind, right ?"


    At first I was happy to hear this but as I thought about it, I wasn''t sure if I should do it or not.


    "No..not...not right now..."


    Even though what she had said made me happy, I didn''t dare bring Kate into the house.


    "Sweetie, why ? Last time you were all excited about it, what made you change your mind ?"


    Mommy was still holding me and as usual she was kind and worried about me. I didn''t know if I was going to make them sad with what I was going to say but I promised to always be honest. As I yed with my fingers awkwardly, I answered shyly.


    "I...well at the orphanage Kate has a nice room but...but it''s smaller than mine. I''m afraid she won''t want to be my friend anymore if...if she sees that my room is nicer. But I really really love my room, I''m not saying that to make you sad ! It''s just...I know it can hurt when you don''t have the same things as everyone else..."


    I had barely finished my sentence when my two moms hugged me.


    *What did I say ?*


    I didn''t understand why they were doing this but it felt good and I loved being in their arms more than anything. Even though Mommy was cold, it was weird because I wasn''t cold, I felt protected and mom Gaya was warm andforting.


    "Sweetie, you don''t have to invite her right away. If you''re not ready, you really shouldn''t force yourself and then if it really bothers you, you can y in the backyard. I can even allow all the kids toe y with you if you want them to enjoy our family garden too."


    "Freya is right, it''s true that you are the only child with such a nice room and you are really very kind to think of the others. If they are all invited, there will be no jealousy."


    Both my moms were smiling at me with lots of love in their eyes. I didn''t know what to say as I felt tears welling up in my eyes. They were so kind and at that moment I felt so loved.


    *You mustn''t cry. Mommy never cries. We have the same eyes so why do I cry all the time ?*


    I rubbed my eyes to keep them from crying as I felt two kisses on each of my cheeks from both my moms at the same time. Mom Gaya patted my head while Mommyforted me.


    "My little moon you have time to think about it, you don''t need to worry about it. Besides, didn''t you want to know the surprise ?"


    With all this I hadpletely forgotten. We were still in the empty hallway and the whole time I hadn''t thought about the good news at all.


    "Oh yes I do want to know !"


    Mommyughed as she took Mama Gaya by the hand to climb up the beautiful transparent tower. I loved seeing my mommy smile andugh, because she was the prettiest and because those who were afraid of them could see like this that my mommy wasn''t mean. I know that when she talks to other grown-ups she makes them tremble, but I know that it is because she is strong and nothing scares her.


    *Mommy is not mean, she is just the strongest ! I''m going to be just like her when I grow up !*


    As I nodded unconsciously, I could hear her voice near my ear.


    "What are you thinking about sweetie ?"


    "Oh..uh nothing mommy !"


    *It''s a secret hihi~*


    This was my biggest dream. I too wanted to go and help people who needed to be saved from humans who were bad. I was still little, I couldn''t even open a door without standing on my tiptoes but I knew I would grow up and achieve this dream.


    "Here we are."


    I had decided what I was going to doter and as I looked up, we had already reached the very top of the tower. Everything was beautiful and I still remembered the day I came here for the first time. mom Gaya sat on a chair while my other mommy sat me on herp before talking to me.


    "I''m going to use magic so you can talk to aunty Kira, so we can all be together to tell you the news, is that okay ?"


    "Oh yes of course !"


    I liked aunty Kira a lot, she was funny and also very nice. I couldn''t see her yet but I wanted to meet her one day. She always made meugh at teasing mommy before she got scolded and I could never stopughing.


    [Hello little Shiro, hello Gaya]


    "Hello Kira !"


    "Hello aunty Kira !"


    Mommy had brought her little sister into our heads and I was finally going to know about the surprise. It was mom Gaya who was speaking as she took my hand to put it on her belly.


    "I''m pregnant Shiro..."


    "Pregnant ?"


    *Does that mean she ate a lot ?*


    I couldn''t answer because I didn''t understand the surprise. I was searching in my head but I didn''t know the meaning of this word. This time it was Mommy who spoke to help me understand, she always knew everything and always came to save me.


    "Sweetie, pregnant means that Gaya has a little baby in her belly. Kira will be the aunty, mom Gaya and I will be the mothers and you will be the big sister"


    *A baby...big sister...OH !*


    "Am I really going to be a big sister ???"


    I had shouted unintentionally but I had always seen siblings on the street who were together. I didn''t think I could be a big sister too so I was excited, happy and only wanted one thing was to meet this baby. I jumped off my mommy''sp to put my ear to the warm belly of mom Gaya. I couldn''t hear anything but I knew there was something inside. I was happy to know that my family was going to wee another person. I had lots of questions and this time the tears wouldn''t stop as I spoke.


    "Does this mean...*sniff* that...*sniff* that I would have someone *sniff* to pro...protect ?"


    Mom Gaya stroked my ears as she answered and mommy smiled.


    "Of course, as a big sister it will be up to you to set a good example for our child and protect him. I''m sure you''ll be an outstanding big sister."


    My tears were running down her beautiful clothes but I couldn''t stop myself.


    *Someone to protect...I could finally be useful and important*


    I was desperate to do something for my family as well, and the happiness of being a big sister was mixed with the happiness of having someone in the future to look after.


    I was finally starting to calm down and while I was still leaning over mom Gaya''s belly, I moved a little closer to whisper to the baby.


    "Little baby *sniff* can you hear me ? Don''t be afraid, it''s me Shiro. Grow up well so you cane to our family strong and healthy. There are lots of great things I want to show you and lots of things to tell you, so hurry up ande, I''m looking forward to you. And don''t worry, if you''re scared, I''ll be there and I''ll protect you because I...because I am your big sister !"


    I hoped with all my little heart that the baby heard me and was happy and reassured. I didn''t know when he was going to be born but I already loved him so much.


    _____<novelnext></novelnext>


    -- POV Freya --


    My little moon was leaning on my wife''s belly and secretly whispering words that were only meant for her future little brother or sister. She had cried a lot with joy and as she spoke, she sniffed in a very cute way while rubbing her little eyes. Gaya and I had heard very well what Shiro had quietly said but we had not said anything. She was sweet, caring and protective, which made me smile all the way to my ears. As I wiped her cheeks that were still wet, I gave her an assignment that made her little purple eyes sparkle.


    "We''ll take care of this baby, you too okay ?"


    "Yes your Highness !"


    I was stunned by what I had just heard and what I was seeing. My little moon was standing up straight and mimicking the soldiers'' salute. Her face was serious and even though she struggled to stay upright and wobbled, she didn''t fall.


    The scene was absolutely adorable, touching and funny as she had even called me your highness.


    "Well soldier, don''t falter in your mission !"


    Taking an equally serious look, imitating my daughter in turn, I stood up to click my heels and put my fist over my heart. Even Gaya had followed me right after and stood up to replicate the gesture while nodding her head determinedly. At that moment, I pointed to the dragoness'' belly and added a few words.


    "We will protect her majesty baby no matter what ! Won''t we ?"


    "Yes momm...your highness !"


    [Good Freya-sama, right away Freya-sama !]


    "As you wish Empress ! Count us in !"


    Without realizing it we had entered into the game of our little daughter and niece. At that moment we were in our own little world, totally disconnected and enjoying the moment with our loved ones. After epting the mission to protect the baby, silence had returned to the tower, which had only the sound of the wind in it.


    "..."


    "..."


    [...]


    "..."


    We looked at each other silently for a moment and then all four of us burst outughing. Our joyfulughter rose in this ce that was only ours and that no tragedy could reach. We would probably look like fools in front of the others, but the atmosphere was filled with happiness, hope, love and dreams.


    Taking care that the other two didn''t hear me while talking to Kira, I looked at the beaming face of my wife and daughter and whispered.


    *Hey little sister...*


    [Yes onee-san ?]


    *Our family is beautiful, isn''t it ?*


    [Yes...it is]


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 76 Run Princess Run

    -- POV General --


    While Freya was having a good time with her family, the group of adventurers had just left Yarlford to go to the Dark Forest. It would take them about 3 days to reach the edge of the forest and another 3 days to get to the path that led to the ruins.


    "Alright let''s go !"


    All of the adventurers were in their carts and leaving the city towards their destination. During those few days of break, while Freya''s coronation and wedding had taken ce, the Princess had procured a few things. She still wore her half-mask and white cape, but had reced her skirt with dark blue pants, and some light armor. yna had also thought of buying some medical supplies, food and drink, and two extra daggers.


    This time she was not next to Sarah because since her words at their arrival in Yarlford, yna had stopped talking to her much, too ufortable. The leader had not insisted because she was currently focused on the mystery surrounding her brother''s death and thought she would deal with ynater.


    The wind was blowing and while everyone was busy talking with their group, the young Princess was more stressed than ever. Once the forest was in sight, she still had it in mind to escape into it with the idea of finding as many half-humans as possible. This n seemed like nothing more than suicide, but she thought she could talk to them. yna had never really conversed with anyone other than humans and was counting on the information she had to keep them from hurting her. Several things scared her. The fact that all of these people would be captured, killed, and the fact that she wasn''t sure she would make it back alive after entering the forest. But what frightened her even more was being ignored, not being listened to as powerful adventurers headed right for them.


    "This is the hardest thing I''ve ever had to do.."


    The beautiful blue-eyed young woman whispered and shook slightly as the entire group was on their way. She was being tossed back and forth in the cart because of the dirt road but her mind was elsewhere. yna at that moment had no idea that someone whose name she didn''t even know had seen through her all this time.


    ___


    The adventurers and the Princess had been traveling for three days now. yna still hadn''t spoken to the others once and was thinking of just slipping away. The edge of the forest was in sight and it would only take a few minutes for them to finally start walking along it. The trees were already visible on the horizon, illuminated by the bright and beautiful rising sun. The group of humans had already been traveling for a few hours, as they had all gotten up very early to get to the southern path leading to the ruins as quickly as possible. In front of them was Sarah, who this time was in the presence of a bearded man, 55 years old.


    His name was Vig and he was the second strongest of the group with his level 32. He was not very talkative if not mute and was quite scary. Vig never wore clothes on top, his body was extremely muscr and there were multiple scars on his back, chest and arms. The adventurer was very tall, had gray mid-length hair that fell over his scarred face. Vig even had the distinction of wearing a right eye patch, which didn''t help to make him any less terrifying. He was barefoot and the only clothing he wore was a pair of brown leather pants with a ck rope belt.


    Vig also carried arge sword and shield always strapped to his back, which he only took out to fight. Until now, each of his opponents who had seen him take his fighting stance was no longer there to witness it. The human called "the barbarian" at the guild, looked like a diator and nobody dared to get too close.


    Sarah, unlike the others, had gone to talk to him without difficulty in order to recruit him into her group for the mission. She had spotted him for his very imposing physique, his experience, his discretion and because she wanted him to join her group at the end of the trip. The leader was sitting next to him and was talking with a palpable animosity in her voice.


    "If you only knew how much I can''t wait to ughter all these f*cking scum ! Blood calls for blood, I will stain this forest with their entrails !"


    Sarah, while guiding the horse with her reindeer, seemed to be talking to herself as Vig did not respond. He had been in Sarah''s group since the beginning of the mission and now the leader had gotten used to this kind of conversation even though in no way were the two adventurers close. She was just happy to be able to talk to someone who would only listen to her without saying stupid things. So the ck-haired woman was talking and Vig was listening.


    "If only I had followed Kirk...if only these subraces had never existed ! May I burn in Hell if all this garbage isn''t locked up or killed in the next few weeks !"


    The man looked at her with his able-bodied left eye, silently and unmoving. He still seemed calm, disconnected and at the same time attentive. Sarah was animated with indescribable rage and hatred, her eyes were shing in the distance and her palm was bloody. The leader clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails were digging through her skin, dripping blood down her slender fingers.


    "I can''t even count the number of lives I''ve taken with my sword. I remember once when a little half-human cat lost his parents and that I gouged out his eyes so he couldn''t cry anymore HAHAHA~! I can''t wait to be able to rampage through this forest and remind those who killed my brother that humans are and will remain on top !"


    As she turned to Vig, she asked him a question with a disturbing smile filled with unhealthy cruelty.


    "How many subraces have you killed already ? I guess with the physique and strength you have, you must have done some genocide in your life hahaha~"


    Sarah had her head tilted back andughed out loud as she elbowed Vig still motionless and silent. As she stoppedughing, the man dipped his single ck eye into Sarah''s as he shook his head.


    "Uh...okay."


    The leader didn''t really know what he meant by shaking his head but didn''t ask him for more details because deep down she didn''t care.


    yna in the cart at the back, had not lost a bit of the conversation and was not even surprised by Sarah''s words. Although her words made her tremble every time, they also gave her a lot of strength to continue. The Princess knew about the hatred that the leader had for other races and after traveling with her, these kinds of words weremonce. As yna looked up, she met Vig''s eyes, who was silently watching her. The adventurer had stared at her for a few seconds before suddenly shifting his gaze to the road where several silhouettes could be seen in the distance.


    "Attention everyone, there are people on the side of the road !"


    Sarah, who had also spotted the five silhouettes that seemed to be clustered around one on the ground, as the leader, warned everyone.


    As the adventurers approached, they could see that these five were wearingrge capes and trying to help another injured one. Seeing the group of humans approaching, they all rushed to help the one on the ground but in the panic, no one could really help. As the ck haired woman stopped her horse right in front of them, she dismounted to approach them.


    "Do you need help ? We are from Yarlford and we may have something to help yourpanions."


    The people in front of her had their backs to her and as the one closest to her was about to refuse, a de shot through the air, cutting through the hood.


    "Uh-oh, what do we have here ?"


    Sarah had cut through the fabric, revealing ears that were anything but human.


    "And to think I almost let my guard down ! tsk"


    As the leader''s face had changed drastically, she had spat at the feet of the totally terrified half-humans. Appreciating the despair that was beginning to appear in their eyes, Sarah stayed at a distance and smiled dangerously.


    All of the adventurers had risen and were standing behind their leader and just like her, most of them were giggling, causing even more tremors in these poor creatures.


    "We...we don''t want any trouble...please my...my son is hurt.."


    The one who had spoken was the elf who had lost his hood. He had long blond hair and his long ears were now uncovered. The group in distress in front of these humans was none other than a family of elves, who hade to take refuge in the forest before one of the children fell into a hole and broke his leg. The father fell to his knees as he begged the adventurers to let them live before the horrified eyes of the Princess.


    "Please, at least let us heal him ! You...you can capture me afterwards if...if you let my family go...please..."


    The leader had a face filled with disgust and disdain as she replied.


    "But who told you that we wanted to capture you ? And what do I care if your kid dies ? I just needed to get over my nerves, you''re just in time hahaha~!"


    While Sarahughed hysterically and the elf begged with tears in his eyes, yna froze. The sacrifice of this father offering himself in ce of his family reminded her of those who had marked her for life. She had always been discreet during the trip, always in the back, always silent...but not today. Regaining her wits and without thinking, the young human Princess rushed to make a wall of her body between the woman and the family.


    "No !"


    She had reacted knowingly, under the emotion of her heart screaming at her to help them. yna stood there, in front of all those adventurers who stared at her and those elves who no longer understood anything.


    "You can''t ! They didn''t do anything to you, don''t hurt them !"


    Sarah was the one who looked the most shocked, her expression had changed to a slightly sadder one. As she digested the information, the twins on the side spoke up.


    "Youngdy, if you don''t want trouble...


    ...I advise you to get out of the way !"


    The two sisters were still finishing each other''s sentences and were perfectly in sync. yna, who hadn''t moved, would pull out her dagger with a shudder before answering them.


    ? "I...I will not move !"


    Sarah who hade to her senses, would raise her hand to indicate to the other adventurers to be quiet before speaking in a soft voice.


    "Luna...I understand that this is difficult for you but it is what it is. Don''t let their heartbreaking pseudo-shows fool you, deep down they..."


    "I DON''T CARE ! How can you all be so insensitive ? The real monsters are all of you who ept such things ! Am I the only one who sees that this is not normal ? Why do you have to hate people who are different ? You are just a bunch of heartless hypocrites and it is you who should die in their ce ! "


    For the first time, the Princess had raised her voice, staring at Sarah with eyes full of anger and fear. All those words she had never dared to say. All those emotions she had never dared to express. All the frustration, the anger, the sadness that she had umted were out in that very moment and yna didn''t regret anything. She was trembling, she was afraid, but she was also determined, courageous and although naive, her heart was filled withpassion.


    The leader, after hearing yna answer her with that tone, hadpletely changed her voice. It had be cold, dismissive and angry.


    "YOU ! You''re just a miserable little b*tch who thinks she knows everything about the world ! You don''t stand a chance against us, so don''t impose your pitiful moods on us. If you keep this up, I''ll have no trouble killing you along with those dirty rats. Finally...you weren''t so special...tsk...what a disappointment !"


    As she finished her sentence, Sarah raised her arm as one of the twins whispered to prepare her magic.


    "This is yourst chance...either you are with us...or you are against us. Make up your mind !"<novelnext></novelnext>


    yna knew the situation was anything but good, she hadn''t nned on running into half-humans and going up against all the adventurers. Still, she didn''t regret the choice she had made because she could never have stood not moving.


    "Go, go as far as you can !"


    As she turned to yell at the elves to run away, the father nodded.


    "Goodbye Luna..."


    Sarah whispered these words as a fireball from behind came hurtling towards the Princess. Just as yna was determined to gain as much time as possible at the cost of her life, a huge sword appeared out of nowhere blocking the deadly attack. In front of the young Princess, stood Vig who had protected her.


    Turning around, for the first time, yna could hear his voice whispering a single word.


    "Run !"


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 77 The Lunas

    -- POV General --


    As ordered by Freya, the femalemanders of the Empire searched the area under their responsibility more and more every day. The day after the adventurers left Yarlford, eachmander''s mission had begun and the ninemanders were mostly outside the Elysiumpound. Freya did not participate, she was too busy managing the construction of a prison, a coliseum and the school on top of everything else. Gaya was still in charge of managing the section chiefs other than the army and had a lot of things to do as well.


    During these three days of research, many half-humans and other races had been found in the forest. All of them, without exception, had agreed to be citizens and subordinates of Empress Freya, who was now known as the "Empress of Ice", as she was in her other life. More and more people were arriving in the Empire every day, dozens and even hundreds. Themanders on the field were going deeper and deeper into the forest to help and warn its inhabitants that things were changing. During the month of construction, each of them had reached level 20 because they had never neglected their training, unlike Freya who was far too busy.


    Luna was responsible for the southwest side of the forest and after a few days of searching, her area was almostpletely checked. She didn''t have many soldiers because they were all specialized in stealth, camouge or speed. There were only 14 soldiers in her ranks, half of them were mages and half were not. There were two half-dragons, four half-cats, four half-leopards and four elves. They were all between level 8 and 10 because leveling up at the beginning was always faster than at higher levels.


    While yna and the elves were in trouble, the half-human panther with the blue and gold eyes stood facing her soldiers a few miles away. She was dressed in ck just like her subordinates and still wore her fabric mask covering her mouth and nose.


    "So ! Today we finish inspecting our area. Like yesterday, I want those with wings to fly over the area to warn me of anything. Then the search can begin"


    "At your orders Commander !"


    The spy and assassin soldiers with armbands depicting a lightning bolt dispersed to act as Luna had ordered. Eachmander had appointed a second inmand and for the army leader it was a half-leopard man. His name was Ash and with daily training for more than a month and thanks to the system, he had reached level 10. The half-human had no skills but was rather tall and thin, besides being very fast, he could hide at will in any environment thanks to his great understanding of his space. Ash was fighting with poison needles that Caipy had provided for some of Luna''s soldiers.


    "Commander, if we run into humans, what do we do ?"


    Ash had approached Luna to ask the question that was bothering him. All of her soldiers were asking themselves this question because they were all still terrified of humans. After going through so much, a fear doesn''t just get cured under the guise of bing stronger. Themander looked at her second inmand in silence before answering. In the presence of her soldiers, she was nowhere near as personable as she was with her femalemanders friends, and Luna was careful to emte Freya to be such a remarkable and powerful leader.


    "The Empress''s orders are absolute, if there are people in danger we try to help them first and if it goes wrong we will have to contact her Highness. We will not engage inbat if it''s possible, even if the urge takes us."


    "Hai !"


    As Ash nodded, the only two soldiers capable of flying hurriedly returned.


    "Commander ! There''s a group of elves that seem to be fleeing in our direction. Six are wearing capes and two are not which allowed me to see their race. There are 8 of them in all, including two wounded. There is a child unable to walk and a ratherrge warrior wearing a cloak with several arrows in his arm. At the rate they''re going, they''ll be here within 30 minutes, maybe 35."


    Luna straightened up at these words and wanted to know all the details.


    "What are they running from ? Are there any humans ?"


    "I...I don''t know. They were running away from something desperately but I didn''t see any humans. I didn''t go in the direction they wereing from because as soon as I spotted them I rushed back because the situation seemed urgent."


    As the half-dragon soldier replied, the young half-panther woman nodded her head before whistling to gather her entire team. Just after, the 14 soldiers stood before her, straight and serious, listening intently to their leader''s directions.


    "Alright, we found a few people to help ! ording to the scouts, they are 8 elves running away from something or someone. The priority is to get them out of danger and into the Empire. As we don''t have any more details we will go through the trees, make sure you don''t show up until you find the runaways. Before we leave, let me remind you that her Highness has forbidden us to fight unnecessarily, the Empress sent us to the southwest because she believed in our ability to escape without problems. We are part of the Elysium army...we are the intelligence section and we act in the shadows so I expect you to behave in an exemry manner ! Don''t disappoint me and especially don''t disappoint her Highness !"


    "Hai !"


    "Good. Now that everything has been said, we are leaving immediately !"


    ____


    Thirty minutes before, on the side of the road.


    Vig stood facing the adventurers and brandished his sword and shield while the Princess disappeared awkwardly into the forest following the elves.


    "Move aside !"


    Sarah was red with anger but didn''t want to fight if possible. The leader didn''t want any of the adventurers to get hurt until they got to the ruins. With nine it was possible to kill Vig but not without ending up injured or even dead.


    "Vig, get out of the way !"


    Therge warrior still didn''t move as his eye watched the people in front of him one by one. Sarah was beginning to lose her patience and as she pointed her sword at him, Vig finally spoke up and said only one word.


    "Leave !"


    That was the word too much for the twins who began to incant to attack him. At that moment, Vig who knew he would not be followed, turned on his heels to follow yna.


    "You won''t get away with this !!!"


    One of Sarah''s men who was level 28, was raising his bow to fire his arrows as the others took off after him. Just as they were about to reach the forest, the leader began to shout.


    "Stop ! The mission is not to kill those dirty traitors ! We have another mission to aplish !"


    Sarah hated to admit it, but chasing two runaways was not in her ns. The most important thing for her was to reach the ruins to investigate her brother and keep the mission''s employer in the loop. There was no time for them to go after them and waste their time and energy.


    As the adventurers stopped in their tracks, the fireballs from the twins and arrows from Sarah''spanion had already gone off in the direction of Vig. He was running to rejoin the group, when three arrows stuck in his arm after being hit in the back by one fireball out of the two intended for him.


    "Aaarg !"


    Continuing to run despite his injuries, he had reached yna''s group who were rather slowpared to him. They had all stopped when they saw the gianting towards them staggering slightly.


    "Sir !"


    The Princess had pounced on him as she noticed his condition. Vig''s back was all burned and he was losing a lot of blood from his right arm impaled by three arrows. Despite the severity of the wound, he was still carrying his heavy sword which only aggravated his injuries. yna was terrified and as her hands shook, the elf father walked over to Vig to give him his wife''s cape.


    "Human, th...thank you for your help. Allow me to...to give you this cape. In this forest, if you are seen you could get into trouble. Now l...let''s hurry and find a safe ce to heal you and my little boy !"


    The elves bowed to Luna and Vig before looking around in fear. The Princess was about to remove the arrows from the warrior''s arm but before she could do anything, the man was shaking his head as he spoke.


    "Luna no. Not removed, otherwise blood flow a lot"


    Vig didn''t speak very well and used very few words, just those necessary to make himself understood. The young woman nodded as he stood up to put on the hood and the cape that thankfully had no sleeves.


    "Let''s hurry !"


    As the father repeated these words, his family nodded before heading into the forest with the two humans. Among the elves, there was the father, the mother, the uncle, the aunt, the older sister and the younger brother. They were a nomadic family, always running away from the humans without ever being able to settle anywhere. This time they came from the south to make their home in the forest where the mother hade from before they met Sarah.


    All of the family members had never been as scared as when they met the adventurers and were sincerely grateful to Vig and yna for their help. Even though they were human, it was not in their nature to treat them badly when their lives had been saved by them. Unlike those who imed to be superior, this family knew how to look beyond race, because the most important thing was the heart behind the origins.


    "Let''s keep going ! Hold on a little longer young Luna !"


    The father, still with a distraught look on his face, encouraged the Princess as best he could, who was not used to running for so long in this kind of environment. The elf had heard Vig call yna "Luna" and deduced that it was her name. She was already exhausted, but the elf''s words gave her courage. As the eight of them went deeper and deeper towards their fates, they did not see the two half-dragons hovering over their heads. The real Luna was about to learn of their existence.


    ____


    -- POV yna --


    As we ran through the trees, my heart was pounding and I couldn''t breathe. My vision was blurred, my hands mmy, my breath ragged, and my steps less and less precise. The man who had been staring at me during the trip hade to my rescue and had even injured himself so that I could join this family. They had thanked us for helping them, but honestly I had done absolutely nothing. I wasn''t the one who received those arrows or that fireball to protect them and I was even the most exhausted.


    *A little courage, you can do it ! Keep going ! Run !"


    I was doing everything to keep myself conscious as I could feel my mind slipping away from me little by little. For the first time in my life I hade face to face with death and the fear that must havee over every person at the moment of death. My heart had almost stopped, my mind was no longer in working order and my body was exhausted.


    *I have no right toin ! I''ll make it no matter what !*


    I was stumbling, my feet hurt, my chest burned, but I kept running, following the seven figures in front of me. As we approached arge rock, suddenly two half-human men came down from the sky andnded in front of us.


    "We are not here to hurt you ! We are here to help you !"


    While one of them had just said this sentence, other people appeared from nowhere around us. They were all half-humans of different races, all dressed in ck and armed. Who were they ? Why did they look like perfectly trained assassins ? The wounded adventurer was on guard, but the elves moved toward them without fear.


    "We...we may be chased by humans ! We don''t know if...wait..who are you ?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    The dragon-winged man did not answer as another half-human with leopard ears and tail stepped forward to speak.


    "Don''t worry, no one is following you and to answer your question, we are the intelligence section of the Elysium Empire. We are few in number but all led by one of her highness'' ten chaosmanders."


    "Commander ? You...you are themander sir ?"


    The father of the family had asked a question that also intrigued me. I couldn''t understand anything he was saying. An Empire here ? An intelligence section ? I had many questions, but my body and mind could not take it anymore.


    As I copsed exhausted, I could suddenly feel two arms gently catching me, protecting me from the fall as next to me a voice spoke up.


    "It''s me. Chaosmander Luna."


    *Lu...Luna ?*


    Raising my head towards the voice that came from the Commander who had grabbed me, thest thing I could see before I passed out was two beautiful eyes, one blue and one gold staring back at me.


    *Those...eyes...*


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 78 The Difference Between A Good Heart And A Bad One

    -- POV Luna --


    A young elf had passed out in my arms. I couldn''t see the top of her face because she was wearing a half mask, but before she passed out, I could see her eyes, which were a soothing light blue.


    *She looked exhausted and shocked*


    When her eyes met mine, I had a strange feeling that I had never experienced. I didn''t know what it was about yet but I was confused. Was it my instinct to be wary of her ? Or was it somethingpletely different ?


    *Sigh...there are more important things right now !*


    Shaking my head to concentrate again, I turned to the elf who seemed to be the oldest. I had to exin to him what will happened next and above all I had to know what really happened.


    "Follow us, we''re going to move a little further away for safety. Once we get to a safe ce, you can tell me what happened to you."


    Of those eight people, two were quite different from the others. There was this girl in my arms who was not dressed like the others and especially this wounded man, tall, imposing who carried a sword and a shield. I felt a great powering from him and I didn''t like taking him to the Empire. I didn''t want to be rude to the potential citizens and subordinates of her Highness, but I couldn''t ignore that strange aura of raw strengthing from his wounded body. I was sure this man was a warrior and it would have been impossible not to notice.


    "Keep an eye on the big guy right there and send the two flying scouts over the rest of the area."


    While I was still carrying the girl in my arms, I had turned back to Ash who was at my side to let him know that I wasn''t totally confident with this man. We also had to make sure that no one was following us and that no one else was in danger. For the moment we were going to go deeper into the forest to prepare a small camp. Once near the fire, with a full and rested stomach, I would listen to the story of the events that had led them to flee. At that point, I would find out who these two people were that I had no desire to see arrive in the Empire.


    "Okay, let''s go !"


    ___


    We had walked for about an hour before we stopped. The way back would take us a lot longer because we were apanied and the elves were also exhausted. The little boy with the broken leg had stopped crying and was sleeping. He was sleeping peacefully in Ash''s arms, while the young woman with the blue eyes was still in my arms unconscious.


    *I think this will do*


    "Let''s stop here !"


    My soldiers hidden in the thickets who had heard me, were alling out to build a fire and give them something to eat. The muscr man was slightly pale but didn''tin or even seem to be in pain. He had sat down a little ways away to put his heavy sword on the ground and free his arm. Because of the wounds, his arm had turned almost blue but the bleeding had stopped. He was really powerful to be able to endure such a thing without ever letting a single word escape from his mouth. It was unimaginable because he still had three arrows in his arm and yet this mysterious man had done it.


    *This one is definitely different...I have a feeling we''re going to have someplications*


    As Iid the young woman gently on the ground, I turned back to the hoodless elf.


    "So tell me what happened from the beginning !"


    We had walked enough and it was time to get some answers. So the elf began his tale while hispanions sat by the fire to rest and eat some food. The little boy was still sleeping and seemed soothed by the warmth of the mes despite his sore leg.


    "First of all my name is Erkas, I have been traveling with my family for a few weeks now. We...we are from the south. My family and I have been traveling for years without being able to settle anywhere because the humans who despise us and hunt us down are more and more numerous where wee from. Several months ago, I heard that the Dark Forest of the North was home to several races that lived well hidden inside. My wife was born here so we were thinking of moving there permanently if possible but..."


    Erkas paused as his hands began to shake, probably because the memory of that event was hard to bear. He took a deep breath before continuing, his voice filled with fear and sadness.


    "But when we finally reached the forest, my boy fell into a grassy hole on the side of the road and broke his leg. As we were helping him out and deciding what to do, a group of humans adventurers came upon us. They...they threatened us and...I thought we were done. I...I begged, I even got on my knees offering them my life but they wouldn''t listen."


    I could feel the anger slowly building inside me as he continued his story. I didn''t want to interrupt him, the elf had managed to calm down but he still seemed very shocked. I was just listening carefully, especially since they had crossed paths with humans. How had they managed to get away ? The question was burning in my mind so I waited and listened as he told me.


    "As the leader of the adventurers was about to kill us, the girl you carried in your arms stepped in to protect us at the risk of her life. She was ready to die for us and as we fled into the forest, the strong man sitting on that rock saved her life. He protected young Luna before he got hurt and joined us.."


    "Wait..you mean that..."


    Far too much information had been said at once. The girl''s name was Luna and more importantly these two people were therefore on the scene with the adventurers. Would they be human ? Dressed as they were and apanied by adventurers, they could only be human. My mind was confused and my first instinct was to suddenly stand up and turn to the man still standing off to the side, questioning the elf.


    "Are these humans ??"


    As I said these words, I instinctively drew my weapon as my soldiers did the same. Erkas was panicked and stood up in turn, alerting his family who seemed equally panicked. Without a word, they all stood up to join the father, who raised his arms before speaking.


    "Please wait ! Don''t...don''t hurt them ! They saved our lives and were willing to give theirs to help us ! I could never live with myself again if I let you hurt them more than they already are !"


    "Yes please !"


    "Co.mander Luna, they stood up to their own kind for us..have mercy !"


    All the elves were banding together as one to beg me not to kill their saviors. We hated the humans more than anything else for taking away someone dear to us, and in front of me, half-humans like us were protecting them.


    *Iprehensible !*


    I couldn''t understand. Why were they doing this ? I didn''t like the situation at all, I felt like I was being a torturer when the ones in front of me were...humans. I was doing absolutely everything at the moment to keep calm and not to get angry while I answered.


    "Those humans were among the adventurers who attacked you. Humans are deceitful, maybe it''s a trap ! How can you trust them ? Please step aside, you are in shock"


    "NO !"


    Erkas didn''t move and was still between the young woman with the same name as me while his family was in front of the man with the sword. I didn''t like that...at all.


    *Tsk, events are taking a turn that I don''t like at all*


    As I was about to speak again, the hoodless elf spoke up.


    "You told us yourself that no one was following us ! This man is injured and we will treat him. I refuse to let you make him worse or even worse. Look at his condition ! Look at what he went through to save our lives, what more proof do you need ?! The youngdy here has fainted from exhaustion after nearly dying so that we could escape. Luna is not a fighter, she couldn''t even stand all those emotions. Their actions speak for itself ! Are you talking about an Empire that is ready to wee us ? We''re not interested in joining it if you can''t even tell the difference between a good heart and a bad one. If you can''t even do that, then your Empire is no better than those of humans..."


    As he finished, I could feel my body stiffen and my anger turn to confusion. His words were harsh, sharp, and felt like a cold shower. Our Empire, like the humans ? No way. At that moment I didn''t know what to say to him, I wanted to tell him that he was wrong and that he didn''t know what he was talking about, but deep down I knew he was right.


    *These humans have indeed never attacked us and this family doesn''t seem to want to give up defending them...sigh*


    The situation had beplicated, I didn''t expect to have to appeal to her Highness the Empress but I didn''t have the power to make that decision on my own. Raising my hand to signal my soldiers to lower their weapons, I turned to Ash to give him my orders.


    "You who are quick, go and warn her Highness and exin the whole situation to her. Be sure to tell her exactly what happened and the words that were said. If she wishes to contact me telepathically, I will be at her disposal. Now leave, on our side we will head for the walls of Elysium."


    "Right awaymander !"


    I had barely finished my sentence when my second inmand had already left in the direction of the Empire. I was shaking a little because I didn''t know how the Empress would react. Should I have killed them ? I didn''t know what the right answer was in this situation, but the idea of bringing humans into the city had never been considered. I was confused and as I watched the two humans in turn, I sat on the ground to think.


    *What would I have done if I had been able to decide ? On the one hand they are humans, but at the same time people described as good...is that even possible ?*


    It was clear that we, all the different races suffered from discrimination and racism around the world, so I didn''t want to bepared to humans by doing the same thing. However, the suffering we had all experienced in our lives had made us stronger, braver, and most importantly...more wary.


    *How do we know if we can trust them ?*


    So many questions in my mind and no answers on the horizon. What would the Empress do ? She was the cruelest among us and her rage against humans was simr to her colossal and mysterious power. I couldn''t see her epting their presence, but I couldn''t see her killing them just because they were human either. Her Highness would not reject an audience to sort out the real from the fake.


    *There is no point in doubting ! Her Highness will find a solution and I am sure she will know if one of them is lying !*


    As I was reassured, I stood up to indicate to the others that we were leaving for the Empire.


    "Get moving, we''re leaving !"


    I then leaned over to Erkas to tell him that he didn''t have to worry and that no one would try anything against them until I had the Empress hear their story.


    "It''s okay, they''re safe, you don''t need to worry about them anymore."<novelnext></novelnext>


    I couldn''t guarantee that they would stay alive in the future, but I could at least promise not to do anything until I was ordered to. As I bent down to take the young woman in my arms, the elf stopped me with a frightened look.


    "You..."


    "I''m not going to hurt her. You''re all exhausted, I''m not going to ask you to carry her, I''ll handle it ! Rx, I told you no one would touch a single hair on these humans."


    As he nodded, I took the girl in my arms once more. She was slight, rather frail, and had no smell of blood on her clothes or skin. Despite her mask and hood, I could see a few golden curls falling over her covered and sleeping face.


    *Is your name really Luna ?*


    I couldn''t help but observe her as we walked. She intrigued me more than I wanted to admit and her azure eyes were constantly on my mind. The more I walked, the more an unexpected certainty became apparent. When she had looked at me, her gaze conveyed something other than surprise. This young woman had looked at me as if she knew me even though we had never met before today.


    *What the hell is going on ?*


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    - Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 79 First Humans In Elysium

    -- POV Freya --


    I was quietly in my Imperial office checking on Gaya''s work who had been taking care of the new arrivals for the past few days. Shiro, who was not attending sses at the orphanage today, was lying on the big soft carpet and drawing what seemed to be our family once our baby was born. Her little tongue was sticking out showing how focused she was and seeing her like that gave me courage to work.


    Lia was busy managing the new staff that was now run by her and Triss so she wasn''t there. The two half-humans were female butlers and took care of absolutely all tasks concerning the mansion. In addition to the soldiers on the second and third floors, everyone who came to see me had to go through them. Only my family, the section leaders, themanders and those who worked here were allowed to move freely. The two young women were very efficient and good at what they did, which also made my job easier.


    Today, not all the new people had been ced and housed yet, but everyone was working together to get them into a normal life as soon as possible.


    Many wanted to join the different sections and our ranks would really grow. There were also people who wanted to open a business in the city but we still had not settled the question of money. There was one rule about money that I didn''t want to break. The currency that would be used in the future would only be used to facilitate trade. There would be no discrimination based on money, everything would be essible to everyone. I wanted citizens to be able to buy exactly the same things as their Empress. I wanted no poverty, no social sses.


    *Sigh...so many things to deal with at once*


    [The work is piling up, but once the search in the forest stops, the pace will slow down.]


    *I know well..*


    As I was considering the issue of money, Lia knocked on the door with a tone that indicated urgency.


    "Your Highness ! An important message from Commander Luna''s Lieutenant."


    "Come in !"


    As I agreed to receive it, I could see the half-rabbit opening the door, followed by a half-leopard man I didn''t remember meeting. Every Commander had a second inmand who was officially called a "Lieutenant" and I was scheduled to meet them in a few days.


    "Your Highness !"


    He bowed respectfully to me as he waited for me to speak before straightening up.


    "What is your name ?"


    The man''s tail in front of me shook as it curled between his legs. I knew my natural aura and presence intimidated some but I didn''t think so. The half-leopard raised his head before meeting my eyes and swallowing awkwardly. I waited for his response as Lia behind him urged him to answer.


    "Lieutenant ?"


    Coming to his senses, he straightened up in a military salute to introduce himself, not without some stuttering.


    "Excuse me ! I...I''m Lieutenant Ash, second inmand to...to Commander Luna of the Intelligence Section your Highness !"


    "So tell me Lieutenant Ash, why are you here when your section is to the southwest ?"


    As he told me in detail everything that had happened and what had been said, I felt my interest grow. I suspected that the day woulde when we would meet different humans, but I didn''t think it would happen so soon. Of course, I wasn''t thrilled with the idea at all, but if it turned out that they were really on our side, the information that these two had could be very importantter on. Contrary to what others might think, I wasn''t a psychopath who couldn''t stop killing. I hated humans, but if keeping them alive would allow my Empire to prevent destruction I wasn''t going to ignore it. I was no fool, I knew how to lead, and I knew when I could give in to my bloodlust and when I couldn''t.


    As I thought about it after hearing all the details carefully, I waved Ash back to Luna. His eyes were closed as if he was waiting for my tantrum and opened them with a surprised look.


    *Oi ! Does he really think I''m going to start screaming ?*


    [Onee-san, it seems to me that the femalemanders often tell their soldiers about your exploits in the Dark Forest. Don''t you remember the nickname that''s going around the barracks ? The dancer of the battlefield haha~]


    *And ?*


    [And so, in addition to being gripped by your presence and aura, people automatically associate your power, your aplishments with a kind of...very tough ruler. Probably an automatism after being traumatized by humans]


    Rumors and stories about me spread very quickly in the barracks and then spread to the city. I was quite proud of my reputation and it didn''t bother me that the soldiers and citizens were trembling before me. However, I didn''t want to be seen as some kind of angry and tyrannical Empress, because I was the opposite.


    *So what the heck. I would never do anything against them so those who are afraid will change in time*


    Deep down I knew that they all respected me, loved me and didn''t have any bad thoughts about me, quite the opposite.


    *Yosh ! Let''s get to the bottom of this !*


    Ash was gone and Lia was waiting for my orders at the door as I contacted all themanders at once.


    -- PING --


    [Do you want to contact all the individuals in the army section of your Empire menu ? ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    *Kira sorry to ask this but could you not let them know you are here ? They don''t know about you yet. Sigh...still something else to do*


    [Of course onee-san, I understand. Cheer up !]


    I was really annoyed to ask her this, but right now, I had to get this matter settled. As I sank into my seat in front of my desk, I felt my mind and Kira''s mind connect with 9 others, going in all directions.


    "Commanders of the Elysium army, this is your Empress speaking. We have a major emergency, please speed up your rounds and meet me in the throne room in exactly two hours by the time everyone returns."


    Without even waiting for their responses, I cut themunication to stay only with Luna.


    "Luna !"


    "Y..yes your Highness ?"


    "Your Lieutenant exined everything to me, you did well to warn me. Hurry back and pass by the hospital first as I understand there are wounded, I''ll take care of warning Caipy. Make sure to cover their heads when entering the Empire, I don''t want a collective panic from the citizens. You have two hours before you must report to the throne room."


    "Hai !"


    My messages were always short and almost one-sided because I wanted to get things done as quickly as possible. Kira on top of that had to keep quiet so there was no need to argue any longer, especially in a situation like this.


    As I stood up, I took Shiro in my arms to give her a kiss on the cheek before handing her over to Lia.


    "Have a good job mommy !"


    My face had a big smile on it as my little moon said goodbye with her hand. As the door closed, my face instantly became cold and inexpressive as if I had be apletely different person.


    *Let''s go*


    I was determined. If they were worth it and this was all the truth, I would let them live. On the other hand...if they disappointed me too many times, I would kill them without hesitation.


    ____


    -- POV yna --


    *Where...where am I ?*


    "Luna, are you awake ?"


    As my head ached and my body felt heavy, I could feel a presence near me. It was the elf woman who was the mother of the injured little boy and as I got up, she smiled at me.


    *What...what happened ?*


    Suddenly, two eyes came back to me as I looked around to see if my medallion was still there. We were in a fairlyrge room with many beds separated by curtains. The ce was extremely clean and there was silence because besides me and this elf, there was no one else there.


    "A..a hospital ?"


    While I was confused, the woman beside me spoke up.


    "Before I exin what''s going on let me introduce myself. My name is Elen and I am Erkas'' wife and I thank you again for saving us. As far as this ce is concerned, we are in the Elysium Empire Hospital. Your human friend and my son are being treated in the operating room by the Chief physician while my sister and her husband are in the rest room with my daughter. Currently we are waiting before having an audience with the Empress which should not be long before..."


    Elen did not have time to finish her sentence when a soldier entered the room. He was the same leopard man from the forest. If he was there, then so was the young woman with blue and golden eyes.


    "Excuse me I..."


    "Commander Caipy ! I''vee to collect the humans and elves for the audience with her Highness !"


    Just as I was about to ask where the one I was looking for was, another elf had entered the room through the door right next to me. She appeared to be a doctor, for she was dressed in a white gown tinged with blood. The soldier had greeted her with respect, so this Caipy must have been an important member of the army. Behind her was the little boy with his leg immobilized and the man who had saved me. He was covered in bandages and his right arm had no arrow left which made me breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Please go get the others in the office, it''s time for you to go. Don''t keep her Highness waiting, the situation isplicated enough."


    The matted-skinned elf handed us cloaks to put on so as not to alert the inhabitants to our presence. In all this confusion, the only thing I wanted to know was where this girl who had helped me was. As I was about to ask again, Elen stopped me with a serious nod.


    So we went out to meet the ruler of the ce.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ____


    We had only walked for 5 minutes because the hospital was right next to the barracks and the Empress''s big manor. I had not looked at the city because I was much too tense and lost. We were now in front of a huge wooden door ready to enter. ording to the soldier, this was the throne room where the armymanders and the Empress were. On either side of the door were two soldiers with bull heads, carrying spears that guarded the entrance.


    "Open the door."


    Under the orders of the leopard man, they were pushing the door that looked very heavy in order to let us pass.


    "Follow me and remember, you are in the presence of the most important members of this Empire. Be respectful and above all do not do anything stupid in front of her Highness !"


    Again I had no time to wonder, we had already entered the throne room. It was huge, withrge pirs on each side, all decorated with a ck, white and gold g representing a wolf with two horns, a sun, a moon and a star.  At that moment, I was wondering how I had gotten from the adventurers'' cart to this beautiful, mysterious, eerie and terrifying ce.


    *It''s...*


    I was looking around when suddenly the feeling of being watched overwhelmed me. Looking straight ahead, I could see on each side of the red carpet, 10 totally different half-human women looking at us with suspicion. Among them was the one I was looking for.


    *She''s here...Luna...!!*


    Unfortunately I didn''t have time to be happy because as we approached, I was feeling worse and worse. I was sweating, my heart was pounding, breathing had be difficult and my body was shaking for some unknown reason. With a discreet eye I could see that the elf family was in the same condition, only the injured man was more or less able to resist.


    "Your Highness, these are the elves and humans I told you about."


    Luna had stepped forward to bow before speaking. At that moment, all the elves knelt down and automatically doing the same, I looked up to finally see who this Empress was. My eyes fell on a figure sitting on a huge throne made of ck stone and ice. At a nce, I knew that it was this young woman in front of us who was responsible for our condition.


    The Empress was in front of us and was looking at us silently without saying a single word. Facing her, we were all silent and speechless. She was a half-human wolf, but on her forehead there were two ck horns that made me doubt her race. The Empress was as gorgeous as she was intimidating. Her beauty surpassed that of any human woman and her presence any great king. Her eyes were a vibrant, piercing, cold violence that made us all shiver. For those of us who met her for the first time, it was impossible not to cower and feel like ants in front of a wolf that could kill us with the blink of an eye.


    "Wee to my Empire !"


    Her powerful, intimidating, cold voice shook the walls and gripped our hearts. I didn''t want to die and the more time passed, the more I felt like I was standing in front of death itself...beautiful, mesmerizing, cold and deadly.


    Thus began our audience with this Empress who now ruled the forest, uncertain of our future.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 80 The Ice Empress And The Human Princess

    -- POV yna --


    We stood before the Empress of Elysium, dressed in clothes as ck as her hair except for a magnificent white Imperial cloak. I didn''t notice it right away, but beside her, sitting on a smaller throne, was another woman.


    Unlike the empress, she had crimson hair and a much softer face. I didn''t know who she was but her presence was also intimidating though more bearable than the ruler of the Empire.


    "I am Empress Freya and you are in the presence of my army Commanders and my wife Queen Gaya here !"


    As she spoke these words, Empress Freya looked in turn at the 10 women in front of us, ending with the mysterious woman at her side.


    *Her...wife ?*


    In all my life as a recluse, I didn''t know that there were rtionships like that. I was not against it at all, on the contrary I found it both wonderful and romantic. But my thoughts were soon forgotten as the sovereign straightened up with interest to ask us a question.


    "Now that you know who we are, I''m going to ask you all to give me your names. You can do that for me can''t you ?"


    As she finished her sentence, I could almost see her smile slightly, as if the Empress had something special in mind. At times I almost felt like she was staring at me specifically, as if she knew who I was.


    *You''re imagining things...that''s impossible !*


    Shaking my head quietly to get rid of this idea, I could hear a shy voiceing from the room. The young woman had asked for our names so Erkas the husband of Elen, was the first to speak.


    "Empress...my name is Erkas and I..I am the representative of our group."


    Despite his trembling voice and stiff body, the elf seemed determined to defend us also in front of her Highness. He had turned pale and the fear that he would faint any moment was present in my heart.


    "I.."


    Before he could even finish his sentence, Empress Freya was already cutting him off.


    "Would you be the one whopared my Empire to those of the humans under the pretext that we wouldn''t be able to discern...what was it again ?"


    As she turned her head with an amused look, Luna stepped forward to answer.


    "To discern a good heart from a bad one your Highness."


    "Mmmh that''s it !"


    Looking at the whole scene, it was easy to understand that the ruler remembered very well what had been said. Me, I understood absolutely nothing because it must have happened while I was passed out and my stress kept increasing


    "It doesn''t matter, just rx. You are free to have your own opinions and I won''t judge. I understood your words considering the situation, that''s why we are here. You others, what are your names ?"


    In turn, the members of his family introduced themselves. There was Elen the mother, Eve the sister, Nym her husband and Erkas'' two children named June for the older sister and Sora for the little boy.  As they introduced themselves, I realized that apart from the two parents, I didn''t know the names of any of them. Carefully noting them in my mind, the muscr man''s voice echoed in the room in turn.


    "Vig"


    I didn''t have time to think about what he had just said, it was now my turn to say my name.


    *What to do ? Should I say Luna or yna ?*


    I was currently in a big dilemma. My real name was known because I was the princess of Zal, it would be dangerous to expose it like that but at the same time I didn''t dare to lie to this young powerful woman. What to do ? All eyes were on me as I swallowed before answering.


    "My name is Lu...Luna your Highness"


    My lie hade out of my mouth under pressure. I hadn''t really decided to lie but I had lost my nerve and under the intensity of the sovereign''s gaze I had lied despite myself. As I finished my sentence, I could see the Empress frowning before standing up and walking towards me.


    *Oh no...*


    Instinctively my first instinct was to lower my head, shaking, praying that she would not stop in front of me. Unfortunately for me, the young woman stopped right in front of me. Her ck boots were under my nose as her sharp voice rose above me.


    "Human. I repeat...what is your name ?"


    I was terrified, all I could do was shake curled up in my arms. I could feel the tears welling up and my mind disconnecting as I could no longer control my fear associated with her presence closer to me than ever. My eyes were closed but I knew that I was being watched and that those with me probably had many questions.


    *Sorry, I''m sorry I lied to you all *


    I opened my mouth but no words woulde out, I was like a mute. As the Empress leaned into my ear, I could feel her breath as she whispered a few sentences that instantly made me pale.


    "I advise you to be honest for your own sake if you don''t want me to get upset. I hate being taken for a fool. Here you have the chance to be honest so grab it...princess."


    How did she know ? Could she read minds ? What I didn''t know was that she couldn''t read minds, but that she read people like an open book in addition to her system.


    As the young woman walked away to go back to her throne in the huge silent room, a hand came to my shoulder to give me courage.


    ____


    -- POV Freya --


    [Onee-san, isn''t it a bit too cruel to y with her like that ?]


    *I don''t care. I was nning to be lenient but you know more than anyone that lying is one of the things I hate the most. I understand why she hides her name, but here she is standing in front of me and still dares to lie to me. Do you think I will let her do that ? Certainly not kufufu~*


    I returned to my throne and waited patiently for this young human to be honest.


    *A good discussion never starts with a lie..*


    If she wanted to prove that she was not a threat to us and to honor the courage of this family, this human had to tell the truth in front of everyone. I also wanted to test her and herpanion who was very powerful. As soon as they arrived, I analyzed each person and the two humans were definitely the most interesting.


    [Vig


    Race: Human


    Element : x [N/A : none]


    Lvl 32/70


    HP : 55 000 / 75 000


    Strength : 321


    Defense : 320


    Agility : 260


    Stamina : 300


    Speed : 285 ]


    The human named Vig had almost the same level as mine, although his statistics were lower. This was normal because I was raising my attribute points thanks to the system, which made me stronger than my level. His HP was notpletely full because he was injured but this Vig was stronger than any of mymanders.


    *For now at least kufufu~*


    [yna Zal


    Race : Human


    Element : x


    Lvl 2/10


    HP : 300 / 300


    Strength : 20


    Defense : 15


    Agility : 30


    Stamina : 10


    Speed : 10 ]


    ____


    For the Princess, there was not much to say. Without even opening her status, I knew at first nce that she was not a fighter at all but rather a weak human. However, what interested me about her was her family name and her ability to get here without dying. Of course yna had been helped, but physical strength was not the same as mental strength and determination, which was also very important to me.


    *A weak mind in a strong body is no better than a strong mind in a weak body*


    Contrary to what I thought, seeing humans did not make me want to exterminate them. Of course, I still had trouble with them and will do so for the rest of my life, but the ones I hated the most, the ones I wanted to see suffer, were the humans who ruled as tyrants, torturers and murderers in this world. These two humans did not seem like that, so I was able to listen to them and treat them with impartiality.


    While I was still waiting for an answer from the human princess, I could feel my patience slowly breaking and as I was about to speak, she finally spoke up .<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Al..yna your Highness. My..my name is yna."


    Vig had his hand resting on her shoulder which seemed to give her the courage to respond. yna had done well to be honest because this was herst chance. If she had lied to me again after my warning, her head would have rolled on the carpet the instant her lie came out of her mouth.


    "You did well to be honest yna, now can you take off that mask and hood ? I like to see the faces of the people I talk to."


    Knowing that her identity had been revealed, she no longer had any reason to keep her mask on. However, once again yna was hesitating for some unknown reason. Her gaze was fixed on Luna and her eyes looked sad and desperate. I was about to order her to do it quickly but Kira was already intervening to stop me.


    [Wait onee-san ! I don''t know what''s going on between her and Luna but please let her keep her mask on. I...I won''t ask anything else of you, I promise, but...but I feel like it''s important to her...]


    *Why should I let her keep her mask after what I told her ? Should I go back on my word because of a simple intuition on your part ? You seem strangely concerned about her feelings, little sister..*


    My voice remained cold as I answered Kira. I couldn''t understand why she was so panicked and wanted to protect this human.


    [I...I can''t stand that sad look. But I won''t say anything more, excuse me I didn''t want to go against what you decide, after all you are the Empress and she is a human]


    Hearing my little sister''s words, I suddenly felt guilty. I was not like those humans. I was certainly ruthless and cruel when I had to be, but I didn''t want to traumatize anyone who didn''t deserve it. If I started doing that, then Erkas would be right, I would be no different than any of these humans. Taking a deep breath, I answered Kira who was silent.


    *Sigh...no..I apologize. My title of Empress does not allow me to interfere in the hearts and minds of people against their will. That''s not why I took the title. After all, she will eventually take off her mask. Thank you little sister for reminding me of what''s important..*


    [Th..thank you onee-san]


    As I looked up at the human princess, I could see her trembling hands gradually reaching her face as tears began to fall from under her mask. Without waiting, I raised my voice to the young woman again.


    "yna, you can keep your mask, it doesn''t matter. If it''s important to you, you''re free to keep it."


    The young woman was relieved as a genuine smile appeared on her face as she whispered an honest and for the first time, fearless "thank you".  I couldn''t see all of her face but I knew that behind that mask was most likely a very beautiful woman.


    When I came to this world, I never thought I could show suchpassion to a human, and yet I had just done so. The words that Lieutenant Ash had reported from the elf father echoed in my mind and were tinged with truth. As I was about to continue, Nixia stepped forward to speak.


    "Your Highness, please excuse my disrespect, but shouldn''t this humanply with your orders ? Why should you take back what you said earlier ?"


    The beautiful ck-scaledmia seemed upset to let her get away with it. I knew that after me, she had to be the one who hated humans the most and I understood her. However, she also had to understand that we couldn''t pick on them just because they were human. I was not a nice person, but I was now an Empress and I represented the Empire. I didn''t want this Empire to start discriminating against other races like all the others.


    "Nixia, I understand how you feel, but as this elf here said, if we don''t know how to showpassion to those who have never wronged us...then we are indeed no better than those humans who revel in the suffering of our own. All of you who joined me were fleeing discrimination, racism...I don''t want to replicate that here. I ask you all, are we not different ? We are ! This is the Empire of Elysium and under no circumstances will the lights within it be tainted by such acts !"


    I raised my voice to make sure everyone could hear me. My determination could be felt in every word as it echoed through the room like a heavenly rule.


    "Hai !"


    Everyone in the throne room was both amazed and admiring to hear me say this. In everyone''s eyes I could see that they understood what I meant, some were disappointed that they had made a hasty judgment based on resentment and anger. I myself had almost given in to this impulse and without the intervention of Kira and Erkas, the Empire might well have taken apletely different direction. This meeting with the humans for the time being had at least helped us to know the guideline of this Empire that should never fall into the ways of humanity.


    "Good...now let''s get started !"


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 81 An Inevitable Confrontation

    -- POV yna --


    "Good...now let''s get started !"


    The Empress had said these words after exining why she had allowed me to keep my mask on. I had been happy to hear this at first, but afterwards, the snake-tailed Commander''s words had stuck in my mind. Deep down something was wrong. When I looked at the faces of the people in front of me, I could see that some of the female Commanders were looking at me with visible displeasure.


    *I...*


    Suddenly, what was bothering me popped into my mind. I was not in a small n of half-humans, I was in an entire Empire facing its Empress. As I came to my senses, I spoke to myself, disappointed at having been so stupid.


    *Has fear robbed you of allmon sense ? If you can''t even gain the trust of the people of this Empire, what''s the point of keeping your mask on if you have to leave or die ? You have finally found the one you were looking for, and despite the promise you made, it is worthless if you cannot earn her trust !*


    The words of the sovereign had really pleased me and in this way the fear that I had was attenuated. She was not unjust, unreasonable or blinded by anger despite what the humans had done to her citizens. This young woman in front of me had the makings of an Empress and was far more trustworthy than my father or his henchmen.


    *Her Highness has been conciliatory, now it''s my turn to prove that I am also capable of putting my feelings aside..*


    The events had followed each other so quickly that I had forgotten what was important.


    *You won''t get a second chance so do it !*


    Taking my courage in both hands, as the Empress seemed to speak again, I removed my hood and mask to reveal my face hidden for all this time.


    "Y...your Highness. Allow me to remove my mask to prove to you that I have nothing to hide from you. I...I apologize if I seemed disrespectful to some of you I...I did not mean to offend her Highness or her Commanders in any way..."


    I didn''t know if I was allowed to speak but I had taken the risk. I was determined to reveal who I was no matter what my fears were. The Empress had given me the chance to be honest so I was going to be honest and for once have the courage to speak from my heart.


    ____


    -- POV Freya --


    The fact that I had allowed yna to keep her mask on was not special treatment. To be honest, I didn''t trust these humans at all. They were here to tell me what had happened and then we would decide what to do about it and if I had to kill them I would do it without hesitation. However, as I thought about what had just happened, the feeling that I had been too biased with yna popped into my mind. In my desire to show that I did not want to replicate the racism of the humans, I had forgotten the respect due to an Empress. If I wanted to be impartial, she had to take off her mask.


    *Kira..*


    [I know...]


    My little sister had also let her emotions run wild and finally realized that there was no sense in wearing a mask in front of me. How could I forget that part of me that yearned for respect ? As I was about to speak, Gaya, still silent, stopped me, beckoning me to look at what was happening in front of me.


    yna, in silence, had removed her mask, her hood and the whole room could now see her whole face. The young woman had long, curly, golden hair. Her eyes were as light blue as the sea and on her cheeks a few light freckles dotted her pink skin. As everyone fixed their gaze on her, yna awkwardly spoke up.


    "Y...your Highness. Allow me to remove my mask to prove to you that I have nothing to hide from you. I...I apologize if I seemed disrespectful to some of you I...I did not mean to offend her Highness or her Commanders in any way..."


    The young human woman had raised her head and was looking me in the eye this time, despite her shaking. Her half-mask was on the ground and the sunlight was making her hair glow. Intrigued by her actions, I squinted my eyes to ask her a question.


    "Why did you decide to do this after what I told you ?"


    yna dipped her blue eyes into mine before answering.


    "My name is yna Zal, I was the Princess of the Kingdom of Zal. Locked up in the pce since birth, I escaped a little over a month ago, unable to live among my own race who kill your kind. I havee to prove to you that I am not your enemy and if I am to gain your trust, then good manners prevail over all else. Forgive me for forgetting that...as a fallen Princess I have no excuse. I am not selfish like my father or my brothers and despite my vow to keep my mask on, it is nothingpared to the respect I owe you. You who have cared for us, weed us and treated us with respect, allow me to thank you."


    The young blonde woman was no longer talking like the frightened little girl she was a moment ago, this young woman in front of me was talking like the Princess she had been.


    *Do you hear that Kira ?*


    [Yes..she is full of surprise !]


    *She realized her mistake and despite her fear, she was able to put all that aside to reveal her secrets, apologize and thank me...mmh interesting*


    yna was more interesting than I thought and as a great satisfaction came over me, I could see the Commanders nodding with a smile. I nodded to Nixia thanking her for remembering who I was as well. Turning my gaze to the young human, I began to p before speaking.


    "Good, very good ! I must say that I didn''t expect this from you and for surprising me congrattions ! You are indeed here because no order to kill you has been issued yet but you still have to prove your good will to me. So it is time to really start. Sit down !"


    As the elves and the two kneeling humans stood up, they looked around in panic seeing no seats. With a snap of the finger 18 ice stools appeared behind each Commander and those in front of me. The elves and the two humans seemed shocked that I didn''t invoke my element by talking but without even giving them time to sit down I began again seriously.


    "So, now I''d like to hear from you Vig ! Tell me why you were both with the adventurers and what you were doing near the forest"


    The adventurer who had hardly spoken stood up again in silence to answer awkwardly.


    "We. look for adventurers. missing in ruins. I don''t want to participate. only. help. people. danger."


    Vig didn''t speak very well and did the best he could to exin. Despite his fierce air, he seemed rather gentle and shy. Seeing his difficulty in speaking, yna who was a little more confident than when she arrived, raised her hand. With a nod I agreed to let her speak to go faster.


    "Your Highness, the adventurers near the forest are nning to go to the ruins in the center to investigate the missing. Vig and I only joined the mission to try to help those who live there. The sister of a man named Kirk happens to be the leader and will stop at nothing to get revenge...she...she''s crazy !"


    yna looked very agitated and fear was slowly rising up inside her. As she finished and caught her breath, my hand had slipped under my chin as I thought aloud.


    "Kirk...mmh I think he''s the one whose legs I cut off, whose heart I ripped out and whose head I crushed. It''s pretty recent so I haven''t scratched it from my memory yet. Kufufu~ that was fun."


    Despite my excellent memory, I never bothered to remember the humans I had killed. They weren''t worth it and invading my precious mental pte with disgusting insect names, each more useless than thest, no thank you. They were nothing more than numbers in my system.


    [*cough* *cough*...onee-san...you spoke out loud]


    *Huh ?*


    I looked up to see different reactions in front of me. Gaya and my Commanders were looking at me with starry eyes while the others had stooped and were trembling except for Vig. Without paying any more attention to that, I turned to yna.


    "Do you know the levels of the adventurers ? How long do we have before they enter the forest ?"


    "I..they go from level 21 to level 35. The adventurers are 9, there''s a level 21, 23, 25, three 28, 29, 31 and 35. From what Sarah the leader was saying, they will arrive in 3 days on the way to the ruins so I would say they should be there in 3 days maybe 4 tops your Highness"


    As I closed my eyes to think, the female Commanders had started talking amongst themselves, alerted by the bad news. The throne room, which had been rather quiet, had be noisy and somewhat disorganized.


    *I can''t think*


    Opening my eyes suddenly, my violet eyes began to glow as a wave of cold filled the room.


    "Enough"


    Without even having to release my demonic aura or scream, simply by uttering a single, almost whispered word, all the female Commanders had fallen silent. Closing my eyes and making the cold naturally disappear, I enjoyed the silence while thinking.


    *The arrival of stronger adventurers in the forest is not a surprise, I had foreseen this. It is also possible to prevent the battle from taking ce too close to the Empire. For the moment no human except these two know what is going on here, we have to keep it a secret until we are really more powerful. The best solution would be a well-nned offensive*


    My brain was working at an amazing speed. Thanks to my intelligence, my train of thought was extremely fast and the time around me slowed down. Dozens of ns, strategies and simtions were running through my mind in only fractions of a second. I was in my own world, locked in my mental pte which represented my memory, my knowledge and my ideas.


    If I had to put an image on my way of thinking, I would say that my mind was a huge library where I knew every corner by heart. Like a giant archive where I stored everything that I thought was worth remembering. Everything I had read, experienced, felt, remembered was inside.


    *Well...*


    As I slowly opened my eyes, I could see everyone looking at me eager to know what I was going to say. I felt like I had been silent for a very long time, but it turned out that I had only been gone for a few minutes. Straightening up in my seat and before exining my n, I addressed the elf family.


    "To begin with, I will allow you to leave. You must be tired and the discussion is no longer your concern. If you still wish to join our Empire then we will surely meet again along with all the neers. On your way out, you will be taken care of by the section leaders so don''t worry. Needless to say, the presence of yna and Vig must not be revealed as well as that of the adventurers..."


    Finishing my sentence I stared at them intensely. I wasn''t going to lie to the people of the Empire but for the moment we had to discuss what to do before we could warn anyone.


    "Of course your Highness !"


    Bowing awkwardly, the six elves made their way to the door, happy to be on their way. Snapping my fingers, the two soldiers in front of the door apanied by Lieutenant Ash, came to retrieve the family. As the door closed, I sank into my seat and crossed my legs before speaking. My voice was still icy, calm and above all more serious than ever.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "The confrontation that ising is inevitable and we are ready for it and you have been walking through the forest for days with this knowledge. The humansing right at us are nothing like the ones we fought in the clearing. What is different though is that today we have an organized army and valuable information."


    Even though there was a huge difference in level for all the soldiers in the army and the Commanders, we had the advantage of numbers. The new soldiers would not have to fight for obvious reasons, but we had over a hundred soldiers avable, who had been training day and night since they enlisted.


    As I finished speaking, I turned to yna and Vig to exin why they were still here.


    "You two. I still haven''t decided if you can stay in this Empire if that''s what you want. Did youe here to stay with us ?"


    Despite being humans they had made a pretty good impression on me and yna had risen in my Commanders'' estimation. The question now was whether they wanted to stay.


    "Y..yes your Highness"


    "Yes. Highness."


    "Then you''re going to have to prove your resolve in your actions. The battle ahead is going to be tougher than thest one, and you both have a role to y. This is not negotiable. If you are too scared you know where the door is."


    Pointing in the distance to therge wooden door I waited for their reactions but neither of them moved. At that moment a wild smile appeared on my face, frightening and mischievous as I stood up.


    "Good, then I''ll exin my n !"


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 82 Council Of War And Strategies

    -- POV Freya --


    It was already past noon while we were still in my mansion talking. The meeting in the throne room about the War had just begun and I was surrounded by my wife, my Commanders and two humans. I had a n in mind, but I was going to need everyone''s help. Now that I had an army, it was time for some real strategy.


    "If we are to win this war without a single death, we will have to be methodical. We need to draw on every resource we have and strike a blow. Each section has been created to be more efficient, the day to show me your progress is here."


    We had the advantage of knowing their ns and still being unknown to the adventurers and we had to use it. Nothing was to be left to chance and I was going to see to it personally.


    "In this world of indecision, speed is a major asset. By striking first, before our opponents has had time to think or prepare, we throw them off bnce and mislead them."


    We absolutely had to make sure we took control of the pace of the battle. We had three days ahead of us, I wanted to have everything ready in two. While I was still thinking about how to ce the soldiers, the young human woman''s small hand came up.


    "Y..your Highness ?"


    "Mhh ? Go ahead and speak"


    Her gaze had changed and a great determination could be seen in her blue eyes. The fallen Princess seemed to have an idea.


    "During my journey with the adventurers, one thing struck me when I was among them. In these nine people, there are five different groups which makes their connection to each other not true. I...I don''t know if it''s helpful, but I thought dividing them might give you an advantage. I''m pretty sure that other than their own group members, none of them will go to help the others if their lives are in danger."


    She wasn''t wrong at all, on the contrary. The fact that the adventurers were basically not together before the mission could indeed help us to win. Divide and conquer, a fundamental principle of war strategy. Had ynae to this conclusion alone ? She didn''t seem to me to be very strategic at first sight, could it be her unwavering will to help us ?


    [It''s a simple thought, but if this is her first war then something seems to have awakened in her]


    As I quickly conversed with Kira, Luna in turn stood up to take the floor which I gave her with a nod.


    "yna is right, if we attack at night when they least expect it, we will strike first and the panic will prevent them from strategically regrouping your Highness ! That way our victory will be total and perhaps even immediate !"


    My idea was indeed to attack at night and without realizing it the half-panther Commander hade to the same conclusion as me. However, there was no need to be hasty and predicting a victory against such powerful adventurers so quickly, was that said a mistake. I sat up on my throne to answer Luna who was looking at yna at that moment.


    "Commander Luna, you are right. Terror is a way to paralyze those who resist you and destroy their ability to n a strategy. However, the goal of a terror campaign is not to win a battlefield victory, but to cause as much chaos as possible so that the opponent, driven to desperation, will react in an absurd manner. The real war only begins afterwards !"


    Adventurers who are victims of a strategy of terror should do everything to avoid sumbing to fear and anger. Faced with a situation like this, chaotic, confusing, our advantage would therefore be rationality. Bowing, the Commander continued.


    "I understand your Highness, announcing the victory and a little hasty I apologize"


    "It''s nothing ! You mentioned attacking at night and that''s what I had in mind. Would either of you have an interesting suggestion ?"


    Of course I had already thought of aplete strategy, but I wanted to see the female Commanderse up with ideas. It was important to remember that they were in charge of all the soldiers of the Empire and therefore had to prove that they had earned this position. During a battle, you had to be able to react quickly and adapt while watching over your soldiers and enemies. Speed and adaptability are crucial skills for waging war. To win, you have to be able to move with flexibility and make decisions faster than the enemy. It was necessary to divide our forces into independent groups that can act and make decisions independently. Thus, nothing can stop our soldiers if at their head is apetent Commander.


    "Empress, if I may say so, a surprise attack from any direction, including the sky, could be effective. As you said, the war will begin once this attack is over. If you send my section and Commander Luna''s section to attack both from the air and from the shadows, the surprise effect will be guaranteed."


    Trio had stood up to give me her perspective, followed by Nixia.


    "Commander Trioa is right, we are after all beings with eyes and ears far more suited to nightbat than these humans. Your Highness, you said it yourself, we must exploit every advantage we have."


    The section leaders of the army all had serious faces, nodding with the dignified air of the Commanders they were. No one was taking the situation lightly and it was easy for me to guess that everyone was working their brains out toe up with strategies. Speaking again, I smiled slightly as I answered them.


    "Excellent ! My idea was indeed to send the air section and intelligence to create chaos in their ranks. Meanwhile, the other Commanders will prepare with their soldiers."


    *That said, I must learn more about these adventurers, nothing should be left to chance !*


    As I turned back to yna and Vig to ask them for more information, the young woman was in her world. Her eyebrows were furrowed, her hand under her chin and her eyes closed...the fallen princess was thinking.


    *Mmh ? It looks like the posture I take when I enter my mental pce. Could she be thinking of a strategy ? yna doesn''t have the same scared and weak aura anymore, I feel like she''s...more focused*


    [I feel it too...]


    Up until now, most of the time, her aura had reminded me of a raging sea. yna had been constantly flooded with uncontroble emotions and she hadn''t really shone. Only now, instead of seeing a raging sea, I was seeing a calm, silent ocean. Curious to know what she would say, I signaled to the Commanders to wait patiently.


    Opening her eyes slowly, the young human could see all of our eyes on her. At that moment, the calm ocean was changing again as yna stammered.


    "I...is...is there a problem ?"


    "Tell me what you''re thinking."


    What I was interested in was her thought, the thought that had caused her to get into that state of intense thought that I knew so well.


    "I...I''m not sure that..."


    "Human, I only ask things once. Besides, it wasn''t a request but an order !"


    Wriggling in her chair before straightening up, yna thus spoke again.


    "I..I''m not really good at making ns on my own, I even had a hard time running away from the capital. However, what I have learned from my life in the castle is to understand people. So I thought...that the guiding spirit is the real w. If you understand how the person leading the adventurers works, you possess the key to deceiving and controlling them."


    *Know yourself and know your enemy huh ?*


    The young human said she was not good at strategy but the reasoning she had was always right. She had been immersed all her life in the conspiracies, ns and betrayals of those around her. Although she didn''t know how to n an escape, that didn''t stop her from having a mind that was cut out for war strategies, especially when it came to humans. yna was definitely good at human psychology.


    *When ites to herself, she''s not very savvy, but when ites to the people she wants to protect more than her own life, her mind changes. It''s interesting..*


    I was still thinking about what yna had just said as it coincided with my desire to learn more about these adventurers, while I asked her a question.


    "And how do you think we should control them ?"


    I was quite curious about her answer but to my surprise, the young human didn''t know what to say. She didn''t seem to have everythingpletely answered yet, which was normal. She had ideas, good thoughts but she needed to train her mind to look even further. yna lowered her head, unable to answer.


    "I..I don''t know your Highness. Forgive me if what I said seems imusible."


    In addition to being easily frightened, the fallen princess was sorelycking in self-confidence. I had detected in her a really interesting and useful potential. Knowing that we would be fighting mostly humans, having an expert on those of this world was almost perfect. Unfortunately, when her determined mind wasn''t in control, yna was no more useful than a scared civilian.


    *If she really wants to stay here, she''ll have to train her mind as well as her body so that she never breaks again. She has endured a lot, but she is now in the real world and not in her secure castle*


    [Indeed. yna will need to gain experience, especially in the battles that will be many in the future. Do you think you can make her a tactician ?]


    *I don''t know, I don''t want to jump to conclusions.  Before appointing a person to this position, she must have proven to me that she deserves it and for the moment, apart from these very interesting interventions, she is not worthy of it. For the moment I observe, I listen and we will seeter*


    While I was staring at her intensely thinking about what to do, Persea and Ynir got up to speak in turn.


    "To control them, wouldn''t it be possible to get them to fight on the ground we have chosen ? Our section knows the forest like the back of its hand, order and it will be easy for us to find a ce advantageous to us."


    "Persea is right. After the surprise attack at night, we could get them to head where we decided. We already know where the adventurers are headed, but they don''t know that an Empire as organized as ours awaits them."


    I was still silent and my finger tapped gently on the armrest of my throne. Ralph and Thorunn seemed to want to add something so I waited to hear them.


    "Once we are where we want to be, we can surround them from all sides with unbearable pressure with all our power. Like an unbearable pressure, walls closing in on them, little by little depriving them of hope !"


    "I agree with Ralph your Highness. We must prize their attentions and deny them any ess to the outside world. They have entered this forest, they will note out alive."


    I could even hear Emilia nodding quietly as she muttered to herself.


    "When you feel your opponent weakening and losing hope, you must strangle them without hesitation, I agree."


    A wild smile appeared on my face as I heard my female Commanders participate and all have great ideas. At that moment I was proud of them and I only wished they would show me how much they had evolved.<novelnext></novelnext>


    [They have changed a lot since you first met them. Having soldiers under theirmand has made them much more confident and their leadership skills have awakened]


    *Totally*


    My little sister had said out loud what I was thinking. As I stood up, the room was quiet again. Thanks to everyone, we had found the main n, which was part of the many simtions I had done beforehand. I had been able to see a lot of things that put me in a good mood despite my inexpressive face. Now all we needed was to see the details of our strategy to make it unstoppable and limit the number of casualties.


    "Congrattions ! You are indeed the Commanders of my army ! The adventurers arrive in three days so I want us ready in two ! I will bring forward the meeting with each of your Lieutenants and we will have a meeting in the room provided. I''ll give you an hour to get them together and report to me at the meeting ce and time before the second council. We still have a lot to see !"


    "Yes your Highness, we will be happy to show you the power of our army !"


    As the Commanders left the room one by one, I beckoned the young half-panther woman toe closer.


    "Luna, I will meet with the Lieutenant of the other Commanders and my wife will take care of Vig. Since I have already met with Ash, there is no need to do so anymore. Also, it seems to me that yna wants to talk to you. I give you permission to use this hour to deal with what has been bothering you all along."


    Looking at me with eyes filled with admiration, the youngmander bowed before walking towards yna with a determined step.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 83 Luna And Alayna

    -- POV General --


    Freya left the throne room followed by Luna and yna. The Empress still had a lot to do and had entrusted yna to Luna. The Princess had put her mask and hood back on so as not to alert anyone in the manor or in the street.


    "Follow me."


    The half-human beckoned the blonde girl to follow her as she made her way to her office which was in the barracks. The huge soldiers andmanders building had been built right next to the manor on its left, while the school was on its right. This way, when themanders were summoned, they did not take too long toe. In addition, the soldiers took turns working in the Imperial building to guard areas that were restricted from ess or even forbidden.


    "I''ll take you to my office, I feel like we have some things to talk about.."


    Luna was not serene and dreaded to know why yna seemed to know her and why her eyes disturbed her so much. When she had removed her mask, her heart had leapt in her chest and still had not calmed down. The half-human tried to hide it but something made her want to know more about the young woman at her side. Despite her rather unkind face, Luna had a heart of gold and was always trying to help others. She was especially fond of the children at the orphanage whom she often visited to y and the cute young women she liked to flirt with. Although she was very serious about her job as amander and her training, Luna always found a way to go and talk to the girls in the other sections.


    Today was different, as they walked silently down the street to the barracks, the half-panther couldn''t calm down. It was already the end of the afternoon and the two young women finally arrived at the big door of the building. There were no soldiers at the door as most of them were training on one of the two fields without the presence of theirmanders and lieutenants, who were busy meeting Freya.


    As the two young women walked in, yna looked around curiously, overwhelmed with stress.


    The barracks was made of stone and was square in shape with a second dirt field in the center for those who wished to train in hand-to-handbat. The one outside, among the trees, was mostly used for magical attacks that could be dangerous near a building. The corridors wererge, open to the courtyard, and the princess could hear the sounds of swords shing, cheers, and see the duel between two soldiers supported by the others. Luna didn''t pay attention to all these noises because she was used to them but the one next to her was impressed.


    "Don''t dawdle, it''s here."


    While yna was still quietly staring at the soldiers, Luna had stopped in front of a door with a lightning bolt symbol.


    "Y..yes sorry !"


    As she entered, there was a window facing the door overlooking the courtyard as well as a desk in the back with a small couch and coffee table in the middle. The princess was shaking slightly and felt both scared of what wasing next and happy to finally be able to talk to the one she had dreamed of meeting. Luna closed the door as she motioned to the young human woman to sit on the couch, whoplied without question. They were now alone.


    "yna...I need to know...who are you ?"


    Once the door closed, themander hadpletely changed and disyed a lost and tired face. Her blue and gold eyes conveyed a sense of longing in the princess'' heart, and she couldn''t help but think of Luna''s mother.


    "I...I''ll tell you everything."


    As the half-human woman sat down beside her, yna took off her mask and hood taking care to keep her back to the window. The sun didn''t reach her eyes but they shone brighter than ever.


    "I..."


    Luna waited patiently for the princess to exin, but yna didn''t know where to start. This very moment was the most important moment of her life, but words could note to her. So many things to say, so many feelings to express, so many thoughts to formte and the young human didn''t have the strength to do it, she couldn''t. As she began to melt into tears, she put her hand in her pocket before silently sliding the light blue medallion into Luna''s hands.


    As the half-human woman discovered what she had given her, her eyes darkened before she lunged at yna like a fury.


    "Where did you get that ????"


    Luna''s voice was a mixture of deep sadness and anger. She had ced her finger on the back of the young human''s neck and towered over her as her body shook.


    "Answer me if you don''t want a taste of my lightning element ! Where did you get that ?!"


    The sounds of the courtyard drowned out the youngmander''s screams and no one was aware of what was going on in her office. At that moment the half-panther was ovee with an unfathomable sadness as elements of her past surfaced in her mind. These feelings, these memories that she had buried for a long time in her heart to never have to face this pain again. All of this had been awakened by the mere sight of this medallion. yna, who was still crying, had her eyes plunged into Luna''s as she began to exin her story from the beginning without forgetting anything.


    _____


    After talking for more than thirty minutes, the princess finally told her story to the one who was standing in front of her. Luna had let go of yna and was standing in the middle of the room motionless and silent. The young human woman was still sniffling as she continued to speak.


    "Your...your parents loved you and never stopped thinking about you. The ones who gave me the strength to escape were them and the prospect of one day being able to return this precious object to you. It...it is what I have held most dear in my life, what I have protected, cherished and treasured."


    Luna was still silent, staring at the object in her hands as she listened to the one across from her tell her about how her parents had fought for her. The youngmander was going through every emotion. Anger, sadness, disappointment and regret were all mixed together without any of them taking over.


    The room was silent and still without a word, Luna untied the thread she had around her neck to reveal a simr gold-colored medallion. Unlike the blue one, it didn''t have a small L engraved on it but a small A. Taking a deep breath, the ck-haired young woman finally spoke. Her voice was weak, shaky and confused.


    "Ava..that was my mother''s...name. My father''s name was Tev and the night when all this happened I...I remember very little, only my mother thest time I saw her. When...when she left me in the bushes before running off in another direction, she gave me her medallion and took mine. My mother..."


    yna was still silent as she watched Luna open up for the first time about her past. The princess had tears running down her cheeks which she always wiped away quickly as she listened to the rest.


    "My mother promised me that night that...that somehow she would give it back to me. I was just a child, I was only 10 years old when my parents were taken away. I was too young to understand what had happened and for days, weeks, months I waited in the cold, in the rain, day and night. I...I waited for my parents toe back like they promised me but they never came back. I thought...I had forgotten this medallion that was mine."


    As Luna finally lifted her eyes to look into yna''s, her weak voice had be sad, carrying a hint of longing.


    "Sigh..I understand better why your eyes were confusing me so much...they have the same color. Finally, it would seem that my heart had notpletely forgotten..."


    The princess, who had never heard this part of the story, couldn''t take it anymore. Deep down she felt so guilty, she med her brother, her father and the whole world for putting Luna through this. Of course she wasn''t the only one who had experienced a tragedy but for yna, no amount of actions, no amount of excuses, no amount of words could undo the harm that had been done and the family that had been shattered. The princess was angry and the pain in her heart had not subsided as she thought it would.


    "I..I''m so sorry for everything that happened to you, if my brother hadn''t...."


    "It''s okay. It''s not your fault, I don''t need to hear that. Don''t feel guilty for what you didn''t do, we don''t choose our family so you don''t have to feel responsible for them.."


    As the half-human cut her off in her sentence to respond, yna could see her fists clenching before she let go. Luna hated Erzian the princess'' brother and after learning what he had done, she had vowed to get revenge one day. However, she couldn''t bring herself to hate the one who had gone through all this to give her back this precious object, the one her mother had chosen. The youngmander didn''t really know why, but she was even grateful to this human. There was something more that she couldn''t describe or exin and as she sat down next to the princess, she made up her mind.


    Without saying a word, Luna was slipping the blue medallion back into yna''s hands and she couldn''t believe what was happening.


    "W...wait you can''t ! Your mother..."


    "My mother gave it to you didn''t she ? It''s yours to protect like you always have. You told me yourself, she wanted to give it to someone good and you are the person she chose. My mother never asked you to give it back to me or toe to me at the risk of your life."


    As themander spoke these words, yna bowed her head because her words were true. She hade of her own ord, guided by her own feelings and the promise she had made at 11 years old. The princess'' face had be sad but without giving her time to think about it, Luna continued.


    "What I mean is that...it is rightfully yours. Please...keep it. It''s my choice."


    "But..."


    "Then keep it for me, protect it until I im it for you, okay ?"


    The youngmander closed the princess'' fingers on the small medallion, looking into her eyes. Their gazes were mesmerized by each other and no one spoke. Each saw sadness in the other but also relief, warmth and sincerity. The sun was setting and its amber rays made the two blue and golden medallions shine. As fate would have it, yna''s medallion had an "L" and Luna''s had an "A". They were the same color as the half-panther''s eyes or the princess''s hair and eyes.


    "Thank you Luna...I promise to protect it until you ask me !"


    yna had broken the silence to thank the young woman in front of her as she clutched the precious medallion in her hands. It meant so much to her and even though she had found Luna she was more than happy to continue to watch over it. In this way, the princess also felt that she was still connected to the young woman she wanted to get to know so much. Again, the tears began to flow silently down her freckled cheeks as Luna hesitated before putting her arm around her shoulders. At that moment it was no longer a question of hatred or two different races but of two relieved and soothed hearts.


    "Every day I wished you were still in this world. I...I''m so d you''re alive !"


    yna let her feelings flow and the happiness her words carried, filled the room and made Luna smile. The two young women had never met before today but felt so close, bound by the same fate and painful but precious memories. For the first time in a long time, the youngmander felt warm and happy.


    "I..I''ll get some food, you must be hungry !"


    Luna could feel her emotions rising as the princess cried with joy in her arms and so had decided to walk away so as not to be seen. As she stood up, for a moment she thought she saw her parents at the window smiling proudly at her before disappearing. At that moment, a huge weight disappeared from her heart and a feeling of fullness andfort came over her.


    "Mom you kept your promise.."


    The beautiful half-human had whispered these words to herself as a warm and sad smile came across her face.


    "I..I''m going, wait for me here !"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Having regained her senses, Luna was heading towards the door to get something to eat before suddenly stopping. She had her back to yna, her hand on the knob and as she was about to walk out, a soft and rather shy voice came into the room.


    "Oh and yna..."


    "Yes ?"


    "Thank you..."


    Hearing these words, the princess did not respond as a radiant smile broke out on her face. yna''s heart was beating rapidly without knowing why and unaware that Luna had left the room with a red face and butterflies in her stomach.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 84 Meeting The Lieutenants Before The War

    -- POV Freya --


    I had an hour to meet with the Lieutenants of my Commanders. After that, we nned to have our second war council with them to put our ideas into aprehensive and worked out n. Luna had to take care of yna and had left for her office while I walked to mine. Gaya, who had not participated at all, was taking care of Vig and had gone to the hospital to rest without revealing his existence. The family of elves who had arrived with the two humans were taken care of by the other section leaders, which left me time to take care of the army.


    [Are you going to let Gaya fight ?]


    *No way ! She''s pregnant and I need someone to stay in the Empire to lead in my absence*


    [But don''t you think she''ll refuse to stay on the sidelines this time, too ?]


    *I don''t know..*


    I had not yet discussed this with my wife. The announcement of the arrival of the adventurers had been sudden and we had to prepare our army first. It was obviously out of the question for me to let her participate in any way, but knowing her, it would not be easy to convince her.


    *Sigh..I won''t give her a choice*


    I may have sounded horrible but if anything happened to her I would never forgive myself. Now that the dragoness was pregnant, I would rather have her safe with our daughter watching over Elysium as Queen than on the battlefield. I knew she was strong, but if she was hurt I also knew I would go into a rage. I wanted to avoid that.


    While I was thinking about how to tell Gaya, I had already arrived in front of my Imperial office. Two soldiers from Ralph''s section were guarding the door today and as I arrived they straightened up before bowing.


    "Your Highness !"


    With a nod, I walked through the door bearing the symbol of our Empire. It was thergest office in the Imperial manor with many bookcases still empty on the walls. To the left was an area with couches to rest on, to the right was an extra table that wasn''t being used yet, my desk in the back and a huge empty space in the middle covered with arge soft gray carpet.


    *You can''t tell I really like the peace and quiet*


    [I agree and then I don''t know about you but I really like this ce]


    My office was always quiet because not many people besides my wife, my daughter and the two butlers came to see me. As I walked behind myrge desk, I enjoyed this brief moment of peace before I had to return to my duties as Empress. I sat in my seat to close my eyes and clear my mind. I didn''t have time to think that a few knocks on the door sounded. I sat up disgruntled as Lia''s voice was heard from the other side.


    "Empress ? The Commanders and their Lieutenants have arrived."


    *Sigh...it feels like my wedding was months ago..*


    [At the same time you haven''t stopped since ! After this whole thing, we should be spending time with my sister-inw and my little niece hehe~]


    I was more excited about this idea than anything else and as I allowed the visitors to enter, I made a note in my mind to give everyone a few days off. The 9 Commanders entered the room first, followed by one person each. Nixia and Na?a who were in the same group had only one person, as well as Ynir and Persea. Without saying a word, everyone in my office bowed respectfully waiting for me to say something.


    "Well, I see you got here fast."


    I decided to speak as I carefully observed each Lieutenant I had not yet met. There were seven of them there were exactly three men and four women of totally different races. They all had their heads down and as usual, none of them dared to look me in the eye, too busy staying calm. Including Ash, Luna''s second inmand, there were exactly four men and four women.


    "Lieutenants, introduce yourself !"


    I didn''t want to use my Analysis skill because I also liked to figure things out on my own. For this first meeting I wanted to at least let them introduce themselves. The Commanders stepped back to let their seconds face me, who each in turn awkwardly stepped forward to speak.


    "Lieutenant Kurumi, second-inmand of Commander Nixia''s and Vice-Commander Naia''s "Rearbat with weapons and magic" section. I use the stone element and am currently at level 13. I...I am delighted to meet her Highness."


    The first to step forward was an elf woman with pink hair and blue eyes. Kurumi looked oddly weak at first nce, but I knew that if Nixia had chosen her it was because she had potential. The elf was rather small, her face was almost childlike and it was hard for me to imagine her fighting. As I looked into her eyes, I could see a great assurance reflected in them despite the small tremors that my presence caused.


    *Interesting, I particrly want to see her inbat. I feel like I shouldn''t rely on her looks. Cases like this are always the most exciting kufufu~*


    Kurumi stepped back, lowering her head as a half-tiger woman stepped forward in palpable stress.


    "Lieutenant Liz, second inmand of Commander Ralph''s hand-to-handbat based on strength and magic. I...I don''t use magic but I''m currently at level 11. It is an honor to meet you."


    The second was also a half-human woman who had a tiger tail and ears and her yellow fur covered forearms were dotted with ck stripes. Liz was rather muscr and like Ralph she seemed powerful and made for hand-to-handbat. I could also see some scars on her arms that were uncovered indicating a difficult past. On the other hand, she seemed to fight only with the strength of her fists and ws in addition to the whip wrapped around her waist.


    [A second Ralph haha~]


    *Indeed, Ralph has as a second, an equally imposing woman who seems to be able to lead*


    The third lieutenant to advance was this time a bear. It had no human form but still managed to get in through the doors which were usuallyrger for this kind of situation.


    "Empress...well..hello. I...I am Lieutenant Zak, second inmand of Commander Emilia''s "Front warriors without elements" section. I''m level 12, I don''t use magic but I''m in charge of taking care of the beasts in this section."


    Zak the bear had red fur dotted with brown spots and was totally different from the bears I knew from my old world. His size was smaller than mine in my original form, but he was still imposing.


    *With soldiers like him in the army, the intimidation effect is guaranteed !*


    Having an entire section of fearsome beasts was a dream for me and in front of me stood Lieutenant Zak, making that dream a reality. I was still silent as there were still four people but I was already very satisfied with my Commanders choices.


    It was the turn of a dryad to step forward, she was graceful and unlike the others didn''t seem to be too afraid of my natural aura.


    "Lieutenant Nina, second inmand of Commander Caipy''s medical and poison section. I don''t use magic either and I''m not the head of the hospital but I excel at handling poison needles. I am level 10 and now that I finally meet you your Highness, I would like to thank you for all you have done and the construction of our home."


    The dryad bowed very respectfully with a smile on her lips. Like Persea, she was blonde but her hair was curly and her face also had freckles making her green eyes soft. Nina didn''t have a flower crown like Persea but her hair fell down her back in a beautiful, unique and perfect braid.


    Faced with what she had told me, I couldn''t stay silent. As she stepped back to make room for the next person, I spoke up in general amazement.


    "Lieutenant Nina, I thank you but all this was possible thanks to you all. I was not the only one and without everyone, our Empire would never have been born. Don''t forget that this ce is called Elysium and just as I said at my coronation, you are the lights that make this Empire shine !"


    My voice was calm but this time instead of being only cold, pride could be heard in my words. I was sincere and I didn''t want to take all the credit for this beautiful ce that could only be created with the help of everyone.


    Without giving them time to answer, I signaled the next one to continue as we had very little time before the second council.


    "Lieutenant Leon, second inmand of Commander Thorunn''s Fight with magic weapons in distance and closebat section. I use the wind element and like Lieutenant Kurumi I am at level 13. Thank you to your highness for agreeing to receive us."


    The one who had stepped forward was a kobold with dark green scales. He said his name was Leon and he mastered the same element as Thorunn which was also very interesting. Like the others, I was eager to see them train, but unfortunately the timing was bad. The kobold''s eyes were deep ck and the marks on his body proved that he was training hard. In addition to being a mage he must have been a very good warrior.


    [There are only two left !]


    As my little sister spoke these words, the second tost Lieutenant was already beginning to introduce herself.


    "Lieutenant Ne, second-inmand of Commander Trioa''s airbat section. I use the water element and I...I''m at level 11..."


    The harpy who had stepped forward had spoken very softly and was looking at the ground shyly. Somewhat like hermander, she seemed gentle and kind. Like Kurumi, Ne was quite small and herrge brown and white wings stood out tremendously on her small body. Her hair was also brown and wasbed into two small pigtails on each side of her head.


    [She looks so...harmless]


    *Aaww she looks like a little loli haha~*


    I found little Ne absolutely adorable and while I continued to observe her wondering about her fighting style, thest one came forward. He was an elf who was part of Ynir and Persea''s section. He was also carrying a bow behind his back that appeared to be self-made.


    "Lieutenant Itham, second-inmand of Commander Persea and Ynir''s forest protection section. I am level 12 and have mastered the element of wood like many in our ranks. It is also an honor to meet you dear Empress."


    The short blond haired elf made a graceful bow as he finished introducing himself. Without responding, I nodded my head before watching them all with interest.


    *The girls have found some very good seconds it seems, haven''t they ?*


    [I agree. They will also be better able to exin the other potentials of each section because they are more often among the soldiers than the busymanders]


    I agreed with Kira and as I continued to wander my purple gaze, the female Commanders stood in front of their Lieutenants again in silence. As I thought about this, two faces popped into my mind.


    *Now that I think about it, they are not there...*


    I was surprised not to see the minotaur Yorr and the elf Elyon among the lieutenants, but they had joined the armyter than the others and were probably still improving.


    *Maybe we''ll run into each otherter*


    While I was lost in my thoughts, Lia approached my desk to put down several cards regrouping in more detail their skills, their specialties and everything else that was useful. I quickly flipped through the papers that had just been added to the pile already present and while silence still reigned in the room, I stood up before speaking to those I had just met.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "You who are the second inmand, I expect you to behave as well as your superiors ! I congratte you, on having been able to reach this position thanks to your hard work and I have nothing to say about the choice of lieutenants."


    Turning to their superiors, a small mischievous smile appeared on my face revealing one of my fangs I continued.


    "I also congratte you for having chosen people worthy of assuming this position, I was not mistaken when I trusted you !"


    Everyone in the room had eyes that glowed and all without exception solemnly knelt down.


    "Thank you your Highness, we will make sure to represent our Empire properly !"


    The Commanders and their Lieutenants were officially appointed and now we had much more to do. As I watched them kneel before me with unwavering determination, my voice echoed through therge office.


    "Rise ! We must now begin our second council which will take ce in the meeting room with the new lieutenants present. You may all leave, we will meet there in a few minutes."


    As my 17 subordinates, including Lia, left the room, leaving me alone, I sank into my seat and looked at the cards scattered on my desk.


    *Theing war will be tough...we must do everything to prevent a tragedy from happening. I...I will stop at nothing Kira...*


    [I know onee-san..I know]


    I wasn''t terrified of the situation, but a worry kept growing in my heart. A worry that I couldn''t exin, like the foreshadowing of an unexpected event.


    [N/A: Army chart updated on discord]


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 85 Chaos In The Dark Night [Dark Forest War II - Part I]

    -- POV General --


    Three days had passed since the war council of the Empress of Elysium, her Commanders and their Lieutenants. The topic had been the hard battle thaty ahead and the strategy that the army would adopt. The meeting hadsted for hours, but by the end of the long discussion, hearts had been prepared.


    For their part, the adventurers had continued as they had nned, unaware that yna and Vig had told what they knew of their ns. During these days on the road, Sarah was not her usual jovial self because she felt something wasing. Also she had not forgotten the betrayal of her former travelpanions either and only dreamed of one thing, to find them and make them pay. The green-eyed leader had never been able to understand why they had helped these half-humans. She only saw the other races as objects or at best living beings used to breed the human race and destined to die by it hand.


    It was already getting dark and in just a few hours the two sides would be fighting a War without mercy.


    ____


    Inside the Empire''s walls, northwest of the Dark Forest, an army of hundreds of soldiers waited. Some were eager for their first chance to fight and others were terrified. They were all gathered on therge grassy area between the walls and the city. Night was falling and it was time to start the hostilities and take the advantage as it had been decided during the council. Silence reigned supreme as the sea air blew and made the hair of those gathered before the walls dance.


    The Commanders were in front of their respective sections and for the first time were dressed in the same way. Each outfit had been carefully made by Taegen, who had finished them a few days ago and adapted to the wearer. Thepletely ck outfit of the half-humans consisted offortable pants, a jacket reaching to the waist, gloves and a helmet made of ice. The jackets were personal because on the back there was a unique symbol representing themander who wore it. The helmets were simple but quite frightening because they were imposing. They covered the whole face and the top ended in two spikes representing the horns of a demon. The good thing was that they were light and didn''t prevent the wearer from moving as she used to do.


    The chaos Commanders were beautiful, frightening and at that moment all the soldiers behind them were admiring them. They were side by side and the aura that emanated from them was not weak and left almost the same impression as in the presence of the Empress. The female half-humans were all now at level 22 thanks to their training and the system which made them the most powerful members of the Empire after Freya and her wife. Everyone in the city knew and respected them after their exploits were also told everywhere. All of Elysium knew that these women had been the first to fight alongside their beloved Empress to free the ves.


    Vig and yna were present as well and both wore dark brown hooded cloaks and cloth masks covering the bottom of their mouths. Both humans wore this to avoid being recognized right away by Sarah and her group. Many of the soldiers wondered if they were really on their side but trusted Freya so they didn''t ask questions. Each Commander had taken the time to exin the situation to them from the beginning, the day the battle was announced. Freya had chosen to reveal their identities, so that no soldier would be disturbed by the presence of humans in their camps if their identities were to be revealed. The she-wolf wanted these two humans to be judged first on their actions and not on what race they were and was counting on them to prove their resolve.


    Thest red rays of the sun were reflected on the surface of the calm water as the Empress finally made her entrance. She rode her trusty stallion Inferno who also wore a helmet simr to those of the 10 Chaos Commanders. Freya was dressed in ck and was the only one wearing a cloak of the same color and almost identical to her imperial cloak. She did not have a helmet nor her crown but wore a simple half mask, also made of ice covering the upper half of her face. The Empress of Ice stepped forward silently as the soldiers moved aside to let her pass. Her chin was high, she looked proud and powerful, and one look at her was enough to raise the morale of the troops. Everyone felt honored to be fighting alongside this powerful she-wolf and the fear disappeared as Freya reached the end of the road. Her power invaded the crowd, strengthening hearts, reassuring souls and awakening warrior spirits.


    The people of the Empire were all outside the city watching what was happening in the distance, their faces worried for those going to war. Gaya and Shiro were also among them and watched Freya leave with a twinge of concern that was hard to hide. The little moon of Elysium was crying softly in the arms of her mother who was doing her best not to give in. Everyone was frightened because the soldiers and their leaders who stood before them, were the only bulwarks protecting their now happy and peaceful lives.


    As the Empress finally stopped in front of everyone, the entire Empire was silent. All the soldiers waited with fire in their eyes as the female Commanders smiled at the chance to see their leader on the battlefield. Freya dismounted her horse as she summoned a small wall of ice under her feet to raise herself up so that she could be seen by all. Her tied hair and cloak fluttered in the wind, her mesmerizing eyes ring at the soldiers as she spoke.


    "Tonight we go to fight...we go to fight to defend what we have built and protect those we have sworn to protect. The humans are on their way and they will not stop until they have destroyed and annihted everyst one of us. Shall we let them ?"


    The Ice Empress'' voice was powerful and at the same time calm and as she asked her question the soldiers all answered in unison.


    "NO !"


    "No we are not going to let them ! This night marks the first day of our fight for thisnd that is now ours ! Do not weaken, do not fear death and go into battle by my side with the certainty of returning. We will protect our Empire and by my title of Empress I swear to you here and now that I will fight to the end to ensure a bright future !"


    As Freya paused in her speech, the weapons of the many soldiers began to pound the ground with vigor to build up their courage. Even the people of the city were stamping their feet, making the Empire vibrate with a perfect rhythm that revived hearts. The Empress of Ice now had a frightening smile on her face that disappeared as her voice rose once again. This time it was cold,manding, vibrant and devoid of any emotion.


    "All of you who are going to fight tonight don''t forget ! You are now fighting as free and equal beings ! You have all trained like hell to never again be stepped on by a human or any other race. Show me your fire, your determination, show me your warrior soul and your bloodlust. Make your voices heard, shout to those who have never listened to you that you will fight for what you hold dear. Are you afraid ? It''s only natural ! Turn that fear into rage that will destroy everything in its path ! Fight with honor, pride and dignity and I swear to you that none of you will have to die tonight !"


    Freya''s words were etched in minds and hearts as the soldiers'' gaze changed as she continued.


    "I would fight for you, for myself, I would fight for my family and this Empire that represents us all. Tonight I will not go to Hell and you know why ? Because I will create Hell...


    Staring at the crowd, making it tremble, the Empress made a human skull made of ice appear in her hand before exploding it into a thousand pieces.


    ...and you, what are you going to do ?!"


    All animated by an unfathomable rage to win, the hundreds of soldiers raised their weapons to the heavens as they responded in unison.


    "We will fight for what we hold dear and we will win !"


    Night had fallen and their nightly attacks could begin. No light shone in the sky. Only the she-wolf''s eyes glittered as she spoke onest sentence.


    "Let us create chaos on this dark night !"


    The cries of rage echoed in the night and disappeared into the distance carried by the cool wind as the first army of half-humans began their march. The moon was covered with thick clouds and its light no longer reached the forest. For the first time it no longer shone but watched over these brave men and women, offering them the night.


    _____


    -- POV Sarah --


    "Tsk...still nothing, I can''t believe they vanished like that !"


    We were at the ruins where my brother was supposed to be for thest time but we hadn''t found anything. Everything was gone as if nothing had ever happened. No sign of their camps, no sign of their carts and horses and no sign of the adventurers or mercenaries.


    *What the hell is going on here ?*


    For a few days now, nothing has been going as nned. I thought I had found an interesting girl, but she turned out to be a dirty traitor supported by the one I wanted to hire. As if that wasn''t enough, no clues were left behind and for the moment all the travel we had done was useless.


    With the remaining adventurers in our group, we had set up camp in the middle of this clearing ravaged by what appeared to be a battle. Despite the burned and uprooted trees, there was nothing else, and knowing that Kirk had fought here didn''t really help me.


    *I don''t know who came through here next, but those people weren''t human !*


    I was red with rage and I only wanted to pass my nerves. The trip had been long, tiring and my mind had been put to the test thesest days. As the night had already fallen and mypanions were setting up the tents, the twins were making a fire using their magic to light us. Everything was quiet and calm but I was not because something was bothering me. The more I thought about what had happened, the more a doubt rose in me.


    *No human usually ventures into this forest unless they have a special mission*


    The Dark Forest was known to be inhabited only by other races so those who came there were either adventurers or mercenaries.


    *Among humans, it is customary to bring the namete of a dead person to the nearest guild. Only a half-human would have hidden them but...but something is wrong*


    There had been more than 50 humans in this clearing, why couldn''t any nametes or cases be found ? In order to make the evidence disappear, it would have taken powerful people or groups of people.


    *So these subraces were bound to be several...*


    I knew for a long time that there had to be some trash behind my brother''s disappearance, but to wipe out a whole group of 70 people, there had to be at least 100.


    *Impossible, a group like that would have been reported !*


    No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn''t believe that a group of subraces had banded together to fight Kirk and hispanions. So many questions that only increased my desire to kill all the beings in this forest. Who could have enough strength to defeat my brother ?


    *They must have used cowardly means to bring him down. Maybe they went after him in numbers when he was alone ? Yes, that''s the only way, Kirk could never lose in a fair fight against the filthy creatures that are the half-humans ! You scums, I''ll give you a taste of my sword and you''ll wish you''d never crossed my path !*


    Now that I was sure of myself, all I had to do was find out where these cowards were hiding in the forest. I stood up so that the 8 adventurers beside me could listen to what I had to say.


    "Tomorrow we will explore the area because after thinking about it, it seems that the group that killed the former adventurers and mercenaries are hiding there ! I think they are weak and took advantage of their numbers to assassinate Chief Kirk, if we find them it will be easy to get rid of them !"


    I had barely finished my sentence when suddenly the campfire we had built shattered into a pile of ash, dust and embers. Arge stone hadnded on the glowing wood, burning those around, plunging the clearing into darkness. Without even having time to understand what was going on, a shower of stones rained down on us from the sky.


    "What..."


    Looking up, the first thing I could make out in the darkness was a woman withrge gray wings, dressed in ck and wearing a white helmet. As I saw her leading the aerial attack, my bloodlust was aroused as I muttered to myself.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "No need to look for them, they are already here..."


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 86 The Beginning [Dark Forest War II - Part II]

    -- POV General --


    In the dark night, the adventurers camping in the clearing had suddenly been attacked by flying beings. It had already been going on for more than 10 minutes, but the attack still did not stop. Stones were flying from the sky, thrown by the same people who were taking care to create as much panic as possible. Among the adventurers, in addition to Sarah, her group of 3 and the twins, there was a group of 2 men and a woman hiding their faces but easily recognizable by their identical red outfits. They were fighting with swords and doing the best they could to avoid projectiles.


    "Take cover everyone ! Protect yourselves first and foremost and don''t look to fight back just yet !"


    Sarah shouted across the clearing to those who could hear her to take cover. Only the twins were mages and with their fire element, aimed at Trioa and her subordinates in hopes of hitting them. They were not listening and were focused on their target, protecting themselves with their fireballs. Deafening noises resounded as a rain of stones continued to fall on them. As time went on, trees were destroyed, small craters appeared on the dry earth and the adventurers were overwhelmed.


    Trioa and the members of her section were not trying to kill these humans but rather to disorient them and push them to separate. In this deadly cacophony, each of them took refuge behind what they could. As the group of three hid under the trees, a lone figure wearing a helmet crept up beside them.


    "Let''s regroup quickly !"


    The green-eyed leader kept yelling at the top of her lungs, but no one was listening to her orders except her main group. The twins were busy throwing fireballs in vain at those flying half-humans that were twirling in the untouchable skies.


    Suddenly the attack ceased as the air section disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. The calm had not returned, however, for where the group in red was, the sounds of swords were heard among the trees.


    "Chief ! There are people in the fores t! We...we don''t know how many !"


    The woman in red was named ire and she in turn shouted as needles came out of the night to reach her. Sarah and the twins, who were no longer busy sheltering or attacking, turned their heads in her direction before hurriedly joining her.


    ire did not know it, but there was only one person and not several. The figure running through the night, jumping, sliding and throwing poison needles was obviously Luna, the Commander of the Intelligence Section. She was careful to stay far enough away so as not to get hurt and use the night to her advantage tounch stealth attacks, from all sides.


    "Find them !"


    Sarah was beginning to lose patience as she still didn''t understand who they were and how they managed to be so coordinated. The attack had begun after it was already dark and was taking ce in several ces with incredible precision and timing. Luna always hidden in the thickets, forcing them to stay alert without giving them time to rest mentally. Fearing a sudden attack was a psychological strategy to exhaust and manipte them.


    "I don''t know who they are but we underestimated them !"


    So far, this strategy was not very incredible but the stubbornness of humans to see other races as inferior, prevented them from thinking properly. With this kind of thinking, the Empress'' army had a clear advantage, that of being underestimated. Without thinking, all the adventurers were now grouped in the forest, trying to find their attackers. The twins June and May were still scanning the sky with their brown eyes, waiting to detect the slightest movement in the clouds.


    The 9 humans were crouched among the trees and all looked at their leader who spoke with extreme anger.


    "Damn it ! They waited until dark to attack us. Do you have any idea how many of them there are ? In the sky I could count at least 5 dirty beasts but there might be more ! Raaah I will kill them all !"


    Her hands were shaking, her eyes were bloodshot and her teeth were grinding. The twins who were by this time calmer were starting to talk to calm her down.


    "Chief, they took advantage of the surprise effect but now we know they are there. From now on...


    .... we will take the advantage and we will be more vignt. They must have killed the others this way but we are more powerful although much less numerous."


    June and May looked at Sarah with a big innocent smile that made her shiver for a few moments. The level 28 twins were the only mages of the adventurers and were therefore the most dangerous not to mention the highest levels. If Sarah was hysterical, sadistic and impulsive, June and May were calcting, cruel and thoughtful.


    This time it was quiet, but those first two attacks had still managed to hurt a few humans. Even with their high levels and strong bodies, they had exhausted themselves dodging projectiles in the night. Most were out of breath, covered in dust, sweat and dirt. No one was serene, and as Freya had predicted none let their guard down.


    "We have to find them ! Until we kill everyst one of them, they won''t stop. If the battle drags on, we will be at a disadvantage because of our numbers !"


    Sarah thought while taking great care to check around her warily. She sensed that there were beings hidden in the woods but not knowing where and how many made her sick. As everyone thought of a strategy, grunts on the opposite end of the ce from where they were could be heard.


    "What''s going on again ?"


    The humans were to the north of the clearing and without time to confer, the bushes to the south were moving. Like a thunderous roar, powerful and deafening, the loud growls wereing from there. Little by little beasts wereing out of the forest, taking care not toe into contact with the humans. There were tigers, bears and wolves, intimidating the group of adventurers by their numbers and their wild looks. The creatures were not there to attack and stood still, their lips curled up and their fangs protruding.


    "How many the hell are they ?"


    Sarah could see their yellow eyes in the night and it wasn''t hard to figure out that they weren''t there to have fun. The leader had an ominous smile on her face as she drew her sword to point it at the beasts under Emilia''s orders.


    "Let''s kill these ones already, they look like the perfect ones to start with !"


    The whole group of humans nodded as they moved towards these hostile beasts. Their steps were slow, hesitant as the adventurers feared a sudden attack from behind or in the air. Suddenly, as they reached the middle of the clearing, still facing the many beasts, they fled into the forest from where they hade. Sarah, blinded by her desire to kill, ran after them while shouting her instructions.


    "Above all we stay together, we are not on our own ground ! These fleabags must know the forest like the back of their hand, I wouldn''t want any stupid mistakes !"


    Sarah didn''t want any stupid mistakes, but when she had ordered them to follow, she was the one who had made it. Only the twins had sensed something suspicious and stopped. As they watched theirpanions quickly disappear into the thickets, June and Maya spoke to each other.


    "Big sister, I think this is a trap..."


    "...Yes big sister this is a trap, this is not normal."


    The twins had epted Sarah''s authority, but certainly didn''t want to consciously run to their deaths or into a critical situation. They were standing there in the middle of the clearing, alone, when suddenly three rather powerful auras appeared from nowhere apanied by many weaker ones. June and May turned around, to see three figures slowly emerging, followed by about fifty soldiers of all races.


    The first one toe out was a beautiful snake woman with scales as ck as night, the second one was a young woman with hair as red as fire and thest one was a beautiful blonde woman with red eyes and sharp fangs. Opposite the twins stood the Commanders Nixia, Na?a and Thorunn apanied by their two respective sections.


    "Humans ! Tonight you will not leave this forest alive !"


    Nixia had spoken calmly but her voice was filled with anger towards those who hade here to kill and capture their own. Beside her, Naia and Thorunn said nothing but took up positions as their soldiers surrounded the two young women in the clearing.


    "They had nned for some of us to stay here...


    ...we also fell into their trap."


    June and May did not tremble in spite of the tense situation and watched their opponents. They were level 28 and very powerful, but facing three level 20 half-humans and arge number of soldiers, the situation looked very difficult. Without another word, the 5 of them went into battle knowing that this would be thest fight for some of them. But who ? No one knew.


    ____


    "Damn, the twins didn''t follow ! Too bad for them, they''ll be fine ! June and her sister should have followed orders !"


    Sarah was running through the woods followed by the other 6 who had obeyed. Not that the group in red absolutely wanted to follow her orders but being the weakest, staying close to the strongest was a necessity. They were 7 to run before arriving in a second clearing,rger than the previous one. This was the ce where Kirk had died more than a month ago, at the hand of the Empress herself. The beasts had stopped in the middle and joined the entire army that faced the most powerful adventurers. In front of the crowd stood the Lieutenant and then in front of them the Commanders Ralph, Emilia, Ynir and Persea. Caipy was at the back, Luna was still in the forest and Trioa was hiding in the clouds to intervene at any moment.


    The scene was unimaginable for these humans. For the first time in their lives, they were witnessing the very first war of an Empire. The adventurers were speechless, the half-humans and other races in front of them were armed, perfectly positioned and guided by four people dressed in ck, mysterious and scary at the same time.


    "This is impossible ! Who are you ? Did you kill my brother ?"


    Sarah lost herposure as she realized what was happening. They had alle to capture some subraces and kill others, but they had never imagined that they woulde across this. Fear was beginning to take hold of them as well as anger and as the humans shook, the female Commanders stepped forward in silence.


    "Don''te any closer, you filthy trash ! Answer the question scums !!!"


    There was too much information in the minds of the humans, especially the leader, who was slowlying to understand. She had all along greatly underestimated the inhabitants of the forest and now the situation was only getting worse. ire and the two men next to her were trembling and had not epted the mission to fall into a situation like this.


    Although all of them were more powerful than the Commanders, the number of soldiers was frightening to them while for the first time humans feared those they were martyring. Intimidation worked wonderfully, so much so that the woman in red whispered words to her twopanions that she never thought she would utter.


    "Le..let''s hide in the forest..we can figure out how to get out of here once we are sure we are safe. For now they..."


    She didn''t have time to finish her sentence as the trees behind them disappeared behind a wall of wood, nts of all kinds and brambles.


    "You''re not going anywhere !"


    Persea had spoken these words from where she was as she looked with contempt at the humans who were now deprived of any possible retreat.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Hahahaha~ show us what you have ! No matter how many of you there are, you will all end up impaled on my de and nothing and no one will stop me from hurting you all !!!"


    Sarah wasughing hysterically and seemed to have lost her mind. Her hatred was growing by the second and preventing her from thinking rationally.


    While in the first clearing Nixia, Na?a and Thorunn were fighting, in the second clearing it was the turn of Commanders Ralph, Emilia, Ynir and Persea to fight. Freya, Vig and yna were not there and while the adventurers were ready to throw themselves into the battle of their lives, they were unaware that a creature from another world was watching them with a frightening smile.


    The Empress was hidden and waiting for her time to appear and turn the tide and change destiny.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 87 Entertain Me [Dark Forest War II - Part III]

    -- POV Sarah --


    In front of us stood a whole army of vermin and behind us a wall made of nature-rted elements. As I looked at the four scumbags that seemed to be leading this army, my eyesight flickered. The more time passed, the more blood flowed into my left hand. My long fingernails dug into my flesh and opened my old, closed wounds.


    *Kill, kill, kill, kill...*


    I was trembling, my body was shaking and I couldn''t contain myself anymore. My rage was overflowing and I almost felt like I had to contain myself to keep from running towards them. All I wanted to do was kill them, destroy them, annihte them.


    "Hahahaha~ show us what you have ! No matter how many of you there are, you will all end up impaled on my de and nothing and no one will stop me from making you all suffer !!!"


    I wanted to see them suffer, beg and make them pay for what they had done to my little brother Kirk. He had so much to live for, so much to aplish and he was dead, killed by those who had always hurt us.


    "You will all pay..."


    Without further question I began to run, tears blinding my vision but my sword firmly in my hand. I couldn''t see very well, but I wanted to smell the blood, feel the entrails being torn apart by my blows and make them all pay. With no other way out, I could hear the muffled footsteps of the others following me in our frantic charge. We were ready to ughter them.


    "Soldiers !"


    The four individuals in front of me had shouted a single word as they jumped back to let their soldiers advance toward us. There were about 70 of them however not all of them were there as the elven and nt women subraces that had put up the wall stayed behind. It made no difference to me, I continued my mad dash as I finally reached the front of this tide of subraces. There were the bears, tigers and wolves at the front and then the human-like bipedal creatures at the back.


    "Come here you scum !!!"


    I swung my sword in all directions as jaws snapped from all sides. With mybat experience and level, I had no trouble dodging and delivering powerful blows to those who came too close. Unfortunately, they were retreating more than they were advancing and I could not deliver any lethal blows. ncing behind me, the others had been pushed away from my position and our enemies had closed the gap behind me. I was alone on one side and mypanions were facing the four women who had previously retreated.


    *How did they get there ? Why am I the only one on the side ?*


    I didn''t understand what was going on as I decided to get down to business.


    "You want to kill me like you did Kirk, right ? It won''t work with me ! I will kill you, kill you, kill you !!!"


    Increasing my speed and pushing mightily on my feet, Iunched myself at these creatures who were trying to mimic the humans with their puny army. Those in the front row were surprised as I swung my weapon faster and harder. The four-legged beasts backed up and struggled to protect themselves as they tripped over each other. At this point a wooden wall rose in front of me to protect them and keep me from passing but it wasn''t enough.


    "That''s right fight like the dogs you are haha~!!!"


    With a kick, the wood copsed and I could see behind the look on the faces of these trash change. The ones that were confident were starting to feel that desperation and fear of dying. Despite their numbers, they were still just weak beings in front of me and I couldn''t help but feel my panties getting wet with excitement.


    "Formation everyone !!!"


    A red-furred bear yelled at the frightened soldiers to regroup as everyone backed away. I hadn''tnded a killing blow yet, but I wanted to enjoy the delicious moment.


    *He must be the leader !*


    This bear wasrger than the others and especially stood out with his red and brown color. As I looked at him, a smile appeared on my beautiful face.


    *I will kill him in front of hispanions so that once and for all their hopes are gone. I will break their will, I will make them sink slowly while enjoying the show !*


    Without thinking, I charged at the creature to strike a blow. The bear had reacted at thest moment and its shoulder was already skewered in my sword.


    "Aaaarg !!!"


    "Hahahaha~ I thought the chief was more powerful than that !"


    At first nce he looked pretty special and powerful but after my first attack I hade to the conclusion that he must not even be above level 15. The red creature screamed as I pulled my bloody weapon out of his body and my body was wracked with chills.


    *Mmmmmh !!*


    I didn''t have time to enjoy the ecstasy as the subraces around me rushed in a coordinated group to help him. The ones who didn''t seem to be using mana were already on me andunching their attacks. Swords, axes, spears and halberds were trying to reach me but to no avail. Everything was much too slow for me but I had to react quickly because with their numbers I would soon be overwhelmed. Mypanions were already busy with the others so I couldn''t count on them, but in the end I didn''t care. This was my little moment of pleasure, where I could give free rein to my impulses.


    "Come on hahaha~"


    I kicked in all directions, hearing the bones crack and the many screams of those who had been hit. These scums were ultimately nothing to be rmed about and weren''t even capable of dealing me a blow.


    "Die filthy human !"


    A dirty gray wolf was lunging at me with all fangs out as I dodged him with a step backwards breaking his ribs in the process. My elbow had sunk into its belly with power and speed making his bones crack. The four legged creaturey on the ground gasping for breath, his mouth bleeding as a group of bipeds using mana fell upon me. As I turned to face them, some elves came to retrieve their woundedpanion and bring him to the back.


    *Tsk...that''s right go save your friend but it''s only a matter of time before I get to the back and finish you all off !*


    As I gloated inwardly, I prepared to receive those who ran toward me. Some had bodies reinforced with stone, fire and others had magical weapons. I was not a master of magic, but that did not mean that I was necessarily at a disadvantage. Alone against all and with my experience, I knew I would not lose this battle. As I made my way through them, I made sure to hurt as many as I could. Bodies fell wounded as blood spurted out everywhere.


    *Tsk !*


    I still couldn''t manage to strike a deadly blow because I didn''t have time to concentrate on a particr subrace. The night was dark and it was also difficult for me to be precise in these conditions but I didn''t mind. My n was to immobilize them and have fun with themter. Making the funst was important and as my sword sank into the flesh Iughed as I was having a great time.


    "Aaaaw yeah ! Entertain me hahaha~!!!"


    Once again I could see the looks change and fear take over those who seemed so brave. I had managed to wound over twenty of these scum and now only half of them were left. Putting my feet on the arm of two filthy ogres on the ground, I pressed to break it but a huge sword prevented me from doing so, followed by ava punch that I barely avoided.


    *Oh my... *


    I was so absorbed by my pleasure that I didn''t notice the two helmeted half-humans approaching. Their auras were however superior to all these small fry and they were faster and more precise. These two troublemakers hade from my left and right simultaneously, aiming for my head and my heart.


    As I watched them move in front of me, one spoke.


    "It seems that even with many people it is still difficult for some. Human ! We will not let you hurt our soldiers any more !"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "We will be your opponents from now on !"


    These two vermin dared to speak to me as if they were able to stop me. They were dressed the same but one had a big sword and a cat tail while the other had glowing fists and blood red eyes.


    "Pfff"


    Spitting at their feet, I raised my head to look at them with a smug look before answering.


    "I admit that you seem stronger, but will you even be able to hurt me ? Hahaha~ so be it, it''s your turn to entertain me !"


    Without further ado Iunched myself at them, my sword still in hand ready to slice and dice their flesh. The first one toe towards me was the one with the sword while the one without a weapon was waiting for her moment on the side.


    *You think you can take me like that ?*


    As I blocked the sword blow by holding my own with both hands, I sent a violent kick in the belly of the human cat which she dodged. This gave me time to turn 360 degrees to hit the red-eyed one, but she was gone.


    *Damn !*


    Looking up, I could see a figure and two red eyesing at me. I didn''t have time to react as the cat woman swung her sword to slit my throat. I had no choice but to take a hit if I wanted to get out of this predicament. I would then dodge the cat scum''s weapon, just before I felt an intense heat to my face.


    "Aaaarg !"


    My cheek had been hit as I was sent crashing several feet away from them.


    "Da...damned creature !!!"


    I felt my skin crackle as intense pain stung me.


    "My...my precious face ! You wretch ! You dared to touch my beautiful, perfect face raaaaah !!!"


    If I hadn''t been level 35 my head would have been torn off on the spot. I got away with a burn but it was absolutely intolerable. I, the beauty of the vige, courted by dozens of men and women, had just lost my most precious possession. No woman was as beautiful as me and these vile creatures had just taken something from me again. This time I waspletely overwhelmed, the pleasure had given way to rage as the fierce struggle continued.


    "Raaahahah~!"


    I could no longer control myughter as the two trash did their best to avoid my attacks which had be more violent, more savage and deadly. I was no longer ecstatic butpletely unleashed and the more time passed, the more my attacks hit their targets. My de was shing against the huge sword and the fists of the vile red-eyed woman who was using up her mana. Without warning, I pulled a dagger out of my boot and threw it at the cat woman and while she was dodging a kick hit her in the shoulder. She had good reflexes so her bones weren''t broken but she couldn''t handle the sword as well anymore.


    "Emilia !"


    Seeing this scene, her teammate had called out her name without noticing my leg sweeping over hers to crush her head in the dirt.


    "cough...cough"


    The two subraces had lost their helmets and I could finally see who I was dealing with. They weren''t pretty, in fact they were rather ugly with absolutely disgusting beastly ears.


    "Just because you''re ugly doesn''t mean you have to pick on a pretty face ! You killed my brother and now this ? I warn you this is just the beginning !"


    I wanted to disfigure them, bleed them and make them unrecognizable. My sword attacks were now only focused on their faces and our fight became more intense. I was getting hits that I was able to take, but the same could not be said for the other two. Even with two of them, the difference in level tipped the bnce in my favor even though I wasn''t unscathed.


    "This is for my brother and my face !"


    Just as I was about to cut the face of the cat woman I had grabbed by the cor, a powerful voice echoed from behind the tired, wounded and retreating soldiers.


    "She didn''t kill your brother !"


    *Who is...??*


    I didn''t have time to finish my sentence when a figure suddenly appeared behind me. Without letting go of the half-human in my hand, I quickly swung my sword without looking at it, but it was blocked instantly. As I turned my head, I could see that a woman had easily stopped my powerful blow and was holding my sword in her teeth. This neer had literally stopped my deadly attack with her sharp fangs.


    *What...*


    Her face was only a few feet away from mine and her intense violet eyes pierced my soul. I was hypnotized, paralyzed as the sound of my sword breaking woke me up. This monstrous woman had broken my weapon with one blow of her teeth while a terribly wild smile appeared at the same time. At that moment, the clouds finally cleared, letting the moon light up the clearing that had been in chaos until then. Finally, the white rays let me see in more detail who I was dealing with.


    *Who is she ?*


    This new fighter was far from the same level as those I had fought before. Two things jumped out at me, her two horns that I had never seen anywhere and her overwhelming presence. Unlike the others, this half-human was dressed differently and had something extra that made me shiver. I didn''t have time to analyze further what was disturbing me so much, as she was already speaking.


    "Ara ara~ sorry about your sword..."


    It was weird because she seemed to be having fun but neither her voice nor her face expressed any emotion. As this mysterious fighter spoke, she threw her weapon at me condescendingly and contemptuously before continuing.


    "You''ll need it more than I will. Go ahead, show me how you fight human ! It''s been a long time since I''ve fought you''re lucky. If you''re worth it, I might even show you my true form. Come on ! What did you say again ? Entertain me !"


    "You...how dare you ?"


    I was angry, so angry as I scanned her with unconcealed animosity which seemed to amuse her. I couldn''t see her face because her mask hid the top but it was easy to guess that she was a passable woman. Her aura was different, it was everywhere and nowhere at the same time, like an invisible mist that was slowly and dangerously engulfing me. I had never felt this way and it was impossible for me to properly assess her level. One thing was for sure, this subrace was clearly not normal and my instinct was to run away. As she looked at me much too calmly, only one sentence came to my mind.


    *She''s a dangerous monster...*


    ____


    [N/A : Don''t forget to read the notes at the end ! It is important ! Also, no system because I wrote too much, the chapter would have been too long otherwise (2600 words)]

 Chapter 88 The Humiliation Of Sarah I [Dark Forest War II - Part IV]

    -- POV General --


    Freya was finally in front of Sarah, who had dropped Emilia in surprise at her sudden appearance. The soldiers andmanders were in charge of keeping the adventurers in the clearings as another n was being put into ce at this very moment. The Empress had watched Sarah from a high point and hade to the conclusion that she was quite capable of defeating hermanders if she did not intervene quickly. Freya trusted her army and her leaders, but the adventurer was 16 levels higher than them and should not be taken lightly.


    There were no serious injuries among the soldiers despite the natural fear that had overtaken them, but seeing theirmanders fight hard and seed in hurting this woman had created a trigger. They were not in a game, the battle was real and they had to give everything to protect the forest from these humans. The arrival of the Empress shortly afterwards was enough to revive frightened hearts, exhausted minds and injured bodies. She had arrived out of nowhere and in only a few seconds had broken Sarah''s weapon, stopping her deadly blow with only her powerful jaw. The clearing waspletely silent, even the fighting of the othermanders and adventurers had ceased as everyone watched the she-wolf under the moonlight.


    "Empress Freya !!!"


    "This human is already dead"


    "It''s her Highness, she''s finally here !!!"


    "We have already won !"


    After a few seconds that had seemed tost several minutes, the dozens of soldiers began to cheer the one they thought was invulnerable. None of them had seen her fight, not in training or anywhere else, and the excitement was building. Sarah now felt like a freak in the middle of an arena made by those she hated the most. She already felt humiliated by the she-wolf and couldn''t help but try to belittle her in front of her subordinates to no avail.


    "So your name is Freya huh ? Tsk, that name sounds so human and I hear you call yourself Empress ? Pfff aren''t you even ashamed ? You may lead these useless animals but you are not a leader at all. You are nothing Freya ! And know that I don''t need your pity or your weapon !"


    Sarah spat her words like venom, her gaze fixed on the she-wolf and her face wearing a crazed smile. Freya didn''t move or respond as she analyzed her behavior calmly and contentedly. The leader of the adventurers had lost her footing and by trying to humiliate the Empress, she was only humiliating herself.


    "I don''t know what you are, but the abominations that this world has spawned must all perish ! To me you are nothing more than another ugly person trying to be someone important ! If you really are an Empress, then Empress of trash suits you very well hahaha~ you wear a mask to hide your cowardice and ugliness from the world !"


    The she-wolf was obviously annoyed by this speech but absolutely did not show it. She knew that the time woulde when Sarah would realize that she had made a big mistake. "Everythinges to the one who knows how to wait" was the sentence Freya kept repeating to herself so as not to blow her head off.


    "Ugly ?"


    Was the word the she-wolf had uttered after the hysterical human''s monologue. Without making a single move, her mask disappeared under the gaze of everyone who was shocked and taken by surprise. The adventurer could finally see her face and as the Empress spoke again, Sarah had be mute.


    "First, these abominations you speak of were all born here, why shouldn''t they have the same right to exist as you ? Secondly, my title of Empress doesn''t matter, what matters is what I do for those I have sworn to protect. Third, congrattions, with your words you just made your death more painful than expected and finally...get my name out of your dirty mouth. Don''t ever speak my name again !"


    As she had spoken, her voice had grown colder and colder, the air in the clearing had be almost frigid and a murderous purple light shone in the she-wolf''s eyes. Her voice was calm, but to those present, it was even more frightening and startling than words spoken in a shout of anger. Even Freya''s allies began to tremble as Sarah said nothing more.


    "..."


    She couldn''t look away from the Empress'' heavenly beauty as she was beset with conflicting feelings. The adventurer had called her ugly but the reality was quite different and beyond her imagination. How could she be so gorgeous ? Why had such a creature been given such a gift ? The more she was seduced by Freya, the more she hated her. Sarah would never admit it, but her heart was beating faster than it had ever beaten before. What she had felt when she met yna was nothingpared to this beauty that always drove her a little crazier. Her body trembled with excitement and fear but at this moment, what she wanted most was to make her hers.


    "Have you lost that tongue you used earlier to insult me ?"


    While Sarah was still immersed in her world, the Empress'' question snapped her out of her trance. The battle of the femalemanders and the other adventurers had resumed, and hers had yet to begin.


    ____


    -- POV Sarah --


    *What...what is happening to me ? Why am I so attracted to her when she is just a subrace ?*


    I felt both attracted and seduced by this half-human while I hated her and wanted her to crawl at my feet. Her face was perfect, far too perfect to be real. It wasn''t possible, the more I looked at her, the more I felt drawn in.


    "Have you lost that tongue you used earlier to insult me ?"


    With every word this woman spoke, my muscles redeemed themselves and shivers ran through my body without me being able to do anything about it.


    "You ! What did you do to me ?"


    I wasn''t myself anymore, I was hot, my injured face was red and my heart was uncontroble. Why had I be like this ? Without even answering me, a smug smile appeared on her beautiful face.


    *Sarah, get a grip on yourself ! She''s just a piece of trash like the rest !*


    "Alright, let''s dance a little, shall we ?"


    I was still busy trying to figure out what was happening to me when the half-human disappeared at a blinding speed to appear on my right. She was fast and with a punch in the shoulder she sent me to the ground in only a few seconds.


    "Aaaarg *cough*...*cough* how.."


    "Get up !"


    The leader of all these many subraces was several feet away from me and was still looking at me with coldness and disdain. I hadn''t seen anythinging but what was weird was that I didn''t have a broken bone. Was I finally stronger than her ? Or had she reduced the power to y with me ? Everyone I had fought before was surrounding us and looking at us with unbounded admiration for my opponent. I was being humiliated in front of so much garbage and that I couldn''t ept.


    "You...you''ll see !"


    This time I knew I didn''t have time to enjoy myself. The one that had appeared a few minutes ago already, was much more powerful than the other two. I had no time to think and I had to act. I threw myself on her with all my strength and abilities as she finally started to move. I had no weapon left so I tried to hit her with my strength without ever reaching her. Besides being unfairly beautiful, she was graceful, agile as if nothing could reach her.


    *H...how does she do it ? Could she be of a higher level than me ?*


    I wasn''t out of breath yet, but nothing seemed to be able to shake her as a smug smile appeared on her beautiful face again. With the back of her hand, in an instant, the scumbag pped me in the face and it echoed loudly in the forest. She had aimed at the burn and I had felt the skin peel off while an extreme pain made me put a knee on the ground in spite of me.


    "Aaaarg that hurts !"


    "Well...yes this is the point"


    It was so intense that my eyes had started to water with no control over it. The cruel woman was advancing towards me still without a word as she raised her second hand to p me on the other cheek and then the other, again and again.


    "Wait I...aaarg...wait...aaarg !!"


    The sound of pping went up in the clearing and the more she hit me, the more the subraces around us were stomping their feet and making noise to encourage her. I could even hear some of them giggling as I was once again on the ground in the dust. Just by appearing, she had turned the tables.


    ____


    -- POV General --


    Sarah had just been pped 10 times by Freya. The she-wolf had not used her strength and had only hit her in the face for the moment without killing her or breaking anything. The adventurer''s face was swollen, bloody and she was no longer recognizable. The Empress was amused and took great pleasure in ridiculing her in front of her subordinates whom she could obviously hear whispering with her extraordinary hearing.


    "Unbelievable ! This human can''t do anything !"


    "With us she seemed so powerful and now she''s on the ground"


    "I hope that her Highness will give us a nice show"


    "Of course ! I heard that when she gets serious even we have to be careful !"


    Sarah could also hear all the murmuring and couldn''t help but curse all those who no longer feared her at all since Freya arrived. Picking up a handful of dirt she threw it in the Empress''s face before running to pick up the ck katana she had thrown before. Freya''s head was turned and she sighed as Sarah ran to impale the sword in the heart of the she-wolf. With a simple sideways step, the sword nted itself in her right shoulder as everyone watched the scene in horror.


    "Hahahahaha~ your weapon is very useful indeed thank you !"


    The green-eyed adventurer with an unrecognizable faceughed again before realizing that no scream hade out of Freya''s mouth. Her violet eyes were still observant and despite the de in her shoulder, the Empress did not flinch. Her ck hair flew in the wind and her face was calm, almost serene and amused.


    "Impossible !!! Why can''t you scream like..."


    Sarah couldn''t finish her sentence as a kick crashed into her stomach, causing her to spit blood and pull the sword from the she-wolf''s shoulder. Without a word, Freya grabbed Sarah by the neck as blood poured from her wound where she had been hit.


    "You don''t dance well enough, do I have to give you a reason to give everything you have ?"


    As her eyes darted into the leader''s, a crack sounded, followed by a hoarse, loud scream.


    "Aaaaaargh!!!"


    Freya had just broken the pinky finger of Sarah''s left hand with a sadistic smile before continuing to speak.


    "If I motivate you a little, maybe you''ll be able to give me a good performance"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Four more cracks sounded as the adventuress had her feet no longer touching the ground, lifted by the injured Empress in the shoulder. The pain was insurmountable, for Sarah had never been hurt like this before. She had always been the torturer and not the tortured and today the roles had been reversed. Her left hand had turned blue and her fingers were going in all directions, broken into a thousand pieces. While the leader was experiencing such intense pain for the first time, her pants started to get wet little by little. She was scared and couldn''t hold back from urinating in front of everyone as the liquid ran down her trembling legs. Even the soldiers were speechless in front of their Empress who did not even flinch from her actions. They were admiring and at the same time frightened, being happy to be on the same side.


    "Tsk...pathetic !"


    Freya with a look of disgust, let go of her neck as Sarah crashed to the ground. Blood was still flowing from her shoulder so with her right hand, she stopped the bleeding by freezing the wound.


    "Mmh I wanted to test my resistance to pain, this seems to be working well"


    The people around couldn''t believe that she had deliberately gotten hit for a simple test. Silence had returned in front of this surreal andpletely hypnotizing scene. While grabbing Sarah by the hair on the ground, still shocked by the pain, the she-wolf dragged her to the middle of the arena her soldiers had made before speaking in a powerful voice.


    "Those who want to fight her again, step forward ! I''ll watch you and then y with her ! If you want to fight it''s now !"


    The adventurer at these words began to tremble again with anger and fear. She no longer cared about her face or her appearance because the situation had be far too critical.


    "I...I have to kill as many as I can! It''s now or never !"


    A few soldiers hesitantly stepped forward as Freya threw Sarah to the ground like a useless thing. As she was about to give way to the others, Freya leaned over to whisper a few words to the adventurer.


    "Show me something more entertaining please, I have plenty of things nned for you kufufu~"


    The Empress of Ice had a frightening face, wearing a wild and cruel smile. Her eyes shone dangerously as her tongue ran delicately over her pink lips. Sarah''s humiliation was just beginning.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 89 Twins Vs Commanders Of Chaos [Dark Forest War II - Part V]

    -- POV General --


    While Sarah was about to face the Empress'' soldiers and some unexpected opponents, another fight had already started several minutes ago. The twins June and May were facing Nixia the ck-scaledmia, Naia the fire fox and Thorunn the vampire. An army with three mages against two.


    _____


    -- POV June --


    My sister and I were surrounded by dozens of half-humans seemingly led by the three women in front of us. We couldn''t see their levels but they certainly weren''t below level 15 as we originally thought.


    "June...now we are really..."


    "...in trouble yes"


    Without having to think I already knew what she meant. We had always been inseparable and we always said that we were the same soul in two different bodies. For 20 years, May and I had never stopped supporting each other through all the trials of life. Today, for the first time in my life, I felt cold sweat running down my back.


    "June..."


    My older sister was extremely tense and even though it didn''t show, it was easy for me to guess. We had never been in a situation like this before and our chances of survival were low. I thought about it but May seemed to want to attack first to set the pace because she was already starting to incant.  I could hear her whispering softly as I did the same, while staring at our three opponents who were going to be our opponents.


    "May..."


    "I know."


    With a snap of my fingers, fireballs began to appear by the dozens, lighting up the clearing with an intense, zing orange light. Our attacks were simple, but what made them formidable was our extraordinary coordination. Without having to speak we understood each other since our birth, as a result, during the fights we were not two but one.


    "Let''s go !"


    With a determined voice, I indicated to my older sister that it was time. After a quick nod of the head, our attacks melted down on our enemies from all sides. We aimed at the leaders but also at their soldiers around us in order to hurt as many as possible.


    "Look out !!!"


    "Aaargh !"


    "Take cover !!!"


    Those who were hit were obviously the weakest, those who were the least reactive, fast and agile. The three helmeted women, on the other hand, had no trouble dodging our attacks, although they would not keep up for long if we were to increase the speed and power.


    "May !"


    "Yes June !"


    We were mages, but we still had some closebat skills. As a mage''s levels increased, so did the need to learn how to fight without relying on the mana. Our attacks had separated the three most dangerous ones and we had the idea of targeting the two that seemed least able to fight. I decided to target the one with a fox tail while my older sister targeted the one with a snake tail.


    "Thorunn let us see what we are worth against these level 28 ! I''ll give you the spot after !"


    The snake woman had addressed the one on the side, seeing that we wereing to deal with her, however, that didn''t mean that this Thorunn would be quiet.


    "Animal ! Do you really think that your friend will have nothing to do ? If that''s what you think..."


    "...then you''re in for a quick disappointmen t! Look up !"


    Above those three half-humans, our fireballs had gathered to form a huge spear capable of destroying everything. We didn''t have a spear attack, but with time and experience we had discovered loopholes in the use of mana. Even though we only had one attack and one defense, it was easy to tune our attacks to create new ones.


    "Now !"


    As we began to fight the fox and snake, Thorunn was busy with our giant attack. The fox-tailed helmeted woman looked younger and less powerful than the others. She was agile and fast but no more so than me.


    "cough...cough."


    "Naia !"


    My fists and feet kept hitting the young half-human named Naia, unable to give her time to fight back. Suddenly, an arrow of fire hit my back giving me an intense but bearable pain.


    *Wi..without my armor I would have been impaled !*


    I didn''t know that this Na?a mastered magic and now it was my turn to be buried under the attacks.


    "You underestimated me human !"


    The fox girl was covered in bruises and blood was dripping from under her helmet, but her look was still confident and determined.


    *Goddamn it !*


    Quickly turning an eye towards May as I dodged her arrows, I could see her getting away but not without getting hurt. To my right Thorunn was slowly destroying ourrge spear with wind des, while closing in on Naia and me.


    *This is not good !*


    Behind us there were still their numerouspanions who were getting closer and closer to us, leaving us less space to fight. If we didn''t move fast, we would end up exhausted and those dirty half-humans would just have to pick us off.


    "May ! Let''s get it over with quickly !"


    "Yes big sister !"


    After saying these words, a shield of glowing fire appeared in front of us as we pulled out two daggers each from our boots. Our defense was a one meter shield, able to move to block a mana attack wherever it was. It could move 360 degrees around us and stretch, leaving us free to fight hand to hand. Our defense consumed a lot of mana, but made us almost untouchable by magic attacks. But, we had to move quickly, before our mana waspletely depleted.


    *No one here seems to have a higher level than we do. No one will be able to break through our shields !*


    The arrows of the half-human fox fell on me as I got closer, but none could reach me. Pulling out a small dagger, she also threw herself at me to fight. Our weapons shed with a high-pitched noise as my opponent''s arms shook.


    "You don''t look very experienced !"


    As I taunted her, I sent a kick into her face causing her to lose her helmet. Naia had blood dripping from her lips and nose which she wiped off with a backhand. I was about to attack her again when a wind de stopped by my shield, propelled me several meters on my sister. It was Thorunn, she had destroyed our attack and hade to help her friend.


    ____


    -- POV May --


    June was fighting the weaker one and I the snake woman. Her body was hideous, slimy and anything but natural. It was hard for me not to feel disgusted by such a weird and disgusting body, but I was smart enough not to get distracted.


    Our shields had just been activated so I knew it was time to give it our all so we wouldn''t get exhausted. To my right I could see my older sister throwing a series of punches at the little fox who was obviously not strong or skilled enough to fight back.


    "Human, this is happening here, never look away in a fight !"


    I was quickly watching June''s fight when a voice eximed in front of me. A ck spear tried to hit me in the heart, but my shield already stopped it without me having to do anything. The snake woman didn''t know our defense and thought she could catch me by surprise in vain.


    "Snake ! Know that I have been fighting much longer than you ! Don''te and lecture me tsk !"


    She, who seemed to fight only with her magic, my defense made her useless. The snake had no weapon so as I got closer, a smile appeared on my face.


    *I have to neutralize her quickly, finally despite her level she has no chance !*


    I was getting closer and closer, swinging my daggers with fury in order to hit her as fast as possible. I aimed at her tail but she just wriggled on the ground, elusive. Dancing with her scaly lower body, the half-human still continued to strike with her spears of ck mes, my shield to destroy it.


    "It''s no use ! You won''t make it, it''s imp..."


    I had not finished my sentence when a crack appeared on the right side of my defense.


    *What...*


    "My mes are not ordinary !"


    Taking advantage of that brief moment of inattention, the tip of her snake tail struck me squarely in the ribs. As I got to my feet, her cold, amused voice echoed near me.


    "Didn''t I warn you never to look away during a fight ?"


    As I stood up, a figure to my right flew at me before crushing me with all her weight. It was June who had just been pushed by the half-human fox or that Thorunn.


    "Aaarg June...what the..."


    "cough...cough...May...this is bad !"


    Our mana was running out and we still hadn''t managed to get rid of the three in front of us. Thorunn was back next to herpanions, while we were on the ground in the dust, surrounded by dozens and dozens of enemies. Without giving us time to breathe, the three came at us using their magic and their bodies. Our shields were blocking their attacks but they were weakening and even though our opponents'' mana was weakening too, we were two against three.


    "Now !"


    Completely coordinated, after burying us with blows, the three jumped as high as they could before dozens of magical attacks from the soldiers came at us. They had spoken in unison and ordered their subordinates to finally act.


    "May..."


    "June..."


    Alone against three we could have made a difference, but against so many people, it was not possible. We had to find a solution, but nothing came to mind. Gathering the little mana we had left, we sent a few fireballs as counterattacks, before we were exhausted.


    "We...we can''t hold out much longer..."


    "I know..."


    My big sister was right, for the moment we were still able to dodge the wind, fire and water attacks, but we knew we were done for.


    "Aaarg !!!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "June...aaarg !!"


    Two blows hadnded in our bellies from Na?a and Thorunn. No bones had broken and my sister and I felt that this was all far too weird to be a detail to be overlooked.


    *Why didn''t they kill us ? They had the opportunity many times. Why didn''t they overwhelm us with their soldiers to get it over with faster ?*


    June was thinking the same thing as our eyes met. My older sister was out of breath, her clothes were almost torn, her face was swollen and she was bleeding in several ces. I was in no better shape than she was and as we struggled to our feet, two shocks hit our necks from behind.


    *Huh ?*


    We fell to the ground as I felt my vision blur and my mind go.


    *What is happening to me ?*


    Before my eyes closed, a fourth figure appeared with two more behind it. Despite my increasingly dark vision, I could easily recognize two of them.


    *Vig....Luna...*


    ___


    -- POV General --


    June and May were unconscious in the middle of the clearing when Luna had just hit them with her lightning. She was apanied by yna and Vig, who had not really appeared before the adventurers until now. Nixia, Na?a and Thorunn were tired and happy to see the fourth Commander arrive.


    "Fighting without having to kill is much more exhausting !"


    "Yes, but her Highness told us it would be rewarding. Anyway, if things were to go wrong, we would simply have to go on the offensive."


    The half-human fox had not suffered so many blows because of her inexperience, she just wasn''t allowed to kill her opponent right away. June had mistakenly believed that Naia wasn''t good at it, but on the contrary, it took a lot of practice not to kill her opponent who was looking to do so.


    "As we speak, the arena must have already been created !"


    As she spoke, the red-eyed vampire stared south with interest. Thorunn had taken off her helmet and was shaking her sweat-soaked blonde hair after sweating in front of that great spear of fire. Luna nodded as Nixia spoke up.


    "We need to get these two back to her Highness before they wake up. It was hard enough as it was, let''s not drag this out."


    "Nixia, it''s okay rx, these humans are not about to wake up believe me ! In the neck, my lightning bolts are formidable. I hope I didn''t even kill them on the spot.."


    The half-human Lamia looked at Luna with restless eyes before answering her.


    "Luna..this is not funny ! If her Highness'' n were to fail because of a poorly timed lightning bolt I swear I wouldn''t hesitate to turn you in !"


    "Pfffhahaha~"


    The snake woman was very fond of her fellowmanders but was a stickler for rules. She might have seemed mean but her friends knew she was like that and deep down she was afraid of failing and disappointing the Empress. As Luna giggled, sounds of apuse could be heard to the south, telling the Commanders that it was time to move.


    "Let''s hurry it up it has already started !"


    As Vig wordlessly took the twins on each of his shoulders, the Commanders gave their orders.


    "Soldiers, we''re leaving for the South ! Those of you who are wounded, stay here until the medical section can take care of you. Join us when you are rested !"


    The two humans, the three sections followed by their Commanders, Luna, Thorunn, Nixia and Na?a, were finally on their way to join the others and watch the show put on by the Empress of Ice.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 90 Let The Hunt Begin [Dark Forest War II - Part VI]

    -- POV Freya --


    Sarah was in the middle of the arena the soldiers had created in the clearing, herpanions on the other side all exhausted by my Commanders, their lieutenants and their sections. These adventurers were not mages so it was easier to neutralize them in numbers and that was exactly what was happening.


    *The others should be back soon*


    [Mmmh, our little game can start soon hehe~!]


    Kira was always so nice that I always forgot that finally, when it came to humans, my little sister could be very evil. After all, she was partly responsible for the game we had set up for the humans.


    *You seem particrly excited little sister !*


    [Of course ! It''s been a while since you''ve fought and if I can get a little show beforehand it''s even better ! I can''t wait ! Did you see how that adventuress looked at you ? Tsk...I wouldn''t have liked to know what she was thinking but let''s hurry up so I can see her face twist in pain again !]


    *Kufufu~ I have to admit, I am impressed with you Kira. But don''t worry, patience, you won''t be disappointed !*


    While I was talking to Kira, Sarah was still on the ground and looked ready to fight at any moment. The soldiers I had called to fight if they wanted to, hade forward and were not many. They had been healed by the light magic that very few of my medic soldiers possessed, but they alone were enough to get everyone back on their feet, though not without great fatigue. These medic soldiers were the only new ones to participate as their element was far too valuable to be left behind during this war.


    "Your Highness we are done with them !"


    As I pondered, the other six adventurers were presented before me by Persea, bound, exhausted and wounded. Against an entire army and mages, despite their superior levels, they had obviously failed to prevail.


    "Let..let us go you monsters !"


    "Release us ! You...you are making a grave mistake !"


    "Yes ! Our leader will get all of you..."


    The adventurers who seemed to be part of Sarah''s group struggled and screamed before they all became speechless at the sight of their leader in a much worse state than they were. Her hand was broken and shaking, her face was burned and swollen, and blood was pouring from her mouth and nose.


    The three humans dressend in red were silent and trembling as they closed their eyes, ready to die. They were level 21, 23 and 25 for the woman named ire, so they were the weakest and had been the first to fall.


    *Mmmh, so 10 more levels was not a problem. There are soldiers injured but no one died, that''s very good news*


    Whereas the leader with the green eyes looked around her panicked, brambles caught her in its turn before taking her in front of me beside her humanpanions. Ralph, Emilia, Ynir, Persea stood behind each of them, apanied by Trioa who had also returned. As I looked coldly at these prisoners, I raised my arms despite my injury to speak so that everyone could hear me.


    "Now on this beautiful night, I announce the beginning of our game ! When ourst guests have joined us, I will announce the rules to all our participants."


    As I finished my sentence, a thunderous apuse rang out around us and throughout the clearing. The soldiers all had cruel faces that would make even the most seasoned warrior tremble. For the first time, humans were powerless before them and my soldiers were thirsty for blood, vengeance and screams of agony. I was thrilled to see them so excited and as I turned to the 7 kneeling before me, one of Sarah''s men raised his voice.


    "Monster ! I swear to you...aaarg"


    "When you have an Empress in front of you, you bow down !"


    Ralph as usual had crushed the adventurer''s head to the ground before he could even finish his sentence. The other Commanders followed soon after, as Sarah stammered a few words.


    "You...you won''t get away with this ! I...I will destroy you ! Do you hear me ? Bring it on, you subrace ! You''re afraid, aren''t you ??? Hahaha~ that''s it tremble before me hahahahihi~!!"


    Her eyes were almost bloodshot and drool was dripping from her mouth. The adventuress was hysterical and her mind seemed to be filled with anger after being broken. The green-eyed woman couldn''t stand so many contradictions with her beliefs and wanted only one thing, to fight me.


    *Very well, I will give her what she asks for !*


    With a snap of my finger, a cage of ice appeared all around her as I answered her.


    "I agree to fight you human, unfortunately you will have to wait until your little friends have finished ying."


    A cruel smile appeared on my face as my violet eyes stared into Sarah''s, making her shiver even more. The other adventurers who had witnessed the scene were silent, but not the man held by Ralph who called himself John.


    "You scum ! Daring to lock up our leader like an animal ! The...the twins have escaped..it''s only a matter of time before reinforcements arrive ! You...you are all doomed ! All of you who followed that crazy woman...that...that Empress has led you to your doom !"


    I could see the humans regain a glimmer of hope in their eyes upon hearing these words. It wasn''t hard to understand what they were thinking as everyone actually noticed the absence of two adventurers.


    "Y...yes it''s true !"


    "He''s right, release us if...if you don''t want to make it worse for yourself !"


    "You will perish vermin !"


    A surge of confidence had overwhelmed the humans as they began to struggle with more vigor. I was still silent as a smile appeared on my face. In the distance, I could see four of my Commanders arriving, apanied by those we were expecting.


    "Your Highness, please forgive our dy, we have apprehended those you wanted !"


    Thorun bowed as she spoke followed by the other three, as Vig dropped the two twins from his shoulders. He and yna were careful to hide their faces as the revtion of their identities was not toe yet. The twins as for them, were fainted and in a pitiful state.


    *Will they be able to participate ?*


    [Yeees onee-san, now hurry up and announce the beginning !]


    *Hahaha~ hai hai~*


    The adventurers who witnessed the scene didn''t say anything more and some of them even started to cry. I signaled Luna to wake them up, which she did with a lightning shot to the neck. So the two twins named June and May were waking up, tied up and on the floor near theirpanions.


    "ire ? John ? What''s going on here and..."


    "...why are we tied up ?"


    The twins were lost and had not yet noticed my presence when an arrow of fire fell under their noses. This time it was Naia''s turn to silence them.


    "Silence ! You are in the presence of our Empress !"


    The twins looked up at me before they had an unexpected reaction. Their muscles and will to fight seemed to have abandoned them as they copsed to the ground. June and May had empty eyes and looked away, unable to bear the psychic pressure.


    Without paying them any further attention, I turned to all the soldiers before addressing the whole clearing.


    "Alright everyone ! I''m going to exin to you what''s going to happen from now on. Our dear adventurers here, happen to havee to capture us, kill us and have fun like most humans do in this world. Thanks to the efforts of all of you and at the cost of some injuries we were able to defeat them and capture them by our numbers !"


    Turning to the terrified humans, I whispered words that only they could hear. My eyes still twinkled with a special glow, making my words ever more ominous and terrifying.


    "You seem to be having so much fun chasing us that I couldn''t resist trying. Let''s turn the tables shall we ?"


    As I finished my sentence, Luna came up to me to whisper a few words as well.


    "Your Highness, everything has been prepared as you asked."


    "Perfect !"


    My heart was beating rather quickly as excitement rose in my mind. We had prepared something special for them and my desire to get started kept increasing. Sarah was still in her ice cage and banging on the bars like crazy before being put to sleep by Luna.


    *Tsk your turn wille ! Wait until I tell you the news about Kirk, yna and Vig kufufu~!*


    There were 8 human participants, not counting their leader who would be used to entertain meter. Everything was ready and our little game could finally begin. Making an ice throne appear, I sat down, crossing my legs while talking to the adventurers.


    "Do you see that mountain in the distance ? If you can reach it and return without dying, you will be free to leave this forest. Of course, one of my Commanders has taken care to set some traps, not to mention that you will obviously be pursued by my soldiers. Besides, don''t think you''ll escape, walls have been erected to prevent any escape."


    Everyone in the army was stamping their feet to scare them off and giggling at the thought of being able to chase away those who did the same with them before. The humans on the other hand were notughing at all, some were starting to beg while others were gritting their teeth in anger.


    "Pi...pity !"


    "Em..Empress, I..I am ready to serve you"


    "Me..me too take me as your ve !"


    Their constant mood swings disgusted me and while they pleaded, I continued as if nothing was wrong. I had no pity for them, no empathy for those who were socent in the role of executioner. Tonight it was their turn to experience what they had inflicted on so many innocent people.


    "You have until dawn to prove that you are better than these beings you call subrace. You probably won''t have any trouble doing that, will you ? You who are the superior race and blessed by the Gods !"


    My purple gaze stared at them intensely as cheers erupted from everywhere at once. The soldiers then began to move around the clearing to form a path leading to the mountain as I started the show with a nod.


    "Well let''s get started ! The Queen and Princess are waiting for me, make sure you don''t get lost kufufu~"


    As the Commanders approached the prisoners to untie them. The same man who was part of Sarah''s group, once again opened his mouth to speak words that instantly brought silence.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Tsk...your wife and daughter can die ! You will all die for doing this to us and they won''t be spared hahaha~!"


    Until now the ce had been loud with cheers andughter but at this moment, no more noise could be heard. Without warning, an explosion of coldness erupted from my body to fill the air of the clearing. A crater formed under my feet from the power as I slowly rose to my feet and walked toward the one who had fueled my anger. For the first time, I showed a different face to those humans who couldn''t stand to be so close to me. The red adventurers and the weaker ones, vomited unable to resist this powerful aura while others instinctively backed away.


    [Onee-san...]


    I slowly approached the madman before kneeling down at his height to look into his eyes. My eyes were burning with anger and my cold face had turned into a face with a crazy and wild smile. My female Commanders were silent and some of them were also trembling slightly while my soldiers were holding their breaths. No one spoke and I was the first to break the silence, in a calm but cold voice and more threatening than ever.


    "Human...I will make you regret insulting those I hold most dear. I will make sure to open the gates of Hell for you myself and I can guarantee you...


    I leaned into his trembling ear to whisper the rest.


    ...that you will beg me to kill you. I''ll make you feel unimaginable pain while making sure you don''t die right away. You will suffer until I tire of you and neither your soul nor your spirit will rest in peace."


    Snapping my fingers, a second cage appeared around him as the cold did not abate. My ck hair seemed to fly, almost levitating when there was no wind and its tips were tinged with white. My fangs had grown and I felt a huge bloodlust invade my whole being.


    [Onee-san, calm down, learn to control your "Frozen Wrath" skill !]


    As I closed my eyes, I could distinctly hear the remaining adventurers being untied and as I opened my eyes, though terrified, they were ready. Taking a deep breath to control the urge to destroy everything, I pped my hands to announce the start of the game.


    Eventually, the participants were down to seven and faced 20 volunteer soldiers. These soldiers had been healed while the humans were exhausted and lost which made this game very interesting. The way to the mountain had been checked by Luna, Trioa and none of them could escape. Sarah and the man named John, on the other hand, were locked up and designated as my personal prey.


    *It''s time...*


    Trioa''s mission was to fly in the sky and follow their progress while telling us the events by telepathy. I had linked all the Commanders with me so we were sure not to miss anything. With a wave of my hand and a loud voice, I announced the beginning of our little game that wouldst all night.


    "Let the hunt begin ! Humans, you have 1 minute of advance.."


    Without asking anything, everyone rushed towards the forest like the hunted beasts they were. The hunt for humans had begun.


    *Show me the energy of despair...*


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 91 The Nightmare Hunt I [Dark Forest War II - Part VII]

    -- POV General --


    As the humans began to run towards the mountain, they could all hear the cold, sinister voice of the Ice Empress rising behind them.


    "Run for your lives and pray to your Gods that they grant you the right to see a new day rise !"


    The soldiers of the Elysium Empire who were participating, could no longer keep their patience as they iled with excitement. No one wanted to disobey the Empress so no one had moved yet, watching the humans disappear into the forest. Freya was on her ice throne, elbow on the armrest and her hand under her chin. She was particrly pleased with the turn of events and looked away with a small smile on her face.


    "Your Highness, the minute will soon be up."


    Ynir bowed at Freya''s side indicating that it was time. Her section, like Caipy and Luna''s, had no soldiers participating. The 20 soldiers were 5 from Nixia and Na?a''s section, 5 from Ralph''s section, 5 from Emilia''s section and thest ones from Thorunn''s section. The others did not want to participate and preferred to follow the events that their respective Commanders would tell them.


    The Empress of Ice still sitting on her throne raised her arm as the noise stopped instantly.


    "Soldiers ! It''s time to have some fun !"


    "LET''S GO ! LET''S HUNT DOWN THESE HUMANS !"


    Among those 20 soldiers, there were beasts, half-humans of all races and all of them dashed off as one as Freya lowered her arm. The hunt had really begun and the humans had the whole night to manage to escape the soldiers, the fatigue and the madness. In the deep ck skies lit by a white crescent moon, Trioa''s section hovered following the adventurers in their race against death.


    ____


    Those running through the forest had split into groups, showing how little trust they had in each other. ire and her group on the left, Sarah''s group in the center and the twins on the right.


    June and May had very little mana and running around in a forest was not really rmended to get it back. Despite having their lives in danger, only one thing was on the minds of these girls.


    "May...you...did you see like me before you were captured ?"


    "Y...yes I think...that it was Luna and Vig with those half-humans..."


    For the first time in their lives, they had witnessed the impossible. Humans working side by side with half-humans. The same races that had been hated since the beginning of time were...together. How could this be possible ? What was going on in this forest ? All their lives, June and May had lived mired in all those beliefs that described other races as evil and inferior. Naturally, the twins had not been spared, but unlike most humans, they did not trust their fellow humans more. Since their birth, June and May had relied on themselves and no one else to survive in this world.


    That night, as they ran through the forest towards the mountain, their thoughts were elsewhere. Who were Luna and Vig really ? Were they half-humans in human disguise ? The twins searched for exnations that matched what they had been taught, but nothing fit. Everything was clear and yet so confusing, logical and yet so iprehensible.


    Since they had arrived in the forest, so much had happened that challenged much of what they had learned. Vig and yna''s first intervention had already challenged them, but they were convinced that they were headed for certain death among the half-humans. However, to see them again, unharmed, alongside these despised races opened up the prospect of a muchrger world. The twins lived in a world they thought they knew, but it was full of secrets, things to be discovered and understood.


    "June..."


    "May..."


    Without saying any more words, the two young women elerated at the same time, carried by a new energy. June and May wanted to know more, they wanted to understand. Where in their lives had they gone wrong ? Who was right and who was wrong ? The beliefs of a whole life were copsing, leaving only two identical and lost souls.


    "We''re going to live no matter what it takes and..."


    "...return to the clearing before dawn !"


    The twins wanted to survive. They wanted to face this terrifying Empress again to understand and know the truth. Even at the cost of their lives, June and May were determined to return, even if they had to crawl to get there. For the first time, the two young women running in the night, realized that there was not only one truth in this world.


    ____


    On Sarah''s side, only two men were left because John was locked in his ice cage, just like their leader. The two men''s names were Jet and Loyd and they were level 28 and 29 respectively. These two humans were running around like the twins in the forest cursing Freya with all their beings.


    "That...that damned woman ! Never before have we experienced such humiliation !"


    "Lock up Leader Sarah and John ! We...we must be dreaming, this is all a nightmare and we will wake up !"


    They were out of breath but kept moving toward the mountain without stopping. As Jet jumped arge root in his path, he saw a huge hole on the other side.


    "Look out !"


    Loyd had pushed hispanion out of the way in time, keeping him from crashing into the wooden spikes that lined the bottom of the trap.


    "...t..thanks !"


    "Those trash warned us that there would be traps. Be vignt and try to anticipate ces that might hide more traps."


    Loyd was the oldest and most experienced. He was in his forties and stood out with his bald head despite his boyish face. Jet was 20 years old and had short ck hair always hidden under a bandana of the same color. They were both swordsmen andpanions of Sarah''s who shared her vision of the world. Jet had been in love with her for years without ever daring to admit it and Loyd had been seduced by the confidence and charisma of their leader at their first meeting. For them, seeing the Sarah they knew in such a state and reduced to a pet drove them crazy. Unlike John, they had had the presence of mind to say nothing and keep everything to themselves until they could make the she-wolf and her subordinates pay.


    As the young man got to his feet with Loyd''s help, they could hear screams and hissesing towards them in the distance. The Empress''s soldiers were in full force to make up for the difference in level and were catching up to them. The death game had only just begun and the two humans were already being stalked by an unknown number of individuals.


    "Jet, time is running out ! If we want to make it through the night and get back to that damn clearing, we need to get as much of a head start as possible while we still have some energy left !"


    "Yes !"


    Resuming their run, the two adventurers went deeper and deeper into the seemingly endless forest. With each step they took, Loyd and Jet felt as if the mountain was moving away from them. Like an endless race, in an ominous atmosphere that might end up bing their graves.


    "Loyd ! We...we''ve been here before haven''t we ?"


    "...."


    For humans, it was very hard to find your way around the forest at night especially when someone was pulling the strings. Empress Freya had mentioned traps but she had never mentioned death traps. What the two adventurers hade across earlier was only a trap designed to catch game and nothing else. The real problem was not there, but elsewhere.


    When Luna had left, she had taken Ynir and her soldiers so that she could disperse an illusory mist all along the path to the mountain. The half-panther woman had meanwhile temporarily taken the control of the Guardian''s section to make them erect small walls throughout the forest. These walls, coupled with Commander Ynir''s mist, no longer made the hunting ground a straight line full of traps, but a movingbyrinth. The soldiers of Elysium knew this and decided to y along, excited by such a challenge.


    In the end, there was no real danger to the humans except those who were chasing them, but not knowing that made it more fun. Would they sumb to madness ? Fear ? Or to their darker-than-night human instincts ?


    "I...I don''t understand ! Yet we run straight ahead without stopping and we always end up in the same ces ! That tree, I swear I''ve seen it before !"


    To the left of the humans was a tree marked with a cross by Luna so the humans would notice it more easily. This way, the feeling of going in circles and always being in the same ce was further entuated. This idea came from yna who knew all too well the psychological pressure of feeling locked up and manipted without a way to escape.


    The noises in the distance were still getting closer and Jet was starting to panic and shake as Loyd thought as fast as he could.


    "Jet ! I think we have to face them. As long as we are being chased, we can''t do anything peacefully. Acting hastily could kill us before we even have time to meet a single soldier.."


    "But...what if the 20 fighters are after us ?"


    "Impossible, they must have split up ! We have at least 10 more levels, if they are not many we can make it. Don''t you want toe back alive to Sarah and get revenge for those humiliations ??"


    The young man was silent but at the mention of the name of the one he loved, he had stopped shaking. With a determined look, he drew his sword before facing the approaching footsteps. The bald man did the same as they both counted on their victory to continue this race against time.


    ____


    The group of adventurers dressed in red led by ire had gone to the left and unlike the others they were not running. The three humans were hiding in the trees and were making a n to get out of here. The young woman was apanied by her two cousins Dave and Paul and in no way wanted to participate in this game where their deaths were guaranteed.


    "That...that horrible woman said something about walls but we haven''t seen any so far. I think we need to head for the sides and not the mountain. Hope...hopefully her words were not true."


    ire didn''t know what to do, her voice was low and her eyes betrayed immense fear for the Ice Empress, whom she did not want to see again under any circumstances. Paul nodded as Dave spoke up, unsure of her statements.


    "ire, do you really think that crazy woman would have given us a real chance to escape ? It''s...it''s impossible ! If I had developed something like this, I would have left nothing to chance. That half-human is a monster and I''m pretty sure there really are walls around us."


    The young woman and the young man listened to Dave''s words and couldn''t help but realize that he was right. They were the weakest of the humans and were nning to flee in order to warn the nearest town of what was going on. Unfortunately, they had no idea how to do that and the more time passed, the more their spirits sank.


    "Dave, Paul, we have no choice. We...we have to try my theory. It''s either that or y by that psycho''s rules ! I...I don''t want to meet her eyes again...I...I couldn''t bear it. We...we have to get out of here and fast !"


    "Sigh...okay. If there''s a wall, maybe we can climb it, so this idea isn''t totally bad."


    Sighing, Dave nodded as he answered because he knew there was no other option. The others were unthinkable as the three adventurers had no desire to participate, nor to face those half-humans who had dominated them earlier.


    "Very well ! We''ll go that way !"


    Jumping from tree to tree to avoid detection, the humans led by ire, left towards the west ignoring the mountain.


    ____<novelnext></novelnext>


    The game had already started for more than half an hour and Empress Freya was sittingfortably on her ice throne like an unruffled celestial goddess. She followed every detail Commander Trioa told her and couldn''t help but smile mischievously.


    "Looks like they all chose a different approach. Interesting ! However, three of them seem to want to fool me..."


    Her piercing violet eyes pierced through the night as she stood up to the surprise of the Commanders and soldiers left behind.


    "Your Highness ? If you need anything you only have to ask us !"


    Ynir had rushed over to Freya to offer her help, which she refused.


    "Thank you Commander Ynir but I''m just off to train some dissidents"


    "Forgive me for asking but...where...where are you going ?"


    The she-wolf smiled making her fangs glow in the moonlight as she answered.


    "I''m simply going to teach a few cheaters the purpose of our little game kufufu~ stay here, watch the two prisoners and enjoy !"


    "Hai your High...!"


    The butterfly woman didn''t have time to finish her sentence as Freya had already disappeared leaving behind a small cool breeze. The hunt had barely begun when the Empress had already left to meet the three fugitive humans.


    [N/A : Wolf of the Elysium g (without the sun, moon and star)]


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 148


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    ? Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 92 The Nightmare Hunt II [Dark Forest War II - Part VIII]

    -- POV General --


    Unlike the others, ire''s group of three was not heading for the mountain. They had decided to try their luck westward to find a way to escape. The forest was dark and all the humans could hear was their heavy breathing and almost silent footsteps. They didn''t know how long the Empress'' game had been going on, but they had no ns to participate.


    "Still no sign of a wall ire !"


    Dave, ire''s cousin was out front and continued to scan the surroundings as best he could. Despite the fact that there had to be a wall preventing them from running away, nothing caught their attention. Another thing that was strange for them was the feeling of going in circles without ever being able to find their way. In the forest they still had note across any traps except for the dead ends formed by trees, nts and brambles. The three red adventurers didn''t know it, but they had already fallen into thebyrinth.


    "Holy crap this can''t be.."


    ire was beginning to lose her patience as she whispered while biting her nails to the bone. This hunt was as physically exhausting as it was mentally and none of the three felt safe. They didn''t have any soldiers chasing them due to the fact that they had moved forward in hiding but they were no further ahead than when they started.


    "Why do we alwayse to a dead end. Is that even possible in a forest ?"


    These walls were indeed anything but natural and only served to confuse the humans and lose them even more than they already were. The three humans in addition to not moving forward, were panicked at the thought of running into a wild beast. Of course there was none, because the she-wolf had foreseen everything, but the mist of Ynir prevented them from using their logic. ire, Dave and Paul heard noisesing from everywhere, seemed to sense movement around them and even thought they were being followed. Commander Ynir''s illusion, disrupting all the senses of those in the forest, gave the impression of a movingbyrinth. In truth, there was nothing moving but everything had been nned like a y whose actors did not know any cogs.


    "Why don''t we try to climb those green walls ? They can''t be much and I don''t see any other way."


    Paul had given his opinion and suddenly the eyes of the other two lit up. So far the three adventurers had only moved westward without ever attempting to cross the many obstacles that were everywhere.


    "I...I hadn''t thought of that..."


    "Neither had I.."


    ire and Dave were ashamed and looked away as they admitted to being unwise. For the moment there was nothing else they could do so this time, instead of turning back they approached the nearest wall. It stood for several meters and was in fact a mass of roots entangled between them, nts and dirt. It was not at all impossible to climb it, but it was not easy, as there was no stable grip.


    "Le...let''s hurry !"


    Everyone started to move forward to grab a root when suddenly something crashed into the wall they had nned to climb. With a thud, something had arrived from the sky tond right in front of them. Mist mixed with dust and dirt flying in a huge gust created by the impact.


    "What..."


    "Aaarg !"


    "Damn !"


    The three humans shielded their faces and mouths as they did not understand what was happening. As the smoke from the impact slowly dispersed, the young woman and her cousins saw two eyes shining like two gems. They couldn''t see anything else, but the sight alone was enough to make them instinctively tremble, for they knew very well whose eyes they were. Purple like amethyst, cold, vibrant, striking and terrifying...the Empress of Elysium had appeared before them.


    "N..no..wh...why us ?"


    ire couldn''t believe her eyes as her heart raced, unable to slow down and calm down. As the dust slowly disappeared, a voice they had hoped never to hear again, rose up.


    "Ara ara~ what do we have here ?"


    ? Freya had appeared out of nowhere and was standing in front of the humans with her face still wearing the same frightening smile. The young human woman was paralyzed as were herpanions as the Empress walked towards them. How had she found them ? They themselves didn''t even know where they were and yet their worst nightmare was before them for some unknown reason. The she-wolf had no trouble guessing their thoughts and as she arrived in front of ire on her knees, Freya took the trouble to exin the reason for hering.


    "You don''t seem particrly attracted to our little hunt, what a shame. Unfortunately, rules are rules...participate or die !"


    As she spoke these words, the she-wolf stared at ire, who could no longer move or speak. The human saw her life sh before her eyes and the small hope she had of escaping disappeared, leaving only despair.


    "We...we were...participating...we...only...wanted to...uh...check out the surroundings. You must...have misunderstood..."


    Dave didn''t know what to say or do and seeing his cousin so petrified had caused him to make up an excuse thinking it would pass. The Empress still impassive, turned her gaze to the man who had just spoken before frowning and answering him.


    "Oh~ me misunderstand ? really ?"


    "Y...yes...yes of course !"


    "In that case everything is fine then."


    Dave, who was as terrified as hispanions, let out a sigh of relief, reassured that his lie had gone unnoticed. He gloated in his mind as suddenly the Empress appeared before him in a sh before crushing his right arm.


    "Aaaarg !"


    Freya had grabbed the man''s arm to crush it with a simple pressure of the fingers and break it in a twist. Without having to force it, the adventurer''s bones had snapped with a dull crack and his arm hung down, forming a right angle anything but natural. The bones had pierced the flesh to appear for all to see and blood flowed profusely from the wound.


    "Dave !"


    "Dave !"


    As Paul and ire, horrified, shouted their friend''s name, the Empress for the first time all night used her demonic aura. A thick purple veil overwhelmed the three humans who instantly fell prey to this new unknown and incredible power.


    "Silence !"


    Freya hadn''t even used her full aura and yet the effect was guaranteed. Paul had urinated in his pants while ire was vomiting blood and Dave was on the verge of passing out in addition to the pain.


    "Decidedly, are all humans the same ? Even in the face of death you continue to lie.."


    Without giving the other two even a nce, the she-wolf approached Dave before cing her foot on his chest. He was shaking on the ground, his face twisted into a gruesome grimace filled with pain and tear-filled eyes.


    "You dare to say I was wrong ? I want you to know that I don''t like it when people disobey me and I like it even less when people lie to me. Did you really intend to participate ?"


    "Aaarg...pi...pity !"


    While speaking in her cold voice, Freya was gradually crushing the ribs of the man who was writhing in pain. His mouth was spitting blood and he was trying to struggle as best he could, crushed by the she-wolf''s strength that left him no choice.


    "We...we...aaarg wanted to run away.."


    Dave couldn''t stand any more pain, had resolved to tell the truth because he didn''t want to die either. Unfortunately for him, these words had no bearing on the behavior of the one above him.


    "cough...cough...your...highness...forgive us !"


    ire, who had been brought out of her state by her cousin''s shouting, had managed to speak up to dissuade Freya from continuing.


    "Will you participate properly now ?"


    The Ice Empress had turned to the young woman, to ask her a question in a dismissive voice. Her eyes, brighter than ever, plunged into ire''s indicating that depending on her answer, things could get out of hand. Dave felt the pressure diminish but still said nothing, silently crying and ring at the Empress. He wanted revenge, to make her suffer as he suffered and especially to torture her for days. His true nature was surfacing as the adventurer heard his cousin obediently respond.


    "Y..yes..we...we will y by y...your rules your...your highness."


    ire didn''t even realize that she had called Freya "your highness". In front of such a woman, unlike her cousins, she was willing to do whatever the she-wolfmanded. Of the three humans dressed in red, she had been the only one deeply scared by the Empress, who had traumatized her to the core. However, the young human woman was still clear-minded enough to attempt to save Dave''s life.


    "Perfect. I love it when you''re obedient like that, it makes things easier don''t you think ? Now go away you two before I change my mind."


    "T...thank you very much we...huh...you two ?"


    As a sigh of relief was heard from ire, she stopped in mid-sentence thinking she had misheard. She and Paul looked at each other in confusion, while Freya smiled cruelly as she spoke.


    "I''m saving this one for a little fun kufufu~"


    Her foot was starting to dig into Dave''s ribcage again as her tongue ran delicately over her upper lip.


    "Aaaaaargh n..nooo"


    The Empress relished in the man''s screams, enjoying the slightest crack that began to echo through the forest as the other two humans watched in horror. Dave''s torso buckled under the pressure and the man began to struggle with more vigor, trying to escape death and pain.


    "That''s it, show me how you struggle to survive"


    Freya''s violet eyes more intense than ever, had their pupils dted and an indescribable glow burned within them. The man had begun to kick the she-wolf''s leg in hopes of freeing her but to no avail. His arm, which had been broken earlier, struck again and again at the steel leg of the Empress who felt absolutely nothing. Dave''s arm hung down and with each blow, the flesh came off a little more leaving a glimpse of the bones.


    "Aaaaarg !"


    "Keep going !"


    Blood spurted from his mouth, nose, ears, and wound and sshed onto Freya''s face as she moved closer to get a closer look at the man. He was screaming his head off, his voice was broken, shaking and pleading and yet the beautiful wolf was smiling. The other two humans were still paralyzed and hypnotized by this scene straight out of their worst nightmare. Paul still said nothing but his soul seemed to have left him and ire could not believe that the beautiful young woman before her was capable of such attrocity. Her actions were ruthless, cruel and horrible, yet the Empress did not flinch. She was still calm, graceful, and even seemed to be amused by the screams.


    Suddenly, with a cracking sound, Dave''s forearm fell to the ground, having not been able to bear to hit the she-wolf''s body. The flesh had finallye offpletely, the tendons were torn out and the nerves sawed wildly through the bones.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "..."


    Dave screamed but no more sound came from his throat. His eyes were revolted and tears of blood ran down his face distorted by pain. He was dying.


    A short timeter, the Empress crushed the adventurer''s rib cage in an explosion of human flesh, bones, organs and blood. Dave was nothing more than a pile of mush on the ground with his legs, head and one arm left.


    "..."


    "..."


    ire and Paul''s eyes were nk, their gaze dead because seeing Freya crush a member of their family like it was nothing, was too much. Their minds were gone, unable to withstand such psychological pressure ande out unscathed. Without even having to touch them, the Ice Empress had broken the souls of these two humans. Now they were nothing but living dolls, livid, unable to think for themselves.


    "Well it looks like these two don''t need to participate anymore..."


    The Empress looked at them and chuckled slightly at the sight of these two adventurers who not long ago were still able to think. As the she-wolf pondered, a new idea crossed her mind as she snapped her fingers before seeing Trioa''s lieutenantnd right in front of her.


    "Your Highness...shall I clean this up ?"


    Ne, the little harpy and second-inmand of the Air Section, looked around in awe and trembling. She had witnessed the sights from the sky and like all the other soldiers, her admiration for her Empress was growing steadily.


    "No need, leave the body here. However, take these two back to the clearing, it would be a shame to leave them there or kill them now."


    "Whatever you say your Highness !"


    The little harpy with two pigtails bowed respectfully to the she-wolf before taking off to give her instructions. What would she do with them ? Was the question she asked herself as she roamed the skies, excited and eager for the answer.


    The humans had been 7 to enter the forest, now there were only 4 to participate.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 100 / 34 000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed: 149 (+1)


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 6)


    - Demonic cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 93 Humans Vs She-Wolf [Dark Forest War II - Part IX]

    -- POV Freya --


    -- PING --


    [ You have gained 2300 EXP for killing 1 human (level 23) ]


    [ You now have +50 attribute points ]


    I had just killed the human named Dave for the far too bold words he had spoken. I wasn''t a psychopath who killed humans indiscriminately, but I did like to cause pain, to hear screaming and to break those who deserved no mercy. The feeling of making them suffer a fate that they used to inflict on half-humans, filled me with an indescribable thrill.


    [Onee-san, you really have to stop this habit of ending up stained with blood.]


    My face and clothes were covered in blood but I didn''t care. Many people might hate getting dirty but for me it was always almost a habit. I didn''t literally love blood like Ralph or Thorunn but I had to admit that the smell of it intoxicated me. Coupled with the screams of my victims, their despair and the life that escaped from them, I couldn''t help but always enjoy those moments.


    *Sigh, it doesn''t bother me you know ? The more blood there is on me, the less blood there is in my victims kufufu~*


    [Pfffhaha~ I have to admit that I enjoyed every moment too !]


    Kira and I were joking around despite the atmosphere of death around me and my rather terrifying appearance. Our little encounter with these humans was short but had put us in a good mood. Since I had left to meet Dave and hispanions, I waspletely unaware of what was going on. My telepathicmunication had ceased and I had to return to the clearing to continue to monitor what was happening. The Commanders had also lost their telepathic link with Trioa and so they had no idea what was going on either.


    *Let''s get back to it, we shouldn''t keep everyone waiting. Besides, I can''t wait to see if the remaining four will manage toe back*


    [Well, giving them until dawn is huge so it shouldn''t take too long. In fact, they can get there in a few hours if they keep their heads and understand that we''re ying with their minds]


    *That''s right ! After all, this hunt isn''t really the end of their nightmare haha~*


    Iughed softly as my little sister took on a falsely shocked voice to answer me.


    [What do you mean Empress Freya ? Would you lie to these humans and promise them freedom ?  What cruelty ! Pfffhaha~]


    I didn''t care if I lied to them, these humans had entered the forest with the idea of taking as many lives as possible. I felt no shame or pity in ying with them by giving them hope before savagely breaking it. As I smiled mischievously, I raised my hand to my chin and imagined what would happen next.


    *In any case, the winners'' reward should please them !*


    [You''re so evil, onee-san !]


    While giggling, I disappeared from where I was, running at a breakneck speed towards the clearing where the Commanders and soldiers were waiting for me. While I was already gone, the remains of Dave''s bodyy motionless in the ce that had be his tomb.


    ____


    It had been several hours since the game had begun and the four remaining humans had finally reached the clearing. The night was still far from over and as Kira had predicted, the remaining four had shown more gumption than the first three.


    The twins had been the first to arrive because they had quickly realized the deception. June and May had found their way by the moon, always keeping it on their right side so that they would never get lost. They had had a lot of problems and had almost given up several times, but they had managed to get out of it all the same. The two sisters were unrecognizable, their clothes tattered, their hair matted with what appeared to be branches and leaves. Their previously white skin was now covered in scratches, mud and dust.


    Thest to arrive were the two men in Sarah''s group. They had chosen to fight first and through teamwork had managed to make it back despite the circumstances. Jet and Loyd had fought Ralph and Emilia''s soldiers throughout the hunt, but had nevere across Thorunn and Nixia''s soldiers. They were the only two who had run into soldiers in the entire hunt and yet they had managed to do so.


    Sarah and John were still in their ice cages on either side of my throne and were both unconscious. ire and Paul at their side were not moving, they were still as good as dead, in an eternal state. In all, 6 adventurers were still alive, so we could move on to the next part of the story. As I stood up, I watched the four winners of the hunt stagger towards me, held tightly by Ynir, Persea and Luna. The two young women were about to copse and the two men no longer had the strength to look at me badly as they had at first. Unlike the humans dressed in red, their minds had not broken, which was perfect for what was toe.


    *Good !*


    Taking a slight breath, I raised my arms to address all the people who were now gathered. Even the soldiers who had participated had also returned before the twins and were waiting impatiently. All of the Commanders were now standing behind the four humans, their fists over their hearts waiting for what was toe.


    "The hunt has ended with four winners although two more are still alive ! So we can move on to the final stage kufufu~. Soldiers, the evening has just begun !"


    The soldiers had started shouting and eximing while the four humans in front of me did not understand anything. Their exhausted, slow-moving gazes went from ire to Paul before turning to me. The twins and the two men didn''t even have the strength to speak anymore, but Loyd forced himself to do so.


    "Release...us..."


    As he finished his sentence, the four all copsed to their knees, unable to bear the weight of their bodies any longer. They had spent the first part of the hardest night of their lives but it wasn''t over. As I stepped back slightly to avoid being hit by one of those tired bodies, I calmly replied to the bald man.


    "This is not over. It''s now time for me to have some fun."


    With a snap of my fingers, the cages and my throne disappeared and the Commanders bowed before dragging the four further away.


    [I''ve been waiting for this moment onee-san...]


    *Me too !*


    I was now surrounded by my entire army and was standing in the middle of an arena made of my soldiers. I was standing in the center of it with John and Sarah still beside me passed out and unaware of what was going on.


    "Tonight I will grant this human the honor of fighting me and punish this man for his tongue and insults to the Queen and Princess !"


    Turning my gaze to the four victorious humans, still able to think, I squinted my eyes before resuming.


    "Take a good look at what''s going to happen to them. Don''t close your eyes, don''t miss anything and enjoy the show if you can..."


    I chuckled inwardly as I woke the two adventurers on the ground to fight them. A spike of ice sunk lightly into their shoulders which caused them to wake up instantly.


    "Aaaarg !"


    "Aaarg what''s going on ?"


    John and Sarah woke up at the same time, not knowing where they were or what had happened. Gradually, memories seemed to return to their minds and as they got to their feet, their eyes fell on me. I was silent, as stoic as ever, waiting for one of them to speak. Sarah was less hysterical because passing out had calmed her down but her eyes still betrayed the same hatred.


    "Mon...monster ! What have you done to us ?"


    The green-eyed young woman looked around before noticing John at her side. He too was stunned and wanted to know why he was here before me. I didn''t want to drag this out any longer so I hurried to exin.


    "You two are going to fight me. Our little game is over and it''s time for me to let off some steam of my own !"


    At my words, Sarah and John smiled and it was easy for me to guess their thoughts. Alone he would not have been serene but with two of them they thought it would be possible to defeat me. I didn''t care, it even made our fight more exciting and interesting.


    "Oh~ If I am to believe your smiles, you think you are capable of killing me ?"


    The answer was obvious, but I wanted to anger and provoke them. The Commanders, Lieutenants, and soldiers began tough as I had intended while the two humans facing me clenched their fists in fury.


    "You ! I''ll make you regret everything you''ve done !"


    "You killed ourpanions and locked Sarah up like a beast !"


    Sarah and John were screaming and I could feel their desire to kill me increasing.


    *Perfect, I''ll add the finishing touch !*


    Looking arrogant, superior and disdainful, I lifted my chin to stare at the young woman in front of me before speaking. My voice was cold but had a hint of disgust with a bit of mockery.


    "Everything I''ve done ? Do you even have any idea what I''ve really done ?"


    Sarah was silent and waiting, while I continued to confess with amusement how I had fun tormenting her. In a loud voice so that everyone could hear me clearly, I spoke again.


    "Do you know how we knew about your arrival ? Do you know how you fell into our trap ? Why were we so well prepared ? Well I''ll tell you..."


    Pointing to Vig and yna still hidden by a hood, I waited for them to remove it before continuing. Everyone''s eyes were on them as their masks fell off and all the adventurers discovered who was hiding among us.


    "Yes ! Vig and Luna who goes by the name of yna. There are humans here who are not rotten like you and who wish to live in peace with us. You and yourrades have been blinded by your bloodlust, not noticing that it was leading you to your doom !"


    Sarah and John said nothing but looked at those they considered traitors with anger and disappointment. Not even giving them time to speak, I spoke up again, this time addressing only Sarah.


    "Oh by the way ~ I''m the one who killed your little brother Kirk. I broke his will, cut off his legs, ripped out his heart and crushed his skull. He used a fire whip and thought he was all powerful but he was pretty weak and whiny in the end kufufu~ If the little brother wasn''t even worth it, maybe the big sister will raise the bar, right ?"


    As I finished my sentence, a defiant smile appeared on my face, while the ck-haired woman''s face turned redder and redder. No one spoke anymore, breaths were cut off and everyone''s heart was pounding.


    "You...everything...everything is your fault !"


    Sarah was shaking more and more as she picked up my ck katana that I had left with her, still near her. She wasn''t using mana but I could feel an aura slowlying out of her body, representing her ever-growing bloodlust and anger. John next to her had also been affected by my words and was gritting his teeth almost making them explode with anger.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "That''s it. That''s good, take out your anger and frustrations ande fight me !"


    It was my turn to grin crazily and shake with excitement as for the first time I felt the most interesting fight of my second lifeing on. I snapped my fingers once more and a huge cage made of ice appeared around the three of us, preventing any escape or outside intervention.


    [Convenient, you didn''t even spend MP]


    I was indeed using the ambient mana to form this ice even though I had been concentrating for several minutes already to make it appear. As John and Sarah approached me with a murderous look on their faces, I jumped high into the air before for the first time in front of everyone, assuming my original form.


    "What..."


    My opponents were shocked, as were the many soldiers who had never had the chance to see me in this appearance. I was muchrger than a normal wolf and my ck fur was still as mesmerizing and beautiful as before. My fangs were huge, sharp, ready to tear and slice these humans with great pleasure.


    "A..a divine beast !"


    "Amazing.."


    "I have never seen this race before."


    All the soldiers without exception were speechless and even the Commanders who had seen me in this form before were amazed. My two ck horns were pointing at the moon and seemed to reflect it, and my ever-purple eyes had be even more terrifying and savage.


    Sarah and John were still angry, but there was confusion and fear on their faces at the thought of fighting an unknown and powerful beast. As Inded on the ground with a huge thud, a gust of wind blew everyone back a few feet as I spoke. My voice was cold, powerful,manding and deeper than ever.


    "Come closer !"


    The beginning of my fight had begun.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years old / Mentally: 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 2,400 / 34,000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 50


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 149


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    ? Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 94 The Humiliation Of Sarah II [Dark Forest War II - Part X]

    -- POV Sarah --


    *What...*


    In just a few minutes, so much information hade to my mind that was now filled with so many feelings and questions. First of all, what was Vig and this yna doing with these monsters ? I had seen her face for the first time and she reminded me of someone but I could not remember who. I didn''t have the time nor the desire to search my memory because I was too stunned because this woman had taught me. In addition to being among them, they had exposed our ns to these dirty subraces, but for what purpose ? Were they nning to betray them afterwards to take over all these races ?


    *Iprehensible !*


    I had the impression that the human race had been soiled by these two traitors and that the immacte pages of its history were now stained. It had never urred to me to ally myself with them, even if it was to betray themter. The very idea of talking to a subrace as equals made me want to vomit. Since we had arrived in the forest, people kept on mocking us, trampling on our values, our beliefs and humiliating us.


    *They are abnormal. They must have gone mad !*


    As my gaze burned at Vig and yna, the face of the Princess of Zal finally appeared in my mind. Could it be ? I was in a nightmare. Why would the Princess of our Kingdom be here ? I was confused, angry, and felt the urge to scream out this cluster of evil thoughts. Was I witnessing the beginning of the end of the world ? I didn''t even have time to say a word when the subrace called the Empress spoke again. Her next words sent a chill through my blood as a painful truth entered my heart.


    "Oh by the way ~ I''m the one who killed your little brother Kirk. I broke his will, cut off his legs, ripped out his heart and crushed his skull. He used a fire whip and thought he was all powerful but he was pretty weak and whiny in the end kufufu~ If the little brother wasn''t even worth it, maybe the big sister will raise the bar, right ?"


    This monster had said these words with a sadistic, amused and cruel smile. Everything she had described was running through my head as I could very easily imagine my little brother suffering horribly before he died.


    "You...everything...everything is your fault !"


    The murderess who had coldly murdered my little brother, stood before me and offered me a chance to avenge him. My thoughts were more vivid than ever, and being unconscious earlier, had helped me regain my wits and strength for what was toe. My thought flow was no longer focused on the many bad news but on thisst one that kept spinning in my head. My hatred was growing against this monster, against these subraces and this whole forest that deserved to perish.


    "That''s it. That''s right, take out your anger and frustrations ande fight me !"


    *I...I will kill her...*


    Still with her mocking and extremely calm tone, the monster woman was creating a cage of ice but none of that mattered to me. Nothing else mattered as a powerful energy flowed through my body and I picked up the ck de at my feet. I wanted to do to her exactly what she had done to Kirk and more. I didn''t care if I died at the end of our fight, I wanted to avenge, to purge, to kill, to ughter, to burn, to annihte this scum of a woman from the face of the world.


    *Your smile will disappear along with your existence !*


    I was not alone, John was by my side and together we had a chance to defeat her. As we moved towards the bitch, she jumped up to transform into a beast I had never seen before.


    "What..."


    This subrace was indeed a creature from hell and not just any creature, a she-wolf. Her size was muchrger than a normal wolf and she could almost look down on me. I didn''t dare admit it to myself but this monster terrified me but not even a hundred of these demonic beasts would stop me.


    *She...she is far too dangerous...we..we must kill her for the sake of humanity !*


    Trembling but still determined, I hesitantly walked over to this half-human who was not one anymore, to face her. John was still standing beside me and had drawn his heavy sword and nodded at me. He looked more terrified than I did but easily understood the stakes of this fight. It was going to be the hardest of our lives, the deadliest, and on our actions depended the future of our superior race.


    *The fate of our world is at stake now*


    We had been chosen by the Gods to get rid of this monster that was threatening our existence. It was our destiny, our mission and our role as the chosen ones. The whole universe wanted to see me avenge my brother and be the one to free the humans.


    "Come here !"


    The she-wolf was impressive, but I wasn''t letting myself be intimidated any more than I already was. I had to be quick and efficient even though I was convinced that my years of experience would not serve me well. She was imposing and always had a sneer on her beastly face, making her huge fangs glow in the night.


    "Let''s go !"


    I trusted John because I knew he was someone who could be counted on, so I didn''t need to talk to him. We had known each other for several years and he was even the strongest after me in our group, we were perfect to defeat her. Running in her direction, I used all my power directly to finish this fight as soon as possible.


    *In a battle against non-humans and savages, you have to focus on speed because even with our level, we are far from matching the physicality of these subraces*


    The she-wolf still stood still and watched us approach calmly as her fur rippled in the cool wind. With a precise movement of my arm, the de in my hand went to her head as John moved behind her for a surprise attack. Before I could even reach her, mypanion was propelled into the air with a single swipe of her tail as the beast dodged my deadly attack.


    *Tsk*


    John wasn''t hugely injured just stunned and as he got to his feet, I approached him while keeping an eye on our enemy.


    "We need to be fast and very powerful. We should strike at the same time in the same ce to kill this creature from the underworld !"


    With the strength of his sword and my strength, we would be well able to wound her and then wear her down and deliver the final blow. Mypanion nodded as he replied in a whisper so that no one could hear us.


    "Leader you...can we really do this ?"


    I could see he was starting to doubt but now was not the time as we had a heavy responsibility weighing on our shoulders. As I nted my emerald gaze in his, I grabbed his shoulders before speaking.


    "Listen John, we are the chosen ones of this world ! If our destiny has brought us here, it is to put an end to this cmity. Never has a beast like this been seen in the world and I''m sure that if we were to die, humanity would perish !"


    "...I..."


    "Don''t think ! Don''t you want to avenge my brother and all our brothers in arms ? If we allow this creature to expand her empire, it is not only them that we condemn but our entire race !"


    My eyes glowed as John nodded in response.


    "Leader, throw me at her."


    "Very well."


    Grabbing his shoulders more firmly, I lifted mypanion to throw him towards our enemy. He had his sword in front of him, pointing directly at the heart of this fake Empress bastard.


    "You''ll have to do more than that !"


    As the beast named Freya spoke, it straightened up on two legs before sending one at John who wasing at full speed. With a thud and a pile of dust, in a split second he was on the ground. Without giving him a chance to get up, the she-wolf would sink her dagger-like fangs into one of his legs.


    "Aaaarg !"


    Blood spurted out and stained its long teeth a scarlet red as my friend howled in pain. Without further ado, I threw myself at her in turn, avoiding the pawing blow that was intended for me. This horror was certainly bigger but that left me a chance to touch her at a strategic ce.


    *Now !*


    After dodging her blow, I slid on the ground to get under her belly, taking care to raise my arms to tear a maximum of flesh. The de she had given me at the beginning was effective and plunged into the fur before cutting her belly.


    *Oh yes...*


    It was my turn to be sshed with her blood as she jumped again tond further away from me. The young woman who was not, unfortunately had not screamed but blood was flowing from her wound.


    "It seems that my weapon is really exceptional, I didn''t think it was capable of hurting me. You attacked me, now it''s my turn !"


    Her hair bristled as she ran in our direction. The trash creature seemed to almost fly and every step she took broke the ground and stained it with blood. John still stood his ground despite his deep wound and wielded his sword with courage and determination.


    "John, we are heroes ! Look out, she''sing !"


    The she-wolf was still as graceful as she was in her human form, despite her size and appearance, but she didn''t seem as flexible. John was swinging his sword back and forth to keep her from approaching him, while I was running for her to follow me.


    *That''s right, follow me, you dirty dog !*


    The beast kepting closer and closer to me, I could feel her hot breath on the back of my neck as I abruptly turned around to stick my de into her skull.


    "Predictable.."


    It was impossible to dodge the weapon that was at that moment only inches from her skin and yet she did. Turning her paws instantly, she had also turned around to strike my outstretched arms and her sword with her tail.


    "Aaarg my arms !"


    Her tail was hard and had hit me hard causing me to drop the ck-ded sword. Right after that, with a powerful back paw, it was my turn to fly several feet before hitting the ice cage with my back.


    "Uuurg !"


    I didn''t have time to get up before fangs dug into my leather armor before tearing it off. My top had ripped with it and I was left in my underwear as the subraces outside the cage snickered. Never had I been so humiliated and I could feel my face redden with shame and anger.


    "You !"


    My arms were shaking and every time I leaned on them it felt like a hammer was hitting me, so intense was the pain.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "You managed to hurt me, but in the end youck of gumption, just like your little brother !"


    The mention of Kirk rang out to me as I screamed, drawing on my strength to get up. I was in pain, I was ashamed, I was soiled, humiliated but I had to kill this horrible creature that was threatening all of our lives. I was shaking but I still managed to get the weapon back while ncing at John who seemed hypnotized by my almost naked body.


    *This is a joke..?*


    Suddenly, the she-wolf rushed at me to bite my leg in turn. In a movement to avoid it, I slipped and found myself face down on the ground, unable to understand what had happened. What I felt next was a pain even more intense than the one in my arms, in my foot. As I lowered my head, the monster''s fangs were sunk deep into my right foot and I could hear the flesh ripping.


    "AAAAAAAARGH !"


    A gut-wrenching scream came from my mouth as I saw my foot detach from my body with a cracking sound and slimy sound. My head was spinning, my body was cold, sweaty, my vision was blurring and a ck veil was obscuring my view. I had never felt such pain. Had Kirk felt this too ?


    "Tsk..bitter."


    While my mind could only think of two things, revenge and escape. The voice of my tormentor echoed near me. The she-wolf had spat out my foot with disdain and was licking her lips softly and meticulously, keeping her monstrous eyes on me.


    *Wasn''t I a chosen one ? It wasn''t supposed to be like this !*


    As I felt my spirit leave, ice appeared on the end of my leg to stop the bleeding. Lifting my head, the huge face of the beast stood only inches from mine and froze my blood. I could feel her hot breath that smelled of blood and I could even see shreds of my flesh, stuck in her teeth as she spoke.


    "I won''t allow you to die just yet..."


    Deep down I felt that it wasn''t over yet and I never thought I would do this but I had to live. I hadn''t given up on my revenge, but I didn''t want to die.


    "Please...I didn''t kill anyone in this forest...let me join you.."


    I had just uttered this sentence to get out of it. I wanted to join them and destroy them from the inside but by saying those words I was giving up my pride as a human. I was humiliated and scorned.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 33/70


    Exp required for next level: 2,400 / 34,000


    HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 50


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 149


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 5)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 3)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Mana detection (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 95 The Judgement Of The Empress [Dark Forest War II - Part XI]

    [N/A: Rather long chapter with no status at the end]


    __


    -- POV General --


    "Please...I didn''t kill anyone in this forest...let me join you"


    Sarah who was on the ground spoke this sentence as she trembled, weak before this majestic she-wolf who towered over her with all her size. Freya stood straight, threatening, magnificent and captivated all eyes. Her ck as night fur rustled in the wind and her cold, wild eyes looked at the woman before them. Fresh blood flowed from her mouth and wounded belly which made the scene even more mesmerizing.


    "..."


    Without answering Sarah, the she-wolf grabbed her in her mouth to simply throw her at herpanion who was still standing in the middle. John had not moved and had watched his leader get a foot ripped off helplessly. He had been paralyzed by the scene and could already see himself being next despite his great confidence.


    "Uuugh !"


    The green-eyed woman was crashing into him, instantly bringing him back to reality. Those two humans were still in the ice cage and were in a mess. John had an injured leg that had been bitten by Freya and Sarah didn''t even have a right foot. Neither of them could run, at least not very far, so they were stuck and doomed to certain death.


    "Well...let''s get started shall we ?"


    The Empress was still on the other side of the arena but her voice could be heard throughout the clearing and beyond. She made the army and adventurers shudder as she began to move forward. Freya''s footsteps were unnaturally slow and for good reason, she wanted to have time to speak and so she took her time. All the beings present could see a huge she-wolf walking gracefully and feel a cool wind blowing in rhythm with her steps.


    "Sarah Ashray. You led a group of adventurers to mynd to satisfy your unhealthy and unjust desires. You came here to capture, murder, and torture our friends, our families, and those I have sworn to protect. You hurt my soldiers and took pleasure in spilling the blood of innocent people who only wanted to defend themselves. You destroyed families, murdered children, tortured men, killed old, shattered lives and no doubt enjoyed every second. How many lives have you already taken ? No amount of deeds, no amount of torture and no amount of forgiveness will ever redeem your madness !"


    As she listed Sarah''s sins one by one, her voice grew colder and colder and her eyes more startling. At that moment, anyone who looked into her eyes would instantly be dizzy as her depth was so elusive and unbearable. Freya''s voice grew colder and colder as she almost reached the two trembling humans. As the she-wolf now addressed John, behind her powerful voice, it was possible to hear growls that grew louder and more intimidating.


    "John Vimbert. You are guilty of the same crimes as your leader, but that is not why you are here. You are here for a very simple but fatal reason, for you have sullied my family. You have insulted the Queen and the Princess and made threats against them that I will never forget. Insult me all you want, although there are always consequences, but those who dare to attack my wife and daughter will never find rest even in death. You have crossed the line that should not be crossed and I will not leave you until I break you physically and mentally !"


    Freya was now growling distinctly and her voice trembled with anger. Only remembering John''s words, the Empress could hardly contain her rage and lust for killing. Her demonic aura was not out, but an increasingly violent wind appeared in the clearing from her body. The she-wolf was angry, terrifying, cold yet calm, and of an unknown and deadly power.


    "Humiliation, torture, imprisonment, lynching, murder and the list goes on ! You two, like all the other adventurers, represent the dark side of this humanity you are so proud of. A humanity unable to evolve and stuck in this ck ocean of sins and crimes that keep repeating themselves over time. You have insulted me, insulted the Empire and its people, their freedoms, their precious lives and their right to exist ! Your greed, your beliefs and your selfishness will be the only reason you will never be forgiven or spared. I, Empress Freya of the Elysium Empire, for all of these crimes, condemn you both to live what you have always made others live. You will suffer, scream, cry, beg, bleed, burn and in the end only one option will be open to you... "


    More than a judge, the Empress was like death delivering her judgment before bringing down her scythe on these humans. The clearing was still silent, shaken by the wind, everyone was transfixed, terrified and admiring as Freya finally arrived in front of Sarah and John finishing her sentence.


    "...death !"


    As the she-wolf spoke this one word, the wind ceased with a single blow and the ice cage disappeared just as quickly. All of the army soldiers without exception were on the ground, having failed to withstand this wave of frozen aura, coupled with the wind and the presence of their Empress.


    "How powerful is she ?"


    "That was only part...I don''t know."


    "I...I can''t stop shaking..."


    Many of the soldiers who were part of the different sections, had exactly the same thoughts, the same words, and were slowly recovering from the already incredible sight. Freya was only level 33, but thanks to her system, she was much stronger, which was why the difference in power between her and her army was causing a stir. The 10 Commanders of the army were the only ones left standing and had their hearts beating at a mind-boggling rate.


    "She is so impressive and..."


    "Absolutely on another level !"


    "The world has started to change since she appeared..."


    The 10 half-humans were still fascinated and could not take their eyes off their Empress who kept shocking them more and more. Suddenly, four walls of ice appeared around Freya for several minutes before disappearing to reveal her again in her human form. She was dressed in white and wore avish imperial outfit reminiscent of what she wore on her wedding day. As the Empress adjusted her cloak, she turned her head to the female Commanders who rushed before her bowing.


    "Do you need us, your Highness ?"


    "Commander Caipy, bring in your best medic soldier who can heal with the light element. Commander Persea, keep those adventurers down. For the rest of you, continue to monitor the six humans still alive !"


    "As youmand !"


    As they dispersed, the she-wolf watched the dryad mutter her incantations to conjure brambles from the ground. They grabbed Sarah and John still speechless by the arms and legs to keep them on the ground and on their backs. They were unable to move and could only wait desperately and in great fear for what would happen next. Sarah was crying for the first time, her face burned on one side seemed to throb and her tears mixed with her sweat as she spoke in a trembling voice.


    "You...you''re going to regret this one..one day !"


    The Empress wasn''t even touched by her condition and replied calmly and coldly.


    "I never regret anything."


    Behind Freya, as she stared at the green-eyed leader, Caipy had returned followed by an elf who was shaking like a leaf despite himself.


    "Your Highness, this is our best light mage. His name is Nylian, he is level 11 and has just joined our army. I can assure you, however, that he is capable of surpassing himself and has good control over mana."


    Nylian had lived in the forest all his life and had spent his time healing every being that needed his help. Because of this, he was not a fighter but a gifted light mage for his age.


    "Will you be able to ovee what is about to happen ? If you don''t think you can then you are free to walk away."


    As the she-wolf turned her gaze to him to ask a question, the elf gasped before stammering out a few words.


    "I...I think I can handle it your Highness."


    Shaking her head in satisfaction, Freya knelt down to get closer to Sarah and John who still had no idea what was going to happen. The clearing was silent again and only Caipy and Nylian were close to the she-wolf much to the chagrin of those who dreamed of being close by.


    "From now on, your descent into Hell begins !"


    Finishing her sentence and without warning, Freya had pressed down on Sarah''s right leg and John''s left leg at the same time with a huge crack of bone. The she-wolf had controlled her force so as not to crush them to a pulp but had put enough of it on to leaverge fractures.


    "Aaaarg !!"


    "Uuaarrg !!"


    Two cries of pain echoed through the night as the two humans struggled desperately. Their legs were twisted and crushed and no longer responded to anymands sent by their brains as tendons were severed but the nerves were still intact.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Let''s continue !"


    Without further ado, the Ice Empress began to break the bones of every part of their bodies. Sarah and John were screaming at the top of their lungs, begging, crying, choking on their saliva but nothing and no one could stop the she-wolf. Their arms, hips, shoulders, feet, ribs, fingers, everything was broken little by little. The pain was unbearable and the two humans could have passed out long ago if the Empress didn''t keep them awake with ice spikes.


    "Uurrrg ! Pl..please no more...aaaaaaargh !!"


    "Aaaaaaaargh no I..noo aaargh !!"


    The violet eyes of the beautiful young woman, shone with a dangerous glow and the same savage sadistic smile had appeared on her face again.


    "The more you beg, the more I enjoy this moment ! Humans, this is just the beginning !"


    Sarah and John''s bodies had turned blue, motionless, aching and broken all over. The two adventurers wanted it all to stop but still didn''t regret what they had done. Their eyes were revolted, saliva was dripping from their mouths and their faces were nothing but a grimace.


    "So tell me, is it pleasant ?"


    As she asked her question with a mockingly gentle tone, the Empress was sliding her fingers gently up and down their bodies. The way she was doing it could look very sensual excluding the fact that this one gesture was sending spasms of pain to both humans.


    "N..n..no..ple..please..aaarg cough cough !!"


    John spoke with difficulty and his arrogant eyes were now pleading at what he was going through. As Freya looked at him and enjoyed his expression, she replied forming two identical little ice daggers in her hands.


    "Yet the three of us are having so much fun aren''t we ? kufufu~"


    Gently cutting John''s leather armor to reveal a hairy, blue, sweaty torso, she began to make an incision from the neck down to the navel. Sarah was already out of armor and could only look on in horror at what herpanion was experiencing. The man gritted his teeth and found this pain more bearable than thest one as suddenly the ice dagger went in slightly deeper to peel off his skin.


    "Aaaaaaargh !"


    "Kufufu~"


    The sadistic she-wolf began to scalp the skin of his torso as blood spurted onto his previously pristine white clothes. The epidermis was gradually separating from John''s body as he screamed louder and louder, chilling the blood of the spectators. Amongst his screams, a horrible sound could be heard, as if a viscous garment was being torn off, it was the sound of skin being torn off. The scene was difficult to watch and many of the soldiers looked away as the trapped humans began to vomit or faint. Freya she was still very calm and enjoying herself madly as she sensually licked her bloody lips.


    "Your turn now !"


    The Empress now turned to Sarah as she motioned to the trembling elf to stop John from bleeding out. He had fainted unable to take it anymore and his spirit was breaking a little more with each passing second.


    "No...no please not me, I...I regret everything !"


    The young woman with the broken body knew very well that the same thing was going to happen to her and shook her head strongly, screaming and destroying her throat.


    "No ! Monster don''te near me ! Aaarg ! Please ! Noooo I...I...aaarg it hurts !"


    Freya didn''t care for her pleas that even gave her chills and started the same thing on the human plunged in despair.


    "Aaaaaaaaarghh !!"


    ___


    Sarah and John were conscious again as they had both passed out from the pain. Their bodies were still broken and now without skin but Nylian''s magic had eased the pain to keep them awake though it was still unbearable.


    "Let''s move on !"


    It had already been over an hour since Freya had been working to remove every bit of skin from these humans and now they were ready for the finale. A fire had been made at her side and cutting Persea''s brambles with her daggers she heated her katana until it glowed. Her ck de was now red and crackling as the she-wolf began to draw on their bodies.


    "AAaaaaaaa..."


    "...."


    From screaming, the two were no longer able to get any sound out and their eyes had begun to grow increasingly vacant. Their throats were dry, sore and their minds wished for only one thing, death. Freya drew three recognizable symbols on their torsos, a sun, a crescent moon and a star. Their skinless bodies crackled and a burning smell rose in the clearing as everyone could see blisters forming and bursting from the heat. Their skin was melting as they went and the Empress smiled.


    "..K..kill.."


    "U..us.."


    The two humans couldn''t take it anymore and had managed to say those two words just before the she-wolf sliced their hands and tongues with her sword. They were choking and as Sarah and John were about to die, the Empress grabbed their necks to lift them up and look them in the eye, her fangs sharper than ever.


    "You shouldn''t have made me angry !"


    After finishing her sentence, she would sink her teeth into Sarah''s neck to rip her throat out in a sharp, precise motion and break John''s with a simple squeeze. The she-wolf''s face was covered in blood as she threw the two not-yet-dead and convulsing humans to the floor.


    ____


    The four humans who were still alive and able to think had witnessed this spectacle and could not help but tremble.


    Jet was mourning the death of the one he loved and his broken heart was bleeding with deep sadness and visceral fear for Freya. As for Loyd, he was on his knees and said nothing. The bald adventurer had given up all desire to resist and was patiently waiting for his death, knowing that it woulde soon.


    The twins were also trembling like the other two, but they held hands to give themselves courage. They had not given up the idea of talking with Freya before they died, because June and May also knew very well that they would not be spared. They hade to this forest with the idea of aplishing the mission and even if they weren''t as crazy as her formerpanions and were starting to repent...the twins had to die.


    "Good !"


    Without warning, Freya transformed back into a gigantic wolf before tearing the two bodies apart in her powerful jaw. Thisst scene was violent, bloody, merciless, and horrible to watch like everything that had gone before. After she had finished tearing the two humans to pieces, the she-wolf looked up.


    The Empress stood there, majestic, dangerous, beautiful, deadly and ruthless. Her mouth was dripping with blood, her ck hair had turned scarlet, but her violet eyes still shone brightly. As she raised her head to the moon, the imperial she-wolf let out a loud,manding howl.


    As she howled into the darkness, as if driven by some unknown force and primal instinct, absolutely everyone knelt before the powerful and terrifying Empress. Even Vig and yna, who were not yet official citizens of the Empire, bowed their heads in silent respect, awe and admiration.


    The Empress had made her judgment.

 Chapter 96 Master Of Souls [Dark Forest War II - Part XII]

    -- POV Freya --


    -- PING --


    [ You have earned 100,000 EXP for killing 2 humans of level 31 and 35 ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (34) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (35) ]


    [ Your HP and MP have increased ]


    [ You now have +200 attribute points ]


    [ Frozen Wrath skill has been upgraded to level 2 ]


    [ Pain Resistance skill has been increased to level 4 ]


    [ The skill bite of Hell has been increased to level 6 ]


    [ Ice Creation skill increased to level 6 ]


    [ Mana Detection skill has evolved to Detection and control of mana ]


    [ Detection and control of mana skill has been upgraded to level 5 (new information avable) ]


    [ You have gained 10,000 EXP ]


    [ You now have +100 attribute points ]


    ___


    My mind was flooded with notifications that kept ringing but I ignored them because I wanted to check on themter. Sarah and John were dead and only the weak and terrified humans were left. The clearing was silent and everyone was kneeling around me for some reason I didn''t know.


    *Mmm..?*


    [I think they were deeply affected by your demonstration]


    Without paying any more attention, I once again created walls of ice around me to return to my human form and put on the clothes I was storing with my chaos skill. As the walls disappeared and I appeared for all to see, all the voices of my army rose as one.


    "We salute her almighty Highness ! We, the soldiers of the army, once again swear unwavering loyalty to the Empire, the Empress, the Queen and the Princess !"


    Seeing all my soldiers kneeling and hearing their words brought an imperceptible smile to my face. There they were, brave, strong, determined, loyal, and they were each, a light, a star of the Empire that I wanted to preserve and continue to see shine.


    "Warriors, rise up ! I have heard your vows of loyalty, and I can only answer them by vowing once again that I will protect you all ! You who protect the lives of Elysium with all your heart, entrust me with yours and let us grow stronger ! Together, let us continue to build this unattainable, impregnable Empire that will one day shake the whole world. An Empire more terrifying than Hell for our enemies and a paradise for our allies, our families, ourpanions and our fellows !"


    "Hurrah for the Empire !"


    "Long live the Empress !"


    "Long live the Empress, the Queen and the Princess !"


    "Long live our Elysium Empire !"


    Everyone had risen to their feet and while I was still standing in the middle of the arena, twopletely shredded bodies at my feet, behind my face, I smiled.


    [You really know how to deal with a crowd onee-san]


    *Well, I think I''m getting better with time but enough said, we still have more people to execute !*


    As the soldiers continued their ovation, I walked towards the female Commanders who were smiling but keeping their calm. They were beautiful, proud, strong, imposing and these women had real Commander''s presences. As I reached their level, the 10 half-humans raised their right arms at the same time, instantly bringing the clearing back into silence.


    [Wow, when you do it, I''m impressed, even though I''m used to it, but this...I must admit, it''s very ssy.]


    *Isn''t it ? They are still the Chaos Commanders of the Empire little sister kufufu~*


    I was proud of them more than any of my soldiers and to see such authoritying from them gave me a few chills. I still kept my face impassive without showing what was going through my mind as I stopped in front of them to speak.


    "Give me an update on the condition of the adventurers still alive."


    This time, against all odds, it was Naia the fire fox and vice Commander who stepped forward to answer me.


    "The twins are conscious as are the two men who participated in the hunt. As for the ones you encountered earlier, they are now just zombies but still seem to feel pain your Highness."


    "Mmh, perfect !"


    Approaching the ones that remained, the sisters caught my attention. They had immense fear in their eyes but kept their heads up as they shook, their gazes in mine.


    *Oh~ ?*


    I would then crouch down to their level to ask the question that was running through my mind.


    "What are those looks ?"


    June was silent as May began to stammer a few words.


    "I...we...would like to ask you...a question.."


    "Human, if you think I''m going to spare you then there''s no point !"


    As I continued to stare into May''s eyes to understand, besides fear I detected something else. Despite everything they had seen, the two twins were eager for something that seemed to be beyond them.


    "N..no your Highness ! We...we would like to know...why...how did you manage to...to found a ce free of hate and...discrimination ?"


    Her question was unexpected to say the least and left me in silence for a few minutes. Why was she asking me this question ? What were they trying to do ?


    [Are you going to take the time to answer this human ?]


    I didn''t know. I certainly didn''t have to answer these two sisters who were going to die soon anyway, but their question was interesting. Creating an ice throne in front of June and May, I sat on it while they were at my feet.


    "Very well, I will answer your question !"


    "A thousand...thousand thanks yo...your Highness..."


    The two sisters were strangelypliant under the shocked gaze of the soldiers and the two men named Jet and Loyd. Crossing my legs, I raised my voice again.


    "To create a ce free of hate, discrimination, sadness, death and danger you simply have to want it. You have to get rid of your prejudices, be open to other worlds and certainly not denigrate other races. All members of the Empire are without exception people who have suffered in their lives because of humans like you and wanted to find a ce of their own. In the end, a ce without hatred is not so difficult to create if everyone remains benevolent and respectful. You humans only know how to destroy without ever asking yourselves if the world would not be happier if we all epted each other without exception. In the end, you arecent in this absurd and soiled way of life and you do not want to change. Here, this is different."


    "Forgive me your...your Highness...but...if...if you hate humans so much...why...why are Vig and Lu..Miss yna here ? Why did you ept them near...you ?"


    It was June''s turn to speak even though they were both very different from the first time I had seen them. At that moment, the twins reminded me of two little girls who were discovering an incredible truth for the first time. Their trembling voices carried a hint of passion and regret that intrigued me. After all, they had never been as hysterical as the ones I had met so far, so I agreed to answer once again.


    "yna and Vig are different, they share our vision and are willing to help us fight against the tyranny of their fellow humans. Although I have yet to test them, they are the only ones who have risked their lives for some of my citizens, but you should know that, right ? Furthermore, we do not discriminate against any race and anyone is wee in Elysium as long as they have a good heart. No human error will be repeated here and everyone is free to live their lives as they see fit without ever having to fear rejection."


    I wanted everyone to hear my words. I wanted those who had followed me here to understand that we would never be like humans. As I finished my exnation, the twins'' faces went from shock to sadness, to regret and to tears. The two sisters were whispering softly to themselves and no one could hear what they were saying except me. I was silent and listened carefully, curious about what June and May were thinking.


    "June...all our lives we have been wrong. We, who live in this world where it is normal to hate other races, have managed to lose ourselves. By dint of distrusting everything, we finally missed out on something important...the love of a heart."


    "Mmh I finally understand, finally everyone is looking to be happy just like us. There will always be people finding their pleasures in murder but not us. We both just wanted to live safely without having to be constantly suspicious and fearful of tomorrow.."


    The answers they were looking for were so simple and yet the twins had never asked themselves the right questions. I waspletely shocked to hear them say this and I couldn''t help but think that there were always people who were not so bad. Of course they were also guilty of murder, but June and May said they never tortured anyone or made anyone suffer for the sake of it.


    *These twins took the path to redemption themselves. They have realized their mistakes and now they realize how horrible their actions were. In Elysium we kill cruelly, resentfully, mercilessly and fearlessly, but never without reason. If these humans had asked themselves the right questions before getting their hands dirty, they might even have ended up by our side. June, May...what a pity you didn''t realize all this sooner...*


    [Do you regret having to kill them ?]


    *Not at all. It was their choices that brought them here and I have no desire to defend them. Those twins must die and I would kill them without hesitation like the others*


    June and May would not be spared despite their awareness and I was not in the habit of regretting anything. Tonight would be theirst night and nothing and no one would stop me from making them disappear like all those who entered the forest.


    "Th...thank you your Highness for answering us...we do not deserve your pardon and we will not ask for it.."


    "...we ept whatever fate you have in store for us. We must pay with our lives for our sins and stupidity."


    Their voices no longer trembled as I thought still sitting on my throne.


    *These young women are very determined and I would not spare them, indeed. However... to know how to show remorse, I will not torture them and I will make sure that their deaths are quick*


    [Mmh I agree onee-san]


    After I had let off steam with Sarah and John, I was in a good mood and I felt like giving them that despite the beliefs that had divided us so far. I had no sympathy for them, but June and May seemed much more normal to me than the crazy people on their team.


    "All right, I''ve answered your questions now it''s time..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    As I stood up facing June and May, I prepared my katana to slice their heads off. The twins understood what was going to happen and lowered their heads, epting their sentence with dignity and courage. As I was about to cut the two humans quickly, my little sister suddenly stopped me.


    [Onee-san wait !]


    *What ? If you interrupt me to ask me to spare them, it''s no and you know it*


    [No, it''s not that ! I...I just wanted to offer you another alternative that will also help you test one of your new skills]


    Intrigued, I sat up and listened to what Kira had to say. Everyone was wondering what I was doing, but without worrying about their looks, I listened carefully.


    [Do you remember that since your chaos skill has reached level 5, you have the ability to absorb living things ? I don''t really know what it can do, but these two young women will pay for their crimes and stupidity. I don''t think it''s possible to take living things in and let them out unscathed. It may be that this way you can unlock an interesting skill while keeping your word]


    As I listened, I found the idea actually much more appealing than head slicing. I wasn''t sure if it was painless but what I could unlock was more interesting.


    *I''ll follow your idea, it''s perfect*


    [Thanks onee-san hehe~]


    I put away my katana to everyone''s surprise while I ced both my hands above the twins'' heads. I didn''t say anything and they didn''t know what was going on when suddenly a ck mist came out from my hands.


    "What..."


    "Don''t move !"


    June and May began to stir as the dense cloud began to envelop them faster and faster. They werepletely absorbed as I could see their bodies dissolve and hear their panicked voices.


    "I...I can''t feel anything, it''s dark I...where am I?  Juune !"


    "I can''t hear anything, I feel empty, I...am I dead ? Maay !"


    Everyone in the clearing could hear what they said and see their skin melt away, then their muscles and finally their bones. As June and May disappeared, their voices grew fainter and fainter before fading awaypletely. The twins had literally been swallowed up by my skill.


    -- PING --


    [ Congrattions ! You have unlocked the skill : Master of Souls (lvl 1) ]


    [ A soul counter has been added to your status - Souls 2/3 ]


    [ You now have the possibility to use them and expand your possibilities. It''s up to you to discover the many uses of this skill. Good luck ! ]


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 35/70


    Exp required for next level: 12 600 / 36 000


    HP : 100 000 / 100 000 MP : 50 000 / 50 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 350


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 387


    Humans killed : 151


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack  - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense  - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 97 Test And Victory [Dark Forest War II - End]

    -- POV Freya --


    *Master of souls ?*


    While the twins were gone, I now had their souls and had no idea what to do. I stood still, silent, and still couldn''t figure out how this system worked.


    *The evolution of my chaos element allows me to absorb living beings and recover their souls but for what ? Maybe they could join us if I could get their souls out but how ? I also sometimes feel that the system adapts my skills ording to the events but isn''t it automatic ? I...*


    I was very happy to have a new skill but the more I gained the more I had to find answers on my own. I hadn''t discovered the secret of all the ones I already had, and now a new one was added to the list with just as many mysteries.


    [Onee-san, I think we should look at the details first before asking questions. It may be that some of the answers are exined in your status, which is almost always the case]


    Kira was right, but at the moment I couldn''t verify any of this. In about an hour, the sun was going toe up and we had to end this damn War. Raising my head and snapping out of my thoughts I could see everyone watching with questioning faces. Very few had seen me use my chaos element so witnessing this new show raised many questions.


    [You are a real mystery to them it seems pffhaha~]


    As I sighed, without exnation, I turned to the four remaining humans, still kneeling before the Commanders.


    "Well, let''s get it over with !"


    ire and Paul still looked absent, turned off and empty while Jet and Loyd from Sarah''s group were shaking like leaves. These two men were not far from ending up like the adventurers dressed in red but I wanted to end with them because after all I had another idea in mind that was quite cruel. As I looked at them coldly, I shouted two names quite distinctly.


    "Vig ! yna !"


    The two humans were behind the Commanders alongside the soldiers and I could see them hurry out to kneel before me. They no longer had their hoods on and there was nothing to hide their now familiar faces.


    "Y-your highness ?"


    "Highness."


    They had been with us for a few days, but I still had my doubts about their willingness and determination to help us. I had taken them to the battlefield to make them realize what we were fighting, who we were fighting, and most importantly how. I also wanted Vig and yna to see who I really was and that I was no less ruthless when it came to my enemies. The princess seemed to be shocked by this disy of cruelty but felt no remorse for these humans.


    Vig was a warrior so it didn''t seem to bother him too much, but he didn''t say much which made him difficult to analyze. yna was more talkative and clearly expressed her ideas but was not a warrior. The former Princess had brought a lot of important elements to the War Council and even suggested some interesting ideas, but what about her coolness ? Both seemed loyal but I wanted to make sure they were willing to do anything for the good of the Empire and its people.


    "Tonight, I want you to prove your loyalty in front of everyone ! You have already helped us a great deal, that is undeniable, however..."


    The warrior and the fallen Princess still kneeling did not look at me but listened attentively as did everyone around me.


    "However, there is only one act that will earn you my trust. Stand up !"


    As they stood up, I made two identical daggers appear in my hands. They were thin, sharp, light and despite the element they were made of, they were strong. The moon still shone in the middle of the dark sky with a white light, too pure for what was happening in the clearing.


    "Those two adventurers...kill them."


    I had pointed at ire and Paul and given my order coldly, distinctly but calmly. Vig said nothing and looked at his former travelingpanions while yna had turned livid. As she took her dagger with a trembling hand followed by her friend, the young human approached ire while Vig approached Paul.


    [I''m not sure yna is capable of such a thing...]


    *So she doesn''t belong here. It''s cruel to ask her to kill when she''s never done it, but we don''t live in a rosy world. As a human, yna needs to be able to kill to show her loyalty but also to protect herself. It''s also a way to test both of them and then these convicts are not innocent and they know it.*


    Of course, I never ordered every citizen of the Empire to kill a human out of loyalty because they had all seen too much blood. For Vig and yna it was different, it was only when they carried out my order that they would be recognized as one of us.


    *It is easy to promise wonders but the possibility of retracting at thest moment when a life must be taken does exist. I don''t want empty words, I want action and determination !*


    Far be it from me to traumatize them, but I wanted to leave no room for doubt. If the Fallen Princess and the warrior killed their formerrades, I would give them my trust. While I was thinking about this, Vig had dropped my dagger and grabbed Paul''s head in his hands before twisting his neck. The sound had been raucous, the death swift, and not a drop of blood had been spilled.


    *I expected nothing less from him...*


    Turning my gaze to yna, I could see her breathing nervously, still holding the weapon in her trembling hands. The Commanders were watching the scene as I was, but one of them seemed more worried than the others. Luna was looking at yna as if she was silently encouraging her while hoping that she would seed in doing what I had asked her to do.


    "I..."


    The Fallen Princess kept looking into ire''s eyes and still hesitated. As I was about to ask one of my Commanders to kill the young woman dressed in red, yna had stopped shaking. The small de in her hand approached ire''s neck before slicing it with an unexpected precision and a quick gesture.


    *Oh~? She''s brave.."


    As ire''s body fell, dead, blood spurted down the face of the Princess who still did not move. She was in a state of shock and realized that she had just taken a life for the first time. Suddenly, the blood-stained young woman copsed to her knees on the floor, her legs unable to carry her any further.


    "Ally !"


    Luna, who until now had remained silent, rushed towards her before being stopped by the gesture of a trembling, bloody hand. yna was still on the ground but didn''t seem to want any help as she calmed her heart with deep breaths.


    *Eh ? Ally ? What the hell happened between them exactly ?*


    [Well, you entrusted yna to Luna so they might as well have gotten close onee-san]


    As their rtionship intrigued me, the young human finally stood up before standing in front of me alongside Vig.


    "Y..your Highness I...I am neither the strongest nor the smartest but...but I promise to protect this Empire like my own home. I will stop at nothing...even if I have to...kill. I..."


    Without finishing her sentence she and the human warrior knelt again because after all, actions were always more effective than words.


    "We swear fealty to her Highness and the Elysium Empire !"


    "Yes. Loyalty. to. Empress. and Empire."


    -- PING --


    [ Congrattions ! You have obtained 2 citizens/subordinates ]


    [ You earn 20,000 EXP for your first human citizens/subordinates ]


    These notifications made me smile as I responded to their words of loyalty.


    "From now on you are part of Elysium and I will protect you as I protect all those in the Empire."


    Turning to all the soldiers, I would then address them.


    "Needless to say, I will not tolerate any racial discrimination ! Vig and yna are now one of us, and though they are human, they have proven their resolve to me. ept them as they have epted you despite the world we live in !"


    My voice was as powerful as ever and echoed through the woods while my face showed a solemn seriousness. As I finished my sentence, once again everyone''s voice rose into the heavens.


    "Wee Vig !"


    "Wee yna !"


    "Wee to our Empire !"


    "Hurrah !!!"


    I thought that none of them would trust them right away and that the integration would take longer, but I was wrong. Once again, I had forgotten how incredible and different everyone who had joined me was. In all my two lives, I had never met so many people sharing a simr dream, people ready to help each other to find their own ce. People without prejudice, with pure hearts not seeking to deceive, hate or kill but rather the happiness of each other.


    [Haha~ You have underestimated the hearts of your soldiers onee-san. Everyone smiled and no face betrayed refusal, hatred, disgust or anger]


    Indeed, the soldiers were all enthusiastic and cheered the two neers with joy, power, and above all...sincerity. yna was crying with joy and Vig against all odds was embarrassed and blushed with tears in his eyes.


    *Kufufu~*


    ___


    Everyone had calmed down and it was time to execute Jet and Loyd before we could all go home and rest. I wasn''t tired at all, but I could see soldiers struggling to stay upright. After all, this was the first time for almost everyone that they had experienced such an emotional elevator without sleeping all night.


    *I''m going to end this with a bang !*


    It was time to finish the job and kill Jet and Loyd who were now ready. Their deaths would symbolize our total victory and I wanted to make them suffer as much as their now deadpanions. Thest two adventurers were shirtless, kneeling on an ice tform I had created in the middle of the clearing and waiting. Their arms were raised in a cross and held up by Persea''s brambles, which also held their legs. Neither the young man nor the bald man could escape and still under the pure white moon, I was about tomit thest atrocity of this bloody night.


    I didn''t even take the time to make a speech and stood behind the two trembling humans.


    "No...no...mon...monster.."


    "I...Sarah...I will join you soon.."


    Neither of them were begging yet, Jet was crying and Loyd was gritting his teeth as he insulted me to hide his growing fear. Still without remorse for these cruel murderers killing indiscriminately, I began to slice their backs along their spines from the neck to the bottom.


    "Aaaargh !"


    "Uurghaaah !"


    The incision was deep and despite their screams, the pain still seemed bearable though anything but pleasant. Positioning myself behind Jet who I had chosen first, I leaned into his ear to whisper thest words he would hear in this world.


    "When you go to Hell, tell Sarah I said hi..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Without waiting for a response, I plunged my hands into the deep incision I had made to grasp and detach his ribs. They were hooked to the spine but with a little force I had no trouble detaching them. The young man was vomiting blood, suffering, choking and his mournful screams filled the clearing as I calmly continued what I was doing.


    "Aaaaaaaaa...uuurg..uuurg.."


    With a sharp jerk, I pulled his ribs out of his nowpletely open and deformed body. Jet was already dead but I liked it when the job was done right. On either side of his back, his rib cage was now showing, forming sinister and deadly wings. Some of the soldiers had looked away, finding this scene even more terrifying than the trial of Sarah and John, but many looked on shakily but bravely.


    ___


    -- PING --


    [ You have earned 20,000 EXP for killing 2 humans of level 28 and 29 ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (36) ]


    [ Your HP and MP have increased ]


    [You now have +100 attribute points ]


    Jet and Loyd were dead and the stage I was on was nowpletely red as were my white suit and face. During the entire time they were being killed I had not smiled so much I was focused but I had enjoyed every moment. The screams and pleas they had made had been divine and I still had chills.


    *Now you know what real suffering is*


    The clearing was still silent as I admired my work with shining eyes.


    [It looks like a bird''s wings. Onee-san, where did you get this delightfully artistic idea ?]


    *Who knows ? kufufu~*


    Making the ice disappear, the bodies fell to the ground as it was finally time for us all to go home. Whistling in the wind that had risen, Inferno appeared from nowhere galloping towards me. As I climbed on his back satisfied with this exciting night, I took my katana out of its scabbard, pointing it to the sky.


    "Soldiers ! The first war of the Elysium Empire is over and has resulted in our total victory ! Let''s leave the bodies to those wild beasts they wanted to ughter so badly, it doesn''t concern us anymore. Now let''s go back and announce the good news to our families, our friends and let your voices announcing the victory, resound throughout the forest !!!"


    "Victory !!!"


    "Hurrah !!!"


    As loud and proud shouts could be heard in the clearing and beyond, over a hundred soldiers began to march towards our Empire. The sun was already shining and the moon that had been watching over us was gone, reced by a warm,forting light. On the back of my ck stallion, as I led the army followed by the Commanders, a single simple phrase came to mind.


    *My love, my little moon... I''m going home*


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years old / Mentally: 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 450


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 389


    Humans killed : 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 98 Return And Agitation

    -- POV General --


    The sun was shining brightly on the Dark Forest as the army of Elysium returned. On the Empire side, everyone who had watched their warriors leave was still waiting. Few had moved and everyone had spent the night on therge expanse of grass between the wall and the city. Not all of the Empire had stayed as long because many had work to do, but the families involved stayed. Triss and Lia had left the management of the mansion to their employees and were taking care of the Queen, the Princess and those who stayed behind.


    The she-wolf''s wife and little girl were up front and while little Shiro slept silently on her mother''sp, Gaya looked away. The dragoness knew her wife was powerful but her overflowing love made her anxious and caring despite her blind trust for Freya.


    "Queen Gaya, perhaps you should get some rest. You''ve been up all night without ever sleeping a wink."


    Lia who stood by the dragoness and her daughter''s side had the duty to follow her around when the Empress was not here. The young half-rabbit woman had all night respectfully insisted that the Queen rest but to no avail.


    "Thank you very much young Lia but as I have already told you, I am not going to rest until I have weed my wife."


    "But..."


    "Don''t worry about me, take care of the others instead, everything is fine."


    "As you wish."


    Gaya''s voice was soft and as she whispered and smiled tenderly, she staggered slightly while hugging Shiro tightly. Her eyes struggled to stay open but held on, her head was heavy but stayed up and her body shook but didn''t copse. Since Freya''s departure, Gaya had not moved once and the people there admired their Queen and her strength. Many had taken turns resting, lying in the soft grass and the only one who remained dignified, upright, determined and awake was the dragoness who amazed the citizens of the Empire.


    "The Queen is amazing !"


    "She hasn''t slept a wink all night..."


    "She is indeed the sun of the Empire, Gaya-sama !"


    Like the Sun Goddess, beautiful, still, mesmerizing and radiant, Gaya warmed and reassured hearts with her determination that was worthy of a great Queen. In reality, the dragoness was not acting as a Queen but as a mother, as a loving, worried wife whose heart was beating at an incredible rate. Without realizing it she had inspired her citizens who saw her as unppable while her heart and mind were far from it.


    "This should be over by now, why doesn''t Freya..."


    As the dragoness whispered these words to herself, she didn''t have time to finish her sentence when a loud neighing followed by heavy footsteps echoed from the entrance to the Empire. In an instant, all the people lying asleep and talking stood up in unison. Gaya was still sitting as Shiro was on herp, but the small moon of Elysium was slowly waking up.


    "Mom Gaya, what''s...going on ?"


    The little Princess rubbed her eyes gently as an adorable mark from the folds of the dragoness'' dress appeared on her right cheek.


    "Mommy is back."


    Taking Shiro in her arms as she stood up, the Queen smiled...a smile as dazzling as the sun itself. Seeing her mother looking off into the distance, the little Princess did the same as the army finally appeared.


    The she-wolf led the way on her beautiful, proud ck stallion. Her white suit, face and hair were scarlet, a testament to the bloody night. Freya wore again her ice crown with dignity, her head held high and her gaze as prating as ever. The Empress was finally back, beautiful, terrifying, imposing and more powerful than ever. Behind the imperial she-wolf, ten half-human women followed, dressed in ck and proud. The Chaos Commanders were all smiling at the sight of the people who had remained while the soldiers behind shouted with joy.


    "We have won !!!"


    "The battle is over !!!"


    The people who had stayed behind looked at the army with tears in their eyes and made grand gestures with their hands to greet them. Mothers hugged their husbands, children cheered their fathers and families thanked the Empress for looking after her soldiers. The army marched past the river on the inner side of the wall, past the ntations, past the cattle pens, and headed toward the city. The footsteps of the soldiers rattled the in with power and fists struck shields in a frantic, noisy rhythm. Swords and weapons were raised high into the sky and while the moon had witnessed their battle, it was the sun''s turn to witness their triumphant return.


    Gaya, who could not wait another minute, ran to her wife holding their daughter in her arms. The Queen was relieved, happy, soothed and only the desire to hug Freya animated her. This feeling was impossible to describe, she felt enveloped in a sweet warmth that sprang from her heart and despite the fatigue, she ran like there was no tomorrow. Several meters separated Freya from her wife and while Gaya was still running, her foot crushed a piece of her dress causing her to topple forward. Lack of sleep and her daughter in her arms, prevented the dragoness from regaining her bnce as she fell at an impressive speed.


    "Aah !"


    "Gaya-sama !"


    Lia who was following Gaya and Shiro from a little further away, could only watch this scene with distress. She was not strong enough to help them and not fast enough to catch up. The faces of the happy citizens had turned into frightened looks as everyone could see the Queen and Princess falling. Lia, who could not bear to watch this scene, covered her eyes in fear as she dreaded the sound of the bodies hitting the ground but no sound came. Hesitantly opening her eyes, the half-human and all the citizens could see a cloud of dust where Gaya and Shiro were standing. Those who hadn''t dared to look didn''t understand while those who had seen everything smiled.


    "What..."


    As the dust disappeared, Lia could gradually see the silhouette of a person who hade to help them. The half-human couldn''t believe her eyes as she could see a beautiful woman standing there... the Empress had firmly grasped her wife and daughter. The horse she was riding had no rider and despite the many yards that separated them, Freya had moved with unimaginable speed. She held them tightly in her arms to protect them while her eyes expressed unfathomable love and her voice pure tenderness.


    "Gaya, Shiro.."


    "Honey I...I''m sorry, I...I almost hurt our daughter I.."


    "Shhhh it''s okay, it''s all right, I''m here. It wasn''t on purpose, next time you''ll be more careful. Just know both of you that I will always be here to protect you...no matter what."


    As she whispered these words, the she-wolf closed her eyes and glued her forehead to her wife''s while hugging her and her daughter even tighter. Gaya was angry with herself but this embrace filled with all the love of Freya, was enough to make her forget her guilt. As for Shiro, she took her little head out of the she-wolf''s arms toy a little wee kiss on her dirty cheek.


    "I''m d you''re okay mommy ! Wee home !"


    Her little arms were trying as best they could to wrap around Freya''s neck as she giggled lightly, stroking her head. As the little girl gave up to enjoy her caresses, with her left hand, the Empress grabbed the Queen''s face to kiss her tenderly.


    After a few seconds, Freya separated her lips from Gaya''s before leaning in to whisper a few words that only her wife and daughter could hear. The she-wolf had a smile that was invisible to the others as her voice even softer than before whispered in their ears.


    "I love you so much..."


    Without saying anything, Gaya and Shiro looked at each other before smiling and cing a kiss on each of her cheeks at the same time. The Queen and Princess giggled innocently as they finally responded at the same time.


    "Us too hihihi~!"


    By the time the Empress had saved Gaya and Shiro, everyone had stopped and no one spoke out of respect. Even now, no one had moved and everyone was looking away not without smiling at the sight of this touching scene. While Freya still had her wife and daughter in her arms, without looking away from their gazes, she signaled to the others that they did not have to stay there. She didn''t want her soldiers to wait another second before they found their loved ones dreaming of hugging them too.


    "Mom ! Dad !"


    "Big sister !"


    The many people present were reunited withpanions, family, and in front of the city, joy overflowed in the form of tears,ughter and smiles.


    _____


    While the Empire of Elysium bathed by the sun was living a moment of rejoicing, in the capital of Zalhythe, the heart was not in the party neither for the Royalty nor for the Church.


    The disappearance of Princess yna Zal was on everyone''s lips and all the knights were mobilized to find her in the city and its surroundings. The King and even the two Princes were leading the search because this case was of the utmost importance. How could she have disappeared ? Had she been kidnapped ? How could she have been kidnapped ? Why ? By whom ? So many unanswered questions that had been agitating the entire kingdom for several weeks now.


    Messengers had been sent all over the country with a reward of more than a million gold coins to those who could bring the Princess back safe and sound. Crazier theories were born every day and the anger of Theophctus the King grew as the days passed. He was worried about yna, but the idea of losing face in front of his people by not even knowing how to find his own daughter was even more unbearable. No one knew that yna had lived confined, alone and without her family, so the possibility of losing the Princess who was supposed to be more protected than anyone else was inconceivable.


    In Zalhythe''s Church of Humanity, the mood was no better as the Supreme had learned that the expedition into the Dark Forest had failed over a month ago. The fire fox sacrifices were to begin in only a month now and nothing had been done. In the highest tower of the main religious building, in thergest hall, the Grand Master of the Church of the Kingdom sat on a marble throne.


    Unlike the Protectors of the Church and the Pdins, he was dressed in an intimidatingly bright red. Hisrge robe had gold threads all over it and on his chest was engraved his symbol. A bird with outstretched wings was embroidered in ck and represented the Humanity that would one day take flight to rule the world. The Supreme had his face hidden by a small gold crown ced on a ck veil hiding his entire head at 360 degrees. Thus, the leader of the Church was nothing but a silhouette whose physical attributes could not be distinguished because he was hidden under his loose clothing. It was impossible to know the color of his hair, the shape of his body or even the color of his skin, everything was hidden.


    "Your Excellency...we...we are going to have the three Protectors who...hid the progress of the project from you, executed in a discreet manner."


    In front of the Supreme and his throne was the second most important person in the Church, the Holy Schr named Sage. He was a young, handsome man with long gray hair falling a little past his shoulders, tied with a rubber band at the end. Sage was under the direct orders of the Supreme and was in charge of managing everything as his Excellence only gave instructions.


    "A..as you know..the two men and the woman are named..."


    "How could this happen ?"


    As the Holy Schr was cut off, the Supreme''s calm voice echoed in the huge, dark, empty room. Even as he spoke it was impossible to guess his gender because his voice was androgynous, neither too masculine nor too feminine. The leader of the Church did not even give Sage time to answer as he continued.


    "If we don''t find these cursed beasts capable of changing into humans as the prophecy dictates, we''re finished. A few days ago, during a dream I heard an unknown voice warning me...we must act quickly."


    "..."


    "I will never forget that voice, it was gentle, motherly, protective and divine. I am sure that a Goddess wanted to warn Humanity of the gue that will hit us if we do nothing ! So far I was not mistaken ! The prophecy is real !"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sage still didn''t move and let the human he revered more than anything finish his sentence before hesitantly asking him a question.


    "What...what did that voice tell you your Excellency ?"


    The leader of the Church straightened up before answering in a serious voice full of hatred.


    "When humanity is at its peak. A terrifying beast from another world as beautiful as ruthless, as cold as ice, will rise up against you and disrupt the order of the entire world and plunge it into chaos."


    ____


    [N/A: In French "Supr¨ºme" is automatically masculine unless we know for sure that it is a girl. So when I speak of the Supreme I write "he" but keep in mind that we don''t know his gender].


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 450


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 389


    Humans killed : 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 99 Pure, Sincere, Genuine Happiness

    -- POV Freya --


    It was almost noon and the reunion with everyone was over. The soldiers had dispersed to join their families and those who didn''t had families were celebrating in the barracks with the Commanders. I didn''t take the time to greet everyone because my family and I had quickly returned to the manor followed by Lia and Triss.


    I was now in my room, washed and dressed before joining Gaya and Shiro who were waiting for me in the inner garden so we could spend some time together. We had set up a table in the small forest there, facing the sea, making us feel like we were elsewhere. I had not yet enjoyed theirpany because I had to wash myself and especially let my wife rest with my daughter.


    As I put on my clothes, my little sister''s voice spoke in my mind.


    [There are a lot of new faces in the manor.]


    *Mmh, it''s true. While we were away, the section leaders took care of the neers. I haven''t met them yet, but some of them have been assigned to the mansion.*


    When I had returned earlier, a few unfamiliar faces were already working in earnest in the imperial building. I had only met four of them by chance, and all of them without exception had almost fainted at the sight of blood. They didn''t know me yet, had never seen my face and I knew I had to meet them. The battle was over but I had a lot of work ahead of me.


    *Sigh...I have to meet all these new people and take time to check my status and the changes thate with it. Thanks to my unique powers, my body and my race, I''m able to stay awake for a long time, otherwise I''d probably die of exhaustion !*


    [Onee-san rx, for now let''s go spend some time with our family, you''ll have plenty of time to deal with thister, right ?]


    As I nodded my head in response, I was finally ready to go downstairs. I was dressed very simply with a red shirt open at the top that showed a slight hint of my tattoo and bandages. The shirt was tucked into simple ck pants tucked into my ck boots. I wasn''t wearing my crown or my imperial cloak because I wanted to befortable. My ck hair fell down my back almost to my hips and my hands were no longer wearing gloves.


    *Well, let''s go*


    [Yes !]


    So I walked out of my room to go to the private garden. Only those who worked in the manor, in the garden or were invited there, could walk in the flower garden, sit by the fountain, watch the sea and walk in the small forest. However, the small stone pavilion where we nned to spend time was reserved only for my family and me.


    To get to the garden, which was outside but still inside the manor house, we had to go down all the floors to the courtyard. The main hallway on the ground floor was open to the garden and supported byrge, beautiful, pure white pirs.


    *I will go through the throne room, it will be faster !*


    The great hall was essible through the huge heavy wooden door facing the entrance of the manor but it was also possible to ess it directly from the floor of our private quarters. I went down the staircase, which could only be used by the imperial family, and quickly found myself in the throne room. It was empty and almost silent as only my heels clicked on the floor.


    *It''s so peaceful...*


    I paused for a moment in front of my ck stone and ice seat, closing my eyes to enjoy the moment. After the crazy night I''d had, I felt like I was recharging my batteries with this soothing silence. While I was enjoying this moment, my senses detected the presence of someone who was obviouslying in from the door of the reception room. Waiting patiently, a voice suddenly sounded behind me.


    "Uh..excuse me ? It is forbidden to enter this room. We''ll have to clean it up, can you please leave ?"


    I slowly opened my eyes without saying anything, still with my back to the door as I heard other peopleing.


    "Maria ? What''s going on ?"


    "I...I arrived here to start the cleaning and I...I found this person here."


    I didn''t recognize any of the voices as the situation made me smile slyly. I counted about five people who were to be among the new recruits for the various tasks of the manor. As the situation amused me, I was about to answer but the woman who had called Maria was already speaking.


    "Madam ? Come out, this is not just any ce ! This is a very important room, if you don''t leave we...we will have to call the guards !"


    [Sigh onee-san..stop fooling around you have to join my lovely niece and sweet sister-inw !]


    *Hai hai~ but it is quite amusing to hear how I would be spoken to if I were not the Empress kufufu~*


    As I finally turned around to face them, I could see 5 young half-human women in maid''s clothing. Thest one who had spoken to me was behind me with her fists on her hips as if she was scolding a child. She had droopy dog ears and her furrowed brows showed her annoyance. As my eyes finally dipped into hers, only a few words managed toe out of her mouth.


    "Purple...eyes...is that...your...your Highness ?"


    I didn''t even have time to answer as the five women knelt down in awe, fear and respect.


    "Forgive us ! I..I didn''t know it was you ! You...you are dressed so inly that...no that''s not what...I.."


    These women had never seen me and I wasn''t wearing my imperial cloak or crown so from behind it was easy to misunderstand. My aura waspletely concealed and because I was so calm, there was no cool wind blowing through the room.


    "Don''t worry, I understand. Get up and get on with your work, I was in a hurry anyway."


    [Well it doesn''t look like it at all huh...]


    *Shhh*


    My voice was still cold and I knew that these half-humans were scared. The five maids stood up shakily as I walked over to where they hade from and spoke onest time. I wanted these young women to rx a bit and not be so afraid of me, even though it was difficult.


    "We will meet again during the presentations, until then I count on you for your work and thank you in advance."


    With these words I left the room, not without seeing a few shy smiles appear on some faces.


    ______


    I finally entered the garden and went directly to the back pavilion where I could already hear theughter of my little moon. The telepathy with Kira was already effective and as I crossed the garden quickly, Shiro dressed this time in an adorable pink dress, was already running towards me.


    "Mommy !!!"


    "Hey sweetie !"


    My little girl had her arms outstretched and her beautiful white hair was flying in the wind supporting her bright face. Catching her as she ran, I spun her around for a few seconds getting her feet off the ground before giving her a motherly, almost smothering hug.


    "Hihihihi~"


    Shiroughed and her giggles warmed my heart.


    [Hello little Shiro !]


    "Hello aunty Kira !"


    Hugging her, I ced a light kiss on her forehead as I walked over to my wife who was looking at us with a smile. Gaya was dressed in a simple white dress and as Iid our little moon on the ground, I kissed the dragoness'' forehead as I asked her a question.


    "My love, tell me, are you not tired anymore ?"


    I had learned from Lia that she had been up all night without ever resting. This information had made me both very happy and very worried.


    "No everything is fine, I rested with our little Princess while you spent hours in the big imperial bath hehe~"


    My wifeughed shyly as I sat down next to her and took Shiro on myp before answering her.


    "I had to get rid of all this dirt and blood but that''s not the point. Gaya...you''re pregnant. You can''t afford to miss hours of sleep or exhaust yourself like you did. This is just the beginning of your pregnancy so I don''t think there are any problems but in the future, don''t ever do that again okay ?"


    I was very serious and even though the intention and the act had touched me deeply, I didn''t want Gaya to endanger her health as well as that of our unborn baby.


    "But I''m fine, I''m..."


    "Don''t do that again, okay ?"


    My soft voice had be more authoritative as I couldn''t bear the thought of anything happening to them. My wife was pregnant and I wanted to keep her safe at all costs. If she wanted to stop working for 4 months and do nothing, I would wee that decision with enthusiasm and joy. All I wanted was for Gaya to have the best conditions throughout the pregnancy and staying up all night outside was not one of them.


    "I..yes you''re right, I should have at least gotten a few hours of sleep. I couldn''t..couldn''t help but worry about you and..anyway, I''m sorry..."


    "Mommy ?"


    Shiro looked at us in turn without really understanding what was going on. Grabbing Gaya''s hand, I squeezed it in mine before kissing her this time on the cheek.


    "I apologize too, I didn''t mean to sound harsh. I just don''t want anything to happen to you, even the smallest problem, I''m obsessed with it.."


    As we looked into each other''s eyes tenderly, our little girl spoke up again in her sweet, adorable little voice.


    "So actually you both worry about each other. That''s good, isn''t it ? You have to smile, that''s why we''re a family !"


    *The truthes out of the mouths of children huh ? Totally yes haha~*


    Gaya and I were impressed by Shiro''s ability to sum up the situation, which made usugh again. Kira, who had been silent until now, took advantage of this peaceful moment to greet my wife.


    [Hello Gaya, happy to see that you are doing well]


    "Hello little Kira, thank you very much, you are always so nice."


    [How are you doing ?]


    "Very well, I''m so happy to finally be able to spend time with all of you."


    My little sister and wife were chatting quietly while my daughter was freestyling a song, obviously in her own little world. The sun was shining high in the sky and the soothing sound of the waves mixed with the sea air made me feel like I was on vacation. As I was looking at the sea from the pavilion, Shiro''s warm hand suddenly came to rest on my cheek, bringing me out of my dreams.


    "Mommy...look over there.."


    My little Moon whispered as she pointed with her little finger to a bird''s nest. There was what appeared to be the male, the female and the chicks. Shiro looked at the little nest that had been built on the ceiling beams of the pavilion and couldn''t help but smile. My little moon was still on myp and it was her turn to dream.


    "The two moms are taking care of the babies so that they can grow up strong, fit and soar into the sky...I.."


    Shiro had deduced that they were two females and as she paused in her sentence, her gaze turned to me before asking me a question.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Mommy...do you..do you think one day I could fly too ?"


    Her eyes glistened as she waited for my answer and it was hard for me not to resist her absolutely adorable little chubby face. Stroking her hair gently, I smiled as I answered her.


    "Sweetie I don''t know. Anything is possible in a magical world, unfortunately I don''t know the answer to that question..."


    Shiro lowered her head with a slight sadness, looking disappointed as if one of her dreams had just disappeared. Not being able to stand her violet eyes which were the most beautiful when they sparkled with happiness, I stood up, taking her in my arms with a small smile in the corner.


    "You can''t fly yet...however..."


    Dropping those little feet back to the ground, I squatted down to her level before giving her a kiss on the forehead and speaking tenderly.


    "Close your eyes and stretch your arms out on either side of your body sweetie"


    "Li ..like this ?"


    Shiro didn''t really understand what was going on but did as I asked. Her pure white hair was flying in the wind and with her eyes closed, my little moon looked like a little sleeping Princess. She was beautiful, innocent and I couldn''t help but pause to admire her before continuing.


    "Is it okay you have your eyes closed ? "


    "Mmh promise mommy I''m not looking hihi~"


    Without warning I grabbed my little girl by the arms to get her feet off the ground.


    "You can''t fly now but I can do this !"


    "Wow !"


    My little moon let out a little cry of surprise as she could no longer feel the ground beneath her feet. I had put her on my shoulders and now my little moon towered over everyone with her height.


    [Onee-san, what are you doing ?]


    Gaya and Kira had stopped talking and seemed interested in what we were doing. With a mischievous smile, I replied with a chuckle.


    "I''m teaching my adorable daughter to fly kufufu~"


    Without waiting for any response, I began to run slowly through the small forest as Shiro had opened her eyes and was pping her arms like a bird. I couldn''t see her face but I already knew that it must be filled with an indescribable, warming, joyful sweetness.


    "Mommy ! This is beautiful ! Mom Gaya, aunty Kira look hihihi~ I''m flying !"


    Everything was absolutely perfect. Being with my wife, my little sister and my daughter filled me with a pure, sincere, genuine happiness that I thought I would never know.


    The afternoon was just beginning, the sun''s rays were shining through the trees in a magical atmosphere where theughter of the most adorable of children was echoing, making this ce my paradise.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 450


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 389


    Humans killed : 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 100 Love Of A Daughter, Love Of A Mother And Wife

    -- POV Shiro --


    Mommy carried me on her shoulders and I could see the world from a great height. My legs were still small, so being taller than my mommy felt weird. I felt like I could touch the sky, fly and not be a weak and tiny girl anymore.


    "Hihihi~"


    I couldn''t stopughing. Every sensation was new to me and everything I was experiencing felt like it was out of a dream. My little eyes could look far away and at that moment everything seemed even bigger.


    "Is this...is this how I''ll see around me as a grown-up ?"


    I had blurted out this question unintentionally and as I put my hands over my mouth, mommy''s voice answered.


    "Of course ! Then grow up fast to catch up with me sweetie !"


    Her voice was always soft, gentle and made me happy. Ever since Mommy had rescued me from my old home where the bad man was hitting me, I was so happy. Sometimes at night I would have nightmares and dream about that cold, silent, horrible ce. When this happened, when my body shook, I always felt warm and cold hands caressing my head with love. Mommy was always watching over me and protecting me even in my dreams.


    "Shiro, what''s wrong ?"


    As I was thinking this, Mommy pulled me down from her shoulders to hug me. I had stoppedughing and wagging my tail as I remembered my nightmares and she noticed.


    "I..."


    I didn''t want to worry Mommy, mom Gaya and aunty Kira with my problems. They were already so nice and I couldn''tin. Without answering, I shook my head as I looked at my mommy''s beautiful purple eyes that looked like mine. As I hugged her so she wouldn''t worry, her pleasant voice whispered in my ear.


    "If this is about your nightmares, you cane sleep with us anytime you want my little moon. You don''t need to hide your fears, you know Mommy will always be there for you..okay ?"


    Her hand gently caressed my hair and once again I felt my body warm up and tears well up in my eyes.


    "I''m fine mommy, I''m going to be as strong as you.."


    I definitely had to hold back my tears because strong people didn''t cry. As I sniffled in spite of myself, she spoke.


    "Sweetie look at me."


    I then raised my head slowly to look into her eyes again. I knew some grown-ups were afraid of them but I found them beautiful, magical and soothing. Wiping away the small tears of joy that ran down my cheek, she smiled tenderly before asking me a question.


    "Do you want to know a secret ?"


    "Mmh !"


    "When I found out Mom Gaya was pregnant...I cried too but shhh. You keep that secret to yourself okay ? Crying doesn''t mean being weak or less brave, especially if it''s out of joy. However, if someone dares to make you sad, I will smash their head into the ground...err...I mean I will deal with that person."


    As she winked at me, I could feel Mommy''s arms wrap around me before I felt her singr smell and warmth again. Had she been crying not long ago ? Could mommy cry too ? I couldn''t believe what she had told me as a smile appeared on my face. I snuggled into her embrace happier than ever, my tail having started to wag again.


    "I...I love you mommy...thank you.."


    She always knew what was wrong even when I didn''t want to say it so as not to bother them. Mommy was amazing, beautiful, kind, strong and I still hadn''t given up on bing like herter.


    "Me too my sweet little moon. Come on, let''s go back and join them, it''s almost time to eat !"


    "Mmh yes ! I''m very hungry hihi~"


    Soft and cold lips rested on my cheek making me shiver but giggle. We had gone to the end of the garden and around the trees we couldn''t see mom Gaya anymore. My stomach was starting to talk and I knew I was hungry now.


    *Wait a little longer, mommy always says that patience is important !*


    As we walked back under the beautiful stone building, on the table there was plenty of good food. The grown-up people who were taking care of our house, had ced our meal on the table and were waiting for our return.


    "Your Highness, we have taken care to bring you the simple meal that you asked to Chef Irrena in the kitchen. There are sandwiches, snacks, tea, eggs, meat and for dessert cupcakes and pie."


    As the bunny-eareddy exined what was there, I could feel my stomach still talking and my mouth salivating with envy. It all sounded so good and even spotting what I was craving the most I didn''t know where to start.


    "Alright, thanks Lia you can go back to your work or go get some rest. You all know where to find me if there''s a problem, otherwise I''ll be back byte afternoon !"


    "Hai ! Your Highness, Queen Gaya-sama, Princess Shiro, I take my leave."


    I hoped that Lady Lia would go and eat such good things as we did during her meal. As I waved my hand, I turned back to mommy who was seating me at the table.


    "Say mommy, why isn''t she eating with us ?"


    She was nice and it was always her or Lady Triss who brought me home from school and took care of me so I was always happy when my moms were away.


    [That''s right, onee-san ! You could have asked her ! It''s not such a bad idea my lovely little niece ! I would have loved to see her eat with her adorable little ears aaw.]


    "Hihi~"


    Aunty always made meugh because she always seemed to be talking nonsense ording to Mommy. I couldn''t see her but I was sure that if she had been with us, Mommy would have pinched her nose.


    As she looked up at the skies, Mommy turned to me and exined.


    "Well, I think Lia has work to do not to mention that she would probably be far too embarrassed to stay by our side. On the other hand, maybe one day why not, right Gaya ?"


    "Of course ! If our adorable little girl wants to it''s totally possible haha~"


    It was Mama Gaya''s turn to wink at me with a smile as Mama sat down between the two of us to eat. The meal was about to begin and it was moments like this that I loved the most in my new and beautiful life.


    ____


    -- POV Gaya --


    Our meal was almost over and the atmosphere under that stone pavilion was dangerously adorable. I had been watching Freya and Shiro for a while now and I couldn''t take my eyes off of them. They were chatting with Kira, our daughter was smiling like an angel and my wife was looking at her with this indescribable sweetness in her eyes. I felt like I was watching the scene in slow motion and their voices echoed in my head like a happy and innocent echo.


    *Shiro is right, this is happiness...*


    The war that had taken ce during the night had stressed me a lot, but that was all in the past now. I didn''t know if it was due to our special bond, but it was impossible for me to rest. It was as if my soul forbade me to do so and my heart at that moment was beating only for my wife. It was inexplicable but at that moment an innate desire to join her had invaded me all night. Was it an effect of our pact ? While I was wondering, Freya''s voice addressing Shiro brought me back to reality.


    "Sweetie, be careful when you eat, look you got it all over your mouth kufufu~"


    My wife tenderly wiped our daughter''s pie-filled lips while Kira, ever so yful, showed her displeasure by pretending to be disappointed.


    [Yet it''s so cute ! Why did you remove it onee-san ?? sniff]


    "Hihi~ Aunty Kira, I''m a Princess so I have to eat like a grown up !"


    Hearing these words, Freya smiled teasingly, answering her little sister.


    "Ara ara~ would my daughter be more reasonable than you, little sister ?"


    [Wh...hmpf !]


    "Hihihi~ yummy !"


    How could I watch this scene without smiling ? The beautiful ck-haired she-wolf made my heart beat a little more every day, and this adorable little child who was our daughter did the same. Now I knew Kira well and just like her older sister I wanted to help her enjoy our family time. Freya, Shiro and Kira were my family, the only people I could give my life for without hesitation and whom I trustedpletely.


    *You are part of our family too...*


    I caressed my belly with tenderness as I smiled, unable to hide my overwhelming happiness. I hadn''t even touched the piece of pie on my te because I was so absorbed in my feelings. As my wife ced the white napkin on herp and let our daughter eat, she turned to me.


    "My love, aren''t you eating ? Yet it''s delicious !"


    "Yes...I was just...telling myself that I am happy haha~"


    I was still a little shy with her despite everything that had happened between us. Without responding, Freya leaned in to kiss me passionately. Her tongue was soft and sweet, it made me meltpletely and I could taste the divine taste of the dessert prepared by the chef of the manor. Separating us, my wife licked her lips while answering me with a smile I knew all too well.


    "See ? I told you it was delicious.."


    That smile always made me blush as I knew full well what was going through my wife''s mind at that moment. Without giving me time to answer, she leaned into my ear discreetly to make me blush more.


    "But you know what baby ? This is far from my favorite food kufufu~"


    My wife always called me "baby" when she was excited and I could feel my ears and face heating up. Just as I thought I heard another embarrassing phrase, Freya straightened up with a giggle, satisfied that she had teased me.


    "You sly wolf hehe~"


    I loved her, I adored her, I lived only for her, her smile, herughter, her teasing...she was my soul mate and even her ruthlessness made me dream. A small tear rolled down my cheek as I gently kicked her in the ribs and giggled. Our little girl who had stopped eating had raised her head and was looking at us.


    "Mom Gaya ? Are you crying with joy or did someone mess with you ?"


    Her worried look was absolutely adorable and her puffy pink cheeks made me want to cuddle her all day. Shiro was as adorable, innocent, caring as ever and always knew in spite of herself how to ease our minds.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "No everything is fine sweetheart, they are tears of joy.."


    I had reached up to kiss her cheek when suddenly a sentence I wasn''t expecting at all, came out of her delicate little mouth.


    "Anyway, if someone makes you cry, mommy will go and smash his head into the ground hihi~"


    *Huh ?*


    While Shiroughed innocently without really knowing what she had said, the pavilion had be silent. I was the first to speak up to ask our daughter a question even though the answer seemed more than obvious to me.


    "Where...where did you learn to say such a thing Shiro ?"


    The little moon in front of me didn''t answer and tilted her head not even having understood what I was talking about. Looking up suspiciously at my wife, I could for the first time see her slightly embarrassed. Freya was scratching the back of her head with a guilty look on her face, looking at the sea in the distance as if nothing had happened.


    [Pffffhaha~]


    Kira burst outughing, unable to hold back any more at such an ironically funny situation. Even though I was eager to do the same, I continued to look at my wife with squinted and threatening eyes. Crossing my arms in displeasure, I addressed her directly.


    "Freya ! I hope you n to correct your mistake don''t you ?"


    The Empress, who was described everywhere in the Empire as cold as ice, stood before me embarrassed and guilty. Of course the situation was not serious, but seeing her for the first time ashamed of having taught our daughter such words, amused me. As I tried to hide my smile, I stared at Freya as she approached Shiro.


    "My little moon, you mustn''t say words like that. I made a mistake using it earlier, remember ? You should rather say that I would take care of them instead of talking about smashing people into the ground. Those violent words, you shouldn''t say them so young, okay ?"


    "Mmmh okay mommy !"


    As my wife sighed in relief, it was my turn to burst outughing. For once I was the one who had teased her and now she was the one who was cute despite her fake angry face.


    "Haha~ I wasn''t really angry but I must say it was pretty funny pfff~"


    [Onee-san to be honest...it was hrious ! hahahihi~]


    I could see Freya grumble slightly but deep down I knew she wasn''t offended. As everyone smiled andughed under the hot afternoon sun, Shiro spoke in her small voice almost humming.


    "It would be nice if the whole city could eat,ugh, have fun all together like the first festival you took me to mommy. With the firewooks...no...fairyworks ? I don''t remember but I''m talking about the bright flowers in the sky that went "boom" !!"


    Again her little purple eyes glowed as she recalled the night that changed her life and ours. As I was thinking, Freya suddenly stood up to speak.


    "You''re right sweetie ! It''s decided, we''re going to have a huge festival in the Empire. We haven''t even weed the neers yet, nor have we properly celebrated the victory or announced your pregnancy ! Let''s n an amazing party !"


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Gender: Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Major Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength : 425


    Defense : 421


    Agility : 435


    Stamina : 428


    Speed : 427


    Intelligence : 425


    Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 450


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 389


    Humans killed : 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)

 Chapter 101 Surprise And Changes I

    -- POV Freya --


    The meal in the garden had gone divinely well despite my little vocabry mistake that had obviously made everyoneugh. Gaya had gone for a nap with Shiro and I was alone in the middle of my private training ground.


    *Yosh ! It''s finally time to find out about all these new updates to the system. I have some time before I have to order the party preparation*


    I had indeed decided that the Empire would hold some sort of big festival in town to wee the neers, meet them and allow everyone to rx. On the other hand, only my family knew about Gaya''s pregnancy and I also wanted to use this moment to officially announce it to our citizens.


    [It shouldn''t take too long. Why don''t you start with your attribute points ? You always do it this way]


    *It''s true. I currently have 450, which is a lot. Let''s start with that*


    ___


    Strength: 425 > 500


    Defense: 421 > 500


    Agility: 435 > 506


    Stamina: 428 > 503


    Speed: 427 > 502


    Intelligence: 425 > 500


    ____


    Still following the usual pattern, I distributed my attribute points almost equally. Thus, the number had risen to 500 almost everywhere except for the charisma, which was blocked at 410 and which I could not change. While I expected to feel some changes, nothing happened and an unexpected notification rang in my head.


    -- PING --


    [ The number for each of your attributes has exceeded 500 points. So 90 extra points are added to "Charisma" ]


    I had barely finished reading the message when my body finally began to change.  Unlike the other times, I took my original form without being able to control what was happening, tearing my clothes. My fur was bristling, hard as steel and a ferocious growl came out of my mouth unconsciously. A powerful light, this time white and ck, enveloped me as I felt my body grow everrger. My horns, my hair were growing, my fangs were getting longer and I could feel my face changing. My paws were getting bigger, my ws were getting sharper and my tail was thicker than before.


    *Eh...*


    Unlike thest time I didn''t feel much change in my attributes, but maybe that was due to my current form. My growling had stopped and as I slowly regained control of my body, a notification rang in my mind.


    -- PING --


    [ Congrattions ! You have just partially evolved, having reached more than half of the levels necessary for full evolution and surpassed 500 points in your attributes ]


    [ Your race : Major Demon bes a unique race given by the system : Imperial Demon ]


    I couldn''t quite figure it out, but I was indeed at level 36 out of 70, which must have triggered the phenomenon. I was dizzy, my head was spinning and I couldn''t handle my new body. I had grown and was now about 4 meters tall, so my center of gravity was not the same. As Iy down to calm my body, Kira''s voice came again.


    [It seems that you have reached a stage where some kind of small evolution outside of your race is happening. Your charisma has evolved so you should also have changed slightly physically]


    *Uurg it shook me up ! It was unexpected and obviously the damn system couldn''t even prevent a little tsk*


    I criticized the system but deep down I was happy that I could evolve even partially. Evolution meant power and I never had enough to protect my Empire and my family. As I rose to my feet in my wolf form, the hard earthen floor cracked as I felt an immense force tingle through my body.


    *It''s...it''s still nice but far from practical. Note to myself, always do the changes outside !*


    I wanted to get back into my human form to check my other changes, so creating ice walls around me as usual, I quickly got dressed. Several changes immediately stood out to me as I began to inspect my naked body out of sight. I hadn''t grown, but my hair was now almost up to my knees, which wasn''t practical at all. My pink skin had lightened slightly and I could feel my horns which were alsorger in this form too.


    *I don''t have a mirror but I''m curious to know what changed on my face*


    There must have been something more because I did feel a tingling under my eyes as if marks had suddenly appeared.


    [I can''t help you with that but I have to admit I''m just as intrigued !]


    As I nodded my head slowly, I quickly put on my change of clothes.


    *It would be nice if I could find a way to not rip my clothes every time I transform. Tsk, that''s really not practical...*


    I had finally finished getting dressed and it was time to review the notifications I had receivedst night. The first were about the skills that had gone up in level without changing and there were three of them.


    [ Pain Resistance skill went up to level 4 ]


    [ The skill Bite of Hell has gone up to level 6 ]


    [ Ice Creation skill increased to level 6 ]


    The increase in Pain Resistance and Bite of Hell could be exined by the fact that I had used my wolf form for the first time in a while. I had also been wounded by Sarah in the belly and although quickly healed, my resistance had increased again.


    *I guess it''s good not to forget sometimes that you''re not totally invincible*


    [That''s true ! Anyway, your Ice Creation skill has gone up to level 6, but I don''t think there''s anything that changes. That''s because of the Mana Detection skill evolution, I think you can continue without dwelling on those three too much]


    I was still in the middle of my now cracked training ground as I scrolled through the other notifications that remained to be checked. There weren''t many as most of them were about my leveling up but they were all wee.


    [ Frozen Wrath skill is now level 2 ]


    I had first unlocked it when my anger had overtaken me in Yarlford Manor and I had no control over it. At least for the moment, because the fact that it was now level 2 meant that I was slowly getting the hang of it.


    *When I killed Sarah and John, I didn''t activate my Frozen Wrath domain but it''s true that at one point I almost did. I felt a shockwave go through me and if I hadn''t suppressed it, they would have died impaled on ice spikes*


    This skill was linked to another passive I also possessed: "natural aura of the Ice Empress" which represented my anger gauge. Last night when I had heard John insulting Gaya and Shiro or when I had announced the sins of these two humans, this gauge had almost exploded.


    [What helped you control yourself at that time ?]


    *My desire to kill them in pain and desperation. I''m sure that where they are now, their souls are still suffering*


    That overwhelming urge to make them pay had been the only reason I repressed that explosion inside me. I had not wanted to give them this opportunity because none of them deserved it in my eyes. At that moment, only suffering and death was their way out, leading directly to Hell.


    [Mmh I see. After all it''s a way like any other to calm down haha~ Anyway ! Onee-san continue, I think you''re getting to important notifications]


    *Hai hai~*


    [ The skill Detecting mana has evolved to Detection and control of mana ]


    [ Detection and control of man skill upgraded to level 5 (new information avable) ]


    The morning after my wedding, I unlocked this skill for the first time by sensing the mana around me. It was very handy because I could create anything, the only barrier being my imagination.


    *I wonder what changed this time. Kira, can you please open the details of the skill ?*


    [Hehe~ right away onee-san !]


    [ Detection and control of mana - a skill that allows you to sense and see the mana around you. As the level increases, you will develop a great deal of control over your surroundings. Thanks to your "ice creation" skill that allows you to use the mana around you, you can now control your creations to perfection and make them move ]


    *Huh ?*


    I didn''t expect such a thing at all. The system talked about controlling my creations to perfection, but what did he mean by that ? I had to try. As I was about to create something, Kira''s voice echoed in my mind.


    [Onee-san is great ! It''s a kind ofbination of your "Ice Creation" and your "Mana Detection". All the things you create can move without using MP. It''s different from your attack and defense skills because the ambient mana is still used but it''s more than amazing ! ]


    I couldn''t really understand. Didn''t my ice skills move already ? It was easy for me to direct my ice spikes, it was instinctive and innate to all elemental users with ranged attacks. Kira seemed particrly amazed as I sat on the ground to test this new ability.


    *Let''s see...something that can move ?*


    My first idea was to create a stick and put it on the ground. I had to concentrate to make it move and as I stared at it intensely, it went to nt itself in a surrounding tree destroying it instantly.


    [No no onee-san not like that ! You can direct your creation but what you are doing is not making it move. Will you allow me to show you ?]


    *Of course*


    My little sister could use my skills just like me because we didn''t share the same soul but the same body and mind. She had be silent because her mastery required a lot of concentration due to the fact that she didn''t practice often. As I waited patiently, a small ice snake appeared on the ground before me.


    *It''s...*


    [Shhh !]


    *...*


    Kira was focused and for the first time she was the serious one. After a few more seconds of waiting, I could finally see the little ice snake undte and then move and advance like a real one. Before my eyes the ice hade to life and I was fascinated by what I saw, unable to turn my head away. Suddenly, the snake disappeared while my little sister spoke again.


    [Fiuu here ! Now you can move your creations and almost give them life. I say almost because the second your mind goes nk, the effect stops automatically. I have a hard time doing it intuitively, but you should be able to move a lot of things with your experience and intelligence without too much trouble]<novelnext></novelnext>


    *It''s crazy !*


    [See I told you so hehe~]


    What Kira had shown me and exined to me was totally amazing and once again opened a door to many possibilities. I was able to give movement to my ice and without further ado I closed my eyes to concentrate. I imagined a small bird in my hand before I felt the mana form smoothly. As I opened my eyes, what I had imagined in my mind was now in the palm of my hand.


    *So far so good*


    Now I had to try to animate it as Kira had shown me.


    [Concentrate. Just like when you created it, imagine it moving anding to life little by little in your mind]


    My little sister helped me, encouraged me and suddenly the ice bird started to p its wings, at first with difficulty, then better and better, and finally started to fly around me. He was very small so as time went by, he looked like a normal and happy bird. He didn''t make a sound but the way he moved, his gestures and his behavior was perfect.


    *It''s...*


    [Thanks to your intelligence, your mind automatically links what you know about the animal to reproduce perfect movements on your own. I think this is what the system meant by controlling your creations with perfection]


    *Which means that without my current intelligence points, I wouldn''t even be able to do this without mentally exhausting myself*


    [Exactly]


    As I was thinking while making the bird disappear, another incredible idea popped into my head. I didn''t know if it would work but it was worth a try. So I stood up still in the middle of the training ground with haste and excitement.


    *Kira, is it possible to make ice appear from my body ?*


    [I... I don''t know but theoretically it should be possible. If you use the ambient mana and mix it with your own, I think you should be able to manipte it that way. Why ?]


    *You''ll see*


    As I closed my eyes once again after taking a deep breath, I concentrated. I entered a state of maximum concentration using all my senses to achieve my goal. I could feel the mana around me moving, I could feel the mana in my body resonating with it as I imagined with the most precision what I wanted.


    [I don''t understand, what do you want to...]


    This had been going on for several minutes and Kira was getting impatient. She didn''t have time to finish her sentence when suddenly what I had been trying to achieve materialized. In my back, two huge light blue almost white wings appeared as I slowly opened my eyes. These wings were made of ice but contrary to appearances they were not heavy at all and even rather light. They stretched proudly behind my back, powerful, graceful almost worthy of an angel that I was far from being. The feeling of excitement kept building as I heard my little sister almost screaming.


    [Wings !]


    *Kira, I did it*


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength : 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance : 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence : 500


    Charisma : 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 389


    Humans killed : 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 102 Surprise And Changes II

    -- POV Freya --


    In my back, two identical and majestic ice wings had formed. I had imagined them to berge, light and at the same time powerful, so that they could carry me up into the sky. They must have been about 2 meters long and even though they were immobile for the moment, these wings could envelop mepletely by their size. My new creation had long ice feathers of a pure blue almost transparent. What struck me immediately was that the feathers were smooth but also looked like scales.


    Finally it was hard to determine if my wings were those of a bird or a demon. Above the wings and feathers, where they were supposed to unfold, there was a horn on each of them making them more terrifying. My long ck hair fell between these two wings and the contrast made me look more like a fallen angel.


    *Wonderful*


    Now that I had seeded, one thing was certain: the more time passed, the more I felt capable of doing anything. My limitless system was making me more and more powerful, making me unique, formidable and constantly evolving. While I was admiring my wings, a thought was running through my head.


    *Mmh I thought I would unlock a skill this way*


    [Maybe if you try to fly ? So far you''ve only created a "thing" that is no different than any other in the eyes of the system. To get there I think you need to find a use for your creation. For the moment these wings are only decoration, but if you manage to fly you should get a message from the system]


    Until now my wings had remained immobile and the first step was to make them move. Closing my eyes, I concentrated again as I imagined them as an extension of my own body. Again I used all my senses to be one with my creation as the mana in me surged. The more I concentrated, the more I felt a strange connection between the ice and my body. Just by imagining them in motion, I began to feel them moving in my back.


    *It''s...it''s special because I know they''re there, I can''t look at them and I can''t really feel them but these wings are part of me*


    The feeling was more than strange. It was like being aware of something, controlling it but not feeling anything...like that part of the body was asleep. These wings were not real members of my body, which exined this feeling. As I finally opened my eyes, at the same time my wings opened to their full length and size. At that moment, a great gust of wind came from this single movement and turned the dust of the ground.


    [They look powerful, will you try to fly ?]


    *Yes, I''ll try even if I don''t think I''ll seed right away*


    This feeling was new to me, not to mention the fact that I had never owned wings until today. Moving them slowly, I folded them towards me to touch them. I wanted to get to know them in detail before embarking on a potentially dangerous aerial exercise. So my fingers ran over the ice and to the touch these light blue wings were neither hot nor cold.


    *That''s interesting. Unlike my attack and defense creations, this ice I create with ambient mana has no temperature*


    [Didn''t you already notice that ?]


    *Yes, but I never really took the time to think about it*


    [Well, I think that''s because this ice doesn''te directly from your body but from the environment. Your whole being is born from ice and chaos which exins your skills ying on the temperature as well as your "Natural aura of the ice Empress" skill]


    *Mmh I see. If it''s not from my body then this ice is nothing more than an element without temperature...*


    As I answered Kira, my mind was working in the background to try flying for the first time. My wings began to p slowly and then more and more rapidly, turning the earth over in clouds of dust. I could feel my feet lift off the ground as I experienced this for the first time. The muffled sounds of pping wings could be heard on the training ground as I climbed carefully in a straight line into the sky. I moved slowly, very slowly, meter by meter as I concentrated on not falling.


    [Wow you almost got it right the first time, that''s perfect keep going !]


    I felt like a baby taking her first steps and my little sister''s words made me smile. I was making a lot of noise but it was due to my inexperience and by the time I reached 10 meters high I had already started to get used to it. My wings were now stirring the air keeping me still in the sky as I spoke.


    *It''s quite difficult at first but my mind manages to keep up without getting too tired. With practice I should be able to do it without thinking*


    [Tsk cheater haha~ That said it''s true that it''s pretty impressive, you''d have to master the move now]


    Kira was right, it was good to be able to go up in the sky but if I found myself unable to move, it was of little use. The theory was acquired, the idea was clear in my head but what about the practice ? I had no idea how to do it. However, I saw it as a challenge, a wall that I had to learn to cross alone and needless to say that this thought excited me.


    *Let''s practice !*


    ____


    I had been practicing my flying for several hours now. No one hade in yet, so I had been able to spend my afternoon concentrating.


    *Let''s see the result*


    I was above the training ground but this time much higher than my first attempt. I could see the entire Empire beneath my feet and after fighting off an unexpected vertigo, I could stand with dignity in the sky. My wings pped more quietly to keep me still and as I felt a gust of wind, I suddenly closed them to dive head first to the ground.


    [Don''t miss onee-san, your fall could very well destroy the manor]


    Kira warned me but I didn''t listen, I fell at an impressive speed and as the ground was getting dangerously close, my wings suddenly opened. With this one movement, I was rising thanks to the draughts before pping my wings to elerate. I was carried by the wind and the power of my pping, flying through the air, free and in my world. My wings still made a little noise but I was so fast that I didn''t even notice.


    *It''s incredible ! Kira look, we are flying !*


    In front of my little sister I couldn''t contain my excitement, I had practiced for hours and the result was amazing. I was flying in the skies as if no one could stop me and the sky was no longer a limit. When I was human, a fantasy like that was impossible and even when I came to this world I thought so. Today I had beautiful wings on my back making me twirl and flutter, the result of my hard and rigorous training.


    [Yes you did it !]


    I could hear Kira''s voice sounding just as excited as I was as I gentlynded on the ground. I wanted to fly for hours and hours more, unfortunately I had to finish my checks. I shouldn''t bete either because I had nned to join Gaya and Shiro.


    [Eh ? Why did you stop ?]


    At that moment my little sister''s voice seemed to sulk as I made my wings disappear. As they were gone, I couldn''t help but chuckle before answering her.


    *Haha~ I''ll have plenty of time to tryter, don''t worry. I spent all afternoon training, so I have to take care of the rest*


    [Mmh I know...I opened thest notifications for you to check by the way]


    *Thanks*


    I was going to stand against one of the trees going around the field to rest and learn more about a skill I was very intrigued by.


    [ Congrattions ! You have unlocked the skill : Master of Souls (lvl 1) ]


    [ A soul counter has been added to your status - souls 2/3 ]


    [ You now have the possibility to use them and increase your possibilities. It''s up to you to discover the many uses of this skill. Good luck ! ]


    Thanks to my Chaos element, which had reached level 5, I could now absorb living beings. Last night I had tried this new possibility by absorbing the twins June and May. From this action came this new skill called "Master of Souls" which was unknown to me.


    *Are there any details about this skill ?*


    [Yes, as always, but they won''t necessarily be of much help.]


    As Kira spoke these words, the skill window opened.


    [ Master of Souls - a skill that allows you to store souls, the number increasing with level. The souls of those you absorb are kept intact in a timeless ce waiting for you to release them. Find a living or dead body to release a soul. At that time they will automatically enter your system ]


    I read the words before my eyes and was silent. I didn''t expect this at all and even though I didn''t have all the answers, I was speechless again. I was obviously thinking about the twins but the first thing I said was not about them.


    *Kira...you...you think I could get you out with...this skill ?*


    My voice trembled slightly and my heart started to beat furiously at the thought. My little sister, who had been silent as well, answered me with the same trembling voice.


    [I... you''ll have to find a way to transfer me to this space but I think... yes, it''s possible]


    As I heard her pronounce this sentence, an immense happiness invaded me. Indeed Kira did not appear in the count of the souls that I had but this news was enough. I was getting closer and closer to the solution and I felt that I could keep my promise. I didn''t know what to say anymore, I was happy but mostly relieved for Kira who must have been too.


    *Little sister ! We are almost there !*


    At that moment I wanted to hug her but I couldn''t do it, I swore to myself that I would do it the day I was waiting for.


    [Y..yes onee-san...I...]


    As I thought, Kira who was usually excited, teasing and yful in nature was now calm, shy and emotional. Her voice was softer than usual and I could already imagine her face would have been adorable at that moment.


    After a few minutes of silence during which we did not speak but we understood each other, I finally spoke. I knew that Kira was much too shy about this and preferred to move on while she recovered from the information. We had plenty of time to talk about it afterwards anyway.


    *Um, so uh...if I understand what it says, June and May are still alive. They are probably like sleeping souls and don''t have a body shell anymore*


    [Y..yes, that''s right. So logically they could be reborn as any species you choose]


    *Interesting...but for the moment I don''t have anything at hand, so it''s impossible to free them. I don''t want to damage their souls when theye out either, so I have to be very careful*


    This new skill was a surprise, when I saw it appear in my system I thought it was a basic counter. I thought that these souls would give me EXP but in the end this skill was much more practical. Something also told me that I hadn''t discovered all the possibilities but that woulde with leveling up.


    [You don''t seem to be against having them here at all, onee-san. I thought you would think a little more about it since they were human]


    *Well, I don''t mind. If it had been John and Sarah I wouldn''t have even considered it but I think the twins deserve another chance. I happen to be able to give it to them and I would dly show them what they have been missing in their human lives*<novelnext></novelnext>


    That night, when they had shown signs of sincere regret, I had agreed to kill them painlessly. I had not given up on killing them because June and May had stille to capture and probably kill my people. The fact that I could offer them a second chance was totally fair because they had already paid for their sins. A new life would soon be avable for these twins.


    [Mmh I agree. Finally June and May will have experienced something a bit simr to you when you came to this world]


    *That''s true. Anyway I''m satisfied because today we learned a lot of positive things !*


    [Hihi~ yes]


    I had learned to move my ice creations, I could now fly, Kira''s liberation day was not far off, and the twins were still alive and ready to join my Empire. My afternoon dedicated to the system had been a real sess and as I stood up, I couldn''t help but smile.


    [I think I''ll leave you for a few hours, I suddenly feel exhausted by all this news]


    *Sure, rest well Kira*


    It was totally understandable after all that had happened. Walking slowly, I returned to the mansion to clean up before rejoining my family. As I opened the door carefully, the hurried faces of Lia and Triss suddenly appeared before me. With a sideways step, I dodged their heads that had missed hitting me in the chest while waiting to hear what they wanted to say.


    "Your..your Highness, forgive us !"


    The two half-human female butlers bowed before continuing as they finally looked up at me.


    "Wee to..."


    My eyes dipped into theirs and suddenly something unexpected happened again. At that moment, their cheeks turnedpletely red as Lia fainted and Triss managed to murmur a few words before she also fell unconscious.


    "Your...your face...a Goddess.."


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength : 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance : 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence : 500


    Charisma : 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 389


    Humans killed : 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 103 (R18) Lust In The Imperial Bath I

    -- POV General --


    Behind the doors of the great manor in the great hall, Lia and Triss were in the arms of Freya who had caught them before they crashed to the ground. The two half-humans were unconscious and their faces, at that moment childlike, were scarlet. The two soldiers guarding the throne room had witnessed the scene and were already rushing to help the she-wolf.


    "Empress !"


    As they reached the level of their Empress, the soldiers froze in ce after looking at her. Like Triss and Lia, they seemed mesmerized by the young woman before them, unable to move. With a thump of her heel on the ground, the she-wolf brought the two men out of their thoughts.


    "Forgive us !"


    The two grabbed the young women awkwardly before waiting for an order from Freya, still blushing.


    "Take them to their rooms and have someone take care of them. If there is an emergency I will be in my private quarters."


    "Hai !"


    As the two soldiers ran hurriedly carrying Triss and Lia, the Empress quickly headed upstairs where she could wash and observe her face. She didn''t know what had changed, but she would notice without too much trouble that the change was causing somemotion. Every person the she-wolf passed blushed and couldn''t stand still. Freya was quick to move through the corridors and did not greet people on her way, too eager to find out what was wrong. Soldiers, employees, section leaders, everyone seemed to freeze in front of the Empress almost unable to breathe.


    "What the hell is going on ?"


    The she-wolf mumbled these few sentences as she finally reached therge Imperial bath room. It was veryrge and in the middle was a huge pool of still steaming water ready for the imperial family. There were huge pirs reminiscent of Roman baths with stone steps to enter the water. On two of the walls of thisrge room were mirrors made of ice and ss. Freya, without looking anywhere else, walked to the nearest mirror wall to finally look at herself.


    "..."


    Just like the others before her, Freya was speechless at her new appearance. She hadn''t changed much, and yet her face looked so...perfect. Herrger horns were no longer just ck, but now had white lines drawn on them like a work of art, giving her a more demonic look. Freya''s ck hair still fell over her face in strands and those few white hairs shone as pure white as Shiro''s. The she-wolf''s eyebrows had be darker and the color of her violet eyes stood out even more. However, that color as bright as gems and as hypnotizing as a gxy was now enhanced by an almost invisible hint of red. But what made her gaze so prating, dangerous and beautiful were the tattoos that had appeared under her eyes.


    "Wow.."


    They were simple and manifested themselves in the form of spikes running down the middle of her cheek. These tattoos started from under her eyes, descending while narrowing to end in a spike. Freya had no idea why they had appeared but knew they were due to her partial evolution.


    "This is me...but at the same time not at all"


    The she-wolf was talking alone in this huge room as Kira had gone to rest and was standing speechless. She couldn''t take her eyes off of this young woman standing before her in the mirror. Her facial features were the same but everything had be so perfect, her smooth skin seemed unreal, her beautiful violet eyes shone differently raised by the tattoos and her mouth was incredibly attractive. When she looked at herself, Freya understood what Triss had meant by "Goddess". She was now unmistakable more than gorgeous.


    "I have to admit...it''s breathtaking !"


    The young woman facing the mirrors was now as beautiful as a Goddess. Her features were fine, harmonious, perfect and inhuman. She looked like a divine beast that had taken on human form, retaining her heavenly and indisputable presence. Freya was still as beautiful as she was terrifying, but this time her appearance was breathtaking, even to herself.


    "I mustn''t take too long.."


    It had been several minutes since the Empress had been frozen in her new appearance, but she still had to wash up to join Gaya and Shiro. As she straightened up and began to unbutton her shirt, therge front door opened and closed with a bang.


    "Freya !? I heard that Triss and Lia fainted and that you look different. The people in the manor are confused and shocked I didn''t quite understand but what happened ?"


    The Queen had entered the steam filled room and was looking for her wife while walking carefully. Her steps were slow and the dragoness looked around in hopes of catching a glimpse of Freya. She was passing between the pirs and heading towards one of the walls when the she-wolf''s voice rang out with an echo.


    "I''m here"


    From across therge room, the Empress called to her wife, who was now moving quickly toward her.


    "Are you all right ? I had a scare when..."


    Gaya had stopped in mid-sentence as she had just caught a glimpse of Freya''s reflection in the mirror. Seeing her with new changes no longer surprised her but this time it was different. Her wife was standing in front of her with her shirt unbuttoned, her abs protruding and her face of a heavenly beauty. As the dragoness held her mouth in surprise, her cheeks had turned as red as those in the manor before.


    "Your...your face !"


    "Yes haha~ it seems like there have been some small changes on my face. I..huh ?"


    ___


    -- POV Freya --


    While I was answering Gaya who had returned, she had suddenly approached before she started to touch my body. I could feel her fingers delicately running over my stomach, her hands trembling and without saying a word she grabbed my shirt to take it off.


    "My love ?"


    My wife still didn''t answer and as my top fell to the floor, her soft lips settled on my neck and then over my breasts. The more she touched me, the more I felt my desire and urge to touch her back rise. Our breaths were getting heavy but before I let go, I had to know one thing.


    "Gaya...where is Shiro ?"


    I didn''t want our little girl to inadvertently walk in while we were lost in our lust.


    "She...she...is ying outside with Kate. We have at least an hour.."


    My wife could barely get the words out and when I heard them, my hands grabbed her face to kiss her. My tongue explored her mouth, our breaths were hot, jerky and it was my hands'' turn to explore her body. Gaya was wearing the same white dress she had worn at lunchtime and as we kissed, I removed the buttons at the back to undress her. The fabric slid over her smooth body and without even opening my eyes, I removed her bra to grab her breasts.


    "Mmmh"


    My beautiful wife moaned into my mouth as I massaged her bare breasts, taking great care to pinch her sensitive nipples. She was squirming with pleasure which made me even hotter and even more eager to make her scream. I grabbed Gaya firmly by the hips and slid my right hand to her already soaked crotch without waiting.


    "Aaawwh !"


    Her lips were hot, burning and I could almost feel them throbbing.


    "Baby, you''re so horny.."


    My wife didn''t respond and as I began to lick her pink nipples, my fingers gently stroked her crotch. She had one hand over her mouth and was trying to hold back her moans as I passionately devoured her breasts and explored her intimacy over her panties.


    "Don''t hold back, moan for me my love !"


    As I uttered this phrase, my left hand suddenly squeezed her buttocks with vigor, tearing Gaya into a scream of ecstasy.


    "Aaawh not...yes mmh !"


    Her back arched and I could feel her panties getting even wetter with her juices. Lifting the dragoness by her buttocks as she put her legs around my waist, I pinned her back against a pir in the room.


    "Honey.."


    My wife was surprised but without answering, I lifted her higher to have her crotch at the level of my face. Licking my lips with envy, I raised my eyes to look at her eyes as she trembled with excitement. She was red, her eyes full of love and lust, her breathing heavy, her nipples erect and waiting for only one thing, that I start to enter my tongue in her.


    "You seem to want it very much kufufu~"


    "Y...yes.."


    "Baby, ask me in your cute naughty voice"


    I loved teasing her and while I expected to hear her almost beg me, she herself was dipping my head into her thighs.


    "Shut up and make me cum honey"


    Without further ado, smiling, I removed her panties with my teeth as I couldn''t use my hands. In front of me gleamed my wife''s private parts, beautiful, pink and appetizing. As I gave my first lick, her intoxicating juice entered my mouth like a sweet syrup.


    *I can''t...*


    Without warning, I suddenly thrust my tongue deep into her warm cave, exploring every nook and cranny with passion. The deeper I went, the more Gaya''s moans turned into a cry of love.


    "Y..yes...aaawh~...like this mmmh !!"


    I couldn''t stop myself. Gaya''s voice sounded like sweet music in my ears and I enjoyed giving her as much pleasure as I could. Her body was shaking more and more, her voice was getting louder and more sing-songy as she cum quickly.


    "Mmmh fuck...I..I''m already cumming..aaaaawwh !"


    Gently pulling my head back from her thighs, my mouth soaked with her juices, I looked up to see her sweaty face. A trickle of drool was running down her mouth and her eyes were elsewhere, ssy and absolutely sexy. Gaya''s chest kept rising and falling rapidly, her breath still jerky and ragged.


    "Freya.."


    Dropping her to the floor again, I held my wife still by the hips so she wouldn''t copse. Her legs were shaking and didn''t seem to be able to support her anymore as I grabbed her buttocks firmly sending shivers through her body again.


    "Did you like that ?"


    I leaned into her ear and whispered those few words with a satisfied smile on my face. My breath was warm and as I ran my tongue over her neck, her weak voice answered.


    "It was...it was so good..mmh"


    Gaya''s hands were beginning to unbutton my pants as she still moaned, stimted by my fangs and tongue. Her neck was running with shivers and I couldn''t help but once again make her mine by marking her. It was strange, I was in a trance, intoxicated, absorbed by her smell, her skin and her warmth. As my equally soaked pants and panties fell to the floor, I didn''t give my wife time to do anything and suddenly turned her around.


    "Honey ?"


    Gaya had her hands stered against the pir and her sexy buttocks was now facing me, much to my delight. Again, my hand was sliding between those legs, passing from the front between the pir and her belly. I then pressed my naked body to her buttocks to keep her from moving as I began to lick and bite her ear again.


    "Baby, you are so sexy and hot..."


    "Fre...Freya.."


    I couldn''t see her face because it was hidden behind her hands, but I could feel her hips unconsciously moving back and forth to direct my hand.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Tell me what you want. Tell me what you would like your wife to do to you."


    As I whispered these words to her, my pelvis followed her movements very slowly to excite her further. I knew my wife wanted me to fuck her and I wanted to very much, but I also wanted her to ask me.


    "I...mmmh."


    Gaya couldn''t speak, she was out of breath, excited and in ast ditch effort her voice answered.


    "I...please...I beg you...take...take me right now ! Make me cum again !"


    Her words were clear, precise and pleading. My desire kept rising as a wave of shudder ran through my crotch once again. My wife waspletely submissive to me, I liked it...I loved it and it was time for me to give her more.


    "What a good girl you are. You deserve a reward don''t you ? kufufu~"


    "Y..yes please..aaawh"


    Bringing my lips close to hers, I kissed her passionately as I had an idea in mind. Our tongues intertwined with lust and Gaya couldn''t see what was quietly forming in my left hand.


    *Aah I can''t wait*


    I had just created an ice dildo, neither cold nor hot, long enough for me to prate Gaya while also pleasuring myself. Still discreetly, I gently pushed one end inside me not without moaning and grunting with pleasure.


    "Mmhmh !"


    My wife sensed something was going on and as we parted with a trickle of drool, she tried to turn around. I didn''t want her to get out of my grip because I didn''t want her to see what wasing. I wanted to surprise her and as I grabbed her hands to lock them behind her back, her face stuck to the pir.


    "Shh patience, don''t move I''ll give you what you want"


    The part of the dildo that wasn''t inside me, dangled like a real male member as I began to rub it against the wet and aroused lips of my dragoness.


    "Wha..."


    Gaya was surprised but I could feel her breathing quicken even more at the thought of being prated by something other than my fingers. Her crimson hair fell over her bare back and her bouncy buttocks rubbed my lower belly.


    "T-take me !"


    The dragoness couldn''t wait any longer as she rubbed faster and faster on my fake cock, drawing more muffled grunts from me.


    "Aaawwh.."


    Positioning myself well behind her and grabbing both of her firm buttocks, I was now ready to take my wife, to fuck her for hours and as wildly as she would like.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength : 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance : 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence : 500


    Charisma : 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 389


    Humans killed : 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 104 (R18) Lust In The Imperial Bath II

    -- POV Gaya --


    A few minutes ago, I had arrived in therge bathroom to find Freya, who seemed to have made quite an impression on the mansion staff. I hadn''t nned to stay long, but when I saw her face my heart missed a beat. My wife had captivated me by her appearance alone. She had changed and at that moment, the only thing I wanted was for her to make love to me. It was like a bodily and animal reaction that was triggered by the mere sight of her.


    I was now against the pir, naked and waiting impatiently for the next part. I hadn''t gotten a good look, but it seemed that Freya was carrying something that would make us both happy. My heart rate had quickened and I could feel her long member rubbing against my private parts. I wanted my wife to prate me, I wanted her to take me like she never had before and I wanted her to fill that private ce that belonged only to her.


    "T-take me !"


    As I uttered this phrase, I could feel her reach behind me and firmly grab my buttocks. This part of my body was very sensitive and with each of her touches, jolts of pleasure ran between my thighs.


    "Baby, I''m going.."


    I began to feel her fake cock spreading my lips to prate my vagina little by little. The sensation was totally different from when she put her fingers in and as half of it was in, with a thrust of her hip Freya filled mepletely.


    "Aaaaawh !"


    With that movement, my face was pressed against the pir as I felt my wife gently move back and forth. She was panting and seemed to be enjoying the sensation as I bit my lips and concentrated on not cumming. Each stroke of her hips was divine and the idea of being connected to her was enough to make me tingle with desire.


    "Mmmh"


    Freya''s husky voice echoed through the room and my moans could no longer be stifled. Her hands were squeezing my sensitive buttocks which were sending shocks of pleasure through me more. My wife didn''t stop, she ravaged me from the inside with power, driven by a primal desire. Her hip thrusts became faster and faster, aggressive and in spite of me I shouted her name invaded by an indescribable pleasure.


    "Fre...Freya ! Don''t stop ! Yees ! Aaaawh !"


    The fake cock was pping the bottom of my vagina even harder and we could hear the sound of my buttocks pping against her thighs. My mouth was dry, my body was boiling and my hair was a mess but I didn''t care. At that moment, Freya was taking me violently against the stone pir like the wild, insatiable wolf that she was. I felt trapped, like a helpless animal fucked by a ferocious beast. I could almost see her fangs appear and feel her eyes glow with a lustful, hungry, savage gleam staring back at me as I offered myself to her.


    "More...mmh..faster...aaawh"


    "Aaaarrgww !"


    My wife''s grunts grew louder and as she obeyed and sped up again, my mind went nk. Intense pleasure coursed through my body, I wanted more, I wanted to be dominated by the Empress. Freya was a strong, inspiring, intense, terribly attractive and dangerously sexy young woman. That constant strength that emanated from her, her confidence and passion was driving me crazy.


    "Baby..I..I''m gonna cum."


    As I neared orgasm, my wife uttered this phrase with a jerky breath. I could feel her fangs graze my neck then bite it as I responded with more difficulty.


    "Aaah ! Me...me too ho..honey !"


    Our bodies were naked, the bandages covering Freya''s chest had fallen off and we were both about to cum. My neck was marked, my vagina savagely taken and our thoughts were focused only on this wonderful moment. We were lost in our world of lust and as my wife pushed onest time with vigor, spams shot through my body.


    "Aaaaawwmmh !"


    "Aaaaaafggh !"


    I had just cum at the same time as she held me in her strong arms, enjoying every second of this moment. Our breaths were still jerky and as the artificial member pulled out, I could feel a huge amount of juice running down my leg. I was breathless, shaky, happy but still not satisfied.


    Then I turned slowly to look at my wife, I saw her bending down. She knelt down in front of me before running her tongue gently along my soaked thigh. New shivers were running through me as I instinctively grabbed her head without even realizing it.


    "Oh~? It seems my wife isn''tpletely satisfied yet"


    Freya''s soft, still somewhat dominant and teasing voice could be heard as she stood up, licking her beautiful lips. My eyes were plunged into hers and once again her face carried me away. These new markings that had appeared out of nowhere gave her an air of sovereignty, dominance, and when she let her canines show, I felt my heart pounding. Her gaze today was even more prating for some unknown reason and I could almost feel my soul being sucked in by its intensity. Every time this she-wolf touched me or kissed me, I almost became another person, discovering desires I didn''t even know I had.


    "I..."


    Without giving me time to answer, my wife was kissing me passionately again. I felt her hard belly and her breasts sticking to mine still blocking me against the pir. Her tongue surveyed my mouth with sweetness and ferocity and her hands slid once again towards my crotch. The kiss was divine, full of desire and love, her hair caressing my face as Freya licked my lips, biting them and intensifying our kiss.


    "Mmmh"


    A low moan rose from my throat as I felt her fingers slide over my wet lower lips. Just as I expected to feel them enter me, Freya broke our kiss to suddenly show me her sticky fingers.


    "You''re still so horny my love kufufu~"


    As she said this, a smirk appeared on her beautiful face as my wife began to stroke my mouth with those same fingers. Freya then looked at me with eyes that still made me shudder. That arresting, dominating gaze and that teasing smile made me melt and dictated my actions. Without thinking, I would take her hand to suck on her fingers and clean them of my own juice.


    "Ouh~ what a naughty girl we have there !"


    Freya''s words made me blush but for some reason I wanted to make it right. Despite myself, I found it exciting to be dominated and the thought of being punished made me even wetter. I wanted to obey, I wanted to feel owned and I wanted to excite my wife as she excited me with her presence alone.


    ___


    -- POV Freya --


    My wife was in front of me and had started to suck on my fingers in a very sensual and exciting way. Her tongue curled between them as her mouth began to move back and forth, awakening my bestial instincts. Gaya was perfect, so beautiful, so submissive that without letting her finish I directed her head towards my crotch always provided with the dildo. Without dy and knowing what she had to do, the dragoness was on her knees and I could see the other end of my fake cock enter her mouth.


    "Oooh"


    I couldn''t really feel her mouth but I could perfectly feel the back and forth moving the other end inside me. Gaya was looking at me while giving me some sort of blow job and her amber eyes filled with desire seemed to be waiting for me to praise her. Her mouth couldn''t take it all in but as I grabbed her head with my hands, I pushed the cock further in.


    "Aaaaaahg"


    A new moan turning into a growl came from my mouth as I rocked my head back enjoying all the sensations. I could hear my wife making absolutely lewd throat noises and felt her rhythm elerate. She was so damn good and at that moment I was having a hard time concentrating.


    "Aaawwhh good girl"


    Lowering my head again to look at her, her eyes were still staring at me with a few tears in the corner of her eyes. Gaya had a more than lewd face and was also enjoying every second that brought me closer to orgasm. Her left hand was holding the dildo and her right hand was plunged between her thighs to give her pleasure.


    "Mmmh"


    Gaya too was starting to moan again which was pushing me ever closer to orgasm as I felt iting soon. Seeing my wife in this position, her eyes, her face so excited and her naughty fingers was enough to push me over the edge very quickly.


    "Yes...like this baby aaaah"


    Waves of pleasure from my crotch ran through my entire body as I cum once again. My hoarse moans were louder and I almost felt like I was grunting despite myself.


    "Aaaaahhwg fuck !"


    My legs began to shake again as I saw Gaya sensually lick the dildo before licking her lips and looking at me. She was smiling, her face red and a trickle of drool at the corner of her mouth. The smooth floor of the room was now wet right where she had fingered herself and it hadn''t escaped my notice. As my wife stood up, she hid her soaked fingers behind her back as if she absolutely wanted me to notice.


    *You want to y that ? Very well kufufu~*


    Moving closer to her, I grabbed her hips firmly while taking her hand hidden behind her back. With a falsely scary look on my face, I squinted my eyes to look at her intensely, making her shiver.


    "I saw that you were pleasuring yourself while you were sucking huh ? Do you crave my fingers inside you that much ?"


    Letting go of her hand, I grabbed her chin to lift her head waiting for an answer. Gaya was squirming in my embrace, her face had a lewd expression as she enjoyed the situation. My wife still didn''t answer seeming to want to test me so without warning I let go of her hips to m one of her buttocks. The sound echoed throughout the room along with a moan as I uttered only one word.


    "So ?"


    "I...I want to feel your fingers inside me.."


    As she shyly finished her sentence, I let go of her to her surprise to look her up and down. Her beautiful luscious body belonged to me and at that moment I blessed the world for giving me such a wife. Gaya was all embarrassed but my authoritative voice echoed before she could say anything.


    "Turn around, put your hands on the pir and spread your thighs !"


    *You want to be dominated ? With pleasure*


    Without waiting, I saw her obey which made me smile even more wildly. Walking over to my wife, I grabbed her ass once more before moving closer to her ear and whispering a question that made her bite her bottom lip.


    "Ara ara~ my Queen, is that how you ask for something mmh ?"


    My smile was vicious and the more I yed, the more I enjoyed subduing her. I gently licked her ear and caressed her buttocks to excite her, waiting for a response. With a small, excited, almost fearful voice, my wife answered me with a quick breath filled with desire.


    "P-please...finger me. I''d like to feel your fingers inside me mmmh"


    Her pelvis was moving with excitement and her face was desperate and begging for more.


    "Oh~"


    Spanking her twice, the sound of which echoed through this room, I bit her ear teasing her even more.


    "Do you think you deserve it baby ?"


    I was waiting for my answer as I continued to leave marks on her buttocks drawing more and more loud moans from her. All along her leg was running her juices that didn''t seem to stop and her face was frozen in a naughty, obscene expression.


    "Ye..mmh...yes..I''ve been a good girl aaah please !"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Her voice was now beggingpletely and as she gasped unable to take it anymore, I suddenly pushed my fingers inside her as deep as I could. They had gone in perfectly and slid out in a slimy sound apanied by a scream.


    "Aaaaah Freya !"


    The dragoness had arched her back and was beginning to cry out in pleasure as I ravaged her insides. I wanted to see her drown in pleasure and beg me for more.


    "More...faster..aaawwh !"


    My wife''s face was pressed against the pir, her tongue was out and the faster I increased the speed the more she spread her thighs. I stood behind proudly watching this lewd scene that Gaya was offering me by licking my lips. While one of my hands was busy fingering her, the other was spanking her, marking her skin ever more bright red.


    "You like that ? What a naughty wife fufu~"


    "Y-yes I like it so much ! Aaaah honey...I...I''m your naughty wife who deserves to be punished !"


    My love lost in her pleasure hadn''t even realized the words she had just spoken. As for me, I was more than happy to hear her say that and my fangs came back to shine along with my satisfied smile.


    "Aaaah I''m going to..."


    Gaya''s body had begun to shake harder and harder as I had begun to bite her back and neck. I had stopped spanking her and my able-bodied hand was now pinching her nipples and massaging her breasts. My wife was about to reach the 7th heaven and without thinking, I grabbed her crimson hair to raise her head. This one gesture had seeded in making her cum while Gaya felt totally dominated, owned and submissive.


    "Aaaaawwh yeees !!!"


    The pleasure was so great that she copsed in my arms as we both fell to the floor. I stroked her head as I became the loving, caring wife again.


    "Shhh everything is fine my love.."


    Her marked body was shaking terribly, shot through with unstoppable spasms. Several minutes passed as wey motionless in each other''s arms. My wife said nothing and as she calmed down, I grabbed her and carried her like a princess. cing a kiss on her forehead, I headed for the bath that awaited us with a chuckle.


    "Let''s go wash up. We have to join Shiro, it''s almost time"


    "Mmh yes"


    My Queen''s little voice was soft, shy and as she buried her blushing face in my chest, I was walking down the stairs into the hot water.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength : 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance : 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence : 500


    Charisma : 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 389


    Humans killed : 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 105 Wings And Smiles In The Dawn

    -- POV Freya --


    A new day began as I slowly woke up in the big bed in our room. Gaya was sleeping on my right and between us was Shiro who hade to sleep with us. There were a few nights when I heard her fussing in her bed, sniffling and shaking and each time, I sat next to her to calm her down. Last night, my little moon had knocked on the door of our room with her little pillow, dressed in her little robe to ask us shyly if she could sleep with us. So it was natural that I woke up next to her too.


    Shiro was sucking her thumb and sleeping peacefully against my wife who was unconsciously hugging her. This scene was absolutely adorable and I couldn''t help but look at them and smile. The sun was starting to rise, I could hear birds singing as I vowed once again to protect them. The atmosphere was soothing, serene and I was enjoying every moment even though I was the only one awake because today there were many things nned.


    Yesterday at the end of the afternoon, before getting out of the bath with Gaya, I had made an ice mask that I had kept until the night. I didn''t meet anyone and I didn''t leave our private floor, taking care of my wife and daughter until things calmed down. Gaya and I hade to the conclusion that I could not continue to walk around with a mask on all the time. My Queen was strongly opposed to this and I knew that she was also saying this to be able to admire me.


    So, after this serious discussion before going to sleep, I had made a big decision. It was finally time for me to reveal to those closest to me what I really was. I couldn''t hide it any longer and the changes on my face were a perfect opportunity. So I nned to gather the Commanders, Lieutenants and section Leaders to exin my unique race. Of course I wasn''t going to exin everything, but I wanted them all to understand how different I was.


    *I would mention the Goddess Titania system as they are also involved and I would obviously talk about Kira. However, I would not talk about my previous life. I wouldn''t lie, I need to tell them enough for them to understand but not confuse them too much*


    I was also nning today to meet all the new members of the mansion that I didn''t know because it was still the ce where I lived. The other employees who were already working would also be invited so that they would get to know my face in order to avoid any new worries. For all the other neers, it was nned that they would present themselves at the Empire festival that I was also to organize.


    *I didn''t think about it either, but just before the festival, we have tounch our currency and start opening shops. Sigh, after a slow day, here we go again !*


    Being an Empress was not easy, there was a lot of good stuff but there were times when it was hard work. Despite this, I never once regretted the path I had taken and the role I had chosen to take on. I didn''t know how far we would all go together, but I believed in my heart that our story was just beginning. I got up slowly, wearing my ck bathrobe, and I went, as I do every morning, to the balcony facing the sea.


    *I wonder if Triss and Lia are well*


    I hadn''t seen them since yesterday, but they were supposed to be at the first meeting. While I was alone breathing the sea air, I decided to take out my ice wings to practice taking them out as fast as possible while waiting for my family to wake up. Closing my eyes, I reyed the sensations of my afternoon training in detail in my mind. I had to remember every single thing, everything I had felt, the effect of the wings unfolding on my back, their shape and condense everything.


    *The help of the system would have been wee. Sigh, a real mystery*


    Contrary to what Kira thought, during my first flight session I had not received any skill capable of making them appear directly. The only solution left in my eyes was that I had to master them perfectly just like flying. With this in mind, I concentrated on getting perfect control, not over the ice, but over my wings.


    *Yosh, I have everything in mind*


    In a gust of wind, the same wings appeared in my back, shaking the furniture. They were always so beautiful, graceful, majestic and only one desire crossed my mind, to fly over the sea while watching the sun rise. My little sister was still not back but I couldn''t resist this urge, as if the sky itself was calling me.


    *I can rx a bit before a huge stressful day, Kira won''t mind will she ?*


    She was probably going to sulk but it didn''t matter, my wings weren''t going to disappear. Still on the balcony, I dropped my bathrobe to put on a pair of pants and a simple white T-shirt. I was barefoot but for what I was about to do, no shoes were necessary.


    *To me the sky*


    Jumping on the thick stone railing that separated the balcony from the void, I began to observe the horizon to prepare myself mentally. At that moment, I probably looked like a gargoyle with my horns, my wings, crouched on the stone with my hands between my legs. Shaking my head to get rid of this strange idea, I spread my wings to prepare myself to dive. As I was about to jump into the void, in the room a movement imperceptible to the others but not to me drew my attention. Turning my head, I could see my little moon straightened on the bed looking at me with wide eyes.


    "Mo...mommy ?"


    Shiro rubbed her eyes, unable to believe what she was seeing while her thumb was still in her mouth. Her awake face mixed with that look of surprise made her face extremely cute as I finally saw her move. My little moon was crawling on all fours on the big bed to lower it before running towards me with her little feet. In her hand was the little doll that had never left her since she was a little girl and had been repaired and embellished by Taegen who handled the fabric like a god.


    "Mommy Mommy !"


    My daughter whispered so as not to wake my wife while I saw hering with sparkling eyes and a big smile up to her ears. Shiro unlike usual, had two pigtails hanging on each side of her head as she had asked Gaya to style her hair that way. As she ran towards me, these two pigtails were swinging from right to left as well as her soft white tail. The scene was way too adorable and as I stepped off the railing, I couldn''t help but smile brightly.


    * "Now that I''ve witnessed this, I can die in peace anytime". That''s what Kira would probably say  kufufu~*


    As I giggled, my little sister''s voice suddenly sounded in my ears.


    [Exactly ! Long live our little Shiro ! Oh Great Goddess of cuteness pfffhaha~]


    Kira had appeared out of nowhere and was already starting to joke around as usual. As Shiro reached my height and I hugged her, the two of them were already starting to ask me a lot of questions.


    "Mommy ! Are you a...bird ? Can you fly now ? Can I try ?"


    [Onee-san ! Did you really intend to fly without me ?]


    I didn''t know who to answer first and while Iughed while hugging my daughter tightly, I activated the telepathy between Kira and Shiro. I didn''t need to tell them anymore as I had been doing it automatically for a while now when we were with family.


    "Haha~ For starters hello to both of you"


    "Oh..yes sorry..morning mommy, hello aunty Kira"


    [Um excuse me..hello onee-san, little Shiro]


    My daughter and little sister were all embarrassed but I could see Shiro forgetting that feeling pretty quickly as she looked at my wings with big eyes. She hugged her doll tightly and touched them with her little hands while I answered them.


    "Kira, I had an idea to practice a little and I didn''t know when you would be back. Now that you''re here it''s not a worry anymore, is it ?"


    [Mmpf, I guess not. But remember, I have my eye on you onee-san !]


    "Hai hai~ I won''t forget little sister fufu~"


    Turning to my little moon this time, I kissed her forehead, stroking her cheek tenderly as she closed her eyes almost purring.


    "Sweetie, I''m not a bird haha~ but now I can fly yes, would you like toe with us ?"


    I had hardly finished my sentence when Shiro was already waving her mouth wide open and her little purple eyes sparkling. She stared at me without saying anything because she seemed to need time to be sure of what I had just said. Still looking into my eyes, my little moon was finally speaking.


    "Is it...is it true ? Can I really ? Am I allowed to ? Is it true ?"


    Still smiling big, I nodded silently as she hugged me tightly in her little arms.


    "Thank you ! Thank you so much mommy, you are the most awesome and kind !!!"


    [What about me ?]


    "Aunty don''t be jealous hihi~ you are awesome too !"


    [Good pffhaha~]


    I loved mornings like this, sweet, happy, cute, calm and most of all close to my family. Still carrying Shiro in my arms, I would lift her up slightly to stroke her hair and give her my instructions.


    "My little moon, we won''t do this for long. If you feel scared, vertigo or want to stop you have to tell me right away okay ? It might scare you a little bit but I won''t let you go you have my word"


    "It''s okay mommy, I''ll close my eyes if I get a little scared at first !"


    Again, Shiro was taking that serious look that made her so cracking as she puffed her chest out. I hadn''t nned on going for very long but seeing her enthusiasm made me want to make her experience unforgettable.


    "Good ! In that case let''s go !"


    As I was about to jump the railing with my daughter in my arms, a soft voice came from behind us from the ss door of the room.


    "Did you all forget about me haha~?"


    Gaya was standing in the doorway with her arms crossed, looking at us with an amused but absolutely unsurprised look at the sight of my wings.


    [Hello Gaya]


    "Mom Gaya hello ! Did you see ? Mommy has blue wings like the sky ! She was going to take me flying hihi~"


    "Yes I saw sweetheart, that''s great !"


    Shiro still excited was talking very fast and making big gestures with bright eyes as if they had seen a treasure. They were quite different from when I first met her. That day her eyes were dead, empty, unhappy and today to see them full of life, dreams and love made me so happy.


    My wife bent down to kiss our daughter on the cheek before looking up to kiss me back. I whispered a soft hello to her as she stepped back a few feet to answer us.


    "Allow me to join you hehe~"


    As she spoke this sentence, tworge crimson wings came out of her back extending their full length. They were the same size as mine but a red like her hair as ming and majestic as the sun. On these wings there were no scales and they reminded me a little of bat wings.


    "You...you too mom Gaya ? Wait...yes it''s true you are a dragon..but that''s great ! Say mommy, can we all fly together ? Pleeaase..."


    Shiro looked at me with pleading eyes as I gently pinched her nose as I answered her.


    "Of course sweetie, it''s even better this way, isn''t it ?"


    "Mmh yes ! Hihi~ stop it mommy !"<novelnext></novelnext>


    I tenderly teased my little moon by tickling her nose with mine and as herughter echoed on the balcony I looked up to see if my wife was okay with taking Shiro.


    "My love you..."


    Gaya was no longer there. The ce where she stood was empty and as I turned around her voice rose above us.


    "So are youing ? I''m waiting for you haha~"


    My wife was gracefully pping her wings above the mansion and a teasing, yful smile appeared on her face. Our daughter was looking at her with admiration and started to rush me with envy and excitement. Kira who seemed to be in as much of a hurry as she was, couldn''t help but do the same either.


    "Mommy mommy let''s go !"


    [Yeah the longer you wait the less time we have ! Aaarg I can''t wait anymore !]


    Shiro was adorable and so was Kira even if she would never agree to hear it. Without further ado, I held my little moon tightly in my arms so she wouldn''t fall and jumped back on the railing.


    "Look straight ahead okay sweetie ?"


    "Mmh promise !"


    Just below our feet was the void, the cliff and then the sea. The wind was blowing gently and on the horizon the sun was rising in a fairy light, warm andforting. I was still holding my daughter in my arms and as I lowered my head to her to see her inimitable smile, I kissed her little pink cheek onest time.


    "Do you trust me ?"


    "Mmh ! More than anyone else mommy..."


    Shiro responded by returning my kiss before snuggling further into my embrace. Her little hands trembled slightly and gripped my shirt tightly as I got ready. With this proof of confidence that was worth all the gold in the world, I spread my wings before jumping in the void to discover the sky.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength : 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance : 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence : 500


    Charisma : 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 389


    Humans killed : 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 106 An Unforgettable And Magical Morning

    -- POV Shiro --


    I was in mommy''s arms and we were about to fly in the sky. I couldn''t believe it was true and I was holding on to her as tight as I could. I was scared and shaking, but I really wanted to know what it felt like. When I was alone in the human town, I often looked up at the birds in the sky and wondered what it would be like to fly. Today, once again thanks to Mommy, I could already live one of those dreams.


    "Do you trust me ?"


    "Mmh ! More than anyone else mommy..."


    As I clung even more tightly to her clothes, in one big leap mommy jumped down. A small scream escaped my mouth as I closed my eyes tightly. I could feel my body falling like it was never going to stop and I couldn''t help but scream a little louder.


    "Mo...mommy ! Don''t let me down !"


    Just as those words had escaped my mouth, I felt my body rise again and my mommy''s hand rest on my head.


    "Never.."


    The wind was blowing hard through my hair but I wasn''t cold because her warmth and that word were warming me. My eyes were still closed and as I held my doll tightly, I could hear Mommy''s voice in my ears once again.


    "Sweetie, you can open your eyes"


    I could feel that we weren''t falling anymore but I was unable to open my eyes. I knew I had insisted oning but it was scarier than I thought. My body was shaking and yet I couldn''t move as I felt my tail shaking between my legs.


    "I..."


    "My little moon, it''s all right, we are immobile"


    [Little Shiro, you are safe, don''t be afraid]


    I could hear the voice of mommy and aunty Kira reassuring me, so with courage I fearfully opened my eyes. We didn''t move and as my eyes were finally opened, a new incrediblendscape was in front of me. Mom Gaya wasing to our side and in front of me I saw the sea even bigger than I had imagined. Even from where I was I couldn''t see the end and the sun was shining like a big ball of fire. The sky wasn''t blue yet but shone with a red, orange light that reminded me of Mom Gaya''s hair.


    "This is...this is beautiful !"


    I couldn''t help but marvel at the pretty colors as I heard the waves below us. It was wonderful, amazing and even all the cakes in the world were not worth this ce. My fear was slowly turning to wonder as I heard mom Gaya speak.


    "It seems our daughter was speechless at the dawn haha~"


    I didn''t know what she meant by that but if she was talking about this ce, then yes. Everything was perfect, calm, magical and a strange feeling came from my heart. It was beating faster and faster as I thought I was flying through the sky. Turning back to mommy who was looking at the horizon, I looked up to ask her a question.


    "Say mommy, is it...is it okay to fly a little ?"


    Her blue wings were the same color as the midday sky and as she nodded with a smile, mommy began to move her wings. Mom Gaya was next to us flying at the same speed while I was living a daydream. The wind was blowing harder but I didn''t feel like I was falling like before. My body was floating, the feeling of being carried in the air was weird at first but I liked it a lot. Mommy was still holding me tightly and so I looked straight ahead, I felt like she was taking me far away.


    [Tell me if you are scared little Shiro]


    "I promise aunty"


    I felt that everyone was worried about me from the beginning. Aunty Kira who usually always made jokes had a softer voice and I knew that mommy and mom Gaya were watching over me. It was like I could feel all their love warming my belly even more than the sunlight. I was so happy and absorbed in the moment that I unintentionally let go of my hand. The doll, which I had forgotten a little, fell into the void without me being able to do anything.


    "No Lily !"


    [Onee-san !]


    She was my first confidant and almost followed me since I was in this world. The spider man had repaired her, made her more beautiful and even made clothes so I named her Lily. This doll that was so precious, so important, I couldn''t catch up with her anymore as I saw her fall before my eyes.


    "Nooo !"


    She was about to plunge into the sea and as I felt the tearsing, Mom Gaya caught her immediately. She had been quick, quiet and unlike Mommy, she seemed morefortable in the air. My precious Lily was in her hand and as I saw Mom Gaya flying towards us, I couldn''t help but cry anyway.


    "Sniff..T...thanks Mom..sniff..."


    My tears were flowing on their own and even Mommy''s hugs and Mom Gaya''s smile couldn''t stop me. I had been so scared, for a moment I had thought I would never see her again or be able to hold her like before. As I rubbed my face, aunty Kira''s voice echoed in my head.


    [Onee-san do something ! Aaarg I feel my heart clenching...wait...I have no heart ! Damn it ! Little Shiro don''t cry anymore, everything is fine. Onee-san !!!]


    "Hihi~"


    Despite my tears, I couldn''t help butugh because she was so funny. Aunty was talking fast, shouting and I didn''t understand everything but as always she knew how to make meugh. I finally calmed down while it was Mommy and Mom Gaya''s turn to hug me.


    "It''s ok my little moon, look Mom Gaya caught her before she fell"


    "Don''t cry anymore sweetheart and smile. We all love to see you smile and be happy"


    [Give us a beautiful smile my little Shiro]


    Their words wereforting, my moms and my aunt always brightened my life. When I was with them, I always felt like crying with joy at some point. As I looked up at my still wet little eyes, I nodded my head and smiled as hard as I could. I was still little so I had a hard time not crying but Mommy had told me it was okay so I didn''t want to hold back anymore.


    "Sniff..it''s okay..I..sniff...thank you so much !"


    Mom Gaya was giving me a kiss on the cheek while Mommy was stroking my head. We were still in the sky and its color was no longer red but blue. The horizon had changed color and my heart felt more soothed. While my gaze was still fixed on that sun that was hurting my eyes, Mommy was talking.


    "Sweetie ? Look"


    I then lifted my head to look at her and suddenly Mommy raised her closed hand into a fist right in front of my eyes. I didn''t know what she was holding in her hand but I couldn''t wait to find out. Little by little she was opening her hand and suddenly dozens of little ice butterflies would magically pop out.


    "Woooow !"


    They were all cute and tiny and flew all around us as if they wanted to y and be my friends. Mommy was looking at me with a tender smile while Mom Gaya was also impressed with what she was seeing. We were in the middle of the sea, above, alone and I was experiencing the most beautiful morning of my life. I felt like I was in another world where butterfly fairies were keeping mepany.


    "Freya...how do you do that ?"


    "I''ll exinter, but look at this !"


    I didn''t speak and neither did aunty Kira as I looked around to figure out what was going to happen. The butterflies flew away from us which made me a little sad, to fly towards the sun. They were shining like little treasures and seeing them like this made me happier. Suddenly, all these cute little creatures started to gather to form a beautiful bird with big wings and a crest. It was the most beautiful one I had seen in my whole little life and I couldn''t help but get excited as I saw it spinning through the skies.


    "Mommy mommy ! A bird !"


    While I was screaming with surprise, my mommy had started to p her wings to join him and fly by his side. My eyes were filled with new sensations, new images and above all with a very, very great happiness. The beautiful bird was flying right in front of me, Mom Gaya was on our left and we were flying towards the sun. Lily was in my hands and I was careful to raise her head so that she could see everything.


    "See how amazing this is ? It''s even better than cakes hihi~"


    [Aarw so cute]


    "Yes"


    "So sweet"


    This moment that I spent with everyone I wanted to keep in my mind and in my heart. I didn''t want to forget that magical moment when for the first time my mommy made me fly with her. Our hair was in the wind, our bodies in the sky and we were flying as if nothing could stop us.  For me...it was a magical and unforgettable morning.


    _____


    -- POV Freya --


    We had just spent an incredible morning with our family. With Gaya and Kira, we had taken Shiro flying for the first time and despite a few tears, she had been more than happy. When we came back, her eyes were still shining and my little trick with the butterflies and the bird had made a huge impression on her. My little moon had even spoken of an unforgettable and magical morning.


    [It was absolutely great onee-san ! Didn''t you think it was cute when Little Shiro called the bird Birdy ? Pfffhaha~]


    Indeed, my little daughter hade up with a name for the creation I had made during our flight session. She knew perfectly well that it was not real and simply created by me but deep down she wanted to believe in it and had finally done it. Shiro had named this bird Birdy, a name that no one had refused especially when it was our little moon.


    *It was much too adorable yes kufufu~*


    The sun was high in the sky and this magical morning had given me more strength to face the next step. It was now time to meet with the Commanders, Lieutenants, and Section Leaders to reveal the truth.


    *Well, an hour ago I contacted everyone by telepathy, everything should be ready in a few minutes*


    [Yes, I think they understood the urgency of the situation]


    What had happened in the mansionst night had gotten a bit out of hand among the section Leaders and employees, so everyone knew I had something important to say. I was now in my office waiting for one of the soldiers to knock on my door to let me know. Exceptionally, it was not Triss or Lia who had to apany me because they had been summoned like everyone else.


    I wore an ice mask so as not to surprise anyone or cause any embarrassing reactions for those who were present. I had the same ck suit as at my coronation : boots, gloves, pants and a ck and gold jacket with of course my Imperial cloak, my katana and my ice crown.


    *Kira, I consider this event official*


    [And you are right]


    I had arranged to meet the people involved in the throne room and not the meeting room of the mansion because the topic was too important. Gaya and Shiro would not be there exceptionally because our little moon couldn''t stay that long without getting bored. So my wife had offered to take care of her while Triss, Lia, and Viana appeared before me.


    "Your Highness ?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    As I was lost in thought, a soldier''s voice came from behind the door.


    "Your Highness, everyone is in the throne room as you requested and waiting for you"


    "Very well thank you !"


    As I had sensed, it was now time to go and reveal my unique existence to people other than Gaya and Shiro for the first time.


    *Let''s go !*


    [Yes ! Don''t forget onee-san, I''m with you !]


    Neither of us really knew how the others would react to all this more than unreal information. As I nodded with a small smile, I gently opened the door of my office and walked out. In front of it were, as usual, two soldiers who hastened to greet me respectfully before escorting me out.


    "Empress !"


    They walked in front of me in a gait that showed their high level of stress. I could feel their gazes turn to me discreetly every second and their hesitant steps as we walked through the hallways.


    [Are you stressing ?]


    *No. I will be sincere with them and if some of them don''t ept my story then they will be free to leave. I don''t want to impose anything on anyone and no matter where Ie from, I am still Freya, the Empress of Elysium*


    I wasn''t afraid of not being epted because I knew that could happen. Of course that didn''t mean I wouldn''t be sad or disappointed, but those emotions wouldn''t interfere with my Imperial duty.


    My footsteps echoed through the wide corridors as I walked with a determined look on my face and eyes straight ahead. My cloak flew behind me along with my ck hair, which I had cut down to my waist. The ice mask, although hiding my face, could not hide my horns, more terrifying and beautiful than before as a dangerous atmosphere reigned around me.


    *We are almost there*


    Therge wooden door leading to the throne room was in front of me and as I approached, I could hear themotion of the people inside. The soldiers guarding the door, at the sight of me bowed as those who had escorted me returned to guard the imperial office. With a loud bang, the heavy door opened slowly, revealing me in the middle, in front of therge carpet leading to the Empress''s throne....my throne.


    "Her Highness, Empress Freya of the Elysium Empire !"


    One of the soldiers had called out my name and as the various figures straightened up, I began my imperial march to my seat. I was as confident as the she-wolf that I was and as I moved forward, my immense presence invaded the huge room from all sides.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years / Mentally : 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength : 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance : 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence : 500


    Charisma : 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 389


    Humans killed : 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 107 The Secrets Of Empress Freya

    -- POV General --


    In the great throne room of the Imperial mansion, stood all the Commanders, their Lieutenants and section Leaders. They had been gathered at the request of the Empress of Elysium who had chosen to tell them some of her secrets. Therge carpet on the floor leading to her seat was ck and embroidered with golden threads, the many pirs were still adorned with the gs of the Empire and everyone was waiting.


    The ones closest to the throne were obviously Nixia, Na?a, Emilia, Thorunn, Ralph, Caipy, Luna, Trioa, Persea and Ynir. The Chaos Commanders wore their official clothes of a deep ck whose cape bore the symbol of each one. The outfits had been arranged ording to the tastes and so Persea, Ynir and Na?a were the only ones to wear ck skirts.


    Behind these 10 women, there were the different section Leaders on the right of the carpet : Irrena who was the chief cook of the mansion and of the Empress, Taegen who was in charge of everything concerning the craft industry, Viana the mother of Na?a who was in charge of the orphanage and the school. On the left there were the Leaders of the buildings, the minotaurs Tan, Kar and the two centaurs named Eurytion and Naghel. Those who were responsible for the crops, fields and livestock were also present, there was the rabbit woman Ka and the elf Ylindros.


    Finally, Wol the white wolf whose pack had settled at the entrance and was now acting as a guard. The Leader of the pack represented a bit of a police force in the city as they were hunting less and less, as the Empire was starting to produce what was needed. Yuric the Leader of the cksmiths was there too and was even standing next to Triss and Lia who had recovered from their emotions and were apprehensive about Freya''s arrival.


    Finally, behind this row of Commanders and section Leaders, there were thest ones, the Army Lieutenants. They were not in decision-making positions, so they were ced at the back, but that didn''t stop them from being proud to be here. Even though they had all met the she-wolf before, the rumor of a change in her had reached their ears and the Lieutenants were all eager to understand. On the right were the elf Kurumi from Nixia and Naia''s section, Liz the half-tiger woman from Ralph''s section, Zak the red-coated bear from Emilia''s section and Leon the Kobold from Thorunn''s section. To the left of the carpet were the Lieutenants of Commanders Luna, Ynir and Persea, Caipy and Trioa : Ash the half-leopard man, Itham the elf, Nina the dryad and Ne the little harpy with pigtails.


    "Her Highness, Empress Freya of the Elysium Empire !"


    It was in this solemn and tense atmosphere that suddenly the door to the room opened. One of the soldiers with an armband bearing the symbol of a dark blue sword had finally announced the arrival of the one they had all been waiting for. No one had spoken since they were in the room and as the backs straightened, the Empress entered the throne room.


    "We greet her Highness !"


    Everyone''s voice echoed in the great hall as Freya walked forward as always in silence. Her heels clicked on the floor, she had her face covered to the surprise of her subordinates and walked with a quick, determined step. No one moved, no one dared to speak and everyone watched the young woman arrive in front of her throne with the same admiration. The sunlight streaming through the windows seemed to shine only for her as Freya walked with unmatched grace and confidence. Her long ck hair fluttered in rhythm with her cloak and even with her face covered, those in the room were mesmerized.


    "So !"


    The Empress had reached her throne of ck stone and ice and with a single word brought her subordinates out of their trances. As everyone slowly came back to reality, Freya turned around fluttering her cloak gracefully before sitting down and crossing her legs as usual. At that moment, everyone knelt down as they were in the presence of the Empress of Elysium in the throne room. The she-wolf then was speaking, looking at them intensely with satisfied and proud eyes.


    "Stand up !"


    The Commanders, section Leaders and Lieutenants stood up as one as two half-humans dared to speak. They were Lia, the half-human rabbit, and Triss, the half-human cat, who had passed out the day before in Freya''s arms. With a nod, the she-wolf agreed to hear them, knowing full well what the two young women would talk about. They were terribly ashamed and both tried to utter appropriate excuses.


    "Empress ! I...I apologize for my disrespectful behavior it''s...please forgive me and...ept my thanks !"


    "Me...me too your Highness ! I shouldn''t have...fainted..it was so disrespectful. A..Also, thank you for...for protecting us..."


    The two young women trembled and did not even dare to look up at the she-wolf out of shame and fear. Seconds passed and the leader of Elysium still did not answer while everyone began to dread her words. Just as the two young female butlers were about to fall to their kneespletely, Freya''s powerful voice finally rang out.


    "Lia, Triss.."


    Upon hearing their names, the two concerned closed their eyes instinctively, trembling and waiting in fear for the next words. They knew full well that the Empress was different from other human leaders and would not harm them, but her presence prevented anyone from thinking rationally.


    "...I salute your courage and determination for daring to step forward and apologize. Raise your heads because in my eyes you are not guilty. I know for a fact that the changes on my face may have surprised you and I would not me anyone for such a simple and trivial reason."


    As Triss and Lia slowly lifted their heads, their eyes shone with a relieved, gratitude-filled glow. The others in the room seemed a bit lost because although aware of the situation, no one other than the two young female butlers had yet seen the Empress'' face. Without further ado, after finishing her sentence, Freya stood up before speaking again.


    "I see you all have a lot of questions, but first let me remove my mask"


    With a snap of her finger, the ice that covered the entire face of the she-wolf disappeared to reveal her beauty. At this moment, her subordinates, who until then had remained silent, almost all began to agitate in a deafening hubbub. Some of them did not move as if sucked in by her face, while others had difficulty standing.


    "This is..."


    "Ho...how is this-possible ?"


    "Unbelievable..."


    Everyone was going through different and intense emotions like shock, fear, awe and respect. Hearts had started to beat intensely, breaths were cut off, faces were blushing and everyone was making a difficult effort not to let themselves fall. The powerful, striking and frightening imperial presence of the Empress was known to all, but at this moment it seemed to be multiplied tenfold.


    Freya''s new horns and the tattoos she now had under her eyes made her even more imposing and worthy of respect. Everyone could not believe how beautiful the Empress had be, how iparably beautiful, how legendary and divine. At that moment everyone agreed on at least one thing, before them stood the most terrifying and beautiful woman in this world.


    The souls were bewitched, the minds almost extinguished and the eyes unable to believe and understand what they were seeing. The Commanders, section Leaders and Lieutenants were shivering uncontrobly and in this great throne room, time had stopped. After giving everyone time to calm down, Freya, who was still standing, spoke again with her deep voice almost devoid of emotion.


    "If I have gathered you here today, it is to tell you about myself and the many secrets I have kept from you. There are many things I must tell you that are of the utmost importance !"


    At these words, although still stunned, everyone straightened up to listen. Thus began the Empress''s long tale.


    ___


    For several hours Freya had told her story to those who listened attentively. She hadn''t mentioned the other world she came from, but she had mentioned absolutely everything else, her meeting with Titania, her unique race and course granting her two elements, her system, and of course her little sister Kira.


    The Commanders, section Leaders, and Lieutenants were sitting in ice chairs and none of them were talking. Everyone had been caught up in the Empress'' story and no one had the words to describe the state of their minds. The more she spoke, the more people listened and the less they could believe what Freya had experienced before she met them all.


    The afternoon was already here and the time for questions had arrived, but before that the she-wolf wanted to do something important. As she used her telepathy skill with her Empire menu, a voice that no one had heard so far echoed in everyone''s heads.


    [Well huh...hello everyone. My...my name is...Kira and I am the little sister of onee-s...Empress Freya. En...enchanted !]


    Kira unlike usual was shy and her voice was slightly hesitant and soft. The she-wolf had said absolutely everything so no one was unaware of who that voice belonged to and as the little sister finished her sentence, everyone got back on their knees.


    "We are all happy to meet the little sister of our Great Empress and we also swear our undying loyalty to you ! We salute you Kira-sama !"


    [Kira-sama ? I...you can just call me Kira...thank you for your kindness]


    Introductions were made and Freya''s heart was released from a weight that had been weighing on her for a while. Her little sister who had been with her since the beginning had finally been thest to be introduced. The she-wolf felt bad about it and even though Kira understood that her situation was special and didn''t me her, the older sister felt guilty.


    "Good ! Now that you have listened to my story, exceptionally today those who want to ask me questions you are free to do so !"


    At the end of her sentence, the first person to raise his hand was Yuric the dwarf, the Leader cksmith. With a nod of her head, Freya gave him the floor.


    "Your..your Highness, would the statue in the town square represent the Goddess Titania ? I..I know it''s not the most important thing but from what you said..she..she would be the reason you were born here."


    "Well yes. It is indeed the Goddess Titania who gave birth to me in this world with the powers I possess and the system. I wanted to dedicate a ce to her and that''s why her statue is in the center of our Empire."


    As she finished her sentence, Na?a the little fire vixen raised her hand just as Yuric had done earlier before she spoke.


    "Empress, when you speak of a system, would that be some sort of...magic ? I can''t really understand it. I...I know you talked about us being connected to it too but...I don''t feel anything."


    This concept was difficult for them to understand and the young half-human had asked the question that was burning on everyone''s lips. Freya was well aware of this, so she tried to be as clear as possible in her answer.


    "It''s quiteplicated to exin, I must admit that even for me at the moment there are many things I don''t understand yet. However, if I were to exin it to you I would say that it is more of a more enhanced version of what you see in your field of vision. In this world you can all see your life, your levels and your skills in the corner of your vision...well imagine it is the same thing but more detailed. Everything I do, my levels, my skills, my titles, and everyone else who links to me is listed there. If you don''t feel anything it''s absolutely normal, it links you to me but doesn''t change your being like it does for me."


    "A...kind of...a kind of progress journal allowing you to manage your body, mind and life ?"


    "Exactly."


    The more questions were asked, the more people in the room began to understand and admire their Empress all the more. Freya had thought that there would be people perhaps disgruntled feeling betrayed but in the end no one had any such thoughts. Everyone greeted the she-wolf''s story with respect, curiosity, admiration and kindness. The different races present were all smiling and feeling both proud and honored to have been the first to learn about the one they saw almost as a Goddess.


    "So you came into the world to help us...I...I can''t believe you''re not even one year old your Highness"


    As Nixia spoke this sentence, all the other Commanders nodded their heads, amused and agreeing with these words. After all, it was true that the Empress was the youngest in the Empire and it had been hard to understand at first because her evolution had been so monstrous.


    "Well yes, that said I have experience and in no way does my age define my power"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Of course not your Highness, and you have already proved that to us many times !"


    Ralph had bowed and her single gesture triggered many more simr ones. The half-humans who were present in the throne room in front of the Empress had stood up and bowed to show her that her story had changed absolutely nothing in their hearts. There were still a few questions left but everyone understood her story and how unique the Empress was.


    It was already afternoon, the sun was still shining brightly and the secrets of Empress Freya had finally been revealed.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength : 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance : 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence : 500


    Charisma : 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 389


    Humans killed : 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 108 Cohesion Of The Royalty And The Church

    -- POV General --


    While the Empress of the new Empire was in the process of divulging some of her most precious secrets, the Kingdom of Zal was beginning to lose patience.


    For weeks the entire Kingdom had searched, from small viges to thergest cities, and the knights still had not found the Princess yna Zal. She was missing and no one knew what had happened. In just a few weeks, this mysterious disappearance had spread throughout the King''snds and everyone in the Kingdom was now aware of the situation. In the Church of Humanity, the mission that the Supreme had set up had also been foiled and was also in crisis. No one knew yet that the same person who had taken in yna was the one who was disturbing the Church''s ns. All the worries of the humans were caused by the she-wolf from another world whose existence had not yet been proven.


    For the first time in months, a meeting was held between the two opposing camps of the Kingdom, namely His Majesty the King and His Excellency. Most of the time it was just a formality to show the people the ties they had, although secretly very fragile. The Church had crucial information about the Princess and had finally decided to talk about it after much reflection, because the situation was beginning to change and certainly not in favor of Humanity.


    In arge room of the castle stood King Theophctus, Princes Erzian and Is, the royal advisor, the Captain of the Knights and the most influential nobles. They were in a windowless room and were waiting with annoyance for the Supreme to show up. The meeting was very important for all of them because the n to follow woulde from it.


    "Damn it ! How much longer do we have to wait ? The future and reputation of this Kingdom is at stake and His Excellency is still not here !"


    The King still hadn''t let up and his mental state was getting worse by the day to the delight of the Princes who were ying in the shadows. Theophctus was sitting at the end of arge stone table and pounding his fist while showing his anger. His golden crown held back his mid-length gray hair that fell over his tired, anger-distorted face.


    "Your Majesty ! A little patience I''m sure the Church is on its way !"


    The one who had spoken was the King''s closest advisor. Her name was Janell and although an advisor she was sometimes much more when the ruler''s desires became more intimate. Janell was sitting a little further back on the same table and was trying as best she could to calm the King''s impulsive and angry nature.


    "I don''t care ! When the King calls for a meeting, no one should bete ! The Supreme holds the heart of the people but he is not exempt from his duty as a citizen of the Kingdom !"


    No one dared to speak anymore because what Theophctus had said was true. Officially there was only one power and that was Royalty. However, after years, the Church had intruded and seeded in weaving its web in the minds of the citizens who now saw the King and the Supreme as the rulers of Zal. Theophctus represented the one who protected the nation and his Excellency the one who would one day free them from the fear of the inferior races.


    "My daughter has disappeared, the Kingdom is upside down and the Church as usual..."


    "What has our Church done ?"


    Behind the King, a quiet andrgogynous voice came from a figure that had just passed through the doors of the room. The Supreme had finally arrived, apanied by Sage, a few protectors, and the Chief Pdin. As soon as he arrived, the already tense atmosphere had turned into a heavy one capable of exploding at any moment.


    "Your Excellency, what a joy to see you among us ! It seems that you are not used to being on time at the Church, but since you are here, why don''t you take a seat ?"


    "I am delighted to see you again too, your Majesty. Many things kept me for a while but I see that despite the disappearance of the Princess you still have time to be on time."


    "Tsk.."


    The two Leaders, as in each of their meetings, could not hide the fact that they did not like each other at all behind falsely polite phrases. While the Supreme sat on the stone table just in front of Theophctus, those who apanied him sat on the chairs next to him. All parties were gathered and the crisis meeting concerning the Kingdom could finally begin.


    "Good ! Today we must decide how we are going to act. The Kingdom is facing an unprecedented situation that has never happened before. The Princess, my beloved daughter is missing and no search has yielded any results ! Captain Myles, how do you exin this ?"


    The King turned to the Captain of the Knights who was in their midst. He had been tasked with leading the search with the army he had. Theophctus had almost med him for theck of information even as the Princes of the Kingdom had participated without result either. Myles, who was 50 years old just like the King, wore gold and silver armor that tinted as he bowed before responding.


    "Your Majesty. Please forgive my ringck of skill in this matter. My soldiers and I have turned the entire Kingdom, the entire capital, upside down, but there is no trace of Her Highness the Princess. No one has seen her and especially no one knows how she could have disappeared. We don''t even know how long she''s been gone. If...if we knew the exact day she disappeared it would be easier to trace her path or that of her kidnappers."


    The nobles around the table, four in number, nodded at the Captain''s words, seeming to understand, but the King obviously did not.


    "Isn''t that what you are paid for and what you serve the crown for ? A Princess disappearing is unheard of and not one of you can find a single clue !!"


    Once again, Theophctus had mmed his fist on the table causing his crown to fall on his face red with anger. Janell, the Captain and the nobles were nervously swallowing their saliva while the two Princes didn''t even seem concerned by the situation. The Supreme watched the scene with a satisfied smile on his face, hidden by the ck cloth. While Janell was about to calm the King, his Excellency spoke up.


    "You seem to be as sensitive as ever, your Majesty. A ruler should not be guided by anger, especially in the presence of these most loyal souls. That said...I have some interesting information regarding Princess yna."


    ? The words he had just spoken had plunged the dark room into a frightening silence. Sage, the protectors and the Chief Pdin were not at all surprised by this statement and stared at the others almost with a superior smile. The Supreme did not move and almost seemed to enjoy this moment when only he was able toe to their aid.


    "What..."


    "Impossible..."


    The nobles didn''t believe what the head of the Church had just stated, but the King did. He knew full well the strength that the Supreme represented, his informationwork and the means he possessed as great as those of the castle.


    "YOU !! Speak !! Where is my daughter ??"


    "Father calm down..."


    "Father...listen to him, time is running out"


    Theophctus had stood up with a threatening look on his face, knocking his seat back and mming his big hands on the huge stone table. For the first time since the meeting began, the Princes had acted to calm their father. The disappearance of their little sister was not their priority, but the Supreme''s announcement had aroused their curiosity. Compared to his father, Erzian did not have a strained rtionship with the Church and even shared the same vision as its leader. As for Is, he didn''t care much about the Supreme, but he was aware of his power, which could be decisive in the selection of the heir.


    His Excellency was still smiling and as the King sat down again, suppressing his anger, the head of the Church spoke again.


    "Princess yna ran away a month and a week ago. If you still haven''t found her it''s because her Highness is no longer in the Kingdom at all but somewhere else."<novelnext></novelnext>


    No one could believe these words and it was Janell''s turn to exim. For the royal advisor, this assumption could not be possible. How could the Princess have run away so far without anyone knowing ?


    "Impossible ! It''s all lies the Church made up for..."


    "Shut up ! How dare you question the words of His Excellency ? You who have no leads from the beginning, the least you could do is listen when help is at hand ! Tsk !"


    Sage had cut her off, unable to bear the nder hurled at his superior and the Church he protected and supported with all his soul. In thisrge room, sheltered from the citizens, the real nature of the rtions between the two powers was revealed.


    "Let''s all calm down. Aren''t we here to find the Princess ?"


    The Supreme had spoken in his calm voice and as he finished his sentence, the suspicious King replied with a frown, sensing that there was something else. Why was he suddenly so concerned ? Theophctus wanted to find out.


    "Your Excellency...I would be curious to know why the Church is so involved. Would you have the idea of using these weak half-humans by making the people believe that they are the kidnappers ? Tsk..."


    "I''m not iming anything at all..it''s actually happening...sort of but first things first. First of all, did it ever ur to you that the Princess might have had some help ? Indeed, Her Highness yna fled on her own with the help of three protectors in order to pass herself off as an adventurer !"


    A new bomb had just exploded in the room, plunging the ce into a deafening noise of confused, angry and lost voices.


    "How ? Would the Church have behaved like this ?"


    "Why ?"


    "That''s imusible, why would she run away of her own ord ? It''s impossible!"


    The King and Princes said nothing as they waited for the next part. Theophctus didn''t believe the story at all and remained strangely quiet while Sage asked for silence so that his leader whom he believed to be divine could continue.


    "Silence !"


    "Thank you Sage. As I was saying...three protectors who are no longer with us today shamefully helped the Princess escape thinking that this action would serve our Church. She went outside the Kingdom under the pretext of being the messenger of a particr guild mission and fled under everyone''s nose. Her Highness yna was aided by these three people and the adventurers she deceived to help her disappear..."


    The King who could not see the face of the Supreme looked at Sage and his attendants and seeing their serious faces, began to believe his story as his anger suddenly rose.


    "Did you have fun watching us go around in circles even though some of your followers were involved ? How can you talk about the half-humans when the fault lies with the Church !!!?"


    Theophctus shouted, prompting the Chief Pdin to stand up to protect his leader in case of an outburst. Captain Myles was then doing the same as Erzian spoke up to calm the tensions.


    "Father, these protectors paid with their lives for their mistake. What matters is where my dear sister has gone. The actions of these three traitors demonstrate that for once we must help each other. Getting upset won''t get us anywhere, we have to react quickly and for that the help of the Church is indispensable !"


    The first Prince saw this as an interesting opportunity to gain favor with the Supreme, whom he rarely met. Is, the second Prince, watched the scene with undisguised disgust, fully aware of what his older brother was trying to do. As the head of the Church nodded approvingly at Prince Erzian''s words, he continued his exnation.


    "Your Majesty, although I deplore the participation of three of my followers, the situation is much more serious than you imagine. You all know here what the position of the Church is towards these subraces of half-humans and I did not tell you about them earlier for nothing. Several months ago, mercenaries and adventurers went to the East in a forest along the territory of Zal in order to capture all the possible subraces, especially the most dangerous ones, filthy beasts capable of taking human form. Thest I heard, there were more than 50 of them and they had no difficulty in fulfilling the mission I had personally entrusted to them."


    "What happened to this expedition ?"


    Prince Is had straightened up in his seat and was now caught up in the conversation, which was more intriguing than expected.


    "It never returned. More than 50 men and women suddenly disappeared in this forest popted by subraces that were previously imprisoned and controlled."


    The King, who was repressing his anger, spoke up as he seemed bored by these long drawn out exnations.


    "I don''t see what you''re getting at, Your Excellency. What does this have to do with my daughter ? If you want to chase away these weak beings that you think are strong, good for you bute to the point !"


    "Sigh. The protectors we executed were responsible for this expedition and hid its failure from me so that they would not be punished. So they secretly prepared a way to fix the situation in their corner thinking that nothing would be discovered. What this has to do with your daughter Your Majesty, is that the Princess yna, took part a little more than a month ago in the second expedition aiming to reach this same forest and discover what happened there."


    As the Supreme spoke these words, everyone instantly understood that yna''s chances of survival had been greatly reduced. The more they listened to the Church leader''s ount, the more this story seemed to fit and answer the questions surrounding the Princess''s disappearance. The King hade to believe this hypothesis in spite of himself, and even though he saw the half-humans as weak and far from dangerous, something was wrong.


    "Your Excellency, if what you say is true, then there is something going on in this forest. Who could make so many battle-tested men and women disappear ? Are they all dead ? How did they die ? And above all...what happened to this second expedition ?"


    "Your Majesty, we have no news of the second expedition either. Just like the first, it disappeared and the 10 adventurers assigned to investigate werest seen in Yarlford. If the Princess stayed with them, then she also disappeared into the forest."


    Everyone understood the gravity of the situation and for the first time, the King seemed to put aside his grudge for the sake of the Kingdom. The answers were all there and Theophctus knew that the Supreme although very troublesome was not the type to joke. The situation was indeed more serious than expected.


    "So...what do you propose ?"


    At Theophctus'' question, the Church leader raised his head in his direction before answering. He had an evil smile on his face but no one knew that as the words he spoke left everyone speechless.


    "Let''s create a cohesion. You want to find the Princess and I want to exterminate these subraces. The reason I joined you here today is to propose that we march the Pdins and Knights together towards the Dark Forest !"

 Chapter 109 The Origins : The Age Of Extinction

    -- POV General --


    "Let''s create a cohesion. You want to find the Princess and I want to exterminate these subraces. The reason I joined you here today is to propose that we march the Pdins and Knights together towards the Dark Forest !"


    The King, the Princes, Janell, Myles and the nobles were all silent at this more than unexpected request. If the Supreme was taking the trouble to propose an alliance, it was because he was taking the situation seriously, but such an action had never been done before.


    "Let''s send our two armed forces to finish off this threat to us. Let''s sweep this forest to find out what evil it harbors and thus protect Humanity from the abomination that is undoubtedly lurking there."


    His Excellency had raised his voice, and for the first time since the meeting, he was showing a particr fervor to the idea. Although Theophctus was taking this situation a little more seriously, the means that the head of the Church had proposed seemed to him a little extreme. So it was with far less enthusiasm than the Supreme that the King responded.


    "I agree with going to find out what''s going on in this Dark Forest, but moving the Kingdom''s army seems to me to be too much. We are not going to War your Excellency, we simply have to save my daughter if she is really there."


    For Theophctus, the Supreme was too hasty and no doubt driven to act in this way because of his hatred for the half-humans. For him, it was indeed necessary to send Knights or Pdins rather than adventurers or mercenaries but both were an inconceivable idea. The priority was his daughter, and if half-humans died in the process the King didn''t care, but shaking up the whole Kingdom in this way was not in his ns.


    Theophctus once again could not help but sigh at the extreme decision the leader of the Church had made. Thetter had obviously noticed it and it is with a perfectly dissimted annoyance that he straightened up to address the King.


    "Your Majesty, do you even know why humans around the world are striving to fight these subraces ? Do you not know what happened thousands of years ago, when Humanity was just beginning to grow ? Have you never known about that dark time we called the ''Age of Extinction'' ?"


    "Of course I am not unaware of what you are talking about. Everyone in the royal family eventually knows this story, only isn''t it a legend ? So far there is no record of that time."


    The Supreme and his followers could not believe that the King himself was unaware of this time and even worse, denied it. The world''s leaders knew about this era and although it was a long time ago, it had never been forgotten and certainly not by the Church.


    "A female half-human...no...a demonic creature capable of taking human form has appeared in the world. She has single-handedly managed to threaten our race with extinction and without the help of a gigantic human army, we wouldn''t be here to discuss it. If you were a little more interested in our branch, you wouldn''t think we were so crazy. Besides, some of the remaining records from that time in the Kingdom are in the main church and represent our greatest treasure."


    Theophctus was the King though, but this was the first time he had heard this story in more detail. Since he had been in power, he had never been interested by the Supreme who was striving to convert his people. Even the Princes were aware of this, though not as paranoid as the leader of the Church of Zal. Everyone listened carefully as he continued.


    "What I am about to tell you must never leave this room..."


    The many people around the table were all nodding their heads waiting for the next part.


    "The War against this monstersted for days and days and was the cruelest in human history. The world''s human army gave its heart and soul to give us a future against this creature from Hell at the cost of thousands of lives. After this bloody and dark War, the man nicknamed "the Liberator", the valiant human who led the army of humanity against this monster wrote a diary of the events and the power of the enemy, asking everyone to never forget. We have some pages of this diary, proving that this era really existed, the other parts being scattered in the neighboring countries around the world."


    The Supreme had a deeper voice than usual and as he thought back to those dark moments, an aura of hatred came from his covered body. In the world, many organizations had emerged after this tragedy under different names but with the same objective : to advocate the human race and destroy the others. In the Kingdom of Zal, the Church of Humanity was founded, performing their duties in the name of the Gods with a Supreme at its head. In the other countries, the Church did not exist, but only the name was different, because their vision of the other races was exactly the same. Janell, who until now had remained silent, could not help but ask a question, far too curious to learn the answer.


    "Your...Your Excellency. What...what happened to that creature ? Where did ite from ?"


    So many questions were running through the mind of the royal advisor, who never thought she would be so engrossed in this story. Without a word, the Supreme beckoned Sage to answer for him, fearing that he would lose control when his answers came out of her mouth.


    "This foul monster was sealed in the central mountains of the Vancesia Empire thousands of years ago. Today, this creature should be nothing but a pile of bones if not a disgusting pile of dust ! As for where it came from, no one ever knew and even today we still don''t know but what is certain is that this being was the most powerful this world has ever known. She had unique powers that were beyondprehension and if we don''t act soon this tragedy will happen again !"


    After so many years what humans had forgotten, what they wanted to forget, was that during this tragedy, humanity had not been the only one to suffer. All over the world they called themselves the martyrs of that time, but this powerful and mysterious woman had killed indiscriminately. Half-humans as well as other races had not been spared either, yet humanity had "forgotten" it. The nobles shuddered at Sage''sst sentence as the King straightened, remembering a detail about where the beast had been sealed.


    "The Vancesia Empire...isn''t that where ten years ago the earth dragons were all exterminated ? If I remember correctly the battle had taken ce near those famous mountains you mentioned."


    "That''s right. The Emperor of Vancesia, who is no longer of this world, led a raid ten years ago to exterminate the earth dragons. There is no Church of Humanity in this country, but the Order of Light, which owns other parts of the diary, was there. These winged beasts were capable of transforming into humans, so it was urgent to act before the worst happened. Today there are none left, so Humanity is rid of a dangerous race."


    If the Supreme insisted so much on hunting half-humans, especially those capable of taking a humanoid form, it was because he feared the arrival of another monster capable of defying the whole world. He had not told the King and his subjects everything and so as he took a deep breath, the head of the Church spoke again to address Theophctus directly.


    "Your Majesty, I don''t usually involve you in our beliefs but there happens to be something else. You are one of the few leaders whopletely underestimate the inferior race and..."


    "If you think they are so powerful, why do you call them that way your Excellency ? Isn''t that a little bit of hypocrisy ? You keep telling the people that the half-humans and other races are inferior but in the end you fear them more than anything !"


    The King had cut off the church leader and looked at him with using eyes. He had heard the details of the Age of Extinction and did not doubt the Supreme''s words but his manner did not please him at all. Indeed, Theophctus did not understand why the Church was acting this way and did not hide it. Sage gritted his teeth and clenched his fists at the King''s rudeness but could not say anything while his leader answered.


    "In this world, since the creation of the many organizations to protect humanity, no details have been revealed to the people. Although you are an exception your Majesty, only the leaders and organizations are aware of what the era of extinction really means. What do you think would happen if we were to tell the world the truth ? The result would be panic and anarchy. The knowledge we possess is a treasure but also a me capable of burning us at any moment, which is why we choose to call these creatures that way."


    This way of acting was not only unique to the Church but to all organizations and countries in the world. For the first time in his 50 years, the King of Zal was learning that all this time, all this talk about race was much more than the ravings of a madman. The most powerful humans in the world had been lying to humanity to protect it while justifying their hatred by calling other races inferior. This had been going on for thousands of years now and as time went on, humans naturally began to hate other races without even necessarily adhering to the ideas of the various organizations.


    Theophctus didn''t know what to say and as he sank into his seat, he couldn''t help but feel like an idiot. How was it that he was only learning about this now ? All the other leaders in the country seemed to be working in concert with their respective organizations and most importantly believed in them. Why, after more than 25 years of reign, was he discovering the real danger of other races ? Because the King had never taken the time to converse and listen to what the Church had to say. Besides, their rtionship was so strained that it was always out of the question to discuss their respective beliefs.


    "Now if you will allow me I would like to continue without being cut off. Before you stop me your Majesty, I was about to confide an important piece of information to you."


    The King still silent looked at the Supreme while the Princes, Janell, Myles and the nobles strained their ears. Erzian and Is, unlike their father, already knew the story and saw the head of the Church for the first time being willing to cooperate with the royalty, which had never happened before. Janell, Myle and the nobles were like the King, stunned and terrified that they were only now learning this story they had never known. Everyone sensed that something was up and listened carefully.


    "Thest message that the Liberator left us in his diary is a kind of warning that we call a prophecy. In it, he asks humanity to prepare in case such a tragedy urs again, and several days ago...my greatest fears were proven true..."


    The Supreme had stopped unable to continue so much this story affected him so it was Sage''s turn to resume.


    "...His Excellency heard during a dream, a voice warning him that a new creature just as terrifying had arrived in this world. No doubt a Goddess watching over us and blessing us to win ! The message was: "When humanity is at its peak. A terrifying beast from another world as beautiful as it is ruthless, as cold as ice, will rise up against you and overturn the order of the entire world and plunge it into chaos."


    Everyone had fallen silent as fear overtook the nobles and Janell who were not used to dealing with this kind of feeling not being warriors. Sage had a serious face as did the protectors and the leader of the pdins who still hadn''t said a word. At that moment, the King, more serious than ever, frowned before asking a question in a deep voice.


    "Your Excellency...do you think this monster is in the Dark Forest ? If that is truly the case, my daughter is probably already..."


    "Your Majesty, I don''t know anything at all at the moment so there''s no need to jump to conclusions. The reason I asked you to mobilize the Pdins and Knights is precisely because we need to learn more without risking a single more life. The arrival of this dream and the mysterious events in this forest may or may not be rted."


    Under his ck veil, the Supreme smiled that after so many years he had finally managed to win the King over to his cause. He had told him the whole truth and had managed to talk to him for the first time without receiving ridiculous remarks or a look of disdain. Theophctus had finally listened to him and even understood the threat posed by all the races he hated so much. At that moment, the church leader was almost thanking the three executed protectors for giving him such an opportunity.


    "What we can do is send part of our army to find out if the threat is real. The Fire Foxes'' sacrifice is scheduled for less than a month, but with all these events it is no longer the priority at all. We definitely need to get this story straight before we can even think about notifying the other organizations !"


    The King nodded his head at the Supreme''s words before asking a question that had been burning in his mind for a while now.


    "Your Excellency, what element was controlling this creature at the time ?"


    In a deeper voice than usual, the Church leader answered as his words chilled the blood of the humans in the room.


    "Not one element but two : ice and chaos..."


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength : 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance : 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence : 500


    Charisma : 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 389


    Humans killed : 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 110 Eve Of The First Elysium Empire Festival

    -- POV General --


    While the two rulers of the Kingdom of Zal were nning their project with fear in their hearts, the one they feared was preparing the first festival of her Empire.


    The day before, Freya had held a meeting with the most important members of Elysium to reveal the truth about her existence. Immediately afterwards, she met with the new people working in the mansion, of whom there were 50. The Empress had decided to meet them earlier than all the others since they were now employed at the ce where she lived.


    Lia and Triss who represented the butlers now had 30 people in charge of the various tasks of the mansion. 20 were women in maid or butler''s uniforms who were responsible for general maintenance and 5 had volunteered to maintain the two gardens at the front and back of the Imperial estate. Irrena, the head cook, also now had 5 other cooks to help her in addition to the ones she already had and the workload for each of them had be lighter.


    Little by little, the manor became more and more alive and everyone was happy with their new life. The meeting with the Empress had been an extremely important moment for the neers and many had fainted in Freya''s presence. The revtion of her face, aura, beauty and her presence had left them all marked for life and they had pledged their allegiance to the Empress like all the others before them with passionate faces and eyes.


    The 50 neers had also officially met the Queen and Princess that day, whom they all found as beautiful and cute as they were kind. If Freya had given them the impression of an Empress, cold but fair, terrifying and powerful, unattainable and gorgeous, Gaya had shown herself to be gentle, considerate, wise and dignified. The new employees had marveled at this Queen who was almost as beautiful as her wife and this little Princess who had melted their hearts.


    ___


    The day after her revtions and introductions, the she-wolf was in the meeting room of the mansion, surrounded by her wife, daughter, Commanders and section Leaders. Everyone was now aware of the project concerning the festival and had been working on organizing it to make it memorable for a few hours now. The meeting wasing to an end as Lia summarized what had been said.


    "The decisions that have been made regarding the first Empire Festival in therge central square of the city are as follows. Taegen and his team, along with Commander Persea, will take care of the decorations. For the meal, the farmers and all the cooks of the Empire will get together to take care of it without drawing too much from the stocks. The builders will have to build wooden tables, chairs, a tform and whatever else they deem useful for an event like this, just like Yuric and his men. Finally, everyone has the opportunity to prepare a small show for the asion."


    The meeting had been quite quick anyway as the others simply had to protect the citizens while enjoying the party. Noon had passed and before concluding they had to discuss thest question of the information. Freya had listened carefully to the half-human rabbit and nodded her head from time to time to show her approval. As everyone imprinted the information in their minds, the she-wolf spoke up.


    "Good ! Before you take your leave, I''d like to discuss with you how we might ry the information in the Empire. The number of citizens is growing and we can''t use word of mouth much longer. You''re still busy dealing with new arrivals who haven''t had time to be distributed before the war so we''d have to find an effective way."


    The Empress wanted to develop her Empire in the best way so as not to be overwhelmed in the future and see worries appear that could have been avoided. It was therefore necessary to create the first newspaper of the Empire for the festival but also afterwards. While everyone listened attentively, Freya continued.


    "I have decided to create the very first newspaper of Elysium to inform the poption about important events. Of course, it will be more diverse as time goes on, but let''s start slowly but surely. To this end, I am announcing the creation of a new position : Chief of Communications, which is avable immediately. Does anyone have any suggestions ?"


    In the room, the people present were thinking while the she-wolf waited. Gaya was silent, not wanting to intervene to let the others speak and give their ideas. As for Shiro, she was not listening at all and was lying on the floor ying with her doll, being as discreet as possible. Sometimes, her little adorableughs echoed in the room, making everyone smile with innocence and tenderness.


    While everyone was lost in thought, Kira''s voice echoed in everyone''s mind. Now that they all knew of her existence, there was no reason for Freya to hide her.


    [It may be silly, but I was thinking about that elf named Erkas that we met at the same time as yna and Vig. I don''t know why, but I could see him taking that job. He dares to say what he thinks, he is sincere and above all fair, so I think it is a good choice to choose him if he epts]


    At her words, the faces of the Commanders and section Leaders froze in shock. It was still a bit hard and strange for them to assimte the fact that the Empress'' little sister had been with her from the beginning. So it was logical that she had seen exactly the same moments as her, but for most of them, it was still pretty crazy. Obviously Kira knew about Erkas and as Freya nodded her head, Luna spoke up.


    "I think the idea of Kira-sa...Kira is absolutely not bad. Your Highness, you''ve only met him once, but I know him a bit now and I''m sure he would agree. Besides, what Kira has assumed about his personality is quite right and he would indeed be the best candidate in my eyes. His whole family might even happily agree to help him, without obviously counting the kids who are at school with Viana and her team."


    No one in the room had a better choice and since the rmendation came directly from the Empress'' little sister, the others had confidence. Luna had also supported the idea so Freya could only happily agree.


    "Perfect ! Commander Luna, I charge you to propose and ept if the adults in his family want to join him. I want a return by the end of the day, the festival starts tomorrow night, we need to be responsive ! If Erkas agrees, bring him directly to my office so we can set everything up."


    "It will be done your Highness !"


    Then turning to everyone, the she-wolf announced the end of the meeting.


    "You all know what you have to do, I''m counting on you to help each other if your schedule allows it, to make this first festival a sess ! If there is any problem, don''t hesitate to contact me or my wife and her team who will be happy to help you as Chief of management. You may leave but I would like the Commanders to stay with me for a moment."


    "Alright your Highness !"


    As the section Leaders left the meeting room, only the Commanders, Gaya, Shiro, Lia and Triss remained. Just as Freya was about to speak, the little Princess'' belly decided otherwise and began to growl loudly. Shiro who was now next to the she-wolf, blushed and hid behind her, much too embarrassed. While everyone was looking at her with a smile, the words she said afterwards finished to finish the heart of both her mothers and her aunt.


    "This...this isn''t me, this is my...bebelly.."


    [...]


    Her tongue had forked in an absolutely adorable way and her swollen, red face could make anyone crack up. As for Kira, she forced herself to remain silent even though the heart she didn''t have was worshipping little Shiro for her deadly cuteness.


    While she was still hiding behind Freya''s chair, Gaya stood up to hug her tenderly.


    "It seems our little Princess is hungry. Please excuse us, I won''t stay any longer."


    The Queen had spoken with a soft voice and as she smiled warmly as usual, the 10 Commanders stood up to bow immediately.


    "Queen Gaya, don''t apologize, the Princess is more important ! May you have an excellent afternoon !"


    "I wish you all the same."


    The dragoness, in the eyes of the others, always gave a totally different image than the she-wolf. She had a more maternal side, more soothing but still with that aura that inspired respect and her presence worthy of the Queen she was. The Empress embraced her wife and daughter before seeing them off followed by Triss who was working with Gaya or taking care of Shiro. As the three of them walked out of the room, the little voice of the Princess was heard.


    "Mom Gaya I''m a little hungry it''s true but..but it wasn''t me ! I can''t get Mister Belly to shut up even when I talk to him..."


    "Yes sweetheart, so how about feeding Mister Belly if that prankster doesn''t listen ?"


    "Mmh ! But, I hope I didn''t bother mom and aunty..."


    "I''m sure you didn''t my baby."


    The little moon of the Empire had whispered, but what she didn''t know was that everyone else had heard it. So the Queen and Princess followed by Triss left the room, leaving the others insidepletely elsewhere. The Empress hid her mouth with her hand and smiled furiously while Kira did her best not to express her adoration for her little niece loudly and hysterically.


    "Um..um so.."


    Regaining her senses quickly, the mother of the adorable little Princess coughed to get back to the topic she wanted to discuss. The Commanders all had tender faces before returning to a serious expression as Freya spoke.


    "For starters, I''d like to know where Vig and yna are. I haven''t had a chance to go over this with you yet and it seems to me that they are now in the care of the army am I right ?"


    Unsurprisingly, it was again Luna''s turn to speak as she was the closest person to the young human woman and her friend.


    "That''s right. They are there as soldiers and fit in very well among theirrades and no one rejects them for being humans. The words you said in the battle still resonate in their hearts and everyone acts with respect and kindness your Highness. I am personally in charge of yna''s training, which consists of making her physically stronger and developing her strategic mind. For Vig, Commander Emilia is in charge, he is not very talkative but his presence and level is enough to make the soldiers rise faster."


    Everything was going very well and integration for the only two humans in Elysium was not a problem. The citizens themselves now knew about them and after hearing the many soldiers tell their stories, no one was discriminating against them. It was almost too good to be true, but one should not forget that the atmosphere of the Empire, the protection and the words of the Empress were enough to make this atmosphere possible.


    "Well, perfect ! If I asked you to wait a little longer, it''s because the next few months or even weeks are likely to be eventful. As you know, the young yna is the Princess of Zal, although she has renounced this title. It is only a matter of time before her father the King discovers that she is here."


    [Also, two expeditions of humans have died in the forest and the famous Supreme may be sending us a whole army as well. If we are to believe what the adventurers and mercenaries say, we must still have some time, but we must prepare as soon as possible !]


    What Freya and Kira had said was true and even if they didn''t know the Dark Forest was already being targeted, it wasn''t hard to predict. As the still silent Commanders realized that the fight was bing more and more difficult, the Empress rose from her ice seat before speaking again.


    ? "Today and tomorrow focus on the festival and above all enjoy it. Eat, drink,ugh, and have a good time with the people you love because the next day we will be exploring."


    "The whole...the whole army your Highness ?"


    Persea had raised her voice along with her hand as she could hardly see the entire army moving quietly through the forest.


    "No, only you wille with me apanied by your Lieutenants. There will be 18 of us, which is more than enough. What I would like to do is to make you all pass level 30 to see if it is possible for you too to evolve and make sure that your Lieutenants pass at least level 20."


    Freya wanted to take care of the evolution of her strongest fighters in order to put the maximum chance on their side. She knew that the next time they encountered hostile humans, it would  be for a much bigger war than the previous ones. The Empire of Elysium didn''t have as many soldiers as the Kingdom of Zal, but her Empress had a system and she wanted to take advantage of it.


    "I will personally take care of all of you and I hope that you will all be powerful enough to make the enemy tremble and be worthy of wearing your titles as Chaos Commanders !"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "We will be your Highness !"


    As they stood up, the female warriors had a new gleam shining in their eyes at the thought of possessing a new force and being taken over by the Empress herself. The 10 half-human women now had every intention of spending the festival with someone they cared about before giving their all to their quest for power.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength : 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance : 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence : 500


    Charisma : 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to: Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates : 439 (+50)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 111 Money And Beginning [Elysium Festival - Part I]

    -- POV Freya --


    Tonight was to be the first ever festival of the Empire, the Elysium Festival. It was already afternoon and I was alone with Lia in my office. While everyone else was working quickly and efficiently, I was discussing the issue of currency with Kira.


    *For the festival it will be toote but while we''re exploring I''d like Gaya to help those who want to open a business*


    [Indeed, you''ve had these requests for a while, but with so much going on it''s hard to find the time to deal with it. Now that the others are taking care of the festival, you have some time on your hands]


    My little sister was right, I had already thought about what I wanted to do but I had never really taken a moment to formalize our currency. Gaya was busy with preparations and Shiro was at school with Kate and her friends and seemed to be preparing a little show for tonight. Lia was still with me sorting out papers on the small desk further back in the room.


    [I think you said you''d like the Empire''s money to be used only to facilitate trade, didn''t you ?]


    *Exactly. I have no intention of repeating the same mistakes as others. I don''t want Elysium to be ruled by money, let alone create inequality. It is an irreceable tool for exchanges and transactions and money also has a social utility...money liberates but it corrupts and alienates*


    All over the world and even in my other life, money was the source of many problems for me. Money brought greed, selfishness, theft, inequality, poverty and many other bad things. Where there were privileged people, there was also suffering because money changed minds and darkened hearts. Yet it was not the only engine of a society, but I knew only too well that in my old world, happiness was tranted into consumption in a narcissistic society.


    In fact, money was our identity in a market society. The important thing in life was money, which allowed us to buy consumer goods that would make us want to buy them. You could then enjoy your consumer superiority by bragging about your car or yourtestputer. I wanted to avoid all that.


    [I understand onee-san, but how do you n to do it ? It''s not that simple. How can you know for sure that the same pattern won''t happen here too in time ?]


    *I just don''t know. I could never control the citizens of the Empire and I don''t want to, but it''s true that I could never be sure of anything. Depending on how money is used, it can be the worst poison. So everything must be avable to everyone and as I told you before, everyone must be able to get the same things I can*


    Trade would be facilitated, but under no circumstances would one citizen be able to boast of possessing something that another could not. The more I thought about it, the harder it was to imagine even one person in the Empire doing that. Of course I didn''t know everyone, and it would be foolish to state with certainty that everyone was nice, but still.


    *Ultimately, I think it''s because of everything everyone''s been through that we''ll be able to create a great ce*


    [After the nightes the day, right ?]


    *Mmh...*


    Even though the heart and mind were elusive and different concepts in everyone, in Elysium we shared at least one thing. The fact that we had suffered or lost everything and knew what it was like to be at the bottom of the world with no prospect of happiness. I knew better than anyone that people could change, but this pain we had all experienced would be our strength and fuel our will to do better.


    As I smiled, I continued.


    *To answer your previous question Kira, I had thought of making ice coins with my mastery of ambient mana. It avoids being able to get them from somewhere other than me and this way I could control the production*


    [It''s a good idea, it''s quite quick and easy to make even inrge quantities. I think that ice would represent the Empire more than thosemon gold coins that drive humans crazy. We should distribute them little by little and define their basic value]


    *Fairly, I think I''d need different opinions for that, I''m not the best person for that*


    I''d only been in this world a short time, and while the Empire wasn''t going to match human prices, I couldn''t decide that alone. Looking up at Lia who was concentrating, I raised my voice to ask her opinion.


    "Lia ?"


    "Y-yes your Highness ? Do you need me for anything ?"


    The half-human bunny had her ears drooping a bit and as I was about to reply, Kira''s voice echoed in my mind.


    [Do you think it would be inappropriate for me to touch her ears one day ? They look so...soft.]


    *Sigh, Kira you''re lucky that telepathy isn''t activated and then you should be careful ! Oi ! I''m not looking for a way to get you to join us so you can turn into a weird stalker kufufu~*


    [Hmfp yeah yeah pffhaha~]


    Lia waited with a questioning face as I finally answered her. I had only chatted with my little sister for a few seconds but it was enough to disturb the young woman.


    "Um...excuse me I was responding to Kira. I wanted to get your opinion on something regarding the money. I n to create a currency to facilitate trade. What is your opinion on how to distribute it ?"


    "I...maybe it would be wise to...distribute it at the festival. I...I don''t know if it''s a good idea but since everyone will be there isn''t that the best time ?"


    The whole Empire was to meet tonight indeed, and with my idea of dealing with the strongest in the army afterwards, the opportunity was indeed good. However, if we were to make this possible, it meant that I had to n now for the number of coins given per household. It was good to have the coins, but I also had to ask my wife and the section Leaders for advice on the value of each item.


    [Onee-san, I think you''re torturing yourself about this. You know there''s nothing stopping you from distributing the ice coins tonight and exining to the citizens that they''ll only be useful once everything is in ce. While we''re out exploring, I''m sure Gaya and the others can handle it in your absence. You don''t always have to do everything by yourself]


    *Yes, but they''re already so busy and...*


    [Onee-san. You won''t be able to keep this up for long. You said it yourself, there will probably be a bloodier war in the future, maybe even more. Let Gaya and the others deal with it, after the festival all the neers will be ced and there''s no rush. The most important thing is your health and the power the Empire has to counter future attacks. If you copse, who will protect those you have sworn to protect ? On your life depends a multitude of others, including your daughter and your wife. Need I remind you that if you die, so does Gaya ? You are strong, extremely powerful, but even the fierce, imperial wolf that you are has its limits !]


    My little sister''s words echoed in my mind and squeezed my heart. Sometimes I felt like I was drowning in an ocean of information and had to figure it all out on my own. My body and mind were indeed stronger than normal, but the feelings of power and alertness they gave me prevented me from realizing when I was doing too much.


    I had to remember that my wife''s life had been tied to mine since the day I freed her from the cave. Kira was right, and she had not mentioned it, but my death would also mean hers as long as she remained inside me. I couldn''t answer anything she said, and while I smiled inwardly, I couldn''t help but feel proud of her.


    *You''re right little sister, I''ll let them handle it for me while we''re away. By the way, it seems that you sometimes scold me kufufu~ have I be the little sister ?*


    [Hehe~ you''re not perfect yet onee-san, however with me by your side you can be sure that nothing and nobody will bring us down pfffhaha~]


    Kira was joking, but I was sure of it. She had helped me so much, supported me so much by always trusting me and sometimes even preventing me from bing the heartless being I had been in my other life. Kira had be my little sister but in the end, I wondered if she wasn''t the one looking out for me.


    It was with a heart full of warmth, love and gratitude that I stood up, determined to stop for the day and take advantage of the time left to visit Inferno and Pearl. They were outside the manor in the Imperial stable and I knew that visiting them would calm me down until the festive evening.


    ___


    -- POV General --


    In the Empire of Elysium stood a tall, majestic and imposing tree in its center. It had been ced in the middle of the great square and watched over the statue of the Goddess with its protective foliage. Night had fallen and the glow of the white moon shone on this unique and magical ce.


    In this main ce, there were many standswhere food was going to be distributed, tables and chairs everywhere. Everything was arranged to create an open space like a big stage in front of the fountain. Decorations were everywhere, on the walls of the houses, the stands, the statue and even the tree. Taegen and his team had woven beautiful banners for the asion lining the ce. Some were rainbow colored and others were white and gold.


    Persea and those who mastered elements rted to nature, had also decorated the ce with hundreds of flowers and nts. Therge square in the center of Elysium under the moonlight and greenery, looked like an elven city protected by Nature itself. Torches of fire shone with a warm light, supporting the rays of the moon and giving the ce an enchanting atmosphere.


    The various section Leaders were hurrying to finish the final checks as the first citizens entered the main ce. All faces were smiling, eyes dreamy and minds full of wonder. No one seemed to have seen a sight as breathtaking as this one, and certainly not the neers who had been running away all their lives. Everything seemed so calm, so reassuring, protective, soothing and the mere sight of this ce was already a dream.


    The Empress and her family weren''t due to arrive just yet, but the Commanders were already starting to appear. They were all apanied by someone who mattered, so unexpected duos could be seen near the square.


    Commander Luna dressed in a ck suit was apanied by yna who wore a beautiful dark blue dress. Commander Emilia was apanied by the young fire fox Na?a, both dressed this time in a white skirt and a ck top. The four women were the first Commanders to arrive and like all the others, they could not but remain speechless before the beauty of the organization.


    "It''s beautiful.."


    "Yes, I don''t know why, but I feel...strangely happy."


    yna had replied to Luna as she looked into her eyes. As the young Commander was about to answer, Emilia and Naia were already arriving after spotting them.


    "Hi Luna, yna !"


    Naia had almost jumped on them and as her fire-colored tail wagged, Luna couldn''t help but be amazed.


    "Naia you came with Emilia ? I thought you wereing with your father and mother."


    When she was working, Naia was always serious, and her presence was no match for the other Commanders. However, once the work was done, she became much more shy and gentle. At these words, the vixen turned her head away, blushing slightly and squirming on the spot as if she had done something stupid.


    "Well, uh, mom takes care of the kids and then..."


    "She came with me, we''re using this evening to get to know each other !"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Naia had had difficulty to finish her sentence then Emilia had taken her by the hand before answering in her ce to help her. With this answer, Luna smiled maliciously while slipping her hand in that of the young woman at her sides to imitate her cat friend.


    "I see...well it''s the same for us"


    In front of one of the roads leading to the square, a young half-panther woman was holding the hand of a young human, while opposite her was a young half-cat woman holding the hand of a young fox. yna and Naia, who had been caught off guard, blushed furiously while the other two smiled mischievously at each other.


    Not far from there it was now Nixia''s turn, the beautiful ck-scaledmia, to make her appearance apanied by a young woman no one knew yet. The Commander was quite discreet about her feelings and had finally decided to show herself for the first time in Lynn''spany. Nixia''s rider was a subus she had met on her search mission in the North where she had rescued her and since then a little something had been going on.


    Tonight was the night when all the couples formed and for the first time in a very long time, the Commanders could breathe and rx. The festival that was about to begin was going to be rich in emotions and why not in love.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Gender: Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles: Blessed by Titania, Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp required for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defence: 500


    Agility: 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed: 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate: 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinated: 439


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of Hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal Ice Peaks (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Katana mastery (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Ice Empress Domain "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Other - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Ice Empress''s Natural Aura ]

 Chapter 112 An Evening Full Of Emotions [Elysium Festival - Part II]

    -- POV General --


    The moon was shining high in the sky and the festival had just begun. The great square of the Empire was as busy as it had ever been, with hundreds of people crowding into its center. Erkas, who had be the leader ofmunications, had put up tworge posters announcing the festival that was taking ce tonight, even though most citizens already knew about it.


    The many cooks had started cooking, filling the air with delicious smells that could make anyone salivate and some citizens were making music with instruments they had built or already owned. There were some kind of guitars, violins, drums making this festive atmosphere even more exceptional.


    The citizens of the Empire were eating,ughing, dancing and having a great time, and they didn''t even notice the time passing. Everyone was there, the soldiers, the Commanders and even the section Leaders who had finished their preparations on time. Children were running andughing under the eyes of their parents and the atmosphere was full of joy, smiles and carefree spirit. At that moment, all the houses, offices, and buildings were empty, no one was working anymore, determined to enjoy the night that was just beginning.


    Yet in this magical ce, three people were missing. Only the Empress, the Queen and the Princess were missing and they had not yet arrived. The mood was festive and yet many were worried that Freya and her family were still missing. Persea and Ynir, who were standing on the roof of a house overlooking the square, couldn''t help but look in the direction of the manor.


    "Her Highness does not intend toe ? That seems inconceivable to me."


    "Ynir, it''s possible that putting on their outfits will take some time. If you look closely, Taegen still hasn''t arrived even though his team is already here. Don''t worry, I''m sure the Empress wille and then it hasn''t even been an hour since the festival started."


    The half-butterfly woman was worried, but the ever-gentle dryad was quick to reassure her. Persea wore a long green dress and the same crown of flowers that emphasized her natural beauty. As for Ynir, she wore a shorter, ck dress, open in the back to leave enough space to spread her butterfly wings. They shone in the moonlight, transparent with rainbow reflections that seemed to move as if under the effect of an illusion.


    As Persea smiled and Ynir nodded, the sound of a horn sounded in the distance, bringing almost instant silence to therge square. Everyone turned their heads towards the direction the noise came from as hoofbeats were heard. In the middle of the main street leading to the mansion, the Imperial family was finally appearing in front of everyone.


    Persea was right because the reason Freya, Gaya and Shiro werete was the dressing process which had taken a long time especially for the Queen and Princess. On the ck stallion with yellow eyes Inferno , the Empress stood straight and against all odds she was smiling. She wore a light blue suit embroidered with golden threads, enhanced by a long furless cloak with a two horned wolf on it. Also, the Empress wore ck gloves and ck boots that contrasted with her sky-colored suit. She obviously had her ice crown on, but this time her hair was tied back in a ponytail despite a few strands falling over her face, giving her an even more serious look.


    At her side, the Queen was ridding sidesaddle Pearl the grey mare with pale pink eyes with the little Princess in front of her. Gaya wore a ruffled dress as bright and crimson as her hair, embroidered with amber threads the same color as her eyes. The dress was quite modern and had been custom made with an ovey of hundreds of pieces of fabric. Like Freya, the dragoness wore ck gloves that went up to her elbows and a crimson cloak with a sun embroidered with gold threads. Her dress was open at the back and when the wind blew, her pinkish skin could appear bright under the moonlight. Unlike the Empress, the Queen had loose hair flying in the wind below her tiara of ice red gemstones.


    In front of Gaya was the little Princess that everyone in the Empire admired. Shiro was dressed in a small, less modern white dress, looking like any other princess would wear. Unlike Gaya and Freya''s outfit, her dress was all white, simple, pure but beautiful as she was. Shiro also wore a cloak, where a moon was embroidered with golden threads. The same ck gloves as the dragoness were on her hands, and her mesmerizing white hair fluttered in the wind under her small tiara decorated with flowers.


    The three women were beautiful, graceful, divine and imperial. As they arrived in the square, no one could take their eyes off the spectacle. Freya''s poise ignited the spirits, Gaya''s sweetness brought smiles, and Shiro''s innocence melted hearts. In front of the citizens stood those to whom they had sworn unwavering loyalty. The ones who had changed their lives and brought happiness and peace to their hearts and souls. Blue and powerful as the sky, incandescent and gentle as the sun, pure and innocent as the moon, the representatives of Elysium had finally arrived.


    The she-wolf and her family were finally arriving in front of everyone, but no one dared to speak. Everyone wanted to enjoy this moment forever, as Freya swung a leg over Inferno to get down. Her cloak seemed to fly in slow motion as the she-wolf had been very quick and was already catching her daughter in her arms.


    "Thanks, Mommy !"


    Little Shiro''s feet were now on the ground and as she waved shyly to the silent crowd, the Empress reached out her hand gracefully and tenderly to the Queen. With a smile, Gaya grabbed her hand as a staircase of ice formed to help her down as the citizens watched in awe. The scene was like something out of a fairy tale, a beautiful story of a happy family, filled with love and tenderness...the tale of a perfect family.


    For the most part, the neers were seeing the Empress, her wife, and daughter for the first time, and even though it was from a distance, they felt these unique presences. Those who already knew Freya had obviously told those who didn''t know the Empress about her, but despite all the warnings in the world, seeing her in person was something else entirely.


    "Your Highnesses wee !"


    The moment the Queen stepped on the ground, all the citizens, the entire Empire bowed as Ralph was the first to appear before them. She wore a red shirt the same color as her eyes and ck pants that made her look like a mobster. The young woman, half-wolf, half-vampire, bowed before speaking.


    "Your Highness, the stage you requested is ready and you can set up on it right now !"


    Freya was still smiling and as everyone looked up, it was her turn to speak.


    "The stage belongs to those who want to y music on it. I can see that many of you are good, so it would be pointless for us to set up there at this time. We''re only going to enjoy the festival like all of you, among you, so please don''t mind us and let''s all enjoy the festival together as we see fit !"


    "Woooow !!"


    At the Empress''s words, everyone had cried out in joy and gradually the mood began to return. It was hard to ignore the presence of the three imperial figures, but gradually the special atmosphere made everyone more rxed.


    Stalls all around the square served different dishes all lovingly cooked and sourced from the Empire itself, which was now able to sustain itself thanks to the skilled hands of elves, rabbits and dryads. Barrels of alcohol were being passed around for adults who wanted to try the cider made from the many apples that Ka and Ylindros grew. Even beasts without humanoid form could enjoy the food, which had been ced on huge tes so that no one was harmed.


    As Freya had suggested, on the stage was now all the musicians wishing to entertain the whole ce. They stood under the huge tree and yed music that made many people dance. The stage was ced right in front of the empty space which was no longer empty because now many children, parents, young and old were dancing to the sound with smiles on their faces.


    On arge table to the right of the center were Luna and yna alone, eating a te of what appeared to be stew. The human girl was looking down the center, and while the half-human was quietly watching her, she was talking.


    "You know, Luna, this may be silly, but I''ve never experienced this before. This euphoria, this happiness that shines through in every person here, this is the first time. I may be a princess, but even though my title means nothing to me, it took me eighteen years to experience these feelings."


    yna spoke with a voice that may have sounded sad, but was actually more than happy to have this moment. As she turned to stare at Luna with her blue eyes, her voice trembled slightly but did not falter.


    "Th...thank you for being by my side since I arrived here. We''ve gotten to know each other a little better and even though it hasn''t been long, you...you''re the person who means the most to me."


    In the eyes of the fallen princess, there was sincerity, tenderness and gratitude. The festive atmosphere had made yna braver as she opened her heart a little more to the one she loved.


    Yes, the young woman had fallen in love with the one she had dreamed of finding her whole life but didn''t know it yet. When yna was locked up in the castle, the only one who had given her courage was Luna and no one else, for years. Her heart had decided long ago but those feelings the fallen princess could not yet decipher.


    "Ally I..."


    The half-panther young woman didn''t know what as new feelings surged through her. She was used to flirting a lot but finally when it came to intense, pure, real emotions, Luna lost it. As she shook her head topose herself, she grabbed the young blonde woman''s hand before responding.


    "You too are the most important person to me and...I would love to continue spending time with you in the future !"


    Luna had said thest words while turning her head away to hide the fact that she was blushing slightly. She wasn''t usually one to be shy, but yna''s sudden statement had caught her off guard in turn. The young human who was beginning to identify Luna''s somewhat tsundere side was blushing, but also giggling.


    "Pfffhaha~"


    "What ?"


    "Nothing you''re so....cute haha~ I''ve never seen you like this"


    In all her life, the young Commander had never been called cute, especially since she was the one using that word, so hearing it from the one next to her felt weird. She would never admit it, but deep down, thepliment had made her happy and her heart beat a little faster.


    "I...you...aaah that''s good ! I''ll get us a drink !"


    Wanting to change the subject, Luna still stood up under the giggles of the beautiful young blonde woman to get two sses of cider. yna was ying it smart but her heart was also pounding and her hands were shaking. The two young women were alone at their table and as the Commander sat back down, she handed the young human a ss.


    "Here''s some cider, I think you''ll like it."


    "Is it strong ? I''ve never tasted alcohol in my life."


    Luna looked at yna with round eyes, not sure what she had just heard. At that moment, an evil idea crossed her mind as she answered as innocently as she could.


    "Uh, no, it''s not too much, try it and see !"


    The young human looked at the contents of her ss before smelling it and finally taking arge sip of the cider. Suddenly her face turned red as she pouted having realized she had been tricked. yna coughed slightly as she tried to hit Luna from where she was.


    "You liar ! It''s very good but it''s super strong !"


    "Pffhaha~ you were adorable, it almost looked like you were going to pout ! Who is cute now ? haha~"


    "You !"


    The twoughed as if they were alone in their world, while the party was in full swing around them. Luna was back to her teasing self and yna was blushing hard from the words of the one in front of her and the alcohol. This was the first time for her as she had never been allowed to taste it and had no interest in it when she was in the castle anyway.


    Her pink cheeks were now red and in order to get over the embarrassment, the young woman drank the rest of her drink in one gulp.


    "Well ?"


    Luna, who had seen the scene, swung her panther tail from side to side with sparkling eyes. She loved cider and was looking forward to getting more detailed feedback from the one she was with. As the former princess set the ss down on the wooden table with a thud, golden strands fell across her flushed face that looked hot.


    "Cough cough ! That...that was really good ! But I feel...weird now. Please my little Luna I''ve been looking all over for, can you get me some more *hic* a drink ?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Huh ? Little Luna...I''ve been looking all over for ?"


    The Commander had never seen yna act like this and by the time she understood what was happening, it was already toote. The girl continued to speak and her tongue seemed to have miraculously loosened.


    "Yes ! I looked for you everywhere you know ? Every night *hic* yes every night I thought of you ! I dreamed of finding you and hugging you ! N-*hic* now that you''re here I''m not going to leave you hihi~..."


    yna wasn''t holding her liquor at all and was starting to spill her secrets.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Gender : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles: Blessed by Titania, Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp required for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defence: 500


    Agility: 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed: 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate: 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinated: 439


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of Hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal Ice Peaks (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Katana mastery (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Ice Empress Domain "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Other - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Ice Empress''s Natural Aura ]

 Chapter 113 The Taste Of Cider [Elysium Festival - Part III]

    -- POV Luna --


    "Yes ! I looked for you everywhere you know ? Every night *hic* yes every night I thought of you ! I dreamed of finding you and hugging you! N-*hic* now that you''re here I''m not going to leave you hihi~..."


    *Shit, she''s drunk... I''m so stupid !*


    yna had just said these words without any embarrassment and while I didn''t know what to say she got up to sit next to me. She had only had one drink so the alcohol would wear off in time but for the moment I had no idea what to do.


    *I...I feel like I''ve just made a terrible mistake...*


    I was angry at myself for trying to y a little joke on her but I didn''t expect the situation to turn out this way. I was in my thoughts but I felt yna''s insistent gaze on me and as I turned I could see her eyes staring at my tail. She was looking at it with sparkling eyes that made me shiver for some unknown reason.


    "I always wondered what it would be like to have a tail hihi~..."


    "..."


    "And beast ears !"


    As yna said this, her hands grabbed my tail and caressed it sending a wave of shock through my body. She was acting without any embarrassment and at that moment, I bitterly regretted my joke that had sent me into a veryplicated situation.


    "Uaah Ally, this is..."


    I couldn''t finish my sentence as chills ran down my spine as my face turned red. She wasn''t listening to me at all and was rubbing her cheek on my tail like it was a precious stuffed animal.


    "Aww that''s so sweet !"


    *Uuurg*


    The party was in full swing but my mind was totally elsewhere and even seemed to have partially shut down. No one had ever touched my tail and I wanted to get out of this situation


    but my body was no longer obeying me.


    *Mo..Move, you traitor !*


    No matter how much I ordered it to move, I was frozen in ce, unable to make even a single movement as yna continued.


    "Luna, I think I''m getting addicted to your tail hihi~!"


    yna had just said this in a seductive voice and suddenly her warm lips brushed the tip of my tail making me jump with surprise. This time again my body had reacted on its own and as I stood up, I stammered a few words.


    "I...uh....Ally you''re drunk,you need...I...I can get you some water if you want..."


    The moment she had touched the tip of my tail, a new feeling hade over me. I didn''t know how to describe it, but it felt like I had allowed something extremely intimate. I was hot and the more time passed, the more I felt the urge to get away from this ce.


    "No I''m not thirsty...buuuut I would like you to...show me theke you told me about ! Pleeease,e on, will you ? It''s no ?"


    yna''s eyes were almost pleading as she told me about theke. A few days ago I had told her about the parks built in the Empire and thekes there. Since then, we hadn''t had time to go there because I had a lot of work to do and yna as a new soldier wasn''t free either.


    *Is this a good idea ? It might help her get her mind off the noise but...what if something happens to her ?*


    In reality absolutely nothing could happen to her but for the first time I was afraid to be alone with her. Not because I didn''t want to, but because I was afraid of doing something that might embarrass Allyter...or maybe the other way around.


    "Please *hic* don''t be mean, for once we have time and..."


    yna had tried to step over the bench as she spoke toe towards me but her right foot had mmed against the wood causing her to stumble. With a quick movement I caught her before she hit the ground as our faces came within inches of each other.


    ''Hihi~ thank you my heroine !"


    At that moment I had stopped breathing unconsciously as I felt my cheeks heat up dangerously. Ally was looking at me with sparkling eyes that were slightly tired from the effect of the alcohol. She had a big smile on her face, different from usual, which alerted all my senses as I quickly stood up on the verge of fainting.


    "It''s...it''s okay I got it let''s go !''


    I had grabbed yna by the hand to take her away from the main square. I had acted very quickly, without thinking too much about it, to avoid anything embarrassing happening in the middle of all those people. Some of my soldiers were drinking and having fun not far from there and there was no way they would see me in such a situation.


    *My heart might not hold out...*


    We walked quickly through the crowd, making our way to a less crowded alleyway. I was still holding Ally''s hand tightly so she wouldn''t get lost, while ncing in her direction from time to time. Her blonde strands fell over her flushed face and she smiled radiantly like a little girl. The dark blue dress gave her an innocent look and enhanced the color of her pure and beautiful sky blue eyes.


    *So beautiful... Okay, focus, damn it !*


    We had finally managed to extricate ourselves from this tide of people and began to walk towards the nearest park. The alleys were still lit, but the festive and warm atmosphere had now be calm and gentle. As I walked more slowly, I enjoyed the quiet ce, my mind at ease. The moon, still as white as Princess Shiro''s hair, shone brightly and showed us the way.


    "L-Luna wait ! You look like you''re somewhere else haha~"


    *Huh ?*


    Without realizing it, I had let go of yna''s hand and had just walked a few feet with my arm still back but no longer pulling anyone. She was holding her stomach andughing, obviously still as uninhibited as before. Herughter was soft and even though she wasughing, I was getting more and more embarrassed for some unknown reason.


    "Don''t...don''t dawdle, we''re almost there !"


    "Yes yes ! I think about it but when we met that was one of the first things you said to me hihi~"


    Her words made me smile as I saw the scene y out in my mind as I took her to my office. As we walked, those memories that were not at all old, I remembered them like it was yesterday. I thought that ss of cider would make yna more uncontroble, but at that moment she was simply sincere.


    *Here we go*


    We had threaded our way between the houses through the beautiful paved streets and finally before us was the park. It was empty because everyone was in the centre and as the


    music echoed in the distance on the wind, we were perfectly alone.


    "Wow, this is beautiful !"


    "Ally be careful !"


    yna was now running through the silent park, lit by what were calledmpposts adorned with a mana absorbing light stone. She wobbled a little, her long blonde hair flowing, her blue eyes twinkling, and her smile making my heart flutter without reason. As I caught up to her, I couldn''t help but feel alone in the world with her.


    "Don''t run like that ! Are you feeling better ? Is your head spinning ?"


    Every time Ally walked away, I was afraid she would hurt herself. She looked like a child who needed to be watched and even though she made me smile, I was worried.


    "Yes Luna, don''t worry like that ! No matter what happens you will protect me right ? hihi~"


    "Y-yes"


    *She''s right, why am I acting like this ? Okay, maybe she''s drunk, but we''re the same age and it can happen, she''s not going to die...uurg I don''t get it !*


    As I shook my head to clear the thoughts that were draining my mind, yna''s arm wrapped around my left arm as we walked. The ce was truly silent, I could even hear the breathing of the one beside me and the sound of shivering leaves.


    Aheady the smallke that yna so wanted to see. The water was dark, unfathomable, but at the same time shone with a unique brilliance reflecting the moon and stars in the sky. I had never been here at night, and as we walked across the cool grass, our eyes took in the sight, leaving us speechless.


    The sound of the water lulled our ears in this almost timeless atmosphere. Ally''s arm still held me as she walked to a small wooden bench facing theke. It was her turn to drag me impatiently before we sat down to enjoy this ce that was at that moment only ours. As I leaned against the back of the bench, yna''s soft voice came out.


    "This ce is beautiful.."


    "The park ? Yes, I didn''t think it would be this nice at night"


    "No..I was talking about this Empire. I..I''ve never seen such a ce before where so many people can live carefree and happy.."


    yna''s cheeks were still flushed and even though the effect of the alcohol hadn''tpletely worn off, somehow I liked her sincerity. Usually she was rather reserved and


    discreet but tonight that was no longer the case. The ss of cider that Ally had taken seemed to increase her emotions, thoughts and desires tenfold while making her rather entric and much less shy.


    Her eyes were closed and I couldn''t help but look at her. yna stood still, almost as if asleep, and her hands held the medallion I had given her. As I watched her out of the corner of my eye, I answered her with the utmost sincerity.


    "Yes...this ce is a paradise for us but we must fight to preserve it. Her Highness has promised to protect us all but I as well as all the others have also sworn in our hearts to do so."


    As yna turned her head towards me to answer, she became strangely tactile, moving closer to me before grabbing my hand. Hers were warm and even slightly sweaty as Ally spoke.


    "Me..me too ! I want to protect this ce that weed me and even if I''m not strong yet...I will be strong ! I...I want to protect you..."


    Her blue eyes conveyed the passion and determination of her words and as her gaze bore into mine, I could not respond. Again my body stopped moving, my heart raced and my mind went nk...I was panicking. Before me was yna, like an angel in the moonlight, beautiful and breathtaking.


    "Luna ?"


    "Y-Yes ?"


    "Can I...give you a hug ? I''ve been dreaming of this for a very long time and..st time I was crying in your office. Please...not..not for long I promise..."


    yna was still red-faced so I didn''t know if she was blushing or still drunk. Her request wasn''t helping my already troubled heart and as I nervously nodded, Ally shyly moved closer to me. The ss of cider she had drunk had definitely made her braver and because of it or thanks to it, I could feel her arms wrap around my neck.


    "I..."


    "Shhh, let yourself go hihi~"<novelnext></novelnext>


    I didn''t understand anything anymore. How had I gotten to this point ? Usually I was the one who flirted, who made people blush and who took the initiative but with yna I couldn''t do it. I couldn''t keep my cool, I couldn''t act like I used to and the roles had even reversed. As she buried her face in her arms that were around my neck, after hesitating for a few seconds, I put mine around her waist.


    We hugged in that empty park, on that bench facing theke and the more time passed the more I felt good, at peace and despite my fast heart...very happy. As Ally looked up, I could see tears shining on her cheeks making me instantly panic.


    "A-Ally, is everything all righ t? What did I do ? I... I shouldn''t have put my hand there it''s..."


    "Aaah !"


    I was so agitated that I had dropped yna causing her to lose her bnce and as I tried to catch her, we both fell to the grass. I found myself on top of her and as she opened her eyes, she spoke.


    "Aouch...it was unexpected, I am so clumsy haha~"


    "Ex-excuse me I didn''t mean to make you cry and on top of that hurt you, I''m such an idiot forgive me !"


    I stood up in a panic as I held out my hand to help her up. I felt guilty and more than a little clumsy, which had never happened to me before.


    *Idiot ! Why are you like this ?*


    My hand was outstretched towards Ally and as she took it, instead of getting up she pulled me towards her making me fall back onto her chest.


    "Wh..."


    "You didn''t do anything to me okay ? I couldn''t be happier than here with you even if I fall once or twice..."


    My heart had started to race again as my eyes locked with hers. yna had put her hands around my neck, keeping me from moving away and blocking my face inches from hers. I was hot and shivering and my brain had shut down. I couldn''t even formte a single sentence properly.


    "I...with me ? I... why... no... uh..."


    Never had so many feelings shed through my mind as at that moment and I couldn''t help but hide my red face with embarrassment. My tail was swaying back and forth in spite of me and as Ally giggled she pulled me closer to her to whisper.


    "Idiot"


    After saying this simple word, the young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, had ced her soft, smiling lips on mine. We were lying in the grass under the moonlight in a ce


    where we were alone and yna was kissing me.


    *I...*


    Once again she had surprised me and yet I wasn''t pushing her away...I couldn''t. As I closed my eyes enjoying this moment and these feelings, Iy on top of Ally to intensify this stolen kiss. Her lips tasted like cider.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Gender: Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles: Blessed by Titania, Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp required for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defence: 500


    Agility: 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed: 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate: 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinated: 439 (+50)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of Hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal Ice Peaks (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Katana mastery (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Ice Empress Domain "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Other - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Ice Empress''s Natural Aura ]

 Chapter 114 The Story Of A Cat And A Fox [Elysium Festival - Part IV]

    -- POV General --


    While Luna and yna exchanged their first kiss, in the center of the Empire, Emilia the beautiful young woman cat was with Naia the fire fox. They hade together because for some time the two Commanders of the army were getting closer and closer.


    ___


    Emilia was a rather simple, quiet young woman of the kind that didn''t talk much and observed silently. Before meeting the Empress and joining the camp in the Dark Forest mountains, she had spent her life wandering alone without ever settling anywhere. The young half-cat woman had spent her life traveling from country to country, through valleys and forests looking for people to help. Always carrying her sword that never left her side, Emilia, a half-human now with no family, had sworn to protect those who needed her.


    The young woman had never known her parents because she had been raised by her grandmother in and abandoned by all life. The ce was called "The Wastnds" because there was nothing there but death and wild beasts. It was a great expanse of drynd, rocks and dust as far as the eye could see. Many creatures infested thisnd, hungry, ferocious and deadly, which exined theck of civilization.


    In spite of all this, Emilia and her grandmother had managed to survive hidden in a converted cave behind a small forest of dead trees. At that time, they fed on insects, small animals that came to take refuge in the mountain and drank the water that flowed down the cold walls. It had never been very easy, but at that time, the young woman knew nothing else and was not unhappy despite the difficult life.


    Her grandmother, whom she used to call "Nyanny", had raised her up with an overflowing love, knowing very well the world in which she was born. During more than 14 years, Emilia had lived with difficulty but in the tenderness and the love of her Nyanny who looked after her. At that time, the days were trying but joyful, they lived in a hostilend but never without a smile.


    The day Emilia lost her smile, was shortly after the day an exhausted and wounded swordsman had appeared in front of their house. He had been wounded by some kind of steel-hard coyotes and had managed to drag himself to safety. When he tried to enter the cave, the man had realized that it was already inhabited, and so had encountered Emilia and her grandmother.


    Nyanny of a great generosity, had weed him and looked after him in spite of the few things which they had by depriving herself sometimes to the profile of this human. The man


    day after day had started to heal and Emilia even began to appreciate him until the day when hemitted the irreparable. That day, the sword Commander was only fourteen years old when the young human threw himself at her after he hadpletely healed. Driven by his unhealthy desires, he had tried to assault her and without the help of her grandmother Emilia would have lost her innocence.


    The young half-human cat had struggled for a few minutes before Nyanny arrived to help her. There followed a long struggle in that dark cave where two half-human women fought for their lives against the man they had taken in. It was the day when Emilia saw her grandmother give up herst breath under the blows, beaten savagely by a man in whom she had confidence. And so it was in tears that she had grabbed a weapon for the first time to defend herself.


    At that time, still a child, the half-human cat had killed for the first time. She had killed the one who had ended her grandmother''s life, with a rusty knife in the throat. After that, her smile was gone for good. Emilia had been crying for days, covered in blood, without eating, sleeping or drinking. She had cried all the tears of her body next to the body of the one she loved more than anything in the world and the one she hated with all her soul.


    After exhausting herself, with what strength she had left, Emilia had to bury Nyanny in the cave after days of digging in the hard, bloody, dusty ground. She had dragged the man out of the home and left him to rot away so as not to attract wild beasts to where Nyannyy.


    It was after these traumatic events that Emilia had decided to leave the ce she had known all her life in order to cross these deste and dangerousnds. Several times she had thought of ending her life, but the simple memory of her grandmother who had watched over her since her birth, had prevented her from doing so. She wanted to find meaning in her life, a purpose and people to protect, to forget the unbearable pain that weighed on her heart.


    Thus, one day, with the sword of the first human she had killed, Emilia had said goodbye to this ce which represented all her life but also all her pains and fears. Using Nyanny''s knowledge, her senses and her will, she had crossed thesends abandoned by all to join the civilization. Beyond this expanse of dust, the half-human had discovered many wonderful things, but also the cruelty, death and danger that humans represented.


    Year after year, crossing forests, rivers, mountains, and valleys, Emilia had hardened her mind to withstand the horrors of the world. Traveling further and further, running from the strongest humans, fighting the weakest, helping those she could help, the half-human cat had survived. Like a homeless wandering soul, like an empty and painful heart, life had made Emilia a warrior.


    It was in the Dark Forest that her journey hade to a halt, when she had learned of the existence of humans capturing half-humans and beasts. The young woman knew the plight of those taken by humans, for throughout her journey she had witnessed horrible things and deep down she wanted to help. It was with this determination that she had met Na?a, the fire fox who had lost her parents.


    Naia, like most half-humans who had lost a loved one, had seen her parents captured to allow her to escape. The vixen until that day, had never known anything else than the happiness to be with her family and to live peacefully just like Emilia before the arrival of this man.


    She had not experienced any traumatic events, which exined her carefree, naive and always positive nature, much to the delight of her parents. Of course, Naia was not unaware of the danger posed by humans and trained every day in the forest while hunting, using her half-human reflexes and her element. That was why, when Freya had first met her, the young fox had already risen to a level where she could defend herself. Unfortunately, in front of the invasion of adventurers and mercenaries, at that time those 10 levels couldn''t help her.


    It was while desperately seeking help that she had first met Emilia, distraught and crying. Together, they had traveled through the Dark Forest and eventuallynded alongside eight other young women with equally tragic pasts, now known as the Chaos Commanders. In the camp hidden by the mountains, Emilia had told her story to Naia for the first time after finding her determination admirable under the circumstances.


    Since that day, the half-human had been secretly watching over the young fox to keep her safe until she was reunited with her parents. She didn''t want to see her go through what she had experienced in the Wastnds and was desperate to keep her heart and smile intact.


    And one day, things had begun to change in this forest the day Freya had arrived among them. The she-wolf, with her simple presence, had managed to turn the tide and unite this group of half-humans more than ever before, brought together by the force of fate. Their new Empress had given each of them hope, purpose and something to protect. Freya had ignited the hearts of her subordinates and built an Empire after freeing hundreds of prisoners and defeating the humans.


    So much had happened that in just a month and a few days, Elysium had been born and now stood proudly in the Dark Forest with the Ice Empress at its head. The 10 half-human women were now Commanders and even though the young vixen was only a Vice Commander, she had more than earned her ce.


    Since their meetings, Emilia had never stopped watching over Naia while observing her progress in silence. She fulfilled her duties as a Commander with seriousness but that didn''t stop her from continuing to take care of the vixen discreetly. Hot meals, ointments for wounds, refreshments, advice, everything was good to stay around like a guardian angel.


    This little merry-go-round hadsted for several weeks, until Naia finally noticed these little attentions to her. Emilia was not talkative at all and Naia was much too much but in spite of their different personalities, they got along rather well.


    It was thus the day before the festival that the fox had finally made the first step and asked the half-human cat to apany her.


    ___


    Today, Naia and Emilia found themselves again both in a very different framework. They were not any more on the training ground to sweat and exceed their limits but at the festival of the Empire. The two young women had already experienced the Empress'' coronation and wedding, but tonight was different. Different because everything was even more incredible, not to mention the fact that this was their first date, as it was for many of their friends too.


    There were many more people than at Freya''s wedding and the mix of different races, their stories, their various foods, the atmosphere made it all absolutely wonderful. As almost no half-human had ever been to a festival in their lives, everything was new so Emilia and Naia couldn''t help but be amazed.


    Unlike Luna and yna, they had not sat on the tables ced all over the main square but on the roof of a house. The two young women were enjoying the party high up in the cool night wind and the echoes of joy from every citizen of Elysium.


    "Emilia did you see those kids dancing in the middle ? Haha~ I think it''s the first time they can dance like that, happy and carefree"


    "It''s true and I must admit that this scene would have been impossible a few months ago"


    Naia and Emilia were sitting side by side, their legs hanging in the void and their eyes fixed on the enormous party which took ce under their feet. Since they had left Luna and yna, she had moved to higher ground and was enjoying a moment together like they hadn''t had in a long time. The vixen''srge, fire-colored tail swished the air as she spoke again.


    "Aren''t you hungry ? Or maybe you''re cold ? No I don''t think so...so are you thirsty ?"


    Naia, as usual, was talking a lot with a childish expression quite different from the one she had in front of her soldiers. She absolutely wanted to return the favour to her friend and had sworn that she would be the one to watch over her at least for this night. Emilia who looked at the party, turned then the head in her direction to answer while her ck and red hair flew in front of her face.


    "No, I''m fine, thank you, Naia"


    "Oh, uh, okay."


    The young half-cat woman was not very good at talking and unlike the young vixen, she was not really used to saying everything she thought. Naia squirmed in ce as she yed with a lock of her hair, the color of her emerald green eyes etched in Emilia''s mind. Both young women were happy to be here, but stress had taken hold of them.


    "But Naia, if...you''re cold, hungry or thirsty tell me, I''ll get you something, okay ?"


    "Then we''ll go together !"


    "Mmm, sure !"


    Emilia smiled and even if she did not do it often, for the one at her side it was like a breath of fresh air. Naia knew her history and thus knew better than anybody that her scars were not yet healed and that it would take time. What the vixen liked best about her friend was the will and strength she had to continue to care for others despite what she had been through. Even though Naia admired the Empress and was extremely grateful to her, she secretly dreamed of being as strong as Emilia.


    "E-Em ?"


    "Yes ?"


    "When...when you took my hand earlier and you...you said you wanted to get to know me. What exactly did you mean by that ?"


    Naia had wanted to ask this question for a while but had always stopped when the words were about toe out of her mouth. It was Emilia''s smile that had finally given her the courage to ovee the embarrassment and ask. The young fire vixen had been surprised by her friend''s sudden gesture and couldn''t understand what she had meant.


    "Well *cough* I meant I wanted to deepen our uh..rtionship."


    Emilia did not expect this question but had answered with sincerity plunging her ck eye and her eye and dark green in those of Naia. At this moment, her fine tail of cat had posed on that of the fox, hoping to make her pass the message. Na?a didn''t know what to say as she imagined everything and anything.


    "You...uh...like...friends ? But...we''re already friends right ?"


    The young half-human stammered while blushing whereas she seemed to think of all other thing. Emilia who had understood everything, approached then Na?a to catch her hand again before leaning and whispering in her ear while blushing in her turn.


    "What I meant was, Naia...I think you...you make my heart beat"


    In this Empire, whereughter and song rose into the sky, tongues were loosened, feelings emerged and hearts were beating rapidly to the rhythm of the music.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Gender: Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles: Blessed by Titania, Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp required for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defence: 500


    Agility: 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed: 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate: 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinated: 439


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of Hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal Ice Peaks (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Katana mastery (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Ice Empress Domain "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Other - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Ice Empress''s Natural Aura ]

 Chapter 115 The Elysium Anthem [Elysium Festival - Part V]

    -- POV General --


    While yna and Luna kissed and Emilia opened her heart to Naia, Freya and Gaya stood among the citizens, sitting in front of the musicians'' stage. Although they had wanted to enjoy the atmosphere discreetly, arge space had been created around them as if getting closer was dangerous.


    Shiro was no longer with them as she had joined her ssmates who were preparing to perform soon. The music had stopped and the musicians were starting to leave the stage to make room for them.


    As the show put together by Viana and her team working at the school and orphanage was being put on. The Empress could only wait with anticipation, but not without asking questions of her wife who had helped Shiro rehearse.


    ___


    -- POV Freya --


    "It''s still not a fight show ?"


    [Onee-san stop talking nonsense ! Your daughter will never do that... at least for now. I preferred it to be dancing !]


    Many theories were running through our minds as we were more than eager to find out what the surprise was. In the meantime, Kira and I couldn''t help but wonder about the performance that Shiro was going to give us with her ss.


    [Oh mighty Queen Gaya...couldn''t we have a clue ?]


    "Haha~ corruption doesn''t work on me Kira. Anyway, I promised Shiro I wouldn''t say anything ! She worked hard for this moment, always making sure to rehearse with me when you were busy. You still don''t want to see her disappointed do you ?"


    Gaya still wouldn''t say anything and as she hit my little sister''s weak spot, we could hear her in our minds giving up the fight.


    [Arrf you''re right I can''t do that to her ! I''ll be damned if I''m going to bring tears to her little pink cheeks ! Let''s be patient, I guess the surprise will be all the better]


    *Pfff~*


    I couldn''t help but chuckle inwardly as Kira was so easy to convince when it came to her beloved little niece. Gaya smiled too as it wasn''t hard to understand or exploit especially at a time like this. Silence began to arrive slowly as Viana made her way towards us.


    "Your Highness, Queen Gaya, Kira-sa...Kira, the performance is about to begin. Would you like toe a little closer ?"


    "Thank you very much Viana"


    My wife had answered and as we got up to approach, thest people followed us at a good distance.


    *I still won''t eat them kufufu~*


    [You''d better pffhaha~!]


    As we arrived at thest tables, we took our seats in front of the now empty space just before the stage. I could already see among the children, my little moon by the stairs who didn''t even look in our direction, seeming even stressed.


    [Auntie looks at you ! We''re with you, my little love bun !]


    *Little... love bun ? Where did you get that from again ?*


    [Well...don''t you think her chubby little cheeks look like little buns ? Fluffy, adorable aaaww that''s almost illegal !]


    Once again, Kira never ceased to impress me with her unfathomable admiration for Shiro. Sometimes she was so passionate that I ended up thinking that once I got her out of my mind, she would start a cult to worship her. My wife at my side who could hear our conversation could not help but giggle lightly cing her hand in front of her mouth.


    "You don''t realize it but you both are really funny haha~"


    Gaya had whispered those words as she tried her best not to burst outughing. I''d never been told I was funny in all my lives, and if Kira had had a body, I was sure we would have looked at each other with a surprised expression. Up until now, my little sister and I had always been like this, and even though sometimes we seemed to argue, it wasn''t the case.


    [I don''t know if the Ice Empress here is funny, but I have to admit that I''m pretty good at making peopleugh hihi~ ask little Shiro !]


    As I shook my head and rolled my eyes at Kira''s statement, I could finally see the children walking onto therge wooden stage.


    [It''s starting !]


    My little moon and her ss had apparently prepared this show before they knew there would be a festival. Originally, Viana wanted to present it on a special asion that turned out to be earlier than expected. Fortunately, the children were all ready and as dozens of them took their ces, all our family''s thoughts and love went out to Shiro.


    "Well..hello everyone ! For those of you who don''t know me yet, my name is Viana and I''m the headmistress of the Empire''s orphanage and school. Tonight, all the children including our Princess have gathered for a short show but one that I hope you will find entertaining."


    Naia''s mother had the same hair and eyes as her daughter and as she finished her short presentation, she turned to me and my wife.


    "Empress, Queen Gaya, this is the anthem of Elysium."


    At that moment the torches that illuminated the center of the Empire were extinguished and only the soft light of the moon remained, falling upon those children in solemn silence. Before us stood a great number of the youth of Elysium, all dressed in white as angels representing innocence.


    *Oh~ so it''s a song ?*


    [I can''t wait !]


    In front of all these children was our little moon still in her dress that fit her so well, wearing her tiara with pride and smiling awkwardly. She looked stressed and as her violet eyes met mine, I smiled and nodded to give her courage.


    [...]


    Gaya didn''t speak and as she waited patiently, I grabbed her hand discreetly. My heart was beating rapidly in my chest and a new peculiar feeling was gripping my stomach. For the first time I was experiencing stress. I, who always did everything with confidence and determination, was stressed. Seeing my little daughter in front of so many people ready to sing when she had never done so even in front of us, terrified me.


    *I hope that...no, everything will be fine. But...*


    I was experiencing the worries of a mother for her child, I was both proud to see her standing in front of everyone and at the same time agitated and worried. This was an extremely important moment for Shiro as well as for us and as I tried to calm my heart, I could only hope that my little moon was having a good time and was proud of herself. Even Kira was silent and couldn''t speak, gripped by the same worry that was running through me that was uncontroble.


    "Honey...it''s okay."


    My wife had leaned slightly towards me and whispered these words, squeezing my hand tighter to reassure me. She understood perfectly what was happening to me and as she smiled tenderly at me, I could feel her hands shaking slightly. In reality, Gaya was just as stressed as we were.


    So it was with great appreciation and pride that we began to see the children''s song rise into the starry sky.


    ____


    " In the westernnds just beneath the sun


    There is an Empire blessed by Spring


    Lost souls, wounded hearts, broken minds run


    Where the birds always sing


    Though wind may blow and rain may fall


    Run, only the will of your heart will remain


    Because far over wood and mountain tall


    There arends where freedom reigns


    Here there was, an Empress on a carven throne


    Where pridly ice and ck stone dwell


    Beneath the stars of the eternal night in her Empire she shone


    Like the sky carrying its lights without farewell "


    ____


    As the other children became silent, my little moon shyly stepped forward to sing alone. She had her two hands on her chest and didn''t dare look at anyone because of the stress. Shiro was still trembling a little but at that moment, that little white angel under the moon, for me...was the most beautiful. And as Shiro started to sing, we could all hear her soft, hesitant and cute voice.


    ____


    " Beyond all mountains steep here we are


    Beyond all the fears and suffering


    Beneath... "


    ____


    Shiro had suddenly stopped at the beginning of one of her sentences as she had reopened her eyes to look at us.


    [Wh-what''s going on ?]


    Without needing one more look, just by looking into her violet eyes, I instantly understood


    what was making her panic. As I answered Kira, I continued to stare at my daughter in this difficult moment for her.


    "Shiro forgot the rest, she must have a stress-rted memorypse..."


    [But... but how will she do it ?]


    I didn''t know how to respond and as I was about to help her, Gaya''s hand came to rest on my shoulder as she shook her head.


    "Honey, Shiro asked me not to let you interfere no matter what. She has to finish that hymn, that''s what she wants deep down and you know it."


    [But...]


    "I promised her. Please don''t stop the performance."


    My wife''s eyes were serious, and for the first time, neither I nor Kira wanted to get past her words. As I turned back to Shiro, the center of the Empire was still silent and waiting patiently. My little girl was still as if she was stuck, and even though my heart ached I didn''t move.


    [You can do it !]


    Shiro seemed to be struggling not to cry and ruin the show. Only a few seconds had passed and as the situation became unbearable for me, I quietly snapped my fingers to help my daughter who was making all the effort in the world. I could almost see the tears forming in her eyes as suddenly in front of her appeared an ice bird she knew all too well.


    Before the eyes of the spectators, the children and my daughter, Birdy had appeared and was flying happily around her. He pped his wings innocently to encourage Shiro, who rubbed her eyes before standing up bravely. Her eyes had begun to glow with a determination that made me proud of her at that moment no matter how well she performed as she began to sing again<novelnext></novelnext>


    My little moon''s voice was weaker than before and because of that short pause, despite her will, she was still confused because of what had happened. Shiro didn''t dare to look at us while I felt that she was probably too ashamed to do so. Her little voice trembled more and more and as I was about to stand up despite the dragoness'' warning, something unexpected happened.


    My wife, who until now had said nothing, stood up with a big smile as her melodious voice echoed under the starry sky. Gaya was singing. She was singing Shiro''s part, which she knew by heart since she''d had it rehearsed. My wife was singing to give our daughter courage, as if her voice was tenderly whispering "I''m here.


    At that moment, our little moon raised her head with a radiant smile while her voice had regained all its power, confidence and joy.


    ___


    " Beyond all mountains steep here we are


    Beyond all the fears and suffering


    Beneath the Sun, beneath the Moon and Stars"


    Here, where stands this protective citatum


    Listen to these strong and proud voices


    Tell you about the story of Elysium".


    Listen, can you hear us sing the rise of this gem


    As in our hearts and souls forever will resound


    The Elysium Anthem "


    ___


    My wife and daughter were both singing under the admiring gaze of the citizens of the Empire who were not expecting to hear the Princess and Queen herself. As they finished their verses, a thunderous apuse resounded in the center of Elysium whose anthem had just been sung.


    Gaya had joined Shiro while she was singing and from where I was, I could see her hugging her proudly. And on the lips of my little moon, only two sincere words could be read "thank you".


    [B...beautiful, magical, powerful...I...]


    My little sister and I were both speechless and as I joined my wife and daughter, I couldn''t help but hug my little moon.


    "Congrattions, sweetie that was absolutely beautiful ! I...I''m so proud of you !"


    [We are proud of you little Shiro !]


    My heart was still beating rapidly, and under the apuse of the citizens of the Empire, I showed a side of myself that many had never seen before. Worry, pride, love...so many feelings overflowed from my heart as Shiro whispered.


    "I...I ruined the ending but...thank you..."


    "Sshhh you didn''t ruin anything...you were perfect and even though you were stuck at first, you had the courage to not break down in tears and stay in front of all those people. Shiro...we can only be proud of you !"


    Her little tail swayed back and forth and her ears drooped slightly but as I finished my sentence I caught her in my arms and kissed her tenderly on her blushing cheek. Gaya and I stood by the stage smiling at the children who had also been very brave and as a wave of emotion swept over the Empire, I was happy.


    "And uh...thank you Mommy... for Birdy."


    My little moon while greeting her audience had just whispered these few words in my ear while her little arms wrapped around my neck. Birdy was still flying by her side and it was with an innocent, sincere, childish and loving smile that Shiro experienced for the first time the feeling of aplishment.


    The center of the Empire was still in apuse and ovation for these children and the Princess who had just given us the first anthem of Elysium. This hymn will remain in our hearts and the angelic voice of its interpreter will continue to thrill us even after the party and beyond.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Gender: Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles: Blessed by Titania, Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp required for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defence: 500


    Agility: 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed: 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate: 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinated: 439


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of Hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal Ice Peaks (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Katana mastery (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Ice Empress Domain "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Other - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Ice Empress''s Natural Aura ]

 Chapter 116 Dance Of The Sky, The Sun And The Moon [Elysium Festival - Part VI]

    [N/A: When I wrote the dance scene, I was listening to The Arena by Lindsey Stirling. For some the music will not go with the scene but for those who want to listen to it at the same time feel free]


    ________


    -- POV Freya --


    In therge square, still under the moonlight, all the citizens of Elysium were cheering for the anthem that the school children had yed for us. The performance had been short, but had seeded in making us all feel particrly strong sensations. So far the festival had been a sess, and as I set Shiro down on the floor, I stroked her soft, fluffy little head once more.


    "Well done sweetie, you were brave and I think your voice is beautiful"


    "Hihi~ thanks mommy...I..next time I''ll do even better !"


    My little girl''s light purple eyes twinkled with a thousand stars as Kira answered before I could.


    [Aa my little chocte filled love bun, whatever you do, as long as you put your heart into it you will never let us down okay ?!]


    *Wh...you''re not gonna add words every time, are you ?*


    [Onee-san, if I want to call my little niece "my little chocte bun baked with love on a warm spring day" what are you gonna do, huh ?]


    *Sigh...well, don''t make it too long or in a week it won''t be a cute nickname but a whole novel*


    Once again, I was stunned by my little sister who was bing more and more uncontroble but also more and more adorable. Shiro, who had heard our entire conversation, was giggling in her corner just like Gaya had done before her.


    "Hihi~ I''m still a little bun but I''ll grow up quickly you''ll see auntie Kira !"


    Then, turning to me with a big beaming smile, she would say something before running shyly away in my wife''s direction.


    "T-Thank you again mommy...I...I love you !"


    Again, I didn''t have time to answer as Shiro was already leaving. My little daughter had just sung in front of the entire Empire and at that moment no words could describe what I felt. I was so proud, so happy that I couldn''t help but look at her with a heart full of love. As I let her thank Gaya once again, I approached Viana and the children who seemed to be waiting.


    "Congrattions to all of you, you were wonderful"


    The crowd was still cheering as I smiled fondly at the children, out of sight. The young half-humans trembled before me but smiled back as they bowed. Their voices rose at the same time, soft and pure and joyful despite their small bodies reacting instinctively to my presence.


    "Th-thank you, your Highness."


    I had smiled so that no one would get scared, faint or worse. My aura waspletely retracted and even though my presence was strong, I also wanted to congratte them. Kate, Shiro''s friend was there too and unlike the others she wasn''t shaking anymore. After spending so much time with my little moon, even sometimes in the manor, the little hybrid had gotten used to it.


    "Kids, tonight have fun, keep enjoying the festival before you get tired"


    "Yes !"


    As they scampered away with smiles towards their parents or carers, Viana came towards me. She often looked down and for some reason Naia''s mother seemed to be afraid of something.


    "Your Highness, I hope you enjoyed the performance. I...I hope you don''t mind my taking the initiative to write this anthem with all the children. If... if you do, I hope you''ll forgive m..."


    "Viana. I really enjoyed the show that you and your team put on. I always recognize when a job has been well done and this is the case. Don''t apologize, it was an admirable surprise and your initiative was perfect"


    I was just being sincere and despite the little incident, I knew we would all go home with precious memories in our heads. As I walked away, I left Viana and the children with big smiles as Kira''s voice echoed in my mind.


    [It was a great idea to make Birdy appear to stop Shiro from crying. If you hadn''t done it, I think I would have done it my way. And most importantly...did you know that Gaya sang so well ?]


    *No, I found out the same time you did...*


    Like all the citizens at that moment, I had been sucked in by her melodious, enchanting voice, andbined with Shiro''s voice, it had be a beautiful song worthy of the sky, worthy of Elysium. Like divine music in our ears, they had left us all speechless while theirs had echoed in the sky.


    For the first time I had heard my wife sing and just remembering it sent shivers down my spine. True to herself, I had never found her as beautiful as she was at that moment,


    selfless, loving, maternal and magnificent under the moonlight.


    My mind was still filled with that anthem as I watched Gaya and Shiro. They were beautiful in their crimson and white dresses and my brain imprinted every moment in my mental pce. I adored them, I loved them, I wanted to protect them and I lived only for their smiles, they who gave me so much strength.


    [The show doesn''t seem to be over yet]


    While I was lost in thought, the voice of my little sister, whom I had not forgotten, could be heard in my mind. She was right, the musicians who had made way for the children on the stage had now returned and seemed to be waiting for something. The instruments they carried looked like the closest thing to a violin, a double bass and a huge drum to be wielded with two huge drumsticks.


    *Mmh, what can they possibly be waiting for ? *


    [I have no idea, maybe it''s another surprise]


    Shiro was still with my wife and as I walked over to the table where I was sitting during my daughter''s performance, Viana made an unexpected statement.


    ____


    -- POV General --


    The fire fox woman, Naia''s mother, stood in front of the musicians and always with her soft voice, addressed all those who could hear her.


    "Tonight, at the rmendation of Queen Gaya herself, the musicians here present will y for all those who wish to dance with the partner of their choice. As requested by the Queen, she and the Empress will open the first dance."


    As Viana finished her sentence, the citizens'' eyes turned to Freya who was still sitting at the table, watching the vixen in silence. Her hair was tied back and although the young woman looked as cold as ever on the outside, inside she understood absolutely nothing. The dragoness had never spoken to her about this and this was the first time she had heard that she was going to dance with Gaya.


    The she-wolf''s wife had a mischievous smile on her face as she knew exactly what was going on in her head. Shiro at her side looked at Gaya and Freya in turn with starry eyes at the thought of her mothers dancing together for the first time. The Empress still didn''t move as she silently watched her wife and daughter approach before speaking so only they could hear her.


    "Did you really ask to y music so we could dance together ?"


    "Yes but aaah...maybe you can''t dance ?"


    [Pffff~]


    In reality, Freya knew how to dance perfectly as she had learned many dances in her past life in order to excel in many areas, which didn''t stop her from being surprised. The dragoness didn''t give her time to answer as she followed up directly with a small embarrassed smile.


    "If...if you don''t want to we can cancel. It''s just...we didn''t dance at our wedding so I thought it would be a nice opportunity for a first time right ?"


    Everyone looked at the Imperial duo wondering why the Empress still hadn''t moved despite the announcement. Still without answering, Freya finally stood up nodding to her wife as the music began to y. The musicians had started without warning as the Empress held out a gloved hand towards the Queen, her wife.


    The melody that yed began softly with a simple, haunting violin tune. With slow steps, Gaya and Freya hand in hand stepped onto therge empty space as their citizens and daughter looked on. The two cloaks embroidered with golden threads floated gently as the night breeze rose in the center of the Empire as if to announce the beginning of the Imperial dance. The Empress in her blue suit and the Queen in her crimson dress looked into each other''s eyes as their steps matched the rhythm of the violin.


    The she-wolf and her wife in a graceful, slow, hypnotic waltz moved as if carried by the music itself. Suddenly, the other instruments, up to now silent, joined in with the original melody with volume and power. The drums struck the huge drum, making its sound echo beyond Elysium, while the other violins vibrated their strings.


    The waltz had changed into a tango and despite the change of rhythm and register, the imperial wives were not at all disturbed. The two women, as beautiful as they were graceful, danced without a care in the world around them. Freya led the dance and made Gaya twirl with ease and perfection. In this frenzied rhythm, the Queen circled around the she-wolf, their arms intertwining with technique and sensuality. No one knew where they had learned to dance this way, but the reality was that both women were lost in their own world. Jumps, lifts, the she-wolf and the dragoness never missed an opportunity to shock the citizens with their unexpected control.


    "Beautiful !"


    "..."


    "How do they do that ?"


    From the citizens'' point of view, their dance seemed divine, performed by two magnificent,


    unique and out of reach beings. Their dance was like a dialogue where the Empress and her Queen seemed to understand each other with a simple look and talk to each other without ever opening their mouths. For them, this moment was powerful, so powerful that the more time passed, the more the two young women let themselves go.


    Everyone in the audience was speechless as the rhythm of the violins and drums elerated further, sending shivers down their spines. Dozens of feelings ran through every mind as the imperial couple''s dance conveyed passion and sensuality with iparable force. The wild yet graceful love that animated them was pure and genuine, and like a wave of warmth, it spread through the air.


    As time passed, the citizens of Elysium felt as if they were witnessing something they would not see twice in their lives. In front of them, in her blue suit, the Sky met the Sun in a beautiful crimson dress, their eyes more in love than ever. Suddenly, without warning, four wings appeared in front of these dazzled spectators, tearing off the cloaks of both women. The Empress had wings as blue and light as her suit and the Queen had crimson wings that spread out from her bare back.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Do you think like me ?"


    "Yes."


    As Freya asked Gaya this question, the two suddenly stopped in front of little Shiro who was watching them from the bench next to the table. The little moon didn''t understand, but when each of her mothers held out their hands, she understood right away. Taking Gaya''s right hand with her left and Freya''s left hand in her right, the duo that had be a trio stepped forward again. The musicians hadn''t stopped ying and as they reached the center of the space after a single nce, the crimson and blue wings were pping in the air.


    The Empress, Queen and Princess had flown into the starry ck sky, getting a little closer to the moon and its brightness. It was no longer Freya making Gaya dance, but the two mothers making their adorable little daughter dance. For all the spectators, this new aerial show was intense, and above all, of unparalleled beauty. The little girl dressed in white had a dazzling face and a radiant smile as she hugged her mothers enjoying every moment.


    Like a dreamy vision, two beautiful angels seemed to be holding a priceless treasure in their arms, feeding their smiles and hearts with eternal love. Everything was magical, unique, precious, and where the dark night stretched its dark veil, in the sky of Elysium, three silhouettes danced. Shiro''sughter did not reach the citizens because of the music, but seeing herughing in the distance without hearing a single sound made this scene even more incredible. The scene seemed to be in slow motion, out of time, while the little Princess dressed in white, made the whole Empire smile.


    The little moon that she was, sped by these two protective and loving lights, twirled and spun free as air. At that moment, the citizens of the Empire, bewitched, no longer saw the Empress, the Queen and the Princess, but a united, happy family that nothing could


    separate.


    In the sky of Elysium danced the Sky dressed in a light blue almost white, the Sun in her fiery dress and the small white and bright Moon. In the sky of Elysium danced Freya, Gaya and Shiro.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Gender: Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles: Blessed by Titania, Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp required for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defence: 500


    Agility: 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed: 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate: 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinated: 439


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of Hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal Ice Peaks (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Katana mastery (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Ice Empress Domain "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Other - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Ice Empress''s Natural Aura ]

 Chapter 117 The Mysterious Woman [Interlude]

    [N/A: Chapter shorter than usual because special (sorry)]


    ___


    -- POV General --


    Beyond the Dark Forest was an Empire well known to the Queen of Elysium. Beyond this dense forest was the great Empire of Vancesia, whose western border touched the territory Freya had imed in the greatest of secrecy.


    Vancesia was a ce not so different from the Kingdom of Zal except that the people at its head were far more formidable than King Theophctus. At the head of this Empire was Empress Cleo Vancesia who had seeded her father, thest Emperor to sit on the throne. There, the Church of Humanity did not exist, but an organization with the same beliefs had sprung up along with all the others throughout the world of Kleisaria.


    The organization in the Empire of Vancesia was called the Order of Light, and unlike the Kingdom of Zal, it got along very well with the Empress, and there had been no conflict between them for years. Together, instead of hunting down other races even if they were still hated, Vancesia preferred cunning over force. Any means were good to rally as many of the lesser races as possible with the promise of happiness that would notst. Those who resisted were killed, but those who joined the Order and the Empire would find themselves in camps where they were exploited and the only way out was death.


    These camps had been built specifically for the non-human races, and the atmosphere was quite different from what the humans had promised. Nowadays, the Empire was filled with camps where the exploitation of half-humans and other races through forcedbor waspletely normal. The leaders of Vancesia had covered up what was going on so well that even today the camps were still filling up. For the Order and the Empress, these ces were gold mines, as they allowed them to monitor the half-humans, to have total control over their lives, and to develop the country through the daily work of their ves.


    Many copsed exhausted, unable to continue or even died, but nothing changed. They were exploited like beasts, objects to be thrown away if they became defective, because after all, for Vancesia they were plentiful enough not to care. All means were good to attract as many inferior races as possible to these camps and the most incredible thing was that no human knew of their existence. Everything was so well controlled because to ensure the constant arrival of prisoner workers it was necessary to keep the secret and use vile means to attract them by using the deep desire of the other races to live happily.


    Among the many victims of this mass maniption, Gaya''s family had not been spared. It was with this ruse that the humans of Vancesia had manipted the most gullible and naive of the Earth Dragons into fighting each other. This was the darkest day for this race, where everyone had to kill their own kind and see their families, friends andpanions fall one by one. It was also during this time that the Queen of Elysium lost everything, her will to fight, her home, her family, her joy and her smile. The memories before the tragedy remained in Gaya''s heart and mind, but also the most painful ones that she did not want to forget.


    Her mother had been burned to death by human mages and her father had been pierced by spears and swords forged from materials found in the mountains where Gaya and her family lived. These painful memories that she did not want to erase, the dragoness had buried in her heart so that she would never forget that day when her parents had died bravely fighting to the end, true to their values. It was also the day Gaya had inherited her nickname "Mother of Dragons" after mourning her race, raging in an excess of rage, sadness, despair and hatred.


    Thest Dragoness of Earth had shed tears for all the dragons who died in battle regardless of side or ideology. She had simply cried the deaths of her fellow dragons...those she loved and those she had killed. At that time, far more powerful than she was now, Gaya had surpassed level 50 and so had been able to make a difference in an outpouring of rage. Thest one standing, with the strength of all her feelings, carried by those she had mourned, Gaya had roared her hatred and pain before splitting the earth for several miles killing the army of humans that threatened her. The Mother of Dragons was born.


    After that, the dragoness had disappeared into the Forest of Syn where, exhausted and without willpower, she had been sealed by Warg, Magni and Daggus who feared her power. She lost more than half of her levels, little by little, in that dark and humid cave, condemning her to a slow and lonely death that she epted until Freya arrived. In other circumstances, those three beasts would never have sealed Gaya but her mental and physical strength were no longer...she no longer had the strength to fight, to hope and to live. Since that day, the Queen of Elysium had never appeared again, so much so that for many she had died years ago.


    Since her release, Gaya had not returned to her homnd either, where huge mountains stood whose tops seemed to touch the heavens. These mountains that had sheltered the dragons for years and years, once proud and popted, were now empty and sad.


    Thousands of years ago, during the time called the "Age of Extinction" by Humanity, it was at the foot of these mountains, in the bowels of the earth, that the powerful being that had terrified the entire world was sealed. The one who possessed two elements, the same as Freya, rested forever in the Lands of the Empire of Vancesia until 10 years ago.


    When Gaya had split the earth in an earthquake that shook the mountains, she had opened the prison of this woman who was thought to be dead but was in fact only asleep. That day, her underground jail had cracked, allowing the surrounding mana mixed with that of the dragoness to enter, slowly waking the one who was never to be woken.


    ____


    On the morning of the day the very first Elysium Festival was to take ce, far away from the Empire of the she-wolf, in her prison, the mysterious woman was still locked up but awake.


    ? Where there were big, torn mountains that formed a multitude of dark, deep, and deadly gorges, a blue sky of obscure rity illuminated these natural forts that stretched as far as the eye could see. As the sun slowly rose, a capricious breeze descended from those distant mountains, moaning and sighing over the now deserted peaks.


    Peaks pointing towards the clouds whose high and serene soul, inessible to vulgar passions and emotions, dominating the clouds and shadows of this world, the follies, the lies, the hatreds, the vanities, the miseries, inhabited the blue sky. But these mountains, though old, solitary and silent, were sublime, the dawn as it lightened came to mark the valleys that separated them, illuminating the light mist that rose from the bottom of the gorges. The mountains with their sharp edges jutted out abruptly from the edges, and the sun, leaning on one of the highest peaks, opened wide its yellow eye with golden eyelids.


    In the foothills of the mountains, ancientnds of the Earth Dragons, this woman had taken 5 years to awaken from her milinary sleep. Her prison was crumbling over time and during those first 5 years, her powers had not allowed her to break free, but by the 6th year, some of her abilities had returned. The mysterious woman still couldn''t get out, but what no one knew was that she had already begun to execute her n.


    "Freya...Freya...Freya..."


    In her dome-shaped prison of earth beneath the ground, a figure hidden in the gloom whispered these words in a weak, broken, almost trembling voice. Her body, which could not be seen because of the darkness, was embedded in the rock, leaving only her head and arms protruding for the moment.


    "The time of my liberation ising soon. I could continue what I started thousands of years ago..."


    There was no light in this ce yet, no sound, no living thing, and yet this mysterious woman had survived with nothing but the ambient mana around her. In thest five years she had been awake, the prisoner had remembered everything that had happened in her life and in this world she had arrived in against her will. Only one thought motivated her...revenge.


    "Titania, you conceited wench ! I will never forget what you did to me ! You took everything from me, my pride as a Goddess and my powers of Time are gone but I will not waver ! I will destroy your world and this time no one will stop me ! You don''t even know that I''m awake and that I know about the one you brought here ! But even your little protegee won''t be able to save your little world hahahahaha~!!!"


    In this prison of earth and rock, the trapped womanughed maniacally as the creaking sound of her shackles crumbling was heard. Her release was imminent and in a little less than a year, the nightmare of humanity could once again walk this world.


    "I didn''t think myst minute idea would work so well. Those damned humans may have sealed me up, but my dear little creation is not only alive, but it doesn''t know where it came from and is healthy. Everything is perfect."


    Lurking in the gloom and despite her predicament, she was thrilled and could only look forward to finally getting free. The woman had no intention of being fooled this time and now that she''d had the chance to escape eternal rest, only revenge mattered.


    "The first thing I''d do is get back what''s mine while getting rid of this troublesome she-wolf and then my revenge can beplete ! Titania...I hope you''ll take a good look at how your dear little pathetic world ends up. I will do anything to destroy it and get my powers back...when that is done, you will be next !"


    The prisoner had a face that could not be seen but at that moment a terrifying smile appeared on it. What was her rtionship to Titania ? Why was she so angry with her ? Only the two women knew, but one thing was certain, the Goddess Titania who had sent Freya to this world had not told her everything.


    "Just a little more patience...I''lle and get you soon...


    This mysterious woman, in this stone prison, was murmuring only two words as a faint light fell on her body, revealing the features of her face that had been hidden in the darkness.


    ...my daughter..."


    The mysterious woman had her eyes closed, her skin slightly ckened and cracked in ces, a sign of the thousands she had spent in this natural prison. Her body seemed to be slowly recovering from the ambient mana and as she raised her head to take in the brief appearance of light, strands of her hair fell over her face. Pure white and almost transparent at first, her long hair had be dull after losing its former shine.


    As a smile appeared on her cracked face, her eyelids opened to let the light shine in, two amethyst eyes that so far only two other beings had. Violet eyes, hair as white as the moon, one person in the entire world of Kleisaria looked like her...this mysterious woman alone under the silent mountains looked like Shiro.


    Who was she really ? Where did shee from ? No one knew yet, but one thing was certain...this woman knew of Freya and Shiro''s existence. Though undoubtedly dark, only time would tell as no one yet felt the deep, subterranean tremors of destiny.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Gender: Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles: Blessed by Titania, Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp required for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defence: 500


    Agility: 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed: 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate: 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinated: 439


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of Hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal Ice Peaks (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Katana mastery (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Ice Empress Domain "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Other - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Ice Empress''s Natural Aura ]

 Chapter 118 Four Hearts Under The Stars [Elysium Festival - Part VII]

    -- POV General --


    While the Empress, Queen and Princess put on a fairy tale show in the center of the Empire, only two people were missing.


    Far from the center, in one of the Empire''s parks, yna and Luna were kissing in the soft grass like there was no tomorrow. It had already been several minutes and as Luna came to her senses and slowly pulled away, blushing, yna still with her back to the ground finally spoke.


    "L-Luna I...forgive me I don''t know what came over me !"


    The kiss the fallen princess had stolen from the young Commander had miraculously awakened her and as her heart pounded furiously, she felt extremely guilty. It was her first kiss and even though she had shared it with the one her heart had chosen, yna regretted her action.


    "You...I...it''s nothing."


    Luna didn''t know what to say either as the two girls turned their heads away embarrassed and unsure of how to act in such a situation. The young half-human had not hated this moment at all and as her red face was turned, she touched her lips as if to make sure that what had happened was not a dream. Luna couldn''t see yna and didn''t know that her words had shaken her even more.


    "I...I shouldn''t have...I...I have no excuse...I couldn''t control myself but normally I would never allow myself to put you in a situation like this. What an idiot I am...I...I ruined everything !"


    The more the young woman spoke, the more her voice trembled and broke little by little. yna had tears in her eyes and like a child she began to sniffle as if what she had done was serious. The truth was that a torrent of feelings had flowed through her, feelings that she could not control sending her into a state of heightened sensitivity.


    "I...*sniff*...if you don''t want to forgive me I...*sniff*...I''ll understand. If you don''t want to be my...*sniff*...friend anymore I''ll understand too. Why am I such an idiot ? I..."


    The more the former princessmented, the more tears began to roll down her cheeks. She was crying but didn''t even understand why as so many conflicting feelings flooded her tired mind. Luna, who had just noticed her tears, knelt down to her with a panicked face as she forgot her shyness driven by her protective side.


    "Ally no...I told you everything was fine, wh...why are you crying ? Everything is fine !"


    "I...*sniff*...I showed you an absolutely embarrassing side of me. *sniff* I''m not usually like this, I don''t think I should ever take a drink again *sniff*. I took your first kiss and..."


    yna hadn''t finished her sentence when two warm lipsnded on hers again, silencing her. Luna kissed her a second time before pulling away with a tender smile that would remain forever in the heart of the fallen princess.


    "I just took your second kiss, we''re even now, right ?"


    The half-human panther wiped the young woman''s cheeks in front of her and as the wind blew across their faces, yna was in a second state. She thought she was hallucinating, embraced by a sweet dream where anything was possible. It was then Luna who woke her up with a chuckle after giving her a gentle flick on the forehead.


    "Come on princess, pull yourself together ! You''re not going to spend the whole night with your royal butt in the grass, are you ? pfff~"


    The young Commander, who had managed to understand the nature of her feelings very quickly, was no longer as shy as she had been at first. She didn''t know where this was going to lead her, but she had decided for the first time to let her feelings carry her. At first, Luna hadn''t known if it was love or attraction, but even though she loved to flirt, everything she felt was new.


    It was seeing yna cry and apologize that her heart had instantly decided no matter how many questions she had. The young human still on the ground, finally stood up and as she shyly dusted off her dress, looking at the ground, she raised her voice.


    "You...you kissed me so we could both be even ?"


    yna had stopped sniffling and was patiently waiting for Luna''s answer, but the half-human was already walking away with her hands in her pockets and a smirk on her face. As yna ran after her to catch up, she couldn''t help but ask more questions.


    "Wait, Luna ! Can you exin this to me ? Wh...why did you kiss me ?"


    The young Commander wanted to tease the princess a bit as she hadn''t forgotten how embarrassed she had been at her behavior. Luna stopped to turn around as she answered with another question still with a teasing look and smile.


    "And you, why did you kiss me ?"


    "I...uh...I really wanted to and...I...think I fell in love with you..."


    yna had looked down to say thest words of her sentence, and as she discreetly looked up to see Luna''s reaction, she was gone.


    "Luna ?!"


    Suddenly, hands grabbed her from behind pulling her against a warm body as a familiar voice whispered in her ears.


    "I...also think I love you"


    Luna had appeared behind her back to answer and to hide her red face and tail that couldn''t help but p in the air. At these words, yna gasped as she hid her face in her hands not daring to turn around.


    "It...it''s true ? You...you''re not just saying that to y a joke on me ?"


    The two young women were still in the park, and if another person had been there, she would have seen a half-human trying to keep her pride despite her flushed face, hugging an equally flushed human. Only in Elysium was such a thing possible and happening for the first time in this world. A human and a half-human loved each other and it was not the absurdws of this world that would prevent them from following their hearts.


    "I don''t lie."


    As Luna let go of yna, she quickly turned her head away while scratching the back of her head with embarrassment. She didn''t assume her embarrassment and didn''t want the one next to her to notice, so the half-human acted as if nothing had happened.


    "M-maybe we should go back to where the party is."


    Luna turned her back to the young human and didn''t see that she was smiling with joy as she held tightly to where her heart was beating. As the stars of Elysium above their heads twinkled eternally, yna thanked the heavens for being so happy. For both young women, this moment was special and marked the beginning of something they had never experienced before.


    "Y-Yes.."


    As Luna once again walked away without waiting, her embarrassed face revealed itself under the rays of the all-knowing moon. yna, not wanting to be outdone, ran in her direction again before grabbing her arm like a young couple would. The young Commander was still as embarrassed as ever, trying to hide it as best she could, her words sounding disinterested, but her face and tail told a different story.


    "I...uh...okay but just this once huh !"


    "Hihi~ thanks !"


    ____


    Not far from there, still on the same roof were Emilia the half-cat Commander and Naia the fire fox Vice-Commander. Just before the children''s show started, unlike Luna, Emilia had not hesitated to be sincere about her feelings by sharing them rather quickly. She had hesitated but had finally made up her mind, telling herself that she had to go through this anyway and that if she could have survived in this world, she might just survive a deration.


    At that point, Naia hadn''t even been able to respond as the Elysium anthem had begun, followed immediately after by the Imperial dance. As the Empress danced, the young vixen had felt her heart rate quicken and she didn''t know if it was due to the statement she had heard or the magnificent dance of the Imperial family that had urred before their eyes.


    ____


    As the Ice Empress gracefullynded on the ground with the little Princess in her arms and followed by her wife, the two young half-human women could see citizens taking their ces in the empty space to dance with a partner. The music had turned to a waltz again and many couples were dancing with smiles on their faces after being inspired by Freya and her family''s dance.


    Emilia was always silent as most of the time so that Naia had difficulty to realize that her deration had really taken ce. Nevertheless, the young fox knew perfectly her personality and whereas she dared finally to turn the head in her direction, she asked her a question.


    "You... you want to dance ?"


    Naia hade up with this out of nowhere without even knowing herself why she had asked her that. At this moment, she regretted to have asked her this question because deep down, she was persuaded that Emilia would refuse.


    "No forget it, that was dumb, maybe you don''t like it and..."


    "Sure."


    The half-human cat had risen in the greatest of silences and stood above Naia who had not seen her arrive. As the fox turned her head, she could see a hand stretched out in her direction inviting her to take it while Emilia smiled again.


    "Come here."


    The music yed below was rising in the cool night air and on the t roof of a house, Naia was grabbing the young Commander''s hand and smiling back at her. Unlike Luna, Emilia was hiding her shyness a little better and as the vixen stood up, the half-human drew her by the waist a little closer to her.


    "I-I''ve never danced before, so I hope you don''t mind if I... if I step on your foot."


    "Hahaha~"


    Emilia for the first time in front of Na?a had started tough softly after having heard her words. The good mood of the festival and the presence of the one to whom made beat her heart made her happy, letting Emilia be carried by these feelings. At this moment, thepletely shocked vixen, plunged her emerald green eyes in those of her partner whereas the half-human cat answered her.


    "I''ve never danced either, but let''s give it a try, shall we ?"


    "Mmmh yes."


    Emilia grabbed with her left hand the right hand of Naia and with her right hand she drew her against her always with a tender smile. The young fox had never been so close to her and whereas her face became even more red, she posed her head on the shoulder of Emilia. Under the stars, the two young women danced softly, sometimes awkwardly, but neither of them cared because this moment was the most precious of all.


    Taking her courage in both hands, her face perfectly hidden, Na?a finally came back to the subject that had been burning her lips since almost the beginning of the festival. She had the closed eyes, her hands trembled and her heart seemed to want to leave her chest. Emilia who was perfectly conscious of her state always smiled by tightening a little more the fox in her arms to give her courage.


    "Just...earlier when you told me that...that I made your heart beat...what did you mean by that ?"


    "Just the truth. When I am near you my heart beats very fast, I always want to know that you are safe, healthy, that everything is fine and above all that you are happy. I have been trying to understand for several weeks now and now everything seems clear to me. That''s why I told you that you make my heart beat, simply because it''s the truth and I wanted you to know."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Naia couldn''t believe what she had heard and seemed absent-minded but was actually processing everything she had just heard. Thest time the half-human cat had spoken for so long was when she had told her past with Nyanny and her story. The vixen was extremely happy to have heard her sincere feelings especially since deep down she felt exactly the same.


    That could perhaps appear fast but in this world in constant movement, where the danger was everywhere, where the tomorrows were more than uncertain, the strong feelings were born more quickly. Indeed, it was this fear of losing Naia as she had lost her grandmother that had pushed Emilia to realize her feelings.


    "I...you..."


    "You don''t have to answer you know ? I just wanted to tell you how I felt and no matter how long it takes you to think about it, no matter how much you don''t ept those feelings, I won''t stop caring for you. It''s my choice, my feelings, you have no obligation to me."


    The young vixen''s mind was on fire and if Emilia hadn''t held her tightly, she probably would have copsed. No one had ever said such words to her and deep inside her heart was screaming at her to answer immediately but no words came out of her mouth. Emilia who always waited still did not know what Naia thought and whereas she was about to speak again, the fox finally raised the head in her direction.


    "No I...I want to answer...I..."


    The cheerful, entric and positive young Naia could not express what she felt. She wanted to express so many feelings, to say so many things but the panic, the surprise and the joy had seized her. Whereas she still did not know what to do, Emilia who had understood what it happened, slightly ckened her embrace before tenderly catching the red face of Naia in her hands.


    "It''s okay, Naia, I got it."


    Just after having pronounced her words, Emilia leaned to deposit her lips on that of the young fox who shared her feelings but did not know how to express them. Na?a, at first surprised, then grabbed the neck of the young Commander to intensify this kiss, much more at ease with the actions than the words.


    Under the moon and stars of the Elysium Empire, while hundreds of citizens danced in the central square, Emilia and Naia exchanged their first kiss hidden from everyone, lulled by soft music and the whispering night wind.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Gender: Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles: Blessed by Titania, Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp required for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defence: 500


    Agility: 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed: 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate: 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinated: 439


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of Hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal Ice Peaks (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Katana mastery (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Ice Empress Domain "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Other - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Ice Empress''s Natural Aura ]

 Chapter 119 Chookies And Patpatissier [Elysium Festival - Part VIII]

    -- POV Freya --


    The dance we had done with Gaya and Shiro had now been over for several hours and I was sitting on the sidelines watching the festival go on very well. The night was already well underway and I knew that the light of dawn would be shining on the Empire in only a few hours, yet the center of Elysium was still bustling. Fatigue didn''t seem to affect all those faces depicting a joy they had never known before. Gaya had gone with Shiro to visit the various stalls and bring us back plenty of food to eat while I stayed and watched.


    [It was a really good idea to do this festival. I don''t think I''ve ever seen so many happy people in one ce. My little niece had a really good idea !]


    *Ara ara~ aren''t you going to give me a long-winded nickname this time ?*


    [Tsk, you''ll see the next one I prepare will leave you speechless pffhaha~]


    The more time passed, the more Kira''sughter became as if Machiavellian and very expressive. I had noticed for a while that she was bing much more lively in her words, her reactions and her feelings. My little sister, who before bing one was just a helper in the system, had alreadye a long way and I couldn''t be happier and more proud of her.


    We had bothe into this world with a heart as non-existent and a soul as cold as stone, and yet today everything was different. It was at her side that I discovered the most basic emotions that I had never known before. I had never known the happiness of having a family, the anxiety of a mother, the desire of a wife, the pride of an Empress and above all the love in all its aspects that one bears to one''s loved ones.


    [Oi ! Onee-san you dreaming ?]


    As I smiled slightly at the thought and at Kira''s rather cute insolence, I replied.


    *I''m looking forward to it, little sister kufufu~! Otherwise yes, Shiro''s idea was excellent especially when you think about the fact that no one had experienced such an event before*


    [That''s right...when I''m out there I can experience it all instead of watching hehe~]


    *...*


    After the festival and during the exploration I had nned, I had to find a way to free the souls of the twins, especially Kira. I had promised her that when my second child was born, she would be there. I hadn''t forgotten at all and I still had a little over 3 months to keep my promise and finally free her from her mental prison.


    [Onee-san ? Are you still lost in thought ?]


    *Oh, um, yeah, sorry*


    [Pffhaha~]


    As I heard Kira''s teasingughter once again, I could see my wife walking towards me in the distance. Since the dance, the cloak Gaya wore was off her shoulders and her open dress revealed her bare back which made me secretly long for her. In the wind, her crimson hair fluttered freely and her amber eyes shone beautifully like the most beautiful of stars.


    With each step she took, the crowd moved aside to let her pass while everyone bowed. Gaya was beautiful, gorgeous, magnificent and so different from the one I was. My wife always smiled tenderly and despite her motherly side, she always had that little something that inspired passion and respect. My love was not only the Mother of Dragons but also the mother of this Empire.


    My gaze was fixed on her and while I could hypnotize every person who crossed my eyes, the only one who haunted my thoughts, the only one capable of hypnotizing me was my wife. When she walked, her steps were graceful, her hips swayed almost sexily and her presence gave me chills. As Gaya came up to my level, her soft voice brought me out of my thoughts.


    "Honey ? What''s going on with you ? I could have sworn you were looking at me like you wanted to eat me haha~"


    The dragoness had said this while tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear, a sign that she was embarrassed and shy. I knew her by heart, every facial expression, every habit, and as she waited for my answer, I couldn''t help but draw her to me.


    "Fre..."


    Without thinking, I had gently pulled her arm to sit on myp. We were still among the citizens, and though some were watching us out of the corner of their eyes, I didn''t care. The one in my arms, radiant and glowing was the most important. As Gaya showed her surprise, I moved closer to her ear to whisper back.


    "Baby...I didn''t get a chance to tell you but you look absolutely gorgeous in that dress. And to answer your question, right now, I am indeed very interested in eating you..."


    My violet eyes were plunged into hers and I knew perfectly well that she could read the desire that had intruded there. My tongue unconsciously ran over my lower lip as I could see my wife blush slightly before I heard my little sister''s voice that I had forgotten about this time.


    [Ahem onee-san...you could at least wait until I''ve gone to rest before saying such things ! You are indeed a Demon Wolf of Chaos to dare to corrupt your little sister like that fufu~]


    To be honest I had acted on my instincts and even though I wasn''t nning on doing anything indecent in the middle of this whole crowd, my wife''s whole being had overwhelmed me. Upon hearing Kira''s words, Gaya had chuckled softly as she wrapped her arms around my neck to ce a tender kiss on my cheek in response.


    "For now, that''s all you''ll get your Highness...


    And while she wasughing, it was her turn to lean into my ear and whisper.


    ...but tonight if her Highness is still hungry, I will devote myself body and soul to satisfy her."


    These words sent shivers down my spine as I noticed that Gaya could be very shy as well as very teasing at times, which couldn''t help but make me smile. As I kissed her as if to seal this promise, once again my little sister''s voice echoed in our minds.


    [Ahem ahem..uh...far be it from me to ruin this moment but where is Shiro ?]


    When my wife had returned, although she had left with our daughter, Shiro was indeed no longer with her. I thought she had gone to have fun with her friends and especially little Kate but Kira seemed worried. While getting up from myp, Gaya smiled before answering.


    "Shiro definitely wanted to bring us something herself but she was dyed in her mission by cookies haha~"


    [Eh ? Dyed by cookies ?]


    In response, the dragoness simply nodded to the stand that was much further to our left. As I turned my head to understand, I could see a crowd of people parked out front, seemingly eager to taste what wasing. At that moment, I took a deep breath, using my senses to separate each scent and smell a sweet, intoxicatingly sweet aroma.


    "I didn''t know Irrena made cookies, Shiro often talks about her cakes, her pies but she never mentioned cookies."


    It smelled so good and of course the first person that came to mind was the Imperial Chef who worked at the mansion. Her cooking was divine and I knew for a fact that my little moon loved her very much so it was only natural that I would think of Irrena, normally being the only one who could dy her so much.


    "Haha~ it''s not Irrena who makes these cookies, look closer, you might be surprised."


    Gaya was still giggling and as I looked at the person standing in front of the stand, I never thought I''d see this one day.


    "Wha..."


    [VIIIG ??]


    As Kira had said with a shocked voice, the person who was holding the cookie stand so popr was the former adventurer. He stood there, very tall, imposing and scary but wearing a white apron where a flower looked like it had been drawn by a child. The eye patch Vig wore was now white and prettier than the previous one and the contrast that his huge, muscr, scarred arms gave, made him oddly endearing.


    I hadn''t talked much with him or followed what he did as a soldier, but I never expected to see him like this. This man who had made the children tremble when he arrived was now surrounded by those same children smiling. For the first time, Vig was smiling as he handed out as many cookies as he could to his small crowd of admirers. The kids wereughing, jumping on him, swinging on his arms as if he were a sideshow, and the former adventurer was grinning like he never had before.


    "This is... unexpected."


    [Wow indeed. Looks clearly do not define a person !]


    As I continued to watch this scene, a small head of white hair caught my eye to the left of the stand. My little moon was standing there patiently waiting to receive her share. Unlike the other children, she was trying not to disturb Vig even though her eyes were watching them with obvious envy. As the man noticed Shiro''s presence, I could see him bow awkwardly before holding out a small box with his big hands that were almost as big as my daughter''s head.


    With her little box in hand, my little moon made her way through the crowd of children who were too busy demanding their share to let the little princess pass. After having passed this tide of children, she was working to cross the adults who let her pass with a smile. No one could resist my little princess and secretly I was sure that she was much more popr than I was among our citizens.


    "Mommy ! Mommy ! I have chookies !"


    *Chookies ?*


    [...]


    Shiro was running towards us in her white dress, which was slightly stained on her feet, and once again she had just said something in an adorable way. I was expecting to hear Kira screaming in my head, but this time she was strangely calm, which didn''t reassure me either. Had she reached her quota of cuteness ? Had her mind shut down unable to handle any more cuteness ? With our little moon it was more than likely.


    "Hey sweetie !"


    Shiro finally reached us with her childish smile that never left her and as she climbed onto myp, she handed me the little box.


    "It''s chookies and it''s super good ! I told mom Gaya I''d bring something back by myself so I took this !"


    My little princess smiled proudly as she looked at Gaya who was stroking her ears gently. Her little white tail was gently tapping my legs with vigor and as I responded, I couldn''t help but stroke her cheek either.


    "Thank you so much sweetie, that''s very sweet of you, you''re definitely an adorable little princess hehe~ but didn''t you mean cookies ?"


    "Huh ? Isn''t that chookies ?"


    "Actually it''s..."


    [Yes ! Totally ! It''s called chookies and nothing else ! Isn''t it onee-san ?]


    Kira had cut me off and I could almost feel a hint of menace in herst question.


    *Sigh...please don''t involve me and don''t drag me down with you and your lies*


    As I sighed, Shiro, who had noticed my change, looked up at me with a worried expression. Her little tail had slowed and her fluffy little ears were slightly lowered as she asked a question in a small voice.


    "Mommy ? What''s going on ? Did I...did I make a mistake ?"


    My little girl was always worried and afraid of doing things wrong, so it was important for me to reassure her and make her understand every time that she didn''t have to be afraid of making mistakes.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "No sweetie you didn''t do anything don''t worry about it. I''ll tell you about itter but it''s nothing and it''s even pretty funny haha~. Also, did you ever try Vig''s food when you were there ? I saw that you didn''t join the other kids having fun with him."


    "N-No I...I wanted to act like a big person. You...you said I was the Imperial Princess, I have to set an example so...so I want to act like you and mom !"


    I was already so proud of her and looking at her adorable little smiling face was already enough for Gaya, Kira and me. I didn''t want her to worry about her princess duties because she could live her life as she wanted but even after telling her all this many times, Shiro was sticking to her decision. Despite the fact that she wasn''t my biological daughter, she clearly had my stubborn side, and then finally, my little moon followed her heart and that was the most important.


    "Alright my little Shiro, but don''t forget to have a lot of fun anyway okay ?"


    "Mmh promise ! And then to answer your question, I haven''t tried Mr. Vig''s chookies yet but everyone says he''s a great patpatissier !"


    [*Cough*...*cough*]


    As Shiro finished her sentence, I could hear my little sister almost choking after hearing thest word. I didn''t know how Kira managed to cough but now anything was possible with her. Smiling fondly as I tried not tough at my little sister, I replied without really having the time to do so.


    "Patpat...tissier ? Huum...you..."


    [Sshhhhhhhh !!!! Don''t you dare !!!]


    As I made a mental note to remember to pull Kira''s ears when she had a body, Gaya who had been silent until now giggled before kneeling down to Shiro''s level to talk to her.


    "Sweetheart, thank you so much for the chookies haha~ let''s eat them together shall we ? We have to announce the news of the baby to the whole Empire soon so let''s taste it now."


    "Yes mom !"


    In a few minutes, we nned to go up on the stage to finally address all the citizens about the happy event that we had kept secret until now. Under the sky, moon and stars, our little family sat around a table to enjoy delicious chookies, made by the best patpatissier.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Gender: Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles: Blessed by Titania, Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp required for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defence: 500


    Agility: 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed: 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate: 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinated: 439


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of Hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal Ice Peaks (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Katana mastery (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Ice Empress Domain "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Other - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Ice Empress''s Natural Aura ]

 Chapter 120 The Future Empire Star [Elysium Festival - End]

    [N/A: Well, originally this chapter was not written from Shiro''s POV, but in view of the many adorers of this living cuteness I have rewritten everything. Here is my gift (praise me)]


    ______


    -- POV Shiro --


    I had just eaten the best chookies of my life even though they were actually the first ones I had eaten...but I was sure they were the best ! The mister who made them was very very very tall and looked like a huge mountain. At first, I was a bit afraid of him and I didn''t dare to approach him but when I smelled what he had just prepared I couldn''t help but go and see.


    So with my moms and my auntie, even though she wasn''t really there, we ate all the chookies in the box Mr. Vig gave me. It was so good that I wanted to cry and even after I finished all the chookies I still wanted some. Mommy had agreed to let me go get some more but Mom Gaya said it was not good to eat too much sugar before going to sleep.


    During the big party I had tasted a lot of things and especially sweet and soft things because that was what I liked best. My little belly hurt a little but never in my life could I eat so much and be so happy during a festival.


    "Sweetie, why are you smiling like that ?"


    Mommy and Mom Gaya were next to me and I had unintentionally not listened to them at all. At that moment, I was thinking very hard about it all and I wasn''t paying attention at all. While Mommy was wiping my mouth with a towel, she was stroking my hair once again.


    "Shiro aren''t you tired ? Even though you took a nap this afternoon, you''ve been up all night."


    "Mmh a little bit but it''s okay, I can still stay awake I...*yawn* !"


    As I answered, I started to yawn without being able to control my body. I was a little tired but I didn''t want to leave everyone here and not have fun with all these nice people and especially my moms and my funny auntie. At that moment, it was Mom Gaya, sitting in front of me who answered me.


    "Sweetheart, if you want to go to sleep you can go to bed, we just have to call Lia or Triss and in less than 5 minutes you can be in your little bed."


    "N-No I want to stay ! You said you were going to say soon that the little baby is in your belly, I...I want to be here !"


    I rubbed my eyes as I answered Mom Gaya and even though I felt a little sleepy I wanted to stay. I was the big sister of the baby that was about to be born so I couldn''t sleep in my bed right now. Even though my eyes were starting to close, it was important to me. As I rubbed my face, Mommy stood up before she spoke.


    "Alright then let''s go. Shiro, when the announcement is over you go to bed okay ? I still have to meet thest of the citizens that arrived and you need to get some rest."


    "Okay, Mommy..."


    She had agreed that I would stay until they told everyone the big secret about our family. I was super excited, super proud and I couldn''t wait for all the nice people to find out that I was going to be a big sister. So far no one knew and I had kept it a secret since I knew it. I hadn''t even told Kate and yet I wanted to.


    As Mom Gaya was getting up too, I tried to get off the bench where I was sitting but couldn''t. I was much too small, my feet were not yet touching the ground and could only swing in the air. I was much too small, my feet did not touch the ground yet and could only swing in the void. Mommy, who had noticed my situation, took me in her arms, smiling, and walked towards the wooden tform.


    In the center of town there were so many people, more than at my moms wedding and to see everyone from Mommy''s arms was incredible. Everything seemed so much smaller, the noise wasing from everywhere, the smells, theughter and the music all blended together like magic.


    "Sweetie, we''ll try to be quick since you have to go to bed, hold on a little longer okay ?"


    [Courage little Shiro, keep your adorable little eyes open for a few more minutes !]


    "Pfffhihi~ yes I will do my best Mommy, auntie. "


    I was really determined to stay awake and as Mommy walked up the steps to the stage, Mom Gaya followed us smiling silently at me. All the people talking were turning towards us reminding me of when I had missed the anthem making me stress like earlier.


    *Don''t think about it...it''s over...*


    Suddenly, as we reached the middle of the wooden stage, the noise of the whole town stopped. Every time this happened, I thought it was incredible, not knowing how Mommy could do such a thing.


    *Hihi~ when mommy has to talk everyone listens*


    I knew that for the moment I was far from being able to be like her, but I couldn''t help dreaming. It''s true, I didn''t know how to do much yet and I even thought I was a little bit useless, but I wanted to at least act like a real little princess to make my family proud of me.


    "People of the Elysium Empire !"


    Mommy''s voice echoed in the sky and when she took on her deep, cold voice, I felt chills run through me for a few seconds. When Mommy talked to me, she was sweet, kind, smiling and always gave me lots of hugs and kisses but when she talked to others, she was different.


    *She''s a little scary...*


    Even though I thought that, I wasn''t afraid at all, but those who listened to her were always tense. No matter how terrifying she was and how much she hurt the evil humans, she was the one who had epted me and loved me like no one had before. No matter what she did, she was my Mommy, I loved her and thought she was amazing.


    *Tonight in my room, I''m going to practice Mommy''s voice and try to sound as cool as she is !*


    As I was nning to do what I did every day, Mom Gaya''s voice suddenly rang in my head.


    "I don''t think so youngdy. Tonight you''re going to bed and sleep to stay healthy."


    As she finished her sentence, I turned my head in her direction remembering that when I could talk to auntie Kira, everyone could hear me. Mom Gaya was still smiling and winking at me discreetly making me smile despite what she had just told me as Mommy spoke.


    "Elysium''s first festival seems to be a sess for everyone and I''m d to see everyone having a good time. If we were all able to enjoy this festive night, it is also thanks to the many Leaders working with me every day without respite. So before I continue, I would like to congratte in front of you all my section Leaders and their more than outstanding work."


    Mommy used a lot ofplicated words and my tired head couldn''t follow and understand everything, but I kept my ears open. For a few minutes, the crowd of people below us apuded those who had done well, and as Mommy raised her hand, silence returned.


    *Wow cool ! *


    [Hihihi~]


    "Tonight we celebrated the arrival of all the new people I have to meetter, we celebrated our victory over those humans who came to prevent us from living peacefully and we celebrated the arrival of a happy event."


    Mommy was finally going to say about Mom Gaya''s baby but just as I thought she was going to continue, she leaned slightly towards me to ask me a question quietly.


    "As a big sister do you want to break the news ? My love, do you mind ?"


    "Of course not, I was even going to suggest it. The choice is yours Shiro."


    I couldn''t believe what I was hearing and even though I really wanted to do it, I didn''t know if it was a good idea. What if I was wrong like I was during the song ? What if I ruined this very important moment with my clumsiness ? I couldn''t do that to the little baby who could probably hear us and I didn''t want to embarrass my family again.


    "I...what if I..."


    The longer I waited to answer, the longer the people around us waited. Again, I was making everyone wait and I didn''t like that at all. I felt like I was afraid of everything and even though my moms had given me the responsibility to announce something important, I was still useless. It was then that the voice of auntie Kira, rose in my head.


    [Shiro. There''s no right or wrong way to do things when ites to breaking this kind of news. Take your time, but if you really want to tell it yourself, the three of us are here for you as always. Don''t be afraid, breathe, take your time, after all we have waited several days before talking about it so they can wait a few more seconds. Breathe in, breathe out, calm down and when you''re ready, go ahead and remember you''re not alone].


    For once, auntie Kira wasn''t making a joke and the words she had said made my chest feel very warm. She was right, my family was with me and made me happy every day so as long as they were there I shouldn''t be afraid of anything except losing them.


    "Okay I''ll...I''ll do it !"


    I really wanted to and what Mommy''s sister had told me made me want to seed and get over the fear I had. Mommy and Mom Gaya didn''t say anything but I could see them nodding and smiling fondly as Mommy set me down on the floor so I could talk more easily.


    Again, the people below us were all looking at me and as I began to shake, I felt a cold hand grab my left hand and a warm hand grab my right. It was my moms who had once againe to my rescue to give me courage. I had finally stopped shaking as I spoke shyly.


    "I...we...uh good evening everyone ! T-Thank you foring and being so nice to m...no it''s not that ! Uh...we have something to tell you. There''s...I...I''m going to be...no...uh...Mom Gaya, is...she..."


    I had no idea how to break the news and I was panicking again. I wanted so badly to be the one to tell everyone the news so without thinking, clutching my moms'' hands tightly and closing my eyes, I screamed.


    "MOM GAYA HAS A LITTLE BABY IN HER BELLY AND...AND...I''M GOING TO BE A BIG SISTER !!"


    I had finally managed to say what I so desperately wanted to say and as I opened my eyes and ced my hands over my mouth, I realized that I had just screamed.


    *Oops*


    Turning my head to Mommy to apologize, I could see her looking out at the crowd with her beautiful violet eyes.


    "WOOOOW CONGRATULATIONS !!"


    "AMAZIIING !!"


    I didn''t know if everyone understood, but everyone was shouting, all shocked by the news. My moms were silent and as I stood straight as she did despite being tired, she spoke up again.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "As the Princess has told you, we are expecting a happy event. My wife, the Queen...has been pregnant since our wedding and in less than three months, my second daughter or first son will be born among us"


    Many of the tall people in the crowd seemed happy. Some were almost teary-eyed and others were in shock at the statement. As Mommy finished her sentence, it was Mom Gaya''s turn to step forward and speak. Her voice was very different from Mommy''s because it was soft, gentle, sweet and warm.


    "Soon in the Empire a new light will be born, a new Star that wille to shine under the sky of Elysium. I count on all of you to give it a warm wee on the day this baby arrives. The Empire will soon have a little Prince or Princess who wille to brighten our days and I hope bring us good luck."


    If in front of the others Mommy was a bit terrifying, super strong and too cool, well Mom Gaya was soothing, smiling and super nice. I didn''t know how to exin it, but together they were perfect and I was looking forward to one thing, my little brother or sister going out to tell her all about it.


    I wanted this baby to be able to see the wonderful family he was going to be born into, to be able to see this beautiful ce with his little eyes and most of all I wanted to have someone to protect with all my heart. Until now, I was always the one to be protected, the weakest and the smallest in the family but that was about to change.


    Suddenly, the crowd, which had been silent, began to shout in unison in a movement of joy, pride and wonder. Some jumped for joy, others whistled and the soldiers pounded their chests with force.


    "Long live her Highness ! Long live the Queen and the Princess ! Long live the future Star of the Empire ! "


    Balls of fire were thrown into the air, the wind rustled the branches of the great tree under which we stood, causing thousands of dark leaves to fall upon us. The tree was whispering, the crowd was cheering, the moon and stars were shining and the wind was singing to the new Star we were all looking forward to.


    *You hear that, little baby ? Everybody loves you already*


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years


    Gender: Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles: Blessed by Titania, Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp required for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defence: 500


    Agility: 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed: 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate: 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinated: 439


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of Hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal Ice Peaks (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (lvl max)


    - Katana mastery (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Ice Empress Domain "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Other - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Ice Empress''s Natural Aura ]

 Chapter 121 One Nights Dream

    -- POV Freya --


    -- PING --


    [Congrattions ! You''ve got 800 citizens/subordinates !]


    The festival was over, the announcement of Gaya''s pregnancy had gone perfectly well and I knew that tomorrow the whole Empire would be talking about it. At the end, Shiro had fallen asleep in my arms and had gone home to sleep apanied by Triss the half-human cat who was watching over her.


    Gaya and I had stayed behind to finally meet all the neers to the Empire that had been brought back during the Commanders'' mission. There were many, many of them, for now the city of Elysium had over 1000 inhabitants. Each section was growing little by little and more were toe in the days toe while I was away.


    As I had announced before the festival, in a few days we were going to explore with the Commanders and their Lieutenants with the objective of evolving my 10 best warriors. I didn''t know yet how long we were going to leave but it was absolutely urgent to level up for them as well as for me because things were going to get messy.


    Besides, I also had every intention of freeing Kira before I returned, even if it took me a month. Things had to be manageable without me in the Empire, and if anything went wrong, I knew I could contact Gaya telepathically or return on my own very quickly. I didn''t know yet if the Kingdom of Zal was targeting us, but what was certain was that in the next few months an army attack could happen.


    Kira had gone to rest her mind and go to sleep in the space that allowed her to be quiet while Shiro was sleeping in her room right next to us. I was currently in my room with my wife who unlike me seemed tired from the huge day. She had taken a nap with our daughter in the afternoon but all the emotions had exhausted her and Gaya just wanted to sleep.


    "I''m sorry Freya, I know what I said to you earlier but...I''m far too tired to handle anything."


    Earlier, my wife had indeed said something to me that I hadn''t forgotten and that had left me very interested in her proposal, unfortunately it looked like I would have to wait after all. As Gaya slid in beside me under the sheets, I hugged her andid her head on my chest.


    "Don''t worry, this is normal. How are you feeling ?"


    Since she was pregnant, she had not stopped working despite my insistence and not a day went by without me asking her if she was okay.


    "I''m fine honey, thanks. I never got pregnant but I feel like I''m losing more and more energy and mana. Our baby will be born healthy and I have no doubt that it can be as special as you haha~"


    Straightening up, I touched my wife''s belly before cing a tender kiss on it, making her smile radiantly. Instinctively, I put my ear to it as if I was going to hear something as I answered.


    "Of course ! This baby will be born as strong and beautiful as its two mothers kufufu~"


    Gaya giggled lightly before starting to stroke my hair gently while my head still rested on her belly. I had never been done this before and just like my little moon, I could feel my big tail wagging gently despite myself.


    *What kind of enchantment is this ? Is this how Shiro feels every time ?*


    For the first time, I felt my body free of all my stress, I felt light, soothed and I didn''t know why, but the feeling of lying on a cloud came over me. My wife''s hand was caressing my hair, my ears and the more time passed the more I felt the fatigue invading me.


    "Gaya I..."


    "Shhhh sleep my love. You work so hard for this Empire, for our family, without ever stopping once. You''re doing a great job, you''re the bravest young woman I''ve ever met and if I can help you take the pressure off, I''d love to. Let me pamper you a little bit okay ? Get some rest."


    "..."


    Only with my soul mate, my Queen, my wife could I show my most vulnerable side and as Gaya kissed me on the forehead, I let myself sink gently into the world of dreams before hearing three precious words.


    "I love you"


    ____


    *What am I doing here ?*


    Before me was an empty, deserted world, devoid of life, sound and smell. I had my body but I could not move, I had no voice and I could not feel anything as thendscape began to change. A huge ck, white and luminous stone, full of particles that danced around it, appeared before me. Suddenly, as this jewel, bigger than the highest mountain, spun around in the sky, it stopped and sank into the ground.


    Just then, a blinding light began to cover absolutely everything and absorb the deadndscape in a pure white glow while the starless sky turned a deep, unfathomable ck. From that moment on, as the glow dissipated, I could see everything change at an amazing speed. I was in the sky like an omniscient, omnipresent being and I could do nothing but watch without moving and without being able to interact. Before me was the birth of a world.


    *What...*


    Where there was dust and drynd, nts and trees began to grow. Mountains sprang up from the bowels of the earth,kes, seas and oceans appeared falling from the sky like torrents and life began to spring up. All kinds of quadrupedal animals were now running around the ce which now looked like a paradise after undergoing all these changes. Everything was still happening very quickly and little by little new creatures were appearing, but this time bipedal and capable it would seem ofmunicating.


    In front of me I could see viges being formed, civilizations evolving into cities, then into nations, and then into ruins, and from the ashes new countries were rising. On this world walked humans, half-humans, intelligent beasts, and creatures of primal instinct. Birth and death, end and beginning, everything started again and again without stopping at an elerated speed.


    I knew everything, I saw everything and yet I understood absolutely nothing. Before my eyes I saw destruction, war, despair, hatred, and death that went on endlessly. My mind was flooded with information and even though I felt nothing, an unbearable sadness came over me as if I were carrying the weight of the universe on my shoulders. In this world, thousands and thousands of years passed, mountains, oceans and forests were born and died, when suddenly thendscape began to vibrate.


    The world shook from all sides, shaking all living beings as the ck and white jewel resembling its heart shattered. Without me being able to hear a single sound, the magnificent stone turned ck and exploded into a thousand pieces, causing a shock wave. This wave then began to engulf everyone, bringing total destruction in its path, devastating everything.


    Very quickly, although hundreds of years passed in a second, a new sign of life appeared before being joined by a multitude of others. Like the first time, new mountains, new oceans were rising but this time the animals that appeared were different and even looked very familiar. I wanted to stop looking, I wanted to get out of this ce that carried an unhealthy atmosphere but I could do absolutely nothing, I was as if trapped.


    *Why... why am I here ? Is this a dream ? Yet it seems so real...*


    The same thing happened again and again, and I could only wonder why I was here while experiencing these destructive visions. Suddenly, instead of magical cities and kingdoms, there were simple viges, ordinary towns that were evolving. Half-humans, intelligent beasts and magic were no more and had exchanged their ces with technology.


    Buildings now stood on the surface of this world, nes crossed the sky, ships the sea and cars the ground. Everything was so simr to the world I had lived in during my first life, and as time went on, more and more questions invaded my mind.


    Suddenly, everything stopped as if someone had just pressed the pause button while a voice I never thought I''d hear again rose up.


    "I''m d to see you again Freya. Don''t you also have that deja vu feeling ? haha~"


    Titania''s voice echoed everywhere and nowhere at the same time as she appeared before me still unable to answer her aloud. Her long blue hair still reached her waist and her eyes as ck as the sky looked at me intensely as if she was reading my soul. The first time I had seen her, I had found her beautiful, but that was long before I saw Gaya, whom I found objectively much prettier.


    *My Queen is still the most beautiful, that''s for sure*


    "Mmh that''s very mean that Freya fufu~ That said I have to admit your wife is incredibly beautiful indeed, and you..."


    As I wondered if she could read my mind, the Goddess gently approached me before running her slender finger over my still face before resuming.


    "...You I must admit, you are as beautiful as a Goddess...maybe even more. What a pity you''re already taken, if I had known I would have taken the time to charm you before reincarnating you haha~. I wonder what you''ll look like when you reach the peak of the system."


    I still couldn''t move my body, but my eyes perfectly conveyed the feeling of anger that was beginning to overwhelm me due to Titania''s overly tactile actions.


    "Don''t look at me with eyes like that I''m not going to do anything to you, I''m not here for that. Thest time we met I didn''t have much time and this time too. I''m stuck in a deep sleep by Time magic that I can only get out of a few times but that''s another story."


    As she finished her sentence, with a snap of her fingers I regained the use of my voice, my limbs and all the senses that went with them. Without waiting a second, I turned to the Goddess and asked for an exnation.


    "Why am I here ? Why have you shown me all this ? Why did I feel bound to this world I don''t know ?"


    "Because you had to see it all with your own eyes and feel the birth and death of this world. What do you think you saw?"


    Titania had asked me this question which confused me because I knew what I had seen but I was unable to exin it or understand what she meant by it. How was I supposed to know ? Of the two of us I wasn''t the all-knowing, all-powerful Goddess with a world of her own. As I clicked my tongue, I still tried to answer despite my annoyance.


    "Did I see the fate of Kleisaria several thousand years from now ? Or was it more like the past ? I don''t know, I''m not supposed to know any of this !"


    "Both answers are correct because what you just saw was the birth and death of Kleisaria but by its destruction, that world gave birth to another devoid of magic and what happened after that you know better than anyone..."


    As the Goddess looked at me with a serious face, a theory that I had long ago buried in my memory suddenly resurfaced. Titania, who had read my mind, nodded her head gravely and told me the truth, this truth I did not want to hear.


    "Kleisaria and the Earth you knew are two sides of the same coin. Kleisaria is Earth and Earth is Kleisaria. Your soul has not traveled to another world but rather has traveled to a distant past."


    I couldn''t believe what she was telling me when nothing seemed logical. Why would she send me back in time and how ? Wasn''t she the Goddess of Chaos and Ice ? How could she do that ? Earlier she had mentioned a Time spell, would this be the price she had to pay for sending my soul into the past ? So many questions were running through my head and as I was about to speak, thendscape began to blur.


    "No wait, Titania !"


    "I''m sorry Freya, I don''t have time to stay but I''ll find you when I wake up again.."


    I didn''t want the Goddess to go away and as her body began to disappear, I still managed to ask a few questions.


    "How can I understand ? Who am I and why did you send me into the past ?"


    "Listen well. If I made you appear in the forest of Syn it was not for nothing, go back there because at the foot of the tree made of ice and water will be some answers. I can''t tell you more, I don''t have time, but I''m counting on y..."


    Titania didn''t have time to finish her sentence when everything went ck and familiar voices called desperately for me.<novelnext></novelnext>


    [ee..on..e...s..onee..s...onee-saaaaan please wake up !]


    "Mo...*sniff* mommy !!!"


    "Honey, please wake up !"


    As I slowly opened my eyes, I felt my body heavy as a little white haired girl cried her eyes out on my chest while a beautiful dragoness held my hand, small tears running down her cheeks. I was confused, bewildered but seeing my daughter''s and my wife''s faces instantly made me smile as I straightened up and spoke.


    "I...I''m sorry if I worried you. Kira, Gaya, Shiro, I''m back."


    My little moon was jumping in my arms while my wife wiped her tears with a radiant smile of relief and love.


    "Mommy mommy ! I was so scared *sniff*!"


    [Damn it onee-san, what happened ? I... I thought I lost you...]


    The night was already here and while I was overwhelmed with love, I couldn''t forget that one night dream that had just changed everything.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239 (+800)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 122 The Sleeping Beauty Of Elysium

    -- POV Freya --


    I was back in my room, night had already fallen and my family was around me. I had just had a dream that turned out to be more real than I thought and my mind was still confused. I felt as if I hade back from a distant world, where my reason had been lost unable to assimte so much information.


    I was in my bed, the ck, soiled sheets sliding over my skin as I tried to figure it out. I couldn''t move, my head hurt and for the first time I didn''t feel well at all. Stuck in a daze, a voice brought me out of my thoughts.


    "Honey ?"


    Gaya knelt beside me to hug me and as I straightened up, I could see my little girl lifting her head. Shiro''s eyes were puffy, her nose was running and her hair was all matted. I had never seen her like this before and at that moment my heart was clenching hard in my chest.


    "Sweetie don''t cry anymore everything is fine now okay ?"


    "Y-Yeah *sniff* but...but you weren''t waking up *sniff* I...I.."


    Without giving my little girl time to continue, I tenderly stroked her wet cheek and smiled. She was adorable and her little worried, puffy face at that moment made me want to give her all the treasures in the world.


    "I...I''m fine don''t worry, I just slept all day haha~"


    At that moment, as I scratched the back of my head, my little moon shook her head sharply, sniffing. Gaya too was looking at me with questioning eyes as Kira''s voice echoed in my mind.


    [What are you talking about ? You slept for a week ! Freya, what happened to you ?]


    Kira always called me by my first name when she was serious and as my mind paused for a few seconds, my wife spoke again.


    "Kira is right, you slept for a week and we were unable to wake you up. I...we..we were so scared ! Is...is this your system ? Have you undergone some sort of special evolution ?"


    "Wha...what do you mean a week ?? And you Kira, where have you been all this time ?"


    How could I have slept for a week ? I had no idea how long I had been in this dream but I never thought I would not wake up for so long. My little sister who was bound to me in spirit and soul had to endure a whole week alone ? Just as I was starting to feel guilty, her voice answered me.


    [You slept for 6 days and I found myself in an empty space surrounded by two lights where I could only hear Gaya and Shiro crying. I...I didn''t know what was going on and...you didn''t answer, I didn''t feel our connection anymore I...I thought you were dead and that I would be stuck in this void for the rest of my life.]


    Kira''s voice had grown weaker and weaker and was trembling slightly, making me want to hug her. Her life depended on mine and if I wasn''t conscious, it was impossible for her to talk to anyone. These 6 days must have been even harder for her than for my wife and daughter.


    "Forgive me little sister I...I really need to find a way to get you out of here !"


    I was once again determined to find a solution as Kira''s condition hit me hard once again. I hadn''t personally locked her up in my mind, but deep down I had be her golden prison. Seeing that I was silent, my little sister hastened to reassure me before returning to the main topic.


    [Mmh it''s nothing, I don''t know what happened yet but you clearly weren''t responsible. So please tell us. The important thing is to find out what caused it, isn''t it, Gaya ?]


    "Yes..honey, can you tell us what happened ?"


    They were right, I had just learned important things that could challenge the existence of the entire world. Was I the only one who knew all this ? I suddenly felt like a being carrying a terrible truth that could change everything. I didn''t know what to say or where to start because everything was still confusing but I owed them an exnation.


    "I... to tell you the truth, I have met Titania."


    [This Goddess who created me ? How ? Where ? Why ? Is there a problem ?]


    My little sister couldn''t help but ask me a lot of questions while Gaya sat on the bed beside me silently. I began to tell the story of the strange dream I had had and all the information I had learned during my long sleep.


    ___


    "Now, you know everything that happened..."


    I had just told my dream without leaving anything out so that those with me could understand. I had exined how I had found myself standing still above the world, how all this death and destruction had eaten away at my mind, and how Titania had finally appeared before me. I had left nothing out, from the mysterious ck and white jewel to the world without magic that appeared after its destruction and even what the Goddess had told me when she appeared.


    Gaya and Kira had listened to me carefully without ever cutting me off while Shiro slept on myp, looking tired from all the emotions. She had been really scared and now she was sucking her thumb peacefully lying on my legs. My little moon hadn''t listened to anything but for now it didn''t really matter. As I finished my story, it was my little sister who spoke first, followed by Gaya.


    [It''s... so the world we came to is actually Earth ? You said the Goddess told you that the destruction of this world would give birth to Earth, but how ? And why did she choose you ?]


    "There''s a lot of mystery and...and I have to admit I''m shocked. My wife...is from the future, in a way that''s kind of weird to say, even though it doesn''t change anything for me. As for the rest, I think we need to get to the ce the Goddess pointed you to before we jump to any conclusions."


    Gaya was absolutely right, before she left the divine woman had pointed me to a particr ce that was supposed to answer some of my questions. I didn''t know what it would be like or what I would learn there, but it was the only clue we had. Once I found out what was to be found there, it might be easier to put the pieces of the puzzle that was my life together.


    [Titania said well, a tree of water and ice in the Syn Forest, didn''t she ? I think you know where it is. I always wondered why such a beautiful tree was out there in the middle of nowhere, but it would seem that it was indeed special].


    Indeed, several months ago, during my first fight to free the dragoness sealed under the mountain, I had to fight a water scorpion named Warg. I had not had much difficulty to kill him and at the ce where I had left his body, on an ind in the middle of ake, there was arge almost transparent tree. At that time I had not tried to understand, too busy nning the murder of Magni and Daggus.


    "Yes, it''s a good thing I didn''t destroy it in the end. So the answers should normally be there...I hope so or else the next time I cross paths with this Goddess, my fist will go to meet her beautiful divine figure !"


    [Mm, I understand you, Onee-san. It''s quite disturbing to have made you live this "dream" and then immediately disappear like a thief without even giving you a hint of an answer.]


    What was strange to me was that Titania had never before spoken to me of all this. Why had she not told me all this information when I first stood before her ? Why should I learn this now ? I had the impression that the Goddess was still hiding many things from me and my only desire was to discover the secrets of this world.


    "I don''t know why, but the more I think about it, the more I feel like Titania isn''t telling me everything on purpose or worse, manipting me !"


    It didn''t make sense, and even though I owed her this new life, literally magical and wonderful, the more I thought about it the more anger and iprehension crept into my mind. Among the things I hated was the fact that I couldn''t control anything, and the idea of having been reincarnated here, or rather sent back in time, didn''t appeal to me at all.


    [What happened to destroy Kleisaria ? How did Titania manage to send you to such a distant past ?]


    Kira also seemed to have a lot of questions and the only way to answer them was to go to Syn''s forest. While I was thinking, Gaya spoke again while cing her hand on her chin to show that she was also thinking.


    "It is possible that under this tree is something hidden, perhaps a tomb or a cave I don''t know. The presence of dangerous and yet unknown creatures in this area is also quite possible. Freya, when and how do you n to go there ?"


    "Mmh well I was thinking of going with the Commanders and Lieutenants. That way we can level up and find out what''s really going on. I was even thinking of taking a little trip to Yarlford to learn more if possible about the King''s or Zal Supreme''s ns."


    Just before the festival, I had already exined to the Commanders that we would be leaving together to try to make them evolve. At the time, I had not nned a particr destination, but now it was clear. With this week asleep I had already lost precious time, and tomorrow we had to leave Elysium. I turned to Gaya to ask her the question that had just crossed my mind with curiosity.


    "Does the Empire know I was asleep ? Did you see the Commanders or the section Leaders while you were working ?"


    "I..uh...the Empire doesn''t know about it since you don''t get out much but everyone working in the mansion is obviously aware of your condition and...I haven''t seen the Commanders in a while. I...simply ordered that nothing be said so as not to worry the citizens until we know what''s happening to you."


    Howe Gaya didn''t see the Commanders ? I knew she wanted to continue working despite being pregnant and as Leader of Management and Queen she had to meet with them almost as often as I did, especially with the arrival of 800 new residents. As I stroked Shiro''s head and wondered a lot, I could distinctly hear footsteps in the hallway and the familiar scent of Lia and Triss before they even knocked on the door.


    "Queen Gaya ! We have brought your meal and the Princess''s."


    "Gaya-sama, you muste out, you haven''t left the Empress in days."


    Lia and Triss had panicked voices and as I heard their words, I turned to look at my wife with a frown.


    "You haven''t left my side at all for a week ? Have you not gone to work ? I hope you got some rest at least and did Shiro go to school ?"


    "I..Shiro went to school as usual and the Empire continued to live normally thanks to the section Leaders but I...I.."


    While I was asleep, a week had passed and I still didn''t know what had happened on their side. Gaya looked down unable to answer in any way so I turned to my little sister for an answer as she must have heard what had happened.


    "Kira..."


    [...]


    Kira didn''t seem to want to answer as if out of solidarity so while tenderlyying Shiro on the ck sheets I stood up and headed for the door. I felt slightly weak and as I made my way out I felt my body wobble a little.


    As I finally reached the entrance to the room, I suddenly opened the door, taking it with me. The door was off its hinges with a loud crack, waking Shiro from her sleep.


    *Damn it ! Again ?*


    The door in my hand was broken in half and as I cursed myself inwardly, I came face to face with the two female butlers of the mansion. Their faces were shocked and before I could even speak their eyes shifted from the door to me in a totally lost expression. Coming to their senses, the two young women finally spoke with the utmost respect.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Y-your Highness ?"


    "You...you''re finally awake !"


    The two half-humans had gasped in surprise and as I nodded I could see them bowing as did the two soldiers guarding the room. Usually no one was allowed in our private quarters except Triss and Lia, but Gaya had obviously ordered a guard. While their faces were still down, I hurried to ask them some questions.


    "My wife has been in here for a whole week without leaving ? Did she rest well ?"


    Triss didn''t dare answer and Lia seemed to look at the dragoness hesitantly before finally speaking up.


    "Y-Yes, the Queen has been watching over you your Highness but...but she has been resting and managing the affairs of Elysium with the help of us all. Commander Caipy came by every day to check on her and your condition so...don''t...don''t worry."


    Sighing with relief, I grabbed the trays in their hands before ordering them to gather all the Commanders and Lieutenants in two hours to n our departure. It waste, but time was running out, especially since I hadn''t done anything for a week.


    As they left, I returned to my now doorless room to spend time with my family before getting down to business. Tomorrow, I would head to Syn''s forest to discover the answers hidden under that tree that holds the secret of the world.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 123 Emergency Meeting At Night

    -- POV Freya --


    It was the middle of the night and as I had instructed Triss and Lia, the Commanders and Lieutenants were now gathered in the meeting room of the Imperial Mansion. Tomorrow just after noon, I nned to leave Elysium to discover the secrets of the tree, find a way for Kira to get out, and make my Commanders evolve.


    "Ready ?"


    My wife in the doorway looked at me with a tender smile as she waited for me to be ready.


    "Mm-hmm. Soon."


    Still in the doorless room, I was showered, wide awake and almost dressed. Gaya was by my side for the meeting and even though she wouldn''t being for obvious reasons, it was important that she was there. I hadn''t had time to check with all the section Leaders to see where the neers had decided to go either, but for the moment I didn''t have the time.


    [You''re fine like that, now go ahead everyone''s waiting for you]


    "No, everything has to be perfect !"


    I was still standing in front of the mirror looking at my outfit. I had spent a week in my bed and I didn''t like it at all. I didn''t want to look so weak and overworked because well...I was Freya. I had a lot of pride and just thinking about that wasted week made me grit my teeth.


    "I haven''t seen the Commanders, Lieutenants and staff at the mansion in a week. The least I can do is be presentable, I''m the Empress, I''ll act like one !"


    [It''s true]


    I stood before the mirror and was dressed entirely in ck from head to toe. My boots, pants, shirt, gloves and furry imperial cloak were as dark as my hair. At my belt I also carried the katana taken from the city lord and which almost never left my side. My hair was loose and fell wildly over my face where my tattooed eyes shone a deep purple.


    When I smiled, my sharp, pointed fangs almost glinted, giving me the face of a dangerous, beautiful, deadly young woman. With my horns, my tail, my ears I did indeed look terrifying, dressed in ck like a fallen Empress. As I was about to leave, Gaya who had approached, stood slightly on her tiptoes to kiss me tenderly before speaking.


    "You look beautiful like this."


    She was wearing her ice tiara and a beautiful white dress that brought out the color of her eyes and hair. My wife was my angel and as I ced my crown on my head I smiled.


    "So are you."


    I kissed her forehead lightly before extending my arm to her, which she grabbed before we headed for the meeting room.


    ___


    As the doors to the room opened, I could see 18 people waiting for me inside therge room. Upon seeing me, the 10 Commanders and 8 Lieutenants knelt down, bowing their heads before saluting us.


    "We salute her Highness the Empress and Queen Gaya !"


    I nodded softly before walking to my ice seat, followed by my wife whose seat was right next to mine. As I walked, I could hear the many people standing in front of their seats and the beasts standing behind.


    As I reached my seat and turned around, I scanned each person in the room one by one. One by one, my eyes darted to those of the Commanders and Lieutenants who flinched slightly but never wavered. Since my absence, they had all risen to a higher level, obviously excited by the idea of being able to evolve through the system.


    All of the Commanders except Naia were now level 24 which showed how hard they were training. Gaya had told me that they spent their days fighting Vig who was the strongest soldier and thanks to their races and the boost from my system, they had almost caught up with him. The fire vixen had a little less experience so wasn''t progressing as fast but today she was at level 20 and closing the gap day by day.


    As for the Lieutenants, they were not yet above level 15, but they were close, and I knew that they were training hard as well. The slower leveling up was also due to theck of experience but this expedition was also a way to fix that.


    "Good !"


    As I sat down in my seat with Gaya, the 18 people in front of me waited for me to signal them. With a brief nod, they finally sat down and the meeting could begin. The two half-human butlers apanied us, as Shiro was under the care of the maids on our floor. So Triss was on my wife''s left and Lia was on my right and now that everyone in this room was aware, I was linking Kira to participate.


    "First of all, I wanted to exin myself as to why I was away for a week. After the festival I


    fell asleep and it seems that I stayed in a deep sleep. A sleep in which I once again encountered the Goddess of this world..."


    It was very important information, but unlike in my other life, I actually trusted those who were here. Since bing a she-wolf, I had slowly opened my heart and even if it was to different degrees, it was a reality. I had already told them about Titania and everything else, the only thing I hadn''t mentioned was my other world.


    Everyone was silent and it was after a deep breath that I began to tell them about my past life, the fact that I was human and how my reincarnation happened as well as my recent meeting with Titania and those many secrets.


    ___


    The moonlight fell into the mansion room, illuminating us with its pure white rays as I finally finished my long tale. Like Gaya and Kira before them, the Commanders, Lieutenants, and Triss and Lia were stunned. It seemed they all needed a few minutes before we resumed so my wife, my little sister and I waited.


    The minutes passed and I could see Nixia lost in her thoughts just like Ralph, Na?a and Emilia while Luna, Thorunn and Trioa seemed simply to wait that I speak but I felt the fear invading them. As for Caipy, Ynir and Persea the iprehension was read more easily on their faces as well as the questions which they all had to ask themselves. I didn''t look at Lia and Triss, but it was easy to hear them fidgeting as I felt their confusion.


    "Impossible we..."


    "The...destruction of the world ?"


    "Ho...how ?"


    "The sure death..."


    The more time passed, the more the people in front of me began to tremble and panic. What I had just announced was not easy to digest, and as I had predicted, everyone was focused on the story of the cores imploding and destroying the world. Knowing that the world was destined to be destroyed without knowing when and if it could be stopped could indeed lead to madness.


    For the first time, it was Kira who after several minutes broke the silence by addressing everyone surprisingly seriously. Since she had learned about my dream, she who was just as concerned as I was had returned to the serious nature she had months ago. Her voice now rose in our minds, serious almost authoritative and cold and at that moment my little sister...sounded like me.


    [Pull yourself together ! I know that what Freya told you is shocking and unsettling, but the most important thing right now is to get answers to our questions. Right now, we don''t even know any more and what we are about to find out couldpletely change the world for the better or worse. Yes, it''s hard not to panic, but thanks to my big sister we have this information which will allow us to act...


    As she spoke, I could see the faces of all the people who were lost and desperate, slowly lifting. Each of her sentences carried a truth, and though Kira did not deny the difficulties that woulde our way, she did stir the hearts.


    ...are you not valiant warriors and citizens of the Empire ? You are here today because the Empress trusts you, and so do I. With this expedition, we will have the opportunity to make a difference and get many answers, so do not bow your heads ! Look proudly at your Empress with a strong heart, a a fiery soul and determined eyes !]


    My little sister''s words had had their effect, for now everyone was standing up straight, heads held high and staring. The smell of fear and the shaking auras had changed to be more confident, strong and threatening. Triss next to Gaya now had a serious face inspired by Kira while to my right Lia was blushing furiously seemingly impressed by her words.


    "Thank you, Kira."


    [You''re wee onee-san]


    As I thanked my little sister for these few inspiring sentences, I got up from my seat to speak in turn. It was already the middle of the night and the departure would be in the afternoon so there was no time to lose. Now the 18 people in this room and the two female butlers knew about my life, my history, my past and almost all my secrets.


    "Alright ! Now that everyone hase to their senses thanks to my little sister''s words I would like you to listen to me ! As Kira told you, now we have a clue regarding where we need to go and that ce happens to be the Syn Forest."


    With a snap of my finger, I conjured up a replica of the tree in question that I had just recreated from my memories. It was small enough to fit on the table and everyone could now observe this ice tree with interest while listening to me.


    "This is what we are looking for. This tree is in the south of the forest, so it shouldn''t take us long to get there, especially since there are only 19 of us, and we''re the most powerful. However, once we get there I have no idea what we''ll be able to discover or fight and although I''ll do everything to protect you, if you decide to follow me it''s not without danger !"


    I was the Empress of the Empire, I gave orders and ruled with an iron fist, but I would never force anyone to act against their will. Those here had pledged allegiance and loyalty to me, but that did not mean they always agreed with my choices. As I thought about this, all eighteen people rose to their feet in unison before sping their fists to their chests and shouting in one voice.


    "We have sworn to follow you and we will your Highness, forgive our moment of misguidance, we may falter but never our resolve to be by your side ! We also thank Kira-sama for her valuable words that reminded us of what was important !"


    Their voices echoed through the great room like a solemn vow of devotion. At their words, I could not help but smile slightly, proud and pleased to have such brave warriors who despite fear always rose with determination. I could see their blind trust in me shining in their eyes, and just as I inspired them to excel, they inspired me to do the same.


    I still didn''t know what we would find, but what I was sure of was that we would leave with the me of our souls burning in our hearts and minds.


    "Perfect ! We''ll leave in the afternoon ! Until then, rest and enjoy your loved ones because we don''t know how long we''ll be gone from the Empire. Keep in mind that I will be in daily contact with my wife and that Syn is not far from our Empire so don''t worry."


    Normally nothing would happen while I was away because after thinking about it, the Kingdom of Zal couldn''t attack us right away. I''d been thinking about this since yna arrived, and setting up an army or a full-scale attack on the forest wouldn''t take a few weeks. They weren''t due to arrive in Elysium for maybe two months, which gave us time to build up our strength and investigate.


    While we were away, the army was in charge of training with the help of Vig and even Gaya who had also volunteered to supervise them. The most experienced soldiers would train the new ones and this way even without us, everyone would be able to level up. Each section of the army had their own routine thanks to the Commanders so no one would really be lost without them.


    Everyone seemed determined, ready to brave any danger to be stronger, to discover the secrets of this world and return to fight Zal''s troops with courage, pride and strenght. The eyes that glittered in front of me almost made me shiver as a wild and cruel glow passed through their eyes.


    "I love the eyes you have right now, keep them ! We wille back here even stronger than when we left ! You are all expected to arrive tomorrow just after noon at the gates of the Empire. Don''t take anything with you except your weapons for those who use them, the rest I''ll take care of !"


    "At yourmand your Highness !"<novelnext></novelnext>


    With thesest sentences, the meeting ended after a lot of revtions and emotions. The Commanders and Lieutenants bowed out before going to bed while my wife and I went to do the same thing to be in shape tomorrow.


    [Do you think you''ll dream again tonight too ?]


    *No, Titania told me she couldn''te to see me very often, the next time usually won''t be for a long time*


    As I saw Lia and Triss bowing before they too went to bed, I turned to Gaya and took her hand.


    "My love, let''s go to bed"


    "Sure honey"


    The manor was quiet, the night dark, and I returned to our quarters with my wife. The night was already well advanced and tomorrow, when the sun would shine brightly at its highest hour, we would leave.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 124 Lucky Charm And Departure

    -- POV General --


    It was noon, the star of the day shining proudly in the sky above the Empire of Elysium, the sound of the waves was carried by the wind, which blew tenderly, rustling the leaves of the surrounding trees.


    In front of the great walls that surrounded the Empire, inside, were the Commanders and Lieutenants all saying goodbye to those who hade. There were soldiers, citizens, section Leaders and even children. Further back, where no one could hear them, was Empress Freya, her wife, Queen Gaya and her daughter, Princess Shiro.


    Just like the others, the dragoness and the little white-haired girl, hade to say goodbye to the she-wolf and wish her a safe journey. Shiro stood next to Gaya and cried softly, unable to hold back her tears at the thought of one of her mothers leaving. The Queen was not crying but her eyes twinkled slightly as she spoke.


    "Honey, take good care of yourself. Contact me every night or as soon as you can to let me know what you find. I''ll take care of informing all the section Leaders and developing the Empire. Always be careful, don''t forget to eat well and don''t overdo it because you''re not alone. I...I know that sometimes you can be stubborn but...please don''t do anything stupid and if you need help don''t hesitate to ask your Commanders for it. Also look out for Kira and I hope you can find a solution for her."


    The dragoness held Freya''s hands and as she gave her all the instructions she could, her heart ached at the thought of her being away from her. She may have known the she-wolf was an incredible and strong being but the heart has its reasons that reason ignores. Gaya spoke like the loving and concerned wife she was, bringing out her motherly side even more. Turning to Kira, the Queen continued.


    "Kira, I''m counting on you to look out for her and help her in any circumstance. No matter what happens to you, you have to look out for each other so you cane back safe and sound. I know it''s pretty rare but please Kira...don''t let Freya get angry because I know she can lose her mind partially which would be dangerous. You''ve always been there to bring her back to herself so I''m counting on you. I..."


    Gaya was talking and couldn''t seem to stop herself from giving more and more instructions to the duo who were her family and who were going to leave for an indefinite period of time. As she thought about what she could say, it was Kira''s turn and then the she-wolf''s to speak, not without smiling fondly at her wife.


    [You can trust me, Gaya, we''ll both be fine !]


    "Haha~ yes my love don''t worry I will look after Kira and Kira will look after me. I also promised to contact you every day and I will stick to it you don''t have to worry. Everything will be fine, we are not far away and I am sure we wille back stronger than ever."


    As she said this, Freya hugged her wife who nodded shyly, still worried. The Empress''s group was not going to war, but even so, they were heading into the unknown, and so many fears ran through the hearts of the Queen and Princess at that moment.


    As she slowly moved away from Gaya, the she-wolf tenderly stroked her cheek before kneeling down this time to the level of the little Shiro. She held Gaya''s hand with her left hand and the fingers of her right hand wiped the tears from her face.


    "Are you...*sniff* going toe back soon Mommy ?"


    The little moon of the Empire was crying softly and knew that her mother was going to leave for a time she didn''t know. Her little puffy cheeks were red and the drops of salt water beaded on her little face. This wasn''t the first time Freya had left, but somehow the little Princess understood that her mother was leaving to find out something very important and possibly dangerous.


    "Come here."


    Taking Shiro in her arms, the Empress cradled her gently while wiping her tears with her hand before stroking her hair.


    "I don''t really know when I''ll be back sweetie but I promise I''ll make it as fast as I can okay ? In the meantime, work hard at school, eat well, and remember to always get an early night''s sleep so you don''t get exhausted during the day."


    "Y-yes *sniff** I promise, Mommy. But...but how many sleeps do you think you''ll get back ?"


    The little Princess hugged Freya even tighter as she still couldn''t figure out when her mother would return. She was still too small to have any idea how long it would be and as her eyes began to water again, the she-wolf ced a soft kiss on each of her cheeks.


    "In several sleeps my little moon but I promised you I''d be back just as soon so trust me. While I''m gone, take care of your mom and the baby in her belly for me. Can you do that ?"


    Shiro nodded softly as the prospect of having a mission toplete helped her slightly to ovee her sadness. Being tenderly cradled by Freya, the little Princess had stopped sniffing and was enjoying the petting before she couldn''t receive any more from the she-wolf for a while. Kira, who had been watching the scene in silence up to this point, spoke up.


    [Little Shiro, I promise to make sure your mommy doesn''t stay there long, so smile brightly every day until we return in triumph, okay ?]


    "Mmh okay auntie Kira ! You...you too make it quick, I''ll...I''ll miss you."


    [I...you...you too. But we can talk every day when your mommy uses her magic so you won''t have time to forget me because even far away I can make youugh hehe~]


    "Yes auntie hihi~"


    Kira had once again managed to make the white haired girl smile and as Freya smiled at the more than adorable exchange, Gaya came over to give them a hug. While the others who were to apany the Empress were saying goodbye to their loved ones as well, she and her family were in their world.


    The Empress didn''t want to be separated from her family either, but this expedition was important and knowing her wife and daughter were safe was enough for her to leave with a sad, but relieved heart. Freya then leaned in to kiss Gaya with the strength of all the feelings and love she had for her. It wasn''t a farewell kiss but a goodbye kiss and as she pulled away, she also kissed Shiro''s forehead.


    "Mo-Mommy ?"


    As Freya set her little Princess down, the little girl began to squirm shyly as if she were hiding a little secret. Gaya smiled beside her and stroked her head before encouraging her, obviously still aware of what her daughter was up to.


    "Go ahead sweetheart, she has to go soon so you can give it to her now."


    Shiro upon hearing the dragoness'' words began to rummage in one of the pockets of her dress before pulling out a small something that she handed to Freya.


    "H-Here mommy it is...for you. Mom Gaya helped me make it while you were sleeping. I...I wanted to give it to you yesterday but today is better...it''s a lucky charm."


    In the small trembling hands of the little moon of the Empire, there was what appeared to be a small doll made from yarn in the shape of a wing. It waspletely white and represented one of the wings that Freya could make appear on her back. As the she-wolf knelt down to her daughter''s level again, she carefully grabbed the lucky charm.


    "I will take great care of it, thank you very much sweetie. I will treasure this lucky charm and promise to protect it."


    "T-Thank you, Mommy hihi~"


    Two golden threads hung from the tips of the wings and as she thanked Shiro, the Empress attached this precious new treasure to the hilt of her sword like a trophy. The wing, as white as the moon''s hair, now hung proudly from the handle of the ck sword and as the little Princess smiled, it was Freya''s turn to give her a gift.


    "Here, I''ll give you something in return."


    Holding out her palm right in front of her daughter''s eyes, the Empress in turn conjured up a small ice statuette, motionless but eternal. Shiro''s eyes were wide open and as she caught the small gift in her hands, she couldn''t help but exim.


    "Birdy !!!"


    Indeed, Freya had modeled the ice bird that her little moon loved so much. It stood on a small pedestal and stretched its white wings skyward, its head high and proud and its crest more beautiful than ever.


    "I''ll take care of it Mommy ! And..and I''ll take care of Mom Gaya and the baby too I promise !"


    "Perfect my little moon"


    The little Princess'' face was once again a radiant smile that warmed the hearts of her mothers and aunt. Before standing up, Freya ced a final kiss on her daughter''s forehead before standing up and kissing her wife.


    "Come back to us soon"


    Gaya had whispered these words with a hint of sadness in her voice that instantly gripped the she-wolf''s heart. Hugging her wife and daughter onest time in a warm and loving embrace, Freya responded followed by Kira.


    "Don''t forget that I love you very much. I promise we''ll take care of each other so on your end look after each other and in no time we''ll be back."


    [Mmmh we''re almost unbeatable together hehe~ And then when wee back, I might even be able to hug you both !]


    At Kira''s words, Gaya giggled fondly while Shiro''s eyes grew even wider at the news. At the moment nothing was certain but Freya''s little sister couldn''t help but say that sentence as she was so excited about the idea. The she-wolf said nothing and smiled as she had been determined to get her back into a body for a long time.


    "Well, it''s time."


    The time for goodbyes was over and the Empress had to head to her new destination without dy. Gaya and Shiro having realized that it was time for them to leave, straightened up before speaking at the same time.


    "We love you !"


    Those few words echoed in Freya and Kira''s minds giving them indescribable courage and strength. These simple words were filled with tenderness, love...feelings that they had only understood since their arrival in this world. It was with hearts overflowing with love that the two sisters responded in unison.


    "We love you too !"


    [We love you too !]


    The sun still high in the sky watched the scene from its height, bathing the Empire and its lights with its own soft, warm glow. Everyone had kissed, and said goodbye and now it was time to leave. With ast tender smile for her family, holding Shiro''s lucky charm firmly in her hand, the Empress turned to whistle at her horse.


    Suddenly, a loud whinny could be heard at the entrance to the city and immediately afterwards a great ck stallion came galloping majestically. His mane as ck as night floated at the back of his head as if in an illusion and his piercing yellow eyes reflected bravery and inspired respect. Inferno, the horse of the Empress of Ice herself, rode straight at her rider, raising clouds of dust behind him.


    Like a warhorse, the beautiful animal wore a helmet of ice with two demon horns on top, still leaving its mane exposed. On his back, Inferno wore a seal also made of ice and a light armor made by the dwarves, of a deep and fascinating ck. The Empress'' horse was imposing, beautiful and seemed wild and powerful.


    As the stallion reached Freya''s level, he didn''t stop as the Empress gracefully jumped onto his back in full swing. Once on his back, Inferno reared majestically as the Empress turned to her family, smiling mischievously as she winked at them.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Wooow !"


    "Pfff~ this one"


    Shiro marveled at the scene, which she thought was absolutely cool, and Gaya couldn''t help but giggle knowing full well that her wife had done it on purpose.


    So it was at full gallop that the Empress, still dressed in ck, rode with her little sister towards the gate of the Empire where the Commanders and Lieutenants were waiting. As she passed, people bowed and looked at her with eyes as bright as her daughter''s, reassured to know that the most powerful being in the Empire would be watching over the others.


    So it was that one sunny afternoon, the Empress of Elysium, the only she-wolf reincarnated in the past, set out to find answers to her questions with the firm intention of giving her sister her freedom and creating formidable warriors within her Empire. No one knew what the group would discover or face, but one thing was certain, guided by their formidable leader, the soldiers set out without fear.


    Gaya who was watching them leave, despite all the reassuring words her wife had said to her, could not help but have a bad feeling. Like a dark and mysterious cloud hovering over her heart, this feeling would not go away. Clutching her daughter''s hand tightly to her right, her left hand came to rest on her chest as she muttered a few inaudible words.


    "Please...be careful ande back with a smile..."


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 125 The Mysterious Tree

    -- POV Freya --


    We were moving through the forest at a great speed, spinning through the dark-leaved trees where even the sun was having trouble prating. The goodbyes had been hard for my wife and daughter, and even though Kira and I were thinking of them, our minds were focused on our goal. I was on Inferno''s back while the Commanders and Lieutenant ran behind me as their training had already begun.


    Since we left the Empire, I had ordered the eighteen people who were following me to run behind me so that we would arrive without stopping if possible. If all went well, we should arrive at the ice and water tree before nightfall. During our little trip I nned to train them no matter what we found in the Syn forest and even in a hellish way if necessary.


    As soon as we left Elysium, my n was to work on everyone''s endurance because until now, no one had really had the opportunity to run like this over a long distance. It was not only the breath that was worked on but the muscles, the precision because with a high speed it was necessary but also the agility and the reflexes.


    Trioa the half-human wyvern and her Lieutenant Ne the harpy were flying instead of running, but they were not allowed to glide through the sky. They followed us by weaving through the trees trying not to get their wings caught in a branch. Trioa was quite good at it as she had already been trained by Gaya for this exercise but it was not the same for the harpy with pigtails.


    Overall, the Commanders followed me without much difficulty because with their levels, they could match the speed of a horse. Even though Inferno wasn''t at his maximum potential, it wasn''t very hard for them. On the other hand, all the Lieutenants without exception were behind and although they were still able to keep up for now, in a while it wouldn''t be the same.


    Unlike when I was with my family, I didn''t automatically link Kira to the others to have some privacy. I had decided to do so only when she asked me for a chat or when I felt it was necessary.


    [They''ve been running for hours now, won''t you stop ?]


    *Not until someone asks for it*


    I wanted everyone to push their limits, for once we reached the base of the tree we were to rest before discovering anything anyway. During this exploration, I was ready to be the Ice Empress, whose training of soldiers would be known as ruthless but effective. No wild beasts were attacking us, repelled by my aura, and the Syn forest was not far away, so I found this an interesting exercise that could reveal the ws in some.


    *We have to be fast, but also careful and cautious. One mistake could turn everything upside down, we''re leaving without knowing anything and I don''t like that at all. Let''s make the most of the time we have and if we can only gain more strength, I''ll take it*


    While I was talking with Kira, I was using my senses to perceive the scene without even seeing it and understand what was happening behind me. With my ears I could hear everyone''s movements, every step, every rhythm and even the power. The rustle of the leaves, the sound of the earth being trodden, the breaths, everything allowed me to understand as if I were observing with my own eyes.


    Ash, the half-human leopard second to Luna, didn''t have much difficulty due to his section and race giving him great stamina, as did Liz, the half-human tiger second to Ralph, who used her muscles instead to hold on. Thest one was Nixia and Naia''s second, an elf named Kurumi who despite her small size ran almost as easily as the Commanders.


    *Interesting*


    The Commanders were still following me easily for the moment but four Lieutenants were already starting to fall behind. Zak the red-furred bear, Emilia''s second inmand and Leon the kobold second inmand to Thorunn were the first to slow down. Then there was Itham the elf second to Ynir and Persea the guardianns and Nina the dryad second to Caipy in the medical section.


    [And now, you stop ?]


    *No. I told you, I would only stop if one of them asked me to. They are the ones who know their limits best, and admitting their weaknesses is not a sign of cowardice but of strength.*


    In this exercise, the mind also yed a big part and I wanted to see who among them would have the strength to ask for a break. I used to say it a lot, but I preferred a warrior who was aware of his weaknesses and was able to ovee them rather than an unconscious fighter who was able to push himself to the limit in search of glory.


    *An unconscious ally can sometimes be far more dangerous than an intelligent enemy*


    [Mmh I understand what you mean by that but still...don''t let them fall apart before you even get there pffhaha~]


    Despite Kira''s words, I had no intention of going back on my word, this was far from a game and I had no ns to be conciliatory. I wasn''t training children for a school show, but I was training warriors who would be participating in a war in the near future at the head of my army.


    As I looked straight ahead, a breathless voice came from behind, almost pleading.


    "Y...your...Hi...Highness..."


    Without even turning around, I guessed that the one who had just spoken was Zak the red bear, who with his great stature was having trouble keeping up. Immediately afterwards, it was Nina''s voice that started to ask for a break.


    "Em...Empress...can...we...take...a b-break ?"


    We were soon in the Syn Forest and I could even see the bright green trees, quite different from the Dark Forest. With a wave of my hand our whole expedition came to a halt as I dismounted my horse. The sound of a stream could be heard not far away so the ce was perfect.


    "Rest a little, we''ll resume our run in five minutes ! Those who are thirsty, go drink from the stream, I''m saving our supplies forter when there''s no water around."


    "A... aye !"


    Thanks to my storage element, I had been able to take everything we needed, allowing us to travel light. I had a supply of food, water bottles, sleeping gear, and anything else I thought might be useful. While the Commanders sat on the ground and the Lieutenants went to the stream to drink, I leaned against a tree.


    [We should arrive before nightfall. Once there, you n to sleep by the tree before you discover its secrets, don''t you ?]


    *Mmh. I''d rather everyone be ready and well rested before we find out anything. I don''t know where we''re going, but thest time I stood by that tree I didn''t see anything special. There must be something hidden somewhere.*


    [You mean nothing special except the tree itself which is more than special ! Like Gaya, you think it''s a ce rather than an object ?]


    *I don''t know what else it could be. Honestly, maybe we''re going about this the wrong way, but how could a simple object answer all our questions ?*


    When I had woken up and told Kira and Gaya what had happened in my dream, my wife had mentioned a tomb or a cave. I agreed with her and was eager to find out what was in store for us.


    "Good ! Let''s go back !"


    "Yes, your Highness"


    It wasn''t long before the sun would set in a few hours. I also wanted to arrive during the day so I could conduct some research in the area with my group.


    *That''ll be the first thing we do, then we set up camp just to get an early night''s rest.*


    [You also have to contact Gaya and Shiro if we find out anything...or even nothing at all actually. I''m sure they''ll be happy to talk to us even if it hasn''t been a day since we left haha~]


    As I smiled quietly, I climbed once more on the back of my ck stallion who was proudly waiting for me. This time we were not going to stop and the next time I would set foot on the ground, it would be in front of that tree.


    "Let''s go !"


    ___


    "Here we are !"


    There before me was the huge clearing where I had met Warg in the early days of my new life. There was still that greatke whose water seemed unfathomable, bathed in sunlight. In the center of thiske was the islet on which stood proudly the tree we sought. It was massive, a weeping willow made of water and ss, its leaves were water flowing into theke and its branches were transparent as crystal.


    "Beautiful !"


    "I...I didn''t know such a thing existed here.."


    "Your Highness, is this the tree we were looking for ?"


    The Commanders and Lieutenants seemed to be in awe of the scene and although it was not the first time for me, I still found it beautiful. Last time, at night, the tree andke had given me a sense of being surrounded by a magical, fairy-tale atmosphere, but now, during the day, it was different. This time the tree looked rather divine and solemn, standing there proudly in the middle of the glittering water.


    [How could we have missed such a thing ? We had seen this magnificent tree, but we never tried to understand why it was there]


    *That''s true, but we didn''t know the world at the time, not to mention the fact that we had to kill Magni and Daggus. We didn''t know if this tree was somethingmon... in a magical world, it''s not illogical.*


    Despite my words, Kira was right, and I couldn''t believe I''d even missed something like that. However, that was all in the past and today I stood in that clearing once more, determined not to let anything go. Laying my feet on the ground, I turned to face the Commanders and Lieutenants to give my orders.


    "The sun will set in about three hours, so rest for ten minutes and then we''ll start our search by the tree."


    "Yes, your Highness !"


    The ten half-human women in charge of the army were out of breath this time as well, and although most of them didn''t want to show it, it was easy for me to see. Their faces were flushed, their breathing was ragged, their bodies were shaking, and it was clear that everyone needed a break.


    As my soldiers sat on the grass with a relieved expression, I couldn''t help but approach theke. It looked deep, but even with squinting and concentration, I couldn''t see much. I couldn''t make out anything, and yet the water wasn''t dark.


    [It''s quite disturbing...]


    *Mmmh. The water of theke is beautiful and bright but the closer we get, the more it loses its shine, as if something was preventing us from seeing inside*


    It was very strange and not even the sunlight could do anything about it. Thiske was a mystery but what intrigued me most was this tree.


    [How do you n to reach the ind in the middle ?]


    *Have you forgotten already, little sister ? kufufu~"


    [Oh~ for a moment it seemed like yes...]


    As I chuckled slightly, I concentrated on making my ice wings appear on my back. With practice, now I could shape them quickly and fly right away. I wasn''t 100% good at flying yet because I wasn''t as good as Gaya, that proud dragoness, but I was getting better little by little. My blue, almost white wings opened majestically, creating a current of air that lifted the leaves and earth around me.


    "Your Highness ? Shall wee with you ?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Nixia, who was no longer tired at all, had approached me before asking her question. Behind her stood all the other Commanders and Lieutenants as well, seemingly determined toe with me instead of resting.


    "If you''re ready to search alongside me, yes that''s okay we''re here for that. However, we will be searching for a minimum of two hours, so if you need a little more time to breathe, now is the time ! From the moment you decide to embark on the inspection of the area, you won''t get a break until tonight."


    We had only just arrived but there was no way we were going to rest until tomorrow before we found out what it was. Tomorrow morning we would venture into the hidden ce after a good night''s rest but today we had to find it first.


    "All right !"


    All the warriors without exception nodded their heads but did not seem to give up oning with me. Turning back to the ind that was several meters away, I jumped high into the sky before pping my wings to reach it. It was also possible for me to create an ice bridge, but I was also very curious as to how those who apanied me would cross.


    [Simple enough for you haha~]


    *Yes, but let''s see how the others do*


    I was now on the small ind where the mysterious tree stood and I watched eagerly as the soldiers nned to join me. Trioa, Ne and Ynir who also had wings, were obviously the first to join me followed by Persea who had used her brambles to create an ephemeral bridge.


    [I would have done the same thing]


    The others, having no other means than swimming, dived into the water without hesitation before arriving at high speed. Nixia''s tail beat the water with force, propelling her further and further. Ralph and her second Liz did the same with their arms and legs, and with their strong, trained bodies it didn''t take them much longer to reach me.


    Little by little, everyone arrived where I was, in front of this mysterious tree whose secret we wanted to discover at all costs. The whole group was there, so it was time for us to start our search, hoping that the sun''s rays would help us in our quest for the truth.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 126 Last Minute Guest

    -- POV Freya --


    The sun was beginning to set and the sky was turning a fiery red as we all searched the tree and the surrounding area. This had been going on for two hours but so far we hadn''t found anything interesting and the more time passed, the more patience I lost.


    *Nothing, still nothing !*


    The tree was huge and up close even more magnificent. Its trunk seemed to be carved out of ss as pure as crystal, with patterns that were nothing in particr but undeniably beautiful. Its long branches fell over theke and each of its leaves shone like a white jewel that we could not find anywhere else. A thinyer of water slid along its structure, giving it the impression of being in motion, making the patterns on its trunk move like a dance.


    For hours we had searched in vain for what it might be hiding, but nothing caught our eye. Trioa and Ne had searched the area from the sky, Ralph and Liz had searched the clearing from top to bottom, Caipy and Nina had even climbed up its branches as high as possible, but nothing had been found.


    *Damn it !*


    Even using my Analysis ability I couldn''t get anywhere, which made me wonder about the effectiveness of this skill. Everything I could see was strangely ordinary and the information about it didn''t help me either.


    [ Syn Forest Water Tree - allows water element users to never run out of mana (MP) while in close proximity ]


    While Emilia, Thorunn and Luna also searched in every corner, I had even tried to feel the mana but I could not feel anything. Everything was strange, there should have been something, a clue, indications, smells but there was absolutely nothing. On the ind, apart from a stretch of grass around the tree, everything seemed perfectly normal, which irritated me to no end.


    "That''s enough for today ! We''ll continue the search tomorrow, for now let''s make a fire and eat ! Right after that we''ll go rest."


    "Right now !"


    My voice was as cold as usual, and perhaps even a little more scathing because our search had turned up nothing. I was thinking as fast as I could and still, I couldn''t find any solution. I kept seeing in my mind''s eye the moment Titania had pointed out the ce and my fangs couldn''t help but snap in annoyance.


    [Onee-san, it''s the first day, perhaps the conditions are not yet required to be able to reveal the secret hidden in this ce]


    *I thought about it too, but again we''re going in blind...tsk*


    [Why not try to absorb it ?]


    *And risk having its secrets disappear with it ? No thanks I''m good. Besides, I''m not even sure I could absorb a big one like that....thing."


    While I was thinking about a thousand things at once, I started to get the food out of my storage space and create an ice table and chairs for us to eat. Ice beds wouldn''t be veryfortable so the n was for us to sleep on the soft grass under the stars.


    While I was doing all this, I was looking around at my soldiers. The Lieutenants were among themselves, while the Commanders were among themselves. It was easy to see that the second-inmand of my 10 best female warriors only had a professional rtionship with them. The Lieutenants admired their leaders far too much to dare have a friendly rtionship, at least for the time being.


    Emilia and Naia were together and while I observed them, from the gesture of the fox, I guessed that their rtion had changed. Persea, Ynir and Caipy took care of the fire while Nixia, Ralph, Thorunn and Luna prepared the meal thanks to the ingredients that I had brought back. The only one who wasn''t there yet was Trioa, who was flying over the tree onest time as thest of the day''s light faded.


    Suddenly, as I sat on an ice throne, an unfamiliar and almost imperceptible smell entered my nostrils. The scent, which I thought I had smelled somewhere before, was apanied by the sounds of distant footsteps trying to be discreet. Neither the Commanders nor the Lieutenants seemed to have noticed anything, which made me note in the corner of my mind to make them work on it.


    *Kira...*


    [Yes, I noticed that too.]


    As I stood up, the Commanders beside me looked at me and were about toe towards me, but with a quick wave of my hand I told them not to say anything. The sounds wereing from a few miles south as if someone had been following us and now that all my senses were focused in that direction, I was sure of it.


    *It seems to be a not very tall person, rather good at being discreet but not enough for me. Her steps are light but hesitant and not very precise, I wonder who it could be.*


    [Let''s go get her then]


    Without warning, I instantly disappeared from the clearing as I dashed south to catch this mysterious presence. I felt that it was not very powerful, but to follow us here without my noticing it, I had to do it at an incredible distance. Did she know where we were going ? And how ?


    Within seconds, I found myself perched on top of a tree, right above this mysterious person. My aura was concealed and despite my incredible strength, I could now control my body to make it silent even at high speeds. I had been discreet and she hadn''t spotted me yet as I calmly watched her.


    *Ara ara~*


    Before me stood a half-human with small horns and a thin tail ending in an arrow shape. She had wavy hair, reaching a little past her shoulders of a very light pink color exactly like the eyes of Gaya''s mare, Pearl. Her eyes were light red and her skin as pink as her hair made her red and ck clothes stand out. The young woman was quite small and as she hid behind a tree looking in the direction of our camp, she was shaking.


    [Is she one of the soldiers ? She doesn''t look very dangerous.]


    *I don''t know, but I definitely smelled that unique fruity smell at the Elysium festival. Let''s go find out*


    With a simple graceful leap, Inded discreetly behind her back before crossing my arms and approaching her ear to whisper.


    "Can you exin to me what you''re doing here ?"


    "Oh me ? Well I''m looking to see if a group of people have set up near the....aaaaaah"


    The girl didn''t look very smart and had practically exined her n to me before she turned and screamed. At that moment I didn''t know whether to feel desperate for her and pity her orugh. Of course my face betrayed neither emotion and as she looked up at me her body began to shake like a dead leaf.


    "Y-y-y-your Highness ?"


    *Oh~ so she''s part of Elysium. Let''s see !*


    While the young half-human who had fallen on the ground, trembling and not daring to move, I took the opportunity to analyze her. I wanted to have her main information before anything else and then understand what she could do here.


    ____


    [ Lynn


    Race: Subus


    Age: 20


    Element: Aphrodisiac Illusion


    Lvl 5/10


    HP : 2 000 / 2 000 MP : 500 / 500


    Strength : 40


    Defense : 35


    Agility : 30


    Stamina : 35


    Speed : 70 ]


    ____


    *Oh, that''s what I thought from her appearance, but I didn''t know there were subus here. Plus, she''s 20 but doesn''t look her age at all*


    [A s...what ? What exactly is that ?]


    *Uumh...I''ll exinter*


    As I looked at young Lynn, I could see the fear in her eyes, a tetanizing fear that prevented her from speaking. Since she couldn''t do it, it was me who raised my cold,manding voice, and this time without whispering.


    "What are you doing here ? Aren''t you part of Elysium ? I don''t think I''ve allowed anyone other than my Commanders and Lieutenants to follow me !"


    The young subus trembled and closed her eyes, still unable to respond. Just as I was about to grab her, a voice I knew well echoed through the trees a few feet away.


    "Lynn !"


    It was Nixia who had arrived where we were, followed by the other nine Commanders. For the first time I could see the ck-scaledmia with an expression other than a frown. She seemed to know the young Lynn and as she came up to us, she bowed and stood between me and our new guest.


    "Your Highness, please forgive her behavior, I don''t know why Lynn came all the way here but please let me talk to her ! If you want to punish her, I will take full responsibility !"


    Nixia had her head down and wouldn''t look me in the eye as she waited for my answer. I still didn''t know why she was acting like this, she, who was always silent and bossy but the most important thing right now was to know who this subus was.


    "Is she one of your soldiers ? Howe she''s here ?"


    "Y-Yes, and I...I don''t know, your Highness."


    Nixia wasn''t shaking but seemed frightened not for herself but for her soldier who was behind her, still panicked and shaking. The other Commanders were watching the scene and like me seemed surprised at their friend''s attitude. For the first time, they saw her really worried for a reason we all didn''t know. The atmosphere had suddenly be tense and made me feel like the bad guy.


    "Sigh...Nixia it''s okay. I''m not going to do anything to hurt her and I''m not going to punish her for what she did, right now I want an exnation."


    Even though my voice was cold and my face intimidating, I didn''t want to ignore the feelings of one of my most loyal warriors. I was the Empress, but I was no longer in my Empire, and this expedition with this group made me feel closer to them. On the other hand, Nixia was willing to take responsibility for her actions, and even though as a Commander that was normal, I could not ignore this more than honorable gesture.


    "T-Thank you, your Highness !"


    As themia slid to the ground to get out of my way, I approached the young Lynn again. The closer I got, the more she trembled, and at that moment rather than a subus, the young woman looked like a frightened little animal.


    "Lynn, isn''t it ? What are you doing here ?"


    I looked at her from my full height as I asked my question, and as she looked at Nixia, who smiled at her to encourage her, her little voice came out of her mouth. It was weak, as shaky as her body but distinct enough for me to understand.


    "Em-Empress, I...I heard you...were going to the forest of...Syn to find the elemental tree and...and I thought I''d follow you to see it with my...my own eyes. Forgive me !"<novelnext></novelnext>


    From the tone of her voice and the glint in her eye, it was easy to guess that she wasn''t telling the whole story. As I frowned slightly, I stared intently into her eyes as my demonic aura exited my body slightly. At that moment, Lynn realized that she had to talk and hurriedly told me everything.


    "I heard about this tree that matches a tale of my people and...and I thought I could help you ! It...it just so happens that before I got to Elysium, I was nning to go there but...but I got lost in the swamp."


    [A tale ?]


    I wanted to know more so without further ado I asked her what I wanted to know. The night was now upon us, deep and dark, and the moon''s rays were now falling on us as they made their way through the trees.


    "You used the term elemental tree, why ? And what is this tale about ? Make it short."


    "I...elemental tree is the term used for the four in the tale and..it tells the story of a little girl dressing each one in a golden cloak to reveal their secrets your Highness."


    As Lynn finished her short story, I could feel the pping of someone''s wings in the distance. It was Ne the harpy whonded beside us a few secondster with a panicked look on her face without even knowing what was going on.


    "Y-your Highness, under the light of the moon the tree began to glow and thousands of butterflies began to fly around it !"


    The words of the young Lieutenant made me instantly get up and run without a word to the ce where our camp was. Her words struck me because the first time I hade near the tree it was night and full of butterflies of light surrounded it giving me the feeling of a fairy ce.


    *Why didn''t I think of this before ?*


    [What ?]


    *Did you hear what that subus girl said ? I don''t know where this talees from yet, but those butterflies are clearly not there for nothing. It sounds like some kind of riddle, but I think I''ve solved it thanks to Lynn.*


    Within seconds I was back in the clearing where the hypnotized Lieutenants were waiting. The moon and stars reflected on the dark water and as the white rays of the night star fell on the tree, the golden butterflies twinkled.


    *Kira that''s it ! *


    [What is it, onee-san ?]


    As I spread my wings under the starry night and flew towards the tree, everything now seemed more logical. If we hadn''t found anything during the day it was because we had to wait until nightfall and for a very good reason.


    *These butterflies are actually mana that probably belongs to this tree. I didn''t realize it at the time because I didn''t have the ability yet, but now I know for sure. You have to use it to find out what it''s hiding ! Which means...*


    [...that only a being capable of manipting mana can do so. In other words, you.]


    *Exactly !*


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 127 Hidden Place And Entrance

    -- POV Freya --


    I stood in front of that bright tree and as I heard the Lieutenants and Commanders in the distance join me, I sat cross-legged. I needed time, space and concentration as I was about to test my theory. Lynn and her tale had arrived at just the right time and all I wanted to do was to begin by closing the mystery of this tree before discovering more.


    [Concentrate, feel the mana and especially visualize it in its original form]


    My eyes were closed, my heart was beating very slowly, and my breaths might seem shallow as I entered a special state. This was the first time I tried to feel the manaing from such a big magical thing and it was quite difficult because I had to separate it from the surrounding mana. The more I concentrated, the more the golden spots that represented the mana started to be invaded by other spots but of white color.


    "Your Highness ?"


    "Sshhhh."


    I could hear Ne and Kurumi''s voices, but although they were close, they seemed so far away. Gradually, a perfect replica of the tree formed in my mind, wrapped in white mana very different from the one around us.


    *I think this is it...I think I can make it*


    At that moment, I focused all my mind into that tree while using my Detection and Control of mana skill as urately as I could. I could feel my body being invaded by mana, making me tremble in spite of myself because I had never had to do this before. Every bit of my being was shot through with a natural force from this powerful tree that shed with my own mana.


    "Empress !"


    "DON''T MOVE !"


    I felt like I was almost there and I didn''t want to be disturbed by anyone. My body was in uncontroble spasms but the hardest part was connecting to every particle of mana belonging to the tree. Thanks to my particrly high intelligence I was able to act as if I had several brains, but this task was far from easy.


    To be honest, it was probably the hardest thing I had ever done since I had the skill. The mana I hadn''t been able to feel during the day was swirling madly around me and even those who couldn''t see it could feel it. My hair was flying behind me and a strong wind was forming around me as the butterflies began to gather.


    [ MP : 30 000 / 60 000 ]


    *...*


    [ MP : 28 000 / 60 000 ]


    [Onee-san ! Your mana reserve is decreasing dramatically fast, this is not normal ! If you continue like this, you''ll copse before you''ve even made it, so please hurry !]


    *Just... a little bit more... I''m... I''m almost there*


    I could feel my body getting weaker by the second, but I couldn''t stop now, not after everything I''d already done. My MP reserve was over 50,000 but I was no longer manipting ambient mana but tree mana which exined the drop. I knew that mana in this world was just as important as air, and that if a being ran out of mana, he would simply end up dead.


    [ MP : 24 000 / 60 000 ]


    Just as Kira had told me, I had to hurry because the more time passed, the more I felt my mind going. My eyes were wide open and all around the tree was a veil of mana, golden to the naked eye and white to me who could perceive its deeper nature. I paid no attention at all to the others who seemed to be getting restless and continued to concentrate as I never had before.


    [ MP : 20 000 / 60 000 ]


    *...dress it...with a golden cloak uuurg*


    [Onee-san !]


    I rose to my feet and with onest effort covered the entire tree with golden mana like a thin veil woven by the sun itself. Its huge white structure was now the same color as the gold, and as I released my hold on its mana, the beautiful symbols carved into it began to suck up the mana. I watched the scene as my body wavered and my legs shook.


    -- PING --


    [ The Detection and Control of mana skill has been raised to level 6 ]


    *I...I did...*


    [Y-Yes onee-san but...are...are you okay !?]


    As I heard Kira''s question, my legs could no longer support me, my body having been almostpletely drained of mana. I was still conscious, but my lower body was unresponsive, and as the tree''s patterns sucked up the mana, I toppled backwards.


    "Your Highness !"


    I could hear the voices of the Commanders and Lieutenants who were quite a distance away and I could even hear them rushing towards me despite the distance. Suddenly, as my eyes closed, my back met something warm that hade up behind me to keep me from falling. It was a peculiar sensation but at that moment I could only be grateful.


    As I slowly opened my eyelids, my gaze met two sharp yellow eyes. The person who had caught me was not a person, because at that very moment, the one supporting me was Inferno, my faithful steed. His mane as ck as my hair fluttered in the wind and as I smiled slightly, I could almost see him nodding.


    [Onee-san...you did it. The process seems to take a few more minutes so...rest a little now.]


    "Y-yes...I...thank you my friend"


    As I thanked my stallion, I then let myself slide to the ground, Inferno following me and lying down on the soft grass as well. My eyes slowly closed and as I entered a meditative state, the Commanders were already there. My breathing was shallow but I was controlling it on purpose to rx my whole body and recover faster but it seemed to worry the 10 people around me.


    "Empress ! Caipy what''s going on ?"


    "I...it seems that her highness has lost arge amount of her mana. Handling such arge amount of it shouldn''t be possible I..."


    "Do something then ! My god what are we going to tell the Queen ?"


    I was just resting quietly and yet everyone seemed to be reacting as if something bad had happened. Slowly opening one eye, I could hear the Commanders begin to panic, not knowing what to do. As Ralph approached me, I finally raised my voice.


    "Oi ! Don''t bury me yet ! I''m just resting so go inspect the tree instead and let me know if you find anything without forgetting to bring the Lieutenants and that Lynn here. It seems we can''t wait for daylight before we begin our exploration."


    As I spoke, the ten women gasped and smiled slightly in relief. Somehow, their smiling faces under the full moon soothed me as they parted to perform.


    [You also scared me onee-san...]


    *Sorry, I must admit that I underestimated the amount of mana I had to manipte but I finally managed to do it !*


    [Mmh...but you should be more careful. I promised Gaya and Shiro that I would take care of you as best I could despite my condition so don''t make me break that promise Freya].


    As I was about to answer, the tree suddenly stopped glowing, or rather, all the light was now concentrated at the bottom of the trunk forming a door. Leaning on Inferno''s back, I stood up to take a closer look at what had just appeared. Ralph, Luna, Thorunn, Ynir and Persea were already in front of the trunk, and the others were gathering everyone together.


    "Your Highness, a door shape has been drawn on the trunk of the tree but nothing else to report."


    Ynir was pping her wings rapidly to let me know what was going on. As I reached the height of the huge tree, a golden veil had indeed formed but I couldn''t tell what was behind it. Before I tried anything, I turned around to face everyone since everyone was now in front of me.


    "That strange door that appeared only seems to be able to open at night. I won''t be able to do what I did once again for a while so we''ll abandon the camp we made and venture into that tree immediately."


    I had nned that we would rest tonight before doing anything but the conditions had decided otherwise. I could only hope that we would have the opportunity to stop for a bit in the ce we were about to go. The Commanders and Lieutenants nodded as I turned this time to Lynn, almost hidden behind Nixia.


    "I''m sorry to break this to you but you''ll have toe with us. We don''t have time to send you back to the Empire and I can''t let you go alone. You were lucky not to be attacked because you were following us and our group was fending off the wild beasts, but alone and at night you have no chance. We don''t know what we will find and discover where we are going but I expect you to follow orders so you don''t die."


    "Y-Yes your Highness...."


    At myst word I could see the young subus turn pale and start to shake again. She probably hadn''t thought about what her past actions would entail and I hadn''t anticipated her presence either. Lynn was not yet an experienced warrior and even though she had chosen the army section, she could be a problem depending on the situation.


    [Honestly I hope she doesn''t slow us down because no matter how you look at it, Lynn is not a warrior.]


    *Sigh...mmh I''ll have to think about protecting her if this goes bad*


    [Nixia can do it, you know, Onee-san. After all, she''s one of her soldiers, so it''s only natural].


    *That''s true, but I''m the most powerful of the group and Nixia needs to be able to focus on her. If aplicated fightes up, she may not be able to protect Lynn at the same time, so it''s up to me. Am I not the Empress ?*


    Turning this time to the beautifulmia, I summed up everything I had talked about with Kira a few seconds ago.


    "Nixia, I am entrusting you to watch over her but if a dangerous fight should break out I want you to focus on winning and the enemy. If such a situation should ever arise, then I will personally take charge of watching over her while assisting you. Understood ?"


    "Yes your Highness, I am fully aware that her presence was not nned and I will make sure that it does not penalize us. Thank you for your concern !"


    Nodding, I turned my eyes to the camp just set up on the other side of the shore to take stock of the situation. All the warriors were standing in front of me, the fire had been put out, the food collected, the ice furniture disappeared with a snap of my fingers and we were ready to leave.


    "Good ! I know you haven''t rested but on a trip, many unexpected things can happen. We may not always have time to rest, eat or even sleep, so be strong. Now that we have a way to discover the secret of this tree and the answers that Goddess Titania has pointed out to me, we will finally enter. Are you all ready ?"


    "Yes your Highness ! We are ready and honored to apany you on this adventure !"


    As all the soldiers bowed respectfully, I turned around with a small smile on my face, making my fangs glow in the moonlight. The golden veil forming the door was still there and it was almost without hesitation that I began to move my hand forward to touch it.<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Be careful though...]


    While I expected to touch something solid, my hand passed through it as if it were an illusion. The mana although in this visible situation, had no solid form which exined this phenomenon and despite this knowledge, I was surprised. Approaching a little closer, I decided this time to plunge my face into it to discover what was behind.


    [Wow !]


    Behind thisyer of mana, there was a huge spiral staircase made of stone that went deep into the bowels of the earth. It was cracked, ces were missing and the steps were easily several meters long and wide. The atmosphere was cold, eerie, and there were a few noisesing from the bottom which from where I was standing was impossible to see, giving me the impression of being in front of the entrance to a crypt. Poking my head out, I could see my soldiers waiting for me to speak with a serious look on their faces.


    "There are stairs. We''re going to go down them and find out what''s hidden there. Let''s go !"


    "Hai !"


    I was the first to enter, followed by Inferno, my Commanders, Lynn and then the Lieutenants who were discovering this immense hidden structure one by one. The feeling of entering a danger zone made me shiver and as everyone entered, the door disappeared behind us, locking us in. There was no way out except to go straight ahead and follow this staircase that seemed to descend into the abyss of the world.


    "From now on we''re going in blind. Be alert and especially ready to react at a second''s notice ! We will discover what is hidden deep down and return to the Empire without having lost any of us !"


    "Yes !"


    In spite of the darkness that surrounded us we could still see thanks to some stones on the wall emitting a faint light. The great steps stretched out before us as if inviting us to move forward to engulf us in the depths of what seemed to me to be a crypt.


    *Yosh !*


    So began our descent into an unknown ce, unsure of what we would find and when we would see daylight again. Like an infernal march leading us straight into Hell, our footsteps echoed down the cold stone stairs as our group moved further and further away from the outside world.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 20 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 128 The Ambush [The Crypt - Part I]

    -- POV Freya --


    We had already been descending for several hours and yet the end of the staircase was still not visible. The air was getting heavier and heavier and breathing seemed difficult for those who were not above level 20. Since our descent, no one was talking and the further we went the more I could feel the aura of my soldiers change.


    [Onee-san, I have a feeling this march is affecting their psyches.]


    *I know, but we can''t go back. The only choice we have is to move forward, even if we have to do it for days*


    Indeed, the Lieutenants were beginning to feel overwhelmed and were having a hard time dealing with the feeling of being buried alive. We had been walking for hours without finding anything. There was no life, no daylight, no noise except the sound of our footsteps and psychologically it was difficult. Turning back to my group, I stopped to talk to them.


    "If someone is not feeling well, report it because it''s important to know the state of everyone and if you need to stop it''s also possible. We need to move fast but we don''t need to be unconscious."


    I could see everyone''s heads nodding as I continued to move forward with Inferno at my side. When I had almost passed out I had wondered how he had gotten to me and Kira hadn''t seen anything either. He stood proudly by my side and I knew I could hold onto him if I felt myself weakening. The withdrawal of more than half my mana had been so violent and powerful that even after several hours I still hadn''t regained my full reserve.


    [Onee-san, your MP are at 30,000, so it''s not going up very fastpared to usual. I''m monitoring your recovery progress but it''s not good so try to remember that before using your skills okay ?]


    *Yes, thank you Kira. The tree had extremely powerful mana and controlling it drained me but it''s fine. Besides, I didn''t tell you this but since you have the ability to use my skills, if you ever feel an action is necessary, don''t hold back*


    [Of course onee-san]


    There were two of us sharing the same body, and my little sister had full ess to my ice and chaos skills. So it was possible for us to fight at the same time as long as we both knew what we had to do. As I thought about how to proceed, Nixia''s voice came from behind me.


    "Your Highness, it seems we''ve almost reached the bottom. My snake tail is picking up very light vibrations even though we are unable to see more than ten meters ahead."


    "Very well thank you Nixia !"


    At her words, the Lieutenants, who were feeling worse and worse, lifted their backs, buoyed by the idea that they could finally understand where we were. If I looked up, I could only see darkness without a single trace of lighting from the ce where we had started our walk, which was beginning to weigh on their hearts. We kept going and the steps got smaller and smaller until atst my foot touched hard ground.


    *Looks like we''re there !*


    [Yes ! The trick now is to know where...]


    As I moved forward, still followed by my soldiers, I discovered at the end of the staircase a small, cramped corridor leading to what appeared to be another room. It was quite short and in a few seconds we were all on the other side. Behind this corridor was a huge room, thergest I had ever seen, filled with huge pirs that stretched up to the ceiling, which was so high it was almost invisible.


    For the first time since my arrival in this world, I felt very small in front of this immensity, both fascinating and terrifying. It was like a ce out of time that seemed to have not been crossed by any living being and yet kept its majesty. The pirs were made of stone and joined together in the shape of an arch, giving us a dark, eerie, gloomy and coldbyrinth.


    "What...how is that possible ?"


    "Does such a ce exist underground ?"


    Persea''s and Ynir''s voices echoed in this enormous space where it was almost impossible to find your way. There was no path, no way to find a direction, because everything was the same and stretched as far as the eye could see in this dark and damp maze. I didn''t know if we were really underground, but the room we had just arrived in was almost as if it hade out of another universe. For the moment there were no creatures to report but something told me not to let my guard down.


    "All right ! Let''s rest here for a bit. I''m going to explore the area, those of you who want toe with me get ready !"


    [Onee-san you should rest too, I remind you that you don''t have all your MP]


    *Just sitting around won''t help me get my MP back, so I might as well search the few yards around us to make sure everything''s okay*


    Behind me there was Ralph, Emilia, Na?a and Thorunn who stood ready while the others preferred to rest. The ce where we were was more than dark but this time we had made torches with wood of the forest, lit thanks to the element of fire of Naia. Just as I was about to announce the departure, strange noises started to be heard.


    My ears were moving on their own and twitching as I tried to locate the source of this phenomenon. The noises were distant but the sounds seemed to ricochet off the pirs and prevented me from getting an exact direction. They were strange little nking sounds like swords dragging on the ground with difficulty, and though I had been the first to notice them, the others were now listening too.


    "It''s getting closer..."


    Caipy had said this as everyone took up their positions beside me. ncing at Lynn, I could see that she had grabbed a dagger and was waiting behind Nixia. Of all my Commanders, the only ones who couldn''t use the elements were the dark elf Caipy preparing her needles and poisons, the half-human cat Emilia preparing her heavy sword, and the half-wyvern Trioa preparing her arrows.


    Among the Lieutenants there were also three who were unable to use magic, fighting with the abilities of their bodies. There was the half-human tiger Liz who fought with her whip, the red-haired bear Zak who fought with his fangs and ws and finally Nina the dryad who like her Commander fought with needles and poison. The other magically gifted ones were beginning to whisper softly to prepare their spells as the noise grew louder.


    [Onee-san I must tell you, there is not much ambient mana here. You can only rely on your own mana, which means you are limited to attack and defense. Don''t forget that you only have 30,000 mana points left, so be careful !]


    *Thank you Kira, I''ll still manage to get out of it. Tsk...this wasn''t the time but since I have to fight I''m ready !*


    As the ambient mana was scarce, it meant that I couldn''t use my wings or at least not as usual. To avoid making a single mistake I decided to rely only on my attack and defense skills and of course my mastery of the katana. We were still motionless and each of us was scanning in the distance with squinted eyes to try to discover what was threatening us.


    The closer the sound came, the more certainty there was in my mind that it was in fact thousands of other sounds echoing as one. I could not see clearly around us in spite of my eyes, but in the distance I could see hundreds of forms clustering together. They swarmed like insects and seemed to descend from the pirs with ease despite their humanoid forms.


    "It seems we are not alone after all. I can''t analyze what''s piling up out there yet, but we''re surrounded and by several creatures."


    I had whispered but loud enough for everyone to hear and as I finished my sentence I turned my head to Inferno who was standing behind everyone. To my surprise, despite the situation,  he didn''t seem frightened and his eyes were even burning with a murderous glow.


    "Inferno, stay back with Lynn and if we get invaded, take her on your back and go up the stairs."


    My ck stallion neighed as if to challenge what I was saying but after meeting my gaze he huffed before nodding his head. I couldn''t exin how but I knew he understood me and as I nodded to the others, Inferno went to stand beside Lynn. So he and the young subus were protected by my 10 Commanders, their 8 Lieutenants and me forming an arc around them. They had their backs to the hallway leading to the stairs, so they couldn''t be attacked without going through our wall.


    "They''reing !"


    In front of us, like a tide, the hundreds of forms were now advancing towards us after having gathered. The nearer they came the clearer I could see them, and as they came to a good distance I could atst put a description on the things. Up to this point, I had note across many monsters and at this moment I had to admit that this was the most disgusting thing I had ever seen.


    [The thorny rat was nothingpared to this...just ew !]


    These creatures were small, very lithe and looked like a cross between a goblin and a toad. They were green, dirty, and their faces had huge mouths with long ck tongues full of pimples, drool, and sharp teeth, set off by crazy white eyes. There were not hundreds but thousands of them, so that it was impossible to see the end of them while they were still surrounding us at a good distance.


    From the beginning, the sound I heard was actually their teeth chattering and fingernails dragging on the ground. They were extremely long and seemed capable of dealing you a death blow in one go. Although horribly disgusting, the problem wasn''t their powers but rather their numbers. Currently we were 19 of us not counting Inferno and Lynn while they were thousands.


    _____


    [ Race : Nightmare (minor)


    Lvl 3/10


    HP 250/250


    Strength : 35


    Defence: 25


    Agility : 70


    Stamina : 50


    Speed : 45 ]


    __________


    [They''re weak in strength and defense, but their numbers...]


    As I quickly analyzed the status of one of the creatures close enough for me to do so, I turned back to my soldiers. The fight was about to begin and sharing information was essential, so they needed to know as much as I did to avoid any unnecessary mistakes.


    "They are minor creatures that go by the name of "Nightmare". They are not very strong and their bodies not very sturdy but their agility is quite high as well as their endurance and speed !"


    "Hai !"


    "I''m going to disperse my demonic aura to try and reach as many as possible, when I retract it you can attack. Fight as you know how, trying not to exhaust yourselves as we absolutely must not be overwhelmed by their numbers !"


    "At yourmand, your Highness !"


    As I nodded my head in satisfaction, I walked a few feet alone while taking a long and calm breath. My eyes were closed and as I finally heard the Nightmares running towards us, I concentrated. They were still pretty far away for the moment so I took the time to control my mana to perfection so as not to use too much of it at once.


    *Kira, give me a count*


    [Yes ! 10...9....]


    My little sister was counting down to let me know when these creatures were going to be only a few feet from my position. I could hear their footstepsing closer, beating in rhythm faster and faster as my body heated up.


    [7...6...]<novelnext></novelnext>


    I had to concentrate as well so as not to engulf my soldiers because with the amount of aura I wanted to use if they were caught inside it would be over for them. I could feel my hair starting to float as for the first time I was about to unleash my aura in all its power.


    [5...4...]


    Kira''s voice was still echoing in my mind and I could hear the Nightmaresing faster and closer. My eyes were closed so the sound they made was even more precise and disgusting. It sounded like a slug vomiting its meal in grotesque gurgles mixed with sucking sounds.


    [3...2¡­]


    The sounds were getting closer, the footsteps too, and the breaths were almost within my grasp but I was finally ready. I was ready to deal with this first wave as Kira''s voice rose powerfully in my mind.


    [1...NOW ONEE-SAN !]


    Kira had just given me the signal I was waiting for as I suddenly opened my eyes. At that moment, my aura was instantly released from my body as a shockwave broke the ground beneath my feet. The first creatures were already within 5 meters of me but were swept away by the power of my attack. A red cloud shot out at an astonishing speed, overwhelming all the Nightmares around us, sparing my allies and devastating the enemy.


    Hundreds and hundreds of creatures were falling to the ground, dead, one by one, struck by that dense and savage aura. Some were dead on their feet, some were convulsing, some were exploding from within, and I was smiling at this satisfying disy of power. There were still a lot of them left, but the entire area for 500 meters was cleared without any of their attacks even hitting their targets.


    Then Iunched our counterattack with a powerful voice expressing my rage, followed by the resounding cry of my warriors.


    "FORWARD !"


    "AAAAAAAAH !!!"


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 24 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 129 Fighting A Horde I [The Crypt - Part II]

    -- POV General --


    In a clearing south of the Syn Forest, there stood a magnificent tree, as pure as crystal, with water flowing like rivers over its structure. In this clearing, the moon still shone high in the starry ck sky as many wild animals ventured forth. They had been attracted by the noise, the mana that had gone wild, and as soon as the dominant aura disappeared, these animals had dared to approach.


    Everything was quiet, but thousands of meters below ground, however, everything was far from quiet. In this huge room filled with towering pirs, aplicated battle was indeed taking ce. The same room that was silent when the 21 people arrived was now plunged into a deafening cacophony testifying to the violence of the battle.


    Just beforeunching the counterattack, the Empress had cleared the area around them, causing the Nightmares to hesitate for a few moments. One second was enough, and as the creatures tried to figure out what had happened to theirrades in front, the charge had already beenunched. At the she-wolf''smand, a portion of the Commanders had dashed forward to take their ces and fight in formation.


    The two sections of the army based on the close attack were Ralph and Emilia who apanied by their Lieutenants Liz and Zak, were fighting fiercely in the front line. True to form, they had charged into the pile without regard to their numbers, fearless and with palpable rage. Hundreds and hundreds of creatures kept appearing, but where the Commanders were, their bodies were flying by the dozens.


    Until now Emilia and Ralph had not even begun to fight and had simply engulfed in this living mass and yet none managed to touch them. Like trucksunched at high speed, the two young women of their only force, struck the monsters in a frantic race sending the bodies to waltz. Some were crashing into the pirs, others were knocking down their allies. Now they found themselves surrounded, but it took more than that to make them falter.


    "Emilia ! Let''s show her Highness the progress we''ve made !"


    "Mmh !"


    Ralph had said these words while preparing her fists, which were beginning to crackle as a thickyer ofva formed on them. Emilia, on the other hand, held her thick sword firmly in both hands and nodded with a small smile. The two Commanders were ready to fight and as the Nightmares pounced on them, their battles could begin.


    "Here we go !"


    The red-eyed young hybrid woman grinned almost as wildly as the Ice Empress and swung her fiery fists in all directions, burning everyone in her path. The green skin of the Nightmares burned or exploded from the power and speed of the impact. Ralph fought like the ferocious half-wolf she was, driven by a deep desire for victory and blood.


    She didn''t just use her fists, and even her feet were used to rip off heads and explode chests, for her entire body was her weapon. The sound of cracking bones filled the surrounding area while no creature could touch Ralph at the moment. Their fingernails, as sharp and long as daggers, were still blocked and broken by the hybrid''s glowing fists, preventing any defense or attack.


    "That''s ite on !"


    Ralph was unleashed, she had no weapon and yet was just as effective. Like a wild beast, the Commander killed indiscriminately and from a distance the others could only see red explosions and muffled screams. Smoke rose from the ceiling as well, while a horrific smell of burning flesh filled the room. Several feet away was also fighting her friend who could not control the mana.


    Emilia, on the other hand, was calmer but just as deadly. Her heavy sword split the air in a circle, shing all nearby creatures in green, almost ck blood. Her shiny de was now covered with this putrid liquid and the deep dark blue handle was no longer visible.


    Unlike Ralph, who mainly used her great strength granted by her hybrid race, the cat Commander moved her body with agility and precision. She didn''t hesitate to lean on the pirs to propel herself fearlessly at her enemies, and when her sword touched the ground, cracks appeared. Her blows were so devastating that they formed a space around her where the monsters ended up piled up, dead.


    Emilia slipped through the Nightmares, untouchable, powerful and as sharp as lightning. She jumped, spun, slid, and all in spite of her thick weapon, which she wielded to perfection. As the half-human sliced and heads, arms and legs flew, the creatures decided to use a new tactic. They piled up the ones on the others to gain height and attack Emilia and Ralph by the top.


    The two young women were able to ransack their ranks with ease so far, but could not handle the heights. While the Nightmares wereing at them from the ceiling, they were suddenly pushed back and killed instantly by a salvo of arrows and water. In this battle Emilia and Ralph were not alone and could count on air support and as they looked up, a soft voice rang out from the ceiling.


    "Keep going, we''ve got your back !"


    "Thank you !"


    The voice from above was that of the gentle Trioa fighting from the sky. She stood there above this tide of monsters, beautiful, her long grey hair swept by the wind her wings produced. In her hands she held a bow custom-made by the cksmith''s Leader, as powerful and deadly as it was light. Its handle had been carved out of a light and strong grey stone and both ends were not made of wood but of des. Thus, the young half-human could also defend herself with it in hand-to-handbat in case of emergency.


    In the heights, Commander Trioa fired arrows at an incredible speed, making her movements almost imperceptible. No matter what creature she aimed at, her attacks always hit their targets even as the half-wyvern whirled in the air. Trioa was supported by her Lieutenant Ne, the harpy who with her water element, killed Nightmares by drowning them. Her attacks were less effective but were more than enough to defend Emilia and Ralph who fought valiantly although surrounded.


    Behind the front lines were Nixia, Naia, Thorunn, and Persea, who were attacking from a distance, pushing back any Creatures that tried to get close. The ck-scaledmia twirled her spears of ck me in her hands before throwing them, impaling 5 Nightmares at a time on the pirs, all in the heart. She was dangerously urate, and whenever a monster got too close, it would end up crushed or swept away by her powerful tail.


    Her spears were long, glowing and burned everything in their path. If some creatures didn''t die by impalement, they would end up ashes on the ground. These ck mes were devastating and the Nightmares being small in size, Nixia had no trouble fending them off by the dozens every second. As if her weapons hade to life, they moved with speed, going back and forth towards themia who, once in hand, worked to send them away. From a distance, you could almost tell she was dancing and manipting her magical weapons with grace and precision.


    Naia had almost the same style of attack as Nixia as she used her fire arrows to pierce the enemy. A bit less precise as she didn''t aim for the heart, but her attacks were enough to almost kill on the spot. Skulls and bodies burned, sometimes with ck mes, sometimes with mes as red as the young vixen''s hair.


    "Watch out, they''re climbing !!"


    Naia had shouted these words as the Nightmares began to climb the pirs in an attempt to reach Trioa and Ne. Their toad feet clung perfectly to the stone as they were studded with tiny little hairs that acted as suction cups. The creatures climbed on top of each other, stepping on each other with disgusting, bestial screams and swarming like a cockroach invasion.


    While Trioa flew effortlessly through the monsters that were throwing themselves from the top of the pirs to reach her, Ne was having a little more trouble keeping up. For the first time, she was facing attacks from all sides and despite her concentration, she was losing altitude. Though not very intelligent, the Nightmares sensed fear, weakness, and like the deceitful creatures they were, began to target the young harpy to invade her.


    "Co...Commander Trioa ! I''m...it''s getting worse and worse!"


    "Concentrate ! Don''t forget to move with the drafts so you don''t get tired and definitely don''t stay in one ce for too long, I''ming !"


    Ne had called out to the half-wyvern for help, who had responded with her ever-soft voice despite the situation. She wasn''t far from the others but had called on Trioa because she was her Commander, whom she admired greatly. The young harpy was still managing to avoid the attacks but they were bing more and more numerous, she felt lost and overwhelmed. She was only level 11 and her experience was nowhere near Trioa''s, who wasn''t that far away but was struggling to reach her.


    While Ne was still holding on, one of the Nightmares on the pirs jumped out with its mouth wide open, ready to tear. It passed very close to the harpy''s right wing, but not without tearing off a feather or two, making her lose her bnce.


    "Aaaaa !!"


    Ne was now falling through the air, unable to regain herposure to rise into the air again. Just below her was a sea of monsters waiting to grab her, devour her and tear off her limbs. Her wings pped in the air but there was no logic to her movements and Ne couldn''t fight back as two Nightmares pounced on her. Just as their ws were about to tear into her flesh, they were both suddenly sliced off by something invisible.


    Just then, a young woman with golden hair and red eyes leapt from pir to pir, crushing heads with her hands and creating a vortex of wind to protect herself before pushing Ne to a specific spot. The young harpy was speechless as suddenly she felt herselfnd on a bed of nts that had formed to catch her. As she turned her head still shaking, she saw Commander Persea, arms outstretched who had created a thornless bramble bed for her as Thorunnnded beside her breaking the ground beneath her feet.


    The maternal dryad smiled fondly and the blood covered vampire licked her fangs with amusement. The young Ne had been saved by two Commanders and couldn''t help but blush as she felt the tears well up. Without giving her time to answer anything, as she flew down, Thorunn raised her voice.


    "Don''t let it break your concentration, you''re doing a good job and if you feel tired let us know, we''ll know how to act ordingly. LEON LET''S GO !"


    "Yes Commander !"


    As Ne nodded her head, the beautiful vampire took her turn in the pile of monsters. So far she had only attacked from a distance, but her blood was boiling and now she wanted to fight hand to hand. Her section was the only one that was versatile, able to attack from a distance as well as up close as its members were all mages and powerful races. Leon, her Lieutenant, was a Kobold who used wind magic as well and at hermand, had also sunk into the greenish tide.


    Like Ralph, Thorunn coupled her physical prowess with her element but seemed more elegant. Her sharp fingernails slit the throats of Nightmares with ease, and whenever they got too close, a gust of wind blew them away. Her red eyes glowed in the night, and her blonde hair, like threads of gold, glistened in the light of Naia''s mes and Ralph''s glowing explosions.


    As elusive as the wind, the vampire Commander slid behind each of her victims to blow their heads off, slit their throats or tear them apart. The more she killed, the more the smell of blood, which didn''t disgust her like some people, intoxicated her, turning her into a war machine little by little. Her fangs were out, her gaze was murderous and her appearance although beautiful hid a true beast.


    Leon at her side, could not help but look at her for a few seconds as she was so formidable. Her movements were precise, deadly and her magic much more powerful than his. Even the Kobold couldn''t get too close for fear of being caught in her violent and dangerous winds that surrounded her Commander. Thorunn was creating a tornado around her where it was possible to see blood, limbs and bodies flying everywhere.


    The young subus who was standing back had been amazed and frightened by the powerful aura of her Empress which had chilled her blood but at this moment it was the Commanders who left her speechless.


    At that moment, they were the only ones fighting because a rotation had been nned to avoid fatigue and it was a sess. The other warriors were watching, equally amazed at the scene. The monsters surrounded them by thousands and yet the Commanders managed to push them back without a single one being able to pass through them or hurt them. The Empress had not yet entered the battle and watched her powerful soldiers fight with pride and confidence.


    "That''s...crazy, don''t you think ?"


    The subus was talking to Inferno, who had sparkling eyes at the sight, just as mesmerized as Lynn. In front of them were fighting the strongest female warriors of the Empire, chosen by the she-wolf herself. They were efficient, beautiful, powerful and for the first time the young woman was afraid of her allies. It was not a conscious fear but an instinctive one that came from the depths of her soul and heart before such a frightening disy of power.


    The cloud of monsters was pushed back always further as the minutes passed when suddenly, the voice of Emilia and Ralph rose in the middle of the creatures.


    "LUNA ! CAIPY !"


    "PERSEA ! YNIR !"


    While Ralph and Emilia jumped high into the air to retreat, it was the turn of thest four Commanders apanied by their Lieutenants to show what they could do. In a perfect coordination, they thus threw themselves with speed and power in this battle which seemed without end.


    ____<novelnext></novelnext>


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 24 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 130 Fighting A Horde II [The Crypt - Part III]

    -- POV General --


    For several minutes, Ralph and Emilia had fought in the middle of this cloud of horrible and repulsive creatures without weakening but needed rest. Almost of one and same voice, they had thus announced to the remaining Commanders to rece them the time to rest a little. Thus, it was Luna, Persea, Ynir and Caipy''s turn to enter the battle. Unlike the half-human cat and the young woman hybrid, they weren''t specialized in closebat but they could handle themselves just as well.


    Persea and Ynir always worked together, but in a situation like this, Caipy had joined the group. In only a few moments, seeming to understand each other without speaking, the three Commanders coordinated their attacks perfectly. Ralph and Emilia had left behind them a scattered and chaotic horde, much less effective than at the beginning which was perfect for their strategy.


    "Ynir, your illusions !"


    "It''sing !"


    The half-butterfly woman then began to p her wings gracefully, rising a little from the ground as she incanted her spells, almost as if she were singing a luby. Her beautiful, transparent, rainbow hued wings were magnificent and the more Ynir whispered, the more they suddenly began to glow. They glowed slightly as suddenly a veil of mist slowly slid towards the creatures.


    "There''s not much light but given their low levels it should work !"


    Commander Ynir always used the reflections of light to intensify her illusions from the fog. In this huge room with no sunlight or moonlight as a catalyst, it was very hard to have effective illusions but Ynir mastered her fog to perfection. It came out of her wings and was actually tiny particles of powder invisible to the naked eye, forming this effect.


    "Don''t worry we''ll take care of the rest, stay focused I promise to protect you !"


    Persea, who knew her partner well, had shouted this phrase as the smoke engulfed the surrounding Nightmares one by one. They were not caught inplete illusions but the effect was powerful enough to stun them. In the middle of this maze of pirs, it was therefore possible to see creatures almost motionless, their eyes white, as if hypnotized. The Nightmares that had not been affected by Ynir''s mist did not understand what was going on and pushed the ranks ahead with even more fervor.


    "Caipy !"


    The half-human butterfly had screamed, signaling that they were ready to be killed now that they were still. Commander Caipy was running and weaving through the middle while making sure to throw her poison needles. Her section was only for medical support but in a situation like this the dark elf knew how to fight as well. Her needles were attached to her thighs, arms and were all soaked with powerful poison of all kinds.


    There were deadly ones, paralyzing ones, numbing ones and many more. In addition to her mastery of nts, Caipy could also recognize the creatures'' weak point at a nce due to her extensive knowledge of flora and fauna. Thanks to Ynir''s fog, she was now sneaking through the middle, this time with stabs. She didn''t want to use up her supply of needles so she had switched to another technique : stabbing with precision.


    While at the front, Caipy, supported by Ynir''s magic, was wreaking havoc, Persea was fighting just as fiercely on the sides. Brambles sprang up from the ground to catch the creatures and separate their heads from their bodies. They extended like fists and even beat the living tide by exploding the Nightmares on the ground. Bodies fell, limbs exploded, and skulls shattered in an outpouring of blood and organs.


    Like natural whips full of thorns mming into the huge room, the creatures were being swept away. Each time therge branches rose to the ceiling to fall again, the bodies of some of the monsters would hang on, impaled by the deadly thorns. Persea, despite her look simr to Gaya''s, maternal and gentle, had no pity at this moment while her face showed rage, seriousness and determination.


    "Itham right now !"


    "Yes Commander !"


    Itham, Ynir and Persea''s elf Lieutenant, had remained in the background, but under the dryad''s strangely dominant voice, was making walls appear. He mastered the element of wood and was in charge of blocking the passage with his walls and his wooden stakes that were rising up to hit the enemy like missiles. It was a true teamwork without counting the fact that Ne, Liz and Zak the Lieutenants of Trioa, Ralph and Emilia assisted him.


    Their battles had been less severe because they had not been in the forefront like their Commanders and therefore still had plenty of energy. Liz, with her whip,cerated the bodies, tearing offrge shreds of green skin, making the Nightmares scream in pain. The cracking of her whip echoed through the room along with the sound of explosions, severed limbs, screams and chaos.


    "I''ve cleared the way Zak !"


    Just after the passage of the half-tiger, Zak the bear with the red fur charged just like Emilia but by taking well care not to move away too much because he had less experience and strength to survive alone in the middle. Although the creatures appearance was repulsive, Zak was snapping his big jaw tearing arms, legs and even necks. Despite the taste of foul blood dripping from his mouth and fangs, the bear didn''t stop and even swung his paws with power.


    Ne and Itham, acting as backups with their elements, protected their tworades and friends from deceitful attacks. They weren''t from the same section, but during all their training in the Empire, they had all learned to fight side by side and even against each other. In fact, despite the separation of several groups in the Elysium army, they were made to fight together, each filling in the gaps and weaknesses of the others. Together, just like their Commanders...they were one.


    "Beautiful."


    Freya, who had not yet moved, was still watching as an excited, almost crazed smile appeared on her face, minute by minute. The Empress grew more and more proud as she watched the tide of hideous monsters recede a little further as the battle went on. There were only 18 of them and yet they were fending off thousands of Nightmares without ever copsing and knowing almost perfectly where they should be.


    "Both the Commanders and the Lieutenants are doing a very good job. It''s not perfect but they''re efficient enough to not get hurt."


    On the right were Persea, Ne, Zak, Liz and Itham while in the middle were Ynir and Caipy supported by Trioa. Freya, turning her gaze to the left where Nixia, Naia and Thorunn were fighting, could see them being reced this time by Luna, Kurumi, Ash, Leon and Nina. The Commanders were fighting on the front lines and were the ones using the most power and killing the most Nightmares. As a result, they would tire faster because the excessive number of monsters despite being weak was difficult to deal with in the long run.


    "Oh~ let''s see..."


    The Empress was ready to act at a moment''s notice, but wanted to observe their fighting style first, for although almost surrounded, her soldiers so far werergely dominating the fight. First there was Luna who, like Ynir, was busy immobilizing as many Nightmares as she could.


    The half-human panther, was spinning through the many slimy bodies while using her lightning element. She aimed for the jugr and hit it every time no matter how many ws or sharp jaws were thrown at her. Like an acrobat, Luna twirled over heads that tried to bite her, went under arms that tried to grab her and broke nails that tried to pierce her.


    From her ten fingers came lightning bolts that struck the necks of the Nightmares sending them into an instantaneous shock. In this way, they all ended up on the ground, motionless, unable to move as they convulsed in glutinous noises. Luna was precise, quick, and even seemed to disappear into the shadows, imperceptible, elusive, and unreachable. No matter how much the creatures looked around, the only thing they saw was a shadow and a sh of lightning before falling helplessly like their neighbors.


    The only thing Lynn could see was the copse of the front lines without knowing what was going on, as if a deadly shadow had fallen over them. One by one, the Nightmaresing from the left were falling by the hundreds, paralyzed and only under the hand of one person...Commander Luna. The young woman, like her Commander friends, was giving it her all and was as focused as she had ever been.


    Luna fought with ferocity, determination, and a zest for life like she had never known before. She wanted to uncover the secrets of this ce, to make her Empress proud, to protect her friends and soldiers but what kept her going without fear was much more than that. More than anything else in the world, Luna wanted to return alive to the woman she loved, who was waiting for her and made her heart burn with a fiery me.


    Once still for those who were not dead on the spot, Kurumi the elf handling the stone, second to Nixia and Naia passed behind. Lynn could see her in the distance, covering herself in stone armor that might seem heavy at first nce but light for its wearer. The young elf with pink hair, passed behind Luna who had paralyzed the creatures to explode their skulls with violence and speed. She only needed one blow and everywhere she went, brains sttered on the ground.


    Ash, Commander Luna''s half-leopard second-inmand, was also in charge of sneaking up on the enemy to kill them silently. He couldn''t use magic, but he blended in perfectly with any environment as if he was invisible and elegantly assassinated with his daggers. Ash''s fighting style was very simr to Luna''s and it was easy to tell that he took a lot of inspiration from his superior.


    "Nina on your right !"


    Ash had shouted this phrase, lost in the cloud of monster as he saw Nightmares sneaking through hiss. The dryad, Caipy''s second inmand, could not use magic and fought by throwing poison needles. Of all the Lieutenants, she was probably the weakest as she was not used to fighting and easily panicked. However, Nina could count on Leon the Kobold who was no longer fighting next to Thorunn. He also mastered the wind, even if his attacks were much weaker, but he still managed to support Nina by throwing his threads of air capable of holding as well as slicing. Because of this, they had good coordination especially when Luna and Ash were dealing with the first ranks and Kurumi with the second.


    "Your Highness, we''re going back !"


    Whereas Freya always looked at the scene, Ralph, Emilia, Nixia, Na?a and Thorunn had again advanced to participate. In thisbyrinth of pirs, all the Commanders and Lieutenants of Elysium were now fighting. The room was a battlefield which could have ended in ruins if the structures were not strangely, extremely solid.


    There were hundreds and hundreds of bodies on the ground, brains, entrails and dark green blood covering every inch of the stone bs. Nightmares were piling up one by one, literally overwhelmed by the power of these rampaging warriors who fought with determination and pride. The Empress hadn''t even moved a finger since the attack with her aura and yet the monsters were retreating.


    Suddenly, as if with one voice, the hundreds of remaining creatures raised their heads to scream in unison. Like a cry for help, a song of death, or a cry of despair, the Nightmares clicked their hideous tongues, creating an unmistakable sound made by saliva. Just then, a loud, deafening roar shook the walls and the huge room suddenly fell silent.


    "Behind me !"


    Freya had suddenly shouted this order to all of her soldiers in front of her, who in a second,plied without question. Heavy footsteps then shook everyone as the Nightmares fled in their directions seeming to even snicker. The Empress, who until now had been smiling, now had a serious face, her eyebrows furrowed and a hand on her katana.


    "This thing that''sing up is not on the same level at all. You''ve all done a great job so far, it''s now up to me to close this battle that has gone on for far too long."


    As the she-wolf spoke these words, her alpha wolf instincts kicked in as her tattoos seemed to grow darker and darker, her violet eyes tinged a scarlet red.  Freya''s aura changed as the thing approached, causing the Empire soldiers to back off slightly...she was different.


    "It''s here..."


    She had almost growled those words because at that moment, this was the first more powerful enemy the Empress hade across in a very long time. It was also the first serious fight she''d had since her half-evolution and what she didn''t know yet was that her demon side had awakened along with the tattoos.


    A figure as huge as the room began to take shape among the pirs as torches suddenly lit up, finally illuminating the dark ce. Before Freya and the others stood a huge version of the creatures they had previously had to fight.


    It was a huge, muscr Nightmare whose skin seemed hard and imprable, hidden behind armor protecting his chest. When he grabbed the pirs, those that had withstood the previous chaos cracked like sand without him even having to force it. His tongue hung out and touched the ground, leaving a trail of foul drool behind him as his white eyes rolled aimlessly.


    He was horrible, terrifying, repulsive, but one thing was undeniable, to the soldiers of Elysium, his aura was almost as striking as the she-wolf''s. What was such a creature doing here ? While many questions filled the minds of Freya''s warriors, she turned with a face that startled them. The demon had awakened.


    "I''ll take care of him ! Stay on guard, there are still minor Nightmares lurking around to attack you at the first opportunity !"


    "Y-Y-Yes ! We will also support you when you ask us !"


    The Commanders and Lieutenants pounded their fists on their hearts as they watched their demonic Empress advance towards this powerful and colossal monster. In front of them was going to be a battle of titans, a battle between two beings that exceeded their abilities in every way.<novelnext></novelnext>


    A battle...to death.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 16 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 26 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 131 The Nightmare Demon I [The Crypt - Part IV]

    -- POV Freya --


    -- PING --


    [ Congrattions ! Host killed 246 Nightmares (minor) lvl 3 ]


    [ The Demonic Empress aura skill (lvl 5) has been upgraded to level 6 ]


    [ You earn 13,000 EXP ]


    [ You now have +60 attribute points ]


    ____


    We were still underground and this time the situation had changed. My powerful soldiers had been busy for over an hour fending off the Nightmares by the hundreds, and even though they had arrived in their thousands, there were not many left now. However, a new, muchrger and more terrifying monster had appeared before us, called by his fellow creatures.


    Ever since his cry, my blood had been boiling in my veins, and a sensation both known and unknown had invaded my body. Every part of me shuddered at the thought of fighting such a monster, and I felt a murderous madness take hold of my mind. My body heated, my facial veins stood out, and strangely, my horns began to tingle.


    [Onee-san, what''s wrong with you ?]


    *Nothing I...I feel strangely excited about fighting this thing*


    I had always loved bloody fights, crushing my enemies, making them suffer but this time it was slightly different. I didn''t just want to kill him, I wanted to dominate him and have him recognize me as the most powerful being. Was it because he wasn''t human or for some other reason ? I knew my wolf instincts drove me to be even more savage and cruel but this was something darker, as if my heart was bing unconscious and power hungry.


    I could hear myself growling uncontrobly, the hairs on my tail standing up and my eyes staring at him without even blinking once. This monster stood before me, my soldiers behind that I had to protect and yet I could only think of one thing...blood. What color was it ? Was it good ? I had never asked myself these questions before, and the further I moved towards this monstrosity, the more an unknown force rose within me.


    [Freya ! Your heart is beating at an unnaturally fast rate and your blood is flowing abnormally fast ! I don''t know what''s happening to you, but this is no time to be fantasizing about a dangerous battle !]


    As I stopped suddenly after a few steps, I found myself several hundred yards from the Nightmare. He was at the back of the now torch-lit room, and even from where I was, I thought he was veryrge. I didn''t know what was happening to me either, but I was still aware of what I had to do and who I had to protect. As I ced my hand on my katana, I closed my eyes to take a deep breath while talking to Kira.


    *Little sister, please show me his status*


    ____


    [ Race : Nightmare Demon


    Lvl 40/70


    HP 100 000 / 100 000


    Strength: 512


    Defence: 524


    Agility : 400


    Stamina: 456


    Speed: 429 ]


    ____


    *Ara ara~ so he is a demon ? I don''t know what a demon is doing here but I''m ready to fight him ! It''s been so long since I fought a being more powerful than myself !*


    [Yes, but thanks to the system, you''re much more powerful than a level 36, so you''re almost equal in strength. That said, be careful.]


    Looking at his face in more detail, I could see two tiny horns starting to grow on his fat forehead. Although it looked very simr to his fellow demons, the Nightmare Demon had horns not to mention his size, power, and aura that were quite different from the small creatures. How could a monster like him have reached such a level ? This crypt was proving to be much more dangerous than I thought.


    The Demon still did not move, he seemed to be watching me for a long time from a great distance as if he were studying me while I was doing exactly the same thing. Behind his back was a huge, rusty, ck axe, waiting for him to grab it and raze everything around him. He seemed smarter than the others and as his tongue wagged I could see minor Nightmares lurking behind him.


    *They look so tiny inparison*


    As I spoke this sentence to myself, behind me, I could feel the anxiety of my soldiers. Breaths had almost stopped, no one dared to breathe too loudly, to speak or even to make a sound. I could hear heartbeats intensifying, auras changing, bodies shaking, and the eyes of all my Commanders and Lieutenants were fixed on me.


    So far, neither of us had made a move, we were staring at each other, ignoring our surroundings. It was in this tense atmosphere that I finally decided to make a move, alerting absolutely everyone to my action. The only noise that sounded was that of my boot, which I had just mmed on the ground as a sign of challenge.


    [Onee-san try to control your elements well, you still have less than half of your MP left, be careful.]


    As Kira finished her sentence, I suddenly lunged towards the Nightmare Demon at a blinding speed, invisible to my soldiers. Where my feet had taken hold, there was now a bloody b, shattered and a gust of wind produced by my departure sent the warriors'' hair flying. I had not bothered to answer my little sister because only two words were in my mind : dominate and kill.


    I was fast, very fast, but that didn''t stop me from seeing everything around me as if I were walking, and the closer I got, the more the huge rock turned out to be a hill and the hill a mountain. My opponent was huge and must have been a little over ten meters tall, bigger than Gaya in her dragon form. The closer I got, the more he began to growl back, dropping the pirs to intercept me.


    *Oh ? Don''t you want to take your axe ? In that case, I wouldn''t wield my katana either for the moment fufu~*


    The level 40 Demon seemed to be trying to kill me with his hands alone, but contrary to what he thought, I wasn''t as weak. The number of meters that separated us was getting smaller and smaller as the impact was about to be imminent. With a growl, the giant creature closed his hand into a fist ready to strike me as soon as I reached his height.


    *Congrattions, you make my blood boil ! Now let''s have some fun, you big green pile !*


    ____


    -- POV General--


    When Freya had dashed towards the green giant, the Commanders and Lieutenants hadn''t even seen her move but simply disappear. They watched the scene from afar, still close to the corridor leading to the stairs, all with a trembling hand on their chest. As the Empress approached the Demon, she became more and more visible until she waspletely visible, just as the green Nightmare''s huge fist mmed into her face.


    "Em...Empress !"


    "Don''t tell me she''s not going to dodge it ?"


    "Ho-how is she going to do in these cases ? We...we know she''s powerful but isn''t this too much ?"


    "I...I don''t know..."


    At this point, only the Commanders were speaking, as the others were too worried and terrified about the oue of this fight. While everyone''s eyes were focused on the distance, Freya was now within range of the creature''s fist and as Ralph had announced earlier, she wasn''t going to dodge.


    "Oh no !"


    Lynn the subus had said these words before closing her eyes and hiding behind Inferno, who was not very serene either. At that moment, something happened that none of them would have thought possible despite the power of the Empress. Just as the fist came within inches of her face, the she-wolf had reached out to respond with an attack containing all her power.


    It had all happened with unbelievable speed, and as their two fists shed, an incredibly powerful shockwave shook the walls, almost causing them to crumble. A violent gust of wind had emerged from the depths of the room, lifting the lifeless bodies from the floor, dust and rubble without giving anyone time to do anything. The retreating soldiers all had their arms in front of their faces as they could no longer see and were recovering from the sudden jolt.


    "Am...amazing !"


    "Her...her Highness.."


    "She did it...she stopped it !"


    As the smoke cleared, everyone could see and understand what had just happened. Freya, though very smallpared to the Nightmare, had stopped the attack with all her strength. For the first time, the Commanders and Lieutenants were going to see their Empress fight almost to the fullest of her abilities and it had already started strong. The Demon''s feet, like the she-wolf''s, were deeply embedded in the ground, which had shattered into a thousand pieces from the impact.


    Their arms were shaking but neither of them were backing down, it was then that a dense green aura appeared around the Demon''s body and around Freya an aura as ck as her hair. At the same time, the soldiers could see her withdraw her arm to unbnce her opponent who began to wobble forward. Taking advantage of this opening, the she-wolf jumped from pir to pir to gain height and pounce on him right at the uncovered head.


    With great speed, her foot crashed into the monster''s neck with a loud cracking sound echoing throughout the room. Without stopping, Freya''s figure disappeared and reappeared in different ces as she struck, gauging her strength. Therge room shook and vibrated, being buffeted and buffeted by a violent wind as the Nightmare endured her blows, but not without screaming and grunting in pain with his mouth full of saliva.


    "AAAARRGGLL !!!"


    The blows rained down in loud thuds, but no bones were breaking yet. The she-wolf was a shadow that seemed to teleport, sometimes hitting the back, sometimes the legs and arms. She was trying to perfectly gauge her opponent''s resistance by gradually increasing her power without giving her all so as not to exhaust herself. While the Empress appeared again above the head of the giant, he stopped.


    Against all odds, with surprising speed, the monster had straightened up to face her, sending his strangely agile elbow at her. Freya, already running several meters above the ground, was unable to stop or change direction without her wings. The Demon''s elbow hit her in the whole body because it was too big, sending her crashing into a pir with a power she had never known.


    "*cough*...*cough*...very good ! I see that you are indeed...smarter, sharper in addition to being powerful. But you know...


    The Empress was literally embedded in one of the pylons and as she uttered this unfinished phase, she pulled herself free without much effort. Blood trickled down her mouth and as she wiped it away with the back of her sleeve, her eyes began to glow intensely. There was no longer any trace of that unique purple color, for now her eyes were a scarlet red, heightened by vertical slit-like pupils.


    ...the height is not everything ! Now it''s my turn ! And this time it''s you who''s going to crash into a wall !"


    "GRRRAAAAAOORR !!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    As if responding to her threats, the green Demon roared angrily as he finally reached for hisrge ck axe. cing one foot on the pir, Freya smiled with all her teeth that had be as sharp as her fangs. Her hands were on the ground, her nails scratching, marking the hard stone and at that moment, the voice that rose from her throat was nothing more than a ferocious wolf''s growl.


    As the she-wolf who was beginning to awaken her demon side rushed forward again, the Nightmare swung his huge weapon in her direction almost as quickly as she did. This time, despite his great agility, he couldn''t hit Freya because every time he brought his axe down she was gone, leaving him to hit the ground. She was weaving in and out of his countless explosions of rock of untold violence, always out of reach.


    For anyone here, a single blow would mean instant death, but not for the Empress, who had appeared under the green giant''s arms and jumped to strike his chest with all her might. Under the impact, his armor exploded, the she-wolf''s fist reaching his green skin before sending him crashing into the wall at high speed.


    "That''s forter..."


    It was the big Nightmare''s turn to spit blood as red veins of anger appeared in his white eyes. He still had his axe in his hands, and as he snarled his way out, Freya licked her lips.


    "I..."


    "It''s terrifying..."


    The Commanders and Lieutenants were all shaking, unable to stop their bodies from reacting instinctively to the spectacle. So far the two powerful beings had only exchanged a few blows, but that was more than enough to imagine the power of the battle that was just beginning. As everyone''s eyes were riveted on the one who was fighting and protecting them, the she-wolf raised her cold and gripping voice once more.


    "I believe that thanks to you, I feel a new form of power kufufu~. Come and show me how you dance !"


    The moment the Empress had spoken herst sentence, her voice had be even colder and deeper. Her face had also be extremely menacing as her tattoos changed shape and took over her entire face. Her eyes were changing as well, the pupil still slit, the iris as red as blood, but this time the white area called the sclera was turningpletely ck.


    The she-wolf''s ck horns stood out all the more and in front of her new appearance, the Nightmare Demon couldn''t help but recoil slightly, surprised and scared. The ck auraing out of the Demon she-wolf''s body became denser and denser as once again, a savage smile appeared on her face. A smile full of sharp teeth, terrifying, cruel and deadly dangerous.


    Freya had finally unlocked her Demonic side that had been slumbering inside her, awakened by the powerful presence of another Demon.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 29 600 / 37 000


    HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 26 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 60


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 132 The Nightmare Demon II [The Crypt - Part V]

    -- POV General --


    Freya smiled wide as a new energy flowed through her body. She was unrecognizable, her ears had be pointed, her fingernails had lengthened like ws and her previously spiky tattoos now adorned her face with demonic tribal markings. At this moment, the Empress was much more of a demon than a wolf.


    "Aaaarg !"


    "Lynn, what''s going on with you ?"


    At the sight of her transformation, the subus, who was also a half-demon race, felt her chest tighten and her head get a violent headache. Nixia who was in front had rushed over to help her but didn''t know what was going on. Lynn was on the floor, writhing in pain as she responded with difficulty.


    "I...aaarg...my blood is aaarg..boiling !"


    Her heart was beating so fast that it was pumping her blood at an unbelievable rate, causing that pressure headache. The others had turned around with concern, but strangely enough, within seconds it was over. Lynn stood up again, her face terrified and her body shaking. She didn''t understand what had happened and themia was preparing to question her as a powerful, cold and unmistakable voice roared in the distance.


    "Let''s go !"


    Cracking her neck, Freya, still unaware of these physical changes, beckoned the giant Nightmare to approach. He didn''t speak but was smart enough to understand her every word and with a guttural howl, he wielded his axe. A few minutes ago he had been sent into a wall at the back of the room and his only protection was now in pieces.


    "GGRRAAAAAOH !"


    As the Demon bellowed, it was his turn to rush at Freya, who waited impatiently for what was toe. This time, the hideous giant was running with apparent rage, creating huge craters under his feet, shoving the pirs, making them crumble ever so slightly. His axe almost above his head, he aimed at Freya and wanted to make her pay for her insolence.


    With a quick and powerful gesture, the ck weapon spun in her direction and unlike all her other fights, she did not stay still. The Demon''s blows were far too fast for the she-wolf, who could not risk waiting and dodging at thest moment. She possessed great intelligence, but this monster in front of her was 4 levels higher and having both passed the 35 mark, it was no longer a game.


    As the ck axe strike was gone, the she-wolf leapt through the air tond on his derge enough to support her. Without waiting any longer, she ran down the handle and then onto the green, slimy arm of the Demon who was trying to stop her. With his free hand, he beat the air trying to catch her but Freya jumped, leaning on her feet to propel herself forward.


    "I''m here !"


    In an almost roaring voice, she had appeared on the Nightmare''s shoulder before leaping into the void not withoutcerating his entire torso with her ws in the process. With a howl of pain, though the wound was not fatal due to his resistance, the creature retracted his pustule-filled tongue like a toad. With a quick movement of his head, he threw it at the Empress who had alreadynded on the ground in a powerful explosion.


    It was then that in the space of a blink of an eye, the monster''s tongue was cut out instantly without even having time to touch its target. The Demon, while screaming in pain and green and ck blood literally flooded the ground, looked at Freya who still wore that terrifying smile. In her hand, her ck, drawn sword pointed proudly towards the ceiling while a small white wing hung from its handle, dangling innocently.


    The she-wolf, not wanting to be caught a second time, had drawn her sword as fast as lightning to avoid being hit. Blood had sttered on her face and despite the atrocity of the viscous liquid, she was licking her lips without the slightest trace of disgust on her face. The scene was captivating, disgusting and terrifying all at once as Feya disappeared again to continue.


    "Is that all you got ?"


    Her voice came from everywhere and nowhere at the same time making the monster go crazy. Unable to bear this situation, for the first time he dropped his axe which fell with a deafening crash before raising his arms.


    "Oh no I don''t think so !"


    Freya had guessed what he wanted to do and pounced on him but it was already toote. The Demon had joined his hands into a giant fist before hitting the ground in an incredible explosion. This time, the pirs near him copsedpletely and the bs flew into thousands ofrge and small pieces.


    "Aaargh !"


    The she-wolf, who had not arrived in time, was blown away by the sudden blow as she was struck by fragments of hard, cold stone. Not all of them hit her as she crushed them to pieces but some had managed to hit her forehead and left shoulder. Miraculously, the room hadn''t copsed on itself as the other pirs still standing though weak, were more numerous but its condition was getting worse.


    Lynn, Inferno, the Commanders and Lieutenants were far enough away that they didn''t have to suffer from the debris, but they understood exactly what had happened. A cloud of dust hid the scene, but before it could form, they had all seen Freya in a bad way, disappearing into that smoke. The soldiers and the Empress'' stallion were no longer holding on, and as some of them began to run, the voice of one of the Commanders rang out.


    "Don''t move ! Her Highness hasn''t ordered us to do anything yet !"


    "But she..."


    "Trust her ! Until the Empress asks for our help we are not moving ! We must not interfere with her and rushing to certain death is certainly not part of her ns."


    The one who had spoken was obviously Nixia, who at that moment had stopped Ralph, Luna and Thorunn who were the most impulsive of all the Commanders. This battle was far from risk-free and for the moment even if Freya and the Demon were both injured, it wasn''t fatal. The violence of the sh was such that the soldiers were unable to analyze the strength of the two properly.


    For those of them not yet on the level of the she-wolf, it was impossible not to see every blow as deadly and always felt as if the Empress was wounded to death. As the vampire, the half-panther, and the half-wolf half-vampire hybrid had stopped, Persea''s soft voice rang out.


    "Even though this fight is...the most dangerous we''ve ever seen...her Highness is different. You''ve all seen her changes so I...look !"


    The dryad had cried out without realizing it causing all heads to turn in the direction of the two Demons that were shing. In the distance, as the dust cleared, a huge green figure appeared and further away was the Empress of Elysium. She stood there, blood as red as her pupils flowed from her temple and her left arm looked sore but against all odds she was still smiling.


    "Not bad...tsk !"


    She spoke these words as she spat out blood with a haughty look, turning her teeth and mouth an ominous red. The liquid from her head did not stop, yet Freya did not seem to care at all. The blood flowed profusely but without even paying attention, she brandished her katana before charging towards her enemy. The Demon, who was the only one who could see her movements, grabbed blocks of broken bs to throw at her.


    He crushed huge pieces before sending the thousands of debris in the direction of the she-wolf. He was so big and powerful that the dust in his hands was already very dangerous for her. These thousands of small pieces, the size of a human''s head, shot straight towards the she-wolf, leaving her no way out. Stepping forward without fear, her eyes shining like rubies, her charge remained as fast as ever as she closed her eyes.


    "Eyes closed again ?"


    "Will she...dance again ?"


    The Commanders were watching the scene and had seen her briefly close her eyelids as she had during her fight with Kirk and the adventurers. Even though this action seemed foolish and suicidal, depriving herself of her sight allowed the Empress to concentrate more. She used all her other senses and even seemed to fight better that way when it came to avoiding projectiles or weapons in numbers.


    With agility and precision, the Empress made sweeping, powerful movements, shattering every rock that came near her. Therger ones she would leap over, propelling herself ever closer to the Demon, her ck hair whipping through the air. Freya used her entire body and the perfect control she had to slide, dodge, jump and destroy. The slightest sound was heard by her ears, the slightest vibration by her entire body, and as incredible as it sounded, nothing could touch her anymore.


    The demon she-wolf was no longer smiling because she was far too focused and despite her closed eyes, she seemed to see everything. Projectiles rained down on her endlessly and yet her feet moved with ease, as if carried by the wind as she moved with wild grace. Freya was exploding every bit of her in a sword dance that was both mesmerizing and perfect.


    They wereing from all sides, but the Empress was leaning on her hands, throwing powerful kicks, shing the air, spinning around and sliding with ease. At that moment, he was wounded, she was wounded, but the fight had only be more intense and deadly. Everyone''s movements were calcted to kill. The Demon was still throwing that debris but to no avail, the ceiling was starting to crumble, the pirs too but nothing could disturb Freya. The dancer of the battlefield was back.


    "GRAAAAHH !"


    Suddenly, the green giant grabbed a piece of b as big as his head and threw it straight at her with a terrifying scream. The st from this huge projectile swept away everything, even the smaller ones in its path, and a strong wind picked up at the same time, forcing the soldiers who could to protect the group by building walls of elements. Freya was facing this rock, to her almost as big as a meteorite but continuing her mad rush.


    Wielding her ck katana forward, Freya leapt into the air before plunging the dark tip into the stone not without difficulty. The speed and power of the projectile made thingsplicated but Freya, while uttering an unconscious cry, propelled by her jump, whirled around her de that she held in her left hand. The more she spun, the more she disappeared in a red and ck blur before unhooking the de and projecting herself even higher.


    The Empress had used the spinning speed to gain even more power and speed. As her sword disengaged, the meteor shattered as she was propelled to the height of the ceiling. Freya now hovered over the monster, her face bloodied but her eyes unspeakably cruel. As he moved his arms to intercept her, in a sh the one on the right was suddenly cut while the other was shed.


    "AAAAAAAARRGGG !!"


    The Demon had streams of blood flowing from his perfectly severed arm, the severed part of which was rotting on the floor for all to see. Where they were fighting was now a field of ruins immersed in ake of blood in a room that would soon copse if the fight continued.


    "Tsk...my aim was off !"


    The Empress had her eyes open again and was now literally suspended several feet high on a pir. Her ws had sunk deep into the stone and her feet were firmly anchored to it allowing her to hold on without difficulty.


    "Well you''re lucky but not for long !"


    As she said this, Freya, who was standing right on top of the Nightmare, jumped back up to reach his eyes, which she wanted to rip out with her ws. She wanted to see them explode, to see him scream, suffer and enjoy the spectacle, but the Demon seemed to have decided otherwise. With his axe, which he had picked up with his able-bodied left hand, in a backward motion he sent the she-wolf flying into a corner while he sent the weapon in a very opposite direction.


    "Shit !"


    The Empress of Elysium had managed to stabilize herself andnd on the uneven ground, but it wasn''t for herself that she was worried. At that moment, the Demon had not swung his gigantic ck axe at her but at her soldiers who were much further away. The weapon was spinning at breakneck speed and Freya couldn''t catch it in time. She could see the Commanders and Lieutenants panicking and casting their spells to stop the deadly blow, but the she-wolf was not fooled.


    "They won''t make it ! Together they might be able to slow it down, but the axe will hit them full force right after ! Damn it !"


    The Demon had calcted his action perfectly and if the being he was fighting would not die, then he would kill herpanions topensate. Focusing all of her strength and mind, Feya began to run as fast as she could while watching her soldiers build walls of nts, wood, fire, and wind.


    "I wouldn''t make it in time...there''s only one solution left ! Sorry Kira I know I promised you to be careful but this is the only way..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    As the Empress whispered this sentence, her feet stopped as she began to scream at the top of her lungs as if to unleash the strength within her. The axe was only a few feet away from the others, cutting through each wall as if it were a sheet of paper. But...suddenly, as the Commanders saw their deathsing, Freya''s powerful scream reached their ears.


    The next moment, a huge wall of ice appeared in front of them, narrowly blocking the attack and protecting them from harm. It was huge, incredibly thick, and rose proudly to the ceiling like a sunken city. It was the biggest wall the she-wolf had ever created at one time, but she had finally managed to act in time.


    Unfortunately, Freya was now coughing up a lot of blood, as this performance had cost the Empress a great deal, as she had to use almost all of her mana to save her warriors...the lights of the Elysium Empire.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Level : 36/70


    Exp needed for next level: 29 600 / 37 000


    HP : 85 000 / 120 000 MP : 6 000 / 60 000


    Strength: 500


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 506


    Endurance: 503


    Speed : 502


    Intelligence: 500


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 60


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 4)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 133 The Nightmare Demon III [The Crypt - Part VI]

    -- POV Freya --


    [Freyaaa !!]


    My ears were ringing, I could feel the blood rushing through my body to allow me to move but it was so weak. My vision was almost blurred, my heartbeat and breathing echoed while all the sounds around me were inaudible. For the first time I was down on one knee, exhausted and in a state I never thought possible so quickly.


    The wall of ice I had erected had stopped the axe dead in its tracks, and it had stuck in almost to the guard. All my soldiers were on their knees recovering from the fear while the Demon between us breathed out in disappointment. I was shaking, my arm, my stomach, my whole body was heavy and hurting but I had to move.


    *OK, move Freya ! This... this is no time to be standing around...*


    The Demon was missing his left arm, his tongue and his chest wascerated making him lose even more blood. I had to finish this fight and I had no right to copse now. My legs were shaking and even though I had more life left than he did, I seemed to be far more affected. In a living being, mana was as important as life and I only had 6,000 MP left at that moment, if the gauge had inadvertently reached 0, I would have died.


    [HP: 45,000 / 100,000]


    My opponent had lost a little over half of his life and it was slowly going down due to blood loss. As I looked at his status, I saw him turn his head in my direction with a green bloody grin to his ears. The Demon had figured out what was happening to me, seemed to hesitate between my soldiers and me as I heard my little sister screaming in my mind.


    [Freya ! Don''t just stand there ! I may have a solution, but I need you to trust me and get to safety !]


    As her words echoed in my mind, I couldn''t help but smile despite the situation.


    *Of course I trust you, little sister !*


    I had blind trust in Kira, she was the first one since my arrival to whom I had opened my heart and it was without hesitation that I entrusted my life to her. From the beginning we had been a team and then we had be a family. The words she had spoken to Gaya and Shiro earlier, telling them that together we were invincible, now resonated in my heart. So I had blind trust and the fact that she was in my body had nothing to do with it, she was simply...my little sister.


    Her words had restored my strength and as I struggled to my feet, I held tightly to my katana with Shiro''s lucky charm still dangling, miraculously pristine. The Demon had obviously chosen to target me and as he ran towards me, I also began to run as far away from my soldiers as I could. I was still fast but my head was spinning, I couldn''t see as well as I used to with my blurred vision but it took more to get me.


    [Find a ce where you can stand still for a few seconds !]


    *All right ! *


    Behind me was this giant who was shaking the walls with a single step and making it difficult for me, but I had not said myst word. The strength I had felt at the beginning of my fight was still within me despite my exhausted and aching body so I drew on that strength to go even faster. I felt like I was tugging at a heartstrings because I didn''t have much mana left but I didn''t stop.


    The Demon was still following me, but despite his speed, he was getting caught in the pirs andrge chunks of the ceiling were starting to fall between us making it easier for me to get through. As a huge chunk came to obscure his vision, I decided to fork left discreetly to hide among the remaining pirs. They were quiterge and even if the creature sensed my presence, with all the blood it would take longer.


    [Perfec t! Now take a deep breath, this might hurt ! You have a nearly broken arm, cracked ribs, an open temple and a dislocated left shoulder. Last time you were in pain, so forgive me, this is the only solution I coulde up with.]


    I didn''t know what she was talking about and as I was about to answer, a warm feeling began to permeate my body. That familiar feeling began to wash over me as the same ck and white light came out of my chest, this time apanied by a bright red color. It only took me a second to realize what was happening.


    I could feel and hear my bones crack and reform as I gritted my teeth to keep from screaming. This was the first time I had ever been hurt this bad and this time the pain was hard but I could take it. During the fight, the adrenaline had seemingly cut off my pain perception and my resistance had even gone to level 5. This was different, this was an internal pain, feeling your bones knit together, feeling every fiber of your skin close up was a painful experience.


    The Demon was still searching furiously, destroying each pir one by one as it came dangerously close to me but I still had some time left. My hands, which were different for some reason, wed at the ground as my body twitched and made me writhe in every direction. Suddenly, just like thest time, I took my original form and at that moment all the pain disappeared.


    [It... it worked ? It worked!]


    Kira had just allocated my 60 attribute points that I had earned by killing the minor Nightmares. After putting up the wall, I was no longer able to do it myself, my mind was fuzzy and I was struggling not to copse unconscious. My little sister hade up with this idea to save my life and it had worked.


    ___


    Strength : 500 > 510


    Defense : 500 > 510


    Agility : 506 > 516


    Endurance: 503 > 513


    Speed : 502 > 512


    Intelligence: 500 > 510


    ___


    [60 is not much, that''s why everything is notplete, but I think you are out of danger now. Onee-san, you haven''t regained all your HP and MP but you''ve recovered 15,000 mana and 15,000 HP. Your wounds aren''tpletely healed either but that should be enough to finish it off]


    *Thank you, little sister*


    My body was more fluid, less painful, and my vision was back to normal with no more dizziness. As I took a deep breath, I couldn''t help but think that I felt in tune with this form. Most of the time I was in my humanoid form but in my wolf form I felt...myself. One thing was for sure: I was much more powerful in beast form.


    *Kira...it''s time to end it*


    [Yes ! Make him regret what he did to you and please...let me slit his throat! ]


    *Promise kufufu~*


    I then stepped out from behind the pir to face my enemy onest time. He was much smaller than in my humanoid form as I was now half his size. Seeing me, the iprehension could be seen on the face of the Demon who could not understand what I really was. I didn''t have much time because the room was starting to copse and the only exit that didn''t have stairs was in danger of disappearing under the rubble.


    I lunged with my mouth open, my fangs ready to tear into his flesh at an even greater speed than before. My paws barely touched the ground as I leapt and the Demon charged towards me as well. This would be thest confrontation for sure, for in less than five minutes one of us would fall dead under the power of the other. With each step I took, I emptied my mind and focused solely on my target, whom I no longer saw as a future corpse.


    And then it was done, our two bodies collided violently as we mmed our powerful, murderous jaws together. His ws sank into my side and my fangs tore into his green flesh. Our screams of pain and rage were barely audible, covered by the sound of the crumbling rock as I watched his HP as well as mine descend.


    [HP: 34,720 / 100,000]


    Our fight was no longer a multitude of calctions and strategies but had be a wild fight between two furious beasts. The first one to stay on his feet would win and after all that had happened I had no intention of going down. I had already put one knee on the ground earlier and that was good enough. I struggled on and on as our blood spurted out and mixed together to turn ck.


    [HP: 30,000 / 100,000]


    Possessing great agility even in my wolf form, I then began to circle around the Demon''s body to block him. In a leap, Inded on his back, the ws of my front paws firmly nted in his shoulders and my back paws on his spine.


    [Go !]


    The green monster tried to grab my paws but I acted quickly, tipping my head back for the momentum and with a bestial snarl, I plunged my mouth towards his neck. My sharp fangs then sank into his skin as deeply as I could. His blood invaded my mouth, his screams in my ears were deafening, his left arm struck my wounded paw but I didn''t let go.


    [HP: 22,070 / 100,000]


    I held on and despite my aching body I scratched his shoulders creating new deep cuts. At that moment, my beautiful ck fur was no longer ck because it was soaked with fresh blood and dried green, red blood. Despite itsrge size, my jaw was big and powerful enough to break his bones and shred his skin. With a shake of my head, arge chunk of green flesh remained in my fangs as his corbone popped out and dangled.


    [HP: 9,000 / 100,000]


    "AAAARRRGGGG !!"


    The Nightmare Demon was dying from the severity of his wounds and as pieces of the ceiling fell on us, blood spurted everywhere. His screams nearly deafened me, and despite his condition, the creature continued to rattle his teeth ferociously as he struck me with his good arm. Still clinging to his back, in ast ditch effort, I propelled myself upwards, taking great care not to be hit by the rocks falling from the ceiling.


    This time, I took care tond on the Demon''scerated torso, throwing him backwards under my weight and strength. On impact, what was left of the b shattered, driving pieces deep into the monster''s back as I held him firmly down. It was time to deliver the fatal blow, but this time it wasn''t up to me. As the Nightmare struggled under my weight, I screamed as loud as I could in my mind.


    *KIRA, NOW !!!*


    [With pleasure onee-san ! This...is for my big sister ! Burn in Hell, you big bag of slime !]


    Suddenly, a huge ice spike formed above us, plunging straight towards us without taking notice of my presence. With a fluid movement, I pulled back at thest moment before I saw it pierce the Demon''s skull with force. The blow had been so violent, the head had been torn off and nted in the ground at a disconcerting speed.


    His brain had exploded in the back of his head and his white eyes were now revolted and popped out of their sockets. His severed tongue hung inert in his mouth, filled with saliva and blood both dried and fresh. The fight was finally over and I could feel my beastly body wavering as many notifications finally flooded my mind.


    -- PING --


    [ Congrattions ! The host killed a Nightmare Demon lvl 40 ]


    [ You earn 160,400 EXP ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (37) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (38) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (39) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (40) ]


    [ Your HP and MP have increased ]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [ You have won the title : Empress of the three colors ]


    [ You now have +300 attribute points ]


    Numerous notifications were ringing in my mind, and even though my leveling up had healed mepletely, I was exhausted. This battle had been by far the mostplicated for me in this world, and something inside me told me that we were only at the beginning of our surprises.


    [We...we did it ! Take that you filthy insect, learn to bow down to the Empress hahaha~]


    Kira seemed to be relieving the pressure with humor, and as I smiled, I hurried as best I could to my Commanders and Lieutenants at the back of the room. The door we had to get through was on the other side and there was no time to lose. In a few minutes, the huge room would be buried under stone and we had to get to the other side as quickly as possible.


    As I reached their heights, I could see their faces exhausted by all the events that must have terrified them. Despite all this, everyone was fine and that''s what mattered most to me at that moment. They had all gone through different emotions and as I spoke, it was relief and fear that dominated them.


    "Get on my back, quick ! I never do that but we don''t have time !"


    "Y-yes, your Highness !"


    The soldiers looked confused and I knew that normally they would never have agreed to such an act but the moment was critical. Creating a small tform at my left nk with what little ambient mana there was, I even brought Inferno up. As everyone settled along the white hairline running from my ears to the tip of my tail I began to run.


    The room shook, the pirs fell and behind me even the floor copsed into a huge hole. Fortunately, I was fast and my powerful legs kept propelling us further and further while my soldiers on my back were busy breaking up the pieces that were falling on us. We were almost there and the exit was right in front of me.


    I was healed but absolutely exhausted and with ast ditch effort I leapt into the next room just before huge rocks came crashing down in front of the entrance that was nowst to us. Thest thing I saw was a smaller, quiet room before I passed out from exhaustion.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 150 000 / 150 000 MP : 75 000 / 75 000


    Strength : 510


    Defense : 510


    Agility : 516


    Endurance: 513


    Speed : 512


    Intelligence: 510


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 134 Ten Warriors Determination [The Crypt - Part VII]

    -- POV General --


    The huge hall full of pirs had copsed and now there was no turning back. The Empress in her wolf form had thrown herself into the next room after drawing on herst bit of strength. Indeed, since she had fought the other Demon, extreme fatigue had invaded her mind even though her body was in perfect health. So, once she had entered this seemingly safe room, she had copsed from exhaustion into a heavy sleep.


    The Commanders, Lieutenants, Lynn and Inferno had all been propelled a little further by the she-wolf''s leap and were slowly getting up. In the distance, they could see the body of the huge she-wolf who had just saved their lives almost at the cost of her own. Without even saying a word, they all suddenly rushed towards Freya, unable to know what was happening to her. The soldiers were filled with enormous gratitude but also with deep concern.


    "Your Highness !!"


    "Empress !!"


    The first to arrive were Luna and Caipy, who looked small and helpless next to the sleeping body. They had no idea what to do and although the Elf Commander was in charge of the medical section, she didn''t dare touch her Empress. The others finally came to the side as Caipy spoke up.


    "She...she seems to be asleep but...I can''t tell how long her sleep willst. Her Highness has a very low heart rate and shallow breathing which would be the sign of an unhealthy body but in her case it''s not that. The Empress seems to be in a deep state of recovery after putting her body through so many changes and pressure on her mind."


    "So...her Highness is in an undetermined state right now. How are we to proceed ? We... we''re in an unknown ce and so far without her help we''d all be dead. Without the Empress..."


    Ynir, the half-butterfly Commander had not finished her sentence as her hands shook slightly. Despite being the best warriors in Elysium, the Commanders had realized more than ever theirck of power during Freya''s battle. The 10 warriors had never cursed their powerlessness so much and were ovee with many emotions and feelings.


    In their minds at that moment, guilt, doubt, fear, and despair were mixed. Why couldn''t I help the Empress ? My power is nothingpared to this, am I really worthy of my position ? How can we survive if her Highness is unconscious ? What if we get stuck here or worse, get killed by another even more powerful creature ?


    The ten half-humans, although they were called Chaos Commanders, for now were far from having the experience. All these questions, these doubts, were appearing for the first time as a result of recent emotionally charged events. The Commanders may have grown up in a hostile world, but the feelings they were experiencing werepletely normal. That was also why Freya had insisted on taking them along, they had to learn to keep their cool and act ordingly.


    Though the Empress didn''t n on fainting as soon as she arrived in the crypt, she wanted her best warriors to be ready to adapt to any situation. For the moment, the young women were going through an instinctive and natural panic phase, but though sleepy, the she-wolf trusted them. She knew that the me that had shone in their eyes that day would not take long to rekindle.


    "Right now there''s no point in panicking. Aren''t we here to improve ourselves ? I know what you''re all thinking and I share your feelings but...I''m sure if we keep our cool and work together we can get through this. Her Highness brought us here believing in us, I don''t want to disappoint her expectations...do you ?"


    For the first time, Emilia who usually did not pronounce more than 10 words in her sentences, had spoken distinctly and at length. She had spoken with her heart and at this very moment a thousand words were not enough to exin what she felt. The half-human''s hands were shaking, she was just as scared as the others, and yet she had stood up to change the others'' gaze.


    Naia, who was just as frightened, had her eyes twinkling as her heart began to race. Her words had felt like a gentle breeze, sweeping away the dark cloud that hung over hearts and souls. Gradually, the Commanders sitting on the floor rose to their feet, those with eyes on the ground raised their heads, and despite trembling bodies and tired minds, a smile appeared on their faces.


    "Sigh...we''re idiots, aren''t we ? Me first. I had almost forgotten why I was fighting and why I, the proud she-wolf, had pledged allegiance to her Highness !"


    Ralphughed softly as she thought about how silly she was to have doubted for a moment. Her dark brown hair fell over her red eyes, while her mocking smile did not disappear. As much as they all felt bad about it, their battles against the little Nightmares had brought them up 1 level each which was a sign of how hard they were working.


    "Mmmh we are all idiots and poor Commanders but...finally it is now up to us to prove ourselves. We have to protect her Highness until she wakes up and gather as much information as possible. Let''s put aside our deep-seated fears, we''ll have plenty of time to worry afterwards, right now we need a n."


    Trioa, the grey-haired, winged wyvern who was always gentle and silent, had spoken in a confident, serious voice as the others nodded. Suddenly, as if the 10 Commanders had guessed the others'' thoughts, clicked their boots in unison. The sound of their boot heels echoed through the new room as they ced their fists proudly at their hearts.


    Freya was right, the me she had once lit in their hearts had been rekindled and each one was crackling fair and bright. The first spark had ignited a small me that had grown into a fire before ending up as a glowing inferno burning as brightly as their determination. Doubts and fears had not disappeared but now they were overshadowed by the will of the Sky...the will of Elysium.


    The Lieutenants, who were a little further away, did not dare to speak in front of their superiors or interfere with their thoughts, but they were just as scared if not more so. If even their leaders didn''t feel up to it, who were they to turn the tables ? However, seeing their Commanders regain hope and raise their heads had been enough to give them that will that was slowly bing unshakeable.


    "Good ! Then we should divide the tasks. I propose that Caipy stay close to the Empress to check on her condition while one group searches for information on our whereabouts and another takes care of setting up a makeshift camp for us"


    Luna, the half-panther, had spoken up to suggest a way to get organized. At the moment they still didn''t know where they were, and though this room was lit, no one had gone around it yet. Once again, heads nodded as Thorunn the beautiful golden haired vampire spoke up.


    "How about we split into three groups ? Caipy and her Lieutenant Nina to watch her Highness, all of us to explore the room and our Lieutenants could be tasked with setting up camp."


    In Thorunn''s mind, the presence of her dark elf friend was essential to the Empress and the task of inspecting the room fell to the leaders. It was going to be aplicated and trying task as they had to search every nook and cranny for a clue. The vampire woman didn''t want to exhaust their Lieutenants any further and preparing a camp would be quick and less tiring.


    "I agree."


    "Me too !"


    "Yes, let''s do it that way !"


    One by one, the ten women gave their consent and as each was about to tell their subordinate, the she-wolf''s body began to glow. It glowed for a few seconds before the light disappeared, leaving the humanoid body of the Empress in in sight. Her tattoos were back to their original state, forming spikes under her eyes, her hands were no longer wed, and it was easy to tell that her closed eyes had turned purple again.


    Freya''s long, ck, hypnotic hair hid her private parts and the sight left everyone blissful. No one could take their eyes off the sleeping beauty, who at that moment looked so different from her usual self. The Empress of Elysium, powerful, terrifying and cold, was standing there in her Eve outfit, her face soothed, almost soft and fragile. There was a certain innocence about her because for the first time, no aura, even if unconscious, was attacking the soldiers'' senses.


    Everyone''s heart missed a beat and even if the attraction was fleeting, the beautiful Freya had once again turned souls upside down. Then, as everyone came to their senses, faces began to blush with shame after realizing they had just looked at their Empress naked for far too long. As everyone looked away, Trioa removed her grey wing embroidered Commander''s cloak to cover her.


    "Ahem..so..uh...let''s do it our way !"


    "Y-Yes *cough*...*cough* of course !"


    So it was with an atmosphere filled with embarrassment that the 10 best warriors went to announce their n to their Lieutenants.


    As everyone regrouped for their respective missions, Caipy who was now apanied by Nina checked on Freya.


    "It''s weird. Earlier I could have sworn her body was warm almost boiling and now her body is frozen."


    The dark elf had never touched the she-wolf before, and so didn''t know that her skin was naturally cold due to her predominant element. So she had piled her cloak on top of Trioa''s to warm her up but it was no use.


    "I don''t understand. Could she have gone into some sort of hibernation ? In that case only heat could gently wake her up but it would take...the warmth of a living body..."


    Caipy didn''t possess the proper reasoning due to the unique and iprehensible being that was Freya, but at least she was right about one thing. If the Empress had fallen asleep in the first ce, it was because of extreme mental fatigue. Afterwards, her body had instinctively reacted by putting her into a deep sleep causing her mana to circte more slowly. The touch of gentle heat was a good way to speed up the flow of her circuits and wake her up.


    "Still, I''m not going to snuggle up to her Highness...yet I have to...someone else might...no I''m the doctor here and her health is her wake up call is the priority !"


    The Elf Commander was in total panic and seemed stuck in a dilemma. She didn''t know if her heat theory turned out to be true and the thought of hugging the Empress made her head spin. What if her theory turned out to be wrong ? What if it was true ? To warm her, her naked body would have to be in contact with another, and the thought disturbed her, who deeply respected her rescuer. Yet Caipy had made up her mind and was ready to do what was necessary.


    As she took a deep breath, Freya''s ck stallion, who had so far not shown up, suddenly approached. Before the elf doctor''s eyes, hey down against the cold body of his sleeping mistress. Caipy watched the silent scene, her eyes meeting Inferno''s yellow ones, understanding immediately. As an elf, she was good at understanding animals and at that moment, what the ck horse''s gaze was telling her was simply "let me take care of her".


    Further on, while the Lieutenants were busy setting up camp with what they could as most things were stuck in Freya''s storage space, the Commanders in charge of inspecting the ce were taking their task seriously. This time the room was smaller but still had high ceilings and was about 200 meters long and wide which would take them some time.


    The floor tiles were no different as they were simple, many carved pirs were in sight and the same torches were ced on the walls. The 10 half-humans were ready to turn the room upside down and had only been inspecting for 2 minutes that something had already been discovered.


    "I think I found the first clue hidden in this room and it''s very important."


    Trioa, who had her grey wings spread high above, had an unobstructed view of the room and looked down at the pirs intently. The other nine who were scattered about then looked up waiting to hear more information which the half-wyvern was quick to give.


    "The engravings on the pirs are not there by chance but represent a message trying to tell us something. They are not words but rather a multitude of symbols that must be deciphered. Based on my initial quick understanding it..."


    "..."


    "It...it seems we have toplete an ordeal within a certain time before...the darkness engulfs us, locked within these walls forever. The ordeal began the moment we entered the room and the torches lit up..."


    As Trioa finished her sentence, everyone in the room, except Freya, looked up. The Commander''s words echoed in everyone''s mind in an eerie silence. Without knowing it, the 21 living beings in the room had entered the ce where a riddle had to be solved in order to continue if they did not want to lose their lives.


    No one knew it yet, but this was the very first test of a long and exhausting series. How could they know the time that passed underground ? What was this riddle ? Would they have to fight or think ? So many questions, and yet it was with a serious look that the voices of all the Commanders rose as one.


    "We will protect the Empress and we will fearlessly advance as far as our bodies and minds can carry us, because we are the 10 Chaos Commanders of the Elysium Empire !"


    The ten best female warriors of the Empire had taken charge of the expedition in the absence of the Empress and were driven by great determination. They were determined to seed in this ordeal no matter what it took for the Empress, for them, for the Lieutenants...for everyone.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Freya was still lying by the door, warmed by her trusty steed and at that moment, if Caipy had been watching her face, she could have seen the sleeping beauty smile.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 150 000 / 150 000 MP : 75 000 / 75 000


    Strength : 510


    Defense : 510


    Agility : 516


    Endurance: 513


    Speed : 512


    Intelligence: 510


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 135 The Ordeal Of The Commanders I [The Crypt - Part VIII]

    -- POV General --


    From the ceiling, Trioa had just announced to everyone what this room really was. Unlike the previous room, the pirs that supported it were engraved with symbols whose meaning was only revealed from a certain point of view. The half-wyvern who was the only one to search from the air had been the only one to discover this particrity before informing herrades.


    "The only way to be able to see the symbols in their entirety was to have a high and global view of all the pirs that, ced side by side, form the message !"


    The symbols were very simr to Egyptian hieroglyphics, as no words were written and only the arrangement of the engravings gave a message. At the beginning, there was a square representing the room with small characters enclosed inside just like the soldiers of the Empire. Then, continuing from left to right like aic strip, the square shrank and the torches representing the light disappeared.


    The further Trioa went in her speed reading, the more she could see the fate of the losers. She deduced that there must be a time ordeal because the symbol of a still full hourss was above the first square and empty in thest. The torches that were also disappearing in thest squares allowed her to deduce that light yed an important role.


    Once the light disappeared, the squares shrank before engulfing the small figures killing them instantly in that dark room. There were many other important elements, but at that moment, Trioa was realizing something and giving instructions to the other Commanders left on the ground.


    "I think...once the time runs out, the walls of the room will start to close in before crushing us all. There...there should be clues in the room to give us an idea of how much time is running out, maybe an hourss or something. Look on the walls instead, every crack, every nook and cranny !"


    After the Air Section Commander continued to try to figure out the rest of the symbols, the others rushed to the four corners to search. Their time was running out, but at the moment no one knew how much time they had left and what they should be looking for. Suddenly, while everyone was on their mission, Ynir''s voice rang out from the right side.


    "Here ! There''s an hourss ! I haven''t touched it and based on the grains already gone...if Trioa''s reasoning is right...we have maybe two hours before the walls start moving."


    All of the Commanders had walked up to the young half-butterfly woman and could now see this hourss embedded in a wall, very small and inconspicuous. It was made of white stone and ck grains fell from it every second, emptying the upper part and representing the passing of time. Trioa, who had her eyes riveted on the thing, spoke then, still in her serious yet panicked voice.


    "It''s...it''s exactly the same as the one in the symbols but...would there be a mechanism that can turn off the torches at the same time and activate the movement of the walls ?"


    The young woman couldn''t understand how this simple hourss, once it ran out, could cause the room to fall into darkness and shrink. On the pirs, darkness symbolized death, and while everyone was thinking, one thing was certain : light yed an important role.


    "As long as the light remains...we have time. Which means...as long as the torches are lit we have a chance."


    Nixia, had a hand on her chin and began to watch the torches more carefully. Time was running out and they had to find a way out of this room that had no door. Suddenly, the ck-scaledmia raised her head while tying her hair in a ponytail.


    It was a habit she had had for a very long time that was now no longer unknown to the other Commanders. When Nixia tied her hair back, everyone knew she was ready for a tough challenge. As themia straightened up, a serious gleam burning in her beautiful grey eyes, her voice echoed again.


    "The torches are not mechanically connected to the hourss but burn at exactly the same speed. When the time runs out, all the lights here will automatically go out. Let''s keep looking for other clues in the room, there must be something ! Trioa, if there''s no other information on the pirs, keep searching from above."


    Indeed, when seen up close, the torches burned like candles whose ephemeral me still shone with all its beauty. The whole room was a riddle and seemed to have been made to make this deadly game as effective as it was intended to be. Everything had a purpose and nothing had been done at random. The room was a huge game board where the prisoners were both the yers and the pawns. It was now up to the soldiers who were still standing to unravel all its secrets.


    Everyone agreed with Nixia and as the Commanders returned to their missions, the Lieutenants who had heard everything drew closer. It was easy to see that a camp in this room was useless and everyone now wanted to participate in the search. Caipy, still close to Freya, stood up and whistled to get the attention of the soldiers who didn''t know how to approach their superiors before speaking.


    "Go ahead. The more of you that search, the faster we will move forward. Don''t be afraid to let people know what you want because after all, you are also part of the Imperial army''s leadership."


    The elf had said this with a smile and a nod, eliciting a perfect military salute from the Lieutenants. So far they were acting no different than soldiers without a particr position and they should also be aware of the role they had to y. Hierarchy did not have to mean separation, because basically all soldiers were free to express themselves.


    "Thank you very much Commander Caipy !"


    Everyone except for Caipy the elf and Nina the dryad, had started looking with one goal in mind : to get out. Again, with so many people milling about the room and watching every spot, it didn''t take long for clues to be discovered. The voices of Persea, Naia, Ralph, and Thorunn echoed from the four corners of the room, seeming to have found something simr.


    "I found a phrase written down ! It...doesn''t really make sense but I think it might be useful to us !"


    "It''s exactly the same for me !"


    "Here too !"


    "So do I. I think we need to understand the meaning of this to continue. Isn''t there anything else to find here ?"


    At Thorunn''s question, no one spoke because for the moment there were no other leads. The room wasrge, but after inspecting every corner, nothing else had caught their attention. Gathering in the center, the 17 people waited for the four young women to exin one by one the words they had read. The first to speak was Persea.


    "In the left corner, at ground level is a sentence written in red color like blood. It says : waits - the - Under - blood-tinted - it - moon. At the moment it doesn''t make sense but I''m sure it''s a clue."


    The dryad''s words were indeed meaningless, and while the Lieutenants were already thinking, Naia was speaking up as well.


    "It''s exactly the same for me so I guess the other two sentences are written the same way. However, my words are different : it - sparkling - Adorned - lies - lights - with."


    Once again, the words had been mixed up and as Thorunn followed by Ralph quoted their sentences, everyone sat down.


    "As far as I''m concerned it''s : pirs - the - over - guarding - Fire - and - gates"


    "And I : rests - you - at - skies - answer - Fight - starry - the - beneath -st - what."


    As Ralph finished her sentence, Emilia suddenly stood up. A detail had not escaped her mind and she was convinced that the words of her friend were the most important.


    "You...did you say "answer" ? We should start with that sentence !"


    The sentence that Ralph had pronounced was the longest and contained certain key words as of more than important in a moment like that. Emilia was more than determined to leave there and the idea to imagine her new fox girlfriend dying crushed by a wall in the darkness made her cold in the back. At her words, the others thus nodded the head, conscious that to divide the task was the most important to gain invaluable minutes.


    Time was still running out and it was not wrong to say that there were less than two hours left to find a way out. Therefore, little by little, four groups were formed, each with the task of putting each sentence back the right way. Everything had been organized to save as much time as possible, and even Caipy and Nina, who were watching over Freya, took the time to think about it.


    All the sentences had been spoken and everyone was thinking of a way to put everything back in order to create a new message. However, this was easier said than done because there were so many unanswered questions. Were these word sequences to be treated independently of each other or together ? Is this thest clue or will there be more puzzles ?


    ___


    The wood of the torches was melting away by the minute and without realising it, they now had less than an hour to seed. Their light still illuminated the nk ceiling but shadows had appeared everywhere, stretching as the torches crackled. After each group had reflected, it was now time to gather once more to discover the secret of these phrases.


    The first was Thorunn, Trioa and their Lieutenants who had taken care of the words : pirs - the - over - guarding - Fire - and - gates. The two Commanders had easily found the hidden phrase and were writing it on the floor for all to see. The groups took turns writing their respective phrases and it was Thorunn and Trioa''s turn to start.


    [Fire and pirs guarding over the gates]


    The second group was dealing with Naya''s sentence and wasposed of herself, Nixia and their Lieutenant and Emilia apanied by Zak. For long minutes, they had finally managed to find a meaning to all these words, although the three Commanders did not know their deep meanings yet.


    [Adorned with sparkling lights, it lies]


    Persea and Ynir, with the help of Itham the elf who was their second inmand and the assistance of Caipy and Nina, had worked on the words : waits - the - Under - blood-tinted - it - moon. Just like Thorunn and Trioa it had been easy to find but again, the elements described there did not fit with the current situation.


    [Under the blood-tinted moon, it waits]


    And finally thest group had taken the longest due to a longer sentence that perhaps included the solution to their problem. But the two Commanders Ralph and Luna, apanied by their Lieutenants, had still managed to get there.


    [Fight what you fear, the answer rests atst beneath starry skies]


    All the words had been put back in order but now they only had 30 minutes left before they felt the walls move. The idea of having made even a little progress was incredible for everyone, but the pressure was still beginning to take over the room. Which sentence was first ? Did the order matter ? Nixia suddenly raised her voice to offer her version of this little text.


    "I don''t think the order is really important because the message although unclear remains the same. However, every sentence ending has a word that rhymes with at least a second, which is why..."


    Without saying anything more, themia with the ck scales and tied hair, began to write on the ground with a spear of ck fire, burning the bs allowing her to trace by leaving ck marks. Everyone looked on with seriousness and curiosity and the more Nixia wrote, the more everyone''s eyes shone and faces smiled.


    Put together and in the right order, these sentences made sense and revealed a new message. It was vague and didn''t seem to belong underground, but it was all together that they had managed to get here. All eyes were riveted on the inscription left by the snake Commander, which at that moment represented the hope of escape.


    ___


    Under the blood-tinted moon, it waits


    Fire and pirs guarding over the gates


    Adorned with sparkling lights, it lies


    Fight what you fear, the answer rests atst beneath starry skies


    ___


    Shadows danced in the room, the torches disappeared little by little, and the soldiers had only 30 minutes left to find the answer. No one spoke, everyone watched the phrases written on the floor without understanding their meaning. Breaking the silence, Luna the half-panther knelt down and pointed to the first andst sentence.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Why is there talk of a blood moon and stars ? We are underground with no way of knowing how long and no light can reach us. Neither the sun nor the moon are visible so why the words ? And then "fight what you fear" is far too vague...we have little time left and yet we are no further ahead.."


    Luna had said out loud what everyone else was thinking and without meaning to, she had partially rekindled the me of doubt, fear and panic. At that moment, another person was thinking, whose voice startled everyone.


    "Fight...what you fear...fight what you fear. Fight...what...you...fear. What do we fear here ? Monsters ? No there aren''t..."


    Ynir thought aloud and repeated the words that seemed to be most important to her. She didn''t know why, but this particr phrase resonated with her for some unknown reason, and as everyone looked at her, her eyes suddenly lit up.


    "I...I think I got it !"


    There was not much time left and the invisible chains of fate held their lives hostage and yet for the first time Ynir was sure of herself. The beautiful half-human butterfly had a proud smile on her face and as she lifted her head, all the soldiers in the room could hear four crazy words they never thought they would hear.


    "Turn off the torches !"


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 150 000 / 150 000 MP : 75 000 / 75 000


    Strength : 510


    Defense : 510


    Agility : 516


    Endurance: 513


    Speed : 512


    Intelligence: 510


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 136 The Ordeal Of The Commanders II [The Crypt - Part IX]

    -- POV General --


    "Turn off the torches !"


    Ynir had just said this sentence with a proud look and a smile that no one had ever seen on her face before. None of the soldiers presents understood why she had just said such a thing and understanding their iprehension, Ynir exined her theory.


    "Fight what you fear. The answer rests atst beneath starry skies. Do these sentences mean nothing to you ? If we assume that only one fear is evoked here, it cannot be a ssic one because we are all different. It is amon fear that is only possible in this room and given the situation, the only thing that undeniably frightens us here is..."


    "Darkness !"


    Everyone had eximed with one voice, beginning to understand little by little what the young woman was getting at. There were no other clues anyway and the Commander seemed to have had a glimmer of genius. As everything fell into ce, the Ynir spoke up again to exin what was next.


    "Exactly ! Because of the symbols engraved on the pirs we all agreed that darkness represented death but...what if it was also the solution ? Then, thest sentence talks about starry skies, but as you all know, we are several meters underground, but what if it was another sky that we were not yet aware of. A sky that would reveal itself to us once the torches are extinguished..."


    Ynir as a butterfly using light to amplify her illusions, knew this element almost perfectly and was therefore the one most likely toe to this conclusion. There weren''t many left and for the moment this theory was the only one avable, however, making the decision to test it wasn''t easy.


    Although all the phrases made more or less sense in one''s mind, in this room, darkness primarily meant death. So it was hard not to be filled with doubt at the thought of taking the plunge and deliberately plunging into the dark. While the quieter Commanders pondered, Lynn spoke for the first time, trembling and as undecided as the Lieutenants.


    "Commander Ynir...what...what if turning off the torches triggers the mechanism ? We...we would have hastened our deaths...I...we can''t do that ! That...I...why...!!??"


    The subus had burst into tears and couldn''t help but feel uncontroble fear. She was the weakest of the group and was obviously far from being able to handle so much pressure. Normally, Freya would never have epted her into the group and for good reason, such experiences were normally unbearable for a level 5 being. Being underground where monsters capable of killing her in the blink of an eye remained, and then going into a deadly room was too much.


    Everything was happening so fast that it was unbearable, and the more time passed, the more Lynn began to falter. Never in her life had she felt so much fear, seen so much blood, not to mention her reaction to the sight of her Empress'' demonic form. As she crouched down, putting her hands around her head, Nixia did something unimaginable.


    As themia wrapped her scaly tail around the young Lynn as everyone looked on in shock, she leaned in to speak to her in a strangely soft voice. Like any half-human race with a tail, this was still considered a very intimate ce, yet Nixia had acted without hesitation.


    "Lynn...get up. We''re all going to survive and get out of here I promise. I know this is hard for you but look we''re all determined, no one here will give up and we''ll carry your burden together if we have to."


    The Commander''s words, though uncertain of their future, were filled with pure sincerity and tenderness. Coming face to face with death had at that moment made Nixia much softer than she usually was, which was to say...not at all. The young subus had lifted her head and as she dried her tears and sniffled, Luna returned to the subject.


    "We must have fifteen minutes left, twenty at the most, and if Ynir''s theory proves to be true, it''s not impossible that onest riddle will lurk once the lights go out. We don''t really have a choice. Either we look for another theory, which seems impossible to me, or we test the only one we have and try with all our might to find the way out."


    Though everyone was panicking to a different degree, what Luna had said waspletely true. No one had an alternative, and as crazy as it sounded, Ynir''s idea wasn''t that dumb. With one look, all the soldiers knew deep down that the best thing to do was to turn off the torches. Liz the tigress, Ralph''s second, raised her voice and mmed her fist against her palm, revealing her fangs.


    "We will fight ! Surely her Highness would say that it is better to perish trying than to breathe ourst with regrets..."


    "No one is going to die here, okay ? Now everyone stand by the torches on the walls, we need to turn them off. If my theory is right once the light is off the mechanism shouldn''t go off because it''s connected to the hourss !"


    Once again, Ynir had raised her voice as everyone nodded. Even Lynn hade to her senses a bit, the willingness of the others and the kindness of her Commander had been a great help. On each wall there were ten torches ced at a perfect distance from each other, so the Empire soldiers weren''t enough. However, after all they had been through, it wasn''t torches that would make them back down.


    "Everyone spread out on the other walls, I''ll take care of the ten torches here without a problem !"


    "Yes Commander !"


    Thorunn hadmandeered an entire wall fully aware that taking a me from each was not possible. As the Lieutenants ran in another direction, right in front of her Nixia had also ced herself on a wall alone having had the same idea as her friend. The time hade to plunge the room into darkness.


    "All right ! Everybody ready ?"


    Ynir the discreet and kind woman at that moment had taken themanders for the great joy of Persea who as a partner, knew better than anyone her deep personality. All together, facing a hypothetical death, everyone seemed to reveal themselves in a different way than usual, driven by the instinct of survival, fear but also the fact of not being alone.


    In this way, Nixia had shown a soft side of her that was unknown, Lynn had buckled under the pressure for a few seconds, and Ynir had revealed an incredible capacity for reflection. Even the other Commanders had shown a tremendous amount ofposure and at that moment, that was all their Empress wanted. In the end, they were all worthy of being Commanders of the Elysium army and far more so than they had thought.


    So Ynir stood in the middle of the room and served as andmark for everyone. She hovered a little above the floor, her ck hair with rainbow highlights waving gently and her light blue eyes almost transparent, unwavering. Everyone looked at her and waited for her instructions, which were soon toe.


    "We have fifteen minutes to act, the wall to my left and right will be thest to be extinguished. Lieutenants, when I lower my arms you will extinguish your torches then it will be the Commanders turn."


    "Yes Commander Ynir !"


    The ever-respectful Lieutenants had responded in unison while her friends nodded with a smile. The young butterfly woman didn''t want all the torches to be extinguished at once so as not to take any chances and observe any potential changes in the room as they urred. Everyone trusted her and as she raised her arms, all hearts beat at a frantic and almost deafening pace.


    "Go for it !"


    Suddenly, the eight Lieutenants were extinguishing their torches with a fist, whip, paw, or with elements. A quarter of the room was now plunged into darkness as only one wall had been extinguished so far but nothing special was happening. Raising again the arms, this time, Ynir looked at her friends of the wall of opposite where were ced Naia, Emilia, Ralph, Trioa, Persa and Caipy.


    Again, with a precise and serious gesture, the young woman with the rainbow-colored wings lowered her arms to give the signal. Once again, one of the walls of the room went dark but still nothing seemed to happen. As the darkness began to embrace the room, breaths became shorter and shorter and sweat poured down the foreheads. Only the wall behind Thorunn and the one behind Nixia remained.


    "We have 10 minutes left ! Nixia, Thorunn ! On my signal extinguish all your torches at once and at the same time !"


    "Good !"


    Time was still running out and now it was time to find out if Ynir''s theory was right. Everyone was near the walls and Freya still lying against her stallion had her eyes closed but her smile hadn''t disappeared and one of her fangs was even visible now. Like a scene in slow motion, for thest time, the half-human butterfly in the middle of the room lowered her arms hoping she hadn''t been wrong.


    Everything she had said seemed logical and Ynir had not thought about the failure of her theory as she had been so carried away by the adrenaline of the situation. However, now that she was lowering her arms, her heart was beating wildly, scared and impatient to know the oue of this story. At that moment, as she gave her final signal, her heart screamed and her hands shook at the thought of potentially ruining everything.


    "Go for it !"


    Perfectly synchronized and coordinated, Thorunn and Nixia were using their elements to instantly extinguish all the torches on the great walls. The beautifulmia with the ck hair and grey eyes had conjured up two huge spears of ck fire that she wanted to use. After twirling them in her hands to find a good grip, she had thrown them to either side in equal power and precision.


    Thorunn simply closed her eyes and took a deep breath before extending her arms on either side of her body in a powerful movement. From her hands came two des of wind, sending a powerful gust of wind into the room. They spun with equal speed and cut the heads of the torches one by one before crashing against the stone leaving huge marks.


    "Now nobody moves !"


    In an instant, the room sank into darkness and no light shone in this ck and cold ce. No one could see each other and only the sound of breathing could be heard rising to the ceiling. Nothing was happening and the longer the soldiers waited, the more the sound of the hourss beads falling seemed to be muffled.


    "I...this is...impossible..."


    Only Ynir''s voice could be heard in the room, while everyone could guess at the young Commander''s condition. Suddenly, just as Ralph was about to speak, something strange happened. A faint red light began to shine on the ceiling, and then more and more until it covered the entire surface.


    "It''s..."


    "Under the blood-tinted moon..."


    "The starry skies.."


    Patterns had appeared on the ceiling, previously invisible because of the torchlight, now shining brightly. They were traced by a light that was now scarlet and at this moment, everyone finally understood the meaning of the sentences. Exactly in the center, a circle representing a red moon flickered, surrounded by a multitude of stars of the same color.


    In front of all the soldiers was the starry sky mentioned in the mysterious phrases and at that moment, it was shining brightly plunging the room into a bloody red. Suddenly, at the feet of Ynir who had been standing in the middle, new red lights began to shine, following the shape of the bs to reveal a shape. The door they had been looking for was finally appearing.


    ___


    Under the blood-tinted moon, it waits


    Fire and pirs guarding over the gates


    Adorned with sparkling lights, it lies


    Fight what you fear, the answer rests atst beneath starry skies


    ___


    Ynir was right, "Fight what you fear" represented the darkness finally revealing those hidden symbols that, when lit, glowed a deep red on the floor. The door they had all been looking for was there and it was not on the walls but on the floor. It was huge and more than a normal door it was a kind of stone trap door that could open from either side.


    "We''ve got it ! That was it all along !"


    The pressure was off and everyone began to breathe easier with indescribable smiles on their faces. Some of the Lieutenants hugged each other, others fell to their knees almost in tears, and the Commanders looked at each other with smiles. But, as a general euphoria had taken hold of the room, Emilia''s voice rang out, bringing the most relieved back to reality.


    "Soo...how do you trigger the mechanism that''s supposed to open this huge stone trap door ?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    At these words, all the Lieutenants stopped celebrating and turned pale. The pressure had gone down so quickly and yet a momentter it had risen again just as fast. There were exactly 5 minutes left and the exit, though found, was useless if it couldn''t be opened. While the Commanders were thinking at an astonishing speed, it was Ralph who spoke first.


    "What if...this was just a hint and this time we need to use our power to destroy the ground. If this is indeed the exit, there should be nothing behind it, I think we should try !"


    The hybrid Commander was the wildest of them all, and the only one to literally fight like a beast with great power. She wasn''t abat maniac like the Empress, but she wasn''t far from it, so it was only natural that Ralph had thought of this option. However, no one knew how thick these stones were and even if they all worked together, there was no guarantee that they could do it.


    "Let''s try !"


    As everyone prepared to hit the huge bs with all their might along with everyone else, the sound of boots mming on the floor could be heard from across the room. At that moment, everyone looked up and turned their heads in the direction of the sound, as they heard a cold, startling voice.


    "I''ll do it kufufu~"


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 150 000 / 150 000 MP : 75 000 / 75 000


    Strength : 510


    Defense : 510


    Agility : 516


    Endurance: 513


    Speed : 512


    Intelligence: 510


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 137 The Escape [The Crypt - Part X]

    -- POV Freya --


    [You could have picked up a few minor Nightmare corpses to put June and May in them pffhaha~]


    *Mmmh...no I should have picked up the fatty''s green one especially for you. A dress would fit you very well in it kufufu~*


    [Hmpf you''re good ! Anyway, I''m pleasantly surprised with the way things are going. The Commanders are exceptional and the Lieutenants don''t give up and together they are definitely stronger]


    *Mmmh, this is exactly what I''ve been looking for*


    I was lying on the floor which felt warmpared to my temperature, my eyes closed and I was following the events with Kira. I had woken up with Inferno by my side rather quickly, his warmth helping me out of the deep sleep I had fallen into despite myself. From the beginning, I had heard everything my soldiers had said, their courage, their words, their determination, and their coolness.


    I had not only stayed on the ground to watch them but also to rest because when I woke up I still felt weak. Although I had been awake all along, I had only been feeling much better for thest ten minutes. However, I had decided not to say anything and wait patiently, watching how everyone else was handling the situation.


    Contrary to what one might think, I was not so cruel as to let my soldiers die when I had long since awakened. To be honest, the mystery of this room had already been unraveled when Ynir had eximed about the hourss she had found. I was not an omniscient being because in fact this discovery had been made totally by chance, while I was lying on the ground.


    [Tell me, Onee-san, if you hadn''t found the way out, would you have been lying on the floor all this time ?]


    *Of course not. Sigh, I don''t like to talk about luck because I prefer to give myself the means to seed, but this time I must say that I really had some*


    Indeed, from the moment I had woken up, I had heard Trioa talking about an ordeal toplete in order to get out. At that moment I was ready to get up after waiting a few minutes to regain my senses, but one thing had caught my attention. A very slight trickle of cool air had started to slide down my face which was still on the ground, making me wonder where it wasing from. After several theories, simtions and reflections, it had not been difficult to conclude that the exit was under our feet.


    None of my soldiers had noticed the small, almost imperceptible draught, for none of them had been lying on the ground, not to mention the fact that the urgency of the situation did not permit any such thought. As I had kept my eyes closed the whole time, my sharpened senses had then easily traced the origin of this phenomenon. In less than 5 minutes, I knew that the bs in the center were hiding another room or another ce where the air was circting.


    [Mmh, you didn''t know if that was the real solution either, but at least you knew a way to keep everyone alive in case of emergency. That said, it looks like Ralph figured it out hehe~]


    From what I had heard, the room was now tinged with a red lighting from the ceiling tracing a starry sky and a blood moon. I was one step ahead of my subordinates, but I was discovering all this with them. It was true that I had found the solution, but the thought process to reach the same conclusion was the merit of others, not mine.


    As the minutes passed I became more and more proud and the idea of rewarding them afterwards came up more and more. Finally, with only 5 minutes left, Ralph had the same idea as me and proposed destroying the ground beneath them. Now there was a heavy silence as everyone considered the option and my little sister''s voice echoed in my mind.


    [Isn''t it time to stop theedy now onee-san ? pffhaha~]


    *I was just about to save them the hard work haha~*


    There wasn''t much time left, but I was now in great shape and it was time for me to get back on track. I didn''t know how long we''d been gone, but one thing was for sure : the only one who had finally rested was me, as none of the others had been able to. Destroying such a hard and thick stone even with several of us could be enough to make them copse, especially after so many events.


    So for the first time since I arrived in the room, I opened my eyes. A red light danced on the walls and as I turned my head I could see everyone in the middle of the room. They were busy talking, thinking, and no one noticed that I was slowly getting up. I was naked and as I quickly dressed myself with my storage, I leaned towards Inferno, still at my side.


    "Thank you my friend, for not saying anything and for keeping it a secret."


    I was sure that my ck stallion had understood right away that I was not asleep from the first few minutes after he had warmed me up. I didn''t know how, but even so, he hadn''t tried to warn the others, as if he''d understood that I didn''t want to. As I stood up, dressed and ready, Inferno did the same, shaking his head quietly and pressing his forehead against my face in relief.


    "Yes yes, I''m fine haha~ now we all have to get out"


    My horse nodded, and so after smiling at him I assumed my usual inexpressive, almost cold, detached face. All my soldiers were about to destroy the floor, but as the signal was about to be given, I stepped towards them, my heels clicking in the room as I walked. All heads turned towards me and once I was sure I had everyone''s attention I spoke.


    "I''ll do it kufufu~"


    The faces of all my faithful warriors showed surprise, relief and joy. Without even letting them say a word, I continued to move forward as I spoke, Inferno at my side, beautiful and proud.


    "Stand back everyone ! We''ll hopefully have time to talk and rest afterwards but right now the most important thing is to destroy this floor. You''ve done a very good job but the congrattions willeter !"


    A lot had happened since we arrived in the crypt, starting with the changes I''d felt during my fight with the Demon. I had quite a few changes to make to my status and I had also received a lot of notifications not to mention the fact that I also had to contact my wife who was probably worried about us by now.


    [Try to do it in one go without destroying the whole room. You''ve leveled up, all your attributes too and you used all your power in yourst fight. Going back to a more normal and especially less destructive strength is not easy...no need to remember how you once destroyed a chair and a door pff~]


    *It''s true that I''m brimming with power, especially since this strange new sensation was running through my body. I''ll be quick anyway because we don''t have much time left !*


    As I reached the center of the room, I took a deep breath. Everyone was outside of the red rectangle and now waiting for me to act. Once again, I concentrated on using only a small portion of my strength and as I was ready, I opened my eyes before mming my fist into the stone. The next moment, a heavy sound could be heard as if I had just hit a gong confirming the location of the exit.


    The bs under my feet had cracked under the blow and many cracks had formed in the light rectangle. However, in trying to be too gentle so as not to copse the room, I had used very little power and my blow alone had not been enough.


    *Tsk, not hard enough*


    [It''s still better than "too hard"]


    *Yes, but now I know exactly how much power I need to put in*


    Without saying anything more, I raised my knee and brought my heel down on the very center of the room. This time my foot had sunk into the stone and on impact the walls had begun to tremble strongly. Nothing happened, but small, light cracks began to multiply and secondster, huge cracks appeared as I jumped into the air.


    The moment I jumped, the blocked exit opened as thousands of small pieces of cold stone flew into the room. Behind the floor was a hole that seemed to have no bottom, going deeper into the bowels of the earth. A cool wind blew up to us, and as I wondered how this could be, Kira began to speak.


    [I don''t like it...]


    *But we have no other choice*


    As I said this, the sound of a mechanism being triggered sounded just before the walls began to move. They had started to move as Trioa had predicted and now we only had 40 seconds before we were ttened. We had to jump and although no one knew what was waiting for us down there, the decision was obvious.


    "Jump ! Hurry, but be careful of thending, keep close at all times !"


    No more needed to be said before all the Commanders jumped into this huge, dark hole with an unknown destination. There were only 30 seconds left, the walls were getting dangerously close but neither Lieutenants nor Lynn had the courage to jump in yet. Time was running out, the room was closing in on us but none of them could move, paralyzed.


    At that moment they were unable to make the decision alone to jump even though they knew that staying meant death. Their spirits seemed to have gone out at the sight of that hole which was going to lead us deeper underground. I knew what they were thinking, what they were afraid of, and that was only natural, but there was no time. With only 20 seconds left, Kira''s voice rang in my head once again.


    [Push them we''re out of time !]


    *I won''t it''s...wait what ?*


    Sometimes Kira surprised me and her sentence would have almost made meugh if we weren''t in a more than urgent situation. Ignoring what my little sister had just said as I shook my head, I sighed before shifting into my wolf form before growling and releasing a tiny bit of my aura to shake my remaining soldiers.


    "Soldiers, pull yourself together ! Jump on my back we''re out of time !"


    As everyone had a panicked look on their eyes and a terrified look on their faces, the Lieutenants one by one began to jump on my back. I could feel their little bodies shaking against my skin as I motioned to Inferno to do the same. With only 5 seconds left, I jumped with tremendous speed as the walls closed behind us with a huge noise that shook the walls of the hole.


    [Yee-haw !]


    *There''s one that''s having fun anyway kufufu~*


    Then began our descent into the void and into this dark and cold abyss that would lead us to a ce still unknown. What would we discover ? What time was it ? When would we return ? These questions haunted my mind as our bodies fell at a dizzying pace.


    ___


    -- POV General --


    While the soldiers and the Empress of Elysium went deeper into the bowels of the earth, there were still people in Elysium who were worried. The expedition group had left yesterday at noon and currently, the moon was shining high in the sky. An afternoon and a whole day had passed without any sign of them and in the Empire, in the second imperial office, the Queen was pacing.


    "I don''t understand ! Freya was supposed to contact mest night and tonight and yet I have no sign of telepathicmunication !"


    In her office was her secretary and butler Triss the half-human cat who didn''t know what to say to reassure Gaya. Lia was with Shiro, who would soon be asleep, and the dragoness, not wanting to worry her, had gone to her office to think. Triss had spent the whole day telling her not to worry but the more time passed, the more the Queen changed.


    "Yesterday...I felt a variation in our bond as if it had weakened for several minutes ! I...I''m sure something must have happened to the expedition group !"


    Gaya had said these words as she slumped in her chair with a look of both seriousness and extreme concern. Her hands were shaking and every minute that passed seemed to drive her a little bit more crazy. The Queen could no longer stand still, she had slept very little and the heart in her chest was clenching terribly. Not knowing if her wife was well or if she would return was putting her under intense stress.


    "At least I know she''s alive or I would have died thanks to our soul and mana bond but..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "My Queen, I...it''s possible that her Highness can''t contact you yet but...you know as well as I do that she''s unique...please don''t worry ! Besides...you must try to calm down for the baby."


    As Triss had said thatst sentence, Gaya had put a hand to her belly and smiled slightly, her first smile in hours. When she''d woken up from her short night this morning, her belly had bulged slightly confirming that the baby was in good shape. The dragoness knew perfectly well that she had to take care of her health and was doing what she could but sincest night it hadn''t been easy.


    "Triss..."


    Without warning, the Queen had straightened in her chair with an amber gaze as hard as her wife''s. No one had ever seen Gaya with a look like that, and in that moment, as the half-human responded shaking slightly, for the first time the dragoness scared her.


    "Y-Yes ?"


    "If I don''t hear from my wife by noon tomorrow, I''lle to her personally !"


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors


    ? Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 150 000 / 150 000 MP : 75 000 / 75 000


    Strength : 510


    Defense : 510


    Agility : 516


    Endurance: 513


    Speed : 512


    Intelligence: 510


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 138 The Infiltrator [Interlude I]

    -- POV General --


    It had been over a week since the Supreme and the King had met in secret to find a way to find Princess yna. At the end of this meeting, where only the most important members of the Kingdom had decided to take action, it had been agreed to meet again in 9 days. Everyone prepared their Knights and Pdins and the day of the first strategy meeting was set.


    Still in the samerge room in the castle, awaited King Theophctus apanied by the first Prince, Erzian and the second, Is, Councilor Janell, Captain of the Knights Myles and the same four influential nobles. As was the case several days ago, the Supreme waste and although the rtionship between the two rulers had calmed down, the King was true to himself.


    "Damn it ! How much longer do we have to wait ? Our n has to be perfect, every minute counts and his Excellency is still not here !"


    Theophctus still at the end of therge stone table had pounded his fist to show his displeasure. Despite everything that had happened at thest meeting, he still did not ept that the Leader of the Church waste. The King hadn''t changed, and his face was even more tired than thest time and wrinkled with annoyance.


    "Your Majesty ! A little patience I''m sure the Church is on its way !"


    In front of the eyes of the Princes and nobles, the exact same scene was being yed out as it had been a little over a week ago, making the atmosphere slightlyical. Janell had once again rushed to calm him down as he mumbled and crossed his arms.


    "Sigh...it''s okay I guess we have no other choice."


    As the King finished his sentence, a quiet, androgynous voice came from a figure walking through the doors of the hall. His Excellency had finally arrived, still apanied by Sage, the Chief Pdin and a few Protectors. They were all dressed in white robes embroidered with golden threads except for the Supreme, who was dressed in a ck and red robe.


    "I see that the more we meet the wiser you seem to be, your Majesty...is this the effect of my presence ?"


    At his words, Theophctus frowned and clenched his fist without saying anything, for there were more important things. Even though their rtionship had improved, that sarcastic, almost disdainful tone still remained. Sitting in the same chairs at the end of the table, the Leader of the Church and his followers were ready, the new strategy meeting could begin.


    "T-The meeting regarding the progress of preparations, the n of action as well as the strength of each army begins. His Majesty King Zal Theophctus I will represent the Royalty and His Excellency the Supreme, the Church of Humanity."


    Janell had stood up to start the conversation and as she sat down no one spoke. Everyone was looking at each other intently, even seeming to stare at each other and think about the right way to start.


    "As for our army, we have 2,500 Knights at our disposal ! Among them 2,389 are swordsmen, archers and fighters of level 15 to 20, 100 are mages of level 23, 10 of level 30 and finally the best one, a Knight Mage of level 45. One of the only ones to have reached that level in our Kingdom that we know of."


    Prince Erzian had spoken to break the ice and announced to everyone, the Knights they could send into the Dark Forest. The Kingdom had not nned to deploy the entire army as many had to guard the capital, the castle, the borders and anyway they had to go apanied by Pdins.


    "As for us, we have 400 Pdins, the Church''s numbers are much less than the Kingdom''s but they are all mages of at least level 20. In that number, 200 are level 20 to 25, 100 are level 30 and 10 are level 35."


    It was now Sage''s turn to announce theposition of the Church''s ranks, but not without a proud and admiring look. At these words, Prince Is stood up with a surprised and shocked look on his face as everyone looked at him in amazement.


    "Why are you sending so few Pdins ? We are mobilizing more than five times your small battalion !"


    As the Prince sat back down slightly ashamed of his hasty action, Sage opened his mouth to speak but was stopped. The Supreme still hidden by his ck veil had raised his hand ever so slightly to tell him not to say anything. At that moment, no one could see him, but his eyes stared intently at Is, giving him the shivers.


    "With all due respect Prince Is, all of my followers taking on the role of Pdins are mages. You all know as well as I do here that more beings in this world are born unable to use mana, so I find the number appropriate."


    The Leader of the Church, who at the meeting had been the first to propose sending almost all thebined armies of the Kingdom, was finally going to send 400 Pdins to the forest. The King and his attendants could not help but curse him inwardly for it was he who hade up with this n and his great concerns about what might lurk in the East. As everyone stared at him and his group with squinted eyes, the Supreme spoke again.


    "Whatever happens, with our soldiers together we have almost 3,000 soldiers knowing that if there is a problem we can always send more. That said, to be honest given the experience of the Knights and Pdins I don''t think that will be necessary, also..."


    The Supreme still in his androgynous voice had spoken with great seriousness and a strange confidence that did not fail to intrigue all present. At that moment he was acting strangely, how could the most fearful of the half-humans seem so serene ? The King, his sons, and his followers had expected an exaggerated deployment of Pdins and yet not at all.


    Apart from his close followers, no one in the room knew the Leader of the Church well, but everyone guessed that there seemed to be more to him. In his voice it was almost easy to guess that he was wearing a smile under his veil. Theophctus, who still didn''t like the little secrets, tried not to shout as he asked the question that was burning the lips of those on his side.


    "Your Excellency...are you by any chance hiding something ? Need I remind you that we are in this situation because you dragged us into it and now you tell us that the Church is sending far fewer fighters than we are ? If there is something, say it now..."


    At that moment, the King was extraordinarily calm, but in reality the blood in his body was boiling more than ever. The veins in his face were visible and the sound of his teeth grinding could almost be heard in the room. The Supreme, who once again seemed to revel in the control he had with his information, straightened up with a hint of amusement in his voice that was absolutely unbearable.


    "Come on calm down your Majesty, instead direct your anger at those holding your daughter in the forest. However you are right, I have a little something to show you that should exin everything."


    As he finished his sentence, his hands pped as the door opened once more. The soldiers outside though under Royal orders had obeyed without batting an eyelid drawing the King''s attention. While in his mind he held the faces of the two unfortunate men, a huge box about 2 meters high covered with arge sheet came towards the stone table.


    "That''s why we werete, but now everything is ready."<novelnext></novelnext>


    In front of them was something hidden under a white sheet with a golden bird embroidered on it. No one knew what was underneath yet, but the Supreme''s little trick had worked because he had everyone''s attention. Janell''s eyes were wide open as were Myles and the nobles as the Leader of the Church spoke again.


    "Your Majesty, please do the honor of lifting this sheet hehe~"


    An excited chuckle finished his sentence as Theophctus approached the mysterious thing, wary. Erzian and Is had also looked up, their eyes sparkling with curiosity as the King finally put hisrge hand on the cloth. With a quick movement, he then pulled back the sheet to discover what was hidden underneath.


    "It''s..."


    There were no secret weapons, no boxes revealing some incredible invention, and instead the sheet had revealed a cage. Behind the bars was a chained half-human, quite small, with crimson dragon wings and broken horns sitting in the corner. He was shaking like a leaf and his eyes showed a tremendous fear that could make him faint at any moment.


    "So you own thest surviving earth dragon !!?? Yet you said at thest meeting that they were all dead ! Sigh...I don''t see how this weak thing could turn things around your Excellency, is this a joke ?"


    "Come now, I couldn''t tell you about it could I ? Would you tell me one of your biggest secrets before the opportunity to talk about it arose ? Moreover it''s not really the same race but I wille to that."


    As Theophctus shook his head aware of the truth that had juste out of the Church Leader''s mouth, he remained silent, still eager for the conclusion of this scene. The Supreme had raised his arms to signal him to calm down and as he saw the King ready to listen, he continued.


    "This subrace is the only one we have kept secretly in the Church until the day we could use him. To tell you honestly, hees from an exchange between the Church of Humanity and the Order of Light that took ce ten years ago. At that time I was looking for specimens to study that could be used as guinea pigs for our experiments, and I happened to find one. The Order of Vancesia was looking for new ck scaled female snakes to study after one of their captives escaped and we happened to have some..."


    Everyone was silent as they listened to the Supreme who was revealing a great deal. As he listened, the King was slowly realizing that he had no control over anything in his Kingdom and that the Leader of the Church had probably already surpassed his influence. While he was lost in his dark thoughts, the androgynous voice of his rival brought him out of his absent state.


    "When the soldiers of the Order of Light were cleaning up the bodies of the earth dragons that died during the battle, one of those filthy females that was burned alive was pregnant and the most incredible thing was that the embryo was still alive. It wasn''t formed yet but after extracting it, the specialist mages took it in hand to find an interested Organization for an exchange."


    "Earth dragons are known to be able to transform into humans, so you thought it interesting to raise him from birth to have aplete hold on him and thus experiment and use him. Interesting...but I still don''t see what''s so special about him..."


    Erzian had raised his voice in turn fully understanding the Supreme''s actions as he also enjoyed experimenting on the half-humans in his spare time. The young dragon, barely eleven years old, fascinated him and he couldn''t help but look at him with cruel eyes. Seeing this little thing cowering in on itself awakened his sadistic and murderous instincts.


    What had caused the Order of Vancesia to keep the embryo was its incredible resilience and the opportunity to have a baby from a race as dangerous as the earth dragons at their disposal. However, it wasn''t in their hands that it had ended up, as the Church had taken it over shortly afterwards.


    "That scumbag dragoness must not have even known she was pregnant, from what I understand she ended up burned and her filthypanion speared both unaware she was carrying life haha~ how ironic...anyway. Ever since that thing was born, I kept experimenting by injecting him with various mana and blood from different creatures until I found the ones that werepatible !"


    Nodding at Sage, the Supreme''s right arm pounded on the cage scaring the young boy even more. With a threatening voice that was far from friendly, Sage almost shouted at the one in the cage.


    "You ! Show the King and everyone what you can do ! Hurry up or you know what''s waiting for you !"


    Without further ado, the young earth dragon closed his eyes and shook before disappearingpletely. Before the eyes of the King, the Princes, Janell, Myles and the nobles, the cage was now empty. No one understood what had just happened as this time it was the Captain of the Knights who eximed.


    "W-Where is he ?"


    He had one hand on his sword and was looking around worriedly as he slowly and surely approached Theophctus. As the Protectors and the Chief Pdin watched this scene, they couldn''t help but chuckle knowing full well what was going on. With another kick on the bars of the cage, Sage growled a newmand and before everyone, the young boy reappeared as the Supreme exined.


    "This subrace is our very first specimen borrowing magic from another. So this thing is a cross between a race of idiot chameleons yet able to disappear at will. I suggest we let our magnificent experiment travel to the Dark Forest to investigate ahead of time and infiltrate the evil grouping of these subraces if there is ! With his ability he would go unnoticed and could give us an idea of the situation without us having to risk the life of a single human !"


    "How can you be sure he won''t betray us ? And is he strong enough ?"


    The King was still skeptical, but the Supreme''s idea wasn''t all that bad. Even though he knew that the Leader of the Church would never risk proposing such a n if he wasn''t sure, he doubted. This frightened little animal was far from being an exceptional being, he was shaking, almost crying and his eyes were constantly looking at the ground. How could he seed in such a mission and especially not betray them ? Considering the life he had lived until now, it was anything but impossible.


    "Don''t worry about his strength, he is an earth dragon after all...well kind of. As for the betrayal, he won''t do it because a drug he is totally aware of is circting in his body and without his daily pills he would die in excruciating pain. Furthermore, he does not speak because we cut out his tongue when he was 5 years old, tired of hearing his cries of pain which at first were amusing. He also can''t write anything other than the alphabet I invented especially for him somunicating is impossible except with me."


    The Supreme had thought of everything and nned it all as a diabolical scheme that he had been working on for years in secret. As everyone stood in awe, Sage took his turn to speak with a proud look on his face.


    "After he leaves, if he doesn''t contact us with our birds every day, we won''t send him any pills to make sure he goes away. The n is to let him infiltrate the forest so he can keep us informed of any dangerous presence. This thing already knows that he must be looking for a simr being that appeared during the Age of Extinction, in other words : purple eyes and white hair."


    Everything had been meticulously nned and this time everyone in the room could only sit back, unable to deny this rather ingenious n. So it was decided, this mysterious boy would have to infiltrate the forest and discover the Empire standing proudly there.


    No one knew the oue of this project yet, but one thing was certain, there was one person in Elysium who did not know and could not imagine that on the day her family had perished, a small being had survived.

 Chapter 139 The Doors [The Crypt - Part XI]

    -- POV Freya --


    We had been falling for several minutes and as I let gravity do its work I kept my focus. The vertical tunnel was dark but I could easily see inside and watched everything in the hope of discovering something.


    [I hope we''re not gone for months ! You still need to contact Gaya and Shiro to let them know we''re okay, not to mention Zal who might be arriving sooner than expected !]


    *I know, Kira !...excuse me...*


    Everything she had said I knew better than anyone else and not knowing how long it had been since we hade down was driving me almost crazy. I absolutely had to contact Gaya because I couldn''t help but worry and as I was thinking, an idea suddenly came to mind.


    *If I can''t talk to them now, I can at least check their status*


    [Why don''t you contact them directly instead ?]


    *Because I want to make sure we''re safe first. What if we were suddenly attacked ? If Shiro and Gaya heard that, they wouldn''t sleep*


    [Mmh you''re right it''s better to wait but not too long...]


    As I nodded silently I opened my Empire menu to ess Gaya''s profile where a lot of information about her was gathered. What interested me was the "Physical and mental state" option, so with a deep breath I selected it in my mind.


    -- PING --


    [ Individual : Gaya (wife)


    Mental state: Average (Concerned)


    Physical state: Average (exhausted)


    Particrity(ies) : Pregnant for 1/4 month ]


    ___


    As I scanned the information about my wife, I couldn''t help but keep my eyes fixed on her mental and physical states. I never thought I would read that Gaya was so worried that she was exhausted knowing she was pregnant. How long had we been gone ? Even I had lost track of time and hours because of all these events and reading all this did not make me feel better.


    [Onee-san don''t worry, Gaya is just exhausted and worried which is totally logical right now. Before you worry, please look at my little niece''s condition.]


    *Y-Yes...*


    For a moment I had been shocked by the news but I knew that worrying was useless and my little sister was right. Unfortunately, my heart didn''t seem to hear my mind and was still acting up, causing me to be very worried. As I tried to calm myself down, as Kira had suggested, this time it was Shiro''s profile that shed before my eyes.


    ___


    [Individual : Shiro (daughter)


    Mental state: Good (worried and sad)


    Physical state: Excellent


    Particrity(ies) : ??? ]


    ___


    My little moon was mentally healthy and reading the words "worried" and "sad" gave me absolutely no pleasure but at least she was okay. As I reached the Particrity that caught my attention with those question marks, my concentration was interrupted by my little sister''s screams.


    [My little Shiro is worried and sad ! I take back everything I said, you''re totally wrong, contact them right away and too bad if something unexpected happens ! Hurry up, we have a little princess in distress and down !]


    The worst part about it was that Kira was totally serious with what she was saying. As she interacted with people other than me, her shy personality disappeared. When I had imagined her learning to be a person in her own right, I had imagined her to be rather quiet, shy, and serious, but she was theplete opposite. Today I couldn''t help but imagine a young delinquent with a big heart.


    Kira, although she could be serious and very intelligent when she needed to be, was rather a loudmouth who always said what she thought without thinking, making her sometimes adorable but also funny and scathing. It was very easy for me to imagine what my days would be like when she was free. I could already see my little sister eating or sleeping all day long and teaching Shiro lots of bad tricks while spoiling her like crazy. That moment of absence I had had had filled my heart with sweetness and as I was finally about to answer, Kira stopped me.


    [Onee-san ? Don''t tell me you fainted again when you heard the news ! Seriously, I''m not kidding you have to...]


    *Pfffhaha~ thanks, little sister*


    [Eh ?]


    Shiro was right, Kira was a real clown and at that moment my mind that was clouded with worry became lighter and calmer. I didn''t know if I was funny but she was and as we fell it wasn''t my little moon that she had madeugh but me.


    [So you''ll contact them ?]


    *Well, it looks like I don''t have time to do it right now but soon if all goes well..*


    [Why ?]


    *We''ve arrived...*


    I could smell different scents entering my nostrils as the walls beneath my paws seemed to move in different directions. Below, I could see the Commander rise up after reaching solid ground and look up to see a huge wolf charging at them. As they threw themselves out of the ce I was charging at high speed, I braced myself for the impact.


    Folding my paws slightly tond, I took the opportunity to test something I had never done before. The ground was only a few feet away when suddenly, between my fur on my back, appeared my ice wings. Unfortunately, they were far too small to support my body but still managed to slow me down before I hit the ground with all my weight.


    With a thud that shook the earth, Inded, creating a huge hole at the point of impact. As I looked up, I could hear Lynn''s scream and the othersing in at a high speed before a bed of nts took them in. Everyone was there and we had finally reached the end of the long ck hole. As I looked around like the others, Kira questioned me.


    [Hmm, what was that ? The ambient mana is even lower here, not to mention your gigantic wolf size. You weren''t thinking of flying, were you ?]


    *Ahem...well, it was a test, but now I can actually give up the idea of manipting mana here. How is it possible that there''s almost no mana ?*


    The ce we were in was dark and cavernous but there were no pirs in sight, no creatures or traps. The room was veryrge as well but what was different from other times was that there was water everywhere as if we had justnded in an undergroundke. Severalrge stone tforms resembling inds were scattered about and ours seemed to be one of thergest.


    The air was damp, almost heavy, and the more I looked at the water the stranger it seemed. It was dark, like everything else here, but a strange odor wafted from it like a mixture of sulfur and alcohol, assaulting my nostrils. As I thought, Nixia''s voice bounced off the walls in an incredibly loud echo, startling her.


    "No one touch that liquid, it''s a powerful acid ! My species is very familiar with this kind of dangerous environment...it looks like a swamp...of stone."


    At her words, everyone instinctively moved away from the edge of our stone tform with a worried look on their faces. Ralph, who had almost dipped a finger in, quickly withdrew it before standing up and looking around to see if anyone had seen her.


    [Pfff~ I probably would have done the same thing...]


    As I imagined Ralph and Kira bing best friends, the hairs on my back began to tingle. Shaking my head to get the thought out of my mind, I spoke up. All seemed quiet for the moment, and there was no sign of a dangerous presence or aplex room hiding a deadly mechanism.


    "You all stay here and rest, I''m going to go and have a look around ! Be careful and always stay together !"


    "But your Highness we..."


    "You''ve done a great job so far, it''s time to take a breather."


    Without saying another word, I stared into Ynir''s grey eyes intently and as she bowed I could see her trembling slightly. She was exhausted as were all the others and the most important thing right now was their health. We were once again at the back of the room so the only way I could go was straight ahead.


    *I''ll make a return trip and then contact Gaya right after*


    [Good idea !]


    Taking onest look at my soldiers who were now all sitting on the ground in relief, I walked towards the bottom of the cave. The only way to get through was to jump from tform to tform and every time my paws touched the stone, it cracked dangerously.


    [Onee-san, if you continue like this you will destroy thempletely when you return.]


    *I know, but I''m not going to take my humanoid form now, I wanted to wait until I reached the wall. It''s really inconvenient to have to do it away from the others...*


    I couldn''t use the ambient mana to create some kind of armor, nor could I create walls without using my MP. So the best solution was to get away from the group and since I was going to explore the ce quickly it was perfect. As I jumped over thest few inds, the back of the room finally appeared and in front of me stood two huge doors.


    The closer I got, the more I perceived traces of mana in the air and swirling around these two structures. More than doors, they were tworge openings with carved edges, carved into the rock. When I looked inside, despite my eyes I could see nothing and the darkness that remained seemed eternal, hypnotic and dangerous.


    [Don''t tell me... to continue we have to choose one of them ?]


    *It seems. On the other hand, there is magic involved because something is preventing me from seeing what is beyond, as if to keep me in the dark. The analysis doesn''t reveal anything either...*


    [But then, how do you know ?]


    *I don''t know yet but we have time to think about it this time*


    For the moment there was no imminent danger, no threat around and my ears were not picking up any suspicious sounds. As I changed back to my humanoid form while bringing outpletely ck clothing from my chaos storage space. So I was wearing pants, a ck shirt, my katana which was also stored there, gloves and ck boots.


    I wore neither cloak nor crown as in a ce like this it was not appropriate and as I made some movements with my body to stretch it, I sat down in front of those two doors. It was time to contact my wife before joining the others and check on my status, which must have changed a bit by now.


    -- PING --


    [ Contacting Gaya telepathically ]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [ YES/NO ]


    ___


    [Why don''t you contact Shiro too ?]


    *Because I don''t know what time it is outside, if it''s dark I wouldn''t want to scare her by suddenly waking her up because you''re screaming her name in her mind kufufu~*


    As I mentally answered yes, I could feel that very special connection in my mind again. It was still a very special feeling, with the same two golden threads connecting Kira and I to my wife. After a few seconds, I felt that themunication had been well established as I took a deep breath. I didn''t know why but I was stressing about hearing Gaya''s voice and felt like a young girl ready to be scolded.


    "M-My love ?"


    "AAAAAAAH !!! HOLY SHIT I ALMOST HIT A TREE...FREYA ??!!!"


    At that moment, it was not a soft, worried voice that answered me but a breathless, surprised and slightly angry one. My wife was not expecting to hear me and even seemed to have a near heart attack from the surprise.


    [Mmmh indeed I see what you mean...even Gaya is traumatized]


    "FREYA, KIRA IS THAT YOU ?"


    "Yes ! I''m sorry we couldn''t..."


    "Oh my god thank you thank you ! I was so worried I couldn''t sleep, you said you would contact me the night you left and yet neither Shiro nor I heard from you so I...I didn''t know what to do I was lost. At the time I wasn''t too worried but hearing nothing from you all day today too ended up driving me crazy, I was so worried, I cried, I tried everything to rx but nothing did I was terrified and even though I knew you were still alive I couldn''t help but want to join you badly !"


    My wife was talking at an amazing speed without pausing and rarely taking a breath. My mind was flooded with her words and I could only listen to what she was saying with an embarrassed smile that only my family had ever seen on my face. I had missed her voice and as my heart filled with an indescribable warmth, several things suddenly struck me. I had been so happy to hear my wife''s voice that I almost didn''t listen, but now everything she had said wasing back to my brain.


    "Wait...you said a night and a day ? And then you mentioned a tree ? Why would you take a tree ?"


    The sentence she had uttered at the end of her long monologue was spinning in my mind and at that moment I was afraid to find out what she had to say to me. Join me ? She wasn''t speaking literally, was she ? My questions were followed by a long silence before finally Gaya''s voice echoed in my mind.


    "I...well...when you contacted me I had just left Elysium on my way to Syn Forest..."


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 150 000 / 150 000 MP : 75 000 / 75 000


    Strength : 510


    Defense : 510


    Agility : 516


    Endurance: 513


    Speed : 512


    Intelligence: 510


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 140 The Strength Of A Family [The Crypt - Part XII]

    -- POV Freya --


    "I...well...when you contacted me I had just left Elysium on my way to Syn Forest...


    "Excuse me ?"


    Gaya''s words echoed in my mind and buzzed in my ears. I wasn''t sure if I had heard them correctly as I was going through various emotions. Did my wife really want to leave ? Was she really going to leave Shiro ? What about the Empire ? I couldn''t for the life of me understand how Gaya could drop everything to join me, no matter how sweet the gesture.


    "You...I...sigh, for starters we''re fine, it''s hard to exin but everything is fine. Now...we left a day and a half ago and you''re already outside the Empire ? My love, I understand that you''re worried but shouldn''t you have waited a bit before deciding ? We left on an expedition that could take us anywhere, I wouldn''t always have the opportunity to contact you and then our bond means...you know if I''m still alive."


    I didn''t want to hurt her or scold her, but I didn''t want Gaya to get into such a state. Easier said than done, I knew that very well, but I didn''t want her to take the risk of going away to look for me, leaving everything behind, without even thinking about the baby she was carrying. If there was one person in all of Elysium who was not to be worried about, it was me, and yet she had acted without thinking.


    How could I stand it if something happened to Gaya when I was fine ? I had left without her so that she could rest while running the Empire and be with our daughter, not so that she could swoop in and put herself in danger on a whim. At that moment I felt angry but for some unknown reason, not at Gaya but at myself. As I sighed, my wife''s voice this time was soft and even rather weak.


    "I...excuse me. I felt our bonds weaken for a few minutes and...the thought of losing you was driving me crazy. I know I have responsibilities, a baby in my belly and there''s Shiro but I couldn''t think otherwise. My whole being was screaming at me to get to you no matter what, like it was a primal need. I''m sorry."


    [Onee-san, this may be one of the effects of your bond and especially the dragon pact. We don''t know the effects, but based on the importance of this act, it''s possible that a bonded dragon could be prone to such impulses. Remember, your physical proximity yed a very important role in Gaya''s healing in the very beginning. I wouldn''t find it odd if, conversely, the distance and weakening of your bond triggered an instinctive urge.]


    As Kira finished speaking, I realized that I hadn''t considered that option at all and that she was most likely right. That said, it didn''t help me calm down because either way, no matter why, Gaya was out and luckily I had contacted her just as she was leaving the Empire. Why had she left alone ? In my logic, she should have at least been apanied. As I made a note to check all this out, I spoke again.


    "It''s okay, nothing happened to you that''s the main thing but I would like you to stay safe from now on okay ? I don''t want to order anything or force you to do anything, it''s just a request. My love...please take care of yourself and our baby...don''t make a hasty decision like this..."


    "Y-Yes I understand, I''m sorry again and I promise honey. I realize it was very stupid of me and impulsive. Please know that I miss you..."


    "You too..."


    After these few exchanges I was already feeling more relieved and apart from her intervention to defend Gaya, Kira had remained silent out of respect. However, feeling that the subject was closed, it didn''t take long before her voice resounded again in our minds.


    [Gaya, is it night ? Where''s Shiro ?]


    "Well yes it''s night but it won''t be long before daylightes and by the time it''s noon it will be two days since you left. As for Shiro, she is currently sleeping in her bed, Lia is spending time with her little brother Hans and her family, so Triss is in charge of watching over her. I was nning toe back in the morning but it looks like I don''t need to, but don''t worry she''s fine."


    As I had imagined, my little moon was in the realm of dreams of which she was also unequivocally the Princess. My little sister and I knew that we were not going to wake her up, especially after seeing how worried and sad she was. I wanted my daughter to rest because when she woke up my wife would be able to tell her that everything was fine until I contacted her again. This conversation lifted my spirits and the joy could be felt in my response.


    "You''re fine, she''s fine that''s a relief ! I''ll try to contact you again in a few hours to talk to her even though we have no concept of the time we are in.."


    Once again I felt lost in my thoughts and although hearing my wife''s voice had made me happy, my heart still pinched. For the first time, after experiencing intense events, a fierce fight, the urge to hug Gaya and Shiro helplessly tortured me inside.


    It was harder than I wanted to admit, both my determination to seed in reaching them was burning but so was the fact that I missed them. As I slowly stood up still facing the two doors, my wife''s voice had be more serious and now it was her turn to ask the questions.


    "Honey I don''t want to bother you any longer because you''re busy and knowing you''re all okay is enough for me but before you go, tell me why our bonds wavered yesterday ?"


    I hadn''t yet told her what had happened since we arrived in the clearing and the tree, so I hurried to exin everything in detail. We''d only been talking for a few minutes, so I could take the time to tell her about our adventures...or misadventures. I didn''t leave anything out, I didn''t want to lie or hide the truth and even if the beginning was hard, we were all fine. After telling everything from the beginning, Gaya remained silent.


    She seemed to be thinking about everything I had just said and assimting all the information. What we''d been through so far was no small thing, and since we''d arrived, none of the questions had been answered yet, and the list was even getting longer. Why did this ce look like a whole game ? We didn''t even know what we were looking for or what we would find but strange things were happening here. Then, after many minutes, my wife''s sweet voice came to caress my ears.


    "If the ce where you are is made this way, then there is clearly something important hidden at the end of the journey. These ordeals would then serve to prove that you are worthy of taking that thing whatever it is. However, I can''t figure out why such a powerful Demon was there... there are very few of them in the north of the continent, if any, so what was he doing there ? There might be others."


    All the questions my wife was asking me had already crossed my mind a long time ago and I didn''t have the answers. Everything was strange and at that moment I did not want to talk about it unless I felt like a migraine was taking over my brain. My little sister, who seemed to have understood, spoke up to answer Gaya.


    [For the time being, this is a mystery to us as well, but we''ll figure it out eventually. As soon as we know more we''ll let you know, you can count on us !]


    "Mmmh, thank you Kira but please take good care of yourself !"


    [Of course !]


    "I promise !"


    I knew that Gaya and Shiro were fine, and the time to say goodbye was approaching, for I had to go back to my soldiers and tell them what I had discovered in the back of that room. As I spoke to say goodbye, I had not finished my sentence when my wife cut me off.


    "My love, we have to go, we have to..."


    "Honey wait ! I have something to tell you both haha~"


    Her voice was cheerful, almost singing, and it was easy to tell that she had something important to tell us that made her happy. Kira, who was curious to hear the news, hurried to rush Gaya, too impatient to wait.


    [Tell us, tell us !]


    "Haha~ yes then...this morning when I woke up even though I didn''t sleep much my..."


    "Yes ?"


    [Your ?]


    We were hanging on her every word and I knew for a fact that Gaya was keeping us waiting on purpose for the suspense. We could almost hear her chuckling as she finally told us what she had to say.


    "My...my belly has grown slightly, time flies and our baby is growing so fast hehe~!"


    As she spoke these words I was speechless as I ran the image of my wife''s belly beginning to form over and over. I had never experienced the pregnancy of anyone, let alone the person I had fallen in love with, and once again many emotions were colliding in my heart.


    "You...that''s great my love, I would have so loved to see that !"


    I was happy, so happy to know that everything was going well for this new being who in less than four months would be in my arms. The more time passed, the more I was sure that the next tears I would shed would be for this baby.


    [The new star in our family is going to be born healthy, it''s super cool !]


    "Yes...I have to admit, it did give me a little something when I found out."


    Gaya''s voice was filled with a motherly sweetness and love that I knew well and that melted my heart. I was standing in front of two mysterious doors in a dark, damp, acid-filled ce but I was smiling like a fool. At that moment, I could only say three words to my wife in order to convey this wave of love, happiness and excitement that was invading my mind.


    "I love you.."


    "Me too honey...I love you"


    It was now time to say goodbye until I could contact Gaya again in a few hours when our daughter would be awake. Despite the dark ce we were in, I felt good, calm, happy and full of energy.


    "My love, we must go..."


    "I understand, I''ll wait for you to link us telepathically again, we miss you and definitely don''t forget to be careful please okay ?"


    Her tone was full of concern, love and confidence that always made me shiver. Sometimes I couldn''t believe that I had married the most beautiful dragoness in the world, the most formidable, and as my heart pounded, Kira would answer her just before me. Her voice had that little tinge of humor we were all used to by now, but we also knew it was her way of being sincere.


    [Don''t worry my dear sister-inw, I''ll take care of the Empress much more than she can herself pffhaha~! Anyway...uh...don''t worry.]


    "And I''ll take care of that little clown I have as my little sister kufufu~"


    [See ? Everything''s goin'' w... what ?]


    Ourughter filled all three of our minds as we finished themunication much more serenely than it had begun. As I sighed, I felt the thread of our manas connected to our minds break as I took a deep breath. The silence in my head returned, and in this cut-off ce I could still imagine the radiant smile and hear the enchantingughter of my wife ringing in my ears.


    [Don''t worry, we might find them sooner than you think ! Cheer up ! Look, am I letting myself down because I couldn''t hear the sweet voice of my little bun ? Actually... YES! Buuuuut, isn''t that what will keep us going with more determination and strength ? Hell yeah that''s the strength of a family haha~!]


    Kira was right, in the end, since I had a family, they were the ones who kept me going. I hade to this world with the goal of protecting the oppressed races from the humans and I hadn''t forgotten that, but...today what I wanted most in the world was a ce free of discrimination, violence and death so that my daughter and future baby could grow up happy.<novelnext></novelnext>


    I wanted my family to be safe and for all like-minded people to have a chance at happiness. The she-wolf that I was had not turned into a harmless little puppy because I was still determined to do the right thing even if I had to be a monster. However, my icy heart had opened up and changed the "why" I was fighting.


    *Sigh, I''ll always wonder how you manage to be both funny and serious little sister haha~*


    [Well, I''ve been cultivating this art for a while now hehe~ Come on, let''s go back to the others !]


    I left the two huge doors behind, knowing that I would return to them, this time with my soldiers. This telepathic conversation had lifted my spirits, and Kira''s daily presence was like a breath of fresh air to me. Jumping from islet to islet to find those waiting for me, my smile was gone, reced by my cold, distant face as I made my way to where we had all arrived.


    Soon we would venture into one of those two doors and hopefully find out what was hidden in this crypt that was no longer one. What was toe might be even more difficult than what we had already experienced, but I was not afraid, I was confident and determined to return to my Empire and those I loved because after all...wasn''t that the strength of a family ? Of Love.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 150 000 / 150 000 MP : 75 000 / 75 000


    Strength : 510


    Defense : 510


    Agility : 516


    Endurance: 513


    Speed : 512


    Intelligence: 510


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 141 Doubts And Wrath [The Crypt - Part XIII]

    -- POV Freya --


    I came back from the back of the room and on the islet where we hadnded, just below the great vertical tunnel, were my soldiers and my horse. I had been gone only a few minutes, and yet their faces showed unprecedented relief at the sight of me. They were all sitting up and looking more serene, and as I finally reached their heights, the Commanders were almost throwing themselves at me for information.


    "Your Highness ! Is this a new room with traps ?"


    "How much time do we have ?"


    "Can we rest a few hours ?"


    Ralph, Luna, and Trioa were the first to arrive, and while they asked me all the questions they could think of, I sat down. At that moment, everyone was sitting in front of me, even Inferno, making me feel like a school teacher in front of her students. I didn''t even have to speak, there was already silence.


    "On the other side of this...room, there is nothing but two huge doors imprinted with mana. To continue you have to choose one or the other, but it''s impossible to know what''s behind them. There are different inscriptions around each of them that look ancient, I can''t read them but maybe it will speak to some of you. We''ll goter, there''s no other bigger tform so we''ll stay there for a few hours."


    "Ho-How do we organize ourselves ?"


    Pulling everything they needed out of my storage space I replied.


    "For now rx, we are exploring you don''t have to be so formal. We have plenty to eat so rest up, I''ll get back to youter, we need to discuss the levels of all of you."


    "Yes, Your Highness !"


    Now that we were quieter, we had to check on everyone''s progress since their fight with the horde. I wanted to do itter to give them a break and also because I had a lot of things to do. I had attribute points to distribute, a title and changes to discover. Turning to the Commanders, I exined that I was going to set up on the tform in front of them so as not to disturb them.


    "I have a lot of things to check on my system, I''m going to position myself right over there so I won''t be in the way if my body undergoes any sudden changes. If there''s anything, you can just let me know, after all I''m not too far away."


    "Yes Empress !"


    As I nodded, all of the Commanders and Lieutenants had stood and bowed, obviously still too respectful to act more freely. Lynn had greeted me awkwardly and I could tell she didn''t seem to understand the system. The young subus was not one of those I had entrusted with the secret and that was fine, the time to have a discussion with her woulde.


    After waving back at them, I turned to jump onto the islet a few feet away. I really wasn''t far if not just next to them but there was enough space. Even in my wolf form I could hold on so if I identally took it, there would be no problem. As I sat back down on the ground, Inferno walked to the edge of the tform where my soldiers were before jumping off.


    [Wow ! He really likes you !]


    *I have to believe yes kufufu~ but the more time passes, the more I wonder what he really is...I''ll analyze him*


    [I''m curious too]


    Until today, I had never analyzed my ck stallion because although he seemed to have some intelligence, I had not found it necessary. However, since we had gone underground, I had watched him and hade to the conclusion that Inferno must be really special. He hadn''t shaken in the face of the Nightmare horde, he hadn''t run away from the Demon''s aura, and he had remained calm in the previous room just like me.


    ____


    [Name : Inferno


    Race : Mirror Horse


    Element : x (pending)


    Lvl 9/10


    HP 1 000 / 1 000


    Strength: 70


    Defence: 58


    Agility : 73


    Stamina: 80


    Speed: 85 ]


    ____


    As I looked at Inferno''s status I couldn''t help but shake my head. My horse was definitely anything but normal and I wasn''t at all surprised.


    *It seems that no human has discovered that our dear Inferno has something extra. Without a system it''s impossible to know so even if some mercenaries had doubts, they died with it*


    [ Mirror Horse : race linked to its master. If thetter can use mana, during the next evolution, if it is close, the Mirror Horse will evolve at the same time, partially changing its race to match that of its master ]


    *Oh~ interesting ! That said, he''s never been registered in my system, maybe because we have to wait for an evolution. For now he''s still special, but its true potential is yet to be discovered*


    [So you have to wait !]


    For the moment I couldn''t do anything and as Kira had said all I could do was wait and see what Inferno would be. It was possible that I would evolve quite quickly, which was both good and bad news. Evolution meant deadly creatures and to reach level 70, I had to fight a lot of them or a few more powerful than me.


    Something told me it would be the second option especially after my first fight with that level 40 Demon. I wasn''t normally averse to such a situation but I wasn''t alone and that''s why this wasn''t necessarily good news. If such a case were to arise, I must not repeat the same pattern and fall asleep because the further we went, the more dangerous the area became.


    I had no right to fail to protect them or to return with the knowledge that this ce hid. I trusted everyone, but Lynn''s unexpected presence, the dangerous events from the beginning and the pressure made it difficult. Basically I wasn''t afraid for myself but for those with me because if even I was apprehensive about what wasing next, some of them must have been terrified.


    I didn''t worry much about my Commanders, as they had been able to keep their cool and I didn''t doubt their ability to handle the group if I found myself busy fighting. Shaking my head to focus, I put those thoughts aside forter. For now, it was time to check my status and changes and as I was about to open my system page, Kira showed up.


    [By the way, I didn''t ask you, but are you feeling better ? I thought you were going to get angry earlier when Gaya told you she was out]


    *That''s true, but I''m sure Gaya is totally aware that what she did was...irresponsible. Also, need I remind you that when I''m angry my hair turns white ? kufufu~*


    [That''s right, I''ve never had the opportunity to see you like this before, but you must look like Shiro...I don''t know if it''s a coincidence, but it''s crazy !]


    As Kira finished her sentence I stopped short, remembering something important. I remembered those question marks I had seen when I was checking on my daughter. I had thought it was odd, but I couldn''t find out more because the system hadn''t allowed me to see anything other than what I had already seen.<novelnext></novelnext>


    *Kira, even though I think I know the answer, do you know why Shiro had question marks as "paticrity" ? I still haven''t looked at her entire status because I thought she was too young to have a element listed but there....*


    [Mmmh unfortunately I can''t help you. However, I think it''s either something you can''t see with your skill, which is weird...or Shiro hasn''t unlocked that element yet. Maybe indeed her age has something to do with it but maybe not]


    I could always check because my little moon was registered in my Empire menu and I only had to select her name to ess her information. Kira seemed to have guessed what I wanted to do and suddenly in front of me, Shiro''s page was disyed for the first time.


    ____


    [Name : Shiro


    Age: 5 and a half


    Gender: Female


    Race : Hybrid (Wolf x ???)


    Element : ??? (not awake)


    Lvl 2/10


    HP : 1 500 / 1 500


    MP : 200 / 42 000


    Strength : 25


    Defence: 36


    Agility : 28


    Stamina : 25


    Speed : 23


    Unlock the rest when the individual has unlocked her element ]


    ____


    Again, those same question marks appeared and no matter how much I tried to use analysis on them it was impossible to get anything out of them. I didn''t have ess to her power or her skills because at the moment she didn''t have any, but what I saw was enough. Not only had I just learned that my daughter was in fact a hybrid, but her second race was blocked.


    *She''s...she''s a hybrid*


    [Y-Yes...this is unexpected news, Shiro just beat Inferno...]


    I knew that the color of her hair was unique, but I was far from imagining that the exnation was perhaps linked to her origins. Besides, what element could she control ? Usually I could see the element after a certain age when the mana flowed more easily in the body but here, nothing. While I was trembling at this news, Kira who was more familiar with the system gave me her opinion.


    [It''s quite strange, normally the Empress system gives you ess to all the information rted to this world, and yet. When I was the program''s helper, I never knew about this kind of possibility. The system must not have a problem which means there is only one exnation even if it seems crazy to me...]


    *Tell me...*


    Many things were strange not to mention her very high HP for her age and level which were anything but ordinary. I still hadn''t begun to deal with my own status when news after news was thrown at me in a new mystery. Would it never end ? Could the answer my little sister would give me exin why my little moon seemed so...unique ?


    [Freya... if the system can''t analyze this information on its own, then there must be something else blocking its abilities. Something more... powerful]


    *But wait...the system was given to me by Titania, the very Goddess who created this world, what could be more powerful huh ? Isn''t this more of a mistake ? The system that in the end isn''t as perfect as it seems isn''t it ? Haha~ I''m sure that''s it !*


    For the first time I was panicking, with everything that had been going ontely, this information was thest straw. I already had to find out why Kleisaria was going to be destroyed, why I had been sent back in time, who I really was, and now even more. Now the mystery of this ce was thickening, already giving us a lot to think about, and now Inferno was special, and my daughter was on top of the list of mysteries to solve.


    [Calm down onee-san, it''s just a theory, I could be wrong, but it''s what made the most sense to me. It would also exin why her "Specialness", second race and element are hidden]


    This theory opened new doors, like pandora''s boxes that I never wanted to open. The more time passed, the more I had the impression that I had embarked on something that was beyond me. At that moment everything was getting more and more mixed up in my head, at that moment I was braving the danger under the instructions of a Goddess who was not even able to give me a single answer.


    *Wait wait stop...you''re not telling me that Shiro...could be as powerful as a Goddess ? At least enough to confuse the system that knows this world inside and out. Doesn''t that mean Titania isn''t the only one ?*


    [N-No but...aaaah I don''t know, this is all too weird !]


    Was arger and deeper trap closing on me ? Was I ying the game of a Goddess or of many ? My brain was literally burning as the air began to turn cold. I could hear my teeth grinding and the more I thought about it the more my blood began to boil. As I dreamed of smashing Titania''s head into the ground, Kira''s worried voice snapped me out of my murderous thoughts.


    [Onee-san ! You know what ? Let''s just wait for her to awaken her element, then we''ll have more information. Calm down, you have every right to be upset, but for now, let''s just focus, one thing at a time. For now, let''s finish exploring this ce, level you and the others up before wee back]


    I could hear her words but this time I couldn''t calm down, I couldn''t exin everything that was going through me at that moment but it was very intense. In a situation like this, my intelligence was double-edged because my mind was spinning at an impressive speed. So many theories, questions, anger, iprehension were invading my head without me being able to stop them.


    Was the Goddess on my side ? Why hadn''t she told me about all this ? What was this world ? Was Shiro really special ? Why was Titania sleeping ? What were her secrets and real motives ? What had she done ? Was she the only Goddess ? Who was I ? Was I following the ns of someone pulling the strings in the shadows ? Why me ? Was everything I was living a dream that would end soon ?


    I shook with rage at the thought of being a pawn. I hadn''t left my shitty life to find a new extraordinary one destined to be taken away from me. At that very moment, paranoia gripped me as I doubted my entire existence. It was inexplicable and there was nothing I could do about it, my anger for Titania was far too great.


    [Onee-san your aura !!]


    I didn''t want to listen, I couldn''t...my heart was clenching, my muscles were tensing, I was unconsciously starting to growl and the colding out of my body was soothing. My mind was filled with resentment, I wanted to destroy, kill and vent and as my mind wandered, my old demons resurfaced. No matter what I said, the thought of losing everything I already had frightened me, terrified me.


    Kira''s theory may not have been right, but deep down I knew it was far more possible than I wanted to imagine. As I let my emotions flow through my body, one thing was certain: no one would take my family, my daughter, my wife, my little sister, and my life away from me. At that moment, something was triggered in me as an unhealthy urge to take over the world ran through me. I wanted to cause chaos, to seize my destiny, I wanted...more power.


    [...nee...sa...o...!]


    My vision was blurring and everything around me was silent, I could only hear the sound of my growls and my heart racing. I wasn''t as strong as I thought I was and finally my deepest fears had returned to darken my soul. Suddenly, a notification appeared in front of me that I barely read, ovee by a state I could no longer control.


    [ Activation of the title : Empress of the three colors ]

 Chapter 142 The True Demon Within [Interlude II]

    -- POV General --


    In the forest of Syn there was a clearing where a magnificent tree stood proudly, majestic, as white as crystal, magical and even seemingly eternal. The moon shone down on this wonderful, quiet ce where the wind whispered softly in the night. Under the starry sky, there was a soothing and unique atmosphere, but thousands of meters below it was not the case.


    If one went deep into the earth...very deep, the cool air was no longer cool but heavy, the moonlight no longer shone, and was even reced by darkness. The ce was far from magical and in one of the deepest rooms, a young woman was undergoing changes. In a ce almost cut off from the world, the Empress of Elysium had entered an unknown state.


    Freya, who until now had remained calm, had not been able to control the outpouring of feelings that had suddenly flooded into her mind and heart. It had all started from nothing, but it had all happened so fast that in a moment, for the first time, the she-wolf was no longer acting on her own. Something had been triggered in her, something different and moreplex.


    Unlike when she lost control and activated her Domain of the Ice Empress - Frozen Wrath- skill, her hair hadn''t turned white and no frozen domain had been activated. What was different was that this time, Freya had just acquired a new title that had activated preventing her anger skill from being activated in the first ce. Why had her title activated ?


    It had activated because in the moment the she-wolf had lost control, she had not only been angry but more than that. In that moment she had wished for power, for destruction, for chaos activating her Demon side once again as it fed on her darkest desires. Since it had awakened, Freya hadn''t been aware of it yet but now she possessed every feature of her course.


    The title "Empress of the three colors" was nothing more than proof that the Empress had finally reached the potential of her course. Her evolution would continue as normal, but now the she-wolf could ess all her powers. All the feelings that had been mixing inside her had broken thest barrier to discovering who she really was.


    "Empress !"


    "Your Highness !!"


    "What''s going on ?"


    The Lieutenants watching the scene were panicked and didn''t know what was going on but the Commanders kept their calm. They knew their Empress was a special person and waited patiently, ready to act at any moment. As the Commanders signaled to the others to calm down, the heavy air of the humid cave became even heavier as everyone concentrated on not passing out.


    Everyone''s eyes were on Freya, and while some were more afraid than others, no one knew what was going on. The mana was surging around her like a colorful and powerful dance. The Empress in the air in the middle of this storm did not tremble and let the waves carry her along.


    Freya was floating several feet above the ground and almost touching the ceiling. For the first time, the mana normally invisible to others was now clearly visible. The she-wolf''s mana swirled around her in three distinct colors: white, ck and red. As a powerful wind stirred the acid beneath her, Freya seemed to be asleep, her long ck hair billowing but her face not moving.


    Freya had been born a wolf but what she really was now, was an Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos. She wasn''t undergoing any evolution because she had always had those sides to her since birth so nothing would change. All the pieces of Freya''s being were finallying together, letting her true potential, her true power emerge. Suddenly, one by one the light entered her from her heart as her eyes still closed she didn''t even seem to breathe.


    The white mana representing her main element apanying her since the beginning was the first to sneak into the chest of the she-wolf. The air suddenly turned cold as it did so and for the second time and for all to see, her hair turned as white and pure as the moon. An icy coldness swirled through the room as the color carrying her anger, her coldness, her sincerity, her love finally disappearedpletely in her body.


    ck mana was the second to enter Freya''s heart as the atmosphere changed. Coming from Chaos, it represented its second element but also its hypnotic side, like Limbo or the Abyss, unfathomable, unperturbed and mysterious. A ck veil now fogged the room while once again, the Empress'' hair returned to its original color.


    Red mana was the most unfamiliar to Freya as she had never really had to deal with her demon side before. However, for some reason yet unknown the mana particles were denser, more numerous and inspired terror and death. Unlocked since her battle with the Nightmare Demon and fully activated thanks to the title, a unique Demon was born before the eyes of her soldiers.


    The moment her title had been activated, her desires for destruction and domination had been mixed with the cruelty, sadism, and anger in her heart. This deep desire to be the master of her destiny and her wish to have more power had pushed the Empress down a path that even the Goddess had not foreseen. In that moment, the unique being that was Freya, through her determination and anger, had embraced all of these feelings without resistance which was the key to opening a new path.


    As the red manapletely enveloped the Empress, for the first time her ck hair turned blood red. Her horns grewrger, her tattoos repeated the same demonic symbols covering her face while her nails and teeth became as sharp and deadly as daggers. The air that had be cold and then heavy was now incredibly hot, suffocating as the Empress remained motionless in the air.


    Each color meant more than it seemed, and each one represented Freya, who she was at her core, beyond even the system. It wasn''t just about race or course, but about her entire being. Her personality, her powers, her soul, her body, her entire existence was held in three shades. The title was only useful once and had activated...now Freya was finally in tune with herself.


    Every particle of mana belonging to one of her peculiarities, was now flowing through her body while the Empress stood still. The soldiers on the tform next to her were all lying on the ground, covering their heads to protect themselves but still watching. Everything had be calmer, the air was no longer stuffy and the temperature had returned to normal, as everyone watched the she-wolf, no one saw certain red particles enter Inferno.


    Suddenly, Freya began to tremble as if convulsed, and this time, each form she had taken returned one after the other at an incredible speed. In front of the worried soldiers scrolled, the Empress of Ice with hair as white as the moon, the She-wolf of chaos with hair as ck as the night and the deadly Demoness with hair as red as blood, as red as...the sun. In the minds of the Commanders and Lieutenants, the Empress of Elysium alone was the Moon, the Night and the Sun.


    ___


    -- POV Freya --


    I didn''t know what was going on, but right after I got lost in the emotions that had overwhelmed me, I was in an unknown ce. Just like when I had that dream a few days ago but this time it was different because I didn''t feel the same things. I felt incredibly good, at peace as if all my negative thoughts had disappeared at once and my body could move.


    The ce was quiet and there was nothing around me except a field of what looked like crystal balls, sometimes white, sometimes ck. What was also strange was that the more time I spent in this ce the more I began to recognize it. I was still in my body but I was traveling in my own mind and those crystal balls were my memories. I couldn''t exin how but I knew.


    *Kira ?*


    My sister was not there as I imagined her to be, for I was in the depths of my mind, in the depths of my soul where no one could ever set foot. Walking through these balls, a particrly dark and foggy one caught my eye. Kneeling down, I instinctively put my hand on it before my mind was sucked away and the still painful images scrolled before me.


    I was reying the day my father had beaten me for simply asking for something to eat. I was watching the scene like a movie and the little girl in front of me with the purple eyes swollen from crying and the body full of bruises...that was me. My father''s voice seemed to shake the walls and even now it made me sick as he spat in my face and screamed.


    "Get out ! You''re useless ! Why the fuck did that bitch have to make me such an ipetent, weird kid ? Go cry somewhere else and if you''re hungry just eat your shit ! If youe back I''ll put your eyes out ! Tsk...seriously what''s with the cursed look ?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    At these words, I broke the ck ball in my hands, making mee out of this memory instantly as my hands trembled. The next moment, it reappeared at my feet as new, because after all, I could never forget these events, even if they were buried deep in my heart.


    *That... that bastard ! I should have killed him with my own hands !


    Calming me down, another small globe drew my attention right next to it but unlike the first one, this one was white and shiny. Putting my hand on it once more I found myself this time on the roof of a house and in front of me I saw myself sitting with a little girl on myp that I knew very well. It was night, our ck and white hair as hypnotic as the night and the moon above us, floating in the wind under this starry night that I would never forget.


    "So from today, you will be Shiro. Wear that name with pride throughout your life and be proud of who you are."


    I could see myself hugging Shiro as she snuggled into my embrace with an innocent smile before saying one of the words that had changed my life.


    "Mommy..."


    The next moment I was thrown out of that memory and this time my hands were shaking not with anger but with emotion. I had seen the night of the Yarlford Festival again, where my destiny had been linked to that wonderful little being, my daughter. One by one I touched each crystal ball beside me, sending me into a flood of memories, some happy, some sad.


    The white ones seemed to be my happy memories and I could see my meeting with Gaya, my mind registering it as joyful despite our rather cold and violent first exchange. There was also the day Kira became my little sister, my meeting with Shiro, the creation of my Empire, my wedding, the announcement of the baby and many others. I was reliving every emotion, every sensation and the further I went, the more I felt the tears rising.


    The ck ones, on the other hand, were my most violent, sad and harsh memories of my entire life. I saw my childhood, my problems, my weaknesses, and how I went from an innocent child to a heartless leader of a mafia organization. All the times I was beaten by my parents, humiliated, hungry and weak. I felt every blow I was dealt, every wound that was inflicted on me and the pain that tore and broke my heart more than my body.


    Not surprisingly, all the ck balls were almost all connected to my past life and the white balls to my new one where there was everything I had never had before. As I stood up shakily still in the middle of the crystal ball field, I looked as far as I could but there was nothing but this as far as the eye could see. As I took a deep breath, I noticed something new. A little further on, there was debris that was neither white nor ck but red.


    I had no idea what the memories were, and the closer I got, the more the broken pieces began to shake. As I reached out to touch them, they suddenly came together, forming a single bright red ball muchrger than the others. My fingers were not yet touching the smooth ss but for some reason, I hesitated. This thing seemed to be calling to me and a strangely familiar feeling emanated from it but something inside me told me that once I put my hand on it, there would be no turning back.


    *...let''s go...*


    With a sure and determined gesture, I finally ced my hand on thatrge globe and once again my mind was sucked into a memory I could not wait to discover. What memory of my two lives could have this hue ? While I was asking myself this question, I finally arrived at a ce that told me absolutely nothing at first sight. Unlike the other visions, this memory was hazy and dark as if it had been erased or forgotten.


    I could not tell where I was and as I looked around I could not help but wonder if I was hallucinating. I could not see well but it seemed that I was in a dark and hot ce where only torches of fire were burning. Suddenly a shaky voice sounded behind me, startling me just before I turned around in a hurry.


    "Please...I...please your Majesty !!"


    I didn''t dare move forward yet and as I squinted my eyes, I could see the person who had just begged. He had the wings of a bat, the feet of a bull and the horns of a goat...he was a Demon. He was on his knees, shaking like a leaf, and as he waited another, colder voice sounded.


    "No mercy for traitors !"


    In front of this traitor, I discovered another figure rising from her throne after she had spoken these words. I was behind and had not seen her at first as she was hidden by the seat but now there were two people in this memory. The voice was cold and scathing and the person who had just spoken them, even from behind, let me see some of her features as her voice echoed again.


    "Yet you know that one of the things I hate most...is betrayal !"


    Her words made me unconsciously smile despite the situation because I totally agreed with her because I said that as often and at that moment, I felt no pity for the poor Demon.


    This woman had long ck hair with a red streak at the back of her head,rge horns adorned her forehead and an unbelievably powerful and familiar aura emanated from her body. I couldn''t see her face and like the unfortunate man on his knees, I had no idea who it could be. The memory told me absolutely nothing and yet it was in my mind and belonged to me.


    *Is it...me ?*


    I moved closer to get around this woman whose eyes I couldn''t see, but suddenly an excruciating, violent pain gripped my head shaking my entire mind. As I fell to my knees and closed my eyes, the next thing I knew I was back and my little sister''s voice was screaming in my mind.


    [Freya !! God damn it you''re not going to do this to me again !! Freya up !!]


    [ ALERT : SYSTEM ERROR ! ]


    [ System rebooting in progress...30%...60%...80%...99% ]


    [ System rebooting is 100% sessful ]


    [ The Empress system has be Freya''s system. From now on, no third party will be allowed to interact without the host''s consent anymore ]

 Chapter 143 The New System [Interlude III]

    -- POV Freya --


    My mind was still fuzzy and as I kept my eyes closed I concentrated on calming my body and heart. I felt good,plete and even though I felt no change I was definitely different. I was lying on the ground and unlike when I had lost control, now everything seemed clearer in my mind. I still didn''t understand what the memory from the red globe was, but it had motivated me for some unknown reason.


    I breathed softly and felt the blood circte throughout my body, I heard my heartbeat and an impressive influx of mana. It was no longer light and flowing like a quiet river, for this time my mana was dense, fast and almost unstoppable. I didn''t know why but even my blood felt different, I couldn''t exin it because it was a feeling but I was sure of it.


    I was so quiet that I couldn''t hear anything around me as if I had closed my ears to all outside noises. I was in my own world thinking about all the things that had happened but I had to reassure those who were worried first. I breathed in and out before finally answering my little sister who had been screaming in my ears non-stop since earlier.


    [Freya !! Freya can you hear me ?!]


    *Hai hai~ I''m here all right ?*


    [What the fuck happened ? You started losing control of your emotions and then nothing !]


    Kira''s voice was more angry than worried, and as I kept my eyes closed, I gradually began to feel what was around me again. The singr sound and smell of acid washed over me, the stillness of the cave we had arrived in and multiple quiet, sleepy breaths. As I stood still, before I answered my little sister, one question was important.


    *Kira, how long have I been asleep this time ?*


    [It''s been a month !]


    *What ?*


    [I''m just kidding, you deserve it ! It''s only been a few hours, based on what Gaya said, it should be daylight in two or three hours. Now Freya, tell me what happened.]


    I had been surprised by Kira''s statement, but strangely enough not more so, because unlike usual I was much calmer. I felt as if nothing could shake me like earlier and a higher self-confidence was running through my mind. As I exined to my little sister what had happened, she remained silent and didn''t dare say anything. Kira listened attentively to every sentence and once she was sure I had finished, she always answered me with her serious voice, not without difficulty.


    [I-I...I''m confused right now, you''re going through so much that it''s hard to keep up. At first...I...I thought you were going to lose control and destroy everything with your ice domain but...]


    *That didn''t happen*


    [Yes, it even seemed like the best way to...unlock what was buried inside you but...that weird memory. I wonder who the young woman was...if only you could have had a name or even a face]


    *Don''t worry, I''m sure this isn''t thest time and I''ll have other opportunities to discover this identity. For now I have to focus on my new changes even though...I don''t know exactly what happened*


    I didn''t know what had really changed in me but I had clearly undergone some changes. As I slowly got to my feet and opened my eyes, I could see that I was still on my ind while my soldiers were sleeping on the other tform. Ralph and Nina the dryad were watching over them and seemed so caught up in their conversations that they didn''t notice I was awake.


    *Perfect I should be safe before I have to answer their questions*


    Before checking one by one the things we were already aware of, still sitting, I stretched my neck from left to right to make it crack. I felt partially numb but nothing abnormal after sitting like a statue on the stone floor. As I moved my arms in turn, each movement I made seemed to make my mana and blood flow much faster.


    *Kira, this time you found yourself in a different space too ? Did you feel anything special ?*


    I needed to know if my little sister had been left alone again like thest time in a dark space. Even if it was only a few hours, I couldn''t help but imagine how she would have felt if that event had happened again. However, as Kira answered me, I always remained calm and unperturbed.


    [Well, now that you mention it, unlike thest time and for some unknown reason, I was not in that same ce. I was simply in a part of my soul, the same part I return to when I want to rest or leave you alone in your private moments]


    *Mmmh it''s better this way, if you could rest in a familiar ce that''s all that matters. Now, what could exin this different phenomenon is probably the fact that something happened during my changes and my journey in my memories*


    [When you woke up, I seemed to have seen some odd notifications indeed, however I didn''t pay attention to them too busy trying to bring you back to life !]


    As I smiled imperceptibly, I opened my notification history to look at it now that I had time. The Commanders and Lieutenants were sleeping peacefully, far too tired from everything that had happened and as Kira had said it would still be dark outside so I didn''t have to contact Shiro just yet.


    -- PING --


    [ Congrattions! The host killed a LV40 Nightmare Demon ! ]


    [ You earn 160,400 EXP ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (37) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (38) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (39) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (40) ]


    [ Your HP and MP have increased ]


    [ You have won the title: Empress of the three colors ]


    [ You now have +300 attribute points ]


    Up to here were the notifications I had received since my fight with the level 40 Demon. Everything was normal with the reward still being attribute points, my HP and MP increasing, and the EXP gain. However, the title I had received had activated, causing the whole series of events that had led me to this very moment.


    *I guess I''ll have to take care of it...*


    [Wait onee-san ! When you woke up, I saw several notifications about a system error. It might be a good idea to check that out before you go through your usual process of distributing points and discovering new changes]


    I hadn''t forgotten those messages, which at the time of my awakening weren''t the most important, but it must have been something special. Mentally scrolling through all my notifications, I finally came across thest ones that were disyed in front of me.


    [ SYSTEM ERROR ]


    [ System rebooting in progress...30%...60%...80%...99% ]


    [ System rebooting is 100% sessful ]


    [ The Empress system has be Freya''s system. From now on, no third party will be allowed to interact without the host''s consent anymore ]


    There had been a glitch in the system at the time I had experienced this strange phenomenon and as I read the messages in front of me, one word in particr seemed more important than the others.


    *Anymore ?*


    That word meant everything and obviously the first person that came to mind was Titania. Of course I had no real proof that she was the one interacting with my system and then she was the one who gave it to me so it might seem normal but not to me. I continued to have doubts about this Goddess and her real intentions but now I was thinking more clearly.


    [I know what you''re thinking, but...as I said earlier, let''s focus on the present and what''s ahead of us in this ce...]


    *Yeah, don''t worry, I''m not gonna repeat what happened*


    For the moment, unlike earlier, I didn''t feel like responding with violence, let alone the fact that it was all uncertain. I didn''t know either when I would be facing Titania again and for some unknown reason now I wanted to y. I wanted to use all this information, my intelligence, my strength and my unique race to take her at her own game if it turned out that I was indeed her pawn.


    *I''ll think about thister, right now I need to figure out what happened to the system*


    [I''ll do my best to help you onee-san !]


    *Thanks, little sister*


    I had not yet opened the system itself as I was only in the history and as I tried to open my status, messages I had never seen before were disyed.


    [ Wee to the Freya System ! ]


    [ Many changes have been made, the host is now in full control of her system ]


    [ This new system is now based on the deep nature (soul) of the host and can evolve with her throughout her quest for power ]


    These notifications confirmed 100% the theory of a third party being able to interact with my old system, but that was no longer the case. What interested me for the moment were these famous modifications that seemed to have been made to my program. Now I had confirmation from the name and the messages that the system was now mine, but to be honest I didn''t really know what that meant.


    [Onee-san ! Look at this !]


    While I was thinking, Kira opened my status page, obviously still able to help me and interact with it to my great relief. My little sister was not to be counted as a third party as her soul was trapped in mine, in the eyes of the system we were one. As I read my page, I could see that indeed, many things had changed.


    *My titles "Empress of the three colors" and "Blessed by Titania, Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell" are crossed out. Which confirms at least one thing, the title given by Titania was probably used to manage a part of the system from a distance...*


    [I agree but Freya, that''s not all ! Look at your name and the new line that''s been added above your titles !]


    I was doing as Kira had indicated and to my surprise, it didn''t just say my name but the letter L followed by question marks simr to Shiro''s. Further down, I could also read that I now had a unique title but that it was also locked, controlled by a percentage gauge. These were the only two visible changes at the moment, but already very important.


    *If the system is based on my nature and soul it is not surprising to see this, however it also means that I carry something important inside me. I knew it !*<novelnext></novelnext>


    [For the system to add new things by just analyzing your entire being and what it represents, it does indeed mean that you may be more than you thought...no actually, YOU ARE more than you thought !]


    Everything Kira had said was true, and the thought had been on my mind since my second encounter with Titania. The day I had that strange dream, I had asked the Goddess who I was and why I was sent back in time but I never got an answer. Deep down after all that had happened I was sure that there were many secrets surrounding my existence as well.


    The rest of my status was the same, proving that I had not evolved but simply expanded my potential. Which one ? I didn''t know yet, but I had clearly felt some changes. Not to mention the strange feeling my mana and blood gave me, these changes were more mental than physical. To find out what else the new system could do for me would take practice.


    Unlike a few hours ago, I felt much more patient and less directly affected like before. I didn''t really know what had changed in me but I liked the new me. As I finished looking at my status, I put a hand under my chin before addressing Kira.


    *Kira ? During my fight with the Demon, did you also feel all those sensations that went through me? His aura that thrilled me and that unknown strength that came over me in that moment ? I''m pretty sure I unlocked something*


    [Yes, I felt all that. Obviously not as intensely as you did, but yes, and I can tell you with certainty that your Demon side has awakened and what happened to you has probably pushed the system to change. However, I never thought it was possible]


    Of course my little sister didn''t have all the answers, but in thest few days the system hadpletely exceeded her expectations and what she knew of it. Now it had my name on it and all of this represented my new path, my destiny that I wanted to control and my soul now in tune with itself.


    [What could have triggered all this ? How could a title disassociate you from the Goddess if ites from her powers in the first ce ? Everything happened since you fought that Demon but... why now ?]


    *That''s because the real trigger wasn''t my fight but my red memory*


    That memory was the key and had made me grow mentally as now so much seemed to surpass my first impression of this world. Armed with my new Freya System, I was more than determined to get out quickly of this ce and find the answers to all my questions while I waited to face Titania once more.


    I still didn''t know who I really was, why this was happening, but it was time to turn the whole game board upside down and let it be known that no one could ever control me.


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 150 000 / 150 000 MP : 75 000 / 75 000


    Strength : 510


    Defense : 510


    Agility : 516


    Endurance: 513


    Speed : 512


    Intelligence: 510


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 300


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 144 Beyond The Door [The Crypt - Part XIV]

    -- POV Freya --


    [Onee-san, you seem to be taking all these changes much easier than usual, why ?]


    *I don''t know...I feel much calmer*


    [This must be another effect of these events, but still...you have a second name which is no small thing]


    *I''ve decided not to jump to conclusions until I''m sure of something. I may have a middle name, but that doesn''t change who I am now and nothing can ever change that*


    Even though I was something other than an Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos, even though there was a lot of mystery hanging over me and my loved ones, I was still who I was. Since I had a new system and despite all that was going on, I was serene, happy, determined and ready for anything. For the moment, everything in its own time and even if I was impatient to discover the real usefulness of this new system, I remained calm.


    [But I wonder, if Titatrash can''t interact with your system now, doesn''t that also mean that your race will change at the next evolution ? You seem to be able to keep the elements she gave you and your progression but...it seems like your demon side is assuming everything else]


    As Kira finished her sentence, I almost coughed loudly at her nickname for Titania. The worst part of it was that she was speaking in a serious voice and thinking about something really important. While I ignored the nickname, making a note to ask her about it again, I told my little sister my opinion.


    *Based on this memory, it most likely affects my next evolution indeed, but I''m still a Wolf controlling Ice and Chaos. So honestly this is all way too variable, we won''t know until I reach level 70*


    Kira seemed to have even more questions than I did, and even though I was as lost as she was, I didn''t feel rushed. I was ready to listen to whatever she had to say and right now, my little one.


    [Next to your unique title it says 10% but how do you get that percentage up ? I think I have my own idea but then again, everything is so mysterious that I could be right or wrong]


    *Tell me*


    Personally, I thought I had already figured it out because for me there was only one exnation, but I was curious to know what Kira thought. I had told her everything in great detail and I was pretty sure my little sister was thinking the same thing as me. As I waited patiently for her answer, her voice finally echoed in my mind.


    [The more you learn about this memory, the higher your percentages will go. Once you really know why you were able to see such a scene and how it rtes to you, everything will be clearer. I say this memory but it can be "these" because in my opinion even if you only experienced one there must be others]


    *Well I think the same, after all, it all started from that one red memory*


    For me, it all had to do with that memory, but it also had to do with the demon side of me that had awakened since my arrival here. We had little information at the moment but for some reason I was not impatient at all as I felt the answers woulde to me faster than I thought. I had embraced these changes and now that my mind, body, and soul were now asplete as they could be, what was next could only excite me.


    Of course I still didn''t know what was behind my unique title or my second name that had appeared out of nowhere but I knew I would find out in time. Now I wanted to assign my points and wait for my soldiers to wake up so we could finally get out of this ce. So far I had been the only one dying our progress and even though each stop had allowed me to expand my range of possibilities, we should not dy too long.


    I could hear the breathing of the Commanders and the others sleeping peacefully and as I opened my status I hurried to award my points. I had 300 and as usual, I decided to award 50 all over the ce because that was how I fought best.


    ___


    Strength : 510 > 560


    Defense : 510 > 560


    Agility : 516 > 566


    Endurance: 513 > 563


    Speed : 512 > 562


    Intelligence: 510 > 560


    ___


    Once again I felt my mana surge as did the blood in my body as I changed. I didn''t take my wolf form but my body was slowly changing as a red aura came out of me. The same feeling that had appeared during my fight with the Demon wasing over me. This time I wasn''t busy fighting so I concentrated on all these sensations as I unconsciously began to growl.


    My heart was racing, pumping my blood even faster through my veins, forcing me to stay focused so I wouldn''t fall. I could see my fingernails turning ck and lengthening slightly into small but sharp ws. My face was stinging all over as the sensation of my tattoos stretching became more and more intense. Suddenly, my wolf ears and tail disappeared before giving way to more human but pointed ears.


    [Onee-san, you''re changing like you did when you fought the Demon ! You''ve always had changes that involved either your humanoid form or your wolf form...this time it''s the turn of your new side !"]


    I could hear Kira''s voice but I didn''t respond, my whole body was hot as hell and all these changes were taking over my mind. I could feel every bit of my body, every drop of blood, every muscle and it was incredible. My horns were also growing slightly and for the first time my hair was turning red. Even my eyes stung and changed as a notification appeared.


    [ Host Unlocked : Demonic Form (tied to title so iplete) - 10% ]


    [ Blood Counter added in your status - BLOOD : 100/100 ]


    As I read the message, I slowly calmed down, breathing slowly as my new form made my whole body tremble. I stood up instinctively, my heartbeat making my whole being pulsate and as I tried not to waver, the sound of my soldiers waking up came through my ears. My normally icy skin grew hotter and hotter, and strange impulses were born in my mind.


    Usually I felt a sense of satisfaction when I changed after giving out my attribute points but this time it was different. I felt different and an indescribable mental force ran through my mind and soul. If when I was in my wolf form I feltplete, this time it was much more than that and if in my humanoid form I felt worthy of an Empress, this time I felt worthy but of something greater.


    "Your Highness ?"


    The voice of one of my Commanders sounded behind me and as I turned, everyone froze. My soldiers, now ustomed to my presence, trembled and didn''t even dare look me in the eye. I could see my blood red hair floating in front of my face and the red mana around me swirling like a glowing tornado. As I stared at them, for some unknown reason, their trembling bodies, the smell of fear, the sound of panicked hearts made me smile.


    "Look up !"


    An order hade out of my mouth while my voice had be less cold but somehow even more terrifying. I could hear and feel it echoing through me as well as the entire cave we were in and instantly my soldiers looked up. They all looked at me even if it was with difficulty, except for one...in the corner of the tform, the young subus seemed to have fainted in Nixia''s arms.


    "We''re leaving for the gates, you''ve got ten minutes, not one more !"


    They were all nodding, but I was far from satisfied with that answer. Squinting my eyes I was about to point out to them but a small voice stopped me.


    [Onee-san, what''s wrong with you ? You''re... different...]


    As I heard these words, I signaled to the others that they could leave before turning to walk away. I decided to head for the gates to let off a little steam, leaving my sleeping horse and my soldiers to get ready. As I jumped onto the tforms leading to the bottom with flexibility, agility and precision, I was careful not to destroy anything. I controlled my strength by circting my mana to keep the tforms intact as I responded.


    *I don''t know, but...in this form I feel like I can rule the world*


    I was no longer in the middle of a fight and I was enjoying every moment I spent in this form, I felt powerful, unstoppable, with even an overflowing desire for blood. My aura didn''t stop and covered everything as I finally arrived at the doors while Kira gave me her opinion.


    [It''s likely to influence the way you are, so try to breathe and learn to control yourself. You can always return to your humanoid form !]


    I could hear what my little sister was telling me, but what she couldn''t understand was that I didn''t want to. I felt so good, wrapped up in a feeling that was both familiar and unfamiliar. I hadn''t yet tested my newfound strength, but at that moment a battle drunkenness made me shudder with excitement. Unlike when I was in my other two forms, I didn''t feel as cold and unfathomable as ice, but rather impulsive, domineering and cruel.


    *It''s strange...I don''t feel that barrier I used to set for myself. When I''m in my humanoid form, I keep myposure most of the time but this time...I...*


    When I had spoken to my soldiers earlier, instead of being calm, cold and imposing I had felt dominant, in a yful mood even as I stood before mypanions. Usually, this kind of feeling only happened to me in front of humans that made my blood boil but not this time. Of course I didn''t want to kill mypanions but I seemed to be in a constant state of power and domination.


    Normally I wasn''t shy or introverted at all, but I still maintained a certain presence, as if I were untouchable. Now, in this form I had that same poise but it was wilder and more...liberated. It was as if all my deepest, most selfish, primitive and dangerous desires were now dominating my mind.


    *I should try to control myself, you''re right*


    [Mmh, even though I think this form changes you no matter what, you might as well get used to it now before you say things you might regret.]


    As good as I felt in my demon form, I couldn''t change my personality too obviously. Kira was right and as I shook my head, to get my head straight I looked up at the two huge doors before me. As I slowly slid my gaze over the carved edges, I straightened up in earnest before speaking to my little sister.


    *Kira !*


    [Yes, I see...]


    In front of me there were always the same two doors with characters that I had not been able to read but this time I could. The more I went through the lines, the more my brain tranted each word on its own and gave me its meaning. I could literally see the characters of the words change and move before my eyes as a result of my brain''s activity. It was all strange and I couldn''t help but be fascinated because it was happening while I was talking to Kira.


    *Is this...some kind of memory that''s ingrained in me ? Kind of like a visual memory that never left me until I woke it up my Demon side. Interesting*


    [I...I don''t know but it''s quite likely yes...]


    The door on the left was outlined in grey stone with the symbols of the ancientnguage etched into it and painted lightly in white. It was asrge as its twin and reached up to the ceiling. Despite the size of this left door, the inscriptions wererge enough to cover the whole of it, to reveal a message. A phrase that seemed to be a clue and as I squinted to make sure I was reading everything correctly, I gradually pieced the phrase together.


    - The light will guide you wherever you wish to go, illuminating your steps and apanying you until yourst breath, so that the day may be reborn and your ashes shine in eternal glory -


    *It doesn''t mean much...*<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Let''s move on to the next one, we might find it easier to understand]


    Turning my head this time to the door on the right which was just asrge but with some differences. The outlines were made of grey stones but this time the characters of the engraved sentence were a deep ck. The same thing happened as the words moved in front of me, letting me discover their meaning little by little.


    - You who are not afraid to die locked in death, enter the darkness and embrace your destiny, whether it is good or bad, radiant or evil, living...or mortal -


    As I looked at the doors one by one, not knowing what those phrases really meant, I heard my soldiers hurrying in behind me. They were all arriving for the first time in front of those two gigantic doors, the voice of someone I wasn''t expecting was rising among the others. Lynn had unconsciously stepped forward and her frightened eyes were now bright andpletely absorbed.


    "Light and...darkness...beyond the door lies the truth"


    ____


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 150 000 / 150 000 MP : 75 000 / 75 000 BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 10%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 145 The Decision [The Crypt - Part XV]

    -- POV Freya --


    "Light and...darkness...beyond the door lies the truth."


    The young Lynn had spoken these words without regard to those beside her and was walking towards the doors with an admiring look. She could clearly read the inscriptions that adorned them even though no one else but me understood their meaning. Everyone was silent and at that moment I was sure that this writing, thisnguage, came from the demons, which exined Lynn''s knowledge.


    *Mmmh I can''t wait to have a little chat with her kufufu~*


    [Uh onee-san it won''t be an interrogation okay ? So... try to control yourself]


    I was still in my demon form, which I could instinctively make disappear at any time as I could with my humanoid and wolf forms. I watched the young subus and as I smiled dangerously, she snapped out of her trance-like state before hastily turning towards us. She hadn''t realized that in her fascination she had forgotten everything around her.


    Turning to the Commanders and Lieutenants, Lynn had a confused and embarrassed look on her face as she realized that they were all watching her with interest. In front of everyone she had uttered a most mysterious phrase and everyone was now asking questions. The young subus didn''t dare say anything more and while I was still staring at her without a word, I walked towards her slowly. When I was a few feet away, Lynn suddenly turned around and faced me.


    "Y-Your...I..."


    Her very light red, almost pink eyes looked into mine and at that moment Lynn froze. Only a few seconds had passed and yet she had gone almost pale and was trembling. Suddenly, without warning, her body began to move on its own and the next moment she was kneeling before me as if carried by her instinct. I could not look away from her eyes and the intensity of mine seemed to subjugate her.


    [Onee-san ?]


    I didn''t answer as that same feeling of familiarity awoke in me as I looked into her eyes. Unconsciously I had moved closer to her and now had my fingers lifting her chin. I had been intrigued by this sensation but it was actually her demon side resonating slightly with mine. Finally looking up, in front of me all my soldiers had also bowed to me. As I looked up, the sight made me proud and once again I couldn''t help but smile.


    Once again, that singr excitement, that feeling of being important, of being respected and powerful, ran through me, giving me the shivers. Why did this shape seem to bring out sides of me that I didn''t know existed ? I didn''t know, but even if I liked this feeling, I had no desire to change, and even less so in front of my subordinates who had also be like a sort of family to me.


    *Damn...I still have to get used to it...*


    [I...I don''t know how you don''t literally turn into a demon. What''s going through your red mana is far from normal, it''s like...a cluster of vices pushing you to do whatever you want. I''m not affected, but I can feel those demonic urges strongly enough to know that...you''re really amazing]


    Apart from Kira, I had no voice in my head haunting me, whispering atrocious ideas, but the effect was not much different. I was as if thirsty for blood within me, increasing my impulsiveness, my fighting madness and my desire for domination. It didn''t happen all the time, and though the feeling remained when I was in this form, sometimes it intensified.


    [Breathe onee-san, you''re doing great. Don''t let it get to you, and I''m sure it won''t be long before you can let go of one of the doors anyway. That should lessen the effects of this form]


    My little sister was right and was always there to help and advise me even if some truths were hard to hear. She was the one who always kept my head on my shoulders and there were many times when she had stopped me from doing something stupid. However, Kira wasn''t going to be on my mind for much longer and I had to start epting that idea which, deep down, scared me a little.


    Breathing softly, this aggressiveness that was invading me calmed down slightly, allowing me to act more in ordance with my personality. Staring at everyone for several seconds this time, I straightened up before raising my voice, which began to echo throughout the ce. With my soldiers so loyal and brave, I didn''t want to drag things out any longer. We had to get through one of those doors and get home.


    "Soldiers ! You must have a lot of questions about what''s going on just like I do. Since we descended into these depths we have yet to find answers but something tells me we are getting close. There will be enemies, no doubt more powerful than those we have faced before, but we will return to our Empire alive ! Even if the sunlight no longer warms our hearts and the moonlight no longer soothes our souls, we will conquer this ce I would make mine !"


    During our time here an idea had urred to me. Once this ce waspletely explored and cleaned up, I wanted to use it as a kind of base. I don''t know yet what we could do there and it all depended on what we found and if it was possible but it was in the back of my mind. So it all started with conquering this ce and for that I needed the strength of mypanions.


    At the end of my sentence they had all stood up with their hands over their hearts, their eyes shining with determination as I loved to see them. My satisfaction only grew as I practiced holding back my red aura that was constantly floating around me. My soldiers still wouldn''t look me in the eye, still too intimidated, but it wasn''t hard to see that they agreed with me.


    [I guess it''s time to go]


    *Mmmh*


    As the Commanders, Lieutenants, and Lynn waited, I turned once more to the two doors. As the young subus had said, there was light and darkness on one side and no one knew which was the right answer or if there was even a right answer. We stood there, motionless, our heads raised towards those giant structures and we had to make a decision.


    "Lynn, you who seem to be able to understand these inscriptions, what door would you take ?"


    I hadn''t bothered to turn around and ask the question, and the reason I''d turned to her was because her opinion at that moment was more important than anyone else''s. When you think about it, the idea of covering the tree with its mana was hers and something told me that Lynn could be of great help. Waiting patiently for an answer and after a few seconds her trembling voice finally answered.


    "I...I have no idea your highness I..."


    "Earlier you said ''behind the door lies the truth'', what did that mean ?"


    I didn''t want to waste time and I wanted Lynn to tell me clearly if she could help us or not. The young subus had sensed this eagerness and seemed to be thinking as fast as she could to give me an answer while trying not to faint, this time from stress.


    *I won''t forget to thank her...*


    [It''s important yes, especially since you seem to scare her to the point of fainting pffhaha~]


    Lynn already seemed to be very shy at first, protective by nature and quite innocent. She was one of those who feared me as much as they respected me but I seemed to awaken something different in her. While I was still waiting, the young subus'' small, soft voice finally rose quietly in the room.


    "I...it was simply one of the sentences in the story I told you about. The little girl in the story ends up...standing in front of a mirrored door reflecting her deepest desire. But...it''s just an old tale, I...I don''t know what it''s really useful in this situation...y-your Highness."


    "Thank you, Lynn."


    We had all heard what she had said, but this time, unlike her directions to the tree, Lynn had only mentioned one door out of two. As I thought about it, I could already hear the others behind me starting to figure out how to choose. The Lieutenants were the loudest and while I remained silent, I could hear their arguments.


    "It has to be the door to the light, we''re still not going to go through the one mentioning death, are we ?"


    "This may be the door to darkness, after all in the second room it was also the answer."


    "Yes, but perhaps we should stop thinking about this notion of light and darkness and choose by ignoring it."


    I was deep in thought, but what Kurumi had just said brought me out of my reflective state instantly. I had been thinking about Lynn''s words, especially about the door hiding a deep desire, and the words of Nixia and Naia''s Lieutenant had opened up a new avenue for me.


    - The light will guide you wherever you wish to go, illuminating your steps and apanying you until yourst breath, so that the day may be reborn and your ashes shine in eternal glory.


    - You who are not afraid to die locked in death, enter the darkness and embrace your destiny, whether it is good or bad, radiant or evil, living...or mortal -


    Rereading the inscriptions several times in my head, I ignored the words light and darkness and concentrated only on the meaning of the rest. The others seemed to be doing the same thing, and gradually one thing became clear to me. I didn''t even have time to point it out before Ralph and Luna were already doing it.


    "But, I feel like it''s really only about death in one message...


    ...the first one that at first nce seems the most reassuring...


    That was exactly what came to mind and I was more than happy to see two of my Commanderse to the same conclusion. In the first sentence, it was certainly a question of light, but the notion of death was much more present than in the second, which spoke of darkness. Moreover, the description of the ck door, although gloomy and disturbing, was the one my instinct had chosen.


    [Onee-san, no one has ever said anything about dying after going through the gates. Given the way this ce has worked since we got here, it''s quite likely that the choice of doors will influence our future encounters. That said, it''s theoretically impossible for one of them to kill you.]


    In any case I had to make a decision and dragging it out was not going to work in our favor, time was passing so quickly and I had decided to go through the ck door. My soldiers all looked at me without saying a word, seemingly waiting for me to make my decision so we could finally face whaty beyond. Taking a deep breath I spoke.


    "Those who are willing to go through the right door, raise your hand.."


    I was certainly the Empress, but I didn''t want to impose my choice on the others, and even in my demon form I managed to keep that side of things. The best scenario would be for everyone to agree, but I was aware that some might choose the door representing the light. To tell the truth, we didn''t base our choice on much, just a few theories heightened by my instinct.


    [Let''s hope we can all finally agree]


    *I hope so too...*


    My long red hair floated around me cradled by my ever dense and vibrant red aura as I waited patiently. The hands began to rise little by little and the first to do so were obviously the Commanders, followed by the Lieutenants. As I watched the scene, I gradually noticed that I had been wrong, as almost no one hesitated before taking their position.


    [Pfffhaha~ onee-san, it seems like we had underestimated the faith and unwavering trust they have for you again...]


    *Yes...but still, I''m having trouble getting used to it...*


    Before me stood all my soldiers and not a single one had voted for the door of lights. They all had a determined look in their eyes and as I had said I could feel in their slightly trembling eyes, a sincere and pure trust in me. We had known each other for a while now but their loyalty always surprised me. In my former life, such a situation could never have been possible and some shadows of my past life remained.


    Shaking my head slightly, I shook off these dark thoughts before being ovee by that impulsive feeling once again and turned back to the ck door. I was moving forward slowly when suddenly, to my right, my stallion who had been standing back appeared beside me to support me. However, Inferno seemed a bit strange as I could see him wavering as he struggled to keep his eyes from closing.


    [What''s happening to him ?]<novelnext></novelnext>


    *I don''t know, maybe fatigue...*


    While talking with Kira, followed by my horse and then my soldiers, I passed a hand without hesitation in the shadow of the door. Unfortunately, I didn''t have time to wonder more about my horse because the next moment, the mana in it started to panic. A violent wind was rising, making us struggle not to fall before we finally entered the door.


    What would we discover ? Would this be ourst room ? Would there be creatures beyond those we had already faced? Soon, we would know all these answers and especially if we had made the right decision.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 150 000 / 150 000 MP : 75 000 / 75 000 BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 10%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 146 Stone Guardians [The Crypt - Part XVI]

    -- POV Freya --


    I was the first to enter, and the mana was so dense that it was almost extraordinary considering how little there had been in the atmosphere so far. One by one we went through the door and now found ourselves in apletely ck space where even our eyes could not make out anything. We had no idea where we were going, but my soldiers and horse followed me by the sounds I made.


    It was strange because I could see absolutely nothing, only a deep starless night enveloping me as we went along. I wanted to be able to hear and feel everything so while I was still looking for clues, I reverted to my humanoid form. I couldn''t see but I could feel my whole body change as for a brief moment I felt as if a part of me was being taken away.


    I could feel my ears and wolf tail returning as my pointy ears disappeared. Again, tingling in my horns and on my face began to be felt as my tattoos returned to their original form and my horns shrank. It had onlysted a few seconds and as I took a deep breath, two voices at my back spoke up in the ck void.


    "Empress ! Allow me to enlighten us !"


    "M-Me too, your Highness !"


    Na?a, the young vixen who could manipte the element of fire, was the first to speak and it was not difficult to sense the seriousness in her voice. Ralph, who could also produce a source of light with her glowingva, was quick to offer to light our group as well. And so, while we were in unfathomable and sinister darkness, the light finally appeared near us.


    "Commander Na?a, you will position yourself at the front, your fire is brighter and will be more practical in providing our direction. Commander Ralph, you will position yourself at the rear, that way you will have a full view of our group !"


    "Right now !"


    In this strange darkness, neither of my two Commanders'' lights allowed us to see more than a meter around us, but that did not matter. More than a guiding light, it served to reassure anxious souls and warm hearts. For the moment there was still nothing around us but I was still walking at the head of the group, straight ahead and without hesitation.


    "Walk straight ahead, follow my voice and the sound of my footsteps, and don''t let anyone slow down ! We don''t know what this ce is and if any of you slow down, you might get separated and end up trapped here !"


    "Yes, your Highness !"


    As I spoke these words and everyone else responded, Inferno, who had been very quiet up to now, approached me. He was shaking a bit more than before and even though he couldn''tmunicate, he seemed to be suffering from something. Focusing on my stallion alone, I could hear his heartbeat quickening and his breath quickening.


    [He doesn''t look well...]


    *Yes, but he was perfectly fine just now. I don''t know what''s wrong with him, nothing abnormal appears on his status and he''s not in my system so I can''t check with more details...*


    As we walked I had obviously checked his information but there was nothing different. Inferno had been like this since my now obsolete title "Empress of the three Colors" had activated. However, his race "Mirror Horse" only allowed him toplete his race when his master evolved but that wasn''t technically the case for me.


    "Inferno...just a little more patience, I don''t know what''s going on with you but I promise I''ll figure it out..."


    At that moment I couldn''t do much given where we were, but I couldn''t help but worry about him too. Despite palpable fatigue, my faithful steed shook his head slightly before giving me a peck on the cheek with his muzzle. He was burning up and yet his flickering yellow eyes were screaming at me not to worry and that everything would be fine.


    As I gently stroked his boiling muzzle, without warning, out of nowhere, a flickering white light appeared in the distance, far, far away. We had no sense of distance and even if I focused my mind on that ce I could not distinguish anything. Fortunately, behind me, no one was lost and the whole group was together so I spoke again.


    "It seems that the only ce we can go is over there. Stay on guard, I am unable to detect anything, right now we arepletely blind..."


    "Don''t worry your Highness, we know the dangers of this ce and we would never let our guard down !"


    Na?a, who was in front of me, answered seriously while all the other Commanders nodded with a proud and sincere smile. As I looked them all in the eye one by one, a slight smile appeared on my face making my soldiers'' faces light up. Without saying another word, staring at the mysterious light, we began to move in its direction.


    ___


    We had been walking for almost half an hour, and after feeling as if we had to walk forever, atst, the origin of the white light was visible. From a distance, I had been unable to understand what it was because its brightness hid everything else, but now everyone could see. This glow that we had been seeing for a while was actuallying from another door, this time a very small one.


    It seemed to lead to a bright room, and although it was small, it was still possible for all of us to squeeze in. As we all stopped in front of this door that stood in the middle of nowhere, I signaled to my soldiers that I would be the first to go in. I still didn''t know what to expect and I didn''t want to put them at any risk, so after making sure they understood, I went through the door.


    [Oh, for fuck''s sake...]


    *Thest room...*


    Kira had been quicker than I to speak up at the sight before us, and though I didn''t let on, I was just as shocked as she was. In front of me was a huge cave made of ck stones that covered every wall, breathtakingly beautiful. This huge space was empty, except for the presence in the middle of a pyramid made of stairs that went up to a kind of pantheon from which white light came out.


    This pyramid was surrounded by a very wide abyss, and although I was not standing over it, it must have been deep enough that no one coulde back from it. In front of one of the staircases were three huge stone stands with gigantic stone creatures sitting on them like stone guardians. Looking quickly at three statues, I identified what seemed at first nce to be a griffin, a snake, and a fox, all of which had the distinction of having a single horn on their foreheads and being of the same size.


    *It should be good for the others...*


    As I whistled to let the others know they coulde, I began to look around to see if there was anything interesting. I could hear the othersing in and one by one, each one eximed loudly, unable to hide their shock just as Kira had a few minutes ago. Paying no attention to their words, I stared up at the pantheon rising into the sky, squinting my eyes.


    "There''s nothing else here but this huge structure, we have to move on !"


    The Commanders, Lieutenants, Lynn and Inferno at my words, began to look at what was sitting in the middle of this huge cavern. As I moved forward, my 10 best female warriors came to stand beside me with a serious look on their faces, holding up their fists and weapons ready to fight at any moment. The Lieutenants stood behind their Commanders and then Inferno and Lynn closed the march.


    "Remember, no matter what happens, protect each other and keep a cool head no matter how much you tremble. I don''t want anyone to die, and I promise to do everything I can to protect you."


    "Yes, your Highness !"


    Just before we moved on, I had said those few sentences because something told me that we would soon be fighting someone or something. For my part, I was also ready to fight and take any of my forms depending on the situation. ncing briefly at Inferno and Lynn, I could see the young woman looking around as my horse nodded slowly.


    "Well, let''s go !"


    "Hai !"


    This cave was thergest I had ever seen, even the one my wife was sealed in was not even a third of its size. As we moved forward almost as a formation, I noticed that the room was perfectly round and that on the floor a huge circle seemed to separate two areas. I didn''t really know why but it was enough to make me more vignt.


    [It''s eerily quiet, nothing on the horizon and yet even though I''m in your mind, I don''t feel safe]


    *So you have this feeling too ? The good news is that there seems to be enough ambient mana to allow me to use my Creation skill a bit better*


    [That''s true, but be careful onee-san, the mana flows around here are very variable and uncontroble. If you decide to use it, keep in mind that you might suddenly see your creations copse]


    *Yes, don''t worry, I won''t...*


    I had not finished my sentence when a sound like a heartbeat suddenly came from the pantheon. We had just passed the line of the circle, and as we stopped, the beating became more and more muffled and rapid. And then, with a final loud noise, a shockwave from the middle of the room shook the entire cave as my heart suddenly raced.


    "Aaaaaaah !!!"


    As the walls stopped shaking, for the first time I fell to my knees and clutched my head as an excruciating pain invaded my brain. It was like being stabbed in the head with a knife as blurred images appeared in my mind. Once again, my Demon form manifested itself as my screams sent everyone into a panic.


    [Freya !! Damn, this form is a curse ! Freya ! What''s happening to you ? Please answer me !]


    "Empress !!"


    "Your Highness !!"


    Never before had I screamed like this, and as I tried to calm myself I held up a trembling hand to my soldiers so that they would not worry. My head was spinning, I was in agony as blurry images flooded into my brain beyond my control. I couldn''t see anything, but I knew that they were memories and that inserting them into my memory was very painful.


    "I...I''m fine..."


    [Are... are you sure ?]


    As I slowly rose to my feet, trembling, strands of red hair in front of my sweaty face, I looked up at the pantheon to see that it was changing. The light, which had been white before, was now red and gave the cave a bloody atmosphere. I didn''t even have time to respond to Kira when a cracking sound echoed and as my eyes dwelt on the source of the noise, one of my hunches turned out to be true.


    *I suspected that...*


    In front of us, the three statues were slowly cracking one by one, revealing the animals that had been trapped inside. The more the stone crumbled, the more a powerful aura emanated from these creatures which,bined together, were far more frightening than that of the Nightmare Demon. There wasn''t much time left before they were released, and a deadly battle involving everyone was soon to take ce.


    "Soldiers...no...my friends, our fight for truth and strength will begin in a few seconds. Remember what I told you, keep a cool head, look out for each other and most importantly never forget that your life is more important ! I will analyze these three creatures and make a n to defeat them in the meantime get ready !"


    "Y-Yes !"


    I didn''t have time to consult them on a n, I was the only one who could think at an incredible pace and at that moment time was running out. My head was still hurting badly but I put the pain aside to concentrate on what was going to happen. As I looked up at the threerge creatures, I used my analysis skill to figure out what they were.


    ____


    [ Race (unique) : Prideful Griffin (Demon)


    Element : Fire


    Rank : n¡ã7 (7/7)


    Lvl 35/70


    HP 90 000 / 90 000 MP 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 398


    Defence: 362


    Agility : 300


    Stamina: 336


    Speed : 319 ]


    ____


    [ Race (unique) : Envious Snake (Demon)


    Element : Acid


    Rank: n¡ã6 (6/7)


    Lvl 40/70


    HP 100 000 / 100 000 MP 50 000 / 50 000


    Strength: 431<novelnext></novelnext>


    Defence: 456


    Agility : 500


    Stamina: 456


    Speed : 520 ]


    ____


    [ Race (unique) : Greedy Fox (Demon)


    Element: Illusory Lightning


    Rank: n¡ã5 (5/7)


    Lvl 45/70


    HP 110 000 / 110 000 MP 55 000 / 50 000


    Strength: 546


    Defence: 500


    Agility : 587


    Stamina: 656


    Speed: 529 ]


    ____


    In a second I had looked at the status of these three new Demons and at that moment a huge bloodlust was escaping from my body. We were about to have a fight to the death and that excited me to no end but I did not forget my duty. There were three of them, we were 19 fighters and the next few minutes or even hours were going to be very hard for us.


    The Lieutenants were no match for even one of these creatures and my Commanders, though at a lower level, could perhaps together take down the weaker one. My 10 best warriors were almost all level 25 now and if they emerged victorious, I was sure they could evolve. Turning my head with a murderous and serious look, I was ready to exin the strategy I had established in a moment.


    "Listen carefully...


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 150 000 / 150 000      MP : 75 000 / 75 000        BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 10%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 147 Beginning [The Crypt - Part XVII]

    -- POV Freya --


    Before us stood three unique races of Demons of different levels but very dangerous and against whom we would have to fight. I could already feel the tension and fear in the Lieutenants as they trembled at the thought of facing such monsters that they were far from being able to kill. However, together and with their Commanders I was sure that they could at least defeat the Prideful Griffin.


    The n was for them to concentrate on this creature, which was not only the weakest but also the least mysterious. My soldiers were to focus all 18 on this animal that stood proudly on its four legs. It was four meters tall, had wings, an eagle''s head, white eyes and a feline body ending in arge tail with feathers at the end. Its hair and feathers, unlike the other two, were as ck as night, as ck as my fur in my wolf form.


    At first nce it looked like a normal griffin despite its unusual color, but there was no mistaking it, for it was in fact a fearsome Demon and a unique race at that. Like a unicorn, a horn sat on its forehead, pointing towards the huge ceiling, slightly wavy with seven small pentacles engraved on it, above the number 7 in Demonnguage. It was as beautiful as it was dangerous, and although its fighting style intrigued me, I wasn''t going to fight it.


    ____


    [ Race (unique) : Prideful Griffin (Demon)


    Element : Fire


    Rank: n¡ã7 (7/7)


    Lvl 35/70


    HP 90 000 / 90 000      MP 45 000 / 45 000


    Strength : 398


    Defence: 362


    Agility : 300


    Stamina: 336


    Speed : 319 ]


    ___


    Level 35, moving both on the ground and in the air, it would be the opponent of my soldiers who bybining their forces could defeat it. This ck Griffin controlled fire, and unlike the other two, it was the most familiar element of the three, making their task easier. It was therefore nned that my 18 most powerful soldiers, all between level 15 and 25, would take care of it while I had to take care of the other two.


    [Onee-san are you sure ?]


    *There''s no other way...*


    ____


    [ Race (unique) : Envious Snake (Demon)


    Element : Acid


    Rank: n¡ã6 (6/7)


    Lvl 40/70


    HP 100 000 / 100 000      MP 50 000 / 50 000


    Strength: 431


    Defence: 456


    Agility : 500


    Stamina: 456


    Speed : 520 ]


    ____


    The ones I had to face were the Snake and the Fox, who like the Griffin were about four meters tall. One, although weaker, had the same level as me and the other had 5 more, slightly widening the difference. My soldiers'' fight was going to be tough, but so was mine, because for the first time I was going to be facing two creatures that could end up killing me. No one had moved yet and this time, squinting, I watched every inch of their bodies.


    The Envious Snake was as huge as the Griffin and looked even bigger because when it wasn''t moving, its body stood up straight, slightly overhanging the heads of the other two. It had beautiful light blue eyes and its scale-covered body was not ck but a dark green with many shades. All along its scaly body, spikes stood as protection, getting thicker as they got closer to its head.


    This Snake had the same horn as the Griffin''s, except that it was not seven small pentacles that were carved into it, but six, always under a 6 in Demonnguage. It possessed the element of acid and although this was the first time I was going to fight an opponent who possessed it, I was not afraid. The Demon Snake didn''t look as good as the Griffin but there was something about it that intrigued me.


    [I know there''s no choice but...if it had only been level 35 and 40 I wouldn''t say, but thetter is definitely the most to be feared...]


    *Yes, the situation is not the most favorable but whatever happens I will not let myself be killed, little sister !*


    Finally, there was thest creature that had emerged from the stone, the one that surpassed my levels and was definitely the most dangerous. The Fox that stood in the middle of the other two was the one I was most wary of and would be the hardest to defeat. I still remembered my fight with the Demon which had already been difficult and I knew only too well that I should not end up copsing against it.


    ___


    [ Race (unique) : Greedy Fox (Demon)


    Element : Illusory Lightning


    Rank: n¡ã5 (5/7)


    Lvl 45/70


    HP 110 000 / 110 000      MP 55 000 / 50 000


    Strength: 546


    Defence: 500


    Agility : 587


    Stamina: 656


    Speed: 529 ]


    ____


    The Greedy Fox was also four meters tall, but like the other two, it was no taller than me in my wolf form. It was a light greyish white with a few red hairs on its nks and face forming symbols. On its forehead, in addition to the horn with five pentacles and the number, there was a red trident mark.


    The Fox was magnificent, even more so than the Griffin and the Snake, and what caught my attention the most was its three huge tails that moved like waves in the wind. I knew from one look that this time we were all going to engage in a battle even more intense than any we had ever had. Taking a deep breath I turned to mypanions and whispered.


    "Let''s do as it was decided. If you manage to defeat the Griffin and some can still fight, join immediately if I''m not done on my side."


    "Y-Your Highness...take care..."


    Nixia had said these words while everyone looked at me with eyes full of concern, more aware than ever that what I was about to do was almost suicide. These looks warmed me but at the same time bothered me because I didn''t want anyone to think I was weak. Restraining my impulses due to form, I simply nodded as they understood that it was time.


    *It''s time to get down to business*


    [Freya, do your best I''ll be there to support you with ice if you need it. I warn you, if I feel your life is in danger I won''t hesitate to use your skills !]


    *Yes, thank you, Kira*


    Finally, I was not alone in my fight, there may have been two of them, but we were also and more than ever determined to win so as not to perish in this ce. Clutching my katana in my right hand, I looked down at the small white wing that hung happily from the hilt. In a few hours my little girl would be awake and there was no way I was going to miss thismunication.


    Turningpletely towards them, my red aura changed and became a little denser every second as I let my impulses take over. They stood there motionless in the middle of this huge room and stared at us with interest waiting to see what we might try. Their auras were the same color as theirs and the more I looked at them, the more my almost insatiable urge to fight increased.


    *I will win no matter what...*


    [Fight with all the means at your disposal, all your forms, your skills, your sharp senses and above all never lose your concentration]


    *I know*


    I wasn''t afraid, in fact I was ovee with an uncontroble excitement but it still allowed me to think. I didn''t know how my mind in this form would change during the fight but if it meant I could protect everyone, I was ready to be a monster. It was time to begin and as my soldiers took their positions, they waited for me to start the hostilities.


    [Be careful onee-san..]


    Without answering, I suddenly disappeared from where I was as I was now running towards the Snake and the Fox. The Griffin luckily was on the side of the Commanders and as I approached, I created a wall of ice to prevent it from intervening. That was the signal, and as I got within a few feet of my opponents, I could hear my soldiers screaming with rage, giving them courage.


    I didn''t have time to turn around because in only a few seconds despite the huge cer we were in I found myself in front of the two huge creatures. In a sh I passed in front of them as with my now ck and sharp nails I inflicted their first wound. Neither of them were expecting such a quick attack and while the Snake had some of its scales torn off, the Fox had managed to dodge at thest moment.


    Without stopping or giving them time to do anything, I made ice spikes appear from the ground and go straight into their skulls. There were two of them and they were huge, so in such conditions, I had to get the upper hand on them, so I didn''t stop. The Fox and the Snake had both avoided the projectile and as they turned around I appeared behind them.


    Grabbing the tip of the green reptile''s tail, I lifted it with all the strength I possessed before spinning it around and throwing it at the white three-tailed creature. Both of them were thus thrown almost to the edge of the abyss as I stood upright, smiling with all my teeth. At that moment, the two Demons began to look at me with more anger and although none of the wounds were fatal, I had proven to them that I was not just any opponent.


    "So, will you dance with me ? kufufu~"


    The more menacing their stares became, the more my blood boiled in my veins and my heart quickened. Snake began to spit in my direction, rearing back with its long tongue hissing with contempt as Fox growled as it positioned itself for battle. Suddenly, it was both of them that were pouncing on me, eager to get back at me.


    [They''reing !]<novelnext></novelnext>


    The first to reach me was obviously the Fox, and as it came up to me, it suddenly disappeared in a sh of white. I didn''t even have time to wonder where it was when a huge green, scaly, spike-filled tail came charging at me. cing my hands on the ground and pushing with all my might, the ground shattered as I propelled myself feet first towards the ceiling avoiding the attack. However, the next moment a bolt of lightning appeared above me right in my path.


    The White Fox had reappeared even higher than I was going and was already turning quickly to strike me with both of its tails. My feet hit both of its limbs with an impressive hardness as we were both propelled in an opposite direction. I was about to crash to the ground with a thud as the Fox crashed to the ceiling causing the ck stone to crumble.


    "Hahahaha~ perfect ! How exciting !"


    As I rose to my feet, my whole body shook not with pain but with sheer excitement. My heart was still beating fast and my hair was as red as blood, carried by my equally red aura. I felt euphoric, happy andpletely addicted to the feeling of having an enemy to dominate, break and above all defeat. As I smiled madly, the smell of my blood suddenly entered my nostrils.


    *What...*


    Again I was bleeding, and this time my own blood came to my senses. I had been injured when I crashed to the ground, and from my temple a red liquid flowed. A new sensation flowed through me as my body seemed to want to tell me something. The Snake and the Fox hade together again and seemed reluctant to pounce on me again without thinking.


    The fight had barely begun and I was already in a different state, as always, both unfamiliar and familiar. I was breathing harder and harder, and this time my blood was heating up my whole body and steam even seemed to being out of it. The two Demons looked at me with deadly eyes as I shook my way out of the crater that had been created on impact.


    *I... I feel like something''s going on*


    [Be careful]


    Suddenly, without even knowing what was happening, my body started to act on its own as if it had incredible muscle memory. I didn''t want to resist, deep down I knew something crazy was going to happen. I didn''t know what or how, but I just knew and as my eyes closed I was lulled into it. It was very strange because I was the one doing it but at the same time I didn''t know what I was doing.


    [Freya, what are you doing ?]


    Almost as if I were being moved like a puppet, I began to cut the tip of each finger to make blood gush to the floor. I couldn''t even respond to my little sister who I didn''t know either but suddenly my blood on the floor began to boil as I instinctively ced my hand over it. The next moment, threads of blood appeared around my hands which I could control with my fingers.


    -- PING --


    [ The host has obtained the skill: L??????''s Threads of Blood  (lvl 1) ]


    [ BLOOD : 90 / 100 ]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 149 600 / 150 000 MP : 71 000 / 75 000 BLOOD : 90 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 10%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - L??????''s Threads of Blood  (lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy


    Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    Master of souls (lvl 1)


    Passives - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 148 L??????S Threads Of Blood [The Crypt - Part XVIII]

    - POV General -


    In thergest underground room, whose walls were lined with ck gems and stones, the battle of the Empress and her subordinates had begun. In every corner of the huge, round cer, the soldiers were fighting a Griffin as ck as night. Further on, it was Freya who, on her own, was fighting a giant green Snake and a grey three-tailed Fox in a battle that was unbnced from the start.


    The first few exchanges and blows had not been fatal, yet the Empress, like the furry creature, had ended up crashing to the ground. Far from being annoyed by this, Freya was actually feeling more and more excited and euphoric about these creatures, her demonic mana only intensifying her desires. As she smiled, the blood that had started to flow down her tattooed face had suddenly changed her.


    In front of the Greedy Fox and the Envious Snake, the Empress had once again begun to discover the new possibilities her changes afforded her. Thus, as if carried by her body itself, she had cut the tips of each of her fingers, causing blood to flow. Then, without warning, the red liquid that had been flowing rapidly on the ground had suddenly started to boil before turning into threads.


    Blood was now wrapping around Freya''s wrists and fingers as a feral smile appeared on her face. She still hadn''t seen it, but at that moment, her scarlet eyes reflected an ever-growing madness. The Empress had just discovered what the blood meter that had appeared in her system was for. It was the first time she had done this and yet it was innate and instinctive to her.


    "I''m feeling so... nostalgic all of a sudden"


    Freya had spoken the words as she watched the threads made of her own blood move as if they were alive. They seemed to swarm on her fingers as memories oveid on reality where the Empress was seeing exactly what was happening right now. Snapping out of this brief state of inattention, she looked up again at those opponents who had remained motionless watching.


    "So, where were we ?"


    This time, instead of rushing towards the Fox and the Snake, Freya had started walking calmly with a cruel and sharp smile on her face. With each step she took, she let her demonic sidepletely take over as her red aura rippled like the mes of a burning inferno. The blood no longer flowed but had stained half of her face passing through her left eye, her lips before beading on her chin.


    The two Demons were surprised to be hypnotized by this strange young woman who was gradually giving them a feeling of danger. She moved forward without fear, always with that piercing gaze capable of intimidating even the Fox, who shivered instinctively. Freya licked her lips, staining her own teeth with her blood, making her smile even more insane.


    The scene was very special to watch because in this huge ce, on one side, there was a noisy fight involving 18 soldiers while on the other, the three most powerful beings were quiet. The atmosphere was thus divided into two, but it wasn''t where the noisy battle was taking ce that it was the most deadly. Only a few meters away from the two Demons, Freya had stopped before snapping her heel on the ground.


    "I think I understand how this works, let''s go over it again, shall we ?"


    Just as the Empress finished her sentence, the explosion of three auras suddenly erupted, taking over most of the room. The soldiers and the Griffin who were fighting further away had instinctively stopped before turning their gazes to its source. A wave of power in the form of red, gray, and green haze flowed from Freya and the two Demons, colliding in a hot, violent st.


    The next moment, the fight between them resumed with even more intensity now that the Fox and the Snake had realized that their opponent was no ordinary Demon. As Freya began to manipte her strings like a puppeteer, the Snake spat acid from under its tongue while the Fox wrapped its grey body in lightning...the real fight was about to begin.


    The Empress had decided to deal with the green-scaled Demon first as its acid attacks were dangerous. She had felt that she could turn her back on the Fox while being vignt in order to deal with the Snake. The reverse would have been harder as the acid element it possessed could not allow Freya to look away from the green creature.


    Dashing forward at full speed, the She-wolf, who at the moment was a Demoness, pped her hands together before separating them, revealing a multitude of moving red threads, ready to be used. She smiled and approached the Snake, who spat out bursts of acid while covering its body with the sticky substance. Freya dodged each projectile of the liquid poison, which melted the ground at a blinding speed.


    "Sssssss"


    The Snake hissed, its blue eyes following as best it could the red haired young woman who was charging straight at it. Its body was oozing more and more as the acid it was secreting to protect itself came out from under its scales. With a quick movement of her arms, the threads of blood that came from Freya''s fingers shot towards the Envious Snake like ten thin snakes.


    "Nice try !"


    The reptile followed her movements easily enough but still couldn''t touch her. Each time it aimed at one spot, the young woman appeared at another, alwaysing closer and closer. Her bloody threads spouting from her fingers suddenly wrapped around its muzzle closing its mouth with a dull snap. These threads were only level one but were strong enough to give Freya time to act.


    The Empress, who had caught the Snake''s mouth with her new skill, still held the wires in her hand like asso that she held tightly. The Demon struggled while the young woman pulled with all her might towards the ground. The reptile was giganticpared to Freya, but it was propelled head first against the ground unable to do anything.


    "kufufu~"


    Suddenly, the lightning-covered grey Fox began to run around the Empress who had no time to rest. She had incapacitated the struggling Snake to remove the threads of blood but it would onlyst a few seconds, she had to be quick. pping her hands together once more before separating them, new threads appeared in her hands as she followed the Fox with her eyes.


    The grey Demon ran faster and faster, trapping Freya in a cloud of dust that rose to the ceiling where traces of lightning crackled. It was lightning fast and the faster it went, the more it disappeared leaving the young woman unable to see it. Freya''s senses were working perfectly, but the Fox element was clouding her abilities. She found herself in the middle of a tornado of dust and lightning.


    "Hahaha~ good, very good !"


    Despite the situation, the Empressughed as the same crazy smile was still stuck on her face. No matter how hard she tried to listen or close her eyes, the only thing she could hear was the sound of the wind and the only thing she could feel was the vibrations that surrounded her on all sides.


    The Greedy Fox possessed an element that no one had seen before, for it used its lightning, which was not ordinary. Indeed, like Ynir, its illusions were only possible thanks to the light its lightning produced. However, it took more than that to destabilize Freya and as the Snake was almost done freeing itself, she raised her hands above her head.


    "You will thank your friend in the afterlife for this idea !"


    Mimicking the Nightmare Demon from herst confrontation, before the Fox could act, she struck the ground with all her power in a deafening noise. At that moment, the stone exploded sending debris everywhere around her as she used her threads to catch them one by one and throw them in all directions. Only one reached its target and hit the grey Demon in the left side.


    "GRAAARGGHH !"


    Freya still wasn''t done and used that brief moment of inattention to charge at it and jump on its back to wrap its throat in those threads of blood. Lightning crackled through its fur and the young woman suffered brutal shocks but nothing could stop her. The beast, unable to touch Freya who was on its back, was wriggling in all directions in vain, hearing its own breath be shorter.


    Unfortunately, the threads were still not strong enough and broke, causing the young woman to topple backwards. Sensing that she had let go, the Fox jumped with Freya on its back before sending a swipe of its tails towards the Snake. The reptile had freed himself and seeing their opponent charging straight at it, sent another burst of acid that hit her right arm.


    The Empress wasn''t fighting harmless little monsters and while this fight excited her to no end, it was on a whole new level. Everything was fast paced sometimes even a little too fast and she couldn''t always fight the way she wanted to. As long as she had the upper hand on them it was fine but they were fighting together which was hard to handle. Waltzing through the air, her left arm was now dripping with acid and her sleeve was starting to disappear.


    "Uuurg !"


    Freya didn''t even have time to feel any pain as a slimy, scaly tail mmed into that same arm sending her across the room. She had crashed again but the acid had hit her as well. As she stood up, the Empress held her sore and shaking left arm but she was still smiling. Her entire sleeve was dissolved and her previously white and perfect skin looked burnt.


    "What''s for sure doesn''t feel good...aarg !"


    Thanks to her resistance to pain it was bearable but the acid was slowly eating away at her skin so without dy Freya froze her arm in ice thanks to the ambient mana there was. This action not only froze her limb, but also the acid, gradually stopping the dissolving process. Unfortunately, her arm locked in ice was unusable for an indefinite period of time, leaving her with only the threads of her right hand.


    The creatures that had noticed this handicap, were now running towards her again knowing that she would not be as urate as before. Pulling out her katana from her good hand, seeing the two Demons approaching, Freya threw her weapon towards the head of the Snake and the Fox that was right behind. Obviously, they avoided her with ease but that was exactly what the Empress had nned.


    Throwing her right hand towards her ck de, five threads of blood came out of her fingertips and clung to the hilt. Firing once more, the katana that was now behind the two Demons, came back up at great speed. This time, even the Fox hadn''t managed topletely dodge as the weapon went through its shoulder beforepletely tearing off the Snake''s scales causing its blood to spurt out as well.


    "I will kill you..."


    Freya had whispered her words as she rushed in their direction, her ck de spinning straight towards her face. Her left arm was still trapped in her ice and her right hand was directing her threads of blood but the young woman did not stop. The two Demons didn''t understand what she was doing but had also resumed their mad dash despite the pain they were feeling.


    When they were only a few feet away from Freya, they could see the de approaching her face but that didn''t stop the young woman from continuing to run. Everything had been calcted and just before the tip of the katana sank into her flesh, her head simply shifted a few inches. The Empress had both hands gripped but that didn''t stop her and would prove it.


    Before her weapon could sink into the ground, Freya suddenly grabbed the hilt of her ck de with her teeth, keeping her momentum and speed. The Demons who thought she was almost defenseless were now right in front of her and regretted their haste. Lacing the Snake in front, she would send a kick into its body causing it to spit blood then sliding down to the ground and with a precise movement of the head, Freya would go under the Fox''s belly and tear its skin.


    "Grraaaoorghh"


    As the three-tailed Demon screamed in pain, the Empress stood up, her body once again covered in blood, but it wasn''t enough for her. Spitting her de out of her mouth, before it hit the ground, Freya spun around sending a violent kick to the end of the hilt. Once again, the weapon went off at an incredible speed and nted itself right on the end of the Snake''s tail with a thud.


    The blow had been so powerful that the de had sunk deep into the ground, pinning that green, scaly tail where it stood. Without even bothering, Freya was now reaching for the Fox, taking advantage of the fact that it didn''t have its lightning cloak. With a big sadistic grin, the Empress jumped before mming her foot down on the skull of the grey Demon, who in turn crashed to the ground, head first.


    "HAHAHA~!!! You like that ?"


    Only a few minutes had passed and already the three Demons were injured and even if Freya had managed to dominate them thest few minutes everything could change. The Envious Snake and the Greedy Fox hadn''t said theirst words, their intense rages were now sending out their auras with power again. The fight was about to resume and Freya would have to fight with even more intensity, she didn''t know it yet but it would soon be her turn to be challenged.


    Much further into this huge ce, there was still the battle of the Commanders, the Lieutenants and the Griffin. Everyone was giving what they could and together they were doing well for the moment, however, this was the biggest fight they had ever had. Their enemy was powerful and the more time passed, the bloodier this battle would be as well.


    ___<novelnext></novelnext>


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course : Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 100 600 / 150 000    MP : 71 000 / 75 000    BLOOD : 70 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 10%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - L??????''s Threads of Blood (lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 149 Together They Were Everything [The Crypt - Part XIX]

    [N/A: Small shback a few minutes to when Freya goes to fight on her own.]


    ___


    - POV General -


    "Let us do as it was decided. If you manage to defeat the Griffin and some can still fight, join me immediately if I''m not done on my end."


    "Y-Your Highness...take care..."


    Nixia had spoken the words with a worried look on her face despite her great trust in the Empress while everyone else behind her nodded. The three creatures in front of them were anything but ordinary and if the she-wolf could handle their auras, it was different for her warriors. They had grown ustomed to Freya''s even if she wasn''t at her most powerful, but fighting a being almost as strong as her terrified them.


    Then suddenly, after nodding to her warriors, the Empress disappeared, charging towards her two opponents without uttering a single word. At that moment, everyone understood that it was time and with a snap of her fingers, Persea created a bramble protection for Lynn and Inferno. Then, as a wall of ice emerged to separate the three Demons, the Commanders eximed with one voice.


    "Lieutenants with us !"


    It was imperative that they attack now to get the Griffin''s attention before it turned to Freya to help itspanions. Hearts beat out of chests, hands shook, foreheads sweated, but as one, the eighteen Empire soldiers rushed towards their target. With a mighty cry to evade the instinctive and paralyzing fear, the brave warriors ran.


    "AAAAAAAAAAA !!"


    The Commanders were in the front line followed by the Lieutenants who were waiting for the directives of their superiors. The ten young half-human women knew each other''s strengths and weaknesses and had trained like crazy. They had trained not only to ovee their weaknesses but also to be able to face an enemy together. Now the day of their greatest battle had finally arrived.


    "No need to hold us back, right ?"


    In the middle of her run, Ralph, points glowing, had turned to the others with a nervous smile. Much like Freya, the young hybrid woman lovedbat and even though she understood the full scope of it, she wanted to fight with fury. Emilia, who was following closely behind her with her huge sword, was nodding her head as she answered her. She was just as stressed as the others but also wanted to fight with pride.


    "We must defeat it so let''s show it ! But let''s not be reckless !"


    "Mmmh of course !"


    They were only a few meters away and the griffon had noticed them but did not bother to move for them. It was too busy trying to break the huge wall of ice with its beak but to no avail. Seeing that it didn''t break, it started to spread its big ck wings to fly over and join the other two. However, it was already toote for it, because the Elysium warriors were already there.


    "Trioa !"


    "Yes, I''m on it ! Ne !"


    Emilia and Ralph had shouted together the name of their friend who took off from the ground like a rocket, even faster than before. For all of them, it was the first fight they had after valiantly fighting the Nightmare horde and they had be more powerful. Trioa had risen into the sky, creating a small gust of wind, followed by Ne the harpy who was also faster than before.


    "Now !"


    At the wyvern Commander''s signal, Ne fired a huge water bubble that, thanks to the creature''s inattention, managed to trap its head in a watery prison. Taking advantage of this moment, Trioa drew her bow but instead of shooting arrows, she ran headlong towards the griffin. She spun around at enormous speed and stretched her arms, letting the des of her bow spin like a circr saw.


    As the ck furred and feathered beast dipped a paw into the water to boil it, the Commander was already reaching its wings. She wasing in at great speed and hitting the right wing it had been aiming for with one purpose: to keep it down. Before the others jumped into the fight, Trioa had to make sure that the griffin could no longer leave the ground, or at least not as easily as usual.


    When her spinning de had touched the beast''s wings, it had not gone through, but it had nted itself lightly in the upper part. As all the water had evaporated, the griffin was ovee with great pain and as it turned its soaked head, it could see a young woman with hair as gray as her wings, tearing at its wing.


    "I''m sorry"


    The sweet young woman that was Trioa couldn''t help but apologize as she pped her wings powerfully to intensify her attack. ck feathers soaked with blood flew everywhere and suddenly the griffon''s ck tail was heading towards her to chase her. Barely avoiding the blow, the Commander flew up into the sky using the air currents caused by the beast.


    "Ralph ! Emilia ! Thorunn ! Now !"


    "YES !"


    At the foot of the griffin were now the three Commanders most capable of fighting in close quarters. Trioa and Ne had caught the beast''s eye long enough for them to get right underneath. It was veryrge but then again, the Empress in her wolf form was muchrger so it wasn''t its size that would intimidate them.


    At the young wyvern woman''s signal, the three fearless Commanders looked at each other before coordinating their blows. Ralph struck the griffin''s left front leg, Emilia brought her sword down on the right one, and Thorunn extended both arms on either side and sent out her wind des. Trioa, who did not stand idly by, delivered the final blow by striking the griffin''s head with her foot.


    The Commanders were perfectly synchronized and understood each other with a single nce. They had struck at exactly the same moment and the beast was thrown off bnce and fell to the ground, breaking the stone under its weight. The griffin didn''t even have time to get up when brambles wrapped around its four legs to hold it down. They had appeared from nowhere and were obviously the work of Persea.


    Her brambles were now bigger, stronger, and most importantly easier to handle. The dryad was focused as ever and her light green aura was beginning to escape from her body. She was the only one who could immobilize it and took her role more seriously. In order to support Persea in her mission, it was now Ynir and Caipy''s turn to jump in, followed by Luna who suddenly disappeared.


    "Hold on a little longer Persea !"


    "Take as much time as you need, I''ll manage, don''t worry"


    After smiling at her friend, Ynir would p her wings in turn, rising slightly to once again draw that unique smoke that only her species possessed from her wings. The griffin struggled but suddenly the mist of particles from the half-human butterfly fluttered around its face before entering through its beak with each inhtion. Little by little, it let itself be invaded in spite of itself and its movements were less and less precise.


    Without giving it time to act, Caipy apanied by Luna, were both running on each side of the beast not without using the field for which they were gifted. The dark elf with daggers of poison, tried to impregnate strategic ces while Luna, used her lightning in all its power. The young half-human woman was using the humidity created by Ne to electocute the griffin.


    Everything had happened very quickly and within seconds the beast the Lieutenants feared was immobilized on the ground. Commanders Thorunn, Emilia, Ralph, Trioa, Ynir, Persea, Caipy and Luna had done a great job and were smiling under the impressed look of their subordinates. However, it wasn''t over yet and the griffin who hadn''t really retaliated until now was now angry.


    "Lieutenants, stand by ! This creature will not be..."


    As Ralph shouted these words, suddenly, an intense heat appeared near the soldiers. The brambles that had held the griffin back went up in smoke as it rose to its feet under the serious gaze of the Commanders. Parts of its body were covered in mes as ck as Nixia''s, its white eyes staring cruelly at the Empire soldiers. At that moment, the night-ck griffin was as incandescent as a dark phoenix.


    The fire had appeared on the feathers at the end of its tail, down its back as a line to its eagle head forming a crest and finally, its entire wings. With a shrill cry, the fire creature stood up but still couldn''t fly away. The griffin had 10 levels more than the Commanders but their attacks had still injured it, especially Trioa''s attack on its right wing.


    "Stay on guard, the real battle begins now ! You''ve managed to hurt it but it will take a lot more to defeat it. Let''s stick together, we know each other''s specialties so we have to work together ! Lieutenants, follow your superior''s instructions carefully and above all...try to be careful."


    Nixia the youngmia woman, had suddenly spoken as she prepared her fire spears. Her eyes were fixed on the griffin''s and one look at her was enough to know that she was very serious. Without a word, Naia stood beside her while eight others did the same, forming a line. These ten young women faced this powerful beast but did not flinch.


    "Hey girls, I don''t know about you but I''mpletely terrified haha~"


    Naia had whispered these words as her hands trembled slightly at the sight of the beast they were about to face. The vixen was the youngest of them all and at sixteen years old, despite her enormous courage, felt doubtful. As Naia tried to calm herself, a warm hand came to squeeze hers that was trembling. By raising the eyes, the young fox could see Emilia smiling to her tenderly while she answered.


    "Me too..."


    "It would be dishonest of me to say otherwise"


    "Same here, I''m anything but serene"


    "Holy shit of course I''m scared haha~"


    One by one the Commanders had answered in whispers so as not to panic the Lieutenants and their minds were just as terrified as Naia''s. They had been through a lot of emotions since they arrived here but this was the first time they had been so scared. They had been through a lot of emotions since their arrival here, but this was the first time that such fear hade over them. However, despite this terror, they stood there, upright, proud, and most importantly, they were not alone.


    "But hey...we''ll get through this because we''re together. Girls...I''m more than honored to fight alongside you !"


    Thorunn the young female vampire, had said these words while looking at her friends one by one with a smile that brought out her canines. At her words, they all smiled, obviously sharing the same feeling of trust, friendship, cohesion and strength. Ralph, who wasn''t very good at moments like this, responded sarcastically, but her friends knew that she didn''t think any less of it.


    "Save your sweet words for after, once the fight is over you can sing our praises all you want haha~"


    "Mmmh, time to fight for our lives..."


    Taking their positions, it was now time for all the soldiers of the Elysium Empire to enter the fight. The incadescent ck griffin was still waiting, seemingly convinced that nothing more could happen to it, its eyes almost mocking. It could feel the fear of this little people who had once had it but could not in the future. In keeping with its race, the Prideful Griffin stood there like the king of the room, feeling capable of stopping them.


    "Together !!! Let''s go !!!"


    No sooner had Caipy shouted these words than they all moved atst, driven by the same desire: to win. To the right Trioa and Ne were taking off with power, Ralph was crackling her fists and rushing with Liz her Lieutenant who was cracking her whip. Emilia was mming her sword on the ground as she dashed off and her lieutenant Zak growling and ruffling his red fur menacingly. They were the first to leave to face the beast withplete confidence in those who watched over them.


    Brambles rose from the ground again, spears of ck me appeared followed by arrows of fire, a violent wind rose feeding its zes that burned as intensely as their determination. In this tornado of wind, particles of illusory fog swirled and thebination of all these elements resulted in a gigantic attack. ck fire mixed with yellow and smoke, while walls of brambles and wood protected them.


    The Commanders who did not fight in the hand-to-handbat hadbined their attacks in only one which with the astonishment of all was very powerful. Ralph, Liz, Emilia and Zak did not look but felt this energy growing more and more in their backs whereas they dealt with the griffin. It could send enormous balls of fire thanks to its wings and its tail and the four warriors until here made only dodge.<novelnext></novelnext>


    They wanted to save time for theirrades and were on the front lines supported by Persea and Itham who could create walls of brambles or wood. So far none of them had managed to get close enough as the griffin was powerful and approaching without thinking meant death. However, the attack that could perhaps turn the tide from the start was ready.


    "NOW !"


    Nixia, Naia, Thorunn and Ynir had screamed together as a huge, glowing whirlwind was over their heads. At the signal, Ralph, Emilia and their Lieutenant jumped back to get away as fast as possible. The attack had beenunched and this enormous mass seeming almost in life, headed at full speed towards the creature made of ck me.


    Suddenly, as the attack was halfway through, Luna appeared just below, bringing the final touch. From her hands came a multitude of yellow lightning bolts that she mixed with this huge ball of element. The young panther woman had been very fast and now the final form was ready and was about to fall on the griffin. In this attack, they had put not only power but also rage, determination, love and hope.


    Alone they were nothing...but together they were everything and together they wanted to triumph.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 100 600 / 150 000 MP : 71 000 / 75 000 BLOOD : 70 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 10%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - L??????''s Threads of Blood (lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 150 The Warriors Of Elysium [The Crypt - Part XX]

    - POV General -


    Thergebined attack came straight at the griffin who began to stretch its wings to counter with its own fire. From a distance, it was impossible not to feel the intensity of the fight, yet Freya was far too busy with the other two Demons. It was up to the soldiers of the Empire to take down the ck creature and they were putting all their strength into it. The griffin, despite one of its damaged wings, was ready to receive the attack.


    It was far too big to avoid it and had no intention of doing so anyway. The beast had a great pride due to its race and the humiliation of earlier, it had not forgotten it. That ball of lightning, fire, wind and fog element was only a few meters away as the Demon created such a huge fireball. It had appeared generated by its tail and wings and all without the slightest effort.


    Unlike the Commanders who had had to concentrate some of their mana there to achieve that density, the griffin had done it all by itself. However, underestimating thebined power and their strategy was a mistake and it would soon find out. Though their levels were nowhere near the griffin''s, the warriors of Elysium were all under Freya''s system and buoyed by her courage.


    "Ralph now !"


    "Hai hai~ !"


    As the creature finished its attack and was about to send it off, Ynir, who was in the sky and could see the scene from above, called out to her friend. Without being asked, the young hybrid woman picked up arge piece of stone from the debris that had been created earlier before impregnating it withva. Then, with all the power at her disposal, Ralph threw this huge burning stone before shooting it towards the griffin.


    Her action had caused the wind to blow, and as everyone looked on in shock, the projectile had gone off like a rocket, splitting the air at full speed. Just as the creature fired, Ralph''sva stone crashed into its wounded wing, deflecting its attack at the veryst second. The stone had exploded on impact, and as it mmed into the wound Trioa had made, bits ofva embedded themselves in the wound.


    The next moment, the Commanders'' attack that had not been stopped hit the griffin''s body with full force. Even though he was level 35, abined attack between four level 25s should never have been taken lightly. Despite the aura emanating from it, the creature hadn''t wanted to move away and now it was toote. The wind tore at its feathers and hair, the fire burned its skin numb from the lightning.


    With another shrill cry, the griffin fell to the ground with a thud, shattering the ground in a cloud of dust, feathers, and blood. Smoke and the smell of burning flesh filled the air as the huge fireball he had conjured up was sent flying to the ceiling. It hit the ck stone walls before shaking the area they were in as everyone realized the power of the ck fire.


    At this moment, although they had managed to wound the griffin still taking away a little more HP, hearts were beating even more intensely at the scene. Its attack was on a whole other level, and if it had hit the Commanders'', the result would have been devastating. The creature''s wing was definitely unusable as it was now hanging slightly downwards, the entire front of its body was burnt and bloody.


    Commander Luna''s lightning mixed with Ynir''s fog had managed to stun it long enough for the griffin to not react right away. So, after beingpletely stunned for a few seconds, the Demon stood up with white eyes filled with rage. Its ck mes became even more intense and sent out waves of heat and aura that were almost unbearable.


    "Look out !"


    "It''sing !"


    This time the griffin didn''t want to y anymore, it was pissed off, out of its mind and the only thing it wanted at that moment was to crush those gnats that had hurt it. Without waiting it had for the first time dashed towards the group throwing ck fireballs in their direction. The ground exploded everywhere, the noise was deafening, the smoke invaded the corner where they were, ck mes beginning to fill the area.


    Again, walls of wood and nts rose to the ceiling, but although protective, were almost always destroyed. Soldiers were being showered with ck fire and no one could move or fight back. Itham''s wooden walls exploded into a thousand pieces and Persea''s nts, though more resistant, eventually went up in smoke after a few minutes.


    Without warning, the battle had be one-sided and neither the Commanders nor the Lieutenants could act, overwhelmed by all the attacks. It was total chaos, and although the soldiers had managed tond some heavy blows, the situation had reversed. The level 35 Demon, had the nce fixed on Ralph, Emilia, Thorunn, Trioa and Ne that he had not forgotten and was now heading straight to them.


    "We''re not going to get away with it, are we ?"


    "I doubt it."


    Ralph, the red-eyed hybrid, had turned to Emilia with a shaky smile as she responded by clutching her sword. Then, without saying another word to each other, they prepared to face it. The griffin was at their height and towered over them, its eyes still filled with hatred as it turned to sweep them with its huge tail. In a great leap the three young women who were on the ground, rose in the air to avoid it but it was not enough.


    The creature had predicted this reaction and at the moment when Ralph, Emilia and Thorunn had taken off, its tail had suddenly changed direction. It ran on Emilia who was in front whereas her two friends were a little more behind. The tail of the griffin was like a weapon with whole share and the mes which burned on it seemed to be able to consume all. The impact was imminent and each one knew perfectly that it could be enough of a blow to have the bones broken.


    Trioa the Commander, who knew how to move through the air, was rushing towards her friends but time was running out. She may have been fast, but the Demon was much faster, and since she wasn''t right next to it, Trioa doubted she would be able to get there in time. Her wings pped furiously in the air as she reached out to herpanions, her heart pounding and her fear in her stomach.


    "Emilia !!!"


    Naia, who was to the left of the griffin, had screamed at the top of her lungs as she sent arrows of fire at the creature in an attempt to stop it. Suddenly, just before the cat Commander was hit full force, a strong wind blew her and Ralph a little further away. Trioa, who was already there, was also pushed back by this powerful current that sent her whirling away in the air as she witnessed the whole scene.


    "No !"


    The three Commanders knew exactly who was doing this and while they were out of danger, one was far from it. The next moment, the huge ck firetail hit Thorunn who had created a tornado of wind around her to protect herself as much as possible, slowing and cushioning the impact. She was brave and thest thing her friends saw before she was blown away was her smile.


    Under the horrified eyes of Ralph and Emilia, the young woman vampire was then struck of full force while they could see her spitting blood before bursting against the wall. Thorunn had acted knowing that she could soften a little the blow contrary to her friends who did not have the possibility of doing it. The blow had been violent, but even so, the vampire Commander had been right.


    "Thorunn !!!"


    The griffin then ran to where the young vampire had fallen while her Commander friends screamed and did everything they could to protect her. Where the young blond womany, walls even bigger than before appeared around her made of wood and nts. Ralph and Emilia who were boiling with rage had dashed in their turn, an impressive aura of anger escaping from their bodies.


    Without even caring about the fire, the two young women jumped on the back of the creature and ran now on its body. Emilia in a shout of anger then cut down her big sword in the spine of the Demon. Her weapon unfortunately did not cut its hard skin which was much more than its wings but she did not stop. The image of Thorunn being hit instead of her yed in her mind and the more she struck, the more her eyes moistened.


    Ralph, on the other hand, was running straight for the Demon''s head with the same rage as her friend. The ck mes were beginning to burn her clothes and skin, but the physical pain was nothingpared to the pain in her heart. The young woman didn''t stop though and finally reached the Demon''s head which was now above Thorrunn and was about to hit her again.


    "You won''t get away with this !!!"


    As Ralph shouted these words, her fists struck the huge white eye on the left side of the griffin''s head. At the same time, Emilia''srge sword finally sank into the beast''s ck, burning back. Instead of striking the young woman on the ground, the creature started to shout and to twist of pain forgettingpletely its initial target. By the skin of their teeth, the twopanions had prevented the Demon from delivering a fatal blow to their friend.


    Ralph had driven thoseva fists deep into thatpletely unprotected and even rather vulnerable area. Her element had burned the griffin''s eyeball and made it boil before it exploded from the intense heat of theva. Blood had spurted out and where there had been a white eye, there were now only pieces of burnt eye dripping to the ground.


    Then, new brambles would appear and grab the griffin by its hind legs and even though they were burning, its inattention would keep it away. From nowhere, ck fire spears were alsoing out and hitting the chin of the griffon without stopping. The blows were powerful and little by little, blood began to flow in addition to the blood that was leaking profusely from his eye.


    "Thorunn !"


    "Don''t move, I''ll take care of her !"


    Emilia and Ralph in spite of their own wounds had jumped of the back of the Demon to rush towards their friend who got up slowly with difficulty. However, Caipy who in this fight could not make much that to take care on herpanions, had stopped them with a serious air. The griffin was still writhing in pain but the fight was far from over.


    "It''s...*cough*...okay, don''t...*cough*...mind me.."


    Thorunn coughed up blood but her smile hadn''t left her as she held up her trembling thumb in the direction of all the Commanders watching her. Her wounds weren''t external, they were internal but the dark elf in the medical section knew what to do. While she tended to her friend apanied by Nina her Lieutenant, the other 15 soldiers turned their attention back to the beast.


    Suddenly, a thud followed by a gust of wind from another corner of the room came out of nowhere. Much further away, the Elysium warriors could see the Empress still fighting the other two Demons alone. She had one arm trapped in ice, blood dripping from her face, but she was smiling. The sight gave the soldiers a boost of courage as they saw their Empress fighting like a beast.


    Freya in her Demon form was still scary, but her condition was a testament to how hard she was fighting. She was level 40 and fighting a level 40 and 45 and if it wasn''t for her system, it would have been over very quickly. All the fighting had started less than an hour ago and yet there were casualties on both sides and the oue of these battles was still uncertain.


    On the side of the Empire''s warriors there was one wounded and the mana of many was beginning to run out as time went on. Time was running out and everyone knew it, for without their mana most of the Commanders and Lieutenants would not be able to fight as fiercely.


    "Focus !"


    Caipy kneeling next to Thorunn had spoken these words, bringing everyone back to reality. The griffin had already lost more than a third of its life, so it had to be killed in the next 30 minutes if they didn''t want to die after exhausting their bodies and magics. This time, it was Luna, Nixia, Na?a, Persea and Ynir who stepped forward as for the first time they would have to fight closer to their opponent than they had ever been.


    "Rest up, we''ll take over and we''ll manage don''t worry !"


    Nixia the ck-scaledmia had addressed Ralph and Emilia who, wounded, were preparing to return to battle. However, instead of epting, the two young women shook their heads as one clenched her glowing fists and the other pointed her huge sword at the creature. The Lieutenants, who had so far done little, both terrified and hesitant, could only admire their determination.


    Sighing but smiling, Nixia conjured up two ck spears in her hands which she then swirled with essence and grace before nting them on the ground. The third round was about to begin and on both sides everyone was either injured or exhausted. However, after such a fight, if Elysium was victorious, an incredible power would take hold of each of these 19 warriors.


    "So let''s go..."


    ___<novelnext></novelnext>


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 100 600 / 150 000 MP : 71 000 / 75 000 BLOOD : 70 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 10%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - L??????''s Threads of Blood (lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 151 Tough Fight [The Crypt - Part XXI]

    - POV Freya -


    I had just stuck my katana in the end of the snake''s tail and smashed the fox''s head to the ground. So far I had managed to reduce their HPs quite a bit but I was far from done and I couldn''t deny the fact that this fight wasplicated. Thanks to my system, I was stronger than a normal level 40 and most of my attributes exceeded theirs but it was anything but easy.


    So far, the new skill I had unlocked was very useful and I didn''t know how but I handled it naturally. However, one of my arms was still covered in ice to stop the effect of the acid which to be honest had hurt like hell. I also had, it would seem, a few broken ribs and thanks to my resistance, the pain didn''t bother me that much.


    When I had used my blood thread skill, I had discovered what the counter was for, which had appeared along with my new system. In reality, it was my blood, which I used every time I wanted to create threads that gradually reduced the number disyed. I didn''t know how to make the gauge go up or what would happen if my counter fell to 0 but I didn''t want to try it.


    I was standing in front of the fox I had hit a few seconds ago and it was starting to get up with a growl. Still in my Demon form, I held out my arms on either side of my body and conjured up tworge ice spikes. The next moment, one was flying at the reptile and the other at the grey canid at full speed. The snake had its lower body pierced while the fox had one of its tails.


    ___


    [ Envious Snake (Demon)


    HP : 50 050 / 100 000 MP : 36 000 / 50 000 ]


    ___


    [ Greedy Fox (Demon)


    HP : 67 000 / 110 000 MP : 40 000 / 50 000 ]


    ___


    The fox had managed to move sensing the danger and instead of being pierced in the belly, one of its tails had been impaled. Like itspanion, it was now on the ground and was scrambling to get out of the trap as quickly as possible. The fox was so agitated that after only a few seconds, it freed itself, but not without leaving a part of itself in the process.


    [ Greedy Fox (Demon)


    HP : 61 700 / 110 000 MP : 40 000 / 50 000 ]


    Blood flowed profusely and the four-legged Demon no longer growled but yelped as it tore off its own tail to free itself. This left the three-tailed fox with only two tails as its yapping filled the room. As quickly as I could, I didn''t give it time to do anything as I threw myself at it to punch it in the stomach with all my might.


    With no time to react, the grey Demon was about to crash into the snake that had managed to get out of the way, leaving a piece of itself behind as well. The two collided violently against the ck walls of the room, sending a multitude of shiny ck stones flying.


    ___


    [ Envious Snake (Demon)


    HP : 48 950 / 100 000 MP : 36 000 / 50 000 ]


    ___


    [ Greedy Fox (Demon)


    HP : 52 920 / 110 000 MP : 40 000 / 50 000 ]


    ___


    As I watched them crash into the wall, my arm trapped in the ice began to manifest. The pain was almost gone and I could feel pulsesing from that limb proving that my blood and mana were flowing better. While the two Demons were embedded in the wall, judging that she could talk for a few seconds, my little sister spoke up.


    [Your arm should be out of danger from the acid, I can slightly feel your mana draining from our bond. However, finish it quickly, you still have about 100,000 HP left but you''re not safe from a reversal !]


    *Yes, and then I feel that my arm must rest even if it is out of danger...*


    As I answered Kira, I shook off the ice holding my left arm to reveal my skin that had turned red and burned. It was the first time my body had received such a scar and I didn''t know if it would go away but I didn''t care. I could move it slightly but it was still shaking.


    [Aren''t you going to use it ?]


    I could feel my arm going numb and unlike my body I felt as if I could not control itpletely. I didn''t know what the acid was made of but my arm that had been dipped in it hadn''t disappeared thanks to my strong body but it needed a rest. As I moved my arm slightly, I answered Kira with the utmost sincerity.


    *Not at the moment, I feel like I haven''t recovered enough. If I decide to use this arm I might have problemster*


    [Trust your body]


    Besides, my instincts were telling me not to force it as I could damage it more than anything else. I could feel my tissues slowly reforming thanks to my mana circuits and it was an important process that should not be disturbed. Besides, I didn''t want to rely on my arm, which at any moment could fail me at an important moment, so I preferred to continue not to use it unless I had to.


    *My body is healing itself, I''ll let it do its job*


    [To be more precise, your mana circuits are repairing your arm inside, the tissues, the nerves that were damaged. So it is indeed wiser not to overwork it]


    My body was very strong and without my level and attributes my arm would most certainly have melted but that didn''t mean I hadn''t been injured. The acid had formed small, almost invisible holes where the liquid had slightly prated before slowly eating away at my arm from the inside. At that moment I had frozen my entire limb and stopped the gnawing process but I could still feel the effects.


    *Its element is extremely powerful considering its level is lower than mine. Even the fox''s lightning is not as devastating on my body...*


    [It''s not that surprising, this element is not easy to fight, especially if it has a slow effect. It reminds me a bit of Nixia''s ck mes that will be able to reduce everything to ashes the more she evolves]


    It all happened in just a few seconds and as I nodded, watching the fox and snake rise to their feet, Kira''s voice answered me. Suddenly, another burst of acid came straight at me as the fox disappeared again. The two demons seemed even more enraged than before and preparing new threads of blood with my right hand, I stood ready once more.


    [ BLOOD : 60 / 100 ]


    I was using all my physical abilities and senses to avoid these waves of acid at all costs by getting closer to the snake, but it was no easy task. At the same time, the fox was throwing lightning bolts at me that were passing closer and closer to me. It was no longer circling around me like before, but using its element and speed to be elusive, appearing and disappearing all the time.


    The grey Demon seemed to be teleporting ever faster and I could feel its presence, its aura that perfectly conveyed its rageing closer without being able to pinpoint it precisely, busy avoiding the acid. The snake''s attacks had also be faster and more precise, and my mind, though working at full speed, was almost in overdrive. As I jumped, Kira''s voice echoed in my mind but it was toote.


    [Attention !]


    As a huge acid projectile came from my left, I created a wall of ice to block it, but just as it was rising up to protect me, the fox appeared. It had arrived so quickly and I had not had time to turn around that its huge mouth closed on my entire right side. This time, the ribs which were there and which had not yet been broken, cracked with an unpleasant noise followed by an intense pain.


    [ Your skill: Pain Resistance (lvl 5) has been upgraded to lvl 6 ]


    "Aaaauuuurrggg !"


    [Feya !!]


    Without doing anything, ice spikes came out of nowhere to strike the snake and the sides of the grey Demon and I knew perfectly well that it was Kira. They were sinking into its skin, blood was flowing but it still wouldn''t let go. I was trapped in its jaw and I could feel its fangs sinking into my skin even though it was very strong. Against all odds the pain was bearable but I had to act fast, very fast.


    ___


    [ Envious Snake (Demon)


    HP : 30 950 / 100 000 MP : 27 086 / 50 000 ]


    ___


    [ Greedy Fox (Demon)


    HP : 36 000 / 110 000 MP : 33 803 / 50 000 ]


    ___


    *No matter how powerful a being is on the outside, the inside is always more...fragile...uurg*


    I wasn''t going to pass out from the pain, but I could feel my skin tearing and my bones cracking in a way that had never happened to me before. Using the threads in my hand, I slid my good arm into its mouth as the pressure intensified. With a precise movement I sent all five of my blood threads into its stomach as I used the mana in my hand to create a ball as big as I could and drop it into its belly.


    The effect was immediate and the fox, who had not wanted to let me go until now, made me fall from its mouth while rolling on the ground. Both our bodies hit the ground violently while our moans of pain grew louder. All my ribs on the right side were broken and nowrge bite marks were appearing on my stomach and lower back.


    My clothes were torn and the ck cloth was soaked with my own blood, which this time was flowing as profusely as my opponents''. We were all right on the ground and despite the fact that we had HPs left, we had a hard time getting up this time. Thanks to Kira, both Demons had been hit as hard as I had and now the first to get up would have a clear advantage.


    [Freya I...I''m sorry I should have...been more careful I...I...]


    My vision was blurry and my body was shaking horribly but I couldn''t give up. My little sister''s voice echoed in my mind as she shook, everything I saw she saw too and Kira panicked. My skin was torn and there were like three deep w marks made by the fox''s fangs.


    *Don''t...apologize...it''s not your fault it''s...uurg I''m the one who has to deal !*


    "cough cough"<novelnext></novelnext>


    When the Demon''s teeth had been in my skin I hadn''t been in much pain but now that the blood was flowing I could feel the difference. I could feel an immense rage rising in me as I was angry with myself and struggled to get up. I directed this anger at the two beasts who had risen just as I had. As I finally stood, my aura red even more as I addressed them.


    "You want a beast fight ? I''ll give you one !"


    Blood was pouring from my mouth, from my wounds, and the pain was great, but I ignored it all and finally transformed into a wolf. Taking this form sent even more waves of pain through me as my broken bones changed shape no matter what condition they were in. My moans turned into growls as my red aura changed to be as ck as my fur. Under the shocked gaze of these two monsters, I was now in my original form.


    I was huge, and now I towered over the Fox and the Snake who were in no better shape than I was. Without further ado I rushed towards them as I felt my broken bones rubbing against my skin and my blood draining away little by little. With every step I took, a pool of blood formed, but I ignored all of these details. As I reached them, I started with the most dangerous with its acid and least injured.


    This time it was my turn to open my mouth wide so I could sink my fangs into those hard scales. The reptile''s body was covered in acid but I didn''t want to back down. Using my "Demonic Cloak" skill I covered my body with my protective aura which then focused like ayer on me. I didn''t know if it would work but I was trying my best to finish it off.


    Plunging my fangs into the snake''s neck, I bit down with all my might as I yanked. I could feel the acid but every time the pain came, I hurried to freeze the part of my mouth for safety. It was thrashing and swishing its tail which was also in a bad way, kicking up dust, opening its wounds and destroying the ground with loud thuds.


    Like the fox, I did not let go of my prey while the wounded grey Demon looked at the scene with disgust and fear. After firing a good shot, finally, the green Demon, who could no longer defend itself, found itself with its head torn off and its body inert. I had just broken its scales and cut off its top with the sole force of my jaw.


    If my fight had begun in euphoria, at this moment and for some unknown reason, I felt sad. With each blow I took, I felt a twinge of sadness that I only had when I was worried about my loved ones. It was a very slight and almost imperceptible sensation, but it was there and I felt it. The snake''s blood flowed into my mouth as suddenly a notice appeared before me.


    [ Counter updated - BLOOD : 70 / 100 (+10) ]


    My counter, which was at 60/100 a few minutes ago, was back up and as questions crossed my mind, suddenly on my soldiers'' side I felt a huge aura of rageing from my left. The Demon that the Empire warriors were fighting was covered in fire and I could see two figures on the ground protecting themselves as the griffin was about tounch its attack and smash them to a pulp.


    *Goddamn it !!*


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 41 600 / 150 000      MP : 42 610 / 75 000.      BLOOD : 70 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 10%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - L??????''s Threads of Blood (lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 152 Decisive Blow [The Crypt - Part XXII]

    [N/A: Second tost battle chapter, next one will be thest one (including Freya). Pfiuu this has been long for me andplicated but here goes. The little crypt arc is about to end. This scene takes ce right after the end of chapter 150].


    ___


    - POV General -


    Before the Empress got bitten by the Fox or ripped the head off the snake, the other fight was also about to get intense. Since the beginning, Thorunn had been injured but was in the care of Caipy and Nina while everyone else was still facing the griffin. It had had an eye gouged by Ralph and a huge gash in the back made by Emilia while the two women had wanted to avenge their friend.


    The two young women had been hit by the Demon''s ck mes but had ignored the pain to hurt it to their advantage. Fortunately, the griffin''s fire was not like Nixia''s and seemed rather normal, allowing Ralph and Emilia to escape without ending up in ashes. Each one had the red and burned legs but it was necessary more so that they did not think even once to give up.


    The creature was in bad shape and although no attack had managed to put its life directly in danger, the ones it had suffered always weakened it a little more. Thorunn, Nixia, Naia, and Luna''s group attack had hit it hard, helping to weaken it even more. However, the Commanders had already used up a lot of their mana and had to be careful not to deplete it even if the fight wasn''t over.


    Thus, the 15 soldiers still able to fight, were advancing with the determination not to drag the confrontation out any longer. The Demon in front of them was staggering slightly as it could no longer see properly and was trying to locate its enemies. It was then Nixia the youngmia woman, who started the fight by striking first in defiance. Her spears of me twirled in her hands before she threw them.


    "Use its blind spots to hit it where it least expects it and let''s take advantage of our numbers to string together attacks."


    "Nixia is right, if we want to be able to have it all together, we have to give it our all onest time !"


    As the ck-scaledmia''s spears hit their target, she had spoken for the Lieutenants, followed by Luna. Just as they finished their words, the shrill cry of the griffin reached their ears. Without saying anything more, with a nod, the Commanders rushed towards the beast followed by their subordinates. The first to arrive were obviously Luna and her Lieutenant Ash as they were the fastest.


    The half-human panther was almost as fast as her lightning and was now under the griffin''s body, under its belly. Once again, her element wasing out of her hands and the lightning she was handling, crackled in her palms like the sound of a thousand birds. As Luna raised her hands, her hundreds of yellow bolts of lightning struck the creature sending continuous shocks through it.


    "Ash !"


    "Yes Commander !"


    While she was busy controlling her mana to ensure a steady stream of lightning, Ash the leopard half-human, pulled out his daggers and began to slice. Of course, none of her wounds were fatal, but it was enough to lower the griffin''s HPs. Ash was only level 17 at the moment and each blow required a huge amount of strength for him to sessfully wound this much stronger Demon.


    Alone, it would have taken him hours to kill it, not to mention the fact that the beast would not have let him and killed him in an instant. However, alone they were nothing but together they were everything and even the smallest damage, multiplied could change everything. Luna''s Lieutenant, was giving it all he had as he dug his des into the fur as many times as he could.


    Despite the difference in level between the young woman with lightning and the Demon, it was wracked by violent spasms that its body automatically felt. Luna was not powerful enough to paralyze it but her level 25 allowed her to hold it back. The others finally arrived and so a flurry of attacks came down on the creature. From a distance, it looked like total chaos, but in reality, everyone knew what they had to do.


    "Kurumi !"


    "Yes !"


    Nixia and Naia had called out their Lieutenant''s name at the same time as they came within several feet of the griffin almost being immobilized by Luna. It was still asrge as ever but no one really had time to be impressed as it was already starting to move faster. At the signal of her Commanders, the pink haired elf instead of using her stone armor defense, hit the ground with the palm of her hands.


    Suddenly, stone spikes rose from the ground just below the Demon''s belly to crash against its skin and fur. At the same time, a cloud of fire arrows created by Naia followed by a salvo of Nixia''s ck me spears, came down on it from all sides. Huge explosions sounded and as Luna walked away exhausted, the griffin was overwhelmed by the attacks.


    There was a smell of burnt skin mixed with the blood and smoke that now surrounded the entire beast. The Elysium warriors could see its silhouette waving in the cloud as the mes in its body grew even more intense. Suddenly, with a shriek and a broad sweep of its wings, the smoke dissipated and a gust of wind blew it away. At that moment, the griffin appeared and along with it, a multitude of ck fireballs.


    Without even paying attention to who was around it, the wounded Demon in its proud and weakened state spun around,unching its attacks everywhere. Once again, a rain of attacks fell on the soldiers who were doing the best they could to protect themselves. Even Lynn and Inferno, who was further away, could feel the heat of the fire and the hot, violent breaths that followed.


    "Look out, get back !"


    A little further away, Lieutenant Zak, Liz, and Leon were in a fighting stance as suddenly a huge fireball fell on them. At that moment, an explosion shattered near them as the three warriors did what they could to protect themselves. Leon the Lieutenant of Thorunn, was blowing a much less powerful wind from his hands while Liz was cracking her whip and destroying the projectiles.


    Unfortunately, the griffin''s attacks were fast, explosive, and above all, very dangerous. No matter how hard the Lieutenants did, they found themselves retreating further and further away from their respective Commander. The ground was shattering and little by little, the bear Zak, the half-human tiger Liz and the kobold Leon were being hit as well.


    A huge burnt stone had crashed against Zak''s side, another one had mowed down the kobold''s legs and thest one was hitting Liz right in the temple. In only a few seconds, the Lieutenant of Emilia, Ralph and Thorunn found themselves on the ground. It was the total chaos and the Demon which had returned in a mad rage, burned and burst all around it. It was necessary to find a solution because for the moment, nobody could do anything.


    Seeing the distress of the three soldiers, Persea, who was already manipting her brambles to protect herself, extended an arm in their direction to make a wall appear in front of them. The dryad was not particrly as specialized as the others inbat but she manipted her element as easily as her own body. So far Persea had been the one to use her mana the most, but this time she was determined to reach her limits.


    As one of the Commander of the Guardians section charged with protecting the forest, the dryad had learned to control her brambles to perfection. She was busy protecting herself and those she could, but she had to strike back, and fast. Even the Commanders were starting to get overexerted, unable to get close to this mad beast. In the cacophony of explosions, Persea raised her voice, shouting as loud as she could.


    "Itham, when I tell you, you''re going to have to create the strongest and highest walls you can make to surround this Demon. I know I''m asking a lot of you, but only a few seconds are enough, we''ll take care of the rest !"


    "Yes Commander, I will do my best !!"


    The elf Lieutenant of the dryad and the young butterfly woman, knew he had an important role to y and was willing to do anything to seed. Nodding at his answer, Persea looked around for her friends while manipting her brambles.


    "Ynir, prepare your magic I think we need to test our illusion prison ! Commanders, Lieutenants ! Formation forbined air attacks ! Now !"


    At her words, despite the chaos that reigned and the wounded and crazed beasts that ran amok, all heads turned to the dryad. She had a more than serious look on her face and her hands were shaking as her mana had almost run out. Persea knew she couldn''t hold out much longer and hadunched for the first time one of the group attacks prepared during their training.


    "YES !"


    At that moment, everyone was moving all around, getting closer to the dryad while being careful not to get blown up on the way. Nixia was spinning her spears to break the rocks and zigzagged with ease with her snake tail between each fire projectile. Emilia, Naia, Ralph and Luna were doing the same thing using their strength, agility or speed while Trioa was splitting the air to get closer as well.


    Seeing that even the Lieutenants were arriving, in a huge effort, Persea would make all those walls disappear in one fell swoop, before turning to her Lieutenant and Ynir. Both were ready and as the dryad nodded, both knew exactly what they had to do.


    "Ynir ! Itham ! Now !"


    Without further questioning, Itham, who at the moment was the only one who could create walls, concentrated like never before. Mana was racing through his body as he used up all the mana he had left, being careful not to use it all up. Larger than usual wooden walls enclosed the griffin who didn''t understand what was going on. It would only take a few seconds for it to free itself so Ynir acted quickly.


    Flying as fast as her little wings could go, it was her turn to use her full element. A huge fog rose above the creature disturbing it for a moment as the young butterfly woman filled the wooden cage with her magic. A huge amount of illusory particles poured out and little by little the griffin felt itself wavering.


    "Our turn ! Persea !"


    Naia had been watching the process and just like the other soldiers, she knew that it was up to them to manage the rest while Ynir gave everything she could to immobilize the Demon as much as possible. All the warriors were running towards the dryad who was also drawing on her strength without a word as two huge brambles came out of the ground and ran straight at the griffin...that was the signal.


    As these nts seemed to havee to life, the Elysium warriors on the ground jumped all together on these brambles that passed in front of them at full speed. All on top like a rollercoaster, they were now running towards the griffin followed by Trioa and Ne who were flying by their side. They had only a few seconds left before they reached their target but suddenly, Leon the kobold''s foot slipped.


    He hadn''t held on well and although they had all practiced these moves before, the panic, stress and situation made it quite different. His hands were shaking and at the speed the brambles were going, he was being propelled backwards. Leon was thest one and no one noticed that he was falling and found himself desperately trying to hang on.


    Falling from this height and at this speed would guarantee him several broken bones and maybe even worse. The young Lieutenant knew this and was doing everything he could not to ruin this training, but to no avail. As the kobold went backwards, closing his eyes in fear of the impact, a hand came out of nowhere and grabbed his. He didn''t know who had managed to save him and as he opened his eyes, a voice he knew well rose up in front of him.


    "Well it looks like I''m just in time !"


    "Comander !"


    "it''s me haha~"


    In front of Leon was Thorunn who had climbed up the bramble and caught him at thest moment, lifting him up with tremendous force. The young vampire''s blonde hair was flying in the wind and her smile revealing her sharp canines was at that moment a blessing to this Lieutenant who had been very afraid. Without saying another word, Thorunn let go of her hand as she regained her seriousness.


    "Now !! G-Go...quickly !"


    They had all arrived above the griffin several meters above the ground and Persea who was no longer holding on was screaming as she felt herself getting weaker. At that moment, all the warriors of Elysium jumped as one, running straight at the Demon who had just broken the walls of weight that surrounded it. Seeing that everyone had jumped, the brambles suddenly disappeared as Persea fell to her knees exhausted and weakened.


    "AAAAAAAAAH !!!"


    From a distance, 13 people could be seen speeding from the sky at a wounded creature made of ck fire, feathers and fur. Lightning crackled, fists and whips snapped, magic was incanted, and weapons tingled as everyone prepared tounch onest decisive attack. Trioa and Ne, on the other hand, charged forward with a determination just as strong as the others.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Most of the soldiers had almost no mana left, were injured or had no strength left, so this attack would be thest. Hearts were pounding, hands were mmy and shaking, but ignoring the fear, the exhaustion, the terrifying aura of the Demon as it drew closer, the warriors of Elysium became one.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 41 600 / 150 000 MP : 42 610 / 75 000. BLOOD : 70 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 10%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - L??????''s Threads of Blood (lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 153 The Protective Sky [The Crypt - Part XXIII]

    - POV General -


    In the huge cer representing thest room of this ce, trapped under hundreds of meters below ground, the warriors of the Elysium Empire would strike as one. The griffin they were fighting was not at its best, but neither were they, and in a few seconds the battle would be decided. Just as Persea''s roots had disappeared, so they had all lunged.


    All the soldiers had jumped from the ceiling to rush towards the griffin that was now several meters below them. Each of them had prepared what they could in order to strike the demon with all their might. With a synchronized cry from their hearts, souls, and courage, they had dashed forward even though their hands were shaking because they were ready to finish it off.


    On the left, Nixia was twirling her fiery spears, Naia was shing her ming arrows, Trioa was twirling her sharp bow, and Emilia was brandishing her sword. On the right, Ralph was crackling her fists, Luna had drawn her daggers and covered them with lightning, and Thorunn, who had returned, was preparing her sharp nails. The seven young women were followed by their Lieutenants, who also wanted to end it all.


    Together, they all reached the griffin with great speed, thanks to their dizzying fall. The ck mes of the beast were still on its body but that did not stop the warriors who fell on it. The impact was powerful and contained the power of each to a different but enormous degree. As the attacks finally fell on the creature, an explosion of elements blew the ce away.


    The griffin, stunned by the situation thanks to Ynir, had been hit full force and copsed heavily to the ground with a thud. Feathers and blood flew everywhere as des sliced, fists struck and the elements raged. The Demon, despite its superior level, was unable to withstand such an onught and quickly found itself face down on the ground.


    Emilia had struck so hard with her sword that it had gotten stuck in one of its wings, causing intense pain and a stream of blood staining the ground red. The blow had been so powerful and delivered with thest of her strength that the handle had remained in the Commander''s hand. Nixia and Naia had aimed for the throat of its eagle head just after Thorunn had managed to slice its feathers as deeply as she could.


    The spears and arrows of fire had then rushed into the wound, burning the creature in the process. It had all happened very quickly and due to the speed of their descent, the young women had not aimed very well and the attack had been slightly deflected. The cut wasn''t deep enough to kill it, but it was losing life as the blood flowed.


    Trioa and Luna had taken care of its already injured wing and while the others targeted different areas, they had helped each other hit harder. The young half-panther woman had thrown her daggers into the early wound sending what little discharge she could with her element. The effect had still worked as her magic had prated through the wound numbing the entire limb.


    After that, the young wyvern woman had again pierced the griffin, but this time with more ease at the spot Luna had hit. pping her wings rapidly and flying through the air as if she were the queen, Trioa had arrived just in time to strike. Her bow, which had des on both ends, had sunk into the wing to emerge on the other side along with Luna''s des.


    Ralph, on the other hand, had been the one to strike the griffin''s head with her fiery fists, despite its ck crest of fire still burning brightly. With the strength granted to her by her vampire-wolf hybrid race, she had used her entire body to strike. Using rotation to increase her power, herva-filled fists had managed to sound the creature considerably while the sound of its broken bones had echoed.


    As for the Lieutenants, they had also given everything they could using their own means. There were stone spikes, gusts of wind, poison needles, ws and des and all of them had contributed to the beast''s copse. It had all happened in just a few seconds and this group attack had been a great sess considering the situation.


    The ck Demon hadn''t had time to do anything as all the Elysium warriors had fallen on him from the ceiling like deadly rockets. It had been overwhelmed by the attacks and its life had dropped drastically almost reaching the point of no return. Nina, Caipy, Ynir, Persea, and Itham stood to the side and watched the almost surreal scene unfold before their eyes.


    A wave of powerful, hot wind swept through the room as the warriors jumped to the floor. The smell of burning flesh and blood filled the room, while dust and smoke hid the body of the beast. Gradually, everything dissipated revealing the state of the griffin that had given the Empress'' soldiers so much trouble. Many now had no mana or strength left and hoped that it would not rise again.


    The five warriors were the only ones who hadn''t joined the group, being far too focused on defense rather than direct attack, but that hadn''t stopped them from contributing. Before their eyes the creature was finally copsing, weak, mortally wounded and overwhelmed by the blows. This 35 level Demon had finally given in and nowy motionless on the broken ground in the shape of a deep crater.


    "Is it dead ?"


    Nina who was near the wall with Caipy, had asked the question to her Commander who was watching intently. The Demon was no longer moving, its mes were beginning to disappear and blood was flowing from its wings, body, neck and punctured eye. One of its wings had small bones sticking out, the flesh having been pierced, torn and shredded in some ces.


    Its ck feathers and fur were now a bright red and the proud, beautiful beast it had been was now just a battered lump of flesh. Its aura was imperceptible, smoke billowing from its body and it was impossible for Caipy to answer her Lieutenant from where she was. The others were around its body and seemed to not want to get too close just in case.


    "I don''t know...we''ll have to go see I guess."


    As the Commander answered, she slowly stood up and walked forward with Nina following. As if the warriors had passed the message to each other, the others who had also stayed to the side began to approach. Those who had attacked were still around, the Lieutenants standing behind their Commander not daring to move.


    No one spoke or moved, watching for any movement from the Demon as the pressure slowly began to ease. By the time Caipy arrived, Nixia and Ralph were already near the creature''srge head, squinting and watching. Apart from the blood, nothing seemed wrong and its one remaining eye was closed and seemed to remain so.


    "Ah Caipy you''re here ! I feel like it''s dead but...how can I be sure ? It doesn''t seem to be breathing but I feel like a slight something.."


    "Shall we give it onest blow ?"


    As Nixia and Ralph asked questions of the medical elf, she reached around the head to the belly and put her ear to it to listen. Caipy held her ear and concentrated on detecting any sign of life, but nothing came and the griffin seemedpletely dead. As she stood up, she answered the others with a serious look on her face, her hand on her chin.


    "I can''t hear its heart anymore and it''s not moving either. I think we can say it''s dead but what I find odd is that none of us seem to have reached a new level. Tell those who are tired to stay away so they won''t be surprised if something happens, I''m going to stay and look at it some more."


    "I''ll stay with you ! Nixia you can go warn the others but stay on guard, I also feel like something weird is going on !"


    Ralph had spoken up, putting her hand on the shoulder of her elf friend who had just warned them of what she found odd. Despite the Demon''s conditions, no one had gotten any EXP points even though everyone had participated in its kill. As Nixia nodded, she went back to the others to pass on the message while the young elf and hybrid woman stayed put.


    Everyone was moving away but in addition to the two people still standing there, Nina the young dryad Lieutenant of Caipy had stayed and was behind. She was hidden by the gigantic body of the Demon lying on the ground and obviously hadn''t heard what her Commander had said. Then, as if it had decided it was the right time, the beast suddenly rose with difficulty as itsst strength carried it.


    "Watch out !"


    Ralph had reacted quickly and jumped on Caipy to tackle her to the ground as the griffin''s tail flipped over them. Its tired, dying gaze was now on the young Nina who had fallen to the ground from the shock, unable to move against the huge creature. She couldn''t understand why this dead thing had started moving again and couldn''t help but shake, paralyzed.


    "Nina ! Get out of the way !"


    "..."


    As Caipy slowly got to her feet and the warriors further away turned to watch the scene, she screamed to try to get her Lieutenant out of this state of paralysis. Unfortunately, Nina couldn''t hear anything and looked at the griffin who was staring at her with one eye, totally stunned and unable to move. The creature''s tail struck near her, sending pieces of stone falling on the young dryad''s feet.


    She found herself stuck but that sudden pain she felt had woken her up but now she couldn''t move. The Demon was totally disoriented and couldn''t stand on its feet very well as some of them had been broken by thestbined attack. However, it had noticed the only one in front of it at that moment and was about to strike her with its tail.


    "Get the hell out of here !"


    "Co-Commander I...I''m stuck !"


    Ralph had arrived just in front of Nina seeing that the monster was about to strike again and noticed that her lower body was trapped by the weight of the debris. She didn''t seem to be hurt very badly, but every piece that was trapping her had to be removed and time was running out. The young Commander couldn''t pull Nina''s body out without hurting her more than she was and so found herselfpletely overwhelmed by the situation that had instantly turned around.


    For the first time, the young hybrid feltpletely overwhelmed as she saw the tail getting closer and closer and her friends running to join them. Unfortunately they had gone to join Lynn and Inferno who were much further away for safety and couldn''t make it in time. The young dryad began to cry, seeing her deathing and Ralph couldn''t bear to see her like this.


    "I... I''ll protect you ! Don''t cry..."


    Were the only words she had managed to utter as she wrapped her arms around Nina, shaking and waiting for the impact. At the moment, Ralph had found no other solution than that, she couldn''t pull the dryad out of the debris, she didn''t have time to remove them and no one would arrive in time. Her instinct had been to use her body as a barrier, hoping to minimize Nina''s injuries with her powerful body.


    "Ralph !! Nina !!"


    Caipy, who was still on the other side, could only look on in horror, unable to react or help. She felt so foolish for not having checked earlier to see if she and Ralph were the only ones left. The elf could already see the bodies of her friend and subordinate being thrown against the wall with power and knew more than anyone that unlike Thorunn, they wouldn''t make it out of there as well.


    While everyone was gasping for breath, Ralph had her eyes closed and was hugging the dryad tightly, who at that moment, despite the situation, felt reassured. She felt grateful to the Commander for protecting her at the cost of her own life, and a whole host of other emotions besides fear came over her. Nina was afraid of death, she didn''t want to die but being held by such a strong and brave woman at least warmed her heart.


    However, as the blow came and many also closed their eyes in fear, Ralph and the dryad waited for the impact but it did note. Instead, a gust of wind blew behind them followed by a huge noise and a growl. Opening her eyes slowly, the young hybrid suddenly found herself in the dark and didn''t understand what was happening as she looked around.


    "What..."


    Above them was a fur even cker than the griffin''s, tinged with blood, hiding them from the light. Before Ralph and Nina''s eyes, the Empress herself had arrived from nowhere as usual and stepped in to protect them. Indeed, Freya, who had torn off the snake''s head, had seen the whole scene and had chosen to run towards them, leaving the Fox behind.


    At a nce she had realized that the fate of her soldiers whom she saw aspanions would be more than bad if she did not act. Without even thinking for a second, she had acted knowing full well that she could endure what her soldiers could not by taking the hit for them.


    After all, the Empress of Elysium was the sky itself, watching over her lights so that they would never be extinguished.


    ___


    FULL STATUS<novelnext></novelnext>


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 40/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000


    HP : 41 600 / 150 000 MP : 42 610 / 75 000. BLOOD : 70 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 10%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - L??????''s Threads of Blood (lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 154 The Three Sins [The Crypt - Part XXIV]

    [N/A: Chapter begin just after the end of chapter 151, the first paragraph is copied and pasted since it''s Freya''s point of view (same paragraph as at the end of the chapter 151)]


    ___


    - POV Freya -


    My meter, which was at 60/100 a few minutes ago, was back up and as questions crossed my mind, suddenly on my soldiers'' side I felt a huge aura of rageing from my left. The Demon that the Empire warriors were fighting was covered in fire and I could see two figures on the ground protecting themselves as the griffin was about tounch its attack and smash them to a pulp.


    *Goddamn it !!*


    The Fox was still in front of me but with one look I could see that it didn''t have long to go before it copsed like its Demon ally. I didn''t even need to think because I knew my priorities and right now they were my soldiers. Without even waiting another second I rushed towards them as I saw the griffin''s tailing dangerously close.


    [ Prideful Griffin (Demon)


    HP : 50 / 90 000 MP : 161 / 45 000 ]


    From what I could see the griffin had only 50 HP left which was quite incredible and seemed to move only by will. Like a bodying back to life, it had gotten up to deliver onest attack hoping to take someone with it. The demon was in bad shape and despite its level, just as I had expected, my warriors had done more than a good job. So it was my turn to protect them so that their hard work didn''t end in the death of two of them.


    I could feel my broken ribs rubbing against my skin from the inside, my whole limbs ached, and my arm that had been frozen had be a paw that I could hardly control. I was in a terrible state but I still ran towards the two figures who were in fact Ralph valiantly protecting Nina. I was fast, very fast, and in only a few seconds I was in front of them to protect them with my own body.


    I hadn''t even tried to hit the Demon because it was so fast that I didn''t want to risk it hurting them anyway. Nina seemed to be stuck and after running a hundred simtions in my head, the best course of action was for me to move ahead. The moment I had ced my body over them, it wasn''t long before the blow came directly into my back and my ribs broke.


    "Grrraarhhg !"


    Strangely enough, the blow was not as powerful as I thought, but the condition of my body made the attack painful all the same. Its huge tail had hit the ces on my side that were most injured and a jolt of pain had washed over me, leaving me with an unconscious grunt. My right side was not only broken, but still bloody from the bite the Fox had given me earlier in my humanoid form.


    [ HP : 41 600 / 150 000 ]


    *Uuuurg*


    [O-Onee-san...]


    *I''m fine...*


    I could feel my hot blood running down my fur and my wounds reopening as my HPs dropped a little more. I stood over Ralph and Nina who I had been protecting and as the griffin staggered after hitting my hard body, the others finally arrived. I didn''t have time to say anything to them as I felt the Fox quietly return from where I was earlier.


    "Your Highness !"


    "Ralph ! Nina !"


    Without saying a word, I leaned on my two front paws, before throwing my back paws at the body of the ck Demon that was still at my back. I wanted to get it away as quickly as possible so I could deal with the oing Fox, who was just as bad as I was, if not worse. The griffin was thrown a little further as I nced at my soldiers who had arrived to help Nina.


    "Y-Your Highness we''ll take care of it !"


    "Th-thank you !"


    Ralph and Caipy who were in front of me spoke these sentences as I nodded my head before rushing to the one who was also to be executed. I had HP and MP left but things had gone on far too long. As my soldiers prepared theirst shots, I jumped on the grey Demon who had been pierced with ice spikes by Kira. It didn''t have much life left and a few simple hits would be enough to kill it.


    [Be quick, you don''t want to get hurt any more not counting the others !]


    *Mmm, it''s dying anyway*


    [ Greedy Fox (Demon)


    HP : 6 000 / 110 000      MP : 3 803 / 50 000 ]


    The Fox was bleeding and its grey fur was now red hiding the symbols drawn on it. It had almost no life left and even if its MPs were still there, its body wounds prevented it from using them well. If I wanted to end it was now, so without hesitation, I threw myself ferociously on it. It tried to resist but I had a clear advantage over it.


    Dodging its paw, I dug my fangs into its neck again, squeezing as hard as I could. Blood filled my mouth and ran over my tongue but instead of being disgusted, I felt pleasantly good. Without thinking, as if by instinct, I began to swallow the warm liquid that ran down my throat, shredding the skin. It was a divine sensation, intoxicating me and giving me even more strength.


    [ Greedy Fox (Demon)


    HP : 3 070 / 110 000      MP : 3 803 / 50 000 ]


    ___


    - PING -


    [ Counter updated - BLOOD : 80 / 100 (+10) ]


    [ Counter updated - BLOOD : 90 / 100 (+10) ]


    [ Counter updated - BLOOD : 100 / 100 (+10) ]


    The more I drank, the more my notifications rang in my mind that my blood meter was slowly going back up as the blood I was swallowing seemed to make up for the blood I had lost while handling my threads. While my fangs were still in its shoulder, I could hear its screams while with a shake of my head I dropped the Fox to crash into the walls of the wall near the griffin.


    *It''s time !''*


    [Yes !]


    Reverting to my humanoid form, I conjured up some ice clothes as I didn''t have time to change while I grabbed my katana that was still embedded in the ground with a piece of the snake''s tail. The transformation process was less painful but I could still feel my broken bones and those three w like scars were still on my stomach and back.


    "NOW ! TOGETHER !"


    The Fox had crashed next to the ck Demon and seeing that my soldiers were about to hit it as well, I had yelled for them to act as quickly as possible. They had to kill it together if they wanted to gain EXP and as I ran towards the Fox, my warriors ran towards the griffin who was now a shadow of its former self. This time, it was all the female Commanders who were rushing towards it to deliver the final blow.


    As for me, I ran to reach the Fox, and while I was only a few feet away, I conjured up a staircase of ice on my way, which I climbed as it appeared, rising high into the sky. When I reached the end, just above the Demon, I jumped up, grabbing the handle of my ck de in the direction of its head. I descended at an incredible speed and before it could even move it was over.


    My feet hadnded on its eyes and my sword had sunk into its skull with a dull cracking sound. Its head was hugepared to my katana but I had aimed right between its eyes, killing it instantly. However, against all odds, just like with the snake I had not received any notification and yet he was dead. Turning my head towards my soldiers, I pushed this idea away for the moment in order to observe.


    All of the Commanders had justnded the final blow and so the griffin copsed once more this time quite dead and unable to get up. At that moment, all the notifications I hadn''t gotten were disyed in front of me as I approached them. I didn''t know why, but it all went off at the same time, the moment all three of them died, as if they were linked.


    - PING -


    [ Congrattions L?????? ! With the help of your subordinates you have killed and tamed your first Three Sins. You now have the ability to use their bodies to bind them to you using your skill : Master of Souls ]


    [ The host killed and tamed the one and only Envious Snake of lvl 40 ]


    [ The host killed and tamed the one and only Greedy Fox of lvl 45 ]


    [ The host''s subordinates killed the one and only lvl 35 Prideful Griffin ]


    [ You earn 215,000 EXP ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (41) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (42) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (43) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (44) ]


    [ Condition met to advance to next level (45) ]


    [ Your HP and MP have increased ]


    [ Congrattion s! Your 10 most powerful subordinates are now all level 30, with the others having passed level 20 ]


    [ Unique evolution possibility unlocked by level 30. Process begins when the 10 individuals sleep ]


    [ You now have +600 attribute points ]


    So much information was pouring into my head as the mention of the Three Sins sent shocks through my mind. It all seemed so familiar and yet so unfamiliar that I could lose my mind and sense of who I was at any moment. However, that wasn''t the most important thing, I had to make sure everyone was okay and find out what was lurking at the top of those stairs that led to the pantheon.


    [Good job onee-san, you scared me but finally you did well! ]


    *Thank you*


    My body was still sore, but I ignored the pain and walked with my head held high, my chin up and my face proud, though covered in blood. As I approached the remains of the griffin, the soldiers who noticed my presence began to act quite differently. Instead of bowing or prostrating, Na?a rushed towards me, followed by Ralph and Luna.


    "Your Highness we did it hehe~"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Did you see that Empress ??!"


    "We did what we could and we finally seeded !"


    The three young women in front of me had eyes glistening with pride, and I knew that after that grueling battle, it was only natural. This was, after all, the first opponent of far greater power than theirs that they had fought since the creation of the Empire. Na?a had jumped into my arms to the surprise of everyone, while Ralph scratched the back of her head and Luna smiled.


    "I...I don''t know what came over me...I..."


    The young vixen noticed her inappropriate gesture and raised her head towards me, blushing and trembling as she stammered a few words. It was not difficult to understand that she felt ashamed and stammered an apology as she let go of me and bowed to me. Everyone else seemed to want to do the same, but instead of letting her do it, I grabbed her, preventing her from bending down and hugging her back.


    "I...please forgi.."


    "It''s okay...you did a good job...all of you !"


    For the first time since I became their Empress, I hugged the youngest of the Commanders who I felt deserved it. More than subordinates, I considered them all part of the great family that was our Empire and at that moment, I was proud of them. My body ached, my blood-stained Na?a''s clothes, but my soldiers could see my sincere and happy smile.


    The same smile I had reserved only for my wife and daughter was offered to them after these events that could have cost them their lives from the beginning. My best warriors were around us and in a solemn silence, only tired but radiant smiles appeared, illuminating each face. Releasing Na?a slightly, I then resumed my serious look as I looked up at the pantheon.


    "Well. There''s quite a bit I need to tell you about your new levels, and we''ve still got a lot to figure out at the top of these steps..."


    Our moment of rejoicing was short-lived, for we must not forget why we had gone through all this and fought so fiercely. The Commanders could not rest just yet, for that would start their evolutions, and I wanted to be sure that all would go well. The sooner we discovered the secrets of this ce, the sooner we could rest and reflect on all these changes.


    [I know you''re also eager to find out who you really are...I must admit I''m also very curious onee-san...]


    *Yes...I keep getting urges I didn''t know I had, not to mention my red memory, the visions that sometimes ovep before my eyes and that familiar feeling I get very often...*


    I didn''t know if all my questions would be answered where we were going, but I knew I wouldn''t be as confused as I was now. Was everything that had happened here nned by Titania, or had I really stepped out of her expectations and onto my own path ? Perhaps only the red pantheon in the middle of the room could give me the answer I so longed for.


    We were almost there and so much was going to happen in the next few hours just before I contacted Shiro. I hadn''t forgotten the notification about those Three Sins and the possibility of releasing June, May and even my little sister made me want to figure everything out now. In just a few moments, all our efforts would finally pay off and maybe I would even discover the secret about my identity.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 31 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 10%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - L??????''s Threads of Blood (lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 155 The Two Women [Interlude IV]

    - POV General -


    While the fighting with the Three Sins was over, on the surface...far beyond this cave, high in the sky there was a woman watching the clearing. She hade out of nowhere, as if from an invisible portal and was now looking straight ahead. This woman had blue hair and squinted ck eyes while her face betrayed a palpable discontent.


    This woman was Titania, Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell who had moved from her Kingdom where a nearly endless mountain sat. She wore a light white dress with a plunging neckline that showed off her voluptuous form. The Goddess was not asleep, she was wide awake, her face wearing an expression she had never shown Freya.


    She was apanied by a small, not very tall boy with hair as blue as hers and wearing the same dress despite his gender. He was sucking his thumb sitting in the air beside the Goddess and looking in the same direction. His appearance was deceptive because in reality he was older than Freya and Gayabined but kept that childish body that despite his age fit perfectly with his spoiled child personality.


    "..."


    Titania''s eyebrows were furrowed and she was biting her lower lip so hard that a trickle of blood ran down her full pink lips. She paced the sky, which was beginning to show the iing morning sun. The Goddess was disturbed and not for any reason because just a few hours ago she had felt her connection to Freya via the system shatter into pieces.


    "I don''t understand...how is this possible ? I created this system to help her reach her most powerful form as quickly as possible without her remembering anything, but did I make a mistake ? Impossible ! And yet..."


    While in her Kingdom, Titania had realized something was wrong when her link with the she-wolf had disappeared. Though she thought it impossible, it had all happened and Freya now had a new system, her own system. The Goddess had no way of knowing this and had been unable to stop herself from moving. At this moment she was no longer the sweet woman she was in front of Freya and even the opposite.


    "Damn it ! Don''t tell me that idiot died in the crypt !? No...I still feel her special presence but...she''s different. What could have happened ? Did her memoriese back ? That''s not possible. She''s not who she was before...that person doesn''t exist anymore !!!"


    Titania thrashed her head angrily as a menacing blue aura emerged from her body. Memories that only she knew existed surfaced as her grimacing face shook with rage. Her long fingernails dug into her palms until they bled and her teeth gritted more and more as the little boy beside her answered.


    "Mom you promised me I could y with her afterward ! I''ve been waiting a long time and I still haven''t been allowed to have any fun !"


    "Yes my little bunny but I told you to be patient, mommy is working hard you know ? Mommy has to stay focused because out of all the others she was chosen but I promise you''ll be able to have fun with her soon !"


    As Titania spoke these words, she stroked her son''s hair as she looked at him tenderly. Her expression had softened for a few moments before she turned her head back towards the clearing. Far too many questions were running through her mind and as the young boyy in the air sulking, the Goddess began to think aloud again.


    "I shouldn''t get upset, everything will be fine, it''s just a little hup of nothing right ? hahaha~ yes it is ! But at the same time...what happened ? Would she really have recovered her memories ? If that''s the case it''s not good for me at all...it wasn''t nned and it would screw up my whole n !"


    The Goddess had started pacing again, this time scratching her chin as she imagined what would happen if Freya remembered everything. She could partially remember her old identity but if she came to remember everything and Titania, everything would be different. The Goddess for some reason dreaded the future, even though Freya was just a unique being in this world iparable to a Goddess.


    "This can''t be happening, she can''t remember ! Tsk, again today the tensions between our two Houses are about to explode, I must not fail in my mission. Otherwise, it''s thousands of years down the drain, not to mention my fight against that stupid Goddess of Time who almost ruined everything ! She did well to die at the hands of those weak humans, she wasn''t worth it ! This is what happens when you try to protect someone when you don''t have the strength ! Tsk family..."


    Just as the she-wolf had suspected before, Titania was not alone in this plot at all, for it involved several Gods. What was their purpose ? Only they knew, but what was certain was that in the vastness that was this universe, two divine groups were at odds. Two Houses of Gods and Goddesses who hated each other, Titania being part of one and the mysterious young woman of the other.


    Thus, the Goddess was referring to events that had taken ce thousands of years ago that involved her and Freya though thetter was still unaware of it. At the mention of the mysterious woman sealed under the old mountains, the little boy straightened up with a disgusted expression on his face. As he spat on the ground, he stuck his tongue out as if to mock this ancient Goddess before speaking up.


    "That bitch got what she deserved and it''ll soon be the turn of L..."


    "Hush my bunny ! Never speak her name ! Those days are over and we must focus on the present and the future."


    As Titania''s little bunny huffed in annoyance at being cut off by his mother, the Goddess herself had begun to tremble slightly. Her son had almost uttered the name of the one who had so terrified her, and at that moment chills ran down her spine. Who was Freya really ? At that moment, the she-wolf still didn''t know, but what the Goddess didn''t know was that she had indeed begun to recover her lost memories.


    "This person no longer exists, call her what you will but do not speak her former name. You know very well that it was banished from our House the day she died so that her name would never again make us tremble ! Today she is but a single being capable of dominating this world and these pathetic humans...but never again will she be as feared as she was during the height of her power !"


    Titania spoke confidently, but she herself wasn''t really sure it would ever happen, but she preferred not to think about it. For now, her House had given her a mission and she was doing everything in her power toplete it, even if the repercussions of her fight against the ancient Goddess of Time cost her her own. Titania hadn''t lied about it and often fell into a deep sleep but that didn''t stop her from doing her best.


    "If all goes well our House will be able to take her old powers without her remembering anything and we can finally prevail over the other House. Isn''t that ironic, little bunny ? Freya herself will unknowingly give us the means to destroy what she has so cherished hahahahaha~! But in order to do that...I need to understand what happened. When she gets out of the crypt, I will pay her another little visit !"


    The Goddess hadn''t nned to meet her so soon, but the urgency of the situation made it necessary. Titania and her little blue-haired bunny, now sat in the air, eyes fixed on the clearing and the crystal tree, patiently waiting for their now no longer puppet to return.


    ____


    This time, not in the sky but underground, at the foot of the mountains of Vancesia, the same mysterious young woman was still waiting. Her powers were slowly returning and it wouldn''t be long before she finally broke free of her stone prison. Her skin was no longer cracked and had taken on a slightly pinker hue and her hair was no longer grey but white as it once was.


    Her body imprisoned in the cold stone was slowly breaking free and now her arms were able to move freely up to her shoulders. When Gaya had split the ground in rage years ago, her powerful dragon mana had cracked her prison and now the surrounding mana was slowly feeding her still weak body. The young woman didn''t know it, but it was because of the wife of the one she sought to kill that she could still move.


    "Just a little more patience...soon I will be free and this time, even though I am no longer the Goddess of Time, I will find a way to avenge myself and all those who have fallen because of Titania and the others !"


    More than anger, on her face bathed in the daylight, a sad and wistful expression was drawn on her fine features. Then, clenching her fists with rage and determination, the young woman raised her head to look into the sunlight. Her eyes, as violet and piercing as Freya''s and Shiro''s, shone intensely as a dangerous glow suddenly appeared.


    "Freya...I don''t know who you are but you are definitely on Titania''s side and for that simple fact you will be the first to suffer my wrath. I will destroy every bit of this world, every being, every thing that this Goddess holds dear in this world and this time I will seed !"


    She couldn''t forgive the actions of Titania who had taken everything away from her, her powers, her status as a Goddess and the one she had promised to protect. Then, taking on an even sadder expression, the young woman closed her eyes as fine tears streamed down her face. These little drops glistened in the soft rays of the sun as she murmured softly with a trembling voice filled with sadness.


    "I know it won''t bring you back, but I''m so angry at the world, at myself and my weakness for not protecting you the way I should. If only everything had happened differently, if only I''d seen iting all this could have been avoided. I...forgive me...L...L...sigh, I can''t even pronounce your name anymore so deep is the shame and regret in my heart."


    Suddenly, as she sighed, the beautiful young woman received information in her mind from someone who was directly rted to her. This information came from little Shiro who didn''t know it but in fact, had been born through the magic of the Goddess of Time. Just before being sent to Titania''s world, the young woman had created an egg with the little power she had left and sent it to Kleisaria.


    She had sent that egg to this world in hopes of using it to regain those powers, but things had turned out quite differently. She had ended up with the same elements as the Goddess she hated with all her heart and her creation was nowhere to be found. In a fit of anger, she had decided to attack the entire world before being locked up and sealed.


    "It seems that Freya isn''t here near her right now...what is she trying to do ? Could this be another one of that dirty Goddess'' dubious schemes ? If only I could find out a little more..."


    All the young woman had for information were short, dark visions where she could only hear what Shiro heard through her imperceptible link with her. However, they were only short sentences and sometimes even just words which made it difficult to understand. She had never seen Freya, nor Gaya and so didn''t know what they looked like but knew enough to connect them to Titania.


    "But the day I get out of here, I''ll head first to this ce called...Elysium to retrieve the sweet little girl I created and snatch her from the clutches of that Freya who seems to be plotting something with Titania !"


    Unfortunately, the former sealed Goddess didn''t know this, but she was totally misguided and the information she was getting in bits and pieces was good but misinterpreted. To her, Freya was in league with her enemy and didn''t know that Shiro, whom she saw as a bit like her daughter, wasn''t unhappy at all, quite the opposite. In her mind, her hatred, her sadness and her desire for revenge, guided her way of seeing things.


    "I, Ka, swear this time to avenge you and plunge the world into that Chaos you so loved..."


    The young woman under the mountain was called Ka and though it didn''t mean much at the moment, she had carried the title of Goddess of Infinite Time and Celestial Wisdom. She didn''t know it, but at that moment, the one she had sworn to protect was actually not dead and was even the same person she was targeting now. So, without even realizing it, Ka had sworn to destroy the one she had mourned.


    In two different ces, two women withpletely different ideas, two enemy women were thinking about the same person. Freya was in the mind of Titania and Ka, unsuspecting and not yet aware of how she was connected to these two women. However, it wouldn''t be long before she understood a little more of her history, her past and what she was involved in, this information being able to change her entire perspective.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female<novelnext></novelnext>


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 31 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 10%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - L??????''s Threads of Blood (lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 156 Behind The Veil Lies My Truth [The Crypt - End]

    - POV Freya -


    We were finally done with the fighting, everyone was fine despite a few injuries, fatigue and the pressure that was graduallying down. I was in a bad state myself but the desire to discover what was hidden at the top of the steps dominated all the pain. It was now time to leave and as I was about to announce the departure, the voice of my little sister resounded in my mind.


    [Onee-san, you need to absorb the three bodies of those Demons, remember that you will need them forter ording to what the system tells you]


    *Oh my~ I almost forgot*


    [Mmh, actually you had totally forgotten pffhaha~]


    Hearing Kiraugh after all we''d been through was priceless and as she had remarked so well, I''d finally forgotten all about it. My entire mind was focused on the structure in the middle of the room and I couldn''t help but think about it. However, she was right and I had to get busy absorbing the bodies so I could decideter what to do with them.


    "Take the time to breathe a little, we''ll be leaving for the pantheon in a few minutes, just long enough for me to absorb the bodies of the three Demons."


    "YES, YOUR HIGHNESS !"


    [Obviously they still have the strength to scream pfffhaha~]


    As I smiled slightly, I could see my soldiers sitting on the ground, more than happy to finally get a break. Nina had recovered from her fright and was now helping Caipy check everyone''s wounds, starting of course with Ralph. The two of them seemed totally at odds with each other, yet something seemed to be going on, probably due to the fact that my Commander had been protecting her.


    Turning my head to let them rest a little, I approached the ck Griffin thaty motionless a little further away. Its body was deformed in some ces, feathers and fur were missing and more than half of its bones were broken. This huge ck mass bore the scars of the hard battle it had fought against my soldiers, which made me all the more proud of them.


    *I guess I just have to absorb it, right ?*


    [Mmm, do your thing]


    Concentrating, I took a deep breath that sent a few jolts of pain through my ribs but I ignored it. Putting my right hand on the bloody feathers of the beast, I started to use my chaos element to store it in my dedicated space. A thick ck smoke appeared,ing out of my palm and sucking the body of the Prideful Griffin little by little.


    The scene was quite special to watch as this huge mass literally disappeared as the ck mist enveloped it. It was quite quick and for a mere moment, there was nothing left, no trace of what this Demon had been. As my soldiers looked on in disbelief, everything disappeared as notifications finally echoed in my mind.


    - PING -


    [ Congrattions L?????? you have just absorbed a unique creature directly rted to your identity ]


    [ You can now bind one of your souls to the Prideful Griffin''s body and thus make it revive ]


    [ Full details will be avable once you have performed the soul extraction ]


    As the system had told me before, I knew that these Demons were special but I didn''t know how they were rted to me. Was it because I was a Demon ? Or was it rted to my memories ? I still didn''t know what was really going on but I was more than happy to read these notifications. These three bodies were served to me on a silver tter and I knew exactly what I was going to do with them.


    *Wow...so if I understand correctly, I can finally free June and May ? I also need to find a way to move you in this space but I think I know how to do it*


    I hadn''t had time to test my theory yet, but as time went on I began to instinctively understand the system. I also understood that every part of my body, soul and mind was controble to some degree. Therefore, I could somehow ess the space where the sleeping souls of the twins waited.


    [Yes, you found the perfect extra bodies for them, what better way than to be reborn as a unique being but, onee-san...don''t tell me you''re nning to stick me in one of those three things ?]


    *Ara ara~ yet, "what''s better than being reborn as a unique being" right ? kufufu~*


    [It...I...this...tsk, so at least I want to choose ! You''re not going to deprive me of that sweet freedom, are you ?]


    While I smiled slightly at Kira''s words, I didn''t respond, busy making my way to the next body I was to enclose in my space. Without missing a beat, I arrived this time from the Fox''s body to proceed with its absorption. As the grey Demon disappeared, just like the Griffin, my little sister''s voice rang in my ears, obviously irritated by my silence.


    [Hey ! Vicious Empress ! You could still answer me !]


    *Oh my~ Who''s the vicious Empress here ? I was thinking of letting you choose but it seems that the Snake is perfect for your cheeky tongue hahaha~ I haven''t forgotten all the times I dreamed of pinching your nose or pulling your ears, it seems that moment will soone kufufu~*


    [You...you wouldn''t dare, would you ? Not to your one and only cute and helpful little sister, right ? Onee-san ?]


    *Who knows ?*


    [I...and then no I refuse to wal...crawl on this earth for the first time as a Snake !]


    *The Griffin then ?*


    [Although it''s tempting to fly, no. I would like to be the Fox...if I''m going to be an animal, I would at least like to be able to look like you and...be as cool as you onee-san...]


    Although Kira and I often joked exactly as two sisters would, at that moment, her voice had be weaker, almost trembling even though it was sincere. Her voice squeezed my heart and I couldn''t describe how I felt at that moment. Neither of us spoke another word but we knew each other, that soon we could be side by side for the first time.


    As I approached the Snake that had lost its head, no one could see it but this time my smile was tender and loving. Without further ado, I absorbed its body and head, wondering if the fact that it had lost its head was a problem. The same notifications as for the Griffin had appeared for the Fox and the Snake and within minutes it was over, they were gone.


    I now had the opportunity to free Kira, June and May from my mind and space holding them asleep. Since we had arrived here, a lot had happened, everyone had given everything and so far the result was more than satisfactory. Now I just had to find out what might be lurking at the top of the stairs and how it all rted to me.


    "Your Highness ?"


    "We''re ready to go when you are."


    Nixia and Emilia hade up to me seeing that I hade to finish, while all the others came up to me as well. The Commanders were standing by, their wounds bandaged, their burns treated and they stood straight worthy of their title. The Lieutenants seemed to need more time to get over this battle and I was totally prepared to give them some.


    "Those of you who wish to rest more you can do so when you get up there. We don''t know what''s out there, so I''d rather we stay together. You can wait for us at the top of the stairs and take a breather if you need it."


    "Good your Highness !"


    As they answered, I turned my gaze to Lynn and Inferno who were a little further away and had not participated. The young subus seemed fine despite the terrible fighting that had taken ce but I couldn''t say the same for my proud stallion. He always seemed to be in a state of limbo, his head falling and rising as if he were about to go to sleep at any moment without warning.


    Approaching him, Lynn bowed slightly, shaking, before walking away, seemingly still not over my demon side. Ignoring her for the moment, I ced my hand on Inferno''s cheek, who was already struggling to keep his yellow eyes open. His cheek was boiling, even more so than before, and the more time passed, the less I knew what was happening to him.


    "I know I told you this earlier but...hold on a little longer, we''ll be out of here soon and I''ll find out what''s going on with you."


    My system still couldn''t see what was happening to him and the fact that he still wasn''t registered inside didn''t really help. Inferno still had the strength to stand, but I didn''t know for how long, and seeing him suffer wasn''t pleasant. If I couldn''t see what was wrong with him maybe Caipy could. Turning to her, I asked her for a favor.


    "Commander Caipy ! Once we get to the top of the stairs, I''d like you to take a look at Inferno''s condition because he''s not well at all. I don''t know what''s wrong with him and maybe your extensive knowledge of animals and medicine will allow you to see what I''ve missed."


    "Of course your Highness, I will do my best !"


    Nodding, I then turned my gaze to the grand staircase before cing a hand on the right side of my body causing ice to appear. I was still dressed in those ice clothes but my wounds still hurt a little. I wouldn''t be able to heal unless I used my attribute points but for now, I didn''t have the time.


    I didn''t know what could happen and my curiosity was much too strong. So I conjured up some ice to keep my blood from flowing and create a sort of tourniquet with these frozen but not icy clothes. I didn''t want to deal with that right now and I could easily ignore this little pain.


    "Well let''s go !"


    "YES !"


    The hall where we were had be a ruinous field because of our fighting, but the center was still intact. The same red light shone at the top of the stairs and the three pirs where the stone statues stood were now empty. Without saying another word, I began to walk straight ahead without hesitation as I felt my soldiers following me as eagerly as I was.


    Soon we were in front of the steps and we began to climb them to the sound of our beating hearts. The closer I got, the more I felt my mana swirling inside me as if it was going crazy. Again, the one I felt the most at that moment was my red mana. I couldn''t see it, but my three different colored manas were each giving me a different feeling.


    Every step I took made my breathing more and moreboured, though no one noticed. The climb seemed to take forever, but finally, after a few minutes, we were there. In front of us were huge new pirs forming the pantheon, which had a huge ck door. It was not made of stone but of shiny ck steel and stood proudly before us.


    This door was also engraved with over a hundred small grooves, giving a multitude of symbols with no real meaning. In front of this entrance was arge space and I could hear most of my Lieutenants sitting there, still exhausted. ncing behind me, I could see that only Caipy was standing to the side to deal with Inferno while the other Commanders waited.


    [So it''s time, huh ?]


    *Yeah...finally*


    Everyone knew what they had to do, those who wanted to rest could do so, and those who wanted to apany me were wee. I didn''t need to tell everyone what to do again, so I headed for the giant door. As I was about to push it open, it opened on its own, revealing a dark corridor and a dark room, hidden behind a purple-red veil.<novelnext></novelnext>


    That veil was right behind the door as if there was a second one, preventing us from seeing in detail what was behind it. I didn''t know why it was there, but after all we''d been through, it wasn''t going to stop me. So it was with great determination that I finally entered this huge pantheon. Suddenly, as my feet were on the other side, I changed.


    Once again, without warning, once this veil had passed, I had reverted to my demon form even though I had done nothing. I could see my normally ck hair, now tinted a scarlet red, my fingernails lengthening slightly as they turned ck and I could feel my teeth sharpening and my horns lengthening. And this time too, my wolf ears and tail disappeared.


    "Y-your Highness..."


    "We can''t go with you..."


    A few voices from behind me made me turn around as my Commanders tapped on the veil, which became solid with their touch. I had been the only one allowed in and none of them coulde and join me. This waspletely unnned as always but for some reason, I felt relieved by this news, as if I was about to find out some very personal things.


    "Wait for me there ! We''ll find a way out as soon as I get back !"


    Without waiting for a single answer, I disappeared from their sight as I walked down the small dark corridor leading to this mysterious room. I was finally going to get some answers to my questions and so it was with my demon form and a crazy smile on my face, that I walked towards the truth...my truth.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 31 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 10%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - L??????''s Threads of Blood (lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 157 Warnings, Madness And Emotions

    - POV Freya -


    [Stay on guard...]


    *Always*


    I had left my soldiers outside the great door because they could not go in with me. So I was walking slowly through this great corridor of pirs that was set before me in a special atmosphere. With each step I took, magical symbols appeared on them, lighting my way. Everything was very quiet, almost frozen in time, and I couldn''t help but feel alone in another dimension.


    In a few seconds, I entered a veryrge room, the only one in the pantheon,rge and silent. Suddenly, the entire room lit up, revealing a disy case in the middle with only one thing on it...a book. Only one object was in the room at that moment, and as I looked around, Kira''s slightly irritated voice echoed in my mind.


    [Don''t tell me you did all this for a damn book ???]


    *Wait a minute before you judge, I''m sure it''s very important...*


    In spite of the sentence I had just spoken, I myself was very surprised to find such arge room, so empty with only one object. In my mind, I had imagined a room filled with things, secrets, and magic, but I had never thought of a single book. As I walked towards the center, I felt my heart and breathing quicken as I climbed the few steps to finally find myself in front of that book.


    It was quiterge, a bit like a grimoire, its cover was ck with red lines, sometimes thin, sometimes thick. It was quite simple and against all odds, it didn''t tell me anything. I''d had a lot of familiarity with a lot of things since I''d arrived here and I honestly thought that this book would be the centerpiece. I didn''t understand and as I put my hand on it, the system manifested itself.


    [ Warning ! Unknown magic from this object has been detected ! Magic simr to that of your old system is trying to manipte your mind ! ]


    [ Warning ! The system has discovered a simr magic in the host''s mind ! ]


    [ Internal cleaning process enabled...36%...48%...66%...73%...88%...ERROR ]


    *Eh ?*


    [ Activating emergency safety process...40%...55%...67%... ]


    [ Error ! The operation failed, the host is not yet able to fight against this unknown magic. Activatest resort before losing system ]


    [ Activate "Force unlock host''s mind" operation ! Warning : high risk of brain damage, host must remain conscious ! ]


    *Wh...?...aaaaah !!*


    As I was reading these notifications, an unimaginable pain was seizing my head without warning. At first it was bearable, but as time went on, the pain intensified and would not go away. Everything around me blurred, my vision flickered, my body spasmed and I shook as I had never shaken before. While I was going through all this, Kira''s voice was shouting, but I could hardly hear her anymore.


    [ FRE....Y...AAA !!!]


    I had never been in so much pain, and everything I had been through was nothingpared to what was going through me and making it impossible for me to concentrate. It felt like acid was eating away at every part of my brain, mind and soul as I copsed to the floor. I had no control over my body, I couldn''t and only my pain and screams resonated within me and mattered.


    The unbearable pain did not stop as my entire mind became an explosion of information that I could not yet decipher. Like dozens of red balls simr to the one I had seen, my soul seemed to be overwhelmed by it. I couldn''t hold on anymore, I could feel my nails scratching my skin and yet I couldn''t feel anything. My whole mind was focused on my head, which could burst at any moment.


    [ Warning : unconsciousness imminent t! If the host loses consciousness, the damage will be irreversible and the system will fail !]


    My vision was blurred, I felt like my eyes were going to pop out of their sockets and I couldn''t read what the notifications were saying. Seconds were hours, everythingsted forever as I screamed...I was in pain and at that moment only death could deliver me. My eyes were crying blood, I was vomiting blood and even my ears were filled with it. Why was I going through this ? Why did I have to inflict such pain on myself ? Who ?


    [ Alert ! Critical state of mind ! The host is losing her mind !]


    [ Mind broken at 30% - the mind can still heal itself but if the host reaches 100% there will be no turning back ]


    What was I doing there suffering ? Who was I doing all this for ? For me ? But who was I really ? As the pain slowly took over my mind, the pain prevented me from remembering the purpose of my life. I saw blurred images of people but I couldn''t see who they were. There was a little girl and a woman but they were too far away for me to remember.


    [ Mind broken at 46% ]


    *Leave me...alone...*


    I wanted this to stop, I wanted to be left alone and I felt tired, very tired. The pain was as intense as ever and the more time passed, the more I felt my mind breaking into a thousand pieces. Was I going to die ? I didn''t know, but I was ready to ept death if it meant no more pain. The same two people appeared again in my almost extinguished mind, but this time apanied by several others.


    [ Mind broken at 58% ]


    What did they want ? I felt as if I had forgotten something important, but I did not have the strength to remember. Everything was a blur, everything was pain, blood and despair, and as I fell to the ground, I didn''t move, waiting for deliverance. I didn''t even know who I was or what I was doing here so why fight ? What did I look like ? What was my name ? All this information seemed to go up in smoke, never to return.


    [ Mind broken at 87%...90%... ]


    I could feel that soon my mind would be gone and this pain with it and as my eyes closed and my body stopped shaking I smiled. Finally, in my soul I could see a white light, seemingly calling to me as if to reassure me. The further I went, the more the sensation in my body disappeared. I could no longer feel my feet, my legs, and as if I were disappearingpletely, only my upper body remained.


    [Mind broken at 96%...98%...]


    Suddenly, as I was about to walk through that white light, a strange pain made me stop. It was not a headache for it wasing from my shoulder and as I barely opened my eyes I could see what had caused it. A ck de was stuck in it and I could see my blood flowing profusely from the wound. Whose weapon was it ? There was no one here, I was alone, and yet it had gone into my shoulder.


    My eyes were half-closed and my vision was blurred and tinged with ck but I could still see the sword start to move slightly. With an incredible effort, I looked up a little to see a small hand of ice holding the de. Who was it ? As I wondered, a new wave of pain shot through me as I saw the dee out and go back into my shoulder.


    *What is it ? *


    My gaze was fixed on that de that seemed increasingly familiar as my eyes finally fell on a small thing hanging from the handle. The small ice hand was shaking but holding that thing as if it were something very precious. I didn''t know how this hand got there or why, but at that moment it was pulling the object out and cing it on my chest, right at my heart.


    After doing so, the little ice hand disappeared leaving me with this object, resting on my chest. It looked like a small white stuffed animal, tinged with a few drops of blood but strangely still pretty. I didn''t want to close my eyes anymore, my mind ignoring the pain as I tried to move. This little thing made me extremely brave as I tried to sit up and get a closer look.


    *A...wing ?...I...a lucky charm...I...Sh...Shiro...*


    As I looked at this little thing tenderly, that name came out of my mouth like an unconscious whisper. Suddenly, the image I had in my mind of these two people began to be clearer and clearer. The little girl had pure white hair and eyes as purple as gem stones while the woman had ming crimson hair and beautiful amber eyes.


    [ Mind stabilization in progress... ]


    [ Forced mind unlocking sessful ]


    [ The host L?????? now has full ess to the space containing her memories which are yet to be discovered ]


    Gradually, the pain gave way to mytest memories, which became more and more evident as the seconds passed. Everything came back to me, my mission, the crypt, the Commanders, our battles, the pantheon, and especially my wife, my daughter, and that icy hand. Now I understood perfectly what had happened as a worried voice screamed in my ears to burst my eardrums.


    [...R...AA ! F...E..]


    *I...*


    [F...RE...Y....!! F...FRE...YAA...!! FREYA !!]


    *Ki-Kira...*


    [Oh my God Freya !! Are you alright ? You...you almost disappearedpletely, you...you weren''t yourself anymore you were screaming, your body was spasming and you were writhing in pain ! I...our...our bond was about to break and I felt my spirit dissipate along with yours...I...I was so scared ! Forgive me...forgive me for stabbing you twice I...I...I didn''t know what to do, I was lost, I was scared and...I thought I was losing you...


    As I tried to figure out what had just happened, my little sister''s voice screamed in my mind inplete despair. She was speaking at an unbelievable speed, every word was full of distress and sadness. Her voice was shaking as it had never shaken before, and the more she spoke, the more the guilt Kira felt rubbed off on me.


    ...All those notifications that were ringing and...and saying you were losing your mind...you...I...I panicked and the only thing I could think to do was wake you up with your katana. Sorry....onee-san so...sorry ! I didn''t want you to die...I didn''t want to die I...]


    My mind was stillpletely lost but the pain had stopped because the system process had stopped. I didn''t feel much different but that was probably because I was in even worse shape than before. I had broken ribs, a sword stuck in my shoulder, my right side still had those bite marks and my head felt like it had been crushed by a huge stone.


    *Kira...I''m sorry, I don''t know what happened, I...don''t apologize, please...it''s not your fault...and you did the right thing. I...I''m fine...you saved my life, thank you little sister*


    [I...I''m d Freya...I was so scared...]


    *Everything is fine now, please don''t worry. And you, are you okay ?*


    [Y-Yes I''m okay, I''m not the one who suffered... It looks like you almost had a disaster ! The system wasn''tpatible and...and that mysterious magic almost brainwashed you, not to mention the forced unlocking that almost destroyed your brain cells and your mind !]


    Despite my totally exhausted mental state, I still had the strength to understand what my sister had gone through and what she was exining to me. On my side, I could not exin what had happened to me and at that moment, it all seemed so far away as if I had just had a bad dream. We didn''t have time to say anything else as the notifications were ringing. It had all started because of this maniptive magic and the system was picking up where it left off.


    [ Emergency security process resumes...73%...84%...96%...100% ]


    [ Mind control has be impossible ]


    [ Threat averted ! The item returned to its original state ! ]


    As all these notifications rang in my mind, I pulled the katana that was still on my shoulder as I stood up. I staggered around trying to keep my upright, dignified and proud posture that I had all the time. A lot had happened and from what I understood, the information about my identity was now inside me. As I turned my head towards the object responsible for this incident, I could see that it had changed.<novelnext></novelnext>


    This time the cover was totally different because instead of being ck and red it was white and red and a symbol was on it. It represented an eye as purple as mine and Shiro''s and unlike before I felt something. In addition, there were two letters that appeared and that seemed mysterious to me. They were arge L and arge K in a very refined font.


    ___


    L & K


    Nightshade


    ___


    Just below those two letters was arge name written in what seemed to be thenguage of demons. It said "Nightshade" and as I read the word and ran my fingers over each letter, my hand suddenly became wet. Drops were falling on it and on the cover as I wondered what was going on.


    [O-Onee-san, you...]


    My little sister''s voice was soft for some reason and while I was lost for a few seconds, I finally understood. Those drops of water wereing from me...they were beading on my face before falling silently. I had no control and at that moment my eyes seemed to speak for themselves as for the second time in my life, tears streamed down my cheeks.


    I didn''t know yet what was in that mysterious book, but what was certain was that the name sounded to me like sweet music, both mncholy and tender. Standing alone in thisrge room, after having gone through such a mental ordeal...I was crying, without even knowing why, but I was crying.


    [N/A: "Nightshade", is the name of a purple flower]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 31 600 / 170 000       MP : 32 610 / 85 000        BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 10%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - L??????''s Threads of Blood (lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 158 Youre Not Alone, Im Here

    - POV Freya -


    [Onee-san...are you okay ?]


    *Yes...I think...*


    As I read the inscriptions on this book, this grimoire, tears started to flow from my face without warning. I still didn''t know what was happening to me but I felt that somewhere deep inside I knew that name. I still couldn''t remember but that name was important to me, so important that even without my memories, my body still remembered it.


    In just a few seconds I had been able to stop crying but the feeling that weighed on my heart had not subsided. I had just experienced something very difficult, painful and yet I was still able to move and think. It had all happened so quickly that I couldn''t figure out if what I had experienced was a dream or real.


    [Take your time, don''t force yourself...I don''t even know how you''re standing. With all you''ve been through you...you shouldn''t even be able to move...]


    *I...I need to know...*


    My head was still hurting, my body was throwing me all over the ce and I didn''t know how, but some indescribable force kept me moving. Since I had arrived I had no answers and yet unknown things kepting at me. For once I was so close to at least having some truths and knowledge about who I was, why I was in this world, and my past.


    I didn''t even know how I was able to stand and think. My fight had exhausted me and the final touch had been added by this sudden influx of information because of the system. At that moment I didn''t even want to know what I looked like, I had severalyers of dried blood all over me, the creatures and obviously my own, I must have looked like a zombie but I didn''t care.


    *Nightshade...Night...shade...*


    [Doesn''t that name mean anything ?]


    *I don''t know...I...I don''t know anymore...*


    Of course, I didn''t know how that name rted to me but it was an added bonus. Besides, the inscription "L & K" didn''t mean anything to me but this "L" was definitely the same one that was in my system. But who was this "K" ? Was it even a person ? Knowing full well that I wouldn''t find an answer if I didn''t dig a little deeper, I used one of my skills on this strange book.


    [ L & K. Nightshade: A journal belonging to L?????? and K????, one of the many treasures of the Nightshade f????? that can only be opened and handled by those members with the blood of the G??? - The contents are still unknown, please open it to find out what it contains. Status : protected by ancient magic ]


    [ Detecting powerful Time magic that doesn''t affect the host ]


    Once again, the analysis had worked, but there were several question marks hiding the main information. At this point, nothing surprised me anymore and it was easy to understand that once my corresponding memories were recovered, I would have ess to all the words. For the moment this was not yet the case but the more I read, the more a certainty appeared in my mind, a certainty that still had to be verified.


    *Kira...before I open it, I wanted to get your opinion...this magic that hides the book''s appearance and what''s inside...do you have any idea who might be trying to hide its true nature ?*


    [Y-Yes...I...I don''t know any more about this world than you do, but...the system spoke of a magic simr to your old one. Someone trying to manipte your mind and while we''re not sure...the...the only person capable of doing that and directly connected to your old system is...]


    ? *Titania mmmh...*


    [Yes]


    Now things were clear and my little sister, who was the only one in this world to experience everything with me, was of the same opinion. Titania, this Goddess who had pushed me toe here to discover the reason of my return in time had tried to manipte me. For what purpose ? What had I done to her that she wanted to use me ? As I thought with difficulty, Kira''s voice echoed in my exhausted mind.


    [Freya, you managed to get away with your new system and your abilities from who knows where, probably your past. Titania probably didn''t n this, and if you weren''t even more unique than she thought you were, you would have definitely been manipted...why ? I don''t know, but this Goddess seems to be unscrupulously using you for her dark personal purposes]


    *Yes and I don''t like it at all. This time I got lucky but how can I fight a Goddess if she wants to hurt me ? We barely have enough to fight Zal''s humans, I...*


    [Freya...one thing at a time. I''m as lost as you are, but you don''t have to take it all in stride because you''re not alone...you''re the Empress of Elysium, and even though things are going to getplicated, you have people to rely on. You are not alone, I''m here. Now open that book and let''s find out what''s in it, maybe its answers can ease your mind even a little]


    Sighing lightly, I ignored the physical and emotional pain in my chest as I ced a bloody hand on the thick cover again. It was shaking, but it was with great delicacy that I opened the mysterious journal for the first time. In front of me was the first page, quite simple, looking exactly like the cover but with the eye drawn in and the letters written in ck ink.


    Taking a deep breath, I turned the page to find out what might be behind it, but I had no time to do more. No sooner had I turned the page than I felt myself absorbed by it, forcing my conscience to hold on so as not to risk being hurt again. But this time, instead of feeling like I was essing one of my memories, I felt like I was being projected by temporal magic.


    [ Host identity recognized aspatible ]


    [ Time magic activated ]


    I felt myself being sucked into that first page, my whole being, my body and my mind plunging at the same time. Everything around me began to blur as the room I was in disappeared as if it were exploding. As I closed my eyes, I felt myself falling but yet not moving, I felt myself being pulled and yet I was alone. Then, after a few seconds, finally opening my eyes, I discovered what was around me.


    ____


    I saw the scene once again as if I had entered an outsider, a ghost from the future, quietly witnessing this moment. This time I was not in a dark room with the appearance of a huge, gloomy and deadly throne room but in a rather normal room. Only a few magicmps lit up the ce, giving it a peaceful and mysterious atmosphere.


    I couldn''t move but I could see in the corner, a woman from behind, seemingly writing something on a desk. At that moment, I only needed one look to understand that it was the same woman I had seen in my red memory. She was sitting upright, long ck hair falling down her back and that single, bright, blood-colored strand still behind her head.


    The same horns protruded from her forehead, still as frightening as ever, not to mention that monstrous aura that chilled my blood. Suddenly, as I tried to move again, I felt an almost equally strong presence behind me. I didn''t have time to turn around or look at it when a second young woman passed through me, heading straight for the ck-haired one.


    "It seems you''re determined to write this journal, isn''t it ?"


    The one that had just returned was also from behind, but that didn''t stop me from noticing several things. Unlike the first one, she didn''t have horns or that dangerous look but rather the opposite. The young woman''s hair was as white as the moon, falling almost to her feet, and she gave off a protective and maternal aura. Her voice was soft, her words seemed to dance in the air as she almost whispered.


    "Of course ! We must leave a record of what we do. After all, our Houses are bing more and more tense and war might break out. I...I must not fail to protect ours so in this journal I decided to write down all our secrets before we leave, just in case. The members of the opposing House seem to be nning something big and we need to...I need to..."


    The voice of the young woman with ck hair was much rougher, colder, but I could feel a certain tenderness towards the one who had just arrived. My heart felt as if it could stop at any moment as the white-haired woman in front of me hugged her tenderly. For some reason, I felt the tears welling up again as I reached out to listen.


    "Look...you''re the youngest matriarch of our House and I''ll never stop being proud of you for that, but that doesn''t mean you can take everything in stride. I know you''re scared, I know you''d like to protect everyone, but know that even though things are going to getplicated, you have people you can rely on. You''re not alone, I''m here."


    Before my eyes, this young woman had just uttered a few words exactly the same as my little sister. Who were they ? All I could see were these two women from behind, one as cold and frightening as the night and the other as soft and pleasant as the light. A bit like an angel and a demon, like Yin and Yang, I had the impression of seeing two beingspleting each other, two beings linked by indestructible bonds.


    But why did seeing them together hurt me so much inside and make me unhappy in ways I couldn''t imagine ? I was recording absolutely everything I heard to remember itter but I was missing important elements. Every breath, every tone, every gesture, everything sounded familiar and somewhere along the line I was more and more convinced that this young woman with ck hair was me.


    However, reliving a scene like that, assuming it was me, was far too confusing. I felt like I was seeing someone different, someone I didn''t know, and yet it was me, and I didn''t even know my own name. Yet, despite my mind struggling to keep up, I stood still and listened and watched as if my life depended on it...my life depended on it.


    "Luci, I told you I''d protect you before anyone or anything..."


    "I-I...don''t call me that Ka...use my full name please"


    "Haha~ you may be the most feared, powerful and coldest of us all but you''re still as shy when I call you that, just like when we were younger. In the end, you haven''t changed and I think I''m the only one who can see this vulnerable side of you, you''re adorable..."


    As I listened to their conversation, my breathing became increasingly heavy and chaotic. At that moment, I had clearly heard two names distinctly : Luci and Ka, and they sounded within me like two heavenly bells. A shock went through my body and mind as my body managed to move more and more. My legs were shaking and my heart was pounding as I fell to my knees.


    Once again, my tears began to flow intensely as the name that resonated the most was that of the white-haired young woman. Ka...Ka...that name broke my heart, destroyed me and triggered such a feeling of guilt and love in me. I knew this person, I was sure of it now and as I brought a hand to my mouth, shocked and unable to hold back my tears, the two young women continued.


    "Ka I...you don''t have to look after me you know ? It''s my job to look after all of you...you..."


    "You ! Come on, don''t talk nonsense ! Aren''t we the most respected and feared duo ? Where you are I''m never far away and we''ve been inseparable since we were born, how could I not watch over you ? Besides, you are the matriarch of the House which makes you the main target of the other House and its factions. If war should break out I will be by your side and if I had to give my life to protect you I would do so without hesitation...you know that..."


    "And I would do the same..."


    The more I watched and listened, the more I began to remember what I had felt at that moment. In that room I was just a ghost, but I remembered her warmth, her smell, her embrace, and the scene tortured me. My heart ached more and more, I felt as if a stake had been driven into it, and as I shook to my feet I struggled to get to the two of them.


    Suddenly, when I was only a few meters away from these two young women, the one with white hair finally turned her head. She had intense violet eyes, fine, soft features, a pink mouth, she was beautiful, magnificent and at that moment I could not move. Ka looked like Shiro and for some reason she was looking straight at me without even seeing me, as if she could feel my presence.


    "Ka ? What is it ?"


    "N-Nothing...there''s nothing"<novelnext></novelnext>


    As she answered the young woman named Luci, the white-haired woman smiled at me. Ka was smiling heartbreakingly sweetly and an almost instinctive urge to hug her came over me. Just as I was about to approach her, the dark-haired woman turned her head in my direction. The next thing I knew I was propelled back into my reality just before I saw two violet eyes and a face I knew all too well...mine.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Name : Freya / L??????


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Unique title (locked): ???? - 10% [ To unlock it, the host must reach 100% ]


    Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell (crossed)


    Dragon tamer


    Ruthless yer


    Empress of the three colors (crossed)


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 31 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos


    Skills (all):


    Attack - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    Others - Humanoid form


    Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 10%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - L??????''s Threads of Blood (lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 159 WHO I AM

    - POV Freya -


    "Cough ! Cough !"


    [Freya ! You''re back, what did you see ?]


    *.....*


    I was back in the pantheon room but I could not hold on any longer and at that moment the Empress of Elysium, imposing, cold, inexpressive, dignified and proud was no longer so. As my little sister asked me a question, I copsed to the floor again, sobbing. I stared into space, I waspletely stunned, shocked, lost and I needed time to digest what I had just seen.


    The whole scene spun in my mind over and over again and it was easy to understand that what I had just seen was my past. I couldn''t breathe, my mind was so full of information, feelings, confusion that I couldn''t breathe properly. My head was spinning, my hands were shaking, I was crying and even if I opened my mouth to scream, no sound came out.


    [What is it ? Freya ?]


    I couldn''t answer, I didn''t have the strength, I felt as if I had the weight of the world on my shoulders and the weight of guilt in my heart. This beautiful woman was someone important to me, her name was Ka and now I understood at least one thing. It was always her white hair that had calmed me, even when I was on Earth, if the moon soothed me so much it was because of Ka. This truth was painful.


    *I...*


    As I began to breathe normally again, I forced myself to remain conscious and think as hard as it was. With a shaky, hesitant, weak and broken voice, I began to tell Kira what I had seen and heard. I tried my best not to leave anything out but the exnation was painful and as I spoke, system notifications suddenly appeared in front of me.


    - PING -


    [ Congrattions ! First part of your name unlocked : Luci??? ]


    [ Unique title (locked) : ??? - 10% > 30% ]


    [ Your memories are always avable in their entirety in your memory ]


    At that moment, I didn''t care about these notifications, I just wanted to know more. Like a Pandora''s box, I had just opened a diary that was full of Time magic, sending me directly into the past for a short while. I had just told Kira everything and after my long and somewhat chaotic story, she remained silent for a moment and seemed to understand why I was in such a state.


    [Th-This Ka...would she be your...your wife from...from that time ?]


    *No I...despite my scattered memories I''m pretty sure I''ve never loved anyone like I love Gaya. With Ka, I felt nothing like that, it was...different. I think I know what our rtionship is...was? but I need to know more...I need to be sure*


    Without giving my little sister time to respond, I shakily got to my feet and dragged myself towards that journal once more with difficulty. I knew there was magic left, and even though the book wasn''tpletely full of it, the first few pages contained that special mana that had taken me on a short journey. Quickly grabbing the next page, once again I felt myself leaving.


    ___


    Once again I found myself in the same room, with the young woman who seemed to be me and Ka still beside her. I was right back where myst trip had left me, but this time neither of them was looking at me. Being aware of what I was seeing, my body seemed to be able to move a little better so I moved a little closer in a discreet manner.


    I walked past one of the windows in the room, and when I nced at it briefly, what I saw left me speechless. We were not on Earth or Kleisaria, but at the top of a huge tower overlooking what seemed to be a huge city. I could not see the end of it, and the strangest thing was the sky, which was unlike anything I had ever seen before, in any of the two lives I could remember.


    This city seemed to be in space, above everything, where there was nothing around but the stars shining in an eternal purple night. Like a suspended city, engulfed in the immensity of a gxy, it was timeless, inessible and majestic. As I gazed upon this magnificent ce, Ka''s voice reached my ears once more, followed by...my own.


    "In a few days you are to meet Titania aren''t you ? Luci...you know I don''t like you going there alone and for what ? To sign a peace treaty ? You know as well as I do that it''s a trap...why do you decide to go anyway ?"


    "Because as matriarch I have to go. Whether this proposal is true or false, if word gets out that I refused to attend when there is talk of peace, even fake peace, it will alle back to bite us in the ass and they will use that. Ka...you know that as well as I do."


    Luci, my past self, had just spoken a name I knew very well and little by little the pieces of the puzzle were falling into ce. It was now clear that Titania was not on my side, neither in this past nor in this life, and that she knew who I was all along. I was missing some elements but I was beginning to understand that this seemingly framed encounter had been decisive for me.


    "That Titania...I don''t trust her, I''ll go with you ! I..."


    "No, you have things to do here too, I have to go alone and I have no desire to put you in danger if this is indeed a trap. If we both disappear, what do you think will happen to our House, our factions ? You can''te...please, I wouldn''t be able to be fully focused if I knew you were there."


    "You know I care far too much about you to ept...so...sigh...it is not as Ka that I will do so, but as Ka Nightshade of the House bearing our name. I ept...but don''t forget that you may be the most powerful of all, but you are not immortal and you must be careful..."


    Ka''s voice was slightly shaky and even though she kept her sweetness, the worry was easy to guess. At that moment, both Luci and I had the same reaction at the same time, as if synchronized and connected. As Luci answered, we would both clench our fists before cing them on our chests.


    "I won''t go alone, my 6 Sins Demons will apany me you don''t have to worry.."


    The more I looked at the scene, the more something incredible struck me. Ever since I''d arrived in Kleisaria I''d never thought I could show such a loving side to anyone other than Shiro, Gaya and Kira and yet. The first red memory I had seen, if I was indeed the same person, I had seen myself colder than ice, deadlier than death and more than a little terrifying.


    Even in that part of my past, I felt that my level was nothing like the one I currently possessed and despite that, I could easily feel the tenderness in our exchanges. As I thought about this, I could see the one I was standing up this time with a serious and determined look. Her violet eyes shone intensely, with an unparalleled grandeur and a palpable coldness on that iparably beautiful face.


    I silently looked at these two women and what struck me was that divine, terrifying, powerful and incredible aura. One with hair as ck as night, dressed in an imposing dark sleeveless suit and the other with pure white hair, dressed in a perfect white dress. While my gaze waspletely fixed on these two exceptional beings, my voice...Luci''s, echoed in the room making it vibrate.


    "White Empress Ka, Goddess of Time and Wisdom ! Who am I ? Who are we ?"


    At the same time, a dense red aura emerged behind her as her hair turned red and her fangs and horns grew. Her vibrant violet eyes turnedpletely ck except for the pupils which turned scarlet blood red as a dangerous glow flickered in them. The same ck tattoos I had under my eyes also appeared but unlike my demon form, they stretched beautifully across both of her sleeveless arms.


    The finishing touch was then tworge feathered wings that spread out on her back, a deep ck, dotted with red highlights. At that moment, I was paralyzed by the amount of power and beauty I was already feeling, despite the fact that I wasn''t actually there and imagining living it in real life made me tremble. Then suddenly it was Ka''s turn to unleash her power as a different transformation urred.


    A simrly powerful, dense, white aura exuded from her body, while more elegant golden tattoos appeared on her face. They were much less imposing and instead of being scary, these tattoos made her look like an angel. Ka''s eyes also turned a sparkling gold as finally, two huge white feathered wings sprang from her back.


    Luci and Ka faced each other, gorgeous, so different yet soplete and as a wave of power swept through the room, I felt like I was about to leave once more. The two young women looked at each other intently, their hair flying in the wind, a smile on their face as the white-haired woman finally answered. In a voice as powerful and majestic as her own, Ka spoke the name I was so desperate to know.


    "You are the Red Demon Empress Lucifer, Goddess of Blood and Death, and we are feared under the nickname of..."


    "...Deadly Nightshade Empress Sisters !"


    As I heard Ka and Lucifer say these words in unison, once again I found myself propelled out of the moment that had suddenly made me clear. This time I was not crying, I was not copsing, and there was no sudden difficulty in speaking. I was clearer than ever and for the first time in all this time, I really knew who I was and who this Ka was.


    *Kira...that''s it, I remember now...I remember who I was before I was who I am today. I know who I am !*


    [W-Who were...who are you ?]


    *I am Freya but...I am also...*


    I couldn''t remember my life and I still had to deal with my memories, but the question of my identity was no longer an issue because now I remembered. I remembered my name perfectly, who I was before I was born as Freya on Earth and if it wasn''t for this journal, I knew it would have taken me a while. Taking a deep breath, I then answered Kira with the utmost seriousness.


    *I am Lucifer Nightshade...Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death, the little sister of Ka Nightshade, Archangel Goddess of Infinite Time and Celestial Wisdom...*


    - PING -


    [ Congrattions ! All parts of your name are unlocked : Lucifer (Nightshade) ]


    [ Unique title (locked) : ??? - 30% > 100% ]


    [ Unique title (unlocked) : Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20% ]


    [ Unique title (locked) : Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) -  Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6) ]


    [ Deleting two titles ]


    [ Two new elements have been added to your system : Blood and Death ]


    [ New Skill : Healing Blood (lvl 1) ]


    [ New skill : Death Gaze (lvl 1) ]


    [ L??????''s Threads of Blood (lvl 1) > Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2) ]


    It rang again and again, but I wasn''t looking or listening, I was too busy thinking. I was Lucifer, an ancient Goddess with immense powers and feared by all the Gods, and I was the head of House Nightshade, along with my older sister Ka. As I was about to speak again, a more than unlikely notification appeared before my face.


    *Wh...?*


    - PING -


    [ Do you want to abandon your current course to follow in the footsteps of the past and unlock a new, familiar but unique path ? This will not affect your progression, skills and forms, only future evolutions will be taken into ount ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    There was still much to discover, to understand and to remember, but one thing was certain, Titania had stolen my memories, manipted me and was still doing so. I had not forgotten my wife, my daughter, my sister and my Empire and at this moment an even greater perspective was opening up to me. I was going to take back what was mine, I was going to take it all back and I was going to make everyone involved pay.


    I still had a lot of memories to check in my mind, because despite the little knowledge I had, I still couldn''t remember my past life. However, a mad rage to ovee took hold of me as everything that concerned me also concerned my family, whether it was past or present. I had to protect what I had built so that what had separated me from Ka would never happen again.<novelnext></novelnext>


    *First I would settle this Kingdom of Zal, build thergest Empire popted by various races, march across the world in search of my powers, loyal allies, and find Ka. Once done, even if it takes years, I will return to prove to these Gods that no one can get rid of Lucifer !*


    [We will !]


    *Yes little sister...we*


    I still didn''t know how much time had passed since the scene between me and Ka, I didn''t even know if she was alive or if I could even reach her where she was but I was determined to try and seed. Would it take me a few years ? Hundreds ? Thousands ? I didn''t know but I wanted to find out what had happened in my past, what I was like, what had be of Ka, our House and the other.


    Now I had another purpose...not worthy of an Empress but worthy of a Goddess and if I had been feared even by Titania in my first life, I was going to make sure I became even more frightening. They''d had a storm ? They would have a hurricane. They''d had Fear ? They would have Death. They''d had a beast ? They would have a monster. They''d had Lucifer ? They would have Freya and Lucifer.


    So, it was without any hesitation that I stood in thatrge room and made my first decision, knowing who I was and what I wanted.


    [ YES ]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult [ in process of change ]


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6- (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 31 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 160 Kira...Its Time

    -- POV Freya --


    - PING -


    ? [The host has now taken a new path, taking into ount her four elements and her deep nature. The nextplete evolution of the host, will be quite different from the one initially nned ]


    When that notification rang, I didn''t feel any different physically, but mentally I felt like I was free. Maybe it was only in my head, but knowing that from then on I was only following the path I had decided to take, was enough to cover everything. I knew who I was, I was free, and in spite of everything that awaited me, I felt at peace, as if a huge weight had disappeared from my soul.


    *This is it...*


    Finally I had made a decision topletely disassociate myself from Titania and take a path that was unique to me. Of course, without this Goddess of Lies, I could never have be so simr and so different at the same time, but without her, I wouldn''t be here either. I was still standing in front of that book and I could feel the magic of Time dissipate, before disappearingpletely.


    [It''s... it''s over ? You can''t see any more moments from the past regarding this journal ? I can feel the magic slipping away little by little but... why was that scene important ?]


    *Yes...now only this journal containing the secrets of the Nightshade family remains. I don''t really know why this scene was important, but it was Ka who ced this magic for some unknown reason. In any case, now I know who I am and I swear to you...I will never forget it again !*


    At that moment, despite all the revtions that had flown in my face, I remained surprisingly calm. Sure, the rage was boiling inside me and I knew that once I digested all the information I could destroy the entire forest but I remained calm. I was still in my demon form but learning my origins seemed to have made the transformation and control of my emotions more stable.


    Strangely enough I felt no pain, my body was light, my mind was light and an indescribable strength was flowing through me. Once all these emotions had subsided, I knew that the reality of my physical and mental state woulde back to me, but for the moment I felt fine. As I took a deep breath, Kira''s voice echoed in my mind once again.


    [S-So you...your first name was Lucifer ? And you''re an ancient Goddess who knew Titania before she sent you to Earth ? Which means that this Time magic that makes her sleep, this magic she was talking about, assuming she wasn''t lying...]


    *Belongs to Ka...*


    [So she would have wiped your memory and sent you to Earth with your big s...ahem...K-Ka''s powers ?]


    My little sister couldn''t seem to pronounce the words "big sister", which I could understand perfectly. On the other hand, what she had deduced was exactly what I thought and once again, new mysteries were already appearing. So many things had to be dealt with now, my adventures in this world were far from over and the road to divinity would be long.


    *It''s very likely, in fact...I''m sure ! It''s also very strange to know who I was without remembering my life...but from now on everything will be clearer. I have ess to all my memories and there''s this book that seems to hold all the secrets of the Nightshades and their history*


    [Will you read it now ? It doesn''t have any magic left so you can now find out what''s in these pages]


    *You''re right but...I''ll take it with me. I feel like I can''t read this here, I need more time, more thought and we have so much left to do*


    After learning my former identity, which I now intended to wear as proudly as my name Freya, I had realized how many things needed to be done. I didn''t want to stay in this crypt for another second and I wanted to take care of my Commanders progress, my changes, my little sister''s release. I also hadn''t forgotten about my daughter and her bizarre status, though deep down I thought I knew.


    Ka was the spitting image of Shiro, and even though that theory seemed even crazier, I had the impression that somehow they were rted. I couldn''t exin it, it was like a feeling, an instinct, a certainty that couldn''t be exined. Everything pointed to it, those eyes, that hair so unique to this world, or those question marks indicating powers stronger than normal.


    With my new system, I was also more or less sure I could get past the question marks and find out the truth. So I had to get back with everyone as soon as possible because this ce could no longer do anything for me. Maybe one day I''lle back to transform this ce, but right now I absolutely wanted to leave.


    [But if you take it with you...will that be alright ? Especially regarding Titania, we still don''t know what she''s nning and why...]


    *I''m sure Titania doesn''t know that I''ve regained my memory yet, and that''s fine. I think the reason she sent me here is to get ess to this book that can only be opened by a Nightshade member*


    As I spoke these words, I used my analysis skill on the journal again. Titania had ced an illusion spell on it to hide its true appearance from me, hoping that I would break the magic Ka had ced while ignoring what I was doing. Unfortunately for her, the Goddess hadn''t nned for Time magic to fully restore my identity.


    [ L & K. Nightshade: A journal belonging to Lucifer and Ka one of the many treasures of the Nightshade family that can only be opened and handled by those members with the blood of the Gods - Status : unlocked by Lucifer Nightshade ]


    As I thought, everything was now readable and understandable. Despite my various lives, it seemed that I had retained what was called "the blood of the Gods". Was that why, despite Titania''s precautions, I had finally unlocked a new system ? The power of my as-yet-unknown bloodline had been stronger than expected. Now I was one step ahead of the Goddess and I was going to use it.


    *I''ll act like I don''t know anything even though the next time we see each other my urge to rip her head off will be even stronger. We have to let her think she''s still in control...meanwhile, I''ll work on bing more powerful and getting all the memories from my past life back !!*


    [So what are you going to do now ?]


    *We''ll go back, evolve the Commanders and prepare for the arrival of Zal''s soldiers, but first...I''d like to release you without further dy. You have waited far too long already little sister*


    As I smiled slightly, suddenly as if my mind had returned to reality, my body began to be extremely sore. As if my body had woken up, I fell to the ground again so I broke the entire top of my ice suit. My skin was blue on my stomach and my wounds were not pretty. My left arm was also damaged and still had burn marks on it.


    I had lost a lot of blood and this time it wasn''t mental exhaustion but physical. My body couldn''t take what it had been through and was giving out on me after I could hold on for a few more minutes. My life was ebbing a little more by the second and even if it wasn''t by much, I had to react. I was lying on the ground again and I could feel the bones piercing my skin from the inside.


    [Don''t pass out onee-san ! You mustn''t fall asleep or you''ll die from your injuries due to blood loss. Damn it ! I... it seems you''re not healing fast enough... Freya... all this has made your injuries worse]


    *It''s okay...I know what to do...I''m also Lucifer and...I have what it takes*


    [What are you...ah...yes that''s right...]


    Without saying another word, as pain shot through every tissue, fiber, and cell in my body, I activated one of my new skills for the first time. I had no idea how it worked because I hadn''t even read about it, but I didn''t have time to think. So without hesitation, I activated the skill "Healing Blood" without further dy.


    - PING -


    [ There are no bodies nearby, so the skill can''t be activated ]


    *G-Goddamn it ! *


    Obviously, I didn''t know the conditions for this skill, but with the notification, it was pretty clear. Without further ado, as my vision continued to blur, I pulled the three demon bodies from my storage space. They were all miraculously intact again, and though dead, the three creatures all seemed to be sleeping peacefully.


    [ HP : 20 618 / 170 000 ]


    I saw my HP drop a little more as my wounds hadn''t healed since the end of my fight, still making me lose blood. Focusing all my mind again, I activated the skill again but strangely nothing happened. Was I doing it wrong ? Why couldn''t I heal myself ? As I was about to read the details of the system, Kira''s voice echoed in my mind.


    [Look at the bodies onee-san !!]


    Raising my heavy head, I squinted at the three demons before I saw small streams of blood sliding across the ground in my direction. Like snakes, they undted gracefully over the stone, moving in unison and as one. Once at my feet, they began to slide down my body before swarming around my still open wounds.


    It was a very special sight, but strangely enough, this new sight had that same sense of familiarity. While suddenly, I could feel my skin slowly closing up as those little trickles of blood turned into skin, bone, and nerves. It was slow, very slow, but unlike when I was healing with my attribute points, this time it was pleasant.


    - PING -


    [ Healing Blood (lvl 1) > Healing Blood (lvl 2) ]


    Once the notification was disyed, the threads of blood had be slightly thicker and the healing was faster. This skill didn''t seem to cost me any MP, but I could feel my body getting tired and drained of all its energy. What was this feeling ? I could feel my body regaining its strength but at the same time it seemed to be drained of all its energy in the process.


    [Onee-san, you should stop now, your condition is stable ! Don''t force it, what''s the point of being cured if you can''t even stand up !]


    Kira was right and then I could still use my attribute points to healpletely even if it was painful. As I stopped the activation of the skill, I could see the streams of blood wisely returning to their respective bodies. The snake had its head firmly attached to its body, the griffin was no longer burned and the fox had no marks on its body.


    As I slowly stood up, my first instinct was to look at my own body before my status. None of my wounds were open anymore, but I now had three huge scars on my stomach and back. My left arm was much more presentable than before, but scars forming patterns had also appeared.


    *Well, it seems I now have war wounds kufufu~*


    [Mmmh, well you''re lucky you survived because I can''t imagine what it must feel like to be literally eaten by a beast !]


    As my little sister spoke these words, I smiled because I knew that soon she would have a body. The first thing I wanted to do before I even left this room was to set her free. I wanted her toe home by my side, to feel everything physically possible, so I answered with a tired smile.


    *Oh don''t worry, you''ll soon be able to taste the joys of a body Kira !*


    [Ah, because you''re going to bite me so I can feel what it feels like ? Ew onee-san, you''re not going to murder me as soon as I get out of your mind, are you ? That said, Gaya must be getting eaten and she''s not dead...]


    *Kira ?*


    [Mmmh ?]


    *I''ll pull your ears so hard you won''t be able to hear your nonsense*


    As I could hear my little sister''s cries of protest, I knew in my heart that she was more than a little impatient. As usual, Kira took everything in a joking tone to hide her emotions, but soon I knew I could see her face blushing for the first time. So it was with a tired but undisguised chuckle that I began to concentrate.


    Kira wasn''t in the same space as June and May, but now that I knew my identity, my mind had expanded. So all I had to do was to find out where my little sister was in my mental space and connect her to June and May''s space. It wouldn''t be easy but I knew I could do it because after all, now I had the will of a Goddess.<novelnext></novelnext>


    *Kira...it''s time*


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 80 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 1)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Second soul (Lvl max) - unique


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 161 The One Who Was Freed I

    - POV Freya -


    *Kira...it''s time*


    The time had finallye to release my little sister after having made her that promise a while ago. Kira was silent and the only thing I could hear with my pointed ears was my heart beating wildly. Closing my eyes slowly, I began to concentrate, as if to get into my mind. I wanted to visualize with precision, the connection I had with her.


    There was not a sound in the room, everything was quiet, and even my heart seemed to have stopped. Once again I found myself in my mental pce, this time trying to visualize it as a spool of threads. As everything transformed at an impressive speed, I began to imagine a golden thread. The same one I could see when I telepathically linked Kira to the others.


    The more I concentrated, the more I could see that one thread running into a multitude of others. I didn''t know if I was really experiencing all this, but my mind was so fast that I could feel everything. I followed this wire and went into thisbyrinth that represented everything in my head. As I moved forward, I could see the golden thread disappear under a curtain of others that I had to cross.


    It went deeper and deeper, and the further I walked, the narrower the threads around it became, making it difficult to move forward. As if they represented the differentyers of my mind, my soul, I was exhausting myself both mentally and physically. However, after a few minutes, I could see the golden thread stop a little further on. It was brighter than the others at the end, shining brightly.


    *Finally...the source...Kira''s soul...*


    I was surrounded by threads of different colors that formed a small dome around one that ended with a golden light. This light was my little sister''s soul buried deep within my own. It twinkled like a star, was warm as the sun and asforting as a summer afternoon. Without further ado, I gently reached out to grasp her.


    Kira couldn''t see or hear me because I was deep in my soul and I couldn''t hear her either. However, when my hands touched that soft golden light, I could feel a wave of emotion wash over me. They were all mixed up, uncontroble, confused and disorganized like an erupting volcano. For the first time, it was my turn to probe my sister''s soul.


    *Is...is that all you feel right now, Kira ?*


    There was fear, excitement, joy...lots of joy, sadness, lots of love and...pain ? It wasn''t much, but I could feel a slight pain running through my entire thought process. It was different from when I was in my body because instead of having a focused ce, I felt everything all over the ce. What I was experiencing was how Kira felt pain.


    *I...I didn''t know Kira could feel physical pain ! She never told me...*


    It was bearable and much less intense than what I felt physically, but it wasn''t pleasant. It was like feeling pain but just mentally, without having bones, nerves, blood, or body. The more I thought about it, the closer I got to that light, as if it were my turn to be one with it. It was only a few inches from my chest when suddenly images shed through my mind.


    In just a few moments, I could see everything Kira had experienced and how she had experienced it from where she was. The days, weeks, months of her little life shed through my soul and heart. Then, as my own emotions gradually mingled with Kira''s, thest few events were reyed in me, along with everything my little sister had felt.


    *wow...*


    I saw my battle with the snake demon, the fox demon, and a flood of emotions washed over me as if I had be their vessel. I felt a tremendous fear that even in my three lifetimes I had never achieved, as well as a heartbreaking sadness. As I tried to control these emotions, I could see the moment when the fox had inflicted my most painful wounds.


    Everything was exactly as I had experienced it, but to relive it without feeling the ground beneath my feet, the smell of blood, or my beating heart, was very strange. I was standing there trying to reach the snake as the fateful moment came. In an instant, I saw the fox demon sink its fangs deep into my skin again. At the same time, an electric shock shook my mind in a wave of pain.


    *What the... uuurg !*


    Like thousands of little needles pricking my whole mind, this sensation made it numb, painful, and subject to great pressure. I had never experienced this kind of psychic pain and it was very different from what I had experienced earlier. It was like pricking the nerves of my brain repeatedly, sending waves of sensation that were difficult to bear for too long.


    *This...this idiot...why didn''t you say something Kira ?*


    For the first time in all this time, I realized that from the beginning my little sister had felt all the pain I had felt. It was different and still less violent than in reality, but for Kira who was still a young soul, it must have been hard. I knew she hadn''t said anything to me because she didn''t want me to worry, but I couldn''t help but wonder how brave she was.


    Concentrating harder, I now held that golden light close to my heart, protecting it tenderly, for after all, it was my little sister.


    - PING -


    [ Master of Souls (lvl 1) > Master of Souls (lvl2) ]


    Without bothering with the notification, I made my way through my mind back to where it all began. I still had Kira''s soul against me and I made sure that nothing could alter its glow. Nothing could happen to her, but I was driven by an unconditional love for my little sister who would soon be able to see the world with her own eyes.


    Gradually I came back to reality, as if I wasing out of a very long dream as I felt my chest heat up. Looking down I could see that same golden light trapped in my chest, making my ck tattoo glow like the sun. I no longer felt the pain of earlier and as I took a deep breath, a notification appeared in front of me.


    - PING -


    [ Do you want to disassociate this soul from yours ? This action will remove the unique skill "Second Soul". Also, once disassociated, you will have very little time to manipte it before it evaporates with the surrounding mana. Does the host still want to continue ? ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    *Yes !*


    We had waited far too long and I could feel the excitement and joy rising in me as I gave my answer. Kira seemed to have gone into a state of sleep since I had touched her soul, which reassured me. I could concentrate fully and make sure that my little sister would arrive at my side, safe and sound. Thus began the long-awaited dissociation of our two souls.


    [ Dissociation of the second soul:...46%...55%...69%...75%...85%...96%...100% ]


    [ Skill Removal : Second Soul (lvl max) - unique ]


    [ Congrattion s! The operation was sessful, the soul can now be handled and ced in your storage space or in a body ]


    [ Countdown Begins : 04 min 58 sec ]


    I had only five minutes to manipte Kira''s sleeping soul, which I now held in my right hand. It was warm, soft, and at that moment I knew that I held a real treasure in the palm of my hand. Without wasting a second, I moved towards the body of the fox who was still lying in front of me, looking almost asleep. I ced my left hand on its forehead to connect its being to my mana.


    [ 03 min 42 sec ]


    I concentrated as best I could as I brought the light closer to the beast''s body. The gesture may have seemed harmless, but in reality I was busy making sure Kira''s soul didn''t get swallowed up by my mana. The fox''s body was full of it, and I had to be patient and thorough if I didn''t want to mess it up. Gradually, I could see the light disappearing before a new notification appeared.


    - PING -


    [ The second soul was indeed imnted into the body of the demon Greedy Fox. Lucifer, please name your first Sin Demon ]


    *Kira...her name is Kira...*


    [ Congrattions Lucifer ! Kira has been added to your system as the first Demon, you now have ess to her status in your Empire menu. Her awakening is imminent ! ]


    [ The Freya system has recognized the entity Kira as the host''s little sister - Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox) ]


    As all these notifications rang in my head, only a few words held my attention: "Her awakening is imminent". My heart was beating heavily in my chest and despite my loss of MP which had made me tired again, I felt great. Suddenly, as I tried to calm myself, the fox''s body began to glow with an intense red and gray.


    It shone so brightly that I could not look too hard as I hid my eyes behind my hand. The light became more and more intense before it suddenly began to fade away little by little after enveloping the fox''s body. The more the light disappeared, the more I could discover that there was no longer any huge body but a young woman lying on the stone.


    She was curled up in the fetal position, without any clothes on, her eyes closed and her face calm and serene. The first things that struck me were her long wavy hair as grey as the most magnificent silver, her threerge bushy tails, herrge fox ears but also a horn she wore on the right side of her forehead. This sleeping young woman...she was Kira.


    ____


    - POV General -


    In thisrge room of the pantheon where so much had happened, Freya stood on her knees next to a young female fox demon. The Empress'' hands were shaking as she pulled a cloak from her storage space to cover her younger sister''s naked body. As the sheet slid over her skin, the young woman suddenly began to move as she awoke.


    "Kira ? Kira can you hear me ?"


    Freya''s long red hair turned ck again as she resumed her usual humanoid form. Behind her back, her long, thick ck tail waved from left to right as her ears moved on their own. As the she-wolf struggled to hide her excitement, she called to Kira, who still didn''t move despite the few movements she had.


    "Little sister ? What the hell happened ? Everything worked out though I.."


    As Freya began to panic, she stopped in mid-sentence before squinting. Kira, who was on the ground, had let out a slight smile, but although it was discreet, it hadn''t escaped the Empress'' notice. At that moment, the she-wolf was now moving her fingers to her little sister''s forehead gently and quietly. Kira thought to hide her smile well and did not move without knowing what wasing.


    "Aaouuuch !! Onee-sa..."


    Without warning, Freya had flicked Kira''s forehead and she had suddenly straightened to the ground in surprise. However, she didn''t have time to say anything as a body, both warm and cold, pressed against her. The moment Kira had straightened up, her older sister had thrown herself on top of her and hugged her. Nothing mattered to Freya, who had dreamed of this moment so much.


    "Onee-san...I..."


    For the first time, the young woman who had never been herself before was free and enjoying the warmest hug she''d ever had. Freya still hadn''t seen Kira in detail because all she wanted was to hug her. All these emotions, these feelings, even without a single word spoken, the two sisters were passing them on to each other while on Kira''s face, her first tears were flowing.


    "Onee..*sniff* san...I...*sniff*...I''m out...*sniff* !"


    "Yes little sister...wee !"


    The fox girl hugged her big sister as tightly as she could while the tears wouldn''t stop flowing. At that moment, Kira was a bit like a baby discovering emotions and her bodily reactions and couldn''t stop crying. Freya didn''t say a word and smiled tenderly as her cheeks seemed to glow slightly.


    After long minutes filled with tenderness and love, the Empress loosened her embrace to take her little sister''s face in her hands. She wiped away the tears that had fallen and as she smiled, Kira opened her eyes for the first time. At that moment, two pairs of violet eyes met for the first time as each seemed mesmerized by the other.


    "You are...beautiful onee-san..."


    Kira''s face had begun to blush furiously as she could now observe her older sister''s face more urately. Unfortunately, she could feel herself blushing and felt even more embarrassed knowing this and didn''t know what to do about it in front of Freya. As for the Empress, she was mesmerized by her little sister''s face and how happy she was to have her by her side.


    Each was in their own world for different reasons though their immense happiness was shared. Not knowing what to say to Freya''s piercing gaze, Kira looked for something to say to break the ice and it worked. As usual, she hade up with the first silly thing that came to mind, which woke up her older sister and her penchant for flickering.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "So..ahem...when do I get to be the Queen of the Elysium Empire ?"


    "..."


    "Pffhaha~ Yes I...Aouuuch !! Onee-san !"


    "kufufu~ you can be the flick Queen"


    Thus began the first meeting of the two sisters who had been waiting for this moment for a long time. These two sisters who loved each other deeply and madly but who, despite the situation...were always true to themselves.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 80 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    ? Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 162 The One Who Was Freed II

    - POV Freya -


    Kira, my little sister, the one who had always been with me from the beginning, was finally standing in front of me with a healthy body of her own. She had long silver-gray hair that waved beautifully along her body, with strands falling over her face. Kira looked younger than me because while I looked like a 25 year old woman, she looked more like a 20 year old.


    Although our hair color was not the same, I felt like I was seeing me younger because my little sister looked more than a little like me. She had fine features, long eyshes, a slightly pink mouth that stood out on her pearly skin and little freckles. She also had a unique eye color that only members of the Nightshade family had, which entuated the resemnce.


    Kira had another peculiarity, it was that the tip of her ears and tails were ck just like her demon horn. Positioned on the right side, it looked exactly like mine but much smaller and less terrifying. When I looked at her, I saw a young woman who inspired courage and tenderness for some unknown reason but at a nce.


    I couldn''t help but watch her face in silence as I gently wiped away the tears that had fallen with my hands. I could see her face turning red as I smiled and it was easy to guess that this sudden gesture of tenderness was embarrassing her. As I removed thest of the drops with my thumb, her voice, which I had only heard in my head, echoed through the room.


    "So..ahem...when do I get to be the Queen of the Elysium Empire ?"


    "..."


    "Pffhaha~ Yes I...Aouuuch !!!"


    "kufufu~ you can be the flick Queen"


    At that moment, I had just flicked her forehead for the second time, the first being because she had pretended to be asleep to y a joke on me. I could see her rubbing her forehead as she puffed up her cheeks to pout like a child despite her appearance. Kira''s eyes were slightly puffy and this action only made her look cuter while I couldn''t help but let out a giggle.


    "I must say that you are really beautiful and at the same time so cute kufufu~ it seems that the Empire can now boast a second beautiful Princess"


    "I...you..."


    Kira was still sniffling a bit and the more I looked at her, the more I felt like I was looking at a big baby unable to hide her emotions. Her face had started to blush again and for the first time, a beautiful smile appeared. Two fangs simr to mine were revealed, as well as, to my great surprise, two absolutely adorable dimples. My little sister may have looked like me, but she was still unique and very beautiful.


    To sum up, Kira had be a very beautiful young fox woman, with silver hair and fur with some ck highlights at the ends. She had a teasing, beautiful and radiant smile, elevated by her dimples and freckles. Kira was my little sister and at that moment, I felt proud to see her as beautiful as she was cute. As I watched her, she began to stretch her new body.


    "Wow...this is...very weird. I can control my body with my thoughts and it reacts immediately ! Kind of like when I was using your elements but this time I can feel it !"


    As Kira spoke these words, she tried to stand up for the first time while her violet eyes, still slightly wet, shone with a thousand lights. Without answering, I gently grabbed her hand and helped her to lean against me. My little sister was wobbling slightly and didn''t seem to be coordinating her movements well yet, but despite that, her smile was precious.


    Slowly, we stood up together and I could now see that Kira was almost the same height as me. Unlike Gaya who was shoulder high, only a few centimeters separated us from each other. Her hair was a little more curly and fell to the middle of her back and the same rebellious locks as mine fell on her face.


    "Ahem..maybe we should put on something more decent shouldn''t we onee-san ? Pfffhaha~"


    I waspletely hypnotized by the situation and the emotions that were running through me that I didn''t even pay attention to our appearance. Kira was naked if we omitted the cloak that I had put on her shoulders while I was wearing nothing above the waist except for the bandages that served as my bra. We were both in this big room, almost naked while a great silence reigned, followed by our bursts ofughter.


    "...Pffpffpff...hahahaha~"


    "Hahaha~ yes little sister you are right !"


    Kira''sughter, which I had only heard in my mind, filled my ears with a sweet melody that warmed my heart. As I pulled several garments out of my storage space, I could see her counting her fingers, her toes, having fun wiggling them around and pinching them. Every move she made seemed to amaze her while her face betrayed every emotion.


    When Kira was surprised, her eyes would widen and her mouth would open wide, when she was happy, she would giggle to herself as she smiled, and when she was thinking, she would squint her eyes and let out "hmmm''s." Unlike me, my little sister, who had just acquired a body, was the very definition of an expressive person, which was far from my case if I wasn''t with my family.


    "Kira ? Here, put this on. You''re almost my size, so you shouldn''t have any trouble wearing these until they make you some to fit. This should..."


    As I handed her the same clothes I was going to wear, I stopped talking at the scene before me. Kira was totally in her own world, spinning around in hopes of catching one of her tails. She wasughing to herself as she wiggled aroundpletely naked and without a care in the world. Feeling my amused look, Kira finally looked up before stammering again.


    "I...ahem...you were saying ?"


    She scratched the back of her neck just like I used to do when I was embarrassed and looked down at the floor with a "forget what you just saw" look on her face. Approaching my little sister with a smirk on my face, I put my hand on her head and ruffled her hair tenderly. She closed her eyes and giggled as I finally spoke and handed her what I had in my hands.


    "Idiot kufufu~ Here, get dressed indecent fox pfffhaha~!"


    "Oi ! Hehe~ Haiii onee-san~!"


    So together we started to dress in a more decent way before moving on. We wore the same simple clothes: ck pants, a white shirt and a ck cape with a high cor. There were also boots and gloves that I put on but Kira didn''t seem to want to wear. She wanted to enjoy the feeling of the ground under her bare feet and everything her hands would touch.


    "It''s kind of weird wearing clothes for the first time but I don''t mind. We''re dressed the same, so in a way we kind of look like twins like this right ? Haha~"


    "Ara ara~ no matter what you say you will always be my little sister, you will not escape that title !"


    As I said this, using my height, I put my arm around her neck before I started to ruffle her silver hair with my fist again. I didn''t know why I was acting like this but I waspletely different than usual, overwhelmed by an urge to tease my little sister. As Kira giggled and tried to grab my hand, I felt so happy.


    "I...I''m letting you do this because it''s...you but please don''t do this in front of others and especially not in front of Shiro ! I have to stay her cool and funny auntie okay ?"


    "Oh my~ Would you be too shy to show that adorable, childlike side you have right now ?"


    Releasing my embrace gently, I winked at Kira who then turned her head away, blushing and puffing her cheeks. Then, the next moment, as if we were still able to read each other''s minds, our faces became serious. My little sister now had a body and had even be a unique creature, but we still hadn''t talked about it in any detail.


    "Tell me Kira, I haven''t looked at your status yet but how do you feel ? Are you getting used to your body and the mana that flows through you ?"


    "Hmm yes ! I would say I still find it fascinating but I don''t feel any problems, I even want to run around ! I''m bursting with energy even though I still don''t know what my element is, I haven''t looked yet. I have to say it''s frustrating not to see a system as developed as yours in my field of vision."


    As my little sister said this, she illustrated her words by running around to exercise her body and her reactions. Strangely enough, while at first she wobbled slightly, little by little her coordination became good and then perfect. Kira moved with agility, flexibility, speed and looked like a gymnast when she jumped, using her hands and feet with ease.


    At times, like when I was fighting fiercely, Kira was running on all fours while a wild smile appeared on her face. I didn''t know if she had kept the elements of the previous Greedy Fox either, but I wanted to check it out. While my little sister continued to y in her corner and train her body, I used my analysis skill on her for the first time.


    ___


    [Name : Kira Nightshade


    Age : 0 year - Mentally / Physically : 20 years


    Gender: Female


    Race (unique) : Greedy Fox (6th Sin)


    Title : Faithful right arm of the 7th Sin Demon (Lucifer)


    Carrier of the blood of the Nightshades


    Big sisters : Lucifer Nightshade / Ka Nightshade


    Element : Illusory Demonic Lightning


    Lvl 15/30


    HP : 30 000 / 30 000 MP : 15 000 / 15 000


    Strength : 205


    Defense : 195


    Agility : 200


    Stamina : 185


    Speed : 167


    Skills:


    Lightning tails (lvl 1)


    The 1000 silent steps (lvl 1)


    Telepathy


    Freya''s fighting style (learned from her stay in the host''s soul)


    Bestial form (original) - unlocked


    Humanoid form - unlocked


    As a Sin Demon directly rted to Lucifer and a recognized member of the Nightshade family, Kira has the opportunity to see her status change and her skills evolve as the host ]


    ____


    The more I read her status, the more shocked I was by what I saw even though I didn''t show it. Because we were only one before, my system had recognized my little sister as a member of the Nightshade family, thus granting her the samest name. Everything had to do with the fact that she had been formed by a part of my soul, but what shocked me the most was the fact that Kira did not only have me as a sister but Ka as well.


    Also, at no time was the first name "Freya" visible on her status which confirmed the fact that she was indeed a Sin Demon. So many things were crazy and raised many questions. Why was she starting at level 15 ? If she carried my blood did that mean she could reach the rank of Goddess as well ? As I thought about this, Kira''s voice sounded close to my ear.


    "So what then ? I have cool skills ??"


    "Why don''t you take a look yourself ? It seems to me that you have the ability to open up a little status in the corner of your vision, try a little you might be surprised."<novelnext></novelnext>


    At the end of my sentence, Kira squinted her eyes as she concentrated hard to open her status which had to be disyed like every living thing in this world. I could see her eyes moving in the void as she read and the further she went, the more her face became a real theater of expression. Just as I had read before, Kira seemed to be discovering what she had be as well as her membership in the Nightshade family.


    "I...wow...my name is Kira...Nightshade...hehe~ Kira Nightshade ! ssy right ?"


    As I had imagined, this was what caught her attention first and I could see her putting her fists on her hips before puffing out her chest proudly. To be honest, this arrogant look suited her divinely and as I sighed tenderly, I took on a serious look. Kira didn''t seem to be willing to think about it now, she was too excited and we had a lot of things nned ahead of us.


    "Well, we shouldn''t take too long, we can talk about this quietlyter. I don''t have enough MP to free June and May yet so let''s take the book and join the others to find a way out. Once outside, the Commanders can evolve, we can inspect my changes in detail, yours, free the twins and decide on our n for the future."


    "Hai your Highness !"


    I nodded my head with a smile on my face, making one of my fangs shine as I finally moved. As I turned around to get the journal before leaving to join the others apanied by my little sister, I suddenly felt a pressure on my back. Two trembling arms embraced me firmly, I felt a head buried in my back and heard a heart beating wildly.


    Kira had taken advantage of the fact that I was not looking at her to hug me from behind with tenderness. In this embrace I felt all the love, gratitude and joy that my little sister had and that I obviously shared. I knew she didn''t want me to see her face so I stayed silent as she whispered a few words while my nose caught the singr, light smell of her tears.


    "Freya...thank you...for giving me your trust and then your love. Thank you for giving me a home, a family to love, an existence, a name and a surname to cherish. I...big sister...thank you for everything"


    [N/A: Illustration image (not official) and theme music avable on discord]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 80 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox - 6th Sin)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    ? Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 163 [Special - First Christmas] - BONUS

    [N/A: I''m not supposed to be back until Monday (27th) but here is my Christmas present for all of you. This chapter is not rted to the plot of the story, think of it as an alternative chapter. Be careful, I advise you to read it only if you are up to date because I have taken the situation of the main characters from thest chapter. Happy reading !]


    ____


    - POV General -


    In a vast world filled with magic and mysterious creatures, there was a ce by the sea that seemed timeless. That ce was an Empire that stood proudly in a great forest that had lost its dense, dark foliage. The unshakeable city of Empress Freya still stood there, never wavering, even though for the first time in a year the air was frigid.


    It was the end of the year, the animals were hibernating, the trees were bare, the birds were no longer singing and winter was here. In this great Empire, there was the imperial mansion, imposing, majestic and worthy of its residents. There were many magnificent rooms in it, but of all of them, the most beautiful were undoubtedly those on the floor reserved for the Empress and her family.


    In therge living room, four people were gathered around a fire that crackled softly in a firece. There was Empress Freya with ck hair, Queen Gaya with crimson hair, the little Princess Shiro with white hair and finally, Freya''s sister and the second Princess, Kira with silver hair. Sitting by the fire, these four women were spending time with their families on this coldte afternoon.


    Freya was sitting on one of the sofas with her wife who had her head resting on her shoulder while they both stroked her big belly. The she-wolf and the dragoness were watching silently and with a big smile, their little girl drawing on the floor with her aunt by her side smiling. Kira was in the same position as her niece, lying on her stomach, her legs pping in the air to the rhythm of her three bushy tails.


    The atmosphere was calm, joyful, familial and the humming of the little Princess warmed everyone''s heart. Therge window near the corner filled with sofas was right in front of Freya and while Gaya was still watching the two lying on the floor, the Empress was looking out. The weather was cold and for several days now, a gray veil seemed to have fallen over the Dark Forest.


    A light mist gently descended from the gray sky bringing with it the icy air so significant to winter. Many feelings ran through the she-wolf as she thought for a brief moment about her past on Earth for the first time in a very long time. For some reason, this sight had awakened a great curiosity in her. As she suddenly came out of her thoughts, out of nowhere, Freya raised her voice to speak.


    "In this world...ahem...I mean, at this time of the world, do you have any traditions during the winter ? Nobody in the Empire seems to be preparing anything, there''s nothing special that''s supposed to happen ?"


    As the she-wolf asked these questions, all the members of her family looked up with a questioning look. At that moment, the room had bepletely silent while everyone seemed to be waiting for exnations with eyes full of interest. Gaya was smiling radiantly, Kira sat cross-legged with her hands on her chin and Shiro approached Freya shaking her little white tail.


    "Well...when I was on Earth, humans celebrated what was called "Christmas". Long story short, it''s a holiday where members of the same family receive gifts brought by a certain Santa us overnight."


    As she finished her sentence, the she-wolf could see her family members wracking their brains trying to understand. All of this was totally unknown to the others and Freya although she did her best to be short, used these terms without further details. It was then Shiro who spoke first as she climbed onto her mother''sp before repeating as best she could the words that had caught her attention.


    "Chrismash ? Sinta...Clous ?"


    For once, only the Empress was smiling because she was the only one who knew that her little moon had gotten it wrong once again in a cute way because Gaya and Kira had also not gotten the pronunciation of those two unknown words right. As Freya giggled softly, she put her hand on Shiro''s head to caress it tenderly. Smiling, the she-wolf then gave a little more detail before Kira intervened.


    "My little moon, we say Christmas and Santa us haha~. Christmas is the name of the holiday and Santa us, an old man dressed in red with a white beard bringing presents to children who have been good while they sleep by the chimney."


    "Hmmm excuse me ?...very suspicious and dangerous story to be honest. Why would an old mane and bring gifts to children he doesn''t know and what''s more in the middle of the night ?! Oh and then not to mention that chimney thing...sigh...Onee-san seriously...who would ept that ?"


    The Empress'' little sister stared at her with a face of iprehension, shock and embarrassment as she waspletely judging Christmas. Gaya giggled softly in her corner as she saw Freya''s expression change slightly in dismay. Little Shiro was lost in thought as her gaze was fixed on the ground just before she turned to her aunt and replied


    "But Auntie, how can a gift-giver be mean ? If Mr. ous brings things that make you smile, I...I''m sure he''s nice !"


    "My little honey bun you...arf never mind...haha~ you are right little Shiro !"


    For a moment, Kira had wanted to make ament when she saw how innocent her little niece was...way too innocent, before changing her mind. She had finally agreed with her, smiling as she made a mental note to keep a close eye on her so she wouldn''t be kidnapped by a shady candy giver. As she smiled awkwardly, it was finally the Queen''s turn to speak.


    "So uh...how was your Christmas to you my love ? Besides the gift thing what was going on ? I guess as a kid you couldn''t wait for this day toe right ?"


    This time it was Gaya''s turn to throw her wife into disarray as Freya looked at her with a tender and amused look. This life was so far away for her and so different that the Empress had never really talked about what she had experienced especially during her childhood. As Shiro looked at her mother with eyes shining with curiosity, the she-wolf took a deep breath before answering honestly.


    "Well...to be honest, I''ve never celebrated Christmas before. I''ve never had a visit from Santa, let alone presents. The first few years of my life were pretty rough but to make a long story short, I had parents but I didn''t exist for them. So I never had a Christmas and Santa never came to see me even though I hoped he would with all my heart."


    "Mommy, you...weren''t you being good ?"


    The little moon of the Empire, had now a worried and sad face while she asked her question. Her ears had lowered and her white tail had stopped wagging back and forth. Again her innocence and dismay so pure made even the saddest revtions precious. Smiling like the loving mother she was, Freya was about to respond while Kira was quicker.


    Her voice echoed in the room while, as usual, the young silver fox used humor to lighten the mood. Kira, who knew the most about her older sister''s past, wanted to avoid having to talk about it, although she did it awkwardly. Her voice was full of joy and mockery, but her eyes conveyed concern, love, tenderness andpassion.


    "Hell no ! She was not wise at all that''s why the Santa C...thing never came ! And she still isn''t by the way fufu~ Of all the family my little niece, you are without context the wisest ! Your mommy is a bad girl but you are just the opposite, aren''t you onee...aaaouuuch !"


    Without warning, Freya had created a small ice spike thanks to her ambient mana, before sending it directly into Kira''s butt. Thetter was not expecting it and had not even finished her sentence when she jumped to the ceiling due to the surprise. Theughter of the little moon of the Empire rose in the room while the three-tailed vixen massaged her right buttock while discreetly sticking her tongue out at her big sister.


    "Oh you can stick your tongue out, Santa us is noting for you this year either kufufu~"


    Shiro had climbed onto Gaya''sp this time and as the Queen gently stroked her daughter''s hair, sheughed too. The two imperial sisters looked at each other with squinted eyes as if to challenge each other while a teasing smile appeared on Freya and Kira''s faces. However, they didn''t have time to say anything as the little princess spoke up again.


    "But then...will hee here for me then Mr. ous ?"


    As she asked her question, suddenly the three women looked at each other with a slightly panicked look on their faces. No one had really anticipated this question even thoughing from a curious and ever attentive 6 year old girl was normal. Gaya and Kira, who knew nothing about it, had their mouths closed and were looking at Freya intently, deliberately leaving her alone in this situation.


    "Have you been good sweetie ?"


    "Mmh mmh yes yes !!!"


    The little princess was nodding vigorously while her little white hands were against her heart and her eyes were pleading. Earlier, while Freya had been talking, Gaya had made two pigtails for Shiro and now they were hanging from both sides and dancing to the rhythm of her movements. The little princess was hugging her little Lily doll tightly and waiting for an answer that was soon toe.


    "So yes my little moon, he wille to bring you gifts and I''m sure he will bring the snow with him !"


    As the she-wolf finished her sentence, everyone looked at her before responding in a very confused way making the situation very hrious.


    "Huh ? Onee-san who is that again...snow ?"


    "I...I don''t know what you are referring to my love I''m sorry.."


    "The...snow ? Can you eat it ?"


    Once again, under Freya''s confused gaze, Kira, Gaya and Shiro had asked questions that she could never have anticipated. How could she not know what snow was? As she began to exin what snow was, the Empress did her best not to leave anything out. Never in all her life had she thought she would have to exin what snow was, and yet.


    "Here it is...this is the snow. It doesn''t exist here ? How can you not know what snow is ?"


    "My love...until now I have never seen this phenomenon but I have indeed heard about it. It''s a very rare moment that happens only a few times in this world and unfortunately due to ahem...my age I haven''t had the chance to see it with my own eyes."


    Everyone was nodding their heads with a look of joy but with a trace of sadness. The idea of not being able to attend such a show made everyone slightly disappointed and distressed. In order to change the minds of her family members and bring a smile back to their faces, Freya snapped her fingers to make a huge tree made of ice appear in the living room. It looked like crystal and rose to the ceiling, beautiful, majestic and glittering.


    "Wooow mommy that''s the most beautiful tree I''ve ever seen !!"


    "Onee-san...there''s no telling how amazing you are..."


    "My love...thank you for this work of art haha~"


    Everyone was smiling again and so it was in this warm family atmosphere that Freya raised her voice. Gently grabbing the hands of her daughter and her wife, she spoke tenderly with eyes filled with unconditional love.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Well, it''s time to go eat, then we''ll go to bed and who knows ? Maybe Santa us will stop by to see the good kids and put some presents under the tree fufu~"


    _____


    It was dark, the Imperial mansion was plunged into a solemn silence while the Elysium Empire was asleep. However, not everyone was, for on the top floor, in one of the great corridors of the Imperial quarters, two figures walked silently. In the left-wing of the mansion, Empress Freya apanied by her wife Queen Gaya, walked slowly with packages in hand.


    "Let''s put these gifts under the tree ande back soon okay ?"


    "Of course my love !"


    For the first time, the two leaders of the Empire looked like thieves ready to do something bad. However, all they wanted to do was drop off the gifts they had prepared for their families. After seeing Shiro''s enthusiasm, neither woman could bring herself to do nothing. So the she-wolf and the dragoness, dressed in a ck robe, walked silently towards the living room.


    Suddenly, as they were almost at their destination, a small shape huddled in a corner caught their attention. This small motionless thing turned out to be none other than the little Princess of the Empire who for some unknown reason was in the hallway in the middle of the night. She was sitting on the floor, her arms wrapped around her raised knees and her head buried inside.


    "My god ! Shiro my little moon ! What are you doing here ?"


    "You...you should be sleeping !!!"


    As Freya hastily grabbed her daughter in her arms, she didn''t really care about the gifts anymore and wanted to know what Shiro was doing there. She looked panicked, lost and seeing her huddled like that in the night made her heart ache. Being just in front of the big door of the living room, instead of turning back, the she-wolf entered the room followed by her wife while Shiro answered her.


    "Yes but...but I wanted to bring a present for Auntie Kira...you...you said she wouldn''t get a present I didn''t want her to feel forgotten..."


    At that moment, the words of the little princess shocked her two mothers who could not believe what they had just heard. Shiro, this adorable little 6 year old girl, had gotten up alone in the middle of the night, had walked through the entire hallway inplete darkness before arriving at the door, much too small to open. Just as Gaya was about to speak, a noise was heard in the living room firece.


    "Mommy mommy ! It''s Mr. ous !!"


    Freya was stunned and did not understand what was happening as she looked at her wife who shrugged her shoulders in response. The lit room waspletely silent as suddenly a sooty figure fell from above before crashing heavily to the floor. At that moment, a recognizable voice shouted while trying to be silent, making the situation very funny.


    "Aaouuchh fuck It ! I knew it was bullshit to go through this damn thing !"


    Before the wide eyes of Shiro, Freya and Gaya, a cloud of dust and soot had invaded a part of the room while in the middle a person was revealed. In front of them was a person dressed in hastily dyed red clothes and wearing a fake white beard made of pillow feathers. Despite the effort, it was easy to see that it was Kira who had had the same idea as her older sister but had executed it in her own way.


    "Ahem ahem..."


    Freya had coughed lightly to get her attention as she dusted her three tails, muttering slightly annoyed. As Kira looked up, she froze as she saw the three family members in front of her, lights on and their eyes fixed on her. Seeing that Shiro was also there, instead of chickening out, the young silver vixen, stood up proudly despite the ridiculousness of the situation.


    "Ohohohoh~! I''m the...*cough*...Santa us !"


    "Pfffpffpfff~"


    "...hihi~"


    "Ahem...haha~...sorry..."


    Kira''s hair was wild andpletely ck, her fake beard was almost torn off and the state of her clothes was beyondment. Nobody was fooled, not even the little princess and although they were trying their best not tough, Freya, Gaya and Shiro could not help but giggle andugh. Seeing this, the second princess sighed before starting tough with the others.


    "I''m an idiot, aren''t I? Pffffhaha~ *cough*  *cough*  and then what are you all doing here ?"


    "Well...it seems we all had the same idea, although...some were more...well, less...in excess kufufu~"


    At the words of the Empress, each one showed what they were holding in their hands for all to see. Freya and Gaya had several gifts, Shiro had only one and Kira seemed to have a ton. As each looked at the other with a big smile, the she-wolf spoke up, trying her best not tough at her little sister who was definitely the craziest of them all.


    "Ahem I...pffff~ sorry...I propose that we open our presents now since we are here.."


    "But mommy...we have to wait for Mr. ous !!"


    As Shiro shook Freya''s sleeve, Gaya who finally came forward with a big smile on her face, answered instead of her wife. With a warm, soft voice, full of tenderness and love, gently caressing the hair of her little princess, she spoke words that made everyone''s head spin.


    "Sweetheart...Santa us has alreadye...look"


    Outside, despite the cold, dark night, through the window for the very first time, snowkes fell on the Elysium Empire. There was no longer a gray veil or icy wind and instead, a magical white rain fell silently and gently. The rays of the moon seemed to reflect on each snowke and hypnotized the members of the Imperial family who could not look away.


    While her wife, daughter and little sister were totally amazed by this spectacle, Freya could not help but whisper a few words.


    "Merry Christmas"


    ___BONUS___


    Author Lucifer : I hope you enjoyed this little surprise. It''s my Christmas present to thank you all for continuing to read my story, which is certainly imperfect but which I write with the greatest of passions. Thank you all !


    Freya: Merry Christmas to all of you and...even if you are humans, I wish you all the best for the end of the year !


    Gaya: *Cough cough*! Oi ! My love you can''t say things like that ! Ahem ahem, please excuse her tactlessness but I promise you the heart is in it. Merry Christmas to you all and may your days be as wonderful as those we spend with our family !


    Kira: ...


    Freya: Kira ?


    Kira: Oh ! Sorry sorry pffhaha~ so uuuuh...I hope that...w-wait what were we talking about again ?


    Shiro: Hihihi~ Christmas Auntie Kira !


    Kira: Aaaaah yes yes hehe~ so I hope you have a great holiday and that you got lots of presents ! Merry Christmas !! ... *whispering* is it good ? was it cool ?


    Freya: Yes, perfect little sister ! Shiro ? Do you want to say something too ?


    Shiro: So uh...I...I hope you have a very nice day and...and thank you for always being there because...because we love you very much ! I hope that Mr. ous came by for you and that...and that you got lots of cool presents! I...I don''t know what else to say sorry...


    Freya: That''s fine my little moon but you forgot something fufu~


    Shiro: Oh yes it''s true mommy !! Dear readers...I love you very very very much hihi~ and...


    Lucifer, Freya, Gaya, Kira, Shiro: MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

 Chapter 164 In Front Of The Most Powerful Warriors

    - POV General -


    Outside the pantheon, just above the stairs rising to the ceiling, all the Commanders and Lieutenants were gathered and waiting. It had been several hours since the Empress had entered the building, leaving them behind as it was impossible for them to follow her. Each soldier was resting and waiting patiently, totally unaware of what was happening inside.


    The 10 most powerful Warriors in the Empire were now all at level 30, had the ability to evolve, and were looking forward to this moment. To trigger the process, the young women had to go into a sleep and let their mana and the system do the rest. However, at the moment there was no time to sleep as the Commanders were far too busy taking care of each other.


    "I...Commander Ralph...may...may I speak with you for a moment ?"


    "Oh ? Sure !"


    While everyone was resting and looking out for each other, Nina, Caipy''s lieutenant, approached Ralph and wanted to talk to her. In her head, the events were still spinning and the young dryad could not forget what the young hybrid woman had done for her. Her hands were shaking, her green eyes were staring at the ground and her hands could not help but y with her blonde hair.


    "I...I would like to thank you once again for what...what you did when...I was stuck in front of that griffin demon. I...I thank you for risking your life for me...thank you, Commander"


    Ralph stood in front of Nina and towered over her as she patiently listened to what she had to say. The young Commander''s brown tail was wagging and a fierce-looking but sincere smile was on her face. The dryad had already thanked her many times but always seemed to want to do so, which amused Ralph slightly, who usually answered as sincerely as possible.


    "It''s nothing, we have a duty to protect you and I will not fail in this mission ! It''s okay, it''s all over...you don''t have to thank me again because in the end we were both rescued by her Highness. Instead, promise me that you will be stronger so that you will always be able to cope in the future, okay ?!"


    Ralph had a big, confident smile on her face despite the bandages covering her muscr body and Nina couldn''t bring herself to look up. From a distance, one could see a beautiful and proud young hybrid woman with brown hair and blood-red eyes standing in front of a young blonde woman with green eyes, as beautiful as she was shy. One seemed to be brute force in a glove of incandescentva and the other pure softness in a glove of silk.


    "I...I promise you to...grow stronger and learn alongside Commander Caipy with fervor. I will learn so....that I can heal you whenever...you get hurt !"


    "Mmmh ! I''m counting on you Lieutenant Nina hehe~"


    At that moment, Ralph was smiling with all her teeth and her natural arrogant air made her unconsciously very attractive. The young dryad had finally looked up to nod but found herself paralyzed. She remembered the warmth of the young hybrid woman''s body, her strong arms, her gaze and her voice that had reassured her. Nina now had her gaze plunged into Ralph''s and was blushing furiously.


    "Y-Yes I...I promise !!"


    Nina had pronounced thesest words with difficulty before turning around and leaving to join her Commander in running, the cheeks as red as the eyes of Ralph. Luna, Emilia, and Na?a had assisted to all the scene and were further behind not being able to stop giggling. Their hybrid friend was a real tomboy, but when it came to rtionships and feelings, she was always off the mark.


    "Another one ! Do you think Ralphy realized she liked her ?"


    Na?a, the youngest of the Commanders, had whispered this question to her new girlfriend Emilia and her friend Luna. Ralph didn''t know it, but among her friends, there was a sort of no-stakes bet about the day the young hybrid woman would be able to understand the feelings of her admirers. Until now, in the Empire, she had turned many hearts but had never realized it, to the great misfortune of young men and women.


    "Mmh no, it''s Ralph after all ! That brute only thinks about fighting haha~"


    "Yeah ! However, they have been through some fast and furious things, at least Ralph won''t have any trouble remembering her. Personally, if I were to see her with anyone it would be Nina ! They are different but that''s what''s interesting pffpffpff~"


    Emilia had answered first, followed by Luna who, chuckling, was inplete agreement with her words. The three young women all had one hand on their chins and were nodding their heads while analyzing the situation far too seriously. The pressure was off for everyone and despite the uniqueness of the situation, it was their way of taking a breather. Neither Ralph nor Nina was aware of what was going on and that a secret ship had been formed among the three Commanders.


    "And by the way, while we''re on the subject...have you seen how Nixia acts with Lynn ? Do you know what''s going on ? She''s not the type to talk about feelings either but there''s something different !"


    While Emilia and Naia were still looking at Ralph hand in hand, Luna had suddenly broached the subject of another of their friends. At these words, the young fox''s fire-colored tail started to wag while it was not difficult to understand that she liked to talk about love. It was therefore quite natural that she was the first to answer with an unconcealed enthusiasm.


    "You noticed too ?? I didn''t dare to say anything but for some reason, Nixia seems rather fond of this little subus haha~"


    Emilia this time did not say anything but listened to everything with an attentive ear. The three young women were all wounded but had not lost their smiles and took advantage of it to think of something else. Luna, who still had her hand on her chin, nodded again before speaking again.


    "Mmh, you''d have to ask Nixia directly I guess. Although I can already feel her gaze analyzing me as if I were nning a bad move pfffhaha~!"


    As the half-panther young woman spoke these words, she and her two friends turned their heads to the right. A little further away was a girl with pink hair and a small tail ending in an arrow. It was Lynn, but next to her there was no trace of the beautiful ck-scaledmia. As the three friends squinted, suddenly a soft but firm voice rose behind them.


    "What do you want to ask me ? And what gaze are you talking about Luna ?"


    Luna, Emilia, and Na?a turned around hurriedly as if they had been caught making a joke. Nixia was behind them, her grey snake eyes, piercing and bewitching, her smooth ck hair falling in her back and her arms strewn with scales, crossed on her generous chest. Themia had moved forward without a sound, sliding on the ground and surprising them.


    "...this one ! Like I did something suspicious ! And then you could still warn before you sneak up behind us like that, I...I almost had a heart attack !"


    "Like you did something suspicious ? Mmmh...didn''t you ?"


    Despite her cold demeanor, Nixia smiled slightly and her friends who had gotten to know her, knew that this was her way of being and that behind this sometimes haughty face, there was another heart of gold. As the Lamia was about to speak, a new Commander joined them, not knowing what they were talking about but too excited to care, it was Ralph who had finished talking with her Lieutenant Liz.


    "So girls ? How''s it going for you ? What do you think is going on behind the door ? It''s already been a little over an hour since her Highness returned but we still haven''t heard anything !"


    Ralph had jumped up right next to Luna and put her hand around her shoulders as she came in with a smile on her face, totally unaware of what she had just interrupted. Suddenly, as if her words had just triggered something, the huge door to the pantheon began to shake. It shook with a thud before opening and revealing the same magical veil that had prevented the Commanders from advancing further.


    "This is it ! Her Highness ising out !!"


    At that moment, all the soldiers who had been seated stood up, all heads turned towards the entrance and everyone lined up waiting patiently. Everyone had recovered from their emotions and now everyone wanted to know more about what was hidden deep in that crypt. The door was now wide open but there was no sign of the Empress and the seconds that passed seemed to be gradually bing very long minutes.


    "What''s going on ? Why isn''t the Empressing out ?"


    "I don''t know...maybe...wait...look !"


    Persea didn''t have the time to finish her sentence that finally, at the end of the dark corridor appeared a silhouette that advanced slowly towards the exit. The nces began to light up and the faces to smile but that was of short duration. All expressions changed to questioning and anxiety as a second figure emerged behind the first.


    "Her Highness is not alone...who is it ?"


    "Someone she would have met there ? However it''s also weird because I definitely feel the presence of the Empress but...there''s something different, something terrifying..."


    At that moment, no one dared to add any more words because everyone agreed and felt what Commander Ynir had just described. This unique aura that Freya had was already imposing in itself, but after several days, all the soldiers had gotten used to it. However, this time it was different, this aura had notpletely changed but gave a feeling that exceeded them all.


    "...death..."


    Lynn had whispered this one and only word while she was the one trembling the most, feeling her blood heat up and her instincts panic. It was screaming at her to run as far away as possible, to hide from this creature that was about to emerge from the pantheon. The warriors of the Empire were waiting and even if it was much less than the young subus, they all started to tremble, to breathe rapidly, their heart getting a little more excited every second.


    Then, finally, after what seemed like a very long time, the Empress of Elysium finally broke through the protective veil, shattering it on contact. In front of the best fighters of the Empire stood not the usual form of Freya, but for the first time, that of the powerful Lucifer. The Empress hadn''t changed much, but what she gave off was on a whole new level.


    The tattoos on her face were of a more intense ck, they seemed almost etched directly onto pearly skin and filled the entire area with demonic symbols. Her long red hair floated softly behind her, carried by her equally red auraing out of her body for the moment in an uncontroble way while her sculpted ck horns, pointed to the ceiling proudly and worthy of one of the most beautiful crowns.


    No one dared to speak and everyone watched this woman they all knew and who at that moment seemed so different, so unknown and of immeasurable beauty. Then, it was the turn of the second figure to appear next to Lucifer while a much less powerful but simr aura hit the warriors. Minds were confused, bodies trembled, hearts raced but eyes did not turn away.


    A young woman with hair of a magnificent silver color took her ce next to the Empress without a word. She had ears and three fox tails, a single horn simr to Lucifer on the right side of her forehead, and fangs that were just as bright. This young woman was beautiful, while her face had freckles and unique dimples. Kira was finally next to her sister.


    The Commanders, the Lieutenants, no one wanted to talk and kept their eyes fixed on these two women of unparalleled beauty. On one side was their Empress, more beautiful than ever, dominant, terrifying and deadly, and on the other, an unknown young woman who strongly resembled her, more childlike but very beautiful. Their violet eyes were shining with the same gleam and staring at the line of soldiers in front of them.


    The two sisters were dressed alike, which entuated the resemnce even though one wore gloves and boots and the other did not. This scene had onlysted a few seconds, but the moment the Empress appeared, time seemed to slow down. However, in spite of this general state of shock, Lynn was the first to move and carried by her instinct, approached while trembling to pass the line of the Commanders.


    Her heart seemed to be able to give out at any moment but her whole soul was screaming at her to act, animated by new sensations and feelings. Without hesitation, the young subus knelt down and lowered her head as low as she could. From her action, dozens of others followed as all the soldiers began to follow this young woman who, although the most terrified, had been the first to act.


    19 citizens of Elysium were there, prostrated before this young woman with blood-red hair and eyes brighter than the most beautiful of purple stars. Silence reigned, heads were bowed, knees bent, and eyes closed. A multitude of feelings ran through the soldiers who, although ovee by fear, felt honored to be in the presence of these two beings who had burst in before them.


    In front of the most powerful warriors of the Elysium Empire, was for the first time their Empress under her former identity and her sister who had nevere out in the open. In front of the most powerful warriors of the Elysium Empire, was Lucifer Nightshade, former Goddess of Primordial Blood, of Death, and her little sister Kira Nightshade.


    [N/A: End of the Revtions Arc]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade<novelnext></novelnext>


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (form - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 80 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 165 The Little Princess And The Little Dragon I

    [N/A: NEW ARC - Arc that will be as long or even longer than the previous one. Characters such as Titania, Ka will make their appearance so don''t worry. The other plots concerning them will not be put aside despite the title of this new volume. Beware very little dialogue]


    _____


    - POV General -


    As Freya and Kira stood before the Empire soldiers as the Nightshade sisters, life outside continued. On the surface, three days had passed since Freya had spoken to her wife telepathically. Since the Empress'' group had ventured behind the ck door, they had passed through a space filled with darkness before finding the lighted door to the pantheon room.


    What she didn''t know was that this ce was imbued with powerful Time magic, designed to trap any intruder in a small-time loop. This was the reason why Titania could not enter therge room, where the Nightshade journaly, also imbued with strong magic. Only Freya, as Lucifer carrying the blood of the Nightshades, had been able to bypass this magic.


    Initially, the surrounding dense mana would trap anyone in an ocean of darkness until death, with time elerating with each passing second. However, Freya and her soldiers were spared from this magic, although she did suffer some consequences. The people of Elysium and their Empress had found the white door leading to the pantheon after walking towards it for 30 minutes but...


    The reality was quite different, for those thirty minutes were in fact three days that had passed before their battle with the three demons. Ka''s magic had endured but still allowed the Empress and herpanions to cross that ck void. However, the lost time could not be made up and while the group was once again unaware of the days that had passed, outside things had begun to move.


    In the east of the Kingdom of Zal, a person who did not yet know the Empress and the Empire, stood in the southwest of the forest. He was a young boy of 10, very small for his age, skinny and full of scars. He had two broken horns on his forehead, hair full of holes, very short crimson and wings on his back of the same color. His eyes were made of several shades of amber, covering the whole surface like those of chameleons.


    Indeed, the young crimson dragon who was not really a dragon anymore, raised in pain, experiences and fear, sent by the Church had taken the road a few days ago and was already in the Dark Forest. Thanks to his wings that had been left intact, the journey that should havested days had only taken him three. This young boy was only 10 years old and yet the humans had ordered him to go there on pain of death.


    So while Freya was getting ready to go home, a young dragon cross chameleon was walking through the forest. He was shaking, terrified and didn''t even know where to go as he walked silently through this huge ce. All he had on him was a simple map drawn in a hurry with funny symbols that only he could understand and a tiny pouch with stale bread and a canteen of stale water.


    "..."


    The young hybrid boy was dressed only in a loincloth covering his lower body, but remained bare-chested with his legs uncovered. All over his body, one could see the marks of the stigmata that had been inflicted on him throughout his life, bruises, burn marks, indelible scars and many others. He had been thrown into the unknown without any trace of remorse on the part of humans and was wandering around like a zombie.


    Thanks to his ability to naturally disappear and blend into the environment, the hybrid child had no trouble hiding and moving through the forest without being detected. His almost non-existent level also allowed him not to be found because of his aura which was more than weak. His small, skinny body shook, his empty eyes flickered with each blink, but his bare, wounded feet did not stop.


    All he knew was that he had to find a lot of different people like him, gathered in this forest and find out if a white-haired woman with purple eyes was there. The little crossbred dragon didn''t even know why he had to do this but all he wanted to do wasplete his task so he wouldn''t suffer anymore. For ten years he had grown up in a ce worse than Hell and never wanted to go back.


    "...mmh...!"


    With his tongue cut off, the young boy could not speak but still managed to utter onomatopoeia. At that moment, his right foot, already bleeding, had struck a huge root full of thorns, one of which had sunk into his heel. Despite the pain, he maintained his flickering spell of concealment, which cost him almost no mana thanks to his cross with the chameleon race.


    It was midday, the sun was high in the sky and the rays that managed to pierce theyer of foliage of the trees, fell like a divine light on nature. This scene was of a rare beauty but the young hybrid did not bother to look at it and appreciate it. He wished for nothing, understood nothing, felt nothing and feared only one thing: the daily pain.


    ____


    After hours of walking, in spite of his wound, much less painful than what was inflicted on him every day, the little dragon was at the edge of the sea after having gone along the West of the Dark Forest. Now he was standing in front of a huge wall that rose imposingly high into the sky and next to it, the young boy seemed tiny and unable to cross it as it was so huge and solid.


    The sea was to his left, the forest to his right, and while his eyes were still raised to the sky, two voices were suddenly heard. Two mage soldiers of the Empire were approaching his position without even suspecting his presence. They were talking quite loudly although taking their rounds seriously, the two neers were deep in discussion.


    "Are you going to the training tonight t? I hear Mister Vig is going to fight as many volunteer soldiers as possible. It promises to be pretty amazing !"


    "I don''t know...since the Commanders and her Highness are gone I''ve been training like crazy, I might be way too tired !"


    They were two elven men with brown and blond hair, wearing an armband representing a green leaf on the right bicep. They belonged to the section of Commanders Ynir and Persea, who at that moment were still underground. The two men moved forward and approached the little dragon more and more. In panic, he spread his damaged wings without realizing that he was no longer invisible.


    "YOU !! What are you doing here ?"


    "Did you get lost ?! Maybe we can h...wait !!"


    The two elves rushed at the frail little boy without any bad intention, but thetter couldn''t understand and was taken by an immense fear. He flew along the wall with difficulty, tired from his journey, having eaten almost nothing and overwhelmed by an uncontroble fear. The young hybrid flew with difficulty but still managed to reach the top of the structure before disappearing on the other side.


    The soldiers who had witnessed the scene, then rushed into the forest towards the guarded gate of the Empire. Neither of them had dared to use their elements against such a small creature for fear of hurting him. However, this event they had witnessed should not be kept secret and the first thing they had to do to avoid any trouble was to warn the others as soon as possible.


    "Alert the soldiers inside ! We need to warn the section leaders that a strange little bat boy has broken into the Empire from the west side ! He doesn''t look very dangerous but we need to find him...he looked terrified, something is wrong."


    The brown-haired elf spoke first while the blonde-haired one nodded. They had not seen the young boy well and had not noticed his small broken horns, mistaking him for a half-bat. As they ran to warn the other soldiers, the dragon chameleonnded on the beach on the other side. This effort had taken a lot of strength and now his vision was blurred.


    "mmfff...*


    All he could see was a pale veil moving before his eyes as all his limbs shook painfully and his injured foot bled more and more. Yet, he should not stop until he found a hiding ce and so he forced himself to move forward with difficulty on the hot sand. Each step was heavy, his exhausted muscles screamed in pain and his thin bones felt as if they might break under his weight.


    Seconds seemed like minutes, minutes seemed like hours, but this little being never stopped walking. The deadly drug that ran in his veins was beginning to wake up and in a few hours, without a daily pill, he would die in excruciating pain no matter where he was. So he had to find a safe and distant ce to wait for the bird that would save him from death.


    "There footprints ! He can''t be far away, especially considering the blood he''s losing ! Let''s find him !"


    "Kid ! Don''t hide, we mean you no harm !"


    "We just want to help you and know what''s wrong ! Everyone is wee here, you have no reason to be afraid !!"


    Suddenly, several voices could be heard in the distance at the level of the road that from the Empire descended to the beach. In spite of what they were shouting, the 10-year-old boy trembled more and more and in ast effort, took off again, this time taking great care to remain camouged. He rose once more into the sky, but instead of controlling his wings, they trembled and wavered, preventing him from steering properly.


    The drug was taking effect more and more, his stomach was screaming, his bones and muscles were more than exhausted, and his vision was starting to blur more and more. The young hybrid boy didn''t even look at where he was going anymore, while high up in the sky, his consciousness was slowly fading away. He was falling, rocked by the air currents and no longer had the strength to stand up even if his mind wanted to.


    Gradually, his chameleon camouge faded before disappearingpletely as he came upon a tree slowing his fall. He had made his way through the dense foliage, branches and ended up in a strangelyfortable bush. Once on the ground, the little dragon could not move, as if paralyzed from all sides and remained with his eyes closed as if unconscious.


    But, movement was already being felt in front of him, as he heard small footstepsing towards him. The fear was still there, intensifying and yet the little boy still could not move. In a superhuman effort, he opened his eyelids with difficulty to understand what had just happened and who coulde near him in this way.


    The first thing he saw was a quiet ce surrounded by greenery, flowers and nts. The young boy could see a white stone pavilion in the middle of this small forest and behind it, much further away, a huge building. He didn''t know it, but he had justnded suddenly in the private garden of the Empress, the Queen and the Princess of the Empire. While his vision was still blurred, a small voice came from behind him.


    "A-Are y-you...you okay ?"


    That small, sweet, childlike voice had risen behind his back so tilting his head back weakly, the young hybrid could finally put a face to the words. In front of him was an adorable face, belonging to a little girl even younger than him. She had hair they had never seen before and eyes of a unique and recognizable color.


    The little girl had a slightly chubby face due to her young age, a smile that although radiant conveyed a concern she could not hide. As the young dragon watched this face, so pure, so innocent and so sweet, a terrible realization came into his mind. The little wolf-eared girl in front of him had hair as white as the moon and violet eyes as bright as two gems.


    "...MMMH..."


    Instinctively, after hearing so much horroring from the Church, despite the sweet appearance of the little girl, the little dragon could not help but be agitated seeing his ending. He had tried to struggle but the fall, the fatigue and the drug did not allow him to move as he wished. Without knowing what was going on but understanding the pain of this strange boy, the little girl rushed to him.


    "Wa-Wait ! Don''t...don''t move you must be in great pain...I...OH! Your little foot !!"


    In a nce, this little girl, even smaller than him, had just seen his bloody foot and was already untying her hair to recover the beautiful ribbon that was attached to it. Without giving him time to do anything, this little white-haired girl bandaged as she could the suffering foot of this little dragon she didn''t even know.


    This is how the little Princess of the Elysium Empire, had met for the first time the one who had the order to take her or to report her presence to the Church. The little Princess Shiro, without knowing it, had just met the little brother of her other mother, the one who had survived and had been separated from his big sister, having lived far from this home that was once happy...tortured for 10 years.


    [N/A: Don''t worry we''lle back to Freya/Lucifer and Kira soon but since this is a new arc, I''m taking a break. It''s necessary to tell what''s going on outside as well because these are equally important chapters].


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female<novelnext></novelnext>


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 80 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 166 The Little Princess And The Little Dragon II

    - POV General -


    In therge private garden of the Imperial Manor, the little Princess was taking a walk before a little boy appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the sky. He had crashed a little further into the small forest of trees that surrounded the white stone pavilion and Shiro had been the only one to see him. The little moon of the Empire was picking flowers in the garden and had watched the scene without really understanding what was going on.


    She was alone and was not supposed to be gone very long because Lia the rabbit butler had gone to get some snacks for her. Everything had happened very quickly and Shiro, without asking any questions, had rushed towards this strange person. The little Princess had run over out of curiosity and her innocent desire to help this boy who had just fallen from a great height before her eyes.


    This is how the white-haired girl had met for the first time the one who, at the cost of his life, was to find her and report her. She had discovered a young boy who was in a horrible state, wounded, terrified, almost dying. His body bore indelible marks, pieces of his flesh had been removed in some ces, he was covered with bruises, huge scars, some of them still fresh, open and painful.


    Despite her young age, Shiro knew very well the cruel nature of most humans and although she didn''t understand it at first, after meeting her moms, everything had be clearer. Seeing this boy''s body reminded her of those days that seemed so long ago, those dark days when her white skin was dotted with ocean-colored spots. The little Princess didn''t know where he came from or who he was, but, buoyed by a new feeling, she didn''t hesitate for a second.


    When her innocent purple gaze hadnded on the young hybrid, for the first time, Shiro could be the one to decide what she wanted to do. Without even thinking of telling anyone, she knelt down to help. The spray carried by the wind swirled around the little princess, making her simple light blue dress and moon-colored hair fly.


    "Don''t...don''t move..."


    Despite the injured boy''s restlessness, for the first time, Shiro, at the age of five and a half, was helping someone because she had the power and the will. The purple ribbon she had tied in her hair slid down her strands as she removed it before wrapping it around the boy''s right foot. The little Princess did as best she could, her hands and dress staining with blood in the process.


    "MMMH...MM...mmh..."


    The wounded and exhausted boy tried to get out of the way with a groan, fearing what she might want to do with him. However, as he watched the little girl manipte his foot, his moans became weaker and weaker before disappearing. He always trembled, his body always made him incredibly suffer but for him who had never lived anything except the fear and the pain, lived something new.


    The little Princess had never been faced with a situation like this before, but driven by her heart, she gathered her courage. Her little hands were shaking but Shiro was applying herself. Her beautiful violet eyes flickered at the sight of the wound and blood but Shiro didn''t even blink once. She was terrified but brave, inexperienced but strong-willed, very young but had a heart of gold.


    An incredible amount of information was flowing through the little dragon, who for the first time had a direct interaction with someone other than the members of the Church. He didn''t understand, was she treating him to make him suffer after ? Even though Shiro was much younger, he had never known anything but suffering, the darkness of hearts and could not understand the concept ofpassion.


    "I...I know it shouldn''t bleed anymore but...but I never did that be-before. Please don''t cry...I...I''ll help you !"


    The 10-year-old boy didn''t understand her actions but there was still something he felt second after second. That fear of blood that vibrated in this little girl''s eyes, he knew it well and yet she continued to heal him. The young hybrid''s head was spinning and all his limbs were aching but more than being paralyzed by it all, he was paralyzed by the Empire moon herself.


    At the back of the Imperial garden, the Princess was kneeling and tending to a wounded boy who hade out of nowhere. The age difference was still visible despite the physical condition of the hybrid dragon with broken horns, but the situation gave a different impression. The little girl with such a pure and innocent look was the one who was taking care of this stranger without even knowing who he was, like a big sister.


    "I...Mommy once told me that bandages are important when you hurt yourself ! Are you okay ?"


    Her slender fingers finished wrapping the ribbon around the wound as Shiro spoke these few stammering words. The little girl who at first appeared well dressed and well-coiffed was now covered in blood, trembling and with her hair tangled, beaten by the wind. In her violet eyes could be seen fear, worry but also a determination almost as great as that of her mother.


    Shiro had blood on her hands, traces were also on the front of her dress which also had stains of dirt and green grass. Since her arrival in Freya''s life, since the creation of the Empire, she had never found herself so dirty and yet. Yet, despite her ruined appearance...never had the little Moon of the Empire found herself more worthy of the title of Imperial Princess than at this very moment.


    "Princess !!?? Where are you ?? I brought chookies, pie and milk !"


    As the young dragon and the little princess were talking to each other with their eyes, Lia''s voice suddenly sounded a little further away near the fountain. The butler had returned with the snacks she had gone to get and was now trying to find Shiro. At this moment, the intruder who had fallen from the sky and calmed down, started to shake his head while again, the tremors of his body became more and more evident.


    "Don''t be afraid, it''s Miss Lia she...she will be able to help you ! I need to...I need to warn her !"


    The little Princess had stood up shaking slightly and wanted to go towards the one who was also her nanny but was stopped by the young boy. With a great effort, he had grabbed a flounce of her dress and pulled it to stop her. His eyelids were almost closed, his heart was pounding and the more time passed, the more his body was heating up from the inside.


    "Mmmmh mmmmh"


    "You...you don''t talk ?"


    "Mmmh mmmh."


    You... you don''t want me to...warn her ? But why ? We..."


    "Mmmh mmmh..."


    With his tongue cut off, the little hybrid dragon could onlymunicate with gestures but being too weak, everything was transmitted through his eyes. While all his distress, tiredness and suffering could be seen in his empty eyes, Shiro was confronted with new things. The desire to run to find Lia to help this mysterious child and the desire to follow the will of the one whose eyes made her little heart suffer.


    As the dragon''s tired and scarred face pleaded with the girl, dark red tears began to flow down his cheeks. His tears were no longer their original color due to the many experiences and the 10-year-old boy seemed to be crying blood. What to do ? Lia was getting closer by the second and Shiro, who didn''t know what to do, was concentrating on not crying in her turn.


    With her desire to absolutely help, the little Princess had thrown herself without hesitation to heal this young hybrid, without even considering her own fears and nightmares. She was only five and a half and yet she had just braved the fear of blood for the first time and dealt with the stress that came with it. However, Shiro was notpletely well either and the pressure kept building up.


    "I..."


    What would mommy do in a situation like this ? This question alone ran through her mind as the little Moon thought of her mother who had already been gone for more than three days. As she felt herself wavering again, the reminder of a small object in her pocket managed to stop her. Dipping her trembling hand into the right side of her dirty dress, Shiro pulled out a small ice statuette.


    Birdy, the bird created by the Empress that the little Princess loved so much, was carved there, motionless and eternal. He was standing on a small pedestal and stretching his white wings towards the sky, his head high and proud and his crest more beautiful than ever. While Shiro''s lucky charm had saved Freya''s life, it was her daughter''s turn to calm down at the sight of hers. Taking a deep breath, the little girl had made her decision.


    "I...I''ll be back. I promise not to bring anyone back for now so I''ll...I''ll bring you food and drink first. T-There...I''ll give you this. It''s a very important lucky charm for me from my mommy who is amazing. I...I''m lending it to you !"


    Yes...the little Moon of the Empire had decided for the moment not to tell anyone. All the images of her former life in the street and the orphanage had mixed up in her mind. Shiro had remembered the sickly, uncontroble fear that had overtaken her when she first met Freya and understood the boy. He was mute, hurt, afraid and she knew better than anyone that he should not be rushed.


    Shiro had decided to go to Lia to bring back some food before telling anyone. Was this the best decision ? She didn''t know but she followed what her heart desired. So it was with a trembling but sincere smile that the little princess had entrusted her most precious gift to the young hybrid. He couldn''t catch it properly but he understood that it was precious.


    Lia was not far away and the white-haired girl had to get away quickly before the rabbit came towards them. So, before walking away, Shiro did what she never thought she would do before, kneeling in the dirt before dipping her little fingers into the ground. With the earth turned over, she rubbed her fingers and every spot where the blood had soaked her blue dress.


    Covered in dirt, no more red marks were visible at that moment as the little Princess quickly got up. She was sad to have ruined such a beautiful dress and as she apologized in her mind, Shiro promised herself to clean it herself, even if it took days. She was ready to intercept Lia and just before she left, with a radiant smile, the little Princess spoke a few words that the boy would never forget.


    "By the way, I...my name is Shiro hihi~!"


    This little girl of almost 6 years old who had arrived from nowhere, who had helped him as she could and who had promised not to signal his presence, despite the urgency of the situation had just shown up. This little girl who at this moment did not look like a princess anymore, covered with dirt and with a tired face, was smiling as if there was no tomorrow, with a warm, soft andforting smile.


    The daily pain that the drug triggered was getting stronger and stronger, but for some reason, the 10-year-old boy felt different. This little girl walking away, her hair and dress flowing in the wind, had just given him the first sign of something he had never known: love. As he watched her disappear, Lia''s voice suddenly sounded a few secondster.


    "My goodness ! P-Princess ! What happened to you ? Why are you in such a state ? I thought you were out picking up some flowers, what happened ?"


    "Miss Lia, I...I...it''s a secret but...I''m fine !"


    Even in a situation where she could lie to protect the little boy, Shiro had not been able to bring herself to do so. She didn''t want to lie because she knew that was what her mother hated the most and didn''t want to betray that belief. The little Princess wanted to protect and help this child that she already considered a friend, while remaining true to her heart just like her moms that she admired so much.


    "I...sigh...fine I won''t push it any further but I''ve never seen you like this ! I''m...worried but I trust you Princess."


    While Shiro was keeping Lia busy and collecting the snacks that Chief Irrena had specially prepared for her, a small bird high in the sky was pping its wings in her direction. It was quite small, with brown plumage and carried a small bag and a small pill in its beak and a piece of paper between its legs. This bird was the one sent every day by the Church and was supposed to be the go-between for the nameless boy and the Supreme.


    Landing quickly near the dying child who was used to opening his mouth weakly, the bird spat the pill directly into his throat. The effect was immediate and the pain he was feeling began to disappear little by little as he slowly straightened up and grabbed the piece of paper. Inside were symbols that only he could read because the Supreme had made sure that he could neither read nor write.


    The young hybrid hadn''t forgotten for what, for who he was there and that he had already found the one that seemed to terrify humans. ncing at the beautiful ice bird, he took a breath burning his lungs before unfolding the paper.


    [ It seems that you have found everything you were asked to find. You''re not as useless as I thought. New order: capture the child and bring her here. In the little bag is a drug that can put anyone to sleep. Use it ande back. If you are not back in three days...you will die. ]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female<novelnext></novelnext>


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 80 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 167 Ill Hunt You Down

    - POV General -


    In the Kingdom of Zal, the country thaty to the west of the Dark Forest, there was arge city that served as the capital named Zalhythe. Time passed and the humans of the city became more and more tense as for a few days, army movements could be observed in the streets. The one and only Princess of the Kingdom was still missing and the King was preparing to leave.


    2,500 Knights were camped outside the city gates, waiting for one thing: the signal to leave. Hundreds of men and women in armor were swarming, sweating, out of breath and still training. In just a few hours they would begin their march to the forest, and everyone felt eager and honored to be part of the Princess'' rescue.


    However, the Knights of the Kingdom were not the only ones who were impatient, for the Pdins of the Church of Humanity were also part of the expedition. Unlike the King''s army, being less numerous, they were all within the walls of the main church. Located almost opposite the castle, this proud building was made of white stone that seemed to glow in the sunlight.


    In this church, there was no armor, no sword, but simply men and women wearing white gowns, embroidered with golden threads. Everything was very quiet, no footsteps could be heard in the corridors and a very special atmosphere reigned within it. Like Freya''s mansion, the church was built in such a way that each floor represented a particr rank.


    The first floor was essible to all the members of the church, but the higher you went, the more the floors were only essible to a small number of faithful. Thest floor was exclusively reserved for the Supreme, who was known for never leaving his quarters. Thus, apart from the Holy Schr, Sage, his faithful right-hand man, the head of the pdins and a few important Protectors, no one had ever met him.


    Still dressed in a bright red toga embroidered with gold thread with a ck bird spreading its wings embroidered on the front, the Supreme stood there, sitting in the highest room. The same small golden crown was ced on his head and on a ck veil going all around his head, hiding his face that even Sage had never seen. Was this "he" a "she" ? No one knew.


    Seated on a marble throne in the center, the Supreme stood in arge room lit almost entirely by candlelight. Only the ceiling had a round window, the only one, allowing sunlight to fall on the marble throne. Variousrge statues of people from different eras stood proudly against all the walls of the room, giving it the look of a solemn crypt.


    Sage the Holy Schr stood before the throne of the head of the Church and waited. Behind the Supreme was a small staircase that led to a tform where pages from an extremely old journal were disyed. They were protected by a cage made of ss,pletely surrounding the Church''s treasure. Like the many countries of the world, the Church had inherited part of the journal written by "The Liberator" during the Age of Extinction.


    In an ominous silence, under the eyes of Sage, the Supreme then rose from his throne to walk around it and towards his treasure. Hisrge red robey on the floor and although it was loose to hide his body, he moved with ease. Walking slowly up the steps, the head of the Church finally stopped in front of these pages, just before turning to address the only one present.


    "Sage...if you are sure you have observed everything correctly, the prophecy and the mysterious voice were right. There is indeed a being simr to this monster that appeared during the darkest years of humanity. But it is even worse than we thought..."


    As he paused in his sentence, small sounds of pping wings could be heard over their heads. Looking up, the only two people in the room could see a small brown bird fluttering back. The ceiling window was not open, but just as it was about to hit the ss, it disappeared. The brown bird had disappeared and was reced by a gray cloud passing through the window.


    At that moment, the Supreme''s head could be seen following the strange smoke while Sage''s eyes were no longer green butpletely white. His long grey hair was floating at the back of his head, while the smoke wasing into his hands. The bird that brought the boy his daily pills was actually created by magic. The Holy Schr himself controlled this magic, having perfected it over the years.


    As Sage slowly came to his senses, his body wavered slightly as he slowly closed his eyes. The Supreme was still watching him with a watchful eye, hidden by his ck veil that covered his entire face. After a few seconds, the Holy Schr opened his eyelids again, revealing his green eyes as the androgynous voice of the head of the Church finally rang out.


    "Sage...are you sure you saw a creature with white hair and violet eyesn? You say moreover that it is a child ?...How strange..."


    "I am sure of what I saw your Excellency. I followed that hybrid thing you sent into the forest and observed everything with the eyes of the bird. Although my eyesight is not very well suited, I clearly saw a small creature simr to this description in a ce that looked far more advanced than a simple camp."


    The bird was purely the creation of Sage who, thanks to his element "Smoke", could materialize many living beings and take their ce. He had therefore, at the cost of enormous exhaustion, used his mana for three days to watch over the young dragon. Thetter had a seal containing Sage''s mana ced on his lower back, allowing the Holy Schr to find him anywhere.


    Not only could he track him no matter where he was, but he could also transmit some messages to give orders and so the head of the Church was able to order the young hybrid to bring back the little Princess of Elysium. While the Supreme was thinking, Sage, who had a serious face, took the floor again to share the rest of his discoveries of the most worrying for them.


    "I didn''t see everything in detail but this creature, so small that I observed, was standing in some sort of small castle that sat in the middle of a town to the west of the Dark Forest. I wasn''t able to see the town but it looks like over 200 subraces are clustered in this ce. I know it''s hard to believe but..."


    Sage didn''t even have time to finish his sentence when the Supreme cut him off with a different air than usual. His voice, although still androgynous, had be cold, trembling and paralyzing. Every word he spoke echoed in the huge room and made the atmosphere disturbing. The Holy Schr dared not move and clenched his fists to stay upright as a ck aura emerged from his Excellency.


    "The situation is much more serious than I thought. Even if this creature has reappeared in the form of a child, it is still dangerous ! And then a city...how is it that a damn subrace city could have been built in this world without anyone knowing ??"


    The more words came out of his mouth, the more the ck aura spread through the room at an incredible speed. All the candles were extinguished, daylight no longer entered and a thick ck fog filled the room. At that moment it was impossible for Sage to see anything because he closed his eyes trying to bear the pressure which was not even representative of the power of the Supreme.


    With his eyes closed, the Holy Schr could not see the red glow that shone discreetly and very slightly behind the ck veil hiding the face of the head of the Church. A violent wind wasing out of his body and his big red toga was flying more and more powerfully. And then, suddenly, as quickly as this ck aura had spread, it disappeared in an instant, while the Supreme one calmed down.


    "Ahem...I let my anger get the best of me for a short while, that is absolutely not worthy of me. Sage ! Continue to watch every move of our experiment and make sure it takes its pill every day. If it should disobey, let me know right away !"


    "Yes your Excellency !"


    The Supreme had given his orders as he returned to sit on his marble throne, bathed in light once again. The room was back to normal and although the candles had not been relit, the sun''s rays were still streaming down its center. As the head of the Church rested his elbow on the right armrest, he ced his hand under his chin, questioning his faithful Guardian and Pdin.


    "That stupid King''s Knights are positioned at the front of the capital and are ready to go aren''t they ? How''s that working out for us ?"


    The head of the Church had looked up at Sage to question him again. The Holy Schr was shaking slightly, recovering from that dense mana attack as he answered. His voice was shaking, his hands were mmy, his legs were firmly nted on the ground so as not to wobble, and despite the shaking, he answered.


    "I...as you requested, 400 Pdins are also ready to go at any time, ranging from level 20 to level 35. The...the two small armies are ready and just waiting for confirmation that there is indeed something in the Eastern Forest."


    "That''s not enough ! Add another 100 Pdins and warn the King that our troops can leave tomorrow at dawn !"


    "Well your Excellency !"


    As Sage bowed and walked out of the room to execute the requested changes, the head of the church remained. He nervously patted the marble armrest and mumbled words to himself while remembering that strange voice. Several weeks ago, an unknown voice had whispered to him in his dreams, a few words that seemed more and more true. Alone in the room, the Supreme One was muttering those same words.


    "When humanity is at its peak. A terrifying beast from another world as beautiful as it is ruthless, as cold as ice, will rise up against you and disrupt the order of the entire world and plunge it into chaos."


    For him everything fit, the discovery of the little white-haired girl and this warning that had been sent to him from nowhere. At that moment, an urge to raze the whole forest went through him as he contained his aura this time. He was alone so no one could see him slowly get up while leaning on his arms with difficulty. Compared to earlier, the Church leader looked strangely weak as he murmured.


    "Just a little more...just a little more and I could soon have this little creature for my experiments. All my life I have been working for this very moment and nothing and no one can stop me from aplishing my goal."


    The Supreme spoke to himself as he moved his body slowly before taking a deep breath and standing up straight. Once again, his posture changed from that of a weak person to an upright, proud and confident one. The leader of the Church had resumed his usual posture and as he walked to the back of the room, his voice rose softly in the room.


    "I managed to crossbreed two totally different species and the result although a bit messy is not bad. This ancient earth dragon that I acquired ten years ago has been an excellent guinea pig for a useless being. Now...all I have to do is get that purple-eyed, white-haired thing from the Dark Forest and...my research will finally beplete..."


    As he took onest look at the door to the room, he stopped in front of an empty wall before raising a gloved hand and cing it against the wall. The next moment, a secret door opened to reveal a set of stairs that the Supreme quickly descended. The ce was dark and there was no light in the long ck corridor, but the leader of the Church descended without fear before arriving at a small wooden door.


    "Soon...soon you will find yourself here, little girl, harbinger of chaos..."


    As he spoke these words, he pushed open the door and entered a medium-sized room. Faint noises could be heard from everywhere as he snapped his fingers and the light finally came on. In this secret underground room was the ce where all the experiments of the head of the Church took ce, where the young dragon had spent most of his life.


    There were many tables made of wood, iron, where straps were ced on each side to hold the subject in ce. The floor was covered with blood, vomit and many liquids both bodily and magical. A smell of death was rising in the room, apanied by the smell of excrement and all kinds of putrid odors that it was better not to breathe through the mouth.


    All along the walls were huge cages containing many non-human children, all victims of the Supreme''s cruel experiments. Some had their limbs cut off, their eyes gouged out, others had developed diseases, infections and none were healthy. Their shallow breaths rose to the ceiling and the scene before the neer''s eyes could make any warrior falter.


    Yet, without a nce for his young subjects who were dying slowly, the head of the Church walked with a determined step to the back of the room. There, there was a table with many bloody utensils next to a little 7 year old girl rabbit tied and gagged. She was missing a leg, an ear, all her teeth, her hair and a few pieces of skin that now littered the floor.


    This little girl''s eyes werepletely empty, her face swollen from crying and her tongue dried out from screaming in pain. On her bare chest a seal had been drawn with a knife, the dried blood of which was already beginning to fester into a yellowish, purulent liquid. Her eyes were almost falling out of their sockets and even if the poor child was still breathing, she didn''t have long to live.


    The Supreme, ncing briefly at the unfortunate child, showed not the slightest sign of remorse and as he approached the table, he began to gently caress the extinguished face of histest victim as if he loved her dearly as he spoke in a high-pitched, mad voice.


    "It seems that I have found a creature simr to the one that almost caused our downfall. Little girl from the Dark Forest...you''ll be on this table soon and I''ll finally get what I''m looking for hihihihihi~ I''ll hunt you down to the ends of the earth and that''s even if a terrifying monster were to stand in my way! hahahaHAHAHAHA~"


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon<novelnext></novelnext>


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 80 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 168 The Little Princess And The Little Dragon III

    - POV General -


    While the Supreme, for some unknown reason, was cruelly nning the fate of Shiro, the little Princess was still in the garden. Always apanied by her guardian, the butler Lia, she was busy collecting as many cookies as possible to bring to the little boy she had just met. Hidden in the thicket only a few feet away, the young hybrid was slowly recovering from the poison.


    He had also just received the orders and the pill of the Supreme which had been transmitted by Sage with the help of his mana bird. His organs and entrails that were on fire were beginning to calm down and that suffocating feeling was slowly disappearing. But despite his weak recovery, the nameless boy did not move, still terrified of being discovered.


    His encounter with Shiro had intrigued him but this fear he felt deep inside, in his body, heart and soul, burned intensely. Even though the little moon of the Empire had bandaged his foot, he still needed care and his frail body was getting more and more exhausted. He had never been out in the open for so long, and yet for three days he had been forced to walk for miles.


    The drug that circted in his body was the equivalent of a stimnt capable of boosting the physical and magical effects that the Church was developing. For the moment the drug was effective, but the price to pay was still too dangerous. The hybrid boy was the one experimenting with this drug and although he was not exhausting his body, his life was getting shorter day after day.


    The drug in the pills contained concentrated ambient mana, so that she could use it in addition to her body mana. However, no being except Freya had yet had the opportunity to use ambient mana and for good reason. Although the young dragon had developed a low mana consumption when using his skills, his organs, unustomed to so much ambient mana, were deteriorating.


    Every day, his veins, muscles, organs, nerves, his whole body, was assaulted by a quantity of magic that was not supposed to be there. The young boy had a different constitution, but behind these seemingly advantageous effects, his life was threatened. It should not be forgotten that this drug was a poison and his body, although destroyed little by little, could not do without his daily dose.


    The young hybrid dragon was slowly assimting the pill while holding firmly the little statue that Shiro had given him. A whole series of emotions were running through his mind without him knowing what they were, but contrary to what the little Princess might think, his heart was almost out already. Tortured for 10 years without knowing why, without ever knowing anything but pain...closed the hearts.


    His meeting with Shiro had obviously intrigued him, but instead of wondering why she was helping him, he was wondering when he would have to pay the price for that help. For Gaya''s hidden little brother, everything had a price and everything was paid with violence, blood, screams and pain. If he was shaking, it was because he didn''t believe in free kindness when he didn''t even know what kindness,passion and love were.


    Still in the bushes, hidden so that Lia would not hear him, his body trembling, the young hybrid waited silently. His sickly heart was beating at a frantic pace and his shallow breathing kept elerating. He felt trapped in an unfamiliar ce, not knowing what was going to happen to him or what he should do. The order was simple: capture Shiro, but everything seemed easier in writing than in practice.


    While he held the statue of Birdy in his right hand and the pill to put Shiro to sleep in his left hand, he listened. Not far away, behind some trees and bushes, Lia and the Princess were standing there talking. The half-human rabbit had brought pie, cookies and milk for the little moon of Elysium and found herpletely different from usual.


    "Princess, don''t you want to eat inside ? The Queen your mother is probably waiting in her study to spend time with you. We could go inside and I''ll help you change your dress if you like."


    "I-I...no I know how to dress myself now you know ?...hehe~ I have lots of dresses that go on easily and super fast ! Mom Gaya says that...that it''s okay not to dress myself at my age but...but I want to manage on my own and...and..."


    The little girl with white hair and a dress covered in dirt had begun to respond to her guardian and had let herself be carried away by a new topic. Her little voice was soft, her arms made big gestures as Shiro expressed herself a lot with her body and her tangled hair was still floating with the sea spray. After a few words, she had realized that she was drifting off topic with a dangerously adorable face.


    "No I didn''t mean that ! I...you...I''m going to eat a little bit here and I...I''m going to go see Mom Gayater. Can you tell her I''m eating a little in the garden before I go see her ?"


    Shiro had asked Lia this question while looking her in the eyes despite her small size. Every time she asked something, her face took on a more than adorable expression resembling that of a little puppy. The little Princess was not doing it on purpose and while Lia was doing her best not to hug her, she kept her seriousness.


    "Why don''t you eat together here ? Princess Shiro, I''m sure the Queen won''t mind and I even think it''s a great idea. For the past few days she has been getting more and more tired and her baby seems to be growing at an incredible rate..."


    As she spoke these words, Lia looked worried, thinking about how fast Gaya''s belly had been growing for the past few days. This strange phenomenon coincided perfectly with the moment when Freya had be aware of her name as Goddess, but no one knew that. Not wanting to worry the little Shiro any further, the half-human straightened up before speaking again.


    "Ahem...I''m going to go get her Highness the Queen, don''t go too far away Princess. I''ll be back very soon !"


    "Y-Yes Miss Lia !"


    As Shiro shyly nodded her little head, Lia walked away, signaling the soldiers positioned at the entrance to the garden to stand by just in case. The white-haired girl watched her guardian walk away as she grabbed the cookies and a ss of milk. Her little hands couldn''t take it all in but she did the best she could because she knew she didn''t have much time.


    With a te of cookies and a ss of milk in hand, she quietly went back behind the trees and bushes where she had met the young dragon. He had not moved, his foot still hurting and his body shaking like a leaf. Seeing Shiroing, he instinctively backed away slightly before freezing and looking at her fearfully with his empty, amber-hued eyes.


    "It-It''s me don''t be afraid...I brought you something to eat and drink as I promised. You''ll see it''s...it''s really good ! It''s called a pie, chookies and this is a little ss of milk."


    As the little moon of the Empire knelt down to the terrified boy, she pointed one by one to each item on the te she was holding. Shiro had a big smile on her face and seemed more than happy to be able to introduce someone to her favorite snack. He didn''t say anything and watched everything with a wary look even if this new delicious smell of the cakes was starting to wake up his hunger.


    "The pie and chookies Lady Irrena made them and it''s really really good ! The milk I...I don''t really know where ites from but it is very sweet and when I drink it I always feel super happy ! And...and you know when you drink you can get a little white mustache hihi~"


    Shiro spoke with great enthusiasm and seemed almost to have forgotten the situation, far too happy to have someone to help. Despite her dirty and very different appearance, she was still as cute if not cuter. Her chubby little cheeks had traces of dirt, her hair was matted and her beautiful eyes were tired but her radiantly innocent smile remained.


    The little dirty princess, at the age of 5 and a half, was trying her best to be like her mother the Empress. She wanted to help, she wanted to make people smile like Freya did so well since they met. However, even though she was driven by the admiration she had for her mother, Shiro still wanted to help from the bottom of her little heart.


    "Here...drink a little and eat..."


    Despite his unfathomable fear, the young boy could not resist what the girl he was supposed to kidnap was holding out to him. Those years of confinement and torture seemed to have slowed down his brain development a bit and more than a 10 year old child, he looked like a little animal, following orders to avoid suffering but finally, totally guided by his basic desires.


    Without thinking, his belly crying out, the little lost brother of the Queen literally threw himself on these delicious cakes that he had never had the chance to taste. Fed only on bread and water, the slice of pie and the cookies were divine and for the first time, different textures and vors were mixing in his mouth.


    From the first bite, the young hybrid found himself unable to stop while once again, dark red tears ran down his cheeks. He did not realize it, much too busy to swallow everythingpletely hungry. Shiro smiling, looked at him without saying a word knowingpletely what he could feel. After all, only a few months ago, it was she who was so hungry.


    The little hybrid dragon ate, drank, ate, drank without stopping and for the first time his mind was totally focused on something other than pain and fear. At that moment he forgot everything, the Supreme, his mission, his suffering and like the child he was, his empty eyes took on a little life. In a few seconds, all the cookies and the piece of pie had been swallowed while he coughed a little.


    "cough cough"


    "You shouldn''t have eaten so fast hihi~ here, drink this"


    Like a big sister, little Shiro gently handed over the remaining ss of milk, ignoring the feeling of hunger she also felt at the sight. Just like the rest, in a few seconds, the milk had been drunk and no more noise could be heard. The two children looked at each other, the little Princess wearing a radiant smile in front of the young hybrid boy who didn''t know what to think anymore.


    "Shiro my sweetheart where are you ?!"


    Suddenly, while they said nothing, a soft, motherly voice could be heard from across the garden only a few feet away. In the middle of the flowers, near the fountain, was a beautiful woman. Dressed in a ck dress, the Queen of the Empire had just appeared and was standing in the garden of the imperial mansion.


    Gaya''s long, wavy, crimson hair danced in the air as she moved closer to her daughter''s position. The sound of her heels clicking on the carved stone bs rose into the sky in rhythm with her graceful and particrly sexy walk. The dragoness wore her beautiful crown proudly, but what drew the most attention was her belly, which had grown evenrger.


    Gaya wasn''t even in her third month of pregnancy yet her belly was now the size of a watermelon. The Empress'' wife looked much more maternal and pregnancy suited her so well. Carrying life, Gaya had a whole other form of beauty that only pregnant women possessed. She was gorgeous, radiant, incredible, beautiful and unique.


    "Shiro ?"


    In search of the Princess, the Queen was getting closer and closer to her daughter''s position having detected with her senses, movement in her direction. At that moment, the hybrid dragon who had calmed down, started to panic again while Shiro instinctively stood up, unable to know what to do. The seconds passed more and more and Gaya was only one tree away from the two children.


    "I...don''t be afraid, it''s...it''s my second mom and she''s very nice !"


    The white-haired girl murmured these words as she saw and felt the inexplicable fear that invaded the one beside her. The young boy didn''t have enough strength to stand up and although he was using the mana around him, his body was far too tired to allow him to camouge himself. As the two children panicked, Gaya was already emerging from behind thest tree that was hiding them.


    "What are you doing here ? Didn''t you hear me when I..."


    The Queen had stopped in the middle of her sentence as her gaze fell on the young boy. At that moment, thousands of images crossed her mind, all rted to her former n of which she was the only survivor. Gaya, the mother of the earth dragons, knew better than anyone those wings, that color, those scales and even if the young hybrid had no more horns, it was not difficult for her to imagine them.


    Without even being able to utter a single word, the Queen, straight, proud and dignified, had be livid in front of this little creature. Not only was the state of the boy''s body worrisome, but Gaya knew very well how to recognize a member of her race, no matter if he had be a hybrid. Among dragons, the sense of smell was also very important between members of the same family and one simr to hers was floating faintly in the air.


    "You..."


    "Mom !!"


    The Queen of Elysium was lost, shocked, sad, confused and the mere sight of the child was enough to shake her enough to make her faint. In the garden of the imperial mansion, far from her wife, Gaya had fallen, unable to bear or understand what she had just seen.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female<novelnext></novelnext>


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 80 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 169 The Demons Of A Queen

    - POV General -


    While Freya was still hundreds of feet underground proudly bearing the name Lucifer and apanied by her sister, she had no idea what was going on outside. Neither the Empress nor her warriors knew that three days had passed, and although they were about to surface to take stock, they knew nothing. In the Empire of Elysium, the Queen was not only very pregnant but had just fainted.


    Gaya, thest of the earth dragons, had just met a little being of whom she was totally unaware until now. Indeed, this little being was none other than her little brother who 10 years ago was only in the form of a fetus. Of course, the dragoness didn''t know anything about it but her sense of smell didn''t lie and without even knowing what had happened, she had no problem defining their rtionship immediately.


    At that moment, the pressure on her soul, heart and mind had been too much for her to bear. Her pregnancy was wearing her down more than she cared to admit and the Queen was already in a state of severe daily fatigue. So, only seconds afterying eyes on her little brother, Gaya had fallen without warning.


    "Mom Gaya !!"


    Shiro who had witnessed the scene rushed to her without knowing what was happening and even wondering if she was not responsible. The young hybrid did not move, trembling, exhausted and even less able to understand what was happening. He too had felt this feeling of closeness with Gaya, but knew nothing of her race, her family and these feelings that were running through him.


    "Gaya-sama !!"


    Lia, who had just returned with a few more snacks for the afternoon, rushed towards the Queen and Princess, followed by the soldiers posted at the entrance to the garden. In a few seconds, the young rabbit woman found herself near her and without even ncing at the young boy, knelt down beside the dragoness. Before she could do anything, Lia turned to the soldiers and shouted.


    "Get a doctor ! Hurry !"


    The Queen was lying in the grass, her face white, her breathing jerky and her body trembling slightly. Nobody knew what was happening to her and everyone was worried, especially little Shiro who was panicking. She had seen that it was the moment her mother hadid eyes on the little dragon that she had fallen. At that moment, the little Princess felt guilty and was convinced that she was responsible.


    "M-M...Mom...I...I..."


    The little Princess had her dirty little hand on her mother''s and tears were starting to run down her dirt-filled cheeks. In a few minutes, the situation hadpletely changed and several people were running around in the previously calm and silent garden. Women in maid''s clothing were rushing in with supplies to help Gaya while Lia tried to wake her up.


    "Queen Gaya ? Can you hear me ?"


    "*sniff*...M-M...*sniff*...Mom !! Mom !!"


    The garden had be chaotic and it didn''t take long for everyone working in it to be aware of the situation. In all themotion, no one seemed to have noticed the terrified young boy who was shaking more and more. Everyone was focused on the Queen and as two hospital doctors finally arrived, the little dragon began to back away little by little.


    "What happened?"


    The doctors were an elf and a dryad, both blond, wearing white jackets sewn to fit. In the absence of Commander Caipy and Lieutenant Nina, they were both in charge of the hospital near the imperial mansion. The taller one, the elf, wore sses and the shorter one, the dryad, a ck flower in her hair. It was thetter who, while kneeling down, had asked the question.


    "The Queen fell suddenly while standing right there and no one knows what happened. The baby in her belly is growing faster every day and as you know, she is exhausted ! Maybe she has reached a state of exhaustion such that...that...I don''t know.."


    Lia was panicked, didn''t know what to do and couldn''t stop thinking about the Empress who didn''t know. For the moment, nothing indicated that it was serious but to see such a strong woman suddenly copse was never very reassuring. While the butler moved to make room for the two doctors, she took the opportunity to kneel down near Shiro.


    "Princess, what happened ? You...you were the closest, we need to know if anything special happened."


    "I...I...fault...it...it''s my fault..."


    Shiro at that moment had thrown herself into Lia''s arms, crying her eyes out. She was sure that she had caused her mother to faint for a reason that she herself did not know. A lot had happened since the young dragon''s untimelynding and the mentally exhausted and still very young Princess was lost.


    "Queen Gaya ! Can you hear me ?"


    Suddenly, without the half-human rabbit even being able to answer Shiro, the elf who had been examining Gaya for a while, had eximed. Indeed, the dragoness, lying in her ck dress, had started to move slowly, then more and more vigorously. As if she were having a nightmare, Gaya was stirring and seemed to be struggling against something in her sleep.


    "Ho-Hold her !"


    At that moment, the two doctors had rushed to the Queen as she began to violently beat her hands and feet on the floor. She was agitated and fighting a nightmare that no one knew about without controlling her strength. Her fists were pounding the ground and beginning to crack the earth, her feet shaking with no one able to stop her.


    "The Queen is currently in a state of severe shock for an unknown reason and there is nothing we can do. She is not injured and although her pregnancy is progressing at an incredible rate, the baby is healthy. I...we have never seen this before, it looks like a...panic attack in a deep sleep. The...the Queen needs to calm down on her own, we can''t...not risk waking her up suddenly..."


    The dryad with the ck flower in her hair was trying to exin what was going on while, with the help of her colleague and Lia, they held Gaya down. After examining her, they hade to the conclusion that the Queen was not suffering from any physical problem except fatigue. She was in a psychological state that medicine could not treat.


    "But if she keeps struggling like this...she...she''ll end up hurting herself or someone. I...she would never forgive herself...we have to do something...quickly !"


    Indeed, despite her condition, Gaya was still a powerful dragonesspared to all the people around her. More people were bustling around her to help the three young women who were doing their best to keep the Queen from hurting others and themselves. The dragoness was bing more and more agitated without saying a word, her eyes rolling under her lids and her usually radiant face distressed.


    "Queen Gaya ! Calm down ! Everything...everything is fine ! Breathe...whatever you see is not real...we...we are here beside you !"


    While almost everyone in the mansion came running, the rabbit butler did her best to wake the Queen gently. No one dared to speak because she was the second ruler of the Empire and only Lia seemed close enough to her to, at that moment, ignore her status. No one knew what was going on in Gaya''s mind, but for the first time she was afraid.


    Her eyes rolled under her lids and her breathing became faster and faster, as if she was hyperventting. At that moment, Gaya was reliving those bloody days that had ended in the total annihtion of her fellow dragons and a long descent into Hell for her soul. The sight of that little boy had brought back all those memories that she had buried deep in her heart to avoid suffering.


    "Breathe !"


    Lia didn''t even know if the Queen could hear her, but she did her best to calm her down so that she would wake up. Unfortunately, this was not enough and a fire-colored aura came out of the dragoness'' body. Suddenly, everyone could feel the emotions of the one who was fighting her demons, like an unfathomable ocean in the middle of a storm. Unlike the Empress, at that moment her aura was not of a raw strength but of an equally great intensity.


    What was happening was inexplicable, but one by one, the people around the Queen were ovee by an iparable sadness and pain. The dragoness was suffering so much, this period having traumatized her, that she transmitted her emotions through her ming aura. The contrast was disconcerting because she shone like a warm sun full of love, but conveyed despair.


    Everyone was silent and couldn''t take their eyes off the Queen as everyone tried to cope with all the sudden emotions. Gaya was the mother of the Earth dragons, not only because she had fought for them until the end...but also because today she was the only one to carry the burden of an entire race, the guilt, the sadness and the memory of her fellow dragons.


    "M-Mo...Mom..."


    In this moment out of time, the little Shiro was also invaded by these emotions which, like memories, made tears flow on her small face. Without thinking, she threw herself on her mother by burying her head in her chest. The little Princess didn''t know what was going on either but had no trouble understanding that her mother needed help.


    "Mom...*sniff*...I...I''m sorry ! I should have told you about...*sniff*...about the boy who fell from the sky. I...*sniff*...sorry...sorry...*sniff*"


    The scene was heartbreaking and no one could hold back their tears in front of such a spectacle, enhanced by the Queen''s aura. The little moon of Elysium that the whole Empire admired, so joyful, so smiling, so cute and sweet, was crying her heart out. Her little voice was weak, broken, and even though Lia and the others did not understand what she was talking about, no one dared to ask.


    "Mom, I...I promise...*sniff*...I only *sniff*...wanted to help. I...*sniff*...only wanted to help ! He...*sniff* was bleeding a lot...*sniff*...and was hurt, I..."


    Shiro didn''t even have time to finish her sentence when her words instantly made Gaya''s eyes open. As the little Princess tried to finish her sentence, two arms wrapped around her tenderly as the ming aura gradually retracted. Just then, a soft voice, slightly shaky but full of love and tenderness, rose from among the trees.


    "Don''t cry sweetheart..."


    "Mo-Mom ! *sniff* Mom, Mom, Mom !!!"


    At her words, the little white-haired girl hugged her mother even tighter, crying a little more. The Queen did not cry but was still livid, a faint smile on her tired face, hugging her daughter back. Everyone was relieved to see her wake up and even though it had all happened in just a few minutes, given their concern, it seemed like an eternity had passed.


    "Queen Gaya !"


    "Gaya-Sama ! Are you feeling better ?"


    Everyone had recovered from their emotions and were bowing awkwardly to the dragoness who was slowlying to her senses. Her slightly ssy amber eyes were bing a little more alive with each passing second and as she stood up with Shiro in her arms, she changed. Gaya had been sitting, almost helpless, lost and sad but the moment she straightened up, the Queen of Elysium was back.


    "I''m fine, thank you to you all. I apologize for scaring you so much, I...myself I don''t know what happened but...


    Gaya had answered as sincerely as she could and felt guilty for doing so even though everything was still very unclear. Lowering her head to her little daughter, the dragoness then spoke only to her, while she gently stroked her white ears stained with dirt.


    ... your voice helped me. Thank you sweetheart"


    Then, suddenly, as if everything that had happened before suddenly came back into her mind, the Queen straightened her head before turning her head in all directions. Her face had regained that panicked look as Gaya was looking for the little boy she had seen. Putting Shiro gently on the ground who was now sucking her thumb and sniffing, the dragoness rushed into the small forest.


    She was looking for the little boy she had seen and instantly recognized as her little brother despite the changes he had undergone. Unfortunately, she couldn''t see him anywhere, and no matter how much she crossed the garden he was nowhere to be found. The Queen was still ovee with emotion and even with concentration she could hardly catch his scent which was very light, almost imperceptible.


    However, a small amount remained in the air and following it, the crimson-haired dragoness found herself in front of the white stone pavilion. Hidden under the table with the rest of the cookies Lia had brought was her little brother, curled up like a scared little animal. He had managed to drag himself here, attracted by the smell that had made his body move instinctively, driven by this divine and unknown food.


    The wind blew softly, whistling in the blue sky and as in their world, the two dragons looked at each other without blinking. With each passing second, the Queen approached slowly, taking in more and more of her little brother''s condition. He didn''t understand but felt strangely good in her presence, no longer trembling, staring at the one who intrigued him even more than the little Princess.


    While Freya was still underground, the King''s and Supreme''s army marched towards the forest...Gaya, thest earth dragon, met her little brother.


    ___<novelnext></novelnext>


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (form - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    ? - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 80 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 170 The Tears Of A Forgotten Sister

    - POV Gaya -


    I was standing there in the garden of our beautiful family manor, under the trees dancing with the wind and bathed in the sun. Yet I could feel neither the gentle breeze nor the warmth of its rays because my mind was elsewhere. A few minutes ago, my eyes hadnded on a little boy who had appeared out of nowhere, standing near Shiro. The moment I saw him, my world copsed without me being able to do anything.


    I didn''t see him well but that hair color, those eyes, that smell...I wasn''t mistaken and I knew better than anyone that he belonged to my race. There was something different about him because that singr smell was altered by something stronger and out of the ordinary. However, this smell that I had not felt for years, had struck me in the heart and in the depth of my soul.


    Without even understanding what was happening to me, I had fainted because of the shock, much too violent and unbearable. In my sleep, I saw again my friends, my family, falling one by one during this unjust and merciless War. My parents who had given their lives to protect me and allow me to have a future. All these emotions and pain that I thought were buried, had woken up like a tornado.


    I had been trapped in a nightmare that I hadn''t had since I met Freya and didn''t want to fight anymore. Everything had yed out in my mind as if I were living it all over again and it had all been so real that my very soul had been exhausted. The smell of blood, of burnt flesh, bodies as far as the eye could see, tears, suffering... like a stab in the heart, the scars of my past had reopened.


    Everything had been so sudden, so powerful and uncontroble that my body and mind had not been able to control the flood of such strong feelings. Hundreds of visions had yed out before me, plunging me into a state of despair that I had not experienced in a long time. However, in my mental battle, a small, broken, pleading voice had risen in my dark world.


    Shiro, my daughter, the little moon of the family, had pulled me out of this infernal loop with disconcerting ease. In spite of all my fears, my anxieties, my doubts, my regrets, and my pain, hearing her voice even in a very distant way had awakened me. I had felt trapped, unable to return by the only force of my will but my daughter, with her only presence, had given me the necessary strength.


    I had opened my eyes to find myself surrounded by dozens of people in tears and my little Shiro also crying on my chest. So my first instinct was to hug her to reassure her and tell her to dry her little princess tears. I felt loved and even if Freya and I had to watch over the smile of our little moon, Shiro was protecting us as much as we were protecting her.


    Then very quickly, the blurred memory of that other child had reappeared in my head once I hade to my senses and everything was a little clearer. Without thinking, I had put Shiro, whom I was holding in my arms, on the ground and rushed a little deeper into the garden. My body was still a little weak, my belly which was much bigger than when Freya left, weighed me down but I wanted to find him.


    My senses were disturbed by my mind but I had done the best I could to follow that smell that seemed to disappear more and more. And then, suddenly, the trail had stopped under the white pavilion where we used to have dinner as a family and there he was. This little dragon that I had seen only briefly before I fainted, this little dragon who had my blood, this little dragon who was...my little brother.


    I couldn''t exin why or how I knew our connection but I trusted my dragon instincts and my sense of smell. So now I was a few feet away from the white stone structure and he was under the table with cookies in his hand. Neither of us said a word and we looked at each other but a lot of things and feelings were being transmitted.


    *Dragons grow slower but...He...he''s so small...*


    As I slowly moved forward, I could see in more detail what he looked like this time. My little brother had almost no hair left, some of it had been torn out and the ming crimson hair that is unique to earth dragons was nowhere to be seen. His swollen, burned and broken body was so small and thin that it looked as if it could break in half with a flick of the wrist.


    He was missing his two beautiful horns that had been broken on purpose and as my eyes rested on the bits that remained on his forehead, my heart sank. The dragons'' horns were what we were most proud of, not to mention the fact that they were full of nerves. Damaging them was painful, so I couldn''t even imagine how he must have felt when they were broken.


    *I...*


    The more my eyes watched his body, the more I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I wasn''t crying, but the sight of this fragile and wounded little dragon was unbearable. Every part of his body was scarred, every inch of his body bore the story of his hard past even though I didn''t know it yet. The further I went, the more I felt my body trembling, my heart clenching and the rage rising inside me.


    My little brother didn''t speak, he just stared at me, but unlike me, he wasn''t shaking anymore. His previously frightened face wore a childlike expression, full of curiosity and innocence. Remnants of cookies were on the corner of his lips and at that moment, all I wanted was to hug him. I didn''t know how to do it or how he would react but I had to.


    No one had joined us yet for some unknown reason, but at that moment, I only had eyes for him. I could feel my blood boiling in my veins, my heart pounding, and an overwhelming love. However, I felt all this but we were strangers to each other and neither of us seemed to know how to act although we knew our bond was precious.


    "I...my name is Gaya. What is your name ?"


    I was now right in front of the table where my little brother was hiding but I couldn''t touch him because we were still a few meters apart. As I gently crouched down to his level, smiling so as not to frighten him, I introduced myself in a soft and tender voice. He looked like a small animal curled up under the table and his fragility was all the more obvious.


    I waited there, neither too far nor too close for him to answer me but he still said nothing, his face closed and questioning. His wings were folded shyly behind his back and his empty amber eyes, although different from mine, did not let me out of his sight. The seconds passed but I was still waiting with a smile, hoping that he would finally speak to me.


    "I..."


    "cough cough"


    As I was about to speak, my little brother started coughing and moaning as blood poured from his mouth. At that moment, my heart missed a beat as I saw what was in his half-opened mouth, understanding instantly why he couldn''t speak. His tongue had been roughly cut off by what appeared to be an unsharpened de.


    The young boy in front of me had not only experienced atrocious things of rare violence, but he had also been deprived of his right to express himself. To Hell with the meters that separated us, to Hell with the tremors in my body...this was thest straw. I couldn''t stand there and wait for him to make the first move, I just couldn''t wait any longer.


    _____


    - POV General -


    Ignoring all the precautions she had taken so far, the dragoness rushed at the young hybrid, driven by her instinct. Seeing once again the wounds he bore at such a young age, the Empress'' wife was driven to act with her heart. She held her arms out to him trembling, her face sad in a scene that seemed almost in slow motion. However, the most incredible thing was not this sudden urge that the Queen had to protect him but something else.


    The most incredible thing was that the young boy was also moving towards Gaya, discovering a new feeling and driven by a new energy. He had slowly pulled himself out from under the table and was also reaching out with his arms, making sounds without being able to speak. The young dragon was a wild child, abused, tortured, wounded and dying but deep inside his instincts were pushing him towards his big sister.


    After a moment that seemed tost forever, for the first time, Gaya''s arms closed around his fragile little body. She fell to her knees once more and as the sun shone brightly in the sky, she finally held her little brother. Unable to hold back the flood of emotions that ran through her, the Queen''s face shone in the sun, tears glistening like diamonds, beading down her cheeks.


    "I...I''m here...I''m here now...shhh"


    Were the only words the dragoness could utter, as she enjoyed every second. His skin was cold but his sister''s warmth warmed him, he had scars on his body but his sister''s love was enough to soothe them. He had only known beatings and pain, but his sister''s tenderness made him forget everything. He had always been tortured, but at this moment...he felt protected.


    "Mmmh.."


    Under the sky of Elysium, where a moving scene was taking ce, the little boy nodded and finally closed his eyes. His little arms and hands rose with difficulty but finally closed around the dragoness. At that moment, the Queen''s big crimson wings appeared on her back, tearing her dress and exposing her back to the sun.


    Those two majestic wings opened wide, pointing to the sky of the Empire, imposing, magnificent and strong. Like a shield protecting them from all the dangers of the world, they closed on the two dragons who hugged each other. Little by little, the sunlight was obscured by these wings, plunging the brother and sister into total darkness.


    Yet this darkness was reassuring, warm and protective, cutting the two beings off from the world for a short time. This small space was only for them and the Queen holding her little brother in her arms, let herself go with her emotions. Tears flowed down her face like a river and could not stop as powerful feelings mixed.


    "I''m sorry...so...sorry...sorry...I''ll protect you...I..."


    Gaya couldn''t help but apologize because, despite the darkness, she could feel that her little brother''s body was not well. She could feel his bones, his damaged skin, the smell of blood that never left him, his heart beating weakly and his limbs tired. The Queen was crying her eyes out, hidden in in sight, and little by little the young hybrid was also letting go, carried by the same feelings.


    Both of them were crying together and while the dragoness'' tears were crystal clear, her brother''s tears had a much darker and unnatural hue. Nothing existed around them anymore and only each other''s bodies seemed to be their pirs. Although they were strangers, they were family and just as she had sworn to protect her wife and daughter, the Queen swore to protect this little being who had already suffered far too much.


    The little hybrid dragon had been alone in the world since birth, growing up in a ce where survival was as much a blessing as a curse. He had been through so much, alone, far from a family, from the love and protection of a home. Today, she wanted to give him everything and know what had happened to him because once again, fate had been unexpected.


    His little brother was crying without understanding why, all these feelings frightening him somewhat. He was in fact invaded by what was in fact relief, the relief of feeling loved and protected. As for Gaya, she was crying with sadness, joy but also with anger against those who had inflicted these 10 years of torture on such an innocent being. So many questions crossed her mind and little by little, the Queen felt her strength returning.


    What was her little brother doing there ? Why did she only learn of his existence now ? Where had he been ? How had he survived ? Why was he in such a state ? The dragoness didn''t know the details, nor his story, but she was determined to find out. She was not fooled and also knew that his health was a concern and that he needed to receive care quickly if he did not want to die.


    Suddenly, while she was holding him and they were still crying, the mark on his back lit up, proving that Sage was using her locator magic. Gaya knew full well that whatever that mark was producing, whoever was on the other end was responsible. Taking a deep breath, in the darkness produced by her wings, the dragoness finally opened her eyes.


    Her face could not be seen, no one could see that her tears were still flowing while only two amber eyes shone intensely. Holding her little brother a little tighter, as his weak body trembled, she stroked what was left of his hair, whispering the only words that came to her. At that moment, her eyes were glittering with a dangerous gleam, a gleam that had not appeared in her eyes since the annihtion of her people.


    "I will protect you...we will all protect you. It''s okay. We will show them..."


    "...*sniff*...*sniff*..."


    "We will show them all..."


    Gaya was determined to figure out what was going on and who was behind it. The sweet, gentle, loving, motherly dragoness was still present, but for the first time in a decade, the Queen''s true warrior me was igniting. The same fire that Freya had managed to rekindle was burning more and more intensely in her soul, heart and mind.


    To protect her little brother, so that he would never again have to go through what he had gone through...the Mother of Dragons would be reborn. Stronger than ever, more ferocious, driven by a destructive maternal instinct, apanied by her powerful wife...the Queen of the Elysium Empire was determined to save him.


    [N/A: Next chapter back to Freya]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female<novelnext></novelnext>


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 80 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 171 Kira Nightshade

    - POV General -


    Things were seriously starting to move on the surface in both Elysium and Zal, and the future was not without its challenges. The King marched with an army of knights to find his daughter yna Zal, the first Princess of the Kingdom, and to regain face with his citizens. The Pdins of the Church of Humanity were also present, led by some of the most powerful Protectors.


    In the Empire, the Queen had just been reunited with her little brother and, like the Empress, was unaware that he was directly linked to the Supreme. They didn''t know that Sage could keep an eye on him, and bringing this young boy into their family circle was, for the time being, leaving an important ce for the Church. Besides, the hybrid dragon hadn''te here for nothing, no one knew yet what he would decide to do.


    However, while Freya''s newly formed Empire was about to experience its first real War, other characters were working in the shadows. Titania, the Goddess who lied to Freya and hid many things from her for her own purposes, was somewhere waiting for her toe out. Ka too, still trapped under the mountains of Vancesia, soon to be delivered, was nning to head for Elysium.


    Lucifer''s older sister, formerly known as Archangel Goddess of Infinite Time and Celestial Wisdom, Ka was today only sadness and revenge. She was seeking revenge for her sister, whom she believed to be dead, and for this she had decided to attack Freya, who she believed was in league with Titania. Ka did not know for the moment that the one she wanted to avenge was the one she was nning to visit.


    So many people gravitated around the Empress with different goals and aspirations, most of them obviously evil. Yet the one in the middle of it all was unaware of all the ns that were being made, as if cut off from the world hundreds of meters below the ground. Freya, knowing now who she was, apanied by her little sister, was about toe to the surface.


    Although things were moving away from her, a lot had also changed for her and her warriors. All of the Commanders had the opportunity to evolve through the system, June and May could finally be released and a lot of changes had taken ce in her system. Freya had new skills, new memories and her abilities were growing.


    So Lucifer stood before her warriors for the first time, although her demon form had not really changed, she stood before them for the first time, aware of her identity. Just knowing who she was, made the Empress different, which had caused all the soldiers to kneel down without exception. No one knew yet who the young woman who looked like her was, and yet no one spoke.


    "Soldiers ! Please stand up. I have a lot to tell you and we have a lot to do, but first I''d like to introduce you to someone very important !"


    Lucifer Nightshade was finally speaking, and as she spoke the words, she turned to the young woman beside her. Kira Nightshade said nothing and waited patiently for her older sister to continue what she had to say. Her face was serious, though softer than the Empress'', but her fox ears kept twitching. The contrast was special and no one knew what was going on in the neer''s mind.


    At the words of the Empress, everyone stood up, still in silence, and all eyes passed from Lucifer to Kira. The two young women, dressed in the same way, with piercing purple eyes, different but at the same time simr, interested them. The young silver-haired vixen hade out of nowhere and it was almost impossible to understand where she came from.


    "I''d like to introduce you...my little sister Kira who you''ve all already spoken to at least once through me..."


    "....uuh...Yo !"


    All eyes turned to the silver fox who had just spoken for the first time. Kira had uttered this one word as she mimicked a V with her fingers before withdrawing her embarrassed hand. Everyone remained silent and watched the young sister of the Empress as they tried their best to understand. Meanwhile, Kira was still not very good at hiding her emotions and it was starting to show.


    The three tails she had were slowly folding in on themselves, her ears were starting to droop and her face was turning red. Kira was doing what she could but suddenly finding herself in front of so many people staring at her was something new. The Empress, guessing immediately what was going on, took a step forward, before speaking again.


    "As I told you, a lot has happened and I will exin everything in detail. So you are the first to meet the second princess of the Elysium Empire, Kira !"


    Lucifer had pronounced herst sentence with a certain pride that was reflected in her voice, slightly warmer than usual. At that moment, the soldiers all bowed their heads, before speaking as usual with one voice.


    "WE SALUTE PRINCESS KIRA !! IT IS A REAL HONOR TO MEET YOU !!"


    ____


    - POV Kira -


    I was finally in a body, for the first time in my short life I could feel, touch, move and speak. I didn''t really have time to experience everything of course, but everything I was already experiencing was great. Everything was incredible and I felt overwhelmed with a lot of information at the same time, which I could not wait to discover.


    However, this was not the time to be distracted because at that moment, onee-san was introducing me to the Commanders and others. Of course we had already spoken, but it was different to see them in real life, just a few meters away. Now that I had a body, I could feel their auras, which were quite powerful and shook me more than onee-san''s. I was used to her aura, which was very strong. I was used to her aura and even in her demon form, I could not feel anything.


    "WE SALUTE PRINCESS KIRA !! IT IS A REAL HONOR TO MEET YOU !!"


    *How do they always speak at the same time and say the same words ? Is there some kind of dictionary of phrases to say to the Empress ? Pffffhaha~ I should write one ! Wait...do I even know how to write ?*


    My mind was wandering like never before and I was having trouble focusing on one thing at a time. Once again, I shook my head to focus on what was in front of me. All of my older sister''s soldiers were there and were greeting me as one which was honestly quite disturbing in real life, after she introduced me as the Princ...


    *Wait a minute ! A Princess ? Seriously ? I thought she was kidding ! Well I didn''t want to actually be the Queen but...isn''t that a little...too cute for me ? I mean, Shiro is the little Princess of the Empire because she''s Freya''s daughter but...*


    While I was lost in my thoughts, my eyes rested on the Elysium warriors who still had their heads down. For the umpteenth time, I cursed myself for not knowing how to concentrate more than that, and no matter how well I thought I was hiding my emotions, my mind was difficult to tame. Every soldier was in front of me and seemed to be waiting for something from me...that I didn''t know.


    *Double wait ! Should I say something here ? Woow no the trouble, I didn''t know ! Why do I have to be caught off guard like this ? Damn it onee-saaaaaaan ! And why do they always have to bend over like that ? My god it''s embarrassing !*


    Turning to Onee-san to try to understand, I could see her smile very slightly as she nodded. I knew she wanted me to get into the habit ofmunicating but it wasn''t easy. All my short life I had been in a kind of shell that was my sister''s soul and now, although I was very happy to have a body, I felt like I was naked in a big world.


    "Ahem...I..."


    *Aaaaaah fuck I''m going to die ! Why do I have to go through this now ? Aaaaaarg onee-san you''re so cruel !!...Okay...focus...continue ! Do like onee-san...what did she say before ?...Oh yes !*


    "I...please stand up. I''m happy to...to meet you and please...just call me Kira..."


    *Yaaay ! I think I handled the situation perfectly hehe~! Phew...no matter what walls stand in front of me, I''ll break them all down mwhahaha~*


    At that moment, I felt very proud of myself and I couldn''t help but smile. It was a very special feeling because the skin on my face was stretching without me being able to control anything. My cheeks hurt a little, I was hot, but the feeling that this simple action gave me, made me happy. For the moment, one thing was sure, unlike onee-san...I liked to smile.


    "Good ! Now we must all talk about what has happened since we arrived here as far as I am concerned and as far as you are concerned. What I propose is that we...


    Onee-san was talking, but at that moment I couldn''t listen, while my eyes were observing everything around me, my nostrils were picking up different smells, both interesting and disgusting. Everything was new and an irrepressible urge to run around was running through me in spite of myself. While I was asking myself this question, my eyesnded on Nixia, themia with ck scales.


    *Wow...I wonder what it feels like to touch scales !! Is it cold and hard ? Or warm and soft ? Mmmmh, now that I think about it...it can also be cold and soft, hot and hard ! I would have to touch it to be sure...no no ! Concentrate Kira ! Onee-san is talking, I have to stay focused !


    As I quietly shook my head to try not to think about all the questions that were going through my mind, onee-san''s voice was still echoing in the big underground room. It was different to hear it near me and not all around me but it was a nice feeling. Her voice was soothing to me and even though some people found it cold and overbearing, to me it was confident and reassuring.


    "...If you feel like holding out until we get back up then I have no objection. So we''ll discuss any changes on the way back, we haven''t been gone long but I might as well get back to Elysium quickly."


    Apparently, the soldiers had just affirmed that they were still ready to hold on to the surface before resting and thus evolving. We would soon return to the surface where so many things were waiting for me, so many things to discover, to taste, to experience. However, what I wanted most was to be able to hug Shiro and Gaya. I too wanted to return to Elysium as soon as possible...home...our home.


    *The first thing I would do is obviously hug my sister-inw and my cute niece ! Then I would love to taste Irrena''s cakes because Shiro likes them a lot and y with her all day ! Oh and then we could also y bad tricks on Onee-san hehe~ I still haven''t forgotten the flick that...*


    "What are you thinking little sister ? You have way too evil a smile kufufu~"


    Once again, I was oblivious to what was going on around me and Freya''s voice pulled me out of my evil ns. Looking up, I could see the soldiers resting for a few more minutes before leaving and Onee-san was now the only one beside me. Her violet eyes were staring at me intensely and her face full of tattoos, made her very imposing if not to say a bit scary.


    "I...I wasn''t thinking of anything in particr ! Why are you looking at me like that ?"


    "For nothing Kira haha~ also you did great earlier !"


    As she said this, I could feel her hand once again on my head before she stroked my hair. This feeling was divine and just like the first time, my three tails started to wag by themselves. Is this what Shiro felt when onee-san did the same thing to her ? I wondered but deep inside I knew the answer very well.


    "Well, we''re going to surface now little sister. I hope you''re ready to experience the outside world haha~ you seem somewhat excited at the thought."


    "I...Yes of course...but I know how to control myself in front of others onee-san !"


    *Oh Hell yeah !! I''ve been dreaming about this since I was your little sister ! There are so many ces I want to visit, that I want to see with my own eyes. The trees, the water, thend, the nature, the music...I definitely want to put all my senses to work and catch up on everything I''ve never been able to experience on my own !*


    A multitude of ideas were brewing in my mind again as Freya looked at me without a word. Everyone said she had a cold, paralyzing face, but the more I looked at her, the more I realized that her face was not as inexpressive as I thought. In fact, if I looked closely, it was easy for me to understand my older sister''s emotions.


    In the few minutes I spent with her, I already knew a lot about her. Was it because I had lived in her soul so far that I was better able to understand her ? I didn''t know, but the Ice Empress, with a face as beautiful as cold, was not as cold as I thought. Onee-san always had that something that allowed me to understand what she was thinking or feeling.


    "We are going to go, Kira ! We''re going home and for the first time, you''re by my side like I promised you !"


    "Mmh onee-san, thank you I..."


    Just as I was about to answer, once again I felt my big sister''s hands discreetly grab me. She hid me from her waist and body and while the others were busy getting ready, Freya hugged me once again. However, for the first time, she ced a soft kiss on my forehead before whispering away.


    "Let''s go home Kira.."


    "Mmmh..."


    Today, I was finally going to start my new life near my family, by their side as I had always dreamed. This was the first day of the rest of my life because from now on, I would live for myself...I would live under the name of Kira Nightshade.


    [N/A: Kira is the type of person who talks a lot in her headpared to Freya. She is very talkative and says everything she thinks, but when the situation doesn''t allow it, Kiraments the situation in her head. She is also very childish in this chapter but it''s at the beginning because Kira is discovering everything, she will resume her more serious and focused side little by little].


    ___<novelnext></novelnext>


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 80 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 172 Heading To The Surface

    - POV Freya -


    I was holding my little sister for the second time since she now had a body and I couldn''t help but enjoy the feeling. Was it because Kira was once a part of my soul that I felt this need ? I didn''t know, but while my soldiers were busy, I went over to her and gave her a discreet hug while cing a kiss on her forehead, just like I used to do with Shiro.


    "Let''s go home Kira.."


    "Mmmh..."


    It was time for us to return to our family, our Empire, and everything we had built together. I had not yet contacted Shiro as promised, but we had only spent a few hours in this room. In the end, we were faster than I expected because we had only been underground for a day, two at the most. I was proud of my soldiers, my little sister and we had earned some rest.


    The Commanders and everyone else had been resting while we were gone, and like Kira and me, they were anxious to get back. So we agreed that we would go to the surface first and then do the rest. Of course I wanted to exin to them what had happened in the pantheon while we were up there to save time and avoid making them wait.


    Once up, we would decide whether to make them evolve into the Syn Forest or the Empire. I also had to distribute my attribute points, free the twins, discover my new skills and of course investigate my past. Shiro''s condition also intrigued me and I was pretty sure now that I could get past the question marks of her status.


    There were still many mysteries in my mind but little by little the pieces were falling into ce. I now knew my identity, I knew that Titania was not who she imed to be and most importantly...I remembered my older sister. All my memories were avable in my mind and were waiting for only one thing, that I go through them to finally wear the name of Lucifer with dignity.


    *Sigh...it doesn''t stop but I have to be patient. I still don''t know more about this 7th Sin thing or what it means but I have to get used to the fact that I can''t know everything. I''ll find a time to figure out all these memories once we get home and have some good family time...all together for the first time. When do you say Kira ? I think that...*


    As I thought in my mind as usual, I stopped as I realized what I had just done. I had just addressed my little sister as I always did but this time...no response. This realization was somewhat difficult and the moment I realized it, a twinge of sadness caught me off guard. Kira was no longer in my mind, she was no longer there.


    Since my arrival in this world, or at least in this temporality, my little sister had never once left me. Of course there were times when she would lock herself in her space but we were literally one. Today Kira had a body, I felt happy, extremely happy for her but somewhere I felt sad, more than I had imagined.


    *It''s all right...I just have to get used to it*


    It was not easy to be alone in my mind when my little sister had upied it for so long. I felt like an emptiness, like I was missing something and thinking about it made me feel weak. After all, I was far from being a little girl unable to fend for herself and yet...this empty feeling still wouldn''t go away.


    *Kira will always be next to me. What is the difference between having her by my side physically or in my mind ? Neither. Then why won''t this little pain go away ?*


    The Commanders and soldiers were packing up their things as we were about to leave, while I stood there trying to figure it out. I had never experienced a feeling like this, as if I could lose my bearings at any moment and even though I didn''t want to admit it...I felt sadness. Even though my joy was much greater, a small part of my heart wanted to spend more time with Kira.


    [Hey onee-san ! You know I''ll always be there, right ?]


    As I epted these feelings, a soft voice echoed in my mind with words that warmed my heart. My first instinct was to turn my head towards my sister who was on my left, my face still neutral but quite surprised. I didn''t say a word and looked at Kira who was smiling at me, showing her white canines and dimples in a mischievous expression.


    [I''m level 15, remember ? I have the telepathy skill, so I can talk to you like before, any time we are close. I know you''re a little sad but in the end nothing really changes, does it ?]


    *How did you know I was...ahem...sad ? I didn''t say anything and as you know my face isn''t the most expressive*


    Kira''s words had slightly destabilized me, as well as her sudden appearance to reassure me, just at the right moment. I used to share my feelings with her through dialogue, but this time it was different because she could no longer hear my deepest thoughts. How had she managed to understand ? While I was asking myself this question, Kira answered with a silent smile.


    [Onee-san...I have lived most of my time in your mind observing and understanding how hard it is for people to read you. However, since I''ve seen you with my own eyes...I can''t agree with others. You say that your face is inexpressive ? It''s true !...but not to me.]


    *Not for you ?*


    [Mmmh. When you''re sad your eyes take on a particr hue and you clench your jaw slightly from frustration and pride. When you''re in inner conflict, you start tapping your finger and your eyebrows furrow very slightly and I could go on like this for a while. You also convey a lot of emotion through your eyes, which change slightly depending on the situation]


    *My eyes ?*


    [Bright as the stars when you''re happy and serene, dark when you''re thinking or angry, dull when you''re cold or sad, and glittering dangerously when you''re drawing blood. Don''t ask me how I know...I just know]


    Kira had only been watching me for a short time because she had only had a body for an hour or two and yet she already knew all this. I was still the Empress of Ice but it seemed that my little sister was one of the only ones who could read me. This thought made me smile, although deep inside I felt a kind of embarrassment, which was quite rare for me.


    [But in the end, that''s not the only reason I know exactly how you feel...]


    *Tell me...*


    [Freya...everything you feel...that little lingering pain hidden in that ocean of happiness, that sense of emptiness andck...I feel them too deep inside my heart.]


    Kira was smiling tenderly at me and her violet eyes were locked in mine while neither of us said a single word out loud. At that moment, I could see the purple color of her eyes shining a little more intensely and I understood now exactly what she meant. Without saying another word, I smiled, she smiled before we turned back to the others ready to leave.


    ____


    We were standing in front of the bright white doorway and everyone was ready to walk through it again. Everyone had a smile on their face and even though we weren''t all in a perfect state, we had finally aplished what we wanted. I still had my demon form because I felt better that way but for the moment it seemed to confuse the more tired soldiers.


    "Maybe you should return to your normal form ? You''re beautiful Lucifer but you''re scary as fuck pfffhahaha~"


    Kira whispered these words to me as we walked along, always with a sarcastic expression on her face, matching her perfectly. Smiling slightly, I closed my eyes and shook my head as my blood red hair turned as ck as night. My horns became smaller and I could feel my ears and wolf tail growing.


    As I was experiencing the changes, suddenly a huge tremor was felt, apanied by thuds. Like the others, I turned my head to discover that the pantheon we had just left was changing. The ground shook but nothing copsed, however the huge structure began to shake while changing appearance before our eyes.


    The white stones were beginning to crumble, the smooth edges were bing grainy and nts were beginning to appear everywhere. The beautiful pantheon seemed to be aging at a disconcerting, almost terrifying rate. But that wasn''t all, the huge room began to change as I felt a familiar mana slowly dissipate.


    The time that had stood still resumed its course, the years passed again, turning the ce into a ruin. The Time magic of Ka had held until I returned and as we were about to leave the ce, the atmosphere was quite different. There was unusual vegetation, the walls were broken, but the strangest thing was that the traces of our battles had disappeared.


    "How is that possible ?"


    "What magic is powerful enough to allow such a thing ?"


    "Imp-Impossible !"


    All the soldiers were observing the same phenomenon as I was and could not help but exim in surprise at such a sight. It was very impressive because everything was happening very fast, giving us the impression of going back in time. In reality, it was the present that we were seeing before our eyes, but not being aware of my older sister, the soldiers were panicking.


    "Don''t worry, this is a Time magic used to keep the ce intact until I arrive. I''ll exin it to you on the way but you don''t have to worry, everything is fine. It looks like the whole room was under the spell but do not be afraid of anything !"


    Faced with the distress of some, I raised my hands gently, exining calmly so that they could breathe more easily. Soon, the magic disappeared and atst the real appearance of this forgotten underground room stood before us. In ruins, its grandeur having disappeared to make way for a ce devoid of charm, abandoned andpletely banal.


    "Well I have to say it''s pretty awesome to see ! I felt everything ! Every little tremor, every vibration and I wasn''t even scared hehe~"


    Kira was at my side, still barefoot and with both arms crossed behind her neck, very rxed considering the situation. I didn''t say anything as I turned back to all my soldiers and Inferno who seemed to be doing better. I didn''t know if I would ever return to this great hall, but I would never forget that this is where part of my story was given back to me.


    "Good ! Let''s get through that white gate like we did at the alle,y before it disappears !"


    "Yes your Highness !"


    As they had done when they arrived, my soldiers, mypanions in this adventure, passed one by one through the white portal that led to this space filled with darkness. This time, I was thest one to stay, always apanied by my little sister. Little by little, they disappeared to finally leave the two of us alone, standing in a corner ready to follow them.


    "In the end we didn''t leave for very long considering what we experienced during those two intense days ! Isn''t that right onee-san ?"


    "It''s true. It''s all just beginning, but I''m proud of what we''ve all aplished on this journey to the center of the earth."


    As I was about to wave Kira through the door, she spoke a few words that made me freeze.


    "It''s funny though, we''ve been in a time magic all this time and yet none of us have aged or anything like that. Maybe it''s the other way around, who knows ? Maybe we were also victims of this ce trapped in time and months went by outside pfffhahaha~...."


    "..."


    "I..."


    Kira said this in jest, but as she spoke, she realized, as did I, that what she had just said was far from silly. If time was passing more slowly and we were not affected, it meant that the magic was only applicable to this ce. However, in that case, only our perception of time would have been slightly altered.


    "Kira..."


    "Yes Freya...I know...*


    "We absolutely have to get back !"


    At that moment, neither I nor Kira was joking and our serious faces looked at each other with a trace of panic in our eyes. We didn''t know how long we had been here and it could have been a few days or a few weeks. I had never nned to leave the Empire without news and in a world like this, things change a lot.


    So my little sister and I hurried through the white portal towards the surface.


    "My love...my little moon..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    [N/A: I kept the [ ] when Kira speaks telepathically, it will be easier for everyone especially when Freya speaks with more people]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 80 600 / 170 000 MP : 32 610 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 173 Game Of Lies I

    [N/A: I am sorry for these days of absence. I took a few days off to spend time with my cousin who I haven''t seen in 4 years. I''m sorry to have kept you waiting]


    ____


    - POV General -


    In the north of the continent, in a forest called Syn, there was arge clearing where a tree made of crystal and water stood. However, although it had been standing there for years without ever copsing, on a foggy afternoon, for the first time it began to tremble. Indeed, the small ind on which it was standing was vibrating violently as if an earthquake was taking ce.


    The small ind in the middle of theke was the only one to vibrate and as the ground began to crack, the tree in its center began to glow. Suddenly, it disappeared, exploding into a multitude of white particles resembling thousands of small butterflies. The fog that fell over the forest was now white in the clearing and as the magic dissipated, a few shapes seemed to emerge from the center.


    It was hard to see who it was, but the fog was slowly lifting, revealing two women, followed by dozens of people and a horse. For the first time in days, Empress Freya was finally back on the surface. After hours of surfacing, she, her sister and her soldiers were finally under the gray sky, the clouds and the faint rays of the sun that they had not seen for too long.


    "But...*cough* ! What happened ?"


    "I-I don''t know, we just went the other way and came out the way we came in. I don''t know why the tree disappeared."


    "Is it again rted to her Highness ?"


    "Mmmh *cough*...*cough*...probably !"


    The Commanders and Lieutenants were the first to speak as they looked around. The weather was gray, no animals were around, and the forest, previously full of noise, was nowpletely silent. Only the sound of the new arrivals, rose into the dull sky of this seemingly ordinary afternoon as in an instant the tree was gone forever.


    The Empress and her sister were silent and did notment at all on what had just happened, far too busy thinking. Several hours ago, Kira had jokingly assumed that Ka''s time magic had not affected them because their perception of time had already changed. Now they were outside but had no way of knowing how much time had passed.


    They stood there silently and watched the surroundings with special attention to make sure that nothing was near them. While the Commanders and Lieutenants fell into the grass, smiling and breathing in the fresh air, the Nightshade sisters watched. Always dressed the same way, their hair blowing in the wind and their eyes as purple as the most beautiful gemstone.


    "Well Kira, I thought you would have been more excited to be out than you are now haha~"


    "Onee-san...I''m more excited than you think but...you are the Empress and we are in the presence of your most powerful soldiers ! I have to rise to the asion and at least save this side for our family time !"


    Kira on the way back had practiced controlling her impulses of discovery, while keeping her entricity to a minimum. Of course, Freya didn''t really care if her sister was up to the task because only her presence and happiness mattered, but the second Princess of Elysium didn''t feel the same way. Much like Shiro, she was now touched by the desire to be as worthy as her older sister.


    "Haha~ You are quite free to do as you wish little sister. Although I doubt you can repress this talkative young woman you are kufufu~"


    "I....hmpf !"


    As Kira crossed her arms and pretended to be offended and Freya smiled slightly, a strong wind began to blow. And then, suddenly, before the astonished eyes of the Empire soldiers, the Empress and her sister copsed on the ground. By the time the wind had blown their ck and gray hair, Freya and Kira had fainted. It had all been so sudden and as the breeze died down, two motionless bodiesy on the ground.


    "Your Highness !!"


    "Empress ! Princess Kira !"


    No one knew yet what had happened, not even the two women involved. The nearest Commanders were already rushing in their direction, not knowing that it would not be possible to wake them up. The Empress and the Princess'' minds were already far away, meeting someone they did not expect to see again soon...someone who would test their nerves to the limit.


    ____


    Just like thest time, Freya was in the middle of a vast space that seemed to be a sky as gray as the one she had left. The same gigantic mountain was in front of her and made her feel like an ant in front of its grandeur. But this time, the young woman with ck hair was not alone because at her side, a slightly younger woman with silver-gray hair was watching the same mountain.


    "Huh ? What ? I...what is this huge mountain ? W-Why are we floating in the air and...what''s going on Freya ? Where are we ?"


    Kira, still to the left of her older sister, had a face that was more than shocked because this was all she was seeing for the first time. Her eyes were wide open, her mouth wide open and her head was constantly turning 360 degrees. Freya, used to it, was not surprised and even seemed to be doing her best to keep herposure as she responded.


    "We are in..."


    "Wee back Freya, you too Kira...right ?"


    However, the she-wolf didn''t even have time to answer, as a voice cut her off,ing from nowhere, from everywhere at once. This voice, Freya was the only one to know it and while Kira stretched her two fox ears, a woman emerged in front of them. As voluptuous as ever, with ocean blue hair and eyes as ck as two Tahitian pearls...it was Titania.


    As the Goddess finished her entrance, Freya looked at her silently without showing even a hint of emotion on her face. The discussion that was to follow was decisive, for the future of the Empire depended on the two sisters. Titania must not under any circumstances learn the existence of the new system and even less know that Lucifer was back, the young Empress was well aware of it.


    Thest time the she-wolf had been in front of her, the blue-haired Goddess had even managed to read her mind. Today, much had changed, but Freya had to be careful. If her mind was also being probed, she had to be absolutely concentrated not to betray anything. For the Empress, who could be very calm, this was not a concern, but what about her sister ?


    So began a game of lies between a lying, maniptive Goddess and a tactician, ruthless Demon who was ready to do anything to discover the truth and take revenge. In this game of conspiracies, Lucifer was one step ahead after her discoveries and therefore had to keep the secret at all costs and not betray anything. Only her piercing violet eyes stared at the blue-haired woman with a disconcerting intensity as the Goddess spoke.


    "First of all, I''m so d to meet you Kira. I didn''t think that..."


    As Titania was finally out, she looked up at the vixen before stopping dead in her tracks. There were several things that left her speechless at that very moment when she finally met Freya''s little sister physically. The Goddess froze as the same violet eyes stared back at her...eyes that would make any God or Goddess who knew the name Nightshade tremble.


    Kira had the same and to top it off, those three tails and that single horn, Titania knew them well. The Fox Sin Demon of Greed was back and what''s more, in the body of a young woman bearing the blood of the Nightshades. Thisbination had never been seen before and the blue-haired Goddess couldn''t help but shiver.


    Would Freya have recovered her memories bringing Lucifer back into her existence ? Howe Kira had the same eyes ? Why was she now one of the most powerful Sins after Lucifer ? What had happened in that crypt ? Titania had a lot of questions that were starting to give her a headache. She had sensed that something had happened and now wanted to dig a little deeper.


    "Ahem...excuse my moment of distraction. So I was saying that I''m d to meet you Kira. I didn''t think I''d see you so soon but I''m more than happy to know you have a body. Plus, you''re really cute and I..."


    As she spoke, Titania floated up to Kira before reaching out a hand to her face. The Goddess had a big smile on her face that looked very affectionate and could fool anyone but the two sisters. Just as her hand was about to caress the young vixen''s cheek, a second one stopped it dead in its tracks before her skin could even touch an inch of Kira''s face.


    "Don''t touch her."


    It was Freya. The protective big sister had acted in a split second and neither woman had seen her. Freya had spoken in a calm voice, controlling her tone so that it didn''t sound intimidating but still firm. Despite her desire not to sound suspicious, the she-wolf did not want to break the promise that swirled in her heart : you onceid your hands on Ka, you will nevery your hands on Kira.


    Titania and Freya looked at each other silently as if neither of them wanted to give in to the other''s gaze. The Goddess although surprised, was not more rmed than that because she remembered the words and the gestures that she had had towards Freya during theirst meeting. However, she did not want to give in but unfortunately, after a few seconds, lowered her eyes while Kira spoke.


    "Hi Titatra...ahem...Titania ! O Great Goddess who allowed me to be born and whom I finally meet ! What a great honor to stand before you on this beautiful day of "I don''t know when", near this great mountain standing "I don''t know where", floating in the air "I don''t know how". Allow me once again to thank you for this wonderful life you have generously given me !"


    As she spoke these words, Kira bowed respectfully and excessively, her head to her knees, in order to hide the big mocking smile she wore. Freya didn''t move an inch in the face of her monologue but was dying ofughter inside, unable to help but admire her little sister for her audacity. Of course, the only one who didn''t understand was Titania, whose overinted ego prevented her from understanding.


    "I...well I''m very impressed by this kindness towards me haha~. It''s true that without me you wouldn''t even be here so in a way I''m kind of your mother haha~! Ahem...anyway, you can get up my child, the honor is shared."


    "N-No I...I think...I''ll stay like this for a while longer ! I...it''s a rather interesting position believe me, my blood circtes perfectly, you should try it sometime O great pfff~ great Goddess Titatra..nia ! Titania !"


    "Uh...why not one day...anyway do...do as you wish."


    Kira kept the same posture because she knew that she could not help but burst outughing if she raised her head. The scene was hrious and the young vixen was clearly making fun of the Goddess but in such a way that it was difficult to detect if one did not know her. Thus, Titania, although finding Kira''s behavior questionable and bizarre, had seen nothing.


    "Titania. Why did you bring us here ? Last time I slept for a week, every second counts so please hurry..."


    Freya had finally spoken, her voice slightly softer after having witnessed her little sister''s littleedy show. She was now ready to speak and do her best not to arouse any suspicion while giving satisfactory answers. The Goddess who was also curious to know everything that had happened, raised her head seriously before answering.


    "Yes it''s true I have a lot of questions to ask you and although I don''t know why your little sister fell asleep at the same time as you, I don''t mind her being there. I''ll try to be quick but I''d like you to answer everything I''m going to ask you, it''s very important for your quest of power so be sincere !"


    At her words, the she-wolf had almost frowned at the mention of the word "sincere", knowing full well that the blue-haired woman wasn''t sincere at all. It all seemed to be a skit and the Empress was measuring how openly and unashamedly the Goddess was mocking her. However Freya almost perfectly contained her sudden urge to crush Titania''s head and nodded as she replied.


    "Sure, I''ll answer honestly, but in exchange, could you be quick ? Again, we don''t have time to sleep for a week or more."


    Freya spoke of honesty, but for the first time since her arrival in this timeline, she was going to lie and y with a Goddess. As she spoke her words, the blue-haired woman wore a shocked face, filled with false empathy and tenderness. Once again, the Empress was about to receive news that she was not ready to hear, as she had been with every encounter with Titania.


    "Freya my dear..st time I showed you the future and past of Kleisaria which exins the time you spent asleep. This time it''s different, time is running normally so you haven''t even been asleep for 10 minutes. However...you should know that you didn''t stay in the crypt for a few days."


    "How long ?"


    "Freya my dear child...a little over a month has passed on the surface and in your Empire."


    ___


    FULL STATUS<novelnext></novelnext>


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 174 Game Of Lies II

    - POV General -


    "Freya my dear child...a little over a month has passed on the surface and in your Empire."


    The moment Titania had said this sentence, no more noise could be heard where the three women were. Then suddenly, a cold wind emerged from Freya who did not move but could not control her icy aura when her emotions were powerful. At the words of the Goddess, even Kira who had been ying dumb had stood up with a face of shock after hearing the news.


    The cold breeze that had suddenly risen stopped almost as quickly, showing that the she-wolf was in control, but everything remained silent. Only a few seconds had passed but the atmosphere was already heavy and at that moment even Titania did not dare to speak. Freya and Kira knew that the time had changed when they were in the crypt, but neither of them had thought about a month or more.


    "Howe we were gone for so long ? I...the...in the crypt we stayed almost 2 days ! I...that''s impossible !"


    Kira was the first to speak, addressing the Goddess, pretending not to understand so as not to arouse any suspicion. Of course, just like her older sister, she was aware that all this was due to the Time magic that had invaded them after the ck door. Seeing that the Empress was still not speaking, the Princess was the first to speak and so the game of lies began.


    "I...well...there was Time magic in this crypt. I didn''t think it would be active after all this time but...it seems it is. Still, it must have been worth it, right ? Freya, the reason I pointed you to this ce is because there had to be a way inside for you to understand your past...what did you find there ?"


    That''s it, Titania had just asked one of the questions that had been burning in her mind since she had appeared before the two sisters. She knew perfectly well what was under the ground because she had tried for years to ess it without sess. Part of her sleeping curse also came from there because Ka, even after being defeated, had protected her family''s journal with herst strength.


    The Goddess had been unable to pass through the doors, cross the ck void, arrive in the hall of the pantheon, let alone enter it to ess the book. However, for some reason that was still unknown to Freya, Titania had still managed to alter the cover of the book with illusionary magic. This was all part of her ploy to let the Empress take the journal for her without remembering anything.


    Unfortunately, during her journey, Freya had developed her own system through the demons she had encountered. What Titania had never taken into ount was that her demon blood, the blood of the demon Goddess she had been, was very powerful. Despite the system she had assigned to her to act on her memories and still allow her to regain her powers, Lucifer was back.


    "What I found there ? An old book without interest which gave me a crazy headache ! Titania, are you making fun of me ? We crossed the different rooms that were under the earth, we fought demons at the risk of our lives and all that for what ? A book that doesn''t help me at all and a month of absence..."


    The ck-haired she-wolf had said these words in a calm voice but this time had knowingly approached a slightly lost and angry face. Titania was not to know that the journal was still in her possession, let alone that it had allowed her to recover her memories that were now sleeping inside her. Freya had not even finished going through its pages, so she had to keep it at all costs.


    "But...this journal...ahem...this old book, don''t you have it with you ? Can I see it ? If you couldn''t discover its potential, I''m sure I can do it for you !"


    "I''m sorry. It''s still underground, probably overgrown as we speak."


    "You..."


    Titania''s tender and loving face was now tense and it was not difficult to understand that she was doing her best not to explode with anger. After all, she had been waiting for this moment for thousands of years and finally Freya had just crushed her expectations with a detached look as if nothing had happened. Just as the Goddess was about to speak again, Kira''s innocent voice rose in the air followed by her older sister''s.


    "Onee-san ! Why don''t you talk about what you''ve managed to do ?"


    "Kira, shut up !"


    For the first time, the Empress had taken a panicked air when she had heard her little sister asked her question. This reaction and this question had not escaped Titania who had raised her head with an intrigued air. Smiling first in Kira''s direction, her face closed as she turned to Freya before speaking. Her voice was still soft but firmer, carrying a hint of contempt that did not escape the she-wolf.


    "What have you been hiding from me ? I know you don''t want to tell me everything, but I''ve given you a new life here so that you can take your revenge on humans and protect your loved ones. Haven''t I always helped you ? I know I may sound suspicious, but I swear on everything I hold dear that I am on your side."


    Although the situation annoyed the Goddess, the idea that Freya was afraid of her made her smile. Lucifer, the one who in her past had made her tremble many times, stood there before her, dancing in the palm of her hand. The she-wolf did not answer and was now frowning, seeming to think about what to say. Her violet eyes did not know where to rest, her hands were mmy and for the first time she stammered.


    "I...well...that...I..."


    Titania had the arms crossed on her chest and enjoyed this moment, almost thanking Kira for having taken her in surprise. At this moment, the silver vixen, leaned to the ear of the Empress to whisper some words to her. Unfortunately, being in the Goddess'' domain, thetter did not need to probe their minds to hear clearly what Kira was whispering.


    "Onee-san, I...no, Freya...I know you''re very suspicious but even after everything you''ve told me I...I want to trust Titania. Yes we don''t know much about her but...what if in the end she is doing all this to protect us ?"


    "Kira...why of all the moments, did you choose this one to tell me this ? Do you...do you realize that you are ruining everything ?"


    "But...Titania is right, she has always been there for you, hasn''t she ? If you can''t trust her, how can she help and protect us when something bad happens ? Onee-san..."


    Under the eyes of the Goddesspletely shocked by what was happening, for the first time, Kira and Freya were not in agreement. One feared Titania and did not trust her and the other was ready to give her all hers. This simple meeting, which had begun with difficulty for Titania, took a very interesting turn. At this moment, the idea to wee Kira in her camp, began to germinate slowly in her mind.


    ____


    - A few hours before Freya and herpanions surfaced -


    - POV Kira -


    *Kira...I have something to tell you*


    [Yes Onee-san, I am listening]


    We were on the big, dark, cold, wet staircase that Freya and her soldiers had gone through on the way down, and as we went up, her voice began to echo in my mind. We would soon reach the surface and although we didn''t know how much time had passed, the soldiers were now all aware of what had happened. However, we still had a lot to deal with and onee-san knew it.


    *Kira, I don''t know when it will happen but I''m pretty sure we''ll have a visit from Titania. Something tells me that you might as welle with me when I fall asleep because of our soul connection and my blood now running through your veins so...we need to talk*


    I had not yet met this famous Goddess who was somewhere at the origin of my birth. What I did know was that she was not what she imed to be and that we had to be very careful. I was not as good as onee-san at hiding what I thought and although I was afraid of this meeting, I was ready to do anything to protect my family.


    *I still don''t know why she needs me and my powers so badly while preventing me from remembering, but our entry into the crypt was part of her n. As you know, I can''t give her the journal I wrote with Ka at all, but I can''te back with anything...so I''ll have to give her something to satisfy her*


    [But apart from the journal we couldn''t find anything to give her, could we ? What do you think ?]


    *It doesn''t have to be physical, little sister. Titania is trying for some reason to get me to regain my Goddess powers without remembering the life I led as Lucifer. Up until the crypt her n worked perfectly, but it no longer does. I need to let her know that I have some of my powers back. So I need your help, Kira*


    As she said thesest words, in the darkness, I could see her violet eyes shine intensely. At that moment, even though neither of us was saying any words out loud, I could feel her voice vibrating inside me. Onee-san was very serious and even if I felt like joking, I forced myself to keep the same seriousness while I spoke in turn.


    [All right Freya, I''ll do whatever you ask. What do you want me to do ?]


    *I want you to side with Titania and betray me*


    [...]


    *...*


    [Wait what ?? Freya no !! Why should I side with Titatrash and betray you ? I have...]


    Of all the things I expected, I had never prepared myself to hear such a thing. If she had asked me to punch Titatrash in the face or force her to bow down to Shiro''s cuteness, I would have done it...but this. I wanted to protect my family, not put it in danger. I wanted to help Freya, not betray her, and yet...my older sister''s words had indeed echoed in my mind.


    *Calm down little sister, I don''t ask you to do it really. I just need you to put Titania''s vignce to sleep and make her believe that you trust her more than I do*


    [I...]


    *Kira, I am suspicious by nature and I don''t trust anyone, you know that, don''t you ? Titania knows it too. I can assure you that she knows I don''t trust her even if I don''t show it. How can I trust a Goddess who makes me travel in time and appears in bits and pieces to give me riddles to find something I don''t know ?*


    As Freya spoke, I could not help but agree with everything she said. Onee-san was right, from the beginning the trust between her and Titatrash was not at allplete and blind. However, despite everything she said, I didn''t see why Freya wanted me to betray her and even though I didn''t like the idea at the moment, I listened carefully.


    *You are different. You were literally born because of her and even though you are by my side today because of your strength and mine, this Goddess will take credit for it. Tsk...I can even see her bragging about being like a mother to you ! Anyway...all this to say that, it would not be illogical and suspicious that you show a particr attachment to her. I''d like to use that to make her trust you and manipte her more easily...*


    [...she will think she has a way to control you since we are close and will rely on me maybeter to give her the information she needs. Titatrash will think she is manipting you through me when in reality it is we who are manipting her]


    *Exactly*


    [Pfffhahaha~ Lucifer you are deliciously evil !]


    *Isn''t it ? fufu~*


    My older sister always foresaw everything and even after living in her mind for so long, I still couldn''t grasp the extent of her talents. She may have been an obnoxious person during her life on Earth as she so eloquently put it, but before me stood an incredible person. In my eyes, there was no one more deserving of the title of Empress and Goddess than my older sister.


    [But now that I think about it...how would you like me to act ? Should I seduce her ? Should I lick her feet ? Ew, I''d rather not but if it''s for the family then I...]


    *Hahahaha~! No little sister, you won''t have to lick her feet ! A few tteries will already be enough to start fufufufu~! I can''t believe you even considered that option hahaha~!!!*


    [Well...to be honest I''m pretty surprised too. But don''t worry, I''lle up with something worthy of a pretentious Goddess ! Wait and see ! Pfffhahaha~]


    All the soldiers were behind us so no one could see our faces or hear us. At that moment, my older sister''s face had a big smile on it, showing her long, sharp, shiny canines. Despite the subject, I could feel the happiness in her heart, which seemed to know no fear, always strong and determined. Then suddenly, a dangerous and deadly gleam began to flicker in her eyes.


    *Good ! So listen to what we''re going to do if this little maniptor of a Goddess decides to visit us !*<novelnext></novelnext>


    [I''m listening...]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 175 Game Of Lies III

    - POV Titania -


    "Kira...why of all the moments, did you choose this one to tell me this ? Do you...do you realize that you are ruining everything ?"


    Before me was a very interesting scene that I never thought I would see with my own eyes, although I could feel the anger rising. For the first time, I saw a Lucifer that I had never seen before and that interested me more and more. The Great Goddess known to all in the Kingdom of the Gods was standing there and had just been overwhelmed by the words of her own little sister.


    I didn''t know what to say, but I didn''t want to do anything, just watch and enjoy the show. Her violet eyes flickered, her hands seemed mmy and for the first time, Lucifer lowered her head. What a beautiful scene, if only the others could see what I was seeing, they would all be paralyzed. I was hypnotized by the moment, both fascinated andpletely shocked.


    *I can''t believe it...Lucifer...you who were once so powerful ! Look where you are now, you have fallen so low my dear. You will never be the same again...never again will you bring terror by your very presence and I will see to it personally*


    Despite what I had just heard from that fox, I couldn''t help but observe Freya carefully. Basically, she had the same face as when she was at the top of the Kingdom but despite her current beauty, Freya was only a draft of Lucifer. Yes, she had kept her special aura and her eyes that reflected death, but the woman before me was different.


    The majestic Goddess with the deadly eyes, the Goddess of Death herself who once brought down an entire army with a single nce, the one who could silence the greatest Gods with a single word...was no more. Freya, the new Lucifer, was now at my mercy and so far all the ns I had put in ce were working. Of course, there were a few hups but she still didn''t seem to remember me.


    "But...Titania is right, she has always been there for you, hasn''t she ? If you can''t trust, how can she help and protect us when something bad happens ? Onee-san..."


    Suddenly, the words of that harmless little fox demon snapped me out of my thoughts as I listened. Those two idiots might not think I would be able to hear their low voices, but they underestimated me. As I had thought all along, Freya was suspicious of me, but her so-called little sister seemed to take things in a different direction.


    *Oh~? How interesting...her so-called little sister seems to be a little more attached to me despite our first meeting. Maybe it''s because I''m the one who created the system that brought her to life ?*


    I didn''t know yet what it might look like, but a wonderfully evil idea began to pop into my mind. As I watched the two stupid young women in front of me, the urge to shape the little vixen in my own way troubled me. This Kira, although cute despite her stupid face, had for some unknown reason be the 6th Sin Demon Fox.


    *I don''t know yet what happened in detail, but Freya now has in her possession one of the other 6 Sins she once ruled. Lucifer, the 7th Sin Demon of Wrath, master of the other 6 and the most powerful of them all. I''ve never seen her but I heard that when she took her 7th Sin form, entire worlds could be erased in a split second...*


    No matter how hard I tried, I couldn''t get Lucifer out of my mind now that I was in charge of Freya. I kept telling my little bunny never to say her old name, but I kept doing it myself. Why was I so obsessed with her ? Because I wanted her powers, I wanted to be recognized in the Kingdom of the Gods and feared as she had been feared.


    I also had a mission given to me by the Matriarch of our House, which would allow me to move up in the hierarchy if Ipleted it. Only the Gods and Goddesses of our House knew what had happened to the Deadly Nightshade Sisters, and the house bearing their name was weakening. Due to the absence of Lucifer and Ka, the weight of the words of the Gods and Goddesses of House Nightshade, carried less and less weight in the Kingdom.


    A huge plot was therefore being prepared behind their backs with the aim of starting a War for a good reason and destroying the House of Nightshade once and for all. No heir to the family had been born with violet eyes and the current Matriarch was an ipetent Goddess, too young and overwhelmed by events. The War of the Houses was near, but I had to get Lucifer''s powers back.


    *The Matriarch wants me to deliver Freya to her on a tter once she has regained her power in order to steal her essence, her soul and her powers. I will carry out my mission, but not without taking a littlepensation in the process fufufu~*


    There was no way I was going to work my ass off for decades just to move up thedder in our House. I wanted something more, I wanted to be special so that my little bunny could look at me with pride. And in front of me was perhaps what I was looking for, what could help me in the long run. Kira, this little grey fox whose mother I was almost, was perhaps the key.


    *At the moment I''m the only one who knows that a new Nightshade has appeared and with the powers of the 2nd most powerful Sin. If I y it right, maybe she''ll choose my side over her sister''s or at least trust me blindly*


    This n seemed crazy to me, but something told me that it could actually happen, which would be wonderful for me. From what I had observed, Freya was never contradicted or rebuked and despite her distrust of me, Kira defended me. One wanted to tell me something and the other didn''t, so it was time for me to investigate and test the waters.


    "Come on~ Come on~! Freya, you have a suspicious nature but you don''t have to hide anything from me. As I told you, I am on your side and I am only trying to make you stronger so that you can protect your family and save the races of this world."


    *Tsk...it makes me sick to have to talk to her politely when she''s now just a creature nowhere near a Goddess*


    As I finished speaking, Kira''s eyes lit up while Freya still seemed disturbed by her sister''s words. Once again I couldn''t suppress the huge smile I had on my face at this most surreal sight. As I expected, it was the little vixen who spoke up.


    "O Great Goddess ! If my sister does not deign to speak to this greatness that you are, I take the liberty of doing so in her ce. During our journey underground, Freya unlocked her new Demon form and can now control her blood !"


    At her words, I frozepletely, unable not to repeat in loop what she had just announced to me. A new form of Demon ? Control of Blood ? All of these things were obviously connected to Lucifer and it was...intimidating. Now that Freya was starting to regain her powers, I had to be more and more wary. The news was good and my smile never left my face as I answered.


    "Well~! Is this what you wanted to hide from me Freya ? I told you, I''m on your side and I think it''s great that you can develop another element than the ones I gave you. Even so, this little month underground wasn''t in vain for you hahaha~"


    What Kira had just told me was very valuable information, and even if that idiot hadn''t brought back the Nightshade journal, it was still possible to find itter. With Lucifer''s powers, it would be a piece of cake to find it and reveal its secrets. So, the most important thing was indeed the confirmation that they were slowlying back into her without Freya remembering her past.


    Maybe that''s why I had felt a vibration about our connectionst time. I couldn''t feel it at all, as if her system had disappeared, but that was impossible in my opinion. Freya wouldn''t be able to use her mana because she was born with the system, let alone Kira who shouldn''t even be able to breathe.


    "Titania, my sister may trust youpletely but I don''t. I won''t trust you until I know why you brought me back in time and who I really am. Last time you promised me that I would have answers but in this crypt besides evolving, I have gained nothing..."


    *Tsk...what a demanding bitch, daring to talk to me like that ! At least your bitchy little sister is much more polite and knows how to show me the respect I deserve ! Sigh....I need to calm down and keep my facade perfect..*


    "Ahem...Freya, I understand that you want answers my dear child, but if what I asked you to look for wasn''t enough what can I do then ? This old book could have helped you but you left it there, don''t me me for that."


    *This ipetent old Goddess didn''t even bother to bring back the Nightshade journal and even took it for an old book. I know she lost her memories but still ! Did she also lose her brain in the process ?*


    Freya''s voice was as cold as ever and despite her situation, she still dared to look at me with disdain. One day I was going to make her pay for all this and I couldn''t wait to reveal my true face to see hers break down. For the moment, I had to remain the beautiful and kind Goddess in order to deceive her sixth sense which seemed to be dead with her real identity.


    *Anyway, whether that pretentious bitch trusts me or not is the same thing. With her system, she totally depends on me and now even her little pimpin'' fake sister seems to love me. Everything is perfect...even if Freya is too stupid to trust, I''ll always find a way to follow her progress hahahahaha~*


    While I was once again lost in my thoughts, I was looking for a way to satisfy this she-wolf''s curiosity. Of course, she had left the Nightshade journal underground and it was all her fault, but I still had to find something. To maintain this weak confidence and keep my mask so far perfect, I had to give her some answers.


    "If what Kira said is true, you''ve awakened your demon side and that''s perfect. Don''t be so eager to find out who you are, because to tell you the truth, you must be even more powerful. If the book you found had nothing to tell you then it was no longer of any use. The important thing is that now you are developing your own skills and that''s great ! Keep practicing and getting stronger and stronger, the answers are never far away !"


    *In this way I kill two birds with one stone ! I show her that hiding things from me is a bad idea because I''m the only one who can help her and at the same time I gain her trust and especially Kira''s ! I''m incredibly smart it seems hahaha~*


    As I finished my sentence, I could see Freya frown before releasing her expression in a sigh of resignation. This was it, she had let her guard down and even though I didn''t have herplete trust, her previously strong and unwavering spirit was falling under my maniptions and lies. Now I had to continue to observe and enjoy the show.


    I had learned far more than I needed to and asking too many questions would be a bit suspicious. I had new insights that were opened up to me thanks to Kira, I now knew that Freya had finally learned the control of the Blood and that everything was going well. Of course, I would have liked to have the journal so I could study it, but without Lucifer''s powers it would have been useless to me anyway.


    "Well ! We''ve been talking for over 10 minutes now and I still don''t have any more time for you so I''ll have to leave. Besides, it seems to me that you have a lot to deal with now that you are back. The next few days will not be easy believe me..."


    As I let thesest few words slip voluntarily, Freya''s gaze became instantly cold and threatening. I, who had waited a month above the world, knew perfectly well what had been going on during her absence, but she still didn''t know. While her voice sounded more confident than ever and her sister kept silent, I allowed myself the right to tell her the truth because it was also in my interest.


    "Titania...what are you talking about ? What happened while we were gone ?!"


    "..."


    "Well...you''ll have to find out the details for yourself but...when you left, did you not leave your wife pregnant ? And weren''t you aware that the armed forces of the Kingdom of Zal were about to march on your Empire ? If I were you, I would return to Elysium quickly because without you...everything will be destroyed and you will lose your beloved family."


    And with these words, without giving them time to answer, I sent them back to wake up to theirpanions who were panicking. I had done a great job and now waiting was my best ally. Freya...Lucifer was dancing in the palm of my hand and everything was going as nned. Now all I had to do was watch, how the great Empress would get out of the trouble that awaited her.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :<novelnext></novelnext>


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect


    the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 176 Race Against The Sunset

    - POV Freya -


    "Empress L...Freya !! What''s going on ??"


    "Princess Kira !! Wake up !!"


    I could feel the grass under my body again, the slightly cold wind and I could hear the panicked voices of my soldiers. Every sound reached my sensitive ears, every sound of footsteps hitting the ground, every vibration, the sound of clothes, breaths...everything. Even the smells were present again and hit my sense of smell from all sides.


    We were back, after those long minutes spent at the side of that liar Titania and her shenanigans that we had seening. Our meeting had been interesting for us and I knew that the n that I had set up beforehand was now perfectly working. However, thest sentences of the Goddess turned in my mind in loop.


    I had to get home as soon as possible, I could feel it, it was an almost irrepressible urge but I couldn''t leave like that. As I finally opened my eyes, I could see Kira also getting up with a lost look on her face. All the Commanders and Lieutenants were around us and even though we had been gone for a few minutes, I knew that they didn''t understand a thing.


    "Everything is fine, don''t worry. Kira and I simply encountered the Goddess Titania again but as you have seen, we can''t control anything and are in a temporary sleep."


    As I finally straightened up, I watched the worried faces of those around us be a little more reassured. Since we left the Empire, I knew they had been through a lot of emotions, even now. However, I didn''t have time to think about that because I had a bigger problem ahead of me. I had wanted to get back to the Empire quickly all along, but after Titania''s announcement, I couldn''t wait.


    The urge to start running right away was taking me by storm but I felt lost. To run now and leave them all here ? Take the time to exin the situation quickly and risk losing precious minutes ? What to do ? For the first time, I was caught between my duty as Empress, as a wife and as a mother. Yes...I was standing in the middle of the forest and I was lost.


    I couldn''t help but tremble slightly as I thought about what might be happening miles away. Had Gaya given birth ? Was there something wrong with the baby ? Had the Kingdom of Zal already arrived in Elysium in just one month ? All of my fears came in one wave, turning my heart a deep ck. I was hurting, I was scared, I was lost, and I was feeling it all for the first time.


    *What if Gaya and Shiro were already in enemy hands ? What if my wife hadplications during the pregnancy ? It''s not impossible, after all, she is carrying my child. Damn...I....we must...I must..*


    As I felt myself falling further and further into an endless loop, for the first time in a long time an icy coldness emanated from me. I had no time to waste and yet I was paralyzed and unable to control myself. I could feel the roots of my hair getting cold and I knew that my white hair was beginning to reveal itself. At that moment, as always and forever...I could count on my family.


    [Freya...calm down ! I know how you feel, I feel the same way. This overwhelming desire to run home is running through me. I...please try to control this wave of emotion. It''s overwhelming me too and I...I feel like I''m going crazy. Please...]


    As my heart cried out, Kira''s voice echoed in my mind without the hint of joy that was unique to her. Her tone was weak, her voice trembling, and as she spoke to me, I felt a hand rest on my cold left arm. Lowering my eyes first, I could see her ungloved hand sping my arm in support. I didn''t feel her warmth and only the sound of her crackling skin reached my ears.


    My whole being was freezing cold, every part of my body although looking normal, was like ice. Her hand seemed to be burning gently from the cold and for her who had never really known pain, it must have been unbearable. Yet, Kira had ced her hand on my arm and despite the cold and pain, did not let go as her voice echoed again.


    [Fre..Freya..I''m scared too, I...I''m terrified haha~ I don''t know how to deal with this. My...my heart is beating so fast, horrible images are going through my head and...I don''t know....I...Shiro...Gaya...]


    I looked up at her face and what I saw was like a shock to me, reminding me why I had no right to be weak. In front of me stood Kira, just as shaken by the events as I was and if I was still stoic, she...was in tears. On her soft pink cheeks, hot tears were flowing, reflecting her fears, her doubts and everything I was feeling.


    My little sister, so beautiful, so cute, for the first time, was not crying with joy but with sadness. I could read the pain, fear and heartbreaking sadness in her face. The sight broke mine and as I instantly regained my usual warmth and ck hair, I pulled her to me. My soldiers may have been around us and watching, but I didn''t care.


    At that moment, only my little sister Kira mattered and seeing her in a state I wished I had never seen, had shaken me awake. No matter what was near us, I drew her into my arms to hold her as tightly as I could. As Kira''s face buried itself in my chest, I felt her tears welling up. Like an unstoppable waterfall, my little sister was crying in my arms like a baby.


    Neither of us spoke anymore because neither of us wanted to. At that moment I was just hugging Kira while unconsciously rocking her slightly. Since she had a body, she had trouble controlling her emotions and if Titania''s words had shaken me...they had devastated her. The seconds passed but at no time did I regret taking this time for my little sister who needed me.


    Kira had always been one of the important pirs of my life and even when Gaya or Shiro were not around, she was always by my side. I couldn''t count the number of times she had saved me from my own demons and feelings against all odds. At this very moment, it was up to me to be her pir and no matter what fears clouded my own heart, I wanted to be strong to carry my little sister when she didn''t have the strength anymore.


    Minutes passed and I was still stroking Kira''s silver hair and ears. As I rocked her tenderly, I could feel her sobs getting quieter and quieter, giving way to adorable sniffles. Kira was slowly calming down but her arms wrapped around me continued to cling to my clothes like Shiro would. This made me smile, while I finally decided to speak.


    *Shhhh, there~...it''s ok. I...I''m sorry Kira, I got carried away with my emotions without thinking about how you might feel. I know this is all new to you and yet you still took it upon yourself to resonate with me. What a poor big sister I am, right ? Forgive me little sister...I am here now...*


    At my words, I finally felt Kira move slightly and while I expected her to raise her head, she did something unexpected. Instead of breaking away from my embrace, she raised her fist and gently mmed it against one of my ribs. Kira didn''t seem to have any strength at all after all that, but still took the time to hit me tenderly before responding.


    [You...you''re not a bad big sister Freya *sniff* You''re the best so *sniff* don''t...don''t say that anymore ! Th-Thanks...I... *sniff* I didn''t know how to control myself...sorry...]


    Her voice was still as weak, shaky and soft as the first time and despite the situation, it warmed my heart. In my arms was my little sister who was showing me a side of her that I didn''t know. Kira was absolutely adorable and her teasing and cheeky side had given way to a fragile and cute side. It is thus by swearing to me once again to protect her, that I answered in my turn.


    *You don''t have to apologize, it''s totally normal considering your special situation. And anyway, it''s always better to let your emotions go. Come on, don''t worry about our family, Titania suggested us to hurry up but nothing indicated with certainty that something serious had happened*


    [Mmmh...]


    Everything I said was sincere and even if I tried to convince myself at the same time, it was not impossible. Now all that was left to do was to get the others up to speed before we rushed to Elysium. All my Commanders had reached level 30 after all, and I could leave them in the Syn forest to rest while I ran.


    "Are you feeling better ?"


    "Yes...thank you onee-san"


    After many minutes, we finally separated from each other with a slight smile. I could finally see Kira''s face and it was almostpletely red and her eyes were slightly swollen and bright. So, before turning back to my soldiers to tell them about everything, I ced a soft kiss on my little sister''s forehead. Her tears had turned into a smile, her fears into hope and her pain into love.


    "Well...it''s time to exin everything to the others, we''ll leave right after !"


    "Yes *sniff* onee-san !"


    I finally turned to face the Empire warriors who had waited patiently and respectfully without uttering a single word. I had exined everything to them from beginning to end on our way back to the surface, so they all knew now that I was no longer just Freya but also Lucifer. Since my soldiers already knew about my reincarnation, everything was easier to exin.


    Even Lynn, who happened to be there by chance, knew about this and no one was unaware of my status as a former Goddess, nor of my missing older sister Ka. It was now time to summarize our brief meeting with Titania and make them understand the urgency of the situation. It was alreadyte afternoon and the sun was still high in the sky, and it would not be long before it began its descent on the world of Kleisaria and I had to be quick.


    ____


    - POV General -


    In therge clearing where a tree made of water and crystal used to stand, the Empress had just told everything to those who apanied her. She had been quick for obvious reasons, but had left nothing to chance. Freya didn''t know if Titania was still spying on them so she had exined everything telepathically to make sure no eavesdroppers could hear.


    Each warrior had a serious face and now that the she-wolf had exined it to them, they all agreed to stay and rest for a few hours. The Empress had to get back to the Empire with her sister as soon as possible and they would not be moving until the next morning. Some Commanders were a little more stressed than others, like Luna who was thinking about yna, but rest was the priority.


    In any case, they all trusted their Empress and could not ignore their bodies that were crying out for rest. Besides, in less than a day all the soldiers were able to arrive at the Empire, which justified their departure in the morning. As for Freya, in only a few hours she could return and was, therefore, the only one, apanied by her little sister, to leave right away.


    "Good. Now that you know everything, I''ll leave it to the Commanders to handle the situation ! I don''t know what we''ll find there or what''s going on, but I expect you to be there by tomorrow night at thetest. I wish I could be there for your developments, but you can handle it yourself. When we meet again, we''ll go over it in detail."


    "Yes your Highness ! You can count on us and leave without fear ! We will meet again tomorrow without fail."


    Nixia had spoken, bowing, followed by the others without any of the other Commanders adding anything. They knew perfectly well that Freya was in a hurry and as everyone straightened up, the she-wolf turned to her sister.


    "Are you ready ? You can always hop on my back if you can''t keep up."


    "No onee-san, I''ve been needing to let off steam for hours, to think about something else. If I ever don''t feel well or can''t do it anymore, I''ll tell you, I promise !"


    "Perfect then."


    Without saying another word, under the stunned eyes of the soldiers of Elysium, the two violet-eyed sisters, transformed at exactly the same time. Not to change, the process of transformation had caused a violent wind from Freya, which was revealed little by little with Kira behind the cloud of smoke.


    In front of the most powerful warriors of the Empire, stood a gigantic ck wolf with a line of white and red hair and two majestic horns. Freya was even more imposing than before, the air around her even seemed to distort slightly and anyone whoid eyes on her could not remain indifferent.


    Behind this huge dark beast, a huge fox, a little smaller, silver-gray with three tails and only one horn, was waiting. It was Kira, and for the first time she was in her original form. The sun was already starting to set and in just a few hours it would be dark. So Freya wanted to get home before dark and it was time to run for their family and their Empire.


    "Are you ready little sister ?"


    "Mmh onee-san !''


    "Perfect. Let''s hurry, it''s a race against the sunset..."


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade<novelnext></novelnext>


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 177 The Ones Who Ran On The Sea

    - POV Freya -


    We had started our crazy race to Elysium and had left absolutely everyone behind so as not to exhaust them. The sun was going to set in less than two hours and I wanted to get home before then. So Kira and I changed into our beast form and headed East. We had just left and tworge beasts could be seen running like the wind.


    I was faster than Kira for obvious reasons, but strangely enough, even though she was behind, she was able to keep up. As I was in front, I destroyed every obstacle on the way to give her a clear path. I didn''t have time to use my elements, so I ran into the trees and smashed them against me. I was not in control of my strength either and tremors echoed through the forest.


    My powerful paws were hitting the ground and as usual, I was making bigger and bigger craters every minute. The more I ran, the more I destroyed the forest in my path, uprooting trees, tearing up roots and splitting the earth violently. My thoughts and my heart were in Elysium and my only desire was to join my wife and daughter who had been waiting for me for far too long.


    Fast, fast, always faster. I could think of nothing else as I felt myself being carried along by the wind and these emotions that I had repressed. When Kira had copsed, I had once again locked all my fears and anxieties in my heart. Now that I was running, I felt as if I was freeing myself from a huge weight as thendscape passed by at an impressive speed.


    While I was focused on my run, I turned my head slightly to look behind me. My little sister was in her fox form and was following me from a little further away, looking happy to let off steam after all that. If I looked like a wild beast straight from Hell, Kira looked like a beautiful, mysterious vixen. So, in spite of our crazy race, I took a few seconds to observe her more.


    Her three tails behind seemed to float and her silver fur was dotted with red symbols. Her silver hair rustled softly and the light of the setting sun reflected off her beautiful fur. My steps were full of raw power but Kira''s seemed light and airy. After only a few minutes of walking through the forest, I finally decided to speak.


    *Kira ! I''ll try to contact Gaya now that we have time. In the crypt, I thought it was still dark and since we came out we haven''t had a minute''s peace*


    [Yes Onee-san ! Since it''s important I won''t talk, but please link me to her too. Since I''m not in your mind anymore, it''s not automatic, so don''t forget me]


    *Of course, little sister !*


    It was now time to contact my wife and as my heart was beating faster and faster, I opened my Empire menu. Before contacting her, I wanted to check her condition first to have maybe a clue on what was going on. So, it was with great stress that I selected the name of my beloved, hoping not to find anything too serious. I was stressed but I was not alone.


    -- PING --


    [Individual : Gaya (wife)


    Mental Health: Average (exhausted)


    Physical health : Very low (important mana loss)


    Particrity(ies) : Pregnant : elerated process (can give birth at any moment ]


    I scanned the information in front of me and the further down I went, the more I felt my hair stand on end. That Gaya was exhausted was one thing, but that she was very weak and could give birth at any time was inconceivable. We had been gone a month, but even with this unforeseen event, my wife should have only been at the beginning of her third month of pregnancy. What could have happened to speed up the process ?


    I felt my teeth clench and a rage rise in me again, but this time directed directly at myself for not being present at her side. However, remembering my little sister''s words and distress earlier, I kept my calm. There was no point in panicking and before I drew any hasty conclusions, I had to check with the main person concerned.


    -- PING --


    [ Contact Gaya telepathically ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    ___


    *Yes !*


    While I was thinking about my answer, I did not forget to link my little sister who was no longer in my mind, preventing the automatic connection. The golden wire that I saw as usual, split in two, one going straight to me and the other to Kira. In a few seconds the connection was established but things were not as before. Instead of the usual silence, I heard a weak voice that seemed to be talking to itself.


    "Breathe...breathe...everything is fine..."


    The voice I heard was of course my wife''s, and though weak and tired, I could recognize her between a thousand and one. We were still running through the Syn forest and even though I wasn''t looking in front of me, it didn''t matter. I was finally in contact with the dragoness of my heart and the first sounds of her voice did not please me. So it was with concern and fear that I spoke up.


    *My love ?*


    "Ho-honey !! You...you''re finally back ?? Finally...I...I...thank God you''re okay !! I-it''s been a month...you...you...you''ve been gone so long...s-...so much has happened ! I...I have..."


    *Shhhh breathe my love, it''s okay, I''m here. Listen to the sound of my voice and try to calm down, it''s okay sweetheart. I''m actually running towards home. You can tell me everything in detail once I get there but tell me first, are you okay ? What about Shiro ? What''s going on ?"


    I couldn''t help but ask questions and even though hearing her voice reassured me, I wasn''t serene. I wanted to know what was going on as soon as possible but I didn''t want to tire her out either. Stopping us for too long could exhaust her more than Gaya already was, so I had to be quick. In a few minutes we would already be in the Dark Forest so I listened carefully.


    "I...I''ll...I''ll try to be quick. I...I found out that I have a little brother and he''s been in the hospital ever since because his condition is serious. Shiro is fine but more and more weird things are happening and it seems like she has developed her element. For...for the Empire, the regr patrols of the Guardians of Persea and Ynir discovered an army starting to make camp at the edge of the woods and...and...I...I''m about to give birth..."


    Despite her exhausted tone, Gaya had spoken very quickly and almost without taking a breath. As for me, her words had been so striking that I stopped instantly in my tracks, nearly knocking Kira over. I had heard very well but a part of me could not believe all this. A little brother ? An army ready to attack ? The element of my little moon ? and most of all...the pregnancy.


    *How is that...possible ? Did we miss that much ? I...my love, how long have you been ? Are you well taken care of ? I...did your water break ? How long ago ? Are you having contractions ? And most importantly, are you okay ?*


    It was my turn to panic and not know how to handle the current situation. After all, I had never been married before, let alone experienced such a moment, making me discover the worries of a wife and mother. As I spoke these words, I resumed my run, always followed by Kira who remained silent. The trees of the Dark Forest were already in sight as Gaya answered.


    "I...I''m fine...but I''m just so exhausted. Freya...I think I''m going intobor in a few hours. I...I''m having some contractions but they''re very mild, I''m doing the best I can to rx and I''m not alone. I''m...I''m just so scared that you''re not going to make it in time I..."


    My wife''s words echoed in my mind, while an even more incredible force took hold of my body and soul. Not being there for my wife''s delivery, the birth of my child ? I couldn''t. Gaya needed me and I had to be there for her. I had to be by her side for this moment and I knew that I would never forgive myself if I couldn''t.


    *I...Gaya...it''s okay, I''ming...I love you and I promise you that before the sun sets, I''ll be by your side*


    "I love you too honey...I trust you. I...I''m going to rest now...make...make it quick please.."


    It is thus on these few words that themunication ended, leaving me in all my states. Many things had happened but at this moment only Gaya was the priority and an unknown power was invading me. I forgot everything else, the army, Titania, my soldiers who stayed behind and only my instincts as a mother and a wife remained.


    [Freya ! I...I heard everything and we don''t have any time to lose ! This may sound crazy but...why don''t we go by sea ? We''re fast, but if we had to go bynd, it would slow us down. Besides, Gaya said that an army was starting to settle at the edge of the forest, if we go that way you can be sure that we will be seen !]


    *The sea ?*


    [Yes, to our left, if I remember correctly and I''m pretty sure I do, if we cut through there we woulde directly to the cliff where the imperial mansion stands. The sun will set in a little over an hour and you promised your wife to be there. This is not the time to hesitate, let''s go by the sea because I know that you are capable of taking us across it. Aren''t you the Ice Empress ?]


    As Kira spoke, I realized that she was absolutely right. It was not impossible and even quite interesting considering the current urgent situation. Besides, this was not the time to be spotted by an army of humans most likelying for yna. It did seem crazy to go by sea but we were going to do it...at that moment I was ready to do anything for my wife.


    *Well Kira, let''s do as you suggested ! Let''s go by the sea on our left, you''re right if we manage to cross it, this path will lead us directly to the beach below the manor !*


    [Mmmh Onee-san ! How do you n to do it ?]


    *I''m going to consciously use my Frozen Wrath skill for the first time...I think I can do it...no...actually I''m sure I can !*


    If I wanted to be able to get there in time, I had to give it everything I had even if it meant crawling back. The sun was setting and our race against it was only getting more intense and of all my avable skills, the only one I could think of was the one that allowed me to freeze everything around me with my aura. Thanks to my recent moment of madness, I had managed to grasp its use a little better.


    I didn''t control it perfectly, but just enough to allow me to freeze the sea under my paws to allow us to cross it. However, I didn''t have time not to believe in my abilities because I had to do everything to reach my destination and keep my promise. As crazy and maybe stupid as this idea might seem, my little sister had confidence in me and I had confidence in her.


    [I''m following you !]


    So, without wasting a second, we suddenly turned to our left as we were finally in the Dark Forest. It didn''t take us long to get to the sea and while the sea air impregnated more and more my nostrils, I concentrated. Despite the urgency of the situation and the stress I was under, I activated my skill "Domain of the Ice Empress - Frozen Wrath" while closing my eyes.


    Once again I felt a cold airing out of my body along with a feeling of anger that I had to control in order not to cause a natural disaster. I had to keep my negative feelings aside and concentrate on this icy aura to make it circte throughout my body. Gradually, as the sea was only a few meters away, I opened my eyes...I was ready.


    *Let''s go !*


    [Yes !]


    I concentrated all my mind and intelligence in my paws and as I put a first paw on the sand, it froze instantly. I had no time to wonder, I had to neither doubt nor slow down, so without hesitation I rushed into the water. At this moment, a wave of cold escaped violently from me and the sea all around us started to freeze.


    PING -


    [ Congrattions ! The skill : Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) is now level 3 ]


    I ignored the notification and continued my crazy run always followed by my little sister. We were no longer running onnd and every step I took hardened the sea, stopped the waves and froze the water in time, creating a huge path straight to our Empire. My mana was running out but I had enough to get me all the way there, although once I got there I knew I would be exhausted.


    But none of that mattered, I was ready to do anything to keep my promise, to be there for my wife, my daughter, my child and to allow Kira to be there too. I was determined, an indescribable rage and strengthing out of me, strengthening my ice and icy aura even making my fur quiver.


    *Gaya...Shiro...little star about to be born...we areing !*


    ____


    - POV General -


    The setting sun, zing like the most precious of fires, tinged the world with its crimson color, descending on the restless sea. In the middle of this sea, two majestic and huge creatures could be seen in a scene that was hard to believe. A beautiful ck wolf with two horns, fur as dark as night and sharp fangs, was running on the water followed by a silver fox with three tails.<novelnext></novelnext>


    As they passed, the sea did not split in two but froze at an impressive speed, allowing them to never stop. Every second was precious and the sun was getting lower and lower but the two beautiful purple-eyed creatures did not stop. Caught in a mad race, a race against the sunset, the two majestic beasts ran with the strength of their bodies, their determination and their hearts.


    At that moment, nothing could stop them, no wave, no strong wind, no creature, no monster. Driven by their love, their fears and the desire to be there for the people they loved, Empress Freya and Princess Kira crossed the red sea, tinged by the sun.


    [N/A: Path taken by Freya and Kira represented on the map of the continent avable on discord]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (form - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 55 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya


    Daughter : Shiro


    Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 178 Reunion And Childbirth

    - POV Freya -


    Never in my life had I done what my little sister and I were doing at that very moment. Under the re of the setting sun, we were running on the sea to join the rest of our family as soon as possible. It had been several minutes that we were running like the wind and already in the distance we could see a rather average and mysterious ind that we were going to go around.


    From the balcony or the terrace of the Imperial mansion, it was impossible to see it even with my eyes. The perspective of the ocean meant that I could only see the horizon as far as the eye could see, like a world without end. For the first time Kira and I could see this ind which was exactly between the beach where we had left and Elysium. While we were still running around it, I took a look at it.


    It wasn''t a huge ind, but it was big enough to prevent me from knowing for sure what was on it. The vegetation was dense, there was nothing but green as far as the eye could see and tall trees rose up to the sky. They were different from the ones I knew in the Syn forest or the Dark forest, as they seemed more tropical, made ofrge trunks and leaves falling like vines.


    So much so that it was impossible to see what was inside, like a wall of vegetation surrounding this ind, cutting it off from the world. As we passed by, my desire to explore it became apparent and I kept this idea in the corner of my mind. For the moment, I was concentrating on my run as the sun was already starting to tint the sky a deep ck. In less than 30 minutes, the night would be here.


    [Hey onee-san I was thinking about something ! Why don''t we destroy the statue of Titatrash in the middle of the Empire ? After everything she''s been up to against you, I think it''s a necessity !]


    As we sped past the ind, Kira''s voice echoed in my mind again. The words she had just spoken woke me up from my thoughts as I realized that the lying Goddess was almost worshipped in our city. An urgent urge to smash that statue into a thousand pieces suddenly came over me before calming down very quickly, as I answered.


    *And risk arousing her suspicions ? I don''t know if this is a good idea haha~*


    [Mmmh...That''s true, you''re right, but...]


    *But ?*


    [Well...hypothetically of course...let''s imagine that an unfortunate ident happens because of my clumsiness and that this magnificent statuees to break...it wouldn''t be so suspicious, would it ? pffpff~]


    Once again, my little sister had just said something totally unpredictable, both funny and crazy. She always had a very special way of approaching things and as always, never ceased to impress me. Kira couldn''t break the statue ? She would find a way to do it and still be true to herself. The thought made me smile mentally as I yed along with her.


    *Hypothetically, right ? fufu~*


    [Of course ! In a purely hypothetical way onee-san, you know me ! I''m not at all clumsy, let alone foolish enough to break the divine representation of my dearest "mother" pffhahaha~!]


    *So I guess there''s no problem little sister haha~*


    [Fine...Hihihi~]


    This little talk, although short, had rxed me and made me forget for a moment that my mana reserves were running out. I could finally see thend in front of us, but the ice under my feet was bing less and less solid. The freezing zone was getting smaller by the minute and even though we were almost there, I felt myself getting weaker by the second.


    *Almost there !*


    [Onee-san ! I don''t have ess to your status anymore, but I know it well enough to know that you must only have 10,000 MP left ! You shouldn''t strain your mana any further ! We are almost there, maybe we can swim to the end !]


    As the path became narrower and narrower, Kira suggested an idea that I was not very happy about. But she was right, because I only had 15,000 MP left and I had to find a solution. My mind was racing and I studied all the possibilities, taking every parameter into ount. And the simplest and most obvious idea appeared in my head.


    *Kira ! Trust me ! Go ahead and take your humanoid form, we will arrive in a few minutes but I want to be even faster !*


    [I trust you onee-san !!]


    I was almost out of mana but I could always use another one although it would require a lot more concentration. So I had found a solution that would allow me to manage everything while keeping our speed. Kira was still behind me and since I was the fastest, I had to slow down so that she could pass me. So I slowed down, expecting her to pass me.


    However, instead of passing me on the right or left, turning my head, I could see her leaping powerfully with her four legs. Kira had waited until thest moment, almost at the moment our bodies were about to collide, to jump into the almost ck sky. While she was above my head, my little sister suddenly took her human form, gliding through the air.


    Then, with a graceful salto, she was about tond several meters ahead of me in the water. Before she touched the sea, I used this time the ambient mana to create a path of several meters. Everything happened very fast after that. Once Kira was on the ice tform, I took back my human form too.


    Catching up with my little sister, I quickly made myself some ice clothes before doing the same for her. This was the first time I had used ambient mana on someone but I had mastered it enough to do something decent. As I finally reached her height, I grabbed her by the waist and jumped even higher.


    [Ooooaaaauuuuh~ you...you could warn anyway !]


    Once in the sky, I had spread my ice wings before dashing through the air currents to arrive even faster. Kira, surprised and not used to this sensation, looked at me with a face at the same time amazed and afraid. Smiling at her adorable faces, I took the opportunity to concentrate. All my senses were on alert and from then on I wanted to locate my wife.


    *She''s here !*


    It didn''t take me very long because Gaya had a singr smell, indescribable but intoxicating. I could find her anywhere and with my sharp senses, despite the size of the mansion, I knew that she was in our room, surrounded by many people including Shiro. That''s it, we had finally arrived, the sun was seeing itsst rays disappear but it was toote for it...I had won the race...I had managed to keep my promise.


    ____


    - POV General -


    The stars were beginning toe out and the zing red sky was already almost gone. In the Imperial bedroom, the Queen was lying on her bed, surrounded by her daughter the Princess, some doctors and Lia. The Empress was still not present and despite what her wife had told her about an hour ago, she was about to give birth.


    "My Queen ! You must not be so tens e! I know you are waiting for the return of her Highness but you are about to give life ! You...you need to rx, we are here for you !"


    "No I...the...the sun hasn''t set yet, I...I want to wait a few more minutes. She...she promised me she would be here !"


    Gaya was dressed in a white robe that looked a bit small due to her unexpectedlyrge belly. If a month ago it was the size of a watermelon, now its size had doubled showing that it was time for the dragoness to give birth to her baby. Her hair was scattered on the pillow, wet andpletely tangled unlike usual.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The Queen''s face was sweating and grimacing every second as the contractions grew stronger. However, she wanted to wait for her wife who had promised to be there for the birth of their child. Her body was unconsciously pushing, but Gaya was trying to resist so as not to live this moment without her while Princess Shiro was beside her on the bed, sponging her mother''s forehead.


    "Gaya-Sama ! Please, this...this is not good for your health or the baby''s...thebor has begun and if you continue like this, you will exhaust yourself !"


    "Mom ! I...I''m not sure what''s going on but...but you need to stay healthy...and the baby too !"


    While Lia was still trying to convince the stubborn dragoness, Shiro was doing her best to do the same. It was all a bit overwhelming for her, and yet she knew that what her mother was doing was not good. Just look at her sweaty face, her grimaces and hear her panting, weak and exhausted voice. Thest ray of sunlight was beginning to disappear when suddenly a huge noise was heard.


    Gaya, Shiro, Lia as well as the few doctors, all turned their heads in the direction of the balcony where two wings of ice had just appeared. The Empress had finally arrived and was even holding a young woman unknown to everyone in her arms. No one understood what was going on, but the urgency of the situation prevented anyone from focusing on Kira. Time was running out and now that Freya was here, the Queen had to give birth.


    "My love !! What is the situation !? Wasn''t she due in a few hours ??"


    Freya left her little sister on the balcony and rushed into the room, asking questions to the doctors around her, whom she didn''t even know. Thetter, seeing the Empress so close for the first time, could neither speak nor move. She had arrived so suddenly, from nowhere, and her cold voice was all the more authoritative as Freya was worried about her wife.


    "..."


    "..."


    "Your Highness ! Your...your child is about to be born and the Queen has wished to wait for you. Because of this...she is getting more exhausted by the minute and may be at risk of serious injury. Now that...you are here, it should be better ! The baby should be here any minute now !"


    Lia had spoken eagerly, knowing full well how Freya might react under pressure, especially if it involved her family members. The she-wolf had taken in all the information and as she nodded, she knelt at the foot of the bed to grab the dragoness in her arms. At the same time, she grabbed Shiro for a group hug as she whispered.


    "Everything is fine...ssshhhh, you shouldn''t have gone to so much trouble my love but...to be honest I''m d I can be here. I kept my promise and I''m back."


    "Mmmh...I...I trusted you...I knew you woulde before dark...t-thanks..."


    "Mommy mommy !!! Wee home !!!"


    Before the stunned eyes of the Empire''s doctors, the Empress known for being as cold as ice and as terrifying as she was beautiful, was different. Freya was smiling and despite the frightening aura she gave off, the love she had for her wife and daughter was even stronger. Out of respect and modesty, even though time was running out, the people in the room who were not part of the family turned away to let them meet.


    "Don''t...don''t just stand there..e...Kira..."


    While the Empress was still hugging her daughter and her wife, the dragoness had raised her head and addressed the one who was standing shyly in the frame of the balcony window. Kira had stood there all this time and had not dared to approach despite her intense desire to join them. Even though she loved them with all her heart, she was paralyzed and could not go back.


    "I..."


    Stepping into the room for the first time, the silver vixen shivered in spite of herself, her heart beating wildly. In front of her was her family...the ones she had always dreamed of holding in her arms, the ones who had weed her and whom she loved. When she reached Shiro, Gaya and Freya, Kira couldn''t look at them and lowered her head, blushing furiously.


    The Empress'' little sister didn''t know how to react, her shy side getting the better of her more than she had hoped. Suddenly, a small, gentle hand rested on her trembling one and as Kira turned her head, she could see a bright smile shining on a tearful but happy face. The two Princesses of the Empire were facing each other for the first time and as the silence reigned, Shiro''s small voice rose, sweet and innocent.


    "Auntie Kira...wee home !"


    At that moment, Freya''s hand wrapped around Kira''s waist to draw her close to them. In her turn, the vixen found herself kneeling by the bed, in a family hug filled with various feelings. Once again, tears could not help but color her face as she felt the warmth of a family...her family.


    "I...*sniff* I''m here...*sniff* finally !"


    Each of the four women closed their eyes, enjoying the moment of this reunion and despite the situation, warm and full of love. ck, crimson, white and silver hair mixed together as Freya, Gaya, Kira and Shiro pressed their foreheads together with smiles on their faces. Long minutes passed before suddenly Gaya spoke words that would reignite the urgency of the moment.


    "I...the baby ising !"


    ____


    "This is it ! I..I see the head ! Push a little more Gaya-sama, it''s fine...breathe...everything is fine, you''re doing a great job !"


    One of the doctors was leaning right in front of the dragoness and was working on extracting the child that was starting toe out. Gaya had been inbor for over half an hour and her hard work was paying off. Freya was holding her hand and whispering words in her ear while Shiro and Kira had moved away slightly to let the doctors do their work.


    "You''re almost there ! Just a little more courage and it will be over !"


    The dragoness breathed loudly, clenched her teeth and pushed harder to give birth to the one she carried in her belly. The she-wolf at her side supported her with her love and words but bit her lip with stress and excitement. She too was shaking, sweating and her usually calm right foot could not help but beat the ground quickly. Then suddenly, the cries of a newborn baby were heard in the night.


    "You did it Queen Gaya !"


    One of the doctors had started to shout while wrapping the little thing in her arms with a clean ck sheet. As she looked up, the Empress was already standing in front of her and gently grabbing this fragile little being. The she-wolf, always with her eyes as piercing as cold, lowered her eyes and instantly, her look changed.


    Freya had just put her eyes on her child and they were instantly warmed, filled with love, tenderness and happiness. She had not yet looked at the gender of her child because Freya wanted to find out with her wife and could not wait any longer. So, as she was about to return to Gaya with a smile on her face, something unexpected happened.


    The dragoness didn''t seem to rx after those long minutes of work and seemed even more concentrated. Her face was still grimacing slightly and despite the announcement of the birth of her child, the dragoness seemed elsewhere. Then, suddenly, Lia''s voice came to confirm the suspicions of the Empress who at this moment did not believe her ears.


    "Wait !!! This...this isn''t over ! There...it seems there''s another one !"

 Chapter 179 Two Of The Brightest Stars

    - POV Freya -


    "Wait !!! This...this isn''t over ! There...it seems there''s another one !"


    I held my child in my arms and as my heart beat like it had never beaten before, Lia uttered a sentence that made me tremble. A second baby ? How had I not noticed this before ? I was in a second state, I felt exhausted by our race, so happy and lost. I didn''t even notice the little heartbeat that remained in Gaya''s belly.


    At that moment I felt as if my mind and heart were going to explode at this news. I was already holding one of my children and as I turned my head towards my wife, I could see her smiling very faintly as her grimaces started again. Without wasting a moment, I rushed to her with one of our treasures on my chest, who was gradually calming down.


    "Is it...is it a girl...uuurg...or a boy ?"


    "Focus my love, we''re right here next to you and we''ll have plenty of time to figure it out together once our second unexpected little star is born.."


    My wife seemed eager to discover the gender of our child, but she still needed to keep her focus for the next part. I stood beside her, sping her hand with my right hand and holding our baby with my left arm. Kira and Shiro were standing at the back of the room and while my little sister was smiling, my little moon''s eyes were glowing. It wasn''t hard to see that they wanted only on thing : join us.


    "A little more courage Queen Gaya ! You are almost there ! Your second child is about to be born, you are doing a great job !"


    I could hear the doctor''s voice encouraging my wife as she courageously continued to give life for the second time. At that moment, I admired her, I was proud of her and I only wanted to support her as best I could. It seemed so hard and exhausting and while my happiness had reached a point I had never known, I was worried about my exhausted wife.


    The room was a mess, the few doctors were running around, sponging on the forehead of my dragoness or taking turns to help her. There were only three of them and although they had been there all along I hadn''t really paid attention to them. I was still very grateful that they were taking such good care of her because to be honest, I was overwhelmed by it all.


    Gaya was almost pale, her eyes reflected the feelings she shared with me but still seemed elsewhere. She had been pushing now for several minutes without stopping and her hand kept squeezing mine with incredible power. My wife was strong, strong and incredible and even though she was scrambling my hand, I couldn''t help but smile at such courage.


    "Perfect !!! You did it my Queen !!! Your second child is born !"


    PING -


    [Congrattions ! The individual Gaya gave birth to twins ! Your status has been updated !]


    Suddenly the voice of the same doctor brought me out of my thoughts, preceded by an absolutely adorable cry,ing from our second baby. A notification also appeared at the same time but I didnt care. Just like the first time, the doctor was wrapping this little being in a ck sheet before heading towards us. Trembling, she then handed me my child before bowing and backing away.


    *I...*


    That was it, I was finally holding my two children who had just arrived even faster than I had ever hoped. Without further ado, carrying the two new stars of the Empire, I rushed to my wife. Nodding to the doctors and Lia so they could rest, as they exited, I ced the two babies on Gaya''s chest.


    My wife waspletely exhausted, shaking, still sweating and breathing heavily but as her hands touched our two babies, the tears were there. Kira and Shiro, who had stayed on the side, rushed too towards us while I created a wall of ice for our intimacy. Our family was finally reunited around these two little treasures and while everyone watched them, no one spoke.


    Even I didn''t have the words as I began to realize that this was all real. Everything had gone so fast, my mind was also exhausted and now that everything was calmer...I was finally realizing how much this really meant. My wife, my little sister, my daughter and I were all around these two little wonders and suddenly the silence was broken by the sound of sobs....my own.


    "They...I...you did it my love...we...I..."


    For the first time I broke down in tears on my own in the history of all my lives. I was happy, so happy, and at that moment I felt like I had been forgiven for everything I had done in my previous life. I, Freya, the ruthless Empress of Ice, the one who didn''t deserve happiness before...had found it. This moment was magical and a new, unknown side of my personality manifested itself.


    In this little ice space I had just created for our family, I felt good, I felt loved and surrounded by so much love and happiness. I had never felt like this before and my heart felt like it could explode at any moment. At that moment, I didn''t want to be cold, I wanted to be honest with my feelings and give myself to those I loved with all my being.


    My heart was overflowing with love, my feelings were powerful, so powerful that I could not control anything for once. I didn''t want to...I wanted to show myself as I was with those who brightened my days. I was crying, my tears kept coloring my face and my eyes were blurring my vision but I didn''t care. I felt free, grateful and filled with love like never before.


    "I...I never thought I would ever live through this. As far back as I can remember, I grew up with nothing but hate, violence and tears. I cried so much, so much hoping that one day someone woulde and save me and it never happened. I had to fight, to do unimaginable things without knowing that little by little I was losing the part of humanity that I had. Each blow, each action I had was always plunging me a little more into a world of darkness devoid of feelings and empathy...


    "..."


    ...I...I finallynded here without knowing what to expect. My frozen heart began to beat again, my soul in eternal night was reborn and I learned what it was to love and to be loved, thanks to you. I...I still don''t think I deserve any of this but...but I am so grateful for all that you have done for me and for being present by my side. I...I promise to protect you at the cost of my life as I would protect these two children with all my heart."


    "Freya..."


    "Mommy..."


    "Onee-san..."


    As I finished what I had said, looking up, Gaya, Kira and Shiro''s faces were just as wet as mine. My little sister had a hand over her mouth trying to hold back in vain, my wife had a radiant smile bathed in tears and my little moon was sniffling loudly as she hid her face against Kira. Everyone was crying and yet everyone felt so happy and shared my overwhelming feelings.


    "We...are a family...we''ll stay together until the end and no matter what happens in the future, we''ll look out for each other, right ? I...I keep saying that I''m watching on all of you, my family, the members of the Empire, but...in reality...it''s you who carry me through each day. You who give me the strength to go on, who make my heart beat...you are the ones who protect me and my reason to live. I...I love you so much. I love you so much that you can''t realize how much..."


    Suddenly, as I was finishing my sentence, I didn''t have time to do anything as Kira threw herself on me, followed by Shiro. Gaya, still weak, was standing up slightly and grabbing my hand with love. Once again, we were all in a group hug, above those two little babies, like a protective and loving dome. None of us could stop crying but none of us really wanted to.


    "Honey...Freya...I love you so much too...and I will never stop saying it. Shiro...you are my daughter, our daughter and we will all look after you forever, no matter what. Kira...you''re so pretty...so sweet, so funny and I''m d I can finally hug you. You are my family and...I love you all."


    "Me...*sniff*...Me too...I love you so much ! Mommy, Mom Gaya, Auntie Kira and now I...I''m also big sister...*sniff* I...I''m so happy !"


    The more I heard my daughter and my wife talk, the more my tears flowed like they had never flowed before. So much love, so much sincerity, so much happiness...I didn''t even know what to think, what to do or what to say. Kira was the only one who didn''t speak, but we all knew that she didn''t think less. My little sister was far too overwhelmed by her feelings and just nodded.


    Then, as our foreheads were glued together once again, as our closed eyes cried tears of joy, I suddenly felt something soft against my face. Opening my eyes gently, I could see a tiny hand resting on my cheek. One of my children had a little baby right hand on my right cheek and a left hand on Gaya''s cheek.


    The most incredible thing was that the second baby did the same thing on the cheek of Kira and Shiro as if to say "we love you too". We were all there and although the moment was very emotional, no one had forgotten these two little beings who had brought us together and who had allowed me to give myself up. Gradually recovering our spirits, we straightened up to finally take the time to discover the gender of each of them.


    "Go ahead my love.."


    As the two babies looked at us curiously, I let my wife have the honor of discovering the gender of our children. No matter what they were, my love for them...our love remained and would remain unfathomable. Everyone was impatient and held their breath as Gaya, gently removed the ck sheet that had wrapped them since birth.


    "..."


    "We...we have a girl and a boy honey...it''s...it''s wonderful..."


    The voice of my dragoness was trembling and had finally announced what we had all been waiting for since the beginning. At her words, a bright smile broke out on my face making my cheeks ache, warming them with an iparable warmth. We had a girl and a boy... unexpected twins but already so perfect. My heart was beating faster and faster and despite myself...I was unable to speak.


    "They...they are beautiful..."


    Kira was the first to do so this time as her purple eyes shone with tears and happiness. She was right, because these two babies were beautiful, unique and the more I looked at them, the more my heart was racing. Both of them had very specific hair colors as they had not one but many. Although they were just born, it was also easy to see the hues and the uniqueness of their hair.


    My son''s right side was a deep blood red with crimson highlights and his left side was pure white. My daughter was the opposite. The right side of her hair was white like Shiro''s and her left side was crimson red. They both had a small ck horn identical to mine and Kira''s on the side of their foreheads and like a mirror reflecting a reflection, my daughter had it on the right and my son on the left.


    As we continued to watch them, they looked at us in silence with their equally special eyes. My daughter and son, were the first in the family to also have eyes of a different color when I expected to see in eyes. One purple eye and one amber eye...it was proof of the love I shared with my wife and that tranted into a little bit of both of us in them.


    "L-Look !! They have little wings !!"


    This time it was Shiro''s turn to exim, as she gently and lovingly stroked the head of her little sister and brother. Indeed, behind their little backs, were two little dragon wings of the same color this time as their mother. It was now obvious that our two little stars were hybrids and contrary to what I thought, neither had inherited my wolf side.


    In front of us were two hybrids, twins, both demon and dragon. Son and daughter of the ancient Goddess of Primordial Blood, Death and the mother of Dragons. These two children were born of an unconditional and unique love, shared by Lucifer and Gaya, Empress and Queen of Elysium. Everything was perfect, they were beautiful and I could say without blushing that they were without a doubt, the two most beautiful babies I had ever seen.


    "So...what are you going to call these two loves ?"


    "..."


    "..."


    As Kira asked with a big smile, Gaya and I looked at each other with big eyes. With all that had happened and the eleration of the pregnancy, neither of us had really thought about a name. We didn''t even know we were having twins and at that moment I couldn''t help butugh at this incredibly unique situation.


    "Hahahaha~ I...pffff~ I guess we''ll have to find them together !"


    So, after this emotional evening, full of love and tenderness...the whole family was going to work together to find an appropriate name for our children. The night was going to be long, but Gaya, Kira, Shiro and I were in our bubble of love where nothing and nobody could ever hurt us. We were a family and this family had just weed two new stars...two of the brightest stars that we vowed to protect.


    [N/A : Theme song of this chapter on discord]


    ___


    FULL STATUS<novelnext></novelnext>


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (form - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 55 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son and daughter): .... (please indicate two first names)


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 180 Family Morning

    [N/A: Once again for the names, don''t be too hard on me haha~ I found names with meanings that fit the characters. So the choices were pretty limited but I think it''s important so wait until you read the exnation at the end haha~ have a good read!]


    ___


    - POV Freya -


    I could hear the birds singing theing of the sun as I slowly awoke, feeling my body strangely heavier than usual. Opening my eyes slowly, I instantly understood where this crushing sensation wasing from. Smiling, I took the time to observe the scene in front of me, while remembering the events ofst night.


    We were all on the big bed in the imperial room and I was standing in the middle, surrounded by my treasures. Shiro had fallen asleep on my left arm, her head resting on my shoulder and sucking her thumb while she hugged her Lily doll. Kira had fallen asleep on my left leg and of course close to Shiro. The position she was sleeping in was adorable as she was curled up like a little fox.


    Her three tails wrapped around her that my little sister held with tenderness as if it was a stuffed animal. In the end, they looked very much alike because despite the age difference, they were at that moment, the two cutest beings. The first two Princesses of Elysium, sleeping peacefully, beautiful, radiant, adorable and above all happy because both had a big smile on their sleeping face.


    Gaya was on my right, also curled up in my direction and just like my little moon, her head was on my right arm. However, between us, as if protected by our two bodies, were our son and daughter. We had spent all night looking for names and Kira, Shiro and Gaya finally let me suggest two that seemed more than appropriate.


    So, my son was named Tyle and my daughter was named Alta?s. The little Prince and Princess of the Empire were named after two stars, which everyone thought was perfect. They slept peacefully, also holding their thumbs, lulled by my wife''s soft snoring. It was the quietest of mornings and althoughpletely stuck, surrounded by my family...I was smiling.


    *I still can''t believe that...that all this is real. Is this a dream ? Am I going to wake up when I seem to have reached the peak of happiness ? Haha~ Freya poor thing, I think joy is making you lose your mind fufu~*


    I was the only one awake, and as I looked at them all one by one, never looking away, my mind wandered. Ever since Kira and I left the crypt, everything had happened so fast that I still couldn''t believe it. Yesterday I was underground, with the wet, cold, dark and bloody smell and today I had be a sandwich for my two daughters, my son, my little sister and my wife.


    *Life is full of surprises fufu~*


    As I looked at them for several minutes with a smile on my face, it was slowly disappearing as this happiness reminded me of what it meant. The night we had spent was one of the sweetest, most wonderful nights, filled with emotion and love. However, I had not forgotten everything I had to do today and what we all had to prepare for.


    I didn''t have time to spend much time with my family because in order to protect them, I had to immerse myself in my duties as Empress. Gaya and I hadn''t talked about what had happened in the crypt or about Shiro, the human army, or her...little brother. On top of all that, I had to be ready to wee the Commanders who must have evolved and check a whole bunch of changes in my status.


    *Sigh...so much to do, over and over again*


    It was still very early and if everything went as nned, the Commanders and the rest of the soldiers would arrive in a few hours. This gave me time to do some checks and gain time. I couldn''t give myself my 600 points because that would wake up the others but what I could do was look at my new skills for the very first time.


    - PING -


    [Death Gaze (lvl 1) - A unique skill possessed by Lucifer that is activated by eye contact. When activated, the target will lose all senses and will be plunged into a nightmare where he/she will experience 10 times the death he/she defines as the most atrocious. The illusion varies ording to the individual and can cause madness or death depending on the mental strength of the target. Possibilities of evolution of the capacities at the same time as the levels - Consumes 10 000 MP - Be careful, skill to be used with a lot of caution, only working if the target fears you ! ]


    I scanned the few lines in front of me and the further I got to the end the more shocked I was. This new skill was a torture skill and one that was very dangerous. The reason the system took the time to say this was because this warning was not to be taken lightly. After all, what would happen if I stared at someone by mistake or what were the real side effects of this skill ?


    It was as scary as it was exciting, and I couldn''t help but read those few lines over and over again. Although I was eager to try it, it was also easy to understand that it was not a skill to be used excessively. It was in the "attack and defense" section and should be used as ast resort. It was like a secret weapon to get me out of an unpleasant situation.


    *Only works if the target fears you. I mustn''t forget this detail, which seems insignificant but is one of the most important points*


    Closing the Death Gaze information page, I opened the one about Healing Blood this time. Unlike the first skill, I already had an idea of what it did because I had used it in the crypt. However, I didn''t have the time to read the system''s information and so I discovered its page for the first time. A window opened in front of me, which I began to read silently.


    [Healing Blood (lvl 2) : Unique skill possessed by Lucifer that can only be activated if the host is injured. Allows you to use blood that has been spilled nearby to heal bodily wounds. The higher the level of the skill, the more effective and faster it is. Does not work on other individuals yet - Beware, at this stage the host must remain motionless to make it work ! ]


    *Mmmh, this fits perfectly with what I experienced in the pantheon with Kira. It''s an individual healing skill that thankfully doesn''t spend MP. However, in return I can''t move if I want to use it...mmh pretty fair*


    As I closed the window in front of me once again, I looked down at my body. I was dressed in a simple white t-shirt and some sort offortable jogging suit for the night, much more than clothes made of ice. Lifting my top slightly as I grabbed my cor with my teeth without waking the little ones and Gaya, I observed. Three huge scars resembling scratches ran across half of my belly, giving a new look to my abs.


    *Sigh...well I hope Gaya won''t be too mad at me for that. I left without any injuries ande back with two maybe permanent marks...*


    This time I turned my head to my left arm that had been taken hostage by Shiro and as I smiled I also looked at the scar on that arm. The acid that the snake had thrown at me had eaten away at my arm and without the ice that I had formed to protect it, I didn''t know what would have happened to it. My arm was no longer white and pristine but now had scars in the shape of symbols running from the middle of my forearm to the middle of my bicep.


    *I''m going to have to put some bandages on this left arm to hide these burn marks that aren''t so bad after all*


    I found it rather imposing because they represented the hard fight I had led and if these scars were not going to disappear I was ready to wear them proudly. However, I didn''t want to worry Shiro and the others because although they were big, they were also scary because my arm looked like it had been carved with a glowing knife. For some unknown reason, I preferred to hide them.


    *No one has seen these scars yet, Gaya and Shiro fell asleep before I got changed and I think it''s for the best*


    As my thoughts wandered I closed my eyes, resting my head on my ear to enjoy this peaceful moment once again. It had been so long since I had rxed in this way and to be sure it felt good. As I breathed calmly, enjoying the quiet, something suddenly came to tickle the tip of my nose.


    Opening my eyes to see what was going on, I could see a fluffy, silver tail swinging in front of my face. Shifting my head slightly, behind the tail was Kira looking at me with a machiavellian smile on her face. My little sister was awake and for some reason was tickling my nose with one of her three tails.


    The sensation was horrible because the more she touched me, the more I wanted to sneeze. I moved my head but each time Kira followed the movement to catch me. She had a big smile, her freckles and dimples were showing and her fangs were shining with the first light of the sun. My little sister seemed to be having fun and taking advantage of the fact that I couldn''t move my arms to annoy me.


    *Kira, what are you doing ? I-It''s unpleasant, what''s wrong with you ?*


    [Mwhaha~ onee-san you are blocked ! How lucky I am to have woken up to discover with satisfaction that my dear big sister had her arms blocked by her sweet wife and adorable daughter pffhaha~]


    As she said these words, Kira sent a second tail to caress my face, this time with more vigor. The urge to sneeze was getting stronger and stronger and as I gritted my teeth, Kira''sughter echoed in my mind. My little sister knew exactly what she was doing and I didn''t even know why.


    [Onee-saaan~ remember that flick you gave me the first time ? I think it''s a fitting punishment fufu~ now that I have a body, I can mess with you too hihi~]


    *Kira you...you''re going to make me wake up ev...everyone !*


    [Oh~? Does the Great Goddess Lucifer have a weakness for tickling ? hihi~]


    I didn''t know how I got into such a situation, but what was certain was that Kira seemed to be enjoying the moment. I had my arms locked in a cross, unable to move and my leg was held hostage by the one who was torturing me. I tried to shake my foot slightly to prevent her from continuing but nothing helped. I felt the tingling in my nose getting stronger and stronger as I ended up sneezing loudly.


    "ACHOO !!!"


    At that moment, Kira''s little joke made the room go from peaceful silence to sudden chaos. Sneezing, I had obviously moved suddenly, waking up Gaya and Shiro abruptly while the sound of my sneeze woke up the twins. Baby cries were now echoing in the room as my little moon and my wife began to ask questions half asleep and panicked.


    "WAAAAAA !!!"


    "Fre-Freya...what...what''s going on ?"


    "M-Mommy ! You...you scared me ! W-Why did you do that ?"


    In this chaos, the only one who was giggling was Kira, who was obviously responsible for this situation. Despite Tyle and Alta?s''s screams, Gaya''s confusion and Shiro''s sulky, sleepy little face, I wasn''t angry. To be honest, a smile came over my face as I lunged at my little sister at a speed that prevented her from acting. I then grabbed her neck with my arm, blocking her head to vigorously ruffle her hair.


    "So you''re in a teasing mood today huh ? Perfect little sister, if you want to y we''ll y fufu~"


    "O-Onee-san don''te out with that line you say every time you go to kill someone and w-waiiit ! I-It was a joke, just a jooooo...don''t...noooo !"


    Kira struggled but couldn''t escape my grip and while I enjoyed every second of my revenge, the cries of the babies kept ringing in our ears. Then suddenly, chills ran down my spine as I felt a pair of eyes watching us.


    "Ahem...ahem..."


    My wife was sitting on the bed, rocking the twins with her arms to calm them while looking at us with frowns. Kira and I were looking at each other with eyes that seemed to whisper "oops" as I let go of her. Kneeling on the big bed with our hands on our knees, my little sister and I were silent as Gaya finally spoke up while keeping her eyebrows furrowed.


    "Freya you seem to be having a good time, don''t you ? Why don''t youe and take care of your children instead of ying. And you Kira, go tell Irrena that we''ll be having breakfast soon since you seem to want to let off steam."


    "Y-Yes sorry !"


    "Mmh, sorry Gaya, I''ll be right there !"


    We both knew that Gaya wasn''t really angry, but when the dragoness sounded like that, we had to listen. For some reason, I was the most powerful, but when my wife''s voice sounded like that, my hair stood on end. So the day had just begun and even though the next few days would probably be the hardest, we were going to enjoy our family.


    [N/A: So, for the little exnation Tyl(e) and Altais are the names of two stars belonging to the constetion of the dragon (Draconis). I definitely wanted to give the twins names rted to the stars so I spent hours researching the night and its secrets fufu~ They may sound weird to you, too simple or not fitting but personally I am very proud of them]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade<novelnext></novelnext>


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (form - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 181 (R18) Surprise Attack I

    [N/A: For those who are wondering Alta?s is pronounced Alta-is (Like the "is" in Paris).]


    _____


    - POV Freya -


    We were in the big living room that doubles as a dining room and had a big breakfast. It was still very early but since Kira and I had woken everyone up, we decided to eat. The table was big, everyone was sitting on it and despite a rather rude awakening, breakfast was quite lively. A certain little hybrid dragon and a white-haired Goddess were missing but the whole family was together.


    Gaya was sitting to my right nursing the twins while rocking them tenderly, smiling like the sun that she was. Tyle and Alta?s had not cried since they woke up and even seemed to be enjoying their meal. They were holding my wife''s breasts with their little hands and gazing with bright eyes of satisfaction. Tyle had his little wings pping with happiness while Alta?s was squirming, seeming to dance a little more each time.


    "And..and this ? You think they''ll be able to taste it soon Mom Gaya ? It''s not too hard and it''s super good !"


    "Mmmh not right away sweetheart, your little brother and sister need to grow up a bit more haha~"


    Next to my wife, of course, was our little moon, who now never went within a meter of Tyle and Alta?s. She kept presenting food to her mother to see if the twins would be able to taste it soon or not. Shiro presented her favorite food one by one, always hoping for a different answer. Smiling, I spoke up to remind her that she should not forget to eat.


    "Sweetie ? You''re so sweet to think of them that way, but don''t forget to eat, okay ? You need to grow up too, little princess."


    "Mmmh hihi~!"


    Shaking her head vigorously, Shiro climbed back into her chair, which was too big for her and her little legs and as usual, she would put her arms down first before literally climbing on her seat. Each time, my little moon seemed to climb a mountain and while everyone wasughing, a voice resounded. It was obviously Kira''s who couldn''t help butment on everything.


    "Mmh Shiro...*chomp*...You have tchoo eat to be schtrong and...*chomp*...beautchiful like me ! Irrena prepared cho many good dishes...*chomp*...you were right little bun with honey and cinnamon. Itch delicious !...*blurp*..."


    On my left was of course my little sister who was enjoying her very first meal. In the crypt we had not had the opportunity to eat as well as we did here and needless to say, Kira was eating like a hungry animal. There was literally a mountain of empty tes in front of her and yet she kept eating without ever stopping.


    "Wow~ I''m always hungry, what''s with the magic ? Everything is delicious, with lots of different vors and tastes !! Shiro, my crispy cheese bun...I totally get you !"


    "Hihihi~ Auntie Kira you eat even less well than I do hihihi~"


    Kira was indeed very far from eating properly but since it was her first meal, Gaya and I didn''t say anything. She was making Shirough as usual even if I silently hoped that my little moon would not take her example. For the moment, we were alone in the room and neither Lia nor Triss were there yet.


    "I think it''s time for the twins to go get some more rest...they are falling asleep while drinking haha~ they are adorable."


    Gaya had just said this sentence while we had been eating for a while, triggering an instinctive reaction from everyone. Kira got up from her seat and hurriedly walked around the table, while Shiro abandoned her cream puff to do the same. Once again, the four of us were leaning over and looking at Tyle and Alta?s as if they were the cutest little things in the world.


    "Titi, Ati, are you tired ?"


    My little Princess had already nicknamed Tyle "Titi" and Alta?s "Ati" and as she asked her question, she stroked their little red and white heads again. My son''s eyelids were gently closing as my daughter suckled without realizing it. It was hard not to be amazed by this simple sight that made our eyes shine. Then, suddenly, Shiro spoke again in a soft, weak voice.


    "Mmmh, I''m still tired too...*yawn*..."


    As she yawned, my little moon had brought her hands to her face to rub her eyes gently. But the cutest thing was that Tyle and Alta?s had done the exact same thing at the same time as their big sister. My heart was filled with overflowing love and as I responded, I kissed each of my children. Shiro on the cheek and the twins on their little foreheads.


    "Well sweetie, you can go rest a little longer with your little brother and sister. Your mom and I have some important things to talk about so don''t worry about it."


    We had finished our early breakfast anyway and it was normal that everyone was still a little tired. The whole family was standing in front of the door ready to leave and as I was about to grab the handle gently this time, it opened by itself. Behind us appeared Lia and Triss in a ck suit who hade to greet us.


    "Ah your Highness good morning !"


    "Queen Gaya, Princesses !"


    The young half-human rabbit and cat bowed instantly, having noticed that the whole imperial family was in front of them. In a very happy mood, I smiled and wished them a good morning with sincerity. Triss kept her head down, blushing slightly as did Lia, but unlike her friend, the young bunny girl did not look at me.


    Her red face and shy eyes were turned to the one who was scratching the back of her head not knowing what to say. Indeed, Kira kept silent and smiled shyly at Lia not knowing what to say or how to act. It was very short because both young women were busy but I did feel something special but before I can say anything Gaya stopped abruptly before handing our children to Kira.


    "I forgot something in the dining room, can you take care of them and Shiro while Freya and I go back and talk ?"


    "Sure, I''ll watch over all three of them while they sleep !"


    Kira grabbed the two babies with incredible delicacy and a big smile while Shiro grabbed my little sister''s shirt, her eyes still half-closed. My little sister had be a caring big sister and despite her little pranks, I knew that she would take care of them and even more than herself. As my sister and our children left for the imperial room, my wife grabbed my hand.


    "Come on !"


    "Y-Yes ?"


    My dragoness led me in the opposite direction again, and it wasn''t long before we were back in the dining room that served as the living room. The table had already been cleared, so at that moment I wondered if the employees of the manor were overworking themselves a bit. As I looked around for something belonging to Gaya, I spoke up.


    "My love, what did you leave ? Whatever it is, I don''t think that...


    I was kneeling where Gaya had eaten and as I turned to get up, a hand grabbed my chin. I had one knee down ready to get up but my wife was standing, leaning over me preventing me from doing so. Her fingers had grabbed my chin and while I was wondering what was going on, Gaya was approaching my face before licking the corner of my mouth gently and sensually.


    "You had cream on the corner of your lips honey fufu~"


    "My love ? You...


    Once again, I didn''t have time to finish my sentence when my wife was already kissing me passionately, her tongue was wrapped around mine and her hot, almost burning breath was making my heart race. I didn''t know what was suddenly happening to her but I was enjoying every second of this long kiss. After a few minutes, my wife pulled away slightly before speaking almost breathlessly.


    "What a horrible wife you are to leave me alone for a month...I missed you so much and I...your hands, your body, your caresses. Freya you...I thought I was going crazy away from you, your kisses and all the love you know perfectly how to give me."


    My wife''s eyes shone with a wild, lustful glow as her words gradually drove mepletely mad. Gaya was breathing hard, her hands on my face were shaking and her body was wobbling slightly. For some reason, I couldn''t speak and just stared in admiration. To be honest, seeing my wife in this state made me smile and enjoy the incredible view.


    Suddenly, Gaya slowly stood up before slowly dropping the robe she was wearing as her face became a little redder with each second. The red fabric slid down her perfect skin beforending on the floor of the room revealing her almost naked body. The dragoness in front of me was not wearing a bra but simply a pair of absolutely cute and very sexy white panties.


    My wife squirmed with embarrassment as I let my eyes wander over every part of what she was lovingly offering me. Her breasts were much bigger than before due to her pregnancy, her little pink nipples were already pointing at me and the tattoo that Gaya had between made her for some unknown reason even more attractive. Her shapes were beautiful and the more I looked at them the more I felt my body getting hotter and hotter.


    "Take the rest off !"


    Without realizing it, I had pronounced these words in a more authoritative voice than I had expected and as I was about to apologize, Gayaplied. At the sound of my voice her hair stood on end, her cheeks turned red and I could feel her smell change. In an instant, the smell so singr of my wife had be stronger and intoxicating, disturbing all my senses and my way of thinking.


    She slid her hands along her body before reaching for the piece of fabric, which she grabbed delicately and gently. Each of her movements was graceful and made my heart beat a little more as I tried to keep myself from jumping on her. My wife, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, was standing there in front of me and was doing a divine striptease as a result of a surprise attack.


    ____


    - POV General -


    "Baby..."


    Freya had uttered this word that she only said when she was excited and as she almost grunted, the beautiful dragoness removed thest bit of cloth she was wearing. The two women were thus in the middle of the room, one naked and the other having now an almost terrifying smile on the face. Without warning the she-wolf threw herself on her wife, unable to bear this spectacle any longer.


    Grabbing the Queen by the waist, the Empress again stole her lips in an even more intense kiss than a few minutes ago. Her hands hadn''t touched the dragoness in a long time and they were already sliding down to explore every curve. Gaya couldn''t help but moan loudly as each touch, each caress made her shiver with pleasure.


    "Mmmh~...Fre~...Freya~..."


    As the two women parted their lips with a trickle of saliva sliding down their chins, they looked at each other. The dragoness still had her mouth open, her tongue slightly out and her eyes almost in a trance. At this sight, Freya could not help but smile as she licked her lips sensually, stepping back slowly to observe. So it was with a teasing smile and an amused tone that she finally spoke.


    "Baby, I had missed it...you too apparently fufu~"


    At these words, the Empress looked with amusement and excitement at the crotch of her wife because along her right thigh, flowed a trickle of shiny liquid. The look of the she-wolf was so piercing and prating that every second spent made Gaya wet more. These long seconds of being observed from every angle excited her more and more as she answered with a trembling, almost pleading voice.


    "I...I...it''s been so long...I want to...I''m dying for it honey..."


    "Oh~? And tell me what you want ? Be a good girl and tell me properly !"


    The Empress was in a teasing mood and as she urged her wife to tell her what she wanted to hear, she began to undress. Her tee-shirt also fell to the ground, revealing her bandages on her chest as well as those on her left arm. The scar on her stomach that the demon had left was still apparent but at this moment, Gaya didn''t even look and lowered her eyes before answering.


    "M-Make love to me...Fre...Freya I...I want you to make love to me and make me scream with pleasure like you haven''t in a long time !"


    Like a shy little girl, the naked Queen in the room looked like a small animal pleading for something. Without further ado, Freya approached her wife and before she could even react, grabbed her arm to turn her over abruptly. The back of the dragoness stuck against her chest, her buttocks against her pelvis and an arm prisoner, Gaya breathed even harder waiting impatiently for what would happen next.


    Leaning against her wife''s ear, the Empress without a word began to bite her lobe and lick it sensually. Her hot breath made the dragoness in heat moan and the more Freya licked, the more Gaya squirmed in her grip. Despite everything, the she-wolf still did not let go of her woman and after several intense and already very excited seconds, Freya''s voice finally whispered some words that made her wife crazy with desire.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Good girl. I''m going to give you what you want fufu~ baby...I''m going to fuck you like I''ve never done before."


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are regained) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 182 (R18) Surprise Attack II

    [N/A: Sorry for the days away...I slept a lot and had a hard time getting back into it. Good reading !]


    ____


    ¨C POV General ¨C


    "Good girl. I''m going to give you what you want fufu~ baby¡­I''m going to fuck you like I''ve never done before."


    Freya stood behind her wife and held her right arm locked behind her back as she just said those few words. Her violet eyes glowed and as out of nowhere the door handle froze, the Empress moved closer to the Queen. Their bodies were pressed together and Freya used her free left hand to grip Gaya''s belly.


    Plunging her face into the dragoness'' neck, the she-wolf took the opportunity to let her left hand venture down her body. She caressed each part with interest of her fingertips making Gaya shiver who could not help but moan a little more. Freya explored her belly, her neck through her breasts causing electric shocks of pleasure to her wife despite the beginning.


    "It...it''s been so lo...mmmh~...long"


    The Queen was submissive to the Empress and as she was about to speak again, without warning Freya bit her neck causing her to moan loudly. The next moment, the two hands of the she-wolf were plunged between the legs of her wife and were already massaging her gently and delicately. At the same time, her tongue was passing sensually over the bite she had just made, making the dragoness vibrate.


    "Aaaaah~"


    Freya''s fingers teased Gaya''s sticky, warm entrance but never entered, turning seconds into minutes. She was taking good time to build up the excitement and the more time that passed the more the Queen seemed to lose all her nerve. She was panting and her short, burning breath was exciting the Empress who had a big smile on her face revealing her fangs.


    "Fre~...Freyaaa~...please...I...mmmh~...I can''t take it anymore...aaaaw~"


    "Oh my~ if I were you I would stay quiet if you don''t want everyone to hear how excited you are fufu~"


    At Freya''s words, Gaya bit her lips trying to stifle her moans that were getting louder and louder despite herself. Her thighs clenched automatically as finally, the very idea of being caught in such a position only helped to make the dragoness wetter. The she-wolf understood this well as she felt the pressure of her wife''s thighs under her fingers and the liquid flowing profusely through them.


    "If this turns you on so much, then scream for me baby and let them hear how much you love it !"


    Suddenly, without warning two of Freya''s fingers sank deep into Gaya''s hot, wet cave who just as her wife had requested, let out an uncontroble cry of pleasure. Shivers ran through her naked, exposed body and her pussy seemed to suck the fingers of the she-wolf who had not even begun to move back and forth.


    The sound of her moans drove Freya more and more crazy as she began to move her fingers slowly, a smile on her face. The dragoness was panting, her body was starting to sweat and even though it was just beginning, the month without her love was being felt. Two fingers, plus three and four, each passing second brought Gaya closer and closer to orgasm.


    "Yes~...aaah~ Honey~ mmmmh...h-harder...f-faster...I..."


    The Queen was moving her hips faster and faster, so much so that Freya didn''t even need to do anything anymore. Then suddenly, unable to hold on any longer, Gaya would cum for the first time, spurting a quantity of her pleasure juice onto the floor. It was intense, her legs were shaking, her thighs were soaked and the dragoness couldn''t stand anymore, letting herself fall on her knees on the ground.


    "That...that was so good Freya..."


    "Mmmh~ baby, it''s just getting started fufu~"


    As Gaya looked up with tired eyes, she could see her wife bring her fingers to her mouth and lick them slowly. Freya kept her intense, purple gaze in hers and yed with her tongue, dutifully licking every drop that beaded on her hand. At this sight, the dragoness couldn''t help but blush while feeling however, her unfulfilled desire, ignite even more intensely.


    Looking at the naked Queen on the ground with an almost frightening air, after having licked her fingers, the Empress began to undress. She removed her bandages covering her chest and her tattoo, leaving her breasts exposed. Then, it was the turn of her pants and her panties to fall on the ground leaving Freya naked and standing of her wife. Without leaving her the time to say anything, she approached before kneeling and kissing Gaya.


    _____


    - POV Freya -


    My wife''s warm breath warmed my cold tongue as I kissed her passionately with all the love I had for her. She had just cum a few seconds ago just from my fingers and hearing her moans had turned me on. Her tongue was wrapped around mine and the more seconds passed, the more I felt my crotch pulsating.


    We were both on our knees and suddenly I felt Gaya getting closer and closer to me to the point of making me pull back. Little by little, my naked back was touching the ground and my thighs were spreading out to make room for my wife who had ced herself between. Ungluing her lips from mine, without a nce my dragoness began to kiss my neck while going lower and lower.


    "Mmmh baby~..."


    Her kisses were hot, her breath gave me chills and it was my turn to not be able to let out a few muffled moans. Gaya''s soft lips were passing over my tattoo and at that moment I could feel her tongue tracing the symbol gently and sensually. Then, my wife was going down a little more and more, reaching my abs that she didn''t hesitate to lick either.


    My Queen was tasting my whole body and the more her face was getting closer to the inside of my thighs, the more the beating that was there was getting stronger and stronger. As if my heart was beating between my legs, I was only waiting for one thing, it was for her to appease my boiling desire. Finally, her lips reached the hottest spot on my body but Gaya stopped before raising her head and whispering a few unexpected words.


    "I...your Highness...give me permission to please you..."


    At her words, I felt my heart skip a beat and my desire soar like never before. My wife waspletely submissive to me and even though I was the one currently on the back she was waiting like a good girl. Nodding my head beforeying it on the floor and closing my eyes, I finally felt Gaya''s hot breath against my wet, throbbing pussy.


    "F-Fuck...mmmh~..."


    Suddenly, a hot lick caught me by surprise as I unconsciously closed my thighs over my wife. I felt like an electric shocking from my pussy and running through my whole body as the licks got faster. Then, I could finally feel hering inside me as my legs automatically pushed her face further and further in.


    "Aaaah~...right there yes...mmmh~ fuck baby~..."


    Her tongue searched me vigorously and went deeper and deeper, surveying every nook and cranny bringing me incredible sensations. My body was vibrating, I could feel the hairs on my tail bristling and the more my wife licked, the more I could feel something rising inside me. Opening my eyes, what I saw could only satisfy me more as I was about to cum very quickly too.


    "Mmmh~ Baby...l-look at me  !"


    "Y-Yes !"


    Gaya was on her knees, her nose between my thighs giving me a great view of her perfectly arched body. Her buttocks were well up and an irrepressible urge to spank and bite them wasing over me. My Queen, had responded to mymand without hesitation and as her crimson hair fell over my belly, her beautiful eyes full of lust met mine.


    "Aaaaawwhhh~"


    That had been enough to make me cum making every muscle in my body contract as one. I was shaking, I felt so good but I wanted more, always more and cumming had only made me wilder. I wanted to taste her again, to hear her scream with pleasure and say my name as if I were the only person in her world.


    Without hesitating, in spite of my still numb limbs, I got up by helping me of my knees while creating in my left hand, a long ice dildo. Without saying a single word, I looked at Gaya who was shivering on her knees in front of me. She seemed to have understood because like the submissive dragoness that she was, she turned around to put herself on all fours in front of me presenting me her ass.


    I enjoyed every second of this scene by taking the time despite the excitement to look at what was in front of me. My Queen waspletely offered to me, the spread thighs giving me the possibility to see each of her most intimate parts. The view was deliciously divine and I couldn''t help but lick my lips as I approached.


    "Can you tell me again what you said earlier ? I''d like to hear it again from your lewd mouth fufu~"


    "I...f-fuck me...I...want you...you to make me scream with pleasure. I...I belong to you so do whatever you want with me..."


    Having arrived right in front of Gaya, I stood while she was on all fours in front of me waiting for me to decide what to do. She was excited, I could feel her scent getting more and more intoxicating and the shaking of her body didn''t deceive. My wife seemed to be very sensitive to domination and it was not to my displeasure because I felt that this role-ying excited me too.


    Leaning towards my dragoness, it was my turn to lift her chin with two of my fingers to see her face which was much lower than mine. Her tangled crimson hair fell over her face and her beautiful amber eyes seemed to beg me. She was my Queen, she was breathtakingly gorgeous and the urge to possess her only grew as I responded to her obscene words.


    "You belong to me Gaya and you''ve been a good girl, so...let''s y a little"


    As I spoke these words, I conjured up an ice cor all around her neck having an L engraved on the left and an F on the right. Grabbing this time my wife by her new cor with my finger, I raised her face a little more so that her eyes could meet mine. Smiling with all my teeth, I leaned over to whisper in her ear once more before biting it.


    "My Queen, my love...my good girl...let''s continue shall we ?"


    "Mmmh~"


    Gaya had moaned softly at the touch of my mouth against her ear and simply nodded to show me her desire to continue. So I moved behind her, taking great care to run my fingers along her back, watching every twitch, every little moan and shudder. Then without warning, I would spank her leaving a red mark on her luscious buttocks.


    "Aaaah~...m-more"


    My wife was panting and as I obeyed, I could see the entrance to her cave getting wetter and wetter once again. Everything was dripping onto the floor creating a puddle underneath her as the sound of spanking echoed through therge room. Gaya''s moans were getting louder and louder and while she was focused on the sensations, I was prating her with my ice dildo.


    "Aaaammmh~...mmmh~..."


    My wife had moaned instantly and despite the fact that she had wanted to be discreet, the sweet melody of her lust-filled voice had risen loudly. This time I didn''t want to start out slow because I wanted to fuck her until she couldn''t stand anymore. So I started to move back and forth quickly, I didn''t fail to grab her ass for my pleasure.


    Gaya was very sensitive to this ce I knew and it would be a lie to say that her ass did not drive mepletely crazy. So, the more I was going back and forth with my left arm, the more I was massaging and spanking these two well rebounded pairs with my right hand. Red marks were appearing little by little and despite appearances, my wife always looked like she was about to explode with pleasure.


    She was spreading her thighs unconsciously while moving her hips in rhythm with each stroke, pushing the dildo further and further. The sun which was going up slowly in the sky, deposited its rays on her body which seemed to shine due to the drops of sweat which beaded there. Little by little my Queen raised her hips and buried her face in the ground as she moaned.


    "Fre~Freyaa~....aaaah~...continue I...mmmh~....please aaaah~ Po-possess me !"


    All my senses were on high alert, everything was blending in my mind and this heat I felt throughout my body, between my thighs, was burning more and more. In that room, the smells of our aroused bodies, the obscene noises my wife''s pussy was making and her moans were driving me totally crazy. As I felt the bestial urge once again, Gaya was finally cumming.


    "I...I am cumming...aaaaa~ho~aaaa~ney~aaaaah~"


    My dragoness was spasming and copsing to the floor, panting, her mind lost in the intoxicating pleasure I had just given her. On her face, strands of her hair were stuck, her eyes were almost in tears and a trickle of saliva was running down the corner of her mouth. This show was perfect but it wasn''t enough and I was more eager than ever to keep the promise I had made to her in the beginning.


    "Ara ara~ baby~....what a divine voice you have there. Let me hear a little more of it ! Mmmmh~"


    As I spoke these words, I slid the other end of the dildo inside me, giving me instant chills. Not giving her time to understand, I grabbed my wife by the hips to put her back on all fours and thrust myself deep inside her once again. Bending over Gaya like a beast in heat, I began to plough her savagely.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The next part was going to be bestial...having confirmed my Queen''s inclination for submission, I had finally decided to let my impulses dominate. I could feel my fangs growing, my tail bristling, my breath bing hot and I could hear myself growling despite myself. I had a new game in mind and as the barriers of reason broke down within me, I could feel my mind slipping into total lust.


    [N/A: Chapter R18 will continue until halfway through the next chapter don''t worry fufu~]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000      MP : 85 000 / 85 000.      BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 183 (R18) Surprise Attack III

    - POV Gaya -


    I was on all fours on our living room floor and Freya was behind me savagely taking me from behind. Each thrust of her hip was divine and the pleasure that washed over me was mixed with the intoxicating pain. My wife was literally lying on top of me like a beast in heat and was not talking at all. All I could hear was her moans mingling with mine.


    "Aaaanw~ Aaaanw~"


    "Hmmpff~ aaaaarw~"


    The Empress was growling louder and louder giving me chills every time I heard her because her sounds were so hot. All of her weight was pushing me down more and more but I didn''t care because it felt so good. She was thrusting deep inside me and I felt like she was ravaging my insides...I couldn''t breathe, the pleasure was too intense and I wanted to give myself up without restraint.


    While I felt shivers going up in me indicating that I was going to cum again, an even more intense pain was felt on my shoulder and my back. My wife had just bitten me but this time without restraint and this action had sent an important discharge in my whole body. It was good, too good and I never thought I could find pleasure in such a wild pain as this.


    "F-Fuck me !"


    I didn''t even know why I was saying those words but they wereing out of my mouth as if I was no longer in control of my body. As I finished my sentence, I felt one hand grab my hair tightly and another grab the ice cor around my neck. I felt trapped, at the mercy of a beast thirsting for lust and I was ready to offer my body to satisfy it.


    The thrusts of her hips elerated even more and my mind was totally lost in the waves of pleasure that were running through my entire body. I was possessed, I was being used to satisfy her desire and that thought was pushing me ever closer to orgasm. My hair was pulled back, my cor held my head up so I could only move my hips in rhythm with her.


    "Mmmh~ Aaaah~ Scream...aaaah~...scream for me baby~!"


    At her words, the hand that held my cor spanked my ass again and again, harder and harder tearing me apart with uncontroble and powerful cries of pleasure. The pain was divine and I couldn''t stop myself from drooling because at that moment, I didn''t care about my appearance. I could feel the tears welling up, my heart beating like it was going to explode and my mind shutting downpletely to let my body lead.


    "Fre~...Mmmmhhhffff~...Freyaaaaaaah~"


    "Hhmmmmaaaarr~"


    We were cumming together, both of our bodies falling on top of each other on the floor soaked with our bodily fluids. I was panting, my ass was red, my neck, back and shoulder were marked and my pussy was still filled. All my limbs were shaking and I didn''t even know how I got here and why, as I was about to stand up, Freya grabbed me again and turned me around.


    For the first time in several minutes I finally saw her and when my eyes met hers I froze with both desire and apprehension. My wife''s eyes shone with an intense and wild gleam and I almost couldn''t recognize her. The tattoos on her face had widened, her fangs had lengthened slightly and her long ck hair fell over her eyes making her look wild.


    *M-Magnificent...*


    I didn''t have time to think about anything else as she came closer to me in a very sensual way by walking on all fours. The further my wife went, the faster my heart beat and seeing her licking her lips with that hint of madness in her eyes, drove me crazy. The hair on her tail and ears were standing up and at that moment, although in her humanoid form, Freya looked like a real beast.


    "I..."


    Suddenly, she grabbed my hands to raise them above my head before tying them together with red strings out of nowhere. I didn''t know why, but I couldn''t move them even when she pulled her hands away and as I tried to figure it out while gesticting, Freya grabbed my cor with her finger. Lifting my head, I felt submissive as she whispered a few words.


    "Don''t move !"


    My wife''s voice was husky, almost shaky, but she kept that dominant, powerful tone that made me wet especially at times like this. Then, reaching between my thighs, she was grabbing my hips to lift them up and have her face between my thighs. Licking her lips with a smile, Freya was dipping her eyes into mine before speaking again, her hot breath tickling my lower lips.


    "Let me taste you...taste everything of you"


    Then without warning, she plunged between my thighs with her tongue to eat me with incredible vigor. My pussy was still sensitive, it was throbbing and I had already cum three times but my wife was about to make me cum a fourth time. However, instead of feeling her tongue against my lips, I felt it further down... on my ass. Freya was licking that intimate part of me intensely and against all odds, my body was shaking again.


    "Freya...not...mmmh~...here, this is...aaaah~"


    My wife wasn''t listening and deep down I didn''t want her to listen to me because I was discovering incredible new sensations. Then suddenly I felt her tongue both hot and cold prating me from behind while her fingers yed with my clit. My ass was being devirginated and filled by Freya''s obscene tongue which seemed to be enjoying this moment as much as I was.


    "Mmmh~ you are delicious my love..."


    "I...aaaaah~....pity...e-even further...Aaaaaah~"


    I could feel the back and forth speeding up and as I began to moan once again I couldn''t help but want more. As the Empress obeyed, I felt her tongue go deeper into me as her fingers began to prate my pussy at the same time. It felt good, I felt taken all over, filled and like I had never been before.


    Then once again without warning, my wife stood up to prate me with her ice dildo but this time from behind. It was suddenly unexpected and despite the little pain I felt...it was incredible. Freya was gripping my ass powerfully and as I felt my mind literally go, her mouthnded on my breasts. I still couldn''t move my hands so I could only watch and feel.


    "Mmmh~ Mmmh~"


    "Honeeyy~ this is...aaaah~...so good !"


    While I was in my pleasure, I could hear her grunt again as the back and forth was stimting her just as much as it was me...so my wife had her mouth on my breasts and began biting my nipples and sucking on them. I could feel them being sucked and as I arched my back more and more in pleasure, I could see Freya swallowing. Milk wasing out of my breasts and she was drinking me down, thirsty and lustful.


    Our morning session was wild, filled with desire and sensations I had never felt before. My wife was more violent than any other time and I was much more submissive enjoying going deeper and deeper in this game. We were in the living room on the floor and as the sun rose, Freya and I gave in to our most primal desires.


    ____


    - POV General -


    Outside of the room, while the Empress and Queen were reunited after the month-long absence, the life of the mansion had not stopped. The section leaders and their groups were busy on the first and second floors. Many maids and valets looked after the manor and assisted those who worked there, always with a smile.


    However, on the floor reserved for the imperial family, the young men and women who were assigned to it at that time could not concentrate. In the corridors, the sounds Freya and Gaya were making could be heard, disturbing those who were working. It was possible to see many young maids walking past the living room doors again and again, slowing down with a red face.


    Did they really need to go this way ? No one really knew, but what was certain was that the morning activity of the imperial couple was stirring the whole floor. Sometimes it was possible to feel slight tremors and although everyone was awkwardly trying to concentrate on their task, it was not easy. While the situation was unexpected, to say the least, there was one who was not surprised at all.


    In the imperial bedroom of the Empress and her wife, Kira was sitting on therge bed, little Shiro sleeping with her head on herp and the twins on the pillow next to her. There was no sound except perhaps a few light chewing noises. Indeed, the fox Princess was holding a huge chicken leg in her right hand, eating it greedily as she mumbled to herself.


    "Hmpf...*chomp*...to think that Onee-san went to *chomp* have fun like this, tsk ! But hey...*chomp*, I''m not gonnain, I''m spending time with my nieces and nephew. Well...they''re sleeping but...*chomp*...I''m finally near them."


    Kira ate while smiling and as she thought about everything that had happenedtely, again the tears began to well up. It had only been a day since Freya''s sister had her body and her emotions were still hard to control. In the imperial room, a vixen could be seen chewing like a hamster with big cheeks, sniffling, tears in her eyes raised by a pure smile filled with love.


    "Mmmh...*sniff*...I really need to stop crying over nothing. I have to learn to control myself but everything is overwhelming me like...like...like too much food in a stomach ? Ugh, never mind *chomp*! I wouldn''t want to look bad in front of the Commanders again...I already cried in front of them...I wonder when they''ll arrive anyway."


    Shrugging her shoulders and drying her little tears with a flick of her sleeve, Kira bit into thest bit of flesh left from the bone in her hand. Turning her head towards the bay window, she stroked Shiro''s head while looking at the sun. For the first time, the young silver-haired princess could see the morning rising over Elysium. The city was slowly waking up and as the birds sang...Kira was happy.


    ___


    The day began peacefully for the people of the Empire, but these ever-smiling citizens were unaware of what was going on outside. At the edge of the forest, the King''s and Supreme''s troops were gradually arriving south of the Dark Forest and had already begun to form a camp. They could not hide arge number of soldiers, but they tried to be as inconspicuous as possible.


    The first to arrive were the Pdins and Knights who, thanks to their magic, had been able to get there faster than the others. All of these humans had only been here for a few days, but had already set up a camp that invaded the road and its surroundings. Of the 500 Pdins of the Church, half were already there and of the 2500 Knights of Zal, another 500 were present.


    A total of 750 humans were busy and waiting patiently for the rest of the troops, knowing exactly what to do. The soldiers of the two powers of Zal didn''t usually get along, but everyone was working seriously because everyone knew the importance of this expedition and no one wanted it to fail. Among these people, two rather young male Knights stood aside, far too close to the forest.


    "Hey I need to take a whiz, won''t youe with me ?"


    "Ew, why would I do that ?"


    "Because you''ll have a good excuse to get away from work ! I''m offering it to you on a silver tter so don''t refuse ande with me !"


    "Sigh...okay but let''s not go too far away !"


    The twozy Knights did not work and passed the edge of the forest to venture among its dense trees with dark leaves. One had a craving and the other looking up, had agreed to follow him, nning to me him if one of their superiors caught them. The camp was still in sight as one of the two stopped to empty his dder when suddenly slight tremors were felt.


    "You...you feel that ?"


    "Y-Yeah.."


    As the two Knights turned around, a flock of birds flew into the sky in the distance, indicating that something wasing. They seemed to be the only ones who noticed it as the others were making way too much noise and the hubbub seemed to drown out any other noise or shaking. Not knowing what to do, the two young men stayed put and hid behind a tree to watch.


    The camp was not far away but curiosity was strong and although fear was in their hearts, knowing that not far away 750 soldiers were there, pushed them to stay. Squinting to see what was going on, these two humans finally understood what was creating these little tremors. They couldn''t believe it, and yet...far, far away, a group was moving through the forest.


    "What...what is that ??"


    A cloud of smoke and dust rose into the sky as an unimaginable sight unfolded before their eyes. Creatures about five meters tall were flying through the forest unaware that they were being watched, focused on their path. On the backs of each beastly creature were half-humans, looking straight ahead with determined eyes, seemingly in a hurry.


    In the distance, the two young knights could see a huge ck snake slithering along the ground, avoiding every tree and every obstacle. Beside it, a brown wolf with red eyes and sharp fangs was running, followed by a cat of the same size, its ck fur dotted with red highlights. There was also a five-meter tall ck panther with blue and gold eyes, running alongside a normal-sized horse, ck but with a mane of fire.


    In the air, flying through the trees with undeniable grace, a giant butterfly with almost transparent rainbow wings seemed to hover. It was not the only flying creature, for a little higher up, a gray-winged wyvern followed it, pping its wings mightily, shaking the leaves and kicking up dust. These creatures were apanied by half-humans and none of them paid any attention to the humans.


    Under the eyes of two humans, the Commanders and their Lieutenants were returning to Elysium.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000      MP : 85 000 / 85 000.      BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 184 The New Chaos Commanders

    - POV General -


    It was mid-morning when the great gate of the imperial mansion opened its doors for the first time in a long time. Only those who worked there were allowed to enter, but only through a small door on the side. The huge gate was only for the imperial family or special asions and this was one of them. When it opened, a loud noise was heard, echoing in all the surroundings.


    This noise was recognizable to all the older citizens, so much so that in the main street in front of the mansion, everyone gathered in curiosity. Soon, as therge doors finished opening, almost the entire Empire was waiting. If this noise was heard, it meant that something important was about to happen, as the Empress was about to leave her mansion.


    Wasn''t she on an expedition ? What was her Highness doing here ? Many questions were on everyone''s lips, entuating the speed of the gathering. Those who had only been here a short time stopped and those who knew what was going on told them. Thergest paved road in the Empire, leading straight to the walls, was surrounded by hundreds of people creating a path all the way.


    Then, after only a few minutes, the long-awaited people finally emerged from the front courtyard of the imperial domain, to everyone''s surprise. The citizens of Elysium expected to see the Empress, the Queen and the little Princess, but instead of seeing three people, there were six, including two babies. In an instant, everyone understood that these were the stars of the Empire, but who was the young woman next to them ?


    No cheers went up in the city sky despite the birth of the Empress and Queen''s babies because the scene was, as always, mesmerizing. In front of the group walked Freya, all dressed in ck and red as she had never been before. She wore ck boots, gloves and pants while her top was a bright red.


    On top of it all, the Empress had a bright red cloak with a ck fur cor, where on the back was embroidered the symbol of Elysium in golden threads. As usual, her hair was flying free and untamed, and the most observant citizens could notice that a second lock of a different color had appeared. In addition to the white strand, there was now a blood-red strand, shining in the sun.


    As usual, Freya was breathtaking, as terrifying as she was beautiful and as loved as she was respected. She was the one who had brought this world together and created the Empire that had weed so many people. The Empress was for all of them, the one who had changed their lives, the one who would not hesitate to protect them at the cost of her own and the one who had shown herself to be more just than any human in this world.


    With her crown proudly on her head, Freya strode forward with determination, her right hand on her ck-ded katana and her left arm carrying the small moon of the Empire. Shiro was in her mother''s arms, wearing a beautiful little pink dress and ribbons in her hair tying it into pigtails. Always smiling, she wore a magical smile, her eyes shining brightly as she waved to everyone with her little hand. The same ice tiara was ced on her moon-like hair and for all the citizens, no doubt that Shiro was one of the treasures of the Empire.


    To the left of the Empress and the little Princess, was the Queen walking with just as much confidence as her wife. Almost as beautiful, this time she wore ck pants, a white shirt and the same cape as Freya. For the first time, Gaya was dressed almost like her wife, although she was more feminine and gave off a totally different aura.


    Sr, radiant, warm and maternal, the Queen smiled like her daughter, also wearing her ice tiara set with red stones with pride. While Freya was the cold, she was the warm, when Freya wasn''t smiling she was smiling for both of them and if Freya''s presence frightened, Gaya''s reassured. As always, the Queen stood beside the Empress with her eyes shining with love and tenderness.


    She held in her arms the new sleeping stars of the Empire who were present for the first time before the eyes of all who could not help but smile. Tyle and Alta?s were dressed in small ck, white and red pajamas that brought out the colors of their special hair. Their little wings were curled up, their eyes were closed and they were sucking their thumbs in a dream world that was inessible to everyone.


    This time, it was not the Ice Empress or the little white-haired Princess who stole the show, but the Sun and her two Stars. This scene was ordinary and simple, yet the beauty that emerged from it was almost fairy-like. What could be more beautiful than a beautiful woman...a Queen, carrying in her arms the two children she had given birth to ?


    However, another person was also on the minds of the citizens, the one standing to the right of Freya and unknown to all. A beautiful young girl, almost as tall as the Empress, walked with a slightly more hesitant step. Her long, wild hair shining like silver, freckles giving her a cute look, and a face reflecting an adorable shyness.


    The beautiful vixen with the three fluffy tails was also dressed almost like the Empress and wore the same clothes except for the cloak which she found too bulky. In the eyes of the citizens, the young woman was a mixture of Freya, Gaya and Shiro because although she inspired respect and kindness, she had this cute side that was impossible to deny.


    This person was obviously Kira and although everyone was unaware of her name and her role in the imperial family, many seemed to make the connection. The second Princess of the Empire had the same eyes as Shiro and Freya and even though she was different, her face strongly resembled that of the demon wolf at her side. So thisrge family walked down the road, through the crowd that followed them little by little.


    Why had the Empress herself moved ? How was it that no one had seen the others return ? Among the citizens, there were of course the soldiers of the Empire who,pared to the others who were not part of the army, had even more questions. Where were the Commanders and Lieutenants ? In the crowd, there was even the young yna who, apanied by Vig, followed the family closely with a worried look.


    All this small world, not to say the whole Empire, was crossing the whole city to finally end as usual, in front of thest houses of the city. After the shock of the first few minutes, everyone bowed to them and followed them, questions in their heads. However, just as the Empress was about to set foot on the grass leading to the fields and wall, she stopped.


    "What''s going on ?"


    "I...I don''t know..."


    Several minutes passed and finally some were beginning to wonder not knowing what it all meant at all. The imperial family seemed to be waiting but waiting for what ? As the voices began to get louder and louder, someone''s voice shouted from the huge stone wall. It was a dryad, guardian of Persea and Ynir''s section, patrolling the forest near the Empire.


    "ALERT !!! SOME...SOME BEASTS OF MORE THAN THREE METERS ARE COMING RIGHT AT...AT US ! THEY...THERE ARE AT LEAST FIVE OF THEM AND THEY SEEM VERY POWERFUL !!!"


    At the dryad''s words, the hubbub behind the Empress grew even louder and while some began to get scared, the soldiers drew their weapons. However, against all odds, the most powerful woman in Elysium did not move and even had a smile of satisfaction on her face. The entire imperial family remained unmoved, staring at the entrance to the Empire with attentive eyes that nothing could disturb.


    Though far away, the dryad''s voice had carried thanks to her wind magic and having run all the way, she now found herself breathless before the Empress. It was her turn to be confused to discover her in Elysium in the presence of her entire family and what''s more, absolutely not rmed by the news. As she bowed and was about to speak, loud thuds suddenly came from the forest.


    Like drums in a frenzied rhythm, the sound came closer and closer, petrifying the citizens and soldiers who did not know whether to run or stay. It was not possible to see the trees in the forest because of the wall, but everyone could clearly see the dust rising into the sky. As the Empress set Shiro down, she walked alone across therge expanse of grass near the Empire fields.


    Suddenly, the beasts that the young dryad had described, finally appeared, rushing through therge opening in the walls or passing over it. A huge snake with deep ck scales slithered across the grass carrying two young girls with pink hair on its back. It was veryrge, had piercing gray eyes and the particrity of having the tip of its tail forming a de surrounded by ck mes. It was Nixia, Lynn and her Lieutenant Kurumi.


    Behind her, a fierce brown wolf of five meters followed, its eyes as red as blood and two fangs longer than the others, reminding us that it belonged to the vampire race. Its powerful paws struck the ground and left scorch marks asva crackled under each of them, surrounding the beast with a light smoke. On its back, a half-human tiger held on tightly to keep from falling. It was Ralph and Liz.


    Arriving at the same time, a cat of a size never seen before was slithering between the ck snake and the brown wolf, using its agility and flexibility. It had red and ck fur, an emerald green right eye and a powerful ck left eye. Just like the first two beasts, this five-meter cat was carrying on its back a young fox girl, with hair made of fiery orange mes. It was Emilia and her girlfriend, Na?a.


    Finally, thest beast running on all fours was a ck panther, as big as those who preceded it, with an equally ferocious look. Golden shes of lightning crackled here and there around it, peeking out of its fur and bristling its hair. The panther had one golden left eye and one blue right eye, eyes that yna recognized in the distance without hesitation. It was Luna.


    "What the..."


    Before the eyes of the citizens of the Elysium Empire, Commanders Nixia, Emilia, Ralph, Na?a and Luna had just appeared, though their identities were still unknown for the most part. As they stopped in unison to form a line in front of the Empress who was waiting in the middle of therge expanse of grass, two creatures came from the sky. One was shaking the earth while the other was just gently touching it.


    A huge wyvern with a body as gray as rocknded near the ck snake, pping its wings powerfully. It sent dust in all directions with its massive body andnded with a thud that shook the earth. The wyvern had darker gray eyes than the snake''s and despite her size, she inspired sympathy for some unknown reason. It was Trioa.


    Right next to this beautiful almost dragon-like creature with beautiful horns, a giant butterfly was alsonding. Unlike the wyvern, it pped its wings silently despite its size, creating no gust of wind. This butterfly was beautiful with its almost transparent wings of a rainbow color that, in the sun, seemed to move like an illusion, reflecting its rays of singr beauty. It was Ynir.


    Beside these great creatures, the other Commanders who did not have a beastly side soon appeared as well, having undergone some changes. Persea appeared from nowhere to stand next to Ynir, her blond hair floating in the wind. The dryad was even more beautiful than before and had her hair set with flowers, the same ones that seemed to dress her in a dress seemingly alive with the colors of Spring.


    To her left, the elf Caipy, who unlike the others had not really changed, stood straight before the Empress. Her green hair tied back and the sunlight, heightening the beauty of her matte skin that was almost unique to Elysium. Her dark eyes looked straight ahead and the dark elf looked much more imposing than when she left.


    Thorunn was there as well, still the same and having undergone no apparent change for the moment but having well and truly evolved. Her blond hair and red eyes were the same, still with that detached look on her face and her two canines out. The vampire woman was beautiful and just like her friends, had be even more so after their evolution.


    All the Elysium Commanders were back, their Lieutenant too, and as the Empress looked at them one by one, her eyes fell on Inferno. Her faithful stallion that she had left at Caipy had returned and was standing obediently beside Thorunn. He didn''t look tired anymore and his head was held high, his yellow eyes more piercing than ever and his previously ck mane now made of fire.


    Freya had said nothing so far and had only watched with a closed, cold face, her eyes reflecting the powerful woman she was without even having to release her strength. However, more than anyone else, the Empress was proud to see her soldierse back more powerful than ever. Theirbined aura was unbelievably terrifying and like their new forms, imposing and powerful.


    When the Empress had first named the ten young women standing before her Commanders, they were only level 10 at the time and had only a few soldiers in their section. Today however, everything was different because it was in anticipation of this day that Freya had given her best warriors their titles. The Empress knew that the day woulde when they would be worthy of their name and it had arrived.


    As silence reigned in the vast expanse of grass between the wall and the city of Elysium, Freya raised her arms, a smile on her face. Speaking in a powerful voice, echoing in all the surroundings, she was the first to speak and wee those she consideredpanions, those she had given her trust to and those whose story was just beginning.


    "Wee home...Chaos Commanders !"


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)<novelnext></novelnext>


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000      MP : 85 000 / 85 000.      BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 185 Deserved Acclaim

    - POV Freya -


    Before me stood the soldiers I had left the day before by the tree made of water and crystal and they were right on time. Most of them were almost unrecognizable, but I could feel their newfound power from where I stood and couldn''t help but feel proud. The ten Commanders of the Empire were here and they had finally evolved overnight as nned all along and I couldn''t be more pleased.


    "Wee home...Chaos Commanders !"


    As I spoke these words, the huge creatures of more than three meters disappeared instantly to let appear the young women I knew well. In a cloud of dust, as one and without a word, they knelt down at the same time as the Lieutenants, all dressed in ck and wearing their cloaks, bearing their respective symbols.


    [OI ! What''s that ? It''s not fair ! W-Why can they keep their clothes on huh ? Tsk...]


    Even though Kira was far behind beside my wife and children, I could hear her voiceining in my mind. Ignoring her words although they were very urate, I observed with a little more attention what had changed in each of them. It was very quick because I was about to speak but still very instructive because from what I could see, the Commanders had all changed a little.


    From left to right was Nixia, who was now sporting ck scales with almost deep blue highlights, brighter than ever. The tip of her tail ended in a de and although the ck fire that was there in her reptilian form was gone, she was much scarier than before. Parts of her body were covered in scales and her face reflected a confidence I had never seen before.


    Ralph at her side, still with her beautiful brown hair, now had orange highlights on it, mixing with her eyes that gave me chills. Her vampire canines had lengthened, she had grown slightly and like Nixia, Ralph gave off a very different aura. A bit like Kira, the young hybrid woman inspired sympathy, mischief but also the power and dignity of a true she-wolf.


    Just after, Emilia and Na?a were standing side by side and as I watched, I couldn''t help but have a smile on my face, totally aware of their rtionship. Emilia could not use any element but for some reason could turn into a beast like Nixia and Ralph. She had not changed much under her humanoid form but her body seemed to be muscled while keeping her slim and fine side.


    Na?a didn''t seem to be able to transform but her hair was the first thing that caught my attention. She had red hair and green eyes representing her race just like her mother and father but today her hair was glowing. Instead of red hair, there were real mes dancing around her head and although seemingly harmless, Na?a at the age of 16 was impressive.


    Then there were Thorunn, Persea and Trioa who hadn''t changed much physicallypared to the others but who were just as powerful. Trioa could transform herself into a wyvern even though she couldn''t control any element and apart from the two horns that appeared on her forehead, nothing was different. Her face always reflected an incredible kindness and her beauty had only increased.


    Thorunn, on the other hand, was still the vampire I knew, with long silky blonde hair and eyes as red as Ralph''s. Her vampire canines were also longer and as I watched her, I couldn''t help but wonder why she couldn''t turn into a beast. I was going to check with themter on their real changes anyway so I didn''t feel too worried.


    Then my gaze fell on Ynir kneeling in front of me who was the one with probably the most physical changes. She had be a beautiful butterfly and the beauty of her insect form was reflected in her humanoid form. Her previously ck hair had now be almost transparent with rainbow highlights, like the wings she had behind her back, Ynir was now a butterfly catalyzing the light of day and night.


    There remained, Caipy, Luna and Persea who stood on my right, heads down, smiling, an aura as surprising and striking as the others. Luna was the only one of the three who could take a bestial form like a fierce ck panther, made of lightning and power but the other two young women were just as much. She had be much more beautiful but also much more dangerous and striking.


    Persea looked like a goddess of nature, beautiful, natural and covered with flowers while Caipy looked like a dark elf, as beautiful as mysterious. All my Commanders were kneeling in front of me, their Lieutenant also prostrated behind them, greeting me after their return. Everything was as I had expected and before I spoke again, my eyes rested on my ck horse.


    Inferno...just like Na?a, his mane and tail were no longer ck like my hair but burning like fire because they were covered with mes. They were not orange like the young fox but red, contrasting with his piercing golden eyes and his body as ck as the darkness. My trusty steed was standing next to my soldiers and had even bent its two front legs as if it understood the situation.


    I wanted to go to him, I wanted to talk to him and understand what was going on with him but I was holding back forter. For the moment, I had a lot to see as usual and time was running out as the human army was regrouping more and more every day. Nodding to Inferno who was the only one looking me in the eye, I tapped my foot on the ground before speaking again.


    "Commanders, Soldiers ! Please get up ! You are back safe and sound and I can only congratte you for that ! Now that you''re here, I think it''s time to reveal to the Empire just how brave and incredible you were."


    As I finished my sentence, all of them without exception stood up as one, pounding their chests with their fists and clicking their heels with their heads held high. They were mypanions, my soldiers, and I was at that moment proud of them and what we had been through...more than I had ever been. Letting a slight smile appear for those who had fought alongside me...it was time.


    "Well. Let''s go..."


    "HAI !"


    Turning back to the citizens and my family who were waiting wondering what was going on, I began to walk in their direction followed by my Commanders and the rest of my soldiers. We walked proudly, with our heads held high, more powerful than when we left and with a strength that could devastate the entire forest. After a mediocre life on Earth, I had finally found warriors I could rely on and trust.


    As we gradually arrived at the entrance to the city, I created arge staircase of ice whose steps appeared the moment I stepped into the air. Still followed by my soldiers and my horse, we climbed several meters above the ground before stopping on a tform above all Elysium. Up there, everyone could see us and everyone looked at us as I finally spoke.


    "Citizen of the Empire listen to me !!"


    I spoke in a strong, confident voice so that everyone could hear even those who were farther away. I wanted to convey what I felt to all those stars we had sworn to protect and whose happiness and smiles were our priorities. While the city was silent and heads were raised in our direction, only my voice carried, setting hearts ame and reassuring souls.


    "Since you have all gathered here, let me introduce you to the best warriors of our beautiful Empire! During this long month of absence they fought by my side, we went through many trials and despite their difficulties they never gave up and came back stronger !...


    As I spoke, I could see the effect of my words on the citizens and especially the soldiers who looked at their Commanders with stars in their eyes. Everyone had to know how brave they had all been and how we had alle out alive not because of me but because of all of us. The War that wasing would be all out and I as Empress had to reassure my people.


    ....From now on, the name of the Chaos Commanders will resound in the hearts of the humans who dare to attack us and what we have built together ! Today I am not afraid to say that I could trust them with my life as you all can trust me with yours, so please...cheer for these warriors ! Cheer them fervently and let your voices be heard in the skies of Elysium so that their names echo ! Let them know that you are proud of them as I am proud of what they have be and what they will be !"


    At the end of my sentence, a thunderous cheer began to resound outside the city gates engulfing it with cries of joy and relief. The soldiers, as usual, struck the ground with their feet or their weapons and the citizens apuded fervently. The names of the Commanders were on everyone''s lips and as I turned to face them, I could see them moved.


    They all had one hand on their hearts, looking away but with a huge smile on their faces reflecting their state of mind. It was a powerful and loving moment that the young women would never forget and deserved. The Lieutenants were also cheered and although they were more shy, the pride was also in their eyes.


    The voices of the citizens and soldiers below us continued to rise to the sky as I snapped my fingers to use my magic. The symbol of each one appeared as a brooch on the cor of their cloak. A me for Nixia and Na?a, a fang for Ralph, a sword for Emilia, an eye for Thorunn, a wing for Trioa, a bolt of lightning for Luna, a cross for Caipy and a leaf for Ynir and Persea.


    It was their reward for being so exemry and to congratte them of their evolutions which had not been easy. I had also nned something for the Lieutenants, but it could wait a little bit more because the day was just beginning. For the moment the people of the Empire were smiling and happy and although they did not know what was going on outside, they would soon find out.


    We had only a few days ahead of us, maybe less, and while the moments of rejoicing were important, the rest was just as important. So, to the cheers, I was lowering the ice tform to arrive right in front of my wife, my little sister and my children. The surprise could be seen on the faces of my soldiers as their eyes fell on the two newborns of the Empire.


    "WAAAAAH !!!"


    Gaya was rocking them tenderly as Tyle cried, probably awakened by the noise we had all made and the moment I leaned in to kiss him, everyone suddenly fell silent. My little boy had been crying a lot but his little sister was totally calm despite everything that had happened, to my great surprise. Alta?s was smiling and pping her hands in the air trying to grab my hairughing as if nothing had happened.


    "Ga-ga-hi-hi-hi-hi !!"


    Smiling tenderly, I in turn kissed my daughter on the forehead making herugh more and smile like the most beautiful treasure. Straightening up with a heart full of love, her smile contagious, I then approached my sweet wife to ce on her forehead a soft kiss. Then it was Shiro''s turn to wait, squirming as if waiting for something while I kissed her on the cheek tenderly.


    "I...uh...y-you...you don''t have to...well...I...you..."


    Kira feeling her turning, squirmed exactly like my little moon, her face slightly red, her eyes shifting from the crowd to me. It was obvious that my little sister wanted the same treatment but was too shy or embarrassed to express it clearly. Giggling lightly, I approached her while I could hear Kira''s heart beating wildly.


    "Come here..."


    Grabbing her shoulder, I ced my lips on her cheek all warm and red before turning back to everyone who had just witnessed the scene. It was time to reveal to everyone who Kira was and who these two adorable babies were that today were adding to the family. In a few hours there would be a big meeting with the Section Leaders and Commanders about our future actions.


    Walking towards those waiting in front of us, I cleared my throat before speaking. My family was by my side and even though in my mind two people were missing that I had never met before in this life, I felt happy andplete. I hadn''t forgotten about Gaya''s little brother who was in the hospital and trying to find a way to save him was also on my to-do list.


    Also somewhere in this world or somewhere else was Ka and even though I hadn''t taken the time to probe my memories yet, I hadn''t forgotten her. So many things to do, so many things to face and people to protect but it was my duty as Empress, as a mother, as a sister and as a wife. With a determined soul and a strong heart, I raised my voice to introduce to everyone the family that made my heart beat.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20% off<novelnext></novelnext>


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000      MP : 85 000 / 85 000.      BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 186 Ooops~ !!

    - POV Freya -


    The crowd was finally dispersing because I had just finished my speech about my soldiers, my family and especially Titi and Ati as Shiro had nicknamed them. We had been in front of the city for several hours and the event had gone perfectly. All the citizens had cheered the soldiers and then the two babies neers. In spite of what was ahead of us, I was happy and I couldn''t help but feel good.


    All the people of Elysium were going back to their usual upations and only my Commanders and the section Leaders were left, who were also there. Not all of them had arrived at the beginning, but they had eventually left the mansion to attend the presentation of my children. Now that this was over, thete morning schedule had to be implemented and without further dy.


    A big meeting was to be held in the manor with those present before me, where we would discuss our exploration and discoveries. The topic of the uing War was also one of the most important ones, as I wanted to strategize now. On the way to the mansion, I was also scheduled to stop by the hospital that was near our estate and next to the Elysium soldiers'' barracks.


    My wife had told me about what had happened with this strange little boy who had fallen from the sky and although I trusted her, I couldn''t help but be suspicious. How could an unexpected little brother fall from the sky ? What were the odds of that happening and especially with the events that were taking ce at the edge of the forest. I also knew from Gaya that he had been marked by mana, so this matter had to be dealt with as soon as possible.


    *One mistake can turn everything upside down*


    I didn''t like it...I didn''t like it at all and now that the announcements had been made, it was time to head to the hospital before we held our meeting.


    "I will be expecting you in the Imperial meeting room in two hours where we will hold our second War meeting. You are all expected there as it is of the utmost importance, so make sure you are organized so as not to bete ! Commanders, you can go and meet your loved ones and tell them more about your adventures because I know that many are looking forward to your return fufu~"


    As I finished my sentence, my gaze gently slid over the many people waiting a little further away with a more than palpable desire to join us. There was of course yna waiting for Luna but also soldiers from different sections of the army as well as citizens. I felt a bit cruel to give them only two hours but time was against us.


    While everyone was nodding, I turned to Caipy who I had to talk to because as the Commander of the medical section, her help was valuable. I didn''t really know what the boy''s condition was and I certainly wasn''t a medical expert in this world. On Earth, I knew how to kill without leaving a trace, I knew the human body perfectly, but here, in this magical world, I had to listen to the expert.


    "Commander Caipy, I am going to the hospital with my family where a very special patient is currently. I will need you and your knowledge of medicine to tell me if you know with a little more precision what he has and how to cure him."


    "Well your Highness ! I would be happy to lend my expertise to this situation which although unknown, seems to be close to your heart."


    Nodding once more, I could see all the Commanders and section Leaders bowing before leaving. After only a few minutes, I found myself alone with my family in front of the city, pensive and worried. I kept repeating in my mind that I had so much to do and it almost made me a little nervous.


    Here I had discovered what it was like to love and be loved in the purest and most sincere way, but I also had to experience what came with it. The uncontroble, hidden fear in my heart that kept growing in the darkest moments. I not only had the weight of my life to bear, but the weight of an entire Empire and more importantly, my entire family that I had to protect.


    *Humans...not all of them are bad, but most of them are unfortunately. Why is that ? I don''t know...but if Kleisaria is Earth, then it proves that humanity has never really changed. We may be in a different time with many differences, but in the end...everything repeats itself*


    I had my eyes closed and as the cool morning breeze caressed my face, rather dark thoughts crossed my mind. I, who had lived in two different eras of the same world, was bing more and more aware that everything was the same. The means were different, the mentalities too, but in both cases, Humanity, in general, seemed only capable of the worst.


    Why couldn''t we all live together and respect each other instead of hunting each other ? Why couldn''t we shake hands and forget our differences ? Why should one be better than the other because his religion or race is different ? Finally, at that time or at the other, the questions remained more or less the same and this Humanity that I criticized...I had been part of it.


    *It took me a whole life, a family,panions, an Empire to protect to realize that the path to happiness is not soplicated. Yet even today I must fight hard against those same people who seek power through the crushing of others...those who are different...*


    I felt my fists clench, my jaw grind and my body tremble, as much from sadness as from anger. Why ? Why should we be the evil, horrible, inferior creatures that captured an innocent Princess ? A Princess who, tired of the actions of her own people, had fled of her own free will, even if it meant dying. Why couldn''t they realize that the problem was in their hearts ?


    *This War that ising may not make me any better than I was in my past life, but at least I will fight and spill blood for those who should never have to see it. I will not destroy Humanity as I wanted to do when I arrived...but I will destroy all those who dare to prey on the weak and innocent. I am willing to bear the burden of my crimes and the status of a monster for my entire life if those I love can be protected from this rotten world and its horrors...*


    As my blood boiled in my veins again, I suddenly felt a hand resting on my right shoulder, a head resting on my left shoulder, and little arms grabbing my legs. Slowly opening my eyes, I could see my family smiling at me with all the love they felt for me. As if each one had felt and heard my deepest thoughts...Gaya, Kira and Shiro were there.


    "Honey...we are here and we will go through all the trials of life together so please don''t torture yourself like this and let us help you like we always have."


    "Mmmh ! Mommy~ I may still be too small and nowhere near as strong as you but...but I too would protect you ! I...I...I can protect your smiles with chookies and lots of hugs hihi~!"


    One after another, the loves of my life were speaking their hearts and even though I already knew all this, I couldn''t help but smile radiantly. My wife had her head on my shoulder and almost whispered those words to me while Tyle and Alta?s smiled without saying a word. My little moon was also there and was hugging me whileughing and reassuring me from the top of her 6 years.


    "Hey onee-san ! Let us protect you because even an Empress, as powerful as she is, needs people she can count on. Gaya is right, don''t you dare carry the burden of an entire Empire on your shoulders, especially now...I have some too pfffhahaha~"


    My little sister had removed the hand she had on my shoulder to bulge her chest and bend both her arms making her biceps stand out. Her smile was radiant like the others and the sincerity, love and confidence was evident on her face. They were everything I needed, everything I had dreamed of, and just a few words from them was enough to calm my anger and sadness.


    Without another word, I hugged them before we began our walk back to the mansion. We were alone, happy, full of love and together... together we would move mountains and make the impossible possible. With a final smile that meant "let''s go", we started to walk back up to the hospital where I would meet this young boy who had fallen from the sky.


    ____


    - POV General -


    On therge paved street in the middle of the Empire, the Empress and her family walked among the somewhat impressed citizens. It was indeed very unusual to see the imperial family walking in the street outside of an important event and the few people who were there did not know how to behave. However, seeing that neither the Empress nor the Queen was paying any attention to them, everyone went back to their own activities.


    Most of the people had gone home because noon was approaching and Freya, Gaya, Kira, Shiro and the two babies, could be a little more quiet. Behind the family, Inferno was keeping pace, his head held high, his mane ming and his eyes looking everywhere. On thisrge street, the Empress was carrying her son in her arms, the Queen her little girl while Kira and Shiro were having fun several meters ahead.


    "Shiro my cute little cinnamon cream puff...I haven''t forgotten what you said earlier hehe~ will you protect me with hugs ? I couldn''t survive without aaaah~ if this Goddess of cuteness wants to save this poor little fox in distress, it''s now !"


    The three-tailed vixen Princess was ying drama queen as she didn''t hesitate to mimic distress by falling into herp. Kira was acting and lying on the ground with her hand over her heart, making noises representing pain. Shiro in front of her couldn''t help but giggle making her little pigtails wiggle and almost dropping the little tiara she wore on her head.


    "A-Auntie...pffpfff~ Auntie Kira noooo don''t die ! I''ll heal you with my legendary strength like mommy ! Yaaaaa~"


    "Oh yes ! Save me O sweet Imperial Princess, great Goddess Shiro !! Hahaha~"


    "Hihihihi~"


    The little moon then jumped on Kira who was on the ground opening her arms wide to hug her whileughing with all her heart. Freya''s little sister was alsoughing and hugging her niece back as their bodies fell to the ground. The scene was absolutely adorable, theirughter rising into the blue sky of Elysium under the loving eyes of the Empress and the Queen who she smiled not without raising her voice.


    "Shiro sweetheart...don''t roll around on the floor like that, it''s not very clean ! After we pass by the hospital it will be meal time so don''t get dirty and don''t mess up your dress. "


    "Yes mooooom~"


    At her mother''s words, Shiro immediately stood up smiling with all her teeth while Kira did the same with an embarrassed face. While the Empress found this scene hrious, she would turn her head to see Gaya looking at her with a raised eyebrow as if to say "do you have something to say ?". Freya was turning her head after shaking it slightly when suddenly, Kira''s voice echoed ahead.


    "Wooow !!! Now that I am able to feel and see everything, I find this ce beautiful and much bigger than I imagined. I didn''t have time to get a good look when we came down because of the crowd but...it''s huuuuge !"


    They had arrived at the Empire''s main square, which was right in the middle of the city, where Elysium''s first festival had been held and where the city''srgest tree stood. Kira was whirling around, jumping around with her tails expressing her state of mind. They were swinging furiously from left to right and at that moment, the Fox Princess looked like Shiro, her face beaming like a child.


    "Oyaaa~ ?? What am I seeing ??"


    Kira had stopped right under the giant tree where a fountain was enthroned with the statue of Titania as the centerpiece. At that moment, she turned to her big sister with a look of the most innocent while she approached the statue slowly by climbing on the fountain. No one was in the Elysium square and as Kira began to speak again, Gaya and Shiro looked at her with a questioning look.


    "She''s really well made, don''t you think ? Very representative of the Goddess ! Yuric and the other dwarves did such a good job of capturing her divine essence, don''t you think onee-san ?"


    Suddenly, as the silver-haired vixen jumped up to face her sister and her family, her foot slipped on the edge of the fountain. With an almost dramatic...overly dramatic look on her face, Kira fell backwards towards the water. Trying to regain her bnce, her arms were catching the statue but instead of holding it, the Fox Princess was dragging the sculpture down with her.


    "Oh noooo, my god I''m so clumsy !"


    With a loud thud of broken stones and water, Kira wasnding butt-first in the fountain, thousands of tiny pieces of the statue on her body. Her strength and the speed of the fall had exploded the beautiful representation of Titania that had sat in the Empire since its creation. Shaking off her hair and blowing out one of her strands, Kira looked back at her family speechless.


    Shiro''s mouth was wide open at the scene as she looked at her mothers and Kira in turn a face between panic andughter. Gaya had a hand over her mouth fearing that her sister-inw had hurt herself while Freya turned her head away slightly. The Empress was shaking slightly trying not to explode withughter while her little sister shrugged with an unconvincing look of apology on her face, before uttering only one word.


    "Ooops~ !!"


    [N/A: Fanarts of Shiro here ! (Shiro "wow" and Shiro "chookies")]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female<novelnext></novelnext>


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20% off


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000      MP : 85 000 / 85 000.      BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 1239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy

 Chapter 187 Angel & Demons

    - POV Freya -


    That was it, we were in front of the Empire hospital which had grown since its creation because our city kept growing day after day. I didn''t even have to check it out by myself because Gaya and the section Leaders took care of it perfectly. The building was quite big, made of white stones where a huge golden cross, the symbol of Commander Caipy, stood in front.


    To enter the hospital, one had to cross arge garden that went all around the structure, serving as a serene ce for the patients. There were benches, trees, flowers, and everything had been thought to offer an almost magical setting to those who had to stay there. After walking through the whole city, we had all finally arrived and it was now time to meet this little dragon.


    "Please, follow me your Highness"


    Caipy was waiting for us at the entrance and was no longer wearing her ck Commander''s clothes but had put on the white doctor''s coat. Even so, I could see the brooch I had made for her earlier, hanging proudly on her cor as she led us. I hadn''t been back to the hospital since its inception unlike Gaya and Shiro, so much like Kira, I was discovering new things.


    Crossing the garden quickly, we went through the doors of the building to arrive in a huge room where a multitude of beds were hidden behind curtains. As soon as we arrived, all the doctors and soldiers who were not in the barracks stood in line to wee us. Despite the size of the room, they had created arge corridor leading to another one where the rooms were inessible to the patients.


    "We greet the imperial family !"


    Nodding quickly, the entire family guided by Caipy headed down a hallway leading to her office and the various rest rooms reserved for the doctors. Gaya''s little brother was not in therge room with the others and had been ced in my Commander''s office. As the elf stopped in front of a door with her symbol on it, she turned to me while ncing at Shiro.


    "Mmmh...your Highness, I''ve only been here since this morning but the doctors who have been caring for him for a month have kept me informed of the situation. I...the little boy''s condition has worsened dangerously and...I don''t know if it is a good idea to let Princess Shiro see him."


    As I was about to answer, I felt my little moon hands grab my hand that wasn''t carrying Tyle. Shiro was hiding behind me and squeezing my hand as hard as she could meaning she didn''t want to leave us. I didn''t want her to be left alone either but I didn''t know the condition of the little hybrid dragon. Not wanting to traumatize her either, I found apromise as I lowered myself to her level.


    "Sweetie, you''reing with us don''t worry, after all you were the first one to take care of him. However, let me go see him first with your mom and auntie, okay ? Can you hang back for a few minutes with Commander Caipy for me ?"


    "Mmmh !"


    Shiro nodded shyly as she hid her face behind her hands with her eyes on the floors but a small smile on the corner of her lips. Getting to my feet, I nodded to the beautiful dark elf who did the same before cing a hand on the handle and opening the door. Caipy''s office was thergest in the hospital and as we entered, I saw the interior for the first time.


    While in my office there were tons of books and files, here the room looked more like aboratory. In the back there was a desk with dozens of herbal preparations and various ingredients as well as paper scattered everywhere. In this room, everything else was used for her research and experiments, where Caipy was the only one who knew what she was doing.


    "This way."


    As I looked around intrigued, the elf held out her arm pointing to the left side of her office. There, there was a bed hidden by curtains, a bed belonging to Caipy that allowed her to rest in ce when she wasn''t at the barracks. Shiro let go of my hand to go and stand next to my Commander while Gaya grabbed Tyle in my arms and Alta?s to put them gently on the sofa next to me in safety.


    My wife then walked past before putting a hand on the curtain to open it but stopped before she even pulled the fabric. Her hand was shaking slightly, I could hear her heart beating and smell her change...there was fear, sadness, regret and anger. Grabbing her hand that held the curtain, I hugged her as her trembling voice rose softly near my heart.


    "I...I haven''t seen him in a week due to the pregnancy making me way too tired. I...he''s not doing well Freya and if he''s gotten worse like the Commander said, I..."


    ? "Shhhh, I know my love, it''s going to be okay, I''m here and I promise to do everything I can to save him."


    At my words, it was together that we pulled the curtain letting my eyes rest for the very first time on this strange little boy. The moment I saw the little hybrid dragon, I was suddenly filled with anger, as I always am when I see the cruelty of humans. However, I didn''t have time to give in to this feeling because Gaya at my side copsed at the sight of him, suddenly fainting.


    "A chair quickly !"


    "Y-Yes !"


    Caipy was rushing to give me a chair where I would sit my wife who couldn''t bear to see her brother like that. Once I was sure she couldn''t hurt herself, I would straighten up to look at the little being on the bed. I didn''t know what he might have looked like a month ago, but it certainly wasn''t like this. Of all the things I had seen in this world, this was the first time I had seen so much cruelty.


    Gaya''s little brother had skin that was turning ck, he was skinny and his bones were sticking out everywhere. He had two broken horns, marks all over his body like burns, knife wounds or worse. Some of his flesh even looked like it had been removed and then sewn back on as if he were an experiment subject or an object. This little boy was only 10 years old and yet he had experienced and endured so much cruelty.


    He was losing his hair, or at least the little he had left, because some of it had been torn out at the roots, preventing any possible regrowth. This little hybrid dragon had his eyes closed, was breathing with difficulty and seemed paralyzed. Under its eyes, ck bags had formed and at the corner of its mouth, dried ck blood was still present. At that moment, there was no doubt at all...this little one was dying.


    - PING -


    [Name: (unnamed)


    Age : 10 years old


    Gender : Male


    Race : Artificial hybrid (Earth Dragon x Chameleon) -


    Element : Chameleon''s natural abilities


    Lvl 2/10


    HP : 500 / 1 500 (decreasing)


    MP : 200 / 200


    Strength : 15 (decreasing)


    Defense : 20 (decreasing)


    Agility : 18 (decreasing)


    Stamina : 13 (decreasing)


    Speed : 10 (decreasing)


    ____


    ncing at his status to see if there was anything I was missing, but no details of what was going on were there. For some reason, the system hadn''t recognized him as Gaya''s little brother, so I didn''t have full ess to his full status. As I got a little closer to him, Caipy came up beside me, whispering so as not to wake him.


    "Your Highness, his condition is critical and he must have a week to live, maybe two at the most. His skin is turning ck by the day as his organs are literally rotting away inside him. We have managed to slow the process down for a month or he would have died by now but the effects of our treatments are diminishing by the day. I...I''m sorry at this point and at the levels of our mage doctors, even light and healing magic are ineffective."


    Organs that were rotting ? I had never heard of such a thing, but the more I thought about it, the more I sensed something that wasn''t right. Closing my eyes and concentrating on that little body in pain, I could smell something different in his body. The smell of the blood was not the same and not to mention its color was far from normal, my senses were also detecting a huge amount of mana.


    I had never smelled that kind of smell and the more I concentrated on it, the more I felt my nose stinging in a very unpleasant way. This little boy in addition to having tortured, had traces of substance in his body and mana that was not his own mixed with the surrounding mana. Could he manipte it too ? I didn''t know but what was certain was that I knew what was going through his body.


    "It''s..."


    "Poison yes...he''s been drugged for 10 years and his body little by little has be addicted to whatever is killing it. We...we don''t know how this drug got into his body but it is disappearing day by day, causing his condition to worsen. The doctors have been keeping him alive for a month with decoctions but...but as Commander Caipy said, they are starting to fail."


    Gaya had suddenly stood up and approached me while giving me a little more information about her little brother. She was still shaking a little but was able to look at him without fainting even though it must have taken a lot of courage. My wife had confirmed the presence of poison that must have been injected into him every day throughout his life to kill him instantly simply by not giving him his daily dose.


    "Tsk ! Who are the real Demons of this world huh ? These humans are Demons..."


    Getting a little closer to my wife''s little brother, I could see the ambient mana inside him thanks to my skill "Mana Detection and Control". Closing my eyes, I could see it mixing with his mana, breaking little by little his circuits, leading to the degradation of his organs. Much like Gaya when I met her, this young hybrid was wounded to the core of his being.


    "Freya, I can also feel what is flowing through his body and I think you can help slow the process down until we find a real way to heal him."


    As I was about to speak, Kira''s voice echoed to my left and it seemed she had been thinking the same thing I had during her silence. She no longer had that goofy smile on her face or that devilishly adorable look, but a serious, concerned face. My little sister was right, with the control I had over the ambient mana I was the only one who could extract it from his body.


    "Mmh, I can remove the circting mana and destroy it from the inside but it won''t undo the damage done for so many years. If it does work, the battle won''t be won because we''ll have to find a way to save him. This process, on the other hand, is likely to be extremely painful and I don''t know if it won''t break him mentally and physically..."


    I wanted to be honest with the people in the room even though the truth was hard to hear especially for Gaya and Shiro who had had time to get to know him even a little. Forcibly removing the ambient mana that had be lodged in him was like extracting a living parasite, it could save him as well as finish him off right away. It wasn''t an easy decision to make, but for now it was the only solution.


    "Ho-honey...if...if this is the only thing we can do...I...if this works we will have more time ?"


    "Yes my love...we''ll just have to find a way to heal his organs and body with more time than we have now."


    "I-I...so...so do it...I trust you"


    "Mmmh, it''s okay..."


    I had never done this before and having to deal with something like this with so much at stake and especially the life of my wife''s little brother, was not easy. However, I was ready to do my best and do everything I could to save this little life that was not to leave us so soon. As I was about to order the presence of mage doctors to assist me, one important thing struck my mind.


    "Gaya ? This little one has no name..."


    "I...yes indeed. With all that has happened, your absence, the children...I...we only talked about him as my little brother...I am such an idiot, how could I forget..."


    "Don''t say that, it''s okay...we''ll have plenty of time to think about itter my love."


    As I smiled at my wife, I raised my hand to ce it on the almost ck torso of the little boy when suddenly my little girl''s voice reached my ears. Shiro, who had been silent, raised her shy and trembling voice to say only one word. In Commander Caipy''s office, the little white-haired Princess had uttered the first name that came to her mind.


    "Angel~"


    No one needed to speak because Gaya, Kira and I agreed...this brother torn from his family, this little being who had been tortured and nearly broken by humans now had a name. The humans, those Demons who had spilled his blood, no longer threatened him directly, but their evil shadows still hovered by his side. However, he was no longer alone and at this moment the family he never had, our family, was going to protect and save him. This little boy who fell from the sky...Angel was going to be saved from his Demons.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000      MP : 85 000 / 85 000.      BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 188 Angels Angel

    -- POV General --


    "Well...it''s time..."


    Freya stood by the bed where Angel was sleeping and was about to perform for the first time a kind of magical medical procedure that only she could do. Surrounded by doctors practicing healing magic, her wife, sister and daughter, the Empress was going to do everything she could to save this little boy. As it was time to begin, Freya straightened up before speaking.


    "Shiro my little moon, you should go and wait in the rest room next door, it won''t be a very easy time and you are still too young.."


    The little Princess waiting in the corner of the room looked up with a sad face and although she hadn''t seen Angel''s condition, she couldn''t help but feel disappointed. Obviously, she wanted to stay even if she couldn''t watch, so her mother''s words were hard to hear. And so, for the first time since meeting her mothers, Shiro protested.


    "But...but...mommy...I want to stay and help you !"


    "I understand but we don''t know what can happen and I don''t want you to hear anything that can haunt youter.."


    Freya was doing the best she could to make her first daughter understand that this was not an easy, happy time. No one knew how Angel would react, but the process of freeing him from his ambient mana was going to be painful. It was unthinkable for the Empress to let Shiro witness this or hear what was going to happen and yet the little Princess would not give in.


    "I...I''m strong too mommy ! Please...let me stay, I...I promise I''ll never ask for anything again ! What if...what if he needed me...what if...what if...I...I need to stay...mommy !"


    The little white-haired hybrid had a panicked look on her face and puffed up her cheeks to keep her tears from flowing in front of everyone. She had stood up on her little legs and was holding the intense purple gaze of her mother the Empress. Shiro may not have understood all the issues, but this desire to be by the side of the one she had nursed a month ago, was very strong.


    "Shiro !"


    However, it wasn''t Freya who had raised her voice but the Queen herself who didn''t want to waste time and wanted to protect her. At that moment, the little moon of the Empire lowered her head understanding that no words could change her mothers mind. Gaya''s face was sad because she knew how important it was in Shiro''s heart, but she did not give in.


    Nodding to Caipy to take Shiro, Tyle and Alta?s into the next room, Gaya kept her serious face. As the little Princess left with tears in her eyes without saying another word, Freya took off her imperial cloak, her crown, tied her hair in a ponytail and rolled up her sleeves. This was the moment of truth and her actions would depend on the life of this fallen Angel.


    "Very well, I will proceed to extract the ambient mana in his body, I want you to take turns using your healing magic on him. He must be constantly healed because the extraction will hurt him from the inside and you must not make him worse than he already is. You must be consistent and never stop until I tell you to. I will not ept any mistakes on your part."


    "Y-Yes your Highness !"


    At that moment, the Empress was more serious than ever, and the loving face she had when she hadforted the Queen was no more. Her intense violet eyes were squinted and her concentration changed the atmosphere instantly and drastically. The doctors at her side trembled as for all of them it was the first time they could talk to the she-wolf and be so close to her.


    In such a high-stakes situation, Freya almost let her aura slip out of her slightly and no one spoke. Everyone held their breath as she closed her eyes to calmly inhale and exhale before starting anything. Little Angel was asleep, though hardly, but it wouldn''t be long before he was fully awake as his eyes began to open.


    "Angel ?"


    The moment the Queen had ced her hand on the little boy''s shoulder, he was slowly opening his eyes lookingpletely lost. He slept most of the time as his body was too sore and weak to keep him awake for more than an hour. As Angel caught a glimpse of his older sister, his empty and tired eyes then fell at the same time on Freya who towered over him from her full height.


    "MMMH MMMMH !!!!!"


    Without warning, the little boy was then starting to fidget as he could, seeing the eyes of the one standing before him. Those years of conditioning and brainwashing on what the violet-eyed beings represented did not help. Angel could barely move and every time he did, a grimace of pain appeared on his face, and yet he tried to struggle as if his life depended on it.


    "Calm down Angel ! Please ! It''s alright ! I already told you about her...it''s...it''s Freya, my wife !"


    "MMMHH !!! AAAMMMH !!!"


    No matter how hard the Queen tried to calm him down, nothing helped, like a dying, cornered animal, the little hybrid dragon seemed to be fighting a visceral fear. His skinny body was shaking all over, his dull eyes were flickering and without a tongue, no words came out of his mouth. The scene was hard to watch as Angel at that moment looked like a poor little thing, unable to speak, defend himself, or even sit up on his bed.


    "Hold him down and give him something to put him to sleep quickly !"


    "At your orders Empress !"


    Caipy and her medics obeyed as they grabbed Angel''s arms as gently as possible before the Commander poked him with a needle in the neck. What she had just injected him with was an anesthetic herbal mixture that was supposed to be effective and yet. Minutes passed, the little dragon continued to "struggle", slowly breaking the hearts of those who were actually trying to save him.


    "It doesn''t work !!! Why ?"


    "I...it seems that his condition is so serious that the product is not working !! I...I don''t know what else we can do...this is the strongest we have !"


    The anesthetic herbal mixture was no longer working and for good reason, the boy''s body had assimted it over the month making it ineffective now. The ambient mana in his body was also so strong that it prevented the liquid from circting properly in his body. Nothing could put him to sleep and yet time was running out, Freya and the others had to act before he hurt himself further.


    "We''re running out of time ! Doctors ! Prepare to take turns healing him while I take care of the mana ! Those of you who don''t heal, help your Commander hold him but don''t hurt him ! I''ll start !"


    The Empress was giving her directions being pressed for time and knowing full well that she had to hurry, ordered her subordinates without hesitation. Angel didn''t understand what was going on and his pleading eyes added to his muffled cries were not easy to bear. However, even though it was a difficult choice, Freya had no other option and if she wanted to save his life...she was going to have to make him suffer.


    "Please...hold on Angel...I...I''m here...it won''t be easy but...I''m here...she...she''ll save your life...."


    As the doctors worked to hold the young boy down, others began to whisper forms, and the she-wolf ced her hand on his chest, Gaya spoke. She didn''t know what to do, so although she was shaking, she tried to reassure him as best she could. Her hands were shaking like dead leaves, her voice was broken and for the first time in front of her wife, tears of sadness were running down her face.


    The Queen was crying in spite of herself, not being able to stop herself from suffering along with her little brother whom she had just found. Why did he have to go through this after all he had already endured ? Would he be able to understand that Freya meant him no harm ? All of these thoughts were racing through her mind and her strong heart, at that moment, was a mass of pain, sadness and fear.


    The Empress had seen it well and through her wife, she felt all her emotions, lived them and understood them perfectly. Unfortunately, the situation was such that she could not take the time to reassure Gaya, the process had already begun. Trusting the Queen, despite the tears on her face, Freya, with a tight heart, began to extract the ambient mana from her little brother''s body.


    "MMMMMMMMMMAAAAAHHHHH !!!!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Just as the Empress was using her "Mana Detection and Maniption" skill, little Angel began to scream as best he could. She who could see the mana, saw it flow in one motion to get closer to her hand which she had on his dark little chest. The doctors were holding him, another was using his magic to ease his pain but it didn''t seem to be enough.


    "Hurr y! Have another doctor join the first one to heal him !"


    Caipy had shouted this phrase knowing that Freya was far too focused to continue directing this delicate operation. At hermand, an elf who was holding the little hybrid in ce would then start whispering, making light appear from his hands. Everyone was giving it their all, the Queen was holding Angel''s hand and despite her ever-increasing tears, she was there for him.


    "AAAHMMMFFFFFFHHHH !!!"


    "Angel ! Hold...hold on !! My...my god....FRE-FREYA HE''S BLEEDING !!!"


    Unfortunately, the more time passed, the more Angel screamed as best he could despite the pain that ran through his already damaged little body. The moment Gaya had spoken, he had started to spit ck blood from his mouth causing a panic on her part. The little dragon also had blood flowing from his ears and ck tears were also starting to appear under his tired eyes.


    "FREYA !!!"


    "I know ! I''m trying not to circte too much mana in his body at the same time but if he keeps struggling and screaming it''s not going to work ! He has to calm down at all costs or his body won''t take it !!!"


    There was nothing the Empress could do but continue what she had started as the process would be useless if it had to stop now. Unfortunately, as Angel struggled and continued to scream, he was making it worse by pushing his body to the limit. All this pressure at once could either kill him or drive himpletely crazy as he was so fragile. One thing was for sure...this was going very badly.


    "Fuck ! His life is going down !! Have all the doctors use their magic at the same time ! Quickly !!"


    "YES YOUR HIGHNESS !"


    "MMMMMFFFFFHHHHH"


    "FREYA !!! FREYA SAVE HIM !!!"


    In Commander Caipy''s office, there was unprecedented chaos and young Kira stood in the corner not knowing what to do also in tears. The scene was hard to see but the screaming voices were even harder to hear. The doctors supervised by Caipy were starting to panic, Gaya was screaming, crying her eyes out and Freya was gritting her teeth trying to concentrate.


    Little Angel continued to scream, as the doctors'' magic didn''t seem to be working at all or not enough. His screams lost more and more power and eventually became silent, leaving his tongue cut out and his bloody mouth open without any sound. The Empress was seeing his HP decrease but not stopping because despite the pain he was feeling, his circuits were being purified.


    In reality, what was killing him was his panic mixed with the process of suppressing the ambient mana throughout his body. Freya was also taking the opportunity to drain him of the poison that had eaten away at his organs from the inside, but nothing could change their condition. Suddenly, little Angel began to convulse, his eyes rolling back, his body falling to the bed like a rag doll...the little boy who had fallen from the sky was dying.


    "FREYA HE...HE IS ABOUT TO DIE !!!!"


    "I KNOW !!!"


    The Empress was about to take her demon form for the very first time to try to heal him with her blood skill without even knowing if it would work. Just as she was about to act, the sound of a door crashing open could be heard to their left. No one had time to figure out what was going on as someone strangely quickly snuck up between them to climb onto the bed.


    "ANGEL !!!! D-....DON''T GO !!! DON''T LEAVE ME !!!"


    The little Princess had appeared having heard everything that was going on and not being able to take it anymore had, with unexpected force, entered the room. She was now on the bed and just like the Queen, her eyes were filled with unstoppable tears. She was shaking and despite the terrifying sight that Angel was sending back, Shiro, sad but strong, grabbed his small hand as if she could prevent him from leaving forever


    "SHIRO !!! DON''T STAY THERE !"


    "NO NO NO NO NO !!!"


    For the first time, the little moon of the Empire was screaming and didn''t want to listen to what Freya was saying for her sake. She was shaking her head, heartbroken, unable to utter any words other than the one she was repeating over and over. Just as Kira rushed to her niece to grab her and let the others continue, something incredible and unexpected happened before everyone''s eyes.


    "NOOOOOO !!!"


    The little Princess had let out a loud, heartbreaking scream and at that moment, the ribbons holding her hair in pigtails broke. Her white hair began to glow and float in the air as if swayed by a light breeze. No one knew what was going on but no one dared to move, feeling an incredibly powerful aura for a little girl of her age.


    Only the Empress was not gripped by the power of the aura, but rather by what it reminded her of deep in her heart. That aura...the one that Shiro gave off...Freya knew it very well even if it was only very recently. The moment this realization hit the she-wolf speechless, the little Princess'' violet eyes began to vibrate and gradually change color.


    In front of everyone''s eyes, the little moon of the Empire no longer had eyes of a powerful and piercing purple but eyes of a golden color shocking Freya and Kira. This aura, this presence, these divine golden eyes...Lucifer knew them very well, confirming the theory that was sleeping in her mind. As the little Shiro began to glow with a white light, only one name was on her lips...


    "Ka..."


    Then suddenly, Angel''s entire body was surrounded by a faint white light seeming to make the space around him flicker. Everything was happening very fast and before everyone''s eyes, the hybrid dragon''s small body began to change. His shimmering, silky crimson hair grew back, his skin became white and pure again as all traces of abuse disappeared. No more burns, no more knife marks and torture... all those scars were gone along with the pain.


    Angel''s body seemed to swell up, bones slowly fading behind muscles and fat that were forming everywhere. Even his beautiful horns were growing back as was his tongue, which had long since been cut off and unusable. Before the eyes of the people in the room, the little boy wasing back to life when he was about to lose it. Within minutes it was all over and the white light around the little Princess disappeared.


    "M-Mommy...you...you see that...that he needed me...I...I could help..."


    "Shiro..."


    Freya had whispered again as she caught up with her little girl who exhausted had fainted in turn after speaking in a trembling voice. She didn''t really know what she had done, but she understood that she had been able to help a member of her family and that was enough for her. Only the Empress, the Second Princess and the Queen understood what had just happened.


    All of them had just witnessed the Time magic of Ka Nightshade. Shiro had just used it for the first time and as if supported by the invisible and protective presence of the Archangel Goddess of Infinite Time and Celestial Wisdom... little Shiro had just saved Angel for the second time.

 Chapter 189 New Threat On The Horizon ?

    [N/A: Sorry for these days of absence. I''ve been suffering for the first time from the nk page syndrome haha~ But well, after long sleepless nights and a lot of time, I finally got a chapter out. I hope you''ll like it]


    ____


    - POV General -


    In the Lands of the Vancesia Empire, under the great old and lonely mountains, the wind blew loudly making its huge hills made of stones sing. The sun''s rays did not fall on these great expanses of rock, hidden by huge, thick, gray clouds hovering above. The atmosphere was gloomy, almost suffocating, but at the foot of these mountains, a white light could be seen.


    At the ce where Ka was sealed, a light flickered with a piercing white glow, illuminating the stone prison of the ancient Goddess. The woman, who was locked in the rock, glowed brightly as her body was finally freed from the shackles that had held her for thousands of years. Cracking noises could be heard as well as a soft yet icy voice echoing against the walls.


    "What...what''s going on ??"


    The beautiful woman fell to the ground unable to understand what was happening but able to move her body freely again. Shey on the cold, wet floor, her eyes staring at the small opening that let in light, thinking back to what had just happened. Ka waspletely naked, her pristine white skin as bright as her white hair and her two intense purple eyes.


    In Freya''s vision of herself and her sister, the Goddess of Time was a protective, warm and maternal big sister.  However, the one on the ground did not give off that aura at all, and in fact, was far from it. For thousands of years, Ka had lived with the death of her little sister Lucifer on her conscience, during all the tragic events of her life.


    She had fought with fervor against the humans, inhabited by a hatred against the Goddess Titania that kept growing day by day, year by year. Today, Ka Nightshade was finally free but her face showed no expression of joy, relief or hope. The big sister Lucifer had known was no more, for kindness, wisdom and love, had given way to hatred, revenge and pain.


    "Finally...after all these years...I am finally free..."


    As she spoke this sentence, Ka slowly straightened to stand and test the mobility of her body. It was slim, mature, very well proportioned and unlike Lucifer, the former Goddess had generous curves. Much like Gaya, her maturity showed on her body and while the dragoness looked 35, Ka looked just as old.


    As a Goddess, 10 years didn''t separate Lucifer from her older sister, but just like her wife, her older sister looked older. Ka was beautiful, even as gorgeous as Freya, with a heavenly beauty that only the Nightshade sisters possessed. Her long, pure white hair fell to her waist and her face, even without a smile, was mesmerizing and unforgettable.


    "Im-Impossible...I feel...after all these years....the..Time magic. How...??"


    As Ka concentrated to test her body, it began to glow with the same white light that had released her minutes ago. The mana around her seemed to be going crazy, and though she had lost her title years ago, she could distinctly feel that magic that was hers. It was only very minute but the young woman knew her all too well to be wrong and she was right.


    "Mmmh....I see...Shiro. In the end, though events did not go as nned, the little one allowed me to regain a very small portion of my powers."


    Indeed, when the little moon of the Elysium Empire had released the divine magic within her, her body had resonated with that of the ancient Goddess. This action had eventually released her, activating what little mana she had left, imperceptible but still present. After all, Ka had been the Goddess of Time herself, carrying the blood of the Nightshades, and despite Titania''s intervention, the blood of the Gods still flowed in her veins.


    "I can''t use anything like before...I''m still too weak but I still possess this..."


    At the end of her sentence, the beautiful white-haired woman conjured up three thin ice swords with ease that gravitated above her. Like Freya, she had inherited the Ice and Chaos elements in spite of herself, but as a former Goddess, the norms of this world did not fully apply to her. Of course, Ka was stuck with these elements, but her system was still different.


    While the beings of this world were normally limited to a single-use, preventing them from creating spells or skills, for Freya and her sister this was not the case. Indeed, the ancient Goddess had the ability to possess more than one skill for each of her elements. Thus, Ka could create fine ice swords though nowhere near the level she had when she arrived in this world, let alone the level she had as a Goddess.


    "Mmmh... three swords is enough... let''s see the other.."


    Making the three swords disappear, the woman closed her eyes to focus on the mana she felt deep inside. Suddenly, ck walls of ice rose up all around her, creating an imprable-looking dome. Unlike Freya, Ka had retained all of her memories, her thousands of years of experience and knowledge of mana and its secrets.


    Even though she possessed the same elements as her little sister, the woman knew perfectly how to use them and knew almost all the secrets of their uses. Thus, the one who had been sealed had managed tobine her two elements to create something brand new, the only limit being her MPs and her imagination. The walls she had just created were covered in a ck mist, capable of absorbing anything that touched them...ice walls of chaos.


    "Very well. These months of waiting in the rock will not have been for anything since I was able to umte enough mana and recover a few levels. Sigh...and to think I''m only level 30 when the days when white wings decorated my back...no number could describe my power."


    Since her awakening ten years ago, Ka had not stopped feeding her mana circuits with the one that was so powerful, it had even been able to wake her up. Ten years ago, in thend of Vancesia, during the war, the day Gaya became the Mother of Dragons, Lucifer''s older sister had awakened. So without knowing it, Freya''s wife was the cause of her awakening and Lucifer''s daughter was the cause of her liberation.


    "Today... I have no title, no House, no power and my little si... L....L-Lu..."


    Unable to pronounce her little sister''s name, Ka resigned herself by shaking her head to chase away her sad and painful thoughts. For now, all she cared about was getting out of this stone prison that had surrounded her for far too long. After a few minutes, the woman raised her head towards the opening before leaping with power against the wall, shattering it.


    At the foot of the silent mountains, a huge explosion sounded among the rocks, the dry trees and the murmur of the wind. From the bowels of the earth, like an angel fallen from the sky, appeared a divine naked beauty with white hair. Ka Nightshade, former Archangel Goddess of Celestial Wisdom and Infinite Time, scourge of Humanity during the Age of Extinction...had returned.


    Taking a deep breath, with her eyes closed and her face turned to the sky, for the first time she could breathe the fresh air. In the middle of a desert of drynd stood Ka, who after taking a few minutes for herself, finally sat up. Her purple eyes scanned her surroundings and all her senses were active, looking for the slightest sound or movement.


    "Well ? It''s so quiet...no humans on the horizon, no signs of life, only silence...perfect. It''s time to get ready before I leave, I also need to find something to eat and a way to get to Elysium. However, I can''t decently walk around this way.."


    Touching her belly with her right hand, Ka then made a thinyer of ice appear on her body forming like a light toga covering most of it. Then, with her left hand, she touched her hair to make appear this time a thinyer of ck ice freezing her locks. Little by little, like a slow wave, the unique white color of her hair turned ck.


    Although it had been years since the woman had seen the light of day in this way, she knew perfectly well that her hair was unique. Before doing anything, Ka had to make sure she didn''t attract any more attention than she already did. So, in the middle of the former home of the earth dragons, stood Lucifer''s sister, ck hair and dressed in a white toga made of ice.


    "Mmmh, much better. Now I must head to Elysium following the tiny traces of Time magic I feel emanating from Shiro. She has apparently awakened my power buried within her which now resonates deep within my soul."


    Ka did not know how far away Freya''s Empire was, the one she had sworn to destroy in order to harm Goddess Titania. However, the little Princess''st actions had not only allowed her to awaken what little power of Time she had left, but also to follow her. For now, the former Goddess could not use her ancient magic, but Shiro was the key.


    "I need to make sure I get all my powers back in time and more importantly find a way to pick up where I left off before I ended up sealed by those damn humans. I won''t let her....Titania gets me a second time and I''ll take everything from her !"


    Ka felt deep down that she had nothing left to lose and wanted revenge for everything that had happened during her still mysterious past. She had no n, only a destination and a goal that was the only thing that kept her going. For so many years, Lucifer''s sister had dreamed of the moment when she would stand before Titania and make her pay a hundredfold for all the suffering she had endured.


    During the Age of Extinction, Ka had gone on a rampage of anger without really thinking about what would happen next, blurring her sense of logic. After all, she had also been the Goddess of Celestial Wisdom, but in the end, it was the day that her heart overrode her reason that Ka had truly lost her title. Now she didn''t want to make the same mistake again and even without a n, chose discretion over brute force, anger and haste


    "I have no time to waste ! I''m only going to follow the even very faint trail that Shiro is giving off and will find a way to support myself along the way. Sigh... why is having a human body such a... disadvantage ?"


    Yes, Ka Nightshade was now a human and though different, no beastly ears or tails could be seen on her perfect and beautiful mature body. Hunger, sleep and basic needs, everything a human needed to function were non-existent for Gods and Goddesses. Unfortunately, the oldest of the Nightshades sisters was no longer one and had to learn again how to take care of her body.


    "I''ll see on the way. Time to go..."


    Ka didn''t know how far away the little Princess of Elysium was or how long it would take her to reach her but she didn''t care. Time was not an issue for her because after living as a Goddess, being sealed for thousands of years and awake for 10 years, nothing could make her impatient. Time... the woman knew it well and even though she still couldn''t use it, her perception about it was quite different and unique.


    "Shiro, Freya... I''ming.."


    At the end of her sentence, Ka was leaping with all her strength towards the faint signal that the one she had sworn to snatch from Freya''s clutches was giving off. In an instant, her figure disappearedpletely and at great speed as she raced westward toward the Dark Forest. At this speed, it would only take her a few days to reach Elysium and confront the one who was actually her little sister.


    What Ka didn''t know, however, was that Lucifer was about to participate in the first real war her Empire had ever seen. A war where the human army of Zal, Pdins and Knights would face off against the proud army of Elysium, the very first result of an Empire weing the persecuted races. For the first time in the history of this world, beasts, half-humans and beast-men would rise up against Humanity.


    Ka did not know anything about it, because only a few words wereing to her mind thanks to Shiro. Thus, the Archangel descended to earth was about to take part in this confrontation that would soon shake the northern continent of Kleisaria. Would she help the humans by wanting to harm Freya, or would she finally be the one to help them in a difficult moment ?


    No one knew, but what was certain was that Lucifer and Ka, the Deadly Nightshade Sisters would soon be reunited by fate itself.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)<novelnext></novelnext>


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000      MP : 85 000 / 85 000.      BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 190 War Is Coming

    [N/A: I noticed that some people thought I was showing the system too much, which sometimes took them out of the story and the plot. So for this chapter, I decided to show it less, so you can tell me which format fits you best. Happy reading !]


    ___


    - POV Freya -


    "Shiro..."


    I grabbed my little daughter who had just passed out for the first time in front of me,pletely exhausted and drained of her mana. Everything had happened extremely fast and even though I thought I knew what had happened, I was speechless. Shiro had just used a very powerful magic that should not even be usable for a child of her age. Time magic... she had just used Ka''s magic.


    I had felt it, it was almost the same feeling I had had when I had been in my memories. And then, given what had just happened before all of our eyes, there was no doubt about my suspicions. Little Angel had totally changed and as I hugged my sleeping daughter, my eyes fell on him. Lying on the bed, sleeping peacefully, before us stood a perfectly healthy boy.


    Angel had no trace of abuse left on his body and everything he had experienced for ten years was gone thanks to Shiro''s action. Everything was there, his tongue, his injured limbs, his horns had even grown back and just like Gaya''s, they stood proudly on his forehead. The same crimson hair, shiny and beautiful, fell to his shoulders, silky and straight, bringing out his beautiful skin.


    He seemed at peace, sleeping with a smile on his face and for the first time a normal child was in front of us, far from the pain, blood and fear. Around me everyone was speechless, looking at this little boy who was as innocent as the name he bore. My wife by my side was trying to hold back her tears once the shock wore off while the doctors began to wonder.


    "H-How is this possible ??"


    "W-What happened ?"


    "The...the Princess did this ?"


    No one understood what had just happened and although they were witnesses to it, all the same, neither Caipy nor her doctors had answers to their questions. I could hear them but did not listen, I was holding my little moon in my arms with love that I was holding like the most precious of treasures. Shiro was shaking slightly with her eyes closed, snuggled up to me where she felt safe resting.


    "Honey...*sniff* take care of Shiro, I...I''ll take care of the rest.."


    "Mmmh...thanks."


    My wife had noticed that I was worrying about our little daughter and leaned over to me to indicate that I could see if everything was okay while she handled the rest. Her voice trembled slightly, she sniffled a little but the happiness and relief was evident in her beautiful eyes. Today, Gaya had gone through a lot of emotions and I hadn''t forgotten the first tears of despair that I had seen running down her cheeks.


    However, in that office in the Empire Hospital, the one who had dried my wife''s tears was not me. The one who miraculously saved her little brother who was about to die, it was not me. Our little Shiro had done it and brought joy, hope and gratitude back into her mother''s eyes. Nodding my head, I then turned and headed for the couch, the only one in the office.


    "Check that he''s okay and that his life is no longer in danger ! On the surface Angel is healed but we don''t know what''s going on inside ! We also need to get him some clothes, wash him and make him presentable !"


    "Yes, Queen !"


    As I heard my Queen ordering the doctors to check on his physical condition, I walked over to the couch where Iid Shiro down gently. I wanted to make sure that everything was okay with her and more importantly, that the use of this magic had not had any ill effects on her. To be honest, I didn''t really know how and why this had happened now but I wanted to find out for her sake.


    As I watched her sleep, I could feel Kira''s presence beside me as she approached, also worried about her little niece. Then, as I shifted slightly to the side, a little something suddenly struck me about her. My little moon was different, and while it wasn''t directly apparent, this detail hadn''t escaped me and hadn''t escaped my little sister either.


    "Freya..."


    "Yes Kira I noticed too... Shiro has grown..."


    My little daughter lying on the couch was not as small as she was before and seemed to have grown a few inches after using her magic. At this discovery, my heart began to race and an instinctive fear came over me that I couldn''t do anything about. Was this magic just making her grow or was it taking precious years off her life with each use ?


    "Before, Shiro woulde up to your legs and now... she''s gained four inches I''d say. Standing up, she''d probably reach you now just below the hips.."


    Without saying a word to Kira, I then opened my daughter''s status to find that now the question marks weren''t so much present. There was still one section I couldn''t read but everything else was clearly visible including one of her elements. As I went through each word that was written there, I confirmed little by little what I had always thought... Shiro was rted to Ka.


    ____


    [Name: Shiro Nightshade


    Age : 5 years and a half


    Gender : Female


    Race : Unique hybrid (Wolf x Goddess)


    Elements : Time x ???


    Lvl 5/10


    HP : 3 500 / 3 500


    MP : 300 / 1 000


    Strength : 60


    Defense : 46


    Agility : 58


    Stamina : 45


    Speed : 43 ]


    ____


    Not only had she grown, but Shiro had gained 3 levels since thest time, just by activating this magic...how ? Besides, something else was working on me. For some reason I didn''t know yet, my daughter was a unique hybrid, half-wolf, half Goddess. There was no doubt about it, the coincidence was unbelievable but when my eyesnded on the word "Time", everything was confirmed.


    *Kira... do you remember the question marks about her status ? They have mostly disappeared. Shiro...Shiro has the same magic as Ka and can use Time, though I don''t really know what that means*


    Not wanting to be heard by anyone, I had used my telepathy skill to converse with my little sister. Since she was no longer inside my mind and soul, she could no longer see the status of others. I was then describing one by one what I saw, while Kira listened silently and seriously. The others were still busy behind us, but she and I were far too focused to care.


    [I didn''t know that "Goddess" was a race, but what amazes me the most is the second element that remains unknown. Now that you''ve activated your... Goddess blood, you''re able to see everything rted to your bloodline, but... what could her other element be ? Something more powerful ? A mistake ?]


    "I don''t know...I just hope everything is okay and I''ll make sure it''s okay in the future. We need to understand the limits of her power, what Shiro is risking, and how she can control it*


    [This is not going to be easy...we don''t know anything about Time magic.]


    Kira was right, we didn''t know anything about this element and my system was of no use to me this time. The only person who could help us was my older sister, but I didn''t know anything about her and I didn''t even know where she could be. I hadn''t recovered my memories either, so all we were doing for the moment was going in circles.


    The most important thing though was Shiro''s health and despite what had happened before our eyes and the discoveries of her status...she was fine. Thinking back on everything that had happened in just a few minutes, I couldn''t help but smile proudly, like a mother. I was lost in my thoughts when Kira''s voice echoed in my mind again to state something I already knew for sure.


    [Onee-san...Shiro...Shiro is special and...powerful...]


    *Mmh and much more powerful than I am considering her age. Our little moon will be 6 years old soon and she has already saved one life by releasing an incredible power.


    As I finished my sentence, I couldn''t help but feel proud but worried at the same time because I was missing a lot of information. How can we control events perfectly when we are missing elements ? Once again, the image of my smiling older sister popped into my mind, squeezing my heart. She... Ka... she would have been able to help Shiro but relying on her help was futile.


    Little by little, I found myself wishing for her presence, not just to help my little daughter but also because the memory of her whole being appealed to me. I had never felt this way and my feelings for Gaya and Kira were totally different from what I felt for Ka. While I wanted to protect my wife and my little sister, my big sister was the one who made me want to be protected.


    Since we came back from the pantheon, I felt an emptiness inside of me due to Kira''s absence but also Ka''s absence. It was quiteplicated to feel theck of a precious and irreceable person without really remembering her or the moments lived in herpany. Only the memory of the body remained in me, and as in my vision, the desire to have her close to me became stronger and stronger.


    [Onee-san ? Is everything okay ? It''s very rare but...you''re shaking]


    *Yes..everything is fine*


    Kira pulled me out of my thoughts once again as I opened my fists, feeling my warm blood flowing down my palms. For the moment, I didn''t need to torture my mind because much more actual and urgent problems couldn''t wait. Straightening my head and turning to Kira, I could see behind that my wife and the doctors had finished their work.


    Approaching silently, I observed with a smile what Gaya''s little brother looked like now...the newest member of our family. Angel was dressed in a simple white shirt and pants that made him look like a little angel. He wasn''t smiling anymore but his face was devoid of any scowl, long strands of crimson hair falling lightly over his small closed eyes.


    "He''s beautiful isn''t he ?"


    My wife had appeared at my side beforeying her head gently on my shoulder, looking at Angel with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. She was beautiful and even when her eyes were slightly puffy, she was still the most beautiful Queen. In response, I simply grabbed her by the waist before cing a light kiss on her head making her giggle slightly as she snuggled a little more against me.


    "It''s up to us to protect them isn''t it honey ? Shiro, Tyle, Alta?s and Angel..."


    "Yes my love...we must protect them from this cruel world and preserve their future for all of them as I promised. And if I have to burn this world to do so to bring forth a brand new one, devoid of hate, violence, blood...just and beautiful, I will."


    "WE...will do it hehe~"


    Kira had appeared in turn to my left as she rested her elbow on my shoulder, a smile on her face, canines and dimples out. Ka may not have been by my side, but no matter how much I missed her, she could never rece the family at my side. Dark daysy ahead of us, I could already smell the blood, hear the screams and the frenzy of battle rising but I was no longer alone.


    "Well... Commander Caipy it is time for us to return to the mansion, the War meeting will obviously be held in an hour and I expect your presence. Please make all arrangements for Angel until he wakes up, I''m counting on you !"


    "Yes your Highness, it will be done as you specifically requested !"


    Nodding, understanding that we were leaving, I could see Kira rushing over to Shiro to gently grab her in her arms to carry her on her way home. Gaya ced a soft kiss on Angel''s forehead before whispering a few words to him, pressing her forehead against his. It was time to leave, Tyle and Alta?s were waiting for us in the other room and as we left, I turned back to Caipy and her doctors.


    "Thank you... Thank you for your help and thank you for everything."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Thest thing I could see, was the smiles of those who had done their best all along to save Angel and had never backed down. They all deserved to be thanked and in my heart, I knew for sure that I wouldn''t forget what had happened. As we walked into the second room, Gaya and Kira''sughter reached my ears as I thought about the uing war.


    It was not yet noon, the sun was not yet fully up in the sky and despite everything that had happened, I was enjoying every moment, every smile, and everyugh. I knew it, soon I was going to leave my role of wife, of mother to take the role of the ruthless Empress of ice. I was going to be a monster, a bloody demon for these humans, and show them my wrath... I was going to show them who Lucifer was.


    [N/A: Feel free to tell me inments or here, what you prefer. Of course, I will still show the system pages but if you prefer the format of this chapter, then there will be more descriptions (same for the fights). Except of course when showing the system pages is essential. Thanks for taking the time to give feedback]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000      MP : 85 000 / 85 000.      BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    ? Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3) - (under condition)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 191 Drums Of War

    - POV General -


    Three days had passed since Angel''s recovery and it seemed that the time had finallye for a confrontation, for in front of the Dark Forest, a huge army was waiting. The Pdins and Knights of the Kingdom of Zal faced the expanse of trees where Empress Freya''s Empire stood. No one really knew what awaited them, but with the blind confidence of humanity, the anticipation was palpable.


    3,000 warriors, mages, men and women, waited patiently for orders from the King who had personallye for the asion. Princes Erzian and Is Zal remained in the capital, as did the Supreme and Sage, who gave their orders from afar. A huge tent made of red and gold stood in the middle of this human crowd, so beautiful that it would have been normal to wonder what it was doing here in such a war.


    Theophctus Zal stood in this tent, surrounded by the Chief Pdin Leto and the Captain of the Knights Myles, on a throne as extravagant as his quarters. He wore his crown and was d in golden armor with the Royal coat of arms engraved on his chest. In his hand was a small object unknown to the Elysium Empire, resembling a thin nk stone tablet.


    "My King ! Themunication tablet should activate any minute now, once you have conversed with the Supreme, you can give us the order to venture into the forest !"


    Myles, the Captain of the Knights stood at the right of the King and looked over his shoulder at what he held in his hand, tapping his foot impatiently. It was a mana-filled tablet that allowed for remotemunication with short phrases for essential information. As Myles spoke these words, the stone object suddenly began to glow as if in response to his words.


    "My King! This is it !!"


    "I can see fine thank you, I''m not blind yet...tsk !"


    Dismissing the Chief of Knights with disdain, the King turned to the stone tablet that had begun to vibrate insistently. No one spoke anymore as suddenly letters appeared on the surface as if they were written in real time. This was the case because thousands of miles away, the one who possessed the same object and was tracing a message was the Supreme.


    [This is the Supreme. Everything is ready on our side your Majesty. Recap of findings : Monster city in the west. Leader unknown but probably weakpared to our forces. Target spotted a month ago : little girl, white hair, violet eyes, 6 years old. We need her alive. No trace of the Princess but probably captive there. Useless and rebellious little dragon died after giving us this information]


    "Tsk... I already know all this ! Has the Supreme forgotten all the information that the Church has sent us for thest month ? This is not the time to recap ! We have new information that could change everything !"


    Never content and always insufferable, Theophctus almost threw the tablet to Leto, Chief of Pdins, to write a message to his superior. Sinking into his seat and adjusting his crown over his gray hair, the King clenched his fists as he began to speak. His voice was neither solemn nor affectionate but condescending, carrying a trace of contempt and annoyance.


    "You ! Write down what I''m going to tell you : A few days ago, two ordinary soldiers saw some gigantic animals running towards the west. ording to them, there was a wolf, a panther, a cat, a snake and two flying monsters apanied by half-humans. I don''t know if they were drunk, but this is all pretty fishy and hard to believe...that said, it''s still important information."


    While Theophctus quickly dictated what he had to say, the Chief of Pdins, though annoyed by his attitude, remained silent and began to write. He traced the letters one by one on the stone tablet, using his own mana as ink to make them appear. The letters seemed to dance lightly on the surface before disappearing as the next one was drawn.


    Once the message was written and sent, the three people in the Royal tent waited in an awkward and heavy silence. Outside, the sound of Knights and Pdins preparing for battle could be heard when suddenly the tablet began to vibrate again. Leto leaned over the King''s shoulder once again to present him with the Supreme''s answer.


    [Stay alert but the attack will not change. If what you say is true, you must attack. Those monsters must be aware of your presence. However, our forces are incredible. Destroy the forest. Bring back Princess yna and the cursed child. But don''t be fooled by her cute appearance... she could be the demon that appeared thousands of years ago. Return proud and victorious to Zalhythe your Majesty. Leto knows my orders, you can attack promptly]


    Despite the importance of the information, the Supreme was confident and did not seem in any way rmed by the presence of the huge beasts. In all, there were 3,000 humans ready to fight for their Kingdom and both the King and the Head of the Church could not, despite their vignce, imagine their defeat. The best of the Pdins, although not Leto, had the same level as Freya herself, even if no human knew it.


    Neither the Supreme nor the King could suspect that the forest was home to a level 45 Empress, a Queen and ten level 30 Commanders all supported by a system and valiant soldiers. However, the soldiers of Elysium, while slightly more powerful than the ordinary Knights and Pdins, were far less numerous than those surrounding the forest. Indeed, the Empress had only 1,500 soldiers in her ranks, only half of the human force.


    As Freya had foreseen, theing War was going to be the most difficult and undoubtedly the most deadly the Empire had ever seen. As always, she desired no loss, but knew in her heart that in any real war, dreaming of a bloody confrontation without death was impossible. However, the Empress was going to do everything in her power to get as close to that ideal as possible, as she had sworn to herself.


    "Very well then we will do as nned ! After all, the Church is the one who has been busy gathering information through their...Dragon Thing. Why did he die anyway ? He seemed to be a major asset to your Supreme. Didn''t you keep him for ten years ? What happened ?"


    Rising hastily from his throne, Theophctus tossed the tablet onto the table in front of him as he turned to Leto to ask him the few questions that were burning in his mind. He had been one of the first to see the Supreme''s experience at thest meeting and could not understand what motivated the decision to kill him. The Chief of Pdins, who was obviously aware of this, lowered his head and answered softly.


    "Your Majesty, His Excellency''s test subject had managed to gain the trust of the Church''s purple-eyed target after infiltrating the city of these subraces. He was ordered to bring her back, but believing himself untouchable, he stayed there, forgetting the reason for his existence and his total belonging to the Supreme. Master Sage, the Holy Schr then stopped supplying him with his daily drug making him die very quickly... today the mark he carries is no longer detectable."


    "Mmh I see. Never mind then, I guess the Church knows what it''s doing, as long as its decisions don''t harm the Kingdom, his Excellency can well dispose of his toys as he wishes !"


    Walking out of the tent, the King followed by Myles, Captain of the Knights and Leto, Chief of the Pdins, was about tounch the offensive towards the West. As he emerged from his royal quarters in the middle of the camp, all the men and women milling about stopped before clicking their heels in greeting to his Majesty. Taking a deep breath, Theophctus Zal grabbed his golden sword and raised it to the sky.


    "SOLDIERS !!!"


    In front of the soldiers, it was no longer the sulky and disdainful King who was there but a true leader, a warrior ready to do anything to get his daughter back by himself. All his armor and weapon shone brightly under the midday sun, dazzling the Knights who saw in him a God of War and the Pdins who felt their hearts beating fast. It was finally time for the humans to enter the Dark Forest where so many of their fellow humans had disappeared.


    "Prepare to fight for your King and your beloved Princess kidnapped and held somewhere in this forest !!! Today we have two goals and I swear on my honor that we willplete them ! Let''s find my sweet yna and capture the vile purple-eyed monster that is probably standing beside her as I speak !"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Only the voice of Theophctus could be heard throughout the camp, no light breeze, no noise, no voice could be heard. Once he had finished his little speech, he lowered his sword and mmed it against the ground, indicating that he was finished. The still silent army watched the King with determined eyes as he turned his head to his left towards Myles who stepped forward to speak.


    "Let the ten best level 30 Knights step forward apanied by the level 45 Mage Knight !"


    At hismand, the knights on the right parted to let ten of them pass, dressed in grey armor that was lighter than the swordsmen or hand-to-handbatants because they were mages. They all wore shiny white helmets that hid their faces, leaving only their eyes visible. Behind them, the most powerful of the mage knights arrived carrying two swords at belt level and two behind the back.


    The same white helmet shone in the sunlight but a long red hair fell back to the middle of her back... the best Mage Knight was a woman. The eleven knelt before their Captain and King while it was Leto''s turn to speak. After a slight nod from Theophctus, he stepped forward just as Myles did before him, making his voice heard.


    "Let the ten best level 35 Pdins step forward in turn and present themselves before His Majesty the King on behalf of His Excellency the Supreme !!!"


    To the left, the rows of Pdins dressed in robes for battle also parted to let the ten who had just been called by their leader pass. Dressed in gray with the symbol of the Church, a bird embroidered on the back and on the chest. They were all ready to fight and die for their mission and their Supreme. In front of the three leaders of the army stood the 21 best warriors who were to fight in the front line.


    "Good ! Let the 21 strongest warriors join us in the tent for a final check on how we are doing but... Valorous Knights and Pdins ! In one hour we will march on this forest so sharpen your swords, halberds, knives... prepare your incantations and focus because this afternoon we will be ying half-humans and beasts !"


    "...."


    "We''re going to take my daughter the Princess back to the capital and show those bastards that you don''t provoke Humanity, the King and the Church without consequences !!! My soldiers, my fighters,...this afternoon we will destroy the forest, we will shed blood and tonight we will feast on the corpses of our enemies HAHAHAHAHA~"


    "YAAAAAAAY !!!!"


    King Theophctus had finished his speech with a raucousugh, full throated and eager to find his daughter and above all to return home victorious. His words were followed by shouts of encouragement, mostly from his loyal Knights while most of the Pdins waved with a smile on their lips. The sun was high in the sky and in an hour the attack on Elysium would begin.


    ____


    - POV Freya -


    I was outside the city, once again on therge expanse of grass that this time was filled with soldiers armed to kill. Although it was past noon, it was not the gentle rays of the sun that greeted me outside, but a starless ck sky. A gigantic dome had been created over the Empire, made of wood, earth, ice, nts, cutting off Elysium and its inhabitants from the world.


    Everyone had worked with seriousness and determination to protect what we had built and the result was incredibly impressive. Luna and her espionage and intelligence section had deduced from her observations that the humans would attack today in the early afternoon, so everyone had prepared everything they needed and the time for the confrontation had finallye.


    There, all silent, was the army divided into sections behind each Lieutenant and each Commander, all dressed in ck. My best warriors wore their capes and brooches with their symbols but also, a scary ck helmet representing the face of a horned demon. The expressions on each of them were different, one wasughing, another was angry or crying but one thing was sure... they were terrifying.


    I didn''t have time to approach them to greet them when already Gaya and Kira, who were in front of the whole army, rushed towards me with a serious and almost a little worried look. Not at all dressed in the same way, the first to speak was my wife followed almost immediately by my little sister. They spoke quickly and clearly so that they could be heard by the others as well.


    "Honey... the human army is at the center in the forest. The humans in it are destroying and killing everything in their path and if we don''t do something, if we don''t stop them now...


    ...they''ll end up destroying the entire forest or worse, arriving in Elysium before our army is even out ! Onee...ahem... Freya, we must leave now there is no time to lose !"


    For the first time since the creation of the Empire, I was going to fight alongside my little sister who had trained hard for three days, but also my wife. Gaya was no longer pregnant and her rage against those who had locked up her little brother had pushed her to take part in this War. Every soldier, every muscle would be useful, so even though I was worried, I could not refuse the presence of thest Dragoness.


    Kira was still barefoot, dressed in ck pants and a ck sweater with arge scythe with a ck and red de behind her back. Her hair was tied in a ponytail and her face was half covered by a half mask hiding her mouth with a frightening smile embroidered on it. Gaya, without a weapon, was wearing what seemed to be a tight red jumpsuit, open in the back, to promote her transformation.


    "Yes...we''re going to leave !"


    Neither Shiro nor the twins were there as a precaution, and although our three children were perfectly fine, they were in the hospital with Lia and Triss. Our little moon was watching over Angel who still hadn''t woken up and Gaya, Kira and I knew we could leave with a light heart. I didn''t have time for goodbye speeches, time was running out and we had to start our walk.


    I then took my own helmet out of my storage space while walking in silence followed by my wife and my little sister. As I moved, I put on the helmet that looked very simr to the ones worn by my Commanders. It was all ck, left openings for my horns but represented my face... the one I had as Goddess Lucifer, covered with tattoos as it had never been before.


    The true face of a Demon... the face of Death herself. In a sacred silence, no cheering could be heard, testifying to the importance of this War that would seal the fate of us all. Turning to all my soldiers, Gaya and Kira, I spoke only a few words. Under this dark sky without any light, this dark sky protecting our Empire, my voice sounded cold, powerful and full of passion.


    "Let the drums of War resound !"

 Chapter 192 The Fall...

    [N/A: Chapter divided in two, title to be continued in the next chapter].


    -- POV General --


    In the great Dark Forest the sun was shining somewhat hidden by clouds that were slowly beginning to form beside it. Among the trees, no animals could be seen, too scared and lurking in the shadows, while the ground was shaking. The ground vibrated with power, shock waves shook the earth making the stones jump and the dark green leaves rustle.


    The first Great War of Elysium was about to begin, and in this usually quiet forest full of life, thousands of soldiers from all over were marching bravely. The ground shook as hundreds and hundreds of soldiers marched in unison, as one, making their way through the trees. The human army was marching from the south, led by the King, Myles and Leto.


    Every root, every ntation was uprooted or burned, trees were cut down and as always in this world, wherever humans passed, they sowed only destion. Behind them was and where the greenery was no longer present, where the grass was trampled, behind them was and without life. The Knights and Pdins advanced with a smile on their faces, far too happy to be able to destroy.


    In addition to the deafening footsteps that were gradually gaining ground in the forest, the sounds of sword strikes and explosions echoed and rose into the sunny sky. The King stood before the others on his white horse, head held high and eyes condescending, enjoying every sound and every action. Behind him, two camps were quite distinct, on one side the Knights led by Myles and on the other the Pdins led by Leto.


    "Still no sign of any living creatures, of my daughter, of this little girl, let alone a civilization of monsters ! Are we going to have to go through the whole forest to find my daughter ?? This is weird."


    It had been an hour since the march began and Theophctus, at first excited about fighting, was bing more and more impatient and began toin. Although he looked stupid, stubborn and ipetent, the King was still the ruler of an entire Kingdom and a very good warrior. In spite of his impatience, the absence of any sign of life or of any of the other opposing groups seemed suspicious to him.


    Of course, he knew that moving 3,000 warriors took time, especially if destroying the forest in their path was also one of their goals. However, his senses were still not detecting anything, which made him more and more nervous. Suddenly, as if someone had heard him, several kilometers in front of them a powerful aura was activated causing a light st across the forest.


    "Y-Your Majesty... you... you felt ?"


    "Yes Myles... all of our guests have decided toe out of their dingy hiding ces and confront us haha~ finally we are approaching our enemies."


    A startling aura of hundreds of different auras seemed to draw the human army forward only a few miles from their position. The men and women had been frightened for a moment by this sudden power, but the King''s voice had rekindled the me within them. Raising their swords once more silently to the sky, the army resumed their destructive march towards the source of thisbined aura.


    ____


    Several miles from the position of the King and his army, in the huge clearing created during thest confrontation and located in the center of the forest, Freya was waiting. An army of hundreds of soldiers of different races, all dressed in ck and armed with weapons each more deadly than thest, stood behind her. The army of Elysium stood there and although some sections and Commanders seemed to be missing, the Empress, the Queen and the Princess were there.


    Freya rode her trusty stallion with a fiery mane and golden eyes and watched from afar as she handled the ice-cold eyes. She wore her helmet representing her scary face as Lucifer but from some angles looked more like a skull. Also dressed in ck, the silent Empress waited while caressing Inferno who wore a simr helmet representing the skull of a horse.


    To Freya''s right stood Gaya riding her mare Pearl wearing no helmet and looking in the same direction with terrifying seriousness. To her left, Kira was also there but not riding any horse and was instead sitting on her weapon. Indeed, the solid handle of her scythe was deeply nted in the ground and the Fox Princess was sitting cross-legged on the de, elbow on her knee and hand under her chin.


    Behind them were not the ten Chaos Commanders, for Luna, Ynir and Persea and their sections were missing. However, the other seven Commanders were present and waiting calmly behind the Empress, the Queen and the Princess. All of them had released some of their aura as ordered by Freya to draw the invading humans in their direction.


    "Your Highness !"


    Suddenly, out of nowhere and without any soldier seeing hering, Luna appeared in front of the Empress, kneeling with respect. Like a shadow even more undetectable than before and elusive, the young half-human panther had be a master of concealment and quick as lightning. As a result, she could appear anywhere and give the impression that she was teleporting, just as the Empress herself did.


    "What''s going on Commander Luna ? Are there any problems with the n we have prepared ?"


    "N-No...but we are running out of time, the human army will be here any minute but the preparations are far fromplete. We...we need time your Highness..."


    Luna sat up with a serious face while nodding respectfully to the Queen and Princess who were silently listening to the conversation. Freya frowned softly but, more than a little annoyed, seemed to be thinking about how to proceed. Behind them were about a thousand soldiers, seven Commanders, and even though this arrangement was nned, the sections working in the shadows seemed to need time.


    "Alright then we''ll buy as much time as we can, after al our entire strategy is based on information. Commander Luna stay here, I''ll take care of what''s going on over there, if you need time, get yna over here and get the Human King talking."


    "Yes, Ally wished to face her father anyway, your Highness. May I, however, ask your permission to stay by her side ? My section is hidden in the forest ready to receive your orders, if you leave... may I stay near her ?"


    Nodding to Luna and understanding her desire to be near the one she loved, Freya turned to her wife and then her little sister before giving them a smile. Though hidden by the mask, they knew what they had to do and as they returned her smile, the Empressunched her stallion to ride into the forest away from the human army.


    As the silhouette of Inferno and Freya disappeared through the trees and yna appeared among the soldiers, Gaya spoke. For the first time since the creation of the Empire, the warriors of Elysium were not led by the Empress, but by the Queen and the Princess, who had never fought alongside them before. With a firm and reassuring voice, Gaya began to speak while Luna went to stand next to her lover.


    "Don''t worry, we will save time and my wife knows what she is doing. Soldiers ! Prepare to fight now, don''t let your vignce go down and prepare for any eventuality ! We are few in number that''s why we have to buy time but whatever happens, the Princess and I will protect you and fight before you have to !"


    "YES QUEEN GAYA !!!"


    As the thousand soldiers and the now eight Commanders responded, Kira, who so far had said nothing, raised her head. The three tails swinging behind her stopped as she jumped to the ground almost soundlessly. Snatching the handle of her scythe from the ground, the Fox Princess twirled it in the air with ease before nting it on the ground saying at the same time three words.


    "They''re here..."


    ___


    - POV Random Human Soldier -


    The forest we were going through was huge, the smells were horrible, the trees were ugly and the deeper we went the more I felt the urge to vomit. We had been going for more than an hour behind his Majesty, Sir Myles and Saint Leto and I was lucky to be in the front line behind the most powerful warriors of all Zal. I was proud and my mind couldn''t help but think of the moment when I could shine on the battlefield.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Soldiers ! Here we go !!"


    The King''s voice woke me from my thoughts of heroism as a little further on the sun''s rays seemed to shine on a veryrge clearing. There were many figures waiting for us and as only a quarter of our army entered the ce, his Majesty stopped. In front of us stood what appeared to be a terrifying army but whose soldiers were actually few in number.


    *The subraces...*


    An army of subraces stood there like idiots waiting for us toe with less than half our numbers. The scene was hrious and the front lines of our soldiers in the clearing could not help but giggle. However, after a few seconds, the silence returned because for some unknown reason, the urge tough was reced by uncertainty.


    The longer we stayed in the clearing, the more auras that were not to be taken lightly made us shiver as we finally took the time to observe. The subraces were not numerous, but there were a few that caught my attention and were at the front. Eight masked monsters, a young woman with tails with her head down and a crimson haired woman riding a beautiful mare.


    "That''s a nice bunch of cute little soldiers we have there hahaha~ Woman ! Are you the one leading this mediocre army ??"


    "Hahaha~"


    "Fufufu~"


    "Hehehe~"


    At the words of His Majesty the King, none of us could help butugh, dropping the strange pressure that had unjustly assailed us earlier. The King without fear and with the courage and determination of a sovereign, had questioned the half-human woman who seemed to be in charge. A heavy silence suddenly began to reign for a few seconds in the clearing as the subrace finally answered.


    "To whom do I owe the honor ?"


    At the moment she had uttered this sentence, she had stepped forward slightly apanied by the three-tailed sub-race whose face was hidden. The crimson-haired woman''s voice was particrly firm but gentle, yet with a palpable touch of disdain and disgust. Was she judging us ? Didn''t this trash can even know the name of our almighty King ?


    *Imp-Impossible !*


    "Insolent !!! I am Theophctus Zal, King of the Kingdom of Zal and father of Princess yna Zal whom you hold captive ! I am the ruler of an entire country and I am here today in person to destroy this forest, kill the warriors and enve the women and children who will show us the respect they owe me ! I will not stop until my sweet daughter is returned to me and the leader of your little group bows down to me !"


    At his words, the half-human who was in front of her small, puny army sighed before turning to her soldiers and nodding. The next moment, a beautiful young woman with blond hair appeared apanied by one of the eight masked subraces. Before us appeared for the first time the Princess yna Zal who had been missing for months... the one we had been looking for was finally there.


    "It''s the Princess !!!"


    "Her Majesty the Princess is indeed held captive !!!"


    "They are monsters !!!"


    The moment she appeared, I could hear myrades, my fellow soldiers raise their voices in indignation and shock. An intense and noisy hubbub began to rise in the blue sky as the hatred towards this trash only grew second by second. However, once again, the voice of the King silenced them all as he eximed with both joy and anger.


    "ALAYNA MY DEAR! !! Don''t worry, daddy will deliver you right away and...


    "ENOUGH !!!"


    Without giving her father time to continue, the beautiful Princess surrounded by these monsters had shouted a single word plunging the clearing into confusion once again. Neither the King, nor Sir Myles, nor Saint Leto understood what was going on as Her Highness yna''s face was not that of a daughter happy to see her father again. Her eyebrows were furrowed, her fists were clenched and she was filled with an iprehensible anger.


    "You who ignored me all my childhood and adolescence, you dare to enter thesends and destroy everything in your path in my name ? Pathetic. Am I just another reason to go to war ? A life worth saving when it can serve the interest of the Kingdom... your interest ? Here I have found family, friends... love, and never has life been so sweet as it has been since I entered this forest that you so delight in destroying today !!"


    "yna you...


    "FATHER ! No... Theophctus, here and now I dere that I am no longer a part of your family and that I will never set foot in the Kingdom of Zal again as a Princess. I have found my ce... yes, here I have found the strength to stand up against you, against your people and the atrocities that Humans keepmitting. Leave... leave if you don''t want your blood spilled today, but know one thing... If you decide to fight as oblivious as you are, I will also fight but in the ranks of those who weed me as family even though mine was not."


    The Princess had gonepletely crazy and kept saying crazy things as if her brain had been manipted. She wanted to stay here ? She found love ? All of her statements made no sense and made me sick to my stomach just thinking about them. We had to get her out of the clutches of this evil ce at all costs before she ended uppletely alienated and brainwashed.


    "MONSTERS WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY DAUGHTER ?? YOU WANT A WAR HUH ?? YOU WANT TO TAKE AWAY WHAT IS MOST PRECIOUS TO ME ?? GOOD !!!! IF MY DAUGHTER DOESN''T WANT TO COME TO ME... I WILL COME TO HER. ARCHERS !! SHOOT THIS EVIL WOMAN AND SHOW THESE WEAKLINGS THAT WE MEAN BUSINESS !!!"


    In just a few seconds, everything had gone off and the archers in the front lines at the ends were already forming up to shoot. A salvo of arrows was then directed at the only trash standing on her horse but not moving. Suddenly, blue-gray lightning bolts came out of nowhere, roasting each of them as the previously silent three-tailed woman appeared in the middle of the clearing.


    "Oi oi ~ You mustn''t get so excited for nothing my big Theoki...Theopi...? Arg no matter... if you continue like this Cactus you will get an ulcer. Your daughter has clearly told you what she wants and yet you insist on believing what suits you best ? Stupid. I won''t let you hurt anyone in my family so if it''s war you want, you''ll get it !"


    At her words, the half-human on the horse put her foot down to join the one who had just disrespected the King himself calling him Cactus. There were now two of them in the middle of the clearing and while his Majesty was seething with rage, he snapped his fingers to call one of the strongest... the level 45 Mage Knight Erina. As a shadow passed overhead and a fine powder tickled our noses, the King presented his best counter.


    "So let''s see if you both can survive against one human..."

 Chapter 193 ...Of Two Lights

    - POV Random Human Soldier -


    "So let''s see if both can survive against one human..."


    As His Majesty the King spoke this sentence, all the Knights including myself stepped aside to let the most frightening of us all pass... Lady Erina. She was not the leader of any battalion and despite her high level and her title of Mage Knight, she was still part of the army as a simple Knight. I had never seen her fight before, but today the famous redheaded Knight would fight.


    Lady Erina then walked up to the King in silence before bowing and grabbing the two swords she had on her back. The two subrace half-humans were still in the middle of the clearing and still didn''t seem to give up. As I smiled at the thought of them falling from above, her everpassionate Majesty was sure to raise his voice onest time to give them onest chance.


    "WOMEN ! Or whatever you are... kneel before me, give me back my daughter and we''ll just destroy this forest and capture all your little friends ! When do you say ? Isn''t this the best solution ? No deaths...isn''t it the most peaceful for all of us ?"


    Of course, all the Knights and Pdins knew perfectly well that the King didn''t mean a word of it and nned to spill blood regardless. After all, why bother dealing with subraces when you can take everything by force ? But that didn''t stop us from ying with them a little and enjoying the moment when hope left their eyes and despair took over.


    Just as I thought the two subraces might think twice, the red-d woman with the crimson hair began to change. A brown aura came out of her body as horns grew on her forehead, wings behind her back and scales on her forearms. The woman standing in front of her mediocre army and raising her voice was none other than a...dragoness.


    "Capture and destroy ? Pacifist ? Tsk ! Talking about peace while spilling blood is something only Humans can do. I, Gaya, Queen of the Elysium Empire and wife of the Empress, will show you what it is to destroy !"


    At her words, our entire army could feel the power that emanated from her body, which despite our taunts was not to be taken lightly. Her amber colored eyes were piercing, wild and the feeling of innocence she had, had disappeared giving way to a feeling of real danger. The beast woman had also spoken of being Queen, of an Empire and an Empress, what was going on ?


    "Y-You ! Would you be an earth dragon ? Y-Your name sounds familiar but...no...that''s impossible ! You''re Gaya,st of her kind nicknamed the Mother of Earth Dragons ?"


    Out of nowhere and with a trembling voice, Saint Leto who was standing behind his Majesty pointed at the dragoness unable to believe what he was seeing. The Mother of Dragons ? Did he know this woman ? In an instant, the transformation of this subrace had caused an uproar, but this time on the Pdin side. Saint Leto, however, did not have time to wait for an answer as the three-tailed half-human spoke in turn.


    "I, Kira, Princess of the Elysium Empire and younger sister of the Empress, swear to make you regreting here !"


    She had raised her head distinctly and opened her eyes to stare defiantly at all of us, and at that moment, the already agitated Pdins began to incant their spells. The gray-tailed subrace had cold purple eyes carrying a dangerous glow. I couldn''t quite figure out what was going on, but at the sight of her eyes the members of the Church became agitated before being stopped by Saint Leto.


    "Wait ! You ! Vile demon !! Are you the one we came to capture ? Are you able to change your shape as you please and take on the appearance of an innocent little girl with white hair and violet eyes ?


    At his words, the two monsters in front of us stopped dead in their tracks before a wave of powerful killing intent came over us suddenly making me almost choke. I didn''t know what but something had made them instantly angry and while I did my best to stay upright I looked up at them. The dragoness then spoke up, immediately followed by the one who had dered herself Princess.


    "What did you just say ? Human, don''t think you can get away with what you said... you''ll never get out of this forest and you''ll be happy to have only the two of us in front of you..."


    "You dare to attack our family ? You will pay the price. And then vile demon ? I hope for your sake you never meet onee-san because if you do... then you''ll can talk about a real demon."


    Family ? Onee-san ? Everything that came out of their mouths was iprehensible and nobody seemed to understand what they were talking about. The two monster women, in spite of the daylight, had eyes that shone in a disturbing way and were ready. Suddenly, the King, who was just as lost as we were, began to shout angrily and eagerly, triggering the first movements of the hitherto motionless Lady Erina.


    "ENOUGH ! Erina, order of your King ! Get rid of these two pretentious trash cans and quickly so we can fight this pathetic army and find my daughter !!"


    The next moment she had disappeared only to reappear right behind the two women wielding her two swords before bringing them down on them at an impressive speed. Everything was going very fast for my eyes but to my surprise the two beast women had managed to dodge. The dragoness had spread her wings while the other had made a prodigious leap backwardsnding on her bare feet.


    The scythe and the swords shed with power and despite the strength of our Mage Knight, both managed to resist. The half-human with tails was using her element which seemed to be lightning bolts that appeared under her feet giving her speed. The two women were fighting together but more than attacking, all they were doing was dodging or blocking Lady Erina''s strikes.


    "Kira since we have the chance to be the first to fight, let''s use our elements and save time !"


    "Hai~ onee-san count on us !!"


    Suddenly, as the dragoness had said those words, the one who had answered closed her eyes before a wave of power flowed out of her. Her entire body began to crackle as her entire body was covered in blinding blue-gray lightning. Her violet eyes shone like two fiery fires and her gray hair sparkled as if it were made of lightning.


    The beast woman named Gaya was pounding her two fists together shaking the ground as a brown aura formed around her again. A roar escaped from her mouth and her crimson wings opened wide behind her back making her even more imposing. For a few seconds, I could almost see the phantasmagorical image of a gigantic, majestic and frightening dragon behind her.


    The next thing I knew, both of them were pouncing on the one brave Knight who stood against them in a fight that had just reached another level. The lightning girl kept disappearing, bringing down her scythe with precision on Lady Erina and the dragoness fought without weapons, using only her incredible strength and ws. There were only three of them fighting and yet the forest was already shaking for miles.


    The ck and red scythe spun in the air crackling like a zing fire sending out a multitude of lightning bolts every time it hit the ground or Lady Erina''s weapons. The tails subrace knew how to handle it perfectly and kept disappearing as if she could teleport. Her fighting techniques were not perfect but she fought with rage, strength and precision which made her dangerous.


    The dragoness had no weapon, but the more we watched the fight, the more obvious it became that this monster certainly didn''t need one. I didn''t want to admit it to myself but she fascinated me because despite her appearance she had a colossal strength. Each blow that this Gaya made always split the earth a little more and shook us as if we were experiencing a real earthquake.


    *It''s...impossible to believe*


    Both were monstrously powerful and their attacks were perfectly coordinated as if they knew when, how and where to strike. I was shaking, I was scared because I realized that against these subraces alone...I wouldn''t stand a chance. It wasn''t even 10 minutes into the fight and the middle of the clearing was already unrecognizable, the ground scorched by lightning, scarred by the blows of swords and scythes and filled with craters.


    In an instant, the clearing had been crossed by a gust of winding from the two monsters, which against all odds were much more powerful than expected. However, unlike them, Lady Erina had not yet cast any spells and was fighting only with the strength of her arms. I couldn''t see much, I could feel my eyes stinging, but I didn''t have time to worry about it as Saint Leto''s worried voice rose among the sounds of battle.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Your Majesty ! The creature and dragon your best Knight is fighting are no ordinary ones ! They...they don''t even need to incant before using their mana ! You...you have to order abined attack and kill them with numbers otherwise...


    "Leto, shut up and open your eyes ! If Erina Velfury is one of the most powerful mages among the Knights, it is not for nothing. She possesses extraordinary power and has never lost a single battle. Look..."


    I was trembling in spite of myself, but what the King had just said as loud as he could so that as many of us as possible could hear it, had reassured me. He still had his head up and a mischievous, mysterious smile on the corner of his face despite the situation. As I lifted my head to look at the fight again, a new shadow from the sky crossed the clearing, raising bright particles.


    I felt slightly weak, I was shaking, my eyes stung as if I was sleepy but I could hear perfectly. I felt an urge to raise my head, but suddenly Lady Erina''s voice reached my ears, making me forget my desire. The battle was raging but this time despite the noise, I could hear her voice finally incanting to release her magic that the King described as special.


    Her two hands holding her swords began to glow as Lady Erina twirled her weapons with ease and style before raising them to the sky. Suddenly, a mini-dome was created in the entire clearing, not very high but epassing everyone without exception. At that moment, as if by magic, the two half-humans fell to their knees instantly losing their monstrous forms.


    "W-What..."


    "H-How ?"


    The fox-tailed subrace was no longer simr to a lightning bolt, none was visible on her body or hair anymore, and the dragoness had just lost her wings and other body modifications. I didn''t understand what was going on, was Lady Erina responsible ? Her power was this dome but how did it work ? My head was spinning, so many questions were running through it and despite the growing difort, I kept looking at Lady Erina.


    She hadn''t said another word and without waiting any longer, she threw herself on those two monsters that were in our way. My vision became for some unknown reason blurred but in a blink of an eye our most powerful Knight was behind the three-tailed woman. Destabilized and lost because of what had just happened, she had not sensed the presence of Lady Erina who was already raising her sword above her head.


    "KIRA ATTENTION !!"


    Just as the shining sword split the air at an impressive speed, the kneeling dragoness had shouted these words as she got up as fast as she could. Everything happened very quickly and as Lady Erina''s weapons were inches away from her target and the crimson-haired woman reached them, an explosion erupted from them. The dust on the ground rose very quickly, hiding the oue of this confrontation.


    "cough cough !!"


    "I...I feel weird.."


    "uuuurg my eyes !"


    "What happened ?"


    The entire clearing was now submerged under a cloud of dust that I had obviously breathed in and was further stinging my eyes and burning my lungs. Myrades around me were in the same state and from what I could hear, they too had a strange sensation. Then, little by little, the dust dissipated with the warm afternoon wind, letting me see what had happened.


    Under the terrified gaze of the subraces in front of us, the two monsters that had stood against Lady Erina were on the ground. The dragoness named Gaya had apparently arrived in time, but in the end it was no use judging by the blood on the ground. Gaya was hugging the other girl but had a sword stuck in her body running through her and her protege.


    "cough...Ki-Kira..."


    Indeed, one of the Knight''s swords had gone in through her chest toe out at the belly of the one with three tails. The two monster women, so terrifying at first sight, had been literally impaled in only a few minutes. I didn''t know what Lady Erina had done and what her power was, but one thing was certain... Her Majesty was right.


    The attack had been so powerful that the dragoness'' ribs had broken into a thousand pieces, spreading the wounds all over her back. Her chest was open, bones were sticking out and only death awaited her in the next few minutes. The beast girl was not in a better state because although she had been protected, the blow had been fatal for her too. Her scythe had blocked Lady Erina''s second sword, but the first one was stuck deep in her stomach, causing her intestines toe out.


    The blood kept flowing and as Lady Erina withdrew her sword, their bodies fell to the ground with a thud. Time seemed to stand still, I could not believe my eyes and although my eyelids were heavy I was amazed. The two women were now writhing on the ground trying to get up in vain because in one blow Lady Erina had wounded them severely and fatally from the inside.


    "GAYA !! KIRA !!"


    "NOOOO !!"


    After a heavy silence due to the shock, the subraces in front of us began to shout at this scene that for us was divine. The eight masked and frightening individuals then threw themselves in the center to try to recover the dying body of theirpanions but it was without counting our best Knight. With a powerful kick, Lady Erina sent the two women to the ground in the direction of the subraces before stepping back.


    She knew she couldn''t fight eight warriors at once and preferred to send her two opponents flying at them as a diversion. With a perfectly controlled leap, our best Knight was going to stand next to the King before bowing her head in respect. As the subraces in front of us became agitated, our good and great King finally spoke up and ordered the beginning of the all-out war.


    "BUNCH OF MONSTERS, THIS IS WHERE YOUR MADNESS HAS LED YOU ! YOUR TWO SO-CALLED STRONGEST FIGHTERS HAVE FALLEN AND YOU ARE NOW ALONE AGAINST AN ARMY OF 3000 HUMANS HAHAHAHA~!!!"


    "..."


    "SOLDIERS !! KING''S ORDER !!! PURGE THIS FOREST OF THE SCUM AND BRING ME BACK MY DAUGHTER WILLINGLY OR BY FORCE !!"


    "YES MY KING !!!"


    The time had finallye to enter the battle and show these subraces just how superior humans were. Shouts of encouragement echoed through our ranks while across the way frightened and angry faces stared at us. We were 3,000 against about 1,000, our victory was guaranteed, and as I was about to charge, my legs suddenly gave out from under me, causing me to fall to the ground before I passed out.

 Chapter 194 The Fall Of Two Lights ? Welcome To Hell

    - POV Random Human Soldier -


    *What...*


    A soft wind caressed my cheek, raising the dust that stung my face, which I felt ttened against a hard surface. My whole body felt heavy, my head weighed down while a feeling of having my brainpressed shook my mind. A burning smell came to my nostrils and as I started to move slightly, a series of questions went through my head.


    *What happened ? Where am I ? Why am I lying on the floor ?*


    Slowly opening my eyes despite my heavy, painful and sleepy eyelids, I found myself face to face with a ck boot. Was it mine ? Had I fallen asleep again on the floor of my room without putting my things away ? My questions were quickly answered because my vision became clearer and clearer, I discovered the owner of the boot who was obviously not me.


    One of my fellow knights was lying like dead on the ground in front of me, face down and eyes closed. A huge panic came over me as I forced all my aching muscles to move. The ordeal was difficult because I had only one desire, to lie down and sleep but it was not the moment. Moving my arms, my legs then all my body, I managed to approach mypanion.


    "H-Hey ! W-Wake up !! Please answer !"


    "Hmpf...what ?"


    In just a few seconds, the young man in front of me began to move while mumbling as if he was in a dream. A few secondster, just as I had done before, his eyelids slowly opened as if he wasing out of a dream. He was alive and well and as I breathed a sigh of relief, sounds, voices and movement could be heard and felt all around us.


    "Huh ?"


    "I..."


    "What happened ?"


    As my vision became clearer and my body more mobile, little by little what was around me became more concrete. Everything I was hearing wasing from somewhere, while suddenly the situation was bing more and more iprehensible. The noises wereing from the thousands of myrades on the ground, who were also getting up, causing these sensations of movement, and the voices were them expressing their dismay.


    A few minutester, I finally came to my senses, still looking around in the same confused state as everyone else. Then, my eyesnded on a golden shape shining in the sun a little further in front of me. Squinting blinded by the reflection of the sun''s rays, I tried to figure out what it was. As I did so, the golden shape promptly stood up with a panicked face.


    *T-The King !!!*


    He was standing there, his armor full of dust and his eyes lost between confusion, anger and embarrassment. Suddenly, all my memories came back to me at once, giving me violent headaches that made my eardrums vibrate. How could I forget ? Our camp, the war, his Majesty, Lady Erina and of course the fast and crazy fight I had witnessed a few minutes ago.


    *We were about to attack these...these subraces and win...how...why are we all here ?*


    I didn''t know how much time had passed, the sun was still shining in the sky but everything I had experienced was in my mind. Suddenly, like apparently everyone else around me, I was taken by a violent physical and mental shock. I was shivering, shaking and paralyzed at the same time, I couldn''t breathe while I felt an incredible presence.


    *I...I don''t want to die*


    A pressure had fallen on my shoulders without warning, heavy, unbearable,ing from everywhere and nowhere at the same time making me suffocate. The whole atmosphere itself was an atmosphere reminiscent of death from which it was impossible to escape, fatal and all powerful. I didn''t know what was happening to me as my vision slowly darkened and I felt my spirit leaving again.


    The pressure was unbearable, like a rapid and frightening descent into Hell, my heart was heaving, my senses were disturbed, and everything became darkness. I was engulfed, caught and terrified, unable to understand what was happening as I could almost feel the cold arms of Death wrapping around me. Then suddenly, as quickly as this terrible feeling had appeared, it disappeared.


    "Aaarhh...ffuuuff...aaaaa....!!!"


    Bringing my hands to my throat, the dusty air finally entered my lungs and despite the pain, it felt so good. I could finally breathe again and although it left me with a terrible feeling, that atmosphere was gone. It was too much, I didn''t even know what was going on and I had to live it without saying anything ? We were all on the verge of victory and finally we all passed out ?


    *F-Fucking Hell ! What...*


    "WHAT-WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN ?!?!"


    I had no time to think about anything else when a familiar voice shouted what I had been thinking for several minutes. His Majesty was standing before the tide of soldiers who, like me, were struggling to stand after such an experience. The King was trembling beside Sir Myles and Saint Leto who were still saying nothing, his finger was pointing away and his eyes were now nothing but fear and despair.


    Just like my fellow knights who were eager for answers, my eyes instinctively crinkled as I followed the direction of that trembling royal hand. I then turned my head to my left to see only a cloud of dust at first nce that gradually dissipated with the wind. As my vision became clear and the clearing in front of us cleared, a frightening, disturbing and impossible spectacle was yed out before our eyes.


    "It''s a dream isn''t it ?"


    "How..."


    "I...impossible."


    I didn''t have the words for what I was seeing and so some of my fellow Knights were all eximing for those who couldn''t. There were traces of a fight but there was no blood or the bodies of those who had been defeated. On the contrary, they were still standing in the middle of the clearing in perfect health and smiling as if they had just yed a trick on us.


    But that wasn''t all, behind them, the mediocre army of 1000 subraces had given way to arger one by who knows what curse. The three-tailed girl, the dragoness and 10 other people wearing scary helmets stood there as if nothing had happened. What had happened ? They looked like they had been in a fight, but none of them were mortally wounded. Had we been drugged ?


    "ANSWER !!! WHAT DID YOU DO ? WE WERE ABOUT TO WIN, TO SLAUGHTER YOU ALL AND..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "And destroy the forest as well as my Empire ? I don''t think so kufufu~"


    The still trembling King had spoken for us but had not even finished his sentence when a voice came out of nowhere and everywhere at once. The wind blew, moving the unfelled trees and the voice seemed to swirl in the air in a frightening echo. I couldn''t tell where it wasing from, but my body and mind instinctively reacted to this sudden event.


    This powerful, threatening, cold female voice hade out of nowhere and was chilling me like never before. I could see the King, Knights and Pdins frantically looking around as I was already doing to try to discover the owner of the voice. It wasn''t long before we would have our answer because on the side of the subraces, the army was splitting up to let someone through.


    The person crossing our enemies in front of us was riding a ck horse with a fiery mane and piercing, frightening yellow eyes that seemed to read our minds. However, the rider was even more terrifying and as I looked up at her, the feeling that had choked me a few minutes ago returned. My body began to shake desperately, my heart raced and an uncontroble fear came over me. She...this woman was the one who was causing this suffocating pressure.


    Long ck hair, a helmet with horns representing a human skull with feminine features, ck and red clothes and scary eyes. At that moment, it was a nightmare, I was paralyzed as my mind struggled not to faint again. The atmosphere had changed, no one was talking anymore and even His Majesty who had had the courage to shout was now silent as a grave.


    In our ears, only the sound of the wind and the sound of the fire horse''s hooves echoed in the clearing, plunging it into a very strange and disturbing moment. The further the woman went, the more I felt my limbs stiffen and my body tremble, I had the impression of feeling once again a cold breath against my neck and of being enveloped by her presence as if she were Death.


    I didn''t know what was hidden behind her helmet, only her eyes, as bright purple as the three-tailed girl''s, were visible. Therefore, the mystery of her face remained total, forcing my mind to look for even the most absurd exnations. Could she be a rare monster ? Was she a demon or a unique subrace ? I didn''t have time to be more disturbed when she spoke again.


    "Come on ! Are you all speechless fufu~ Is there a problem ? You who ventured here and hastened your death... humans, have you all lost your tongues ?"


    Her voice echoed in my mind, making my whole body vibrate while her violet eyes seemed to probe my soul. Everything was too intense, too much had happened and no one had an answer or solution. Was it real or was it a dream ? I was going crazy, crazy because in front of me was Death itself, I was in a nightmare that was impossible to wake up from and that was sinking me.


    "De-Demon !!! Devil !!! You...you are the real Demon !!! Oh that the will of the Liberator gives me the strength to stand before this abomination !!! The...the Gods sustain me in this ordeal which only serves to increase my faith and will save me."


    Saint Leto, the Chief Pdin of the Church of Humanity was the first to speak as he pointed to the one who had just arrived. He was trembling, his voice was broken and his face was so pale it was almost unrecognizable. The Pdins behind him were shaking almost as much if not more at the sight of their terrified, corpse-like pale leader. In response, a loud, haughty, mockingughter echoed through the air, chilling our blood.


    "HAHAHAHAHA~!!!"


    The woman in the helmet had thrown her head back tough in a terrifying and hysterical way as if she was possessed by an infernal entity. Saint Leto was flinching and waiting for the King''s orders but could not help but want to eradicate her within minutes. Everyone was hanging on the lips of this demonic woman who had just appeared from nowhere and while she stoppedughing, she continued.


    "Demon, Abomination, Monster, Devil... you can call me as many names as you want, but let me tell you one thing... no God is going to save you and certainly not here. No God wille to your rescue when you miserably lose your life like all your little friends..."


    "LIES !!! BLASPHEMY !!! HERESY !!! Don''t try to get into my mind with your filthy mouth, snake tongue and poison filled words ! Don''t listen to her ! It''s just the ramblings of a sub ace that thinks she''s superior ! We are here to exterminate the violet-eyed vermin and we will...we will destroy this Demon !!!"


    I was lost between the words of the terrifying woman and those of Saint Leto because at that moment I was not able to know who was right. I was just a little soldier and even though I knew the power of the Church... she... was not like the others. As the King, Captain Myles and Lady Erina came to their senses as well, caught up in the conversation, the woman in the helmet dismounted her horse.


    "Human... despite all the nonsense that only humans are apparently capable of saying, you are right about one thing...


    As she said these words, she put her foot down and gently brought her hands to her face before grabbing her helmet. Everyone was on guard, ready to attack and defend themselves, yet no one moved. Deep down we all wanted to know the end of her sentence and find out what ugly face was behind that horned helmet.


    ...I am a Demon."


    Just as the woman had finished her sentence, we could all finally see the face of the one who had taken our breath away and terrified us with her presence alone. At the sight of her, my heart skipped a beat and my breath stopped almost instantly beyond my control. This woman was... as beautiful as she was terrifying and despite my fear and hatred for her, I had never seen a beauty like hers.


    She had wolf ears, a face with tattoos that stretched from her eyes to her cheeks, an intense and imposing ck giving her a warrior look. Her eyes were bright, beautiful and yet it was impossible for me to hold her gaze so intense and heavy. Two horns came out of the forehead of this demon woman and despite her strange, repulsive race, she was hypnotically gorgeous, dangerous and even deadly.


    "A...A Demon..."


    "Y-Yes...only...only a Demon would be so bewitching...don''t...don''t look at her !"


    "We...we have to do something..."


    The whole army was agitated and lost because, although we were watching this spectacle, neither the soldiers nor the army leaders knew what to do. His Majesty, Sir Myles, Lady Erina and even Saint Leto could not take their eyes off this woman''s face despite what they said. As if that was what she was hoping for, she had a smile on her face, shing one of her long, shiny fangs before she spoke.


    "I am a Demon and you have entered my territory to destroy and kill, so...


    Speaking in a powerful, cold voice, her previously neutral face became more terrifying as her brows furrowed. What was she nning to do ? What did she want to say ? So many questions as she put her helmet back on before stretching out her two arms on either side of her body as if to greet us. This time, in a frighteningly soft and sweet voice, she spoke three words I never wanted to hear.


    ...~Wee to Hell~"


    At the end of her sentence, suddenly huge noises could be heard everywhere while gigantic mes appeared all around us, encircling us. 3000 Knights and Pdins were imprisoned in a circle of fire of several kilometers preventing any retreat or escape. How was this possible ? How did ite to this ?


    This woman had be in an instant our worst nightmare and our worst enemy, the one we had to put down by any means for our survival. It was hot, everything was dazzling but we had no choice but to fight for our freedom. I had to fight my way home and even if I had to face the Devil herself I would not give up. However, this Monster was right...because at that moment...


    We were in Hell.

 Chapter 195 The Beginning Of The End [Hell - Part I]

    [N/A: I tell you in advance, don''t worry you will discover the new power of the Commanders directly during the war.]


    ¨C General POV ¨C


    A few days before the meeting of the two armies on thends of the Dark Forest, in the meeting romm of the Imperial mansion, all the representatives of the Empire stood. The humans were about to march towards the forest and for the first time it was not a small group at all. The hour was serious and an imcable seriousness could be read on the faces of the Commanders, the Lieutenants, the Queen, the Princess and the Empress.


    There was also yna who stood close to Luna in silence and Vig who hadn''t dared approach and who was ced near the door like a guard. The presence of the former Princess and the former adventurer was essential given their stories. Being the only two humans from the Kingdom of Zal, the information they held, however small they were, should not be dismissed.


    A few minutes before, they had all seen in detail the change of those who had evolved during the night to define the best strategy because in addition to having undergone physical changes, the power of the Commanders had also increased. The ten young women were more powerful than ever and, like Freya, were proud of their evolutions and what they had aplished.


    It was now time to establish a strategy for the army of Elysium to fight and defeat the 3000 men and women who were about to hunt them. On therge table in the middle of the room was disyed arge map of the forest where the army of humans was represented. Everyone was silent, everyone was watching the map in detail to think about the best strategy.


    Everything was indicated there, the supposed number of Knights and Pdins, the smallest corners of the forest, the different biomes and strategic points. Many might think that a direct and surprise attack was the best solution, but for Freya nothing should be left to chance. Although Commander Luna''s section had done an excellent job of collecting information, there was always ack of it and it was never enough.


    "3000 humans¡­"


    Breaking the silence, Freya''s voice echoed through therge room as all eyes turned to her with curiosity and seriousness. She was standing at the end of the table, hands at either side, her brow furrowed as her mind raced at breakneck speed. Gaya sat to her left on her throne as Kira to her right, physically attending a meeting for the first time.


    "With the advantage my system gives us, a level 15 Elysium soldier is necessarily more powerful than a level 15 human. Our army is only half the human one but quality trumps quantity, however¡­


    No one spoke and waited respectfully for the Empress to finish what she had to say or to propose for the war that was about to take ce. At first sight, a free-for-all might have been the best solution but there was something important that should not be forgotten. Despite the many advantages that Freya and thus Elysium possessed, the Empress did not want to fall into arrogance and make mistakes.


    ¡­however, there are undoubtedly powerful Knights or Pdins in their ranks and we absolutely need to find a way to know their levels. During a war, knowing how to be informed is essential, whoever has the most information about their enemies has a considerable advantage. Conversely, ignoring everything about those against whom you are fighting is like walking on a tightrope with your eyes closed¡­ the slightest jolt, the slightest unforeseen event can lead to the most brutal fall."


    The Empress was thinking aloud and yet everything she said made a strong impression on the minds of those who listened to her with admiration. The idea was to find a way to collect as much information as possible before the confrontation even began. Unfortunately, in spite of the work of the army, the question of the levels was always in question and Luna had understood it well whereas she took the floor.


    "My section counted 2500 human Knights who seem to be for the most part swordsmen, archers, spearmen devoid of magic. Regarding the famous Church of Humanity, they only sent 500 Pdins but given their attire they all seem to be mages without exception."


    At her words, Persea and Ynir who also had soldiers in the forest nodded to confirm everything their friend had just said. Ever since the humans had been detected at the edge of the woods, the Guardians of Persea and Ynir section and Luna''s espionage and intelligence section had taken it upon themselves to watch them discreetly. While Freya was still thinking, Trioa the demi-human wyvern spoke up.


    "If¡­if I may Your Highness¡­regarding the level of these humans¡­You are the only one who can find out. Thanks to your¡­ system, it would be possible for you to do it, unfortunately, your new power and new aura are difficult to conceal."


    "Mmm you''re right. Since we came back from the crypt, I still have a hard time hiding my aura which is only growing. To be able to inspect their status at all, I need time and to be near, unfortunately I would not be able to get closer without being spotted"


    Freya having discovered her identity as Lucifer and unlocked new powers directly rted to her Goddess blood, was no longer as discreet as before. Indeed, wherever she went, a sense of death was never far away, which could cause the weakest to suffocate and faint. Concealing such an aura took time but this time, Freya did not have it because the human army was at the gates of Elysium.


    In the Empress''s mind, it was inconceivable to lead an army of 1500 new soldiers in their first war without knowing the strength of humans. Even though the system was a great help, she wanted to have this information but couldn''t have it without starting the war sooner. Everyone was aware of this crucial question but no one had an answer when suddenly a timid voice rose.


    "Y-Your Highness, I might have a solution.."


    To the Empress''s right, a beautiful young woman with almost transparent hair and rainbow highlights had risen timidly from her seat. Ynir, Guardian section Commander alongside Persea seemed to have an idea that might be able to solve the problem. As she spoke, Freya had looked up at her, narrowing them slightly, curious and interested in her further statements.


    "Since my evolution, my field of action concerning my illusory dust has be muchrger and much more powerful. If somehow a section catches the humans'' attention, I can throw them into a short illusion. From there, it will be easy for you, your Highness, to analyze them with your system, although¡­ 3000 humans is still a big number."


    At her words, everyone in the room eximed happy to have an option, starting to make simtions and hypotheses based on this new and valuable information. One of the Commanders was particrly excited at the idea and didn''t hide it, making theva of her hands crackle against the table without realizing it. Indeed, Ralph had risen in a hurry with a wild glint in her eye.


    "But then why can''t we kill them all while they''re trapped in your illusion ?? Even if it''s only 5 minutes, we could do a lot of damage right from the start, right ?"


    "You are right but it is impossible. My illusions use the light of the moon or the sun for their power and mix with the mana of my targets. The slightest mana interference like the use of other magic, the intent to kill, could undo everything, especially to such arge extent not to mention the fact that this will be my first attempt. Oh and also, be careful Ralph you''re burning the table¡­"


    "Oh !"


    As the overly excited Ralph snatched her hands away from the table she was slowly burning with her palms, Freya was thinking. Everything was going very fast in her mind and in just a few seconds, she had made her decision. Taking a deep breath, the Empress looked up to stare intently at Ynir before responding to the suggestion she had made.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Mmmh, if you''re sure you can immobilize them, I could take the time necessary to analyse the 3000 humans. Once this is done, it will be easy for me to convey to you in thought the most important information and the arrangements to be made. Either way, we need to know the strongest as well as prevent any retreat or advance."


    "Empress! We could create a massive, mile-long wall of fire enclosing them inside. The Guardians have sufficient knowledge of the forest and the necessary elements not to let the mes spread and burn everything."


    Persea the dryad was the one who spoke and suggested the idea of ??mes knowing full well how to control and manipte them to perfection. Many details remained to be seen to make these ns real but Freya now had a smile on the corner of her face. Sitting on her throne alongside her wife and little sister, she answered in a dangerously excited and ominous voice.


    "Very well ! So let''s create Hell !"


    ____


    Back during the first real war of Elysium, the decided n had been implemented and had left the humans inplete misunderstanding as nned. Ynir from the sky had used her magic several times to be sure to have even the strongest ones. They had only been passed out for 10 minutes but that had been enough for Freya who had collected all the information before showing up, creating a panic in the human army.


    Persea, apanied by her section and that of Luna who knew the forest perfectly, had taken care of setting up the fire trap out of sight. The idea was to take the humans by surprise and take the opportunity to surround them andunch the coordinated charge. Thanks to Ynir and her illusory dust, Gaya and Kira who had held back the strongest of the warriors, everything was now ready as the n wanted.


    The Empress had already given the information and created groups that were better able to defeat the strongest of humans. The first to have to fight were obviously, the Commanders, the Princess, the Queen and herself while the army of Elysium was taken care of by the Lieutenants. The soldiers, themselves, had to surround and beat down in the center the Knights and Pdins being between level 15 and 25 to trap them.


    "~Wee to Hell~"


    Now fire crackled all around the human army circling the entire area they had previously destroyed, stopping at the trees still standing. The King, Myles, Leto, Erina and all the others didn''t even have time to have their questions answered when they were already imprisoned. The mysterious monster that was Freya for them had, with a single sentence heavy with consequences, sealed their fates.


    "Formation, hurry !!!! Let¡­Let the top 10 level 30 Knights and level 35 Pdins stand in the front line alongside Erina !!"


    Theophctus in panic, had reacted exactly as the Empress had nned and sent the strongest ahead after seeing the power of the she-wolf. At his words, despite the fear that had gripped the humans, the strongest obeyed their King with great confidence. The strategy of Zal''s leader was to destroy the threats posed by the Empress, Princess, Queen and Commanders as soon as possible.


    "Idiot... fufu~"


    Freya''s face was neutral behind her helmet, but she was gloating inside at the King''s decisions, which she knew were made in the panic and haste of the situation. Raising her arm, all the Commanders at her signal stepped forward behind her, her wife and her little sister as the Elysium army retreated. So thirteen people stood before twenty-one humans, making the King smile naively at the difference in numbers.


    "Commanders !!! The time hase to defend our Empire !!!"


    Unfortunately for Theophctus, his little hope was about to be swept away very quickly because at the Empress'' words, four young women transformed. Before the terrified eyes of the soldiers, some of the beasts that had been detected a few days ago, appeared before them. A brown wolf, a snake, a panther and a ck cat of iparable size stood behind Freya and alongside six other equally powerful young women.


    "We...we...we must win !!! Don''t... Don''t be afraid, be strong and make the crown and the Church proud of you ! Fi-fight these monsters and let''s get out of...this Hell by our strength alone and...and our convictions !"


    The King at this sight tried to encourage his soldiers but while his mouth was saying one thing, his body was showing the opposite. Without realizing it, he had fallen back behind the ranks of Knights and Pdins, unable to lead the charge. His body trembled as much as his voice, for whaty before him was unlike anything he had ever seen in his life as a King and Warrior.


    The Knights and Pdins, though mostly as terrified as he was, despite their levels, were forming up, advancing slowly led by Lady Erina. Then suddenly, while until now everything had been observation, the Commanders were leading the charge at an impressive speed while the humans were already preparing to undergo the savage attacks of these bloodthirsty beasts.


    "FORMATION !!! FORM GROUPS OF TWO AND FOCUS ON ONE CREATURE !!!"


    Even before the Empress'' ten best warriors reached the humans, the most powerful human had shouted her orders without a tremor in her voice. Unlike most, she had only watched until the but had never trembled at the little tricks of the Elysium Empire. Erina was ready to takemand of these twenty people and although their beliefs differed, even the Pdins agreed.


    In an instant, the formation was done and on time because already the Commanders were arriving at their level, some in beast form, others having kept their human form. A battle between ten-level 30s against ten-level 30s and ten-level 35s was about to take ce and propel the forest even deeper into the Hell of mes and Death. A little behind still stood Freya, watching and analyzing in detail the one who was doing the same.


    Indeed, Erina had not moved and despite the fiery Chaos around her, her eyes could not take her eyes off the Empress several meters ahead. Since her appearance, the redheaded Knight had not put her out of her mind, both excited by this powerful new woman and fascinated.


    In the Dark Forest, with the afternoon sun high in the sky, the fate of thousands was being decided in a circle of fire. Who would win ? Who would emerge victorious with the head of the enemy leader at their feet ? No one knew yet, but one thing was certain... Hell was just beginning.


    [N/A: Sorry for those who thought the action would start there but exnations take time, I don''t want to give a stupid reason to speed things up. That said, promise the War and Bloodshed starts now!]

 Chapter 196 The Knight With Jade Eyes [Hell - Part II]

    ¨C General POV ¨C


    The war for the protection of the Empire had begun and while the two armies had sent the best soldiers to fight, the others waited because there was nowhere to go anyway, the huge, glowing orange mes preventing any quick retreat. Moreover, thanks to Freya, the information on the various humans considered to be the strongest, had circted among the warriors of Elysium.


    Against all expectation, those who were facing the Commanders, had divided into two by mixing their section for more efficiency. Thus, a Knight was paired with a Pdin bringing them much greater freedom of action and scope of possibility. Despite the tensions of these two factions in the capital of Zal, here, in the face of death, no more rivalry, no more resentment, only the desire to survive remained.


    One by one, the Commanders arrived in front of those who ording to the Empress would be the easiest to defeat depending on the element of each. As a result, Nixia themia with ck scales in her snake form, manipting ck mes found herself just like Na?a against two fire maniptors. Ralph and herva against a stone and earth maniptor, Luna and her lightning against a lightning and air maniptor.


    Ynir and Persea fought with two four humans, users of the element wood, earth and water while Trioa and Emilia having no magic, fought alongside Thorunn. The three young women were therefore faced with six humans manipting wind, fire and ice. Only Caipy remained who would soon be joined by Kira against these two adversaries of lightning and fire mages.


    The teams were formed and the army of Elysium led by the Lieutenants and the Queen who had joined them, bypassed the sh of the Commanders. Gradually, despite their numbers, they took advantage of the confusion and panic to surround the thousands of humans. Everything had been nned and everything was going ording to n for the moment on the Empire side and this contributed to boosting the morale of the soldiers even more after the arrival of Freya.


    The Empress was the only one to stay behind while the Princess and the Queen themselves had already joined the confrontation. Her eyes fixed with interest on the only other woman who just like her had not moved to the other side of the battlefield. Lady Erina, the Redheaded Knight who had caught her attention for a while especially when Ynir''s dust had started to take effect.


    The two women, oblivious to everything going on around them, stared at each other with interest, a glint of excitement shining in their eyes. Then, very slowly, Erina began to move without ever fleeing the gaze of the Empress, who then copied her slightest actions and gestures. Fearlessly and unhesitatingly bypassing the Commanders'' fights and approaching a wall of fire, Freya and Erina eventually came together.


    "Who are you ?"


    The first to speak was the human who at the same time took off her white helmet revealing her face and letting her hair fly in the wind. At this moment, Freya surprised herself to be surprised by the one who was going to be her first adversary. Erina was a very beautiful woman, curly red hair, green eyes, freckles who looked as determined and imposing as the Empress herself.


    Erina smiled tenderly but behind this beautiful sincere smile hid an aura of power almost equal to hers which did not escape Freya. For good reason, she and Erina were level 45 and therefore the most powerful of the two armiesbined. Not even taking the time to answer the young woman''s question, the Empress stopped just a few meters away before asking her own questions.


    "Why are you here ? Who are you really ?"


    In her usual cold and authoritative voice, Freya questioned Erina who seemed to take the situation lightly although prepared at any moment to fight. The scene was very special because while everything was chaos around, the two young women seemed to be talking as if nothing had happened. The thuds of fighting, screams, the sounds of swords and the smell of burning were everywhere, as the questioned one answered.


    "Me ? Erina Velfury, faithful Knight Mage of the Kingdom of Zal in the service of the crown and the King. I¡­"


    "No need to lie to me. I''m not one of those stupid humans capable of swallowing anything and everything without thinking. Besides, I asked you who you were but in reality, I already know it and therefore I know that you are lying"


    At the words of the wolf with the terrifying helmet, Erina immediately lost her smile before frowning with a more menacing look. She looked into the purple eyes of the wolf, she never blinked and it was impossible for her to detect the slightest sign of emotion. For the first time, the young human found herself cornered by words even before she had drawn her swords, meeting the imperturbable Freya.


    "W-what do you know about me ? Who¡­ who are you ?"


    "Me ? fufu~ the Empress of the Empire that you humans have decided to destroy for your own personal gain. That said, I say "you humans" but¡­ that''s not about you is it ? Jade Wolfury¡­"


    As Freya said Erina''s real name, she didn''t wait to understand and grabbed two daggers hidden in the pockets of her pants before throwing them. In silence without even moving her feet, the she-wolf turned her head slightly to dodge the first throw before catching the second. Her index and middle fingers had grasped the dagger instantly without effort before the Empress began to y with it, with dexterity.


    "Why didn''t you do anything just now when the illusory dust made the entire army of Zal faint ? You knew¡­why didn''t you do anything ? Why do you hide who you really are to live among humans ?"


    If against all expectations Freya exceptionally took the time to discuss it was for a good reason, Erina or rather Jade had caught her attention from the start. For good reason, when Ynir had used her element, all of Zal''s soldiers had fainted except one. Jade Wolfury had remained conscious thanks to her high level and yet, she had done nothing, said nothing and had contented herself with acting.


    Moreover, thanks to her analysis skill, it was very easy for the she-wolf to find the basic information of an individual such as their real name. This, Jade obviously did not know and therefore found herselfpletely distraught and speechless for the first time. Who was she really ? Why was she pretending to be human when she wasn''t ? That was what Freya wanted to know.


    "How do you know all this ? I¡­no¡­I won''t answer any of your questions !"


    The beautiful jade-eyed Knight no longer had the same expression as when she first met the Empress and was now trembling. She was shaking with anger, fear but also misunderstanding and stress, unable to know how and why Freya knew all this. Faced with the reaction of the alleged human, without warning she disappears to appear just behind Jade and whisper in her ear.


    "So y with me and if I win, you tell me everything I want to hear."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Like the seasoned Knight she was, it only took her a few seconds to react and draw this time the swords she had in her back. The Empress of Elysium, she, under her helmet smiled madly once again excited by the promise of a memorable fight. Without further ado, she then unsheathed her ck-ded katana before getting intobat position¡­their confrontation was about to begin.


    The next moment, the two women disappeared to reappear a little further, the sound of their weapons resounding as the iron crossed. The exchanges were powerful, creating shock waves and with a speed that was almost impossible to follow given their levels. Under the scorching sun of the day, only a ck shadow and a red shadow could be seen followed by sparks and gusts.


    Freya who had gauged Jade''s power for the first few minutes, was elerating her attacks and always getting wilder without even using a single one of her skills. However, her opponent was perfectly able to counter each of them and retaliate but it was not a problem for the Empress because in reality, what she really wanted was a fight of titans.


    Freya and Jade had two different fighting styles, one relied on body movements to dodge and parry while the other swore by force. The Empress of Elysium moved with ease and grace but her blows were powerful causing Jade to recoil who still replied with the same power. So far, they had only exchanged attacks with their weapons, but as usual that wasn''t enough for Freya.


    Blood swirled in her veins, her thoughts were only focused on Jade and no one else despite the chaos that once again reigned in the forest. The more Freya struck the more she vibrated, the more Jade resisted the more the she-wolf persisted, because the young red-haired woman for some unknown reason held back. Suddenly, the Empress was jumping in the air as high as possible dominating the entire burning area where the screams and the smell of blood rose into the sky.


    For the knight with jade eyes, she was the first adversary possessing a power equal and even superior to her own and that the Empress had understood it. She had information about Jade thanks to her analysis skill and only wanted one thing. Freya wanted a titans fight, a fight where she could use and unleash the infernal power thaty dormant within her.


    Grabbing her katana with both hands, two wings of ice then appeared on her back extending majestically and hiding the blinding rays of the sun. Like an angel of death entirely dressed in ck, with wings as blue as the sky, the Empress towered over everything but looked only at Jade. For a few seconds, the two women stared at each other, the purple and green color of their eyes blending together, just before Freya spoke.


    "If you want to survive this attack, you better reveal your true nature !"


    Then the she-wolf, without waiting, folded her wings all around her body before diving at an impressive speed towards the Knight Mage. She spun around like a spinning top hurtling straight at her opponent, lifting the very earth from where she was, getting ever closer. In an instant, Freya was punching Jade causing another jolt and a flurry of dust hiding in sight both of their bodies.


    However, no one was watching as they were too focused on the actual war that was taking ce and as the elemental attacks rocketed everywhere, the dust dispersed. There, it was possible to see the Empress firmly holding with her two hands full of blood the two swords that were going to sink into her belly. The ck helmet had broken in half leaving only Freya''s mouth visible and grinning wildly.


    Herrge fangs were out and her tongue flicked delicately along her upper lip showing her legendary excitement for the fight. Jade, she, was the one who held the two swords and who had avoided the ck katana which had nted itself deeply in the ground. She hadn''tpletely avoided it because on her left cheek, a ratherrge gash had now appeared bleeding profusely.


    ? However, just as Freya had seen and expected, Jade was different and the power of the attack had forced her to reveal her true nature to survive. The mage knight''s eyes now glowed intensely green and two fine canines were now visible at the corner of her mouth. That was not all as the wound on her cheek began to smoke as it gradually closed under the excited eyes of the Empress.


    Their bodies were shaking as each held one end of the two sharp swords in their hands although Freya was the one holding the des, she didn''t seem to mind. Like a wolf having found its prey, the Empress was ready to hunt it down until victory was hers. But unlike her previous opponents, she wasn''t fighting to kill her because the fake human had caught her attention from the beginning and kept intriguing her.


    "Hahahaha~ that''s it, finally you show your true face. Don''t y human and fight me with all your power. Things are getting interesting fufu~"


    At her words, Jade flexibly contorted herself to send her foot into Freya''s stomach as she leapt back to dodge. As shended a little further away still smiling, the she-wolf brought her right hand to her mouth before licking the blood that flowed from her wound. Jade on her side was doing the same with the blood that had flowed to her mouth before dropping her swords and getting into position.


    Finally the young woman had decided to be serious and use her element against Freya who had done everything to force her to use all the resources necessary to survive. Facing her, the Empress clenched her fists before making ten threads of blood appear in her hands, formed from her own blood, which seemed to have their own consciousness. Ice spikes were also beginning to form all around her proving that she was no longer ying.


    "Bl...blood ? No way ! H-How do you do that ? My people should be the only ones to...never mind...tell me !"


    "y and win against me and I''ll tell you...maybe fufu~"


    Jade at this answer, slowly incanted to release her magic making her green eyes sparkle even more intensely than before. Suddenly, out of her arms, a glowing red armor formed on her body along with thousands of knives orbiting around her. Like the Empress, the one who called herself Erina Velfury was anything but human and manipted her own blood as an element to fight.


    Without dy, she threw her thousands of thick, sharp knives at Freya, who was more ready than ever to receive them. Hundreds of them came down at once, destroying the ground on impact, but it took more than that to throw her off bnce. Indeed, at great speed Freya sent her almost equally strong wires to deflect, slice, stop and strike the first waves that came at her.


    The knives that came close enough to her to hurt her, the she-wolf would send them back with precise, fast and powerful kicks. Under this heavy rain of attacks where death was not to be taken lightly, Freya was still smiling madly and enjoying every second. Suddenly, as she stopped thest wave, a red shadow passed behind her, armed with three swords as red, strong and shiny as her armor.


    "Hey don''t forget me !"


    Jade had appeared behind the Empress holding two des in each of her hands and one in her teeth, a much wilder look than when they met. In an instant, the two women were within inches of each other and while Freya used her ice spikes, the young non-human woman aimed for her heart, head and stomach. Without even realizing what was going on, blood spurted into the sky where they stood.


    Level 45 against level 45, blood and ice against blood, the fight between the Empress of Elysium and the mysterious Knight with jade eyes had just begun. More than a battle of the titans, before the eyes of the two armies who hadn''t even noticed it, a Demon Wolf was fighting a vampire.

 Chapter 197 Freya Vs Jade I [Hell - Part III]

    - POV Freya -


    The Hell that my soldiers and I had created was all around me, at a nce I could see my Commanders, my little sister and my wife fighting. Of course I wasn''t 100% reassured but more than anything else I trusted them...blind trust. For the moment, despite the horror movie mess, I was focused and intrigued by the one in front of me.


    [Name : Jade Wolfury


    Age : 24 years old


    Gender: Female


    Race : Bloodthirsty Vampire


    Title : Fallen Queen


    Element : Royal Blood


    Lvl 45/70


    HP : 155 000 / 155 000 MP : 75 000 / 75 000


    Strength : 550


    Defense : 500


    Agility : 489


    Stamina : 496


    Speed : 525


    ____


    When Ynir used her illusion skill, I was hidden far away watching each soldier carefully and reading what they were all capable of. In only 7 minutes with my high intelligence, it was possible for me to detect everything and create a strategy. However, while I was observing everything, my eyes fell on one person in particr who was the most powerful.


    Thanks to my heightened senses, it was easy for me to understand that the young woman was not at all affected by the illusion and even imed to be. Moreover, her profile described her as being of the Vampire race and at the sight of this information, dozens of questions had crossed my mind. Why had she done everything she could not to wake up the army? What was a vampire like her doing in the human army ? And...a Fallen Queen ?


    Her title was also quite interesting, making me want to hear her story and find out what made her do this. My instinct was not to miss this Jade who called herself Erina, known as the Knight Mage of the Kingdom of Zal. To be honest, if she had been human I wouldn''t have tried to understand, but seeing her say nothing when she could have woken up herrades, intrigued me.


    While I was busy with her blood knivesing at me by the hundreds, Jade came up behind me with more speed than she had at first. She covered herself in a kind of blood armor I had never seen before and caught me off guard. Within seconds, blood was spurting to the sky as one of her swords went through my shoulder and one of my ice picks went through hers.


    [HP: 167,000 / 170,000]


    My goal as Empress was to stop the most powerful one, but against all odds, although very serious about the task, she amused me and kept my interest in her growing. The mutual blow that we had dealt each other had hurt us, but it took a lot more than that to bring us to our knees or call it a victory.


    "You are fast fufu~"


    "Y-You too.."


    As we both jumped into the air again, we pulled out whatever was stuck in our respective shoulders. It was kind of weird to be able to get hurt by something other than a creature or a beast but I was discovering new things. I wanted to defeat Jade and ask her all the questions I could think of, I wanted to know her secret and in a fair way.


    As she stared at my every move, I moved behind my katana nted in the ground before withdrawing it with a sharp blow. Shiro''s lucky charm was still attached to the handle and as I looked at it with a smile, threads of blood were once againing out of my right hand. They were slowly and discreetly wrapped around the handle as I tore off my awkward coat with my other hand.


    [ BLOOD: 76 / 100 ]


    This time I had concentrated on making them thin and strong and once I was sure they were well attached it was my turn to attack. Twirling my katana, I ran to her position and reached it in an instant. Jade wielded three swords, but I had mastered my weapon better than any other and for the first time since I arrived here, I could unleash all my knowledge.


    Reeling in my arm, I suddenly threw my weapon in her direction waiting patiently for her to dodge beforeunching my second real attack. My katana passed by her face almost cutting a strand of her hair as she smiled to provoke me. However, that smile faded when Jade realized far toote that I was holding the handle in my blood.


    "Shit !!"


    Clenching the fist that was manipting my threads and pulling with a sharp jerk, I brought my ck de in my direction right into the Knight''s dead center. Instantly ducking, she managed to avoid the quick, powerful and deadly blow, but only by a small margin, while I released the wires holding my katana, which, as a result, came rushing back at me.


    "Hmpf !"


    Jade had reacted quickly and despite my weaponing at me, she hadn''t noticed my wires wrapping around her leg. Firing again with my right arm, she lost her bnce as I started to run to her. I ran straight at her with my deing at me, catching it with my left hand still without stopping.


    Arriving very quickly at Jade''s level, I raised my de to strike her chest but the young redheaded woman avoided by leaning her bodypletely backward. Anticipating her movement, I crouched down to slide my left leg and sweep her feet. But, against all odds, Jade had also nned something else and while my leg mowed her down, in her fall her fist hit my head violently.


    Using the speed of her blow, I spun around to catch her and propel her away from me as my body hit the ground. Hers bounced, split the ground, broke the stones and turned the earth over with each impact ending up in a rock. Without giving her time to do anything, I formed a huge ice spike that in only a few seconds was already heading towards Jade.


    It was huge, the size of a huge pir, sharp and as hard as steel but despite all that, it was going at an impressive speed. All I could see afterward was the ice pick crashing into Jade who wasing out of the rock in which I had stuck her for a few seconds. No more movement was detectable at this ce when suddenly, the ice cracked gently before exploding into thousands of small pieces.


    *Oh~? Interesting~*


    From behind the ice dust reappeared Jade with blood flowing from her temple but her three blood swords and armor were still intact. She had just cut my attack with power and even if she had suffered the force of it, I discovered with satisfaction that she was still standing. The more time passed, the more I could feel my body heating up as the excitement for this fight mounted within me.


    "Y-You !"


    While I was focused on her shining armor for ws, Jade stared at me with green eyes filled with anger. She licked the blood that flowed from her lips as once again, the wound on her temple smoked to close. However, unlike the first time, the healing process was taking longer and that was sure to get my attention.


    *Her blood armor must require a lot of mana, when she uses it she must constantly lose a little. It''s a powerful and effective defense, however the fight must not drag on for long because it''s depleting a bit every second. Her healing ability is even a little slower than a few minutes ago. Interesting... really interesting fufu~*


    For the first time during a fight, Kira was not present at my side but I could not stop talking in my mind. As if her voice was going to answer me, I was thinking while exining point by point in my mind, where I wanted to go. What was sure was that even though Jade''s armor seemed to be foolproof, time was working against her.


    "Impressive~!!!"


    From where she stood, the redheaded Knight had screamed while her bloodied face finally broke into an excited smile almost simr to mine. The young female vampire in front of me was beginning to feel the same chills as I was. Probably for the first time in her life, she was facing an opponent against whom it was possible to use all her power.


    Both of us didn''t care about what was around us, only the other and our fight mattered at that moment. Straightening up, I smiled back at her while conscientiously licking my fangs and lips. I had not lost many lives but something told me that everything would be more difficult. As I prepared myself for what was toe, Jade''s voice echoed in the distance again.


    "My turn !"


    "Come !"


    I had thrown her far enough in front of the wall of me with myst attack that we were hundreds of feet apart. Without further ado, I could see the redheaded vampire take hold of her right foot before propelling herself towards me, breaking the ground with her strength. Her green eyes were even brighter with the same glint of madness in them as mine and her angry expression hadpletely changed.


    *How exciting !*


    On my side, I crouched down, pping my hands on the ground, concentrating all my mana while showing great concentration. Like when I crossed the sea with Kira, this time I wanted to use my "Frozen Wrath" skill in battle. I could feel the air around me getting colder and colder, my breath creating steam as my hair changed color to white.


    Everything was happening very fast and suddenly the whole ground in front of me froze instantly creating a white ground where I was. However, it took more than that to stop Jade''s run, which, although slowed down, continued to advance towards me. When she was already halfway to me, I made hundreds of ice spikes appear from the ground and rise into the sky.


    The redheaded Knight danced among them, avoiding therger ones and breaking the smaller ones with her swords with once again impressive responsiveness. She was getting closer, but in the sky above her head, hundreds more ice peaks were forming. Jade hadn''t noticed them yet because she was too busy getting out of this frozen hell.


    *You sent me a rain of knives, let me return the favor fufu~*


    Suddenly, releasing all my mana contained in the spikes, they split the sky straight towards Jade who was overwhelmed. Ice wasing from everywhere, from the ground to the sky and as if that wasn''t enough, the ground itself was frozen. With a huge noise and an explosion of ice and stone, they had all locked Jade in a prison of frozen spikes.


    As I watched the scene in front of me carefully, a familiar scent came to my nostrils... the smell of blood and it was getting stronger. However, it wasn''t mine and by the time I realized it, it was slightly toote. Coming out of the ground, breaking the ice, des of blood wereing out right underneath me, three in number.


    *Shit !*


    My hands were on the ground and I couldn''t remove them if I wanted to continue forming ice spikes with my "Frozen Wrath" skill. Pushing on my legs, keeping my hands on the ground, I propelled my feet backwards to dodge. The des passed only a few inches from my face with inhuman speed. Turning almostpletely around on my hands, I looked at the ce where Jade was.


    However, no matter how hard I looked, I couldn''t see her anywhere, and yet my attention was only taken for a few seconds. When the des of blood had appeared, I had not been able to observe what was happening, too busy to react. Suddenly, a shadow formed on the ground and as I looked up, I could see the young redheaded woman running towards me.


    Jade was covered in blood, her armor was cracked, and it was not hard to understand that getting out of this ice prison had been trying. This time, her two vampire canines werepletely out, she was snarling and seemed to have gone wild. Reacting as fast as I could, I formed an ice armor around my body and grabbed my katana to block her powerful blow.


    The ground broke under my feet, my whole body vibrated at the impact and a white aura came out proving my concentration. All my muscles were used and despite my advantage, the young knight was fighting and resisting more than I thought. Once again, our faces were quite close to each other but this time we were both smiling wildly despite the blood that had already been spilled.


    "Who are you really ?"


    Jade had raised her voice with interest while our weapons were still against each other, each pushing with force. Her beautiful green eyes shone with palpable excitement and despite her age being close to mine, I couldn''t help but think of Kira. Smiling with all my teeth, I intensified the force of pressure in my arms to force her to back away. Bending down to her cheek, I licked the blood that had run down it before whispering my answer in her ear.


    "Entertain me~ Let''s y some more and I''ll tell you fufu~"


    [N/A: I put less system than before during the fight, less HP/MP information. Tell me if you prefer this or not]<novelnext></novelnext>


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 140 000 / 170 000 MP : 50 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 76 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passive :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 198 Lucifer Vs Jade II [Hell - Part IV]

    - POV General -


    "Let''s y some more and I''ll tell you fufu~"


    Freya had leaned in forcefully and uttered these words after licking the bloody cheek of the young redheaded woman to provoke her. Her reaction was immediate and as the she-wolf with the broken helmet smiled, Jade responded by licking Freya''s bloody ck de. She was doing this action while responding to Freya''s provocation, which resulted in an unexpectedugh from her.


    "It''s okay... let''s y."


    "Hahahahaha~"


    Never before had the Empress found herself in front of someone who could stand up to her and retort without insult or hate speech. For the first time, despite the circumstances, she felt sympathy for her opponent without thinking of killing her. The two looked at each other with a smile that was hard to hide even as explosions and screams could be heard everywhere.


    "You are definitely very interesting fufu~"


    Finishing her sentence, Freya dropped her sword suddenly before sending her fist into the Mage Knight''s stomach with all her power. Not being prepared for this at all, thetter let out a cry of surprise while blood came out of her mouth at the same time. Taking advantage of this short moment, the Empress followed up by bending down and sending her right foot directly into Jade''s jaw making her fly away.


    "Aaaargh !!"


    Once again, the young redheaded woman found herself propelled but this time directly into the air, quickly spinning ever higher. Giggling slightly, Freya would take support on her legs as she crouched before leaping into the sky to catch her. As she jumped, the ground broke for several feet and a wind kicked up dust and dirt.


    Both women were in the air and as Jade spun around sending her foot, the Empress threw her knee. The Knight''s shin struck the she-wolf''s knee with force, creating a shockwave almost visible in the sky. Everything went very fast afterward and two bodies could be seen spinning like meteorites towards the ground, the two women having hit each other with all their strength.


    The next moment, the whole war seemed toe to a sudden stop for a few minutes as the two most powerful women crashed to the ground in the middle of the battlefield. They hade out of nowhere and exploded the ground creating huge deep craters as theynded in the middle of the melee. As if by magic, only the sound of crackling mes rose as everyone went silent.


    "Cough cough !"


    "Uuurg !"


    The silence was then broken a few secondster by those at the bottoms of the two newly created craters. Two figures appeared climbing the ledges with smiles on their faces as the many soldiers looked on in amazement. Ironically, the Mage Knight hadnded among the warriors of Elysium and the Empress among the Knights of Zal.


    Neither Freya nor Jade cared about the people around her, however, or the worried, questioning looks of their silent allies andpanions. As if nothing else mattered but their battle, even this unnatural silence during a war was not able to attract their attention. No one spoke, time seemed to stand still as everyone watched the scene unfold before their eyes with shock.


    The Empress was still wearing her broken half-helmet, but blood was now pouring from her head, turning her entire lower face a frightening red. Her hair had turned as dark as night again but her horns were intact. Although it was not obvious, her shoulder bones and ribs were broken while her ck clothes were torn.


    The Mage Knight on the other hand was not so much in a better condition as her strong blood armor was cracked and broken in some ces. Unlike her opponent, she was not wounded in the head but in the arm, hanging, full of blood as if no force was flowing through it anymore. She was out of breath, full of bruises and just like Freya, her arm and ribs had been broken after only a few minutes.


    Suddenly, as ifing back to reality, the proud she-wolf swept the silent battlefield with her piercing, terrifying purple eyes. The Knights shivered, the Pdins paled, and everyone wondered what this demonic creature could be nning. The warriors of Elysium, however, despite the state of their leader who had never been like this, did not tremble with blind confidence.


    Then, after a few seconds of observation, the Empress closed her eyes before cing her palms towards the ground on either side of her body. A red aura began to form around her as the ck-haired woman changed before the wide eyes of all. She, who was a she-wolf changed and as her tail and ears disappeared, apletely different person appeared.


    Sharp ears appeared, her fingernails grew longer almost like ws, her tattoos grewrger and her teeth became sharper. The changes were fast and urred as her previously ck hair turned blood red. Within seconds, the soldiers of Elysium and Zal had witnessed for the first time the transformation of Freya, Empress of the Empire.


    Straightening up, she slowly opened her eyes, revealing red pupils drowned in a deep ck that left no trace of white. The moment she opened her eyes, an incredible and still uncontroble power was released from her body. The weaker warriors fell to their knees, vomited and fainted while the stronger ones trembled trying to stay on their feet.


    "..."


    If Freya''s arrival earlier had been hard to bear for humans just emerging from the illusion, her changes were nothing like it. The sense of life-threatening danger was still present, but an inexplicable panic was taking over each of the bodies. Some humans were now vomiting blood, others were suddenly falling over with convulsions or heart attacks and dying almost immediately.


    The same effect did not ur among the warriors of Elysium, but facing such a powerful and terrifying being had done some damage. Before the eyes of Jade, unable to move and fascinated, the King and the humans, stood a true Demon. For the first time in thousands of years, the ancient Goddess of Blood and Death had finally reappeared. Before everyone''s eyes now stood Lucifer Nightshade, 7th Sin of Wrath.


    "O Lord... we are doomed..."


    "N-No Lady Erina, nor...nor his Majesty the King will be able to save us."


    Some of the Knights murmured, others wept while the Pdins themselves began to pray fervently, imploring their Gods to help them. The panic was there, but the strangest thing was that no one moved or ran away. They were all paralyzed in ce terrified, and not being able to escape put such a strain on their minds and bodies, exining the sudden death of some.


    "Aaaaah !"


    Suddenly, while everyone was trying to bear the situation as best they could, Lucifer had thrown two threads of blood that had wrapped around two Knights. With a simple movement of the fingers, the two unfortunate ones were dragged in her direction unable to do anything. Before they even had time to scream, the red-haired Empress had already grabbed their necks in each of her hands.


    "Mmmmmh !!!"


    "Uuuurgfbifboin !"


    The Demon preventing them from speaking lifted them both up under the terrified gaze of theirrades before approaching the one on the right very slowly. The sun was still shining in the sky and at that moment, everyone could see a terrifying smile bathed in blood, wild and deadly, filled with sharp teeth. Then, like a nightmare, the scene that followed would finish by killing the weakest with fear.


    "AAAAAAAAARRGGGHHHHH !!!"


    Without the slightest hesitation, the Empress of Elysium bit the neck of her right prey with force, tearing the flesh savagely like a hungry animal. Having cut the carotid artery, the blood began to spurt out in abundance, tinting Lucifer once againpletely red. She did not stop there however because instead of watching him emptying himself and choking in his own blood, she approached her mouth of the gaping wound.


    In front of the paralyzed army, the red Empress, drank the blood of the Knight who gradually stopped struggling, dying every second a little more. While she drank like a thirsty beast, her left hand twisted the throat of the other man who had turned white. With a hoarse crack, his hands and feet, so suddenly deprived of life, were just hanging in the air.


    However, while the Demon was busy drinking the blood, those still able to watch such a spectacle, could see the blood of the second unfortunate maning out of his body. As if he hade to life, the red liquid poured out of his ears, nose, mouth and eyes and made its way towards Lucifer. Covering her wounds, little by little, she was healing, taking advantage of the general paralysis to heal herself.


    Thus, Lucifer, by drinking the blood of the first man had raised her blood gauge in her system and by using the blood of the second had healed herself. Throwing away the two empty, rag-doll-like bodies, she finally stood up. She had a smile on her face and no part of her white skin was visible anymore, covered in blood.


    "This time you won''t get me Lady E.ri.na."


    The Empress had finally spoken and her voice had be colder, devoid of any emotions, powerful and vibrant. Like an echo, her words seemed to resonate through the forest as directly into everyone''s heart. The next moment, Lucifer disappeared and reappeared next to Jade who still didn''t understand what was happening. Trying to react, she turned around but it was already toote, the blow had gone too fast.


    A powerful punch mmed into her already broken ribs, shattering the armor of blood she had created for herself. The Mage Knight was spitting blood and now it was also flowing from her ears and nose. Without even waiting a second, Lucifer grabbed her foot before breaking it with a quick and precise wrist movement.


    "Gaaaaaaaahhhhh !!!"


    Jade''s screams of pain pierced the air for miles, even freezing the blood of the Commanders who were also watching the scene. However, she still wouldn''t give up and hundreds of blood knives formed from her blood to shoot towards Lucifer. Unfortunately, the difference in strength was now far too great despite their simr levels.


    Freya had revealed her true nature as a Demon and the blood of the Gods that flowed through her made her more powerful each time her transformation wasplete. It was now impossible for the vampire to defeat her even though her healing power was still effective, albeit slow. This time, the Empress didn''t even bother to do anything as she slowly moved forward.


    The redheaded Knight was on the ground, unable to get up and trying as best she could to throw as many knives as possible, almost crawling away. Lucifer, walked quietly in her direction and the knives that came close enough were twisted or deflected by her powerful aura visible to the naked eye. At that moment, Jade had lost her smile and a fear as strong as that of the soldiers had invaded her soul.


    Arriving at her height, Lucifer grabbed the neck of the young female vampire and lifted her into the air before plunging her gaze into hers. Her eyes were no longer purple and hypnotic but red, ck and deadly, as if the Empress herself could see your death. Trembling, bleeding, bones shattered, and scared to death, Jade coughed up blood before she managed to whisper a sentence.


    "I... *cough* okay... okay you...you won.. *cough cough* I... I surrender ! I...I''ll tell you my story !"


    Suddenly, at her words, Lucifer let go of Jade who fell on her butt to the ground as her transformation disappeared almost instantly. The pointy human ears changed to ck wolf ears and tail. The ws retracted, the sculpted ck horns shrank slightly as the red hair turned ck again.


    Freya had returned to her usual appearance and while the redheaded Knight didn''t understand what was going on, she crouched down next to her with a big smile. A ck aura was now surrounding the Empress'' body but somehow much less striking than the previous one. Crouching down in front of Jade who was in a terrible state, Freya''s voice echoed again.


    "Well there you go, that wasn''t so hard, was it ? I loved ying with you fufu~"


    Jade couldn''t believe her eyes and despite this intense fear she had felt and still felt, a fascination was beginning to sprout inside her. Who was this woman ? Why and how was she so powerful ? Her body was broken, she had no strength, no mana, no desire to fight, but her mind was still sharp. From this fight she had learned a great lesson and gained unprecedented determination.


    For the first time, as the war was about to begin again, Lucifer Nightshade, former Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death, had fought. Freya had fought for the first time a powerful vampire who was far from weak despite the oue of the fight. From this exchange, the two women had developed amon interest in each other, eager to hear each other''s story.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult<novelnext></novelnext>


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 50 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 199 The Fox And The Dark Elf [Hell - Part V]

    - POV General -


    The battle of the Empress had gone very quickly and had even ended under the gaze of the soldiers of both armies facing each other in this circle of fire. Lucifer Nightshade had appeared for the first time in front of humans and had even offered them a show as terrifying as powerful. The hundreds of warriors of Elysium themselves had discovered her in this form and felt nothing but pride, admiration and fear for her.


    Although the battle between Freya and Jade had been fairly even at first, the Mage Knight of the Kingdom of Zal was soon overwhelmed. Her warrior skills were unquestionable and despite what had happened, Jade was quite incredibly powerful and unique. With one look, the Empress had understood this and had developed a particr interest in the young woman.


    What was a royal blood vampire doing among an army full of humans who hated all other races and praised only their own ? Why hadn''t she awakened the soldiers during the illusion, even though she was capable of doing so ? Many questions crossed Freya''s mind and she was happy to defeat her. So Jade Wolfury, a level 45 Mage Knight of Zal, had been taken prisoner by the Elysium Empire.


    Of course, the Empress had no intention of treating her defeated opponent as a real prisoner of war and nned to respect what she had said. However, for the moment, despite what the two young women had said to each other, it was not the time for discussion as the battle between Zal and Elysium was just beginning. Everyone had done exactly as Freya had ordered and everything was going ording to n.


    The Commanders and the others had witnessed her battle, theirs having stopped instantly when the two women had crashed to the ground. Lucifer had won and the ten most powerful women warriors in Elysium were speechless. Silence still reigned and while everyone was paralyzed, Freya who had grabbed Jade stood up before speaking in a powerful voice.


    "Please continue fufu~"


    Her clothes were torn, her helmet was still broken revealing her mouth and the she-wolf was covered in blood from head to toe. However, for some reason unknown to all, she retained that frightening imperial presence and her nonchnce only made her more dangerous. At her words, emerging from their trance, the Commanders turned once again to their opponents, Knights and Pdins all terrified.


    The fighting could continue or really begin and for the first time, Kira, Freya''s younger sister and Princess of the Empire, fought alongside Caipy. They were both against a Fire Knight and a Lightning Pdin, both of whom were as white as the others after the scene that had yed out before them. Kira stared at her opponents more than ever determined to do almost as well as her older sister whom she admired.


    "Caipy ! It''s time to show what we can do !"


    "Yes Princess !"


    "Call me Kira. With me, on a battlefield when ites to defending what we hold dear, there is no title or difference between us."


    "Hai, K-Kira !"


    Unconsciously, Kira''s words had resonated in the dark elf''s heart and brought a confident smile to her face. The silver-haired vixen was also smiling and grabbed her red and ck-ded scythe with ease. As she twirled it several times in her hands, silver-blue lightning bolts crackled out of her entire body a sign that the fight could continue.


    "Yosh~ There''s no reason for Onee-san to be the only one having fun huh pffhahaha~"


    As she finished her sentence, Kira winked in the direction of Caipy who nodded in response, pulling out 10 poisoned needles that she held in both hands. A good distance separated them from their opponents, but first, the vixen calmly moved towards them. Caipy stayed behind to observe but was ready while the two humans, not wanting to die, started to incant their spells.


    "Knight, protect me !"


    "Yes !"


    The two men didn''t even know each other''s names but a desire to survive animated them especially after witnessing the Empress'' performance. Both level 35, they surpassed for sure Caipy''s level 30 and Kira''s level 15 but physical strength wasn''t everything. The psychological pressure that had fallen on them a few minutes ago could change absolutely everything and that was Freya''s n.


    By showing her superiority, by revealing herself as Lucifer in front of all these soldiers who hade with incredible arrogance, she had struck an important blow. Seeing Kira approaching, both of them unconsciously trembled but prepared themselves to support what was about to fall on them. The young fox walked silently before pressing her pace and running, her lightning still crackling with excitement.


    "The subrace ising ! Don''t...don''t forget to keep an eye on the one with the pointy ears !"


    "YES !"


    The Pdin who had arge blonde beard seemed to have takenmand, shouting his instructions to the Knight who followed them without protest. Indeed, as the Pdin had so aptly said, Kira wasing charging in with a smile on her face as she formed even brighter lightning bolts under her bare feet. The Knight, on the other hand, had mes appearing on his legs going up to his waist, burning with a crazy ardor.


    He prepared his long sword where the sun''s rays were reflected on it, but as he raised it into the sky to counter the young woman, her silhouette blurred. The Princess of the Empire seemed to be just an image appearing left and right as if in a dream. The man in armor didn''t understand as she blurred further and further before disappearing from his field of visionpletely.


    "Wh..."


    Concentrating as hard as he could, suddenly the Knight felt a presence at his back making him move instinctively and at a great speed worthy of his level. His sword stopped in mid-air as a sound of crossed iron was hearding from his weapon. There was nothing and no one there, but the de had been stopped in its powerful momentum by something invisible.


    Then suddenly, a small chuckle sounded right in front of the man as space seemed to twist in front of him, wavering ever so slightly. Gradually, in front of him, a shape appeared in the form of a beautiful young female fox with three tails. In a small cloud of lightning, Kira was there and smiled with all her teeth obviously proud of her because the next moment, the Knight was struck by lightning.


    "Aaaaah !!!"


    The Princess''s lightning bolt had passed through her entire body before passing through her scythe and the sword of the man serving as the driver. However, it hadn''t been enough to shake him, but that didn''t matter because any blow even a tiny one was important. As the Knight shook, Kira threw her scythe again to slice him but this time she didn''t have time to strike as a huge ball made of orange lightning came at her.


    "Die witch !"


    The Pdin had finished incanting and with his hands, he formed balls of lightning that he threw at Kira to protect his slightly disturbedrade. With a good prodigious move, she dodged the attack before going to ce herself again near Caipy. Thetter had not moved and for a good reason, she was observing every movement and had now detected the weak points of the two men.


    "K-Kira ! The human who masters lightning has much diminished physical attributespared to the one in armor and mastering fire. His movements and mobility are less precise even if he seems physically resistant but it''s only an impression. You are level 15 so in closebat, despite the big difference in level between you...you should be able to kill him. However don''t forget, his mana is much more powerful than yours, if he hits you with one of his attacks... it will be the end for you."


    Caipy spoke in a serious voice without ever taking her eyes off the two humans as she told Kira about her findings. The Commander had no magic but her experience was just as formidable and she intended to put it to good use. The silver-haired vixen listened intently to her every word before she nted her weapon in the ground, asking a question.


    "Mmmh I understand, it''s obvious I would be very careful, thank you very much Caipy. What can you tell me about the knight ?"


    "Well... This man has mastered fire and uses it especially in his legs to speed up his movements and make them almost imperceptible. He is very physically trained and his reflexes are very fast as you have seen. His level is also huge...one physical blow and you might not be able to fight anymore."


    Kira was fighting for the Empire for the first time, but of all the 20 most powerful human opponents, she was the weakest. The Commanders had raised their levels to 30, but the young woman had only 15, which was far less. However, the reason she was fighting was because despite that, Kira had gained her older sister''sbat experience after being by her side and in her soul for so long.


    "Very well, then I''ll just make them use up mana without ever getting hit by their magical or physical attacks. Onee...ahem...Freya traumatized them and that''s great for us because it makes our job easier. Let''s go !"


    Just as Kira finished her sentence, she let her aura explode as her silver hair began to glow and float down her back. Her entire body was almost covered in lightning and even her red and ck scythe glittered and crackled. The Pdin having felt this sudden wave of power, continued to form lightning balls with more gusto which he began to send at the fox and the dark elf.


    "Kira !"


    "Yes !"


    The moment Caipy had yelled, Kira had answered before they both split up to go deal with the two men. The Commander was running straight at the Knight who was far too powerful to fight the Princess while she was running at the Pdin. Kira ran without hesitation and dodged the powerful lightning balls that came at her at great speed.


    She reeled in her scythe and every time a ball hit the de, the orange lightning resonated with her silver-blue lightning creating small explosions. Like Freya, she seemed to dance as she dodged, moving her body in all directions with a fierce and fiendishly precise grace. The Princess would hit the balls with her weapon and send them flying away, always getting a little closer to her panicked target.


    "Don''te any closer !"


    As she finally got close to the man with the blonde beard, he sent an even bigger attack than the previous ones. A crackling, orange and imposing ball of the size of a big rock arrived on Kira who,unched in her race could not stop. She had only a few seconds left to dodge, but in the eyes of the Pdin who was smiling broadly, it was already over.


    ? "You won''t be able to dodge this one hahahaha~ it''s too big, too fast and you are running into it yourself hahaha~ die !"


    At the moment he said this sentence his smile was very big and he could already see himself winning against this young woman that he called a subrace. However, he was surprised because against all odds, the young fox woman did not even try to slow down or dodge and continue to run straight at this huge ball. Was she driven by a sudden desire to kill herself ? The Pdin would soon find out.


    While she was only a few feet away from the attack, in her rush, Kira shifted slightly to the side before swinging her scythe. The ball passed within inches of her, but as it was about to fly away, she caught it with the tip of her de. Using the force of the deadly attack, the Princess began to spin around very quickly while sending her own mana into the ball.


    "Imp-Impossible !!!"


    Gradually, a whirlwind of lightning formed around Kira as she continued to spin faster and faster using her rotation to control the ball. Orange in color at first, it changed to be more and more silver and blue, a sign that her mana was taking over. Suddenly, she nted her feet firmly on the ground before sending out with all her might this new ball that she had shaped with her own magic.


    "Mister Bearded Pdin, I loved your little gift...here is mine !"


    Kira, prodigious as it seemed, had been clever enough to use the strength of the attack to turn it against her opponent. The power had been level 45 worthy and if she had tried to stop it normally... her fight would have ended immediately. Instead, spinning had given her the strength to withstand the power and the time she needed to turn her attack into her own.


    The young three-tailed fox hade up with the idea in an instant and at that moment Caipy who was busy fighting the Knight was impressed. Now the Pdin had been caught at his own game, the situation had changed drastically and an attack he didn''t suspect was nowing right at him. It was all very fast but he didn''t want to lose, not now... not to somemon subrace to exterminate.


    "You won''t get me !"


    Preparing as much mana as he could, the Pdin wanted to dodge in turn and counterattack with a magical attack of the same power. Also shifting to the side, his face filled with anger and hatred, he would throw an equallyrge ball again so that the two would collide and explode. As the man watched the result, a cheerful and threatening voice was suddenly heard just behind his ear giving him goosebumps.


    "Hello there~"


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female<novelnext></novelnext>


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 50 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 200 The Courage Of A Princess [Hell - Part VI]

    For the first time in my short life, I was on the battlefield alongside my sister and the Empire she had created with incredible courage and strength. For the first time I could fight with a body and do my best to protect our dream and our family. Nothing could stop me from aplishing what I had promised myself and certainly not those two humans I was fighting with Commander Caipy.


    The Pdin I was fighting was a lightning mage like me, but with my level 15, I couldn''t possibly defeat him in the normal way. Onee-san had just put on a show worthy of the Empress that she was, which even gave me the shivers so it was out of the question that I did not give my best. Even if I had to hurt myself, I knew deep down that I would seed...I had to.


    My fight had only started a few minutes ago but it had already forced me to think very fast to always find a solution and a way out. It is then with an almost faultless determination that I had used my lightning element to slip into the back of my opponent. The bearded man had just countered my attack and I had taken advantage of it to surprise him from behind.


    "Hello there~"


    As I said these words, I threw my scythe in his direction without hesitation, dropping itpletely to let it fly straight to his heart. As Caipy had warned me, the Pdin was more powerful than I was, but his body was not trained for a wild and long hand-to-hand fight. So I had to use my experience alongside my big sister and my cunning to defeat him without getting hit and killed.


    "H-How ??"


    The man was surprised for a moment but still reacted very quickly as he pulled out a sword from behind his toga to stop my scythe. Using my skill "The 1,000 Silent Steps" again, I started to run in his direction without even asking questions. I had to be fast, hit hard and above all in the right ce to be sure to do maximum damage.


    My skill, linked to my element "Illusionary Demonic Lightning", allowed me to disappear for a short time thanks to the lightning contained in my feet and my body. I could also give the illusion that I was splitting or blurring my image to confuse the enemy. I still had a lot to learn about this strange element but I already knew enough to be able to defeat this human.


    "Vile demon !"


    With a strangely precise gesture and more powerful than I thought, his sword struck the ck and red de of my scythe sending it crashing several feet away. However, it was already toote because I was on his left side with my fist ready to crash against his ribs. Everything happened very fast and as my scythe was nted in the ground, my fist hit his body with all the power I had.


    "Aaaarrrgg !!!"


    "Uuurg !"


    The man with the blonde beard let out a cry of pain as I heard some of his bones crack under the power of the blow I had just dealt him. However, he wasn''t the only one screaming because I too screamed, realizing something that hadn''t urred to me before. Indeed, I had not missed my target, but at the moment of impact, two of my fingers broke because his body was so hard.


    It was my first real body pain and the sensation was far from pleasant, giving me the effect of an electric shock. When I was in Freya''s body, I had endured a lot of pain without ever telling her, but this was different. My hand was shaking, I could feel my heart beating in my fingers which were already starting to swell. Everything was hard to bear, even closing my hand when it was only two small broken fingers.


    [Uuurg ! He...He may be the weaker of the two physically due tock of training, but he is still...a level 35. If...if it had been the Knight, with the strength I put in my blow, my hand...my hand would have exploded]


    I knew I was stronger than any level 15 human but at that moment, I couldn''t help but tremble. Freya trusted me and I didn''t want to be a burden to all those brave soldiers who were fighting for their families...for the Empire. However, without even meaning to, I realized my own weakness through the intense pain that seemed to violently shoot through my entire right arm.


    Deep down I was terrified, I was smiling, joking and focused but fighting for the first time was not easy. During the few days before the war, I had trained like crazy and found my weapon of choice but nothing couldpare to the field. Onee-san had warned me about this unconscious and natural fear that would overtake me after the first few minutes but it was harder than I thought.


    This fear had been entuated when I realized that to beat this man even physically, I had to bear a pain almost equal to his. Of course, I could always strike with my weapon, but limiting myself to its sole use was anything but intelligent. To win I had to push myself and suffer...I hade to this battlefield knowingly but at that very moment, I was terrified.


    "You...*cough*...*cough*...you''re going to pay for this !"


    [Shit !]


    I didn''t have time to think about anything more than that as the Pdin was already lunging at me, his fists crackling with his orange lightning ready to strike. Trying to ignore the fear I felt, I prepared myself to receive him by crackling my own lightning all over my body. Within seconds the man was standing at my level and began to send small balls of lightning at the same time as his punches.


    "Die creatures of Hell !!! You are nothing but a subrace !!!"


    The human was screaming at the top of his lungs despite his broken ribs and didn''t even give me time to retaliate, swinging his fists ever faster. I couldn''t fight back, he was very fast and too close for me to escape without getting hit. I could only dodge as much as I could, trying to anticipate his movements but the difference in level was starting to show.


    I moved my body from side to side, ducking and rising, but my feet only went backward second by second. The Pdin''s fists hissed and split the air and the more time passed, the more I felt his lightning tingling my skin. I was running out of steam, the rain of blows was making me more and more lost when suddenly, one of them that I could barely dodge, hit my leg.


    "Aaarrgg !!!!"


    The man had been about to hit my face and to dodge him, I had jumped back not without his fist hitting my left leg. He had only touched a small part of it but it still caused me a new intense pain. As if all my muscles had contracted in one ce, this pain was internal but also external since the power of his lightning had burned my skin.


    "Uuuurg !!!"


    As Inded five meters away, when my left foot touched the ground, my leg buckled under my weight unable to support me. It shook, throbbed horribly, and at that moment all the confidence I had had up to that point crumbled. Was it broken ? This human had hardly touched me and yet I was already on the ground, why ? Because I was far too weak and naive to realize that I was going to lose.


    How do you defeat an enemy that can kill you just by hitting you in the right ce at the right time ? How did my older sister cope with such pain ? My mind was again filled with doubts as I tried to get up. Luckily, I hadnded near my scythe, so I used it as a support to stand on my two legs without seeding.


    "Hahahaha~ see how inferior and weak you are, subrace !!!


    "No I...


    "Shut up !!! How can you deny it when you can''t even stand up after a single blow to your leg ? Where is your determination from earlier huh ? Hahahaha~!!!"


    [I...I don''t know...]


    The human with the blonde beardughed as he saw me on the ground, continuing to crush my pride a little more as he shouted this terrible truth in my face. I wanted to fight, I wanted to help, but I realized that I just didn''t have the strength, or at least not alone. I had only one mission : to neutralize this man who was a masterpiece of the human army, but I was unable to do so.


    [I...onee-san...it hurts...]


    Without even realizing it, I had unconsciously talked to my big sister who, at that moment, was the only one who could give me courage. My leg still hurt like hell, and every time I tried to get up, I would copse on myself because of the pain. My fingers also hurt, my arm was numb and coupled with the pain in my leg, I felt trapped in my own weakness.


    "I have to admit, you had me fooled at first, but in the end...you will die like the pathetic being you are !"


    As he finished his sentence, a new ball of lightning as big as the previous one formed in front of him as he incanted. Time was running out, I had to get up and dodge if I didn''t want to die stupidly without having aplished anything. Shaking my head, I tried once again to stand on my legs in spite of this physical and mental exhaustion more and more unbearable.


    [Shiro must still...uurg...must still bless me with her cuteness]


    I was doing everything to give myself courage, I was thinking about my family, about my little niece who was probably worried about us with Angel and yet it was not enough. The sounds of fighting next to me were deafening, the smell of burning disturbed me and the taste of blood in my mouth disgusted me. How could I not go crazy in such a crazy first war ?


    [Onee-san...how to hold on and resist ?]


    "Die !"


    While I was asking myself these questions while fighting against my own body and mind, the orange ball of lightning was thrown at me. It was going at a great speed and at that moment, I knew that I would not be able to avoid it without seriously injuring myself. As I gathered all my strength to try to stand up onest time, I felt hot tears running down my face...I was scared to death.


    [I...I''m not going to make it...]


    I wanted to be strong, I wanted to be brave so that my big sister would be proud of me, I wanted to protect my family and be worthy of my title of Princess of Elysium. But, the harsh reality caught up with me and as I saw my ending, just when there were only a few meters left, a huge wall of ice stood in front of me. Out of nowhere, the ball of lightning crashed against it without even shaking it while a familiar voice suddenly echoed in my mind.


    *Kira, little sister...breathe, don''t cry...I''m here ! I know you can do this and whatever happens, I will always be proud of you and always be there for you. Can you hear me Kira ? I''m watching over you, so get up ! Get your ws out, get your fangs out and show this pathetic human how fierce you can be ! Show him the power of the Nightshades !


    [O-Onee-san...]


    Looking around, I could see Freya, my older sister, the Empress of the Empire, looking at me intently with a sweet smile. No one was looking at her, no one was looking at me, but we were looking at each other and in an instant, the fear was gone. I knew that she had not flown to my rescue so that I would not have regretster, but I also knew that she was protecting me from where she was without ever taking her eyes off me.


    This thought reassured me, warmed my heart and the tears of sadness and pain that I was crying turned into tears of joy. My big sister had faith in me, even when I was losing faith in my own abilities she never stopped supporting me as I supported her. Wiping away my tears with a smile, I knew what I had to do and now despite the pain I was no longer afraid.


    [Sigh...I''m sorry onee-san. Haha~ how could I forget ? Show him the power of Nightshades ? Show him how fierce I am ? With you by my side, I know I can achieve anything !!!]


    Without even taking the time to get up, I focused all my mind on my body, kneading all my mana inside me. I could feel all my limbs heating up and buckling as I began to transform into a beast. How could I forget ? Before I was a young woman, I was first and foremost The Greedy Fox, 6th Demon Sin and second most powerful, Kira Nightshade, little sister to the ancient Goddess Lucifer Nightshade.


    My body was growing, my fangs were getting longer, my hands were bing paws and my light skin was being reced by a beautiful silver fur. In front of me, the human''s face hadpletely changed and this time it was his turn to shake like a leaf. My left hind leg was hurting but in this form and with the courage that animated me again, it was definitely bearable.


    For the first time, I was going to fight in my fox form and even though I had never done it before, a fierce rage and blind courage came over me. I was still terrified but no longer paralyzed, I was still in pain but nothing was going to stop me because today, under the hot afternoon sun...the second Demon named Nightshade was going to unleash herself.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult<novelnext></novelnext>


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 50 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 5)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 201 A Fox Called Kira [Hell - Part VII]

    - POV Freya -


    - PING -


    [ Pain resistance skill (lvl 5) has been raised to level 6 ]


    [ Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 2) skill is now level 3 ]


    [ The skill Healing Blood (lvl 2) has been raised to level 3 ]


    [ Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (level 3) has been upgraded to level 4 ]


    ? [ Demonic Empress aura (level 6) has been raised to level 7 ]


    ___


    The war was still going strong and although Jade, the most powerful of Zal''s army, was already out of action, there was still no guarantee of victory. After our little confrontation, the mysterious vampire had fainted, and I had turned her over to the medic section. They had to make sure that her most serious wounds were taken care of, as her depleted mana prevented her from fighting back or even waking up.


    Even though I hadn''t killed her, some of my skills had increased and taking my demon form even if it wasn''tplete felt good. In this form I felt more powerful than ever, my attribute points did not change and yet everything was increased tenfold. My fight with Jade ended very quickly afterward but the war did not stop and every second counted.


    I was not fighting anymore, at least not yet, because the goal was also to allow all my soldiers to level up and gain experience and courage. I didn''t want them to always rely on me in the most difficult moments, so after defeating Jade, I withdrew. Of course, I was still watching over everyone and standing by, but this war was not mine...it was theirs.


    My wife, along with the Lieutenants and their section, had surrounded the bulk of the human army where the King, Leto and Myles were, to prevent them from running away and fighting. The Commanders, on the other hand, were busy defeating the 10 most powerful level 35 along with Kira. This was her first real fight and although I had full confidence in her, her debut was a bit more difficult than I thought.


    My little sister had not chosen a very simple opponent for her first fight, but as crazy as it sounded, I thought she could kill him. Before the war broke out, during the few days of preparations I had seen her train with a seriousness that I didn''t know she had. Kira''s skills were incredible, her movements almost always very precise for a newborn like her, and they amazed me.


    She was fighting a Lightning Pdin and even though she had been confident, he had quickly managed to destabilize her and make her lose her will. To be exact, Kira herself had be demoralized as she learned for the first time what it was like to fight for her life while trying to take another. She had held on well, but after a few minutes, she had broken two fingers while punching the human before getting hit in the leg.


    My little sister had suffered, cried, and the sight tore at my heart, but I didn''t move because I trusted her. Even though it hurt to see her try to get up, it was her first fight and deep down I wanted to respect it. I also knew that Kira would never forgive herself for letting me save her so even though it was hard for both of us, I didn''t budge despite her pain.


    The pain, the fear, the pressure, the panic, all of this Kira had experienced in the field and had be aware of the danger she was in at every moment. She had also experienced the loss of self-confidence that every warrior experiences in their first fight. I had watched everything and stepped in to give her a little push, although I was ready to jump in at any moment to save her if necessary.


    I didn''t want toe between her and her opponent, but I wanted to let her know that I was always watching out for her, even in the middle of a battlefield. With this thought in mind, Kira had regained her courage and strength to stand up despite the pain and fear. I wanted her to show that poor man how fierce, deadly and dangerous she could be even at her level 15 and she was going to do it.


    In the blink of an eye, my little sister had turned into a huge three-tailed fox with shiny, silver fur. Her silver-blue lightning crackled all around her, making her hair stand on end, her single ck horn was imposing and she was now snarling, showing all her sharp fangs. Kira was also beautiful in this form, both bestial but with a certain inexplicable grace due to her race.


    *You can do it little sister*


    I had cut the telepathic link so as not to distract her, but that didn''t stop me from cheering her on from where I was and in my thoughts. The battlefield wasrge enough to let her fight in her original form without restricting her movements and that was ideal. At that moment, even though I was watching the other fights, my wife not yet fighting, I only had eyes for Kira.


    By concentrating for a few seconds, quickly enough, I could hear their voices even from so far away, I could see, feel everything as if I were only a few meters away and I could smell all the smells up to the very change of their emotions. It was my little sister''s time to shine and I knew for sure that her sun would shine brightly. As I took a deep breath... Kira''s fight really began.


    *Kira, little sister...I trust you*


    ____


    - POV Pdin -


    The subrace that a few minutes ago was on the ground, unable to even get up or face me again had just transformed. Before, she was a filthy young half-human woman with a horn, but now she was just a demonic beast. Saint Leto had warned us that we would meet beings devoid of soul and connected to the Devil herself, but it was hard to bear.


    For decades, the Church of Humanity had been trying to fight the anomalies of this world with courage and determination, but more and more seemed to appear. His Excellency the Supreme and the Holy Sage had been hunting for years for subraces capable of turning into beasts, but here was the horror.


    The Devil herself had taken on the appearance of a woman who at first appeared to be half-wolf but turned out to be the embodiment of evil and death. Her hair was not white but ck as darkness, but her eyes were as violet and terrifying as the monster that had appeared in the Age of Extinction. Deep down I was sure that this horrible woman with the broken helmet was the most dangerous being that Humanity has ever known.


    That''s why as humans we had to fight to ourst breath to win and ensure the survival of us all. Each one of us had to do their part in spite of this fear that never left us and my part was to ughter the beast in front of me. It also had intense purple eyes but for some reason seemed much weaker. Still, I had to stay on guard and not let it touch me again.


    A gigantic three-tailed fox was standing in front of me, looking angry, foul and worthy of one of the biggest mistakes this world has ever created. I couldn''t help but tremble, but I didn''t lose sight of my goal, knowing full well that the Gods were with me. I had a few broken left ribs, but I was willing to suffer the agony if it meant wiping this subrace off the face of the earth.


    "H-Human ! My name is Kira, I am the Princess of the Empire that you have decided to destroy and it is as such that I will fight and kill you !"


    The creature was suddenly speaking to tell me things that to me werepletely devoid of anymon sense. This thing a Princess ? I knew as well as many that this garbage had gathered but...an Empire ? How much did these subraces think they were emting humans ? The thought made me rage and tremble with anger as I answered.


    "Shut up ! I don''t give a shit about your bullshit or who you are ! All I know is that you have to die for the good of Mankind and that this abominable thing that appeared earlier has to go back to where it came from...Hell !"


    As I finished my sentence, the beast in front of me so far calm, began to growl louder and louder as its element around it grew denser. Without further ado, I grabbed my sword and began to incant to release my own mana. I felt weaker, my ribs hurt, but it was nothing. In the end, we would all be judged by the Gods, by the value of our suffering and our courage.


    "My big sister that you so naively call an abominable thing, has much more heart than most of the humans that inhabit this earth. Tell me, how would an abomination be able to see beyond the difference and ept it when you humans are not even able to ? That is the proof of a great intelligence."


    "SHUT UP !!! We are fighting for peace and so that our children and their children don''t have to grow up in a world full of monsters like you !"


    "Human you''re saying bullshit ! You are the one to broke the peace, you shed the blood, you sowed the death. Human, don''t talk to me about peace when you came to ournds to kill and imprison our people without even trying to understand why your dear Princess yna was here."


    As the beast continued to speak, it picked up its weapon with its mouth, its teeth firmly holding the handle of its scythe. I couldn''t understand anything it was saying and its madness seemed as immeasurable as its stupidity, however, it wasing. The vixen was limping slightly and its teeth clenched every time it put her paw on the ground but it was moving forward and faster.


    "You too go back where you came from !"


    Releasing all my mana in its direction, it was no longer balls of lightning that I was throwing but bursts of pure mana containing a lot of power. I wanted to finish it off as quickly as possible and not give it time to recover in any way. Lightning explosions of the medium kind were happening, sometimes smaller, sometimes bigger and melting down on the creature.


    "Damn but you''re going to die ??!!!"


    Unfortunately, every time one of my attacks seemed to hit it, it seemed to teleport away to appear on its side, a few feet behind or in front. The lightning that surrounded the beast became denser and denser and the subrace that spoke before was now just growling like the animal it was. I could feel my mana running out but I didn''t want to stop, I had to kill it.


    Yet nothing could be done, the vixen continued to move forward, keeping its gaze on me, all traces of fear gone from its violet eyes. Even though it was wounded, it kept going and yet blood was flowing from its paw. At that moment I knew that there was nothing more dangerous than an enraged beast with nothing left to lose. Concentrating all my mana once again but this time into my sword, I made it glow like never before.


    By the time I finished, the beast was already there and wasing at me with the scythe that it held powerfully in its jaws to slice me. Its movements were not very fast, so I could see them all, but the strength it had seemed to have increased tenfold since earlier. Was it its beast form ? Was it the rage to survive ? I didn''t know, but its weapon was hitting mine with such force that my whole body was vibrating.


    It was ferocious,shing out with one powerful blow after another as I felt a tremendous physical and mental strain on me. How could it be so powerful ? The sound of our weapons shing was deafening and the more the seconds passed the more I felt overwhelmed by this huge imposing creature.


    "Aaaaah !"


    Suddenly, an intense, unbearable pain shot through me, forcing me to look down to realize that I no longer had a right foot. Looking up dumbfounded, before me stood a naked three-tailed young woman holding a scythe in her left hand. As I fell to the ground, I immediately understood what had happened and how this subrace had managed to get me this way.


    This fox named Kira, had been attacking me in her bestial form to force me to adapt to her size, strength and endurance to condition me. As a result, my body had registered certain movements but she had nned it all from the beginning. When I least expected it, she had returned to her humanoid form to create a sudden imbnce in the fight giving her the opening she needed.


    "Aaaaaah !!!"


    I still had mana, I could still defend myself but the pain in my foot was unbearable clouding my mind which had been put to the test so far. I could feel my warm blood flowing over me and yet I was getting colder and colder. Why had it gone so fast despite my almost certain victory ? My vision was blurring, everything was going ck, I was suffering and even the sound of my own screams could not reach my ears.


    "You''re lucky...I''m not my big sister so I won''t torture you. But this Hell you speak of, you''re going there so use your next life to meditate on your actions..."


    The voice of the demonic creature suddenly echoed in my mind as before me appeared the same subrace. She was still naked and despite her race which was repulsive...her face wasn''t so bad. So thest thing I saw was a pair of violet eyes, silver hair and a tired smile as the very scythe of death fell on my neck causing me to gasp for myst breath.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon<novelnext></novelnext>


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 50 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 202 Chaos I [Hell - Part VIII]

    -- POV General --


    Freya had watched her little sister''s first fight from where she stood and was somewhat shocked at how quickly it ended. Using everything she could, Kira had not hesitated to change her form even if it meant being naked on the battlefield in order to live. So she surprised the human and with her wless dwarf-forged scythe, she sliced off the Pdin''s leg and head without hesitation.


    Blood had spurted out, staining her face red as well as most of the front of her body that was standing over it at the time. Yet the beautiful naked young woman with the three silver tails did not move and remained motionless next to her victim. Her purple eyes stared into the void when suddenly she seemed toe to her senses, realizing for the very first time that she had just taken a life.


    "Cough cough !!!"


    Suddenly falling to her knees, Kira sputtered and coughed as the adrenaline flowed back down making her shake and slightly panic. The smell of fresh blood, the pain in her leg and fingers, the intensity of what she had just experienced still vibrated inside her and gave her so many emotions. Joy, fear, excitement, disgust, pride, it was all in her mind and had assaulted the heart of the Princess of Elysium.


    Tears were slowly running down her face but it was not sadness, everything was so intense that Kira''s body instinctively reacted to all these new things. However, after a few minutes, she got up shaking from her injury but was not crying anymore and even had a smile on her tired face. All this was so exhausting that she wobbled before toppling over on her side, exhausted and unable to continue standing. Yet, the brave Princess did not crash to the ground.


    "I...I was fierce, right onee-san ?"


    Freya had appeared out of nowhere as fast and unobtrusive as a shadow to catch her little sister who had looked up with tired eyes at the one holding her tightly in her arms. With a small smile, Kira had spoken as she snuggled up to Freya who had covered her with her ck cloak. The she-wolf smiled in return, gently stroking her little sister''s bloody cheek and pressing her forehead against hers before replying as a whisper.


    "Little sister, you were the bravest, fiercest, strongest fox Princess I know. Kira...I am so proud of you."


    In the midst of this bloodshed, in the midst of this Hell of blood and screaming stood two people, two sisters who were in their bubble. An Empress and a Princess, a wolf and a fox, who at that moment knew they could always count on each other. Freya didn''t show it, but she had been afraid for her sister and couldn''t help but appear in person in the middle of that killing field.


    "I''m going to take you to be healed now."


    "Umu..t-thank you onee-san"


    Suddenly disappearing from where she was just moments ago with her little sister in her arms, the Empress left the Commanders to concentrate. They hadn''t seen the Princess'' fight, but had felt the presence of their leader. Each one''s battle was incredible and even those who could not manipte magic were no match for those who could.


    As they fought, what was supposed to be an individual kill gradually turned into a group fight. Thus, the remaining 9 Pdins and 10 Knights were all facing the 10 Chaos Commanders of the Elysium Empire. These 19 humans were out of breath, some were covered in blood and wounded, but none of them had yet been killed by the 10 half-human women.


    They were not in a better state because the injuries and fatigue had also taken hold of the Commanders who were fighting with 5 levels less. In the middle of the huge fire arena that had been created, a group of huge beasts stood there as determined as ever. The women, although mostly wounded, had gathered to face the enemy, feeling much more powerful together than alone.


    Nixia was in her snake form, huge, ck and frightening alongside Ralph who was in her wolf form almost as big as the Empress herself. Her fangs were glowing, her ws were covered inva while her whole body was smoking from the heat she was giving off. Luna was also there, a huge panther who like Kira, had hundreds of deadly yellow lightning bolts crackling around her.


    Above these threemanders, a majestic gray wyvern pped its wings powerfully alongside a beautiful butterfly that made no sound. Trioa and Ynir towered over the battlefield and cast a menacing shadow over those below. In front of them, Emilia was not in her animal form and brandished herrge sword with force in spite of the tiredness which crossed her like all the others.


    Na?a was at her side, her hair of fire always shining more beautiful, growling like the fire fox that she was. Persea and Caipy were there too, and the two quieter women were there as support for the more experienced fighters. Freya thought she could see them fighting alone, but she didn''t count on the strong and unbreakable bond that bound them all together.


    "Girls..."


    "We know..."


    "We mustn''t linger any longer"


    "And we must not exhaust ourselves and drain our mana"


    "The war is not over and we must help our soldiers"


    "Then it''s time to get serious !"


    "What ? Weren''t you serious this whole time ?"


    "Of course I was !"


    "But with you girls, we all know that everything will be different"


    "So let''s go !"


    One by one, they spoke to each other for the first time since the beginning of the fights after unconsciouslying together to be able to win. Together they felt stronger but their teamwork being incredible and intelligent, reinforced this feeling that was well and truly real. The 19 humans standing in front of them also felt this newfound confidence that made them tremble with fear inside.


    "Look out, they''reing !"


    The moment one of the Pdins had said these words, the 10 Commanders dashed forward at the same time without saying a single word to each other. The dust was kicking up, the ground was cracking, fangs were out, ws were sharp, the elements were raging, looks were murderous and hearts were more determined than ever. The women were charging straight at the humans with impressive speed, making the ground shake and vibrate like the drums of chaos.


    The first to arrive was Nixia who, instead of attacking, slid on the ground with ease and speed around Zal''s group who didn''t understand what she was doing. Then it was Trioa and Ynir''s turn to arrive from the sky and p their wings over them as hard as they could for the same reason as Nixia. The three young women alone were raising mountains of dust creating a fog of dirt.


    "Attack !!!"


    "But we can''t see anything !!!"


    "Quickly have the one wind mage dispel this thing !!!"


    The fog, intensified by the remaining mana Ynir possessed from her general illusion spell, was blindingly thick that it was difficult to see. Raising his arms to the sky, the Pdin, being the only one able to control the wind, finished incanting before creating a huge tornado. The fog was beginning to dissipate under the power of the spell when suddenly another tornado formed outside, circling around them.


    Almost all of the Commanders had joined Nixia and were circling around the humans to kick up more and more dust, but only one had not joined. Thorunn, the beautiful vampire, stood a little further back, her nose bleeding, but it was she who had created the second tornado. Its spinning force coupled with that of her friends, negated the power of the Wind Pdin''s spell, which was now unable to dispel the dust.


    "What the hell are you doing ? Dispel that shit !!!"


    "I...I''m trying b-but...but they''re too fast !!!"


    The more the man spoke, the more hispanions disappeared behind the dirty brown veil that had surrounded them for a few minutes now. The sun''s rays were barelying through, hidden by the wyvern and the butterfly above hovering like the angels of death. Suddenly, a wolf howl could be hearding from all sides followed by several wild beast growls.


    Huge shadows also began to dance in the thick fog, dancing menacingly, appearing and disappearing all the time. Sometimes a snake, sometimes a wolf, a panther or even a cat, all ready to pounce on their prey at any moment. Indeed, the Commanders of Chaos, had in just a few minutes, blinded the humans and began the psychological torture.


    "Where are those monsters ?"


    "I-I...I don''t know !!!"


    "We have to get out of here !!!"


    "H-How ?? We can''t see and I don''t even know where you are !"


    Everything was blurred for those caught in the middle of the dust storm and no one could rely on sight, taste, smell or touch. Knights and Pdins alike were deprived of almost all their senses and only verbalmunication remained possible. They were close but could not see each other, they were powerful but overwhelmed by what was happening but acting was not an option and it had to be done quickly.


    "Fuck !!! Whoever can put up walls, do it fast !!!"


    The humans, lost in this unforeseen storm were not letting themselves be put down for all that, the words of thest one having remotivated the most panicked. They may have been level 35, but none of them had ever faced such creatures before or in such a situation. Walls of stone, earth, wood, and ice now rose toward the sky in hopes of cutting off this whirlwind and bringing down this constant pressure.


    "Look out !"


    However, just as they appeared, attacks from nowhere, fast, powerful and perfectly coordinated destroyed them one by one. A snake''s tail with a de at the end whistled through the air and shattered the ice walls, glowingva paws exploded the stone walls, arrows of fire burned the wooden walls and huge roots fell mightily to destroy those made of earth.


    Minute after minute, the humans repeated the same operation, building walls that were destroyed immediately afterwards. The pressure was getting stronger and stronger and the situation was untenable, because little by little, attacks were being added, aimed directly at those who were in the middle. The walls were not only destroyed, but in the air yellow lightning was falling, spears of ck mes or even poisoned needles.


    "Don''t get hit ! Pdins, Knights, protect as you can, follow the sound of my voice and try to reach me ! I have...I have an idea so hang on !"


    "YES !!!"


    The same female voice that had asked to put up walls had once again risen in the midst of the chaos they were in and everyone was obeying. They followed the direction of the voice and all finally gathered at the same point, in the middle of this prison of wind and earth. Swords and spears rang out, the elements were unleashed and more than attacking, the 19 humans were defending, buried under the attacks.


    The rocks were flying in all directions, the earth in the air was suffocating and stung the eyes, making it difficult to orientate oneself. The situation was unbearable, no one knew where the next attacks woulde from and knowing that they were surrounded by monsters did not help. The Knights and Pdins were defending themselves as best they could, but being in such a small space, all huddled together in one ce, limited their movements.


    "Is everyone here ?"


    "Y-YES !!!"


    "Perfect ! If we can''t make this damn tornado disappear to the sides, then we''ll go through the sky ! Hang on !!!"


    Suddenly the voice spoke again and as it finished its warning the ground began to shake under the feet of the humans who didn''t know what was going on. Only after a few seconds, a huge tform rose up under their feet, carrying them to the sky at great speed. It was made of gray stone, very thick, very wide and incrediblyrge and hard capable of withstanding many shocks.


    "W-We''re almost there !"


    In this suffocating fog, the Knights and Pdins were hanging on while avoiding the rain of attacks that fell on them as best they could. Soon they were several feet above the ground where everything seemed to be a little calmer and less dangerous. The humans were still in the midst of this dust but the sun''s rays wereing directly onto their skin, warming their hearts.


    "There...there''s no more noise...no more shadows.."


    "C-can we breathe a little ? I..."


    "You think those horrible creatures can''t climb ?"


    "Impossible ! The walls of my stone column are smooth and even with sharp ws it would be impossible to climb up from the ground !"


    The one who had been guiding everyone removed her hands from the stone floor before standing up and removing her white knight''s helmet. She was blonde, had green eyes, her face was wounded, blood was running from her nose but her voice did not tremble. Everything had be quiet and the Knights and Pdins were mute in front of the one who had found the courage to guide them all.


    "You...you hear ?"


    As the woman was about to speak again, one of the mages a little panicked, had suddenly spoken up, beckoning the others. All listening, a slight sound echoed through the whistling of the wind. The rain of attacks had suddenly mysteriously ceased and instead, small, increasingly distinct beats could be heard in the distance.<novelnext></novelnext>


    No one was talking, everyone was listening, and the deafening silence was covered by the beating of their hearts under the pressure of the situation. Suddenly, the sun''s rays no longer touched their faces because a huge shadow had appeared from nowhere hiding the light. Looking up all at the same time, the humans could see a beautiful, gray and imposing wyvern slowly pping its wings.


    "Above !!! The flying trash !!!"


    Unfortunately, just as they were about to direct their attacks at Trioa who had just appeared, a strong killing intent began to emanate not from above them but all around. Watch the sides ? Shoot from above ? No one had time to make a decision when 9 young half-human women appeared from the fog on all sides, throwing themselves at the humans without hesitation.


    All dressed in ck, their helmets as intriguing as they were frightening, none of them were in their beast form anymore, now that their strategy had worked. The Chaos Commanders had surrounded and isted their prey on high ground and were now about to eat them alive. Like Lucifer''s ten Death Knights, they were ready to spill blood and plunge this ce into deadly chaos.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 50 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 203 Chaos II [Hell - Part IX]

    - POV General -


    On the battlefield, in the middle of this vast treeless expanse, was a huge area buried in dust and wind. Inside, the most powerful humans of the Kingdom of Zal were isted and fighting the ten most powerful warriors of the Elysium Empire. As if alone in the world, the wall of dust cut them off from the outside world, and the other soldiers did not know what was going on.


    Being drowned out by a barrage of attacks from all sides, the humans had made the decision to regroup in the center to face them together. Then, a Knight had acted in haste and raised arge tform into the air to escape the confusion. This action gave them a few minutes of respite before the ones they feared most finally appeared.


    "They''re here !!!"


    The ten Chaos Commanders had emerged from the fog on all sides, armed with their weapons and elements to keep the pressure on. At that moment, time seemed to stand still as an easily palpable rage emanated from those who had suddenly appeared. Their faces could not be seen and only the faces of the helmets that the Commanders wore were visible, representing different expressions.


    The moment one of the Pdins shouted, a huge ball of elements was created just above their heads, blocking out all light. It was made of ck and orange mes, wind, lightning, spiky roots, and it fell on the astonished humans. The mana was concentrated in it and the aura that this attack gave off was by far the most enormous they had ever had to stop and for good reason...it was abination attack.


    Just as they had done in the crypt, the Commanders had opted to mix their elements to strike a powerful blow right from the start. They were together, so why not take advantage of this arrangement ? This ball had appeared out of nowhere and threatened the Knights and Pdins of Zal with its power. Space seemed to distort all around as everyone reacted as quickly as they could.


    "Fuck !"


    "It''s...it''s a pure concentration of mana !"


    Without even coordinating, the humans incanted beforeunching their own attacks into the sky in hopes of stopping or weakening it. Once again, some of them erected horizontal walls while others aimed directly at the mana ball. Thus, a geyser of water also appeared followed by a huge spear made of fire, a whirlwind made of wind and huge pylons made of stone.


    "Watch out for the impact !"


    "As long as the walls hold up !"


    Very quickly, all these attacks reached the ball of elements causing a huge explosion on impact and an incredible st. A white light dazzled the whole center of this dust storm, forcing the humans to hide their eyes. A powerful and hot wind followed the explosion that blew everything away, the walls that had been created earlier were breaking down one by one and the tform they were standing on was cracking.


    "Aaaag !"


    "Hang in there !"


    Pieces of ice, wood, stone and earth from the walls flew in all directions injuring those who did not protect themselves sufficiently. In an instant, apletely different atmosphere prevailed and once again, the humans could only suffer what fell on them. The air had be even hotter than before and the heat was clouding the minds and slowing down the movements.


    After a few minutes, a deafening silence returned to the ce where everything had exploded while an intense burning smell rose into the air. The 19 humans on the tform had managed to stop the ball of elements in time without too much injury but had been shaken. All of them had fallen to the ground on the stone tform and were shaking from the force of the impact, which had been very powerful.


    "W-What the hell was that ?"


    "Is everyone okay ?"


    "Is it over ?"


    "W-Where are these...these monsters?"


    Once again, the Commanders had disappeared from the field of vision of their victims, who did not even have time to recover from the explosion. They had appeared tounch theirbined attack and disappeared immediately, creating doubt and fear in their hearts. When and where would they appear ? The pressure and uncertainty were there and the already tired minds were being tested.


    "Stay on guard !"


    Suddenly, as the blonde Knight took control, new cracks could be hearding from under their feet. At first faint, gradually bing louder and drier, shaking the humans. They didn''t even have time to question the position of the Commanders when the stone tform copsed. The power of the explosion had been such that it had shattered the construction from the inside.


    "Aaaaaah !"


    With a thud and an incredible jolt, the Knights and Pdins were all propelled not upwards but downwards. As everything copsed, the shadow of a wyvern could be seen in the dust, plunging to the ground. It was following the fall of the humans and had nine people on its back, none other than those sought by Zal''s warriors, who were too busy to notice them at the time.


    "Shit shit shit ! Watch out it''s possible that...AAAAAARGGGH !!!"


    As a Knight spoke, a root appeared and pierced his right calf with incredible speed through flesh and bone. Still falling on the tform and under the weight of his own body, the man fell, tearing what skin remained between his leg and his foot. Hispanions did not have time to react as once again, roots appeared but this time in tens.


    "Comrades, protect him ! Hold on until the fall is over, we have no fallback !"


    "H-How ?"


    "Figure it out !!!"


    Roots rose from the ground and swarmed like huge, deadly worms, invading from every side and attacking as if they were alive. Panic invaded the humans stuck on the falling tform because they could neither jump nor get away, surrounded by the massive attack of Commander Persea. The only solution was to defend themselves as best they could until they had an environment conducive to counterattack.


    Swords, spears and halberds sliced through roots, fire burned them, ice froze them before they were destroyed by kicks and punches. The attacks came from everywhere with incredible intensity in a noisy, bloody and out of control chaos. Everyone was overwhelmed, exhausted, unable to know what was going on, who was attacking them and where the Commanders were.


    Despite the danger and urgency of the situation, most Knights and Pdins managed to avoid the deadly attacks with great effort and injury. Then, in a new explosion of stone, earth and dust, the tform finally reached the ground and exploded into a thousand pieces. Just as everyone was jumping to avoid as much debris as possible, the ten best warriors of Elysium showed themselves again.


    "I...I''m shot, I''m losing a lot *cough cough* of blood and...


    A Pdin hit in the stomach was the first to get up and as he finished his sentence, a wind de discreetly split the air preventing him from doing so. The man in the white toga, now a dirty brown, did not move, his gaze remaining fixed in the void. The 18 others did not understand and were about to speak when suddenly his body separated in two, cut perfectly in the middle, the two halves slipping on the ground slowly.


    Before the wide eyes of his allies, the man had simply been killed by a simple wind de created by Thorunn. Already weakened by the strategy of the young women of Elysium and with almost no mana left, his death had been quick. He didn''t even have time to realize what was happening before he lost his life. Of Zal''s 20 humans, only 18 remained.


    "Damn those scumbags killed him ! T-There they are here !"


    "Kill these monsters ! Ignore the pain, the blood, the wounds and get it over with even if you have to end up disabled for life !"


    From the dust came Ralph to the South first, running on all fours despite her humanoid form, as ferocious as in her wolf form. Her hair behind her helmet was bristling, her fangs sharp and her red eyes deadly and piercing. She was charging straight at them, her hands and feet covered as usual inva. More than a half-human, a wild and dangerous beast had been unleashed.


    To the East, it was Emilia''s turn toe running, holding her huge sword in both hands firmly, ready to slice and decapitate. Her steps were light, fast and just like Ralph, the young half-human cat was frightening with her sad-faced helmet. To the West, Luna wearing a helmet with an angry demonic face also appeared, surrounded by yellow lightning and wielding two long, curved, glowing daggers.


    To the North it was the turn of the ck-scaledmia to slide with ease across the ground towards the humans who had gathered. In her hands, two ck fire spears of impressive length, burning intensely and inspiring death. She was dressed entirely in ck like the others and her helmet showed an equally demonic face with a frightening madugh.


    Finally, just as the humans thought there were four of them showing up, Trioa, who was in the sky, swooped down on them. At first in her wyvern form, she started to turn while gaining speed with her wings before suddenly changing her form. Then appeared a half-human with a bow with de ends and a helmet representing a demonic face with a big deceptive smile.


    "In formation !!!"


    In an instant, five Commanders came at the humans with a killing intent so powerful that it could be felt for yards around. As they circled, the Pdins in the middle and the Knights raising their weapons all around, the collision was unbelievably violent. All sides of their formations were assaulted and the swords, daggers and spears that were supposed to hold them back seemed to be useless.


    Ralph had charged into the pile without even worrying about the des, her strong, muscr body smashing through the first lines of humans with power. Emilia swung her sword from side to side, creating a space around her, each of her movements causing a gust of wind. Luna, on the other hand, was sneaking through the first row of Knights, moving as quickly and silently as a shadow to do the most damage from the inside.


    The young half-wyvern woman, hadnded with a crash on the ground right in the middle of the group, propelling the Pdins forward. In just a few seconds, the formation that had been created was already a big mess resulting simply from the action of five Chaos Commanders. This time they weren''t kidding around, and the most skilled Elysium warriors in hand-to-handbat had been unleashed with a crazy rage.


    "K-Kill them, there are only five !"


    "Aaaaarggh !!!"


    The young woman with brown hair and red eyes growled, still on all fours, she struck to break bones and bit to draw blood. Her movements were incredibly fast and strong and herva was much more incandescent than before. Ralph no longer thought, she let herself be guided by her animal instincts, breaking swords with a single blow of her fists and ignoring the pain of the weapons that cut her skin.


    Emilia, using her cat attributes even more to perfection, did not get hit and always found a way to stop the attacks that were aimed at her. She wielded her sword with ease and even used it to move more easily and quickly. Using its weight to her advantage, calcting everything perfectly, the young woman propelled herself high into the sky, dodging and striking with precision and strength without much effort.


    "We are human s! We can''t lose !! Sacrifice yourself if you have to, but we have to stop them !!"


    As for Nixia, her approach was a little less savage but just as effective and dangerous thanks to her long tail ending in a de. She had no more blind spot worries and protected every space with her ck mences that she mastered perfectly. The youngmia woman twirled them in the air repelling all attacks without exception, helped by someone in the shadows.


    "One...one of the subrace monsters...is...is invincible and helps them !!"


    "I-Impossible !!"


    Indeed, this was not true but Luna was so fast that she was just an uncapturable draught who knew perfectly what she had to do. The half-panther young woman, fought alongside her friends Ralph, Emilia, Nixia, Trioa and used her skills as an assassin to help them in the shadows. Luna used her lightning not powerful enough to kill but enough to paralyze a few seconds offering them an opening.


    So when Ralph was about to take a dangerous blow, the attack was stopped by a powerful lightning. When Emilia was overwhelmed, she was given enough time to recover by discharges targeting her enemies. When elements were about to hit Trioa, they were deflected by a dagger and when Nixia didn''t react fast enough, paralyzing lightning protected her.


    The five Chaos Commanders didn''t even speak, but they didn''t need to because they knew and trusted each other deeply. At that moment, each of them had ced her life in the hands of the other nine, their hearts beating in unison, driven by the same desire for victory. Despite the difference in numbers and the five levels separating them from the humans, the women warriors of Elysium had something far more precious.


    Unlike those who hade to invade their Empire, a real and strong bond bound them together, made of love, trust and totally devoid of selfishness and cowardice. Therefore, they were not fighting for their own interest and survival but for the interest of all with a strong desire for protection. More thanpanions or friends, at that moment...the ten Chaos Commanders were like sisters united in life and death.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade<novelnext></novelnext>


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 50 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 204 Chaos III [Hell - Part X]

    [N/A: sorry for thete I took a break]


    ____


    - POV General -


    Of the ten most powerful female warriors in Elysium, only five had shown up once the tform had copsed to the ground. They were only five and yet they were already wreaking havoc on the human ranks, weakening them both physically and morally. Like them, the Knights and Pdins had little mana left in reserve and little by little the battle was bing physical rather than magical.


    Of the 20 humans, only 18 remained and despite the difference in level, the teamwork of the Commanders was enough to close the gap. Everything was perfectly calcted, every movement, every attack... they fought withoutmunicating and yet nothing was done at random. The idea was to exhaust the humans enough to finish with them in onest massive attack.


    On the other hand, the confrontation in the middle of this dust cloud was so violent and powerful that the fog did not disappear, always cutting them off from the outside world. No one knew what their respective armies were doing, no one knew where the war was at, but at that moment they didn''t care. It was already long minutes that Ralph, Trioa, Luna, Nixia and Emilia had appeared putting in difficulty alone 18 lost and panicked humans.


    "Fuck, touch them they are only five !!!"


    "Use what mana you have left and kill them !!!"


    "Uuurgg !!!"


    Some of the Pdins and Knights continued to shout orders in this madness to motivate the others, but to no avail. Unlike their opponents, the Church of Humanity was not used to fighting alongside Zal''s army, making it very difficult to coordinate them. Moreover, this selfish and instinctive desire for survival had taken over every human heart, unconsciously driving them to fight for their own interests rather than those of the group.


    "Watch out !!!"


    "Damn I think AAAH !"


    The sh of swords, the screams of pain, the sound of armor breaking, all created a deafening cacophony. In this cacophony, where everyone was both musician and conductor, life and death were only two sides of the same coin. At that very moment, a struggle for survival was taking ce between only ten level 30 young women and 18 level 35 humans.


    Like any war, this deadly and chaotic free-for-all was incredibly powerful and neither side was immune. The five strongest female warriors of Elysium were drawing blood, but theirs was also drawing blood, staining the ground an ever more scarlet color. They didn''t show it, but the ten young women were all equally terrified, fearing for their lives and those of their friends.


    "Damn monsters !"


    "Shit !"


    Gradually, the efforts of the five Commanders began to pay off as more and more Knights and Pdins were being affected. Their half-human nature was one of the reasons for the narrowing of the gap in levels and it was felt. Emilia and Ralph, although also tired, were touching more and more people and were able to push their opponents in theirst steps.


    Trioa, Nixia and Luna, slightly less brutal, kept the rest of the humans busy to put pressure on them mentally. Kicks and punches rained down, bones cracked, screams rang out and the situation became more and more unbearable. Then suddenly, the five young women jumped into the air while an explosion took ce once again in the middle of the human ranks.


    "AAAARRGGH !!!"


    "N-NOON AAAAAH !"


    New roots had sprouted from the ground to scatter Zal''s fighters further and further, propelling them in different directions. At that moment, the other five Commanders who were not there finally appeared to rotate with their friends. Like a war of attrition, the ones who would win would be the ones who could still stand despite the intensity of the fight, the fatigue and the wounds.


    The remaining 18 humans were in a terrible state, armor was broken, clothes were torn, some had broken bones and others had bleeding wounds. But, unfortunately for them, it was far from over, because Caipy, Persea, Ynir, Na?a and Thorunn were now appearing. Taking the ce of their friends to let them breathe a little, they were there for the second part of the confrontation.


    Thus, a vampire with eyes as red as blood could be seen running among the human tide cutting everything with her nails which had lengthened. Caipy, on the other hand, was taking care of the five others while Persea was imprisoning her victims with her nts. Passing behind the dryad, a small fox covered with me but fierce as a lion, zigzagged igniting each root holding a human.


    "AAAAAAH!!! S-SHIT !!!"


    "AAAAAAAARRRRGGG !!"


    Ynir was also there and against all odds, was fighting with two very thin long swords that she wielded very well. Most of the Commanders, like the humans, had little mana left, leaving only hand-to-handbat. Being the least powerful in this area, Ynir, Persea, Na?a and Caipy mainly targeted Pdins while the others targeted Knights.


    No one had died yet, but it was only a matter of time before this little war of attrition finally bore fruit. The blood continued to spill and even the young women were getting more and more injured by the humans. The swords that remained cut their skin, the fists broke some of their bones and it was hard to say if they wouldst.


    "NOW !!"


    Suddenly, Persea''s powerful voice echoed up to the sky causing a chain reaction from her friends that the Knights and Pdins had not anticipated. Once again, a dense aura of different colors enveloped all the Commanders of Elysium, making their enemies instinctively retreat. They were finally going to end this and were gathering all their remaining power to end this confrontation.


    "Watch out they are up to something...we...we have to keep fighting !"


    The voice of the blonde knight was heard again, but it was weaker, even more trembling from fatigue, fear and obviously pain. Her armor waspletely shredded, her arm hung motionless in the air and her forehead was covered in blood. Just like herrades, this human was only holding on to the strength of her will, her body having already given up all strength.


    "We must...


    The exhausted Knight didn''t even have time to finish her sentence when a huge jaw closed on her, tearing her legs from her trunk with a sharp blow. The humans who were right next to her, were now hidden by the shadow of a beast that dominated them with its size. Shaking their heads, they could see huge fangs full of blood above them, pieces of theirrade''s flesh still attached.


    A huge ck panther had just bitten the woman without a moment''s hesitation, its blue and gold eyes glowing dangerously. That was it, the humans were exhausted enough to be picked off by the Commanders, who were also beginning to be unable to stand. Six of the ten female Elysium warriors had taken on their animal form and were soon wreaking havoc on the ranks of Zal''s soldiers onest time.


    "AAAAAAAAAHHHHH PLEASE !!!"


    "NOOOO !!!"


    After those long minutes of intensive fighting, all exhausted, they could only beg for their lives, unable to bear the sight of those huge beasts again. No more mana could be used for either side and only strength of body and determination could lead to victory. In the dusty heap, the smell of blood grew stronger and stronger as the Commanders were finally able to kill.


    Ralph was tearing off heads with her sharp jaw in her wolf form, Nixia was decapitating with a single blow of her tail and Na?a was biting the jugr in her small fox form. Emilia in her humanoid form, sliced bodies in half and cut off limbs much more easily while Thorunn threw herself at the throat of the most disoriented to empty them of their blood before they could even react.


    A little further away, Trioa shot arrows in the chest or in the foreheads, Ynir did the same with her swords and Persea pierced hearts with her bare hands. Never had the confrontation been so bloody and deadly as at this moment, now that the Knights and Pdins were totally weakened. The cries of pain and despair rose into the sky along with the agonizing sounds of bones cracking.


    "AAARRRG !!!"


    "M-MERCY !!"


    "I...MONSTERS!"


    Guts spilled onto the ground, heads rolled, limbs came off, and in the middle of this mess, ten young women went wild. There was no strategy, no coordination because the only order was to kill, exterminate and annihte. For the first time, far from the eyes of the other soldiers, the Chaos Commanders were engaged in a massacre worthy of their title.


    They could finally unleash all their anger against those who hade to destroy what was dearest to them and kill without shame those they loved. The fangs snapped, the beasts growled, the auras were terrifying and the young women were unrecognizable. Caught up in a vengeful, murderous, almost demonic frenzy, they almost seemed to forget what they were doing it for.


    Monsters, wild beasts, demons...at this moment, all these names were perfect to describe the strongest female warriors of the Empire. They did not torture, but the death of these 18 humans was far from painless. Their final hours were a mixture of terrifying feelings of fear, exhaustion, despair, and even the desire to die to end the ughter. The Chaos Commanders had struck.


    ___


    After several very long minutes, it was quiet again but the smell of blood in the air was still present, stronger than ever. The sun was still slightly veiled by the dust that still gravitated around this human graveyard. The best warriors of Elysium had won and were standing again in their humanoid forms, hair blowing in the wind and silent.


    "I-It''s..."


    "Finished.."


    "Mmmh... it''s over."


    The Commanders were standing there in the middle of a field made of 19 bodies, the ground of which was no longer visible and was covered with blood. Na?a, the youngest and thest to speak, was stunned by this realization, while her friends were not in a different state. The young fire vixen was shaking, her forehead was bloody and she carried on her body the proof of her hard fight that she had led until the end.


    "It''s over..."


    "Na?a !"


    Repeating these words once again, the youngest Commander fell to her knees, letting all her weight guide her to the ground,pletely exhausted. At this sight, Emilia her girlfriend, had rushed towards her to lift her by the waist while the eight others approached slowly. Na?a had the head lowered, shook and as she raised her head, all could see tears running from her green eyes on her face.


    "W-We did it...we...I..."


    All the pressure of thest few hours was finally falling as a multitude of strong emotions invaded the youngest warrior. An immense pride mixed with the fear she had not dared to express as well as an overflowing joy. She was not the only one to feel this, because all those around her who had shared the same moment, shared exactly the same feelings.


    "Yes...girls, we did it."


    While Luna answered softly, pushed by the same desire, the eight young women fell all to knees close to Na?a and Emilia. They did not cry but their eyes were all the same, misty, apanied by a tender smile which drew itself on their face. Out of sight and still hidden behind the dust that was gradually dissipating, the Commanders were all hugging each other happier than ever.


    "We can say that the Chaos Commanders fought valiantly and chaotically while sowing chaos. Long live Chaos ! Aouch ! *cough cough*!"


    Ralph had said these words while raising her arms to proudly show her biceps with a big smile before suddenly touching her stomach. She was wounded in the stomach and this little demonstration had made her cough blood under the worried, amused and desperate look of the others. Shaking her head slightly, Thorunn put her arm around Ralph''s neck to bring her back into the general embrace not without scolding her.


    "Silly girl, be careful you''re hurt !"


    "Aaaaah ! So don''t catch me like that bloodsucking woman, you''ll kill me !"


    As the ten young women, exhausted, wounded but proud and victorious, hugged each other andughed tenderly, a huge noise resounded in the distance. The war was far from over and at the other end of this huge arena of fire, another equally violent and deadly battle was taking ce. Yes, the Commanders had killed Zal''s strongest soldiers but their respective armies were still fighting.


    Guided for the first time by the Lieutenants of the Commanders and the Queen herself, these valiant soldiers of Elysium, who numbered about 1500, faced the bulk of the human army, which numbered 3000. Once again, the battle was uneven, but that was without counting the Queen of the Empire, the Mother of the Earth Dragons and wife of the Empress, who alone stood before the Chief of the Pdins and the Captain of the Knights.


    The two of them were protecting the King who, despite his so-called warlike exploits, was hiding behind his royal status to let his people die. The Lieutenants led the army against Zal''s and Sir Myles and Saint Leto were alone against the dragoness who weren''t alone. Gaya was on the battlefield for the first time and was about to fight a memorable and bloody battle, worthy of her wife, to protect her family and her Empire.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 50 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    ? Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (sound & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passive :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 205 Kiss Of War [Hell - Part XI]

    - POV General -


    So far in this first real war for the Elysium Empire, everything had gone well, especially for the Empress, the Princess and the Commanders. Of course, except for Freya, the others had note out of their battlespletely unscathed but were still standing. They had all fought valiantly at the cost of many wounds that at any moment could have cost them their lives.


    But even though Elysium had the upper hand and the first to fight came back victorious and alive, this was a real war. While the Commanders were causing chaos, a little further on, the bulk of the Empire''s army was fighting Zal''s. Gaya stood in front of all her soldiers, the Lieutenants right behind her, facing the Knights and Pdins of the invading Kingdom.


    In the front line were Sir Myles and Saint Leto, respectively Captain of the Knights and Chief of the Pdins of the Church. Unexpectedly, the King was not leading his army and was instead at the very back, holed up like a rat and waiting for the end. For the moment, no one had moved, each side watching the other carefully for any useful information.


    "You ! You are an earth dragon aren''t you ?"


    "..."


    "How did you survive ? Your whole race was wiped out years ago."


    The one who had spoken first was Saint Leto, who spoke directly to the Empress'' wife without any respect. In the distance, the noises were deafening but he remained focused on the woman who was standing in front of him and whose race he had guessed. Gaya, on the other hand, did not respond and seemed to be waiting for something, forcing the irritated Chief of Pdins to pick up where he left off.


    "Are you deaf, you dragon bastard ? I just asked you what you are doing here when ten years ago your whole family disappeared !"


    Despite the situation and the fact that he was facing a real earth dragon, the human spoke without fear and even had a hint of disdain in his voice. Being at the head of an army of 3000 soldiers against one half the size of theirs gave him total confidence. The absence of Freya and the Commanders was also the reason why Saint Leto and everyone else felt less terrified of their fate.


    The provocations were flying and yet the Queen did not move, still unmoved and staring intently at the one who was trying in vain to push her over the edge. She was dressed in red, perfectly matching her crimson hair and amber eyes, making her dazzling even to humans. Gaya did not evoke mortal fear like her wife, but rather a strong, majestic presence that was impossible to pin down due to her thousand-year-old race.


    "H-How dare he insult the Queen in this way !?"


    "I would so love to rip him to shreds...grrrr"


    "Patience my friend, patience"


    Behind the dragoness, the Lieutenants were having a harder time keeping theirposure as one of the people they respected the most was being insulted. All of them were there, there was Liz the half tiger woman under Ralph, Zak the red bear under Emilia and Kurumi the pink haired elf under Naya and Nixia. Of the eight Lieutenants they had been the first to whisper to show their anger.


    Next to them were Leon the kobold Lieutenant of Thorunn, Ne the harpy under the orders of Trioa, Ash the half-leopard of Luna''s section, Itham the elf Lieutenant of Ynir and Persea without forgetting the dryad Nina under the orders of Caipy. Thanks to their participation in the exploration of the crypt, they were all between level 18 and 20 and could stand proudly behind the Dragoness Queen.


    Always silent despite the provocations, she was waiting for something or someone, which made Saint Leto''s rage grow ever stronger. It was obvious that he was up to something and theck of reaction was obviously not part of his n. The scene was almost surreal because no soldier had attacked yet and no alert had been given despite the start of the war and the noises around.


    "This reminds me of the useless little being who had the same race as you, that the Church traded for ck-scaledmias to the Vancesia Empire. Hahaha~ he was crossed and served for years as a test subject in exchange for good treatment, board and lodging. He...


    "Torturing, starving, beating, maiming and traumatizing a poor child for his entire life, is that what you call good treatment ?"


    The Chief of Pdins didn''t even have time to finish his sentence when Gaya finally reacted to the mention of the one she knew very well. The words the human had said resonated particrly with her as it was her little brother Angel whom she had found less than two months ago. His mere mention was enough to make the Queen react, which did not escape Leto who spoke again with a wide smile.


    "For beings like you it is indeed a good treatment."


    "How cruel...even death would be more life-saving."


    "Oh but don''t worry about it, as I speak this little scumbag is already dead, making you thest of your race hahahaha~ That said, it''s a bit of a shame, I''m going to miss its fearful eyes, its muffled screams and the sound of its bones...sigh"


    At his words, the calm aura of the dragoness exploded in a veil of fiery colors tinged with shadows and crimson gradations. She was still too affected and sensitive about her little brother and all sorts of images crossed her mind in spite of her breaking the calm image she had kept until now. A strong killing intent was now emanating from the dragoness seeming to scare the humans but also to delight them.


    "You..."


    As Gaya clenched her fists, a powerful desire to tear the Pdin''s head off rose within her as her wings appeared on her back. Her horns also grew on her forehead and her hands gradually took on the appearance of dragon paws with their ws and scales. Anger was rising in spite of herself, the Queen was trembling, almost growling and as she was about to move forward, a hand was ced on her shoulder.


    "My love...calm down"


    The Empress had appeared at her wife''s side like an undetectable gust of wind and her action instantly calmed the dragoness who retracted her aura. With a snap of her finger, Freya then conjured up small spikes of ice that she nonchntly threw towards the human army. As they approached the Chief Pdin and the Captain of the Knights, their throw was stopped by what was normally an invisible dome.


    On contact with it, it appeared and the ice spikes automatically disintegrated, leaving the humans unharmed behind this protection. In her anger, Gaya did not realize that this trap was set for her, which exins Saint Leto''s audacious behavior. Raising her head towards her wife, the dragoness realized that her mistake and herck of self-control could have put her at a serious disadvantage.


    "Kira fought bravely but needs to rest a bit. It took me a little while to get here because I was helping with her care but now I''m here."


    "I..."


    "YOU DISGUSTING DEMON !!!!"


    Gaya did not have time to respond as the leader of the Pdins shouted in the direction of Freya recognizing the one who had made a bloody spectacle. The confidence that he and the army had shown was now reced by tremors and incredible fear resulting from the mere presence of the Empress. Not only had she prevented the Queen from falling into the trap but her power was not to be taken lightly and they perfectly knew it.


    Turning her head towards Myles and Leto, her piercing violet eyes paralyzed them almost immediately as the soldiers all instinctively took a step back. Without saying a word, it was the she-wolf''s turn to release her dense ck aura like a sh, breaking the invisible barrier the humans had ced. Like a shattering mirror, the dome made of mana exploded into a thousand pieces on contact with the ck veil with disconcerting ease.


    "Now that there are no more magical barriers between us and you, let''s get started, shall we ?"


    On Freya''s lips, a frightening smile appeared at that moment, all the more nightmarish as blood was still covering the part of her face that revealed her broken helmet. At her words, the soldiers of Elysium eximed while making a deafening noise, praising the arrival of the Empress at their side. On the other side, they were not so enthusiastic but were ready to fight for their lives.


    "PALADINS, PREPARE TO CAST YOUR SPELLS ! DON''T BE AFRAID, OUR GODS ARE WATCHING US AND REMEMBER : NO MATTER HOW WE DIE, IN THE END WE WILL ALL BE JUDGED BY THE VALUE OF OUR DEEDS ! SO DON''T FEAR DEATH OR THESE DEMONS, ONLY OUR GREAT FAITH AND STRENGTH WILL BE ENOUGH TO WIN !!"


    "KNIGHTS IN FORMATION ! IT''S TIME TO FIGHT THE VERMIN ! WE ARE MORE NUMEROUS, WE ARE TOGETHER AND SAINT LETO AND I WILL LEAD THE ATTACK SO DON''T TREMBLE ! LET''S HOLD ON UNTIL OUR BEST SOLDIERS ARE BACK AND DEFEAT THESE DEMONS ! MAKE YOUR KINGDOM PROUD AND FIGHT FOR THE KING AND PRINCESS !!"


    Leto and Myles took turns rekindling the me of their troops with words that to Elysium were empty lies. For all the soldiers of the Empire, hearing these words only fueled their bloodlust, which was mixed with the resentment that each of them shared towards this kind of human. The Empress, on the other hand, chuckled softly, for more than anger, these words reflected the naivety and stupidity of those in front of her.


    "No God wille to save you from the Hell that will soon fall upon you all and nothing and no one will be able to change your fate. Waiting for your best soldiers ? I doubt they will ever return but I must admit you are right about one thing...in the end you will all be judged by your actions."


    Freya had spoken quietly but with great power, covering the sound of voices that rose in the air on both sides of the two camps. She had a small smile on her face that suddenly disappeared as she turned to Gaya who nodded. At her signal, the she-wolf then turned to the Lieutenants who were backing away knowing the n, before turning her palm towards the ground uttering a final sentence.


    "You think youmand your armies ? I don''t think so."


    Suddenly, just as one of Zal''s Knights had done during her fight with the Commanders, a huge ice tform rose into the sky. On it were the Empress, her wife, Myles and Leto, who had not had time to react. Divide and conquer. This is what the she-wolf had just done by cutting off all the opposing soldiers from their two brains that were supposed tomand their units.


    Unlike the humans, Elysium always had 8 people in charge of operations, allowing for an advantage from the start. At that moment, a mass ughter would take ce on the ground while in the sky, a four-way fight would rain blood. Leto and Myles could no longer get out, the tform was much too high but the she-wolf had also built a cage-like dome around it.


    "THAT...YOU MONSTER !"


    "Forcing us to...fight away from our ranks..."


    The division had been strategic because although they were not at the level of Zal''s Mage Knight, Erina (Jade), the Pdin and the Knight were both level 40. In their Kingdom there were a few more powerful people, yet both men held important positions. The Empress assumed that they were very experienced and her theory confirmed by yna, chose to fight them alone with Gaya.


    Thus, two separate battle zones had been created and while the she-wolf and her dragoness were on the gigantic, high tform, the Lieutenants were on the ground. Everything had been nned in advance and the invaders could only adapt to what had just happened. Then, under the hate-filled gaze of the two humans, it was the beautiful Queen who finally spoke, finally releasing her aurapletely with every word.


    "Do you understand now ? You signed your death warrant by entering this forest. The moment you set foot in it, your end was already written. No one can lead your army anymore...maybe your pathetic King but he seems far too busy hiding for that."


    Gaya''s voice had an unexpected coldness that even her wife had never heard, and as she spoke, the air grew more and more stuffy. While Myles and Leto looked at her with disgust and fear, to her right, Freya''s eyes glistened. Seeing her wife like this had triggered a new feeling that made her heart pound and gave her chills she couldn''t exin.


    "SIR MYLES ! LET''S GET THIS OVER WITH !"


    "YES !"


    The two men began to incant with fervor, preparing their weapons and magic for the fight of their lives, but in front of them, it was the opposite. Suddenly, as Gaya prepared to do the same, Freya grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in for a passionate kiss. Their tongues rolled sensually, their saliva mixing with the blood that the she-wolf had on her lips.


    The situation didn''t seem ideal, but no matter how prepared they were, what was toe would be a tough fight. It was the right time because it wasn''t the right time so releasing her embrace and slowly pulling away, the Empress opened her eyes to look at the beautiful red face of her Queen. As the two humans finished getting ready, she smiled before whispering words in a soft voice that only Gaya could hear.


    "Baby, you''re so hot when you talk to humans like nothing, I couldn''t help it fufu~"


    For the first time, they were going to fight together and although they trusted each other, the fear of losing the other was present and this kiss was the strength they needed to reassure their hearts that beat only for each other. Despite the seriousness of the situation, it was with a knowing smile that the Empress and the Queen turned back to the Pdin and the Knight they were to face.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 50 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (sound & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passive :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 206 Warriors Of Elysium [Hell - Part XII]

    [N/A: sorry for thete I took a break]


    ____


    - POV General -


    The sun was beginning to fall over the horizon, turning the sky a zing, intense color that heralded the arrival of night and the moon. The Zal and Elysium armies had been fighting an all-out war for an entire afternoon. As the Commanders recovered from their battle, it was their soldiers who fought, led by their Lieutenants, against the human army.


    At the foot of a gigantic ice tform, more than 4,000 people shed in a bloody and deadly melee. Elysium had escaped without a single death, killing the 20 best Knights and Pdins of Zal thanks to the Commanders, but now everything was different. The brave soldiers defending theirnds fought valiantly, but after all, a war is a war and some fell.


    For the first time in the history of the Empire, bodies were falling, and while they were holding up better than the humans, tonight...Freya''s army wasn''t going home with everyone. The Lieutenants were on the front lines, doing as much damage as possible by all being coordinated,municating orders to the troops clearly and precisely. They could be proud of their work, but that didn''t stop some from dying.


    Zal''s army was without a leader, with Saint Leto and Sir Myles perched atop the tform facing Freya and Gaya. The Knights and Pdins were following no orders except to kill as many subraces as possible to save their lives, which were hanging on a thread. Blood spurted, screams echoed in the sky and never before had the forest known such Hell.


    Neither the Commanders, nor the Princess, Queen or Empress coulde, all of them held in different ces for different reasons. The soldiers could only rely on their own strength and the trust they had in theirpanions who were fighting alongside them. As night fell slowly over the forest after hours, the citizens of Elysium were far from imagining the massacre that was taking ce not far from there.


    "Soldiers ! Stand firm until the return of Her Highness and the Queen ! We are the proud warriors of the Empire and it is our duty to protect ournds and show the humans that weak subraces can emerge victorious !!!"


    "For Elysium !!!"


    "FOR ELYSIUM !!!"


    Even without the Commanders, who were still recovering from their tough battle, the Lieutenants were able to handle the situation perfectly. After exploring the crypt, they had all seen how key coordination and the mindset of the troops were. Their rigorous daily training in the barracks also yed a very important role in knowing what to do and keeping a cool head.


    "Break through their defense and advance to the King ! Do not kill him but kill all who stand in your way !!!"


    The Lieutenants were all eight in the front line, leading the way and motivating the soldiers who followed closely behind them. In front was the half-tiger Liz, cracking her whip and wing at human flesh. Beside her, the red bear Zak was breaking through the first human lines, closing his jaws on anyone who came near. There was also the kobold Leon using his wind element to disperse his enemies and hurt them as much as possible without giving them time to react.


    The three Lieutenants were part of Ralph, Emilia and Thorunn''s section, specialized in hand-to-hand or mid-rangebat. Followed by their section, they were the first line of Elysium''s soldiers, the strongest physically and able to survive a big general melee. Thus, it was possible to see Centaurs, Minotaurs, Ogres, Tigers or Bears fighting fiercely without ever weakening.


    In the middle, just behind Liz, Zak and Leon was the elf Itham, Lieutenant of Persea and Ynir, apanied by his section often called "the Guardians". Composed solely of dryads and elves with amand of nature-rted elements, they were causing chaos from afar. The half-leopard Ash, Lieutenant of Luna, who was also in charge of executing the humans who crossed the front lines with his section of assassins.


    At the back, there was the elf Kurumi Lieutenant of Nixia and Naia, who with her stone fists, hit the humans to make them explode. Supported by her soldiers who could send spells from a distance, they were thest line of the whole army of the Empire. At her side, Nina, the dryad of Caipy''s medical section, fought less, but healed the wounded soldiers who were sent back to the rear in the chaos.


    Finally, all on the ground were protected by Trioa''sst airborne section taken over by the young harpy Ne, attacking from the sky. Halfwyverns, griffins, harpies and half-dragons rained down their attacks in a coordinated way. Magic attacks were flying, cries of pain and encouragement were mixing, swords were shing and blood was spurting out, turning the ground a scarlet red.


    "Keep moving !!!"


    Little by little, despite their numbers being only half of the human army, the men and women called "subraces" were breaking through the enemy lines. Theck ofmand and organization did not help the Knights and Pdins, who were content to strike and incant only to kill. As a result, as the minutes passed, the humans were scattered by the Empire''s sections.


    King Theophctus was still at the back of his army in his golden armor, which was currently useless to him thanks to his cowardice. Even as the Empress and Queen fought on the front lines, the ruler of the Kingdom of Zal hid. At the same time terrified and amazed by the scene that was ying out before him, of a violent beauty worthy of a true work of art, of a true masterpiece.


    Before his eyes, hundreds of different races were fighting side by side with great natural and wild power. This was unprecedented and no human could have suspected for a moment that events that seemed so simple to handle would take this turn. Feet and hooves pounded the ground, axes, swords and spears struck, ever harder, ever faster.


    On both sides, bodies were falling, but the war was cruel because no one had time to mourn their fallenrades. Who had been defeated ? How ? Confusion and chaos were everywhere and the warriors of the Elysium Empire had to deal with a situation they had never experienced before. Hundreds of lifeless bodiesy strewn about the ground being trampled, cut and burned by those still standing.


    "KEEP GOING !! FOR OUR FAMILIES, FOR THE EMPRESS, FOR OUR EMPIRE...DEDICATE YOUR HEART !!!"


    Emilia''s Lieutenant, the red-furred bear Zak, shouted and continued to motivate the others with his hoarse, powerful voice that carried far. His paws struck out with power, tearing the flesh of the Pdins who were not well protected and breaking the swords of the Knights. The attacks came at him too and hit him, but the bear kept on going and hitting despite the pain and the mental and physical fatigue.


    He was not the only one, for all the other Lieutenants were also dedicated body and soul to this war that they must not lose under any circumstances. This war was ruthless, bloody and deadly, yet despite the fear, sadness and anger...these half-humans who had stood up against oppression were brave. At the beginning 1500 against 3000, the battlefield counted only 1000 soldiers of Elysium and 1500 humans.


    The sun was already setting over the forest, tinting the sky a beautiful ming scarlet, seeming to reflect the bloodbath that was taking ce just below. Indeed, the ground was no longer brown as the turned earth was now soaked with blood, seemingly feeding the forest itself. A powerful smell of iron enveloped the atmosphere as well as a smell of burning that could make even the weakest head spin.


    On both sides, roots appeared, wind tornadoes decimated the ranks, fireballs rushed at the enemy followed by earth attacks. Both sides, mastering a multitude of magical elements, were engaged in a physical and mental battle of the most exhausting kind. Mana was running low, strength was dwindling, and the humans, who had been pushed back so far, were beginning to regain ground.


    "I don''t know how much longer we can hold out ! There are many of them and even without Commanders, these humans remain tenacious ! M-Many of our soldiers are falling, dead or mortally wounded..."


    "I-I know, I''m starting to make mistakes myself and a couple of Knights havee close to slicing me once or twice. They are gaining ground..."


    Still fighting, Liz the half tiger had approached Leon the kobold to share her concerns, which were not without foundation. The fights were still going on as intensely as ever, and even if Elysium''s striking power was indisputable, it could not rece numbers. This difference, which at first had not really mattered, was beginning to be felt, leading them to a moreplicated continuation.


    For such arge and decisive first war, there was no doubt that the half-humans and beastmen were incredible and valiant. However, neither the Empress, nor the Queen, nor the Commanders were there to witness the unwavering determination of those who had sworn to protect the forest. Yet, the Empire''s army was falling back ever so slightly and all the will in the world was not enough.


    "ROOOOAAAAR !!!"


    Suddenly, as the confrontation of these thousands of warriors became even more intense, a roar that no one had ever heard before, resounded without warning. It came from the top of the ice tform created by the Empress and shook the whole forest. Never before had such a roar sounded, and at that moment, all the soldiers of both armies stopped instantly.


    It had been so powerful that it had not only shaken the earth, but all the beings of the forest without exception had felt it vibrate to the depths of their being. Like a powerful and terrifying earthquake, this roar had frozen time and seized hearts. However, all of them did not even have time to understand anything, as an equally powerful howl resounded from the same ce just after.


    "OOOOWOOOOOO !!!"


    Of a different kind, it also shook all the warriors on the ground and they were crossed by a new wave of cold sweat. The first roar had been stifling, paralyzing, while the next howl was more chilling and gloomy. Suddenly, thest glimmers of sunlight were hidden, while a huge shadow appeared on the battlefield, forcing all the soldiers to look up.


    At that moment, different emotions ran through every living being capable of seeing, such as panic, admiration, fear or wonder. In the scarlet sky hovered a legendary creature, a huge and terrifying crimson dragon, majestic and magnificent. Itmanded respect with a single nce and half-humans, beasts and humans alike, could feel their hair stand on end at the mere sight of its undeniable beauty and rarity.


    Just below this dragon, perched high on the ice tform, stood a gigantic wolf almost as big, deep ck and hypnotic. It had its lips raised showing its sharp fangs as its aggressive growls echoed. Its fur rustled in the cool breeze and its piercing, wild purple eyes made everyone who looked at them hold their breath.


    "This is..."


    Yorr, the minotaur who had been rescued in the city of Yarlford at the same time as Shiro did not even finish his sentence because all the soldiers of Elysium knew who they were. Before the eyes of the entire clearing surrounded by a wall of fire, Gaya, the Mother of Earth Dragons, had appeared for the very first time. But that was not all, for the Wolf Demon Freya stood beside her just as striking and terrifying.


    Freya and the Gaya in their bestial form were passively sending out a wave of power far greater than the entire battlefield and its warriorsbined. The Empress and the Queen were fighting side by side and seemed to be getting down to business as a dense and unmistakable aura was floating around them. The she-wolf and the dragoness had thus appeared, powerful, inimitable, terrifyingly beautiful.


    Suddenly, as everyone''s eyes were on them, the two unique creatures plunged straight into the battlefield below. In an instant, all the humans and half-humans jumped aside out of instinct, not wanting to be crushed. With a huge explosion of stone and a powerful st, the two legendary beasts finallynded at the bottom, creating a cloud of dust.


    Several minutes passed but the ce which until now had been chaotic was suddenly so silent while everyone held their breath. The evening wind blew the clouds away, revealing the wolf and the dragoness of an enormous and imposing size. In the mouth of the Empress, the Captain of the Knights Myles was unconscious and in that of the Queen, Saint Leto in a state not much different than his friend.


    One had his arms torn off, the other his legs, blood stained their clothes and their once confident faces were now livid and grimacing. As the two bodies fell to the ground, the she-wolf and the dragoness raised their heads to the sky to echo their voices announcing their victory. With an even more powerful and devastating roar and howl, the Empress and Queen had defeated and returned.


    "ROOOOOAAAAAAAR !!!"


    "OOOOOOOWOOOO !!!"


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.<novelnext></novelnext>


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 50 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passive :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 207 A Womans Ferocity [Hell - Part XIII]

    - POV General -


    Shortly before the Empress and the Queen appeared on the battlefield, announcing the end of the war, a titanic battle took ce. Myles and Leto were at the top of an ice tform where they had to fight the two female rulers of the Empire. The sounds of the war going on below rose into the sky as the four stared at each other, motionless and silent.


    Freya had just kissed her wife before the stunned eyes of the two humans who had been casting their spells to fight. Their faces were now filled with disgust but also apprehension at the calmness of the she-wolf and the dragoness. The wind was blowing and whispering in their ears when suddenly, Saint Leto pulled out an object filled with mana from his white and gold robe.


    "Gaya.."


    "Umu... what he has in his hand is filled with mana.."


    From where they stood, the Empress and the Queen could very well feel the power of what the Pdin had just pulled out of his pocket. They knew of course that humans had magical knowledge that the Empire did not, giving them the use of very interesting items. As Gaya answered Freya, Saint Leto at the same time put on what turned out to be a ring.


    Just after, an evenrger white aura formed around him as his body began to shake from nowhere. Myles at his side suddenly smiled as he finally swung his sword at his two opponents. The Pdin''s power seemed to have doubled and the Knight who had finished incanting had doubled in size, his muscles making him look like a modified human.


    "Hahahaha~ Now get ready, you are about to taste the power of humans !"


    After finishing his sentence, Saint Leto made a huge hammer of light appear in front of him as well as a long spear in his left hand. Sir Myles, on the other hand, had his sword whose de, previously made of iron, had turned into a long de made of water. The two men were level 40 but at that moment had between them, a power greater than Freya and Gayabined.


    "My love..."


    "It''s okay, honey~ instead of worrying, watch me do it instead. You''ll see how a real dragoness fights fufu~"


    The Empress who didn''t doubt her wife''s strength still felt worried about this first fight by her side. However, what she should not forget was that before she was her wife and the Queen of her Empire, Gaya was a proud and powerful dragoness. As the crimson-haired woman winked at Freya, two huge, majestic wings suddenly appeared behind her back.


    Sharp ws grew in ce of her fingernails, scales formed on her forearms and arge tail appeared at the bottom of her back. Gaya could feel the power flowing through her body as she was in a form closer to her original one and it showed. Steam seemed to being out of her nostrils, mouth and her amber-colored eyes, glowed with excitement and bloodlust.


    "So let''s go."


    Nodding at her reaction, a smile appeared on the bottom of Freya''s face as ice wings sprang up behind her as well. They didn''t have time to move when already a dazzling blue sh wasing from their right at great speed. Myles had been the first tounch an attack, his sword extending like a whip to reach the farthest reaches of the tform.


    pping their wings at the same time, the she-wolf and the dragoness flew away without much concern to avoid the attack that was supposed to take them by surprise. Hovering now at about 10 meters from the ground, they looked down on the two humans to observe their every move. Sir Myles who was now two meters tall was not content with this missed move as he was already running in their direction covered by Saint Leto.


    "Raaaaah !!!"


    His footsteps were almost shaking the whole tform and in just a few seconds he was already under them. Swinging his huge arms, the human threw his water de once again toward the two women, splitting the air in a deafening noise. Avoiding another close call, Freya and Gaya moved through the air with ease, still watching but not rushing to stay safe.


    "This isn''t over !"


    As he shouted, Sir Myles began to reel in his sword, sending out a multitude of even faster and denser shes. The attacks rained down in a dazzling way, forcing Freya to pull out her ck katana and Gaya to reinforce her body with her aura. The two women twirled in the wind, only dodging and unable to retaliate for the moment as the flow of attacks was insane.


    "Watch out !"


    Suddenly, the huge hammer made of light of the Pdin appeared above the dragon woman beforeing down on her under the eyes of the she-wolf. With a loud thud, it had fallen straight down on her before she could even move or escape. However, the hammer had not hit the ground because right underneath it, Gaya had stopped it, putting her two arms in a cross and pushing with all her strength.


    The ice floor cracked under her feet and the level 30 Queen did her best to resist the Pdin''s level 40 attack. She had covered her arms with ayer of earth element that formed a small bubble, her body was shaking but she was still holding on. As her feet sank further into the ice, the Empress'' wife did a 180-degree turn, swinging her tail against the 5-meter weapon.


    With a strength her wife didn''t know she had, Gaya sent the hammer skyward toward the cage that kept the humans out. At the same time, Freya exploded her aura around her, nullifying all of Myles'' attacks around her. As the Empressnded back next to her Queen, the Knight did the same as the Pdin raised his voice from where he stood.


    "Not bad for a dragon and what''s more a woman"


    "Oh, so in addition to being so stupid as to be blinded by prejudice you are also mysoginous ? Yet it seems to me that your best warrior Mage Knight was a woman. Hahaha~ getting better and better..."


    Gaya hadn''t been able to help but respond as she raised an eyebrow at the words Saint Leto had said about her. She hadn''t spoken with a cold, harsh voice like Freya did but rather with a surprising and unexpected softness giving her a very elegant air. The dragoness was smiling but her lilting tone hid a wave of immense anger that was not to be taken lightly as the human answered her.


    "Well... I''m not responsible for who the Knights appoint to lead them and I don''t really care. To tell you the truth, whether you''re a dragon, a woman or both...you disgust me just as much."


    "Then let me tell you something....a dragon is fierce, dangerous and deadly, but a woman can be even more so !"


    Without waiting for his answer, the Queen spread her wings beforeunching herself straight at the Pdin to prove her words personally. Her feet no longer touched the ground as she literally flew, stirring the air incredibly with her powerful wings. Seeing Gayaing, Sir Myles switched targets andunched new waves of water attack in her direction to prevent her from getting any closer.


    "Don''t even think about it !"


    From where she was, the Empress had gone on the attack and without moving, sent spikes of ice against each de of water aimed at her Queen with speed. They almost cut Freya''s element, but she still managed to stop each salvo perfectly. Thus, a dragoness could be seen spinning at an impressive speed without even caring what was around her, proving her blind trust in her wife.


    "This is as far as you go !!!"


    Forming his hammer of light again, Saint Leto threw it straight at Gaya who was in a straight line, facing him and impossible to miss. The seconds seemed to pass at a maddeningly slow pace as the crimson-haired woman''s body would collide with the weapon. Putting once again her two arms in front of her face, the dragoness blocked the attack which on the impact produced a powerful shock wave.


    Then, using the speed she had gained, the Queen began to punch against the huge surface of solidified mana. For his part, the Pdin was sending more and more mana into his weapon to push in the opposite direction. However, even though Gaya was gradually being pushed back, she continued to strike without stopping, her blows bing strangely then devastating each time.


    "You..."


    Saint Leto felt this gradual change and could not help but be surprised by it while he also felt her aura change. As if in a second state, the Queen struck, again and again, showing a relentlessness and brutality worthy of a dragon. The whole tform was drowned out by the muffled beating of her blows, which at that moment sounded like the beating of a racing heart.


    Suddenly, cracks appeared on the hammer which started to crack under the fists of Gaya who aimed at only one ce from the beginning. Concentrating all her power on one point, it was the decision she had taken to ovee the gap in strength that separated them. Even a small trickle of water flowing in the same ce could split the rock with time and that the Queen knew very well.


    "Aaarrrgghh !!!"


    Gaya also had a skill called "Earth Fists/Earthquake" that made it easier to carry out her n, amplifying the strength of her hands. Thus, in a dazzling burst of mana, the hammer broke in two leaving her to cross as quickly as she had arrived. Reaching his height, the human didn''t even have time to react when the Queen was already under his nose, ws out and ready to strike.


    Reacting with great speed, he used his spear to block this new wave that fell on him more powerfully than he had expected. The Pdin had never faced this style ofbat in his life because the woman in front of him was fighting in a very special way. For the first time, Saint Leto tasted the "Dragon Fighting Style" which left him no time to breathe, attacked from all sides and in different ways.


    Since the beginning, the Dragon Queen had not touched the ground once and used her wings to move with ease and precision. Her blows were brutal and yet there was a certain grace in every movement, almost hypnotic. Gaya struck wildly with her tail, legs, elbows, ws and even her whole body, circling the Pdin without stopping.


    Sir Myles, who had stoppedunching his attacks, was preparing to attack her again when suddenly threads of blood grabbed his arms and legs and pulled him away. He had been inattentive for a second, leaving Freya a perfect opening to restrain him. As he sped toward her, the Empress summoned an ice pick that he was about to impale himself on.


    Seeing the dangering, the Knight then inted his huge muscles before forming a shield of his element just before the impact. It was a smart move on his part because, although the spike had pierced his protection, it had slowed it down and saved his life. The spike had passed through the shield before sinking into his armor without seriously injuring him.


    Tied up and then drawn towards the Empress by her divine threads of blood, Sir Myles was now propelled in the opposite direction, having taken the blow with full force. At the same time, Saint Leto was also hit by the Queen''s scaly tail, following the trajectory that hispanion had taken just before. The two men, so confident five minutes ago, were now crashing into the she-wolf''s ice cage.


    "Not bad for humans."


    "Indeed my love, indeed~


    As a result, the Knight and Pdin were sent flying dozens of feet away, rolling on the ground and exploding chunks of ice in the process. The Queen couldn''t help but reuse Saint Leto''s words, openly mocking him, her wife confirming with a smile. The fight had only just begun, and yet the only two to bite the dust were those who had with their army, underestimated the entire forest.


    "I...*cough cough*!!!"


    "Uuurg...*cough*...!!"


    Neither attack had mortally wounded them, and both men were already on their feet, stunned and angry. Even though their bodies had been hit, their egos and pride had been hit the hardest triggering even more hatred.


    "Y-You want to y that ? F-Fine !"


    Dipping his trembling hand into his toga once more, Saint Leto pulled out two small rings identical to the first, before tossing one to Sir Myles. Putting them on, all their wounds closed and a new boost of power came through their bodies. Their mana, which was already high, began to climb, causing the Empress to frown and know that things were getting even more dangerous.


    "Thene closer, humans !"


    Feeling the same as her wife, Gaya replied as her body began to distort and change color at a nce. Her white skin gave way to a skin made of crimson scales, hard and shiny in thest light of day. Her face was getting longer, her body was getting bigger as under the eyes of the Knight, the Pdin and her wife, Gaya was finally taking her dragon form.


    "ROAAAAAAAR !!! COME ON IF YOU THINK YOU CAN TAKE DOWN A DRAGON !!!"


    In an instant, a gigantic dragoness was in front of them speaking this time in a powerful voice seemingly made of dozens of others. Her roar had shaken the entire tform and her every word wasced with palpable animosity. While the humans hesitated at this sudden and impressive transformation, Freya, who was farther away, had her eyes twinkling with admiration as she whispered.


    "I love her..."


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade<novelnext></novelnext>


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 78 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 208 The Paladins Nightmare [Hell - Part XIV]

    -- POV Saint Leto --


    "ROAAAAAAAR !!! COME ON IF YOU THINK YOU CAN TAKE DOWN A DRAGON !!!"


    The underbred woman who just a moment ago was standing in front of us had suddenly changed into a gigantic and imposing dragon. Never in my life had I thought I would witness such a sight and as she roared, doubt filled me. This creature was very different from the half-human who had fought me, and my mana-boosted body could not help but tremble.


    *So the stories were true...*


    There were many writings and books in the great main church of the capital of our Kingdom Zalhythe about the many beasts and errors of this world, and as a Pdin, I had read them all. Of all the abominations of this world, the most dangerous and feared of our Organizations were undoubtedly those capable of changing form at will.


    No human had yet unlocked their secret, but one thing was for sure, dragons were one of them, even qualified as a S++ level danger. I had read stories about them, such as their strength or their imposing and intimidating bodies, but nothing had prepared me for this moment. What I felt in front of this dragoness, the heartbeat that went through my body, this natural and human fear ... everything was new.


    *Get a grip on yourself ! NO ! Run away !*


    In only a fraction of a second, contradictory and uncontroble thoughts dictated my conduct in my thoughts. Run away ? To stay ? Admit defeat ? To fight ? Until now I thought I would get out of it even if she had managed to hit me and break my divine hammer but I was not sure of anything anymore. Especially since I had to remember that this dragoness was apanied by a monster even fouler.


    For some reason, she had not regained her terrifying form and seemed even weaker than before. Her clothes were almost torn, her demonic mask broken at the mouth and her aura much less striking. Was it a decoy ? I didn''t know anymore, fear invaded me, I was paralyzed,pletely lost and as I felt my legs give out on me, a sharp pain crossed my right cheek.


    "Remember why you are here !!!"


    A great ck veil crossed my eyes, my head began to spin and before I could say anything, I realized that Sir Myles had just pped me. Thanks to his magic and control of his body mana, he had doubled in size and his strength had increased tenfold. I felt as if a horde of horses had trampled my skull, but the words he had shouted kept echoing in my head.


    *Why am I here ? F-For the Church...for...his Excellency. To eradicate the vermin and promise a better future for all mankind*


    When I had first seen this dragon, it had brought out my greatest fears and almost made me forget what I was fighting for. That filthy creature was far more talented than I thought, but I would never again fall as low as I did at that moment. Before I was a man, I was a proud Pdin of the Church of Humanity, capable of giving my life for a just and noble cause.


    "A-....A-Approach...COME WINGED DEMON !!!"


    Feeling a new vigor flow through me after shouting, I gathered the mana in my body again, amplified by the two rings I had donned. Not even giving Sir Myles a nce, I felt great power throughout my being as my confidence finally returned. It was decided, I was not going to return to the Kingdom without offering the head of that dragon to his Excellency as proof of victory.


    *I''m going to kill that dragon, bring back its head and the little girl, and send the masked demon back to Hell !*


    Concentrating all my mana once more, I conjured up my divine hammer and spear while ignoring the pain in my ribs. My mind seemed to burn, but the continuous flow of mana I sent to my weapons made them harder, heavier, sharper and deadlier. My body was also getting stronger and even if this state was only temporary, like Myles I had at least the strength of 10 soldiers.


    "ROAAAARRR !!!"


    As if in a sign of defiance, the beast roared sending the same chills down my spine but this one, I could move and my mind was clear. Moving my left foot forward, I took a powerful swing before throwing my long spear towards the dragoness with all my might. My mana strands connected to my two weapons allowed me to manipte them with ease and I had a perfect n to take her down.


    "RRAAAAAAAH !!!"


    For his part, Sir Myles was also throwing himself at the other Demon and I knew that these fights would only end when one of the two fightersy on the ground. However, I didn''t have time to worry about him because my own divine trial was facing me. I could feel the power of my spear in my arms and as it was about to hit the dragoness, a cocoon of earth formed around it.


    *It''s not over yet !*


    My spear, although very powerful due to the element of light and my rings, went deep into this protection but without going through it. Unfortunately for the creature, my hammer of more than five meters in diameter wasing at a great speed behind it. Striking with all its strength the back of the spear, the cocoon could already see the first cracks of the impact appear on its surface.


    "ROOAAAARRGGGHH !!!"


    Then, with a huge crack followed by a satisfying roar of pain, the spear finally passed through the beast''s more imposing than effective protection. My sharp weapon had gone through the shoulder of the dragoness behind throwing her backwards with force. It was my first hit and yet I already felt as proud as if I had already won this fight in an instant.


    "HAHAHA~!!!"


    A nervous yet proudughter suddenly came over me as I continued to assault the beast with my divine weapons. It was wounded but had not lost its mobility and was still moving with ease despite the hot blood flowing from its wound. As my spear and hammer shattered the icy ground with each impact, I could see hard,pact dirt forming around its deadly front legs.


    "MY TURN !!!"


    The voice of the dragoness echoed once again making me jump as I still had that same feeling of several speaking at once. Finishing her sentence, she brought her fists down violently on my hammer before turning around and giving a powerful blow with her tail to the spear. Thisst action made her scales fly, the spear having cut her deeply once again but that didn''t stop her.


    pping its wings, the huge dragon created gusts of wind that didn''t even seem to bother the other fight that was going on a little further away before flying straight at me. The same shivers and fear ran through me but this time I wasn''t going to think about running away or even surrendering. Its jaw was wide open showing its sharp fangs, steam wasing out of its mouth, its nostrils and this vision was a nightmare.


    "NO MORE GAMES !!"


    Arriving at my height, I could smell its hot breath while the vile creature closed its jaw relentlessly on me in big ms. There followed a long series of dodges that I could only perform with my strengthened body making me faster. Its teeth were cking, its ws were trying tocerate me but the more time passed, the more once again it seemed to gain in power and speed.


    *How is this possible !? It doesn''t have a reinforcement ring !!!*


    The same scenario that had happened before was happening again as I felt myself being invaded from all sides. My body was keeping up with each attack but my mind was slowly getting tired, unable to keep up. No matter how much I concentrated and tried to control my weapons at the same time, this huge beast didn''t leave me any possible opening without the risk of being hit.


    *Damn !*


    The dragon''s amber eyes seemed to glow with a thousand fiery lights, its powerful jaw was closing in on me, and as I jumped into the sky, something popped out of my back. A 5-meter wall of ice appeared in my back from nowhere, blocking any exit door. I only had time to turn my head to my right and see the Demon fighting Sir Myles smile slightly before reading a few words on her lips.


    "You shouldn''t have hurt my wife."


    The next moment, a huge pain shot through my right hand as I realized with dread that my moment of inattention had been fatal. A spray of blood obscured my vision as my hand fell to the ground, separated from the rest of my arm. All I knew was that one of the fangs of the flying beast had stuck in my limb before tearing it off with a sharp headbutt.


    "AAAAAARRRGGGHH !!!!"


    This pain was intense, too intense and I felt my tears rise and run down my face as my body hit the ground. Luckily, the hammer that had arrived to my left hit the right side of the dragoness, throwing it farther away and giving me time to breathe. My body was shaking, I was extremely cold, my thoughts were confused and never had such pain gone through me before.


    *Stop stop stop !!! N-No more ! I...I can''t*


    My hand was ripped off, my rings were gone, and as my body returned to its normal state, the pain kept growing. An urgent urge to vomit turned my stomach and my heart, which was beating wildly, seemed to be beating equally in my entire right arm. This wasn''t what I had nned, this wasn''t how it was supposed to happen, or at least not so fast. What had I done wrong ? Where had I gone wrong ?


    "DON''T CRY, HUMAN. BE A MAN UNTIL THE END AND BEAR THE PAIN UNTIL THE END OF OUR FIGHT. THE WOMAN STANDS AND THE MAN CRIES ? TCH ! HOW IRONIC"


    Once again, the dragon''s voice echoed right into my bones pulling me out of my dark thoughts and insurmountable pain despite myself. It didn''t scream, but its big powerful voice kept shaking the tform to the rhythms of the blows Sir Myles and the Demon exchanged. With its shoulder still bleeding and its tail shed, this force of nature was already getting up, forcing me to gather my wits and respond.


    "E-Easy to say for...for a filthy beast like you. Y-You have scales and I...I only have my skin to...     p-protect me from..."


    "EXCUSES ! GO TELL THAT TO THE LITTLE DRAGON MUTILATED AND TORTURED BY YOUR DISGUSTING CULT. HE TOO HAD SCALES TO PROTECT HIMSELF ? YOU MADE MY LITTLE BROTHER SUFFER AND FOR THAT, WE WON''T KILL YOU RIGHT AWAY"


    Itsst words instantly made me tremble with dread as three of the words it had spoken particrly caught my attention. "My little brother ?" Images of that useless little thing shed through my mind as something suddenly struck me. This beast and this thing both had the same hair color and they were of the same dangerous breed.


    "DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW ? IT''S OVER FOR YOU AND YOUR FRIEND. MY WIFE IS FINISHING HIM AND YOU TWO ARE GOING TO HAVE A BIG SLEEP BEFORE YOU WAKE UP IN HELL."


    Was she talking about the torture they were nning to do to us ? Sir Myles about to be finished ? No way. As I thought this, a huge noise was heard to my right followed by a shrill, painful scream. In the distance, the Captain of the Knights had fallen from several meters high, dropped by the ck-haired Demon before crashing to the ground violently.


    "N-No...this...this isn''t possible. I-it''s a nightmare..."


    The one who had brought me out of my frightened state was now embedded in the ice, his arms and legs dislocated and twisted in every direction. His armor was shattered and his veiny body was turning blue from the pressure of the fall. It had all happened so quickly, how could it be possible ? We were both leaders of our Pdins and Knights and yet it hade to this.


    "DON''T LOOK AWAY FROM YOUR DESTINY, HUMAN"


    Suddenly, a huge shadow passed over me forcing me to look up and see the dragoness charging at me. In a final effort, with my left arm I threw the spear and the hammer for a final attack hoping to impale it by using its speed against itself. However, roaring once again, forming its cocoon of earth and helped by the Demon, none of my weapons touched it.


    *Shit shit shit shit !!*


    The roar it let out slowed down my attacks, its cocoon blocked them and ice spikes exploded them instantly. Finally reaching my height, all I could see were two crimson wings enveloping me as two cruel amber eyes stared back at me. The next moment, a new pain even more unbearable than the previous one went through me, as I fainted.


    ____


    -- POV General --


    Only a few miles away, while Saint Leto and Sir Myles were being captured by the ruthless Empress and her Queen, a figure was running. It was running along the paths at great speed, raising the earth and frightening the wild animals that had the misfortune to cross its path. Indeed, in the direction of the Dark Forest, a woman with ck hair and violet eyes gradually turning to gold was running.


    This woman was Ka Nightshade who was about to enter the forest to finally find the one who had been her target for months...Freya. She had dyed her hair ck to go unnoticed and as she approached the signal that Shiro was giving, the colors of her eyes mixed. The natural purple of her family and the gold resulting from the little Time magic she had left mixed together, slowly making her unrecognizable.


    "Finally..."


    Ka Nightshade was about to meet Freya who was none other than her long-lost little sister but at this moment, was her target. They didn''t know it yet but the two sisters were finally going to meet in the middle of this great war. Would Freya recognize her older sister ? Would Ka recognize Lucifer ? How could they when one had a masked face and the other had different eyes and hair ?


    No one knew yet, but one thing was certain: the reunion would be intense.


    ___<novelnext></novelnext>


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 163 000 / 170 000 MP : 66 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 209 FREYA !!! [Hell - Part XV]

    - POV Freya -


    The two humans my wife and I were fighting were not weak, but from the beginning they had no chance. I had a much higher level than Myles and Leto and Gaya, thanks to her race, had managed to make up for the difference in level. I had never seen her fight before, and even though I had been busy with the Knight I had seen the ferocity of a dragon with my own eyes.


    I had also assisted her several times, preventing her from being seriously injured or even fooled when the Pdin pulled out his rings. I had never seen such an object in this world before, but I now knew that the Church was working on magic that could boost abilities. Despite this advantage, Leto was no match for the Mother of Dragons, who had been waiting for this for months.


    Ever since Gaya had found her little brother Angel, even though she didn''t show it, she had been filled with an immense rage demanding revenge. So I had taken care of Myles while she had taken care of the other one and against all expectations, nothing untoward had happened. Apart from seeing my wife get hit in the shoulder by a gigantic spear of light, I had managed to keep my cool.


    Fighting near the one I loved to death had scared me a bit, but on this big ice tform I had created, I could still watch over her. So, in less than an hour, our fights had ended with a crushing victory. Myles was lying on the ground, his arms and legs broken after a dizzying fall that had caused him to crash into the ice with violence.


    *You weren''t worth it*


    The Knight was unconscious but not mortally wounded and that was good news because it had been agreed that we would leave the two leaders alive. However, I didn''t want to just leave him in that state so with a smile on my face, I approached his motionless body. Pulling out my ck katana once again and with one clean stroke, I sliced both of his legs so that he would have a nice, unbelievable surprise when he woke up.


    Myles'' blood flowed profusely and began to form a puddle underneath him, but in just a few seconds I froze the ends of his limbs. This human who had ventured into ournd with the idea of killing, ravaging, piging and kidnapping had gotten what he deserved. Unfortunately for the Knight, Hell was just beginning for him as well as Leto and the prospect of hearing their screams was already giving me the chills.


    "My love ?"


    Once finished, I turned my head to my right to look at what Gaya was doing before smiling at the scene unfolding before my eyes. My wife was still in her dragon form, gigantic, beautiful and under the rays of the twilight, all I could see was the Queen of my Empire...my Queen. Her wings were folded over something and as Gaya straightened up, I could see what it was.


    "It''s over..."


    My wife''s voice then suddenly rang out, as I discovered Leto on the ground, unconscious with two missing arms lying a little further away. Unlike Myles, his limbs had not been cut off cleanly and the flesh looked more like it had been torn off savagely. Shreds of skin hung down, bones were crushed, exploded and the Pdin''s stumps had even turned all blue.


    "Well...I see you had fun fufu~"


    Approaching Gaya while dragging Myles unconscious by the cor of his armor, I found myself a few feet away from her without being able to really see her. She was very tall, even taller than the day I met her, which made it difficult to talk to her. Without even waiting for an answer from her, I quickly went around her body, checking everywhere to make sure my wife didn''t have any mortal wounds.


    "I''m fine, honey~"


    The voice of my dragoness made the tform shake and if it scared the humans, for me, it made my heart beat as always. At those words, she had turned around to face me, not without missing hitting me with her tail without even realizing it. The difference in size was obvious so without even thinking, it was my turn to take my bestial form in order to be at the same height as my wife.


    "Gaya, your shoulder...it''s still bleeding..."


    "Yeah but I don''t feel anything, I''ll go get treatment after this is over. A little blood won''t kill me haha~ I..."


    Without even waiting for the rest of her sentence, as if instinctively, I would approach her wound from where blood was still flowing briskly. Without thinking, I began to gently lick the wound as if it would close at any moment. Was it my animal instinct that drove me to act ? I didn''t know but I didn''t care because all I wanted was to relieve my wife who had fought so valiantly.


    "F-Freya..."


    As Gaya''s blood filled my mouth little by little, I could feel her dragon head sticking against the fur on my neck. She was warm, a little shaky but I could feel the love she had for me from that simple action. Raising my head slightly, I in turn stuck my head gently against her shiny scales. For a few seconds, we stood still, rocked only by each other''s breathing.


    "We should go...the soldiers of Elysium need their Empress.


    "And their Queen"


    Reluctantly, we walked away from each other, aware that despite our victory, the war was not yet fully won. Below us, the sound of swords and spells could still be heard and now that we had neutralized Myles and Leto we had to go back. Gaya was right, every second counted. Catching both humans in our mouths, we nodded before moving.


    Spreading her big, crimson, majestic wings again, my Queen soared into the zing sky, sending gusts of wind rustling my fur. Then, when she was already high in the sky, despite the human in her teeth, I could hear Gaya let out a loud roar. As if to announce our victory, she had let the whole forest know that the Empress and Queen had won.


    "ROOOAAAAAAAR~!!!"


    As if carried by the thrill my wife gave me with every action she took, I couldn''t help but drop my prey before doing the same. The moon was not yet in the sky but raising my head, I howled in turn to make my voice heard throughout the forest. I could feel my throat open, my tongue rise in a certain way and my rib cage vibrated with power.


    "OOOOOWOOOO~ !!!!"


    I had stepped up close to the edge and once my howl was pushed through, without waiting another minute I grabbed Myles in my maw before jumping. Followed by Gaya, I could see below a mass of people instinctively moving aside in anticipation of our powerfulnding. On my descent, I had a good view of what had happened below and this simple fact obviously made me anything but happy.


    Where the entire Empire army was fighting the humans, hundreds of bodiesy on the ground, which itself had turned blood red. We were living in a war and everything I had seen in my past life had prepared me for this kind of spectacle, but not for what was going through my mind at that moment. For the first time, the corpses of people I had sworn to protect and whom I considered to be mypanions, were in front of my eyes.


    *So many dead...*


    There were more bodies on the side of the Kingdom of Zal than I had imagined, but as in any war, we had also suffered losses. When I had lived as a Yakuza leader, I didn''t care who died, how and why, because I had no sympathy for anyone. I had been closed to any emotion andpassion even for my allies was not in my vocabry.


    However, this time it was different because even though I didn''t know them all, all the inhabitants of my Empire without exception, were precious beings who had to be preserved. At that moment, hundreds of Lights of Elysium to whom I had sworn protection and happiness had been extinguished for the sake of others. As Gaya and I finallynded on the ground, I didn''t show it, but my heart ached.


    With a huge thud, the ground shattered and the dust kicked up as my wife and I finally arrived in the middle of the battlefield. Our arrival almost meant the end of the war, but nothing was over yet, and as the seconds ticked by, the anger in me grew. From what I could see, the King wasn''t even leading his troops and was hiding behind those who were mostly weaker than him.


    "Theophctus !!!"


    Not even waiting for a few seconds or the arrival of my Lieutenants who had done a very good job, I shouted the name of yna''s father. Everything had gone on too long, not only was he responsible for this hecatomb but he was also acting like the worst of the rulers, warriors and cowards. My voice for the first time since the beginning of the events trembled because I could not contain this immense anger that took me.


    Gaya, still in her dragon form at my side, usually the first to stop me when she felt me change, did not say a word. Like me, she had watched in awe the battlefield and all the deaths caused by the ego and the ck hearts of humans. The moment my voice had reasoned, all the soldiers of Elysium, no matter where they were, were gathering behind us.


    "If you don''te out of hiding, I wille for you myself. Honor your soldiers who died for their beliefs and stand at least once before your army!!!"


    The more the seconds passed the more seeing yna''s father in the distance and silent titited me because thanks to my height in my animal form, I could see him very clearly. He was trembling in his golden armor and even his pride as a King did not make him obey, paralyzed by fear. The King was looking straight at me and at that moment all I wanted to do was make him suffer and I knew exactly how I was going to do it.


    - PING -


    [ First activation of the skill: Death Gaze (lvl 1) ]


    Without waiting, seeing that Theophctus supported my look, I activated for the first time the second skill unlocked thanks to my identity. I knew what it was supposed to do but I had no idea what was going to happen, all I wanted was to see him die. Although the death of humans gave me nothing, I wanted the King to live a hundred deaths to make up for his aberrant cowardice.


    [ Alert! Host eye adaptation in progress for skill. May take a few hours ]


    *Wha...Aaaaargggh !!!*


    Suddenly, as a message from the system appeared in the corner of my field of vision and Theophctus copsed in the distance, an intense pain gripped my eyes. Closing them automatically, I felt as if a thousand needles dipped in acid were sinking one by one into my eyes. The pain was intense and I never thought I would feel this way when I first activated my new skill.


    "Your Highness !!"


    "Freya !"


    Unwillingly taking my humanoid form, I had just enough time to make clothes out of my ice before I started shaking almost right after. I didn''t fall to my knees but the more my eyes changed the more I found myself unable to think despite my great intelligence. The pain was driving me crazy but not forgetting where I was, I stood and held my head high, waving not to worry.


    I also had visions of what seemed to be what the King was seeing at that moment in his deep sleep but everything was blurred. Moving my eyelids hurt and I could only keep my eyes closed under my half broken helmet. I couldn''t see anything but with my overdeveloped senses it wasn''t a problem and I certainly didn''t have time to feel sorry for myself.


    [ Process still ongoing...5%..6%..10% ]


    I could not open my eyes until the process was over and even though the initial unbearable pain was fading I had to hold on. I could smell every scent, hear every sound, smell bodies with mana and could almost see clearly. As I was about to speak, suddenly a voice echoing far beyond the battlefield could be heard.


    "FREYA !!!"


    My mind was a bit confused and this voice came out of nowhere and told me nothing as its tone was filled with hatred, anger and resentment. Who could being at a time like this ? I didn''t know and as I felt everyone''s eyes turn to the neer, I had no idea that the rest of this bloody end of the evening would be full of surprises.


    ___


    - POV General -


    In the middle of the war, Ka had finally arrived at the ce where Freya was standing, whom she had sworn to kill for the sake of Shiro and the misfortune of Titania. The former Goddess of Time had ck hair and even her eyes of a recognizable violet were tinted with a golden color that prevented to distinguish this color well. For her part, Lucifer did not have red hair, wore a mask and now had her eyes closed, hidding the proof of her Nightshade blood.


    So, the two sisters had no way of discovering each other''s identity and yet...they were finally about to be reunited.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 163 000 / 170 000 MP : 66 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 210 Sisters Blind Fight [Hell - END]

    - POV General -


    "FREYA !!!"


    As the Empress felt her head spinning, her closed eyes suffering from the sudden changes due to her new skill, a voice had called out her name. She could see nothing but feel everything and in that moment when the war was finally over, a woman had appeared. She didn''t know who she was or where she came from but this person who came for Freya was none other than her older sister Ka.


    "Freya..."


    "It''s okay."


    Gaya, still in her dragon form, approached her wife who was only a few meters away, as confused as everyone else. However, with a gesture, the she-wolf stopped the worried dragoness before whispering a few words that only she could hear. The next moment, the Queen began to change back to her humanoid form as ice formed around her body.


    Meanwhile, a little further away, the Kingy on the ground surrounded by his Pdin and Knight soldiers, who were busy panicking. He had been the first victim of Lucifer Nightshade''s own Death Gaze skill and was therefore stuck in an illusion from which he could not escape. Theophctus was convulsing on the floor, his limbs were stiff and the most terrifying thing was that his eyes were not even closed.


    The human soldiers farthest from the King, not knowing what was going on, had their eyes fixed on the south where Ka had appeared. Two walls of ck ice had formed in the middle of the mes the Commanders had created, giving her a few seconds to cross. Her hair was as ck as Freya''s and her eyes were still purple and gold, giving her the impression that she had gxies in her eyes.


    Ka, drawn by the magic Shiro had cast for Angel that had resonated within her, had finally arrived in front of the one she had been targeting for months. She didn''t run, she moved with a calmness that hid a storm and didn''t care at this moment about the humans and bodies on the ground around her. The woman had her eyes fixed only on the Empress before she gradually noticed the Lieutenants and the Queen.


    "Gaya. With the Lieutenants, finish the human army and capture the King alive no matter what to end this war. I''ll take care of our newst minute guest, don''t worry about it."


    "B-But you don''t see anything. Y-You..."


    "It''s okay, my love. I feel something special about her even though I can''t figure out what or focus fully because of my eyes. Regardless, it''s up to me to handle it and then I''d like to find out how she knows my name."


    Indeed, with her eyes closed, Freya could no longer use her "Analysis" skill on the one that had just appeared, nor could she see what she looked like. However, despite the almostplete loss of Ka''s powers, her blood vibrated and her instincts were on full alert. Understanding, Gaya nodded her head trusting her wife despite the fear she had when she realized that Freya had encountered an unforeseen problem.


    "All right, but still be careful with yourself. I''ll keep you in the corner of my eye, if anything happens to you, special thing or not, I won''t hesitate to intervene."


    "I-..."


    "LIEUTENANTS !!!"


    This time it was the Empress who didn''t even have time to answer as the Queen was already turning around to call the highest ranking officers of the battlefield. Freya hadn''t seen it but felt it, Gaya had been very serious and despite her injury, didn''t want to stand idly by. For some reason the dragoness didn''t know, her senses were also on high alert and despite the not very powerful aura that Ka gave off, there was something more.


    As the Queen, Lieutenants, and army moved towards Zal''s army, they all bypassed the Empress and the young woman in the center. The humans were again preparing themselves without much hope given the situation that was at their disadvantage. Sir Myles, Saint Leto, Jade known as Lady Erina and the King himself were all out of action leaving their soldiers to fend for themselves.


    "Freya..."


    "..."


    "Atst we are face to face"


    Ka''s voice was calm but carried all the regret, resentment, anger, and sadness she felt. She was only level 15, but she was confident enough in her abilities to deal a fatal blow to the one before her. The former Goddess of Time circled around Freya who remained silent, far too busy concentrating, listening, feeling, and visualizing the scene.


    Thus, Ka Nightshade, too blinded by her anger ruminated for thousands of years and deceived by the appearance of Freya, was in front of her little sister without knowing it. As for the ancient Goddess Lucifer Nightshade, deprived of her sight and deceived by the different aura that Ka gave off, was standing in front of her older sister without knowing it. Neither of them thought they would find each other, instantly chasing away the slightest little doubt.


    "Who are you ? How do you know my name ?"


    "You don''t need to know, I''m just here to get the one you''ve kept for far too long and deliver a message to one of your friends".


    "A friend of mine ?"


    "The one who gave you the gift of her two elements ice and chaos just as she did with me long ago. But now all that is over, here begins my descent into Hell, my path to vengeance and you will be the first to suffer my wrath !"


    Freya felt the immense anger that the mysterious woman was holding and understood that she was talking about Titania but understood nothing of her speech. So many things were mixed up in her brain already busy with dulling the pain in her eyes and making all her senses work. How did she know Titania ? How did she know that the Goddess was connected to her ? Why, despite her weak aura, did she feel chills ?


    "You..."


    Once again, the Empress was intrigued by this new encounter as she had been with Jade and at the same time provoked. However, she didn''t have time to answer when she already felt mana attacksing straight at her. Ka didn''t want to argue and conjured up swords of ck ice before throwing them at Freya. She was only level 15 and was up against a level 45 person but she wasn''t shaking.


    As a former Goddess, Lucifer''s older sister did not have a level that could be quantified by a number as she was much more than that. Having kept all her memories, she carried with her the experience ofbat which allowed her not to tremble before Freya''s aura. Ka''s attacks had appeared very quickly and even though they were only made up of three swords, they were formidable.


    The three ice des spun at great speed and were controlled so perfectly that they seemed toe alive and target Freya until they hit her. They spun in the air and moved with great ease, always aiming at their target''s blind spots. The she-wolf had drawn her katana and, with the help of her senses, pushed away every sword that was perfectly aimed at her heart, head, stomach or neck.


    "This is just the beginning !!"


    Seeing that her opponent was holding her ground, Ka made other ck walls appear around the Empress to restrict her movements and hit her. One wall, two, then three, then four, one by one,yers of ice mixed with the element of chaos enclosed her, cutting her off from all light. Inside, Freya still eyes closed, fought like the wolf she was, savagely destroying every obstacle.


    "Wha...aaarg"


    However, also made of chaos, the walls of the former Goddess of Time, sucked everything that came in contact with them and even the flesh. To get out, Freya had decided first to go barehanded before feeling the front of her fist being suddenly sucked. All the skin had been torn off causing her an unpleasant pain but which had to be quickly ignored to keep a great concentration.


    "Alright...so let''s y."


    Still dodging and parrying every de that came her way, Freya locked herself in a little more by creating her own walls of ice by sticking them to those around her. Her mana was always dropping a little more due to her Death Gaze skill still being active but it was the only solution she could find. Once her walls were created, the she-wolf began to lean on them to fight even more easily.


    Using the ledges as a stepping stone, the closed-eyed Empress whirled around, leaping into the air always armed with her katana which she wielded with precision. Thanks to this, in a few seconds she had managed to hit two swords that she had broken with her brute force. Caught up in the intoxication of this rather atypical fight, Freya started to smile before hitting her own walls with all her strength.


    "My turn !"


    Glued to those of Ka and thus propagating the power of the blows by shock waves, all without exception broke instantly making a young woman with blood red hair appear. To put an end to this fight quickly and to finish with this totally unbelievable situation, Lucifer had again resurfaced in front of her big sister''s eyes.


    Freya''s aura had suddenly changed, taking Ka by surprise as she found herself ovee by memories she had not anticipated. However, there was no time for daydreaming as the red demon was already at her feet with a big bloody smile on her lips. Dropping her katana, she used only her hands with her fingernails that had turned ck and lengthened.


    "H-How..."


    The former Goddess of Time was not sure of what she saw or what she felt because the idea of having her little sister in front of her was in her mind impossible. Was this aura, this presence, once again the work of Titania ? After all, when Lucifer had gone to meet her on the day she disappeared, the Goddess of Ice and Chaos had been there. Everything was confused in her head, but the truth had still not arrived in her mind.


    However, this time it was Ka''s turn to not have time to speak as a salvo of wild attacks came at her. Creating new ice swords as fast as she could, she threw them to use as a protective shield while she thought. The two women were far from each other''s level and yet the mysterious stranger was holding her own against the Empress even though she was getting tired.


    "Tell me if you can stop this !"


    ying the whole for the whole knowing her own limits, the big sister of Lucifer jumped in the air far enough to avoid all the deadly attacks of her opponent. Then suddenly, as the red haired one was about to join her, Ka took a very particr position. Moving her left foot forward, moving her right foot back and cing her arms stretched like two wings, she started to turn on herself.


    Freya couldn''t see this stance, but she would have recognized it because it was her older sister''s special attack that she knew well. The idea was to gain speed with each rotation while concentrating her mana and attacks around herself to create a deadly and unstoppable spinning top. Ka Nightshade was ready to go all out in order to deliver a fatal blow.


    Like a tornado surrounded by sharp des, she was sure to hit Freya because until now, no one had managed to stop this attack. It was not so difficult to perform but due to the speed of rotation, it was difficult to react in time and find her weak point. Ity in Ka''s footwork and feet which at that moment had perfect timing capable of being analyzed and countered.


    "I-I know this."


    Freya, who still had her eyes closed, concentrated on every sound, every beat, every vibration, and that special rhythm produced by the feet of the mysterious young woman...she recognized them. Somewhere deep inside her, these pulsations were familiar, as if she had already dealt with them in the past but where ? When ? At this moment, her mind could not remember but her body knew.


    And so, Ka Nightshade as fast as a tornado, as destructive as a storm and as sharp as the finest de, approached Lucifer to strike her blow. The wind swirled in the air, dust flew and their red and ck hair shone under the zing light of dusk. As if carried by her own body and helped by the sounds, the Empress instead of backing down, against all odds, threw herself on her.


    Finding the weak point quickly and instinctively, Freya slid her feet on the ground towards Ka to stop her. They seemed to dance and as they were finally about to touch, the Empress pped her hands on the ground to give herself an impulse. The older sister, shocked and destabilized by her sudden action, could not believe her eyes.


    "What..."


    Most of the time, when she used her technique, her opponents chose to flee through the air or dodge to the side which was a very bad idea. However, Freya had done it perfectly and as Ka seemed to realize something she never thought possible, their feet collided. The former Goddess had hit the red-haired demon''s mask while she had been hit hard in the legs.


    In an incredible shockwave drawing the eyes of the Elysium soldiers who were about to end this war, both women fell to the ground. Ka''s back was on the bloody dirt, her leg almost broken and Freya had fallen on top of her. Their faces were only inches apart but neither of them moved. Having felt the same, Ka with a trembling voice spoke her first words devoid of hatred.


    "W-Who are you ??"


    As Ka spoke these words, suddenly, cracking sounds could be heard as the rest of Freya''s helmet broke in two. The violence of the blow had split it in two and the two pieces separated before sliding gently down her face. At that moment, the wolf Empress above her opened her eyes, revealing her unique purple color and finally discovering who this mysterious stranger was that looked so familiar.


    Ka who until now had not been able to see either the face of her little sister or her eyes, was also finally discovering the one who for her was using Shiro in the profile of the Goddess Titania. The two women had the eyes on the other and neither of them could move, speak or even think of anything. Shock had taken hold of their hearts and for all the world to see, the sisters had frozen.


    "Ka..."


    "L-Lucifer ?"


    ___


    FULL STATUS<novelnext></novelnext>


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 148 000 / 170 000 MP : 30 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (sound & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks:


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    Defense:


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense:


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passive :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 211 History & Broken Heart

    [N/A: surprise at the end]


    - POV Ka -


    I had lived for thousands of years by the side of my little sister who had always done her best to preserve our House. The Gods and Goddesses of our House all admired her without exception and I, her older sister, was the first. Lucifer, as far back as I can remember, had always had that Imperial side that made her enemies tremble and her allies trust her blindly.


    I could not say that our long life had been the calmest, for the deities were at war with each other for a reason that could not be forgotten. A power struggle had arisen among the Gods and Goddesses who popted this vast universe and who ruled over the different worlds. A struggle between two ideas and two Houses, one of which has been named after my sister and me since the beginning of time.


    House Nightshade wasposed of several branches of Gods and Goddesses who did not have the same blood as us but who were allies. Among the deities, the hierarchy was defined by blood, strength or powers, separating us into different categories. There were the Demi-Gods, the Minor Gods, the Gods and finally, the most powerful of all and still never reached by anyone: Supreme God or Goddess.


    The Demi-Gods were generally those who were just born and did not yet possess a lot of power. The Minor Gods, on the other hand, had already lived for hundreds of years but were those who had not distinguished themselves more than that by their strength, their powers or their blood. Titania, Lucifer and I were Goddesses in their own right, that is, those who had the ability to create or destroy worlds.


    Our blood was also a factor because in almost all cases, those who reached the rank of God or Goddess, had a powerful bloodline because rarely were those able to reach this rank without a thousand years of blood, creating racism. The veryst category called "Supreme God or Goddess" was the one that had over the years created two factions opposing their ideas.


    House Luxumbra wanted to see the advent of a Supreme God or Goddess for the first time, while House Nightshade was firmly opposed to it. To reach this never-before-seen stage, one had to possess an almost infinite amount of divine mana that could only be found in deities. Thus, the House that Titania''s family served wanted to sacrifice Demi-Gods and minor Gods in order to achieve this project.


    For thousands of years, the Luxumbras and their allies had shown their greed for this power, seeking to rally as many Gods and Goddesses as possible. So while their House gathered Gods who were won over by the idea, ours gathered Demi-Gods and minor Gods who had be targets. However, there were nows among the deities but due to the fact that our two Houses were quite powerful, wars were rare.


    Total and destructive wars were therefore reced by plots, traps and machinations to destroy the opposing house. Guided by a Matriarch each, our two factions fought a cold war that only intensified as time went on. Thus, Lucifer representing House Nightshade had been the main enemy of Pria Luxumbra whose House bore her name.


    Indeed, if no sacrifice had been made so far, it was not only because of the threat that the Deadly Nightshade Sisters posed, but also because of the fact that the Luxumbras wanted to see an end to the threat. The Luxumbras wanted a Supreme Goddess to rule us all: Pria, but in the Realm of the Gods, only one had been able to touch that stage without even wanting to: Lucifer...Goddess of Death and Blood and Master of the 7 Demon Sins.


    For thousands of years my little sister had been the main reason for the hesitation of the opposing Gods thanks to her almost unrivalled power and the only fear her name inspired in people''s hearts. At the time we were still together, the only one able topete with her was Pria herself, but starting a war meant too much risk and loss against a being like Lucifer.


    The Red Empress, the Demon Goddess, Death, the Wrathful...my little sister had been called many terrifying names, but I knew her only as Luci. She may have inspired fear throughout the Realm, but only those in our House knew her true nature. Yes, Lucifer was a terrible being as an enemy, but those who walked beside her knew that her heart was generous, kind, loving, just and noble.


    For a very long time we have weed into our faction, families of the minor Gods and Demi-Gods protecting them by our name. Diversity was thereforemon in our House, unlike the House of Luxumbras, which advocated only "pure" blood. This is why for so many years my little sister and I fought to protect a bnce that without her could be broken at any moment.


    However, trapped one day by Titania by whatever means, today Lucifer was no longer there and I found myself alone. Alone with my feelings, my regrets, my anger, my sadness and especially theck of the one I had sworn to protect. I had not been there the day she had gone to meet the representatives of the House of Luxumbra and because of myck of judgment my little sister had been killed.


    Or so I thought....


    ____


    My desire to destroy this world was strong, starting with the protege of the one who had taken everything from me, had led me to this exact spot. The Dark Forest, where a great Empire stood, founded by a half-human named Freya, who at that moment held the little girl who was born from the egg containing my powers. Thanks to her and our link, although very weak, I had discovered with amazement her link with Titania, the one I had sworn to destroy.


    Why did the heir to my powers have to end up in the hands of Freya and Titania ? Was it a coincidence or was it all nned ? I didn''t know, but all I wanted was my revenge, no matter the cost. The moment I entered that forest, blinded by my pain and anger, all I wanted to do was kill and clear the name of the Nightshades...with blood.


    I was a shadow of my former self, nothing in me reminded me of the pure Goddess of Time and Wisdom that I had been, but that didn''t matter anymore. Since Titania had taken away what I held most dear, I had not given up on destroying her world no matter how long it took. So today I was in the middle of this war that was taking ce for an unknown reason but that did not interest me at all.


    The one I wanted to fight was easy to find because her aura flooded the ce like a thick fog and even if it looked familiar I knew it was Freya''s. Our fight had notsted very long and against all odds, had even yed in my disadvantage despite the technique I had used.


    The attack that only I had the secret of had been almost perfectly countered by Freya while I thought I would seed and hit her with a fatal blow. Ever since she had emerged from my prison of chaos ice walls, my heart had suddenly clenched as her blood red hair brought back memories. Despite what she looked like, she couldn''t be my little sister and I hadn''t had time to think about that anyway.


    Every move I made was as if this young woman knew them and I couldn''t understand why. Or rather, an idea was starting to germinate in my mind but that for me was not possible. On the other hand, the foot technique I had used might have seemed simple but was in fact veryplex since it relied on the strength, speed and synchronization of the legs.


    Well done, the movements gave the impression of being like an illusion, preventing the opponent from finding a good parry at the right moment. Always, those who had undergone this attack ended up in tatters due to the speed of rotation and my swords that were spinning at the same speed as me if not faster. This technique was both imposing and very dangerous, yet Freya did not hesitate for a second.


    She had thrown herself at me without even thinking twice with a bloody smile that had also thrown me a few seconds into the past. However, I had been caught in a hurry due to our level difference and I had been hit in the leg while I was hitting her half helmet. I had been stupid to throw myself into that forest without thinking of a n but driven by my resentment and anger, I had not hesitated.


    I had managed to strike a blow at her, but not without hearing the bone in my right leg snap from the force of the impact on her incredibly hard body. We both ended up on the ground and while the red-haired she-wolf was on top of me, I suddenly heard a cracking sound. The demon helmet she was wearing had shattered and the pieces falling to the ground let me see her face.


    Before I could say a word, the eyes that Freya had closed for some unknown reason, also opened. At that moment, two magnificent purple eyes had plunged into mine raised by this magnificent blood hair. In front of me, the spitting image of Lucifer was shining under thest light of the day, making me instantly forget why I was here.


    "Ka..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "L-Lucifer ?"


    The name I hadn''t been able to pronounce in a very long time escaped my lips as my hand moved towards her face. My sister, my little sister was in front of me and even though she was a little different, her eyes, her features were the same. Her tattoos were much smaller not to mention the fact that she had ears and a wolf tail. Ears ? A tail ?


    *N-No...that can''t be...that''s not her."


    However, just as my hand was about to touch her face and the tears were about to roll down my cheeks, everything stopped. It wasn''t Lucifer, it couldn''t be, she had died hundreds of years ago and I couldn''t find her here. The name of this young woman was Freya and she was rted to Titania I knew that very well. Why did she look so much like her ? Why did the one I wanted to kill have the face of my little sister ?


    What had that cursed Goddess of Ice and Chaos done ? For a moment my heart had felt soothed and happy but now it was breaking a little more. The pain I had endured wasing back with iparable power, making my whole body tremble. My leg may have been broken, but it was my mind and heart that hurt the most as an urge to scream rose up inside me.


    "N-No ! S-Stop ! I-I can''t take it anymore !!! I-It''s enough !!!"


    My head hurt, I wanted this to stop and I was willing to do anything for it. My so great determination to get revenge had burst at the mere sight of Freya''s face. Why did I have to go through this ? All I had ever wanted was to protect my only family and yet events kept torturing me. I couldn''t breathe, my whole body was shaking and the pain was rising, over and over again without me being able to stop it.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH !!!!!"


    As night fell, my scream pierced the forest, its echo bouncing against the trees and carrying all my physical and mental pain. I wanted to scream, I wanted to scream until I couldn''t anymore. I wanted to let out what was destroying me, but no matter how much my voice broke, it was always more painful. I was suffocating, the air was no longer getting into my lungs and everything was starting to spin around me.


    I had felt the same way when I heard about Lucifer''s death, but this time, this time was too much for my mind and my heart. I didn''t care about Freya, the one I hade for, or even Titania. She had won and I had lost. This Goddess had seeded in taking everything away from me, even this desire for revenge by using I don''t know what means to give the features of my little sister to her prot¨¦g¨¦.


    *It''s over...*


    As I suddenly felt my mind go nk due to theck of air, a horrible pain in my cheek shook my head. The p had been powerful to bring me out of my thoughts and make me unconsciously take a deep breath but not enough to hurt me seriously. I had forgotten what I was doing here and who was in front of me but as I was about to look up, water was falling on my leg even though it was not raining.


    *W-Wh...*


    Little drops were falling down my blue leg and as I finally looked up to understand, my breathing was cut off once again. The young woman known as Freya had her head down, her hair that had turned ck again falling over her face, preventing me from seeing her. Her hand closed into a fist on the ground was shaking as much as I was and the only thing I could see was her chin where tears were silently flowing.


    "D-Don''t give up..."


    "..."


    "Please...don''t give up now..."


    Her voice was shaky, with each word it broke and thest few she used made it hard for me to concentrate. As my mind began to put the pieces together, as if she understood, the young woman in front of me changed. Still with her face hidden, I could see her ears and her wolf tail disappearing little by little while her hair returned to its blood-red color.


    Her horns were getting longer, her ears were getting pointed as well as her nails which were getting colored in a ck color as dark as the night. Not only did Freya take on an appearance that I knew very well, but this aura that I had felt familiar flooded me and paralyzed me. Not because of its power, but because I could recognize it between a thousand, because this inimitable aura, noble, frightening but at the same time so reassuring...was that of Lucifer.


    "Lucifer...it''s you..."


    I had no doubt anymore, I didn''t know how it was possible but this Freya that was in front of me was indeed my little sister. No matter what Titania had done and why the one I loved most in the world was rted to this Goddess...Lucifer was there. With my heart beating wildly, I put my hand on her face this time without hesitation to lift her head and see her face once more.


    "Ka..."


    ? "Luci..."


    Once again, my eyes dipped into hers which were filled with tears and reminded me of that vulnerable side she had always shown only to me. Luci was a beauty I couldn''t forget and as I unconsciously wiped away her tears, I knew they belonged to my little sister. Hearing her say my name made me smile and as my pain faded, my vision also began to blur.


    The same tears were streaming down my own face, our bodies were shaking, we didn''t even know what to say but it didn''t matter. So many questions were running through my mind but that didn''t matter either because the moment I opened my mouth to speak, Luci was ahead of me. Throwing herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck, she spoke two words that I had so longed to hear again.


    "Big sister..."


    [N/A : The surprise is : two new illustrations of Shiro (you can see the full ones on Discord without the transparent background)] (here) ->

 Chapter 212 Blood Must Have Blood

    - POV Freya -


    - PING -


    [Process 100%plete. Eye changes sessfullypleted]


    Just a few minutes ago I was fighting a stranger without even being able to see what she looked like and now I was almost on my knees hugging her. It had all happened so fast and I was still very confused but the one I was holding so tightly for fear of losing her was my big sister. How had she gotten there ? Why hadn''t I felt her ? Her white hair was gone, why ?


    So many questions were going through my mind as so many others were going through hers at that moment but no matter how absurd the situation was...Ka was there. The shock had been so great that for the third time tears had run down my face before I even realized it. Yes, this situation was totally absurd and I didn''t even understand what was going on and what had happened to her.


    The moment our eyes met, we understood everything without a single word. At least, I had understood because Ka, still haunted by my disappearance, had almost let herself die. Just like me, she didn''t expect to see me here and this realization had almost made her lose her mind if I hadn''t been there to bring her back. But none of that mattered anymore, my tears were flowing, hers too, but we were together.


    "L-Luci...y-you''re alive...I..."


    "Yes big sister, I''m here, it''s me"


    Ka was trembling in my arms and despite my naturally cold skin, I could feel hers was almost icy. As I responded to her, suddenly the ck color of her hair began to melt away to reveal a pure white. Just like my little moon, my big sister had beautiful, pristine white hair and the sight of it sent shivers down my spine for a very specific reason.


    I knew deep down that if the moon soothed me so much when I was on Earth, if I was so attracted to Shiro''s hair, it was because everything reminded me of my big sister. My mind had forgotten but my heart never did and seeing her hair again warmed my heart. My eyes were still hurting and I still had to process what had happened while fighting Ka but I was happy.


    "Lu..."


    Once again, my older sister''s voice brought me out of my thoughts as the hand she had ced on my wet face fell to the floor. The next second, what I had felt pleasant, that feeling of happiness, turned into panic. Before my eyes, while I had been too preupied with my feelings, Ka had fainted for a reason I did not know.


    "Ka !"


    Her face was burning but her body was freezing, not to mention the wound on her leg that I had made. My first instinct was to use my ice, which had no temperature, to wrap her in a thicker and somehow warmer dress. I wasn''t a doctor but from what I could see, Ka had a very ordinary body, a human body that didn''t seem to be able to support her blood or her powers for too long.


    *I''m sorry, I...we will take care of you*


    As I picked up my big sister and carried her like a princess, I pressed my forehead against hers to check her temperature. She was still very hot but as I walked away, I couldn''t help but contemte her face. Ka was beautiful and her resemnce to Shiro was very uncanny. Her features were fine and she looked so pure, so fragile that I couldn''t take my eyes off her.


    "Freya !!"


    While I was hypnotized by her beauty, a voice suddenly sounded behind me, giving me unconscious chills. The mere mention of my name brought me out of the bubble I was in, forcing me to look around. The battlefield was silent and I discovered with amazement that no human was alive except for the fainted King, Myles and Leto.


    "Who is it ?"


    The one who had said my name was none other than my wife who was standing right behind me with her arms crossed and her eyebrows furrowed. I hadn''t paid any attention to what had happened but she was covered in blood from head to toe. Her amber eyes were burning and for a second, Gaya looked terrifying to me. Not understanding her reaction, I looked at her and then at Ka before I realized what was wrong.


    "M-My love, I don''t have time to exin now but it''s not what you think. QUICK, I NEED A DOCTOR HERE !!!"


    The war had ended like this, with hundreds of bodies lying on the red ground and almost every soldier in Elysium working hand in hand to clean it all up. Piling up the human bodies, gathering the bodies of our allies and tending to those who needed it. At mymand, two elves stood before me and bowed respectfully, waiting for my instructions.


    "Treat her leg, check the condition of her body, her mana and if anything abnormal happens I want to be the first to know. Treat her separately and above all treat her carefully, I''m counting on you..."


    "At yourmand your Highness !"


    Bowing once more, the two of them gently grabbed Ka before taking her to a medical tent set up a little further away. There were the Commanders and Kira, so I knew she would be well taken care of. As I watched them walk away, Gaya suddenly appeared in front of me before grabbing me by the cor and bringing my ear close to her mouth before whispering.


    "Empress Freya Lucifer Nightshade, you better give me an exnation after this...you wouldn''t want to anger a dragoness and what''s more your wife, would you ?"


    "Eh ? But..."


    "No buts. We still have a lot to deal with before we get back to our family so let''s not dy."


    "I-...fine"


    I knew my wife was wrong, but she was right about one thing: we weren''t finished. The battlefield had to be cleared and we had to debrief the Commanders and Lieutenants. Night had already fallen and I was determined to return in the morning. In Elysium all the citizens were waiting for us, but also my little moon, the twins and of course Angel.


    I was also feeling slightly exhausted from all the emotions and even though my tears were no longer streaming down my face, I felt drained. Gaya had already moved away in the direction of the tents at the back of the clearing so I followed her. Walking through the soldiers who were still working hard, waving and bowing as we passed, we were about to have a final meeting.


    _____


    - General -


    Under a brown tent to the north of the clearing was arge wooden table with the eight Commanders seated on chairs. Behind each of them the Lieutenants stood at attention in silence, waiting patiently. No sound could be heard, only silence and seriousness could be read on all faces. The war was over, but thest meeting had yet to take ce.


    "Her Highness the Empress, Her Majesty the Queen and the Princess !"


    Suddenly, the voices of two soldiers standing guard echoed from the entrance, causing the warriors inside to react with a start. Everyone stood up or rose to their feet as Freya, Gaya and Kira quickly entered the tent. Without a word, the Empress moved to the end of the table while the Queen and Princess followed before all three finally sat down at the end of the tent.


    "Your Highness, Your Majesty, Princess"


    "Give me a bnce sheet of losses and a summary of the current situation"


    As the Commanders and Lieutenants greeted the Imperial family with one voice, Freya raised her hand before making her voice heard. She didn''t want to waste any more time and was waiting for the mostplete report possible now that a few hours had passed since the end of the war. Sitting down in unison, the eight young women looked at each other before letting Caipy speak followed by Luna.


    "Your Highness, our army has lost about 470 soldiers, we are not yetpletely sure since all the bodies have not yet been counted. 300 are wounded of which 31 are in critical condition and directly under the care of my medical section who are doing their best to save them."


    "As for the prisoners, there are four of them since they are the vampire you fought your Highness, the Captain of the Knights Myles, the Chief of the Pdins Leto and finally....the King Theophctus Zal. At the moment they are all unconscious and under guard, their more serious physical injuries having been treated."


    Listening intently, Freya did not speak and reflected with one hand on her chin and her piercing purple eyes scanning the void intensely. As the seconds ticked by, her face grew cold at the thought of losing so many soldiers to the humans. The Empress knew that war meant casualties, but for the first time since her coronation, she was actually facing them.


    She who had always ignored the deaths of her allies on Earth out of pure selfishness andck of concern was now left to bear the burden of those extinguished lives. How could she return to the Empire with her head held high when so many families would suffer ? While the tent was still silent, the air inside grew a little colder as Freya''s cold, passive aura manifested itself.


    "They''ll pay..."


    Lost in her thoughts, the she-wolf clenched her fist as she spoke those simple words that everyone could hear clearly. Three of their prisoners were to be interrogated and at that moment, the Empress'' mind was filled with various scenarios. Suffering, despair, screaming, pain, blood...these humans had set it all off and were certainly not going to get away with a quick death.


    "Luna !"


    "Yes your Highness !!!"


    "What does yna think ? How is she doing ? I know she faced her father at the beginning of the battle and wants to see him again. This is also good for me because she is the only one who knows how the Kingdom works and will know how to ask the right questions. However, will she be able to handle what will happen in front of her at that time ?"


    Fully aware of her Commander''s rtionship with the former Princess of Zal, Freya had naturally addressed her. At the mention of her name, Luna had stiffened and a bit of red-tinted her cheeks without warning. Grabbing almost instinctively the medallion she wore preciously around her neck, the young half-panther woman stood up before answering.


    "T-Thank you for your concern your Highness. Ally is...ahem...yna is strong and I can assure you that her anger towards the King is beyond any family feeling. For months she has been preparing for this very moment and will not change her mind. I...I think it''s possible that yna may be a little unsettled, but she is well aware of what her father has done. I promise you have nothing to worry about, your Highness."


    "I trust you, thank you Luna."


    "N-No thanks to you, your Highness !"


    Motioning for the Commander to sit back down, the she-wolf sank into her seat before crossing her legs and cing a hand under her chin. The feeling of always having something to do was present as it was every day and although the fate of the three humans had not yet been decided, Ka and Jade were now on her mind. The war was over but there was still so much to do and discover.


    "Uh...ahem...may I suggest something ?"


    Suddenly, Kira, who was to the right of her older sister, raised her hand along with her voice, like a young schoolgirl before her teacher. Like the Commanders, Lieutenants and the Queen, she had bandages on her body proving the courage she had shown. Raising her head, the Empress, curious to know what her little sister had to say, nodded silently, waiting patiently.


    "The Empire''s prison was built right up against the coliseum for some reason I forget but I thought we could use that. What better way to make those who sowed death pay by torturing them and throwing them into an arena for all the soldiers in the stands to see ?"


    At her words, the Empress'' eyes began to glow dangerously as a sadistic smile appeared on her face. Kira''s suggestion was very interesting and even the Queen to the left of her wife was smiling as she thought about the spectacle. The Commanders and Lieutenants, on the other hand, were silent and had felt cold sweat as what their Princess was giving off reminded them of the Ice Empress herself.


    "Pfffpffff~ HAHAHAHAHA~ Subarashii~ !"


    Almost startling everyone, Freya giggled before bursting intoughter for the very first time in front of her soldiers. Herughter was crazy, blood-curdling, but at the same time, it was possible to feel the enthusiasm it conveyed. The warriors didn''t always speak in surprise at this sudden change while the Queen smiled and the Princess giggled in unison with her older sister.


    "It''s not every day that you get to witness the fall of a stupid, arrogant, weak and cowardly King. Very well. Let''s end it with a bang and give everyone who wants it an even more bloody and ruthless show than all the others before it. I promised them Hell and I intend to keep my word."


    Freya didn''t know why she hadn''t thought of all this before and was surprised by Kira''s mind, which seemed to be more and more like her. All she wanted was to make Theophctus, Myles, Leto pay and knew for a fact that her wife also wanted to participate. The night was just beginning, the meeting too, but one thing was certain, soon the Elysium Empire would be the scene of a y directed by Lucifer herself.


    "Blood must have blood..."


    ___<novelnext></novelnext>


    <strong>FULL STATUS</strong>


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 213 A Queens Speech

    -- POV General --


    In the forest east of the city of Yarlford and west of the Vancesia Empire, a war had just taken ce. The King''s Expedition, nned by the Supreme, from Zal had faced the newly formed Elysium Army, led by the Empress, the Queen, the Princess and the Commanders. The battlested for hours, started around noon and ended in the middle of the night.


    The sun had not yet risen and the night was dropping its dark veil over the continent, plunging the forest into an infinity without moon or stars. For the first time ever, as hundreds of footsteps echoed through the trees, there was no light in the sky. Rain drops were even beginning to fall, beading on the leaves, grass and skin of those who were returning home exhausted, wounded and sad.


    In the Dark Forest, the soldiers who had survived this unjust war were returning to the Empire, but this time there were no voices announcing victory. A long line of beasts, half-humans, and beast-men marched in unison towards the North, but all had their heads down. There was no sound of a single voice, no smile, noughter, no ttering of shields, no pping of armor.


    Elysium, the Empire of lights had won, but at what price ? Behind this great silent parade, a few carts covered with white cloths were moving slowly forward. Indeed, underneath were the bodies of all the valiant warriors who had fallen during the fighting. Hundreds of corpses were brought back to their families, friends and loved ones before they died to protect them.


    Despite the victory, there was no sense of celebration as all thoughts went to those who would never see the sunlight again. Like a funeral procession, the soldiers made their way through the trees following those who had ended the war. The Empress was in front, apanied by her wife and little sister, but like her soldiers, she was not in the mood to smile.


    In fact, it was quite the opposite, Freya had found her older sister who was still asleep and being cared for in a medical cart. However, at this moment, her heart and mind were elsewhere, also bruised by the first losses her Empire had suffered. The she-wolf said nothing, keeping her head high, but as the seconds passed, her eyes darkened and her chin dropped.


    The Empress of Ice, known to be ruthless, bloody, cold and terrifying, at that moment, felt the pain and anger of an entire army. Every breath, every smell, every sound, every vibration, every heartbeat, everything was deafening and even though the forest was silent, the soldiers seemed to be screaming. Freya, hidden behind her role as Empress, lived through them and shared what they were all hiding deep inside.


    "This is not the victory I wanted..."


    Everything was mixed up in her mind, she herself was lost with her own feelings that she had to learn to deal with for the first time. Yet the Empress also had to endure listening, hearing, the distress of those she had led into battle. It was not the victory the she-wolf hoped for, but was an ideal victory really victimless ? Was there no victory when it came to war then ?


    The answer for her was still nowhere to be found and no matter how much she asked herself, nothing seemed to be able to soothe the growing sense of guilt. So much had happened but so much death and so much sadness resulted from it all despite their victory. As the water droplets that fell from the dark, lightless sky grew thicker, the Queen and Princess watched.


    Freya said nothing, but her wife had long understood what was going on in her mind and despite her silence, wanted to help. Her soul mate, always strong, always there for those she had sworn to protect, suffered without a word, listening and enduring. Why was it so hard ? The King, Myles, Leto and Jade had been captured, the threat to the Empire was over for the moment, but like the weather, hearts were crying.


    "That''s enough..."


    Murmuring these few words, Gaya pulled on the reins of her mare named Pearl before making a U-turn under Freya''s questioning look. This atmosphere, the dragoness knew it very well since it was the same one in which she had let herself be locked up years ago. When she had lost her family, the Empress'' wife had almost let herself die of sadness and all those negative waves, she felt them too.


    Was she somehow stronger than her wife when it came to these kinds of feelings ? No, Gaya had already lived through them and fought them thanks to the one who had pulled her out of this hellish spiral...her wife. Tonight, it was the Queen''s turn to lighten the heart of the one she loved, for she knew best that despite her power, her unwavering determination, Freya also had vulnerable sides.


    Supporting her family, her soldiers, her Empire, was all the dragoness had ever wanted and tonight, as the drums of war fell silent, she would prove it. Still on the back of her mare, she faced the Commanders, the Lieutenants and the entire army who had all stopped. Only the sound of falling rain echoed as she opened her mouth to speak under the sad and questioning looks.


    "SOLDIERS !"


    Raising her voice from nowhere and calling out to those behind her, the Queen stopped the convoy under the misunderstood gaze of these warriors who barely looked up at her to understand. Hearts were aching, minds empty and souls madly sad. The dragoness was wounded in the shoulder, dressed in a robe of ice, and for the first time since the end of the war, she spoke to the Empire''s warriors.


    "Why did we go to war ?"


    "..."


    "Why on the way out did we walk through this forest, proud, fearless, with our heads held high, a fire in our hearts and strength in our arms ? We knew that there would be losses, that is the lot of any war, but if we are where we are today, it is thanks to you and your efforts. We lost a lot of soldiers but it is also thanks to them that you can walk and go home. Isn''t it ?"


    "Y-Yes.."


    The Queen had raised her voice and for the first time she did not carry that trace of warmth she always had when addressing her citizens. Instead, her gaze was hard, her voice almost as cold as the Empress''s, and her eyes were burning. Was she angry ? Yes. Why was she angry ?Because despite the fact that the dragoness understood those feelings, she could not ept seeing such looks after the courage they had all shown.


    "I didn''t hear you right, soldiers ! Isn''t it also thanks to those who fought like real ferocious beasts that you will soon be able to hug your loved ones ?!"


    "YES YOUR MAJESTY !"


    "Then raise your head, puff your chest, hit the ground and shout if you want but above all don''t show me those faces ! You are sad, we all are but we are also still alive and for that alone we should be proud. This does not take away the sacrifice of ourrades but what would they say if they saw you ? Did I fight to the death to offer a tasteless victory ? Certainly not !"


    Gaya''s voice carried far, the sound of the rain seeming not to even bother the one who was doing her best to strike a blow. Her words may have sounded harsh, but everyone knew that she was sincere and that her sole purpose was to ease the minds with her own truth. As the soldiers began to nod their heads and slowly realize the significance of her words, the Queen''s face closed and turned cold.


    "I''m angry, I''m hurting, I''m ashamed, but it''s just those feelings that are so hard, so real, that drive me to always do my best for those I love. Don''t you want to go beyond yourself ? To shout to the world that you are still here, that you exist despite what they think of you and that no matter what they throw at you you will always fight and rise again ?"


    Under the shocked gaze of Freya and her little sister, Gaya had begun to rekindle the extinguished hearts as everyone began to understand the measure of her words. Then, suddenly, as heads were raised, the Queen put a hand to her chest and closed her eyes. The rain was beading on her face and at that moment, as she spoke again, only the Empress understood that what was flowing was nothing but tears.


    "I too have lost loved ones in the past because I could not protect them, because I was not strong enough. I cursed myself for years, I wanted to die and I always wondered what I could have done better to avoid this but...it''s in the past. There is nothing we can do about it but live fully and proudly for those who sacrificed their lives for ours."


    "..."


    "Then let us live for them ! Let us keep them in our hearts until the end and only then will their deaths not have been in vain. Because after all...they will always live...here"


    Opening her eyes again, Gaya was now pointing at her heart with her thumb for all to see as all fists began to unclench. She was speaking with sincerity, giving herself away in front of hundreds of soldiers who had no knowledge at all of their Queen''s suffering. Even the Empress was silent at that moment, unable to speak as her words resonated deep in her soul.


    The dragoness had her head towards the ground but as she had said earlier, it was not long before she raised it, showing her face to all. This time, despite the rain, all the soldiers understood that she was crying, but it was not that which would remain engraved in their hearts. The moment Gaya raised her head proudly despite her tears, a tender and sincere smile appeared on her face.


    The dragoness'' hair was not flying in the wind, she was not wearing her crown, no beautiful dress, she was wounded and exhausted but despite the dark night, all they could see was a Queen...a dazzling sun. The moon and stars did not shine but the army felt bathed in a protective light, the sun was not in the sky and yet all felt this unexpected warmth that enveloped their wounded and exhausted bodies.


    Like a reassuring sun, powerful, protective, unquenchable and more alive than ever, the warriors saw in her the entire Empire. A mother, a wife, a sister, a friend, a daughter, her words had resonated so strongly within them that the sadness had disappeared. Every soldier had they head held high, some were crying, others were starting to hit their shields, but all of them, without exception, were smiling irreceably.


    The gloomy, sad, dark atmosphere had suddenly changed and now only the love that everyone had for each other remained. Little by little, the sound of the rain, which was now falling in torrents, was covered by the sound of feet hitting the ground, of shields and swords shing with vigor. The voices that had been silent until now, were now rising up into the dark sky, fearless, proud and powerful.


    "My love..."


    Freya had approached the one who had opened her heart for the good of all and as she wiped her wife''s tears tenderly, she smiled. No more weight was on her chest, no more guilt hovered over her heart and only a sense of fulfillment sailed through her mind. For the first time, the Empress had not addressed her warriors leaving the Queen to make her speech.


    "I-I''m fine, honey~"


    Not letting her answer, as the sounds of rain and soldiers grew louder and louder, the she-wolf leaned in to ce her lips on her wife''s. For the second time since the wedding, in front of the citizens and soldiers of Elysium, the Empress kissed the Queen. While the two women were immersed in their world, the moon finally appeared in the sky, dazzling the imperial couple with its pure rays.


    This magnificent, magical, hypnotizing and beautiful love spectacle had suddenly silenced everyone. Like two doves bringing hope, the two rulers of the Empire were finally giving back to everyone what they thought for a moment they had lost during this war...joy. The joy of being alive, of having achieved the impossible and the joy of being able to continue to fight for what was important.


    As the she-wolf and the dragoness finally parted, the rain had stopped and the drops streaming down their bodies were like diamonds glittering in the light. Once again, the noise started again as the Empress and the Queen, joined by the Princess, smiled sincerely. Elysium was not far away and tears would be shed in a few hours when the news would be announced.


    No one was unaware of it, yet thanks to the dragoness, the entire vision of the army had changed and the strong souls were ready for what was toe. The eyes were shining, the smiles were enchanting and the previously bitter victory was beautiful and pleasant. With her words alone, Gaya had changed everything, with her sincerity alone she had inspired and made her wife proudwho admired her more and more.


    The sun of Elysium did not know it yet, but the whole Empire would know her words and this moment would be forever engraved in the hearts as ... a Queen''s speech.


    [N/A : Beautiful and <strong>official</strong> art of Gaya on Discord (the Imperial Queen is deadly gorgeous) little teaser ] here (join if you want the full one) ->


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.<novelnext></novelnext>


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 163 000 / 170 000 MP : 66 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 214 At The Hospital

    - POV General -


    The army had returned to the Empire with a much less bitter taste of victory than when it had left the forest. However, the sadness of the citizens was unavoidable, as many families, friends and lovers had lost their loved ones during the war that the humans had started. In front of the great walls of Elysium, all the warriors were gathered with the citizens who hade to wee them.


    Smiles of relief but also tears were on the faces creating a very special contrast that had never happened before. However, the natural mutual aid of the citizens, pushed the happy ones tofort the sad ones offering a scene of which the Empress could be proud. However, Freya, her wife and her little sister were no longer present for a very specific reason.


    For the first time, the ruler of the Empire had not lingered on therge expanse of grass in front of the city and had only said a few words. The current situation being quite different, the she-wolf had preferred to let the families meet or mourn rather than disturb them. She also had a lot of things to do and exin to her own family before dealing with the prisoners.


    A ceremony in honor of the fallen warriors had been nned however and the Empress intended to raise the morale of her people at that time. For the moment, she walked apanied by Gaya, Kira and carrying Ka in her arms. The four of them were heading to the hospital where Shiro, Angel, Tyle and Alta?s were, who had not slept in the Imperial mansionst night.


    The sun was about to rise, the moon was slowly disappearing over the horizon and as the sun was about to rise, Freya, Gaya and Kira were walking through the sleeping streets. On the way, the she-wolf had exined to her wife and little sister what had happened during herst fight and revealed the identity of the mysterious stranger. Both of them had been shocked by this news, asking for more exnations.


    What was her older sister doing here ? Why did she look so much like Shiro ? Why had the little moon of the Empire inherited her powers ? What was their connection ? However, Freya had no answers to give other than the same questions and more to ask. It was therefore necessary to wait for Ka''s awakening to understand and put together the pieces of the puzzle that was for the moment a real mystery.


    The official funeral of the soldiers was to take ce in the afternoon, the interrogation of the prisoners in the evening, it was thus necessary not to waste time. When they arrived in front of the hospital doors, Lia, the young rabbit woman, butler and responsible for looking after the Empress''s children, was standing there. Her ears were slightly lowered as they were every time she was in front of the imperial family but kept her posture straight.


    "Your Highness, Your Majesty, P-Princess..."


    Bowing and greeting in turn Freya, Gaya, arrived in Kira for some unknown reason, the bunny girl would blush at the princess''s big smile. The three-tailed silver fox although wounded and dirty, was wearing a radiant face that Lia had not seen on that of the Queen let alone the Empress. Finding the situation adorable but being in a hurry, the she-wolf answered right away.


    "Lia, bring us directly to where my children and Angel are. The Queen and Princess also need to be healed, as well as this young woman I hold in my arms."


    "Yes your Highness. Please follow me."


    Without waiting, Lia bowed once more and turned on her heels to head for the white building, Commander Caipy''s workce. They quickly passed through the doors before entering therge room where patients were being treated and cared for. Briefly greeting the staff and residents, the women walked through therge back hallway that led to Caipy''s private office.


    "How was the night ?"


    "Very well your Highness, there were fewer doctors since most of them are soldiers away at war but...I can assure you that the Queen''s little brother was under constant guard. Princess Shiro, Prince Tyle and Princess Alta?s as well."


    "Very well, I thank you Lia for looking after them."


    "N-No, that''s my job, please don''t thank me."


    Stopping in front of the door, Lia shook her hands in surprise, happy and at the same time very embarrassed to have been thanked by the Empress herself. Her long ears were raised on her head instantly, causing Kira to giggle fondly. Moving aside slightly, trying to hide the redness of her cheeks, Lia let Freya pass by and before opening the door she turned to her.


    "A job well done must always and deserves to be thanked, especially when it concerns people I care about. You have taken care of them with seriousness and this since the beginning without ever failing in your duty and for that you must be thanked. This being said you are very humble and this is a quality but don''t forget that the efforts are always rewarded even if they are small.


    Not knowing what to say right away, the young rabbit opened her eyes wide once more before she froze in ce. The violet eyes of the Empress she admired so much were immersed in hers making her unable to speak. The nobility, poise and charisma of the she-wolf was as crazy as ever and as Lia came to her senses, she shook her head before speaking hastily.


    "Y-Yes your Highness, I promise ! T-There''s already a doctor in the room but I-I''ll go right now and get some more to take care of the Queen, the Princess and your...friend, injured !"


    Not lingering any longer, the rabbit walked quickly towards the ce from where they had arrived. Under the amused eyes of Freya, Gaya and Kira, Lia nearly ran into a wall in her hurry. As the Queen opened the door to enter, the Empress was about to follow before finding her little sister standing there.


    Kira''s eyes were on the rabbit who disappeared at the end of the hallway and didn''t notice that Gaya and Freya were watching her with tender eyes. Her three silvery-gray tails were beating the air with gusto, making her hair rustle from the small draft they were creating. Breaking the silence and with a rather teasing smile, the she-wolf who found her little sister very cute finally opened her mouth.


    "I see that you are not indifferent to our young butler and I have the impression that it is reciprocal"


    "Well...isn''t she too cute ? hahaha~"


    For the first time, Kira looked at someone other than Shiro with sparkling eyes, three excited tails and a goofy smile. Smiling wordlessly, Freya, still carrying Ka in her arms, rushed into the room while Gaya held the door. Caipy''s office was quite dark and was only lit by white stones that absorbed natural mana and remained lit.


    As the Empress and Queen entered, Triss, the second butler of the manor, and an elf doctor looked towards the entrance. Seeing the rest of the imperial family, the two suddenly stood up before bowing silently so as not to make any noise. Indeed, Triss and the doctor were watching over Shiro, Angel, Tyle and Alta?s who were not far away at all, if not at a few meters.


    Nodding without saying a word, Freya walked over to the couch in the middle of the room andid Ka''s unconscious body on it. There was only one bed avable, and that was already upied by the now hybrid earth dragon that had been healed just before the war. Near where Triss was, arge baby carriage was moving slowly, cradling the twins who were still sleeping peacefully before the day broke.


    "How are they ?"


    "Prince Tyle and Princess Alta?s have been asleep sincest night and haven''t woken up to cry once all night. Angel still hasn''t opened his eyes since he was treated for his injuries but his vitals are good and will probably need a few more hours, your Highness. As for Princess Shiro..."


    Freya had whispered and as the young half-cat woman answered her, they moved towards the only bed in the office belonging to the Commander. Therey the Queen''s little brother in a deep sleep, unharmed, his face peaceful and happy. At the foot of the bed, the little moon of the Empire was asleep sitting on a chair, her head resting on the bed and her hand in Angel''s.


    "The Princess watched over him all night, fighting sleep to be there if anything unexpected happened to him. Despite telling her that sleep was important she...she didn''t sleep a wink all night until she fell asleep an hour ago."


    "Sigh...I see, thank you"


    The Empress nodded her head before cing her hand on Shiro''s and stroking it tenderly, a small smile on her lips. The little Princess who was about to turn 6 was so brave, determined and selfless that Freya couldn''t be angry or worried. In fact, she was rather happy that her daughter had found someone to protect, someone she had saved like the she-wolf had saved her.


    "This one I swear."


    Gaya then suddenly appeared beside her wife having heard everything, equally impressed by the determination she had shown. The two loving mothers were there, smiling and unable to look away from this cute show. Angel''s long crimson hair on the white sheets contrasted with Shiro''s still white hair that seemed to glow in the light of the mana stones.


    Against all expectations and for the first time, in this room that was not the mansion, Freya''s new and only family was together. Gaya, Kira, Shiro, Angel, Tyle, Alta?s and of course Ka who was also sleeping on the couch after being healed. More than half of the imperial family had their eyes closed and did not know what was going on, only the she-wolf, the dragoness and the fox knew the importance of this moment.


    "Your Highness."


    Suddenly, Lia appeared in the doorway apanied by the man who was in charge of the hospital in the absence of the Commander and the Lieutenant all out of breath. A tall elf with long brown hair and sses had bowed after Lia''s words to the leader of the Empire, her wife and her little sister. Without saying a word, he walked quickly to the couch to examine Ka and her condition in more detail.


    The room was silent again as the doctor used his mana to scan the sleeping woman''s body for any problems while the other elf doctor who was already in the room was again treating the Queen''s shoulder which had bled a lot. Only the sound of mana being kneaded and used was rising to the ceiling, with Lia, Triss, Freya and Kira not saying a word and watching intently.


    "Mmmh."


    "M-Mo...mmy ?"


    Suddenly, as if they were connected, Ka and Shiro began to move and even slowly wake up. The little moon of the Empire had even spoken a word as she couldn''t open her eyes, far too tired. The former Goddess of Time and Wisdom was regaining her strength thanks to her regenerating mana. It was unexpected and at that moment Freya didn''t really know what to do.


    In just a few minutes and for the first time, Ka Nightshade would be facing Freya''s entire family...her family. After her emotional battle and thousands of years alone, how would she react to the news ? How would the meeting with Shiro go ? Everyone would soon find out, because it was only a matter of time before they could discover it.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)<novelnext></novelnext>


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 163 000 / 170 000 MP : 66 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 215 Welcome

    - POV Freya -


    I was in Caipy''s office, which was located in the Empire hospital near the Imperial mansion and the soldiers'' barracks. There I found Shiro, Angel and my two beautiful babies who had been kept away from the war. Gaya, Kira and I didn''t even stop by our room to change, too eager to be reunited with our family.


    I had also carried Ka here for treatment because I had no idea why she had copsed. Unlike the people of this world, I did not have ess to her system, perhaps because of our blood, which left me in a total limbo. This situation also made me realize that I was very dependent on the system and my skills, which raised new questions for meter.


    My wife and little sister were also in need of treatment and although nothing seemed to be wrong, I didn''t want to miss out on anything. So we were all gathered in this office before the sun rose for the first time on our family, which at that moment wasplete. I had only been in the room for a few minutes, but I could feel all the tension of the war draining from my shoulders.


    When I was in the presence of my family, of those I loved, all the weight of my choices and responsibilities seemed to be superfluous. At that moment, in that silent room while Ka and Gaya were being treated, I was smiling. It was strange because my thoughts were still also invaded by this war that had been of great intensity but I was smiling, unable not to be happy.


    *Finally...*


    My whole family was standing there without exception, my wife, her little brother, my three children and my two sisters were gathered in this room only a few meters away from each other. Never again this morning could I have believed it possible and I could hardly believe it at times. That young woman I had seen in my memories, the one who had protected me with her magic in the crypt, wasying before me.


    *Big sister...I hope you will wake up soon. I have so much to tell you and show you, starting with our wonderful family*


    I couldn''t help but talk to myself as I repeated in my mind what I wanted to say to her even though everything was very confusing. Images of my memories were popping up in my mind, especially the one that almost broke me in the crypt. What I had felt when I discovered my real identity and that represented this white-haired woman took me again without me being able to react.


    "Mmmh."


    "M-Mom...mmy ?"


    My whole body felt light and I felt like I had be Shiro when she was discovering brand new things. My heart was pounding, my hands were sweaty but my soul was overflowing with joy. As the sound of mana being stirred vibrated in the air, suddenly Ka''s voice followed by Shiro''s voice could be heard. Both of them, as one, sounded like they could wake up any minute.


    *I-...oh boy*


    The next second, my brain suffered the biggest bug in the history of my mind as I turned my head towards Shiro and then Ka without being able to move. The two white-haired women were waking up but I didn''t know what as I felt a hand rest on my shoulders. Kira was there and looked at me, not saying a single word, preferring instead to smile at me with all her teeth to encourage me.


    My little sister, the one who had been with me since the beginning and who, to be honest, was the one who could understand what I was feeling. She had lived through everything with me and even if she had not been able to witness my memories, she had been with me all along. So, as the elf doctor walked away from Ka to let her wake up and Gaya covered her healed shoulder, I walked over to Shiro.


    "My little moon, is everything okay ?"


    "I-I...I''m hot...I''m really s-super duper hot...here."


    Her little eyes were still closed which wasn''t surprising since she had only slept for an hour ording to what Triss had said. She still had her head on the bed next to Angel but this time she had dropped her hand to show me where she was hot. Shiro''s trembling, tired little finger pointed to her chest where there was nothing. Using my skill "Detection and control of mana" I decided to check by myself.


    *I-Incredible...*


    If I concentrated hard enough, I could see the mana particles that were in the air or even passing through the body of every living being. At that moment, in my little girl''s body, a golden and white mana was swirling at an impressive speed being particrly concentrated at the chest level. By instinct, I turned my head in the direction of the couch to discover that it was the same for my older sister.


    ? Ka still had her eyes closed and was fidgeting while holding her chest covered with a nket, grimacing slightly. What I had known for a while was still confirmed in my mind as I easily understood that both of their mana were connected. I didn''t know why or how and just as I was about to open my mouth, a small hand had grabbed mine to call out to me.


    "Mommy..."


    "Shiro !"


    Shiro''s hand was boiling and as I hastily bent down to her level, she opened her sleepy little eyes that at that moment dazzled me. It was not the unique purple color of my family and blood that was there but a bright golden yellow. My little moon''s eyes were gold making her almost unrecognizable for a split second.


    "Mommy, what''s happening to me ??"


    "I..."


    Her little face was close to mine and to her question I didn''t know what to say since I didn''t really know and no doctor here could exin it. Not knowing what to do, I grabbed her in my arms despite my bloody clothes to relieve her with the natural coldness of my body. Shiro was shaking slightly but came to snuggle up to me with a few words.


    "E-Everything''s fine mommy...I''m strong..."


    "Mmmh...the strongest."


    Then, as I began to stroke her silky white ears as she loved, Gaya and Kira came up to us. They had a slight smile on their faces and without hesitation began tofort our little moon. While I was busy trying to figure out what was going on, suddenly my wife and little sister stopped, turning their heads towards the sofa before telling me what was going on.


    "Onee-san...


    ...Ka opens her eyes"


    _____


    - POV Ka -


    *I-I''m...so hot. W-Where am I ? Aaarg my head !*


    As I slowly regained consciousness, my whole body felt heavy, sore, and like I was crushed under arge rock. There was a weight on my chest as well, which seemed to be getting hotter and hotter for no reason, causing my mana to flow much too fast. I didn''t know where I was, all my senses were confused and my closed eyes must have weighed a ton for me to not be able to open them.


    *B-Breathe...try to remember...*


    Deep inside I was panicking a little but I had to do everything I could to understand what was going on and why I seemed to be suffering from partial amnesia. I couldn''t remember what had happened a few hours earlier. All I knew was that my body was partially responding and that I was lying on something that felt far too soft to be a floor.


    And then, I didn''t know why, I also felt like I had to open my eyes quickly as if something resonating with my mana was calling me. It wasn''t a feeling of danger, but I couldn''t put a word to it or know what it was really about. Was this death ? Was I dead ? How did I die ? No matter how many questions I asked myself, I didn''t have any answers anyway, but I couldn''t help it.


    *Is this the work of Titania ? Am I locked up again somewhere ?*


    Suddenly, at the mention of this rotten Goddess in my mind, it was my head''s turn to hurt extremely, waking me up a bit more from this weird state. At the same time, a multitude of images came back to me as I slowly started to remember. My race to Elysium, the war between the Empire and the humans and especially...my very special fight with Empress Freya.


    *Luci...*


    I remembered everything and the pain that had gripped my chest, everything had been real and I had fought my little sister Lucifer. For some reason, she was in this world as a hybrid wolf demon ? The more I thought about it, the more the heat in my chest intensified as I felt this strange sensation approaching. My eyes were still closed, but I had to open them to get to the bottom of it.


    *Come on ! Open your eyes Ka, your little sister is probably here somewhere, you can''t leave her waiting after so many years !*


    Thinking about Lucifer gave me the strength I needed and as I made a huge effort, my eyes finally opened little by little. I couldn''t see much because my vision was dark, but I gave myself time to get used to the darkness. At the same time I felt different presences around me but for some reason I couldn''t exin at all, for the first time in so many years I didn''t feel threatened.


    "Ka ?"


    Suddenly, a voice I knew well echoed nearby and even above me giving me a shocking effect. The voice was that of my little sister Lucifer. She was there, she was near me, my Luci, my little sister, my heroine, my family and the one I cared about most in this crazy world. Ignoring the heaviness and heat in my body, I instantly straightened up, her voice soothing my heart.


    "Luci !!"


    Sitting on I don''t know what, discharges ran through my still sleeping limbs and awakened abruptly by my sudden and quick action. However, I didn''t care much about it because all I wanted was to see the face of the one I had thought lost for thousands of years. At that moment, I squinted my eyes which were getting used to the darkness before discovering a most incredible scene.


    "..."


    I was in arge room that appeared to be a bedroom or perhaps an office, lit by soft yellow lights that were quiteforting. It was still dark, but as I reached out I could hear soft birdsong announcing daybreak. However, none of this really mattered because it wasn''t what literally left me speechless.


    "Ka.."


    "..."


    Standing before me was Lucifer Nightshade dressed in ice covered in blood that seemed to glow in the light of the mana stones. As I had noticed before, she sported the same demon horns as in the past though smaller but also possessed wolf ears and a wolf tail. Despite this, she hadn''t changed at all and her face mesmerized me with a beauty I never thought I would see again.


    "L-Luci..."


    My little sister didn''t speak preferring to look at me intensely with her purple eyes, a tender and loving smile on her usually so cold face. That wasn''t all, in her arms she held a little girl about one meter tall with hair as white as mine contrasting with hers as ck as night. I didn''t need a second more to know perfectly who was this little girl half asleep.


    *Shiro ? Here ?*


    "Hello~"


    Then, a voice brought me out of my thoughts as I paid a little more attention to who was next to my little sister. To her right, a beautiful woman with bright crimson hair and sparkling amber eyes stood there, wearing an even warmer smile. She was undoubtedly a dragoness and judging by what she exuded, this woman was of great lineage, powerful and legendary.


    "Y-Yes...h-hello."


    To her left, a young fox woman stared at me shyly with sparkling eyes while three tails behind swayed rhythmically. She had the same eyes as Lucifer which confused me greatly since I didn''t know who she was and had silver hair. She had a single horn on the right side of her forehead, dimples, freckles and this young woman was to be honest, as cute as she was beautiful.


    *W-Who are they ?*


    "M-Mommy, what''s going on ?"


    I didn''t have time to open my mouth when suddenly, Shiro speaking with her eyes closed, seemed to be addressing Luci. M-Mommy ? My mind couldn''t keep up, I must have lookedpletely stupid but too much information was going through my head as I had just woken up. Since when was Luci a mother ? Who were these two women beside her ? Everything was confusing and seeming to understand, my little sister was finally speaking.


    "Ka...this is my family, our family."


    At her words my heart stopped as all the pieces of the puzzle seemed to automatically fit together without me needing anything more. Judging by the way Luci was holding the dragoness and the different color of her eyes...her wife ? The young vixen at her side with that teasing look reminded me of Luci when she was younger...a little sister ? Her words resonated with me as I finally understood absolutely everything.


    "You..."


    From the beginning I had been mistaken in thinking that Freya was holding Shiro but now I knew, I understood...she had saved Shiro. Before me stood the family Lucifer had built for herself here and although it was a bit painful to realize, happiness embraced my heart. A family, in front of me was the perfect picture of a loving, happy family...just like Lucifer and I had been.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Wee...Ka."


    My little sister, her wife, and my other little sister had spoken those words, dealing a fatal blow to my will to hold back what I had been trying to keep for several minutes. It was all too much, bringing my hands to my mouth my vision was getting blurrier and blurrier as once again tears were streaming down my cheeks. I couldn''t stop anything, everything was so fast but this time...I was crying with joy, relief...and love.


    *Wee...*


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 163 000 / 170 000 MP : 66 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 216 Family And News

    - POV General -


    The sun was peeking through the sky of Elysium, the birds had begun to sing, announcing the arrival of a new day. The day before, a bloody war had taken ce in thends of the Empire, but the victory went to the Empress and her soldiers. However, this morning was very different for the Imperial family, who, in spite of themselves, were not thinking about the butchery that had taken ce earlier.


    At that moment, if Freya, Gaya and Kira''s minds were elsewhere, it was because of the woman in front of them. A beautiful woman with eyes ambered with tears, long hair as pure as the moon and intense purple eyes. Shining with moisture, like two precious stones, Ka Nightshade had for the first timeid eyes on the family of her sister whom she thought was dead.


    The reunion was so sudden, so unexpected, and had even begun with a fight between Lucifer and her older sister. Yet, only a short timeter, in this hospital, the time was no longer for anger or revenge but rather for joy and surprise. Treated by one of the doctors in the building, Ka had finally opened her eyes and fully realized what was happening.


    Freya, her wife Gaya, her little sister Kira and even her daughter Shiro had been the first to smile at her with a tenderness that warmed the heart. A tenderness that the beautiful white-haired woman had forgotten for years, sinking into loneliness and anger. As the soft rays of the sun began to bathe the office with an almost magical light, this feeling that had been extinguished, had suddenly reappeared.


    Hate had given way to love, sadness to joy, revenge to wonder, and crushing guilt to relieving relief. Ka never thought she would ever experience anything like this again and nothing could really describe how she felt. Except for the word "Wee" she had not uttered a single word, too busy crying her eyes out at her new family.


    "Ka, I..."


    Freya was there looking at her, Shiro in her arms and unable to know what to say in front of these tears that she had anticipated but which nevertheless left her speechless. Then suddenly, while the she-wolf was as if paralyzed, the visions of the past she had lived in the crypt came back to her memory. Like a brief sh sent by her heart itself, it had broken the small remaining wall which made her hesitate slightly.


    The Empress may have known her older sister''s face, she may have known who she was and what she stood for, but the situation was special. Ka was no stranger, but without the memories Freya had yet to fathom, this meeting with the former Goddess of Time and Wisdom... was her first. However, remembering what she had seen in the crypt swept away that brief feeling of hesitation in an instant.


    Without a word, the she-wolf beckoned her wife to take the still sleeping little moon in her arms so she could act. Nodding her head, Gaya grabbed Shiro gently while Freya finally made her way to her big sister, determined. It only took her a few seconds to find herself in front of the now tear-soaked couch. Lucifer and Ka Nightshade stared at each other for a brief moment before one made a move.


    "Big sis..."


    Before the shocked and dumbfounded eyes of Lia, Triss and the two elven doctors, the Empress had addressed this stranger like a sister. The next moment, in silence, the four people knelt before the new member of the Imperial family. Freya didn''t even notice, as she was too busy wiping the tears that were still running down Ka''s soft cheeks as she had done with her earlier.


    Then, without warning, the dark-haired woman leaned forward to embrace once again the one who could not stop crying. This time, there was no smell of blood in the air, no cry of despair in the sky, and no dead bodies around them. Instead, a solemn silence filled the room, while a touching scene took ce before the tender eyes of those who upied it.


    "D-During...all this time I thought you were dead...I...how ?? Why ? Who ? I can''t...understand what''s going on. Y-You''re here, aren''t you ? It''s not a dream ? An illusion ? How long has it been ? Haven''t you been thinking about me ? Titania, what has she done ? I''m lost...I-I...Luci...you..."


    After a few minutes, Ka finally spoke and seemed to say out loud what she had been thinking since her reunion with Freya. She spoke quickly while sobbing, not knowing where to start, what to ask or even how. There was an overflowing joy but also confusion and for good reason, thousands of years had passed during which the woman had drawn a line under her past life.


    "I don''t know any more than you do...to tell you the truth...I only recovered my memories partially a short time ago. But...if I was able to find them again it was because of the "L & K" journal we wrote together and...the Time magic you used to protect it. Without it...I don''t think I would have ever remembered the name Lucifer Nightshade."


    "But...I failed to protect you as I promised. I-I failed...and.."


    What her little sister had just whispered, had suddenly shocked Ka who for a moment began to smile innocently. She who had never lost her memories, making her loneliness more painful, remembered perfectly all her past life. However, even though Freya had been able to remember thanks to her help, her heart wouldn''t let her enjoy it for too long, regret hovering like a dark cloud in her soul.


    "You may not have protected me from Titania that day, but you brought me back and allowed me to remember one of the people who means the most to me...you."


    "Luci.."


    "And then, somewhere along the line, if I had survived the day I lost my Goddess status...I never would have been able to build all this. Never would I have met the people I care about and would protect with my life. Titania may have taken a family from me...but she gave me another and today, the two are reunited despite all that has happened."


    "I..."


    "The past is the past, from now on we are together again and even stronger than ever. Ka...dry your tears, you don''t need to cry anymore because you are not alone anymore...never again."


    Pressing her forehead against her older sister''s, Freya and her closed their eyes as the embrace grew a little stronger. "You''re not alone anymore", those words echoed in the woman''s heart and even though she didn''t know Gaya, Kira, Shiro and the twins yet...she felt at home. Finally...finally she could hear the words she had dreamed to hear, those words that in an instant made all doubts disappear.


    "Let me make the introductions !"


    Suddenly, for a few seconds, the Empress of Ice looked like an excited little girl as she stood up quickly. A radiant smile appeared on her face, still dirty with blood, providing a very disturbing contrast for those who knew the usual Freya. Moving aside a little, the she-wolf revealed behind her, her wife, her little sister and her daughter, the twins still sleeping a little further.


    "Meet Kira our little sister, I''m warning you she''s a real clown hahaha~ Always saying what''s on her mind even if it''s not always appropriate and first big fan of Shiro. This sly fox girl eats like ten, is clumsy, greedy, talkative, sometimes a little silly and you can always count on her in terms of prank hahaha~"


    "E-Eh onee-san !"


    "But...she is also brave, determined, smart, protective and I would never have wanted to arrive in this world without her. From the beginning, I could always count on her in the hardest moments or I even seemed to lose my mind sometimes. Kira has a wonderful personality and no matter what ...she will always be there."


    "F-Freya..."


    Kira who had been surprised at first by Freya''s first words, was now blushing very strongly scratching the back of her head embarrassed. Her three silver tails were dancing in the air making her very cute, a sight that did not escape the young Lia. Then, realizing her behavior, the young Princess straightened up, just before Ka addressed her for the very first time.


    "Nice to meet you Kira. Thank you for taking care of Luci...ahem...Freya all this time. It''s nice to meet you and I hope...we get along well in the future."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Y-You can call me ''little sister'' if...*cough cough*...if you prefer. I-I''m also very pleased to finally meet you, b-big sis...ahem..."


    Still smiling shyly, the young silver-haired princess was doing her best to make this momentfortable for her new big sister. At her words, Ka''s violet eyes lit up a little more as a new smile brimming with joy appeared on her beautiful face. It may have been nothing, but in that moment, Kira had recognized her as a full-fledged family member.


    The setting was idyllic, the sun was in the sky, the birds were singing and somehow made this moment even more unique and magical. Leaving them a few seconds to appreciate what had just happened, Freya did not say a word before continuing. Then, as the two silver and white haired women seemed to appreciate each other, the she-wolf reached out to the one on her right.


    "Ka."


    "Yes ?"


    "And her...I present to you my wife, Gaya. The mother of my children, the one to whom I have sworn fealty and with whom I have bound my soul for eternity. There...there is so much to say about the love of my life but we have plenty of time for that so I''ll just say that...I love her with all my being."


    Freya had grabbed the dragoness by the waist as she said these words before cing a soft protective kiss on her forehead as if to prove the strength of her words. Gaya smiled radiantly with all the love she had for her wife and she always gave it back to her. Then, reopening her beautiful amber eyes, she turned to Ka, bending slightly as a sign of respect before speaking first.


    "Nice to meet you Ka, it is a real honor and pleasure to finally get to know you. I am sure from now on we will get along very well, again...wee to our family."


    True to form, the Queen of the Empire had spoken with great respect and impable manners, surprising the woman in front of her. First conquered by Kira''s endearing side, she was now hypnotized by the dragoness and her noble aura. Smiling back at this politeness, the former Goddess of Time also bowed before answering with the same respect and kindness.


    "It is also an honor to meet you Gaya, I never thought I would see such stars in Lu...Freya''s eyes one day. The pleasure is obviously shared, I have no doubt of our future understanding and without lying, I am curious to hear your story about how you met."


    "Pffffpffff~"


    Still with Shiro who had fallen back asleep once the heat had passed, in her arms, the Queen giggled with a hand in front of her mouth. The Empress looked away as if she had not heard anything, suddenly slightly embarrassed by the situation. The Fox Princess raised an eyebrow in confusion for a few seconds before starting to giggle while Gaya spoke again, followed by Kira.


    "Our first meeting ? Well...in a dark cave Freya threw an ice pick at my tail threatening to turn me into a dragon skewer pffff~"


    "Hahaha~ and onee-san...pfffpffff~...she thought she was forming a master, ve pfffhahaha~ *cough cough* contract and ended up married without knowing it pfffhahaHAHAHA~ O-Onee-san, I...I...think you have a penchant for violent encounters"


    In Commander Caipy''s office, Gaya, Kira and Ka wereughing with an innocence almost worthy of the Empire''s small moon. The Empress didn''t know what to say, since it was all true, and tried to keep a straight face, but to no avail. Her little sisterughed at her andughed until she choked, but instead of being offended, as Ka answered, the Empress felt her heart warm.


    "I don''t know if Freya has a penchant for violent encounters, but even though I''m practically healed, she still broke my leg fufufufu~"


    "K-Ka !"


    "PFFFHAHAHAHA~ S-Stop, n-no more *cough cough* HAHAHAHA~"


    Theughter started up again and although Freya had no excuse to give, she too ended up giggling slightly. The first meeting of her wife, little and big sister had gone much better than she had thought and they wereughing as if they had known each other forever. The only ones who hadn''t met Ka were Shiro, Angel and the twins but there was no hurry.


    While in front of her, three beautiful women made her heart beat, a very sudden thought crossed the mind of the she-wolf. At the moment she didn''t know it, but how could she hide Ka''s existence from Titania ? Now that they were reunited, if the Goddess of Ice and Chaos were to discover her presence in the Empire, how could she feign amnesia about her existence as Lucifer Nightshade ?


    The Empress who had decided at this moment to approach the subjectter did not know it but, Titania was not going to discover it so soon, much too busy on her side. Indeed, far from Elysium, from the warm reunion of the Nightshade sisters, the enemy Goddess was not even above Kleisaria. Things were changing and ns were forming on Freya''s side, but in the Realm of Gods and Goddesses, this was also the case.


    ____


    Far away from Elysium, in front of a huge door made of stone, a very generously shaped woman stood there, motionless, waiting for something in particr. She had sky blue hair, pure white skin, deep ck eyes and a haughty, annoying air. In front of this titanic door where an L was engraved in a beautiful way, was Titania, about to meet someone very important.


    "There''s nothing to worry about...I''m just reporting on the situation. Yes, tha''s it ! No need to be nervous haha~"


    The room she was in was of iparable size, seemingly built by Titans, so much so that the Goddess, alone, seemed tiny. As she whispered a few words very softly so that they would not be carried away by the echo, the stone began to move. Finally the engraved door opened to let her enter and it is thus with cold sweat that the blue-haired woman rushed in.


    The interior was just asrge, pirs rising as far as the eye could see all along arge carpet embroidered with gold and green threads. The light was quite dim as only candles glowed, illuminatingrge gs bearing the same "L" as on the front door. Moving forward without turning her head, Titania reached the end of the carpet where a woman was sitting on a throne that was longer than it was tall.


    "Well ? Titania. I hope you have some good news for me regarding our...little project."


    Before the Goddess of Ice and Chaos was a woman lying cross-legged on a long throne made of gold and emeralds. She had piercing green eyes, very long blond hair that reached almost to her knees, which she blew with a fan. This woman, was of great beauty but the blue-haired one in front of her, dared not look at her, prostrating herself at the bottom of the stone stairs.


    "H-Hello, Matriarch Goddess Pria Luxumbra"


    "Hahaha~e on, get up Titania...and tell me all about Freya."

 Chapter 217 Pria Luxumbra

    ? - POV General -


    In arge room far from the revelry that Freya''s family was currently experiencing, a most important discussion was taking ce. The Goddess of Ice and Chaos could not have imagined that Ka Nightshade had joined the Empire before finding Lucifer. Believing her to be sealed forever, Titania had missed this information and would probably have changed the course of things if she had known.


    However, at this moment, she was not in Kleisaria watching her "puppet" either in a deep sleep or in her divine space. The maniptive Goddess was kneeling in this great hall, in front of a staircase where at the end was installed a long throne of gold and emeralds. On it, a beautiful blond woman was lying, making her hair made of gold fly with a huge fan.


    "H-Hello, Goddess Matriarch Pria Luxumbra."


    Titania had her head down and was almost shaking uncontrobly, swallowing as she did her best not to let anything show. And for good reason, in front of her stood the Matriarch of the House Luxumbra, the one who for so many years had stood against her enemy: Lucifer Nightshade. In front of Titania stood Pria Luxumbra herself, the one who wanted at all costs to be the very first Supreme Goddess that the Realm had ever known.


    "Hahaha~e on, get up Titania...and tell me all about Freya."


    Pria was dressed in a long green dress split mid-thigh, revealing her pinkish skin, shiny and devoid of any scars. On her head, a huge crown almost representing her ego was ced, covered with gems in the colors of the universe. She was alone in this huge room and her calm voice resounded from all sides, making the Goddess of Ice and Chaos shiver in spite of herself.


    "T-The n is going as nned without a hitch your Greatness, Freya suspects nothing and has, as promised, not recovered her memories. Her trip to the crypt allowed her to unlock her Goddess blood making her regain her Blood and Death elements and her Demon form, though they are still very weak and iplete."


    "What about the 7 sins ? What about that famous journal gathering the secret of the Nightshades ?"


    "Well..."


    At that moment, although Titania was not stupid enough to dare to lie to the Matriarch of her house, her brain was working at full speed. She had nned to follow Pria''s orders but still wanted to stay one step ahead in order to carry out her side n. The idea was to deliver Freya once her powers had fully returned, but the blue-haired woman wanted a piece of the pie as well.


    She wasn''t as powerful as Pria, but in her mind, Titania had one thing the great Goddess didn''t: Kira''s trust. It may have seemed like nothing at first, but it was her trump card for the moment. Kira Nightshade, Lucifer''s little sister herself, holding the title of Greedy Fox 6th Sil Demon and second in power only to the 7th.


    Furthermore, it should not be forgotten that the young Fox Princess had Nightshade blood running through her veins making her even more powerful. With a bit of luck, Kira would be able to approach Freya''s power, which suited Titania well. Having the trust of one of Lucifer''s family members meant controlling her in some way and that, the Goddess of Ice and Chaos wanted to hide from Pria at all costs.


    "Well ? Have you lost your tongue ? Speak up ! Don''t make me wait, you know I hate that ! Besides, I have a dozen of Gods and Goddesses waiting for me to wound them with my divine presence, I don''t have your time !"


    The Matriarch''s voice was still soft but for some reason, it felt like daggers in Titania''s heart. Her natural aura was more than oppressive, so much so that if she didn''t breathe softly she felt like she was suffocating. Not wanting to prolong this interview any longer, the blue-haired woman huffed to give her the information she wanted while leaving out some details.


    "I-I...L-Lu...Freya is in possession of two of the Sins, the Prideful Griffin and the Envious Snake which she should release at the end of the war taking ce in Elysium. However, she must find Greed, Sloth, Lust and Gluttony in order to regain her power as the one and only Mistress of the Sins."


    "Mmh go on.."


    "Unfortunately for the journal, Freya says she left it in the crypt as the Time magic dispersed making the room look like it was originally there. It...it''s probably buried under vegetation, ruins or even perhaps in a state of dust."


    Finishing her sentence, Titania closed her eyes with fear, fearing that Pria would explode at any moment at thistest news. However, the silence remained and no shouts followed the words of the one kneeling at the bottom of the stone stairs. After many long minutes, footsteps sounded as Pria slowly descended the stairs until she presented her high heels under Titania''s nose.


    The Goddess of Ice and Chaos couldn''t see it but at that moment, the Matriarch was staring at her with eyes that looked at her like amon pawn. Her beautiful long blond hair was almost touching the ground and her very sexy dress, was hugging her more than generous forms. Pria was a beautiful woman although she seemed more innocent than mean most of the time, having a very mature and childish side at the same time.


    Yet she had that presence that every Goddess possessed and due to her great lineage, a little something that instantly inspired respect. Titania hated to be in her presence, knowing her angry, unstable and narcissistic side. Yet, despite this, she respected Pria and didn''t forget that she had chosen to ce her family under the protection of the House named Luxumbra.


    "I..."


    "Do you know that my rise as Supreme Goddess depends only on the sess of your mission, right ?"


    "Y-Yes, Your Greatness."


    "Then it seems that you are not as stupid as you look. In that case, how is it that after the wonderful n I have been concocting for years, the journal is not in my hands ? Destroyed you say ? This diary holds all the secrets of the Nightshade family, how could it be destroyed so easily ? My God make your brain work."


    Unlike Titania who had swallowed Freya''s story without question, it was a different story for the golden-haired Goddess. Ka''s magic had even been able to very easily prevent Pria''s subordinate from rummaging around inside, it couldn''t have destroyed itself so simply. It was a treasure trove, a wealth of information that had been written by the Matriarch of the House and her sister.


    For Pria Luxumbra it was all possible, despite the fact that she "hates" Lucifer more than anything in the world, the two knew each other very well...too well. Indeed, as sworn enemies for thousands of years, Pria and Lucifer had indirectly gotten to know each other. Because of this, she knew that Titania had either been too stupid to realize that she had been lied to, or that Freya had been too stupid to leave it there.


    "I-I don''t know...it...it could be that I was wrong."


    "It could be ? Are you saying that <strong>I</strong> could be wrong ?"


    "N-No I..."


    Titania didn''t even have time to rectify her sentence when suddenly an immense pressure fell on her shoulders while all the mes of the candles flickered. The shadows of the room began to dance then to take shape on the ground, sliding towards the kneeling Goddess. Swallowing, suddenly, the shadows grabbed her by the arms and legs before stepping off the floor and lifting her into the air facing Pria.


    "I-I apologize your...your...Greatness, that''s not what I meant ! I-If you think Freya lied I...I can go find her and threaten her a little bit for..."


    "HUH ?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Arg."


    The Goddess of Ice and Chaos didn''t have time to finish her sentence as the shadows around her limbs began to tighten a little more. Her life was not in danger but she felt that she had offended the Matriarch but did not know how. Pria, had her green eyes plunged into Titania''s and when she had mentioned Freya, they had suddenly be very cold and frightening.


    "Do...not...touch...a...single...hair...of...Lucifer !"


    Nodding vigorously at this one sentence said slowly and menacingly, Titania was immediately released, shaking like a leaf. The Matriarch had said the name she herself had banished from her House, why ? Was it inadvertent ? She didn''t understand, but at that moment she didn''t care. She just felt bad that she hadn''t chosen the right words, knowing Pria''s temperament.


    As quickly as it had appeared, the pressure, the suffocating aura disappeared in the blink of an eye, along with the shadows moving on the floor and the flickering mes. Within seconds it was all over and the room fell back into a solemn, almost deafening silence. Pria had returned to her throne without a sound while Titania gasped on her knees, hands on the floor trying to make herself as small as possible.


    "Don''t threaten Freya you fool, our whole n is based on her trusting you. You''ve got her on a system after all, don''t you ? Whatever happens you''ll know if she miraculously remembers her memories or not."


    At that moment, the blue-haired woman''s spine was running with a big cold sweat, unable to refute or confirm these words. Indeed, she had felt a little more than a month ago that her connection with Freya changed or even disappeared against her will. Thus, it was impossible for her to know if she had really remembered, what her elements were and that was something Titania could not say.


    "Y-Yes Great Goddess Pria."


    "Good, now go. See that everything goes ording to n, I''ll give you three months toe back here and give me some very good news. However, leave Freya alone for a while and instead focus on raising your son to the rank of God."


    "M-My son ?"


    "Yes your son, didn''t you give birth a hundred years ago to a young God ? It seems to me that your blood runs in his veins so he should quickly evolve as a God. We still have time but our House must grow stronger as soon as possible because once Freya''s great power is in me...we must destroy House Nightshade !"


    Pria''s n was rather simple, create an army worthy of the greatest House of Gods and Goddesses that had ever existed to destroy the other. For thousands of years, House Nightshade had two beings that were difficult to defeat, making their House the most powerful. Now that Lucifer and Ka were out of the picture, Matriarch Luxumbra still wanted to do her part.


    Even though the Deadly Nightshade Sisters were gone, their House was still a threat not to be taken lightly. The current Goddess Matriarch and the families of Demi-Gods and minor Gods were more numerous and devoted a frightening loyalty to Lucifer even after her death. Pria having less Gods on her side, wanted to bet everything on the power to end this Cold War that hadsted too long.


    "Once I take the powerful mana of the terrifying Goddess of Blood and Death...nothing and no one can stop me..."


    Pria Luxumbra''s green eyes glowed with a frightening, feral glow and her excitement could be felt in the air around her. Bing more and more oppressive once again, an almost too perfect silence settled down while once again the shadows danced. Titania didn''t dare to move or look up, praying with all her might that this horrible interview would end as soon as possible before she passed out from the physical and mental strain.


    "Yes...Pria Luxumbra...first Supreme Goddess of Dancing Shadows and True Light."


    As her family name indicated spanning thousands of years of powerful Gods and Goddesses, the Luxumbras were users of Shadows and Light. Only one child, however, was born into the family with hair as fine and shiny as gold and eyes of unmistakable green. Destined to be Matriarch from birth, Pria Luxumbra wanted to make her mark on the history of her thousand-year-old House and even on the history of the deities.


    To do so, she had to do the impossible and go even further than Lucifer Nightshade had done, no matter what. By bing a Supreme Goddess, she would have the power to destroy the House of Nightshade and rule the entire Divine Realm. This simple idea made her smile wildly, especially since so far everything was going ording to her excellent n, only patience was now required.


    The blonde woman had her fan in front of her mouth and could not help but giggle, first softly and then louder. Her Machiavellianughter echoed throughout the room, bouncing off the walls and shaking the gigantic stone pirs. She was so close to the goal, so close to one of her biggest dreams but she had to keep her head, suddenly stopping, she noticed Titania again.


    "You''re still here ? Didn''t I tell you to leave ?"


    "R-Right away, forgive me !"


    "Tch !"


    Not wanting to stay in this empty, heavy room for another minute, the blue-haired woman bowed respectfully before bolting for the exit. She didn''t want to be too quick so as not to appear too frightened, but she also didn''t want to incur the wrath of the Matriarch. As Titania reached the huge door once again, which opened on its own, Pria''s voice echoed behind her onest time.


    "Oh and for Freya...don''t forget, leave her alone for a while and make sure she doesn''t remember anything thanks to the system."


    "Yes !"


    It was toote, Titania had lied and couldn''t back out now if she didn''t want her head to end up on the end of a spike. She was going to have to y it strategic to both obey Pria''s orders but also keep an eye on Freya, which wasn''t going to be easy. But despite her fearful air, Titania was determined because if she got her way, she could make a name for herself in the future most powerful House of God.


    "I have three months...I''ll take care of my little bunny for a month and a half and then I''ll find a way to watch Freya."


    As the big doors closed, the Goddess of Ice and Chaos had made her decision and was going to y it all out...after all, you don''t get something for anything. Her sky blue hair disappeared behind the dark stone, leaving the Matriarch alone on her throne of gold and emeralds. When all was calm again, a sad and angry look appeared on her face


    "Luci~ honey~...you made me do it...I didn''t want it toe to this but you made me do it. We could have been together and ruled the Divinities and the worlds that popte this universe but you refused. Two perfect beings like us can only be together, our love should be stronger than our family and our House and yet..."


    ...


    "But it doesn''t matter, I will take everything from you, destroy everything... your family, your House, your powers and when you are on the verge of madness...I will be there tofort you. Once I have absorbed your whole being we will be together for eternity, you and I...together. Lucifer...I love you as much as I hate you...but this will all be over soon...you will be mine and we will be one. "


    [N/A: Lux = Light / Umbra = Shadow]

 Chapter 218 For The Very First Time

    - POV General -


    Back in Elysium, far from the devious shenanigans of the Divine Realm, the Imperial family was no longer in the hospital but in the main cobblestone street. After some very warm exchanges, the meeting with Ka had been cut short for several reasons. Gaya and Kira had started to talk to her but after five minutes, the Empress'' new sister had fallen asleep without warning.


    Many tears had rolled down her cheeks this morning, not to mention the situation and the revtions that had been spinning in her mind. Only after a few minutes of meeting the Queen and Princess, Ka felt tired and unable to ignore the fatigue. She had not yet met the little moon of the Empire or the two little stars, all of whom were still sound asleep.


    The fatigue of the Empress'' big sister was also due to her mana which resonated very strongly with Shiro''s and which for some unknown reason seemed to drain them of all energy. It is thus apanied by her wife, her little sister and her three children that Freya had returned to the Imperial mansion to rest a few hours. Indeed, even if the War was over, there were still many things to do before the night.


    There was to be the very first funeral ceremony, the very first funeral of the Empire, which would bring together arge part of Elysium if not all of it. Since their return, neither the Empress nor the Queen had remained outside the protective walls where the families had gathered. Ka had had to be rushed to the hospital and the she-wolf did not want to disturb everyone''s private moment with a speech to the deaf.


    Those who had lost a loved one, as well as those who had lost no one, needed time to recover from all this information, grieving was an important time and Freya didn''t really know how to deal with it. On their return to the Empire, the one who had spoken, the one who had rekindled hearts this time was the Queen who was much more familiar with these difficult and destructive feelings.


    However, after a quieter afternoon, it was already time for the Imperial family to head for the exit of the city where most of the citizens of Elysium were already. All had remained on the grassy in separating the city from the great walls, unable to leave the bodies of the soldiers alone. The families of the deceased, the soldiers as well as those who had lost no one, had therefore stayed to support each other.


    The whole family was almost there as Freya apanied by Kira, Shiro and Gaya carrying Tyle and Alta?s, walked down the main street. They were not on horseback or in a luxurious carriage rolling on a red carpet but on foot like anyone else in the Empire. This time, all dressed in ck from head to toe, they walked down with only the sound of their heels on the still wet cobblestones and the soft whisper of the cool wind.


    The Empress wore ck boots, pants, gloves and shirt enhanced by her ck imperial cloak with the symbol of Elysium embroidered with golden threads on the back. The Queen wore a long, simple ck dress identical to the one worn by the little Princess who, for the very first time, did not wear white. The fox Princess wore a ck shirt and a short skirt which suited her very well.


    All of them were also wearing the same cloak as Freya and all of them had, although different, their crowns on their heads, beautiful and glittering. No one was in the streets, they were all empty, silent and devoid of the dailyughter of the citizens. The moment was important, for the first time the Empire was in mourning and every second that passed reminded the Empress of this as she walked with clenched fists.


    "Honey, are you going to be okay ?"


    "I must be yes..."


    On the way, the dragoness would break the silence by asking a question of her wife, who she knew had been more tense than she wanted to admit for a while. The speech Gaya had made had inspired her heart as much as those of her soldiers but Freya was still tense. It wasn''t easy to look into the eyes of those who had just lost someone, especially after her promise to protect them all.


    In a war it was inevitable but that didn''t take away the fact that it was something hard to live with for her too, even if it was different. Indeed, the Empress had not lost anyone but the guilt was still there somewhere in her soul. Yet it had to be faced, it had to be faced by those whose hearts were crying and no matter how hard it was for the she-wolf...it was even harder for them.


    "What''s the situation ?"


    Suddenly, Freya raised her voice surprising Kira who didn''t understand why she was suddenly asking such a question in a vacuum. While the Imperial family could already see the huge grouping in the distance on the grassy area of the Empire, Commander Luna then appeared out of nowhere after the she-wolf''s words. Exactly as if she had teleported, the young half-panther woman had appeared making Shiro jump.


    "Your Highness, the citizens are under stress and despite the fact that a whole day has almost passed, they are still deeply shaken. The soldiers are passing on the wise words of Her Majesty Gaya and we are doing our best to ease their pain but no words seem to reach them."


    "Mmmh..."


    As Kira grabbed Shiro who had nearly fallen, into her arms to carry her, Freya looked away and pondered Luna''s every word. As they went on, she only needed to strain her ear slightly to hear the cries,ints, andmentations. The closer she got, the more the she-wolf clenched her teeth and fists at the Empire she had built and which was now crying and suffering.


    Yet it was her duty as Empress to say a few words and once again rekindle the fire in the hearts and reassure them. After the morning''s rejoicing with Ka and her family, it was now time for the funeral of the brave soldiers. Reflecting for a few seconds, Freya suddenly turned her head to ask a question that surprised Luna who was not expecting it.


    "And how is yna ?"


    "I...She...yna...she doesn''t dare show herself feeling guilty about her father''s actions."


    As the Empress pondered the speech she would have to give in a short while, her mind had suddenly thought of the former Princess of Zal. One of the only humans to have been epted into the Empire and who had taken refuge there thanks to Freya herself. Of course, the young human was not responsible for this war, at least not in the eyes of the she-wolf, but that did not change the fact that the King himself had led the army.


    "What about the citizens towards her ?"


    "We have not observed any acts or words of hatred towards her, your Highness. To be quite honest, most of the anger is not directed at her. In fact..."


    Suddenly bing silent, Luna seemed to avoid the Empress'' gaze not knowing how to continue her sentence. At that moment, she hated herself for having to be the one to announce the news to the she-wolf whom she admired more than anyone else in this world. She who had followed the war from beginning to end and knew like all the other Commanders how much the Empress had done to protect her people.


    "Commander, speak up."


    "Well...the citizens seem to be more angry at...you, your Highness and find it unfair to be among those who have to suffer. However, they are not...I think they are still in shock over what happened and are letting their pain get the better of them. I...I don''t think that''s against you, your Highness."


    Commander Luna was doing the best she could not to hurt her Empress and was trying to find the right words to soften her and ease the weight of guilt or anger. However, Freya was aware of all of this as she could distinctly hear theints although she didn''t need that to understand what was going on in the minds of the families who had to bear the news.


    "Mmmh, I see. Thank you Commander."


    "M-My pleasure, your Highness."


    Disappearing as quickly as she had arrived, the young half-panther woman had used her element to move as fast as lightning. She had just reported in and as the Imperial family approached the outskirts of the city, the Commander had returned to the others. It was only a few yards before they reached therge expanse of grass and as the silence reigned again, a small voice came from Kira''s arms.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "M-Mommy ? W-Why are the people of the Empire mad at you ? Did you...did you do something wrong ? I-Is it bad ?"


    Little Shiro had obviously heard what Luna had said very well, and just like her aunt and other mother, she could sense that Freya was tense. However, although the notion of War was known to the little moon of the Empire, its deeper meaning still eluded her. So she understood that some people would note back, but from her point of view, she did not understand why her mother was the cause of their anger.


    The little white-haired Princess had asked this question in the most innocent way possible, sincerely worried about her mother and what was happening. Her two ears were lowered on her head and her tail was not wagging anymore, hidden between her legs. Still in her aunt''s arm, while Freya didn''t know what to answer, still lost in her thoughts, it was finally Kira who spoke.


    "Your mother didn''t do anything wrong my chocte-covered candy cane bun...sometimes...hearts look for someone to me for their pain to make it more bearable."


    "Y-Yes but...if mommy did nothing wrong, why be mean to her ?"


    "Because..."


    However, Kira didn''t have time to answer that already they had reached the end of the paved street where the first des of grass were growing. She had not been able to give a good answer because they had arrived and because the sound that rose from this in was deafening. Crying, screaming, wailing, praying...the voices of hundreds of people were carried by the wind towards the Imperial family.


    Yet as the eyes turned to her, an almost eerie silence reced the cacophony of a few seconds ago. On the in, bodies, most covered in white sheets,y strewn as far as the eye could see. Soldiers, civilians, families, friends, doctors...all were gathered there to mourn the death of those who had not been able to return and all now had their eyes turned to the Empress.


    "Let''s go..."


    After a deep breath, Freya apanied by her children, her little sister and her wife, walked forward a few meters. In a few seconds, they found their feet in the grass several meters away from the first bodies and people. For the first time ever, no one had bowed because of the emotion and for the first time ever, the Empress didn''t have time to speak when the voices started again.


    "Y-Your Highness...my son..."


    "W-Why them ? I...why couldn''t they be protected ??"


    "We...we were to be married..."


    "She was my best friend."


    "W-Why does it hurt so much ?"


    "Your Highness, you promised to protect them !"


    Hundreds of voices spoke at once and addressed directly to the Empress herself who did not move and remained silent. She listened...to everyint, every usation, every disappointment, every reproach without ever interrupting them once. The voices were broken, bruised, filled more with sadness than anger but still carrying the disappointment they felt at that moment for Freya.


    "How did they die ??"


    "Our children..."


    "Where were you while they were being ughtered ?"


    "I thought she was going toe home alive..."


    "He was so young..."


    The majority of those present may have been blinded by grief, but that should not excuse the way they addressed the Empress. Yet, she still said nothing and hardly reacted to the words that the soldiers and Commanders found unfair. Only her fists and teeth clenched a little more every second, not from anger but from guilt.


    "That''s enough I..."


    Then suddenly, as the Queen standing behind stepped forward to speak again and stop the unbearable reproach, the she-wolf quietly raised her hand to stop her. Despite these words that seemed unfair to the dragoness, the soldiers and the Commanders, Freya listened to everything to the end. It was only after a few minutes that silence gradually returned to the great in.


    The sun was still in the sky and was slowly beginning its descent towards the horizon and the wind was still whispering in the west. Everyone seemed to have emptied their bags and an almost awkward silence reced the hundreds of broken voices. Freya was still silent and as she took a deep breath, unclenching her fists, she stepped forward to do something she had never done before.


    Before the stunned eyes of the citizens of the Empire, the all-powerful Empress of Ice, the terrifying she-wolf, Lucifer...had dropped to her knees. For the very first time in her life, Freya had unexpectedly knelt before the citizens of the Empire. The, followed by the Queen and the two Princesses, a surreal scene yed out at the gates of Elysium, leaving everyone speechless.


    "Today, theyid down their lives for all of us, to protect our city and became the hope for the future. I, Freya Nightshade, Empress of Elysium, I kneel in honor of their deaths."


    The she-wolf had spoken only a few words, but more than her words, her gesture had been even more impactful than anything else. For the first time, the Empress had bowed to the Lights of her Empire to honor and respect them. For the very first time, an Empress, a Queen and two Princesses no longer had their crowns hanging over the faces of citizens and warriors.


    If no word could reach them at that moment, then action was worth more than any word. For the very first time, an Imperial family was kneeling before its people.

 Chapter 219 Elysiums First Funerals I

    ¨C POV General ¨C


    "Today, theyid down their lives for all of us, to protect our city and became the hope for the future. I, Freya Nightshade, Empress of Elysium, I kneel in honor of their deaths"


    In front of thousands of saddened families and tired soldiers, the Empress had spoken these words just after kneeling before her Empire. The Queen and the two Princesses had followed right afterwards under the shocked look of absolutely all the citizens. No one had ever imagined seeing an entire Imperial family bowing before its people and yet...their eyes did not deceive them.


    No moreints, no more reproaches were raised in the sky of Elysium and the cries, the tears had been reced by a sudden silence. How could one dare to speak ? How could one dare to protest or even make a single sound in the face of such a spectacle ? Faced with all the pain, the distress of those she had sworn to protect, Freya had preferred a single action to a thousand words to prove her sincerity.


    Not only her but her whole family followed suit, making this moment even more unforgettable for those who were speechless. At that moment, the men and women who had unjustly vented their anger on the Empress felt without exception the same sense of guilt. This act was obviously not going to bring back those who had left, but it meant much more to everyone than an apology.


    After her solemn words, Freya, Gaya, Kira and even Shiro stood there, motionless, hand on heart and eyes closed. The in of Elysium was bathed inplete silence as a sudden weight was lifted from everyone''s chest. The pain and sadness were still there, but the anger had given way to a saving, inexplicable and reassuring calm.


    "An Empress never kneels, huh ?"


    Nixia who was standing next to the other nine Commanders had spoken these few words as shbacks of several months came back into her mind. She remembered her first meeting with Freya and the day she, Ralph, Emilia and Thorunn fought her. They had all ended up on the ground, exhausted and defeated while the she-wolf had pronounced these words which they had not forgotten: "An Empress never kneels".


    However, it was the opposite that was taking ce before her eyes and it had been stronger than her, Nixia had not been able to stop herself from thinking aloud. She was shocked, but she was smiling because she had not seen this situationing. For hours the Commanders had been trying to calm the citizens, the broken families and what the she-wolf had just done was incredibly powerful.


    "It feels like it was so long ago."


    "She has changed..."


    "A lot since then...her Highness is definitely not an Empress like the others, she is unique haha~"


    Beside the snake woman, the three Commanders who had been present that day as well, were smiling just like their friend, once again surprised by their Empress. It had been a while since they had seen their leader as an ordinary person and yet Freya still managed to surprise them. Kneeling down, the she-wolf for the very first time had gone back on her own words which had never happened before.


    "Umu...but that''s why we love and admire her so much, isn''t it girls ?"


    "Yes, definitely !"


    Na?a the young vixen had said out loud what everyone else was thinking down low, so much so that they had all responded in unison to her statement. The she-wolf kneeling before them was the Empress of a growing Empire, she was the most powerful being they had ever known, Lucifer herself...and yet. Yet she had not hesitated to do what no King, Queen, Emperor or Empress had done before to honor those fallen in war.


    "There is no more powerful ruler than one who knows how to be humble."


    Persea had added her words in a soft whisper with palpable pride, for the one she admired but also for herself for deciding to follow her. The Imperial family had even had a knee on the ground and for the dryad, it had never shown itself as worthy to reign, as worthy of the crown as at this precise moment. For her as for everyone else, they ironically proved their greatness by being capable of such an action.


    Then, after long minutes of silence, Freya would slowly raise her head, causing the entire crowd to hold their breath. Just as slowly, she would open her eyes, exposing her two unique purple eyes that everyone in the Empire already knew. They were sparkling, deep, vibrant and despite the coldness they emanated, the people of Elysium also saw in them a singr sincerity andpassion.


    Suddenly, a few seconds after the she-wolf''s gaze met those standing before her, absolutely all the citizens knelt in turn. All of them as one, instinctively showing the same respect to their leader. They had all seen that glint in her eyes, that little something that meant everything, and despite Freya''s cold and closed face, they understood what she was feeling.


    The Empress''s long ck hair fluttered in the wind, her red and white locks shining in thest light of the sun. Her two magnificent ck horns, engraved with demonic symbols were frightening butmanded respect. The tattoos under her eyes emphasized the power of her gaze which seemed to be able to read all the darkest secrets of a soul.


    Freya was terrifyingly gorgeous, always inspiring a natural fear even though many had grown ustomed to it and yet she exuded a protective feeling. She was a divine beauty, she was mesmerizing and it only took one look at the Lights of the Empire to remember who she was. As the Empress stood up followed by her family who was equally amazed by the sight, Kira was the first to whisper followed by Shiro.


    "Wow...they''re all...just wow...this is..."


    "It''s mommy''s power hihihi~"


    The Imperial family had certainly put on an unexpected show for their people but now the roles were reversed which was sure to dazzle the two Princesses. The little Moon of the Empire was at a stage where she marveled at everything but for the fox, it was a different matter altogether. Since Kira had a body, this was the first time she had experienced this and seeing an entire city kneel before her was breathtaking.


    "Please stand up."


    Freya''s powerful voice suddenly rang out, startling everyone as it carried far, always so authoritative no matter the circumstances. At that moment, all the heads were raised at the same time as the bodies to face the one who had just spoken. Sadness could still be read in the eyes of the citizens, but a new will to ovee this ordeal together animated them deeply.


    For a few seconds, the Imperial family and the crowd, who had risen face to face, watched each other in silence, waiting patiently for the leader''s words. The Queen on her left still held her two sleeping babies and the two Princesses on her right were still side by side. After sweeping her citizens with her eyes and taking onest look at the bodies under the white cloth, the she-wolf finally began her speech.


    "Earlier, as I walked through the Empire, I was desperately searching for the right words to give you courage and ease your pain, if only a little. Now I stand before you all and to be honest, I still haven''t found those precious words. For the first time since I became Empress, never has a speech been so difficult to make especially when ites to a subject like...death."


    Rather than lie which she hated more than anything, Freya had chosen to tell the truth even though at that moment she was leaving her crown. She had not spoken as Empress but as a sister in arms who had like so many people lostpanions...friends. This was what the Imperial family had proven by kneeling: in mourning, there were no barriers, no titles, only people sharing the same pain.


    "But no matter how much I don''t have the words, I would like to offer my sincerest apologies before you all today. I know that many of you harbor anger towards me and given the situation I understand that, so please forgive me."


    "..."


    "I apologize that you have to find someone to me for your sadness, regret, anger and pain. However...I will not apologize for what happened because that is the lot of all wars ! Coming back without a victim is impossible and all those who think otherwise are unfortunately very naive. But, this does not take away the courage that these warriors have shown and I can assure you that those you mourn today fought fiercely until the end !"


    Under the unsurprised gaze of the Commanders but surprised by the citizens, the Empress had once again spoken in a harsh but sincere voice and stated a painful but real truth. At that moment, with those few words, many realized that they had almost med their leader for what had happened. Why should she apologize for the deaths that urred when this oue was in a sense inevitable ?


    Yes, the Empress had led the army, but despite the great power she had, even if she wanted to, she could not control everything. The warriors under the white sheets, the soldiers they all honored for their bravery, were proof of that. The soldiers took the salute as the crowd began to nod their heads while Freya continued still carried by her own feelings.


    "Together we will ovee this tragedy and together we will continue to grow, mature and live to honor those who are no longer with us. What you feel, this pain, this guilt I feel them.... my wife feels them, my sister and even our little princess. But remember one important thing...the highest tribute to the dead is not grief...but gratitude."


    The Empress who had seemed so humble when she was on her knees was no more and had given way to the Empress of Ice whom everyone knew well. She had said she couldn''t find the words for her speech but the smile that appeared one by one on the faces testified otherwise. The she-wolf spoke with passion, determination, anger but also with gentleness, sincerity and especially with pride.


    "Let us be proud of the courage they have all shown without exception, let us be proud of the future they have offered us and that we must cherish in their memory. I know you would have liked to see them onest time, to say goodbye and thank you...but that is not possible. That''s why we..."


    Suddenly, as Freya was caught up in her speech, she stopped in the middle of one of her sentences as if struck by something. No one knew why she didn''t continue, so the Queen also frowned in iprehension. What was going on ? Was there a problem ? But there was no problem, because the Empress had just had an idea that she would have thought impossible until now.


    _____


    - POV Freya -


    As I was speaking in front of my people, who I knew to be hurt and angry, a sentence I had just uttered shook me up. At that moment, my mind started to work at an incredible speed while a crazy idea was germinating in my head. Everyone was hanging on my lips, some were worried but I only needed a few minutes to evaluate every possibility.


    "Freya ?"


    "M-Mommy ?"


    "Onee-san ?"


    "Gooo ?"


    "Baaaa ?"


    Beside me, the voices of my family members were rising, even my twins who seemed to have been awakened by the power of my voice. They were worried and didn''t know what was going on so with a slight wave of my hand I signaled to them that all was well. I was at an official event, the houses were empty, the whole Empire was gathered on this in but I was unable to give them an exnation for the moment.


    *I think it''s possible. During myst fight I noticed that, so I would just have to....and then....before....then I could offer them this privilege*


    Everything was going so fast in my mind that I didn''t even have time to sum it all up to myself knowing exactly what I wanted to do. My intelligence was at such a level that this speed of processing every possibility required me to concentrate more than totally. The more the seconds passed, the more confident I became, but the more I could feel themotion in the crowd and beside me, which was normal.


    "Freya, honey...what''s going on ?"


    As my dragoness asked this question with a trace of worry in her voice, taking the trouble to whisper so as not to worry the others, I had figured it out. Inspired by my own words and what I had experienced during my fight with Ka, I had found a way to make this funeral unforgettable. Then raising my head towards my wife, a smile on my face, I finally revealed what my mind had been thinking about.


    "I can''t bring the dead back to life, I can''t give back to their family and friends those who have fallen bravely in war, but...perhaps I can allow their loved ones to say goodbye."


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult<novelnext></novelnext>


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 163 000 / 170 000 MP : 66 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 2)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 220 Elysiums First Funerals II

    -- POV General --


    "I can''t bring the dead back to life, I can''t give back to their family and friends those who have fallen bravely in war, but...perhaps I can allow their loved ones to say goodbye."


    With Gaya and Kira looking on in confusion, I had finally said out loud what I had been thinking about for several minutes. The funeral had started out pretty normal if you exclude the fact that our entire family was kneeling for the very first time. But at that moment, I knew that I could make them unforgettable if what I had in mind, the idea that had urred to me worked as in my mind.


    "Onee-san, what do you mean by allowing them to say goodbye ?"


    "Kira, I think we''d better watch."


    I didn''t have time to answer as my wife was already advising my little sister not to ask questions other than to watch carefully. Nodding my head to confirm, I turned around again to face the whole crowd in front of us. I had suddenly stopped in the middle of my speech and knew without surprise that most of the people there did not understand what was going on.


    The faces were the very description of iprehension, the eyebrows were furrowed, the heads were slightly tilted but everyone was silent. To be quite honest, I didn''t really know what to say because my thought process was probably tooplex. So instead of starting a court on "how to mark your first funeral," I wanted to prove to them all, I wanted to show them.


    "Do you trust me ?"


    My question hade out of nowhere and answering it was difficult because no one knew what I was talking about or why I was asking the question. Yet, I was quite serious, I was not smiling, my face was neutral while I patiently waited for a sign of an answer from my citizens. After a few seconds, without much surprise, it was finally all the soldiers of Elysium who answered first.


    "YES, YOUR HIGHNESS !!!"


    These men, these women, these warriors had been the ones who had followed my wife, my sister and me onto the battlefield against the humans. They had been the ones who had witnessed our battles, our frustrations and our strategy from the very beginning. Led by my Commanders, we had somehow gone through the same thing and while the Empire was asleep, we had shed our blood to keep its nights calm.


    So it was no surprise that the first to respond without hesitation were the soldiers who had seen my determination. In fact, it was not difficult to understand that after this war, my poprity rating had increased among the soldiers like that of Gaya and Kira. The warriors in front of me were proud, with their heads held high, their hands on their hearts, and despite the atmosphere of death that reigned, they still trusted me blindly.


    "U-US TOO, EMPRESS FREYA !"


    Only a few secondster it was all the rest of the citizens who cried out a bit haphazardly, their unwavering trust in me. I could see in their eyes that they were all sincere and despite the scene they had given me upon my arrival, at no point had that confidence really wavered. So I was ready to try what I had in mind, not being sure of anything but determined to do everything in my power.


    *Well, then it''s time to start*


    Elysium''s very first funeral was taking a turn that I would never have imagined a few hours ago, but my life was always full of surprises. The in was silent again, my wife, my little sister and my children too, so that I could concentrate. Maybe I was unaware of testing a simple theory at a time like this, but I had to try for those warriors who had died in battle.


    Closing my eyes, taking a deep breath, I gathered all the elements I had gathered in my mind once again. It was all based on a guess and a more than recent memory since it was my fight with Ka. When I had fought my big sister, one thing had struck me while I was busy destroying the ck walls in which she had locked me.


    *I had never thought about it before and I thought that I was subject to a norm even though mine was quite different in this world, but I was wrong. The only barrier, the only limit would be my imagination*


    As I faced Ka, the mana emanating from her magical attacks felt familiar despite my eyes closed and the pain that took my concentration. Not because they wereunched by someone I knew, but because I was familiar with these elements. Ice and Chaos were the first ones I had learned to master so I could easily sense that something was different about the way I used them.


    *Why didn''t I think of this earlier ? Since I awakened my demon side fully and got my memories back, I''m no longer subject to the rules of Titania''s system. The new one even has my name on it...so having Goddess blood I should be able to create new skills and even...mix them*


    The walls that my big sister created were made of the same elements as me and yet they were very different, why ? Simply because they were a creation mixing the two main elements she had at that moment. Coming from the same source of mana of which her body was the receptacle, she had been able to instinctively expand her possibilities as an ancient Goddess.


    My theory was that I myself was able to use several of my skills at once to create a new one or achieve a different result. So I had to concentrate on testing this idea that had sprung up so suddenly in my mind. Now that I had told Gaya and Kira about my idea, I couldn''t back out and no matter how long it took, I wanted to seed.


    *Focus. It''s impossible to bring back the dead but...but if I''m not mistaken, I could give these friends, these families what they deserve*


    The soldiers we were honoring on thiste afternoon were all gone for good and could not be brought back but the mana in their bodies was still present. This could only mean one thing, that somewhere their souls were still there even if it was only a tiny part. Luckily I had two skills that could control mana and souls to some extent so I had to try.


    My concentration was at a maximum, this was the first time I was going to try such a thing and although I had made a long list of potential risks, I also had to be careful. Everyone was silent as I pushed my concentration to the max while activating my skill "Detection and Control of Mana". My eyes were closed but I could see everything or at least feel everything.


    I could feel and see the surrounding mana, the mana that swirled in the bodies of people, insects, nts, every living organism, every thing. In short, I saw everything from a different angle, mana made of particles of light, fireflies in a vast world filled with darkness. As I had thought, there was still some mana left, very weak in the lifeless bodies lying on the ground disappearing little by little.


    *That''s it*


    Having confirmed my first theory wasn''t enough though, since I had to try to do what Ka did and use my second skill by linking it to the first. For that, I already had to visualize only the mana of the dead soldiers to be able to have a more powerful control over it. I didn''t know how long I had been concentrating but this was just the beginning and I would take the time it would take to seed.


    After a few minutes, with my eyes still closed, I was able to visualize only the light source of those I was targeting. I suddenly felt very exhausted but I wasn''t done yet, I had to move on. Now that I had a good overview, the hardest part was still toe of course. I had to use one of my skills that I had only used once since it appeared.


    *I don''t know what the limit of this skill is, or even the limits of my own system, but I''ll soon find out. If I am right...then my only limit is indeed my imagination...*


    Concentrating even more intensely again, I promptly activated my level 2 "Master of Souls" skill further. So far I had only used it to absorb living beings like June and May, whom I would soon release as Sins: Pride and Envy. But I had never attempted to extract a soul form from the mana of bodies that had been dead for several hours, because yes, that is what I wanted to do.


    [ MP : 67 000 / 85 000 ]


    Thinking very quickly, I came to the conclusion that there must be at least a small part of their soul left in their light essence. Although mana was present everywhere, it remained different in each individual, much like fingerprints. By linking "Master of Souls" and "Detection and Control of Mana" I wanted to be able to create like a representation of the souls of those who were close to their family.


    *By using their Mana, with the little soul they have left, I might be able to ease their pain. It''s not much and will probably onlyst a few seconds or minutes, but it''s the best I can offer them*


    I could control the ice, which consumed my MPs, but when I used the ambient mana I could move my creations without using my life energy. The n was to do the same thing with the mana of the bodies while extracting their souls in order to ce them in these creations so that they coulde to life somehow. It was not an easy task as I had to use my skills on hundreds of them at the same time.


    *If this works, will I be able to create an army of ice soldiers ?*


    Shaking my head to abandon any far-fetched ideas for the moment, I continued to suck up the soul particles present in the soldiers'' mana one by one. I didn''t really know what it looked like or how to do it, but as my MPs went down, I acted instinctively. As if sucked in by my Chaos element little by little, the two separated to leave only a mass of light and a gray veil.


    [ MP : 60 000 / 85 000 ]


    ______


    - PING -


    [ As a Master of Souls you have just extracted 478 half-souls from the mana of 478 lifeless receptacles ]


    _____


    *Half-souls ? Never mind, we''ll see about thatter*


    Joining hands to make it easier for me, I then set about creating a sphere of ice above each body made from their mana. One, then five, then ten, then fifty...one by one formed as I felt them perfectly without even seeing them. However, the more I created, the more I could feel my strength draining away, my own mana was being depleted as a spell of this magnitude was more than exhausting.


    *Arg...I didn''t think it would consume my MPs*


    [ MP: 43,000 / 85,000 ]


    "Onee-sa n! Y-Your nose is bleeding !"


    I could hear Kira''s voice in the distance but I was far too focused to care or even respond to her, immersed in my mental pce. I was feeling weaker and weaker...I needed strength, power, not just physical but mental. As I felt my legs shake and my chest burn, I took my demon form for the first time in front of all my citizens.


    [ MP : 36 000 / 85 000 ]


    When I took the form of Lucifer, my MPs still decreased but I felt moreplete, my blood boiled in my veins, my senses sharpened and a new powerful strength came over me. I was bing me as I felt a stirring in the crowd as I changed. I felt more confident, able to walk all over the world and that was what I needed to finish creating 478 ice spheres.


    [ MP : 30 000 / 85 000 ]


    Without waiting, as instinctively as at the beginning as I felt an icy air emanating from my own body, I proceeded to pour the half-soul I had just extracted into each ball. The sensation was incredible, I felt like I was one with them and as I manipted 478 half-souls mine seemed to bind to them. My mind was overwhelmed with what was more than four hundred vague and jumbled memories.


    [ MP: 23,000 / 85,000 ]


    ______


    - PING -


    [ Congrattions ! The host has unlocked a new soul skill : Reminiscence (lvl 1) ]


    [ Master of Souls (lvl 2) -> Master of Souls (lvl 3) ]


    [ Detection and Control of Mana (lvl 5) -> Detection and Control of Mana (lvl 6) ]


    ______


    I was almost out of mana but five minutester, out of breath, exhausted, at the end of my strength, I gave back what belonged to thest ice sphere. My body was heavy but it was nothingpared to the immense fatigue I felt and which made me want to faint on the spot. I didn''t know if it had worked but the system notification and my family''s voices confirmed it even as my eyes were closed.


    "Freya, did you...did you just do that ?!"


    "I-Incredible onee-san !"


    "M-Mommy¡­"


    ___<novelnext></novelnext>


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 163 000 / 170 000 MP : 20 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 1)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 221 Reminiscence

    -- POV General --


    On the great grassy in in front of the city of Elysium, a most incredible and unexpected spectacle was taking ce, courtesy of the Empress herself. During the Empire''s first funeral, seeing the distress of its citizens, Freya had allowed herself to try something brand new. With the help of her soul-rted skill and her mastery of mana in all its strengths, she had finally created a whole new skill.


    During the entire process, the Empress had had her eyes closed, concentrating to a point where even her current intelligence had struggled to keep up. It had all happened in her mental pce where she had visualized each step with perfect control of the amount of mana. It hadn''t been easy, in fact, it had been very exhausting both physically and mentally, but all her efforts had paid off in the end.


    Before the shocked eyes of every soldier and citizen, the bodies of the 478 warriors lying under the white sheets, had begun to glow intensely with a beautiful golden light. Then, as if traveling through all their limbs, it had stopped at the level of their heart beforeing out of their chest in the form of a sphere of ice. After the shock and iprehension, the people looked up at their Empress.


    Freya had stood there, motionless, breathtakingly calm as her wolf attributes disappeared, her hair turned red and a demonic, icy aura filled the in. These balls of ice were Freya''s work, and even if no one understood right away what she was doing, soon enough the warriors, the families, the citizens could see the result.


    "Freya, did...did you just do that ?!"


    "I-Incredible onee-san !"


    "M-Mommy..."


    The Empress'' demonstration of power was over and although her eyes were still closed, she could hear Gaya, Kira and Shiro eximing. She had used a huge amount of MPs and needed a few seconds but the power that emanated from the in was palpable. Freya didn''t know what her little experiment looked like yet but she felt with all her being that she had seeded.


    "Y-Your Highness..."


    "This is..."


    Gradually, after an imperial silence, the voices began to rise into the sky, one, then two, then ten, before hundreds of voices echoed. Cries of surprise, tears, heartbeats elerating, the smell of tears and an aura of joyful sadness floated in the air. All this the she-wolf heard, felt, lived it and so it was with curiosity that she finally opened her eyes.


    "Incredible..."


    It was now Freya''s own turn to be amazed at what she had just created with such determination. Everything was beyond her expectations and it wasn''t hard to understand how powerful the skill she had just created was. Reminiscence...like memories brought back to life for a few moments, an army of ice soldiers stood there, hand on heart


    "These are..."


    "A physical image of the fallen warriors yes..."


    The ice spheres formed from each body, once infused with the half-soul that belonged to it, had all taken on a form corresponding to its former host. Thus, the soldiers who had died a few hours ago had reappeared thanks to the enormous power the Empress held. There were beastmen, half-humans, and hybrids, and all of them stood by their loved ones for the veryst time.


    They were facing Empress Lucifer in her demon form showing immense gratitude for the one who had brought them back, even for a short time. However, the ice that formed them evaporated on contact with the air, a sign that the countdown had already begun. They were only memories, half-souls that had left the realm of the living...a reminiscence of the past that could not remain indefinitely.


    "J-Julia, it''s me !"


    "M-My son...you..."


    "My love, we are here ! Y-You recognize us ?"


    While the ice soldiers were still motionless like statues saluting the ruler while those around them were far from it. Their loved ones, past the shock, were rushing to engage in conversation, spurred on by this new event that some called divine. To see onest time those they had thought they would never see again, to be able to say a final goodbye...that was what Freya wanted to offer them.


    Shaking her head at the 478 brave men and women, as if she had just activated them by recognizing their movement of respect, they finally began to move. One by one they turned to their loved ones, each having a different reaction to those who hade to mourn them. Hugs, smiles, caresses, but no words came out of their mouths, no sounds, which confirmed what Freya had been thinking all along.


    This new skill called Reminiscence, although she did not know the full extent of its possibilities, was only one representation of the person. Nothing was real, and even if part of their soul was locked in the ice, the real people were gone. Their inability to speak was proof enough for the demoness who was now asking herself lots of questions in silence.


    Although their physical state and their soul were only linked for a short time, did they still have the same intelligence and strength as before ? What would happen if she decided to use souls that were still alive ? Not to mention whether she could have any control. Freya could not help but think of many things while her still unknown past remained in the corner of her mind.


    Lucifer Nightshade...an ancient Goddess but not just any Goddess since the two elements that made her powerful were none other than: Blood and Death. In her mind, Reminiscence was linked to the second one because although she couldn''t bring the dead back to life, it was very close. Shaking her head to clear her mind, the Empress looked up again to enjoy the moment of exception putting it all off.


    On the in, the soldiers still alive, the families, the friends...all without any exception were crying their eyes out, aware that this moment was ephemeral. Yet, what the Empress could hear was the sound of joyful hearts that despite the pain, felt like they were living a dream. The scene was warm, filled with a sweet mncholy as no one could ignore their bodies that were slowly dispersing.


    "How long do they have ?"


    "Probably five to ten minutes at most..."


    "That''s short...very short to say goodbye to someone precious..."


    The silence on the Imperial side of the family had been broken by Gaya and Kira who were watching the scene with a sad rather than happy look for a very good reason. The two women could not help but imagine themselves in the ce of those people and the beauty of this moment made the sadness more acute. The dragoness for having experienced this with her entire family felt even more understanding though slightly worried.


    "Freya, this is great but...this skill still looks dangerous"


    "Mmmh, I know."


    The Reminiscence skill was not physically dangerous at first nce since the Empress could control it to a certain degree. What Gaya meant by that was that it could affect people psychologically and eat away at their insides. To be able to say goodbye to those you love was a privilege, the Queen knew this better than anyone who had never been able to do so.


    Yet it was also very difficult to let them go, especially if magic could bring them back for even a few minutes. The mind and the heart were the source of many beautiful things likepassion, courage, love, and loyalty but also desire, greed or even...madness. This was Freya who knew better than anyone else having observed the same humans in two different lives.


    "I think I know how you did that, it''s only temporary and even if all the citizens begged you, you couldn''t do it again. It is a magical moment and I am happy that you have done this for our people despite the exhaustion that you try to hide. However, promise me one thing Freya..."


    "What is that ? I can..."


    The dragoness dressed in ck, carrying her two newborn children in each of her arms then raised her head revealing a serious face. At that moment, the Empress could not utter a single word, respectfully waiting for what her wife had to say. The Queen''s piercing amber eyes were locked in hers sending shivers down her spine as Gaya opened her mouth to continue.


    "Please Freya, promise me that you will not use this magic lightly or abuse it until you understand its full function. The most lost and fragile minds could be obsessed with such magic, but you already know that. I know you are responsible and would never do anything to harm us or the Empire but..."


    "..."


    "But when I think about what you just did...I feel like a ball in my stomach. This new skill is amazing like everything else you do, but it gives me the creeps. I...I have no exnation, I don''t know why it scares me so much it''s just my dragon intuition."


    The Queen''s fiery look at herst words had changed to a mncholy, distant look as Freya guessed she was thinking about the past. A soft sad smile was on her face a bit as if she was forcing herself to smile as the strength of her feelings was about to boil over. Not being able to bear to see her wife in this state, without even thinking the she-wolf approached closer to hug her without saying a word.


    While the hugs and goodbyes were still more fervent, at the entrance to the city, the Empress hugged a Queen in the grip of the demons of her past. However, a few secondster, the dragoness found her bright face, unable to forget that her family was with her. As Gaya wiped a small drop from the corner of her eye, Freya pulled away before replying with a rare soft voice.


    "You don''t know why this skill scares you so much, but you know you''re one of the people I trust the most. I promise. I promise to be careful and follow your rmendations."


    "T-Thank you Freya."


    "As you wish my Queen fufu~"


    While the she-wolf and the dragonessughed softly as if they were alone in their world, two small hands came and grabbed their clothes simultaneously. Shiro, who had been silent until now, had attracted their attention from the top of her one meter. Of course, as always, knowing this feeling she had felt her mother''s sadness and had rushed to ask in her own way if everything was alright.


    "M-Mom ? Are you sad ? Are you still thinking about grandpa and grandma ?"


    Since the little moon of the Empire had learned about Gaya''s past, she had decided to acknowledge her grandparents even without having known them. This had touched the dragoness immensely, who had her heart a little more soothed to know that they would not be forgotten. Shaking her head with a smile, the Queen would then answer her, followed by two new and rather unexpected callers.


    "Sweetheart~ I''m fine please don''t worry, that''s very sweet. I was indeed thinking about your grandfather and grandmother but my sadness was only temporary."


    "Gaaagahaha !!!"


    "Boooyahaha !!!"


    Tyle and Alta?s in the dragoness'' arms were shaking their little dragon wings while waving their little hands closed like fists. They had very big adorable smiles up to their ears and seemed to be talking even though no one could understand them. At that moment, the entire Imperial family present began to smile back, amused and under the spell of these two little creatures as bright as two stars.


    "I think these two living stuffed animals that are way too cute for my own good are trying to say something, but what ? Could it be anguage that only the cute beings of this earth know ? Shiro my little sugar niece, trante !"


    It was Kira''s turn toe out of nowhere, circling Gaya watching her two nephews carefully with a look ofplete wonder. She had one hand under her chin and couldn''t help but move right, left, up, down as if trying to figure out the secret of theirnguage. The little white-haired Princess would then startughing under her aunt''s antics before responding.


    "Hihihi~ Auntie, they speak baby that''s why you can''t understand. Besides, I can''t understand either, I haven''t been a baby for long !"


    Not knowing if she should sulk or feel proud, Shiro opted for both by taking her famous position that made her family melt. Putting her two fists on her hips, bulging her chest, she smiled not without sulking a little making her cheeks even chubbier than usual. The whole Imperial family wasughing, proving that the atmosphere was joyful again, while in the distance thest statues disappeared.


    The sky was a scarlet red as thest farewell was said thanks to the power of the Empress who had given them this moment. The first funeral of the Empire had ended as thest piece of ice had evaporated. Neither Freya nor Gaya knew if the demonstration of such skill would do any harm, but the salty smiles of their citizens were enough to ay their fears.


    One thing was certain, no one would forget that afternoon when rather than a speech the Imperial family had knelt and the lights of Elysium''s protective warriors had gone out under a zing sky.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade<novelnext></novelnext>


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 163 000 / 170 000 MP : 66 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 222 Before The Prisoners Show

    - POV Freya -


    Elysium''s very first funeral had gone well and had ended just as the sun had set, under the stars. After the show I had given them all, our entire family stayed to greet each and every person who had lost a loved one. Despite the sadness of the moment, the entire Empire had emerged greater after the determination to move forward and the bonds of all had been strengthened in the face of adversity.


    Night had fallen, but it was still rtively early, since it was time for dinner, although my duty as Empress was not yet over. Later that night, as Kira had suggested, the human prisoners would be taken to the coliseum for a very special interrogation. In the meantime, we wanted to enjoy a family dinner at the mansion although Angel and Ka still in the hospital could not join us.


    Gaya, Shiro, Kira, the twins and me, we were all in the garden installed on a table under the stars to eat our meal. As usual, my little moon didn''t leave her little brother and sister out of sight and Kira, while eating for ten, didn''t leave them out of sight. This calm and serene atmosphere was a real breath of fresh air after the war and before what was going to follow in the coliseum.


    The table where we were was filled with good food cooked by Irena, Na?a''s mother, which as usual looked like a real feast. There was grilled, roasted, whole meat and fish of all kinds raised in the Empire itself by elves and dryads. There were eggs, soup, sds, fruit, pies, cakes and even some excellent wine produced by a store in the city.


    *Thank goodness I sent food from the manor to everyone at the funeral, everyone should have a feast after what happened*


    Under my orders, Lia and Triss had arranged with the cooks of the manor to send all the families a piece of meat, vegetables and some fruits. Even the soldiers in the barracks were having a big feast prepared by the cooks there. So I knew that we were not the only ones who were eating like kings, and this somehow made me appreciate my own meal evn more.


    "Honey ? You look pensive, how about a taste of Elysium''s first wine ?"


    As I was thinking about this, a soft and warm voice called out to me from my right, bringing me out of my thoughts immediately. My beautiful Gaya was smiling radiantly at me as she handed me a stemmed ss beautifully and intricately carved by none other than the dwarves. She was right, we were in the middle of the meal and yet we had not yet tasted the red wine that had been presented to us at the beginning.


    "You''re right, this sounds like a great idea to go with my roast"


    "Your Highness..."


    I didn''t have time to make a sign that Lia and a maid were already behind me and my wife with a bottle to serve us. Without a word, I watched them pour the red liquid into our sses, which reminded me more and more of blood. Shaking my head to get the idea out of my mind, I brought the ss to my lips a few minutester to take a first sip.


    *Wow ! That''s...*


    "Delicious !"


    The word had slipped out of my mouth without me realizing it, pleasantly surprised by the exceptional and unexpected taste of this wine. It had been a while since I had tasted one and the one that had just been served to me tasted like a sweet nectar. Very fresh and bnced, this wine left a divine sweetness in the mouth blending with a light refreshing acidity appearing after each sip.


    "Indeed Honey~ This wine has a very good bnce of its vors and acid, sweet and bitter aromas which exins its perfect harmony and surprising quality."


    Just as I was about to borate on what I was thinking, my wife suddenly said out loud what I was thinking, she was so precise in her words that she left me speechless for several seconds. Not only had Gaya said what I was thinking, but she also demonstrated a knowledge of wine that I didn''t know.


    "W-Wow Gaya, I''m surprised you can take the words out of my mouth with such precision, plus you seem to know your stuff, my love fufu~ I must admit I''m surprised."


    "Well...there''s a lot you have yet to find out about me your highness, after all...I''m a dragoness still hiding some mysteries haha~"


    "Then with pleasure~"


    I couldn''t take my eyes off hers as my wife looked at me with an intensity that made me shiver. Her vibrant amber eyes were glistening and the wine she had just drunk made her lips even redder than before. As I smiled slightly in turn, a hand came to take my ss before its owner drank its entire contents before giving ament...much lessplete.


    "Yeah very good, but it''s just sweet huh"


    Kira had indeed taken my ss to taste it without asking even if I was not very surprised by this gesture totally corresponding to my little sister. She had drunk it straight and it didn''t take very long for her nose to turn slightly red despite the sweetness of the alcohol. Sighing, I turned to Gaya who was giggling softly at my side when suddenly the little voice of our Shiro was heard.


    "Can I have a taste too ?"


    "Well, sure of c-..."


    "KIRA !"


    As Gaya and I looked at each other amused by our daughter''s question, we instinctively called out my little sister''s name in unison after her answer. We didn''t know if she was kidding, but we didn''t want to wait to warn her not to go there. Kira''s three silver tails had lowered instantly after a flinch, before she turned back to her niece in embarrassment.


    "I-I meant, of course not my little Shiro...ahem...it''s for adults and you have to be much older than 6 if you want to taste. Physically of course, considering your mommy''s real age isn''t even a year old and then the other one''s must be at least two-hundred years old."


    "..."


    An awkward silence suddenly settled over the garden and the imperial table as I suddenly realized that I wasn''t sure if I had told Shiro. One thing was for sure, she didn''t know about Gaya''s age and I knew that it seemed to be a rather sensitive subject. Then, while no one dared to say anything, our little moon turned her head towards Kira before closing her eyes and giving her her most beautiful, big and radiant smile.


    "I already knew that Auntie Kira hihihi~"


    "Eh ?"


    "You know, I learned to count in school and Mommy told me her story so I know it''s been almost a year since she was here but not totally. Also...Mom Gaya is an old dragon who stays young so it''s normal if she''s older."


    Shiro had the index finger of her left hand raised and was nodding at every thing she said as if she was teaching something to a speechless Kira. Lia and Triss right behind her were trying to hold back theirughter at this scene but the one who was funniest was my wife. Gaya had just heard her own daughter call her an "old dragon" and opened her mouth to say something before shutting it, unable to refute, preferring to sulk in silence.


    "Pfffpfff~ I...HAHAHAHA~"<novelnext></novelnext>


    For the first time I couldn''t hold back myughter at this incredible sight that I never thought I would see. My wife, the Queen of the Empire and Mother of Dragons was sulking at the words of our cute little moon. My belly and cheeks hurt fromughing so hard and even though I was more sensitive from fatigue and tension, I couldn''t take it anymore.


    "HAHAHAHA~ You...PFFFPFFF~ I...I...hahaha~ Ahem ! I didn''t know you could be as cute as our beloved little girl, indeed still many things I have yet to discover about you fufufufu~"


    In the face of all this, I couldn''t help but tease her a little more as I tried to catch my breath while the staff looked on in amazement. They had never heard meugh like this before and I understood how unbelievable it sounded to them. As I calmed down, Gaya turned to Shiro with a big smile that was more tense than warm as I could almost see her temples pulsing.


    "S-Shiro, sweetheart~ please don''t use the term "old dragon" anymore, okay ? You wouldn''t want Mom to feel old, would you ? ha.ha.ha.ha"


    "Y-Yeah but, if...if you''re over two-hundred years old that even makes you a super duper old dragon, right ?"


    "COUGH COUGH COUGH !!!"


    By the time my Queen had finished exining to Shiro while trying her best not to stay calm, our daughter was finishing her off innocently. Instead of "old dragon" she used "super duper old dragon" which instantly made my wife pale. Kira, who was not expecting such a response, spat out the water she was drinking and choked while myughter started again.


    "HAHAHAHAHAHA~"


    As if my wife had been suddenly hit with an arrow through the heart she became silent and I could almost see her soul escaping from her mouth. Gaya, the great Dragon Queen had been inadvertently defeated by a little white-haired girl and it was hrious. As I struggled to breathe once again, I suddenly felt a heel digging into my shin under the table.


    Raising my head with a tear in my eye, I met my wife''s murderous gaze, which also seemed to have little tears in its wrinkled eyes with frowns. She was pouting like a sweet little girl and despite my desire to keep seeing her like this, I had to stopughing. I knew perfectly well that if I didn''t stop, she was going to make me regret it one way or another and I didn''t want to regret anything.


    "Ahem...Shiro my little moon~"


    "Yesh Mommy~? Yummy~"


    Our little princess was absolutely too cute for my sanity, eating a chookie while swinging her legs that were dangling from arge chair. Her fluffly ears and tail were wagging with happiness as chocte was on the corner of her mouth. Her big, sparkling purple eyes waited eagerly for what I had to say as she chewed eagerly, much like a little hamster.


    "Your mom is not hmm...is not a super duper old dragon haha~ ahem. She has indeed lived longer than us but for her race, she must just be older than me. So don''t say that, okay ? You might offend your mom."


    "..."


    At my words, Shiro turned her head towards Gaya before tilting in a very cute and innocent way her white head on the right side. She was about to give a chookie to Kira but she had stopped in her gesture to the great displeasure of her aunt whose eyes seemed to shout "and me you forgot me ?". Then,pletely withdrawing the chookie, my little moon was hurrying to get down from her chair despite the difficulty.


    *So cute...*


    Shiro seemed to be descending a cliff as she turned around to lean on her arms and reach out with her tiptoes to try to reach the ground. Once the proof step waspleted, she would get back on her tiptoes to grab the chookie and the ss of milk she had left on the tablecloth. Once in hand, the little princess would trot around the table towards Gaya with a big smile, still without saying a word.


    Kira still had her face closed, ears and tails down as the gift her niece was about to give her just passed her by. Chuckling slightly, I could see Shiro walk by me without even looking at me, staring at the dragoness with determination. However, as she passed behind my back, a stone b that stood out more than the others met her left foot causing her to topple over.


    "NO !!"


    Without waiting for a second, I ignored what Shiro had in her hands to catch her before her face touched the cold garden floor. At the same time, Gaya was also getting up at the second before catching the chookie in her right hand and the ss full of milk in her left hand. More fear than harm, our little girl was indeed clumsy but as long as we were there for her, everything would be fine.


    "WOOOOW~! T-Thank you..."


    "wooohoooo~"


    "woooooow~"


    The little princess of the Empire had raved about my speed and my wife''s reflexes before thanking us with eyes shining with admiration. Following their big sister''s example, Tyle and Alta?s, sitting on special seats next to us, started to p their little hands together. They were smiling like babies and evenughing as if they were bothughing at us.


    "Well~ It looks like our show made these twough pfff~"


    "Umu, indeed haha~"


    "Titi, Ati ! Did I make youugh ?? Is it true ?? hihihi~ I''m a good big sister then, right ? You both are so cute ! Hihihi~"


    Shiro''s little cheeks had be all rosy and an even brighter smile had appeared on her sweet princess face. Seeing her little brother and sisterughing because of her was one of the greatest gifts in her opinion...being able to make people happy. Her sincere and lovingughter was mixed with that of our other two children.


    Everyone in the garden who could hear them had stopped at the breathtakingly cute and pure scene. Kira even seemed to pass out as her nose bled and Gaya had forgotten all about the "super duper old dragon" to my relief. Our three children were some of the most beautiful things that had ever happened to me and it was to preserve moments like that that I fought.


    *There are two people missing but...I''ll do anything to make sure those smiles never disappear from those faces. Yes, I swear. That''s why once again I have to get my hands dirty tonight and get this whole thing straight with the Kingdom of Zal...*


    In a few hours, I was going to go to the Empire coliseum, which had never been used since it was built a few months ago. I was going to be a very different person than the smiling,ughing mother I used to be in front of my children to protect them. Once again, I would take on my role as the ruthless Ice Empress to find out why these humans were so desperate to find my daughter.


    Like a red show in the moonlight and under the starry sky, the whole night was going to be bloody and merciless for those who had dared to attack what I had built and those I cherished most in the world.


    *Blood must have blood*

 Chapter 223 The Imperial Couple

    - POV Freya -


    "Come in !"


    As I sat in my Imperial office on the floor just below the one where my family''s private quarters were, someone knocked on the door. It was almost midnight, the Empire was asleep but I was still working, preparing for what was toe. Sinking into my seat, I watched the door open to see a beautiful woman with crimson hair and amber eyes enter...my wife.


    "It''s me~"


    "Hey~ So, how did the little ones go to bed ?"


    Gaya had stepped out of her beautiful ck dress and opted for a set of clothes that she rarely wore, but that fit her divinely. She had on simple ck pants that fit her shape, a simple white shirt and a burgundy jacket that brought out the color of her hair. My Queen was her usual radiant self as she closed the door while giving me news of our wonderful children.


    "Shiro fell asleep very quickly after eating well andughing during the meal. I told her that tomorrow we could visit Angel and she could meet her other aunt for the first time which motivated her to fall asleep faster. As for the twins, they are also sleeping tight exceptionally in our room with Shiro under Triss'' supervision."


    Gaya always had that innocent little smile that cracked me up when she mentioned our kids and seeing it gave me courage. I was way too worried about what was going to happen, too many things wereing to mind but seeing my wife calmed me down. Nodding my head at what she had just told me, I watched her walk the few feet between us before she stopped in front of my desk.


    "Freya, are you still thinking about tonight''s executions ? You''re all tense and nervous...I can feel it"


    "Of course I am, this time it''s no ordinary executions since we have to get as much information about Zal as possible. And then I need to learn more about the powers that run this world or we''ll never be able to fight on equal terms. There are things that are not right, I feel like a ck cloud is hovering over me and I don''t like it at all..."


    We had certainly won the war against the humans which gave us a little more time, but unfortunately our fight was just beginning. Not only did I have to protect my Empire from direct and external threats, but I also had to investigate my past. This left me with two objectives, one in the medium term concerning the humans, and one in the longer term concerning the Gods and Goddesses.


    "Arg ! I''ve only just returned from a month-long exploration trip and then a war, but I must already think about the future and not cken. And then this strange Supreme who is mysteriously after our daughter and little Angel, I can''t even tell you why and it makes me so angry ! Besides their name I don''t know anything about this individual and I don''t even know who our enemies are"


    Just the idea that someone I didn''t even know was after my daughter, after my family, was enough to send me into a tizzy. Imagining this individual nning to kidnap our little one and maybe even worse when I thought about the state of Gaya''s little brother. As I clenched my fists in frustration and anger, the air around me became colder without much surprise as evidence of my anger.


    *Who exactly are we fighting and why ? I only know what Titania wanted to tell me about this world but what about its politics ? What are the dominant powers and countries ? Is there a ce in this world where humans ept to live together with other races ?*


    Among the prisoners, there was also Jade whom I had not forgotten and against whom I had fought during the war before I captured her intrigued by her secrets. Better known to humans as Erina Velfury, Knight Mage of the Kingdom of Zal, Jade Wolfury was actually a vampire posing as a human. To be honest, I didn''t lump her in with the King, Leto and Myles who were also prisoners.


    I had no intention of torturing her any more than I already had during our fight because I was honestly intrigued by her story and her choices. Something inside me told me that what she had to say was rted to something important that I couldn''t miss, it was crazy but it was a hunch. Besides, Jade hadn''t shown any interest in killing my soldiers on behalf of the humans and I respected that.


    *But all this still raises many questions...*.


    Just thinking about it made my head hurt, but that didn''t mean I was going to give up, I had to be brave for the future. No matter how hard or exhausting it was, if I wasn''t strong now, when would I be ? While I was lost in my thoughts, my wife who had been silent until then approached my seat before hugging me tenderly.


    *Wh...*


    It was sudden and unexpected but this one gesture was enough to remove this huge weight from my heart and soothe my much too wild thoughts. Gaya had her arms wrapped around my head, which was immersed between her breasts, while her hand caressed my hair. She smelled good, her skin was soft and warm, her smell intoxicating and the steady beat of her heart calmed me.


    "Freya, you''re still making that face you get when you''re concerned and want to sort everything out by yourself even if you have to exhaust yourself. You too need to rest even if you are the Empress and never hesitate to tell me if something is bothering you. Sigh...you can be so stubborn sometimes !"


    Her soft and warm voice was soothing and the caresses my Queen was making on my head almost seemed to be able to put me to sleep. Like Shiro I could feel my ears and wolf tail wagging uncontrobly and I knew Gaya was enjoying this moment of rare vulnerability. But I didn''t want to let her win so with a simple arm movement I grabbed her by the waist before pulling her down and sitting her on myp.


    "Wh...AH !"


    "I may be stubborn but how I love you !"


    Without giving her time to respond or even blush, I leaned in to kiss her luscious pink lips that almost invited me in. We were all alone in my office, the kids weren''t there and I still had a few minutes left before I had to leave. I felt my wife''s embrace getting stronger and stronger as the seconds passed and I felt her instinctively jiggle in myp.


    Our tongues intertwined with sensuality, like soft caresses while the heat of our bodies rose in unison. Every second that passed made me lose my mind as I told myself that I could never get tired of kissing my wife. She was delicious, her lips, her tongue, her smell, her body, everything about her thrilled me and could easily awaken my most primal instincts.


    I kissed her again and again without being able to stop myself as if she was a drug for me, the only one I needed in thisplicated world. The more the seconds passed, the more our kiss intensified and the more my hands began to act on their own. I held Gaya closer to me, caressing her back, her hips while she on her side started to moan unconsciously into my mouth with each touch.


    *I...I need to calm down !*


    The tension and stress I had been feeling for a few hours now had found a wonderful way to calm down but unfortunately this was not the time. The urge to undress my wife and make love to her on the desk was intense, almost uncontroble and yet I had to control myself. Slowly moving away from Gaya with a disappointed face, I looked into her eyes as she spoke breathlessly.


    "W-Wow, would her Highness still want more children ? Haha~"


    I hadn''t even finished catching my breath that the words she spoke were enough to make me abandon the resolution I had made a few seconds ago. Without answering, very quickly I stood up, grabbing her ass to lift her up andy her on the desk of my office. My wife was panting and shaking with anticipation as I let my finger run along her lips, neck and breasts as I answered.


    "What about her Majesty...does she want more ?"


    "I-..."


    She was beautiful, blushing like the first day despite all we''d been through together so far, and that was one of the things I loved about her. Despite her confidence, her Imperial Queen presence, she was still this shy and sweet woman I had fallen in love with and for whom I would do anything. My better half, my soul mate, my wife, the love of my life, the mother of my children and the Queen who ruled my heart.


    "Gaya...I love you...fuck I love you so much"


    "I-...Freya..."


    I had just caught her off guard with my sweet words that I couldn''t help but utter as I looked at her blushing face. Her beautiful amber eyes were shining brightly, I could hear her heart racing and see her body shaking. After all I had been through in my previous lives, Gaya was my one and only redemption and my love for her was so great it drove me crazy.


    "I love you too Freya"


    "I know my love~"


    My dragoness had spoken these words with all the love she had for me, I could feel it and it warmed my soul which now could not do without her. We were once again lost in our world, sharing this love that deep down we had always dreamed of living. Just as I was about to kiss her again, a voice was heard behind the door preceded by three light knocks.


    "Your Highness, the Commanders have arrived and are waiting for you in the hall of the mansion !"


    Lia''s voice came to cut me off which was a good thing even if my wife and I were somewhat disappointed. Yes, my duty as Empress and Inquisitor was calling me and we knew it so it was with spite that I stood up. Gaya also stood up before ordering her hair and clothes to look presentable. Thus ended this sweet exciting moment that I had to admit I had done good.


    "Alright, I''ming !"


    It was now time to join the Commanders who were waiting for me so that we could go to the Colosseum where the soldiers and prisoners were waiting. The hour of judgment hade and unlike earlier I was feeling extremely well thanks to the one who was standing in front of me. Bending down once more, I kissed Gaya''s forehead before smiling tenderly and saying a few words to reassure her


    "I won''t be long, my love...normally"


    Again, this side of me that I had only discovered through my love for her, surprised me especially when I thought of the contrast. Sweet and loving with my family, fair and imperial with my people, monstrous and ruthless with my enemies. As I chuckled lightly as I headed for the door, I was suddenly stopped by Gaya who had grabbed the sleeve of my jacket.


    "What are you talking about "I won''t be long" ? Freya, I''ming with you ! I don''t know what''s going through your head but I am the Queen of the Elysium Empire, I hope you haven''t forgotten that. I''ve been sidelined enough because of my pregnancy, but that''s not the case anymore. I will assume my role as a wife and as a leader by your side !"


    These words left me speechless as the dragoness'' gaze had suddenly changed to be more than serious. The same gleam I had seen when she gave her speech to our soldiers shone with a frightening intensity. Her voice was no longer shy and trembling, but firm and authoritative in a way I knew well. When Gaya spoke like that, I had better not contradict her, Empress or not.


    "You...you''re right Gaya, we have to do this together."


    Holding out my hand with a smile, I could see her face soften as she took it with a rather cute sigh of relief. The next moment, the atmosphere in the Imperial office changedpletely, heavy as it was invaded by the two most powerful auras in the Empire. The night was going to be bloody and this time the Ice Empress would not be the only one to speak her anger and pronounce her inquisitive judgment.


    She would not be alone, for for the first time her wife, my wife, would be by my side and together we would protect what was dear to us. I didn''t know it yet, but if my people called me "The Ice Empress" after that night, they would call their Queen "The zing Dragoness". Meanwhile, it was with determination that we walked out of the office, more confident and strong than ever since we were together.


    "Let''s go !"


    "Yes !"


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult<novelnext></novelnext>


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 224 Prisoners

    - POV General -


    In the Empire of Elysium, in the north of the city, there was the Empress'' mansion, the hospital, the soldiers'' barracks where warriors without families or wishing to stay lived. There was also another building that had never been used until now: the coliseum, which also served as a prison. It was arge structure of grey and ck stone, round in shape, with tiers surrounding arge space reminiscent of a theater stage.


    Connected to this coliseum, there was another smaller and much less imposing building that went deep underground for very specific reasons. It was the prison of Elysium, guarded by soldiers in turn, which had been built to prevent any escape. There were currently only twenty individual cells and fiverger ones to hold several people, but that did not make the prison any less imprable.


    In fact, although it was quite small, its walls were three meters thick, and as solid as a fortress. Only two entrances had been built, a small one giving directly on the coliseum and a much more imposing one giving on the street. Once inside, apart from the two doors and the guards'' room, a single staircase spiraled down into the depths of the earth.


    Lit only by mana stones and candles, it led to the cells below, which were divided into five areas separated by bars and grills. Four of the zones were made up of five individual cells, thest zone being thergest and obviously reserved for the five collective cells. Myles, Leto, Jade and the King were held in one of these at the back of the prison.


    Chained like animals in a dark ce lit only by a few candles, unable to see the sky or feel the cool breeze. The former Chief of Pdins Saint Leto had both arms cut off at the elbows and the former Captain of Knights Sir Myles had his legs cut off. Theophctus, the King of the Kingdom of Zal, had been unconscious since the war after suffering Freya''s "Death Gaze" skill.


    The only one awake was Jade Wolfury, who was in the corner of the cell waiting patiently for someone toe along in the quietest of moods. Her vampire attributes had disappeared and her human appearance had returned even though hiding her true race was no longer really important. The young woman with red hair and green eyes, knew that the Empress did not feel the urge to kill her, especially after their discussion.


    During their fight, she had suffered a broken leg and several broken ribs, but had been quickly healed by the Empire''s skilled doctors under Freya''s orders. Jade was not panicked at all, especially since she too was intrigued by the powerful young woman she had fought. She wanted to know more and was ready as she had said to tell her story especially if this mysterious Empress could help her.


    "Mmmh that..."


    Suddenly, while the young vampire was deep in thought, Leto was finally showing signs of waking up after more than a day. Like Jade and Myles, he had been healed so that he would not bleed to death before that night that all the soldiers were looking forward to. The former Pdin then opened his eyes gradually bing aware of where he was before suddenly realizing that he had no arms.


    "AAAAAAAAH !!! M-MY ARMS, N-NO!!"


    Without even wondering where he was, the man straightened up livid, a frightened expression on his face caught in an incredible, uncontroble panic. He was gasping for breath, unable to even breathe as he tried to speak without sess. No sound came out of his mouth as Leto pped around like a fish out of water, making an incredible noise that echoed and bounced off the thick walls.


    The sound of chains being dragged across the floor was loud, the iron bracelets on his ankles hitting the cold stone making macabre music. In his agitation, Myles who was lying next to him was also beginning to regain consciousness, the din was too loud to ignore. As for Leto, he hadn''t even noticed that he wasn''t alone, far too busy panicking and choking himself pathetically.


    "Mmmh aaarg my head...that..."


    Then exactly like his ally at his side, it was Myles'' turn to notice that he had been deprived of his legs, cut off at the knees. Thus, exactly the same process of panic took him, making two men fidgeting in all directions in a wet cell. Jade still in a corner in the shadows was watching the scene, rolling her eyes, already exhausted by the situation she found ridiculous.


    "M-MY ARMS ! WHO...WHERE...AAAAAAH !!!"


    "MY L-LEGS !!! I...WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON ??"


    After a few minutes of iling around like two crippled insects on the floor, they were finally able to utter a few words still in shock screaming like pigs in a ughterhouse. However, they also realized that they were not alone and suddenly turned to each other. Even though the cell was dark, the two men at a nce recognized each other, aided by the other''s voice.


    "S-Sir Myles ? What...what are you doing here ?"


    "S-Sir Leto ? I-I thought...OH YES THE WAR !!!"


    Like a sh, the Knight suddenly remembered what had happened before he found himself in this unfamiliar and agonizing ce. The journey they had taken to the Dark Forest, the King, the Princess, the war, and most of all, those two scary beings they had faced. Along with these memories, an intense fear gripped him as Myles finally realized that they were being held captive.


    "T-The...the demon, it''s her fault !"


    "A-And that filthy dragoness...they got us. Oh merciful Gods who watch over us, please hear my prayers and save us from these monsters."


    Hopefully, Leto had no arms left but raised what was left of them to the ceiling where no stars or moonlight could reach him. He too remembered what he had endured against Gaya and wanted anything but to be near her,pletely scared to death. All his limbs were shaking, the Pdin was also pale and continued his totally unreasonable actions before a voice this time female stopped him.


    "No God is going to save you from this situation, what are you waiting for ? For a divine light toe and destroy the walls, give you back your arms and teleport you to Zal ? Pffhahahaha~"


    Unable to remain silent any longer in the face of this totally ridiculous scene and very much like the humans of this world, Jade had finally spoken. She had fought in their camp, for reasons still unknown to Freya, but the young vampire did not appreciate them. Her view of them was not unlike that of the Empress, and she would soon make it known.


    "You humans are always dering wars here and there, iming superiority and strength, but when ites to dealing with the consequences of your actions, you whine and pray to your Gods. If you''re here in the first ce it''s because you underestimated your enemy just like I did, so now shut up. Jeez..."


    Squinting to see who had spoken, once their eyes had be a little more ustomed to the darkness, Myles and Leto finally recognized the Mage Knight. Jade Wolfury was sitting cross-legged in the corner, her eyes closed with a calmness that the two men did not understand. Also, for the first time she had addressed two of her supposed superiors with a condescending tone they had never heard before.


    "L-Lady Erina ??"


    "Y-Yes it is, it''s her !"


    Far too panicked by the situation to pick up on her tone, Leto and Myles were rather shocked to find the most powerful of their warriors locked up with them. Still not knowing her real name and far from knowing her race, they couldn''t understand how she had ended up here. The two had far too many questions but before they could say anything, Jade nodded.


    She had pointed to another corner of the cell without saying a word, causing them to look in the same direction out of natural curiosity. At that moment, the final blow was dealt to them as they realized who was curled up on the cold, wet floor. The King, stripped of his gleaming armor, dressed in a dirty shirt and shorts, was shivering there, seemingly immersed in a nightmare that kept repeating itself.


    "HIS MAJESTY THE KING !!!"


    "OH MY GOD !!!"


    The King of Zal was unrecognizable, no longer royal, no longer great, and more than a ruler he looked like an old man waiting to die. He had no wounds, nothing to show that he had fought and yet he was the worst. While physically he was fine, mentally it was not at all the same, Theophctus still well under the sway of Freya''s fearsome skill.


    "What the fuck happened to him ?!?!"


    "I have no idea and right now I don''t really care."


    Jade had shrugged showing very little interest in Theophctus as the two men in the other corner of the cell looked on in shock. As a Knight, Myles was the most concerned about the King''s condition but even Leto who had the Supreme as his leader could not believe his ears. However he didn''t have time to protest as the one beside him did, outraged and disgusted by the words the young woman had spoken.


    "H-How can you be so insensitive to the condition of your own sovereign ? You may be a Mage Knight and we may be imprisoned here, but don''t forget who you pledged allegiance to ! You should be ashamed..."


    "Ashamed ? Hahahaha~ This is the best one. Open your eyes a little, no matter what condition the King is in we are locked up here and what awaits him is undoubtedly death, whether he is healthy or not. You should be more concerned about your own fate."


    Jade was quite right to say that because no matter what they said, they were all in this ce waiting helplessly for what would happen next. As much as they remembered the Demon Wolf Empress and the Dragoness Queen, they seemed to forget the most important thing. The roles had been reversed long ago, and the powerful ruler who held them captive must have been anything but taken lightly.


    As if they finally realized what position they were in after the young woman''s words, Myles and Leto began to tremble more than before. Yes, the King was in a rather worrying state, but how to forget that their lives were now hanging by a thread. What was going to happen to them ? How long were they there ? But mostly at this moment they were wondering how to survive.


    ? "W-We''re going to die...for sure...this is the end...BUT I DON''T WANT TO !"


    "BECAUSE YOU THINK I DO ? N-No stop, we...we have to calm down and think or else...or else it''s over for us. M-Maybe we can negotiate with this demon...forgive me your Excellency but...I''m ready to make a pact with the Devil herself to live"


    At his words, the young woman who had more of a disinterested look than a panicked one straightened up with a disgusted look this time for the forearmless Pdin. He had just destroyed the little sympathy she still had for him while he had, without knowing it, confirmed how rotten he was. Jade''s emerald eyes had be a little brighter with anger as she did her best not to explode because it wouldn''t change anything.


    "Hypocrite !"


    "WHAT DID YOU SAY ?"


    "I said hy.po.cri.te, did you hear me this time ? Damn, you humans take life so easily in the name of your beliefs that you''re actually willing to give up when it suits you. What fucking hypocrisy, tch !"


    To this hidden vampire, this behavior was sickening, and while she didn''t share the humans'' point of view, she had respected their loyalty. Yet that was no longer the case at all and she wished only one thing, that Leto would regret every word he said. Just as the Pdin was about to answer, a voice came out of nowhere from outside the cell, startling the three individuals.


    "Good point for Miss Bloodsucker right over there~"


    "Wha..."


    It was a rather mocking voice, far from cold and even rather friendly but it was not to be trusted as after all, they were prisoners. Quickly turning their heads to the outside of the cell, Myles, Leto and Jade could see in the darkness two violet eyes. They were squinting, a sign that their owner was smiling, but the two men were far from being able to notice it, too busy instinctively moving away.


    "Those eyes...T-T-T-THE DEMON !"


    While Sir Myles still traumatized from his fight with the Empress had spoken, the person who had arrived in a hush stepped into the light. She was a young woman with silver hair the same color as her ears and three fox tails. Her face bore a mischievous smile while in her right hand she held a huge scythe...this young woman was none other than Kira Nightshade.


    "How kind but no I am not t-t-t-the demon, you are confusing me with my big sister pfffpfff~"


    "B-Big sister ? W-Why are you here ? I..."


    Approaching the bars of the cell, the Fox Princess pulled out a silver-colored key from behind her back before shaking it right under their noses. Kira may have looked young, beautiful and cute, but appearances were not to be trusted as she gave off a strong aura. Sticking her forehead against one of the bars, her smile disappeared as quickly as it had appeared while she answered Saint Leto with a scary tone.


    "I am her to take you away, it''s time for the Empire''s very first theatrical performance ! And you...you are the protagonists of this y~"


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade<novelnext></novelnext>


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 225 Let The Bloody Play Begin~

    - POV Jade -


    A young fox woman with a demon horn on her forehead had suddenly appeared in front of our cell while Sir Myles, Saint Leto and I were talking. Neither man had heard her arrive, and I was also very surprised that I had noticed absolutely nothing. She was different from the Empress I had met during the war, but for some reason, though different, the young woman reminded me of her.


    I didn''t know her name or her rtionship to the one who had imprisoned us here but it was easy to guess that they were close. The three-tailed vixen gave off a less powerful aura than mine, but for some reason my instinct was to be wary. Her face may have been smiling, but her eyes did not deceive and hid the soul of a warrior that should not be taken lightly.


    "It''s this way, follow me nicely and you won''t have any problems...at least not in addition to those already waiting for you pffhahaha~"


    The young silver-haired woman was guiding us into the prison after leading us out, apanied by four imposing and hostile soldiers. There were two minotaurs dragging the King and two swamp orcs that I had only seen in books so far who were looking after Myles and Leto unable to move. They were terrified, especially since these four soldiers were looking at us with a palpable hatred that could strike us down.


    *After what happened, it''s understandable. But why am I the only one walking without a guard watching my every move ? I have no desire to run away, but still...*


    I was right behind the young woman with the scythe, the soldiers and my former allies, leading the way as we made our way up the spiral staircase. Around my wrists and ankles heavy chains that seemed to be able to absorb my mana limited my movements. However, I was not as closely guarded as Myles, Leto, or the King, although he was still unconscious.


    Our walk seemed endless, the stairs were huge, long and the chains I was wearing were also very heavy. The silence was heavy, only the sound of footsteps and the few moans of the Pdin and the Knight echoed against the cold stone. Then, after many long minutes we finally arrived at the end of the climb in a room that was undoubtedly used as a room for the guard soldiers.


    "Follow them and let''s hurry, don''t miss the joy train~!"


    The soldiers in the room were bowing to the fox woman which led me to believe that she was probably a General in the army or something close to it. She had indicated a door that led to a long hallway where a light and a crowd noise could be heard. We didn''t know what to expect, but having no choice, we followed the guards down the hallway.


    "Hop hop not that way ! You, follow me~"


    As I was about to go through the door, the young woman with the three tails who was waiting next door grabbed me by the cor of my shirt to stop me. With a nod of her head she pointed to a corner of the room where a smaller staircase went up to who knows where. Why shouldn''t I follow the others ? I didn''t know, but without a word I followed her as a soldier closed the gap, preventing me from retreating.


    *What-...*


    The ascent this time was very fast since in only one minute we passed the stairs to arrive in an unexpected ce. A strong light came to attack my eyes which were used to the half-light for some time now. After a few seconds, the first thing I noticed was that I was on a kind of tform built above a gigantic arena.


    The light that had blinded me was none other than the one produced by the numerous giant braziers that went around this great coliseum, lighting up as if in broad daylight. The second thing that shocked me was the origin of the crowd noise that I had heard earlier just beyond the corridor. Thousands of soldiers of all races were sitting on the bleachers in a circle, patiently waiting for something to happen in the arena.


    "Here we are atst, I''ve made as fast as possible, onee-san !"


    *O-Onee-san ?*


    While I was shocked by my surroundings, I had forgotten about the tform I was standing on, which itself was not devoid of people. The fox''s voice came from further away and as I looked up I could see them, they were all there. The ones who had yed a more than major role in the war, the women who had stood up to a huge army of humans. There were the ten young women who had worn during the battle a helmet representing the face of different demons, the dragoness and finally...Empress Freya.


    "Long time no see, Jade~"


    The young woman I had fought stood there at the top of the steps, sitting on a throne made of ice facing the arena that was just below the tform. She was different from thest time since this time I was not meeting her as a warrior but really as an Empress. Freya was wearing very elegant ck clothes embroidered with golden threads, consisting of pants, a shirt and a jacket.


    On her shoulders was a big ck cloak with a thick and beautiful fur cor, giving her a sovereign look. Even her boots and gloves were the same color as her hair and only her glittering ice crown was different. To her left on another throne, the dragon woman I had seen was there too, dressed exactly the same with a tiara of ice adorned with fiery red stone.


    *Another Empress ? Her mother ? No...maybe her older sister, or maybe...*


    "Sit down instead of staring at my Queen."


    While I couldn''t help but wonder about her identity, Empress Freya''s voice suddenly rang out to give me an order. The young fox woman who had brought me here would take her ce on an empty throne to her right while the ten women behind bowed. I was lost, I didn''t know the hierarchy of this Empire and as I was about to respond, threads of blood grabbed me to sit me down by force.


    So I was sitting on the steps that led to the three thrones right at Freya''s feet facing the still empty arena. I was not in imminent danger but surrounded by all these powerful people I felt anything but safe. There was this oppressive atmosphere that seemed to grip my throat and this pressure that kept all my senses on alert as she spoke again.


    "I am Freya Nightshade, Empress of the Elysium Empire located in the Dark Forest east of the Kingdom of Zal...but you already knew that. Let me introduce you, the Commanders of my army, Nixia, Na?a, Ralph, Luna, Trioa, Caipy, Ynir, Persea Emilia and finally Thorunn.


    *Another vampire, here ?*


    "You have met my little sister who guided you here, Kira Nightshade and the one you stared at when you arrived is none other than my wife, the Queen of the Empire, Gaya Nightshade."


    As her Highness Freya finished introducing me to the people around her, I was still confused by what was going on and especially about my presence here. Yet, only one thing stood out in my mind and that was her name, "Nightshade" which for some unknown reason echoed in me. But I didn''t have time to think and do anything other than nod my head respectfully as a multitude of voices suddenly rose a little lower.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Oh~ The packages have finally arrived hehehe~!"


    The thousands of soldiers in the stands had begun to shout, talk and make all kinds of noises as I finally saw my cellmates appear in the middle of the arena. They had been slow to arrive and for some reason, Myles and Leto were gagged and had no chains around their wrists or ankles at all. The King was there too and to my surprise he was well and truly awake although totally disoriented.


    "Kira"


    "Hai onee-san~!"


    Suddenly with a single word from the Empress, the barefoot young vixen named Kira stood up from her throne again before descending the few steps without even ncing at me. When she reached the edge of the tform, she jumped without hesitation tond in the middle of the coliseum and trotted happily towards the neers. Without legs Myles couldn''t get very far and Leto without arms seemed to be looking for the best moment to run away.


    *What''s going to happen ?*


    Unconsciously, just like the three men, I was shaking slightly, but I didn''t know if it was excitement or fear...maybe both. The fact that I was not in the middle of this arena proved that I was not going to suffer the same fate, but I was still chained. My curiosity was peaked as Lady Kira arrived in the middle of the coliseum silencing everyone as she began to speak.


    "Ladies and Gentlemen, valiant warriors of the Empire, thank you all foring on this wonderful starry night to witness the opening of this beautiful new coliseum ! As you know, during the war against the humans, we finally won, but at what cost ? The death of hundreds of ourpanions..."


    At her words, I could feel the animosity and hatred of every soldier directed at Myles, Leto and the King growing. In the crowd jaws were clenching, fists were clenching, and stares were bing even more murderous and usatory. It was totally understandable and I couldn''t help but feel ufortable, I who had walked alongside the humans as Lady Kira continued.


    "But tonight this bloody war is over and we even have a few distinguished guests as they are the three men leading this army. Yes dear spectators you have guessed it, we have here none other than Sir Myles the Captain of the Knights, Saint Leto the Chief of the Pdins and...CACTUS ZAL or whatever he is called, the King himself gracing us with his presence !"


    Suddenly the crowd began to get so restless that a loud cacophony rose into the ck sky making my heart beat fast. I felt like I was in the middle of wild beasts ready to attack at any moment and I wasn''t even in the arena. Swallowing, I turned my head discreetly towards the top of the steps where the sovereign, her wife and her Commanders were.


    *Won''t she stop them ?*


    I wondered if her Highness would say something to calm them down, yet she stood there silently, staring at the three prisoners with her cold, empty eyes like those beside her. I didn''t even dare to imagine the fear and pressure the three humans must have felt in the middle of that ditch. From there I could see them shaking, trying to speak or struggling, which was understandable considering the situation.


    The soldiers in the stands were enraged, stamping their feet, shaking the coliseum, booing, shouting, creating a deafening sound that nothing seemed to be able to calm. I felt disgust, anger, hatred, sadness, and the more time passed, the more I found the pressure unbearable. Then, as the sounds became too much for me, Lady Kira''s voice rang out again, silencing them all at once.


    "NOW NOW~ I know the anger you are all feeling right now but don''t worry, sit back and enjoy the show I guarantee satisfaction. Yes, tonight the protagonists of our theatrical drama are all present....or almost. We are missing an important person, a key role for the performance to begin~"


    A performance ? A theater scene ? Myles, Leto and the King of the protagonists? I had no idea what the silver-tailed vixen was talking about, but it made my blood run cold. And then she had mentioned a fourth person...who ? As everything became more and more confusing, one of the Commanders stepped forward.


    She had one blue eye, one golden eye, ears and a panther tail, and it seemed that Empress Freya had introduced her as Luna. She descended the steps without a word before jumping back into the arena, causing the soldiers to all stand up out of respect. Was she the fourth person ? Passing in front of Lady Kira, she bowed before continuing down the stands to reach out to someone.


    A hooded person hiding behind the soldiers appeared, entering the arena after grabbing Luna''s hand. My eyes were riveted on the two people and I found myself holding my breath waiting for what would happen next. In an ominous silence, they were going to join Lady Kira hand in hand cing themselves in front of the three men still on the ground before she spoke again.


    "Here we are,dies and gentlemen ! All our protagonists are now here as the show begins ! And the first act of this y is none other than..."


    Mimicking drum rolls, the silver-haired young woman turned her head towards the person wearing the hood impatiently. Without waiting, the one who was hiding her identity revealed her face before the shocked eyes of Leto, Myles and the King. With hair as blonde as gold, eyes as blue as the sea and freckles, this person under the hood was none other than...


    "Act One: The Fallen King and the Missing Princess, unexpected reunion !"


    yna Zal, the first Princess of the Kingdom of Zal, daughter of King Theophctus Zal and sister of both Princes Erzian and Is Zal. The one for whom an entire army hade, the one for whom the Supreme and the King, who usually did not get along, had allied themselves. There she was, hand in hand with a half-human, before the eyes of her father, unable to utter even a single word to the one he had sought out.


    yna wore not an ounce of love in her eyes, not the slightest remorse or pity for those who were almost literally at her feet. Although I didn''t know her very well, the Princess I had only asionally seen at official events was not the same at all. That innocence in her eyes was gone and as the King began to crawl to her, he was stopped by the de of a scythe.


    "Come on, stay in your seat the curtain has only just risen fufu~"


    As Lady Kira spoke this sentence, I suddenly understood what she had meant so far and why we were all gathered there. The entire coliseum was the theater, the soldiers were the spectators, and the three captive men were indeed the protagonists. In front of me was going to be yed a y that I knew would be bloody and dramatic, hiding a merciless judgment that everyone was waiting for.


    All this was in fact a masquerade, a game for those inhabitants of the Empire who hade to revel in the suffering of those who had made them suffer. We were not witnessing an ordinary execution scene but the killing of three individuals in the form of a work of art. As fear and excitement washed over me, Lady Kira spoke a few words that confirmed everything and sealed the fate of these three humans.


    "Let the bloody y begin~"

 Chapter 226 Act One: The Fallen King And The Missing Princess

    - POV General -


    Now that everyone was present, Kira had just announced the beginning of this evening which was going to be full of action and twists. In the middle of the arena, Myles, Leto and Theophctus stood weakly facing the Fox Princess Kira, yna the former princess of Zal and Commander Luna. Before the eyes of everyone in the coliseum, a father was reunited with his daughter who had been missing for months.


    Yet the reunion was far from a novel, as the situation was far different from a touching and tearful story. yna found herself facing her father again after asking to confront him onest time despite her fears and the pressure she felt. Fortunately, she was not alone as Luna was by her side to give her strength and support which made the moment easier to live with.


    "A-yna ?? I-It''s you...my...my daughter...you..."


    "I''m not your daughter anymore."


    Without even giving her progenitor time to finish his sentence, the young blonde woman had spoken words she never thought she''d say a few months ago. They were only a few words but so heavy with meaning, radical that left the three men speechless. yna was trembling, she had a new life, a new family, she was finally free and happy but saying goodbye to her past as disastrous as it was, was never easy.


    "M-My daughter, you...you don''t mean it, do you ? I came...for you to find you and bring you home, I...I went through all this for you you. L-Look...look at what they did to me...and "


    "You''re the only one to me here because I left of my own free will and no one here is holding me prisoner like you all seem to think. I am no longer part of the Kingdom of Zal at all whose name I have abandoned, I am of the Elysium Empire."


    Myles and Leto though were silent and far too happy not to attract attention could not believe their ears. How could the sweet Princess yna of the Kingdom be so sure of herself ? She was not frightening or vulgar but exuded a confidence and firmness that they did not know. Theophctus, the most shocked of the three, seemedpletely lost and unable to take in the truth.


    He no longer had the presence of a King and was even dirtier and more pathetic than the half-humans he hated so much like most humans. Completely stripped of his dignity, his armor and his title, he could only cling to what was left in front of his eyes...his only daughter. After Freya used "Death Gaze" for the first time he had lost half his mental capacity and was struggling to understand.


    "You...you''re part...of Elysium ?"


    "I-I wouldn''t change my mind and I have no say in what her Highness has nned to do with the three of you. I simply came to tell you how much I regret that you are my father and that I waited so long to leave this rotten Kingdom even more horrible than the monsters it hates and discriminates against."


    After long seconds of being speechless a click seemed to have taken ce in the mind of the fallen and humiliated King in the middle of a whole crowd. Little by little, he became aware of the words that yna had just pronounced andpletely changed his behavior. He who had been all trembling and afraid, started to shout with the little strength he still had left on the one who had had the strength to stand up onest time in front of him.


    "H-How dare you ? You are my daughter...I am the King your father and you will listen to me and do as Imand !!! *cough cough*!!!"


    "You are no longer my father...in fact, you stopped being my father the day I realized that our family was just a charade designed to fool the citizens of Zal. You never really cared about my well-being or how I felt, you never...were the father I dreamed of. You didn''te to this forest for me...but for yourself !"


    "You ungrateful bitch, yourte mother would be ashamed of you. You are the shame of the family !!! *COUGH COUGH*"


    At his words, as Theophctus coughed more and more, the blonde-haired young woman, on the other hand, felt her heart suddenly stop. The mention of her mother was something she had not expected and felt her resolve waver. yna had never known her, but had learned from her servants that thete Queen of Zal was a wonderful woman whose kindness was matched only by her beauty.


    Of all the Kingdom, her mother would undoubtedly be the only one to understand her daughter''s decision and to see beyond appearances and race. yna had grown up admiring her so to hear from her father that her mother would have been ashamed was a dagger in the heart. She didn''t know what to say, trembling in turn as Theophctus didn''t stop at these words and continued to add to them, ever more hysterical.


    "THOSE MONSTERS HAVE BRAINWASHED YOU ! YOU ARE NOT MY DAUGHTER, MY LITTLE AND ADORABLE ALAYNA WOULD NEVER SAY THAT !!"


    More than a man, the father now looked like a raging beast, which made for a very unttering sight to those who were watching with great excitement, however. He was sputtering, drooling from his mouth, his eyes were red and seemed to be popping out of their sockets. After what the King had been through, he had preferred to sink a little more into insanity to cope with reality and the situation.


    "YOU...YOU''RE A FAILURE AND MY BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT *COUGH COUGH* WHAT GIRL WOULD PUT HER FATHER THROUGH THIS ? YOU ARE...A FUCKING DISGRACE ! DAMN MONSTER ! YOU TRAITOROUS BITCH !!!"


    Facing him, yna was paralyzed, her legs were shaking and she was trying her best to keep her head up despite what her father was spitting in her face. Yet this was harder than she had thought and was beginning to weaken little by little which was not lost on Theophctus. Moving weakly with the eyes of a madman, while everyone held their breath, he suddenly threw himself at his own daughter blinded by anger, fear, madness and pain.


    "TRAITOR ! YOU..."


    However, despite the verbal and physical violence he was disying, he didn''t have time to get closer than two meters that he was already stopped. In a sh of yellow and a crackling sound, Luna the Commander of the intelligence section had appeared behind the King. A long dagger was at his throat and his left arm was locked behind his back and held tightly by the young half-panther woman.


    "If you take one more step I''ll break your legs, if you insult Ally in front of me again I''ll cut your tongue out and if you dare touch her with these filthy paws of yours I''ll slit your throat"


    Luna who could no longer bear to watch in silence had pronounced her words with a threatening coldness that at once calmed the ardor of Theophctus. Her ck hair was strewn with crackling lightning, her eyes burned with intense hatred and her fangs were out. The Commander was not acting in the name of his title, but for the one she loved, who at that moment was about to break under fear and sadness.


    Luna knew better than anyone how strong yna was and how much she had changed in a few months away from the human kingdom. Her girlfriend was not the same as she had been, but that didn''t erase the trauma she had to live through and ovee. So if her blue-eyed Princess didn''t have the strength to hold on anymore, she would support her and protect her from anything that could hurt her, so that no more tears of sadness would flow down her face.


    Before the eyes of the crowd, a real y was taking ce as Kira had announced so well a few minutes ago. Although the three people at the center of attention seemed to have forgotten what was going on around them, the spectators were speechless. No one dared to speak or even breathe in front of this intense and very personal scene that Luna and yna were offering them.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The tears that had started to flow down yna''s cheeks had stopped and a tender smile appeared on her face. For the first time in so many years, someone was standing beside her to support and protect her. She was even more aware of this as Luna was facing the King, yet as crazy as it sounded, seeing her girlfriend threaten her father was liberating and warm.


    "Ally...are you okay ?"


    The lightning Commander once she made sure her target couldn''t move, turned to the one she loved with a worried look. Her expression had immediately changed from one of intense hatred and anger to one of concerned, loving and protective tenderness. This simple change in yna''s eyes was the next proof of her love as she wiped away her tears with the back of her sleeve and answered.


    "Mmh y-yes...he only confirmed his true nature and confirmed my decision..."


    The words Theophctus had spoken were harsh, unfair, hurtful, and horrible, but had only proven what she had been thinking for a long time. Her father had never paid attention to what was important to her, who she really was, her dreams or her passions. In her eighteen years of existence, yna Zal had been nothing more than a royal ornament that her family unted when they needed it and then forgot about.


    Yet despite all that had happened and the words of his own daughter, the King still didn''t understand what he had done wrong and where he had gone wrong. In fact, he was still convinced that the Princess was being manipted and held captive against her will. The entire situation was so far out of his control that he didn''t even realize that he had been relegated to the status of entertainment for the warriors of Elysium and its leaders.


    "I-I''m done, talking any more would be a waste of time and I''ve said what I had to say..."


    "Fine, he''s not worth it and...ALLY !"


    As yna replied to Luna, she was dizzy after so much emotion and had begun to wobble ready to fall at any moment. Dropping the King unceremoniously as he crashed to the ground, the Commander rushed to the young woman to catch her. Supporting her by the waist, she allowed her to regain herposure without copsing to the ground while she couldn''t help butment.


    "Be careful."


    "Y-Yes, I...t-thank you..."


    yna had suddenly flushed her wet blue eyes glittering like two diamonds under the bright light of the coliseum''s braziers. The reflections of the mes danced on her sweet face and it didn''t take long for Luna to be mesmerized by her innocent yet radiant beauty. Without realizing it, she didn''t let go of the young woman who was now able to stand on both legs without falling.


    "Luna you..."


    As if the young Commander had forgotten where they were, not holding on a second longer, she prevented yna from continuing, suddenly sealing her lips on hers. In the arena the two young women exchanged a passionate kiss under the astonished eyes of the soldiers. A human and a half-human in a world that was destined to make them hate and war against each other, proved that anything was possible.


    One had been the Princess of a narcissistic Kingdom and the other had had her only family ripped away by the Princess'' own power-hungry brother. Yet fate had brought them together, making their love an example of peace, eptance and tolerance. At that moment, all the warriors of Elysium without exception forgot for a few seconds the hatred they had for humans.


    yna and Luna were the proof that the heart had no race, religion, color or even particr appearance. As a bridge between the different races, breaking down the walls of racism, hatred and prejudice, the two young women were admired. While the citizens of the Empire respected and cherished this moment of rare importance, three others were far from enjoying it.


    "A-ALAYNA !!! *COUGH COUGH*...N-No..."


    The King who was on the ground and in the dust, could only look at his own daughter in the arms of one of these "monsters", totally helpless. He couldn''t believe his eyes, although he had regained some of his senses, the nightmare he was in was bing more and more unbearable. How had his life be so fucked up ? Where had he gone wrong ? Despite everything he had said to his daughter, another part of his heart had just broken.


    He didn''t know yet what was in store for him, but Theophctus had been hurt and broken again by what he had just witnessed. He was shaking, unable to speak, and slowly bing aware of what he had lost...all that he had lost through his greed. Away from his Kingdom and his subjects, the King was nothing, had nothing and was only beginning his long descent into Hell that would not end soon.


    "Let''s go~"


    "Mmmh~"


    Separating from each other, the two young women smiled radiantly without even paying attention to the dirty old man panting a few feet away. That was it, finally yna had drawn a line on her past and was ready to move forward and never hesitate to stand up for what she seemed to be right. It is thus under a thunder of apuse and the nce of moved soldiers that the two lovers returned among everyone to sit.


    Thus, while a standing ovation took ce in the great coliseum, the first act of the y was already ending in an intense way while it was just beginning. On the tform above everyone, the nine remaining Commanders couldn''t help but smile at their friend''s happiness. Some of them even giggled at the pathetic scene of the humans and especially the King.


    The Empress had not said a word, but a small smile appeared on her lips, the same as the one her wife was wearing at her side. The contrast in the arena was divine and they enjoyed every second of it, like the appetizer of a gourmet menu. It was just the beginning, the reunion of the fallen King and the missing Princess had ended with the sight of a broken father.


    The moon was high in the sky but dark clouds were beginning to obscure its light, foreshadowing another bloody and deadly night in Elysium. The y was only in its first act, but those that followed promised to be darker and more horrific. It was going to be a long night for these three humans who would soon experience a fate worse than death straight out of their worst nightmares.


    ____

 Chapter 227 Act Two: The Queen And The Paladin I

    - POV General -


    To the apuse of the crowd, Luna and yna had gone back to sit in the stands of the coliseum hand in hand. The Commander''s girlfriend came from a Kingdom where everyone was hated and yet what was happening in Elysium was new to everyone. The former Princess of that same Kingdom was acimed, respected and most of all epted by the soldiers who had just returned from war.


    yna was human and yet she had been recognized as a full citizen of this Empire created to protect those injured, hurted and hunted by her race. She was living proof that understanding was possible no matter what the origin, as long as the desire to live in peace, together and happy was shared. Yet, in the eyes of the world, despite the strong message the couple represented, the three humans did not understand.


    All Leto, Myles, and Theophctus saw were monsters who had managed to deceive the young Princess into this unhealthy rtionship. Like most humans, they had grown up hammered with the idea that other races were evil. Nothing more could be done to change their old narrow minds even though that was not the purpose of their presence in the Empire''s coliseum at all.


    In the center of the arena the three men were too stunned to really grasp what was going on and that they were in danger. The crowd, the Princess, the shock of losing their limbs, the defeat of the army, it all seemed so surreal and inconceivable. Yet it was all very real, was just beginning and Kira who had self-appointed herself host of this night, did not fail to remind them with a devilishly cheerful tone.


    "What a beautiful couple you are Commander Luna, yna, congrattions ! I speak for the entire Imperial family in wishing you much happiness~"


    Surprised by this little attentioning from the second Princess and sister of the Empress, both young women began to blush while bowing. It was a real honor for them and even if the congrattions had been rather quick, they meant a lot. Smiling with all her teeth, Kira suddenly turned to the three humans before speaking making sure everyone could hear.


    "Well ! What a touching first act we had there Ladies and Gentlemen, isn''t it ? A fallen King, a disowned father facing a missing Princess, a determined daughter with greater courage. Now that yna has said what she wanted to say, it''s time to get down to business..."


    Turning her head toward the higher tform overlooking the arena and the coliseum stands, the silver-haired young woman nodded. She had nodded to her older sister who had been watching in silence from the beginning apanied by her wife and the other nine Commanders. Act two of this great revenge y could indeed begin, and one of the protagonists was unexpected, to say the least.


    Nodding her head in return, Freya stood up, scanning the entire coliseum with her cold, piercing violet eyes before lifting her hand to Myles, Leto and the King. At the same time, threads of blood appeared at her fingertips before running towards their three victims. Seeing this, Leto tried to get up to flee but without arms he had lost all bnce while Myles without legs wed at the ground, crawling like a panicked slug.


    Theophctus was the slowest, pale and reactingter than the others as if drugged or lost in his world, having almost no coordination. However, it was useless for them to try to run away, because a few secondster, these same threads of blood caught them. One by one they wrapped themselves around their legs, their arms and even their necks to lift them above the ground, immobilizing them.


    Then snapping her fingers, the Empress made threerge walls appear, rising towards the sky where she ced the three men tied up like starfish. The scene had been very quick but quite spectacr to watch for the soldiers of the Empire. They knew the power of the she-wolf and even if they were injured, seeing Myles, Leto and Theophctus being immobilized so simply with a few gestures was fascinating.


    "Aaarg !!!"


    "Ah !!!"


    "Hmpf !!!''


    The three men were exposed for all to see several feet above the ground like living exhibits. They were still shaking, trying to get out of the way by struggling but the almost living threads were tightening a little more with each movement. They no longer came out of the Empress'' fingers but moved like dozens of swarming snakes threatening those who tried anything.


    As the entire crowd stared wide-eyed at the three walls exposing Myles, Leto and Theophctus, Freya sat back down, crossing her legs. She didn''t need to speak or make a sign to indicate to her little sister that she could continue as they had nned. pping her hands once to bring the attention back to her, Kira once again spoke up, always more cheerful each time.


    "These are the three men who are guilty of leading the attack on our Empire, obviously out of greed and stupidity, but they are not only guilty of that. In the Kingdom of Zal is a Supreme, a master of a sect called the Church of Humanity !"


    "..."


    "Led by the Supreme, it advocates the racial superiority of humans and cultivates hatred, torture and murders of other races without mercy. Men, women, children and even infants, all profiles are good to be treated as objects."


    The Elysium Empire did not wish to cultivate hatred of humans as they could, for to answer hatred with hatred only brought destruction. However, it was more than necessary to remember this suffering, these tragedies and especially these victims. The duty to remember was only a nameless concept but everyone could identify with Kira''s words as she continued.


    "The King certainly came here to get his daughter back, but this war also had another purpose, much more devious than the "valiant rescue" of the Princess of Zal. Yes ! the Church and its Supreme had a n to kidnap none other than the little moon of the Empire, daughter of the Empress and the Queen, Shiro !"


    At her words, the entire crowd began to murmur making an usatory and judgmental hubbub rise along with all the murderous nces turning to Leto. He had threads of blood holding him still in his legs, calves, neck and arms above the elbow. All the pressure the three men had been feeling all along was bearing down on the former Pdin leader who could not get away.


    "KILL HIM !!!"


    "EMPTY HIM OF HIS ENTRAILS !!!"


    Gradually, the frustration of the soldiers in the coliseum wasing out now that they had found the perfect victim who had dared to think of attacking a member of the Imperial family. To the citizens, the Empress was their savior, the one who had carried the burden of every race on her shoulders. The woman who had built a ce they could all call home and where they felt happy, at peace and safe.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "TO DEATH !!!"


    "TORTURE HIM IN THE NAME OF PRINCESS SHIRO !!!"


    Humans may have had gods they worshipped, but for the people of Elysium the one who came closest was Freya herself. As a result, at Kira''s announcement the silence had broken little by little, ending with chilling shouts of protest. The coliseum seemed to vibrate, the pressure was intense, and feeling the anger of hundreds of soldiers was frightening especially for the person targeted by this anger.


    "Now now~ as her Highness Freya so aptly said "Blood must have blood" and this night will be bloody HOWEVER let''s calm down, shall we ? The little moon of Elysium is safe and doesn''t even know she was the target of evil beings so all is well."


    Kira had nted the handle of her scythe deep into the ground before jumping barefoot onto the de, using it as a sort of tform. Her three bushy, silver tails wagged behind her gracefully while a teasing, defiant smile revealed her fangs. She was a beautiful young woman and it wasn''t wrong at all to say that she didn''t make the men and women in the stands insensitive as she continued.


    "There is much we do not know about the Kingdom of Zal and its citizens, we can even say it extends to the entire world ! But tonight...tonight we will finally get some answers to our questions and they wille directly from this man !"


    Suddenly turning around, Kira pointed to Leto hanging against his wall of ice who was starting to get paler and paler. He couldn''t seem to speak under the shock and usations, always opening his mouth without any sounding out. Leto was no fool and knew what this meant, under the eyes of the Empress, soldiers and Commanders of the Empire he was going to be interrogated...tortured.


    "That said, I won''t be the one asking the questions..."


    As Kira finished her sentence movement was perceived on therge tform where the Imperial couple, Jade and the Commanders were. In an instant silence, it was with surprise that the spectators saw not Freya, who used to conduct the interrogations herself, but her wife. Gaya walked slowly towards the arena after having risen from her throne, her face serious and concentrated.


    She wore her ice tiara set with red stones, one of which was carved into a sun, the pure white color of the ice bringing out the color of her ming hair. Like a river ofva, her crimson locks fell over her shoulders to her back, each breeze giving the illusion that they were made of mes. Gaya also wore ck gloves that rose above the elbow, but that wasn''t the most mesmerizing part.


    Indeed, the Queen was dressed in a magnificent dress which seemed to have been made only for her so much it sublimated the magnificent being that she was already. In the colors of the gxy, of a dark blue and a purple but at the same time brilliant offering an almost surreal depth tinted with pink. Too good to be true, hypnotizing and perfect, Gaya''s nebulous dress was as beautiful and bewitching as the most magical of starry nights.


    The colors of the Universe blended with intensity, sprinkled with thousands of tiny white and glittering moonstones forming fairy stars. It perfectly fit the body of the dragoness who had only a strap in the form of a big knot on the right shoulder to hold it. Her shoulders and back were bare, revealing her smooth and perfect skin and the top of her chest giving her a sexy but still ssy look.


    The Dragon Queen was more than gorgeous and as she walked to the edge of the tform, the entire audience was staring at her, speechless. Everyone expected her to jump into the arena but she did not, stepping forward with her right foot into the void serenely. At the same time thanks to Freya, a step of ice formed to help her, creating a staircase as Gaya calmly and gracefully descended.


    The scene seemed to y out in slow motion, even frozen in time, due to the special aura that emanated from the silent Queen. Her amber eyes were fixed on Leto who was torn between the fear he felt and the beauty of the woman who was descending into the arena. However, as she moved forward, his body sped up and chills ran through his limbs as he remembered the fight he had lost to her.


    "Her Majesty Gaya, Imperial Queen of Elysium !"


    Leaping to the ground nimbly, Kira introduced the one everyone already knew causing the entire crowd to bow down at once. They had all stood up, hand on heart, bent over to show the unwavering respect and loyalty they all felt without exception. Yet, for the first time, Gaya gave no look, no smile to those around her, far too busy looking into Leto''s eyes.


    In her mind she was thinking of her daughter who was wanted by the Supreme of the Church, she was thinking of her little brother still asleep in the hospital. All the emotions she had felt when she had discovered Angel''s existence and what had been done to him for ten years. This, the dragoness could not forget, her desire for answers and her thirst for revenge seething inside her like a time bomb.


    "Never make a dragoness angry..."


    Freya who was watching the scene sitting on her ice throne had muttered these words to herself as she discovered a new side of her wife. This pressure and stifling atmosphere was something she had never felt with such intensity. Even for the she-wolf who was endowed with great power, the sensation that the dragoness gave off was disturbing, threatening even awakening her instincts against danger.


    Finally arriving at the foot of the first gigantic ice wall where the Pdin was petrified with fear, Gaya suddenly closed her eyes. The next moment, tworge majestic and magnificent crimson wings appeared on her back extending towards the ck sky of the night. A symbol of power for all dragons, making them as proud as their horns, the Queen''s wings were made in her image and represented her well.


    Two powerful wings, intimidating and magnificent but at the same time graceful, unique and legendary on which the reflection of the mes of the braziers danced. Suddenly opening her eyes, with a powerful pping motion, raising the dust and creating a gust of wind, the dragoness flew away. Despite her beauty, the Queen looked more like a demon than an angel as she reached the Pdin who had closed his eyes in fear.


    "Tonight I''m going to ask you all the questions I want and you''re going to answer them wisely because right now I don''t feel like being nice. So as the two protagonists of this act, let''s try to entertain the audience, shall we ?"


    The Empress''s wife had spoken in a quiet but powerful voice whose icy, contemptuous, and ominous tone was unfamiliar to the soldiers of Elysium. If she was usually as warm as the sun, this time however she was as cold as her wife and that did not bode well. It was now time for the interrogation disguised as a y to begin and the second act was about to be yed: the Queen and the Pdin.


    [N/A : If you want to see the official illustration of Gaya with her dress (portrait) join the discord (link in synopsis) haha~]

 Chapter 228 Act Two: The Blazing Queen And The Desperate Paladin II

    - POV General -


    In the great arena of the coliseum in the middle of a starless night, the crowd of soldiers held their breath for what was toe in the next few minutes. For the first time, the one who had stood up, the one who was going to interrogate the imprisoned Pdin named Leto, was not the Empress. The Queen herself hade to the ice wall where he was bound to show them all what she was capable of.


    Since the creation of the Empire, Gaya had never been perceived as cruel or even as someone with the stature of a leader. Of course all the warriors respected her and saw no one but her as Queen, but the one who was of insane physical and mental strength to them was Freya. However, minds were beginning to change since the mythical speech the dragoness had given them in the rain.


    A new facet of the Queen had appeared with the war and little by little she was bing more than the Empress'' wife dragoness. She who had fought for the first time for the lives of her citizens and who had raised her voice to give them courage when despair and sadness had taken hold of them. So the soldiers were all silent, both curious and eager to see how powerful she could be.


    "This is the Queen..."


    "Mmmh, Gaya-sama is going to take care of that human scum."


    "I-I can''t wait to see it"


    "Shhh and look !"


    In reality, no one had ever seen her fight since Gaya had only taken part in the war for the first time the day before, perched on a gigantic ice tform. All they could see after her fight was a dragoness, thest of her kind, carrying a bloodied man in her mouth. The story of the Mother of Dragons was known to almost everyone, but no one had ever seen her in action, not even Kira.


    She knew this and had decided that night to show them what she was capable of, despite her motherly, warm and loving demeanor that she wore most of the time. Freya''s wife was standing in front of the Church Pdin who was responsible for the torture of her little brother and the threat to her daughter Shiro. The immense anger that she had repressed until then began toe out, creating a crimson aura around her body.


    Gaya was flying several feet off the ground with her wings kicking up dust with every little beat, staring at Leto with her menacing amber eyes. She was determined to get answers and would stop at nothing to achieve her goal, especially if it meant the survival of her family and her Empire. As Kira had said, act two had already begun and the frightened Pdin was about to experience a real nightmare from which he would not wake up.


    "How about we start ?"


    "P-Please...I...I...m-mercy..."


    "There will be no mercy for the invaders and even less for those who dare to attack those I care about or even think about it."


    The atmosphere was heavy, the presence of the dragoness and her aura more terrifying because instead of getting angry, she was for the moment very calm...too calm. Her anger could be felt throughout the coliseum and for her subjects it was somehow as terrifying as for Leto. The Queen who usually was always calm, smiling, warm was no more and had given way to a mother, a sister and a vengeful wife.


    "You''re going to tell me everything you know, I have all night ahead of me and you, your suffering will be less unbearable if you cooperate wisely. Do you remember a little dragon boy that the Church used for its experiments ?"


    "I-I...I don''t know anymore...I..."


    "Come on make an effort~ 10 years old, crimson hair like mine, tortured and turned into a hybrid race from a chameleon. Conditioned from birth, drugged, wings nearly torn off, horns ripped off, and tongue severed. Doesn''t that tell you anything ?"


    As she spoke, Gaya''s voice grew colder and colder as she remembered the state in which she had met Angel. She wanted to know, she wanted to hear it from Leto, why had they done this ? How had they found her little brother when she herself didn''t know he existed. She sensed that there was something bigger behind all of this and wanted to know what.


    As she finished her quick description of Angel, Leto who had no choice but to listen finally understood who she was talking about. He knew she wanted to know every little secret about the Supreme but his loyalty to his leader was not about to waver despite the situation. However, the man was no fool and was willing to give her answers even if he didn''t make themplete on purpose so as not to betray his leader.


    "I-I remember y-yes...the thing that...I mean the little boy taken in b-by our Supreme"


    "Himself, since you remember then tell me his story"


    Crossing her arms over her generous chest and squinting her eyes thoughtfully, she was willing to wait before doing anything despite her anger. Gaya wasn''t stupid, she knew that tortured, Leto might never tell her what she wanted to hear, that said, the torture was going to happen tonight no matter what. Having no choice but to obey, the man would then begin his tale without knowing he was talking to the little boy''s sister.


    "I-I don''t have all the information since...it was his Excellency the Supreme and his right-hand man the Holy Schr Sage who took care of him. H-He was found as a still-living fetus on the body of a dragoness w-who perished in mes by the Vancesia Empire before being exchanged with the Kingdom of Zal with a ck-scaledmia."


    "..."


    "T-The Supreme wanted to raise him to...to prove that conditioned, a monster child could live among humans but...the more h-he grew, the more dangerous and u-uncontroble he proved to be. T-Therefore, the only solution was to treat him like a rabid beast using the...ahem...cruel means we now regret."


    As Leto finished his tale having changed several details to appease the one in front of him though, he was far from knowing or even imagining that Angel was not dead, had been healed and was at the very moment asleep in the hospital. Gaya listened silently, frowning more and more as she didn''t believe a single one of his lies, let alone the fact that the Supreme wished to live among those he called "subraces".


    "AAAAARG !!!"


    Suddenly, just when he thought he was out of the woods, the man let out a scream feeling extreme pain in his abdomen before lowering his head. A gigantic draconic nail had sunk deep into him enough to cause him pain but not enough to kill him. The pain was horrible and as he looked up he could see the Queen had changed her hand to that of a dragon, her face contorted with anger and contempt.


    "Even in a situation like this, you dare to lie ? Have you no shame ? To be willing to portray your Supreme as a good being seeking peace with the races you call ''monsters'', disgusting ! Regretting your cruel ways ? Don''t make meugh !! This little boy was a shadow of his former self, devoid of all confidence, traumatized both physically and mentally !"


    "AAAAH !!!"


    "I''ll tell you myself the cruel truth, it''s that you were experimenting with mana and crossbreeding on behalf of the humans. You locked up this poor little defenseless being for ten years like an object by torturing and drugging him to get rid of him at any time."


    "AAAAARGGGG COUGH COUGH !!!"


    Gaya was slowly letting out her anger as she dug her w ever so slightly deeper into the flesh of the man who was beginning to spit blood. She had not been aware of the part about the fetus and knew very well that the body of the dragoness from which he had been extracted, was their mother. Leto''s statements and lies had been enough to make her snap and that calm she had kept until now, was disappearing.


    "Why are you taking it out on us ? How can you be so insensitive to a little boy who grew up next to you regardless of his race ? Why did the Supreme that you worship so much send him here ? WHY ?? WHO IS HE ? WHAT IS HE AFRAID OF ?"


    "M-MERCY...AAAAARG !!!"


    "ANSWER ???"


    The Queen was gritting her teeth, shaking, and had a trace of murderous madness in her eyes that could devastate everything in its path. As she spoke, she moved her w up to the man''s rib cage, creating a gaping, bloody opening. With her other hand, also changed into that of a dragon, she grabbed the Pdin''s left leg before squeezing it extremely hard, exploding all his bones.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGG !!!"


    "ANSWER !!!!"


    As she spoke that one word, the entire crowd of bbergasted soldiers could hear a change in her voice along with the sound of breaking bones. Like when she was in her dragon form, her voice seemed to be made of hundreds echoing throughout the arena along with Leto''s screams of agony. He was still alive and knew that if he didn''t want to suffer more, he had better forget about his loyalty to the Supreme.


    "W-We fear the being...w-who...once threatened humanity...during...what...we humans call "A-Age of Extinction". W-White hair, p-purple eyes possessing a... a magic t-that couldn''t be h-human !!! COUGH COUGH !!! T-The Supreme knows ! He knows that there is such an abomination hidden here...making the prophecy real !!! AAAAAAARRRG"


    Plunged into pain and half-conscious the former Pdin leader finally said it all not being able to bear what he was going through anymore. For the first time, a human had revealed to one of the races he hated the origins of their hatred as if it were totally justified and fair. Yet, though speaking the truth, his words only made Gaya a little more angry while all her thoughts went to her daughter in danger.


    "YOU FEAR THE HALF-HUMANS AND OTHER RACES BUT IT IS YOU HUMANS WHO ARE STIRRING UP OUR HATRED AND CAUSING YOUR OWN EXTINCTION !!!"


    Despite his exnations, the Queen still did not understand how this part of human history was a good reason to persecute, torture and kill. She who had been a victim of this hatred by losing almost all her family while her race had never sought to dominate the world. Her voice had be terrifying, cold but burning with wrath as her suffocating aura only grew and grew.


    Gaya was far too angry to make the connection between this being that had threatened humanity and Ka, Freya''s sister who had appeared a short time ago. All she could see was that once again different people had to suffer for something they had never done. The people of Elysium, her soldiers, her family, her brother and now her daughter ? It was more than she could bear as she felt her mind spinning.


    "MY LITTLE BROTHER DIDN''T HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE FOR YOUR FEARS, MY DAUGHTER DOESN''T HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT EITHER AND NO ONE ELSE DOES !!! YOUR SUPREME IS JUST A COWARD USING THIS AS AN EXCUSE FOR REVENGE, BLIND AND UNABLE TO SEE THAT HE IS THE CAUSE OF THESE WARS !!!"


    "N-NO, M-MERCY AAAAARRRGG !!!"


    With her left hand she had grabbed the rest of his remaining left arm but was not squeezing it, yet the man felt his skin heat then burn giving him a new wave of intense pain. The air in the coliseum was bing stifling even for those around and a growing heat could be felt throughout the arena as the crowd discovered a Queen as ruthless and terrifying as her wife.


    All that anger she had kept inside her, all that pain, all that sadness was finally surfacing after so many years because of Leto''s statements. To learn that everything she had experienced and would experience was simply due to the stupidity of humans was too much. All these deaths, all these broken families, all these traumas, all these wars were the cause of a single event that happened thousands of years ago ? Yes, it was too much.


    As everyone watched, the dragoness'' aura began to change as Leto''s deafening screams rose into the ck sky of the Empire. Bing more and more crimson, in an explosion of power it literally turned into mes of the same color. Blood-red mes were now covering Gaya''s body, who didn''t even seem to notice her anger at that moment was so immense and uncontroble.


    "P-Please...kill me..."


    Leto was gasping for breath, the skin on his arm was blistered, burned and showing the bone in his arm a little more every second. He was still in pain but his mind was exhausted and despite the pain he could only utter a few words. He wanted to die, he wanted all this to end but Gaya had decided otherwise. Letting go of his arm, while a smell of burning flesh invaded her nostrils, she answered.


    "Oh but it''s only just begun~!"


    pping her wings to rise higher in the sky, like the incandescent Sun of the Empire, she had just awakened a power that no one suspected. The beautiful red mes danced around her, hypnotizing and deadly subjugating all the spectators and especially her wife who had risen. The Imperial Queen, the dragoness of Elysium under the eyes of all, had set herself aze by the sheer force of her emotions, making Kira utter three words.


    "A zing Queen..."


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560


    Defense : 560


    Agility : 566


    Endurance: 563


    Speed : 562


    Intelligence: 560


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2239


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 2/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 229 Act Two: The Blazing Queen And The Desperate Paladin III

    - POV General -


    Gaya, Mother of Dragons and Imperial Queen was literally on fire in the middle of the coliseum, high in the sky, her great majestic wings spread. Her entire body was surrounded by mes as bright red as blood contrasting with the crimson of her hair. A great heat emanated from her and warmed the entire arena as the hot wind propelled by her wings swept through everyone without exception.


    No one knew what was going on, why the dragoness had suddenly burst into anger or even if she herself was aware of this new power. Indeed, at that moment her eyes were fixed on Leto who was trembling with pain and fear, aware that his end was near. He was still tied to the wall of ice but suddenly, as the crowd was hypnotized and held its breath, the threads of blood and the wall suddenly disappeared.


    The King and the Knight were still bound and suspended, but the Pdin, crashed to the ground heavily not understanding what was happening. The Empress, who was still watching in silence above everything, had released only the human in front of her wife, not intervening at all. Like everyone else she had been surprised by this sudden change but somehow not so much, having Gaya''s status in front of her as an exnation.


    Moreover, Freya had no desire to stop her, understanding perfectly and sharing this anger even if she remained silent. Shiro and Angel were concerned, in other words, her own family was directly threatened by the Church knowing about them, which was unforgivable. The Empress had a serious look on her face, understanding with Leto''s words, what had happened, simply linking the information received.


    If there was one thing she understood, it was that purple-eyed and white-haired beings in this world were very rare, if not non-existent. As far as she knew, only Shiro and Ka matched these descriptions, so had he been talking about a new person or one of them ? More information was needed about this strange being, about the Supreme and anything that could harm the Empire even from a distance.


    However, Freya didn''t need to tell her wife, who would take great pleasure in extracting every bit of information from the Pdin until hisst breath. On the ground, Leto could not move, paralyzed by the pain of the rest of his burned right arm and the wound made by Gaya''s w. He couldn''t even stand up a little bit, lying in the dust with empty eyes like a dying prey.


    "What magic were you referring to when you spoke of that destructive being that appeared during the Age of Extinction ?!?!"


    Suddenly, the Queen''s voice had sounded once again from the sky, scathing, loud, powerful, cold and echoing like a hundred others. pping her wings softly, the dragoness with the beautiful dress seemingly made of red mes was descending little by little to the ground. She stared at Leto with her amber eyes that had taken on a reptilian appearance typical of the dragons inhabiting this world.


    "I-...please..."


    Finally, the man began to move, feeling the heat of the mes be fierier, tingling his skin and reviving the pain of his current wounds. Gaya didn''t seem to be able to control these mes or even be aware that if she got too close she might burn him alive. The more her anger increased, the more vivid, powerful and deadly her mes became, worthy of a zing queen.


    Fortunately, a few meters away, as her feet finallynded on the arena floor, those mes instantly disappeared. Walking slowly towards Leto, the dragoness had be no less terrifying, wearing a face distorted by disgust. Only the sound of her heels echoed through therge coliseum as the entire crowd held their breath waiting for what was toe.


    "P-Please...no..."


    "What magic were you talking about ?"


    As usual, the man was pleading naively thinking maybe he had a chance, his body was shaking and his eyes were unable to stay wide open. Once again, Gaya had asked the question that at that moment mattered most to her and that she thought was the most important. Who was this being that the human had mentioned ? Why did it carry the exact same description as Ka her wife''s sister, and their daughter Shiro ?


    "T-Two...two...e-elements...i-ice...c-c-chaos..."


    The Pdin couldn''t even formte a singleplete sentence anymore but did the best he could to give the answers the Queen wanted to hear. He no longer wanted to fight, his thoughts were no longer with the Church and his loyalty to the Supreme was not beyond death. As he finished speaking his words, Gaya suddenly stopped while on the tform, the Empress rose in a sh.


    No one knew of Ka''s existence yet except for the Imperial couple and of course the ten Chaos Commanders of the Elysium Empire. So no one in the crowd was really able to understand the reaction of the two women who had been at exactly the same time. Freya and Gaya were speechless, paralyzed, as their thoughts immediately went to the woman who had just arrived.


    They still didn''t know where she came from, what had happened to her, why she had suddenly appeared with the idea of killing Freya to free Shiro. It was all very mysterious, not to mention her rtionship to their little girl...Could Ka be that being ? The Pdin was still alive, breathing, and even if those wounds would kill him, he could still respond.


    Snapping her fingers, the Queen motioned for two elves standing by the door to the arena, an armband bearing the symbol of a golden cross, to approach. They were two soldiers from Caipy''s medical section ced in case of need for situations like this. Without being asked, the two men rushed to Leto to treat him knowing full well what was in store for him anyway.


    "And what did this prophecy say ? Was it really reliable ? They are healing your wounds so you should be able to talk, but don''t you dare lie to me again. I know a lot more than you think and I will hurt you a lot more if you think of ying me..."


    As the two elves finished only partially healing his wounds so the Pdin would not die, the dragoness continued her questioning. Everything was also beginning to build in her mind, so she was doing her best to contain her anger and bloodlust. Finally, the two elf doctors were done and as the two bowed before running off, the man answered weakly.


    "When...humanity is at its peak. A-A terrifying b-beast from another world as beautiful as it is ruthless...as cold as...ice, will rise up against y-you and disrupt the order...o-of the entire world and plunge it into...chaos."


    "Go on."


    "This...this is a prophecy from a divine voice that made contact with the Supreme One during one of his dreams. T-The Gods...the Gods have warned us...*cough cough*...evil lurks in this forest....but...but it is worse. A-A Demon...has appeared...this is the end, we will...all die, this is the e-end of Humanity."


    Leto thought of that being that appeared thousands of years ago and that all Humans in this world dreaded but another one invaded his mind. Freya...the one who during the War had killed several of Zal''s soldiers in a macabre and nightmarish spectacle. To him, who had not lived through the Age of Extinction, the Wolf Empress in her still iplete form as a Demon named Lucifer...was the monster that would wipe out Humanity.


    "I see...a voice....in a dream..."


    Paying no attention to thement about her wife, Gaya was still determined to get all the information she needed. Her goal was to protect her family, her daughter and her little brother above all else and her main target was obviously the Supreme himself. At the thought of the one who had almost destroyed the still sleeping little Angel, the red mes began to appear small around her body again.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "What does your Supreme want with my daughter ? Why did he send a poor, tortured little dragon here ? To kill he r? To kidnap her ? Answer !"


    "I...*cough cough*...I don''t know..."


    Gritting her teeth, Gaya couldn''t settle for that answer, which she felt was far too unsatisfactory considering the stakes. Suddenly, using this new power as if by instinct, the Queen conjured up a whip of red mes in her gloved right hand. Without waiting a second or even being surprised, she mmed it on the poor man''s belly, causing him to scream and burst into pieces of charred flesh.


    "AAAARRRGGG !!!"


    "Don''t you have a little idea ? Come on, make an effort, I''m losing patience !"


    "H-His Excellency...is...experimenting on non-human kids ! In...in the basement of the main Church of the K-Kingdom of Zal in the c-capital. He probably wants to experiment on...the one in t-this forest, for more p-power."


    At the end of his answer, an explosion of power invaded the entire coliseum at once, plunging it into an unbreathable and dangerous aura of its own. The area seemed to go dark and as everyone felt their throats tighten and their bodies tremble, they turned their heads. On the tform above everything, the white-haired Empress had appeared along with that instant sense of danger.


    Freya had heard everything Leto had said and couldn''t help but imagine her little moon in the same state as Angel or even worse. This thought made her change in a snap of her fingers not her red hair, not her ck hair but her pure white hair. At that moment, the Empress of Ice was in front of the warriors while the Queen of Fire was standing in the middle of the arena facing the human.


    They had gotten the information they needed, the Pdin didn''t seem to be able to help them anymore and there were still two more people to question. Seeing the sudden change in her wife, the dragoness took this as a signal, gripping the crackling whip in her hand even tighter. Raising her arm, once again she would bring it down on the man''s body but still in the same ce.


    "N-NOOOOO !!! AAAAAARRRRGG !!! P-PLEASE !!! UUURG !!!"


    Shreds of flesh flew in all directions as the merciless Queen whipped the Pdin''s thighs which began to split. The blood spurted ever more, the screams were deafening but she continued, even deeming it too gentlepared to the anger she felt. Gaya could now see the two bones in Leto''s legs before finally stopping, her dress in the colors of the universe, covered in blood.


    "AAAAAAaaaa"


    The man''s screams turned into weak, ragged breaths as his mind was already on the verge of leaving, exhausted by the pain. Everything was a blur, everything was moving too fast, he had no arms, no hope, no dignity and after seeing the monsters Elysium was popted with...didn''t even believe in the Gods anymore. The irony was that Freya herself was a former Goddess, just like Ka was in the hospital.


    Leto didn''t know it, but he had probably been closest to deities in his entire life by the time he was being tortured, giving up his faith. He wanted it to end, he knew nothing more and wanted only death rather than this intense pain. The wound in his belly was still open, he was bleeding out from there, from his legs, not to mention his arms that had been torn off during the war, one of them severely burned.


    "K-Kill me...k-kill...m...m-me..."


    "With pleasure."


    The desperate Pdin looked like nothing, eyes revolting, empty and dying as he stuttered these few words with his tongue hanging out. This did not seem to move the Queen, who responded in a tone devoid ofpassion or feeling as her eyes glowed with satisfaction. All of a sudden, the mes did not disappear from her body but this time it was herself who was changing at sight.


    The crimson-haired woman was growing and growing, taking on the form of a dragon to eliminate her as was the tradition of her race. When a dragon took life in its bestial form, it was said to eat the soul of the unfortunate for an eternity of torment. And so, before everyone''s eyes, a huge legendary creature aze with red mes had appeared in the middle of Elysium.


    The Queen was magnificent, imperial, noble, majestic and at that moment, no one doubted the power of the Empress'' wife. The Imperial couple was on a whole new level and even if Gaya''s anger was not directed at them, fear and respect were present. Letting out a roar that shook the entire city, she leaned towards Leto who saw death in his face, white as a corpse.


    "ROAAAAAAAAAR !!!"


    Before he even had time to faint, the dragoness was bringing herrge head towards him as her left paw came to crush his legs. Grabbing the man''s small head in her fangs, she began to pull gently, finishing to break the exposed bones in his thighs. The Pdin screamed like he had never screamed before, literally being torn apart by a giant dragon and set on fire.


    This time it was his whole body that was burning, his clothes, his skin that started to form bubbles of flesh bursting more and more every second. Then, with a sharp blow, the man was separated from his lower body with a dull crack followed by silence. Leto could no longer scream, he was still alive but the pain was so great that he was brain dead, unable to take it anymore.


    The dragon queen didn''t care, and while her paws guarded the human''s legs, with a flick of her head she threw his upper body into the air. It whirled above her mes, burping more and more before falling head first into Gaya''s open mouth. With a powerful snap of her jaw, mming into the body part, the Queen''s fangs closed on the Pdin, violently shattering its remains.


    Chunks of flesh, bone and blood spilled from her mouth as if she had bitten into a juicy tomato in one fell swoop. The blood had scattered throughout the silent, heart pounding arena, paralyzed with fear, awe and admiration. Kira who was standing a little more still said nothing either, hypnotized by this magnificent creature where mes of blood were dancing all around her.


    So, while Act One and the beginning of Act Two had been under apuse, its end was inplete silence. The zing Queen had interrogated the pdin to the point of driving him to despair with strangely addictive, satisfying and astonishing violence. There were only two people left to question, and while Jade was still at the Empress'' side swallowing, she muttered a few words.


    "T-Two legendary beings...I-Impossible..."

 Chapter 230 Act Three: The Princess Of Monsters And The Hero Knight I

    - General POV -


    "ROOOOAAAAAAR !!!"


    It was with the mighty roar of a dragon with a jaw dripping with blood that the second act of this deadly y ended. Of the three humans who had been taken away, only two remained, having witnessed the death of theirrade. The Queen was still in the middle, aze in a multitude of red mes crackling around her bestial form, like a glowing sun.


    Gaya''s anger still hadn''t subsided despite the satisfaction of finally torturing and killing the man she had faced during the war. The beautiful crimson-haired woman had put on a show as terrifying and dignified as her title but after all these emotions, she was exhausted. Lowering her huge dragon head, she stopped to look at the crowd with her amber reptilian eyes causing a general kneeling.


    On their knees, everyone trembled at the fiery and beautiful creature before them, the Mother of Dragons, Queen of the Empire and wife of Freya. All of the soldiers present realized once again how powerful those who could transform were. The Empress in her ck-horned wolf form straight from Hell, the Princess in her three-tailed demon fox form, and of course the Chaos Commanders since their evolution.


    As silence returned to the coliseum, suddenly Gaya''s bestial body began to change, a sign that she was returning to her humanoid form. She was still recovering from her injuries received during the war and still felt weakened even if they were not serious. So, very soon the Queen that everyone knew reappeared in the middle of the arena, her bloody clothes falling apart revealing her pearly skin.


    On her body, scales were still visible forming a garment covering her private parts but also disappearing very quickly, the more she became human again. Barefoot on the ground, Gaya was still staggering from exhaustion, ready to fall to the ground at any second. Suddenly, just as her legs were finally failing her, a fox girl with three silver tails came to catch her.


    "Gaya"


    Princess Kira had left her cloak to catch up to her sister-inw and cover her so she wouldn''t be naked in front of the overly curious crowd. She had ced herself behind her in order to put the garment on her shoulders and keep her with her body from falling backwards. Finally covered with a sheet, the remains of scales disappeared but this time her ears remained pointed and her horns visible.


    "T-Thank you~"


    "It''s nothing~"


    Suddenly, as Kira replied with a smile, a gust of wind began to blow their crimson and silver hair away all at once. The next moment, the Empress still with the white hair was at their side, appearing out of nowhere, as if teleported. Without saying a word, Freya gently picked up her wife and carried her like a princess, turning to her sister and nodding her head in thanks.


    Then, once she was sure that the exhausted Gaya was wrapped in her cloak, she would turn her head slowly towards the crowd and re at them. Everyone had had their eyes on the Queen when she was about to get naked, and without Kira''s intervention, it would have happened. So the Empress had her prating and cold gaze on the spectators, who all felt their breathing quicken, understanding without her having to speak.


    Very protective of her soul mate, her reaction had been instinctive and her icy aura was still floating in the air, this time towards the crowd. However, it was still going to be a long night so judging that this warning was enough, Freya turned around to go back to the tform. Just as she was about to disappear again, with her Queen in her arms, Myles'' voice came from his ice wall.


    "I-It''s you !!! The demon from the Age of extinction !!! The Supreme was right !!!"


    The former leader of the Knights had his eyes fixed on the scene and saw for the first time that the Empress was not just a red-haired demon or a wolf with fur as ck as night. Before his eyes, the being that the leader of the Church had described was here, in this forest as he had predicted all along. He had no doubt anymore, for this human, Freya was none other than this beinge to exterminate Humanity again.


    "M-Monster !!! Demon !!! You may have won a battle but you will never win the war ! Hahahahaha~ thousands of years have passed, humans are stronger, smarter, more murderous than before and your kind are crawling at our feet !!!"


    While Leto had been supplicant, cowardly and treacherous, Myles was showing a very interesting resistance despite the situation, exinable by his anger. He was spitting, he had no legs left at knee level but he was using his arms to struggle with the threads of blood. Animated by his hatred and destabilized by the spectacle he had witnessed, instead of being terrified as before, the man even seemed to have be more courageous.


    "I will kill you !!! And if not me, Humanity will take care of exterminating all of you before you even think of annihting us !!! Three-faced demon, creature of the underworld, your days are numbered ! We know of your existence HAHAHAHA~!!!"


    The human hadughed hysterically, caught in a wave of mad anger, a sign that his mind had opted for this option to avoid pure madness. Freya had heard everything but still disappeared with her wife in her arms while he continued tough and rant. She could be seen appearing on the tform to ce Gaya on her throne as the nine Commanders present and the prisoner Jade looked on.


    "You''re screwed up Empress of the Monsters !!! If I could I would have killed you all myself ! If it weren''t for your dangerous physical abilities, we would have annihted you all without exception ! You are lucky that this demonic creature is protecting you, YES YOU ALL ! One day Humanity will make it disappear and you with it so that finally..."


    But, Myles hadn''t even finished his sentence when suddenly, like a sh, the Empress was in front of him several feet off the ground and inches from his face. Wings of ice had formed in her back, her hair as white as Shiro''s floating behind her in the rhythm of the wind she was causing. Without a word, Freya snapped her fingers making the wall of ice copse and the bloody threads that bound him disappear.


    "Arg !"


    It was now the former Captain of the Knights'' turn to crash to the ground, anger still evident on his face. He was scared, he was shaking but that defiant feeling he gave off had not disappeared to the surprise of the crowd. Still in the air, the she-wolf took back the color of her naturally ck hair as she turned her head towards her sister who was watching everything from a little further away with a smile.


    "Let''s see it then, since that''s what you want, onee-san, fufu~"


    Immediately understanding what she meant, the three-tailed silver Princess smiled wider while hopping towards her scythe nted in the ground. Still barefoot, she grabbed her weapon with ease, before twirling it around in style. Freya, on the other hand, would make her ice wings disappear in one fell swoop, letting gravity pull her back to the ground before she finally spoke her first words.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "My sister has evolved to level 20, you are level 40 show us what you can do, human. Show everyone here how superior your race is...if you think you can defeat the one you call Empress of the monsters, then their Princess shouldn''t be a problem."


    Since the war, the young Kira had moved up five levels after facing a pdin far more powerful than her in terms of experience. Fortunately, having the same blood as her older sister, even though the difference in level had been enormous, at the cost of much courage, the Princess had ovee. At Freya''s words, Myles looked at his legs, then at Kira, then at his legs, wondering if she wasn''tpletely stupid.


    With another snap of her fingers, the parts of his legs that had been torn off formed not into flesh but into ice again. Thanks to the funeral, the Empress had learned to manipte her element from mana directly from living beings. Thus, like the ancient Goddess she was, she could partially restore the man''s mobility, just long enough for him to prove what he had started to scream earlier.


    "Problem solved. Just like that, you should be able to do it, right ? 20 levels difference to your advantage, so you have nothing to be afraid of~"


    Freya''s tone was mocking but her voice and face was cold and contemptuous, the night was just beginning but all the revtions so far had pissed her off. Seeing the former Knight''s courage as a means of entertainment, she let her little sister take care of humiliating him. Pulling her own katana from its scabbard as a provocation, the Empress would throw it at the human''s feet before leaving for the tform again.


    "My friends, act three is finally here ! Let''s see how it will end...who will be victorious, who will be defeated ? The Princess of Monsters or the Hero Knight ?!"


    Kira, on the other hand, had a smile on her face and her good mood was easily transmitted to the rest of the spectators who discovered a little more of her personality. yful, teasing, funny and always with a sly smile on her face, she might look like her sister, but they were very different. After seeing the great power of the Queen, the crowd, enthralled by this fake y, was eager to see the Princess at work.


    The man had picked up the she-wolf''s ck de, understanding at a nce that this was an exceptional weapon. It didn''t take him long to get used to her legs, Freya having taken great care to link the severed nerves with her mana for perfectpatibility. So, as she had announced earlier, act three was about to begin, pitting the Princess of Elysium against the human who thought he was a hero.


    "Are you ready, O human iming to be able to kill the Devil herself~ ?"


    Kira giggled as she slowly approached the knight, her three tails swaying behind her, showing her hard to hide enthusiasm. Her dimples were apparent, and when she smiled, many people were caught blushing at her living beauty. Coming within a few feet of her opponent, the fox girl ced her left arm behind her back, raising her head to look at him with a superior air as she spoke.


    "Look, I even promise to use only my right arm haha~"


    "Y-You..."


    The Knight this time was shaking with anger, not wanting to let this opportunity pass him by and felt a new strength flow through him. He was wounded, in the middle of an arena standing in a city of monsters, facing their Princess but he was determined. No n was in Myles'' head, all he wanted was to kill at least the one who mocked and underestimated him, he a level 40, Captain of the proud Knights of Zal.


    "You won''t underestimate me for long !!!"


    Throwing himself at Kira first, the human concentrated on letting all his knowledge as a Captain speak, attacking strategically even in anger. He had brandished the katana above his head and was about to bring it down on the head of the young woman who had not moved at all. Raising her right arm, the ck and red de of her scythe came immediately to parry the blow intended to cut her throat.


    If Freya had held the weapon at that moment, her scythe would have shattered instantly but in front of her was a weakened human, full of pathetic dreams of glory in his mind. With her left arm still behind her back, Kira turned her weapon to send the handle into Myles'' ribs. Thetter would manage to dodge without seeing the second blow that wasing to sweep his legs of ice and make him bite the dust.


    "Uurg !!!"


    "This is how you want to defeat the Empress ? Tch, pathetic !"


    The young woman stood over him, looking at him with her cold, glowing violet eyes just above the ck sky of the Empire. Of course, the man didn''t realize it, but his physical abilities had diminished greatly since the war and his injuries. In reality, he didn''t stand a chance against Kira who, even with 20 levels less, was endowed with a body that made her one of Lucifer''s most powerful Sin Demons.


    "I will kill you !!!"


    Sweeping his arm overhead, the ck de passed within inches of the girl''s eyes as she jumped to dodge. The human would not give up, Leto''s blood still stained the dirt floor of the coliseum and his desire for revenge was real. Once again, he would arrive at Kira to force her to face him without disadvantage, much more concerned with his human ego to see that she gave him one more chance.


    "Die !"


    Still, Myles'' movements were powerful, precise, and without the incredible agility she disyed, the Princess could have been hit many times. Yet she knew how to use her space, her whole body though physically in this world for a short time. With a different grace than the Empress who was more savage, Kira offered a mesmerizing acrobatic fight to the speechless warriors.


    She twirled between each attack, her left hand behind her back but using her feet, her weapon to avoid each fatal blow. Her smile did not disappear from her face, the more time passed the more she enjoyed herself, having the impression to y with a poor human ofpany. But soon she would go on the attack and would remind everyone that she had no demon but the horn, she was Kira Nightshade, Lucifer''s right hand.

 Chapter 231 Act Three: The Demon Fox II

    - POV General -


    In the middle of the coliseum arena, after the reunion of a King and his daughter, the interrogation of a man by a Queen, a proud Princess was fighting a Knight. Kira, the Empress'' little sister, was fighting Myles in front of the Empire''s warriors and the King, who was still trapped in his ice wall. More than a confrontation, the young woman seemed to y with the human who thought he was a hero.


    Even if the difference in levels was 20, she had added some handicaps, she had her left arm in the back and did not use her element. Yet, despite this, the man who had regained his legs could not touch her once. He also couldn''t use his water element because of fatigue, his injuries, and his remaining mana, which he concentrated mainly in his legs.


    "Exterminate us, O Precious Knight of Zal hahaha~"


    Kira twirled left and right, giggling, with her scythe, blocking attacks without ever throwing one at the one who was getting more and more tired. She was barefoot and every time they touched the ground it was to propel her in the air with a disconcerting ease. Myles struck again and again with the Empress'' own katana but nothing helped, most of her blows split the air without ever reaching anything.


    "D-Dirty creature ! Urg !"


    The proud Knight was a mere shadow of the warrior he had once been and even though his mind was determined to ovee with his anger, his body would not follow. His technique was still as good as ever, but how could he shine when physically the fatigue and injuries were too much. The more the seconds passed, the more he got angry and the more he got angry, the more he sank into a despair and a shame, pointing at his own weaknesses.


    But the man did not give up, under the eyes of the Empress who had given him only five minutes, he was still fighting. Kira, also surprised by his stamina, knew that this was not going to change anything, so she decided to spice things up a bit. This time, instead of spending his time dodging, after a big jump backwards, he put himself in a guard position, his scythe still in his right hand.


    "Let''s not disappoint our spectators~"


    Turning her weapon all around her body, passing it on her tails that seemed to be as skilled as her own arms or legs. The young vixen knew that the most effective thing would be to break Myles'' confidence especially after the threats he had made. Her older sister had given her five minutes, she was determined to finish it using only three and always with her left arm behind her back.


    Facing him, Kira was not smiling at all and her change of behavior was quite destabilizing, she who gave off a nice aura. Grabbing her scythe firmly, it was her turn to run straight at the knight with ice legs in a defensive position. The young Princess didn''t even need to use her lightning to increase her speed as she was very fastpared to the human.


    In a few seconds she was already a few meters away from him and as he raised his sword to parry, she nted the de of her weapon in the dusty ground. Using the propulsion that this action gave her, Kira let herself be carried, stamping her feet to pass over Myles head down. As she was about tond, she threw her foot violently into his back throwing him forward with force.


    "ARG !"


    Propelled head first on the ground, the man was sttered with the blood of hispanion who had died a few minutes ago. The Princess, on the other hand, was beating her tails in the air to get up and instead of hitting the ground, was leaning on the handle of her scythe once again. Again pushed in the direction of the Knight, she twirled in the sky illuminated by the braziers, beforending on the back of the one who tried to get up.


    "AARG *COUGH COUGH* !!!"


    A sound of breaking bones followed by a hoarse scream then rose in the arena making then immediately smile all the Elysium warriors watching the fight. Both of Myles'' ribs shattered on impact as the young woman leaned back on her body and repositioned herself on the handle of her scythe. The blow had been powerful, and as she felt every bone break under her bare feet, Kira wore the same feral smile as her older sister.


    "COUGH COUGH !"


    Despite his broken ribs, the coughing man was already getting up, his face redder with anger than ever before, angry and in pain. He was showing great resistance, pushing his body to the limit, determined to kill his opponent. As he turned back to Kira, Myles spat out the blood that flowed from his mouth, breathing like an old horse and sweating like a pig.


    His icy legs were shaking, his teeth were grinding in frustration, and his eyes perfectly conveyed all the hatred he felt. Still, the man wouldn''t give up, how could he ? He felt like a beast locked up for the pleasure of these races he hated and felt humiliated, deprived of his freedom and even of his status as a human being. For the first time, Myles found himself in the shoes of those he used to martyr.


    "So ? Do you like feeling like a freak ? You know that no matter what you do you''ll end up answering the Empress'' questions, right ?"


    Kira had felt what he was feeling, though it wasn''t hard considering the mentality of humans was almost identical for all of them. She wanted to provoke him, she wanted him to give everything to better break him because he showed great mental resistance. Unlike Leto who had given in to the Queen, the former Captain of the Knights was far more interesting to challenge and crush.


    "B-because you think you-you won, fox ? If it weren''t for your more powerful body and your monster attributes I would have killed you by now. Y-You''re at your most powerful form...you...you wouldn''t havested ten minutes against *cough cough* me..."


    At his answer, the young Princess had both of her bushy ears raised as did her right eyebrow as a glint of defiance flickered in her eyes. She knew she shouldn''t kill him, she knew his information was valuable so she wasn''t going to disappoint her sister. However, that didn''t mean she couldn''t scare this man who had spoken the wrong words.


    "Who are you human to dare to determine that I am at my best ? Has the situation already gotten the better of your warrior judgment ? I''m already fighting with one arm behind my back, I''m having fun and you think I''ve given it my all ?"


    "T-Then...show me, fox ! I''m ready to annihte you even if I have to end up in pieces on this earth inhabited by abominations, guided by the destroyer of humanity !"


    Myles raised Freya''s ck katana above his head as he spoke these words, closing his eyes and ignoring the pain and doing his best to focus his mana. He used the element of water, and as he was once again red with anger, his weak aura began to regain some semnce of power. Just as the man had shown in his fight with the Empress, a de of water came over his weapon''s de.


    The water wavered, was not 100% controlled, made big puddles on the ground but that did not stop him at all, on the contrary. Suddenly, with a quick and precise movement that at that moment nobody was expecting, the human had justunched his attack on Kira, still standing on the handle of his scythe. The de extended like a whip and struck her cheek, leaving arge cut from the corner of her mouth to the beginning of her ear.


    The sword strike had been unexpected, with the two opponents a good distance apart, normally within range of no weapon. Myles was nowhere near the power he had at his peak, but his mindset had him drawing on hisst bit of strength. Despite his injuries, he had finallynded a blow on this young woman who kept toying with him and this action made him very proud of himself.


    "HAHAHAHA~ All I have to do is regain my strength a little and you''re already hit !! How about that, fox ?? HAHAHA *COUGH COUGH*! !! Show me your power and let''s get this over with !!"


    Leaping from her perch, the silver-haired Princessnded on the dirt floor, barefoot, silent, her right cheek full of blood. As she stood up, suddenly her long hair began to flutter at the back of her head as if a breeze had been born near her. Little by little, lightning of silvery blue formed around her body as Kira slowly bent over and raised her head towards the man who had hurt her.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "My real power ? In your state you wouldn''tst two minutes against my true form, so don''t feel all powerful."


    Freya''s little sister''s voice had be cold, she had lost her mocking and singing tone showing that she no longer wanted to y. Her violet eyes had also be as empty as the Empress'' and her two canines protruded from her mouth. Even the demon horn that Kira had on the right side of her forehead had begun to crackle surrounded by lightning bolts as well, an element she had inherited from her race, the 6th Demon Sin.


    "I will kill you ! Show it to me, never again will you underestimate me !!!"


    Seeing the dangering, the man didn''t give the young woman time to counterattack, then making a circr motion with his arms. As a result, his long de of water created a kind of whirlpool all around him, sharp and fast. This technique seemed to be a good way of protection but that was without counting the unique element that the three-tailed fox of the Elysium Empire possessed.


    "Oh~ but I''ll show it to you, you won''t be on it, but first..."


    Not finishing her sentence, Kira suddenly disappeared as if by magic from where she stood leaving the majority of the audience waiting for her attack. In fact, very few were able to see her movements, she who possessed an element of illusion. As Myles looked around while trying to maintain his energy-intensive movement, she reappeared to his right with a terrifying smile.


    "...Let me show you how weak you still are"


    Finally finishing her sentence, the Princess began to spin all around that water cage he had created, ever faster raising the dust of the arena. With each turn, an image of her appeared to the left, then behind, then to the right and in the middle, so that it seemed as if she had multiplied. The human couldn''t believe his eyes, but not wanting to be attacked, kept spinning his sword, paling more and more.


    "Water and lightning ? What a wonderful idea~"


    Suddenly, Kira''s voice rang out,ing from the mouth of each of her illusions startling everyone in the coliseum. As she finished her sentence, as one, all five of her clones raised their hands, showing lightning bolts on their fingernails that had lengthened. In one motion, their ws dug into the water barrier, clenching their teeth at the pain the de caused on their arms.


    Very quickly, the blood came to cover their limbs but it was not in vain because more than a thousand small lightnings found their way through the liquid. Thus, a few secondster, the whole body of the knight was invaded by a violent shock which took him everywhere. With a shrill cry, his own water prison disappeared as he fell to the ground, convulsed by the powerful lightning.


    "AAAAAAAAARRRG !!!"


    All of Myles'' muscles were contracted, his tongue was out but he could still move, trying to get up as best he could. His ice legs were still in ce but his whole body was shaking despite the look on his face tranting pain but still determination. How could he resist so much ? The physical was no longer holding, that was a certainty, but the mental was still there for the greatest surprise of everyone.


    "Y-You...witch ! You...You''re not going to get me...with....aaarg !!!"


    "Yes ?"


    Kira was all alone again, her right cheek was still beading with blood and her arms were bruised but nothing that couldn''t be healed quickly. She had actually lessened the pain and injuries by spreading them out over her illusory clones that were actually real. The Princess was slowly moving towards the man on the ground, easily understanding that he would not be able to fight anymore despite his steely mind.


    "You never had a chance from the start, you were just prey to the animals of this Empire and to...me. You proimed yourself as a hero capable of killing me or even the ruler of Elysium hahaha~ of course !"


    "I...I can still...kill you...I...I hurt you ! Uuurg ! I-I...I can still..."


    Trembling on his back, Myles could see the young woman approaching as he continued to think that he wasn''t as weak as everyone imed. It''s true, he wasn''t, but he was much more in denial than Leto who had recognized his inferiority quite quickly. Still advancing towards him, Kira ced herself right in front of him before stopping and asking two simple questions, looking at him with her eyes filled with disgust.


    "Can you defeat me then ? Are you sure ?"


    "I..."


    Without even giving her time to answer, it was the Princess'' body''s turn to change at an incredible speed before everyone''s eyes. Silver fur was growing on all her limbs, she was getting bigger, her fangs and ws were getting longer as was her horn. In an instant, a huge fox appeared in front of the former knight, towering over him, suddenly reminding him of the ck wolf he had fought.


    A silver three-tailed fox demon stood in front of him, a horn carved into the middle of her forehead, her eyes an even wilder purple and some sort of blue symbols on her body. Lightning crackled around Kira as three huge tails pped at the back of her body to the rhythm of her growls. Opening her mouth to speak, the Fox Princess rested her question in a powerful voice.


    "I am Kira, second Princess of the Empire, sister of Empress Freya, Fox Demon and right hand of the Devil herself. So I repeat...can you defeat me, human ?!?!"


    Paralyzed, Myles could no longer speak both fascinated and terrified by this very sudden and more than impressive transformation for a human. At that moment, he was finally measuring the difference in strength between the Kingdom of Zal and the Empire of Elysium remembering the Wolf Empress and the Dragon Queen. Now the man realized that a third creature qualified as one of the most dangerous in this world, was here as well.


    "Is that enough for you, human ?"


    Dropping Freya''s katana, Kira needed no words to understand that she had ovee his steely mind. Her transformation alone had been enough to break him, her peculiar aura enveloping him and rendering him unable to move, his eyes fixed on the beast that she was. Myles was finally ready to speak and while Freya had a smile on her face, Kira sealed her fight with a howl worthy of her older sister causing the stones of the coliseum to shake.


    "OOOOWOOOO~"

 Chapter 232 Act Four: How To Destroy A Kingdom

    - POV General -


    "I....no...."


    Myles was on the floor, eyes glued to Kira who had revealed her original form for the first time for all to see. The Commanders recognized one of the two Demons Freya had faced in the crypt and even though they knew where their Princess came from, seeing it was more impressive. She looked just like the Empress and the Queen, like a divine creature that did not belong to this world, it was inexplicable.


    Her three silver tails, her shiny fur, her crackling lightning, the symbols on her body, her carved horn, her eyes...everything was beautiful. If Freya looked like a terrifying ck wolf, Gaya like a powerful dragoness, Kira looked like a graceful and equally hypnotizing demon. The crowd was silent, no one in the stands had any idea that the Princess possessed such a gift as she raised her voice to the human.


    "You should never havee here and now the only thing you can do is bow your head, submit and try to fix even a little of the mess you''ve caused. Elysium will show no mercy to those who seek to destroy this Empire and every one of its warriors will fight with the strength of a hundred men if necessary."


    The former knight had his back against the ice wall where the King was still imprisoned, who no longer had the strength to even tremble, still shocked by all the events. Myles was panting, he was stuck, the bottom of his pants was wet and the closer the beast got to him, the more he almost fainted. Kira didn''t care and as her sharp fangs stopped inches from his face, she spoke the words everyone thought.


    "The Empire...will never kneel to the human race."


    The silver fox demon growled louder and louder after she spoke and herrge mouth opened wide as if to tear the human''s head off. The Princess''s eyes had gone almost crazy, as if she had suddenly gone wild and ready to kill her prey. Everyone held their breath, no one could say anything, the whole atmosphere was heavy, the beast in front of the crowd making the scene intense.


    After the incredible and frightening show that Gaya and her crimson mes had offered to Leto, Kira came to finish the job with a suffocating beauty. Even the young femalemanders, who knew that the man''s information was valuable, stood still. Freya''s youngest sister was swept up in a frenzy and bloodlust and was about to savagely kill Myles before everyone''s eyes.


    "Kira"


    Suddenly, the Empress, who had regained her night-ck hair, appeared right next to the huge fox demon, uttering only one word. It had been instantaneous, Freya had her right arm behind her back and her left arm raised between her sister''s huge teeth and the human''s livid face. Her arrival had awakened everyone and especially Kira who now lowered her huge head towards her realizing what she was about to do.


    "Forgive me, onee-san."


    The moment the Princess had met the Empress'' eyes, for the first time in this form, she felt an instinct from her race. For some reason she couldn''t exin, a terrible urge to bow down was felt within her as she apologized. Gently backing up her tails and ears lowered, Kira then slowly returned to her humanoid form, her bestial form taking up too much space.


    "Good work little sister~"


    Unlike the Commanders who kept their clothes after their transformation, just like Freya and Gaya, for the young woman it was not the case. So it is by creating clothes of ice around the body of her little sister, that the Empress appeared again in front of her by pronouncing these few words. Caressing her silver hair, she nodded her head which caused Kira to swing her three tails.


    Suddenly turning around, Freya pped her hands, making the King''s ice wall disappear, making him fall on his buttocks right next to Myles. With this simple gesture, everyone understood that things were about to elerate since the Empress had descended into the arena. The next moment, twelve people appeared at her side without her even having to give a singlemand, eleven of them having one knee down.


    There was Nixia, Na?a, Ralph, Emilia, Thorunn, Trioa, Luna, Caipy, Ynir, Persea but also Jade always chained and forced to prostrate, held firmly by Ralph. They had arrived apanied by Gaya who had recovered from her tiredness and who was now standing on the right of her wife while Kira was on her left. A secondter, it was the turn of the crowd to bow down while Freya finally spoke.


    "My dearest warriors, I hope you have enjoyed the first part of the evening because it is time to move on ! We''ve learned a lot already about the Church and the Kingdom that attacked us but it''s not over."


    Thanks to Leto, they now all knew about the Supreme in more detail, even knew what its purpose was and even why Humanity hated the other races. But there were still some grey areas regarding how the Kingdom worked and how it was possible to eliminate the threat at the root. She hadn''t said it yet, but Freya had every intention of destroying the entire Kingdom and the Church with it.


    To do this, she needed more information, about the number of forces avable, the Princes, the number of inhabitants, diplomatic rtions and more. And for that, what better than to ask the Captain of the Knights and the King themselves ? They were both in a state where theirpletely traumatized brains would let them answer any questions the Empress had to ask.


    "Get up. Let''s not waste any more time."


    At her words, all would rise, ice seats created for Kira, Gaya and Freya while the Commanders and Jade would move to stand behind them. The Princess and Queen sat down, but the Empress went straight to the King, on whom she had used "Death Gaze". The first activation of this skill had blinded her for several minutes, but she understood its full potential the next moment.


    In the Empress'' mind, she wanted to subdue himpletely, to have the ruler of a Kingdom under her boots fearing her as much as he was willing to serve her. She didn''t just want to scare him and torture him mentally, the she-wolf wanted to possess him body and soul, to make him her faithful puppet, ready to die and live for her. The King of Zal sat in the dust with a haggard look on his face, not knowing that she had a fate worse than death in store for him.


    "So tell me...during the war, when you copsed...what did you see ?"


    Freya had crouched down in front of Theophctus grabbing his jaw with her right hand and looking into his tired eyes. Before being attacked by Ka, she had seen snippets in her mind of what the King imagined once trapped in her skill. Death Gaze, allowing her to make someone who feared her experience the worst fears and subjective deaths of the target under the control of the illusion on a loop.


    "Kingdom...end of the world...poverty...dishonor...power..."


    The gray-haired man no longer formed a sentence, he felt as if his body had instantly gone cold when the ck-haired woman had touched him. He didn''t know that she had been responsible for his visions but his instincts were screaming at him and apart from a few words, nothing came out of his mouth. So it was with an ominous smile that Freya activated Death Gaze once again to shake him slightly, without breaking him.


    "UUURG !!!"


    In an instant her mind was filled with various fragmented visions and this time devoid of a headache and intense eye pain. She could concentrate, The Empress was seeing the King''s worst nightmares and especially the death that scared him the most repeated over and over again. In the vision he was stripped of his crown, in the middle of his own Kingdom, lynched with stones by his own subjects who looked at him with disgust.


    "Interesting~..."


    It was easy to understand that this was the entire ego of a King, a King fallen and killed by the people who had once respected, adored and believed in him. Freya didn''t even see his children, his family, only a scene that was considered horrible for a narcissistic and self-important mind. Letting go of Theophctus'' jaw, she would suddenly stop her skill in front of a panting, shaking but not yet broken man which was perfect.


    "P-Please...no more...I...I can''t...I don''t want to see this again..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    The human had fallen on his back as he finally managed to utter a more or lessplete sentence to the delight of his tormentor. Getting up, the she-wolf looked at what was at her feet, pleading and already far from the sovereign who was riding with his golden armor. Without even a nce for yna who was looking a little further, Freya was gently crushing her right boot on the man''s face, asking him a question.


    "What are you willing to do to make this stop, human king ?"


    He silently raised his ssy eyes as best he could, his face crushed to the ground, looking once more into the Empress'' eyes. At a nce, Theophctus knew he had no choice, and he never had from the moment he had entered the forest. His daughter had joined Elysium, his army had been wiped out, he would never see his kingdom again and his life now depended on one answer.


    The King did not want to relive these visions, for him, a few hours had seemed like days and the few seconds they had just lived, hours. Death was a solution, but he was a coward and could not im it like a proud warrior. Only servitude remained...only submission was a solution for the man that could guarantee his survival, even if it meant throwing away his dignity as a ruler.


    "To...I...I am ready to...serve you..."


    "To serve you who ?"


    "Y-Your Hi...Highness the Empress."


    Theophctus had said thosest words through clenched teeth, his gaze still very slightly burning with hatred towards the one who walked over him. This did not escape Freya who with a smile crushed his cheek a little more in the dust making him moan little by little in pain. She was almost there...the human under her eyes still had a rebellious glint in his eyes but he was almost...the King would be hers.


    "I doubt any ruler would ept a servant with a look like that fufu~ perhaps I should show you again how precious life is and that your total loyalty is ultimately not much."


    "N-NO, I..."


    Without even letting him beg any further, with her right hand the Empress made a ck amat appear, made of both shadows but also of a material that seemed alive. In her hand, she had just materialized one of the two elements with which she was born: the chaos. Indescribable ck matter, slimy, liquid and solid, in an instant, had crashed into Theophctus'' face epassing his entire head in this unfathomable ck mass.


    Freya used her "Storage of Chaos" skill but without using "Devouring Chaos", so the man could still breathe but was deprived of all his senses. With his brain encased in this thing, he couldn''t see, hear or smell... locked in a ck desert. The she-wolf, on the other hand, had removed her foot and while no one understood, she used her "Telepathy" skill to speak to the man directly into his mind.


    "I am Death, the Beast of Judgement but I am also the Darkness...the darkness at the end of all that has existed and preventing any form of matter or radiation from escaping. I can trap your soul here for eternity, human. Only your spirit will wander in this silent nothing, devoid of all life."


    "..."


    "You will begin to sink into despair, alone, far from everything...then you will end up destroying your own spirit to survive. In the end, the great Theophctus, once King of Zal, will be nothing more than a forgotten soul, destroyed but unable to die, trapped forever in pain and darkness."


    Freya''s words had echoed softly in the man''s mind, like a soft whisper capable of freezing your blood instantly. As he felt the Devil tempting him, he needed no further exnation to abandon everything as if nothing mattered anymore. With his head in that mass, deprived of all sense, the Fallen King could already feel and imagine what this life of wandering would be like.


    "Mmmmh."


    He couldn''t feel it but to the crowd in the coliseum, out of survival instinct, his body had begun to slowly gesticte as he squeaked. To the ck haired woman this was the signal, so it was with a slight movement of her hand that her skill gently withdrew from the human''s face. To the eyes of all, appeared eyes and an expression that had changedpletely, as if by magic.


    The face of the man with the gray hair and beard was neutral, his eyes no longer carried hatred but was extinguished and his body waited there without moving. As if he had suddenly be a puppet, the King not wanting this worse-than-death spell had as if switched off and restarted his brain. Smiling cruelly, the she-wolf put her boot against the cheek of the unfortunate man again, asking exactly the same question as before.


    "What are you willing to do to make this stop, human king ?"


    This time, the answer was immediate, as if her voice had turned on the puppet, he opened his mouth to answer words that no one expected. Saliva flowed from the corner of his lips, Freya''s boot was pressed into his mouth, and despite the choking it caused him, the human continued to speak. His voice had be submissive, his eyes were those of a tamed animal as he finally gave a satisfactory answer.


    "I will only serve her Highness the Empress now. I would be at your disposal whenever you wished and you could use me as you saw fit. I will be your ve, your object b-but....for pity''s sake...everything but...but not the ck void..."


    "Hahahaha~ I have only one word. From today you belong to me and you officially lose your status as a King and even as a human being. Your life belongs to me and it can be said that in the eyes of my Empire you are now only...my pet ?"


    At the Empress'' words, the entire crowd began tough at the behavior of the former ruler of Zal, even his daughter giggled shyly in her seat. With a snap of her fingers, an ice cor appeared around Theophctus'' neck, connected to a chain that the woman held tightly in her hand. Removing from his mouth the boot that he had begun to lick like a perfect idiot submissive, Freya resumed speaking.


    "Well, now that you have a nice cor...you''ll answer all my questions."


    "Y-Yes your Highness."


    "No no. That''s not how a dog talks, is it ?"


    Pulling on the chain with a jerk, the man was propelled forward crashing his face back onto the ground right next to her feet. With a trembling voice, slowly raising his head, the human with the cor rectified his sentence to the delight of the entire arena.


    "I-I will answer all your questions...Mistress."


    Freya finally had what she wanted, thanks to her actions she and her Empire could finally have a reliable source of information regarding Zal. Everything was going as she had nned and the first question that had been on her mind since the war was answered tonight. How to destroy a Kingdom ? By subduing its ruler, by possessing its King...body and soul.

 Chapter 233 Act Five: Lucifer And Her Three Demon Sins I

    - POV Freya -


    It was midnight, the dark night had given way to the light of the moon which illuminated the coliseum a little more than the enormous ming braziers all around. Leto had died at Gaya''s hand after having given us all the information he knew about the Supreme of the Church. Myles had been taken over by Kira and could only submit, while the King...well, the man who had been stripped of his title was now totally mine.


    With my Death Gaze skill I had managed to break him enough to sway his resolve during the war and even after. Then, after showing him the emptiness of my "Storage of Chaos" skill, yna''s father had finally given up everything to survive. What could be more frightening than death and torture if not the prospect of living a life of loneliness, emptiness...for eternity ?


    [What did he see that made him give up instantly like that, onee-san ?]


    While Theophctus was at my feet with his mindpletely brainwashed to my delight, Kira''s voice echoed in my head. Her curiosity was obviously more than understanding and I knew that almost everyone was asking the exact same question. Tugging on the ice chain attached to the neck of my new human toy, I sat quietly in my seat and answered as simply as possible.


    *A future of wandering and darkness*


    Crossing my legs, I could see the former King forcing himself to move as quickly as possible toe and sit down cross-legged next to my seat. His behavior really reminded me of a dog and I had to do my best not to burst outughing in front of everyone. What a divine sight. Seeing him at my feet and chained up gave me even more sadistic feelings that made me shiver with pleasure and excitement.


    *What if I experimented on him ? Mmmmh...I could try to cross him, I think Humans love that. Or I could modify him and make him even more powerful once I find a way to prevent any rebellion fufu~"


    "Ahem. Honey ? Didn''t you want to demonstrate your power by bringing back who you know ?"


    While I was totally lost in my thoughts, my wife''s soft whispering voice reached my ears snapping me out of my fantasies. Without realizing it, my small coldugh had paralyzed everyone pushing Gaya to remind me the rest of the evening. Shaking my head before thanking her with my eyes, I couldn''t help but smile at the idea of what would happen next.


    Everything was going as I had nned: the information about the Church, Myles'' submission, my sister''s and my wife''s demonstration of power. Now it was my turn to show my warriors and my special prisoner what I was capable of and for that I was going to bring two dead people back to life. Well, of course these two people were not really dead but in a way they were going to be reborn, here and now.


    "It''s time..."


    After the war we had just won despite the many battle deaths, I wanted to lift the spirits of the remaining soldiers as well. They were all present, the arena was surrounded by these faithful warriors making the pride of our whole Empire, all without exception deserved more. So now it was time for me to open up a bit more and let them know with honesty that I was not just Freya.


    I had not hidden my powers as Lucifer during thest confrontation with Zal''s army, but I had never exined it to my soldiers. After what we had all been through together, I felt they had a right to know, or at least a right to understand. I also wanted the two remaining humans and the mysterious vampire to witness what was about to happen, so I stood up with a smile.


    "You stay put."


    Letting go of the chain and telling my new toy not to follow me, I walked with a confident step towards the center of the arena inplete silence. Myles was being held by Kira next to Gaya and Jade was being held by Ralph next to the other nine Commanders. I had made sure that no one was spying on us and I couldn''t feel Titania''s presence either, so it was time to free those who had been sleeping for far too long.


    - PING -


    [ Do you want to proceed with the extraction of Envious Snake and Prideful Griffin ? ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    *Yes*


    As I stopped in the middle of Leto''s dust-filled blood that was still very much present, I scanned the crowd for a few seconds. Then, without further ado, I raised both arms activating "Storage of Chaos" once again but this time to pull out two huge bodies. Although wounded, they were still warm, filled with blood as if they had been killed less than an hour ago, very well preserved.


    "This is..."


    "...the Demons..."


    "...that we faced in the crypt !"


    Before everyone''s eyes, a huge snake a little over four meters tall with dark green scales and spikes covering its entire body appeared. Like Kira, it had the same horn in the middle of its forehead and was a member of the demon race despite its reptilian appearance. Next to it, the second body was not covered with scales but with ck feathers on more than half of its surface.


    It was a four-meter long griffin, with bird wings, an eagle''s head and a feline body ending in a big tail with feathers at the end. Once again, the same horn was in the middle of its forehead, a sign that it belonged to the Sins who were once all under mymand. In front of me there was finally the Envious Snake and the Prideful Griffin that I was finally going to get back after so many years thanks to June and May.


    The process was going to be faster than with my little sister since I didn''t have to separate the soul of the sisters from mine since I already had them. However, this was going to be the first time that I was going to give a new body to people who did not share my blood. The master-subordinate rtionship that Kira could sometimes feel was going to be much more powerful without a doubt and I was curious to find out how much.


    *Well...I have to concentrate. The process is faster but this time I have to release two souls and not just one, thanks to the 600 attribute points, it should be fine*


    It had been forever that 600 points were sleeping in my system, kept very carefully for this very moment or in case of emergency. Allocating these points always made me revert to my beastly form of more than four meters, which was not always practical. However, this time, if ever a greater weakness than expected was felt, I knew how to quickly regain the strength to continue.


    - PING -


    [ The two souls you possess are being extracted with your level 3 skill: Master of Souls ]


    [ Congrattions ! The operation has been sessful, the two souls can now be manipted and ced back into your storage space or into a body.]


    [ Countdown begins: 04 min 57 sec ]


    As I concentrated, I felt the palms of my hands be warm and I could see them turn a golden color. I had May''s and June''s souls in my hands and only 5 minutes to find a ce for them before they died. So, in a big silent arena, I went towards the two huge bodies in front of me to touch their foreheads one after the other.


    [ MP: 73 000 / 85 000 ]


    I had to be careful not to let the mana of the two beasts still perfectly preserved, absorb the two lights too quickly. For that, I used my own mana which made my MPs decrease little by little faster and faster as I had imagined. My little demonstration at the Empire''s funeral had tired me out and this new experience was not helping and was tiring me out greatly in a few seconds.


    [ MP: 61,278 / 85,000 ]


    *Still a little...*


    [ MP: 54 927 / 85 000 ]


    After a few very long minutes, I could finally feel the two souls separating from my system to merge perfectly into the bodies'' mana. My gesture had not been impressive, but a wave of immense power had invaded the entire coliseum in a few moments. Despite my concentration, various auras had been released from my own body obscuring and cooling the atmosphere drastically.


    - PING -


    [ The two souls were indeed imnted in the bodies of the demon Prideful Griffin and the demon Envious Snake. ]


    [ Congrattions Lucifer ! June and May have been added to your system as the second and third Demon Sins, and you now have ess to their status in your Empire menu. Their awakening is imminent ! ]


    [ The Freya system has recognized June and May as subordinates of the host - June: Envious Snake (5th Sin) / May: Prideful Griffin (4th Sin) ]


    I hadn''t chosen who would be what, so I was finding out along with all these notifications, the race of each of the two sisters. For the moment nothing was happening but as I was about to turn around to face my wife, something strange was happening. The operation was over, we just had to wait but MPs continued to decrease without understanding why followed by a new notification.


    - PING -


    [ Alert ! ording to the calctions of your new system, due to your great mental and physical fatigue your MPs will drop to 0. Please use your attribute points urgently before stopping the process. ]


    Without even thinking, as I could see the two beasts'' bodies light up like Kira''s in the crypt, I used my 600 skill points. 100 points everywhere as I used to do and so the next second I felt that sensation again going through my body. White, ck and red lights wereing out of my chest while the powerful light was going through all my limbs which were already changing.


    Luckily, this time I wasn''t hurt so I didn''t feel any pain but a desire to walk across an entire Kingdom, alone. My ck fur reappeared, my muscles became stronger, my body harder, my size bigger and my power more incredible. As I took my beastly form, head under the moon, the ground almost seemed to crack under my weight.


    Shivers ran down my spine, I licked my fangs and an urge that could not be suppressed took me wildly. Raising my head to the moon, I screamed as loud as I could, making the whole Empire tremble in my turn, as Gaya and Kira had done just before me. This time, just like my wife, I felt my voice had changed, instead of sounding like one, it sounded like several were ovepping.


    *I feel...so good in this form...*


    ____


    - POV General -


    In front of two shining bodies, once again, the Wolf Empress had appeared in her original form in front of her most loyal warriors. They had all seen her in this form before, but this time it was different, the more she changed the more unapproachable she seemed even to the Commanders. It was impossible to describe the many feelings Freya brought to those who saw her more and more as the Goddess she had been.


    A Goddess as terrifying and mesmerizing as she was beautiful and ruthless, one day Empress, the next day ruler of the world, and the day after that undisputed Goddess. Even for Kira and Gaya who knew her better than anyone else, she remained a true mystery to whom logic could not apply. The Crimson Queen and the Silver Princess were speechless as the one who deserved the world for them finally turned around.


    Her ck hair rustled in the night wind chilled by the mere presence of this legendary and unique beast. Freya raised her head slowly, looking down at everyone with only a slight growl as her tworge violet eyes made everyone look away. Suddenly, the two bodies behind her stopped glowing and almost instantly, movement was felt from both.


    Unlike Kira who had awakened in her humanoid form, June and May were awakening in their demon form, not sharing the blood of the Nightshades. June in her snake form had very light blue eyes while May in her griffin form hadpletely white eyes. They both had nk stares as they dominated the crowd with their size, finallyying eyes on the ck wolf.


    At that moment, even if the twins were not wide awake, as Freya had thought, their instincts were acting for them. Without question, the two huge beasts, who were fully recovered, bent their heads as low as they could while shaking. In the Elysium Empire, a huge snake and griffin could be seen bowing to an even bigger, majestic and terrifying she-wolf.


    The Empress had not yet unlocked her own form of 7th Sin but the aura she gave off did not fool the two demons who had a body memory. Lucifer stood well in front of them and even though June and May were lost, guided by this instinct, they were smart enough to understand that at this moment, their loyalty to this wolf they had recognized...was unwavering and wouldst as long as possible.


    ___


    <strong>FULL STATUS (updated)</strong>


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade<novelnext></novelnext>


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560 > <strong>660</strong>


    Defense : 560 > <strong>660</strong>


    Agility : 566 > <strong>666</strong>


    Endurance: 563 > <strong>663</strong>


    Speed : 562 > <strong>662</strong>


    Intelligence: 560 > <strong>660</strong>


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : <strong>0</strong>


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    <strong>Subordinates: 2241</strong>


    <strong>Demon Sins (menu)</strong>


    Humans killed: 153


    <strong>Souls: 0/3</strong>


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 234 Act Five: Lucifer And Her Three Demon Sins II

    - POV General -


    In the Elysium arena, one of thest acts of the y announced by Kira more than an hour ago was being yed out. Everything had started with yna, Luna and the King and at this moment, everything had changed radically, offering apletely different spectacle for the others. The magnificent ck she-wolf, symbol and Empress of the Empire, stood there facing two other huge creatures almost as big, prostrate.


    Several months had passed since Zal''s expedition of adventurers had disappeared and so had the twins June and May. Of this group, only yna, Vig and the souls of the two sisters who had been sleeping in Freya''s space until now, were left, waiting to be freed. And that was it, the ruler of Elysium had finally decided to let them out, using the ritual as a demonstration of her power in front of her warriors.


    Everyone except Kira and Gaya was speechless, even the Chaos Commanders who had never seen such a thing happen despite being the Empress'' closest warriors. In front of their eyes she had given life to two creatures they had killed in the crypt, and what''s more with the souls of two humans captured months ago. For everyone else, this was a real possibility.


    "Kira !"


    The she-wolf''s big voice suddenly echoed in the arena that was big enough to hold everyone, making the silver-haired fox jump. Without thinking, it was her little sister''s turn to suddenly take her form before slowly walking towards June and May. The two newly awakened girls still didn''t know what was going on, but at the sight of the three-tailed fox, their instinct took over again.


    Still keeping their heads down, the huge ck griffin and the deep emerald snake let Kira stand between them. Thus, in front of Freya stood the first three sins she had managed to gather out of the six she was missing. Except for her wife and sister, no one really knew what this scene meant, why these three young women who had only fought together seem to be rted ?


    Knowing full well that many questions were on everyone''s mind, the she-wolf turned to face those who were waiting in silence. The aura that these three beasts gave off, coupled with that of the Empress, was very strong even for the Commanders, which helped to keep their attention. Closing her eyes for a few seconds, the Empress opened them again before officially introducing what they were with her voice.


    _____


    - POV Freya -


    "I present to you the first three members of the special unit directly under mymand of which Princess Kira is the Commander. I present to you the true Demons that the humans spoke of with such fear. We are...pride, envy, greed and...wrath."


    As I spoke these words, I circled around June, Kira and May still staring with my sharp eyes at the slightest reaction in the crowd. Everyone was vigorous, gradually understanding that I was not joking about the nature of their race given mine. The most obvious reactions were among my envious Commanders and Kira who was not expecting to be a Commander tonight.


    - PING -


    [ Congrattions Freya ! You are now in possession of 4 out of 6 sins. You have unlocked 10% on your Goddess title, 50% allowing you to change your evolution: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos when you reach level 70 ]


    [ Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death - 20% > Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death - 30% ]


    Not paying attention to the system notifications I was receiving, I turned my head to the three remaining guests we had with us. My new toy was shaking but stayed where he was knowing his new status and Myles still alive was almost in the same state. The one whose reaction intrigued me the most was once again this Jade who had hidden her identity for a reason I didn''t know yet.


    The young redheaded woman was not trembling, still as silent as ever, but this time her emerald eyes had changed in front of this spectacle. At the moment when our eyes met, I judged that this demonstration was necessary because I saw in a few seconds what I had sensed. Indeed, Jade although not knowing me at all, seemed for a reason that I did not know yet, to be familiar with the terms that I had used.


    *Is the information she holds rted to her history ? Maybe so...but one thing is sure, it was worth it...*


    I felt my powerful jaw open slightly, revealing my sharp fangs in a beastly smile that was hard to suppress. I had just announced the creation of my special unit led by Kira and the announcement had shaken everyone in different ways but the effect had been powerful. Turning around again, I felt myself bing small again as I took on my humanoid form, covered in ice clothes.


    With a snap of my fingers, without even needing to speak, the three demons that towered over me in size also reverted to human form. I knew that my little sister could understand what I meant, but it seemed that June and May could too. It was like a hive mind between Sins going beyond telepathy, instead using the instincts of each of its members.


    The moment their feet hit the ground, ice clothes came to cover them, while all three of them put a knee on the ground, bowing to me. I said nothing, watching carefully what the two sisters surrounding Kira looked like. June, had long straight brown hair, she looked quite young, her eyes as light blue as the sky, a horn on her forehead and a snake tail on her lower back.


    _____


    [Name : June


    age : 0 year - Mentally / Physically : 18 years


    Sex : Female


    Race (unique): Envious Snake (5th Sin)


    Title : 5th Sin of Lucifer Nightshade


    Twin sister : May


    Element : mmable Acid


    Lvl 15/30


    HP : 30 000 / 30 000 MP : 15 000 / 15 000


    Strength : 165


    Defense : 125


    Agility : 170


    Stamina : 105


    Speed : 137


    Skills :


    Natural acid maniption (lvl 1)


    Acid armor (lvl 1)


    Telepathy


    Bestial form (original) - unlocked


    Humanoid form - unlocked


    As a Demon Sin directly connected to Lucifer, June has the ability to have her status change and her skills evolve as the host ]


    _____


    *Ara ?*


    Looking at her status, I discovered that not only was she level 15 like Kira when she woke up but her element had changed slightly. When I fought the snake in the crypt, her element was only acid, yet before my eyes, I could clearly read "mmable acid". Was this rted to her "natural acid maniption" attack skill ? I didn''t know, but it all looked interesting.


    *Let''s see her sister, things may be clearer once I look at her status too*


    Turning my head to the right, I was now watching May, still kneeling in front of me in silence, despite her palpable confusion. She also had long and straight brown hair, the same face as June, the same horn but only two things differentiated her. The first one, her eyes were not light blue butpletely white as snow and she didn''t have a snake''s tail but two big ck feathered wings in the back.


    _____


    [Name : May


    age : 0 year - Mentally / Physically : 18 years


    Sex : Female


    Race (unique): Prideful Griffin (4th Sin)


    Title : 4th Sin of Lucifer Nightshade


    Twin sister : June


    Element : Acidified Darkfire


    Lvl 15/30


    HP : 30 000 / 30 000 MP : 15 000 / 15 000


    Strength : 165


    Defense : 125


    Agility : 170


    Stamina : 105


    Speed : 137


    Skills :


    Natural fire handling (lvl 1)


    Fire armor (lvl 1)


    Telepathy


    Bestial form (original) - unlocked


    Humanoid form - unlocked


    As a Demon Sin directly connected to Lucifer, May has the ability to have her status change and her skills evolve as the host ]


    ____


    *That''s what I thought...*


    The status of the twins was the same with a few changes, but more importantly, her element was also different. The griffin in the crypt used fire but here it said "acidified darkfire". It was as if June and May shared the same blood and merged their elements when they were reborn as Demon Sins. May''s attack skill even said "natural fire maniption" too.


    *Therefore, it would be possible that through my connection with them, the two sisters could develop new attacks in the future like Kira and I as well as merge them through their connection...*


    It wasn''t crazy, after all, before I swallowed their souls they were perfect biological twins with the exact same element and mana. Plus, during her fight with Myles, my little sister had surprised me with her use of her element. Her attacks had been different from the name of her attack skills, which proved that their evolution depended only on their training.


    *All three are no longer subject to the restriction of the system of this world as I emancipated myself from it a short time ago. Of course, this is still much less powerful than for me, but it still makes them rather unique...*


    The system itself stated in each of their status: "to the possibility of seeing her status change and her skills evolve as the host". This had the merit of being clear and even if I nned to challenge all three of them to test their power, I still had to wait. Besides, once tonight''s event was over, I still had to exin to the sisters what had happened and find them a ce to sleep.


    *Maybe I could have a special building built for the demon unit I just created that would be on the grounds of the mansion. Not counting Kira, there should be five of them living there to promote team cohesion...mmmh...never mind*


    "Get up."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Shaking my head feeling that I was getting a little off track, I ordered June, Kira and May to stand up after doing all the initial checks I wanted. The first one to stand up in a sh was my little sister, her beautiful purple eyes shining with pride. Kira was part of the Imperial family but her title of Princess did not suit her, preferring to be named Commander rather than be mistaken for my daughter.


    She not only resembled me physically, but also in many aspects of her personality which made me very proud. With this new title, all I hoped was to see her blossom and shine in the Empire like the jewel she was. June and May followed soon after, looking up at me while shaking and ncing at each other discreetly, lost but relieved to be together.


    "June, May...wee to the Empire of Elysium or should I say...wee back ? fufu~"


    Saying these words, I turned back to the crowd, my wife and my Commanders as I raised my arm towards everyone. Everyone stood and stared at the twins who didn''t dare to look up at the hundreds of people staring at them. However, they soon recognized Theophctus sitting next to my ice throne, which had the effect of freezing them in ce at the sight.


    "I see fufu~"


    Reaching out in his direction, using my "Ice Creation" skill once again, I extended the chain attached to his cor before grabbing him. Pulling with a sharp jerk, I propelled my new toy straight towards me with a sadistic smile. The former King came crashing down a few secondster right at my feet but not giving him time to breathe, I lifted his chin in my direction with the tip of my boot.


    "How about greeting these two young women who have just been reborn before your eyes ? They''re only level 15 but I''m sure they can single-handedly burn down a small town like Yarlford fufu~"


    I wanted to see what reaction the man and the two sisters who totally knew who he was or at least who he had been would have. To my surprise, turning to them, he lowered his head without a word, showing his respect instantly. At that moment, a special glow began to shine in the eyes of June and May. The same gleam that I had seen in Kira''s eyes many times, a gleam that showed a thirst for power.


    Seeing their former ruler bowing so easily to them seemed to have awakened this desire for domination, which was very much entuated by their new race. When my demon form was first unlocked, I remember struggling to contain my bloodlust. The twins had to go through this phase too which immediately gave me an idea I wouldn''t have thought I had.


    "June, May !"


    "Y-Yes...


    ...your H-Highness ?"


    A sudden urge to test their bestial and demonic instincts had taken hold of me, finding the situation more than perfect for a little fun. The sisters didn''t know how long they had been gone, or what I expected of them, awakened in a different body and race. How far their instincts and loyalty as Demons under me could go ? I wanted to know.


    "It''s time for your first fight, and what better way to do that than with an exiled vampire ?"


    This impromptu fight would signal the end of this night, but would set off a series of adventures and revtions that even I could never have predicted.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560 > 660


    Defense : 560 > 660


    Agility : 566 > 666


    Endurance: 563 > 663


    Speed : 562 > 662


    Intelligence: 560 > 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2241


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 235 Act End: Acid, Fire And Blood

    - POV Freya -


    As May and June stood in front of me, an unexpected thought crossed my mind after my eyes lingered on Jade. She was the one I had taken prisoner during the war, a vampire among humans, with statistics theoretically as powerful as mine. I hadn''t yet revealed her true race to the remaining humans, but then, why not let her do it herself in a fight ?


    I had just resurrected two new Sins, I had their status in front of me and even though the twins were lost, I wanted to see their power. When they were human, it was my Commanders who had fought them, not me. What was the strength of a newly born Sin like ? Kira, the Sin of Greed had trained for war and had had a meteoric rise, but she held a special title.


    "Empress."


    "Hmpf !"


    Suddenly, Commander Luna appeared in front of me throwing the young ginger woman with emerald eyes who had only been watching from the beginning onto the ground. She looked as lost as the others but I felt a different, instinctive apprehension. Since I had revealed my form and that of the other three, Jade was still silent but I had easily felt an almost imperceptible change, especially in her eyes.


    Snapping my fingers, Luna hurried to untie her, who had been nursed back to health a few minutes earlier by my Commanders'' initiative at my announcement. I also wanted to have the opportunity to see from the outside what this very mysterious vampire''s fighting style looked like. I leaned over and said a few words to her so that she would be warned that she could not leave the arena and that she had to y the game.


    "Don''t think of escaping or I''ll drain you of your blood~"


    "Yes your Highness"


    "Good."


    I also wanted to check my intuition in a fight between the twins and the vampire, two against one but the difference in level would close the gap. After seeing the look on June and May''s face at their former submissive King had intrigued me more than anything. Awake for only a few minutes, how would they fight ? Their element seemed to be linked with the other''s alone, so would they be two linked Sins sharing the same mana?


    *I can''t wait to find out. But for now...*


    All these questions were exciting, I felt like I was discovering how two of my creations would work. This fight was going to close the evening which had already been very eventful but more than satisfying for everyone. Turning my head towards Kira, I nodded my head to signal that it could begin while I returned to my seat next to Gaya, the King who had be less than nothing following me obediently.


    "Haha honey~ you never miss a chance to have fun, do you ? Pfffff~"


    As I sat down, my dear wife''s voice came tickling my wolf ears along with her quiet littleugh that I found absolutely adorable. She had whispered so that no one would hear us, the Commanders being a few meters behind us. Sketching a small smile, before the fight started, I leaned gently to her ear to whisper my answer.


    "I can''t help it my love, all this blood it turns me on fufu~"


    "Big bad naughty she-wolf~"


    "Of course~"


    Moving away from Gaya, I gave her a discreet wink while tenderly patting her nose causing her to smile shyly and beautifully. As my heart started to beat suddenly very fast, I coughed feeling my cheeks getting strangely hot. I could also see Kira holding back augh so squinting I signaled her to start if she didn''t want me to destroy her forehead with a flick.


    "A-All right, then we''ll get started but first some rules ! Killing and taking a bestial form is forbidden during this fight but you obviously have the right to use your elements ! The winner or winners will be decided when the other side forfeits or is no longer able to fight ! Try all three of you to offer the Empress a fight capable of making her vibrate hehe~"


    Without saying another word, my little sister jumped several feet into the air to get away while her right arm was raised to give the signal. She hadn''t done anything yet when suddenly the atmosphere seemed to change drastically as the fight approached. June and May were side by side but had bent over in an attack posture while Jade stood straight, arms on her chest, their minds seemingly nking out everything else around.


    "3...2...1...0, GO !"


    On cue, May spread the ck wings on her back, rising quickly into the sky as her sister June ran straight at her target. The vampire hadn''t moved a single centimeter but blood was flowing from her arms, as if she had made a deep cut. Soon it covered her arms before solidifying into part of the red armor that Jade had used during our fight.


    None of the three had a weapon, so it would be a physical and elemental fight for now that from the beginning was already very interesting. The first one to reach the Vampire was June who, when she reached the top of her body, swung her snake tail as powerfully as possible as an attack. By the time Jade''s two arms were blocking without too much difficulty, May above her was already racing, her nails transformed into ws.


    The next moment, a huge sound of impact was heard while the dust rose for a few seconds preventing us from seeing perfectly. The young woman with red hair had blocked simultaneously the blows of the two sisters with an ease that did not surprise me. However, there were two of them and Jade was alone and as I had suspected, June and May were relying on their instinct at that moment.


    Without wasting another second, the two sisters started to throw punches, one on the ground and the other in the air, more and more wildly. Their adversary managed to receive each blow without retreating a little more because of their growing strength. Suddenly, the young female vampire was propelled to the ground by the twins who had struck her legs and arms in synchronization.


    *Ara~ ?*


    The moment Jade hit the ground as surprised as I was, the two demons she was facing started to appear little by little. Around May''s hands, ck mes were dancing but their base was glowing with a particr green color that looked dangerous. Next to her, June had covered her whole body with a slimy substance which she could control because her ice clothes did not melt on contact with it.


    The aura they gave off had changed and I found the same sensations I felt with Kira when she became more...wild. The feeling was familiar, my body remembered it more than my mind, but my own instinct was not wrong. The indescribable bond we had vibrated within me and as the fight progressed, I felt my entire being tremble with a special excitement.


    "Ah !"


    Jade who had gotten up right away, blood dripping down the corner of her mouth, was suddenly gushing red liquid all around her body. Her aura too had red up at the same time as her ego forbade her to lose despite the mysterious restraint she was showing. The next moment, two long canines grew in her mouth, her nails grew and her green eyes began to glow more intensely.


    *Jade Wolfury...bloodthirsty vampire and fallen Queen*


    The blood armor reformed around her, lighter butplete, announcing the elemental attacks of the three participants. This time it was her turn to propel herself forward with great speed, aiming first at June who was on the ground. With a movement of her arm, the same viscous substance that was around her started to appear at the end of her fingers before spinning towards Jade like bullets.


    Every time one hit something, on impact, a slight explosion that was actually the effect of the ignition of her element. A rain of acid fell on the vampire but protected by her armor, she continued to spin between, getting closer and closer despite some attacks that hit her. Very quickly, with range of who representing Envy, the young woman taking advantage of its dash, bnced her foot in the stomach of her adversary.


    "AAARG !!!"


    Without stopping, leaning on her leg still on June, Jade was propelling herself in the air where May was still, throwing fireballs in her direction. However, her speed was too great for her to react and with a back kick to her shoulder, the young woman crashed to the ground. Hot air escaped from where shended as I finally felt a wave of powering from the two sisters.


    The twins, despite having taken their first blow, had then started to smile slightly leaving more room for their bestial instinct. ck scales and feathers appeared on their necks and cheeks ording to their race as I could feel their mana going crazy. Not waiting a second longer, the two of them dashed at full speed at the vampire, surprised by their sudden increase in speed.


    "You won''t get me so easily !!!"


    This time aware of the danger, conjuring up a sword of blood, Jade had shouted in the hope of destabilizing them but it obviously wasn''t enough. Swinging her weapon at May the first to arrive from the sky, she missed her blow, the young woman having dodged perfectly. The next moment, her whole body was surrounded by ck and green mes surprising and blinding the one with the armor and the bloody de.


    Jade had the time to move back but June appeared in her back and with a 90 degree movement, she hit her back with all the strength of her tail, propelling her forward where her sister was. Instead ofunching an attack, the one with the ck wings opened wide her arms to embrace the one who wasing right on her. Once imprisoned in her arms, May made the mes that dressed her at that moment burn even more intensely.


    "AAAAAHH !!!"


    At her feet had also appeared a puddle of acid in which the vampire fell after being dropped by the one who had held her long enough. I could gradually glimpse a fraction of their teamwork appearing, which the sisters had had to keep from their lives as humans. The moment Jade touched the liquid, it suddenly caught fire, slowly melting her armor and skin, still in the grip of the ck mes.


    I could already understand a little better the elements that my two new demons had, understanding that theyplemented each other. Their fighting style was still messy, but the twins were able to stand up to someone much more powerful at level 15. Their reflexes and attacks were more instinctive than strategic but with intensive training like Kira''s, they would be formidable very quickly.


    "Y-You..."


    As I was lost in thought, Jade''s voice brought me back to the fight as I could see her dripping the fiery blood from her armor onto the ground. She was also slowly regenerating under the stunned eyes of Myles who finally understood that she was not human. Making two swords appear in each of her hands this time, the young female vampire spoke in an irritated and threatening voice.


    "I-I don''t know what made me hold back until now but it''s over..."


    I didn''t know either but everything was getting much more interesting and the others in the big arena were thinking the same thing because no sound could be heard. This time her speed had increased too because at the moment she was charging June and May, I was probably one of the few who could follow her movements perfectly. The next second she attacked the two sisters with more rage and strength.


    They were defending themselves with their ws, with their bare hands, taking care not to be cut in two with each blocked blow. Unfortunately, the more time passed, the more I could feel that June and May were being overwhelmed by the real power of Jade, which was emerging little by little. A cloud of dust rose around the three fighters and a few secondster, only the sound of the fight could be heard.


    "ARG !!!"


    "HMPF !!!"


    Then, emerging from that small cloud, the twins would crash to the ground in a mess just before Jade appeared right in front of them. The tips of her two swords were pointed at the necks of both of them, marking the end of the fight and a result that surprised me very little. I had paid attention to every detail of what had happened and it had to be said that I had been very amused by this little unexpected event.


    "Jade''s victory over the demon twins !"


    Kira was already standing announcing the result while the hitherto silent crowd stood up to apud, impressed by what had happened. The fight itself was not the most exciting I had seen but what made it interesting were the participants themselves. I had also learned quite a bit and I knew that my one-on-one with this mysterious vampire was going to be very, very rewarding.


    I was also proud of the two neers who, in a very special and unfamiliar atmosphere, although disoriented, had done their best. This evening had started in blood, my wife had even undergone a transformation that I could not exin and ended with this fight. Only the King and Myles were still alive, but during these events, an even more diabolical idea had urred to me.


    What Gaya, Kira, and I had remembered most was the Church of Zal and its Supreme, who were directly threatening our precious family. My ambition was to wipe the Kingdom off the map, and the two remaining humans were the first two pawns I would advance on the chessboard.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female<novelnext></novelnext>


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 560 > 660


    Defense : 560 > 660


    Agility : 566 > 666


    Endurance: 563 > 663


    Speed : 562 > 662


    Intelligence: 560 > 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2241


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 236 Return In The Middle Of The Night

    - POV General -


    The evening was over, the soldiers who had been able to quench their thirst for revenge and anger were all slowly dispersing. The great coliseum of Elysium had been inaugurated in the blood of the humans who had been behind the attack in the forest near the Empire. The circle was almostplete, although of the three men taken prisoner, only one had died, executed by the Dragon Queen herself.


    As thest of the citizens left the scene, in the middle of the arena, only the Empress, the Queen, the Princess, the Commanders and the prisoners remained. Of course, there were also the two sisters who had been healed after their very first fight in their new bodies. All of them were waiting for instructions from the Empress who didn''t want to dawdle, wanting to reach the hospital where Ka, Shiro, Angel, Tyle and Alta?¡¥s were still waiting probably asleep.


    "Commander Kira."


    "Yes your Highness ?"


    "From now on you are in charge of your special squadron, for tonight June and May will sleep at the barracks but from tomorrow you will be in charge of them. That means the tour of the Empire, our way of working, the rules, the training and of course the history of Elysium and their origins."


    The Empress'' little sister for the first time in front of the others had not called her "onee-san" or by her first name, referring to her by her title like the others. Now that she was officially a member of the army with a very important role, she knew she had to address the ruler as such. However, this was far from displeasing to Kira who responded with an adorable little proud smile and stars in her eyes.


    "As you wish and with pleasure !"


    While June and May feeling instinctively close to their new Commander although impressed ced themselves behind her, Freya continued. This time she turned her head to Jade who again had handcuffs around her wrists, watched by Ralph and Thorunn. One was a wolf-vampire hybrid and the other a pure vampire, so they had seen fit to be the ones to watch her in case of trouble.


    "Jade, I have to say that your story interests me more and more and after the fight I saw, I can''t wait to hear it. We will see you again very soon so be sure to be ready fufu~. Commander Ralph, Commander Thorunn, you may take her back to her cell and go rest."


    "Alright your highness!"


    "Please excuse us."


    Forcing the voiceless vampire prisoner to bow her head, the two young women finally left the arena after a bow, leaving the others still waiting. There were very few orders left to give so, making the still present ice seats disappear, Freya turned to the other Commanders. However, it was the Queen who was also responsible for running the Kingdom who spoke for her knowing what to say.


    "Take Myles back to his cell as well, we will need him forter but we will exin this at a formal meeting. The 10 Army Commanders will be in charge of rebuilding the army so you can go and rest as well."


    "..."


    "As my wife said, Commander Kira will be well in charge of the binocrs but until tomorrow, show them the barracks for tonight. I''m counting on you to treat them with respect despite the past differences, June and May are as you will have understood, not ordinary warriors."


    "Yes your Majesty."


    Luna, Caipy, Nixia, Ynir, Na?¡¥a, Trioa, Persea and Emilia bowed respectfully at the end of her sentence, a glint of admiration in their eyes. At their words, the three members of the Imperial family headed towards the exit, leaving the others with their heads down, waiting for them to leave. However, the King who was still wearing his pet cor was still behind her, which provoked ament from the dragoness.


    "Honey, you''re forgetting your old toy~"


    "Oh but I didn''t forget fufu~"


    As Freya was about to pass Ynir her leftmost ced Commander, she stopped with a devilish, creepy smile. During that evening, she had obviously loved humiliating and making the former King of Zal her little thing, but now she had other ns for him. With a cold and sure voice, the Empress gave herst order, but not without provoking a very strong reaction from the man concerned.


    "He is no longer of any use to me, or at least not in this state, so bring me his head first thing in the morning."


    "It will be done as you wish, Empress"


    "W-WAIT !! N-NO COUGH COUGH !!! I WILL DO EVERYTHING...M-MISTRESS ! PLEASE ! YOU PROMISED !! I''LL DO ANYTHING YOU WANT !!! MISTRESS !!!"


    Theophctus had heard everything as he thought he could get away with it, sticking next to the she-wolf to make sure he was safe. Unfortunately, it obviously didn''t work, as he found himself begging once again. Still, the Empress'' orders were unquestionable, especially since this one was part of arger scheme Freya was slowly putting in ce to bring down Zal entirely.


    "I-I WILL *COUGH COUGH* I...I''ll do anything you want..."


    The King was weak, in a bad state, empty of all humility and pride, but he still found the strength to beg for his life. Tears had begun to flow down his cheek, terrified of being beheaded, having already forgotten his former status as a ruler. Turning on her heels, the Empress would stand before the one who couldn''t even stand on his legs anymore, throwing her katana at his feet with a defiant look.


    "Anything I want mmh ? Then...die for me, human. Take this de, ce it against your throat and slice it yourself."


    The quick brainwashing the she-wolf had done to the man was enough to make him not even think about his life before, but he still clung to life. Hearing her words, he couldn''t hide the terror and despair growing in his empty, pleading eyes. Freya''s violet ones glowed with a terrifying savagery proving that she was really waiting to see him obey knowing he wouldn''t.


    "Come on, show me how far you''re willing to go, poor thing. Show me you''re willing to take your own life to live."


    What she was saying made no sense and she knew it perfectly well, her order left no escape for the one who could not get out of this nightmare. The Empress'' cold and emotionless voice echoed in his heart and even his soul like the icy and deadly whisper of the Devil. Theophctus couldn''t move, he was paralyzed as she straightened up with a disappointed, haughty and disgusted but far from surprised look.


    "Well, too bad, if you had only taken the katana in your hands I would have let you live but I have no need for a recalcitrant pet. Take him away."


    "N-No, wait ! Give me one more ch-...ARG !!!"


    Turning on her heels once more, Freya left for good followed by her wife and little sister who were indifferent. The former King having understood that he had made the biggest mistake, tried to hold her back before being hit by Luna to shut him up. Nothing now could save him and as each one bowed to the exit of the three, they ended up leaving the ce too with the twins, Myles and Theophctus.


    Kira, Gaya and Freya went directly to the hospital to see with the doctors if it was possible to move Angel and Ka in the imperial manor. This way, it would be easier to protect them in case and the smile of the little Shiro would be guaranteed in return. On the way, when they were only a few minutes away from the building, Kira couldn''t help but ask her big sister a question.


    "What you said earlier to Cactus, was it true onee-san ? If he had taken your de in his hand, would you have let him live his miserable life as a toy ?"


    "Absolutely not. I need his head, but doesn''t it thrill you to know that he''ll live out hisst hours knowing that his own cowardice will have cost him his life ? I''m sure we''ll be able to see a new form of desperation in his eyes tomorrow morning when his head is brought to me fufuhahahaHAHAHA~"


    The young woman with the long ck hair had responded with the utmost sincerity, even letting her rare entric side get the better of her. In the middle of a private road leading to the hospital, she even let herselfugh sadistically at the thought of finding out if she was right. Kira knew her older sister very well, but she still felt chills and cold sweat run down her spine for a brief moment.


    "It also seemed very odd to me that you would leave him alive, but uuuh...jeez, you can be so ruthless, right Gaya ?"


    "..."


    Turning her head towards the dragoness to look for support, she only came across a woman who raised both hands indicating not to drag her into the debate. Besides, the Queen loved that side of her Empress more than anything so she was definitely thest person to rally. Raising her eyes to the sky, the silver-haired young woman smacked her forehead as she realized that addressing her sister-inw had been unnecessary.


    "Oh yeah that''s right I forgot, I''m talking to the dragoness who immted herself before gobbling up a charred human in one fell swoop after torturing him...sigh, am I the only mentally sound one here ?? Hahahaha~"


    Of course, Kira was joking, but herstment had aroused the teasing spirit of the imperial couple who listened to the fox talk nonsense. At that moment, Freya and Gaya with a single nce had agreed to y a little trick on the much too talkative fox as a punishment. She didn''t suspect a thing and continued to talk enthusiastically as the little group finally reached the Empire hospital where the rest of their family was.


    ____


    Only a few minutester, the three women entered the corridor of therge building leading to the back room guarded by two soldiers. No sooner had they entered the ce than they were joined by Lia to the delight of Kira who now had her three tails wagging. Without even waiting for an order, the rabbit girl hurried to update them regarding Angel and Ka''s condition.


    "Your Highness, Your Majesty, P-Princess...ahem, the woman you brought here yesterday has no serious abnormalities and seems mostly very tired. She has been sleeping for a while now but you need not worry, the doctors estimate her awakening at daybreak."


    "Very well, what about the children ?"


    "As you ordered, the Princess did not arrive until after dinner at Angel''s bedside, taking care of her little brother and sister as well. She did not approach your protegee''s bed and fell asleep very quickly in the one next to the little boy."


    Preferring to be present when Ka and Shiro and the twins met, Freya had ordered the little moon of the Empire to stay away from her bed. Thest time, their element had reacted very strangely, raising only more questions. At Lia''s words, the she-wolf without showing it felt relieved as the two soldiers posted in front of the door opened it in panic, seeing who wasing in.


    It was dark in the room but it was easy for her to distinguish five distinct breaths, Shiro, Ka, Tyle, Alta?¡¥s and Angel. They were all sleeping peacefully and the Empress found herself strangely soothed by this special yet normal and reassuring atmosphere. It waste, it was the middle of the night and not wanting to waste any more time, Gaya asked the question that she thought was also not to be forgotten.


    "Can we now bring them back ?"


    "Yes your Majesty, it is possible to move them all to the mansion ording to the doctors. Angel is currently in the same condition as the sleeping woman. He only needs a little more rest but he is out of danger and will wake up very soon ording to Commander Caipy. I''m going to get some people to move them right away and..."


    "No. We''ll take care of it ourselves it''s gettingte, thank you very much Lia. Go and rest now, take a day off and take the two half-asleep soldiers standing outside the door with you."


    "A-All right your Majesty. Have a good night, now please excuse me."


    Not insisting further andpletely exhausted, the young butler bowed quickly before exiting, happy to get some rest. The Empress, Queen and Princess would take care of bringing their family members back to the mansion themselves although the future was still uncertain. After what they had learned from Leto, a long discussion was also necessary to understand what had happened to Ka.


    Her rtionship with Titania and her motivations, the Era of Extinction, Shiro''s powers, her origins, not to mention themon past she shared with Lucifer as a Goddess. Freya''s older sister was the only one who had the answers to these questions, but for the moment she was asleep in a bed under the dark sky. We would have to wait until she woke up to learn a little more about what seemed to be a lifelong quest.


    "Come on, let''s go home."


    The she-wolf knew all this, she was apprehensive to know the real reasons for hering to this world, as if mysterious forces were working in the shadows. The feeling of having to fight to control her destiny was always more and more present, however nothing would stop her. As Freya gently grabbed her older sister to go home, she knew that her fear would never be as strong as her love for her family.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade<novelnext></novelnext>


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?¡¥s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2241


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D??fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 237 Sudden Announcement

    - POV General -


    Several days had passed since the night when the warriors of Elysium had witnessed one of the beautiful performances that opened the coliseum. Despite the war, life had returned to normal, with everyone working to rebuild their spirits and bodies after the first major event to shake the Empire. The smiles had not disappeared from the faces and soon that pleasant atmosphere had returned to the growing non-human city.


    The morning had dawned and despite the time of day, the imperial mansion was already bustling with people running around. The reason for this was that the Empress had ordered the gathering of all the section chiefs who were helping to run the Empire, which was a rare thing. Usually, with the exception of the Army Commanders, the leaders went through the Queen, who was in charge of the overall management of the affairs of Elysium with her team.


    In the mansion and on every floor, maids, butlers, soldiers and many others could be seen rushing around. In just a few minutes, the hall of the mansion would be invaded by the most imminent figures of the Empire, which did not prevent it from being very stressful. Indeed, five minutester, the section leaders began to appear before therge door leading to the throne room.


    There were the 10 Chaos Commanders, which included the leaders of the Forest Guardians, the leader of intelligence and the leader of the medical section. There were also the leaders of the sections responsible for construction, Elysium security andmunication. More were arriving and soon the 23 expected people wereplete announcing the imminent opening of the big door.


    "Ladies and Gentlemen your attention please ! Thank you all foring as agreed, Her Highness, Empress Freya and Her Majesty, Queen Gaya will receive you !"


    Suddenly, Triss the half-human cat, responsible for managing the mansion alongside Lia, raised her voice pping her hands silencing the group that was chatting. Everyone took a serious look while standing in front of the door in a well-organized way. The two guards posted in front of the door, two veryrge minotaurs, then pushed with all their strength, finally opening the ess to the throne room where the sovereigns were waiting.


    "Please enter"


    Triss in a respectful voice true to her post, bent slightly signaling to the others that they could finally head to the back of the room. Without waiting for a second longer, they moved forward with apprehension and the desire not to make any mistakes. It was not often that they were all summoned at the same time and moreover in the big room reserved for serious and official events.


    So, the Commanders and various section leaders present knew very well that in moments like this, no mistakes were allowed, which was quite stressful. The sound of heels clicking on the long red and gold carpet echoed from all sides and between the huge pirs. The closer they got, the more a natural ball in the stomach appeared, feeling the pressure emanating from the two leaders at every meter.


    "Take a seat."


    Lia, who wasn''t in the hall with the others, stood in suit at the bottom of the few steps leading to the thrones, addressing the arrivals. In front of her and from behind, everyone was surprised to discover Princess Kira, who had recently be Commander, not standing next to her sister. She was waiting there, dressed in ck and red, cloak, gloves and even boots, in a perfect military position, straight, motionless and serious.


    Finally, at the top of the stairs were Freya and Gaya, also waiting patiently for everyone to take their seats to start the important meeting. The Queen was dressed in a long, fiery orange, red and ck dress that matched perfectly with her hair that she had in a ponytail. Her ice tiara with crimson jewels sparkled and all could not help but be struck by her beauty, reassuring, warm and timeless.


    Gaya smiled warmly as always, but this warmth was quickly overshadowed by the coldness of the one beside her on the central throne. Ebony hair loose, ice crown, dressed in an imperial suit entirely ck and white, raised by her official cape with fur cor. The Empress, as cold, distant and serious as ever, was there, watching the people stand in front of them before standing up and saying a single word.


    "Good morning"


    Her voice suddenly echoed in the veryrge room, startling those who had forgotten what it sounded like in such a situation. The next moment, everyone was kneeling on the floor, head bowed as a sign of respect for the Empress and the Queen even though Shiro was not present. Even Kira was no exception, standing in the same position as the other Commanders, with a palpable pride in her violet eyes.


    "Please stand up, we have a lot to do, let''s not waste time."


    "..."


    "As most of you know, I''ve been talking to this vampire Jade Wolfury for many hours to hear her story. It would take a long time to exin it all, but after hearing it...I have decided that my family and I will be leaving the Empire."


    Without even giving them time to understand anything, Freya had dropped these words with the utmost seriousness, leaving the others puzzled. No one knew what Jade had said to her, but one thing was certain, it was important enough that for the first time ever, the Imperial family was moving together. Many wanted to speak but there was still silence as she waved to a maid standing far behind.


    She was a young dog woman carrying a tray who at the signal of the Empress, soon brought her what she had in her hands. She trembled slightly but with a small awkward curtsy held out the tray where something hidden in a cloth was presented before leaving. Without further ado, the she-wolf lifted the white napkin before revealing to everyone the severed head of the King imprisoned in the ice for safekeeping.


    "Here is the head that Commander Luna had the honor of cutting off a few days ago, the head of one of the two leaders of the neighboring Kingdom that had targeted us. You are probably wondering why it is here and that is why you are here..."


    Everyone was silent, hanging on her lips as the Empress ran her fingers over the ice cube with a smile. As she had predicted, the man''s eyes were revolted and reflected a special and unique desperation and fear. yna''s father was now a mere head, a pale face forever bereft of body and life, destined to serve the Empire and the dark designs of its Empress.


    "I cannot yet tell you why we will be absent, but while we are gone, all of Elysium will work for the destruction of the Kingdom of Zal !"


    Freya''s voice had caused the walls to shake and unconscious exmations and the raising of several voices. Not only was the Empress about to leave the Empire, but it was her entire family that was going with her ? Moreover, to prepare the destruction of the neighboring Kingdom without them ? She had just dropped two big bombs that for the moment were frightening, pushing the most impulsive Commanders to react.


    "Empress wait ! Take one of us with you to ensure your safety !"


    "Ralph is right and as for Zal... your Highness, I''m not sure that..."


    With a wave of her hand, it was the Queen who silenced Ralph and Emilia understanding their fear but also knowing that they were useless. The decision had already been made and could not be changed even if for the moment they all did not know why exactly. Seeing Gaya''s gesture, the two Commanders were silent, bowing their heads in apology to let the sovereign continue what she had to say.


    "I will be leaving with my entire family but also Jade, Miss Lia, Commander Kira and her new squadron that''s it, because I need each of you here. Your posts will be important for the next few weeks so let me exin."


    With a snap of the finger, a huge ice table appeared in the middle of the small group at the bottom of the stairs, forcing them to quickly move aside. On it was a perfect replica of a 3-D map depicting the northwestern part of the continent, Elysium, Zal, and what was around. The relief had been reproduced identically thanks to the perfect knowledge of the terrain that the Empress had umted during the long months of study in her office.


    "We''re going to send the human Myles still a prisoner back to his Kingdom with the little gift we have right here...the head of Theophctus Zal. I want the intelligence section to also go there quietly to spy on the entirety of what happens when he returns. We all need to know !"


    "..."


    "With the little message delivered, it is easy to predict that the Kingdom will no longer try toe and kill us but will simply prepare for our attack. I estimate the time we have at most 1 month, after that time we will destroy Zalpletely"


    As the Empress spoke, she descended the stairs, clicking her boots on the steps, her cloak following gracefully. Her violet eyes stared intently at the table with a desire to conquer that could be felt in the air. What Freya had just said resonated in everyone''s heart and after a few minutes of silence, the leaders of the Guardians and Commanders, Persea and Ynir raised their voices.


    "Your Highness, our recent victory has spread throughout the Dark Forest, Syn''s, and even beyond the mountains, causing a great influx of citizens. All are seeking shelter, protection for their own, and many want to join the military."


    "If I understand correctly, this is also part of your n, isn''t it ? Gather as much information as we can about the Kingdom while building our own forces."


    "Exactly. That''s why the help of all section leaders is requested especially during our absence which should not exceed one month. New buildings will have to be constructed, farms will have to be expanded, various personnel as well not to mention the army. The reason you are here today is because my wife and I trust you enough to run the Empire perfectly during our absence."


    Elysium was expanding, since its creation it had never stopped growing which pushed to evolve also the ways to manage it. A currency had been established, a newspaper and all citizens could even open a store to show their skills. Many things had changed and with the new influx of people that the war had brought, the Empire could only be more and more powerful.


    Since her coronation, the Empress had grown ustomed to always being in the know, but now it was time to delegate and trust even more. That was why the she-wolf was going to leave the preparation of the annihtion of an entire Kingdom to her closest subordinates. However, there was one question that was burning on everyone''s lips and that finally would be formted suddenly by the dwarf Yuric head of the cksmiths.


    "Y-Your Highness, is your departure rted to the n to destroy the Kingdom ? Your return and the beginning of Zal''s destruction coincide, so I was wondering...mmmmh are you going in search of a secret weapon or perhaps someone in particr ?"


    The little man had worked many times with the Empress who had shared her modern knowledge which he saw as a gold mine. Thus, many more revolutionary inventions mixing mana magic and modern knowledge were under construction. Yuric knew very well that Freya was also trying to discover many secrets about this world and therefore suspected that her journey was linked to this quest for knowledge.


    "Indeed these two things are rted. However, I am more in search of answers and information thatter may prove to be decisive. Not only that linked but if I''m not mistaken this little trip could change everything but I can''t say more for the moment."


    At this moment, everyone was wondering what Jade Wolfury had said to their sovereign during their little one-on-one chat in the prison. In the room, only Gaya and Kira knew about it and knew that keeping it quiet was necessary for the moment for various reasons. The various section leaders knew this, but Emilia was the first to ask the question that would determine how much time they had to prepare.


    "By when is your departure scheduled, your Highness ?"


    "As soon as we release Myles in the direction of Zal with one of our horses followed of course by the intelligence section discreetly. Let me exin..."


    The Empress had a particr n in mind aimed at terrorizing Zal and especially the Supreme who had crossed the line not to cross by going after Shiro and Angel. A race against time was about to begin and the sess of the operation would only depend on the wolf''s calctions. Raising her head with an ominous smile, Freya ced both hands on the table ready to share the little trick she nned to y on the humans who had challenged her.


    "This is how we''re going to do it..."


    [N/A: There was a little timeskip but don''t worry you''ll know what happened with Jade, Ka x Shiro x Angel in detail in short shbacks or whatever]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :<novelnext></novelnext>


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 2241


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 238 Launch Of The First Operation

    - POV General -


    The midday sun was shining high in the sky of Elysium, life had resumed its course and in the streets of the Empire, citizens with smiles were shopping. Little by little, those who had been most affected by the war were recovering from their emotional and physical wounds. The feeling of unity and strength was new to many, but that''s why this ce was unique and loved by all.


    As restaurants filled with hungry people or shopkeepers sold their food, they were watched. High in the sky, wide ice wings spread over the sun, the Empress watched her Empire. Dressed in a magnificent ck kimono with purple symbols, hair in a ponytail, with her ears, wolf tail and horns carved in ck, she looked like a deity watching over her world.


    Freya saw with her own eyes Elysium, which in a few months had grown at an incredible rate through the Dark Forest. All the facilities had moved back as the Empire grew, so even the huge walls had moved a few miles. The she-wolf was watching everything, but her gaze was focused on a small passage in the wall that was unknown to the inhabitants but not to the army.


    The main barracks for the soldiers was near the Imperial mansion and the hospital, but a small military building, a guardhouse, had been built at the entrance to the great wall and at the small passage in question. The first was used to monitor theings and goings of therge main gate and the second was to be used more discreetly. As at this moment, far from the gaze of the citizens, one of the only humans to have survived, was being released.


    Myles, the former Captain of the Knights of Zal as per Freya''s n was to be released so he could return to his Kingdom. Of course it was not without a small message or rather a warning that the Empress wanted to pass on to the Supreme of the Church himself. So it was in the small, open-roofed military building on the far right and out of sight, that the passage in the form of a door had been opened.


    There, Freya could see all the Commanders, of whom only Luna was apanied by 10 of her most powerful subordinates. Ralph, at the end of her muscr arm, was holding the man who had lost his legs and had a canvas bag over his head, his wrists tied behind his back. Next to him, a gray horse belonging to the Empire''s stables stood waiting to be loaded, Inferno the ck stallion with the she-wolf''s mane of mes standing beside it.


    On the ground, another brown bag containing the King''s head encased in ice had been tied to the horse''s side for safekeeping. As Freya had exined at the meeting in the throne room, Myles was going to be the bearer of an ominous message, a message of doom, one that could change everything. This human, the only one to survive, would herald the destruction of an entire Kingdom and carry with him the promise of bloody vengeance.


    "Everything is ready, isn''t it Luna ?"


    "Yes, my ten best spies are here, specializing in assassination, concealment, gathering information on earth as well as in the sky. We don''t know how long we''ll be gone but we''re ready."


    Since the army kept growing, the ten Commanders were seeing hundreds of soldiers arrive in their ranks every week. So the ten young women who had started outmanding a dozen warriors were now each leading hundreds. Among them, a few had made their mark in addition to the Lieutenants who always assisted the Commanders for easier management.


    Luna''s ten best spies were therefore among the elite, which was the minimum given the mission they would have to aplish. They didn''t know how long they would be gone, but they wouldn''t return until they knew everything about the Kingdom of Zal. The Empress had told them enough, a war is not won by force or numbers alone, the one who has the most information about their opponent can change everything.


    "Did you say goodbye to your dear and sweet yna ? Or should I say ''your little candy cane'' ? hahahaha~"


    "Why don''t you take care of Nina, Ralphy ! And don''t think I don''t see youughing, Emilia, Na?¡¥a and even you Nixia !"


    The girls, knowing perfectly the love she had for the human arrived a few months ago, could not help teasing their friend. Luna, for her part, had not hesitated to retort, taking care not to be heard by her subordinates, a pressing desire to hit them. Persea, the beautiful and delicate blond dryad, seen a little as the mother of the group, took the floor, a big warm smile on the face.


    "Hahaha~, my my~, stop bothering her for a bit haha~ Anyway if everything is ready it''s perfect, all we need is her highness so a little less noise, okay~ ?"


    "Haaaiiiiiii~"


    The woman with the flower crown was right, they were not with each other at the barracks in their private apartments but during their working hours. The she-wolf could arrive at any moment and then the moment remained too important to disperse on other subjects. While the 9 young women answered in unison to what Persea had just said, a shadow appeared, hiding the sun raysing from the ceilingless building.


    Very quickly, heavy beats of wings came to raise the dust and to make tremble the walls in powerful air currents obliging everyone to resist. The Empress was there, her great ice wings spread out like a phoenix as they disappeared leaving her tond. The next second, everyone was down on one knee, head down...all except Inferno who then came trotting happily over to his mistress.


    "NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN, YOUR HIGHNESS !"


    "Stand up"


    Pronouncing these words in a calm but firm voice, Freya began to caress the mane of her ck stallion yet made of real mes. Just like Na?¡¥a, part of the fire fox race, who since her evolution had hair made of mes not seeming to be able to burn the others. Thus, no one seemed to be surprised as everyone stood up to stand in front of the she-wolf in kimono.


    "Commander Luna, I heard from the sky that everything is ready ?"


    "Yes Empress everything is ready"


    The half-panther young woman had taken a step forward while trying to hide her embarrassment, realizing that Freya had heard everything from the beginning. Her friends were all smiling, knowing Luna perfectly, but still silent. Knowing perfectly well what was going on, the Empress didn''t point out anything, nodding her head before answering andunching the operation.


    "Then let''s not waste any time."


    "Hai ! Load the prisoner onto the mount and tie him up so he doesn''t fall off !"


    Yet soon enough, everyone''s serious demeanor returned as Commander Luna ordered her subordinates to prepare Myles for his journey. Thus, the barely conscious or even alive man was tied to the gray horse as well as the bag with the head on it so that it would not fall off. While everything was set up, Nixia the ck-scaledmia approached to give more directions about the mount.


    "Your Highness, this is one of our best long-distance horses, and it will be able to reach Zal in just one week. We have trained it to return on its own once the human has arrived at the gates of his Kingdom."


    "Perfect."


    Everything was falling into ce, the legless man was going to have a very long week ahead of him and after what he had just been through, his sanity was in danger. But the she-wolf didn''t care about that, because the most important thing was that he arrived alive and with the King''s head. The rest was of little importance, Myles could very well sink into an eternal madness as long as he aplished his forced mission, everything was fine.


    On the left side of the grey horse, a bag with some food and water had been ced there for him to feed on, if he thought about it. In any case, everything had been done properly and all that remained was to announce the long-awaited departure of this messenger of death. Approaching the unfortunate man, Freya hung a small mechanical box on his chest that she fixed to his skin directly with her own ice.


    It was in fact a new object worked by the dwarves under the direction of Yuric the chief cksmith from mana and mana stone capable of reproducing sounds. Thanks to the modern knowledge of the Empress and the know-how of the dwarves, new inventions were born in Elysium. So, if all went well, Freya''s voice could be heard at some point by Zal''s leaders if all went well.


    "He''s ready to go, Empress."


    Without a word, the she-wolf walked over to the pale man, speechless and looking as if he might fall off the horse at any moment if he hadn''t been tied up. The poor man could only move his hands, a prisoner of this mount that was taking him home but at what cost ? Freya didn''t care and while the human''s eyes were empty, she leaned into his ear to give him herst instructions.


    "Arrange to have an interview with the Supreme and the highest members of your Kingdom so that you can show them our little gift. Once you are together, you will also press the button in the center of that little thing hanging on you to deliver my message. We are watching you...if you don''t do everything as nned, you will die of a thousand pains."


    It was a bluff but at this point, in his condition, Myles only wished for death, on the other hand, he didn''t want to suffer anymore so he nodded his head very slightly. He looked like a dead fish but that was all Freya needed to smile softly bringing out one of his fangs.


    "See to it that he gets to his destination alive, follow him as discreetly as possible and infiltrate the Kingdom as it should be. I''m counting on you Commander Luna."


    "Hai ! May you have a safe journey as well, your Highness."


    "Good luck Commander, soldiers...and most importantly..."


    Although the Empress had unwavering confidence in her Commanders, letting Luna go alone apanied by 10 spies was still risky. Once there, far from the Empire, they would be alone, they could only rely on themselves in case of danger, them and no one else. So Freya counted on the young half-panther woman to make all the most reasonable decisions, even if it meant ordering the escape.


    "...most importantly, take care of yourself."


    The beautiful young woman with hair as ck as night and violet eyes as bright as jewels, had spoken thesest words with seriousness. At that moment, Luna and her subordinates understood that the mission was important but that their lives were even more important. They needed no more words to understand, so the Commander and her subordinates, without consulting each other, all knelt down with a burning heart.


    "We swear to seed in our mission and will do everything to return safe and sound, your Highness !"


    It was easy to feel that determination emanating from these 11 people willing to leave their Empire in order to fulfill a mission to protect it. Freya didn''t show it, but she was very proud and as they all stood up, she nodded her head, looking into Luna''s eyes. It was now truly time to leave and begin this week-long journey before their most dangerous infiltration.


    "Empress, fellow Commanders, may we meet again. SOLDIERS !"


    After these few words, the next moment the leader of the armed intelligence section disappeared leaving behind her a few shes of light. Her 10 subordinates did the same while Persea mmed the rump of the horse, which, after rearing up, ran off into the forest. That was it, the first operation wasunched and soon after, the one of the Empress and her family was going to be too in the form of a journey.


    All had disappeared and only the remnants of the flying dust that the grey horse had kicked up when it left in a hurry remained. All that remained was to wait and trust the 11 warriors who had just left to change part of Elysium''s destiny. The next few minutes passed in total and solemn silence before finally, Freya climbed on Inferno''s back to return to her preparations at the mansion.


    "Thank you foring over Commander, I won''t keep you any longer and I have things to do. I''m counting on you for the rest."


    "Yes, your Highness."


    With a heel strike to the side of her ck stallion, the Empress exited the small building before taking the shortcut that would take her straight to her mansion. Crossing the streets of Elysium was a bit much and not wanting to create a riot or a gathering, discretion was the order of the day. The other 9 young women also ended up returning to their upation, all hoping with all their hearts that Luna and her soldiers would remain safe.


    No one could have foreseen at that moment that the young Commander would find herself facing old demons from her past when she set foot in the Kingdom. The King was dead, his daughter had even be her girlfriend, but what about the rest of the family ? yna''s older brother, the one who had condemned Luna''s parents years ago, Prince Erzian was still alive and the young woman would soon find out.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult<novelnext></novelnext>


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?¡¥s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D??fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 239 Just Before The Departure

    - POV General -


    While the first operation had already beenunched a few hours ago, in the mansion, dozens of people in the corridors were hurrying in all directions. The departure of the Imperial family wasing soon and everything had to be ready in exactly one hour as ordered. Their destination was unknown to everyone, but they knew it was very important and rted to the vampire who would be apanying them.


    On the highest floor of the mansion, in the enclosed living room of the imperial private quarters, the whole family was together, alone and this time everyone was conscious. Yet, for the first time, a heavy silence could be felt in therge room, an almost awkward silence. On the two sofas facing each other, a strange scene was ying out, far from theughter and smiles that usually filled the room.


    On the first one was sitting Freya, dressed in ck, her legs crossed, her long ck hair falling down her back and her violet eyes fixed straight in front of her. Beside her, Ka, same posture but more elegant, her long pure white hair tied in a ponytail and her equally intense eyes looking in the same direction. Both of them weren''t moving, not knowing what to say considering the situation.


    Those in front of them could not deny the fact that they looked almost exactly alike and that a special aura emanated from them when they were together. However, it was not because of this that the room was silent but because of two children on the other side. Gaya was sitting on the couch breastfeeding Tyle and Alta?s who seemed to be paying no attention to anything but the same could not be said for Shiro and Angel.


    Both were hiding behind the dragoness who, with her hands already busy, could do little to stop them. The little 10-year-old dragon, still smaller than his age but healthy was hiding behind his big sister, wary of the she-wolf. Freya had saved his life partially before her daughter used her powers but the little boy still remembered the pain he felt that night.


    Angel with the long crimson hair had been trying to open up a little more to others for the past few days, but his older sister''s wife terrified him. Despite the horrific ten years he had lived, the pain was still embedded in his mind as well as the two purples eyes staring at him at that moment. It was an instinctive fear that would go away in time but for now, the little dragon was still not talking and hiding.


    For Shiro it was different, she was standing behind her mother but it wasn''t because of the she-wolf but rather the one standing next to her. When she woke up, it had been briefly exined to her who Ka was and more importantly why they both looked so much alike. The little moon of the Empire had understood immediately and even if the reunion with her biological mother could have been filled with happiness, it scared Shiro.


    For the little Princess, her first mother was the Empress, the one who had saved her from a miserable life and who had been able to make her smile...no one else. She who was always smiling and talkative, for the first time showed herself distant, silent and with her tail between her legs. Nothing and no one was going to yet her status as the daughter of the Empress and Queen but for a little girl, it was hard to understand right away.


    "Sigh...well...we''re all getting ready to go on a trip together so it would be a matter of rxing. Kids, how about we go ask Lia when the snack is ready ? hehehe~"


    Kira who was standing and fed up with the heavy atmosphere had raised her voice, offering the two little ones to eat. At her words, Shiro''s violet eyes lit up for a few seconds before she turned to Angel on her left. After looking at each other, they both nodded with determination before moving. Slowly, the two children slid onto the couch, not taking their eyes off Freya and Ka for a second.


    They were holding hands, which did not make it easy, but they managed to reach the edge of therge armchair. The first one to jump was Shiro who was swinging her feet in the air trying to touch the ground but too small to do so even with all the will in the world. Then, as she decided to move forward a little more, she slipped before dragging Angel by the hand unhappily in her fall.


    "Be careful !"


    Disappearing behind the coffee table for Freya and Ka who were in front of it, Gaya and Kira had a good view on what had happened. The two children hadnded face first on the carpet in just a few seconds in a way that was admittedly quite funny. Although the girl with three tails had eximed, they seemed to be fine because soon, white and crimson hair appeared.


    Their two little heads had risen very quickly, their squinted eyes just reaching the level of the table, still staring at the two sisters with a suspicious eye. Then, after a short while, Shiro and Angel stood up before running to Kira who of course was grinning widely. Grabbing her niece''s hand, the fox girl would walk with them to the door before closing it behind them, heading to the mansion''s kitchen.


    "I apologize for our daughter''s behavior, it''s...I didn''t think she would act this way"


    As soon as they came out, Gaya, who found herself alone in front of her wife and older sister, immediately spoke up to humbly and sincerely apologize. She was very honest and even though she understood the situation, as a mother, she felt obliged to apologize. At her words, Ka opened her eyes wide, taken aback by this sudden show of respect from a woman who seemed to be born to be a Queen.


    "N-No, please Gaya, don''t apologize ! I-It''s nothing..."


    "..."


    "After all Ie out of nowhere and tell her I kind of gave birth to her, leaving her afterwards in this world, alone, until you arrive. I am aplete stranger..."


    "No matter what your past is, you are still Freya''s big sister and a member of our family. Children can be a little mean sometimes but they are just following their emotions before they can understand them. Don''t worry~"


    The dragoness, still with her radiant smile, was rocking the twins in her arms who had fallen asleep trying to reassure the former Goddess. She was talking to Ka but also addressing Freya who was undergoing a bit of the same thing with her little brother. Her voice was soft, reassuring and her lilting tone soothed as much as itforted which very quickly, caused the white-haired woman to react unexpectedly.


    "I...Gaya...I am truly sorry."


    Ka had suddenly stood up before bowing respectfully to the Queen who, not expecting this, did not understand what was happening. The woman in front of her had her head bowed, her body trembling slightly and her fists closed in guilt. She couldn''t look Gaya in the eye and it was that unique kindness she had shown her that had caused her to apologize in this way.


    "Please don''t..."


    "I know we had already spoken but I beg you once again to forgive me for what I have done in the past and the mistakes I have made. Because of me...your family...the earth dragons...I..."


    When the former Goddess of Time and Wisdom had awakened again, the three in Kira''spany had brought up her story. She had not been able to tell everything and had not yet mentioned her past as a deity with Lucifer but had exined what had happened in this world. So, Gaya and Freya were now aware of the Age of Extinction or more specifically, the origin of the humans'' hatred for the other races.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I-I...I have no excuse and I feel ashamed...ever I...it was...back then I was blinded by revenge without thinking of the consequences. Pathetic for a former Goddess of Wisdom, isn''t it ? N-Not only am I the source of all hatred but I...I caused tragedies until today...I''m so s-sorry...I-..."


    Ka''s throat tightened as she spoke until she couldn''t get a single word out of her mouth, choked with remorse. She squeezed her eyes hard and tears could be seen in their corners as her body shook more and more. Freya''s older sister couldn''t bear to know what her actions had caused for decades and decades after and was sincerely feeling the weight of the guilt.


    To her, she was responsible for everything that happened to the other races, and most of all, for the extinction of almost all the earth dragons on the continent. Humans, afraid ofing across a different and powerful creature again, started hunting. Those like the Gaya or Na?a capable of taking a humanoid and bestial form had unfortunately and still were, the main targets and victims.


    "I-I beg you don''t bow to me, please stand up~"


    While Ka had stopped talking, sinking alone in this growing guilt, the dragoness had finally been able to speak and act. She hadid the twins gently on the couch before rushing to the woman still reclining and trembling before her. Gaya had grabbed her shoulders and helped her raise her head gently before her bright amber eyes darted into the purple of hers.


    "Look at me~"


    Again, a warm, soothing, yet firm voice came from the Queen who had never stopped smiling even after Ka''s words. She knew very well that what she had said was not totally wrong but it was not totally true either. Yes the dragoness had suffered and the memories were still painful but today she had been able to move on and ming one being for it was out of the question.


    "Ka~ I appreciate what you just said but know that I hold no grudges against you and not once have I held you responsible for the tragedy I experienced. I have also experienced that rage and desire to destroy everything after the loss of a loved one so I can only understand. Please, I don''t me you so don''t do it yourself, okay ?"


    Gaya had grabbed both of her sister-inw''s hands and from her simple words removed a huge weight that had been weighing on her heart for the past few days. The guilt was of course not going to go away right away, but it was important that the white-haired woman hear those words. The Empress and the Queen still had a lot to learn about her and what was going on in the shadows, but this was no time for me.


    "You know Ka, having lived in this world in a different time, I can assure you that humans always find a way to wage war. You are responsible for the thousands of deaths thousands of years ago but today, humans indulge in this hatred. The Being that threatened humanity in this era is only an excuse, because in the end...humans never change."


    To support her wife''s words, Freya had ced herself at her side smiling in turn in a tender way, grabbing Gaya by the hips. She supported her words and no matter how involved her older sister was, it didn''t matter anymore. Besides, the Empress and the Queen knew full well that if anything were to happen to any of their family members, they would also go into a huge wrath.


    "T-Thank you Gaya, thank you Lucif-...Freya."


    Wiping away the few tears that had just begun to run down her face, it was the beautiful white-haired woman''s turn to smile. In front of her was her little sister that she had thought she had lost forever and the woman she had decided to spend her life with. That vision alone was enough to blur any doubt, especially when that woman turned out to be a person with a heart of gold, as wise and gentle as it was kind.


    "Even if we are going for a particr reason, let''s try to use this trip as a family to learn more about each other. The past has hurt us all in one way or another, but it''s up to us to make our future, a bright one, don''t you think ?"


    At that moment, Freya had walked towards the door with an almost childish smile immediately making the other two women''s hearts beat for two different reasons. The dragoness who was madly in love was blushing while the former Goddess saw a reminiscence of the child that Lucifer had been. It was rare to see her smile like that, very rare so they were enjoying the moment as the young Empress went to open the door.


    "Honey~?"


    "Yes, my love~?"


    "Aren''t you forgetting something important~?"


    Just as her hand touched the knob, Gaya''s voice rose in the room stopping her dead in her tracks with her sudden rather fishy question. Turning slowly, the she-wolf who had been squinting for a trap then saw her wife holding the sleeping twins in her arms. At that moment, Freya understood immediately, scratching the back of her head with a nervousugh, turning back to help by grabbing her daughter.


    "You could help me a little more, your Highness~ Jeez, I didn''t do them by myself !"


    "Ouch ouch ! Yes yes, sorry my love it''s promised, I would be more careful haha~"


    The Queen had grabbed the cheek of the Empress and was pinching it while scolding her for forgetting her own children who would probably have stayed on the couch. She was not really angry, the she-wolf was not really in pain and the scene was more cute than serious. It was one of those moments that would remain hidden from the people, not imagining for a second that their leaders could act like that.


    "Pffffhahaha~"


    Ka who was no longer choked with guilt, couldn''t help but bring a hand to her mouth and giggle happily at the sight. Never could she have imagined the great Lucifer being scolded like that by her wife, let aloneughing fondly at it. Every second the old Goddess became more and more aware that her little sister was the same despite her memories still forgotten in the depths of her soul.


    Lucifer had not changed but was now Freya and was still different as incoherent as this statement could be. The two of them, who had all had different pasts, had been brought together to form a family that despite the ups and downs supported each other more than anyone else. The Empress'' older sister herself would soon realize how strong the bonds between her new family were.


    The journey ahead of them could be long, but one thing was certain, they would spend every moment together, no matter what threats they faced.

 Chapter 240 Departure Of The Imperial Family

    - POV Freya -


    "Your Highness, everything is ready"


    Full mid-afternoon, the sun was shining high in the sky and all the staff of the mansion were standing in front, on the ce where my wedding reception was held. The time of departure had finally arrived and many were taking care that everything was perfect even if it was already. Arge and rather simple carriage was parked in front of the stairs leading to the mansion made of ice, alternating ck and light blue structures.


    As we were going to travel with the children, the carriage favoredfort over discretion, which was difficult to have since we would be crossing human roads. It was nevertheless quite special for various reasons and the security was assured, which was the most important. Inferno my stallion and Pearl Gaya''s mare were going to be the two horses chosen to pull the cart, not counting the others ridden by Kira and her squad.


    Lia the young butler woman who apanied us to take care of the little ones was at the front doing thest checks. My wife was with Ka, Angel, Shiro and the twins ced in a wicker basket for morefort. On my side, I was with my little sister, June and May who were both going to ensure our safety by riding their respective horses next to the carriage.


    "Well, then if everything is ready we have to get out of the forest and not waste any more time"


    Everything had been loaded on the carriage and horses, we knew we wouldn''tck for anything especially since I was there, so we could leave serenely. With my skill of "storage of chaos" I was able to take a lot of things with me that otherwise wouldn''t have been able to. There were books, stuffed animals, food, water, weapons and almost enough to replicate a family room in the middle of nowhere.


    *On the road to adventure once again*


    Our destination was quite simple: "the undergroundnds" located in the territory of the Vancesia Empire where my dragoness and her little brother were originally from. It was still early to say what we would find there, so I remained silent, but I hoped for nothing less. This trip was certainly part of an important operation concerning our Empire and its survival but I wanted to do something special.


    While I was lost in my thoughts, I could see the children, Lia, Ka and Gaya getting into the cart before I heard their gasp of surprise. My face remained closed but I was eager to discover this other invention that I had not been able to test before today. Developed by Yuric and his master cksmiths under my guidance, I trusted him enough to know that it had to be perfectly made.


    "Empress, here the prisoner."


    Suddenly, Na?a one of my Commanders approached with Jade Wolfury formerly known as Erina Velfury, Knight Mage of the Kingdom of Zal. To tell the truth, it was because of my encounter with her that this unexpected journey had suddenly taken ce. The revtions that the disguised vampire had made to me were crazy but since nothing was certain, some things remained between us, Gaya and Kira.


    "Untie her, she''ll be fine."


    Without hesitation, I ordered her cuffs and chains to be removed because even though she had been a prisoner for a while, she wasn''t really. I didn''t trust her totally, but if what Jade had told me was true, she had no reason to betray us. Besides, I couldn''t exin it, but ever since we met we had a special feeling, like a kind of rivalry that was more friendly than hostile.


    As Na?a untied her and Jade rubbed her sore wrists, I whistled to everyone around me. The next moment, June and May went to the front to guide the cart, Kira was riding her white horse and Jade was waiting for my instructions. That was it, we were going to leave and it would be a lie to say that I was not looking forward to it. I could see Shiro sticking her little head out the window in wonder as my subordinates spoke.


    "Have a safe trip and may you return safely !"


    Fear could be seen in many eyes as this was the first time that those who represented the Empire to the people, were absent. I was confident of this but it was a blessing in disguise, I wanted everyone to realize that they were not dependent on me or my wife. Everyone had be stronger, not just the warriors who protected what we had built, but all its people as well.


    The Imperial family was leaving for the first time, but I had confidence in those I had sworn to protect even at the risk of my life. All of them could hold their heads high and the fire in their hearts that animated them more and more each day and that would continue to push them further and further. Those who remained on the side were all kneeling as the carriage drove away under the warm goodbye of the little Princess with bright eyes.


    "We will watch over Elysium until you return, your Highness."


    The 9 Commanders, all in front of the crowd of people stood up, gotten used to staying in this position for only a short time to my surprise. If there was anyone I could trust with my life outside of my family, it was them because they had my full confidence. Without me, I knew perfectly well that the city would be safe and with the section leaders that everything would be well organized...I was sure of it.


    The cart had already entered the main cobblestone street but I stood there without a word looking at them one by one as a sign of respect that was shared. And, without understanding why myself, I straightened up before putting my fist over my heart in a military salute. The next moment, all of them stood up and did the same before I said thest words, which in my opinion were the most important and the strongest.


    "Commanders, citizens of Elysium...I entrust the Empire to you."


    The next moment, not wanting to linger, I spread my wings of ice before propelling myself into the sky at a speed that always gave me chills. As I rose higher and higher, I could see the faces turned in my direction disappear little by little until they were nothing but dots. I could see the Empire from high above and the carriage in a very small way already reaching the gates as a voice echoed in my mind.


    [You couldn''t help yourself, could you, onee-san ?]


    *I don''t know what you''re talking about*


    [But of course hahaha~]


    Kira, who still in a way I didn''t understand, had seen this rather ssy departure that I was not unproud of and feltpelled toment. As I glided through the air following the currents, a sincere smile appeared on my face at the idea of this new future full of surprises. We were going to learn more about the world, my origins and the secrets that remained around my existence and we were going to do it as a family.


    ______


    - POV General -


    Nightfall had already arrived and the sun was setting on the horizon, bathing thend of Kleisaria onest time with its zing rays. On earth as in the sky, a warm and soothing light shone on the world without distinction of race, religion or ideas. The light-bearing star shone for all onest time before the moon took over with its divine white light, cold but beams of hope.


    The carriage had already been moving for several hours through the mountains after crossing the Dark Forest from the east instead of the south on the main road. The small convoy was now among the rocks that had housed the former rebel camp fighting against the adventurers. It was here that Freya had met hermanders and the very first subordinates who had pledged their allegiance to her, here in these mountains.


    The timeless rock had not changed through the bad weather and the passing months carrying important memories. Everything was silent, not counting the sound of wheels and hooves that echoed like an infinite sound bouncing against these natural walls. Shiro''s little head was still out the window, looking with wonder at this ce that she had also known well months ago.


    The interior of the carriage was lit with mana-absorbing moonstones to stay bright and everything was designed for a pleasant ride. The space wasrger than seen from the outside and the walls and seats were lined with red and gold cushions as soft as silk. There were two distinct areas, one with a table between the seats that faced each other and another built for the children to sleep in as bunks.


    Inside, there was Gaya still watching over the two twins, Lia, Shiro, Angel, Kira and Jade who watched in a corner in silence. The fox girl had left her ce outside to her two older sisters while June and May were a little further away as scouts. Although the vampire was a total stranger, the excitement of the trip washed away any sense of unease, everyone too busy thinking about future adventures.


    "Say Mom ? Do you think one day I''ll be able to fly like you and Mommy ?"


    "Well...yes I think it''s possible. Freya would be able to find a way to make that happen no matter what, sweetie~"


    The little moon of the Empire had suddenly asked this question without warning, tucking her little head in after watching the sky change from the ground. Her tail and ears couldn''t help but wag as her big violet eyes shone with hope. So when Gaya had answered her, Shiro had jumped for joy still too small to touch the ceiling with her little head that wore a heart-warming smile.


    "Is it true, is it true ??? Yippeeeee !!! Angel, Titi and Ati can fly too so I...well...I didn''t want to feel...a-all alone..."


    "EH ! You''re not alone, little bun with white cheese baked in the oven on a nice winter evening ! I can''t fly either..."


    Kira who had been watching silently had finallye forward with a dramatic face and a long-winded nickname that only she had the secret to. At her words, Jade, who only knew the young woman in her role as Princess, almost choked on the name. Gaya and Lia beside her hid theirughter while the young woman with silver hair stuck out her tongue before continuing in a happier tone.


    "But your mom is right, Freya-sama always finds a solution and in no time she will allow us to fly to the end of the world ! She''s the strongest hahahaha~"


    "Umu ! Mommy she''s the strongest hihihi~ And...and...With all the adventures we''re going to have, by the time w-we get home I''ll have be as strong as her and you hehehe~ !"


    Once again, Shiro had stood up on the bench where she was, bulging her small chest and showing muscles she didn''t have yet. Angel who was to her right still said nothing however was nodding his head, still naive and totally convinced that this would be the case. The adults, on the other hand, were a little more down to earth and preferred to remain solemnly silent, enjoying every second of this cute scene.


    "Y-You''ll see ! Hmpf !"


    Not getting the reaction she was hoping for, the little Princess crossed her arms as she sulked, sitting back on her cushion before turning her head outward. It was hard to take her seriously as her chubby little cheeks were all red with embarrassment and her tail kept wagging. Yet, Kira who was her niece''s number one fan after carving that image into her soul, raised her voice again with an air of challenge.


    "To be as strong as your mother you will have to surpass me, the Commander of the strongest squadron in the whole Empire ! Can you defeat me, brave warrior ? Because I for one would love to eat a cute little girl for dinner tonight MWAHAHAHA~"


    At her words, Shiro couldn''t help but smile madly despite her attempts to hide it and stay in her sulky character. Her aunt on the other hand continued to challenge her whileughing which soon made her react, much too attracted by the idea of being able to y. Without warning, the little white-haired girl turned around before jumping on Kira letting out a little grunt much too adorable to be terrifying.


    "Grrrrrr !!!"


    "Oh no ! There she is ! The one that will take me down ! But I will fight to the end hahaha~"


    "Hihihi~"


    Soon, the interior of the carriage was filled withughtering to cover the deafening silence of the mounts while darkness finally pointed the tip of its nose. Little Shiro had once again managed to wring a smile even from those who didn''t speak, bringing joy. Even outside, Freya and Ka holding the reindeer wore sweet smiles, their hearts filled with an indescribable but soothing and familiar warmth.


    "Is she always like this ?"


    "Umu. Just like her other mother, our little moon is a real little ray of sunshine."


    The white-haired young woman had asked the question with a soft and loving voice despite the rtionship she had for the moment with the little girl. So the Empress had answered with sincerity, love and pride that her big sister didn''t think she was capable before today. However, as they smiled in silence, it was broken again by Ka who suddenly brought up a serious subject concerning Shiro, changing Freya again.


    "Freya..."


    "..."


    "I need to talk to you about your daughter''s powers...they are more dangerous than you think."


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 241 The Former Goddess Of Times Warning

    - POV Freya -


    "Freya, I need to talk to you about your daughter''s powers...they are more dangerous than you think."


    As my developed hearing heard theughter of those in the carriage, Ka quickly brought me back to reality with a single sentence. She had probably waited until we were alone to tell me about it although Gaya could also hear. Inferno and Pearl were pulling the convoy, June and May were far ahead, and Kira''s white horse was trotting merrily along without suspecting for a second the importance of the conversation.


    "We...we haven''t really had time to talk about...our past. I know you haven''t had time to see your memories yet either but...I''d like to talk to you about me and my powers."


    It was true, the only serious discussion we''d had since our reunion had mostly been about her rtionship with the world and humans. Mostly we wanted to know why Ka had arrived in Elysium with the urge to kill me and where she wasing from after so many years. I understood that her rtionship with Titania was very bad after she killed me or rather reincarnated in a modern world without my memories of Goddess.


    However, I still didn''t know what my life was like with the Gods or really what my rtionship with my older sister was like. In fact, there were many things I didn''t know and those memories I had unlocked in the crypt, I hadn''t taken the time to live them. Something inside me prevented me from doing so, I felt that by doing so a new part of my personality would emerge the more I would unlock my full original Demon form.


    However, I couldn''t dy this moment indefinitely and this trip was also a way to learn more about myself and my past. Ka, on the other hand, knew everything and that''s why I took her words with unwavering seriousness, especially as it concerned Shiro. Clutching the horses'' reins in front of us, I turned my head to my older sister, dipping my eyes into hers...we had the same.


    "As you know, when I broke free from my underground prison a few weeks ago, I felt thest bits of my powers bubbling up. Like you, Titania gave me her elements no doubt to control us but it turns out that the ones I possessed before didn''t totally disappear."


    "Indeed, when you created my daughter thousands of years ago in the form of an egg made from your being, you gave her most of your element. When she healed Angel, it suddenly awoke."


    "Yes but it has been awakened...by force"


    Squinting, I tried to figure out what she was getting at but with my poor knowledge of the subject it was almost impossible. I did understand that my daughter had called upon her power unconsciously invaded by her pure emotions but I didn''t know more. What did she mean when she said that she had awakened by force ? Wasn''t that how the beings of this world discovered their affinity during their lives ?


    Besides, my daughter had Nightshade blood and although neither I nor Ka knew what happened to the egg once it arrived in this world, she was still different. I might have been biased but I believed in her even though I didn''t want to put her at risk. My older sister had no idea of all the thoughts that were going through my mind but very quickly, spoke up again to give me more information about it.


    "Time magic is very dangerous and should not be used willy-nilly like ice, fire, air or earth. Just like your Death and Blood elements, it is so-called ''divine'' magic that must be handled with care by beings capable of mastering it."


    "You mean that..."


    "Shiro is not capable of it and I don''t know if she ever will be. One thing is for sure, she should definitely not use it, under any circumstances...Freya"


    "..."


    "To be honest, even if I were to get my old powers back I wouldn''t be able to use them without endangering my life either. I''m human now, your daughter is a hybrid, and the blood of the Gods that flows through our veins is far too weak. You shouldn''t be able to use your Goddess elements either but thanks to your unique system your body, mind and soul are evolving ordingly."


    It was true that my system allowed me to do many things that were unthinkable in this world, especially since I had freed myself from Titania''s control. She wanted me to regain my powers and my identity as Lucifer without me remembering anything and she had been caught at her own game without knowing it. I knew that my system was now unique and free, but I didn''t know that it also acted as a regtor.


    In fact, thanks to it I could be sure to evolve without being subjected to any restriction neither from this world, nor from this maniptive Goddess. The possibilities had be infinite and with this advantage, I had be something else, something more powerful. But if these divine elements could only be used by Gods and Demigods, why could Ka and I manipte Ice and Chaos ?


    "I know you must be wondering why we can use the elements of Titania who is a Goddess and not ours. Well, because these elements are just a kind of copy of the Divine ones she has, kind of like the two original elements. When ites to our original powers, the power is much greater and Shiro who was a part of me is subject to the same rule."


    *I see*


    The Ice and Chaos elements were just much less powerful derivatives which allowed us to use them to a certain extent. However, when our mana was connected to the use of Original elements there were risks that the body, mind and soul could not stand it. Much like a cup representing our being, unable to hold a huge amount of water representing mana...the liquid eventually overflows.


    "What are the risks for someone unable to master the magic of Time ?"


    "Well...premature aging, loss of mana, weakening of body and soul, insanity, personality changes and finally, the worst...death."


    At these words, I felt my heart suddenly clench at the thought of any of these things happening to Shiro or even Ka. I couldn''t help but relive in my mind the moment when she had saved Angel and a wave of power from her had swept over me. Moreover, I understood why my little moon had grown slightly after that event while my big sister reiterated her warning.


    "Shiro must not use her powers until she is sure that it is not safe, it will all depend on her evolution"


    "Couldn''t you teach her to control it ? How do you expect her to evolve if she can''t even use her elements ?"


    The more the conversation progressed, the more I was able to grasp what she was getting at discovering new risks that I wouldn''t have been able to deduce without her help. However, the idea that Shiro could not use her mana and therefore evolve did not appeal to me at all. She who a few minutes ago said she wanted to be strong...it was not possible. I had decided to call on Ka, hoping that her answers would hint at a solution.


    "I could test her yes, but that requires a perfect mastery of mana of a high divine level that a little girl of that age can''t have. And then as I said, her envelope is not that of a God, at most a wolf-half-Demigod hybrid. Your daughter only has a one in a thousand chance of sess...that''s very low."


    "I see..."


    Shiro was indeed not a demigod despite her origins and the blood that ran through her veins which was somehow also quite unique. She possessed the original element of a Goddess, her blood heritage but her hybrid race made her half a Demigod which was not enough. Still, I didn''t want to give up that hope even though the chances of sess were 0.10%...if it wasn''t deadly, it was worth a try.


    "Test her first before drawing any conclusions. The process is safe if it''s controlled by someone who knows it, right ?"


    "I-It is, I mean but it''s exhausting training, very hard and I''m pretty sure that..."


    "Test her."


    I was adamant, of course I was going to have to talk to Shiro trying to make her understand because I didn''t want to decide for her but I wanted her to have a choice. My Princess deserved to be able to choose her destiny no matter how hard the path to sess was and that was without question. As I spoke again, I knew very well that Ka did not know her yet but that this little one was much stronger than she thought.


    "I''d rather have full confidence in her and you than bury this option at the expense of my daughter''s dreams and desires. Don''t worry, I have faith in both of you and in Shiro''s strength...she has something extra and you''ll realize it soon enough."


    Plunging my gaze back into my older sister''s eyes, I ced my hand on hers with a seriousness that I couldn''t hide. What she was thinking deep inside was surprisingly easy to guess, reading apprehension and fear in her eyes as her fingers trembled. A sudden urge to hug her overtook me but I decided to remain still and silent seeing that she was about to speak.


    "Alright, if that''s what you want little sister...I''ll take care of it. I promise to test Shiro without ever putting her in danger, I will take care of her. At least...once in her eyes I would no longer qualify as a stranger hostile to her happiness haha~"


    Ka was smiling but I could feel a hint of sadness in her purple eyes and a slight quiver at the corner of her lips. I understood, after the guilt concerning Gaya and the Era of Extinction was added the case of Shiro which came to entuate the regrets. The situation was peculiar but at this point, I was just happy that everyone was safe and sound although I decided tofort my older sister with my sincerity.


    "For a little girl, some things are still hard to understand right away, she needs time but I assure you she will be fine. After all, you are part of the family and she probably has the purest heart in this world fufu~"


    "That''s right...she''s certainly not like both of us, Luci hahaha~"


    "Hard to do worse hahaha~"


    Ka had once again called me "Luci" showing that she was a bit more rxed, this habiting back naturally, especially after years of using it. I decided not to do anything, just listening to her shy littleugh that unconsciously made me smile. The conversation about the element of Time seemed to be over, the silence gradually returning as I decided to check my daughter''s status once again.


    - PING -


    [Name: Shiro


    Age : 6 years old


    Sex : Female


    Race : Hybrid (Wolf x Demigod)


    Elements : Time x ??? (not awake)


    Lvl 4/10


    HP : 2 500 / 2 500


    MP : 42 000 / 42 000


    Strength : 35


    Defense : 46


    Agility : 38


    Stamina : 35


    Speed : 33


    Unlocking of the rest when the individual has unlocked his element ]


    ____


    As Ka said earlier, her race had finally emerged making her a half wolf half demigod hybrid and thus a unique race. Since she had healed Angel, my little moon was already at level 4, her MPs and HPs had increased as well as her attributes. However two things intrigued me again, Shiro possessed two elements, one of which was still unknown and I knew that the only solution was to wait.


    *Ara fufu~*


    After this discussion, I just needed to think about something else and it was then the second piece of information that made me smile again. I didn''t know when it had changed but on my Princess''s status, her age had gone from 5 and a half to 6. She had not only grown slightly in height but she had also aged and this realization made me both very happy but also speechless.


    *Everyone grows up after all, but...I have to admit that realizing directly that one of your children has grown up, hits you differently*


    In my head, I was already seeing hundreds of images of Shiro at different stages of her life and different ages which made me rather conflicted. Part of me wanted her to remain this cute little fur ball to protect but another part wanted to see her blossom into a strong woman. It was probably feeling that way for a mother so shaking my head, I told myself that I was going to enjoy every second of it anyway.


    *We have to prepare something for her birthday fufu~ I can''t wait*<novelnext></novelnext>


    As the carriage continued through the eastern mountains of the Dark Forest, I smiled at the thought of celebrating my daughter''s birthday for the first time. This was going to be a new experience for Shiro as well, and my heart was filled with joy at the thought of her being happy and fulfilled. What Ka had told me was still in the back of my mind, but we hadn''t even been gone a day, so what I wanted to do for now was to enjoy this family time.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 242 The Villagers And The Thing

    - POV General -


    A new sunny day dawned in the eastern part of the Elysium Empire, in the mountains between the border of the Dark Forest and the Vancesia Empire. The traveling Imperial family had just spent the night for the first time outside the giant walls of their expanding city. Everything had gone normally, the children had fallen asleep very quickly despite the excitement that had actually exhausted them throughout the afternoon.


    When the gentle sun had finally risen, pointing its nose at the brown cliffs, everyone had allowed themselves to stroll a little. Thanks to her ice magic, Freya had been able to create a shelter, opting for tents rather than small buildings, in order to stay in this idea of adventure. So, after having had a well-deserved breakfast, the convoy had happily set off again after deciding to cross the border before lunch.


    It was mid-morning and the carriage was slowly making its way down thest straight stretch of the mountainous road crossed in just one day. On their respective horses, Kira, June and May were patrolling a little ahead while Ka still held the reins of Pearl and Inferno. None of the three had a half-human or beastly appearance because arriving on human territory it was out of the question to attract attention.


    Before leaving and during breakfast, they had all been briefed again on the story they were going to tell in case any human proved too curious. It was simple, they were adventurers hired to escort a noble family from Zal to the south of Vancesia, where their destination was. Gaya, Shiro, Lia, the twins and Angel were the ones to protect and Freya, Kira, June, May, Ka and Jade were the protectors and adventurers.


    Everything had been nned in advance, so much so that all external signs betraying a race different from human had been hidden. The group looked like perfect humans traveling to the border to aplish their mission, no matter how false it was. The children and Lia for the moment unable to change their appearance were hidden in the carriage with the Queen away from prying eyes.


    "Your Highness ! There are some..."


    "June, don''t call me that outside the Empire I''ve already told you, Freya-Sama will be enough."


    While all was quiet, one of the twins who had gone on a reconnaissance ride suddenly arrived on the back of her mount before standing near the windows of the convoy. She had not finished her sentence when the Empress inside cut her off, opening the silk curtain with a wave of her hand. Discretion was key, which was why herment had brought a sense of disappointment to the young woman with sky blue eyes, before she continued.


    "I...yes, sorry Freya-Sama."


    "Good. We can''t risk arousing suspicion in humannds so no mistakes are allowed. I know you and your sister had just woken up but you must not forget that you are now a Demon Sin. You know what that means, don''t you ? Anyway...I''m listening."


    Since June and May had woken up, they had been immediately immersed in their new world popted by beasts and half-humans of all races. They had disappeared and been absorbed by Freya with a strong desire to know how to found a happy Empire. Little by little during these few days, the sisters had begun to understand what differentiated the people of Elysium from the people of Zal.


    However, despite the appearance of ck feathered wings on one and a snake tail on the other, their minds were still human. At least their way of thinking, which included their rtionships with the world around them, which they knew well. But the twins were no longer human, a behavior that would have passed in their past lives was no longer the same in the skin of a Demon.


    Without a 100% humanoid appearance, June and May could no longer act without thinking, especially since they knew how different people were treated. It was only a matter of time before they got used to it, but one thing was sure, both of them had embraced their new race. Thinking about this, the brown-haired young woman woulde out of her thoughts before saying what she hade for in the first ce.


    "Y-YES Freya-Sama ! Mmh, we''re finally getting out of the Dark Forest territory and its mountains and onto arge path across the ins. But...a few miles from here there is a vige whose vigers seem to be blocking the road for some unknown reason, preventing us from continuing."


    "Are they armed ? How many are there ?"


    "I''d say there must be about 10 of them and no they''re not armed but this grouping is quite strange that''s why Commander Ki...I mean, Kira-Sama asked me to warn you. We should arrive at their level within 20 minutes."


    "I see..."


    Without saying another word, Freya opened the door of the moving carriage revealing a slew of children still asleep, lulled by the journey. Shiro and Angel were sucking their thumbs lying on the bench seat while Tyle and Alta?s in their wicker basket too. Lia was also asleep, exhausted from the stress of traveling with the Queen and Empress as if they were longtime acquaintances.


    "Honey ?"


    "It''s all right, my love."


    Gaya, feeling the airing in, turned her head to her wife with a sleepy, slightly off look, lulled by the movements of the car as well. Responding immediately, the she-wolf who no longer had ears or a tail came through the door and closed it before pulling herself up onto the roof. She was wearing brown boots, ck pants, an officer''s vest of the same color and a dark, red inside cape flying in the back because of the carriage.


    So, if someone had been on the road they could have seen a woman with a human appearance standing on the roof of a convoy, looking into the distance. Then, without warning, ice wings appeared on her back, opening gracefully and glittering like diamonds under the sun. As Ka and June looked on, Freya flew high into the sky and shot forward like an elusive arrow in the wind.


    Among the clouds, she could see the great road they were traveling, the great ins of grass and fields that stretched as far as the eye could see. Far ahead of the carriage, Kira and May on their horse at a standstill were waiting for the others to arrive while keeping a lookout. Passing over them, the Empress wasing towards the humans that one of the sisters had just mentioned, trying to figure out in advance what was going on.


    "Let''s try to be careful.."


    To the young woman with the midnight ck hair, every human was a threat no matter how harmless some might seem at first nce. However, it was important not to create a massacre and to go to the South of Vancesia as discreetly as possible guided by Jade. Concentrating, Freya used all her senses which were much less precise without wolf ears but still much better than a normal human.


    "This can''t go on ! The Count of thisnd is not willing to act so it''s up to us ! I, at least, am not going to stand by and do nothing !"


    "B-But isn''t that too dangerous ?"


    "Would you rather your sister or your mother disappeared too or that we starve to death ?"


    "N-No I-..."


    "Then we need to find a solution and fast !"


    A grouping of ten people was indeed standing on the road through which the convoy would soon pass and even seemed to be in the middle of a crisis meeting. Two men were talking, or rather a younger man was almost being yelled at by an older man standing on a wooden box. It wasn''t hard for Freya to hear what they were saying but it was another thing to understand the problem they seemed to be facing.


    Men and women of all ages were blocking the road, too busy with their stories to see the carriage in the distanceing closer. Further along the wide dirt road, arge, rather simple vige of stone and wooden houses stretched out in a round shape. It was necessary to cross it to be able to continue because on each side, arge river passing between the houses and a forest made a bypass impossible.


    Not paying much attention to the conversation going on below, judging that she would know moreter, Freya concentrated on the path. She hadn''t expected a vige to be so close to the border and her recent encounters hadn''t helped her appreciation of humans. Was there no other way to get through without talking to the vigers ? Almost every possibility passed through her mind, but none was satisfactory.


    Crossing the river was anything but impossible, but the small forest around it had no path suitable for a carriage of their size. Cutting down trees ? Stealth is the name of the game. Flying over ? This close to a human vige was like stering "half-human" on their forehead. Unless Gaya took her dragon form, it was impossible to carry the entire convoy plus the horses, so that was a definite no.


    They were now in the territory of an Empirerger than Zal, and every action had to be thought through with the utmost caution, even if it meant being too careful. For a week Freya and the others would find themselves closer to human civilizations than they had ever been in recent months. There were children among them and not just any children, so one wrong move was out of the question.


    After that time, the group would have to move on to wilder ces, so in the meantime, doing what the n called for was the best course of action. While Freya was resigning herself, Kira, June and May followed by the carriage led by Ka, were already starting to approach the angry group, drawing their attention. Soon, the two sides were finally facing each other, with the man standing on the wooden box speaking first.


    "Halt ! Who are you ? What are you doing here ? Go back this is not the time !"


    At the sight of the horsemen, he had raised his hands with a suspicious look visibly surprised to see peopleing in this direction from the mountains. He was rather old, bearded and gray haired but looked quite fit, muscles showing under his dirty shirt. At his words, Kira, who no longer had her tails, fox ears or demon horn, came to stand between him and the convoy, looking down on him from her horse.


    "I advise you to measure your words, peasant. If you''re not pretty, at least speak politely."


    She had spoken warily, detecting in the man''s eyes an annoying anger at them that was unwarranted and especially misced. Her voice had been calm but firm and as May and June came up behind her, the group of humans remained silent. With more observation, they discovered the elegance of the carriage and the serious look of the four women in front of them while Kira spoke again.


    "We are adventurers on a mission so I''m afraid who we are and what we do here is none of your business. I ask you to let us pass"


    "Impossible"


    "Huuuh ??"


    The silver-haired young woman had raised an astonished eyebrow, not expecting this answer and already preparing to pass between them to continue. The old man had taken a slightly friendlier tone but his answer had been formted quickly and without the slightest hesitation. Seeing that no one understood, he turned back to his friends who nodded before turning back to the riders and giving more details.


    "The gates of our vige are closed to all outsiders until we find the person or more...the Thing that has been making trouble there for weeks. Our fields are ravaged and our women are kidnapped at night, in the street or outside the vige. We no longer open our doors even though..."


    "We don''t want to reside in your vige but just walk through it"


    "I am the vige mayor...and my answer is still no. As I said before you cut me off, dear adventurers, is that all the inhabitants are confined. Except for our group, which happens to be our council, is allowed out to watch."


    What he was saying made no sense and sounded stupid to the three young women on their horse, not being able to figure out what this had to do with anything. How could riding through a vige that was only going to take five minutes interfere with their n to capture this Thing ? Kira couldn''t stand this stupidity that all the vigers seemed to share, was about to lose patience when suddenly someone appeared.


    "You..."


    Just as she was about to speak, a shock on the ground was felt beside them as a woman appeared from the sky, as if she had jumped from a cloud. It was Freya, having observed the whole situation, she had decided to show herself, surprising the humans to the point of knocking some of them backwards. Straightening up slowly, she plunged her icy purple eyes into the man''s before making a proposal that no one expected.


    "Let me introduce myself, my name is Freya and I am the leader of this group of adventurers and we need to travel as quickly as possible. I heard that you were not ready to let us pass and since we are in a hurry then...how about apromise ?"


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult<novelnext></novelnext>


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 243 The Pact [The Village Mystery - Part I]

    - POV General -


    "Let me introduce myself, my name is Freya and I am the leader of this group of adventurers and we need to travel as quickly as possible. I heard that you were not ready to let us pass and since we are in a hurry then...how about apromise ?"


    While she had witnessed her group''s first interactions with the vigers and the mayor from above, Freya had finally appeared. While not surprising herpanions, she had surprised the humans standing before her, bringing silence as soon as she arrived. In order not to create any waves, her proposal had been sincere although it was also a waste of time but after all, what else could they do ?


    The undercover Empress had not said another word, waiting patiently for a reaction from the old man or his acolytes. Having suppressed her oppressive aura as much as possible, she hoped to appear less frightening than usual but she underestimated her own presence. Despite her precautions, the cold-eyed young woman was passively giving off a cold and powerful aura capable of killing them if released entirely.


    "I-I...w-who are you ?? And why are you from the mountains ?"


    Even though she concealed it, for humans with no special abilities, simple country farmers, Freya was still very intimidating. The gray-haired mayor after a few minutes speechless, had finallye to his senses, instinctively suspicious of the convoy. It was normal after all, who were these young women on horseback who appeared from nowhere guarding a rather luxurious carriage whose leader was giving chills ?


    "I told you but we can all introduce ourselves if you want...Sir ?"


    "C-Call me Fred."


    "Well Mister Fred, we are adventurers in a hurry, I don''t doubt our abilities toe to your aid as long as we pass through your vige. What do you say ?"


    Not knowing what to answer, the old man stood there once again, eyes wide open, his body slightly backwards betraying fear. The offer was of course very interesting, but how could he be sure it wasn''t a trap ? But after all, if it was, they would have killed them long ago. Finally, the mayor turned to the men and women behind him for their opinions, speaking in a low voice.


    "What do you say ?"


    "Fred I''m not sure that..."


    "But they are adventurers Jane, what could they possibly do to us ? We''re a little reclusive from the outside world so our judgment is a little biased."


    "I agree with Paul, let''s see what deal they have to offer us first, right ?"


    "I''m for it, if they can help us save our families for no money but the promise of crossing our vige, that''s gold. B-But let''s be careful all the same."


    "Yes !"


    The vigers stood in a circle and whispered one by one giving their opinions to Fred who listened, not seeing the little sneer on Freya''s and the others'' lips. They, who were not human, could hear everything perfectly well for several meters, their whispers being useless. ying along, the grouping from Elysium remained silent before finally, the old man turned to the Empress to ept the deal under certain conditions.


    "It''s agreed, but I would like to see your identification te as well as the people traveling in the carriage, t-then...the payment will not be in money because we don''t have much and the case of the disappearances must be solved in less than 24 hours"


    "No problem for our identification te, nothing to say for the payment as well as the dy though...our client will remain anonymous, do <strong>not</strong> approach our convoy"


    Inside, hidden, there were Gaya, Jade, but most of all, the children and Lia who couldn''t change their shape and kept their half-human attributes. Of course, they were all dressed in cloaks, which made them look human, but it was dangerous. Freya''s voice had changed slightly when she refused to let them look, bing for a few seconds more threatening than she would have liked.


    Her eyebrows had furrowed, her piercing violet eyes looking into Fred''s, who couldn''t help but feel suddenly unsafe. Realizing that their requests were already quite advantageous and that pushing too far was stupid, after swallowing, the man gave his answer. That feeling he had of being in control was only fake but well enough to get him where the she-wolf wanted him to be...like on a chess board.


    "I-It''s a deal."


    "Then it''s a deal."


    Holding out a gloved hand to Fred, the dark-haired woman was inwardly delighted as she was intrigued by their situation, knowing that everything would be sorted out very quickly. They had only been gone a day, but they were already facing a unique situation. While Freya was immersed in her thoughts, the Mayor grabbed her hand before shivering at the coldness it gave off despite the glove, suddenly feeling cold sweat run through him.


    "T-That''s fine meet under that tree there and talk in about...15 minutes ? We still need to consult if you don''t mind Miss Freya"


    "So we''ll set up on the grass a little further away and talk too"


    Splitting up, the two groups headed in opposite directions, the vigers heading under the one tree that stood at the edge of the path several meters away. Once far enough away, Freya would turn on her heels to walk on the grass that stretched as far as the eye could see just before the small forest, followed by Kira, June, May and the carriage. After a few seconds, she would snap her fingers making ice walls appear around them.


    "So Freya nee-san, what''s the n ? Do we try to sneak by once they trust us ? Or maybe we should finally just force our way through ? Or are you really nning to honor the deal ? But why ?"


    Kira, who felt morefortable away from the humans, stretched as she asked her questions before jumping off her horse to put a foot down. She had not liked the attitude of the vigers, not to mention this deal which she found totally useless knowing their strength. The young Commander knew that discretion was important but she didn''t understand why her older sister had epted without batting an eyelid at the Mayor.


    "We are in a hurry, but we are in unfamiliar territory in an Empire that may not function the way Zal does. Helping these vigers may bring us information about Vancesia that we can only get by trusting these humans rather than by fear. So, in the end, we are just as much better off as they are and perhaps even more so since they depend on us now, am I right, Freya~?"


    As the Empress had turned to answer her little sister, another person had beaten her to the punch by suddenly speaking up. The Queen, with a mischievous smile, had stepped out of the carriage with the twins'' basket in one hand, and Shiro''s in the other. From inside she had obviously heard everything and understood her wife''s decision, knowing that they had more to gain despite the dy of a few hours.


    After all, they were in a hurry, but it wasn''t a race against time either and they could afford to stay an extra night. Gaya no longer had her dragon horns, tail or wings and looked like a perfect human despite having half-human children. Still beautiful and graceful no matter what she looked like, for once was dressed in brown pants, a tight-fitting shirt and high boots.


    "You are absolutely right Gaya fufu~"


    "Mommyyyyyy~"


    As Freya replied with another small smile on her face not being able to help but hold it back at the sight of her wife, the little white-haired girl ran towards her. All hidden behind her four walls of ice, they could afford to be a little less discreet for a few minutes. Bending down to catch Shiro running ahead of her with her arms wide open, Freya grabbed her by the waist before gently lifting her up.


    "You''re going to help the humans find the evil thing that''s hurting them then ?"


    "Mmmh, yes we could say that my little moon."


    The little white-haired Princess had her ears moving happily and while the young woman was patting her head, it was her fluffy tail that was wagging back and forth. Soon, it was Lia who came out of the carriage, followed by Jade who was a little more hesitant and then Ka who finally came down from her perch. The small group had only to wait for the time to pass before deciding what to do next.


    ______


    Fifteen minutes had passed and for the second time, the Empress of Elysium was going to talk with the old man named Fred and the other vigers. Now only five in all, they were waiting for her sitting under the only tree on the dry earth road, sitting on small wooden stools. Apanied by Kira and Ka, Freya finally sat down in front of them after creating three chairs of ice before their stunned eyes.


    "Your identification tes please."


    Not forgetting their initial pact, Fred didn''t let himself be impressed any further, reaching out a hand towards them with an ever-wary look in his eyes. Without even blinking, he watched as the violet-eyed young woman pulled a cloth bag from her pocket before tossing it at his feet. Inside were the identification tes that had been made in advance by the head cksmith, obviously hiding the most sensitive information.


    "I-I see that you are rather powerful adventurers. It was obvious at first nce, but I never imagined that you could be level 30 and yourpanions between level 15 and 20..."


    After several minutes, the old man finally spoke again, his voice having softened when he had discovered Freya''s false power. Everyone''s level had been lowered so as not to attract too much attention, but for simple peasants or even simple humans, this was already huge. Suddenly, the vigers seemed more willing to be helped, seeing this group of adventurers as a potential solution to their problem.


    Without further ado, taking a deep breath, settling back in his seat and closing his eyes for a few seconds, Fred was determined to speak. He, like the others, didn''t have the money to pay such adventurers, nor the courage or strength to fight whatever it was that was causing them pain. The appearance of Freya and her group was almost like a gift from heaven that he intended to exploit with a seemingly unfair deal.


    "For the past few weeks, ournds have been traversed by half-humans and beast-men heading over the mountains into the western forest. I-I don''t know what''s going on, you who are from there may know, but it has been going on for at least a month. And...three weeks ago, the women of our vige began to disappear one by one while our fields were being devastated."


    At his words, the expressionless Empress didn''t show it but knew perfectly well what was causing this sudden exodus from the other races: Elysium. Since the war against Zal''s army had been won, this Empire, previously unknown to others, was bing more and more famous. Known as a paradise for those persecuted and looking for a home, a better life, more and more families from other countries were venturing there.


    "Continue"


    "We have no certainty, but I''m pretty sure it''s one of those beasts that''s taken a liking to our vige to torment it and make us disappear. The Count who manages thesends is too busy with the nobility to disdain helping us but the reality is...we are suffering from the situation."


    The more he spoke, the harder it was for the three silent women to take pity on them, hearing once again the humans spitting on the other races. Always the same refrain, always the same usations, the same victims and the same executioners and criminals. However, putting aside what they thought, Freya, Kira and Ka waited in silence, listening to the poor distressed Mayor''s little monologue to the end.


    Knowing perfectly well the rtionship that humans had with white hair, the Empress'' older sister had changed her hair color to deep ck. Thus, with this color and her purple eyes, she looked even more like Freya and Kira, almost making them look like triplets. Feigning interest, finally, after a few minutes, Fred would finally say some words that instantly caught their attention and curiosity.


    "On full moon nights like the one tonight, at least one woman is abducted is unable to be found no matter how hard we look. At daybreak, there are no traces of blood, no traces of forced entry and only traces of huge, unidentifiable paws leave the kidnapping site in the center of the vige before disappearing."


    No matter how hateful the vigers seemed, the mayor''sst words had managed to get Freya''s full attention. Unexined disappearances ? Tracks magically disappearing in the same ce over and over again ? The next 24 hours in this vige were going to be much more interesting and mysterious than they could have imagined.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult<novelnext></novelnext>


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 244 Waiting For The Night [The Village Mystery - Part II]

    - POV Freya -


    Sitting under the only tree near the road leading to the vige, the few vigers and our fake group of adventurers were conversing. Or rather, the mayor of this small, remotemunity was talking about what had been going on for a while. After our pact, I was determined to help these seemingly desperate humans in exchange for some information that mightter prove useful.


    "On full moon nights like the one tonight, at least one woman is abducted and is unable to be found no matter how hard we look. At daybreak, there are no traces of blood, no traces of forced entry and only traces of huge, unidentifiable paws leave the kidnapping site in the center of the vige before disappearing."


    At Fred''s words, as I listened with a nk stare, I felt a new glint in my eyes and in my mind. The promise of a much more interesting mystery had begun to appear in my mind after what he had said. Straightening up, just like Kira and Ka, I remained silent, taking care to listen to everything this time with the utmost attention.


    "We can investigate the next day, barricade our houses on the nights of the full moon, post guards here and there, but nothing helps. It is as if...as if a shadow or rather a ghost hovers over our vige rendering us powerless. We don''t know if our wives, daughters and mothers are still alive but if this continues, they will all disappear..."


    I felt the white-haired Mayor was done as he gritted his teeth as hard as he clenched his jaw in frustration, sadness and anger. Behind him, the humans who had stayed with him were doing the same, all eyes glued to the ground with guilt and fear. He seemed to have said everything about those particr nights but it wasn''t enough so breaking the silence, it was my turn to raise my voice.


    "Was there a special event just before the first disappearances and the ransacking of your fields by chance ?"


    "It started a few weeks ago right after the Day Of Delivery and the little vige party that always follows as a tradition here."


    At his answer, seeing that my sisters and I didn''t know what he was talking about, Fred portrayed his hand under his chin while thinking. He had to figure out what he could and could not tell us, still wary despite the help we were going to give and the pact we had made. After a few seconds, the old man finally decided to answer after a sigh, having understood that it was useless to hide information.


    "The taxes we pay to the Lord of thesends, Sir yton, are made up solely of food grown in these great fields that are our pride. In return, once every three months, he sends us a crate filled with things we can''t find or make here that we need."


    "Which is ?"


    "Well, you seem to be new to this country, but the Vancesia Empire is known throughout the world for its technomagical advances. This vige is a long way from the Capital which is to the south so the Count supplies us in exchange for our...loyalty ?"


    Sketching a slight smile at the Mayor who had purposely remained very vague in his exnations, we had already obtained some information. In addition to the mystery, learning that this country was more advanced in technology had piqued my attention even more. With Yuric, the dwarf leader of the cksmiths, we had and were developing unique objects with my modern knowledge, which intrigued me even more.


    *Combining my modern knowledge from my former life, magic and perhaps even the work of the Vancesia Empire, could guarantee a considerable advantage to Elysium*


    This new perspective was more than interesting because if I could ess certain objects or even manufacturing documents, the Empire could very quickly modernize. It was an ambitious project, but not impossible, and I intended to get as close to it as possible. While I was lost in my thoughts, suddenly one of the hitherto silent women could not suppress her fear, followed by some others.


    "I''m sure it''s a trick of one of those human beasts who decided to harm us for some reason !"


    "T-Though they are rather rare around here...why are there so many of themtely ?"


    "I don''t know, but they are ruining our lives ! I thought that the Order of the Light had regted their presence in our country to make them more useful and yet ! They are swarming like an epidemic and are mating as fast as animals"


    "Well...technically they are."


    As usual, the same hatred and disgust of different races was clearly felt in the speech of these humans. It was the same hostile intent born of prejudice that was driving more and more families into our Empire today. Ka and I were used to this, but I couldn''t say the same about Kira, who shook her head, speaking without thinking just before I stopped her.


    "You guys are just a bunch of..."


    By the time she had stood up abruptly, with one look I had been able to stop her before she said anything she shouldn''t. Of course, I understood the anger my little sister was feeling, but I also knew that she stillcked control. The goal was not to antagonize the humans but rather the opposite. The silence had returned and so it was with confidence that I turned to the three well-hated vigers.


    "We don''t know yet if they are half-humans. Maybe if you were a little more open-minded and left your prejudices aside, the women of this vige would still be among you. But hey, we''re not here to talk about our personal opinions but to talk about hard facts."


    At my words, Kira sat down again content with my words as the vigers in front of me looked at me strangely. All except for a young man sitting at the back who seemed not to react like the others but no matter, the conversation was almost over. In this silence one could feel a certain tension under the tree after this little awkward moment, which I hastened to break, not wanting to linger any longer.


    "Well. I think we''ve figured out what was going on so we''ll retire for the rest of the afternoon. Needless to say, you have to let me and mypanions here enter your vige before nightfall, right ?"


    "W-Well obviously yes."


    "Then fine. On that note..."


    There was no point in us staying any longer, I knew the main thing now, the rest would only be done directly on the spot. Besides, the full moon was tonight so since we had agreed on the terms of the pact, I preferred to withdraw. Getting up, I turned to leave without a goodbye followed by my sisters when the old man spoke onest time making me frown immediately.


    "Do you think you can help us, Lady Freya ? Y-You...you seem to be more than adventurers....am I right ?"


    "A word of advice...don''t look for more information than you can handle, old man. As for our pact, don''t worry I only have one word so try to keep yours fufu~"


    "..."


    I didn''t know why he had asked me that question and what had alerted him but from his reaction he didn''t know our real races. Ka had dyed her hair ck because of the too unique white that my little Shiro also had and Kira and I had no horns. Leaving the meeting ce with a quick step, I decided to forget about it as we made our way to the ice space I had created earlier.


    _____


    "Freya...I''m sorry. Because of me everything was almost ruined, I-I shouldn''t have lost my temper like that..."


    As we approached the ice cube in the middle of the grass formed by me for our privacy, Kira in front of me had stopped. She didn''t have her three tails and ears but at her words, I could imagine them lowered shamefully at every word. My little sister felt really guilty for being on the verge of insulting them and knew very well that if I hadn''t stopped her, the oue would have been far less peaceful.


    "Indeed. Sometimes it is necessary to hide your feelings no matter how unbearable they may be and it seems that you still need to keep your emotions in check."


    "I''m sorry if I disappointed you or if..."


    "That said..."


    Kira hadn''t had a body for very long and still had to deal with as many emotions as possible that always made her so alive no matter what the situation. Unlike her, these feelings I had only discovered a long timeter but that wasn''t the most important thing. Approaching my little sister, I put a hand on her head and caressing her silver hair tenderly, I continued, taking this time a softer voice.


    "...that said I understand you and I felt the same way you did."


    "I-..."


    "Being true to yourself and your values is just as important and your reaction is proof that you have a big heart, you can be proud. Never forget who you are and what you stand for, little sister. Promise me that and you can be sure that whatever you do, I will never be disappointed in you. You have a lot to learn and that''s okay, so it''s all good~"


    I obviously meant everything I said and I couldn''t bring myself to be angry let alone disappointed when it came to her. She was Kira...my first, only little sister and the one who had been by my side since the beginning in this world, long before even my wife and children. Her too I was going to make her happy and prevent any dark clouds from stopping this new life she had in front of her and that was to be as joyful as possible.


    "Thank you~"


    The next moment, a radiant smile returned to her face making her dimples appear while I saw the disappointment fly away from her rather innocent look reminding me of my little moon. Even though she was mature, Kira sometimes had this childish side that often appeared when she was sorry. Taking back her teasing side, however, she straightened up again beforeing closer to my ear and whispering some nonsense.


    "Are you sure you''ll be focused enough to solve this mystery, Onee-san ? Pfff~"


    "What do you mean by that ?"


    "Well you know...full moon...you''re a wolf and what''s more very bestial...if you know what I mean hehehe~ Gaya is...OUCH !"


    That vicious fox couldn''t finish her sentence though, as my fingers had already flicked her well in the middle of the forehead. She couldn''t help but hide behind jokes whenever she felt vulnerable and always ended up talking nonsense. As Kira massaged her forehead while pouting, I took the opportunity to do what she hated and put my arm around her neck before continuing to tease her.


    "You can talk little sister. Aren''t you the one dying to express the feelings burning deep in your heart to the young Lia ?"


    "I-I don''t know what you''re talking about..."


    "Ohe on, you''re eating her up with your eyes. The poor little bunny shed in the eyes of the vicious fox~ I''m sure she''s just waiting for that, so it''s more up to you to be careful on this full moon night. The wolf may be asleep but what about the fox and the rabbit ? fufu~"


    Instantly after, her freckled cheeks began to blush furiously betraying her innermost thoughts. She might be an adult, but there were many things she didn''t know, like love or attraction, which made her feel awkward. However, my little sister couldn''t hide anything from me and as she hid her face in her hands, Ka raised her voice for the first time finishing her off.


    "It''s true that Miss Lia and Kira look good together when I think about it haha~"


    "W-W-What ?"


    "You guys are adorable~"


    "Ah no, not you too Ka ! One big sister teasing me all the time and smashing my forehead is enough but two ??! Have mercy damn it !"


    The beautiful silver-haired young woman standing in front of me may have said that, but she couldn''t hide the small, sincere smile on the corner of her lips. Seeing her joking andughing with Ka warmed my heart and as I broke through the ice wall, the sunlight bathed their happy faces. On the other side, the rest of our family andpanions were waiting for us and that feeling was irreceable.


    We who had created the Empire, this ce that we all cherished deeply no matter what our past was and what we were fighting for. Elysium was the perfect world for all of us, thend of martyrs, but in the end, it was where my family was waiting for me that I felt at home. No matter where in this universe or elsewhere...it was with those I loved that my heart belonged and would always belong.


    Leaving the Order of Light stuff for another time, I was content to enjoy and appreciate the moment before night fell. Lia was preparing a little snack for everyone, helped by June, May and Jade who didn''t even seem to be a prisoner anymore. They were all there, in the grass the twins crawling andughing, Shiro and Angel were encouraging them and Gaya was watching them tenderly.


    Under the bright sun and the big blue sky, as Kira joined them with a smile followed by Ka who was going to sit next to my wife, I stopped. I stopped almost instinctively, feeling once again that unique and irreceable warmth flowing through my previously cold heart. I stopped to look and anchor this precious sight in my memory as a single phrase came to mind.


    *Umu...this is my home*


    ___<novelnext></novelnext>


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?¡¥s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D??fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 245 The Little Snooper [The Village Mystery - Part III]

    - POV General -


    The afternoon had gone by without a hitch, each group having stayed in its corner waiting for the nightfall that had just arrived. So, in front of the vige walls made of tree trunks, Freya, Kira and Ka were standing as expected. Arge door carved inside faced them, still closed and having a small opening that opened to let a discreet eye pass through before a voice sounded.


    "Are you the adventurers ?"


    "No Santa us..."


    "Wh-...never mind. Pleasee in."


    Purple eyes, silver hair glowing in the red glow of the setting sun, Kira had answered with an excited look just before the door opened. In front of her, two women with hair as ck as night were silent, violet eyes staring at the rising trunks. Freya and Ka were there too, looking very much alike and could almost pass for twins if the difference in height and age weren''t so great.


    With one look, it was easy to tell that the trio was sisters just by their faces, although all three seemed to be the opposite of each other. Cold, teasing or graceful, dangerous, unpredictable and wise, that was what the human in charge of bringing them in had thought. Within seconds, the wooden wall had given way to arge opening capable of passing their entire convoy including the horses.


    "This way."


    The person who had opened it for them had been part of the group they had met earlier, wearing a hood and clothesrger than his height. Of a rather unassuming nature, one could make out the silhouette of a young man in addition to the voice that still seemed to be mutating. Without another word, he walked with a determined step in the main street of the vige made of dirt and surrounded by various wooden and stone houses rather simple.


    The small streets were empty, the windows of the houses and their doors were closed and when they were not, curious eyes could be seen looking past. After a few minutes, the group of four arrived at the center of the vige where the famous fountain was located. Beside it, Fred the Mayor stood there silently, a torch in his hands in anticipation of the full moon night that would soone.


    "There you are, adventurers. Thank you Leon, you can go home and above all don''te out."


    Dismissing the young man quickly without giving him time to speak, the old man waved his hand to make him leave, which he did promptly. Without wasting any time, after having greeted him with a nod, Freya then began to turn around the fountain while squinting. Taking advantage of thest rays of the sun, she was trying to find the slightest hint but as she thought, there was nothing in particr.


    "Nothing."


    "Huh ?"


    "You were talking about mysterious tracks urring near the fountain every day after the night of the full moon but there''s nothing. A month is too long to expect to find any clues so I guess we''ll have to keep an eye on the ce. What about you ?"


    cing a boot on the stone building, the young woman asked the question as she grabbed her long ck hair and tied it in a ponytail. Fine and shiny as silk, it slid over her beautiful face devoid this time of demonic symbol tattoos. Fred, seeing the scene could not help but blush at her beauty despite the age difference and hurried to answer after having regained his senses.


    "W-Well, I''m going to get to my house before checking everyone is home and waiting for the morning praying that no one disappears."


    "Then you do that, I''ll see you at daybreak."


    "W-Well ! M-Miss Freya,dies please excuse me."


    The Mayor still troubled by the beauty of the young woman due to the glow of the red sky on her face, nodded his head before walking away surprised by himself. Not paying attention to his behavior, she turned to her two sisters silent until then. Once again barefoot, Kira would nimbly jump next to Freya and then onto the top of the fountain to sit down before asking a question that was answered by Ka.


    "So ? What''s the n ?"


    "I guess for now we just need to find a ce to stay where we can see the center of the vige easily so we don''t miss anything. After that...we just have to wait."


    Confirming with a nod, the Empress looked up and pointed to arger-than-life house with a t roof. Appearing to be a tavernrge enough to amodate the entire vige, it was the perfect spot overlooking the small square. At the moment, they didn''t know what was causing all the mystery, but they were determined to wait all night if they had to, to find out.


    "Yosh~!"


    Rising to her feet, Kira hopped onto the dirt floor before slowly approaching the building with her hands behind her head with a small smile. Without further ado, as agile as a feline, she would jump onto the wall of the house next door and then onto the wall of the tavern. It was already almost dark but the young woman was extremely precise and in no time, she was on the t roof, looking at her two older sisters with a satisfied smile.


    _______


    Several hours had passed since nightfall, still posted on the roof on the lookout for the least movement, the three false adventurers were waiting. The moon was shining high in the sky, bathing the sleeping vige with its rays. Having nothing to do, Kira and Ka were in a conversation whose subject was apparently fascinating, more than the mission which for the moment had not really started.


    "Do you think she''s weird ?"


    "Mmmh~ I couldn''t say with any precision but a little bit yes."


    "I knew it...and then you must feel that cold aura too, right ?"


    The two women whispered anything but quietly in a corner of the roof, watching with too much intensity the one who never took her eyes off the fountain. Freya''s back was turned, but she could still hear through her hearing, even though it was impaired by her human form. She was concentrated but the effect of the full moon was still disturbing her, which had caused her sisters to notify the slightest change as an experiment.


    "Are you two done yet ? Stop jabbering for a while and concentrate, I have the impression that something is going to happen."


    The she-wolf had turned around and brought with her a cold draft from her passive Ice Empress aura. She was humanoid but her ck hair was almost spiked, her eyes glinted wildly and her canines had grown. Her blood was boiling in her veins and it was clear that Freya under the full moon was fighting her bestial urges bing stronger as time passed.


    "H-Hai onee-san."


    "Did you feel or notice anything ?"


    Instantly bing serious and not wanting to piss off Freya who they knew was rather scary in this state, Kira and Ka moved closer. Eyes squinting and ready to act, they watched the center of the vige carefully, not noticing anything new though. There was no wind, no noise, only the fountain whose water shone under the white rays, standing there proudly facing the white moon as she answered.


    "Let''s just say it''s my instinct."


    "Should we go down and split up to circle the fountain square ?"


    Pausing for a moment, the Empress turned her head slightly in the direction of a small narrow alley behind the tavern. Nothing seemed to be there at first nce, but her ears, though human, had apparently picked up something. Raising her hand, threads of blood appeared around her fingers before sliding down the roof to the alley as she finally deigned to answer.


    "That would be preferable yes, but before that..."


    "AAAAAHH !!!"


    Pulling her threads in one swift motion like one would reel in a fish with a fishing pole, Freya pulled a form out from behind the wall that had begun to scream. Obviously, a human who didn''t expect to be discovered or just maybepletely stupid and naive. The person didn''t have time to say anything that once theynded, the silver-haired young woman rushed towards them with a threatening air before stopping short.


    "You ? What are you doing here ?!"


    Under the natural light of the dark sky, the face of a young man loomed, the same one they had met under the tree and the one who had guided them when they arrived in the vige. He had a cloak with a hood over his head, a small rusty sword, a canvas bag and a stone thrower. Leon, hade out of his house and had finally found them and tried to hide, obviously underestimating their abilities.


    He was now surrounded by the three women who were looking at him expectantly, waiting to know what had gone through his mind. It was obviously not the time to go out and strut around the vige and even less to y the adventurer with so little experience. The young man then began to speak to exin, breaking this image that the group had made of him as being reserved, silent and rather boring.


    "M-My mom and little sister were taken by this unknown thing and I''d like to find them no matter what ! I-I...I don''t know if it was really the other species of humans that did this but...but I want to find them !"


    "Oya~? Don''t you say subrace ? Or maybe monsters, murderers or even ves ?"


    At his words, the fox girl rxed her body and crouched down to his level with a teasing look, seriously surprised by his words. It had to be said that hatred of other races was somon that not using insulting words was even weirder than benevolence. Feeling almost tested, Leon lowered his head feeling his heart speed up but still taking courage to answer as he could.


    "I-I don''t hate other races like the ones in the vige and I understood that you don''t either so...so I take the liberty of not hiding what I think. E-Even though it would make me a fool, I don''t think other species are worse than humans. In fact...I''m passionate about other species and..."


    "...and you figured that with adventurers in the vige you could afford to go out at night to help save your family and even why not run into a half-human or two."


    Freya had finished his sentence guessing perfectly that he was trying to be the hero he wasn''t and thoughtlessly prove a strength he may not have. However, it was toote, he was there and she could not send him home since she did not know where he lived. Besides, the she-wolf had felt her instincts tugging at her as if to warn her that something wasing, and so letting him go back alone was far too dangerous.


    "Sigh...kid, you''re not a hero and youring here is just getting in the way so I''d say your idea was stupid, immature and filled with pride. But, since you''re here...try to keep a low profile and whatever happens, don''t wander off."


    "M-Mmmmh...t-thanks."


    "Tch"


    Understanding his mistake but driven by his curiosity and unawareness, Leon still felt more happy than guilty. He didn''t actually know that thanks to his words Freya had just been very kind in letting him stay on the roof to protect him. As the blood threads who had captured him withdrew, the she-wolf turned around to continue observing while Kira got a little closer to him with curiosity.


    "And so ? What race of half-human fascinates you the most ?"


    "THE DRAG-..."


    "Shhhhh !!!"


    "P-Pardon...the...the dragons. The Vancesia Empire used to be thend of the Earth dragons who once lived in the central mountains. Ever since my mother told me their story and how they became extinct...I have been fascinated. After that, I didn''t stop being interested in this race especially."


    In fact, the Empress'' younger sister was the one who least supported this hatred of other races and had been at the time rather surprised and admiring of this young man. His words had touched her and she couldn''t help but want to know more about what made him different. As he had mentioned the Earth dragons, her gaze was going tond directly on her sister who despite having heard still didn''t move.


    "And why dragons ?"


    "Well...to tell the truth when my mother told me their story, there was so much passion in her eyes that I think she passed it on to me haha~ Legend tells that during the war between the humans and the Earth dragons 10 years ago, a proud dragoness roared so fiercely that the earth shattered for miles !"


    At his words, the same smile appeared on the faces of the three purple-eyed women while their thoughts immediately went to the Queen of the Elysium Empire. It was unexpected, they never thought they would meet someone who knew about Gaya''s tragic past, much less a human. He had even presented it as a legend, which almost drew a chuckle from the Empress.


    "It''sing.."


    However, they didn''t have time to dig any further when suddenly the water in the fountain began to move very slightly and then faster and faster. The next second, as the group on the roof lowered themselves to be as unobtrusive as possible, a shape emerged. A watery thing was gradually taking shape before their eyes before the culprit of themotion, all but unknown, finally set foot on the earthy ground of the vige.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Now...that''s a surprise..."


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 246 Revealed Troublemaker [The Village Mystery - Part IV]

    - POV General -


    "Now...that''s a surprise..."


    In front of Freya and the others, some of the water had taken shape and the thing or rather the person had finally revealed itself under the full moon. Before their eyes, Mayor Fred had emerged from the fountain, dressed in simple ck pants and a white shirt both soaked. He who had left a few hours ago had gone to barricade himself in his house, was in the middle of the vige, looking haggard, looking lost andpletely disoriented.


    "WH-..."


    Before Theo could continue, Kira had gone behind him to cover his mouth, keeping him from being noticed because of his surprise. It was normal, after all the only one who really knew the old man was him but it was necessary to remain discreet however. While he tried to speak without being able to do anything against the young woman, Freya used Analysis allowing her to have information on the one or rather what had just emerged.


    "It''s a Lunar Aqueous Doppelganger."


    Thanks to her skill, she could ess the status of any living being and even have more information when it came to monsters or creatures without reasoning. Therefore, despite the physical appearance of the Doppelganger, the young woman knew that it was only an illusion. Quickly going through the information written in front of her, while whispering, she exined to the others what this thing really was.


    "It is an instinctive creature capable of taking the form of anyone living in small viges like this one, far from anyrge cities. It is also said to be attracted to the blood of the females it kidnaps on full moon nights until it has enough to devour them alive."


    The information flowed by and the more she spoke the more Freya''s intuition began to draw the events of thest 3 months. She was beginning to understand little by little what had happened but had to confirm it through observation and discretion. The Doppelganger that had just appeared had to be followed to see how it operated. This, everyone understood but only Ka formted it aloud, whispering in turn.


    "So, ording to what you said, if this Doppel is still out hunting tonight as well, it means that all its victims are still alive. All that''s left is to find out where its hideout is by following it from afar and rescue the missing women."


    Nodding her head without saying a word, the she-wolf in human form did her best to ignore the fire burning inside her under the full moon. She wasn''t totally focused but knew more or less how to control her urges also knowing she wasn''t alone. Turning back to Theo hoping he understood the need to be quiet, Freya realized he still had his mouth and nose covered by her thinking little sister.


    "Mmmh...Kira ?"


    "Yes onee-san~ ?"


    "You...are choking him."


    "Eh ? Oh yes ! Hahaha~ sorry sorry my bad~"


    Hastily withdrawing her hand, the young man hurriedly put his hand back in the same ce, covering the sound of his coughing that appeared after almost getting choked. Breathing through his nose as deeply as he could, a small tear appeared at the corner of his eyes while he red at Kira. She, in response, shrugged her shoulders, raising her eyes to the sky as if to say "you''re not dead don''t be so dramatic".


    Very soon, the sound of a small whistlinging from their right was heard, produced by Ka who still had her eyes riveted on the fountain. Indeed, thepletely absent-looking Lunar Aqueous Doppelganger had finally started to move after a few minutes of doing nothing. It would take a few steps forward, stop, and start sniffing around before walking almost with a sure-footed look towards the east of the vige.


    "Kira, Ka...there will be no fighting involved until the kidnapped are all rescued. And you...even though this Doppel doesn''t seem to have good hearing, you better behave yourself if you want to find your mother and sister."


    After her words, Freya''s eyes gleamed in the gloom as she rose from where she had been hiding, revealing her face to the young boy she had been addressing. Under the moonlight, Theo, who had wanted to answer, was speechless and paralyzed without even knowing why. Was it her beauty ? No because he was not sensitive to that but it was rather her wild appearance and the bestial aura which emanated from her.


    He realized at this moment that she was perhaps different but did not know exactly in what, questions concerning the identity of the others also appearing in his mind. However, the young man did not have time to think more because already the three women in front of him started to move. Kira, with a mischievous look, grabbed him by the cor before cing him on her shoulders like a sack of potatoes before jumping off the roof.


    The little group crept through the quiet night, silently following the creature from a distance as if it knew where it was going. The wind was not blowing, which prevented them from being spotted by the smell, even though all three had suppressed their aura linked to their levels. Zigzagging through the deserted, narrow and rtively short alleys, the four paid no attention to anything else while Theo whispered in the fox''s ear.


    "If a dragoness had been there, she would have flown over the vige to follow the Doppelganger more easily, umu umu"


    "And risk being targeted by the humans ? Yeaaah sure of course"


    Whispering in turn, Kira grimaced after hearing such nonsense that proved hisplete ignorance of the hatred his fellow humans had for other races and especially its extent. It was both normal and rather despairing but rather than pay attention to it, the silver-haired young woman walked past, jumping on a tree and then on a houseing almostpletely to the East.


    Ka, rather than the height, was on the ground and moving as quietly as a draft, always sneaking into the darkest corners. Freya was also on the rooftops and following her little sister not without hearing what she was talking about with the young human she thought was useless. The Doppelganger still hadn''t noticed anything and while everyone was wondering where it was going, it finally stopped in front of a small stone house.


    "B-But this is Jane''s house..."


    "Who ?"


    "J-Jane, a friend...a friend of mine or rather...a girl from my ss."


    The house was one of the most remote since just behind the wall of tree trunks reached up to the sky preventing anyone from continuing. Theo who was the only resident of this vige had recognized the house, knowing that a girl named Jane lived there. Without answering, the three women with violet eyes hid themselves a little more, observing with attention and curiosity what would happen next.


    Nothing. The watery creature was standing in front of the wooden door, arms hanging down, looking almost nk, which was disturbing considering its appearance. Suddenly, Freya and Kira as one, caught their noses, assaulted by a powerful smell that had permeated the air. It was intense, horrible, strong and disturbing like a smell that could send chills down your spine, pass through your pores and make you feel dirty.


    "It''s...it''s unbearable...Freya holy shit, wh-what is that ?"


    "A-A call..."


    Such a powerful scent was indeed produced by the Doppelganger itself, who used it to lure its prey to it without difficulty or resistance. Acting in fact as pheromones, it also exined why the fox and the wolf in human form were much more sensitive to it. For humans such as Ka, the smell was intoxicating and attractive but for Kira and Freya, it was stifling, aggressive and anything but hypnotic.


    Theo who didn''t understand what was going on since the chemical molecules produced by the creature''s organism only affected women. While everyone tried to do their best to bear what attracted or repelled them, a light appeared under the door of the house. The next second it opened revealing a young girl of about 16 years old, brown hair, blue eyes and a white robe.


    "M-Mr. Mayor ? What are you doing here at this hour ? What..."


    The famous Jane didn''t have time to finish her sentence that suddenly she entered as if in a trance, finally very receptive to the smell. It had been almost instantaneously, like a bee attracted by honey she was slowly moving forward with a goofy smile on her face. The small group was witnessing the way the women had been disappearing for three months now, understanding why there was no sign of a struggle.


    While the vige was asleep, the Doppelganger made its way to its target''s house before releasing that particr scent that for some unknown reason only attracted women. Once outside, its stolen appearance would numb the vignce of the kidnapped woman while she was hypnotized by its pheromones. Thus, it didn''t even need to do anything and especially didn''t need to resort to violence, leaving no trace.


    "F-Follow it"


    Still assailed by the scent, Freya ordered the tailing to continue while cursing in her mind feeling the nausea rise in her throat. Shaking her head in disgust, Kira made a face and waved her hand at Ka who responded with a thumbs-up. Ka did not feel the same as her sisters but still struggled to keep her mind focused, her power not changing the effects.


    The four didn''t have to go far as the creature followed by Jane had headed to an abandoned well this time a little further north. Vines had grown all around it, its color had turned to dirty brown and no more water was present. Yet, without hesitation, the Doppelganger grabbed the girl before jumping inside as silently as it hade out of the fountain a short while ago.


    "Wow this..."


    As he had disappeared into the hole, suddenly the scent was gone as quickly as it had appeared, freeing the Empress and her little sister''s sense of smell. Waiting a few minutes to make sure the coast was clear, they in turn approached the small stone structure. Nothing. Complete darkness even with squinting eyes so they had to jump and find out what was going on underneath the vige, in the earth where the two had disappeared.


    "Y-You''re not going to go there...are you ? No, because I''ve seen enough, I want to go home like a good boy so it''s time to..."


    "Something tells me we''re going to need you so you''reing with us."


    "What ? Eeeeeeeeeeeh...."


    With a blow to the shoulder, Freya had just pushed Theo into the hole without even waiting for the end of his sentence so as not to waste time. The creature must have been quite far away so while the moon was still shining intensely in the dark sky, the three sisters jumped without hesitation. Soon, squinting, they discovered that galleries had been built underground connecting several points of the vige together.


    It was dark and without their half-human form, Freya''s and Kira''s eyesight was quite diminished, not to mention their noses which had suffered quite a bit shortly before. Only their hearing was left, the small group was going to have to go deeper into these tunnels in order to find the Doppel but especially the missing women. Getting up while rubbing his back, the young human could not help butment as a kind of revenge stinging Kira.


    "Tch, if a dragoness had been there, she would have sniffed around to find out where the kidnapped women are."


    "Oi, dragons are not dogs ! Well, it''s true that they have a good sense of smell but here, I think that a fox or a wolf would have been more appropriate to the situation..."


    "Ah yes that''s right, their breed is closer to that of dogs indeed"


    At his words, without him noticing, the ck-haired Empress began to form a dagger-like ice spike while her little sister discreetly crackled lightning in her hand. However, they didn''t have time to act as Ka had ced her hands on their arms to stop them, shaking her head silently as Theo continued to ther on about the dragons having seen absolutely nothing at all.


    Clicking her tongue, Freya turned to begin walking down the first tunnel that would lead them to several others that separated. One could almost see a red aura around her, not liking beingpared to a dog but they had to move on. Then it was the former Goddess of Time who followed, as well as Kira not without hitting the back of Theo''s head who still didn''t understand what was really going on.


    They had finally entered the hideout of the Lunar Aqueous Doppelganger that had been disturbing the vigers for several weeks and making them live in fear. The group didn''t know what they would find, but they walked with almost sure steps, looking for anything. The night was still young but it was certainly not over and for Freya, Kira, Ka and Theo...it was just the beginning.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult<novelnext></novelnext>


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?¡¥s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D??fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 247 First Halloween [BONUS CHAPTER]

    ¨C POV General ¨C


    It was lunchtime, as usual, the Imperial family was eating in the private flower garden even though autumn had finally arrived in Elysium. The trees and bushes were covered with a thickyer of dead leaves, some had lost their foliagepletely, while others were still losing it. The air was crisp and the falling leaves tinged the Empire''sndscape with fiery reds, oranges and yellows


    The air was cold and crisp, but the sun was warm enough for the Empress and her family to sit outside without shivering. The air smelled fresh and crisp, like the first snow but the birds were singing happily outside bringing something unique. The breeze carried the smell of burning wood smoke mixed with the smell of damp earth, grass and the sweet musky smell of autumn.


    To make a long story short, Freya and the others were still enjoying the rtively good weather outside before having to return to the manor for the winter. The sun was shining high in the sky, its rays brighter and warmer than it had been since autumn began. It felt almost as if spring was on the way. The whole family was together and the topic of the day was of course this very famous event on earth that the Empress wanted to bring back to Elysium.


    "So at Anooween the children can dress up and ask for candy at people''s houses ? For real real real real ??"


    "Halloween my little moon~ I already exined it to you, don''t you remember haha~ ? But yes, tonight is the night of children and candy"


    "I-...I remember mommy, but it sounds too good to be true...so I wanted to be sure hihihi~"


    Shiro, who was hearing for at least the tenth time what Halloween was, still had the same wide open mouth and eyes twinkling with excitement. Above all, she loved it when her mother told her such things, especially when a uniquely themed party was involved. Sitting on Freya''sp, she rocked her little legs while chewing on a piece of apple pie, imagining what the Empire would look like tonight.


    The Empress had nned everything, thanks to the family of Elves in charge of information andmunication, posters had been put up a week before the big event. So, all the people knew what was going to happen and now hoped that most of them would y the game for fun. The streets were being decorated by volunteer soldiers and those who wished to add their personal touch.


    It was a collective effort to cultivate thatmunity spirit while conveying joy and good humor, away from the screams, blood and tears. That''s why Freya had exined beforehand what Halloween was all about, much to the delight of the kids and especially her daughter. However, while Shiro was imagining a whole lot of things, Kira, who was eating from three different tes, spoke up with a judgmental look.


    "So first it''s an old man breaking into your house through the chimney in the middle of the night to bring presents. Very suspicious if you ask me but whatever. And now... you''re telling me that children are going to beg at every door in the Empire ?"


    "Adults can dress up too, you know ?"


    "Still, this is all scary my goodness, I can see why you ended up with the yakuza in your old life pfffhahaha~"


    Giggling, the young fox girl bit into a chicken leg while her older sister rolled her eyes at this not so false statement after all. Ka was at the end of the table eating a sd, while helping Angel, still mute, to eat his pancakes. The atmosphere was cheerful and it was finally the Queen who raised her voice to ask a question that no one had really thought of until now.


    "Anyway, I hope you know what you want to dress up as, sweetheart."


    "..."


    "You didn''t find anything ?"


    "W-Well...I-...I thought we could all dress up like the story Mommy tells me sometimes. The story of Little Red Hood in the forest...I-...I really wanted to do the same thing...as a family."


    The little white-haired Princess had said these words while touching her two fingers shyly, the red in her cheeks bing more and more visible. She was to crunch, she was adorable and at this moment nobody could answer, preferring to observe with tenderness the scene. The announcement was all the more surprising as Shiro asked everyone more or less to dress up which some around the table had not anticipated.


    "I-It''s a no¡­?"


    The adorable girl on her mother''sp turned to look at her with pleading eyes in the hope of getting a positive response. Without saying a word, Freya put her hand on her little head to caress her hair tenderly before cing a kiss on her forehead. Then, raising her head in the direction of Kira, Ka and Gaya, a smile appeared on her face along with those of the others, answering the question.


    _______


    Night had finally arrived and with it the promise of the Empire''s first ever Halloween candy hunt. The big Hall was empty as all the employees were off for the event leaving only the Imperial family, waiting to go out. In front of the throne room doors, the Empress dressed in a furry coat was waiting patiently, knowing that any second the others would be there, when suddenly, her little daughter''s voice echoed up the stairs.


    "Mommyyyyy this is it ! We''re ready so please close your eyes !! hihihi~"


    Obeying with a small smile, Freya instantly closed her eyes hearing a few secondster the sound of the little group finally arriving. Then she felt a small hand shyly grabbing her coat and pulling on it indicating that she could finally open them. The little princess was there, carrying a wicker basket and above all covered with a big red hooded cloak that made her ears fall down in a too adorable way.


    Behind her, the dragoness had a scarf on her head, a shawl around her shoulders, a wide beige skirt and a white blouse. She was blushing slightly and even seemed to be sulking a little bit, offended to have to y the grandmother of the tale but happy all the same. Next to her, Kira was ying the role of the hunter with a fake mustache, a fake axe, overalls and a red and white checked shirt.


    Angel wasn''t dressed up because he didn''t know what to do and was still too shy to speak, but Ka was dressed up as¡­a tree. All dressed in brown with a red leaf hat on her head and her face smeared with paint the same color as her clothes. In Gaya''s arms, Tyle and Alta?s were also in red but they represented without even knowing it, two hunters wearing the same fake mustache as their aunt.


    "Well...that''s quite a view I have there fufu~"


    Almost everyone had yed along and Freya couldn''t help but want to bothugh to tears and smile happily at all the disguises. She never thought she would ever experience this, but she did, and this disconnect from her old life was anything but unpleasant. As she stood silently watching happily, Kira pulled a small prototype type proid camera from her pocket, made by Yuric.


    "Wait, let me try this little gem to capture this precious moment hehe~ Let''s start with the two mothers and their daughter embodying the big bad wolf, the grandmother and of course the cute Little Red Hood~"


    Grabbing Freya''s sleeve in turn, the silver-haired fox pulled her to her wife and daughter while Gaya entrusted the twins to Ka. With magic, the new camera used the mana in the light and the chemical in the housing to reproduce a perfect picture. Kira was eager to try it and as the three of them positioned themselves, she stopped with a hesitation in her eyes.


    "Onee-san, smile a little will you ? Shiro, show me your best smile, my little sugar pancake and you Gaya, it''s perfect don''t change anything !"


    "..."


    "Onee-san, try to be a little more of a wolf ? I''ll remind you that you want to devour this cute little face right here so...aaaaaaaah there you go perfect, don''t move !"<novelnext></novelnext>


    The next moment, a sh of mana erupted from the box as a small sheet of glittering ck paper slowly emerged from behind it. Without waiting, Shiro rushed at her aunt making little leaps to try to see what it looked like but Freya didn''t move. After the picture, she had turned to look behind her at therge empty hallway of the mansion, squinting her eyes as if there was something there, alerting her wife.


    "What''s wrong honey ?"


    "N-No nothing...I-...I just felt like someone else was standing behind us for the picture hahaha~ like a presence but it''s just a stupid feeling don''t worry my love~"


    Shaking her head, the Empress gently kissed the dragoness'' cheek before heading to therge doors of the mansion leading to the exit to open them. Seeing this as the sign of departure, Shiro, Ka, Angel and Gaya followed with a smile, eager to discover Halloween. Kira, who was busy shaking the ck paper in the air to speed up the process, rushed to them shaking her arms in panic.


    "Hey hey hey ! What about the picture ? It''s almost finished drying, don''t you want to see it onee-san ? And...what about the other pictures with the others ??"


    "We''ll do them there"


    "Eeeeeeeeeeeh!! ??? Ok ok !"


    Unfortunately, when the doors opened, a big draft swept through the hall making the picture she had just put in her pocket fly away. The young woman with the three tails hadn''t even noticed it though, continuing to run behind the group. As the doors closed leaving the mansion totally empty, the piece of paper was dropped on the floor while the image was slowly appearing.


    ___________


    Elysium was shining brightly, it was night but the city looked like day, thousands of lights illuminating the dark sky with a warm andforting light. Lanterns hung over the streets, pumpkins were ced everywhere as well as fake monsters. Citizens strolled around dressed up in a variety of costumes, taking advantage of the many stalls everywhere, creating Elysium''s second festival.


    However, the Imperial family was not among them, or at least not near the center where a broken statue of Titania now stood, but somewhere else. Joined by the bunny girl Lia, they were heading for the Empire''s orphanage run by Viana, the fire fox, mother of Commander Na?a. Why ? Simply because it had been decided that they would all participate in the candy hunt with children who had no parents.


    "I wonder what Sebastian will be disguised as~"


    "Who ?"


    Perched on Freya''s shoulders, Shiro wrapped in a scarlet cloth making her white hair stand out, was wagging her tail from side to side. Her radiant smile reached her ears and she even hummed a little song far too happy to help herself. At her words, the first to react was the Empress who squinted her eyes waiting for an answer that soon came with far too much gaiety for her liking.


    "H-He''s a boy in my ss that I really like, he''s super duper funny, he makes meugh all the time. He gave me flowersst time and even told me that he would like to marry meter hihihi~"


    "..."


    "I-...I didn''t say yes but since he has very beautiful eyes I''ll see hihihi~"


    As the little princess finished her sentence, the she-wolf instantly stopped after almost feeling her heart break into pieces. Who was this Sebastian ? Getting married ? With her adorable little moon? It would be necessary to pass to her on the body for that. Then, after thinking it over, her eyes lit up because she had found a solution. With a very serious look on her face, Freya raised her head to look at her daughter and offered a much simpler solution.


    "You said he had beautiful eyes ? Mmmmh....If it''s just that, I can gouge his eyes out and soak them in formalin"


    "I''m in onee-san !"


    Kira by her side who had also frozen earlier as if an arrow had pierced her heart, raised her hand to adhere to this project which she thought would ease the sensation. Both of them were waiting for Shiro''s answer with impatience, a dangerous fire burning in their purple eyes. However, before either Gaya or Ka had time to react, Lia raising a trembling hand, raised her voice as a bead of sweat beaded on her forehead.


    "Y-Your Highness, K-Kira-sama...you...um how to say ahem...y-you are aware that you''re talking about a seven year old child right ?"


    "Is that making any difference ?"


    "Mmmh...apparently yes onee-san"


    Shiro, on the other hand, had a finger on her cheek and her head tilted to show that she didn''t understand anything at all while Angel had slightly hidden behind his older sister Gaya. A great silence had then appeared during which, all adults judged the Empress and her little sister. The two concerned then hurried to find apromise, Kira speaking first then followed by Freya who spoke in a slightly colder voice.


    "Hahaha don''t believe us it was a joke but listen carefully, my little caramel bun. If one day you want to get married, you''ll have to find a boy even funnier than me, okay ? Ahem good luck"


    "And he''ll have to be way much stronger than me and nicer than your mom Gaya and smarter than Ka and finally...even cuter than you"


    "Mmmmh~ Okay mommy I''ll be careful then~!"


    The little moon of the Empire naively replied without seeing that her aunt had started to giggle in an ominous way and that an evil smile was born on her mother''s face. Both satisfied, they resumed walking while Gaya decided not to say anything this time. However, her dragon instinct told her to watch her wife and especially her psychopathic mother hen side ready to do anything to keep her children close to her.


    The orphanage was already in sight and in front of the big white stone building, dozens of children were gathered, all dressed up and smiling. It was hard to believe that several months ago they were on the streets, enved or even on the verge of death, those fateful days being in the past. Innocentughter rose in the sky and in an excess of happiness, suddenly the little white-haired girl began to shout.


    "LET ANOOWEEN BEGIN ! Hihihi~"


    This evening promised to be unique, magical and filled with the happiness of children, Freya, Gaya, Kira, Shiro, Ka, Angel and Lia wearing the same sincere and excited smile. The Empire''s first ever Halloween had begun. And as the group finally reached the orphanage, in the empty hall of the Imperial mansion, the picture Kira had taken had finally finished drying. But that...that''s a whole other story


    Picture taken by Kira ->

 Chapter 248 Clothes Dont Make The Woman [The Village Mystery - End]

    - POV General -


    It had been 10 minutes since the three sisters and Theo had been walking in the galleries under the vige but still no sign of life, neither of the kidnapped women nor of the creature. It was very dark, the smell of wet earth was everywhere and confused the others, but they continued to advance cautiously. Except for the sound of their footsteps, nothing else seemed to sound as if they were alone in the world, lost in the bowels of the earth.


    It was a realbyrinth, the tunnels intersected in every direction and without a good sense of direction, the ce they hade from would be difficult to find. Sometimes, small empty rooms had been dug where nothing in particr was stored, which almost made one think of a small goblin nest. Led by Freya, who was in front, the group finally arrived at a particr recess.


    All along they had been following what they thought were the footprints of the Doppelganger, but the truth was that they still hadn''te across it. It had disappeared with Jane since it jumped into the well and for the moment was nowhere to be found no matter where they went. That said, in front of those leading the investigation, the entrance to a hidden and rather interesting ce loomed in the form of a rather old wooden door.


    "A door ? Here ?"


    As Kira was surprised to find this here and let it be known, Freya ced both hands on its surface before pushing gently, opening the ce. It was a small room, the walls were made of dirt obviously and everything was dirty but surprisinglyid out to everyone''s surprise. Dusty bookcases were here and there, a cracked wooden table where parchments were sitting and above all, a mountain of technomagical and mechanical objects.


    The room was dimly lit with a few moonstones using the surrounding mana to glow, but looked abandoned. Was this really the case ? The group felt as if they had been all around the galleries and yet they came upon this unexpected discovery. While Kira and Theo, driven by curiosity, began to inspect the room, Kira slowly approached Freya who had remained at the door.


    "This is the work of humans."


    "Without a doubt yes. I knew it, there is something more behind it"


    The she-wolf didn''t know what it was yet, but the more time passed, the more her suspicions were confirmed at the rate of new discoveries. A Doppelganger who liked to kidnap women ? But ording to the information given by the Mayor, this had already been going on for three months...it was too much. Not to mention this little room resembling a researchboratory that such a creature could never have built on its own.


    "There has to be a passageway that leads somewhere else...look everywhere."


    Just outside the doorway, a small, almost invisible puddle of water was going inward but none was present outward. The Doppelganger had obviously been there meaning the doors had been opened recently but where was it ? It shouldn''t be that hard to find, it was just a matter of finding a suspicious draft, even a weak one, and Ka and Kira knew that right away.


    Holding out her palm, the fox girl in human form created a mass of silver and blue lightning while the former Goddess of Time formed a block of ice. Concentrating, Kira ced her hand on it, making sure not to make too much noise, using the power and heat of her lightning to melt it. As water formed, a thick vapor was born from the meeting of these two elements, plunging the room in a cloud of white smoke.


    "Eh ? We can''t see anything anymore !"


    "Shut up a little and wait, will you ?"


    Inplete silence, the group waited and as the fog gradually dissipated, a particr current pushed it to the right. Over there was an old library that soon revealed itself as the passage Freya had just mentioned. Without waiting, Kira would push it open to discover a second, smaller but definitely workable door for them...it was here.


    "Cliche but it works"


    "Let''s be careful."


    Crossing the passageway quickly, they all found themselves in a mana-dense room, a bitrger where the same things were scattered all over the ce. The floor was made of stone, the walls were made of dirt, and even though it was dusty, someone had passed through there a while ago. Books, scrolls, grimoires, blueprints, there seemed to be everything, Freya and herpanions would soon discover something unexpected.


    "Look..."


    "But this is..."


    In arge, ceiling-high tank filled with water and sitting on a magic circle filled with mana, the one they had been looking for was in a deep sleep. The creature they had followed was motionless, its body made of water in a humanoid form that didn''t look like anything. It was certainly there, but there was still no sign of young Jane or even the other women who had been missing for three months.


    "The top of the tank is connected to the fountain if I''m to believe the type of stone that is right there on the ceiling. Which means...we''re right in the center of the vige but several feet underground."


    "Yes. Every night of the full moon, it must swim to the top of its ss prison before emerging, capturing its victim to return here through the abandoned well...but why ?"


    "And more importantly for whom ?"


    Suddenly, as everyone watched the room with questions, toward the back, the sound of a door opening echoed in the form of creaking. Instinctively, Freya, Kira, Ka, and Theo hid, while they figured out who had just arrived so suddenly. The room was dark and the various structures made it difficult to see, but the distinct sound of footsteps could be heard by all, apanied by a threatening voice.


    "Who goes there ? Could you be those adventurers Fred hired ? How could you find this ce ? GET OUT AND SHOW YOURSELVES !!"


    The light of antern danced across the ceiling gradually approaching their hiding ce as they remained as silent as possible. The footsteps were getting closer, the voice that was female kept talking and threatening them not without giggling with more than palpable pleasure. Without warning, Freya then pushed the young boy from behind one of the bookcases to his surprise,ing face to face with the mistress of the ce.


    "Oh~? Is that you, my boy~?"


    "M-Ma''am Bertah ? W-what does this mean ? You...You''re the one who''s been responsible for this all along ? W-Why ?"


    Theo hade face to face with an olderdy whom he knew well as she was the vige baker known for her divine breads. She had a teasing smile on her lips, arge ck shawl over her shoulders, shining ck eyes and gray hair. He froze, never would he have thought the sweet Ma''am Bertah could be here as she lifted her shoulders while justifying herself, dropping her guard.


    "And yes it''s me haha~ clothes don''t make the woman~"


    "W-Why ?"


    "Oh well, a youngster like you can''t understand. I''ve spent thest three months making the perfect elixir of youth with the help of this monster I''m holding on to. My water magic helped summon it and now it serves as my hunter when it awakens and brings me back subjects to help me in my research."


    "S-So...my mother, my sister a-and Jane...you..."


    "Well yes, they are among those I chose for their beauty to use their mana and finish what I started. Don''t see anything personal little one, it''s just the simple wish of an old grandmother hahahaha~"


    "WHERE ARE THEY ??"


    "STOP ! Don''t move if you don''t want them to disappear permanently. They''re all in another room and this button I''m holding here allows me to decide their fate, so don''t be a smart ass. Stay where you are and put on the handcuffs that are at your feet and don''t forget...the fate of your mother and sister is in my hands, kid"


    The old Bertah still wore that satisfied smile and hadn''t noticed the presence of the other three as she watched Theo shackle himself. Freya, Kira and Ka had taken advantage of their conversation to sneak to the back of the room, where she hade from, the door having remained ajar. Giving a sign to her little sister, the she-wolf indicated for her to stay and watch over Theo as she disappeared behind, followed by Ka.


    "You won''t get away with this...l-let my family and the others go and maybe the Lord won''t punish you too harshly."


    "Sir yton ? PFFHAHAHAAHAHA~! Boy, without him all this would not have been possible at all. Why do you think this all started exactly three months ago right after the Day Of Delivery ? Do you honestly believe that I, an old baker, could havee up with all this material on my own ?"


    "Y-You mean that..."


    "He and I are nurturing the same project ! Aaaaw~ immortality~ And thanks to my research and his means I am finally about to get younger ! Sir yton has promised me to turn a blind eye to my activities in exchange for convincing results. I only have to hide this to the vige and since you know everything...you won''t leave here."


    Tying Theo up with a rope after making sure he couldn''t run away, Bertah pushed him onto a seat and then tied his feet to a table. Focused on him and too excited about her n, she still hadn''t seen the young silver-haired woman. Kira, as silent as her shadow was ready to act at the slightest suspicious movement while her two sisters had found the prisoners.


    Behind the door was a single room that looked more like a cell made for experiments in an almost unsanitary state. Dozens of women were handcuffed to the wall, passed out from an individual magic circle under each of them. They were all connected to some sort of machine that worked by their mana, which it drew from to send it into a vat of water creating a liquid that flowed by drops.


    "It looks like a magic alembic but...it''s all nonsense"


    "Tch, is this how a human thinks to make an elixir of youth or immortality ?"


    From the first nce, Freya and Ka had realized that what Bertah was trying to do was not so simple and more importantly, that she was making a mistake. All her device was doing, while very interesting, was draining these poor women of their mana bringing them closer to certain death but no more. What she thought was an elixir of rejuvenation was merely a condensation of their energy and drinking it would prove dangerous rather than beneficial.


    Detaching the alembic without breaking it before sending it to her Storage of Chaos, the she-wolf stopped the extraction process while her sister froze the captives'' handcuffs to break them. The mechanism connected to the button was also deactivated, intended to send a mana signal into the room and activate the circles more intensely in order to kill them within a minute depriving them of their life energy. The project was stupid but the devices were ingenious.


    "Still, the more I observe, the more this reminds me of much of the science I knew on earth...how interesting~"


    The Empress in human form was both pleasantly surprised by these rather clever mechanisms serving a most stupid idea. That said, she who wanted to learn more about Vancesia''s inventions, she was served and intended to take as much as possible with her. The women had been found and now out of danger, all that remained was to arrest the culprit in the other room and the mission would be over.


    Although for Freya death was a well-deserved solution, she was no longer on her territory and what happened next was not her responsibility. It didn''t matter if the Lord was involved or not, it didn''t matter what was going to happen to the Doppelganger, it was no longer their problem. The fake group of adventurers had kept their word and now the most important thing for them was to cross the vige and continue their journey south.


    "Eh ?"


    Stepping out of the room with the utmost silence, the two sisters froze in amazement, discovering the old Bertah passed out on the floor. Theo had been freed and Kira stood proudly by his side with one of her bare feet on the back of the person she had obviously struck down. As Freya and Ka approached, the young woman looked up before justifying herself, scratching the back of her head half embarrassed half proud.


    "Aaaah sorry but when I heard her say she was throwing her magical waste into the fields and it was devastating them I couldn''t help myself. All that wasted food, it made my heart hurt...and then I heard you in the distance saying that everything was good teehee~"


    The baker smoked slightly, her hair spiked and almost ck as her face on the ground made a face. She had been quickly neutralized and once they ere sure the room wasn''t full of other wacky traps. The job had been done and even though the night was not yet over, the mystery had been solved. Shrugging her shoulders with disinterest at the fate Bertah had suffered, Freya loosened her hair before speaking.


    "Well...it''s over it seems."


    The pact had been fulfilled, and no matter what the fate of the baker, the Doppelganger, or the Lord, the Elysium group could continue on their way. Like true adventurers they didn''t care about the consequences of their discoveries and only wanted payment. Thus, the mystery of the vige ended around midnight in secret tunnels and a room where a whole lot of research and informations were that Freya was nning to steal.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade<novelnext></novelnext>


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 30%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 249 And The Journey Goes On

    - POV General -


    After the moonlight investigation in the secret underground of the vige, the group had delivered the person responsible of this mess to the Mayor in the middle of the night. It was a great shock for him and the vigers to learn that such projects were taking ce under their feet because of Bertah, whom they all knew. However, all of them had found the abducted women who were out of danger although very weak and in need of a long rest.


    Fred, not wanting to go against the Lord, decided to keep the matter quiet and dere the baker dead after an unfortunate fall. Yes, it was decided that she would be executed in three days to put an end to the story. However, Freya didn''t care about the result, she was already very satisfied to have stolen a considerable number of scrolls, prototypes, ns and other items.


    So it was the next morning, very early, just before the rooster crowed and the Imperial carriage was already in front of the vige gates to finally cross it. In the end, they had only been dyed by half a day and a night, but they were leaving with a gold mine of information. The Empress rode Inferno with a mane of fire while Ka, as always, held the reins at Kira''s side while the twins were ced on either side.


    Inside, Gaya, the four children, Lia and Jade were hidden behind the silk curtains although they were fully aware of the situation. Everything had been told to them right after the events, which made them raise their eyes to the sky in front of this mystery representing humans. So, without further ado, Fred, who was standing in front of Freya who was leading the way on her horse, spoke a few words.


    "M-Miss Freya, adventurers...we...ahem...we humbly thank you for your help."


    Perturbed by the ck stallion with the fiery mane and the presence she had when she was riding him, the old Mayor had only stammered this simple sentence. It was short but summed up his gratitude as the vigers present, especially the families of the missing, silently bowed. The fake adventurers watched the scene without batting an eyelid as the door opened and once up, the wolf speaking only at this moment.


    "Don''t thank us old man, this was our pact and I kept it as agreed. I do hope, however, that this incident will make you rethink your view of the world."


    Patting Inferno''s side, Freya had said nothing more, walking into the vige followed by her convoy, leaving a very perplexed Fred as to the meaning of her message. It was simple though, they who had always suspected those they hated were finally left with a culprit who was one of their own. It was simple, but it was not sure that any of them understood, but after all, it was their problem.


    Soon they were crossing the vige without paying much attention to those who thanked them all along with a smile before arriving on the other side. Finally their journey could continue and as the convoy left the vige, a young boy could be seen on the way. Theo was eagerly awaiting their arrival which was sure to not escape Freya, Kira and Ka who stopped just before he spoke.


    "E-Even though I thought that crazy old woman was going to kill me...thank you so much for your help and for saving my mother and my little sister."


    The sincerity was in his eyes, which shone with gratitude as he looked at the she-wolf this time with more admiration than fear. Nodding simply out of respect for him, she then continued without saying another word, still cold but this time grateful. Still standing at the front of the carriage, Kira and Kaia smiled in her ce as they each took turns saying their goodbyes before continuing.


    "I knew another one of Theo, he was a boring old cactus but you''re much more interesting despite your slightly creepy obsession with dragons haha~ I had a great time kid, thanks~"


    "Take care of your family~"


    Theo wasn''t quite sure he understood but nodded in turn with a smile, shifting to the right side to let them pass. The convoy hadn''t gone a few meters when he noticed something had been thrown from it just ahead of him. Very curious and feeling that he had to go and see, the young man moved forward to discover this thing. At that moment, he couldn''t believe his eyes, picking it up with trembling hands.


    "But this...this is..."


    As the carriage pulled away, in Theo''s hand, a well-carved crimson dragon scale glowed in the sun''s young rays. He had not dreamed, an arm hade out of the window to drop it into the grass for him, but who was it ? The young boy could not calm the beating of his heart, the tears even began to flow down his cheeks as he happily shook his arm in their direction.


    He would never forget this night and these encounters he had made that would change his destiny as a small viger. Theo was not fooled, he held in his hands a warm scale of earth dragon making it from now on one of his most invaluable treasures. He was sure, this group was not human and as the convoy disappeared from his sight, with a smile, he swore to devote the next years of his life to find this mysterious dragoness.


    ________


    Several hourster,pletely unaware that the small gift of thanks intended for the young human was going to be the cause of another encounter in the future, the convoy was stopped. It was noon, several kilometers had already been covered and since everyone was now awake, it was time for lunch. Thendscape had changed a lot, was wilder and seemed far from human civilizations which was much better.


    Still heading south from Vancesia, the travelers from Elysium had found themselves in a forest where few humans went for fear of never returning. It was rather pleasant, the path had almost disappeared under the weeds but was still passable. In fact, it was a beautiful ce, the greenery was lush, the animals were numerous and thanks to the aura of the group, those dangerous kept their distance.


    "What idiots these humans I swear, do you believe it ? Wanting to make an elixir of immortality with the mana of simple young women pffhahahaha~ stupid but funny"


    While a small camp had been set up with a fire to cook the meal, Kira who was eating an apple against a tree couldn''t help but scoff. Even if those who were working beside her to prepare everything even if they did not say anything, were of her opinion. Then, against all odds, June and May who were peeling potatoes in a bucket raised their heads to answer, being the two best ced to exin.


    "If I may say so, Commander, humans are always looking for what they can''t have, especially...


    ...when they feel superior and able to achieve everything. That''s why they always want to be at the top of the food chain."


    They had kept this habit of finishing each other''s sentences and having been around a lot of them, especially those who were the mostmitted, they knew. Little by little, since they had woken up, they understood where they had gone wrong in their old life. But, just as Kira was about to answer asking them to drop the "Commander" on the trip, another one beat her to the surprise of everyone.


    "I''m not saying it''s not my case but, if you hate humans so much...why is one apanying you ?"


    Jade the former prisoner of Elysium felt a little morefortable in their presence to ask such a question, not without a judgmental tone. Only the Imperial family knew the story of Ka Nightshade and her quest regarding the recovery of her Goddess powers. The vampire standing in front of the campfire wanted to understand and as she continued, a small voice was heard right behind her.


    "It''s true isn''t it ? You hate them but..."


    "THAT''S N-NOT TRUE ! We don''t hate humans...it''s...it''s just the ones that hurt us. B-But I don''t know why, a l-lot of them are very, very mean to Mommy, my family and the Empire even though we didn''t do anything. Am I right ?....P-Pardon for yelling..."


    Shiro had stood up from the grass to face Jade who was much taller than her and very intimidating just to deny her words. She had her little fists clenched, her cheeks puffed out, looked like she was about to cry but didn''t take her eyes off of her at all. The little princess was still a little afraid of Ka too but being part of the family, she couldn''t help but react when the vampire attacked her.


    "Well if you say so halfling, I''m not going to argue in this case. Tell me, you are-..."


    With an almost mocking smile, Jade had raised her shoulders in a sign of abandonment before advancing her hand towards the little girl. However, she hadn''t even moved an inch when suddenly an incredible pressure fell on her, freezing her in ce. Freya, Kira and Gaya had appeared in front of Shiro at an incredible speed, threatening and looking ready to rip her head off at the slightest suspicious movement.


    The Empress was almost growling, showing her fangs that had grown, a wild gleam in her eyes as her wife and little sister stood by her side. The Queen had mesing out of her hand and her amber eyes were cold which was quite rare. Kira had grabbed her scythe and stood on guard, the hair on her three tails bristling as Jade backed away slowly, holding up her hands to clear up the misunderstanding.


    "I-It''s okay I was just going to pat her head...jeez I told you, I wouldn''t betray you so there''s no need to be defensive like that...sigh..."


    Jade had never intended to hurt Shiro and even though all three knew it, their bodies had moved on their own before they even realized it. As the enormous pressure disappeared immediately, the vampire looked up at the sky not knowing whether tough or cry. As for Freya, feeling a little too irritable was running a hand through her hair, and walked towards the center of the forest before dering what she was going to do.


    "I''m going hunting."


    "But wait we have plenty...of food ok do as you please onee-san"


    Not even waiting for the end of Kira''s sentence, she had already disappeared among the trees leaving her looking disgusted but not surprised. The truth was that the effects of the full moon were still vibrating her whole being and the urge to let off steam was too great to resist. A few secondster, it was Gaya following in her footsteps exining and giving some directions to the group before heading into the forest.


    "I''m going with her, I need to stretch my limbs a bit, take care of the kids and most importantly contact us telepathically at the slightest problem."


    Freya had stopped only a few miles away, probing the surrounding area for any prey or wild pack that could entertain her sufficiently. Gaya soon arrived a few minutester to her surprise, not having heard her despite her hearing. The she-wolf had taken on her half-human appearance for ease and as she looked around, asked her wife what she was doing there.


    "Why have youe ?"


    "Can''t I hunt near my wife ? Besides, it seems I''ve developed some new powers recently so maybe this is a good opportunity to test them out."


    It was indeed true, since the night in the coliseum, Gaya seemed to have awakened a fire-rted power and awakened a whole new title: The zing Queen. Her crimson hair had turned orange and yellow at the tips and new skills seemed to have appeared as well. Not resisting her wife''s pleading eyes, the she-wolf sighed before answering gently while standing up ready for departure.


    "Sigh...very well but let''s move a little further away it would be safer. Try not to get lost or lose your way fufu~"


    Seeming to have detected something, Freya suddenly spread her ice wings with a challenger smile on the face, bringing out her right canine. Without wasting any more time, the next moment she disappeared with a gust of wind that lifted the earth from the ground. Gaya was left alone as she watched her wife fly away among the trees, taking out her dragon wings as she whispered with a malicious smile.


    "Ara ara~ prepare to discover the gap between us, honey~ Never underestimate a dragoness~"


    In such a powerful gust of wind, the Queen propelled herself, pping her wings and zigzagging with ease and grace among the greenery around her. Soon she caught up with Freya, who looked up with surprised eyes but giggled slightly, excited by the turn of events. But she didn''t have time to speak that, after a teasing wink, the beautiful dragoness overtook her, doubling her speed and spinning like a crimson star in the distance.


    "Oh~?"


    Feeling her tail wagging back and forth without being able to control it, the she-wolf began to smile this time fully, taking the challenge with glee. So, in the middle of a forest devoid of humans, two powerful beings could be seen racing each other between the trees. The Empress and her Queen were taking advantage of this moment to release the stress, not without having fun in their own way, happy to be able to be a little alone together and far from everything.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon<novelnext></novelnext>


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?¡¥s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D??fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 30%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 250 Lovely Failed Race And Discovery

    - POV General -


    In the middle of an unnamed forest in the west of the Vancesia Empire, the trees were shaken by a powerful and fast-moving gust of wind. The ground seemed to tremble, the most fearful animals hid and the most reckless dared to observe with a cautious eye. For good reason, Freya and Gaya were racing wildly through the trees, theirrge wings spread out and beating the air with incredible force.


    As if there was nothing around them, the two wives were flying to the horizon without worrying about the rest, lost in their own world...they were having fun. The dragoness was in front and despite the difference in power with the she-wolf, her experience in flying was undeniable. In fact, she was even enjoying looking back with a smile, determined to win this unexpected littlepetition.


    "The first to arrive at the small mountain wins !"


    "Perfect, that''s where I wanted to go fufu~ get ready !"


    In the distance, between the trees, stood a small mountain that was actually a rocky cliff overlooking an upper floor of the forest. It was there that Freya had detected some interesting auras for her hunt so it was perfect that Gaya suggested it as an arrival point. So the ice-winged Empress had epted the challenge, her very pride andpetitive spirit having been ignited by the woman she loved.


    Yet, for some reason, Freya couldn''t get past Gaya, who in terms of power was normally below her. The truth was that the dragoness knew how to use the different air currents and above all was one with her wings which was not the case for her. She could feel and control every inch of her body while the she-wolf was just manipting the wings on her back with a skill.


    After all, Freya had seen it in her memories, the wings that belonged to her, that were a part of her being were not made of ice but of feathers as ck as night. Unfortunately, her demonic form, the ultimate form of Wrathful Lucifer was only 30%plete and ice was the only solution. Yet no matter how hard Freya tried, she couldn''t get past Gaya, who was smiling broadly, even letting herself be teased.


    "You''ll have to do better than that, your Highness~!"


    "The Devil always strikes where she is not expected, your Majesty~!"


    The two women were having the time of their lives, each mesmerized by the other''s beauty and smile under the rays of the noonday sun. Flying gave them a unique sense of freedom, making their hearts race as they sped toward the mountain. The Empress, feeling in a devious mood, in order to overtake her wife, decided to use one of the most effective weapons to destabilize her : her words.


    "What a beautiful view from here, my love fufu~"


    "Wh-..."


    This one little sentence had caused Gaya to instinctively react, who blushed, slowing down for a split second with red cheeks not even knowing what she was referring to. This was enough for Freya, who giggled and used this time to pass in front of her, returning her wink from the beginning, determined to win this race. The Queen understanding that she had just fallen into her trap, couldn''t help but protest.


    "Hey, you''re cheating !"


    "I was just talking, I''m innocent !"


    Grumbling, Gaya didn''t let it get her down as there were still several meters to go before she arrived, she still had time to win. Now she could see her wife from behind and took advantage of this to make the same red mes appear in her hand as that famous night. Freya wanted to y it that way ? Then she wouldn''t hold back. She was determined to honor the dragons and couldn''t lose a flying race.


    Caught up in the excitement, the dragoness while flying, used her knowledge of air currents to send a fire attack on the tree in front of her wife. She obviously did not want to hurt her in any way but simply to surprise her and make her lose precious seconds. Spinning at full speed, the mes were going to crash right in front of Freya who in turn instinctively saw herself slowing down, not expecting that.


    "What the..."


    "Gotcha~"


    That was it, the Queen had regained the upper hand over the Empress, wearing a satisfied smile as she saw the mountain finally getting closer. Only fifty meters to go. However, threads of blood suddenly grabbed her right ankle before pulling her back towards the one whose violet eyes glowed wildly. The she-wolf used her grip to propel herself even more forward but it was without counting the relentlessness of the dragoness who grabbed her shirt as she was passing.


    "Oh no I don''t think so !"


    "Hey wai-...!"


    Both had be entangled in Freya''s wires over thest few meters, their speed having made a collision inevitable...they struggled but it was worse. Their wings were caught in each other''s and after a few seconds, both of them would go into a tree, then two, then three without stopping. The triumphant arrival that both women had anticipated had turned into a joint, uncontroble fall.


    "Wait, don''t move, it''s even worse ! I can''t get..."


    "But it''s not me ! I''m trying to..."


    Thus, a she-wolf and a dragoness could be seen taking on almost every obstacle that existed in the forest, tangled and too fast to break free easily. Rocks and trunks werepletely blown up in their path before they finally crashed to the floor. Like a huge explosion of dust, smashing the ground, the two women had finally made it to the mountain but not in any stylish way.


    As the cloud of dust was swept away by the wind, Freya suddenly appeared with her back to the ground in a small crater she had created against her will. Gaya was right next to her havingnded on her butt with apletely dazed look on her face at what had just happened. A long silence reigned at the ce of thending then suddenly, the rather rareughter of the Empress began to resound surprising her wife who could not help but look at her.


    "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA~"


    The she-wolf had tears in her eyes, she waspletely trapped with the dragoness in her blood threads but she wasughing like she had neverughed before. It was a sincere, liberating, almost childlikeugh that warmed Gaya''s heart as she also began tough just as hard, dropping down beside her. The situation had been so stupid and unexpected that Freya couldn''t hold back augher letting herself go away from her duties as a leader.


    "Haha~ h-honey, I think...hahaha~...that w-we can call it a...a draw ppfffhahaha~"


    She couldn''t even speak anymore, unable to stopughing as her blood threads disappeared, crawling like snakes. It was a whole new sensation and even though she hadn''t won, the Empress was having the time of her life. However, even though she was of the same opinion, at her words, the dragoness did not ept this end and climbed on top of her wife, nting her hands on either side of her head with a most threatening look.


    "No. Despite your little tricks, sly wolf....I won"


    At first, surprised by such an action, Freya remained silent observing with attention the face of the one who was very close to hers. It was true that she had not been really fairy and knew that without what had happened, Gaya would have won hands down. Then, smiling mischievously, finally happy to have discovered a new facet of the one she loved, the she-wolf tipped her over to be on top of her.


    "Well...if I could see such an expression on my Queen''s face, then I won fufu~


    "I-...silly~"


    Once again her sweet words had gotten the better of her but not wanting to be fooledpletely decided to have her revenge. Grabbing the she-wolf''s cor above her, Gaya drew her down to ce her warm lips on hers. She blushed but was satisfied as she sensed the surprise in Freya who hadn''t moved for a few seconds before lying on top of her to return a passionate kiss.


    "I love you~"


    "I love you too~"


    Paying no attention to their disheveled appearance, the two wives tenderly embraced each other on the destroyed ground while curious animals peeked out from the bushes. At that moment they didn''t want to do anything else, enjoying this moment together and away from everything, feeling only love. In each other''s arms, a radiant smile on their lips, their hearts beat in unison as if that was where they had always belonged. Then after few minutes motionless...


    "Didn''t you want to hunt by the way ?"


    "Ah...yes true."


    "You I swear pffff~"


    Finally parting reluctantly, Freya and Gaya stood up dusting their clothes full of dust, rubble and bark. They looked like they had juste out of a storm, their hair was disheveled, their clothes were a bit ruined but they were happy. This little moment had been very pleasant, magical and special so as the Queen stretched, the wolf ced a light kiss on her forehead finally giving in and admitting defeat.


    "Thank you for this moment and congrattions on your victory~"


    "Hehehe~ thank you~"


    Then, turning back to the small mountain, Freya scanned its side before finding a few feet away what she was looking for. There was a hole in the rock, an entrance that led to an unknown ce but which she believed contained creatures powerful enough to entertain her. Gaya who had followed her gaze also discovered this tunnel and almost hesitantly, on guard, asked her wife for confirmation.


    "Is it inside this c-cave that you want to go ?"


    "Yes it''s here"


    "I-...I see."


    Gaya felt cold sweat run down her back as she thought back to all the years she had spent locked up in one. It was a fact, she didn''t like caves at all and without Freya''s help she knew that today she wouldn''t have been in this world anymore...she would have been dead. It was stronger than her, the dragoness dreaded this kind of ce and the she-wolf understood this immediately, quickly took the floor to propose a solution.


    "But if you want we can go somewhere else, I just wanted some creatures to ughter, nothing serious. If you ever..."


    "N-No, I''ll be fine ! I-I''m ready, let''s go inside"


    "Are you sure ?"


    "Very."


    "Alright...then let''s go"


    Grabbing her Queen''s hand to reassure her, the purple-eyed Empress led the way, heading straight for the entrance. She didn''t know what they would find, but she had sensed auras powerful enough to hold her attention. It had been a while since Freya had leveled up, she wanted to reach her next evolution before they returned to Elysium and Gaya needed to test her new element.


    Since the war the dragoness had risen to level 35 which was very good, besides, her new fire skills made her more powerful anyway. Just like Freya, Kira, Ka and Shiro, she seemed to have entered the sphere of the abnormal as well because of her link with the Nightshade. Had Gaya freed herself from the constraints of the system by unlocking a second element that she could control at will ? Who knows.


    Soon the couple arrived in front of the big hole and entered it with confidence while they could already feel different powerful creatures. Unsurprisingly, they had to cross a corridor first, but instead of rock walls, it was actually made of bricks, all carved out. The further Freya and Gaya went, the more they felt that the ce was not a simple cave when suddenly an identical message appeared in their system.


    - PING -


    [ Hidden Dungeon - Emerald Level


    Floor : 1/5


    Boss : 5


    Reward : ??? ]


    _____


    "This is a dungeon !"


    "Wait a minute...I didn''t know this existed in this world !"


    Stunned at the notification that seemed to activate for any being entering the interior of the mountain, Freya could not believe her eyes. A dungeon ? Was this like the video games they had on Earth ? Why had she never heard of it before this very moment ? The she-wolf had gone hunting and was standing there, unable to know what to think as her wife spoke up to exin, making her even more speechless.


    "In this world there are four types of dungeons: emerald, ruby, sapphire and diamond to name them from the lowest to the highest level. Hundreds of years ago their appearances were numerous but deemed too dangerous by humans, they were sealed off. Today only the wild like this one remain because too close to humans they are condemned without dy."


    "You knew of their existence and I am only learning about it now ? Indeed I know nothing of this world it seems..."


    "That''s not surprising, adventurers don''t talk about it and half-humans usually of too low level never venture there and the cycle continues. The creatures inside the dungeon can''t get out so if the subject isn''t brought up or you don''te face to face with one, it''s hard to know they exist."


    Just as Gaya had exined, humans always too afraid of a power they would never possess had chosen to seal the dungeons that were born. At first, many adventurers would infiltrate them to level up and of course loot the treasures. However, this almost always ended in massacres, the creatures of the dungeon respawned endlessly if its core was not destroyed, which was very difficult.<novelnext></novelnext>


    So, no matter how high the level of the monsters inside, they always ended up killing all the visitors before they reached the end. Considered as cursed ces, the dungeons had ceased to exist for the mankind, which sought above all to preserve itself. If they couldn''t conquer them then they would ban them and condemn their ess. The Queen had also forgotten about their existence, but was still curious.


    "It seems that your instincts have led you here...could it be the core ? Or maybe just the special being that you are ? Mmmh I don''t know but we better remember this ce and go back or somewhere else"


    "Alright..."


    Even though with the two of them the dragoness knew that they might be able to finish the dungeon alone, it could take an indeterminate amount of time and this was not the moment. If Freya could somehow detect the dungeons then there was no point in rushing because no one was going to beat them to it. As Gaya turned on her heels to leave, she suddenly stopped and turned to the she-wolf who had not moved an inch.


    "Freya ??"


    The Empress''s powerful ck and red aura floated all around her, casting the carved hallway in a most oppressive atmosphere for anyone not used to it. She had her head down, her ears and tails erect like her hair on them and her whole body seemed to be shaking. Her breathing was ragged, almost threatening, and it was as if Freya had suddenly undergone a sudden change in mood.


    After a few seconds of silence, the Empress finally lifted her head revealing her violet eyes glowing with a wild gleam while her fangs were out. What was going on ? The dragoness didn''t know and as she approached worried, the wolf''s voice began to echo against the walls. Almost growling, in a breathless, hoarse and almost agonizing voice, she uttered words that then gave Gaya the chills.


    "I-...I can''t hold on anymore..."


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?¡¥s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D??fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 30%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 251 (R18) Primal And Bestial Instincts I

    - POV General -


    "I-...I can''t hold on anymore"


    Gaya who had been heading towards the exit had suddenly stopped and turned around sensing that her wife was not following her. She seemed strange, a strong heat emanated from her whole body while it was naturally cold, was she sick ? Maybe she was upset because of the dungeon conversation but it didn''t make sense, so the lost dragoness turned back to approach Freya with a worried look on her face.


    "What do you...mean by that ? Y-You okay ?"


    "Solving an investigation...l-letting off steam...trying to go hunting...I''ve done everything I can to try to quell these urges but...n-nothing..."


    The dragoness had frozen while the she-wolf raised her head clearly in a kind of second state or rather of the most instinctive. The demon symbols on her face entuated her dangerous look while her purple eyes flickered with a disturbing glow. Gaya didn''t really understand what her wife was getting at but found herself unable to move as she slowly approached breathing ever more heavily.


    The Empress'' steps were slow but with each step, her aura seemed to thicken, to free itself and to be more powerful and overwhelming. It was very hot which was not normal, the sounds of her growling became louder with each meter she walked. The Queen didn''t know what to do and finally started to back away instinctively with her heart pounding but soon found herself with her back to the wall of the hallway with no way to escape.


    "Freya I-..."


    "I can''t wait any longer..."


    The more seconds passed the more Gaya understood what was happening but it was already toote, she knew she couldn''t stop it. Freya was only inches away from her and as she held her breath, two explosions took ce on either side of her head. The she-wolf had ced her hands against the bricks that had exploded on impact, preventing her from moving, pinning her against the wall.


    "You''re not going anywhere~"


    "W-Wait you..."


    Gaya felt Freya''s warm breath on her neck and had not been able to finish her sentence, feeling her body shake helplessly. She was stuck, dominated by the height of the one in front of her who had just spoken almost frightening words. The she-wolf had resisted as best she could the full moon the day before but was caught by her instincts which had been awakened by the strange effect the dungeon had on her.


    The Empress who had fought for hours against her impulses had given in and for the first time could not control herself seeming to have be someone else. Despite her human form, she looked like a beast, more dominant, more ferocious, more savage, more...bestial. At that moment the dragoness didn''t know if she should be happy, feeling for some unknown reason a fear that was both exciting and equally paralyzing.


    Freya breathed harder and harder as she brought out her fangs with a carnivorous smile and slid them along the Queen''s neck, who instinctively closed her eyes. The more the seconds passed, the closer she got, crushing Gaya more and more under her strength and weight. She could feel the she-wolf''s contracted muscles through her clothes, they were hard, almost boiling and instinctively she began to try to pull away.


    "Oh no you won''t run~"


    "Aaaaah !!!"


    Reacting very quickly, the Empress had grabbed her wife by the hips before plunging her fangs into the skin of her neck without warning. The Queen was then run through with a wave of pain that unsurprisingly also made her heart beat faster and faster. She was nowpletely trapped. As Freya then slid her hot yet cold tongue across her neck, she grunted three final words.


    "You belong to me."


    Then sliding the hand she had against the wall over Gaya''s body, the hungry she-wolf began to caress her all over without interruption. Unable to control herself, her ws which had slightly lengthened started to tear the clothes which covered her trembling body. The dragoness could do nothing, just let her wife do what she wanted with her, only able to murmur an answer between a few moans.


    "Y-Yes...I-I belong to you."


    At her words, as if she had unlocked something in her lover, the caresses became more and more vivid, pressed and intense, still trapped. Soon the Queen was left with nothing more than a torn cloth barely covering her soft, shiny skin. Herrge breasts were now out, her pink nipples pointing ahead of them as she could feel the excitement growing in her crotch.


    "Aaaah~!!!"


    Not caring about any of this, Freya continued to bite the dragoness all along her neck making deeper marks each time. She couldn''t stop at all and hearing her moaning didn''t help to make her more lucid in her actions, on the contrary. After biting her several times, the she-wolf moved away from her wife, who was panting, her legs were shaking, and she was almost naked on the cold ground.


    The dragoness was breathing hard, her cheeks were red, tears were in the corner of her eyes and her head was spinning with desire, excitement and fear. She had picked up the rest of the cloth on the floor to cover herself instinctively but it was without counting the burning desire of her wife. Freya was looking down on her, standing meters away with a smile and a different look as she grabbed her own already damaged shirt.


    With a quick yank, she tore it offpletely, revealing her upper body emanating almost steam from her own heat. All her muscles were contracted, her abs were protruding and hypnotizing the dragoness on the ground. Fine beads of sweat beaded on her naturally pale skin making her glow in the light of the sunrays rushing through the entrance as the Empress licked her upper lip.


    "H-Honey ?"


    The she-wolf had a ruthless smile, her deep ck hair falling over her face almost hiding it leaving only two wild violet eyes...she was different. Gaya felt her fear rising as her body couldn''t help but tremble with desire, her own dragoness instincts also taking over. Yet she began to back away, still sitting on the ground, her naked body already marked by the wolf''s fangs.


    The dragoness could not take her eyes off the young woman in front of her, as beautiful as she was terrifying, discovering a whole new side of her. As she backed away, Freya took a step forward, moving slowly as if to y with her. Gaya literally felt like hunted prey, did she like it ? Of course. Was she faking it ? Not at all. In the long stone hallway, the she-wolf had woken up.


    "F-Freya ?"


    She didn''t answer at all. The Empress spoke no more as she continued to walk leaning strangely forward ever so slightly with each meter. The next minute, she was on the floor and continued to advance forward on all fours as if it were only natural, like a beast. As she joined her wife, who saw her as a wolf on the hunt, Freya began to growl more and more.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Then, finally arriving at the ce where Gaya had finally paralyzed, she ced herself on top of her once more, forcing her toy her back on the ground as a sign of submission. Leaning then on the belly of the dragoness who had be red, the young woman began to lick gently her naked skin. She would slide it over her belly button, her ribs before moving up to her breasts which had grown quiterge since her pregnancy.


    "Aah~"


    The Queen couldn''t hold back slight moans as shivers ran through her trapped body, reacting immediately to each lick. For her part, the she-wolf had also begun to sniff her wife intensely, her natural scent and that of her arousal going to her head. The more she breathed Gaya''s skin, the more she felt her mind going, her primal and bestial instincts taking over.


    The more she breathed this smell which was like a drug, the more she started to lick the naked body of the dragoness in an uncontroble way. Like a predator she wanted to mark her with her own scent, to mark her with her fangs but also to possess herpletely, body and soul. Freya breathed harder and harder as she descended towards Gaya''s crotch, as if attracted by the hypnotic and intoxicating scent that emanated from it.


    "W-Wait, you-...AAAWW~"


    Without waiting for another second and without warning, the she-wolf plunged her eager tongue inside the dripping entrance of the one who had just let out a moan. Everything had gone so fast that her head was already spinning, her mind suddenly assailed by waves of pleasure. The she-wolf was devouring her, as if caught in a voracious appetite her tongue went ever deeper, caressing every hidden nook and cranny as if her life depended on it.


    "AAAW~ I-If you go that fast~...MMMMH~...I-...I will~...p-please...AAAAW~ s-slow d-...~"


    But the Empress was not listening, she was unleashed andpletely ignored the hands of her wife ced on her head trying at the same time to move her away and to bring her closer. Always faster, deeper, wilder. Spasms went through all the limbs of the Queen who could not resist, her wife transformed into a real animal did not leave her any respite, devouring and grunting powerfully of satisfaction.


    Her front fangs were rubbing against her clitoris and putting such pressure on it that the dragoness started to feel tingling in her lower belly. Freya was so wild that she was pushing even Gaya who had no hold, abandoned in pleasure. Her thighs were instinctively opening wide, she was panting ever harder, ever faster, her pink nipples pointing to the ceiling as her body in turn became boiling.


    "Aaaaah~"


    The Queen could feel she was about to cum even though the she-wolf had only been between her legs for a few minutes, but this was too much. Her tongue was ferociously searching her insides in every direction and making quick, powerful strokes back and forth that were driving her crazy. Then, as Freya''s hot breath entuated every sensation, Gaya finally reached her limit, cumming in her wife''s mouth.


    "I-...AAAAH~...I''M CUMMIIINGAAAAAW~"


    The orgasm had been powerful, it had exploded throughout her being, in every fiber of her body giving her even more spasms than before. The dragoness was sweating, shaking, her mind all foggy and her vision blurred but still had the strength to look at her wife. The Empress licked her lips greedily even more intoxicated and excited by this divine juice before smiling again, plunging her purple eyes in those of the Queen.


    Still without saying a word and far from being satisfied, Freya tore off the rest of her clothes revealing her chest and the tattoo representing a dragon wing and a wolf fang. She hadn''t stopped breathing heavily, an even more dangerous madness in her eyes. As she conjured up an ice dildo directly inside her, grunting with pleasure in turn, Gaya suddenly began to beg fearing what would happen next.


    "I-...please...let...me...rest a little..."


    She was already feeling so weak and the pace her wife was imposing on her was already intense despite having only tasted a simple cunnilingus yet. The Queen had turned over on all fours to try to get up but her legs had not yet recovered their strength. Taking advantage of this moment of vulnerability, with a disconcerting speed, the young woman appeared just above her to prevent her from moving or fleeing.


    "P-Please wait, I-...AAAAHHH~"


    The dragoness was once again stered to the cold ground, crushed by the full weight of the she-wolf above, abandoned to her most primal desires. While she had still tried to break free, this time Freya had bitten her neck to hold her in ce even more, not letting go of her grip. Gaya was trapped by a beast thirsting for lust, as she felt her canines in her skin digging ever deeper, dissuading her from moving.


    It would be a lie to say she wasn''t afraid, but it would also be a lie to say she wasn''t enjoying every second of it. The Empress was lying full length on her back, their sensitive bodies touching and mingling their sweat making their skin slide. Still holding her woman ruthlessly by the neck as her prey, with a jerk of her hips Freya mercilessly thrust her thick, long ice dildo.


    "AAAAAHHWW~!!!"


    The Queen had let out more of a scream than a moan, surprised by the sudden power of the pounding that in one blow had hit the bottom of her vagina. Unfortunately for her, this was only the beginning because the next second the she-wolf who had let out a raucous growl continued. Without even caring about the one she was holding between her canines, the awakened beast only thought of satisfying her impulses, not even able to speak anymore.


    The dragoness waspletely dominated feeling the thing of her woman pushing in more and more rapidly back and forth. She had the impression to be stretched from the inside in spite of the fact that the dildo slipped easily between her spread and trembling thighs. Gaya waspletely offered, suffering each violent thrust of Freya who seemed to go faster and faster and harder, grunting and moaning into her neck.


    Both of them felt their blood boiling, their already empty mind was only pleasure while in the corridor resounded always more lewd sounds. The act was so powerful that under them the floor began to crack little by little although it did not matter to them at all. The Empress was ravaging her woman without any control for the first time and was lucky that her race could handle her strength and violence.


    Freya didn''t stop, it was absolutely not enough, hearing the submissive and repeated moans of her prey, feeling her blood flowing gently into her mouth was not enough at all. Far from being satisfied, she wanted more, pushing herself in deeper, feeling the dragoness'' vagina contract and suck her in. It was so good, the two wives could not think any more invaded by an intense, unique and bestial pleasure.


    The shivers went up to them, the fever also but they made fun of it feeling that the orgasm was not far and that it would be very powerful. Finally releasing the grip of her fangs, continuing her thrusts, the she-wolf began to lick the blood that began to flow from the bite. Gaya, in addition to feeling subjected, dominated and used, felt this familiar, special and addictive pain crossing her on all sides, shouting more and more loudly of pleasure.


    As the red liquid awakened something new inside her, Freya began to swallow, still trapping her wife under her weight and strength. Neither of them noticed, but her ck hair disappeared to be as scarlet as blood. Then a devastating orgasm would make them both moan and grunt at the same time, their voices bouncing off the thick walls and rising far beyond the mountain.


    "Y-YES AAAAAAHH~ !!!"


    "G-...AARRWW~ !!!"


    The Queen felt like she was losing her mind as her juices began to flow everywhere soaking her thighs and she felt full. Instinctively the she-wolf had released her mana at the moment of cumming giving the two the feeling that she had exploded inside her. Gaya literally couldn''t move, her pussy having been stretched like never before. Her eyes were half closed, her tongue was out, she was crying and drooling but it wasn''t over.


    Just as the dragoness thought she had some respite, suddenly threads of blood were grabbing her feet and hands to lift her into the air. She had no strength to speak as Freya finally appeared. The young woman had red hair, eyes of the same color, her teeth had be sharp and an even more oppressive aura emanated from her. At that very moment, Gaya understood that it was far from over.

 Chapter 252 (R18) Primal And Bestial Instincts II

    - POV General -


    In front of Gaya it was no longer just a wolf standing there but a Demon one, Freya had taken on her iplete Lucifer form without realizing it. She still had her beastly ears and tail though, which was rare but logical in this situation. After all, if the Empress had twisted it was because of her animal instincts that had taken over unable to withstand one more second of such restraint.


    Since the beginning she had not pronounced a single word simply because she was incapable of it, in a second state, guided by her only impulses. While the Empress had a smile full of lust, satisfied to see her wife in this state, she did not wait for a second more. This desire that burned inside her was very far from being satiated and while she was still licking her lips, Gaya was moving closer to her crotch controlled by the threads of blood.


    The dragoness did not have time to understand still dizzy by her powerful orgasm that she found herself face to face with the ice dildo. It was still dripping with her own juice and before she had time to speak, she felt it sinking into her throat. The trembling Queen could do nothing, however, she was bound, her ankles and wrists turned to the stone ceiling making her make an arc despite herself.


    "Youuurghbhvnldgluuup."


    "AARRGWWW~"


    The she-wolf had ced her hands on her already disheveled hair and each thrust down her throat made her tremble and growl with pleasure. She didn''t care if it was too much for her wife who was struggling to keep up, doing her best to breathe through her nose. The dildo went in and out of her mouth, faster and deeper so that once again, bright tears appeared in the corners of the dragoness'' eyes.


    Yet Freya continued without mercy and even lowered her head to plunge her red eyes into hers while her blood-colored hair fell on her face. A sadistic and frightening smile was then drawn on this one seeing the begging eyes of Gaya. In fact, this sight only made her more excited while her hips became even more powerful, not letting her prey out of her sight, looking for the slightest change.


    On her side, the Queen had gotten used to the rhythm and the idea of being used in this way without any care only made her even wetter. She was crying, unable to control her tears, but continued to hold the rather terrifying gaze of her wife. Nothing escaped the Empress, she could smell very distinctly the smell of this liquid that once again began to flow on Gaya''s thighs and then on the ground.


    "Slurpglupslurpglogslurp"


    Freya herself felt a warmth between her thighs as her wife''s mouth little by little brought her to orgasm. Her weeping amber eyes both pleading and defiant, the obscene soundsing from her throat and that intoxicating smell that kept getting stronger. It was divine, it was so good that the hair on her ears and tail stood up as violent spasms began toe.


    "AAAGGHHWWAAAWWRRRWWHHH~"


    As the demon she-wolf finally cummed, her bestial grunts echoed throughout the cave hallway almost making the walls shake. The entire dildo was shoved down the dragoness'' throat as she stood still, shaking and convulsing as she enjoyed it. After a few long seconds, she withdrew causing immediately a cough from Gaya who spat and drooled even at the same time.


    "COUGH COUGH COUGH COUGH !!!"


    The Queen''s face was red with desire and embarrassment but unfortunately she couldn''t hide it as she took deep breaths to breathe. Never before had she felt so brutally used but never had she felt so turned on by it and was ashamed of it. Dragons were also known to be insatiable during sex and this new violence made her thrill and sink into that instinctive state as well.


    "M-More...m-more..."


    Gasping, tongue out, Gaya could only utter that word as this burning desire inside her kept growing more and more. Her entire sweaty body glistened, shook and desired only one thing, to be totally ravaged, possessed and fucked senseless. The she-wolf, although still in the grip of her impulses, could not help but admire this sight that she engraved in her memory while her heart was beating wildly.


    Crouching down to have her face at the same level as the Queen''s, the Empress gently slid her hands over her neck. Suddenly, a ne of ice formed around it just before she grabbed it abruptly to bring her wet face closer. While Gaya expected a kiss, she felt instead the warm and cold tongue of her wife licking the tears that were still running down her burning cheeks.


    It was strangely sweet at first, very sensual but soon Freya''s breathing became faster, jerkier as she licked her wife''s face and smelled her scent. Still holding the ne with her right hand, with her left she grabbed her long crimson hair to tip her head back suddenly. Continuing to lick her neck with fervor, the threads of blood began to move to position the dragoness upright.


    The Queen''s ankles were no longer shackled, only her arms were raised and tied to her wrists as the she-wolf, who had risen to her feet, glued her burning body to hers. Her hand slid frantically over her oozing skin, her nails unconsciously leaving more marks. Then, without warning, the Empress seized the ass of her wife tearing off her a moan because of her particr sensitivity in this ce.


    It was electric, every centimeter, every touch, every caress made madly vibrate all her body while she also began slowly to groan. It was stronger than her, Gaya was almost hanging upright while Freya yed with and spread her buttcheeks. The more seconds passed, the further her deft fingers ventured before finally reaching her second hole without warning.


    "N-No...aaa~ t-this....aaawwgsnh~"


    The dragoness had frozen, trying to protest but still unable to move, firmly held by the she-wolf who could do anything with her. Her voice was trying to refuse but her own body was saying just the opposite shaking more under this very intimate caress. Freya, not paying attention to this, let go of her crimson hair before venturing her second hand to the same spot, caressing, and feeling before inserting two fingers.


    "FuckAAAAAHHWWW~!!!"


    From that one gesture Gaya had instantly cum with tears in her eyes, her mind empty and her own juices flowing profusely onto the already soaked floor. At the same time, without being able to control it, herrge crimson dragon wings had sprouted from her back as well as her tail being just below her back. The Queen was being fingered from behind and surrendering more and more to the pleasure, she was slowly returning to her original appearance.


    It was wild, Freya excited by her moans was biting her, again and again, all over her body to mark her as hers, with her teeth and her saliva. The pink nipples of the dragoness were still pointing but a shiny white liquid could be seening out of them as if they were about to explode. While she was still ying with her hands, the red-haired Empress finished licking the blood that was flowing from her bites before she went after it.


    "AAAAHHH~"


    Wanting to taste everything from her wife, she would grab one of her breasts in her mouth before sucking on it causing the milk that was already overflowing uncontrobly. Drinking with passion, it flowed down her throat, warm, sweet and with a most unique taste. For the dragoness, new sensations were felt while she was sucking her nipples and fingering her ass, theings and goings were fast and the idea of being searched this forbidden ce was divine.


    More and more satisfied but still in the grip of her urges, Freya then suddenly turned Gaya to find herself facing her wings, withdrawing at the same time her fingers. Forcing her wings to tten, the she-wolf then stuck her chest to her back before slipping the fingers that had been inside her into her mouth. Obediently, the Queen would begin to lick them, sucking sensuously, running her pink tongue over the skin.


    "Slurp~ AAAAAAAAWWW~"


    Suddenly, while the dragoness was busy being a good girl, with another move of her hip, the Empress would thrust the ice dildo in but this time from behind. Erged with a simple thrust, perfectly fitting the ice shape, Gaya''s ass pulsed with desire. Still savagely, Freya would then start pounding that incredibly tight hole, feeling the dildo inside her vagina doing her even more good.


    "Aaaaarrhh~"


    "Aaah~ aaah~ aaaa~"


    Spanking her ass, the she-wolf was even faster than before, going even deeper as she had no limit and with all her strength. Gaya''s body was turning red, the spanking making her lose her mind, that sweet and familiar pain mixing with the overwhelming pleasure. Then, while she didn''t stop, Freya created a second part to the dildo, which was going to sink into her pussy at the same time as the one in her ass.


    For the first time the dragoness lived a double pration which gave her the impression to leave her body so much it was so good. Her body was marked everywhere, hickeys, scratches, bites, spanking marks but she loved it. It was indescribable and just when she thought she had discovered all her sore spots, another almost electric shock went through her, making her drool and cry harder.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "N-NOT THE...AAAAAAWW F-FREYAAAAAAHH~"


    Her tail, Freya had grabbed it caressing with her nails the scales above and her skin below leaving new marks there. She had also grabbed one of her wings which she used to entuate the back and forth while Gaya hung in the air, only able to endure. The two dildos were literally impaling her under her own weight, her feet barely able to touch the ground, her thighs spread wide and her insides ravaged.


    "M-MOOOOREAAAAW~"


    The sound of the Empress'' hips mming into her Queen''s firm ass echoed throughout the hallway mixing with the slimy sound of pration. They became one, lost in lust, forgetting everything, even their own names. Freya was bottoming out but seemed to want to go further and further, drawing cries of pleasure from the dragoness who was even beginning to lose control of her new element.


    It was so violent that red and orange mes appeared on her wings and all over her body as she seemed to go crazy. The threads of blood holding her back broke, causing them both to fall to the ground, but it took more than that to stop the beast. Using her Empress of Ice aura, Freya didn''t feel the heat, picking up the pace as the ground beneath them shattered under the weight and force.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWW~"


    With a final scream of pleasure, the Queen finally came, her mes exploding and rocking the entire small mountain. Fucked by all the holes, the orgasm was the most powerful, such that the next second she passed out unable to take anything more. Gaya''s tongue was out, the tears were still flowing, she was in spasm even after she fainted, her body oozing with sweat and still boiling.


    Yet, despite this, the Empress did not stop, finishing what she had started even after exhausting the one beneath her. She grunted louder and louder, her breathing was short, her cold body was sweating and her eyes were still shining wildly. As the mountain began to shake more and more from her thrusting hips, Freya like a beast was cumming in turn making her aura explode at the same time.


    ___________


    The sun was still high in the sky when suddenly Freya finally opened her eyes, her face bathed in the sunlight that indicated it was past noon. Her hair had turned ck again, her eyes purple and as she tried to figure out what she was doing there, she noticed she was naked. Straightening up with confused eyes, a voice from her right suddenly sounded making her jump and turn her head.


    "Ah you''re finally awake ?"


    "A-Ah oh Gaya ?!?"


    "This is no time to be blushing, honey...especially after what you did to me~"


    The Empress'' face had turned slightly red when she discovered her wife naked as well, lying beside her. Her body was covered in marks of all kinds, her hair was disheveled and her amber eyes tired. Looking around, Freya noticed that the entire first part of the mountain had been destroyed while bits and pieces of what had happened were slowlying to the surface making her change the subject right away.


    "I-It''s gettingte, we...ahem... should get going."


    "..."


    It was true that the two women had been away for more than an hour and that it was time to go back, which suited the she-wolf well. For some reason, she felt embarrassed to have given in to her most primal instincts even though she had loved being a beast. She had stood up slowly feeling her numb limbs but as she conjured up ice clothes on her body, Gaya''s embarrassed voice answered her.


    "W-Well actually...I can''t move"


    "Pffffff~ PfffhahaHAHAHAHAHA~"


    This one sentence had made all feelings of embarrassment disappear in Freya who had once again started tough out loud. The dragoness was lying on her back among the rubble as she had been a few seconds ago, her body still trembling slightly. Her thighs were still wet and it was only when she looked closely that the Empress realized what an intense moment she had put her wife through.


    "D-Don''tugh, you ruthless wolf ! I can barely feel my body, i-it''s your fault, and I almost had my life flown out the window !"


    "But you loved it, didn''t you~?"


    "Y-Yes I really loved it b-but...you never kissed me, not even once...you...you were too guided by your animal instincts for that...."


    Red-faced, the Queen turned her head away, puffing out her cheeks remembering every detail and sensation etched into her entire being. Still, she was a little pained that she couldn''t share a kiss in such a bestial moment. Very quickly, she felt the she-wolf leaning over her to offer her a tender, sensual and loving kiss as if to say sorry. After a few seconds, finally separating, with a sweet smile Gaya would speak again.


    "As good as it was...by the next full moon I''ll take good care of you and you won''t have to wait hours to get wild. That way you can be just as violent but also keep all your wits about you to show me even more love, okay ?~"


    "Whatever you want, anything for my Queen~"


    The dragoness had managed to weakly raise her arm to put her hand on the cheek of her wife who had replied while sticking her forehead against hers. Then suddenly her naked body was dressed in a beautiful and simple long white dress of ice going perfectly with the white suit of Freya. The next second, the she-wolf was grabbing Gaya to carry her like a princess, looking at her with one of those rare radiant smiles.


    "Come on, let''s go back to the others my love~"


    Still blushing slightly the dragoness was letting herself go not having much choice and also enjoying this treatment from the woman she loved. In Freya''s arms she felt safe, soothed and even though her pearly skin was cold, a special warmth still invaded her heart. The Empress then ced a tender kiss on her forehead whispering a few words while the Queen wrapped her arms around her neck with a shy smile.


    "Hold on tight and don''t let go~"


    "Never~"


    ______


    [N/A: Very hot drawing of Gaya naked (R18) avable in my discord server]

 Chapter 253 Like A Farewell

    - POV General -


    The sun was shining high in the sky and made the forest below it glow, where the Elysium convoy had stopped to eat. Near the road where the carriage was waiting before leaving, a campfire had been built but the tes around it were now empty. Everyone seemed to be quietly digesting the good meal but only one was pacing the dusty path kicking it with her bare feet and grumbling.


    "Damn, it''s been almost two hours since they left..."


    "Kira my dear, don''t tell me you''re scared for the two most powerful beings in the Empire haha~"


    "N-No...it''s just that it...ahem...stresses me out"


    Despite what Ka had just said and despite her answer, the younger sister couldn''t at all not worry about her older sister who was somewhere in the forest. She didn''t show it but behind her annoyed look she felt strangely lost when Freya wasn''t around. Kira, who had lived a long time in the Empress'' mind, had never left her side even after she had found a physical form.


    Not feeling her presence near her was more disorienting than she had imagined, though she wasn''t even sure she understood the feeling. The silver-gray-haired fox girl was restless, confused and even felt ready to jump into the forest just in case. Just as she was about to do so, the young brown-haired bunny girl had appeared right behind her with a tea made from nts growing in Elysium.


    "K-Kira sama, here have a drink, maybe it will r-rx you a bit~"


    "Ah uh t-thanks Lia."


    Surprised by this sudden attention, Kira couldn''t help but smile blushing just as Lia did before running off to take care of the children. In front of the scene, Jade leaning against a tree raised her eyes to the sky while Ka smiled and the sin sisters pretended not to have seen anything. Suddenly, while everyone was silent, two shapes appeared from nowhere, startling the whole group


    "Sorry for the dy"


    Freya had appeared carrying Gaya in her arms, both dressed in white outfits reminiscent of the ones they had at their wedding. No one had felt or seen theming causing a defensive reaction at first. Then, after a few seconds, those in the camp finally recognized the Empress and Queen and while everyone rxed, Kira who felt relieved still showed her displeasure.


    "AH HERE YOU ARE AT LAST ! I was wondering what you were up to, normally hunting wouldn''t take you this long onee-san and besides you were with Gaya. What could have taken you so long ? And why are you wearing different clothes ? Did something happen to you like you tore them or-..."


    As she had spoken, she had watched the two women and hade to understand on her own what had really happened. Kira could also see the hickeys in the dragoness'' neck and even without that, she knew her older sister too well not to guess. She who had spoken so quickly without stopping was now totally speechless, not even knowing what to say, seized with an unexpected embarrassment.


    "Mommy ! Mom ! How was the hunt ? Did you eat yet ?? We were waiting for you before we left so I yed with Miss Lia, Angel, Titi and Ati hihi~"


    Breaking the silence, Shiro who paid little attention to details had rushed towards her mothers with her arms wide open to wee them. She had in her hand her lifelong doll named Lily and still had that same innocent smile and so cute. The little girl had yed so much that she didn''t even have time to worry, herughter and unique smile seemed impossible to tarnish no matter what the situation.


    "Well...we haven''t yet but don''t worry about us, my little moon~"


    "Oh ! Mom Gaya are you okay ? You look...tired"


    "Y-Yes yes ahem don''t worry~"


    As Freya set Gaya down on the ground, the two answered their daughter who had finally wondered why the dragoness wasn''t walking. Her answer caused Ka to chuckle while Kira facepalmed her face not knowing whether tough or cry at the scene. Still rolling her eyes, Jade was surprised to discover a new facet of the Empress and Queen who had terrified the humans to their very souls.


    The more time passed, the more the vampire let herself think that this trip to hernd was going to be more fun than she had imagined. Soon the little group would be able to head south again, passing by a ce the dragoness knew very well. For the moment, everyone was enjoying the nice weather and the joyful atmosphere for once far from everything but especially from the war and the daily responsibilities.


    ______


    Several hours had passed since the return of the Empress and the Queen, the convoying from Elysium continued its little journey slowly. In five days their destination was to be reached and for that they had to venture out on the most direct paths. After the human vige, there was the forest to cross and then a rather dangerous passage rarely used by humans crossing a part of the central mountains.


    This ce, Gaya knew it only too well, or at least its center because it was there that she had spent arge part of her life until this tragedy 10 years ago. Yes, the group was crossing a mountain range directly connected to the ancient home of all the earth dragons who had lived in this world. The ce was empty, the air was dusty and there was nothing around except rock as far as the eye could see.


    The group was on the west side on a more direct path and the carriage, its passengers and the riders were all silent. Only the sound of hooves and wheels could be heard in the sky, which was now covered byrge gray clouds. Inside the carriage made of ice, the Queen was looking out of the window with a closed look, her eyes empty but still expressing a deep sadness that she could not hide.


    For Ka too this ce was special because it was at the foot of these same mountains that she had spent thousands of years sealed up like a monster. Unlike Gaya, however, she had no particr attachment if not indifference. The white-haired woman had decided to turn to the future, abandoning all those tragic memories, which was not the case for the dragoness.


    She looked out the window without saying a word, in her worldpletely invaded by her past as joyful as painful. All the Queen''s thoughts were with her father, her mother, herpanions and all those who had fought valiantly to ensure a future for their race. Freya, sitting next to her, felt her wife''s hand squeeze hers tighter and tighter, and understanding the longing that burned within her, she broke the silence.


    "Gaya..."


    "..."


    "Go ahead."


    The Empress had pronounced these simple words while plunging her serious and tender eyes in those of her beloved. She didn''t need to hear her speak to understand what she was thinking and didn''t need to ask any questions to know what she wanted. No matter how long it took, the she-wolf was determined to give her this all-important moment and if Gaya didn''t have the courage to do it, she would give it to her.


    At that moment, the carriage stopped in the middle of the dusty road while the dragoness looked at everyone inside one by one. Her eyes lingered on the wicker basket where Tyle and Alta?s were smiling before she grabbed it with trembling hands. Then, taking the hand of her little brother Angel, the Queen turned her gaze to her wife with hesitant eyes reflecting a little fear.


    Without saying a word, Freya opened the door to the ice carriage with a snap of her finger before smiling and stroking her cheek gently. It was enough to give Gaya the courage she needed and so it was with a smile in return that she walked out with the twins and her brother. Without waiting, her dragon wings sprouted from her back and once she was sure Angel had done the same, all four of them flew high into the sky.


    "W-Why did mom leave without us ?"


    Shiro who had understood absolutely nothing, had broken the silence again with very worried eyes, hesitant, not knowing if she should speak or not. She had felt that the atmosphere had be different but did not understand why they had left and where, so suddenly. After a few long seconds, the she-wolf then turned to the little Princess before taking her in her arms and going out in her turn while answering.


    "It''s by this big cliff that we are going along that your mother was born and lost a big part of her family. This ce means a lot to the earth dragons and as you know, Angel, your little brother and sister are also descendants of it."


    "S-So this is their real home ?"


    "Hahaha~ no sweetie, their home is in the Empire by our side, it''s just that since what happened, your mother has never been back here. She needs to grieve once and for all and it''s important that the others set foot in thisnd that is so full of the history of their thousand year old race. It''s a bit...like a farewell"


    The little white-haired girl didn''t understand all the words her mother was saying and found themplicated but nodded her little head anyway. She was still lost but knew that this ce was important to those she loved and that was good enough. As Shiro looked up to the sky to look at the cliff, Freya nodded to her two sisters who responded with a big understanding smile and a thumbs up.


    "My little moon, you''re not afraid to fly in my arms, are you ?"


    "No, because mom trains me often hehe~"


    "Then hang on tight, we''ll go join the others~"


    Obeying her mother, the Princess clutched the she-wolf''s shirt before closing her little eyes very tightly, in the end still a little fearful. Chuckling softly at the result she had predicted, the Empress took her turn to fly away before the eyes of those who remained on the ground. It took her only a few seconds to be already very high and to spot in the distance where her wife and the rest of their family were.


    It was not difficult, behind the cliff were valleys of drynd and in the middle of one of them there was a big almost dead tree on a big t space. At this very spot the crimson color of their long hair could be seen in this dull, sad and dead scenery. Swooping straight ahead, Freya descended through the air taking care not to go too fast for Shiro beforending a few feet behind Gaya, Angel and the twins.


    Dropping her daughter gently to the cracked ground the Empress kept an eye on the others without speaking, not knowing what they were doing. The dragoness was kneeling in front of the leafless tree and seemed to be praying while muttering a few barely audible words. Tyle and Alta?s, who didn''t understand, were fidgeting in an attempt to get out of their basket, while the ever-silent Angel was listening intently to what his big sister was saying.


    "Mommy why are we..."


    "Shhh~"


    As Shiro raised her small, confused voice, Freya indicated for her to remain silent while cing a finger on her lips before beckoning her to look. This ce was full of history and memories for the dragoness who felt her heart racing, her eyes closed and her body trembling. The smell of the earth, the warm air, the sound of the wind echoing in the mountains, everything was so familiar and yet everything had be so different.


    The ground was dry and cracked far from those once green valleys, the air that had carried the scent of flowers was dusty, and the great tree pride of the dragons was now only dying. Yes, these once lushnds were now only deste after the war that had devastated everything. Yet, even though all the beauty of thisndscape was gone, it didn''t matter to Gaya anymore...she was back.


    The Queen had flown here but finally didn''t know what to do, overwhelmed by too many emotions at the same time to think properly. She felt the presence of her wife and daughter not far away as well as the presence of her twins and little brother. The dragoness was not good at farewell speeches turned to the past, so, taking a deep breath she decided to simply tell.


    "Mom...Dad..."


    Like a farewell looking to the future, a heavy farewell carrying all the hope of the dragons who had not fought in vain, Gaya began to speak. Surrounded by ghosts of their own, The Queen, her brother, the little prince and the little princess carried the hope and pride of an entire race. The mother of dragons, kneeling in front of this tree, spoke onest time to those to whom she could not say goodbye, whispering what she could never say.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult<novelnext></novelnext>


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 254 Those Who Watch From Above

    - POV Gaya -


    When was thest time I was in front of this tree ? I didn''t really know, everything was a bit confusing and my memories were even more so. On a whim I had decided toe back here but for what exactly ? What exactly do I want to do ? There I was, in front of the tree that had once stood in the middle of the most beautiful valleys, I remembered its scarlet leaves falling like a hair.


    I remembered this color that had fascinated me so much when I was a young dragoness and that today was no more. This tree had been the pride of the dragons, standing alone in the middle of all of them every day of the year without ever weakening or even growing old. Today it had lost all its beauty and no longer fed by the mana of the beings around it was withering away, its brown trunk bing ck and sinister.


    This vision was much harsher and sadder than I thought, my old home was as empty as my heart had been for far too many years. Yet, as hard as it was I didn''t feel the urge to copse as I had always feared if I came back here. In fact, despite the different and depoptedndscape, I could somehow still feel the presence of my people who had lived in these mountains for millennia.


    Closing my eyes I saw my people living happily and carefree away from the world''s quarrels and the cruelty of humans that none of us hated. We lived only on what this valley gave us year after year even before this country was an Empire. All these memories more vivid than I had thought crossed my mind and heart as if I was not alone while I spoke in a low voice.


    "¨¢??¨¢?¡À¨¢?¡§??¨¢?? ¨¢?¡§¨¢??¨¢?? ¨¢?¡ë??¨¢?¡À¨¢?¡À''¨¢?o¨¢??¨¢?¡§¨¢??¨¢?¨C¨¢?¡ä ¨¢?¨C¨¢??¨¢?o¨¢??¨¢??¨¢???¡è¨¢?¡À"


    Without even realizing it, I had whispered words that I never thought I would say again: dra??l ain y??rr''tek elhinv?¡èr. In the most ancientnguagemon to all dragons, this meant "As long as the red sun travels across the sky, its brightness will never fade". A saying of my n that I seemed to have forgotten or rather that I had forbidden myself to remember, imprisoned by the pain of my past.


    I had first heard it from my mother when a new dragon cub was born into the n. At that time I didn''t really understand the meaning of this phrase and for a long time, afterward its meaning seemed too unreal. But today, after all this time, I was finally beginning to understand what those words meant as a voice brought me back to reality a little more.


    "B-Big...sister...what...d-does...that...m-mean ?"


    "It is simply a phrase that we dragons have..."


    I hadn''t paid attention right away but those words hade from my right where my little brother was standing who I had brought with me. Angel had just spoken for the very first time with a weak, stuttering voice that left me speechless as I watched him for a few seconds. He had just spoken, he who, even with a tongue now had always been mute, had just pronounced his first words


    The long crimson hair that had grown back during his recovery was floating in the wind, glistening in thest light of the sun. Angel''s eyes were as amber as mine but like the trunk of a tree, had circles forming from his pupil. He was no longer a pure earth dragon but a chameleon hybrid because of his past but I could smell the scent of my family and smell his dragon blood that would never go away.


    "Angel, you..."


    "W-What...what...does...t-that...mean ?"


    He stared at me with his inexpressive eyes from which a natural interest could be reflected, as if hearing thenguage of our race had awakened something. Angel was still stuttering and having trouble formting his sentences, but he had repeated himself anyway. Abandoning the idea of questioning him, I turned to Tyle, Alta?¡¥s and hugged them close to my heart before staring respectfully at the tree as I exined.


    "It means "as long as the red sun travels across the sky, its brightness will never fade", this phrase carries many interpretations but the red sun represents the earth dragons and their crimson color. I-...I had forgotten it for so many years refusing to understand for fear of suffering but I was wrong because...it is a message of hope..."


    "H-Hope ?"


    "Yes. As long as there will always be a dragon flying in the skies of this world, no matter the past, present or future, nothing will have been done in vain. Our thousand-year-old race may be decimated, forgotten or even hated, the pride of dragons will always remain as long as there is someone to remember."


    "W-Who ?"


    "Me...and then it will be up to you to remember Angel, just as a day wille when it will be the turn of these two little ones, though still too young to understand~ You are the hope..."


    I knew for a fact that Tyle and Alta?¡¥s born from the fruit of my love with Freya were also half-demon, half-dragon hybrids, but it didn''t matter. I wasn''t even sure I was a pure dragon anymore since I was handling fire, so yes it didn''t matter. Our crimson wings would always and forever stretch across the sky and the hope my mother had told me about would live on through the ages, no matter what.


    The war of ten years ago had been devastating, humans had managed to cken the hearts of young people of our n dreaming of glory. Corrupted and blinded by greed, they stood up to their own kind, not realizing that they were only pawns in the n to wipe us all out. I had been thest one to stand, and even though the fact that I had run away had haunted me for a long time, today I finally understood this hope and duty of memory.


    *So that''s what you meant...right, mother ?*


    I had fought alongside all my allies, against the very ones I had seen grow up, those who were born brothers and became the messengers of war. Among humans, their stories had been told and repeated countless times, presenting them as heroes and us as monsters. Soon this war would turn them into legends, then into myths and fables until no one could remember which one was the actual truth.


    But I remembered dragon warriors, each of them. Their names, their faces, their stories, how they fell and what they died for. Someone had to remember, and if I, thest of this war still standing, didn''t...then who would ? That was the hope, our tree could die, our home could burn, our n could suffer tragedy...as long as the red sun shone, nothing had been in vain.


    "Mother, father..."


    As the sun set, I felt ready to say what I had never been able to say before, words I had buried deep inside. However it was time, surrounded by my family I felt stronger than ever and back on my home ground I owed it to myself. I wanted to show all those who had disappeared that I was not alone, that I had not given up and above all that they had never left my mind.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "When I ran away after going crazy, the years that followed were even harder than I had imagined. Having to live with the guilt of being the only one to survive was horrible...I wanted to die, I wanted to join you and forget everything. I-...I never got to tell you how sorry I was that I couldn''t make a difference and couldn''t protect you like you always did for me..."


    As I spoke, I could feel the hot tears rolling down my cheeks as I finally put words to all the regret and pain. I had apologized many times but this time it was different, in thend of my ancestors it was my soul that spoke. My words were simple but most sincere and as my vision blurred, I couldn''t help but smile softly as I continued.


    "But...you''ll never believe me...a-after 10 years of letting myself go to waste, I met a person who changed my whole life...Freya. With her, I regained a taste for life and above all, I discovered what it was like to fall in love...madly in love. I know Father, you would probably ask me if she is a dragon haha~ but she is not. She is a she-wolf that upies my thoughts day and night, much like you Father, cold in appearance but with a heart of gold that would give her life for mine without hesitation...I love her so much if only you knew..."


    "..."


    "Mother, you often said that the man who would one day share my life should be at least a King...Freya is not a man but she is an Empress, I have far exceeded your expectations, haven''t I ? haha~ W-We...we have three children, a little princess named Shiro, who is as sweet, pure and beautiful as the snow in the southern mountains. Then there are the youngest ones, twins who have two-star names belonging to the dragon constetion...Tyle and Alta?¡¥s, and..."


    I was telling my life story on my knees in front of this dying tree as if they were all listening to me, I could almost see their smiles and feel their presence...it was enough. I wanted them to know that I was happier than ever and that I was no longer alone. I wanted them to know that I had a family, well atypical and different but that we looked out for each other no matter what fell our way not to mention...my little brother.


    "And finally...Angel"


    "..."


    "Y-Your son...my little brother. Mother, father...you...I never knew that...I''m sorry. I-It''s a littleplicated and for ten years I couldn''t look after him but...today he''s near me. I swear to take care of him and see him thrive by our side so please...father, mother...w-watch over us from above."


    My tears continued to roll down my face to end up on the dusty floor but despite this, I felt soothed. The sadness was still there but I also felt proud to havee this far and that was because of the people I had met. As the wind blew, I felt Angel''s hand grasp mine without a word and the little hands of my two children caress my wet cheeks as theyughed tenderly.


    "Mother, father...there are so many of us, Kira, Ka who are also our family and not to mention our people bringing together almost every race. I-It''s amazing, all those who were hunted by the humans are nowing together and fighting under one banner...that of Elysium. T-That''s not easy, but today people are standing up and uniting for a more fair future and it''s all thanks to Freya..."


    I wanted all my fallenpanions and my parents to know that the world was finally starting to change. After hundreds of years everything was about to change thanks to theing of one being...an ancient goddess who despite her memory loss was fighting for what was right. Seen as a demon by her enemies and a powerful savior by her allies...the legend of Empress Freya was just beginning.


    As I smiled with pride at thendscape that had turned orange, I thought back to that phrase where the sky was the one that would carry the dragons...the red sun. Elysium, the Empire of Lights was aptly named, the Empress being the sky itself and me as Queen, her sun. While I couldn''t help but chuckle softly at the coincidence, I suddenly felt a presence pass me silently walking towards the tree.


    *F-Freya ?*


    Dressed in white, her long ck hair danced in the wind as her boots mmed on the ground with a determined step. On the right, she was holding Shiro''s hand and while I was wiping my tears to see more clearly, they stopped a few meters away from the tree. I couldn''t quite see what my wife was doing but suddenly a huge ice shape seemed to rise from the bowels of the earth, soaring into the sky.


    "W-What..."


    I knew this was Freya''s doing and it didn''t take me long to figure out what she had just formed at the foot of my former n''s symbol. At least five meters high or more, a huge earth dragon made of ice with spread wings had appeared. It was roaring proudly and at the sight, I could not help but bring a hand to my mouth while feeling my emotions flooding back along with the tears.


    I didn''t have time to say a word, when I saw my wife kneeling in front of this huge statue, followed by my daughter, a little more clumsy. They had put one knee on the ground, had their heads bowed as a sign of respect without ever saying a word. This single gesture made me happy, I didn''t know why, my tears wouldn''t stop while no words could describe what I was feeling at that precise moment.


    *Please...watch over us...all of us...a-and we will make you proud*


    Wiping my eyes as best I could, I stood up shakily before assuming my dragon form, feeling my body grow and change. Soon I found myself towering over everyone with my size as I spread myrge crimson wings. Then bowing my head respectfully and pulling back my right front paw, I saluted the tree and this dragon, symbols of all that had been, was and would be.


    Angel at my side had also bent his knee and the twins in the basket at my feet made no sound at all, watching. Under the zing sky, I was paying homage to all my fellow dragons after so many years but I was not doing it alone. My family was there, we all felt the same way, no matter what our race or our past, at that very moment we were there and honoring the millenary dragons of thend.


    ______


    - POV General -


    Now, in this abandonednd, a second symbol had appeared alongside this tree that also seemed destined to disappear. However, as the Imperial family greeted the ce with smiles on their faces, looking to the future, none of them had seen the little bud dancing alone on the highest branch. Yes, the veryst page had been turned but a new novel was being written, different but capable of changing everything.


    The era of the earth dragons may have ended, but those up above continued to watch over those who proudly represented hope, forever in their hearts. Like the first flowers announcing spring, a brand new future was taking shape on the breeze of renewal in the form of a sacrednd bathed in tears where the greatness of dragons was forever immortalized in eternal ice.


    [N/A: I had to write an important chapter like this one to finish with Gaya''s past before a small timpse of a few days. Thest chapters were a bit more slice of life but the real plot continues in the next chapters. Hope you''ll like it~]

 Chapter 255 The Empress Ambition

    - POV General -


    While the Imperial family was still on its way to the south of the Vancesia Empire, a detachment of the Elysium army was on its way to the capital of Zal. Commander Luna and her ten best spy soldiers were to lead a very important mission. Entrusted by the Empress herself, failure was not an option, carrying the weight of an entire nation.


    It had been a week since Freya had left the Dark forest and the intelligence section had left following Myles. Tied up, the only survivor of the army had been put on a horse that had not stopped galloping to Zalhythe for a very specific purpose. Indeed, the man carried with him a sinister message for the city''s most powerful leaders in the form of a small object hanging around his neck capable of recording.


    The Empress was waiting for every word she had spoken into the magical object invented by the dwarf master Yuric to be retransmitted to the letter. But that wasn''t all, the head of the King of Zal imprisoned in the ice served as a gift but also as a warning. So it was up to Luna and her Lieutenant galloping behind the half-extinguished Myles to make sure everything went ording to n despite the stressing from one of them.


    "Commander...do you know how her Highness'' trip is rted to our mission ?"


    Ash the leopard half-human hadn''t been able to stop himself from asking this question as he finally smelled a strong scent of humans...the city was near. He knew that what was happening was important but still feltpletely lost especially since the Empress had left. The Commander, her eyes still on the horizon, answered in a very calm way, piquing her interlocutor''s curiosity.


    "Her objective has not yet been revealed to us, it must remain secret, but everything has a meaning, it serves a goal much greater than destroying the capital and its human leaders.


    "A greater...goal ?"


    The Lieutenant waited eagerly to hear the rest, wondering what huge thing the she-wolf might have nned for the future. Expand the Empire throughout the Dark Forest ? Turn the mysterious Supreme into a ve in Elysium''s pay ? Take over Zal''s entire army ? He didn''t know. After a few long seconds of silence where only the sound of hooves echoed, Luna finally spoke again without ever looking away.


    "Yes, a much greater goal. Her Highness had an ambition that no one before her had ever dared to have or even imagine. That day...the Empress was like...a goddess dressed in a coat of light."


    The young panther woman had said thesest words almost in a whisper to herself remembering that moment perfectly. She would never forget that day when Freya had gathered the Commanders to tell them of her project that could seem totally crazy. As the two soldiers galloped toward Zal she began to exin her eyes filled with admiration and respect.


    ______


    < A few days earlier in the Elysium Empire >


    In the great throne room of the mansion, only the Commanders were gathered in front of her Highness the Empress and of course her Majesty the Queen. Sitting on their throne at the top of the stairs, they watched in an almost frightening silence. Nixia, Na?a, Luna, Thorunn, Emilia, Caipy, Persea, Ralph, Ynir and Trioa were all there dressed in ck, but beside them also stood Kira, the new Commander.


    Apart from them the great hall was empty, every sound echoing like thousands bouncing off the huge pirs bearing the g of the Empire. Therge windows overlooking the private imperial garden let in the moonlight, which flooded the room with its soft but cool silver glow. After several minutes of silence, Freya finally stood up slowly before uttering only one word showing the importance of her announcement.


    "Commanders"


    Her long ck hair reached her waist and shone under the moonlight, as intensely as the piercing violence of her ever so mysterious eyes. The she-wolf seemed to read the soul of each of them, her horns made her as noble as terrifying especially since she never smiled. The cold beauty of the Empress always gave a little something to her faithful warriors who couldn''t take their eyes off this mesmerizing young woman.


    Freya wore a beautiful navy blue and gold imperial suit, obviously enhanced by her ck furry imperial cloak engraved with the symbol of the Empire of Lights. She stood there proudly, towering over the others without saying a word because she didn''t need much more. The she-wolf was a beloved, respected and feared leader, so once her vibrating eyes had finished piercing the crowd, she finally deigned to continue.


    "It is time to finally share with you the dream I have had since we built this ce, no...since I arrived in this world, the ultimate goal I have set for myself that can only be possible with the help of each and every one of you. You already know my ns for the capital of Zal, but this is only the very first step toward that dream..."


    The young women in line did not dare to make a single sound or even breathe, hanging on the lips of the she-wolf eager to know the rest. What could this dream be that the Empress was nurturing ? She who seemed so different, capable of anything and above all never afraid of anything, what could be the dream of such a being ? No one was moving, the seconds seemed tost for minutes and the minutes for hours.


    Hearts beat rapidly in the chests and bodies began to tremble as the atmosphere changed dramatically. Enveloped in a powerful and oppressive aura, they didn''t even blink anymore. The she-wolf had her violent eyes shining, her face was most serious and at that moment, no one could ignore the shivers that came from her mere look as the words finally came.


    "THE UNIFICATION OF THE ENTIRE CONTINENT !"


    The Empress had uttered this sentence in a powerful, clear and sure voice as if Pandora''s box had suddenly been opened. An immense shock seized all the Commanders who could not believe their ears. It was crazy, far too crazy, almost unthinkable, and yet Freya had spoken these words with such assurance, such determination that time seemed to stand still.


    This upheaval could be seen on the faces of all 10 young women except Kira, they had felt a tremendous pressure and did not know what to say. It was as if the ground had opened under their feet while an instinctive fear began to make them all tremble in unison. Unification of the continent...that meant world domination, but despite all they had aplished so far, were they allowed to dream about it ?


    After all, even though many persecuted people had joined Elysium today, this project brought out an innate fear in the 10 young women. Would they be strong enough to realize this impossible dream ? Victory meant a better ce to live for all races, but defeat meant a fate far worse than death...for all. It was frightening, terrifying, and as everyone tried toe to their senses, the Empress continued.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Yes, thend will be bathed in rivers of blood and it will undoubtedly be a time of darkness like the continent has never known. A bloody and merciless war will descend upon every nation until only one is left...ours. The journey will be rough, many will die, despair and fear may even eat away at us, but I assure you here and now, if we seed..."


    "..."


    "For the very first time in history, half-humans and beastmen will walk in this world with their heads held high! I don''t im to be able to end wars, but in my heart I am sure...that never again will anyone have to hide or be ashamed of being different."


    The Commanders listened to her words and as the Empress spoke, they felt fear turn to excitement. It was not just anyone who had formted this desire but the one who so far had managed the feat that no one before had ever done. The she-wolf with her charisma and strength alone had built an Empire and thus offered a ce where different people could all live away from hatred but it was not enough.


    "Commanders, I ask you... will you follow me in my insane dream of conquest ? Will you spill your blood to make our Empire the greatest ever known ? Are you willing to share the weight on your shoulders ? The weight of a whole generation and even future ones. Be my sword and shield and together...let us take up our arms and march upon this world to shape a brand new one where all will have their ce !"


    The Empress'' voice as divine still echoed in this huge hall, this was where it all began and as she finished, she gently ced a hand over her heart. At that moment, the rays of the moon seemed to sparkle with a unique glow, falling on the ruler and cloaking her in an almost blinding coat of silver light. At that moment the breathtaking she-wolf looked like a powerful and divine being able to change everything.


    With these simple words Freya had just set fire to the hearts that had been darkened by fear a few minutes ago. From those simple words she had turned into an even greater excitement and as always she had managed to ignite that special me in their souls. Never before had the Empress'' eyes shone with such determination and what she gave off was so unique and powerful that it was indescribable.


    "Let us give a future to those we love, let us fight for those who have fallen before us and let nothing be in vain. You once feared the dark. You once feared death. You once feared the endless void and what it held within but I will lead us from the ashes of your greatest failure. I will unite you all with my ck legions, I will unify what remains and usher in a blood age of conquest, revenge and freedom."


    The she-wolf knew very well what all this meant and yet under the moon as witness to her statements she was still resolute. Gaya at her side said nothing but her soft wet amber eyes vibrated filled with pride, admiration and so much love. The Queen had already decided to follow her and as she discreetly wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, the young women in front of them bowed in unison.


    "WE ARE THE CHAOS COMMANDERS OF THE ELYSIUM EMPIRE, WE WILL FOLLOW YOU WHEREVER YOU GO AND WE WILL FIGHT BY YOUR SIDE UNTIL THE END, YOUR HIGHNESS !!!!"


    The Commanders had certainly hesitated in the face of the fear that had suddenly gripped them but they would never forget what Freya had done and offered them. They were ready to follow her even to Hell and no matter how bloody the path, they would not give up. So it was in this throne room that for the first time, surrounded by her wife and her greatest warriors, that the Empress made her ambition known.


    ______


    "T-THE CONQUEST OF THE WORLD ???"


    As Luna had finished her short tale, Ash had not been able to help but shout his surprise as the information shared was so huge. Everything was mixed up in his head, the same fear that had invaded the Commanders also took him and that the young woman understood better than anyone. Still galloping at full speed behind Myles, the warrior in a serious voice revealed what she was really thinking while her heart was pounding.


    "I too was terrified of the idea, but if it is her...if it is her Highness then I am sure it is possible. Can''t you feel it, Ash ? Things are changing and the world is about to undergo an unprecedented upheaval, and we..."


    "Commander..."


    "...we are the sword and shield of the Empress. We who have been freed from our chains, it is time to put out our fangs and ws in the service of her dream which is also ours. Ash, she is the one... the one we have all been desperately waiting for, the one who will bring us out of the darkness and restore the bnce of all things."


    It was Freya who had given them strength, courage, hope and had revived the dreams in their hearts and ignited the me in their souls. Atst the time of the uprising hade, announcing the era of those who had hidden for too long from the cruelty of humanity. Luna also thought of her parents who had sacrificed themselves to Zal so that she could survive and a feeling of making them proud kept growing inside her.


    "And the beginning of this new era begins here...with us, Lieutenant, we have one month. The first step toward realizing the Empress'' ambition, the first step toward our dream of freedom. We owe it to all those who are no longer here today..."


    "B-But what if the war were to begin without the return of the Imperial family ?"


    "Then we will have to keep fighting, hold on with all our strength and wait for her return no matter what, that is our duty. Because...the future of the country...no...the future of the continent and the world will depend on the oue of this very first fight."


    As the young woman finished her sentence, the goal they had to reach was finally beginning to take shape on the horizon. Zalhythe the capital of the first country targeted and which was indeed going to mark the first stage of this great dream. The two soldiers then stopped to observe and before resuming the road, Luna finally turned to her Lieutenant with a sweet smile and words that instantly swept away all fear.


    "Let''s try to honor the mission we have been given and trust her Highness as she trusts us."


    [N/A : Music for this chapter avable on discord]

 Chapter 256 Shiros Nightmare

    - POV Shiro -


    Everything was ck, dark, I couldn''t hear anything, I couldn''t see anything, I was all alone but I didn''t understand why I was alone. Mommy and the others weren''t there even though I remembered saying good night to them as always before going to bed like a good girl. I was supposed to be in a big forest under a tent with everyone else but here I was lost in a ce I didn''t know.


    "M-Mommy ?" Mom Gaya ? A-Auntie..."


    No one answered. Had they all gone and left me all alone ? Had I been a bad girl without knowing it ? It was pitch ck and as shes of my human life spent in the closet began to make me shake, the ground opened up beneath my feet. There was a big deep hole under my feet and as I felt myself falling, I tried to move around but I was too weak like always.


    "M-MOMMY I''M SCARED !!! PLEASE COME BACK !!! WHERE ARE YOU ??"


    I was falling into the hole under me and it was very very scary. I was screaming, begging but my family still wouldn''te. I was too scared, I didn''t know what to do, what if the evil humans had caught me ? What would Mommy and Mom Gaya do ? I was too small and too weak. No matter how hard I tried to move to get back up, I kept going down, very fast, very very fast, even though I couldn''t see the ground.


    "MOMMYYYYYY !!! HELP ME PLEASE !!! SOMEONE !!!"


    If only I could fly and be strong like the others but I didn''t have great power like them and I still needed help. Once again I couldn''t start crying like a baby even though I had promised Mommy to stop, it was stronger than me, I couldn''t stop. I was screaming, I wanted it to stop but I kept falling. Was I going to die ? Did it hurt to fall from so high ?


    *I-...I don''t want to be hurt again....I don''t want to feel pain...I don''t want to die...*


    I couldn''t scream anymore, I couldn''t do anything so in my endless fall I rolled myself into a ball with my tail between my legs...it calmed me. If I had been left there to die then I wanted to at least be in a position that would reassure me for what wasing next which was very very scary. My throat was tight, my tears continued to flow but I still couldn''t feel the ground and as I shook, suddenly the sensation of falling stopped.


    Instead, the next moment a huge explosion took ce not far from me as I started to feel a lot of things. The air was no longer odorless, it smelled of burning and something else that gave me a taste of iron in my mouth with every breath. I could also hear, after the explosion, there were screams, thuds and even criesing into my ears...it was very very loud and it scared me.


    *I-I''m scared...what''s going on ? M-Mommy, M-Mom...where are you ?"


    I didn''t dare to move, I couldn''t, my whole body was shaking by itself even though I kept telling it in my head to be nice and stop. I also wanted to suck my thumb but my arms wouldn''t listen to me either, I was so scared all alone in this ce. The sounds were getting louder and louder, I could feel them all around me getting closer along with my heartbeat...I had to open my eyes.


    *You can do it, go ahead, b-be strong...please*


    Slowly opening my eyes the first thing I saw was that it was all red around me even though I couldn''t see very well. I had my head in my arms, but a big red light had reced the super scary ck of earlier, it was sure there was something. Finally moving, I stretched out my legs, wiping the tears from my cheeks to straighten up before I started screaming because of where I was.


    "AAAAAAAH !!!"


    I was in the sky, I couldn''t fly and yet I was in the sky which was all red lit by the moon...red too. After closing my eyes very quickly because of this, I finally understood that I couldn''t move and therefore couldn''t fall. And then something else caught my attention, below me there was a big destroyed city with lots of injured people...that was where the explosions wereing from.


    The buildings were all broken, only a big castle at the bottom was still intact but the rest was full of pieces everywhere. Everything was very, very big, so I couldn''t see very well, especially since a big ck dome full of magic imprisoned the whole city and those who needed help. I could hear the screams, the cries, people were begging and seeing the blood, the motionless bodies everywhere, I understood what was happening.


    "I-Is this war ?"


    It was horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible, I couldn''t close my eyes to stop watching, I wanted to vomit as I continued to shake. Death was everywhere, I was scared...too scared, it was a nightmare and I wanted to wake up to stop seeing it all. Was this what my moms did to protect us every time ? Stop. No, it wasn''t possible. Stop. I wanted it to stop and felt myself passing out.


    "W-Why am I here ? I-I...*sniff sniff*...I want to leave...I want to go home, I promise I will be a good girl...*sniff sniff*...please..."


    "RAAAAAAOOOOOOH !!!"


    But suddenly, a scary and weird scream sounded behind me since I was in the middle of the city in the air. As I turned around, I found the ugliest and most horrible thing I had ever seen in my life, something that made me say never to go near it. It was a huge ball of living human flesh with a veryrge mouth, hundreds of arms and eyes that was only getting bigger by the second.


    Next to this thing, the people who tried to break free from the dome or attack it were like ants that it ate to grow. There were humans, maybe soldiers, but what was weird was that there were a lot of half-humans there too wearing an outfit I knew. Everything was moving too fast for my eyes, it was hard to see but I recognized the clothes of the army of my house that Mommymanded.


    As I continued to tremble while watching the scene from above, my eyes fell on a small group hidden from the creature behind a rock. At that moment I felt my heart stop, it was as if everything was hurting inside me that I couldn''t breathe. Behind the rock I recognized Mommy, Mom Gaya with Auntie Kira and thedy who had arrived not long ago and who looked a lot like me.


    "MOMMYYYYYYYY I AM HEEEEEERE !!! MOMMYYYYYYY !!! MOM GAYA, AUNTIE !!! PLEASE TELL ME WHAT''S GOING ON, I-I''M HERE BUT I CAN''T MOVE. I''M SCARED ALL BY MYSELF ! MOMMYYYY !!!"


    I was screaming, my tears were flowing even more than before, blinding me, I was struggling but I was stuck where I was and them over there far away. I was screaming with all my strength, my throat was burning, my head was hurting, but they couldn''t hear me, let alone see me. Besides, I noticed that something was wrong, Mom Gaya, Kira and Mommy''s big sister were around her even though she wasn''t moving.


    "MOMMYYYYYY I''M HERE !!!"


    I thought maybe since she was the strongest Mommy would hear me but she didn''t and she was even lying down. Her clothes were full of blood, torn and she was lying in a red puddle as if...as if...as if she was dead. The others were crying and trying to wake her up, but Mommy was not moving even though I didn''t know why and what was going on here.


    I thought I was with them in the forest near our destination in the country next to my house but I was in the sky and the others were in the war. All I wanted to do was go home, I couldn''t even cry anymore, my voice had broken from screaming for nothing. Mommy who was the strongest was standing still while the big bad thing was destroying everything, the bad humans as well as the soldiers of my house empire.<novelnext></novelnext>


    My eyes stung, I couldn''t do anything, everything was too scary and the only thing I could see was a blood tinged ice flower in Mommy''s ck hair. I had never seen it before but that wasn''t the most important thing, whatever was going on I could only watch my family and all the others being trapped. I could feel it, despite the panic I knew it was this dome and this creature that was hurting them.


    "P-Please...*sniff sniff...save my Mommy...s-save...her...someone...please...Mommy..."


    My chest hurt a lot, I felt like it was the end and that it was all my fault because I was there alone and safe. I wasn''t as strong as the people in my family, I was very small and I cried all the time so I was useless. But someone had to save my Mommy and everyone else, if she couldn''t get up then everything would disappear and I would be all alone.


    I was shaking, I wanted to throw up, my head and my whole body hurt but the biggest pain was in my chest. It was as if I couldn''t feel my heart, as if it had broken when I saw my family trapped under the ck dome so I was begging. This was all I could do, the nasty, horrible thing kept getting bigger, grabbing people to eat them and I wanted it to stop, it was way too much for me.


    "E-Everything but this...please...save my family...d-don''t leave me alone...n-no more...make it stop...I-I want to go home with everyone..."


    Suddenly, in the sky next to me a golden white light began to flicker below the all red moon before someone appeared. It was a beautifuldy with long white hair, golden eyes and wings on her back with white feathers. She didn''t see me like the others but as I went to ask for her help anyway, she opened her arms wide to use her magic out of nowhere.


    Soon a powerful st of mana came out of her like an explosion as her wings beat the air at the same time making my hair fly. It was so strong that the dome started to crack gently in an almostplete silence, except for the creature who was screaming, everyone had stopped to watch this mysteriousdy. Afterwards, all at once the dome exploded into a thousand pieces relieving me as I saw Mommy open her eyes.


    "T-Thank you...M-Ma''am..."


    I still didn''t know what was going on and why Mommy had opened her eyes as soon as the prison disappeared but she wasn''t dead. I could only thank the nicedy who had just saved them even though she couldn''t hear or see me as I closed my eyes. I suddenly felt very tired, I had no strength left, it had all been too much and as I was sinking, I finally heard a voice calling me in the distance.


    "S...ro...ir...o....shi...ro....!!!"


    ________


    - POV General -


    "Shiro !!! What is happening to you ?! Shiro, wake up I''m here !!!"


    "My sweetie, everything is fine !"


    Under the ice tent used as a shelter in one of the southernmost forests of the Vancesia Empire, Freya stood over a small bed with a worried face. The little Princess who had fallen asleep a few hours ago had woken her up because she had started screaming in her sleep. Very quickly Gaya had also rushed near her and both of them in panic were trying to wake her up for several minutes but it was impossible, until now.


    "MOMMY !!!"


    Suddenly as if an evil spell had been broken, Shiro straightened up opening her eyes wide, all trembling as she screamed in her little voice. Her eyes were golden like the day she had saved Angel and as they returned to their original color, the little girl looked around. Soon her gaze was on her two worried mothers and a feeling of joy came over her along with the tears and horrible memories.


    "M-Mommy y-you...I...*sniff*...blood...e-everybody...*sniff*...dead...and...and..."


    "Come here~"


    Without even trying to understand, Freya grabbed her daughter to hug her to reassure her no matter what she had seen in her nightmare. She could feel her little body shaking, her little hands desperately clutching her shirt and her heart beating rapidly. To add to the heartbreaking sight, the Empress and the Queen could hear Shiro begging almost inaudibly because of her unstoppable crying.


    "D-Don''t leave me...mommy...please...don''t go...ever...e-everybody...I...I don''t want... that... that... everybody leave me...please...M-Mm Gaya...M-Mommy..."


    At that moment Freya and Gaya looked at each other with a distraught look feeling their own hearts clench at the thought of what she may have gone through. However, it didn''t matter anymore, even if the change in color of her eyes was strange, the two mothers had another priority. Without thinking the she-wolf grabbed her frightened daughter and carried her to the big bed where she had fallen asleep a few hours ago beside her wife.


    The little Princess had her tail between her legs, her ears lowered and her little head buried in her mother''s chest, trembling and crying. Soon the Empressid her daughter down on the silk sheets before lying down beside her while the Queeny on the other side. Then, using herrge ck tail, she wouldy it on her daughter''s body in the middle of them, like a nket while she finally answered, followed by Gaya.


    "It''s okay my little moon, no one is going to leave, everything is fine, breathe easy, I''m here so please don''t cry~"


    "You had a nightmare but you''re awake now, okay Sweetie ? We''re here everything is fine now~"


    The warmth and softness of the fluffy tail soothed Shiro as well as the caresses she received on her head, as soft as the words spoken. She felt safe in the midst of her two mothers and relieved that she had only experienced a nightmare even though it had seemed so real. The little girl gradually stopped shaking, stopped crying and quickly a cute little snoring sound rose shyly in the small dark room.


    Hoping that this time she was in a beautiful dream, Freya and Gaya looked at each other once again with reassuring and loving eyes. The night was not over yet and after this moment of great panic they felt almost as tired as their little moon. So, after kissing her sleeping daughter tenderly on the forehead and her wife lovingly on the lips, the she-wolf also sank into the world of dreams.


    When she woke up, the little Princess would remember almost nothing, her mind having preferred to forget the traumatic scenes seen that night. She didn''t know that it was the capital of Zal that she had seen destroyed, let alone that this nightmare...was perhaps much more than that.


    Only time would tell...

 Chapter 257 Panic In The Capital

    - POV General -


    While little Shiro was sleeping peacefully now in the arms of her two mothers, things were much less so in the human capital. It had been almost two months since the army of Knights and Pdins had left, yet there was no news. Not only was this iprehensible, but now, in addition to the Princess, the King himself was missing or worse.


    The entire city and its inhabitants were asleep, but in a room of the huge royal castle, a heated debate was taking ce. For the first time in years, the debating chamber had been opened to the most prominent members of Zal, nobles of the Kingdom and Protectors of the Church. The two factions were separated on either side and a deafening din of reproach echoed up to the high ceiling.


    The room resembled a courtroom, with seats on the right wall for the Church and on the left wall for the nobles, leaving an empty space between. In the middle there was an empty throne, since it was the seat of the King who normally presided over the debate, which also exined the general atmosphere. The nobles and protectors kept using each other, too panicked by the situation, making discussion impossible for the moment.


    "If only the King hadn''t gone himself to look for his daughter we wouldn''t be in this situation ! Where is his Majesty when we need him ?"


    "Nonsense ! Our King acted like the great ruler he is for his country and he will return with Princess yna !!"


    "Yes but if the Princess hadn''t been kidnapped, half of our Pdins wouldn''t have even left and now look where we are !"


    "Do I have to remind you that this was your Supreme''s idea ? We are just responding to this threat that is hanging over us ! Cowards !"


    me was flying around, each side having something to me the other for only ming each other without real debate. Panic had taken over hearts and not hearing from the army was a hard blow and difficult to bear. What was going on ? This had never happened before, had the whole army been annihted in the Dark Forest ? Everyone thought it was impossible, but how could they be sure ?


    On the side of the Church, the Supreme sitting in front of the right tribunes always with their face hidden, apanied by Sage, was listening in silence. Like the others they were dismayed by the turn of events and under their veil they bit their lip. Everything had been nned, they had to capture the little girl with the violet eyes and yet she was still not there. How had subraces defeated an entire army of humans ?


    "Would the harbinger of chaos have be so strong already ?"


    Their androgynous voice murmured softly carrying with it a frustration and anger that was more than palpable as a faint red glow shone behind the veil. They thought of everything, the Age of Extinction, The Liberator but most of all the prophecy of the Goddess they had heard in their dream. Not knowing if the little girl they called "harbinger of chaos" was far more dangerous than expected was unbearable and almost made them sick.


    "We must send a new expedition to the forest !"


    "Impossible ! What if they don''te back either ? We must send one person, the strongest !"


    "So you are implying that our army and our King are already dead ?"


    Around Sage the Holy Schr and the Supreme the people shouting from both sides of the room still hadn''t stopped. Tempers were ring, fear was spreading even further through the assembly and chaos was building up minute by minute like a time bomb. However, as the hubbub grew louder, therge doors of the room opening to the outside opened with a loud noise followed by a breathless voice.


    "A-ALERT !!! A-A LONE KNIGHT CAME TO THE CITY GATE ON THE BACK OF A HORSE AND IT SEEMS TO BE CAPTAIN MYLES !!!"


    A man had appeared, a messenger from the court, all out of breath after running through therge, long corridors of the castle to deliver his message. By the time he had finished his sentence, absolute silence had reced the chaotic cacophony of a moment ago. This news was timely, the Supreme had not been able to help but rise from their seat before reaching out and addressing the messenger in a hurried voice.


    "Let hime in !"


    "H-He didn''te empty-handed and I warn you, he''s...weird."


    "It doesn''t matter how strange he is, let the Captain deliver his message to us !"


    The leader of the Church trembled under their toga, just like the Assembly they wanted to know what was going on and the answer now seemed so close. Without further ado, the man who had just entered rushed out again, leaving therge room in a dead silence. No one spoke or even breathed, everyone waited and hearts beat wildly as time seemed to go on forever.


    Then, in the distance, footsteps could be heard, louder and louder, closer and closer, although the step wasme. This was it, soon Captain Myles would be here and with good news, at least that''s what the people who were waiting impatiently hoped. After a few minutes he finally appeared, causing dozens of nervous whispers as to what he looked like.


    It was undoubtedly Captain Myles, but he was different, he had legs made of ice, livid skin, a dead look and the appearance of a corpse. On his chest an object had been hung and in his trembling right hand he held a cloth bag that had be quite dirty. In front of this man who was only a shadow of his former self, the voices began to get louder until finally the Supreme took the reins of the Assembly.


    "Silence !"


    Tired of all this nonsense they silenced them all before slowly moving towards the surviving Knight who had stopped in the middle of the room. It was strange, he had not said a word and was walking like a puppet, was it a trap ? What was that strange object on his chest and what was in the bag ? But the Supreme had no time to do anything as the magical object activated letting a voicee out.


    "Good morning, humans."


    At that moment all the people in the room froze, amazed by what had just happened and who they were hearing. For the first time someone was speaking without being here and through a magical thing that had just lit up with a light blue color when activated. A female voice came out of it, unknown, echoing in the room and installing in just a few words aplete silence while she continued.


    "First of all I wanted to thank you for this lovely gift you gave us in the form of an army destined to annihte us, very funny. I knew you were fascinated with half-humans and other races but I didn''t expect us to have visitors...how sweet fufu~"


    "Who are you ?! What happened to the army !?"


    Outraged by this haughty attitude and inexcusable words, a man in the Assembly expressed his displeasure without knowing that he would not get an answer. It was all a recording, and while the voice had a ratherely delivery, its tone was cold. Impossible to perceive any emotion and the more the seconds passed, the more the men and women in the stands had a bad feeling.


    "That''s why I really wanted to show my appreciation by sending you a modest gift in return, which you will find in the bag. If all went well, your Captain should be standing in front of you as I speak, well...if I haven''t broken him too much~ You humans are so fragile."


    "..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Anyway. I hope you enjoy my little one-of-a-kind thank you gift so please make good use of it. With that, I''m afraid I''ll have to leave you now but not without onest little message, so keep your ears open..."


    The woman left a great silence before continuing knowing full well that those listening were hanging on her lips. No one knew who was speaking, all that rose was fear and that threat that grew in the minds, poisoned by that simple voice. Then, after a few seconds, came thest message of this mysterious interlocutor, who at that moment was sleeping peacefully with her daughter.


    "Ruin hase to your world, death, despair and red war...Your hopes and pride havee to nothing and your empty whispers fall upon deaf ears. Your gods are dead, human reason has killed them and the Angel of Death hase. Humans, nothing can save you now...you think you''re hunting us ? We''reing for you"


    The unknown woman''sst words were spoken so calmly but also so coldly that they managed to paralyze all the humans present instantly. At that moment they didn''t need any further exnation to understand that the mysterious person was connected to this whole affair. That cold, inquisitive, ruthless and more than serious tone left no doubt...it was a deration of war.


    Faces had turned pale, bodies were shaking, fear was growing and the humans who were used to being safe felt panic. When the magic object finally went out, the people in the Assembly did not dare to move, too stunned by all the information. Even the Supreme, who was angry at being ridiculed like that, did not speak, while Sage finally raised his voice to the Protectors near.


    "Open the bag !"


    "Y-Yes !"


    Two of the right stands stood up to walk towards Myles who was still staring nkly and motionless, as if dead. However, the two men didn''t even have time to approach him when suddenly the knight began to convulse uncontrobly. Blood began to pour out of his eyes, nose, mouth and ears, while under the pain, his face turned into a terrifying grimace.


    The magical object that required mana to function had drained Myles'' mana to thest drop, dooming him to a certain and agonizing death. His entire body was drained of mana and withered away before the eyes of Zalhythe''s humans, who had never witnessed such a sight. And as the knight fell to the ground dead, he dropped the bag, revealing atst the famous gift that was inside.


    With a loud thud, a slightly melted piece of ice rolled gently in the general silence before stopping at the feet of the Supreme. No one could see exactly what it was, but something was trapped in the ice. After a short moment, the Church Leader bent down to pick up this famous unknown thing with a suspicious look before finally discovering what it actually was.


    "Aaaah !"


    "B-But...it-it''s..."


    "OH GOD PLEASE SAVE US !!"


    The reactions were unanimous, terrified faces broke down, screams rose to the ceiling, some vomited and others began to cry. Imprisoned in the ice was the head of King Theophctus, his eyes revolted, his face frozen in a final grimace. At that moment all understood that he would not return and that the army was also definitively lost, annihted by this mysterious voice.


    "His Majesty is dead, what shall we do ?"


    "War is knocking at our doors ! W-We must prepare ourselves !"


    "B-But how ? We don''t know anything about this enemy...it''s..."


    "A nightmare..."


    It was happening exactly as the Empress of Elysium had nned with this little show she would have loved to see for herself. She had just established a regime of terror in the human capital with the only information that had been given that was a powerful warning. As unknown as the people that the army of Knights and Pdins had attacked were...they had defeated and wereing with a thirst for blood and vengeance.


    Who ? Where ? When ? How ? So many questions and so few answers, only panic was growing in the face of this shocking news. Now, in addition to the missing Princess, the King was now dead in battle as well as all the others with him. The humans didn''t even know it, but the clock had started ticking long before they received this fateful message, with spies already in the castle.


    Even the Supreme was silent as the cries grew louder and louder, men and women scrambled and already saw themselves leaving the country. What would be of their nation without a king to rule them ? The situation was dire and the first in the history of the country to threaten them in this way. Then suddenly the doors opened noisily again, this time revealing two very distinct figures.


    "Enough !"


    "Everyone, silence !"


    One was tall with short blond hair, cold blue eyes, a sword at his waist and a long red silk cape. The second one a little shorter was also blond but had long hair, brown eyes, sses and a long silk cloak of navy blue color. Before the eyes of the panicked assembly, Erzian and Is Zal, Princes of the Kingdom and brother of yna, had just appeared.


    Neither of them seemed to be affected by the news of their father''s death and had even put aside their differences in this moment of crisis. They were used to fighting over the session of the throne in normal times, but what good was it if this ce was destined to disappear ? Bringing silence to the room, the two young men, one more warlike and the other more learned, walked towards the Supreme before reaching their level.


    "Your Excellency, this is no time for bickering, the death of a King does not mean the fall of his Kingdom and you know that as well as I do."


    "We must act quickly and find a way to counter and destroy this threat no matter how unknown."


    While everyone bowed, the leader of the Church after doing the same did not answer right away and preferred to observe them both. Erzian the taller was the first Prince and was known to be cruel and to hate other races as much as the Protectors. Is was a little more discreet and pacifist but it was not necessary to be fooled by his less scary appearance because behind those sses was hidden an equally terrifying spirit.


    "How long do you think we have now ?"


    The Supreme didn''t like royalty but they weren''t stupid and knew that the two young men were totally right. It wasn''t just Knights who had died in battle but Pdins as well so to hell with the power struggles at a time like this. While they had asked their question staring at the Princes behind their ck veil, it was Is who answered before pulling up his sses with one finger.


    "I''d say a month but I have a n and believe me...if all goes well we''ll be able to get these vermin out of here once and for all. Time is running out but I promise to give you the little purple-eyed harbinger of chaos at the end of this battle that for sure will go down in history, so...what do you say ?"


    At this question the Supreme began to smile seeing this as an excellent way to use these two new orphans who would help them. Erzian and Is also smiled as the countdown continued, not knowing that they were already at a distinct disadvantage. The two nations were preparing to fight thest battle that would seal their future forever, one of course victorious and the other...disastrous.

 Chapter 258 Christmas For Two [BONUS]

    [N/A: This chapter has absolutely nothing to do with the main plot, I just used the characters you already know, their story/past, their skills but what happens here unfortunately never happened in the main plot. I hope you enjoy anyway, happy reading and Merry Christmas !]


    _____


    - POV General -


    That was it, already one year had passed since the very first Christmas that Freya''s family had celebrated in the imperial mansion of Elysium. A concept from her years on Earth, the she-wolf had introduced it in her Empire to keep the traditional festive and joyful atmosphere. Many things had happened then, indeed the imperial family had not forgotten how Kira had crossed the chimney dressed as a very suspicious Santa us and made everyoneugh.


    All these souvenirs were engraved in the memory of all as a night of celebration full ofughter, smiles and love. Today was the second Christmas of the Empire and also very important since it was the first one spent with Tyle and Alta?s, so it was important to do things right. Shiro was the most motivated of all and as the sun was going down on the horizon one thing was on her mind greatly for the evening that would soone.


    "This year I want to give everyone something ! B-But...I don''t know what to get for mommy..."


    The little Princess was sitting on the big bed in her room, swinging her little feet to the edge with a serious, focused look on her problem. The bottom of her light blue dress fluttered gently as she brushed her beautiful Lily doll with the utmost care. Sitting next to her was Kira who had responded immediately to her urgency, dropping whatever she was doing to run over and help her with her thought process.


    "Your presence is more than enough my little candy cane~"


    "N-No I have to get her something Auntie...c-can''t I ??"


    It wasn''t a big deal since really anything from her daughter would please Freya but the little girl wouldn''t hear of it. It was much too important for her but hours passed and still no idea came to her mind. Shiro wanted to find a unique gift and as she made her pleading, sad eyes, her aunt couldn''t resist helping her for the warmth of her smile.


    "Maaaaw~ Of course you can, especially if you make those eyes~ !!! That said, I must admit I have no idea what would make her happy...a cute drawing maybe ?"


    "B-But I give her one often, that''s not special enough..."


    "Mmmmh, I wonder what she would have wanted when she was your age and then even today...but hey ! Don''t worry we''ll find something, there''s still time ! I''m going to go on a news hunt, stay in your room and think, I''ll be quick !"


    The Princess hadn''t even had time to answer anything that Kira had already left the room leaving behind some crackling lightning. Finally it was back to square one but maybe the vixen would be able to be discreet and get some info out of the Empress. Sighing, the little girl jumped out of her bed and slowly made her way to therge box where her toys were all stored with a sad look on her face.


    "If only I could know what would make her happy it would be ve-..."


    Unfortunately, Shiro didn''t have time to finish her sentence when her foot met a marble that was lying there on the big white carpet of the room. In an instant, a second, she was toppling backwards before hitting her head on the floor the next second, still confused by what was happening. As the Princess tried to speak for help, her mind blurred before she closed her eyes and sank into the darkness, alone in her room.


    _________


    By the time the white-haired girl finally opened her eyes, she had left thefort of her home, lying in a cold alley. Her head was spinning, she remembered falling, but everything around her only entuated the confusion she was experiencing. It was very cold, a strong smell filled her nostrils, roaring noises wereing from everywhere along with a cacophony produced by a hundred voices.


    Still half stunned, Shiro tried to regain her senses looking around her with a palpable fear¡­ she was really not at home anymore. And for good reason, she was in a huge city filled with lights, cars, people, in an unknown ce. How had she ended up here ? The Princess didn''t know, everything was new to her, so new that it was terrifying, paralyzing and suffocating.


    "What..."


    Her small voice rose in the cold air, voice covered by the incessant sounds of car engines that she thought were steel monsters. Her whole body shook with fear and cold, was this a new world ? Where had the Empire and her family gone ? As Shiro did what she could to get up and understand the situation, she finally stood on her little legs and walked very slowly towards the main street.


    She was all alone. This new world waspletely unfamiliar, all the people, the sounds and the smell that was not pure at all. Yes, the little Princess of Elysium hadnded in Tokyo, city of light, capital of Japan in a mysterious way and without even knowing it. She continued to walk frozen in her blue dress but she had not even reached the main street when the back door of a store opened with a bang.


    "YOU LITTLE THIEF !!! COME BACK !!!"


    From there had emerged the figure of a young girl of about 10 years old hidden by a hood carrying a bag full of cupcakes in her arms. She was being chased by who seemed to be the store''s pastry chef, fat, out of breath with a white apron and wielding a pastry wheel. Shiro, who froze in fear, was trying to understand what was happening but her mind was tired and her tired eyes were not seeing the man who was approaching.


    "I SEE, YOU WEREN''T ALONE, YOU FUCKING BASTARD KIDS !!!"


    "DON''T STAY THERE, RUN YOU STUPID !!!"


    Suddenly the little white-haired girl felt a hand grab hers before dragging her forcefully into the small, poorly lit alley. Her legs would then instinctively start running following the girl while the angry baker still continued to follow them. However, very quickly out of breath, he stopped, but not without hurling insults too vulgar for the nice innocent girl to understand.


    After 5 minutes Shiro and the mysterious girl finally came to an exit that led straight to the river that crossed the city. The small alleys had been a real maze but after instinctively following the girl with a beating heart, Shiro could finally breathe. There was a very dimly lit bridge and as the thief headed underneath where her base was, she turned around before throwing out words in a cold tone.


    "I told you to run, not follow me. Sigh...go home, your parents must be waiting for you, it''s Christmas night after all"


    "..."


    But the little Princess didn''t move, she even started to cry at the mention of her two mothers who were indeed far away. It was stronger than her, the tears ran down her cheeks reddened by the cold chilling her now almost blue face even more. Shiro couldn''t utter a word, she wanted to go home to warmth and especially to spend Christmas with her family away from this noisy, stinking, frozen city.


    "Your parents aren''t here ?"


    Managing to shake her head slightly despite feeling dizzy, Shiro didn''t want to be alone and wanted to stay with the only person she had met. After long seconds, she then felt a hand grab hers to drag her under the bridge where a shack had been built. Behind the holey curtains, a small fire had been lit thanks to a stove, enveloping Shiro immediately in a softforting warmth.


    "Parents are useless anyway, all good at yelling at you, hitting you and making you feel like the most useless shitty thing in the world. I wish I didn''t have any, I''m much better off by myself now..."


    "..."


    "Make yourself at home but I''m warning you, you''re not staying here all night...I don''t even know why I brought you here in the first ce..."


    While Shiro sat by the fire unconsciously to warm up more, the girl put the stolen bag on the dirty floor whileining. Removing her boots with holes in them to reveal socks with holes in them as well, she finally took off her hoodie. At this moment, long ck and shiny hair appeared, two cold and piercing violet eyes on a very young face but of a rare beauty and especially far from being unknown.


    She did not notice the shocked look of the little girl who had her mouth wide open rubbing her swollen red eyes to be sure of what she was seeing. The one who lived under a bridge and had just flown in for food looked exactly like her mother years earlier. Was it really her ? It was not possible and yet Shiro had to scratch her eyes and pinch herself, there was no doubt, it was her image but much younger.


    "Why are you staring at me like that ? Don''t your parents ever have to say thank you ? I don''t know if..."


    Then, as she spoke, it was the girl''s turn to freeze in shock discovering that the one in her makeshift home had the same violet eyes. For the first time an expression appeared on her face, much too closed for a child of her age. However this did notst since a few secondster she resumed her disinterested look, sitting in turn next to the stove for its heat.


    "T-Thank you...f-for helping me and...and...b-bringing me here..."


    "It''s okay, I''m sort of in a good mood or I clearly would have left you all alone and even racked. It''s obvious you''re not from here so in exchange for my help, just tell me...why is your hair so...white ?"


    Intrigued by this unique color, the girl then plunged her eyes into Shiro''s who immediately felt aforting softness in her heart. She was still terrified, confused, lost but finally, the one who was her host, this familiarity she felt helped a lot. With a sad, hesitant, shy voice, Shiro then began to y with her hair while answering as clearly as she could.


    "I-I...I don''t know but...but my mommy likes them a lot."


    "I see...so at least tell me your name halfling"


    "S-Shiro...Shiro N-Nightshade"


    "Shiro ? White as the snow or the moon...it''s simple but it suits you perfectly, little scared puppy fufu~ And then your family name sounds like a viin in anime, the kind that wants to take over the world or something"<novelnext></novelnext>


    The cupcakes thief was being strangely talkative which surprised her herself since it was far from being her everyday type. Perhaps it was the magic of Christmas night or simply this little girl out of nowhere ? In any case, something was different and as she waited, Shiro in turn became a little more talkative, needing to externalize.


    "Where Ie from, people hated my hair before mommy found me and took me in. And¡­ and now I don''t know where she is and...and¡­my family is gone too...I''m going to be left alone when I want to be...w...with them for Christymaus . I...I''m alone, how am I going to make it without them here ? I''m s-scared, cold, hungry and...and..."


    Shiro was shaking not being able to finish her sentence, she had brought her little knees against her chest, a position she always took when it was not going well at all. Her heart was pounding, her eyes had gone nk, her skin pale and it was true that the sight of it hurt even the cruelest of hearts. Her tears streamed down her flushed face, her mind unable to hold them back any longer even though she was no longer alone.


    "Here, put this on and follow me instead of whining, I''ll show you something."


    Suddenly grabbing an old nket with her right hand and throwing it to Shiro and then her newly stolen bag with her left hand, the girl hurriedly walked out. The little Princess''s eyes were still swollen and red, her throat dry, standing in the middle of the confusing hut. She didn''t have time to move when that girl popped up again from behind the curtain with a slightly threatening look and amanding tone.


    "Move your ass, you leggy sausage."


    Reluctant to leave the warmth of the hut but also very curious, Shiro was not asked and came out awkwardly of the small den. Following the one who had suddenly decided to take her somewhere, they went around the empty bridge before going up. On top and blocking the passage, a huge abandoned container was put there, a structure that the two girls climbed with difficulty before finding themselves at its top, empty.


    "Come."


    Without waiting, the mysterious girl with ck hair and violet eyes walked towards the center of the container where a pile ofrge cushions were amassed there. They were all old, torn, dirty butfortable and able to keep two small bodies warm alone for Christmas. Soon the two girlsy there in silence, looking up at the darkly clear sky as the cold winter breeze tickled their noses and cheeks.


    "You said you were scared so I...thought of this ce. I''ve always been alone for Christmas but I''ve never been sad because every year I find myself here. Sometimes I dream of going to another world where everything would be different but when Ie here...I realize that in the end, even though I''m alone and scared and sad, as long as I can look at this light that soothes me, everything will be okay."


    Before their eyes, the beautiful,rge, full moon shone intensely, hypnotic, its rays sparkling with magical beauty, heightened by the hundreds of stars around. It was cold but the scene was so enchanting that everything seemed futile next to the sensation that only the moon provided. The pure, dazzling, glittering light warmed and enveloped Shiro with a unique warmth as the girl for the first time smiled.


    "Your hair is the same color and is just as bright, I guess that makes you a little moon fufu~"


    The girl didn''t know why she was being so nice to Shiro but as she spoke, she understood that it all had to do with the unique color of her long hair. It was this pure white, it was this color that had always attracted and soothed her, there was no doubt possible. The moment she had said "little moon", the Princess'' eyes had opened wide while finally appeared on her innocent little face a shy smile suddenly feeling the urge to ask the question that was burning her lips.


    "You...you never wished you had a unique gift ?"


    "..."


    "Something...s-something special."


    "Mmmh well, being able to look at the moon is the greatest gift for me so I wish for nothing more. Looking at the moon with caramel cupcakes is quite enough even though every year I do it alone. Being alive for me is already...very good..."


    The next moment a cracking sound could be heard, the sound of cupcakes that the girl had just bitten into with the most childish face. It was obvious, she didn''t really need anything, for her who had always been alone, only the moon was a gift. To be able to breathe and see its hypnotizing rays was what she wanted the most, what made her feel free and no longer in the grip of the selfishness of adults.


    Shiro didn''t need to hear more because while the light made her beautiful hair shine, she couldn''t take her eyes off the one who had helped her. For the first time she saw in her sad and empty violet eyes a singr glow of joy, more innocent than any expression. Without a word, the two girls watched the moon and the stars as suddenly the sound of a bell rang in the distance...it was midnight.


    The little Princess was finally smiling too, she felt better and no longer felt that special fear that had made her tremble and cry at first. Even if she still didn''t know what was going on, she was in the presence of the one who had been able to reassure her in spite of her frightening look. Finally she too was alone and for much longer, yet she was brave and as Shiro listened to the sound of the bell, the one next to her turned around.


    "Merry christmas little moon~"


    "M-Me...meirry christymaus h-huuum..."


    The moment she had wanted to answer Shiro had started blocking on her own, after all this time, the one next to her still hadn''t said her name. She wanted to wish her a warm Merry Christmas too from the bottom of her heart after all she had done but what to do ? As snowkes started to fall from the stars, the ck haired girl, having guessed the problem, finally gave the name she was waiting for.


    "Aihara, Aihara Freya"


    "Merry Christmas...F-Freya..."


    The princess of Elysium had no idea why she was in Tokyo or even that she was in this city that was so different from where she came from but it didn''t matter. She hade by chance, alone in the cold, scared, lost and left to her own and yet it was once again in an alley that Shiro had met Freya. Once again, it was her who had saved her and as the princess felt her eyes close from fatigue...she was happy.


    "You too Shiro, merry christmas"


    "T-Thanks...m...mo...momm..."


    _________


    "Shiro !!! Shiro, are you okay ??"


    "Huh ? Wh..."


    "You weren''t answering so I went upstairs and found you lying on your carpet, are...are you sure everything is okay ? You''re not hurt ?"


    As Shiro opened her eyes slowly, she noticed that she was in her room exactly where she had fallen, far away from Tokyo. The Empress her mother was leaning over her with a worried look on her face that didn''t really go with the Christmas hat on her head. Nodding hers, the Princess stood up before being carried by Freya who now had a sweet smile on her face, far from imagining what had happened.


    "Come on my little moon, everyone is waiting for us~"


    Without waiting a second longer, the she-wolf put the hat on her daughter''s little head who was already wagging her tail at the idea of finally not having missed anything. Soon they were both walking through therge hallway on the top floor towards the living room where the whole family was already gathered. As Freya finally pushed open the tworge doors, Shiro couldn''t help but make a smallment not forgetting what she had been through.


    "I''m sure you''ll eat a lot of caramel cupcakes hihi~"


    "Eh ? H-How do you know that ?"


    The moment her daughter had said those words, the Empress had stopped, distant memories of her past suddenly assaulting her out of nowhere. How could her daughter have guessed what she always ate alone every Christmas when she was on Earth ? However, seeing that the little one kept her lips sealed with a small mocking smile, the she-wolf decided to let it go, pinching her nose gently before opening the door.


    "Alright, keep your secrets, little brat! fufu~"


    There awaited Gaya, Kira, Ka, Tyle, Alta?s and Angel who were all sitting on the couch already well into eating and drinking in a festive atmosphere. Arge fir tree was set up right behind and a softforting fire was crackling in the firece for a warm atmosphere. As Freyaid her daughter on the floor, Kira took the opportunity to slip very quietly near Shiro and ask her the question that intrigued her the most.


    "So ? I didn''t find anything on my side but you...did you finally have an idea for a gift ?"


    Without a word, the little Princess nced out the window where the moon shone high in the ck winter sky, lighting up the entire Empire with its white rays. In fact she had not found what to give to her mother, but she had realized that in life everything was not only material. So, thinking to the younger Freya and shaking her head with a smile, Shiro then pronounced the moral she had learned a little while ago triggering a proud and moved smile from her aunt.


    "The greatest gift is to be together auntie, I''m sure that''s what Mommy wants more than anything"


    __________


    [N/A: Drawing of this final scene, posted on my discord~ yes for the first time there is a drawing of the whole imperial family fufu~ go check it or cry about it]

 Chapter 259 Arrival At Destination

    - POV Freya -


    Since Shiro had that nightmare she didn''t talk much, the whole morning she had spent looking out of the window without saying a word. Usually her sweet and cute little voice would have filled the atmosphere but this time everything was silent. No one asked when we were going to arrive dozens and dozens of times, which was a shame because for once I could answer "soon".


    We had been on the road for a week, Commander Luna and her toon should have already reached the capital named Zal and started the operation. The order of the mission was : radio silence for a month, except in case of extreme emergency so everyone was busy with their mission. Luna among the humans, the other section leaders in Elysium preparing the invasion while the imperial family headed south to Vancesia.


    After meeting Jade Wolfury, who happened to be a fallen vampire Queen, I was intrigued by her story, not only because of her title but also because of my instincts. Why was she hiding among humans ? Why did she feel a certain hold from me ? And still so many questions ran through my head, only slightly eased by our conversation after that night of judgment at the coliseum.


    I now knew a small part of her story, that Jade had spent over a hundred years traveling across countries in search of someone. Someone who would allow her to return to her Kingdom and reim the title of Queen after revoking her disqualification. From what I understood, vampire queens came and went over the years, destined to be exiled from birth until one of thempleted the quest.


    So the ginger vampire had spent her life forging herself through roads and countries, learning and growing stronger from humans. Having learned to feed on animal blood and ordinary food, she had eventually blended in with the masses, bing one of the most powerful Knights of Zal. All of Jade''s actions were aimed at investigating and finding this important person I didn''t know about.


    She couldn''t tell me more, but she knew who was authorized to tell me what I wanted to know, and we were headed straight for him right now. This is why we had left the Empire, to find and enter the hidden Realm of the Vampires. Located in the south of Vancesia, we finally arrived at our destination without knowing if we would be able to get the answers to our many questions.


    Jade had agreed to guide us there even though we didn''t know if we would be able to enter, but ording to her there was a chance. This person that her people were looking for intrigued me, as much as her blood attracted me for some reason I didn''t know. The vampire also felt this almost imperceptible and strange bond especially since I seemed to have an instinctive hold on her, even more entuated in my demon form.


    It was also for this reason that Jade had agreed to lead me and my family to the ce she had left years ago. Besides, as a prisoner of war, she didn''t have much of a choice, so we might as well get along even on our own ount. So we had been gone for a week and this heavy silence was finally broken by the voice of the one beside me holding the reins of the carriage.


    "We are arriving..."


    "How long ?"


    "Ten minutes."


    Miss Wolfuri for thisst day was leading the convoy as it sailed through what appeared to be the bottom of an abandoned canyon. We were surrounded by dry, hostile old rocks that rose proudly around us to the gray, threatening afternoon sky. A mist was gradually enveloping us as we disappeared into the middle of this natural and undoubtedly thousand-year-old fort.


    "When we arrive at the entrance, I would ask your Highness to say nothing and let me speak. We''ll only have one chance to enter all together, if we fail I''m afraid we''ll have to go back to where we came from, is that okay ?"


    "..."


    "It must be said that you don''t go unnoticed in terms of...power ahem, it might be quite tense"


    In a final tip Jade exined what she was most worried about so after nodding, I decided to suppress all my aura I could. Very quickly at the rxation of the shoulders of the one next to me and the twins in front of the carriage, I guessed that a very big pressure had disappeared. The next moment I also felt my wife, Kira, Ka, June and May retract their aura so that we looked like a harmless group.


    "I-...nevermind"


    Without saying another word, the vampire tightened her grip on Inferno and Pearl''s reins as I felt the smell of her stress invade my very sensitive nostrils. Soon we came to a ce where the rocks around us became tighter and tighter, leaving us no choice. Either we decided to go forward or backward but it was impossible to choose another option than these two, already enclosed by these natural mountains.


    Only the noise of the convoy resounded, bouncing against the rock that began to form natural pirs where pebbles in the form of giant teaus were arranged. Thus, the light disappeared little by little from our road, hiding it in the shadow of the sun and its hot rays. There was no wind, everything was calm but I felt a powerful mana enveloping us as we advanced without knowing its source.


    "They''re here."


    Jade didn''t need to say these words to me since besides the surrounding powerful mana, I had also felt the presence of several people watching us. They seemed to have arrived shortly after concealing our auras and had finally decided to show themselves. Three people then appeared in front of our horses dressed as simple vigers but I knew they were the ones standing guard.


    "Strangers are not wee here, go back to where you came from if you don''t want to get into trouble and I''m serious"


    Just like our guide we met during the war, they had pointed ears and two long canines protruding slightly from their mouths. I could feel the presence of other guards watching us from further away, but I decided to say nothing and let Jade handle the situation. The man who had spoken had not shouted but had intensified his killing intent to scare us but that was without counting the one next to me who then stood up.


    "What a strange way to greet your Queen...fallen for sure, but still Queen. Let us pass I have to deal with the Priest and this is not a request, it''s an order"


    The young redheaded woman had removed her hood and finally revealed her face freezing the three vampires in front of us in shock. From what I understood, seeing her here was something exceptional and unheard of considering the duty she had been given since birth. Yet Queen Jade was there, and while the others were silent, the man managed to formte some questions despite his totally muddled mind.


    "M-My Queen...you here ? Would that mean you havepleted your mission ? But then who...who are these people with you and I-..."


    "That is none of your business, as I told you I have business with the Priest and this time I will not repeat it. Open the passage"


    It was true that an unknown convoy had entered theirnd counting individuals hidden under hoods, it was suspicious. Yet the very presence of Jade seemed to change everything, simple guards could not disobey despite her fallen title. After many long seconds of hesitation, the man stepped back before beginning to whisper words, making a giant red magic circle filled with mana appear between him and us.


    Without another word, the one beside me drove the carriage forward followed by the two sisters June and May sitting on their own mount. As we all stood in the center, suddenly a jet of light shot out from the figures of the circle and enveloped us in a blinding beam. I had never seen or experienced this before and I didn''t have time to understand that the next second thendscape around us had already changedpletely.


    "But this is..."


    "A teleportation spell using runes, the specialty of my race."


    In an instant we found ourselves in a huge ce that seemed to be a city built underground, huge and very dark. Mana stones illuminated the different passages, bridges, streets and houses, but I had the impression that I was in a kind of dungeon. The most incredible thing was that dragons seemed to fly from the ceiling which was very high and even live in holes in the walls around the city.


    *So this is...the Vampires Realm*


    "We cohabit with dragons of all races in order to survive underground with all the food we need. It''s not umon to see peoples doing this, especially when the threat and human strength has been growing for several years."


    A whole race seemed to live underground, hidden from humans for thousands of years between these dark, ck rocks. The air was surprisingly clean and as we stepped ashore I couldn''t help but wonder how their society worked. We had been teleported to the bottom of this huge underground cave in front of a veryrge castle that looked very much like a gothic style cathedral.


    It was a marvelous building nked by a multitude of towers and turrets built of gray stone that was moldy from the humidity. It was old but soaring to the ceiling with grace, gargoyles of fantastical creatures positioned at the top for added ss. The tworge ck wooden doors in front of us were also beautiful and as it opened, Jade slipped behind me to speak.


    "The Priest is the only one authorized to tell you about our history and especially our quest. I brought you here as nned because you intrigue me as much as I intrigue you but I advise you to be careful. Here we don''t like strangers and even though I am the rightful Queen of this people, the Priest is the one and only messenger of our Goddess."


    "Goddess ?"


    "I cannot say more, it is not my role"


    The Vampires seemed to have apletely different culture with definite roles and rules that she wanted to respect despite the high position she had. Everyone was out of the carriage, the faces were mostly worried and that was normal considering where we were. But I wasn''t going to let anything happen to them and I also knew that unlike the humans, Jade''s people weren''t going to be hostile if we weren''t.


    "Shiro, Angel, stay close to Lia, Ka, Kira and her two soldiers. We are all staying together so don''t be afraid~"


    As I stroked Inferno''s fiery mane, I could see Gaya reassuring the children though concern could also be seen in her eyes very slightly. It is true that I had imagined the Realm differently and more weing but it was important to discover new ces to better understand the world. While I was making the ice bird that Shiro liked so much appear to calm her, the doors finally opened with a big thud.


    For the first time, I decided to stand at the back, letting Jade and Gaya lead the group so that my presence would not be assumed to be hostile. Ka and Kira were on the sides, each apanied by a twin, while Lia was in the center with the children. It was time to meet this famous Priest and thus find out if once again my instincts had not deceived me about my connection to this race.


    "Let''s go."


    Starting to move forward, leaving behind our belongings and our horses, we passed through the gates which immediately closed behind us. Then, one by one, torches lit up on the walls creating a path that went straight to the back of therge room where a shape was taking form at the back. It was dark, but I could see almost as if it were daylight, and next to this figure, a stone statue stood on a pure gold base.


    It represented a young vampire girl with short hair, asleep next to a very small dragon that did not seem to be an earthling but of another race given the single horn it had on its forehead. The girl was barefoot, in a dress and immediately reminded me of a loli straight out of mangas and animes of my old life. I didn''t know who she was but this statue must have been very important given where she was.


    "Never in my lifetime would I have thought to see a Queen dare to return to her city without having done her duty...what are you doing here, your Majesty ?"


    Suddenly, a rather soft but usatory voice began to echo from the end of the room as the figure finally emerged from the gloom, it was the famous Priest. He was tall, wore half-moon sses, had long ck hair and eyes of the same color. Dressed in a Victorian style suit, he was quite handsome and seemed harmless if we did not pay attention to Jade''s expression which had changed.


    We were finally in front of the Vampire Priest in the middle of their territory and the negotiation could finally begin and I was going to stop at nothing to get some answers. Although the atmosphere was tense, we had promised each other to be diplomatic and not to create problems. However, little did I know that the promise I had made to keep my cool would be instantly shattered in the next few minutes.


    [End of this Arc]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon<novelnext></novelnext>


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 260 A Suicidal Proposal

    - POV General -


    "Never in my lifetime would I have thought to see a Queen dare to return to her city without having done her duty...what are you doing here, your Majesty ?"


    At the other end of the room, the figure that had been standing in the shadows finally emerged while making his voice echo through the huge ce. Despite his words, the Priest gave no hint of surprise advancing slowly towards the group still far from him near the doors. His ck eyes stared at them more out of curiosity than fear as he felt no truly dangerous aura without knowing that was the point.


    "You didn''te alone I see..."


    "Magnus..."


    "Your Majesty with all due respect, bringing outsiders here is against thews of the Kingdom and it is not just one but a whole group. I hope you have a good reason because if not..."


    Suddenly stopping cautiously, he scanned the group once more with his eyes over his sses catching a glimpse in more detail of who he was dealing with. Jade who was in front said nothing knowing she had only one chance to convince him to listen. As Queen, even if she was fallen, she had the authority, but she did not deviate from the rules unless she could prove that it was an exception.


    Behind her, Gaya listened silently, ncing discreetly at those behind her, especially at her children, ready to react at any moment. The others did the same except for Freya who had her eyes fixed on Priest Magnus almost hidden in the shadows. Moving slowly they had all stopped in the middle of the room only a few meters from the man as Jade got into the thick of things.


    "Magnus, these people are from another country west of Vancesia, I guided them here so you could tell them our story. I have no idea if they are rted to the mission but...I''m sure there''s something else so I was hoping your knowledge would help me."


    "A little girl, a little boy and two babies. Have you lost your mind ? I would judge that for myself, so who are they ?"


    The Priest''s voice had be more usatory as he didn''t understand why his Queen had returned and on top of that bringing tourists. For this traditionalist, what was happening was nonsense having decided from the beginning to be reluctant whatever her arguments were. Jade could feel it and so could everyone else in the room, but as she was about to introduce them, the manpletely changed his behavior.


    "I already introduce you Ga-..."


    "I-...I know who she is...how...you..."


    His ck eyes had begun to glow intensely the moment he had set them on Gaya, who had taken a few steps forward out of respect. As if there was no one around, Magnus was almost paralyzed, his body trembling slightly for some as yet unknown reason. With a shocked face, after several seconds he finally continued where he had stopped just before, observing the dragoness from every possible and unimaginable angle.


    "How can I not recognize the Mother of the earth dragons in person, Gaya the dragoness with the deadly roar, the one and only survivor of her n. Hair as crimson as the setting sun and eyes as amber as the brightest of gems. There is no doubt about it..."


    Under the spell of the speechless Queen, the vampire pulled his sses up on top of his head now wearing a big smile. His skin was very white but it was almost as if he was blushing, his cheeks tinged with a very slight pink color that was difficult to perceive. The Priest was now a few steps away from Gaya when suddenly he remembered his manners approaching a little closer to her to formally introduce himself.


    "But sorry what was I thinking, I present myself, Magnus Archibald Priest of the Vampire Realm and steward in the Queen''s absence. Pleased to meet you~ But if I may ask, have youe to see your fellow dragons ?"


    Magnus had dropped to his knees in front of Gaya and after grabbing her right hand had brought it gracefully to his mouth to kiss it with respect and delicacy. At that moment, Shiro and Angel behind had had the same reaction, sticking their tongues out in disgust not understanding why he was doing this. Kira and Ka had as for them thrown a discreet nce towards Freya who had still not said anything, observing in silence but not forgetting anything of his gestures.


    The man had immediately spoken about the dragons because it was for him the principal reason of her presence, havingpletely ulted those who wondered what was happening. His attention was monopolized by the dragoness who was the most stunned by the situation unable to ce a single sentence in front of his enthusiasm. However she tried to answer not without being cut once again by his ardour well moved.


    "I, well..."


    "Or perhaps youe because you have heard of our disagreements from her Majesty and wish to help ? So these people with you are your servants ? Aaah as expected from a woman as beautiful as she is strong ! However...I-...I don''t see a man, are you...by any chance s-single ?"


    "I-...I don''t have a husband no but..."


    "W-Would this be a dream ? You are...so gorgeous and your legend in thend of Vancesia precedes you, what an honor to see you before me...I-...have you ever thought of marriage ? Forgive me ahem in any case, I would be delighted to invite you to my quarters to tell you about our Realm and the many dragons that live within it~"


    As the Priest finished his sentence he suddenly felt a wave of cold air invade the room without really knowing where it came from since they were underground. However he seemed far too full of illusions to care, busy courting away from propriety. For Jade it was too much, concerned about the reaction of the one all behind, finally interposed with fear, shock and disappointment regarding the man.


    "Magnus what is wrong with you ?"


    "Am I a fool to consider a good understanding between our races through a marriage with two powerful beings ?"


    "It happens that her Majesty Gaya is..."


    The ginger vampire didn''t have time to answer as the dragoness had raised her gloved hand to cut her off finally ready to answer for herself past the shock of this request. Magnus had frowned intrigued by the words "her Majesty" pronounced by his Queen. Moving back slightly he waited for the continuation which did not dy to arrive from the mouth of the one to whom he had implicitly asked in marriage.


    "Your ttery is very interesting but it happens that I am already married, I have no husband but I already share my life with someone else and in terms of power I am sure that she has nothing to envy you"


    Gaya had spoken with a sure voice, soft but firm as usual, plunging in turn her amber eyes in those ck of the vampire. She had also shown the ring she wore on her left hand, which he had not seen too excited by this chance encounter. Gaya the Mother of Dragons was married ? To whom ? As Magnus scanned the rest of the group more carefully, he saw no being capable of matching his own power.


    "I see. So this person is not afraid of losing you since she sent you here alone without a really decent guard and even with children, how bold. My proposal doesn''t change dear Gaya but I can''t abuse more about it, please excuse my behaviour I will...wh-...!"


    Frustrated by this sudden revtion sending his ns for a political marriage up in smoke, the vampire had knelt down again to kiss the hand of the dragoness. He who had not totally given up the idea to charm her was then suddenly stopped. He had not had time to finish his gesture that a hand had grabbed his from nowhere causing his surprise while he stepped back looking at the person who had appeared.


    "H-How dare a bodyguard touch me ??? Get off me and back off !!"


    "Just now you were talking about me, I couldn''t help but intervene so here I am"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Freya had finally shown up not wanting to see this charade go on for a second longer feeling a sense of possessiveness growing with every second. So far she had held back so as not to create any problem but in the end she had not managed tost more than five minutes. At this moment Magnus outraged had almost fallen to the ground not understanding at all what she wanted to talk about and especially why she had interrupted him.


    "Who are you ? How dare you interrupt me ?!"


    "Me ? I''m the one who watched you try to seduce my wife for far too long"


    "Y-Your wife ? Aren''t you a...a bodyguard ?"


    Having hidden her true power from the beginning, the Priest only took her for a person under Gaya''s orders which exined his reaction. However, the Empress had intervened, cing herself between her wife and him, staring at the man intensely with her purple eyes. At this moment she was doing what she could to contain herself but the simple idea of knowing that he had even considered marrying her dragoness, made her very angry.


    "I-I can''t believe she was talking about you just now...stop these lies !"


    Just as he finished his sentence, another more powerful gust of icy wind surged into the room but this time Magnus knew from where. In front of him, the hood of the one still holding his wrist hade off, revealing a face he never imagined would be so beautiful. Crossed with demonic tattoos as ck as her hair, horns carved on either side of her forehead and wolf ears perched on top of her head.


    ? Freya didn''t smile, her violet eyes only glowing with a dangerous gleam as her hand unconsciously squeezed the wrist she was holding a little tighter. At that moment, disturbed by the beauty of the young woman and by her strength, the vampire unconsciously released his aura to make her move back. In another gust, a ck veil came out of him while he jumped a few meters away with a satisfied and haughty smile.


    However, contrary to what he had imagined, this did not make the she-wolf move back, raising an eyebrow barely shaken by this sudden power. In fact she replied immediately by releasing a little of her aura making a blood red onee out right in his direction while she was stepping forward. A secondter, the lenses of the Priest''s sses cracked under the pressure making him once again recoil speechless.


    "YOUR HIGHNESS !"


    "FREYA !"


    Jade and Gaya who had both been pushed back a little further by the impact of their shing auras were trying to reason with the she-wolf but without sess. As if nothing else existed, she continued to advance slowly towards the vampire who retaliated by releasing a little more of his aura. His smile had disappeared while without waiting she did the same, finally exploding the lenses of his sses for good.


    Her power had increased without warning, the walls of the room began to tremble, caught in a red tornado, icy, dense and unstoppable. Her aura seemed to growl, to roar, and behind Freya appeared as a blurred demonic face, smiling in a frightening way. The others could only watch this power struggle and hope that they would be able to stop before it really got out of hand.


    "We agree on one thing, Magnus..."


    Suddenly, Freya''s voice sounded again as she moved closer to him, who was too stunned to understand how it had all gone so far so fast. Her tone wasmanding, cold, authoritative making the vampire tremble the moment she had spoken his name. The Priest''s heart was pounding, the feeling of oppression was intense almost taking his breath away as he waited for the next partpletely paralyzed.


    "This dragoness is the most gorgeous of all the women I have ever met in my life but..."


    "..."


    "...she. is. MY. wife."


    The moment she had said thosest words very slowly, the powerful red aura in the room instantly disappeared leaving Freya facing Magnus. While behind Gaya had begun to blush, the two remained motionless for long seconds. They watched each other as if trying to read each other''s souls before finally the man looked down before looking up at Jade trying to hide the fact that he had been afraid for his life.


    "I...ahem...they..."


    "You are in the presence of Her Highness Freya Nightshade, Empress of the Elysium Empire located in thend of Zal, her wife Her Majesty Gaya Nightshade Queen of the Empire and their families."


    "That..."


    The fallen Queen''s statement finished to make Magnus even more confused than he already was. Empress ? Queen ? Never had he imagined receiving such high ranking people, he would have been careful not to act as he had. The Elysium Empire didn''t mean anything to him, but the she-wolf''s power alone that he had just discovered and the known power of the dragoness were enough to convince him immediately.


    Turning his head towards the back of the room, he was now looking more attentively at the rest even if his vision was a bit blurred after what he had experienced. The Priest then discovered with amazement the face of Kira, Ka, June and May with a smile in the corner far from having been afraid of his aura. It was at that moment that he understood that this group was hiding its power and that they should not be underestimated or made angry.


    After all, they hade with Queen Jade who had trusted them enough to bring them here for a still unknown and mysterious reason. She had spoken of the mission that was passed down through generations of leaders, could they be rted to the person they were looking for ? The vampire was thinking about so many things and his reason gradually beginning to return was not long in putting him back on the right path.


    "I see. In that case...I apologize to all of you for such a disrespectful scene I showed you. I still don''t know why you are here but if you can help us, I would be happy to share my knowledge with you."


    After much thought, Magnus who always put the good of his people before his own discarded any resentment or anger. The power of this young woman was intriguing and if it was rted to his race''s quest then he would not hesitate to get down on his knees to apologize. The Empress had sensed this personality trait in him and that''s why she had only wanted to warn him in a rather...direct way.


    In spite of these very unpromising beginnings, the vampire and the she-wolf knew that they needed each other or at least that this sudden meeting could change something. The two needed no more words to put aside what had happened and focus on their goals. Faced with a willingness and respect worthy of the vampire he was, the Empress sketched a slight smile before speaking less coldly.


    "Freya Nightshade, Empress of Elysium...pleased to meet you Priest Magnus~"


    In an instant the atmosphere had changed which seemed impossible after that suicidal proposal and yet it had. Just like Jade long before him, the man had felt his blood boiling when Freya had conjured up her aura, there was definitely an exnation. It was as if she had triggered an old instinct buried deep inside him, he wanted to know, so...smiling in turn, bowed graciously before answering.


    "It is a pleasure as well your Highness~"


    [N/A : End of this arc]

 Chapter 261 The Stranger From Elsewhere I

    - POV General -


    Now that the introductions were made, Freya, those with her and the Priest were finally ready to talk, still ignoring who they were. Everything had happened very quickly and in a different situation the vampire would have undoubtedly lost his life after his proposal. However, the Empress needed him and had decided to forget about this scene, trusting in his rank and the respect he had for his people.


    As for her family, they thought it had been a while since they had seen Freya really angry like when she enjoyed torture on the battlefield. This time it wasn''t even a quarter of her power and they all couldn''t help but tremble at the thought. What would happen if this she-wolf were to release all her power, she who kept evolving at a mind-boggling and inordinate speed.


    After all, the reason they were all in this room right now was because Jade and the Empress wanted to find out if the story of one could help the other. And then, even if it didn''t, the ruler of Elysium was looking to make connections with other races given her n. The domination of the continent was not for tomorrow but if there was one thing that was sure, she always managed to be one step ahead.


    This little visit to the Realm of the Vampires was not a waste of time anyway, the group had a month before they had to leave. They still had a lot to discover and it started at this precise moment in front of this vampire who was the only one who could talk about the quest of the Queens. Now that things had calmed down, Jade was ready to exin everything sure that she had his attention, which he confirmed.


    "Magnus, as I told you..."


    "Don''t worry, I understand now why you came back your Majesty, I only needed a few seconds to feel it but I felt it. Yes, that power that vibrated my whole being in an instant..."


    Turning to the unmoving she-wolf, Magnus felt goosebumps creep over him as he remembered perfectly what she had awakened in him. He had to hear her story, it was like a necessity, his curiosity bubbling up in a way it hadn''t in hundreds of years. However, intuition was good, but the vampire didn''t forget to remain suspicious all the same, saying words he feltpelled to say.


    "Before that, how can I be sure I can trust you ?"


    He had not addressed the Empress of Elysium or his Queen this time, but those who had been standing a little behind and silent since the beginning. He stared at Ka in particr, who was the only human to have entered this Kingdom since its creation, which was normally inconceivable. Yet it was not she who answered as another almost singing voice then resounded with firmness, sincerity and of course seriousness.


    "My wife and I are apanied by our direct family and our most loyal subordinates, if Freya has your trust then so do the others. We havee in person to represent Elysium and as my wife has proven to you, we do not seek conflict in any way...simply the truth."


    Gaya, who had made a point of showing herself as Queen of the Empire and not under the title of Mother of Dragons, had spoken with all the poise she was known for. Her eyes had not wavered once and it was enough to plunge her gaze in his to understand that it was the truth. Sighing with relief at this determination, Magnus then nodded before raising his arm pointing to a door behind the statue.


    "Very well...then follow me, we will be morefortable talking in the other space"


    The long ck haired vampire then headed to the ce he had designated followed by Jade and finally the group that came from the Dark Forest. The veryrge room was crossed then the door also giving a pleasantly decorated living room far from the gloomy and dark atmosphere which they had left. The colors were warm and it was so impossible to tell they were underground that Kira couldn''t help but speak out loud.


    "This is...different from what I had imagined..."


    "Why is that ? Perhaps you were hoping to see a coffin, skulls and chalices filled with still warm human blood ?"


    "Well..."


    "Hahaha~ then Miss you would be surprised to know that vampires don''t necessarily fit those kinds of clich¨¦s"


    The room was decorated with refined nts, the floor was made of bamboo-like flooring and the lighting was made of shiny stones that sucked in the surrounding mana. The walls were still made of cold, wet stone but a small fountain of spring water flowed peacefully at the back. All this gave a very zen and calm atmosphere far from the tastes that Kira had imagined for this vampire that she saw as a creepy and weird guy.


    "Please sit down~"


    In the middle of the room, arge square coffee table surrounded by cushions to sit around reminded Freya immediately of Japan. A wave of nostalgia washed over her as she turned to Lia, beckoning her to stay with the children already intrigued by the room. Then, it was apanied by her wife, her sisters and the twins June May that the she-wolf was finally going to sit in front of Magnus who was not long to enter the heart of the subject.


    "What exactly do you want from me ?"


    "Tell us the history of this ce, the history of your people and how it was built on the quest that is passed down from Queen to Queen through time."


    The she-wolf too had gotten into the thick of things knowing full well how tricky what she was asking was, especially as an outsider from another country. It had all started from a simple feeling aroused by her fight with Jade during the war and then intensified by their private discussion that came after. The Empress may have been going by instinct, but her request was no less serious.


    "I guess we''ll have plenty of time to talk about you after..."


    "Think of it as a diplomatic meeting between two peoples that can bring as much to either of us no matter how the questions are answered"


    "F-Fine"


    Freya was right, they were moving forward a bit blindly but whatever the conclusion of this meeting, it could still be beneficial. From that simple phrase, without even mentioning war or domination Magnus understood what those words meant: an alliance. Why ? He didn''t know yet, but now that they hade so far he couldn''t remain silent, so straightening up and nodding his head, he was ready to speak.


    "I couldn''t tell you exactly when our n was born but as far back as I can remember, the Vampires of Vancesia have always lived in hiding. Our race is seen as one of the most dangerous by mankind, like the dragons or those who can change their shape. Since the dawn of time we have been hunted down and killed, but this became worse after the period that humans call the Age of Extinction"


    At his words, Ka, who still hadn''t ovee the guilt, looked down, knowing full well who was responsible for those dark times. No one had med her for this, the Empress knew how humans reproduced the same pattern no matter the world. Yet the ancient Goddess of Time had sped things up and as she listened carefully, painful memories surfaced.


    "The Age of Extinction gave rise to a whole host of massacres and genocides in the name of security, driving vampires and other races further into hiding. This was thousands of years ago, but our ancestors have redoubled their efforts to go deeper and deeper underground. As time went on, the small vige became a city that grew a little more with each arrival thanks to a massive exodus."


    What the Priest was describing was what was happening right now in Elysium, an exodus brought on by the Empire''s victory in the war against Zal''s army. In the end, nothing had changed, the humans dominated and the other hunted races continued to run for their lives and their future. Once again this world seemed cursed, stuck in a downward spiral where the roles could not be reversed.


    Whatever the era, nothing at all changed, fear, selfishness, and humanity''s desire for power had converged on a single goal: to get rid of the others. What Ka had provoked had certainly been a trigger and fuel for this hatred but the result would have been the same. That reality was frightening and as Magnus took a deep breath, he turned his head to the thing right behind him.


    "And then...it was after many hundreds of years that she once arrived"


    "Who ?"


    "The one my people called ''The Stranger from elsewhere''..."


    Just behind him was a statue like the one in therge room next door, a little smaller but this time different, standing on a stone pedestal. The same girl with short hair, bare feet and dressed in a dress stood with an angelic smile on her face. Yet, on this statue she had two feathered wings spread out on her back giving her the true appearance of an angel descended from the heavens.


    "A young girl, who didn''t look over 15, came out of nowhere, not belonging to the vampire race or any race we know of. In fact, to tell you the truth, she had magical and physical characteristics from several races. This stranger had ck bird wings but also vampire canines or maybe it was something else, either way we never knew..."


    The Priest spoke slowly, everyone was hanging on his lips, listening to the story with great attention and an almost childlike curiosity. Even Shiro and Angel had stopped ying with the water in the fountain to lie on the ground and listen to what the vampire had to say. Freya even caught herself bing impatient, asking a question out loud that she had actually thought a little too loudly.


    "What did she want ?"


    "She said her name was V, looking for someone who could manipte blood, the person to whom she had devoted her entire life, her existence and her soul. That''s why she had decided toe here, where thergest gathering of blood maniptors on the continent was...our city. Intrigued by V, our King at the time let her in and from then on everything changed because it was this decision that marked a turning point for our race"


    "..."


    "It turned out that Lady V may have looked like a child, but she was very powerful, perhaps even more powerful than the King himself. She had many secrets and it is true that we know little, but her actions spoke for herself. Lady V mastered everything, the art ofbat, magic, chemistry, magic circles, botany, agriculture and above all politics. In no time the life of the city changed radically, bing much more prosperous, powerful, and developing in every way"


    Shiro who always listened with passion, had suddenly the ears that began to wriggle, she who since her nightmare had be morose. Hearing that a young girl could be so powerful lifted her spirits and helped her fight the demons of that night when she had been helpless. So it was with a smile gradually forming on her face, that the little Princess looked forward to the rest of the story.


    "At the same time, as she had gained the trust, respect and admiration of an entire people, her quest was serious especially as it concerned us. This person that Lady V was looking for was a being capable of manipting blood, a person with power beyond the bloodline of the Royal one. For us such a being did not exist but our trust in her was unfathomable to the point that for us she was our Goddess."


    At that moment, in the eyes of the Priest could be read sadness and nostalgia, he who knew the story by heart and especially its end. No one dared to speak because everyone felt that he was about to announce the end, what had happened ? What was that statue on the other side, standing on a golden pedestal ? So many questions but still silence reigned as he finally continued almost as a whisper.


    "Unfortunately one day, Lady V was found in her quarters frozen like a stone statue next to this little unknown dragon. I wasn''t born then and I think you know how long a vampire can live...so her disappearance was over a thousand years ago..."


    The more he spoke, the more the others finally understood what he was getting at, understanding how painful the loss of a loved one could be. This V was a stranger from elsewhere but she had managed to make herself epted and despite herself seen as a Goddess by this people. Freya understood this better than anyone else and knew that the fate of the Vampire Realm had also taken a turn at this particr moment in its history.


    "During this year, everyone has been looking for a way to free her, not only to thank her for all she has done but also because she was our savior. But nothing could free her from the curse, so the person that Lady V was looking for became obvious. If there was one person who could save her, it was this being and no one else..."


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :<novelnext></novelnext>


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 262 The Stranger From Elsewhere II

    - POV General -


    In the Japanese-style room hidden behind the main hall of what seemed to be a cathedral, the Priest continued his story. He had evene to the end, ending with how this V had gotten trapped in stone without anyone noticing. Who ? When ? How ? It was an unbearable riddle, but the vampire hadn''t given up hope, knowing more or less what it took to get answers.


    "It was obvious, we in turn had to search for this mysterious person who could free Lady V no matter how long it took. No matter who it was we decided to follow them, the one whose blood power surpasses the Royal lineage, the very Master of the one we see as a Goddess."


    Magnus stopped there in total silence, letting his entire audience recover from the thrilling story he had told. Of course there were more details to it all but for now it was the broad outlines to be fleshed outter in conversation. It was the first time that he shared this story and it was false to say that it had not made him a small pinch in the heart, invaded of some doubts in front of this unthinkable choice.


    During several seconds, the vampire looked at the group in front of him unable to say anything more submerged by the emotion. He hid it well but not enough for the eyes of Freya which fixed him and seemed to read in his soul the least of his secrets. It had not taken her more information to understand the heart of the quest finally deciding to speak addressing not only Magnus but Jade too.


    "So you''ve been making her quest yours all these years, sending the Queens in search of them, all having one thing inmon, their Royal Blood element."


    "Exactly. For hundreds of years Lady V has helped my people in every way, making sure that they didn''t disappear even in the darkest of times. At the same time she was always looking for that blood maniptor, convinced that they were out there somewhere. Unfortunately that time is over and the one who brought us everything...is no more"


    For the Empress, her wife and sisters, it was pretty clear, this V was a different being for sure even if they didn''t know everything about this world. Yet there were still some grey areas, a binder, the information that would put it all together like thest piece of a puzzle. The answer seemed obvious but was it really that easy ? What connected her to all this ? After all, even as Lucifer, manipting blood didn''t make her the chosen one.


    Freya hade all the way here because she wanted to find out the origin of this instinctive attraction the Vampire Queen had provoked since their meeting. It all seemed to be blood-rted, but she needed a little more insight to draw a satisfactory conclusion. Whatever the case, the she-wolf had been interested in this story and in the perspective of a future alliance, was looking to learn more in the case of a possible help from Elysium.


    The world had already begun to change since her arrival and the bnce of things was being reversed for the first time ever. The Empress needed allies for the next phase of her ns, it was time to do more than just expand her Empire. It was time to find those who may have given up a life of freedom, but who could make a difference...which is also why Freya hade personally.


    Under the guise of a family trip, even as the Commanders ignored it, she was slowly putting her pieces in ce on the chessboard that was the Continent. The threat was everywhere, some known like the Supreme, but others were not, lurking in the shadows. That''s why the Imperial couple had taken their children on a journey that might have seemed dangerous at first nce during those dark times.


    Now that they had finally arrived safe at their destination, the Empress could concentrate on her objective, which was to find out more about this V. The atmosphere was heavy because the subject was serious but that did not impress her and did not prevent her from thinking. So, after a few seconds the she-wolf raised her head again to ask without any detour the only questions that were turning in her head without respite.


    "But tell me, how did you n to recognize this mysterious person and how can you be sure that they can free her from this strange curse ? I guess the very way to break it is not even a sure thing"


    At her questions, the vampire grabbed his sses to put them on the tip of his nose to think, having forgotten that the lenses had been broken not long ago. It was strange for him and he found himself revealing many things to people he didn''t know at all. Yet they had been brought here by the Queen herself and for the moment that was enough, keeping in the corner of his head not to forget their information to them.


    "Well, all this time we''ve been assuming that her release was blood rted or something else we don''t know about even now. As for how to recognize this person it''s simple, anyone with great blood power is a candidate"


    "I see"


    This simply meant that the Priest had no idea how to free V or even if it was possible which intrigued the Empress. She who saw several scenarios ying out in her head to carry out her n, after all they only had a month ahead of them. As Freya began to think, Magnus finally looked up with a serious look on his face, determined to learn more about them as agreed.


    "Now tell me... what does the history of the vampires of Vancesia have to do with a hybrid she-wolf and the Mother of earth Dragon s? What is the Elysium Empire ?"


    He still didn''t understand why Jade had agreed to bring them here, he didn''t know how they could help and was still a little suspicious. The man had answered the she-wolf''s questions but part of him still didn''t know if it was a mistake or not. Almost hypnotized by the presence of these two beings, he had let his guard down but wasn''t going to be caught off guard again and was now demanding answers.


    "I don''t know."


    The Empress'' immediate response left him speechless as did Jade who listened in silence, intrigued by the answer she was about to give. She knew a little more than the Priest but was still in the dark about Freya''s identity and what she wanted to aplish. The Fallen Queen did know one thing though, that her power was unfathomable to her despite her level and strength that was far beyond average.


    "I don''t know or at least I''m not sure yet, that said, since you told us your story then I''ll tell you mine but maybe showing you would be more effective"


    Without warning, the she-wolf slowly stood up before moving to the middle of the room without a word under the confused gaze of the long dark haired vampire. For some reason his heart had started to race and his breathing had be heavy as he watched. The young woman then closed her eyes, sending out another wave of cool wind from the mana she was releasing bit by bit so as not to create problems.


    Under everyone''s gaze her appearance started to change, her wolf ears and tail disappeared while her demon horns grew a little more. The beautiful demonic tattoos that were under her eyes began to move to cover her face a little more. Once again her ck hair changed to a bright blood red as her human ears became as pointed as those of the elf.


    Opening her eyelids slowly, Freya then revealed an iris that were no longer violet but the same color as her hair in front of a ck cornea. At this moment, Magnus could not believe his eyes, impressed by this change but also terrified by this spectacle. He was not at the end of his sorrows because it was not finished, the Empress was using her mana to show one of her elements.


    Blood came out of her fingers in the form of thick, moving threads as if they were each endowed with a consciousness. They had appeared at breakneck speed, now swirling around the room like a storm of threads capable of slicing through anything. Behind them, June and May, who were directly connected to her, had knelt down by instinct under her demon form, which even if iplete, awakened their loyalty as sins.


    Kira had managed to resist this sudden urge much more used to the presence of her older sister but the feeling was still strong. Gaya and Shiro watched in awe while Angel hid behind the little Princess with normal fear. Only Ka was watching the scene with tears in her eyes, tears caused by the vision of Lucifer reminding her once again that her little sister was alive and safe.


    The threads of blood twirling in the air were only level three but their power was undeniable especially when manipted by such a being. Freya had not revealed all of her power, but the aura in which the room was enveloped was unique, suffocating and terrifying. Magnus had never felt such a thing, her show of strength earlier had nothing to do with it, it was far too different, beyond imagination.


    "W-Who are you really ?"


    "I told you, Freya Nightshade, Empress of the Elysium Empire."


    In no way did the beautiful young woman n to reveal the secrets of her past, but since she manipted blood, he had to know. The two vampires in the room were unaware, however, that her element was Primordial Blood thus surpassing any type of element rted to it. After all, Lucifer was the Goddess of Blood and Death making Freya their original maniptor and thus the ancestor of all vampires on the Continent.


    "I-It''s you...your Highness...you are the one we have been waiting for...I-..."


    As the she-wolf made her threads of blood disappear and also returned to her usual form, Magnus had fallen to his knees unable to formte a sentence. His eyes were wet and turned towards her in the same way as a Goddess, with the hope of an entire existence. As if his whole life had taken on meaning for this very moment, the man was sure of it, until now no one had made him feel this way...it was her.


    Freya knowing her own past was also almost convinced but one question remained, who was this V who had been looking for her for so many years ? The Empress did not have all her memories but even Ka who remembered everything did not seem to recognize her. The chances that she was this mysterious person were high but there were still doubts which she was quick to exin to avoid any false hope.


    "I don''t im to be able to free your savior from her stone prison, in fact before listening to your story I didn''t know if my existence was linked to hers and I still don''t. However, I came here to establish diplomatic rtions and to understand the origin of my instinctive attraction to Royal blood"


    It was her entire instinct that had guided her here to the side of this fallen Queen taken prisoner during a bloody and violent war. Everything had led her to this quest and for Freya, who did not believe in fate, everything was falling perfectly into ce in a frightening way. She had one month, one month toplete her project and it was in this Realm of vampires that she would be able to evolve as Lucifer and as Empress.


    The she-wolf knew that from that moment on Jade and Magnus had ced all their hopes in her and she intended to use it for the good of her own people. The first objective was to gain their trust, which seemed to be done, then came the diplomatic discussion. Of course this statue thing was a priority as well but Freya had firste as the leader of an Empire and she didn''t want to forget that for her own personal gain.


    "I-I beg you, tell me your story."


    Lost in thought, the she-wolf wasing out of her reflective state when the trembling voice of the vampire sounded, feverish and pleading. Kneeling in front of her, he begged her with his hands sped on his chest as if he was making a prayer unable to look away. She did not say it but to see him like that brought a very great satisfaction to her taking well care to remain silent while fixing him during very long seconds.


    After all Freya had not forgotten how he had flirted with her wife and even if she hade with good intentions, her dark side wasing up. The man who had appeared so proud of himself, so assured of his power, was almost bowing down to learn more of her story. Seeing him like this made her shiver and while the urge to torture him a little crossed her mind, her wife who had sensed these intentions suddenly spoke up.


    "I''ll do it."


    Gaya had stood up in turn looking at her wife with squinted eyes warning her that this was not the time to be thinking about such things. Although she shared her feelings no matter what was going to happen Magnus and Jade could make powerful allies it should not be forgotten. So, as the Empress surrendered to her Queen, the beautiful dragoness having captured everyone''s attention then began her long tale from the very beginning.


    "It all began in a cave deep in the forest of Syn in thend of Zal..."


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer<novelnext></novelnext>


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 263 Planning For The Future

    - POV General -


    "I didn''t expect Priest Magnus to pass out before I even finished telling your story..."


    In a luxurious room adjacent to the Japanese lounge the imperial family was gathered to rest while the twins and Lia were in another, more modest room. The conversation between the Elysium group and the vampires had been cut short because halfway through the story the Dragon Queen was telling, Magnus had fainted. It was so sudden that the meeting had to be cut short and the family guided to a private resting ce.


    So, sitting on a couch breastfeeding her two babies, Gaya expressed how shocked she was at the turn of events. Freya beside her had been lost in thought for several minutes, not responding, leaving her two sisters to do it for her. Ka was bringing in drinks from whatever had been made avable to them while Kira was throwing herself into the couch after picking up an apple from the fruit stand.


    "I think it''s just too much information that made his brain kind of snap and then Freya put his mind to the test twice so it makes sense"


    "Mmmh but still *chomp* choming from an imminent vampire I echpected betcher. Oh fuck, thatch thfing ich good~ *chomp* yum~"


    The three-tailed fox had dropped the mask of the Commander, bing again this gluttonous and talkative, almost childish young woman. After a week''s journey, not counting the Doppelganger''s vige, they had traveled without respite, so it was good to settle down. Everything was going so fast, one day the war was over and the other they were in a Kingdom they didn''t know existed not even a month ago.


    If the others rxed the pressure, there was one who did not leave herself any moment to breathe always caught in an infernal whirlwind of thoughts. The Empress had not said a single word since they entered the room, seeming to stare at Shiro much more cheerful than in the morning. The Queen in one look understood what was going through her mind as sheid the sleeping twins on her side, getting closer to her wife.


    "You''re still worried about taking the kids, aren''t you ?"


    "Mmmh..."


    "Hey~"


    As Freya turned her head, called by the dragoness, a tender kiss was ced on her cheek, unexpected but devilishly effective. As if the pressure and stress left her shoulders, she immediately felt more rxed, immediately breaking into a small smile. In turn her wife gave her back this smile before snuggling up to her, resting her head on her shoulder letting her crimson hair tickle her neck.


    "With the Supreme it would have been out of the question to leave Shiro in the Empire during our trip here, Angel the same not to mention the twins, honey, we are safe for now. You''re here, I''m here and so is the whole family so even away from Elysium they will never be safer than with us~"


    The dragoness had raised her head to look into the she-wolf''s eyes with the same warm smile that characterized her. She also didn''t know what was going to happen from now on but it didn''t matter to her as long as she was surrounded by those she loved. After several seconds of looking at each other in silence, finally a littleugh came out of Freya''s mouth, who realized that she too had the right to rx a little.


    "You''re right, my love~"


    Grabbing her wife''s chin, the Empress approached her to kiss her without even caring about those around who were looking away. The kiss was tender, full of love and trust, both were the pir of the other and together they were the family. While the atmosphere was much more rxed, a somewhat embarrassed voice brought them out of their bubble after a long minute of kissing.


    "Ahem *cough cough* And by the way, what do you think of thisdy V ? In any case, whether you''re the one who''s able to free her or not, we''ve found some powerful and mostly numerous allies for the future~"


    Kira, who was sitting next to Gaya and Freya on the couch, had almost blushed, feeling strangely more curious about what love was for a while. Wanting to change the conversation she automatically switched to the subject that was a real mystery for the moment. For her it was only the beginning of this month but things were going perfectly well, at least that was what she really thought.


    "It''s not as simple as that Kira"


    "Huh ?"


    "Priest Magnus has recognized Freya as a powerful being but there is still a long way to go before we can talk about safe and trusted allies. They don''t know it yet but we are literally talking about overturning the established order for decades and decades. Despite the presence of Gaya and Freya, if this Lady V is not released I doubt the vampires will agree to follow us into an all out war..."


    Ka was right, the Empress and the Queen had note here simply to talk politics and establish stable diplomatic rtions. It was more than that, they were looking for people who would stand up and fight with them against Zal and all the others. This was no small thing and it required an almost unshakeable determination and courage beyond any deep fear.


    Rekindling the me of a whole people was not easy, but it was even less easy when these people had lived a whole life hidden underground far from humans. Why would they decide to stand up and fight those who had been hunting them for thousands of years ? Freya alone could not do it, for the first time she found herself with her back against the wall, never imagining that this quest could change everything in her ns.


    "So if I understand correctly we are obliged to find a solution to free her ? But once we do, how can we be sure that everything will go ording to our n ?"


    "We can''t be sure."


    Freya had regained her serious air considering the subject of the conversation, even if this time she did not feel this ambient and heavy pressure anymore. Indeed she was not sure of anything, so many questions but it was not for as much that it was necessary to give up and it was far from being her mentality. Everything in its time, it was necessary to think and to foresee as one goes along and it was what the she-wolf had nned to do while she turned towards her sister.


    "Ka, you don''t know a V or a Goddess with her appearance, is that right ?"


    "Yes, I don''t think my memory is failing me, this girl doesn''t remind me of anyone, nor her name, nor her face yet she seemed to be looking for you. If only Magnus had told us a little more about her element, the way she was...I-...I didn''t recognize her but that doesn''t mean anything"


    The Empress'' older sister had searched her memory, but the statue had not reminded her of anyone she had known in their past lives. Many things had already changed, starting with the loss of her godlike body, reced by a human one. Ka had not lost her memories but it was hard to remember an entire existence and at this moment, for now at least, the girl did not remind her of anyone.


    "That''s right, didn''t he say that Lady V appeared after the Age of Extinction ? If I''m not mistaken, you too Ka''nee-san came here hoping to find onee-san or destroy this world. Yet you were sealed and you also disappeared from the Domain of Gods and Goddesses...or whatever you call it"


    "So you mean it has to be someone that the Nightshade Goddesses Lucifer and Ka knew ? I think so too yes"


    Kira had raised an important point, no matter what the answers were, there was only one that could answer it and there was no doubt that it was rted to the two sisters. After Lucifer''s death and Ka''s disappearance shortly thereafter things had continued to move forward in their House despite the absence of a leader. Perhaps V was a subordinate of one of the Gods who had pledged allegiance to them, sent to find them or for something else.


    The threat of the human Nations was already weighing on Elysium, but the threat of the Gods and Goddesses of House Luxumbra should not be forgotten. Titania was busy elsewhere and did not know about Ka''s return, still convinced that Kira was slowly slipping into her camp. Freya knew that in an instant everything could change because it was hard to fight on several fronts, that''s why she needed more power.


    Fortunately, where the group had set foot was not only popted by vampires but also by dragons. The Priest had said he was not particrly fond of them, but not to try to get them to join the cause would have beenpletely foolish. Lady V''s story was one thing but their efforts should not be focused on her alone so leaving the subject aside, the wolf turned to her wife.


    "What about the dragons Gaya ? Do you think they will make good allies, powerful and also able to follow you back to their former freedom ?"


    "I don''t know....I''ve never really met any other dragons than those of my n, we lived in the mountains of Vancesia cut off from almost everything. My presence might not make a difference because even if we are the respectful type among ourselves, they won''t follow if they have too much to lose"


    Dragons were not the type to fight for a cause that was not their own, as hunted as vampires, dragons had been hiding for decades. The Queen had never had the opportunity to meet any of them, so once again she could not be sure of anything. And what kind of dragons were there in this city ? However, it was not impossible and with good arguments Gaya was a little more confident.


    "That said, I know how much of an instinctive need it is to roam the skies, coupled with dragon pride, maybe it would be possible to convince them. Jade said we would go meet the ones in the city tomorrow after we finish our conversation, we''ll see..."


    "Let''s hope then that there are fire dragons, that could y in our favor"


    "Eh *chomp* why ?"


    Kira, who had already finished the entire tray of fruit provided, did not understand why Ka had said that, too busy chewing to think. She often said that chewing good food prevented her brain from functioning asleep with food, the better it was, the less effort she made. Looking up with a look of both desperation and amusement, the she-wolf set about refreshing the memory of this gluttonous yet adorable fox girl.


    "Don''t you remember that Gaya now maniptes fire ? This new power has probably been awakened thanks to the sharing of our mana since mine, like yours and Ka''s, is different. This makes this magnificent dragoness here, one of the only ones I know of, capable of manipting two elements"


    "Honestly I''m not sure what I can do right now, only that depending on my will my mes can burn like a sun or be totally harmless"


    After these words, the dragoness made appear in her hands a crimson red me of the same color as her hair which ignited at once right after. These mes burned next to the Empress who had not moved an inch because they did not give off any heat. Not like in the cave during their lewd moment when she had to use her own ice aura to be able to touch her without getting hurt.


    "Oooh yes yes onee-san, it''s true, any being connected to you evolves in a faster and more abnormal way for the standards of this world. Me, the Commanders, the Sins, your kids, your wife so you''re right, it''s a good thing, fingers crossed !"


    "Yes, now it''s clear, let''s see what more we can learn about this girl and advise as we go along as far as the dragons are concerned. I think we''re good."


    As Freya ended the conversation, a small white head appeared on the side of the sofa, leaving only two small fluffy and wriggling ears. Then, two small hands came to rest on the armrest before two big curious purple eyes came out from behind. Little Shiro had been attracted to the subject and as her tail wagged, with a shy and soft little voice, she asked a question.


    "Are you going to try to save her ?"


    At first surprised by this sudden appearance and question, the she-wolf eventually smiled before cing her hand on her daughter''s head with tenderness. Gently caressing her soft hair and happy to see that she was better since her nightmare, she nodded. At her answer, Shiro opened her mouth and eyes wide unable to hide her joy before shaking her head and taking a serious face, which was quite rare.


    "I''d love to help you !"


    This time it was everyone who was surprised by her words, not being able to ignore that the little Princess seemed to have made a decision. This was the case because since the night of her nightmare, the desire to be stronger had grown, afraid to be afraid again. The images were still spinning in her mind but this time the statue of the girl strong enough to help a whole people was there too, giving her the strength to make a decision.


    "Hop,e here~ What do you mean by that my little moon ?"


    Intrigued, the Empress grabbed Shiro by the waist before lifting her up and putting her on herp, curious to know what could be going on in her head. Why did she look as serious as that ? Was it something to do with the sad look on her face all day or the quest ? Then, as the room fell silent, the little girl took a deep breath before addressing her mother and then, to everyone''s surprise, Ka.


    "Mommy, I would like to learn how to use my mana and master my element. A-Auntie Ka, I agree to take the test...please teach me"


    "Cough cough !!!"


    At that moment, the cup in Freya''s older sister''s hand shattered on the floor as Kira choked at the sudden and shocking deration. For the first time the little Princess had called and acknowledged Ka but had also made a most important decision. The test she was talking about was risky and even apanied and advised by the former Goddess of Time, only Shiro could do it and try to pass it.


    It was not a decision to be taken lightly and yet the determination and seriousness could be read in her big bright eyes. Freya and Gaya still didn''t know what she had seen that day in her nightmare but something had definitely changed her. They didn''t know it yet, but this brave decision that Shiro had just made alone would save all their lives in exactly one month.

 Chapter 264 The Test

    - POV Shiro -


    "Mommy, I would like to learn how to use my mana and master my element. A-Auntie Ka, I agree to take the test...please teach me"


    Mommy had told me about a test to see if I waspatible with my element even though it wasn''t safe at all, she said it was hard but it didn''t matter. Mommy had told me that I didn''t control my mana and that the day I helped Angel it affected my condition. Apparently I had grown up a bit and even though this news made me happy, I could see that my moms were worried about me.


    I didn''t remember very well the horrible dream I had but every time I thought about it my body was shaking by itself. I kept asking it to stop, but it wouldn''t, still seeing certain moments in my head that were the scariest. My moms, my aunties, the nice soldiers of the Empire, everyone suffering in front of a monster full of big hands, big eyes and a super duper big mouth.


    The only thing I remembered clearly was that bloody ice flower that Mommy had in her hair at that moment. That was how I knew it was a dream because I had never seen her wearing anything like that before that night. But still...I had almost seen something in my nightmare that would have been worse than anything for me, something that totally paralyzed me.


    If the beautifuldy with the white wings hadn''t arrived in the sky to make the ck dome disappear, I would have dreamed of the death of my family. It was so scary, I thought my mind was telling me to be stronger to grow up fast or it would send me more images like that. I had to try the test or one day I would never be as strong and brave as Mommy and everyone else.


    "Shiro, when I told you about the test it didn''t mean you had to do it now you know ? You can still wait and..."


    "NO !"


    "..."


    "S-Sorry for yelling Mommy..."


    Without paying attention I had spoken loudly so I apologized right away because I didn''t want to sound mean at all. It was just that I really really wanted to learn how to use my mana like them and the other kids at my home school. Even though I was little it didn''t mean that I couldn''t be strong, thedy stuck in the statue was super strong so why couldn''t I be too ?


    I too wanted to be able to help and protect all the people I loved as well as the grown-ups, but above all I was tired of being useless. I was afraid to be even more afraid, it also made me very sad often even when I wasughing or eating the food I liked. Anyway I had to try, I felt big enough and ready to do it like a big girl and a brave Princess.


    *P-Please Mommy...say yes*


    Mommy didn''t say anything, it was hard to know what she was thinking and now she was looking at me with her eyebrows furrowed, was she mad at me ? Maybe I had done something stupid or maybe it was because I had been rude by shouting ? No one was talking and it was weird, like I had said something that wasn''t right, just as I was about to apologize Mommy finally spoke up to ask me a question that I didn''t really understand very well.


    "This test, do you know what it involves ? A lot of hard work, perseverance and most importantly unfortunately a lot of talent and affinity."


    Tilting my head to the side I thought very very hard about the words she had just said, I didn''t know them all but if it meant I had to do my best then yes. Nodding silently I looked into her eyes which were hard to understand when Mommy was very focused and serious. She was thinking so hard that it was actually Mom Gaya who in her ce answered me softly with a sweet little smile.


    "Sweetie, we''re going to talk about this, okay ? Don''t worry, we understand that this is important to you so we''ll think about it. Will you be a big girl and be a little more patient even if you have to wait~?"


    "UMU !!! Yes Mom, I promise !"


    It was easier than I thought it would be, but none of them said no to the request I made, which made me happy. Mom Gaya saw me as a big girl so maybe she would ept very quickly but for Mommy I had no idea. She hadn''t spoken since herplicated question so I was a little worried but as I promised I would wait wisely to show that I was big.


    *Yaaaay~ I might get stronger~e???*


    Jumping off of Mommy''sp I was already feeling a little happier than I was this morning and super excited to do something new. Now that I had said what I wanted to do, I could go y with Angel who was looking up at the ceiling to the point of squinting without meaning to. It was fun, I wanted to y too and as I left the adults, I didn''t see Mom get up to get a ss of water, followed by Mommy.


    ______


    - POV General -


    After Shiro''s request the atmosphere had be tense even though she hadn''t noticed it at all, too busy being innocently cheerful. However, this was not the case for the two mothers who now had a new source of concern that they could have done without for the moment. Kira and Ka, who understood perfectly well why, remained silent, judging that it was up to them both to decide.


    Even though she was the one who answered her daughter, her wife a little too stunned to do so, Gaya was undoubtedly the most terrified by the idea. She had already lost her family once and with all the events that were happening, a mother''s instinctive fear was at work. As the dragoness poured herself a ss of water with a shaky hand, she sensed Freyaing and before she could even speak got right to the point.


    "I don''t like this at all"


    It was too much, first Zal and the Supreme who was after Shiro and Angel, the vampires, the dragons, the threat of a new war, Titania, Lady V and now this test ? This sudden request had taken its toll on her nerves of steel, which were beginning to crack under the weight of the stress she was hiding. Freya could feel it, she too felt a foreign fear deep inside her but was much less affected than her wife


    "You don''t think she''s capable ?"


    Arriving near her, the she-wolf stared at the one with her back to her, asking the question that intrigued her the most that moment, unable to know what to feel. She was an aplished warrior and leader, but when it came to her children she could feel more lost than anyone else. So the Empress wanted to be sure she was making the right decision by knowing exactly what Gaya was thinking, thetter soon responding in a trembling voice.


    "I-It''s not that but...but our daughter is convinced she is weak when in reality she has too much power to control it 100% safely. Honestly Freya...I-...I don''t know..."


    "Gaya..."


    "S-She''s still too young, what if...what if she..."


    Grabbing her hand as she spoke, the she-wolf kept her from sinking even further into fear, overwhelmed by all those stray thoughts. The worried dragoness was even flooding the room, still pouring water into her ss even though it was full. All of these feelings Freya understood them but she also couldn''t forget what she had seen at that moment in their daughter that had rendered herpletely speechless.


    "I know but...she never asks for anything, always smiling, adorable, kind and happy but this time...my love, did you see the determination in her eyes ?"


    "Y-Yes I saw it...but...but what if something happens to her ?"


    "Nothing will happen to her. Gaya, I promise you that."


    Grabbing her wife from behind, wrapping her arms around her waist, the she-wolf buried her face in her neck in what she hoped was aforting hug. This test was indeed dangerous, it yed on the power of mana and the ability of the user to control it. It wasn''t that hard, even instinctive, but Shiro was special. She didn''t have to put in the same amount of effort and was exposed to much greater dangers if she failed.


    Ka had exined it well, she would be there to apany her with all her knowledge and guide her in her learning but the test had to be passed alone. The little Princess was the only one who could control her magic like everyone else, which meant that when the time came, no one could help her. Did she really understand this ? That was what Gaya was afraid of, even though she shared Freya''s confidence in her courage.


    "S-Should we agree then ?"


    "Only if you agree and she hasn''t changed her mind, okay ?"


    For the Empress, the most important thing was her daughter''s determination which came first because she trusted Ka. She did not doubt her ability to teach her perfectly and knew that Shiro was endowed with unsuspected abilities. With her determination, she was confident that it would work, driven by the desire to protect, the desire to be stronger and most of all by the overflowing love that was in her pure heart.


    Not that she believed in miracles, but Freya knew better than anyone how far such determination could carry one no matter what the reason. She didn''t think she would see this so soon in her Princess''s eyes and had been shaken by the surprise coupled with her meaningful words. Realizing this, the dragoness separated herself from her wife before turning her worried amber eyes almost ssy.


    "Very well then let''s exin it onest time apanied by your big sister so that our little moon is aware of the risks and if her answer remains the same, then so be it"


    "If it will reassure you my love, then whatever you want~"


    Offering a big smile to Gaya, something she didn''t often do, the Empress in turn reassured the one who had done the same for her earlier. "Everything will be fine" was what her eyes seemed to say and it worked, she had to trust even if for a mother it was hard. And then, nothing was decided yet so nodding, the Queen a little more reassured grabbed her hand before returning to the others and especially the twins.


    To lighten the atmosphere, Kira had started a cheerful topic concerning obviously her beloved niece who was involved in a debate. The subject was whether or not the ponytail suits her better than the pigtails and the young fox woman was on fire obviously. Freya and Gaya had no idea what was going on as did the former Goddess of Time who even involved from the beginning waspletely lost.


    "As the leader of the Shiro Nation of which you are all a part, I think that indeed a light blue dress with pigtails would suit her much better !"


    "Of course it''s a no-brainer and then...wait a minute...wait what ? The Shiro Na-...huh ?"


    At her words Ka had bugged, feeling her brain fry as if she had missed some most important information as the she-wolf raised an eyebrow. This was the first time they had all heard of a Shiro Nation buting from the three-tailed vixen, anything could happen. Faced with their iprehension, she took a shocked air before returning to the facts to remind them what this famous Nation was.


    "Well you know, the cult-...ahem...I mean the fanbase of our dear and sweet little slice of caramel cake sprinkled with cinnamon ced on a porcin te~ Our little Goddess of Cuteness shall be remembered by all until the end of eternity MWHAHAHAHAHAHA *COUGH COUGH* ahem..."


    In fact, the more Kira spoke, the more suspicious she seemed to Freya, Gaya and Ka who kept frowning and squinting more and more; word after word. There was an awkward silence, but she was determined to refresh their memories for the sake of this cul-...group praising the cuteness of the Princess. She had also invented a new long nickname and just by hearing it the three women suddenly felt so tired.


    "Come oooon, you know, I even sang you our anthem the other time ! Listen this time huh ! Um hum...and one, two..."


    "No Kira it''s ok we..."


    "All the bastards who made the Princess cry !


    All the bastards who made the Princess cry !


    To the Shiro Nation''s hands will die !


    To the Shiro Nation''s hands will die !!!!"


    Freya didn''t have time to stop her little sister before the words of the song, which was apparently the group''s anthem they clearly did not remember hearing, echoed through the room. At that moment, each of them was wondering what was wrong in her head to invent such things, not without a little smile. While the end of the evening had started in tension, it was no longer the case, the imperial family finally rxed after so many problems to deal with.


    "You I swear, sigh.."


    "Aouch ! Oneeee-saaaan !!!"


    Sighing and shaking her head, the she-wolf had punished Kira with a flick on the forehead, making her stop all further questionable lyrics. Next to her, the children who had not followed everything from the beginning had started tough at this funny scene happy to join. Thus, it was soon after the turn of everyone tough at the antics of the fox girl finally announcing a joyful evening far from the worries of the everyday life.


    #ShiroNation


    ___<novelnext></novelnext>


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?¡¥s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D??fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 265 Two Nations, One Fate

    -- POV General --


    < In Elysium >


    While the Imperial family was slowlying to terms with where they were, things were also slowly starting to move in the Empire. It had only been a week since Freya and the others had left, but those who watched over Elysium had no time to fool around. The remaining section Chiefs and Commanders had a very simple mission: to prepare for the invasion of the human capital of Zal in exactly 24 days.


    In the meeting room of the mansion, for the first time a meeting was held without the Empress and the Queen, only the Leaders and Commanders who had stayed behind. To chair the meeting, the great friend of Lia who was absent, the catgirl butler in charge of the manor, Triss. The regrouping had already begun for a few hours but was still not finished because the preparations for war took a lot of time.


    "Our army has more than 1000 soldiers per section for the moment, without counting the new people who have been arriving for a few weeks. Our ranks are growing, whether it is military, agricultural, artisanal and so on, in a week, the numbers will have already changed"


    "On our side we continue to train the old and new soldiers of the Empire and although our training is very hard, they are all motivated. As Nixia said, it is difficult to evaluate our soldiers right now, but we are preparing seriously with the help of everyone"


    Nixia, the beautifulmia with ck scales since the beginning, was very insistent that every given data was provisional considering the situation. She had been followed by Commander Ralph, who took care to remind them of their progress and how much of a difference the joint effort made. Everything was linked, the development of one section depended on the others and it was therefore together that they would push the Empire to its full potential.


    Every day, new weapons were supplied by the cksmith section, which was busy developing new and more revolutionary things. Thanks to the farmers, builders and manufacturers section, Elysium''s needs were always met despite its rapid expansion. Everyone was working hard,bining day-to-day work, war efforts, and training for neers.


    "Elysium is growing at an insane rate, but we have to be careful that it doesn''t backfire on uster. For now we are managing to keep up but as Her Highness Freya always says ''it only takes one thing to bring it all down'', one simple mistake and we could end up with problems piling up."


    "I second that statement. At the moment we are almost moving forward in a blur and although we have a clear advantage over the human city, we need much more"


    "Isn''t that why the Empress sent Luna to gather information ? It''s been a week already, she should have arrived and as we are all gathered here I doubt she has forgotten our first meeting that is supposed to begin now with the help of...this object"


    Trioa the halfwyvern Commander in charge of the armed section operating in the air had taken on a serious air that she didn''t usually have. Followed immediately by Caipy from the medical armed section and the driad Persea, they all agreed, they were missing some information. But now that what was on the table had just been mentioned, Yuric the dwarf leader of the cksmiths was not waiting for more to exin to them with great passion.


    "This is what is called a transducer Commander Persea, developed thanks to the great and wonderful knowledge of her Highness and mine. You see this stone ? It has been soaked with Commander Luna''s mana and thanks to its twin, which is with her, a possible back and forth is created. The mana is transformed into a voice wave that allowsmunication thanks to the skill "telepathy" acquired at level 15"


    The bearded dwarf''s eyes glowed as he presented the object that looked like a simple ball with a moonstone embedded in the middle of it. Its exact replica was with Luna, no need to be close tomunicate, Freya was now no longer the only one who could do so. As the man finished exining, as if to corroborate his exnation, suddenly a female voice came out of the object


    "This is Commander Luna for the Empire HQ. After the discovery of the King''s head, the Capital has been in turmoil for many hours but a big meeting is about to begin. The fate of the Kingdom and its organization is at stake tonight at this very moment, I am about to infiltrate with my Lieutenant into the secret room, I willmunicate the details to you. Over."


    The idea was that only the Commander would use the transducer for one-waymunication so that she would not be detected in the middle of the mission. Everyone around the big table had heard her words and felt their hearts clench...this was real. Luna was giving information on the spot to the enemy and the others in Elysium were adapting ording to what they were learning to make sure they were always one step ahead.


    The Empress'' n was not without danger, but it was a risk worth taking, given the many things they could control in the shadows. Still busy with this quest for the Queens, the dragons and the vampires, Freya had trusted those who had followed her from the beginning. As all the Section Leaders and Commanders stared at the ball, unmoving, Ralph spoke the words everyone was thinking.


    "It has finally begun...Luna, may youe back to us safe and sound"


    ______


    < In Zalhythe, Capital of Zal >


    While in the Elysium Empire the preparations were still going on, the most important meeting was taking ce in Zal. After the discovery of the King''s death and the total annihtion of the Knights and Pdins, one thing was certain, this was a crisis without precedent. Never before had those humans faced a threat so great and yet so unknown that so many questions fueled fear and uncertainty.


    Who ? How ? When ? How much ? Although they hid it from the poption, the highest leaders of the Kingdom had all heard the same threat. That cold voice that had risen from that little box around the neck of poor Captain Myles who had died in excruciating pain before their eyes. An unprecedented crisis was taking ce, but the humans did not know that two people were watching them from the shadows.


    Luna, the Commander of the intelligence section, had just transmitted a message to the Empire''s headquarters from the very ce where the Kingdom meeting was being held. It was a rather normal room, ratherrge but ordinary in appearance, even quitefortable without much security. However, it was not to be trusted, for it was not located in one of the castle''s towers, but underground, right between the throne room and the city''s main Church.


    essible only by following long underground galleries serving both as abyrinth to lose potential pursuers and as paths leading directly outside the city. Practical and ingenious, but not enough for the young half-panther woman and her Lieutenant who in no time had found the way. As fast and stealthy as shadows, using their element, instinct and sense of smell, it was easy to find a group of noble humans.


    They and the guards were too panicked by the events to see two forms pass through the doors before taking refuge on the ceiling beams. Soon the room was filled with members of the nobility and the church before the two highest ranking men in the city finally arrived. In a stunned silence, the first Prince Erzian appeared, followed by his brother Is, both pretenders to the throne since the death of their father.<novelnext></novelnext>


    At that moment, Luna felt her heart clench, her whole body tremble as rage and sadness began to slowly invade her. In front of her was the older brother of her beloved yna, but also the direct murderer of her parents years ago. For the first time the young woman could put a face on her anger, her resentment and the one who had taken her family away from her simply because of their special eyes.


    Despite everything she kept her cool, burying everything inside her as deeply as she could even though it all seemed to want toe out like an unstoppable flood. In this room were probably the most powerful people in the Kingdom and to be detected would be dramatic. Not only for the two soldiers but also for Elysium and the Empress'' n, so they had to remain discreet at all costs, even if it meant stopping breathing.


    Despite the mistake she had almost made, Luna and Ash had not been detected, thanks again to the urgent situation that made the humans lower their guard. So, very quickly everyone took their seats, waiting only for thest two people who, as usual, werete. The Commandant as well as the Lieutenant were staring at the door with intensity, what could this famous Supreme who was after Princess Shiro look like ? Who were them ?


    They soon found out because after a few minutes the Supreme passed through the doors apanied as always by Sage the Holy Schr. Both dressed in ck robes, far from the usual white of the Church, they walked towards the table without even a hello or a look, walking with a decided step. At that very moment, Luna and Ash were paralyzed, they who had different senses from those present in the room, they had felt it very well.


    "T-This person..."


    Trying to speak, the Commander stammered caught up in chills and an instinctive fear that almost felt like a lightning heart attack. All her senses were screaming at her to run far away from the one whose face was as always hidden behind a dark and imprable veil. Finally she could "see" who was the enemy of the Empress and a very bad feeling had invaded her in addition to the signals that her trembling body sent her.


    "T-This person is not human..."


    Luna was adamant, no matter who was under that toga, they could fool these humans but not Ash and certainly not herself. They were hiding their power so it wasn''t a fear rted to their strength but rather something deeper as if it was their entire being. Yet, once again they had to put all these feelings aside and focus on the meeting that was just beginning in a straightforward way.


    As Sage and the Supreme sat down on the side of the Protectors and Pdins, Erzian the knightly-looking Prince immediately stood up. His brother, who looked like a schr with his sses, sat there with his eyes closed and his arms crossed, already knowing what was going to be said. The next second, the young man was speaking without having to make the Assembly ground because aplete silence had already settled since their entrance.


    "Very well, I''m not going to beat about the bush because time is short, thest time we were all together, yesterday, was to learn the unfortunate news about our father. We also announced my brother and I had a n to deal with this threat from nowhere but oh so dangerous..."


    Pausing for a moment, his cold blue eyes began to scan the entire room without showing any sign of sadness or regret. The young Prince knew that what he was going to say next would undoubtedly divide opinions so he thought about how best to do it. After a few seconds, he decided to be direct without going through detours which soon caused a new hubbub and protests.


    "As you know, we consider the attack, if there is one, about a month from our current date, time is running out more than ever. After the news, we then without dy dispatched a messenger who is heading to the Vancesia Empire at this very moment to...seek help promptly"


    "W-WHAT ??"


    "Y-Your Royal Highness it''s..."


    "With all due respect, do you doubt your own strength that much ? Our own strength ? The one your father built with glory ?? I-It''s inconceivable, who are we going to pass for now ?"


    The words that Prince Erzian had spoken were for many an aberration and something they would never have thought possible. To ask for help from another country before the attack had even begun ? That was impossible, what a shame. Yet this was what he had announced and keeping his head high, without letting himself be affected by the critics, the young man spoke again to calm them all down, preceded then by his brother Is.


    "I see that our idea does not please, but tell me dear gentlemen. Would you rather perish and lose everything you have because of your misced pride or be smart enough to face the crisis and survive even if it means with help ?"


    "This is not a sign of weakness, it takes a lot of strength to ovee alone, but it takes even more strength to be able to put your pride aside for the sake of what you hold dear. Protecting the Kingdom, the Capital, its people...protecting humanity should be priceless gentlemen, so stop being selfish for a moment, will you ?"


    At this moment silence had instantly returned to the underground room, the words of the two Princes shocking the Assembly with their truthfulness. In their eyes everyone could see that they didn''t like it either, but that the luxury of choice was not at all within their reach. Realizing that the Princes were only acting for the good of the Kingdom, the men and women in the room could not find anything toin about, assailed by a form of shame.


    The King was no more, but he had left behind two promising heirs, and even the Pdins could not deny it. The Supreme had still said nothing, watching and listening attentively, taking note of everything that was said to the surprise of their followers. Then suddenly, a nobleman who sensed that the conversation was going to turn to the Vancesia Empire and strategy, ventured to ask about the one who was still missing.


    "M-My Prince, what...what are we doing for her Highness the Princess ?"


    "yna ? Tch, forget about her for now, she is who knows where and may already be dead as we speak, let''s worry about the present and the future instead. We''ll have plenty of time to look for her if our n seeds, and after all it''s all her fault that we''re here, so for now I couldn''t care less."


    At that very moment, the Commander''s fists still perched high on the ceiling clenched with the same rage that had been running through her from the beginning. While she swore to herself that she would kill Erzian with her own hands, once again she buried any feelings that were unnecessary for the mission. So Luna could keep a cool head to listen and memorize everything that would be said as the Prince was about to reveal his n without knowing that a young woman, a ghost from his past, would precipitate his downfall.


    "Anyway, let''s get back to the facts, shall we ? Listen now, the n is very simple hehehe~..."

 Chapter 266 The Empress, The Goddess And The Supreme

    ¨C POV General ¨C


    "Anyway, let''s get back to the facts, shall we ? Listen now, the n is very simple hehehe~..."


    "..."


    "Our Kingdom has always had very stable diplomatic rtions with the Empire of Vancesia thanks to the former Emperor who died 5 years ago. Fortunately, since his daughter came to power, these rtions have remained intact, although very discreet for other countries. Thus, the Empress is the only one capable of answering our call and with her technomagic, will be able to help us make a difference"


    Vancesia was a ce not so different from the Kingdom of Zal except that the people at its head were far more formidable than King Theophctus. At the head of this Empire was Empress Cleo Vancesia who had seeded her father, thest Emperor to sit on the throne. There, the Church of Humanity did not exist, but an organization with the same beliefs had sprung up along with all the others throughout the world of Kleisaria.


    The organization in the Empire of Vancesia was called the Order of Light, and unlike the Kingdom of Zal, it got along very well with the Empress, and there had been no conflict between them for years. Together, instead of hunting down other races even if they were still hated, Vancesia preferred cunning over force. Any means were good to rally as many of the lesser races as possible with the promise of happiness that would of course notst.


    Those who resisted were killed, but those who joined the Order and the Empire would find themselves in camps where they were exploited and the only way out was death.These camps had been built specifically for the non-human races, and the atmosphere was quite different from what the humans had promised. Nowadays, the Empire was filled with camps where the exploitation of half-humans and other races through forcedbor waspletely normal.


    The leaders of Vancesia had covered up what was going on so well that even today the camps were still filling up pretty well. For the Order and the Empress, these ces were gold mines, as they allowed them to monitor the half-humans, to have total control over their lives, and to develop the country through the daily work of their ves using their strength. Many copsed, exhausted, unable to continue or even died, but nothing changed.


    They were exploited like beasts, objects to be thrown away if they became defective, because after all, for Vancesia they were plentiful enough not to care. All means were good to attract as many inferior races as possible to these camps and the most incredible thing was that no human knew of their existence. Everything was so well controlled because to ensure the constant arrival of prisoner workers it was necessary to keep the secret and use vile means to attract them by using the deep desire of the other races to live happily.


    As a result, Vancesia was one of the most prosperous countries in the world thanks to itsbor force, or rather its ves, which benefited everyone. The Empress and the Order had pushed the concept of the ve trader making them all the sole property of the Crown, filling the camps. As a result, the development of the many activities was proceeding at an amazing speed thanks to this system they ironically called "Cohabitation".


    Everything was used, from magical experiments, tobor in the mines, to entertainment, and the strongest were even forcibly conscripted into the army. Treated as cannon fodder, the other races were even forced to fight for a country that exploited them and sometimes to kill their own kind. All of this was done with an ingenious and Machiavellian discretion, making this Empire one of the most powerful, advanced and respected in the entire Continent.


    Those present in the underground room knew that if they could indeed get help from this country, then all was not lost. Even if the threat was unknown, no matter how many enemies or how strong they were, if Vancesia were to join the fight, victory was almost assured. As Prince Erzian saw the faces slowly change, opening his arms wide, he was quick to share his enthusiasm with vigor.


    "If we really have to face a crisis because of the Harbinger of Chaos, then I am sure that Her Highness Cleo would be of great help. Am I wrong ? Can''t we defeat these subraces ? Are you going to tremble alone like rats or do what humanity does best and ally against amon enemy for the survival of us all ?!?!"


    "T-That''s right, Vancesia is actually even bigger than Zal. Prince Erzian and Prince Is are right, with their help...we can win..."


    "To hell with our pride, as long as we don''t lose to subrace scum !"


    "YEAH THAT''S RIGHT !"


    It had only taken a few words to rekindle that me that seemed to have disappeared in everyone''s heart since the death of the King. The lost minds were simple, clinging to the slightest sign of hope so as not to sink into an all-consuming madness linked to fear. That said, the exmations andpliments of the nobles were quickly cut off by the sound of two hands pping softly followed by a calm androgynous voice.


    "What ardor your Highness I would almost be moved, you have it seems more nerve than yourte father. That said..."


    "..."


    "...you are both still far too naive"


    The Supreme had finally spoken after listening carefully to the very fiery speech of the first Prince, far from being caught up in this ardor. Sage and the Pdins too had not jumped for joy like the nobles, not impressed by this far from extraordinary n. Annoyed by their intervention that had chilled the Assembly, Is sitting in his chair had opened one eye in the direction of the figure before questioning them coldly.


    "I beg your pardon ?"


    It was impossible to see their face under their veil but their tone was bordering on haughty which did not fail to irritate the two Princes dreaming of glory and victory. However, they were intelligent enough not to ignore their knowledge which would undoubtedly be of great use. Luna and Ash, still standing at the top of the room, were holding their breath, both curious and afraid of what they were going to say.


    After all, it was the Supreme who was by far the most cunning and dangerous person in the room for the two from Elysium at that very moment. The more time passed, the more the bad feeling of the Commander did not cease growing without she could exin it to herself. The words that this mysterious being pronounced under their toga, were far from helping this feeling to disappear, only increasing it more.


    "The Harbinger of Chaos is not to be taken lightly, even if it takes the form of a harmless looking girl, it should not be underestimated. I must admit that the help of the neighboring country is ingenious, but do you even know how much human strength it took to prevent the extinction of humans thousands of years ago ?"


    "Your Excellency, what do you mean ?"


    "Involving Vancesia is an advantage, but how do you expect to build a strategy in barely a month ? That''s the time frame you calcted, isn''t it ? Me too. Those who killed your father, wiped out the army, that woman...they''reing, no doubt about it, maybe they''re already on their way. So, how do you n to rally another country and be sure you''re not also rushing it to its doom as well ?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    The head of the Church had raised several important points, indeed their initiative was a good idea but then ? To increase the strength of the human army and what ? To make strategies was good but to think and n for a total victory was better. At the words of the Supreme, the silence had returned and the faces, a few seconds ago illuminated, had be dark again while it was their turn to announce their n.


    It was as if they had been waiting for this moment from the very beginning, observing and gauging the qualities of these two Princes who had suddenly gained in power. They felt superior, as the leader of the Organization with pages of the Liberator''s diary to fight against the Chaos Harbinger. For them it was their mission and only them could lead the Kingdom of Zal to its victory, with or without the help of the Vancesia Empire, that was their prophecy.


    "For years I have been developing a weapon to counter the power of that thing that was born again in the form of a little girl. A power developed with the help of my experiments on the mana of the subraces and more particrly of the children offering much more satisfactory results."


    "You conducted experiments without telling the Crown ?"


    "Oh please your Highness, this is not the time for bickering, I wasn''t nning on revealing it but it seems it was necessary. Weren''t you talking about putting one''s ego aside for the good of the Kingdom ? Come on, I''m offering you a second solution you should be jumping for joy instead of making that face~"


    Trapped by his own words earlier, Erzian could not protest or he would lose his credibility and he knew it very well. Like his brother who was experiencing the same frustration, they could only wait and listen to this famous solution that the Supreme had talked about. Doing experiments of this magnitude under the nose of the Royalty was not allowed without a deration beforehand but the situation changed everything and the head of the Church knew it too.


    "Tch..."


    The Knight-like Prince and the Schr-like Prince then remained silent, staring at the ck veil with rather hostile eyes. The Supreme was gloating and even without seeing their face it was easy to understand, they had obviously nned everything from the beginning. Now that Erzian and Is were trapped, all they had to do was to finally exin the nature of this power without revealing too much of course, still keeping their deepest secrets.


    "When mana develops in the body of each living being, during childhood it is much more unstable because it is still developing. Just like the growth of the bones and the body that we observe during the first years of life before bing an adult. Therefore, my experiments focused on removing mana from children subrace in different ways to study"


    The Supreme spoke in a cheerful voice that made most of the men and women in the assembly shiver with excitement and anxiety. However, there were two people who were struggling to stay calm with each revtion in the secret room. Luna and Ash felt their hatred for humans rise after they discovered that somewhere children were being tortured and dying in pain.


    It was exactly like the Queen''s little brother who was thought to be dead, who had suffered so much for 10 years, his whole life. At that moment, the Commander realized the immense strength and will to survive that the little boy had shown in the face of this abominable being. Was this what awaited the Princess if she was captured ? It was inconceivable, impossible, not while the Empress and the Queen were still alive.


    "Now hear this..."


    However, the revtions were not over, once again the voice of the head of the Church rang out, bringing the two soldiers of Elysium out of their thoughts. Perhaps they would have preferred not to hear what was going to be said next, but how could they have known. Hate, desire for revenge, sadness and anger were all over them, but in a few seconds they would be in real fear, unprepared for what they were about to hear.


    In just a few words, the Supreme was going to shatter the hopes of conquest, victory, revenge and that feeling of invincibility of these two dreamers dreaming of justice.


    ______


    < Somewhere far away >


    While two Nations were preparing to fight for their own ideals, far away from these quarrels a woman with long blue hair was walking down a luxurious corridor. She was dressed in a white dress with a thin golden belt that highlighted her heels of the same color. Slowly walking forward with her head immersed in her thoughts, the beautiful, shapely woman began to speak in a loud voice covering the sound of her steps.


    "I wonder what''s going on with Luci-...Freya''s side. I hope she''s not making too many waves and is quietly searching for her powers..."


    Titania who had been taken away by Matriarch Pria Luxumbra for a month and a half from Kleisaria to take care of her son couldn''t help but be concerned. She had to manage his rise from Demigod to God which was very important but so was Freya. Not to make waves ? It was true that the Empress wasn''t nning on invading a country at all as well as conquering an entire continent, everything was going just fine.


    "I need to get this over with quickly so I can go back and see what''s going on, I feel like everything is slipping away from me but I can''t tell why. Aaarg this is pissing me off !"


    She couldn''t believe her words, Freya was far from sitting quietly on her throne enjoying life while seeking more power. She knew everything and Titania knew nothing, she didn''t know that Ka was back with her sister, that Shiro had the Time element and that Lucifer remembered everything. She who thought she could control and manipte everything had be the fool whose n was turning against her without even being aware of it.


    "A little visit is in order after I''m done with what I have to do, Freya dear little pawn I hope you don''t forget me fufu~ I''ll be back in a month, but for now..."


    One month, there was only one month left for the Goddess to finally be free of this drudgery that was slowing down her beautiful power ns. In three different ces, the next few days were going to be decisive, their destiny dangerously intertwined leaving this month to determine everything. On one side a maniptive Divinity eager for power and on the other an Empress dreaming of freedom or a Supreme seeking total extermination.


    There was so much to hide for the she-wolf that the sudden arrival of Titania could very easily turn into a gust of wind bringing down the house of cards. Without even knowing it, everyone was ying the pawns that would decide their fate, each one convinced that they were doing the right thing for their own good. In the eyes of the universe, the line between good and evil was blurred, for no matter what the ideals, blood would flow for the good of one and only one people.


    Which would emerge victorious ? Which would disappear ? Which hero of their own story would end up as the viin in another''s tragic one ? Which new legend would be part of this new era of revolution where the exploited stand up against their executioners ? A dark time where a simple Empress in search of freedom would rise up against the Gods themselves to take back all that had been taken from her...and even more.

 Chapter 267 Encounter With The KANs

    -- POV General --


    It was the next morning, the first night in the Vampire Realm had passed without problem, offering a new day under the ground to the family far from Elysium. Away from the dark conflicts between humans and other races, away from the machiavellian ns of the Supreme and especially away from the war. In any case, this morning was going to be rather calm at least that''s what they thought, because 3 hours had not even passed that already a new incident pointed the tip of its nose.


    "In this case shows us !"


    In an immense room that resembled a converted cave located in one of the walls of the Vampire Realm, the tension was at its peak. Tables were turned over, seats too, some even destroyed because of what had just happened shocking all who were watching. In this ce, men and women with horns and wings on their backs were present, different ns but the same race... dragons.


    All of them were in a circle, forming an arena like staring with fear and excitement at the people in the middle facing each other. On one side there was a man, the one who had shouted, very tall, muscr with wings as yellow as the sun and scales as bright as gold. His horns were of the same color, blond, like those behind him who belonged to the same race, the fire dragons.


    There were six of them and they looked like Vikings or Pirates, in any case far from being as well dressed as the Priest Magnus standing before them. He was not alone because facing this group of aggressive dragons were also Freya, Gaya, Kira, Ka, June and May. The only fighters from Elysium were the ones who had been surrounded after the situation had drastically changed in a single second.


    "Show us then if you are so full of yourself !!!"


    The barbarian looking man in front had shouted again but he wasn''t addressing the vampire he knew well but rather the one behind. His gray eyes were fixed on Gaya who was holding his gaze calmly without moving or showing any sign of aggression. As expected, the meeting between the neers and the dragons was taking ce but what was unexpected was the wee they received, especially the dragoness.


    The purpose of this meeting was to establish an understanding or at least to introduce themselves out of respect and politeness but the atmosphere was far from it. For some reason that only they knew, they found themselves being aggressive with one of their fellow dragon beings without her even understanding why. As Gaya had said the day before, dragons were very respectful creatures but at this moment her statement was totally wrong.


    Despite the situation, Freya showed no signs of anger, simply observing while hiding her power like the others for safety. This time she didn''t want to interfere unless she had to, preferring to let her wife handle it because she was more than capable. June and May were in the back while Ka remained on her guard just like Kira who had a sneer on her face ready to use her fists.


    "So ? Youe here and say that you are firebenders as earth dragons and you think we will ept it ? Don''t disrespect us, we are proud of what makes our n and we will never believe that bullshit ! You may have mastered fire but it''s only a pale copy of our element but go ahead and show us !!!"


    The blonde haired dragon man screamed louder, sputtering, his gray eyes gradually turning red as he showed his fangs. The others behind were no less calm as they were just as excited as their leader in the face of those who didn''t look intimidated at all. The Queen Dragon wanted to silence the group in order to discuss more peacefully, so she stepped forward under the panicked gaze of Magnus who was no longer in control.


    "Fine, then so be it I will show you"


    As she spoke these words, her crimson hair red up, turning into mes of the same color, a brilliant dark red. At that moment, it was golden yellow mes that appeared on the man''s forearms along with scales and ws. While it was not even noon, even if she was not yet in control of her element, Gaya was on the verge of proving her point, determined to make herself respected.


    The next moment, a huge circle of light appeared at their feet, a giant rune withplex symbols creating an almost invisible mana barrier. After all, this was the specialty of vampires, separating the dragons of the other camps from the two groups that were now facing each other. Safe from whatever was about to happen inside, the others found themselves enjoying the zing hot turn of events.


    _______


    < A few minutes before >


    It was morning, the day had just dawned and yet a group could already be seen walking quickly down a stone corridor. It was dark since it was underground but chandeliers emitted a light that seemed to dance on the gray walls. Magnus led the way followed by Queen Jade and those from Elysium who had left the children and Lia to sleep a little longer before their breakfast.


    Early on, everyone had picked up the conversation about Freya''s story where Gaya had left off the day before because of the Vampire Priest''s fainting spell. Many things had been hard for him to believe, but the hope that the Empress could free Lady V was still thriving. But first, as was the rule in the Kingdom, all outsiders had to report to the other leaders of the ns in the Kingdom.


    This meant the dragons present, for even though the vampires were more numerous, to ensure a good rtionship, a sort of Council had been set up. In this way, the other leaders did not feel that they were under the orders of the Queen, although they had to respect her. So it was the three dragon leaders that Freya and the others had to greet before they could even walk the streets of the city.


    "Well, so we will meet the leader of the fire dragon n Klover the Magnificent, Aneyaris the Fierce leader of the water dragons and finally thest one, the proud leader of the lightning dragon n, Nordin the Insatiable. It''s simple, they''re called "The KANs" because of the first letter of their name and to give you a short summary they''re from the ns that have been living with the vampires for generations now"


    "Pffffff~"


    As Magnus finally gave the names of the three leaders, Kira still barefoot couldn''t help but chuckle at the titles they had probably given themselves. Ignoring her reaction, he continued to walk straight ahead until he came upon a door with a rune on it. Infusing his mana by touching it with his hand, he opened it with ease under the curious and attentive eye of the Empress, who was writing down absolutely everything for future research.


    "Let me speak and please your Majesty Gaya I would ask you to let me introduce you even if you are of the same race to...respect...the rules established...before"


    Magnus had not finished his sentence when Freya had slipped between the dragoness and him making him pause in his exnation shivering under her gaze. As the silence settled, the door finished opening, bringing everyone out of the small tension that was slowly building. Turning their heads, the group finally discovered the cave from which emanated very powerful auras making the she-wolf vibrate with excitement awakening her maniac battle side.


    Sketching a small sadistic grin with a desire to measure herself against the most powerful, Freya immediately erased it when her wife gave her a light nudge. So, the next second, the group entered this much brighter cave than the corridor that had brought them here. It was a huge ce, all the decoration was in stone, really very simple giving this room the impression of being rather empty and in.


    "Priest Magnus, why have you gathered us together so early in the morning like this ?!?"


    "Hey I hope it''s worth it because if not I''m out of here !!"


    "Me, if there is no banquet *yawn* I have trouble listening with an empty stomach I warn you...*chomp* yummy~"


    Soon, three big voices echoed in the middleing from the only ones who were more or less sitting on three of the five stone seats forming arge circle. The first voice was that of a blond man with gray eyes who looked like a pirate or even a Viking, surrounded by three women who looked as stupid as they were beautiful. It was of course Klover the Magnificent, leader of the fire dragons, recognizable by their golden hair of the same color as their wings.


    The second voice was that of a woman, hair and eyes as blue as her wings, bearing scars like her right eye. She was sitting, or almost sitting, as shey across her seat, sharpening her ws on the huge axe she could use with her muscles as big as a man''s. It was Aneyaris the Fierce of the water dragons who had the particrity to have almost only women in her n making her proud.


    Thest one was Nordin the Insatiable leader of the lightning n who was as entric as the other two although he looked much younger. Lying upside down on his seat with his head down, he spoke while being busy devouring a huge piece of meat in one bite. Still barefoot like a certain fox girl, his hair was as silver and shiny as hers, a color enhanced by the very light green of his eyes.


    Before Gaya''s eyes, who was discovering for the first time dragons other than those of her own n, the KANs that Magnus had mentioned were finally revealed. It was from them that the three biggest auras came, and they did not hide them at all, unlike the neers. Raising azy eye to the vampire at first without even noticing Queen Jade a little behind, Klover and Aneyaris suddenly straightened up.


    "Wait a minute...a female earth dragon ?? How ??"


    "I only know of one that survived even though I thought she was dead by now...it''s getting very interesting all of a sudden hehehe~"


    "Mmmh ?"


    The three hadn''t even given the long ck haired vampire time to speak that they had already instinctively noticed the dragoness in the group. It had been enough to catch their attention, they who knew perfectly well who she was from her beautiful crimson hair. It was for the first time a crazy news, the Queen of Elysium provoking the same reaction in everyone who knew of her existence even without having met her.


    After all, she had be famous in spite of herself as thest survivor of her n, the one who disappeared before splitting the earth in two with a single roar. In an instant all eyes were on her who said nothing remembering Magnus'' words, following them with respect. Gaya was also ovee by a strange feeling at the sight of the other dragons, torn between emotion, respect, joy and distrust.


    "Gaya...mother of the Earth Dragons..."


    "Finally a new opponent worthy of my muscles~"


    "Oooh~?"


    Klover, Aneyaris and Nordin meanwhile were interested for different reasons, one not seeing her arrival as something good, the other wondering if she would have the upper hand in a fight and thest just curious. The atmosphere had changed to be heavier as all the dragons of the three ns came closer all too happy to have a source of entertainment for once away from the usual boring meetings.


    "Well it looks like I don''t need to introduce her Majesty Gaya so that''s fine, it will go faster that way. I''ve gathered you here because she came with..."


    "Her Majesty ? What do you mean ''her majesty'' ? Magnus exin yourself !"


    "Huuuh ? That''s right !"


    Again, the Vampire Priest hadn''t had time to finish that already he had just tickled the draconic pride in the leader of the fire and water n. Her Majesty ? Her ? The one who had not been surrounded by any dragons for years, the one without a n ? Obviously, they were missing much of the context behind the title of Queen, but they didn''t care at all, seeing instead the respect Magnus had for Gaya that they didn''t have.


    Hearing this had caused a shock in their hearts that turned into jealousy, especially in the one called "the Magnificent". He had risen from his seatpletely facing the group that had just arrived, forgetting the women whose presence he had appreciated a short time ago. Klover''s growing hostility was palpable but yet neither Kira, nor Ka, nor June, nor May seemed impressed and even less Freya or Gaya.


    Those of Elysium wondered if aggressiveness was not part of the customs of this Kingdom being for the second time in front of hot-blooded people. But since the Vampire Priest wanted to speak, no one spoke until he spoke again. He did not dy to do it, beginning by exining the origin of the title of the dragoness enveniently the situation tilting the chief of the fire dragons for good.


    "Her Majesty Gaya is the ruler of an Empire located in the neighboring country and she has not stolen this title since to this day she is the only dragon capable of mastering two elements, earth and fire"


    At the same time, wanting to get straight to the point, Magnus had said what not to say definitely finishing off the one who was proud of the mes unique to his n. In fact it was also an excuse to start the conflict having felt his position threatened for a short and not pleasant moment. The meeting did not start as nned and in front of the three who only swore by the force the dragoness was going to have to show herself worthy of it no matter her famous past.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon<novelnext></novelnext>


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 10 801(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 268 A Fiery Confrontation

    ¨C POV General ¨C


    "Her Majesty Gaya is the ruler of an Empire located in the neighboring country and she has not stolen this title since to this day she is the only dragon capable of officially mastering two elements, earth and fire"


    As Magnus finished his sentence, an explosion of aura from Klover suddenly blew the room revealing his emotions. Thisst piece of information, the earth dragon capable of firebending ? This was thest straw. Unlike Aneyaris and Nordin who knew how to contain themselves, the blonde-haired man always reacted in a hurry without ever asking questions.


    It didn''t matter if his reaction was out of proportion, his pride took over very easily, especially when the subject touched him directly. Standing in front of his stone seat, the golden blond dragon was almost growling, staring intently at Gaya with his hostile gray eyes trying to intimidate her. Unfortunately for him it didn''t work at all, in fact it didn''t work for anyone although Magnus found himself suddenly overwhelmed by the situation not understanding anything anymore.


    He too thought that this meeting would go well, impatient even to see the reaction of the three leaders to the dragoness who appeared out of nowhere. Imagining something rather positive at first, what was happening before his eyes was the exact opposite of what he had hoped for. The Priest knew that Klover had great pride, but he didn''t think it was that great and now wondered how to defuse the situation calmly.


    "In this case show us !!!"


    However everything was already going very fast, in a few minutes the n of fire dragons carried by their leader stood behind him ready to attack far from the imagined respect. The rtionship between the vampires and the leaders of the three ns hidden underground was not very good but here it seemed worse. They all lived far from humans, holed up for years to survive and yet no team spirit had developed, they just tolerated each other.


    "Show us then if you are so full of yourself !!!"


    "..."


    "So ? Youe here and say that you are firebenders as earth dragons and you think we will ept it ? Don''t disrespect us, we are proud of what makes our n and we will never believe that bullshit ! You may have mastered fire but it''s only a pale copy of our element but go ahead and show us !!!"


    Still motionless, the Queen of Elysium had said nothing hoping that Klover would calm down a bit on his own but she understood that it was a waste of time. She also knew that even if her wife showed no sign of hostility for now, she was ready to act at any moment and that, could create great damage. Gaya also felt the smile of Kira who was ready to jump to use her fists so, convinced that it was to her to act the beautiful dragoness advanced.


    "Fine, then so be it I will show you"


    Without waiting, already quite annoyed by the disappointment she was experiencing, she had taken a few steps forward before activating her new, still unknown element. At that moment her long, beautiful crimson hair red up forming mes of that same singr color as red as the setting sun. In response, the leader of the fire dragons transformed his forearms, making his ws and scales appear, also covering them with a golden fire.


    As if this was the beginning of this strange confrontation, a rune in the form of a circle made of several others suddenly formed under their feet. Thus, a thin but powerful barrier of mana activated by Aneyaris had appeared creating two distinct groups in the middle of the stone seats. The strangers from Elysium apanied by the Priest and the Queen were locked in front of Klover the Magnificent with part of his n behind him.


    Everyone knew that this meeting would not end in a bloodbath, even if the oue was still too uncertain. In the end, it was just another demonstration of power triggered by misced pride, but if that''s what it took to get to the dialogue, then so be it. Under the protective dome, the heat began to rise as Gaya and Klover''s mes grew thicker by the second.


    Steam emanated from their boiling bodies filling the space as the air grew heavier, hotter and harder to bear. For the fire dragon n members, this was not a problem and that is why they hoped to make the other group give in first. They knew that the heat alone could burn the skin and lungs, suffocate and put immense pressure on them thanks to the power that came from the heat.


    Yet to the Magnificent''s surprise, neither Gaya, Freya nor the others behind them showed any sign of weakness increasing this urge to triumph. Raising the heat of his body, his golden mes began to burn like a real inferno enveloping his entire body. Like an incandescent sun, he then took a few steps very slowly to go and stand a few meters away from the dragoness with defiance.


    Boiling air currents were emanating from Klover, the dome had turned into a giant oven where even the cold stone was beginning to melt. Even those outside could feel the heat, wondering how those inside were able to resist without being burned. Jade had put on her blood armor, Magnus had wrapped himself in his bat wings while Kira, Ka June and May had done the same with their mana.


    Only Freya had done nothing, remaining there without showing the slightest sign of difort, watching everything like a hawk with piercing eyes. Gaya had also made mes appear all over her body while she held the gaze of the one who was starting to grind his teeth. More heat wasn''t enough, he still needed more even though his mana was starting to run out burning up by the minute to increase his heat.


    "Klover, you should stop that..."


    Aneyaris watched from behind the barrier with a smile and had sensed that there was no point in continuing since no one had given in yet. Besides, she knew him well, even though he was very powerful in battle as far as mana was concerned he had found stronger. Yes, it was not simply a confrontation on the heat of the mes but especially a challenge which required to have a very good control on its own mana.


    Indeed it was necessary to know how to dose the right amount to mix power and heat, not too much to exhaust their mana but enough to set themselve on fire and more. The woman of the water n knew that he was a powerful brute but far from being a genius in this field. However, for the beautiful crimson haired dragoness it was quite the opposite, she could feel that this woman was powerful, worthy, respectful and even more than that.


    "Sigh...that he is stubborn"


    "Mmmh..."


    While Aneyaris sighed at her friend''s behavior, Nordin, on the other hand, half-listened watching rather intently at the fox girl a bit in the background while chewing his steaks. The seconds passed, the minutes and finally the thin barrier started to crack slowly. The next moment, the mana dome exploded making the huge rune disappear on the ground while the huge cold room became as hot as the inside of a volcano.


    In a huge explosion of heat shaking the walls of this immense empty cave, all the spectators were propelled backwards. Everyone began to incant their element to protect themselves, suddenly not finding the situation as amusing as before. Even Klover had begun to back away from Gaya''s crimson mes, as had his n who had covered their skin with scales to withstand the fire.


    Soon, the dragon leader of the n did the same, falling to the ground under the power of the Queen of Elysium, trying to fight back but to no avail. Suddenly, she made the mes that emanated from her body disappear, seeing that the one who had challenged her was no longer covered by his golden mes. It was over, however the room was still very hot, too hot, the ck walls having be red just with the suffocating and boiling ambient air.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Without caring about that, the beautiful dragoness clicked her high heels on the floor to approach Klover sitting on the floor with a dazed look. Yes it had been a long time since he had fought, it had been a long time since he had exploded his power like that but still. He didn''t understand what he was missing and as he watched Gaya approaching, she came to a stop right in front of him before hearing her say words that he wouldn''t forget.


    "Your mes are as hot as the sun at its zenith but mine are steeped in blood and the worst horrors of this world. Pride and strength are not everything...kiddo"


    Just after saying this, the walls of the cave began to shake more and more as pieces of the ceiling began to fall. The heat had to be brought down quickly but just as Aneyaris was about to take her dragon form to spit water, someone had acted first. In the blink of an eye the dark, glowing room changed to a bluish white almost as transparent as crystal.


    No one had had time to understand that everything had been covered with a very shiny and beautiful ice from the floor to the ceiling, freezing the cave in time. Nothing fell or shook anymore, the calm had returned along with a cold breeze almost soothing this ice cave. The problem had been solved at the same time as the little challenge had ended, which finally gave way to the discussion originally nned.


    "W-Well...can we now get down to business ?"


    Giving absolutely no one time to figure out who had done this, Priest Magnus pped his hands to get everyone''s attention. They had wasted enough precious minutes, now it was time to move on and talk about what the outsiders meant to Vampires and Dragons alike. In any case, everyone was stunned, even Nordin had stopped eating his raw steak now lying on the floor trapped in ice.


    "Since there are no objections then I will make the introductions, I beg you all this time to pay close attention, this is very important..."


    Klover stood up silently looking annoyed but smart enough to admit defeat and still now curious about what was going to happen. Aneyaris had nted her axe in the ground leaning her elbow on the handle scanning the neers with squinted eyes. All were nowpletely attentive even if everything had also quickly be rather confusing but everyone was hanging on Magnus'' lips to understand.


    _______


    "Tch, an Empire ? Really ? What are you ? Some kind of n made of different survivors who get it into their heads to stand up against the humans ? Tch, suicidal !"


    "Actually it''s about..."


    "I recognize your power but I will not lead my people to extinction because of the folly of a stronger than average group !"


    In just 20 minutes the Priest had told what he knew, starting with the sudden arrival of Queen Jade and the Dragon Queen Gaya from the next country. However, he had barely mentioned a potential alliance for the future war with Zal in exchange for precious things, when once again Klover grumbled. He knew he had powerful beings in front of them, but even so, the mere mention of war made everything impossible.


    Besides, what was happening in the other country seemed to be nothing more than a copy of the Kingdom they were all in at the moment. Perhaps they were more powerful than here, but for him it was not 1,000 or 2,000 people that would make the difference. As Gaya was about to answer, it was someone else''s voice that suddenly echoed in the cave from behinding from the figure that was finally approaching.


    "Not counting the Empress and the Queen, there are 10 Chaos Commanders each with over 1,000 fearsome soldiers under theirmand who train every day. There is also another Commander, the one who is currentlymanding two races of demons, the three of them able to raze this city in an instant. Results of thest war against Zal ? Death of the King, death of the leader of the Pdins and the Captain of the Knights as well as the annihtion of exactly 3,000 human soldiers. Any other questions ?"


    "A-And...and y-you...you are ?"


    Freya had finally stepped forward giving an ount of what had happened a short while ago without even mentioning the other numerous dead adventurers. In an instant she had found herself in front of the leader of the fire dragons who couldn''t help but stammer for different reasons. Was it because of the violet eyes fixed on him ? Was it the sudden feeling of oppression or was it her impressive cold beauty ? He didn''t know but someone else seemed to have found the answer.


    "This, my little buddy, is the Empress herself hehe~ Am I wrong...your Highness~?"


    Aneyaris had appeared at his side cing her hand on his shoulder in support, looking straight at the she-wolf with a small chuckle. She too was feeling these sensations but it only fueled her curiosity as she felt a great changeing. Thenying her axe on her right shoulder, the woman faced the Empress who had be the main source of her interest before dering in front of everyone the decision she had made.


    "I don''t know about the Magnificent, but personally I am very interested in what you have to say and offer. The women of the water dragon n are never afraid and I must say that Elysium looks like it could offer me the battle of my life hehehe~"


    "Well...*yawn*...the lightning n is going to join the discussion as well, I''ve had enough to eat and as that crazy woman next to me said...to me you all look quite different and intriguing mmmh"


    Just after her words, the young Nordin who seemed at first sightzy had taken a very serious look, interested in Kira he kept in the corner of his eye. He had understood that she was the demonmander that Freya had mentioned and that this young woman also manipted lightning. Everything had be so interesting, away from the daily boredom of being buried day after day away from the humans shamefully underground while their ancestors owned the sky.


    The Empress had understood this and the mere mention of the Empire''s ever-growing numbers had been enough. Two were interested and even though at first nce it all seemed suicidal, their excitement was present and their instincts were screaming at them to listen to what wasing next. However, in a great silence, Freya stayed immobile with a smile in the corner revealing one of her canines as she waited for thest one concerned to decide.


    "Tch..."


    A few secondster, hissing, Klover would eventually sit down as well, seeing how attentive and serious the other two had be. Besides, he didn''t want to miss an opportunity especially if Aneyaris and Nordin took it, he had to be in it too. So, once again, after a rather difficult start, the possibility of all the dragons joining the cause was very high, it was just a matter of Freya being convincing and it was perfect because...she was very good at it.

 Chapter 269 What Shall We Die For

    - POV General -


    In the huge cave turned into glittering ice like crystal, the dragons had all listened to what the vampire Magnus had to say. He had taken up Freya''s words about Elysium, about the neers, and especially about the diplomatic ties they hade to seek. This meant a coalition and in their minds this word resonated with "war" which had the effect of making them hesitate as to what to do next.


    The dragons of the three ns were not cowards, but getting rid of the normal fear of failure was not easy. For those who had always lived in hiding for so many years,ing to the surface, while a wonderful idea, was also frightening. So far the Priest had only talked about diplomatic rtions and avoided the subject, but that was not what the KANs wanted to hear, and Klover made that clear.


    "So you''re part of an expanding Empire, still small...but getting more and more powerful and you want to bring the races together. I understand, okay that''s clear now but tell me...what else did you reallye here for ?"


    Ignoring the vampire who was near Jade, the golden haired Magnificent had asked this simple question while looking at Freya. He didn''t care for Magnus'' spiel, beating around the bush wasn''t his style and he was getting impatient like the other two beside him. Squinting softly, the Empress who sat opposite said nothing for a few seconds before answering as simply as possible.


    "Power, allied forces sharing the same desire as us to break out of this vicious cycle of suffering brought on by humans. We are looking for men and women willing to fight alongside us for the future of all races and ns... that''s all."


    She had been very direct, there was no point in hiding any longer behind fine words what this diplomatic alliance represented. So far Freya had not said anything because she was trying to understand the three n leaders and little by little she managed to see through them. Just after, looking as drunk as ever, Klover answered asking apletely different question that the Empress had also anticipated since the moment she entered the cave.


    "Tch, easier said than done. You are certainly powerful beings and despite your victory over Zal''s army, there is no indication that you will be able to take the entire country. You seek our help, but how can you be sure that we are not all running to our doom ? How do we know that we can emerge victorious and..."


    "We don''t."


    Without giving the man time to answer, the she-wolf had spoken only a few words that were, however, to all heavy with meaning. She didn''t know ? Was she really ready tomit to such a thing even though as Empress the lives of all her people were in her hands ? Was she crazy ? The cave was silent, everyone was waiting for more precision, which soon came, making their whole being vibrate.


    "When you point your weapon at someone you have to be ready to die...well it''s the same when ites to war, it''s not a game, for us it''s the fight of a lifetime. The oue is uncertain, but we march with the greatest of determination ready to shed blood for our ideals even at the cost of our lives. In the end, one single question remains the most important...


    "..."


    ...is what you living and fighting for, worth dying for ?"


    Freya hadn''t blinked as she spoke these words, she hadn''t wavered and stared intently into the eyes of each of them. She was as frightening as the words just spoken and yet she sent shivers through the bodies of those who remained motionless, all unable to speak. Their blood boiled, their hearts pounded, their breathing quickened, their bodies shook as they felt this me grow in their souls.


    The Empress was right, life was about choices, about experiences, and no one could really know how the future would unfold. All living beings could do was fight with all their strength to try to forge their own destiny even if everything was uncertain. It was frightening but in the end that was what life was all about, taking many paths, evolving, learning from mistakes, standing over and over again while never losing hope.


    Yes, is what you living and fighting for, worth dying for ? The she-wolf didn''t even need to answer, her simple expression doing it for her. It was clear that the whole people of Elysium would not hesitate for a second, having full confidence in their Empress and Queen who were its heart. As the silence reigned, Aneyaris, until now silent, suddenly raised her voice with seriousness looking at Freya as if everyone around had disappeared.


    "Then your Highness you had better not die or your entire Empire will be lost and the me of your dream will be extinguished forever. Your death will only result in the loss of those you have sworn to protect and more..."


    "..."


    "At the slightest misstep, at the slightest mistake if you fail it will be all of Elysium that will see its two most powerful pirs fall at the same time. Are you ready for that ? Will you fight with such ferocity knowing the risk ? After all dear Empress, if you were to die...at the very moment your heart stops beating...so does hers"


    Turning her head slowly, the blue haired woman then stared at Queen Gaya not seeing that her words had slightly swayed Freya. She had just spoken a truth that the she-wolf hadn''t forgotten but that made her chest tighten every time she thought about it for even a second. Everyone knew what it was all about except Magnus and Jade, who would soon understand anyway thanks to Aneyaris'' new intervention.


    "You made the ancient dragon pact, didn''t you ? No one does it nowadays, but I am amazed that her Majesty Gaya, Mother of the Earth Dragons, would take the risk of binding her own life. Your link is very powerful but just as dangerous..."


    "..."


    "Empress, if you die, when the timees will you be able to do what no one before you has ever done ? Will you be able to break this bond or will you selfishly drag the one you live for down with you ? Will you break her heart or save it ?"


    The leader of the water dragons had hit where it hurt and not only for the Imperial couple but also for its family. Both Kira and Ka had clenched their fists not wanting to think about it even though they knew what the sudden death of Freya and Gaya would mean. The Empress herself knew that she had no right to make a mistake, but she wasn''t going to give up, she had been ready from the beginning and that wouldn''t change.


    Yet, even if she didn''t show it, the words of the water dragoness were like daggers in the heart. She was right about everything she had said and even though Freya was determined, that feeling of guilt would not go away. While she remained silent, it was Gaya who answered in a firm voice while cing her hand on her wife''s, her ring proving their union seeming to glow with every word.


    "As my wife told you, we don''t know if we will win, but how can the will of a whole people be strong if the will of its leaders is not ? It is of my own free will that I have epted all the consequences, but just like our family and Empire, I believe with all my soul in the one I married... until the very end."


    "We all believe in her."


    "As she believes in us."


    The Queen had not been the only one to speak since right after she had been followed by Kira and Ka who could not help but react. Yes, it was a bit of a defensive reaction but the love and trust transmitted was no less real, on the contrary, it burned intensely. Faced with this aplomb, Aneyaris was speechless totally fascinated before regaining her senses and bursting intoughter rxing the atmosphere that had be heavy.


    "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~ Good good, I see that your determination is unwavering and I must admit that nowadays it is also quite rare~ However, I am quite curious about something, your Highness...what is your true power ? What is your true form ? Who are you really ? This question is also valid for those who are standing behind you in silence since the beginning. You talk to us about going to invade Zal but how can we trust you when I feel you are not telling us everything ?"


    "..."


    "You know...in our n such an important conversation is always done when both parties have taken their original form, no matter the race. It''s like exposing your heart, revealing your deepest self, baring your soul for all to see to prove that every word spoken is an absolute truth..."


    The muscr woman with blue hair was a bit like a snake, she seemed to y a lot but finally all her words were perfectly calcted. She seemed to have a very good instinct and above all to be very intelligent behind her airs of yer and that, Freya liked it. She did not answer however leaving her the time to finish knowing once again very well what was going to follow ready anyway to do what was necessary.


    "I find it already crazy and very suspicious that this grumpy Magnus is pleading on your behalf so who are you and what did you do to gain his trust ? What do you have to offer the Vampires and Dragons other than the fragile promise of a free future where we can finally spread our wings proudly in the sky ? Exin it all to us, but for now...show us who you are and who we will trust with our lives."


    As Aneyaris finished her sentence, suddenly the three n leaders known as the KANs stood up at the same time as one. Their bodies began to change and in an instant three dragons appeared before the group, tall, proud and beautiful. One had shimmering golden scales, two slightly wavy horns and a crest from the forehead to the tip of the tail, he was Klover the Magnificent.


    The second one was a dragoness with blue scales, different because her wings seemed to be also fins allowing her to move in the sky as in the water. She was thinner, her body was longer but her four legs and her fangs were just as powerful as those of Klover. It was of course Aneyaris the Fierce who was standing next to thest one who also had a different appearance and unique to his race.


    Nordin the Insatiable with silver and shiny scales, he was a little smaller but just as dangerous because his back was dotted with spikes just like the tip of his tail. He could stand on his two back legs unlike the other two because his wings were thinner and smaller. Thus, for the first time, those who came from Elysium discovered the original form of the three dragons, which in this way finally showed their respect.


    Silence reigned but without being impressed, it was Freya''s turn and the ones standing next to her, to do the same. Kira was the first to change, taking on the form of a three-tailed silver fox demon, lightning crackling in her silky fur. Her single horn on the forehead growingrger as her fangs, under the shocked look of Magnus the Greedy Fox had appeared as beautiful as she was scary.


    It was then the turn of the twins, who, sessively took their original form much more used to do it than at the beginning. Thus, June took the form of a giant green snake, the Envious Snake, while May took the form of a ck griffin, the Prideful Griffin, both having the same unique horn on the forehead. Nobody dared to speak anymore, the spectacle was anything but harmless, it was unique and more than anything, it was fascinating and magnificent.


    It was Gaya''s turn and in no time she took on the form of a dragon with beautiful crimson wings and scales that everyone knew. In fact, the three dragon n leaders were only waiting to see what the Empress would change into, even though her ears said it all. While absolutely all the dragons as well as Jade and Magnus were standing still with anticipation, Freya decided to take her bestial form as well.


    In front of everyone''s eyes in a few moments stood a gigantic wolf with fur as ck as night although it had a white and red hairline. Her two ck horns on the forehead were engraved with demonic symbols and the passive power that emanated from her was incredible. No one had ever seen such a beast and all together it would be a lie to say that they did not paralyze those who stood before them.


    After many long minutes of silence, Aneyaris bowed forward, which was not a trivial act for a dragon, especially one so proud. She bowed her head in the name of her entire n, saying words that were heavy with meaning, convinced by what her instincts had been screaming at her all along. She wasn''t the only one, however, for to Magnus'' surprise, Nordin and even Klover were making the curtsy of the dragons following her words more seriously than ever.


    "I think we still have a lot to talk about but...I, Aneyaris the Fierce of the water dragon n, dere that I ept the proposal of Her Highness the Empress and Her Majesty the Queen. From this moment on, I swear on my honor and pride that we will follow Elysium and fight on their side !"


    "I also ept. I, Nordin the Insatiable, leader of the n of the lightning dragons, swear here on my honor and pride that your Empire will be able to count on us as well."


    "I, Klover the Magnificent, great and only leader of the mighty fire dragons, hereby dere that from now on we will roar proudly at your side. I swear on my honor, my pride, and everything I own that we will invade the sky and spread our wings to turn it into gold. Let us take back from these humans what they have stolen from us and turn this shame into glory."


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)<novelnext></novelnext>


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 45/70


    Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 0


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 10 801(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 270 The First Step

    - POV General -


    "So the Empress might be the one to wake up Lady V ? Hence the return of Her Majesty Jade to her Kingdom despite the thousands of years of Vampire tradition of exile..."


    "If she seeds, in return your race has also sworn to follow her and fight by her side under the banner of Elysium, right ?"


    "That''s right"


    An hour had already passed since the dragon representatives and those from the northwestern countryhad transformed into beasts. All of them were now in their humanoid forms and were talking in the cave that had returned to its normal state after being covered with ice. Since the alliance had been officially dered on the honor of all, there was no reason to hide anything from anyone.


    Giving one''s word to the dragons, swearing on one''s honor, pride and n were not words spoken in the wind, capable of being taken back. There was no official paper, at least not yet, but Freya had decided to put her trust in them and so Magnus had revealed her potential connection to Lady V. Because of this, Aneyaris, Nordin and Klover wereing to a better understanding of why the oh-so-grumpy Vampire Priest had also allied himself with Elysium.


    "So ? When did you n the invasion of the Capital of Zal ?"


    "The humans must be panicking right now and finding a way to prepare for the attack without knowing from where, how, who, and especially when. On our side spies are already in the city and we are doing what is necessary so that we can attack in a little less than a month."


    Without beating around the bush, the blonde haired dragon had asked what they needed to know about the time they had. All the information had to be taken into ount if they were to organize for the important fight they were not even aware of a few hours before. Freya had answered right away, holding nothing back and giving answers to questions in a concise, quick and efficient manner.


    "We are less numerous than your Empire but with the strength of the fire, water and lightning n you can count at least 50 dragons ready to fight on your side. We are not many anymore, our existence to all is threatened but in one month with training we will finally be ready to go out"


    "On our side, I''m pretty sure that all the Vampires in the Kingdom will join the fight which makes exactly 500 vampires in your ranks"


    The Elysium Empire could count 550 allies at least because of their meeting, it was crazy and even if she didn''t show it, the she-wolf was happy. Her face was expressionless and as cold as ice, but inside herself this news made her very happy. However, not everything was 100% decided on the side of the bloodsuckers and that, the leader of the fire n was quick to point out showing a great unexpected reflection.


    "That said, what will happen to your alliance if Her Highness Freya is unable to wake up Lady V ? It''s not as if you swore to follow her as we did, your agreement is based solely on the sess of the she-wolf Empress."


    Klover, who had lost his annoying, angry side in thest hour, had just asked an important question. If the alliance between the Vampire Realm and the Empire of Elysium was held together mainly by the hope of their benefactor''s awakening, what would happen if it failed ? Sitting in his stone seat with a serious look on his face, he stared at Magnus waiting for an answer that finally came from the young redheaded woman sitting beside him.


    "Well..."


    "I would still fight alongside her Highness."


    Jade, the Vampire Queen had answered without hesitation shocking the whole assembly and especially her subordinate who had opened his mouth wide. Yet she didn''t waver, remaining motionless and looking at everyone with her emerald eyes as if nothing had happened. It was a bit like dropping a bomb although the most shocked was Magnus who had dedicated his life to freeing Lady V alongside his leader, like a guide.


    "Your Majesty Jade, you..."


    "Even if she is not the one we seek, I would break tradition to join the dream of Elysium and I would not change my mind."


    "With all due respect, you can''t do that !"


    The tone had risen suddenly, Magnus had risen with a jump, his long ck hair fell on his eyes but he did not care. He was staring at his Queen with bewildered eyes, she who was sitting cross-legged supporting his gaze with the greatest of calm. After a few seconds, the young woman took a deep breath before speaking clearly, finally showing her status as Queen that she had not usurped.


    "So what ? I should continue to search for this person while hiding shamefully among the humans while they destroy everything ? What happens if the Kingdom I join decides to attack my own people ? Aren''t you tired of standing by and hoping for a miracle ? What''s the point of waking up our benefactor if all we offer her is a world with no future for the rest of us, dark, filled with hatred, blood and ashes ?"


    "..."


    "I don''t forget my mission but I too want to fight to take back the rights that humans have stolen from us simply because of our difference. I too have pride, I too aspire to be happy and having fought against the Empress, I can assure you that her strength is well worth breaking traditions no matter how crazy it sounds..."


    Her voice had echoed throughout the cer and her speech had impressed all those present but especially the n leaders. They had never really had any rtions other than diplomatic with the Vampires, but this situation had opened their eyes a little more. In the end, they all had the same desire, this unquenchable desire for freedom and this thirst for justice presented by an Empress from elsewhere.


    To Queen Jade, Freya was like the Lady V of that time and though they were different, they hade into their lives to offer a new future. Ever since she had met the she-wolf on the battlefield, she had felt in her heart that she had to follow her. Like many others before her, the young redheaded woman had been mesmerized by what the Empress represented beyond her power and beauty.


    So far she had not been mistaken, Jade did not know that Freya was the ancient Goddess of the Primordial Blood and thus their direct ancestor but her instincts were adamant. That''s why, despite what her rank as Queen meant, she had decided to go against tradition. As if to give their support, Kira followed by Gaya addressed Magnus who could not ignore his feelings which converged with those of Jade.


    "With my family and my sister''s subordinates, we will hit Zal so hard that we will send a powerful message to the surrounding countries. We will draw attention to ourselves, but the humans won''t be the only ones who will finally know of our existence and our struggle."


    "As I speak to you now, the echo of our battle in the Dark Forest is attracting more and more people who want to find a safe ce and join us in our fight. Day by day the Empire is filling up and for the moment no country is aware of it...we are ahead of them and even have spies in their homes right now"


    The Vampire Priest was torn between his desire to respect tradition and his desire to fight for this chance to change things. The young woman wasn''t wrong, what was the point of waking up Lady V if she was going to live shamefully underground like them for decades ? However, Kira''s and Gaya''s words were important too and finally made him give up with a sigh.


    "Sigh...anyway, I guess nothing can change your mind your Majesty. As for me I-...I don''t know but I think I can understand, as for you...I wouldn''t like to have you as an enemy, that''s for sure"


    Magnus had lowered his weapons and even though part of him needed time to digest the information, another part had confidence. Moreover, hearing from Gaya and her sister-inw that Elysium was one step ahead, confirmed the danger of the she-wolf but also her intelligence. And then there was no point in thinking about it for the moment because nothing was yed out what Nordin, eager to learn more about Freya, was quick to say.


    "Well...since we''ve talked about the basics, how about we go to the room held by Priest Magnus where the statue of Lady V is located so we can be set once and for all ? Depending on the oue, a lot can change, right ? This is the first step"


    Impatient, he was eager to witness the power of the Empress once again, as were Klover and Aneyaris who had a big smile on their faces. They had less than a month to find the Elysium army and its Commanders in Zal directly, time was running out. There was no point in bbering anymore, now they all wanted to see what Freya was capable of and especially how she was going to free Lady V from her curse.


    _________


    - POV Freya -


    We were back in the room where we had first met Magnus, I was standing in front of the famous statue and everyone was surrounding me. To be honest I wasn''t sure what to do since even the vampires had no idea what to do. They said that this girl was looking for a blood handler, the one who was the Original and although this description reminded me of myself, I didn''t know anything.


    Neither I nor Ka recognized that childish face even though we knew for sure that she was not from this world but from somewhere else. Why was she looking for me ? Was it really me ? Did shee from the Domain of the Gods ? Why did shee ? How ? So many more questions but I didn''t have time. Everyone was waiting impatiently so to get started I decided to analyze the statue for the first time, something I hadn''t done before.


    - PING -


    [ ERROR ?%?#?%?#? ERROR ]


    [ Warning : Unknown magic detection ]


    *I thought so*


    Immediately afterwards an error message appeared meaning that I didn''t have enough level to analyze or simply not the right skill. However, I had one more piece of information confirming that there was indeed some kind of curse that had trapped this girl in the stone. I had another idea though, if she was really trapped then that meant that there was still a soul inside this statue.


    I felt the gaze of others weighing on me but it didn''t put any pressure on me, I was thinking very quickly, my brain was racing even though I had already made up my mind. I was going to use a skill that I had just acquired and that had only appeared when I had manipted the mana and soul of dead soldiers. I didn''t know if it would work the same way but it was worth a try, I was ready for anything.


    *All right let''s go...*


    [ Activation of your "Reminiscence" skill (lvl 1) ]


    [ Start the operation in 5...4...3...2...1...]


    Closing my eyes, I began to see the surrounding mana, the mana that swirled in the bodies of people, insects, nts, every living organism, every thing. To make a long story short, I was seeing everything from a different angle, mana made of light particles in a vast world filled with darkness. As I had thought, the statue''s was shining intensely, a blinding golden light at the level of the girl''s heart.


    [ MP : 60 000 / 85 000 ]


    The little dragon at her feet also had a glowing ball, weaker but a pretty blue almost white which confirmed my theory. Unlike the first time, I didn''t have to create a sphere of ice by binding the mana and soul of my target, my skill did that for me. However, as the process progressed, I still lost a veryrge amount of mana far more than the 478 deceased soldiers of Elysium.


    [ MP : 43 000 / 85 000 ]


    The same mana sphere swirled around the statue as a huge aura emanated from ourbined power. A white light shone and as the seconds passed, it became brighter and brighter until a body appeared behind it. It was the girl''s body because Reminiscence allowed us to talk to her, even if it was only for a short time.


    The young Lady V was still alive and what I was doing was simply creating a way tomunicate through her soul. She could speak, I was sure, her soul was still whole, so we could know how to help her because her soul was still attached to the statue. That''s why I couldn''t absorb her to free herter as I had done for Kira, June or May before.


    [ MP : 28 631 / 85 000 ]


    As my MP''s dropped, the light finally disappeared leaving the girl''s ice body on the ground. She seemed to be asleep, she looked exactly like the statue and as I wiped my nose of blood I could hear Magnus rushing towards her. His hurried footsteps echoed in therge dark room as a session of familiar sounds echoed in my mind.


    - PING -


    [ Congrattions ! Reminiscence skill is now level 2 ]


    [ You gain 600 attribute points ]


    [ You earn 100,000 EXP ]


    [ Congrattions ! Your level increases from 45 to 47 ]


    [ You gain 1,000 attribute points ]


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade<novelnext></novelnext>


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 28 631 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 10 801(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 271 Lady V I

    - POV Freya -


    An icy representation of Lady V containing a part of her soul for a little while had appeared on the floor identical to the statue. She didn''t move, didn''t seem to breathe which was normal but herck of movement didn''t hide any signs of imminent awakening. Magnus was next to her and although he didn''t dare touch her, I could see and feel a mixture of fear, sadness, relief and above all joy.


    He had his hands over her body, he wanted to wake her up but didn''t dare to touch her, he wanted to cry but the tears wouldn''te. The Vampire had never met the imprisoned Lady V before he became a Priest, but he knew how much she had contributed to his people. He knew what she had done, he knew her without ever having spoken to her, he knew everything about her without ever having met her eyes, but today that would change.


    The room was silent, everyone stared at the ice girl lying on the cold stone floor with bated breath. Was she going to wake up ? What had happened to her ? Yet after several long seconds nothing happened, no reaction, which I myself could not understand. As everyone started to move towards her, Magnus turned to me with panic in his eyes, leaving me speechless.


    "Empress, w-why isn''t she waking up ?"


    "Why would she know ? Onee-san has done her job, now don''t you have some kind of special rune or something rted with blood that could make her react ?"


    I hadn''t even answered that Kira had done it for me jumping up and down beside me followed by Gaya and of course Ka who were also approaching. She wasn''t wrong, I had used my Reminiscence skill and I knew the process had gone smoothly, for the rest I didn''t know. I couldn''t even find out what the curse was or even if it was one to begin with, Magnus and Jade could help.


    They were the vampires who held this girl in high esteem and knew every bit of her history since she arrived. Plus, they were experts in rune magic, which was of interest to me for the future, not having forgotten the teleporter that had taken us underground. There had to be something they could do and as I thought about it, the ck-haired Priest suddenly pped his forehead.


    "R-Right ! Yes the blood ! If we..."


    "Let''s draw a blood rune on her chest we could boost her mana especially if the blood is powerful"


    Jade had cut off her subordinate''s speech before making a dagger created from her own blood appear in her hand. I didn''t understand everything, but this rune story was more and more interesting for me who was wondering if their technique was simr to my skill "Detection and Control of Mana". I had to ask for more information afterwards and the idea of discovering new things was still thrilling.


    *Could it be that their blood technique is more powerful than I think ?*


    Once again I found myself talking to myself if Kira was no longer in my mind but for some reason I never felt alone. Like one and sometimes two presences in the depths of my soul that I couldn''t exin but that was natural for me. While I was lost in my thoughts, I saw Magnus tracing a rune on the girl''s body, a process I had never seen before with my own eyes.


    His fingertips glowed with a light that only I could see with my skill, but the vampire could feel it because it was his mana. He drew many symbols that appeared to everyone as glittering white lines that turned ck as the time passed. After a few seconds, as I watched very carefully, the man turned to me along with Jade.


    "Simply pour your blood over the rune to mix a tiny amount of your mana with Lady V to create a shock. If you really are the person she is looking for your blood and mana are both powerful and perfect enough to get an immediate reaction."


    *I see...*


    Stepping forward slowly, I grabbed the blood dagger before moving closer to the ice girl whoy like a statue. She looked so young, her feathered wings were open on her back giving her the look of a pure, innocent angel...but not as innocent as my little moon. In any case, it was necessary that she woke up because it was convenient for me, so...after having observed the rune and the girl for a long time, I finally brought the de to my hand.


    With a sharp blow I cut my palm letting my blood spill onto the rune which almost instantly began to pulse and turn red. I didn''t know how it worked but I felt my heart speed up and my own mana get more and more agitated inside me. As the seconds passed I could not control anything feeling my own body change without me doing anything to make it happen.


    Under the eyes of the dragons that I knew were totally shocked, my hair as ck as night took on a color as red as blood. My wolf ears disappeared to make room for human but pointed ears, my fangs grew longer and my nails became ck. Even my usually violet eyes turned red and ck as the tattoos on my face grew and spread.


    I felt a natural powere over me, even greater than in my wolf form, so satisfying that I could hear myself growling. I had only unlocked 30% of my Demon Goddess form, so I couldn''t imagine what it would feel like to be at 100%. As the rune seemed to resist my mana with difficulty, I slowly backed away feeling all eyes on me as my wound disappeared.


    However, attention quickly shifted as the next second the rune shattered like ss followed by what vampires might call a miracle. The girl suddenly opened her eyes before straightening up and inspecting her body as if she hadn''t seen us.


    "L-Lady V ?"


    Startled at Magnus'' voice she would turn around to finally face him not without a face lost in confusion and silence. The scene was very strange, as if she had lost her memory and didn''t know what she was doing here or even where she was. However, aware that she was not alone, the girl finally swept her gaze around the room ignoring the vampire before putting it on me which had the effect of triggering my system instantly.


    - PING -


    [ Unlocking memories avable due to the nature of the being present near the host. Would you like to view the corresponding red sphere ? ]


    [ YES/NO ]


    *Eh ?*


    A message that I had not imagined appeared before me referring to my memories as Lucifer in the form of spheres. My system could not analyze the girl but had detected my connection with her and even linked it to my past ? How ? I didn''t have time to ask myself more questions anyway because the next thing I knew, tears were starting to appear on her face.


    Why was she crying ? Was I too intimidating ? I didn''t know, but I stood still and watched Lady V without saying a word, staring at Magnus. Icy tears were streaming down her face, like a never-ending stream that couldn''t seem to stop at all. She was covered in my blood and the scene was heartbreaking if you didn''t know the context of the situation even though the dark haired vampire was ring at me intensely.


    "Empress, what could you possibly have done to make her..."


    "I-...I-...I knew it..."


    Just as he was about to ask me what I had done to make her cry, the girl''s voice finally echoed through the room. It was weak, hesitant, almost silent, and most of all overwhelmed by a multitude of feelings that came with the tears. Who was this girl ? Why was she crying ? I didn''t even know if it was joy or sadness, her icy face making it harder for me to interpret.


    The situation was lunar, a girl was crying in front of a gathering of strangers without anyone knowing why or what was going on. Jade, Magnus and even the three n leaders didn''t dare to say anything, totally lost and only waiting for me to exin what was going on. Unfortunately, even if I didn''t show it, I was probably the furthest from understanding, probably even more confused than them.


    "First of all maybe we should cover and calm this child down ?"


    "I agree, she must be disoriented..."


    Suddenly, my wife and my sister guessed my confusion and came forward to break this kind of ufortable silence that had settled for several minutes. Animated by their maternal instincts, they approached me to go towards Lady V and cover her with their coat. However, Gaya and Ka had not even had the time to pass me that already the new awakened one started to cry more and more fixing this time my big sister.


    Her little body was shaking, her eyes kept going back and forth between Ka and me which confirmed our theories about where she came from. Then, as ifing to her senses, she started to stand up like a newborn, staggering slowly in our direction. Only the sound of her footsteps bounced off the walls like clockwork, quickening our hearts to know what would happen next and what she would do.


    After a long minute, the girl finally reached our level before suddenly falling to her knees with her forehead and hands against the cold ground. She had opened her wings made of ice feathers wide and as I watched, I was suddenly caught by an unexpected shock. A sh of a memory appeared before me superimposed on the scene I was seeing and although it showed a different life, the sight was the same.


    A woman kneeling in the same position, her skin white and pink, her long ck hair as dark as the feathers of her wings...a fallen angel. I remembered now, for them, showing their back and wings like that was a sign of submission and great loyalty. This girl...I knew her for sure, but I was missing something to fully remember what was soon toe from her own mouth.


    "N-Never fear, never back down and n-never surrender. G-Glory to the Nightshade family..."


    At that moment, as she spoke her words, a huge shock took me, nearly knocking me over. Like a single impulse of the heart, powerful, crushing, suffocating, I saw in my mind very quickly scrolling different images of this woman I had once known. Her words I knew them and obviously they had the same effect on Ka who had brought a hand to her mouth leaning even on my wife.


    "Never fear, never back down and never surrender. Glory to the Nightshade family !"


    As the girl spoke those words again more distinctly, without stuttering, finally I recognized the one before me. She was...different, younger, very young, made of ice but I had no doubt, I didn''t remember everything but like my older sister I remembered little by little. I knew her, I didn''t know how she got here, why but while I still felt less lost, I finally spoke.


    "Val¨¦rie, raise your head~"


    Yes, the one who called herself Lady V was none other than Val¨¦rie, a powerful fallen angel, serving House Nightshade faithfully and almost in a fanatical way. I remembered in spite of myself her obsession with Lucifer connected to an umon dedication and trust. It was her in the form of a young girl, there was no doubt about it, and as I saw her look up I realized that my past life was catching up with me much faster than I expected.


    "Matriarch Lucifer, I knew you weren''t dead, I-...I knew it wasn''t possible and so did you Lady Ka. I-...I never believed your supposed desertion of shame...I-...I knew the Red Empress and the White Empress would return..."


    Val¨¦rie was referring to one of our nicknames that I had found out about in the crypt from the L & K journal and its memories. The Nightshade Sisters, Lucifer the Demon with hair red as blood and Ka the Archangel with hair white as snow. In the Domain of Gods we were at the head of our House, I as Goddess Matriarch supported by my older sister who was as respected as I was feared.


    It was always bits and pieces of memories, I only had the scattered pieces of the huge puzzle that was my life as a Goddess. In spite of this, little by little, helped by Ka, I began to remember without having to see my red spheres, which was very challenging for me. As I saw Val¨¦rie slowly rise to her feet new notifications rang in my mind apanied by her voice saying words I was dreading.


    "Your Highness Lucifer, Lady Ka I don''t know what is going on here and how much time I have to talk to you but you absolutely must return to your House. If you do not, then...I fear that the world we are currently in will be destroyed."


    - PING -


    [ Congrattions ! Freya, you have unlocked 5% of your Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death title > Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35% ]


    My system had been triggered but I wasn''t even paying attention to the words that were being disyed because I was frozen in ce. Not now, this was not the time, there was still so much to aplish here before I went back to take what was taken from me. Yet I hadn''t hallucinated and while everyone in the room was silent and lost, I clenched my fists before answering very firmly.


    "No. There are many things you don''t know so I refuse...for now."


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 10 801(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 272 Lady V II

    ?


    - POV General -


    "Your Highness Lucifer, Lady Ka I don''t know what is going on here and how much time I have to talk to you but you absolutely must return to your House. If you do not, then...I fear that the world we are currently in will be destroyed."


    As everyone watched in amazement, Lady V, who happened to be called Val¨¦rie, knelt down in front of the Empress of Elysium and the human at her side. No one understood, even the family of the main people involved did not have all the information and were watching with the greatest attention. The girl with the ice wings had even pronounced the name of Lucifer, which left the dragons and the two vampires even more confused.


    Lucifer ? Was she talking about the she-wolf in front of her ? Then was Freya lying about her true identity ? It was all very crazy, frustrating and above all mysterious for Magnus and Jade who couldn''t believe their eyes. And what was this story about the House and the destroyed world ? Wasn''t the subject a war aimed at the Zal capital ? Who were these three beings who seemed to be discussing the fate of the world as if they were not part of it ?


    "No. There are many things you don''t know so I refuse...for now."


    Freya had replied in a firm almost cold voice as her mind spun at a very high speed and her fists clenched. The ghosts of her divine past were resurfacing along with Val¨¦rie at a time that was far from auspicious. No, it wasn''t time yet, not now, it was too soon, much too soon and while the she-wolf did her best to remain impassive, the girl raised her trembling voice.


    "B-BUT MY GODDESS, PRIA WILL.."


    "That''s enough."


    Pria ? Why was that name vaguely familiar ? The Empress still hadn''t looked at her memories perhaps out of fear,ck of time or both and Ka hadn''t mentioned their past life either so as not to upset her. Though, at the mention of Pria''s name, the white-haired woman had trembled. It was very subtle but Freya could hear her heartbeat quicken and her scent change from joy to anger and fear.


    "All in good time, right now we have something important to do in less than a month and we need to prepare. First, how did you get cursed and how do you get free ?"


    "W-Well, please forgive me O your mighty Highness Lucifer !"


    Val¨¦rie had instantly bowed her head in submission and respect as she gracefully ced her arm at her stomach. Looking up at the rather long honorific she had used, the she-wolf then waited patiently for what she would say knowing that Magnus, Jade and the dragons were listening intently. After a few seconds, lifting her head, the ice girl would finally begin to exin what had happened to her.


    "When I heard about your supposed death after you moved to sign the treaty with Titania, I immediately assumed that she had sent you here. I couldn''t believe in your disappearance you who are so powerful so I found a way to get to her world but I am not a deity and being here is asking a lot of me..."


    "..."


    "Forced to take the form of a child, I gradually lost all my powers before turning into a statue due to the mana in this world being too...weak. I thought I had found a solution after finding this little dragon in a dungeon several miles from here but it was already toote for me."


    At her words, everyone turned their heads towards the stone statue of Lady V where a small dragony at her feet still imprisoned. How could this dragon have saved Val¨¦rie ? The three n leaders didn''t seem to recognize the race of their little fellow either, making them even more curious. Seeing that those in front of her were waiting for an answer, the girl answered in a few words immediately eliciting a reaction from Klover.


    "It''s a mirror dragon"


    "IMPOSSIBLE !!"


    At that moment, Freya raised one of her eyebrows having already heard what the mirror creatures of this world were. She knew this well because Inferno her faithful ck stallion had turned out to be one, copying her breed and bing a demon-like horse with a mane of fire. So it was easy to understand that Val¨¦rie had wanted to share her mana with it to give herself more time in this world but it had indeed been toote.


    Ignoring the golden-haired dragon''s reaction, aware that she didn''t have much time, the ice girl then continued her tale. Her "curse" didn''t matter much as long as she could deliver the message she had kept for decades. Lucifer and Ka were finally standing in front of her and even though it seemed like a living dream, taking a deep breath, Val¨¦rie continued with a serious look.


    "Before I came here the Gods and Godesses of House Luxumbra opposed to House Nightshade had ns to absorb all their worlds to increase their power. A war of the Houses is about to break out and I imagine that this world that belongs to Titania will soon disappear as well. When it does, Pria will not hesitate to strike with all her might as her madness and quest for power has continued to grow century after century"


    "This world will not be destroyed"


    Without even having to think, Freya had answered the second Val¨¦rie had finished making her jump at such certainty. Yes Titania was not going to destroy her world since it was the vessel of the she-wolf''s ancient powers, powers that everyone was apparently desperate to get their hands on. Even if all the other worlds were gone as they spoke, for the sake of Titania''s pathetic n, this world had to remain.


    However, the Empress of Elysium felt she had to regain her powers as soon as possible, especially if the dimension of her battle had expanded further. She still had time to take care of the continent until she regained all of her powers so she was going to take advantage of it. While Val¨¦rie was confused but trusted Freya blindly, finally Queen Jade''s voice rose trembling with a legitimately frightened tone.


    "B-Both of you...r-really who are you, Empress Freya...?"


    The red-haired, emerald-eyed vampire had joined Magnus and the three dragon leaders, and they were all looking at her with big eyes. They understood absolutely nothing of what had happened and were even afraid to do so feeling that this story was far beyond their power. It wasn''t the she-wolf answering though as the second the question had been asked, the ice girl had taken a step forward to do so.


    "Freya ? You are in the presence of the Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death, the Red Empress, the Archdemon Lucifer the Wrathful, powerful Master of the Seven Deadly Sins. Not to mention her sister, the Goddess of Infinite Time and Celestial Wisdom, the White Empress, the Archangel Ka ! Kneel before the Deadly Nightshade Sisters, the two most powerful Goddesses this universe has ever known !"


    At her words no movement could be detected from the side of the group who looked at Freya and Ka in turn not knowing if this was a joke. Yet the more they looked at the one with hair as red as blood and the one with hair as white as snow, it was obvious. Goddesses ? So were they two superior beings disguised as hybrids and humans to help them in their quest for vengeance and freedom ?


    "Sigh...a lot has changed about that too."


    Seeing the confusion and not wanting to create any misunderstanding, Ka had spoken up as the Empress returned to her everyday appearance. ck hair, wolf ears, sparkling violet eyes as Val¨¦rie realized that indeed this world had changed them as it had changed her. Suddenly feeling extremely ashamed and not having lost the ardor of her personality, she threw herself on her knees before the two sisters.


    "P-PARDON YOUR HIGHN-....I-...I HAD NO IDEA AND I STOPPED YOU FROM ANSWERING WHEN...I..."


    She stuttered not knowing the right words to apologize, making this simple little mistake an almost unforgivable crime. She who called herself the most loyal of the House Nightshade, how had she not noticed Ka''s humanity and Lucifer''s different aura ? Trembling on the cold floor, closing her eyes as tightly as she could, Val¨¦rie stood there and waited for the cold, sharp, repressive words of her former Matriarch.


    "Everything is fine."


    Yet it was nothing of the sort that wasing as rather reassuring words, which, though said with a cold voice, did not lose their warmth. A hand had also rested on her head caressing gently her hair of ice making her wonder if all this was real. Raising her head, Val¨¦rie met Freya''s powerful purple gaze before jumping away from her and turning to face the stone wall, hiding her face.


    The Empress could not then hide to her big sister the tiny surprise which had been hardly drawn on her face in front of her reaction. For a moment this young girl had reminded her of her own daughter, causing this gesture of reassurance which had been automatic and not thought out. The she-wolf however did not understand the reaction of the Fallen Angel in front of her and that was why Ka approached her with a smile before whispering.


    "Val¨¦rie has always been your biggest fan, your most loyal ally after me haha~ she knew you by heart and the old Lucifer would never have acted this way, as if you were allergic to physical contact from anyone other than me. You''ve changed Luci, but...I think it''s a good thing, look at her...after all this time, she really deserves it."


    "I-If you say so..."


    How odd it was to be known by two and even three personalities each from a different time and life. This was the path the ruthless Ice Empress had chosen even it was still a little hard to conceive in this kind of situation. So after a few seconds, leaving Val¨¦rie shaking with joy in her corner like a shy little girl, Freya turned back to the group of dragons and vampires.


    "I have not lied to you...I am indeed the Empress of Elysium, Freya Nightshade but...there are also many things you do not know. It so happens that my past is closely tied to that of the one you call Lady V but that does not change my goal which is and will remain my priority for the good of my family and my people."


    "..."


    "I have kept my end of our bargain, your protector has awakened now all that remains is to find a way to free herpletely. This little mirror dragon has been the subject of this "curse" as well but if it''s just feeding their mana with power, then I think I can end these centuries of imprisonment."


    The she-wolf had not nned at the moment to tell anyone about her past life but circumstances had decided otherwise. And anyway, if dragons and vampires were nning to join Elysium, this part of her history would havee up sooner orter at some point. However, that was not the point, for a great deal of preparation had to take ce, less than a month to bring out these two races that had been hidden for far too long.


    "Whatever your connection to Lady V, it doesn''t change what she did for the vampires before she..cked the power to remain conscious. If you can free herpletely then I swear my people will follow you guided by myself."


    "The same goes for me."


    After Jade spoke followed by Magnus, the two vampires had knelt before the Empress at the same time as everyone watched. They had not sworn by their honor like Klover, Aneyaris or Nordin but dered with this simple gesture not to ally themselves to Freya but to recognize her as sovereign. If Lady V, the one they idolized, had knelt before the she-wolf, then she was the one to follow regardless of her past.


    For the moment there was no time to worry, and while in therge stone room silence reigned, everything was going almost as nned. For those who hade from the Dark Forest, there was still so much to discover about these people living underground, but each one could bring something precious. Still, it was necessary to meet them and introduce themselves because it was still not done, the underground residents still ignoring their existence.


    "Let''s not waste any more time, let''s end this "curse" and then we can start the preparations as nned. I imagine you have some high ranking people to keep informed respectively and judging by the noises behind the doors, they are all really eager to know what''s going on."


    Freya had spoken again as she looked at the two huge doors where they had teleported to meet Magnus the day before. The room was veryrge and the walls were thick but she could smell different scents and hear themotion going on right behind it and the voices getting louder. The first step was to free Val¨¦rie and then to rally the vampires and dragons to her cause, because convincing their leader was not enough, it was necessary to strike at the hearts.


    Little by little, although the situation wasplicated, Elysium was gathering forces that made everyone''s dream a little more possible. But no one knew the tragedy that was going to happen in a month, no one, not even the little white-haired Princess who was the only one who knew. Could it be avoided or would the Empress'' ambition plunge everyone into a future of embers, blood, ashes and chaos ?


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 10 801(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 273 The Princess’ Trial I

    ?


    - POV General -


    A week had already passed since the meeting between the strangers from Elysium, the vampires and the three dragon leaders. In the Underground Kingdom everything had been in turmoil ever since, everyone having epted the presence of the two rulers of the Empire with ease. After all, even though it had taken hours, Lady V, or rather Val¨¦rie, had been released still in her child form leaving the statue of a dragon in the great hall.


    For some reason, the mirror creature had not been bound to the Fallen Angelpletely, preventing it from awakening. As Freya fed her new protege her mana, it didn''t seem to work on the small dragon that was still frozen and asleep. A solution still had to be found, but the priority was set on the great organization required for the future ns shared by these two newly allied Kingdoms.


    Everyone was holding meeting after meeting, time was against them, not to mention Luna and her spies who were already on site. The humans were also preparing themselves as best they could against the threat that made them tremble in the depths of their stone castle that they thought was unreachable. Both Freya and Gaya were caught up in a spiral that took up all their time, making it difficult for them to spend time with their family.


    However, they could count on the young rabbit Lia, the Princess'' butler and baby sitter, Angel and the two new stars of the Empire, Tyle and Alta?s. Although Kira was as busy as the Empress and the Queen as the Commander of the special demon unit, Ka should not be forgotten. She, who had no defined role, was taking care of her new family to lighten the burden of her little sister''s responsibilities.


    The former Goddess of Time and Wisdom was even now in the visitors'' quarters of the Vampire Kingdom. She was apanied only by Shiro for a very particr reason that had been decided more than a week before. Indeed, now that the little Princess had awakened her power to heal Angel, she had to learn how to control it and especially to check if her mana was not a danger for her.


    As Ka had exined to her sister days ago, Shiro had inherited her power and even was born because of it, but it wasn''t enough to control it, at all. Unlike her and Freya who possessed a copy of Titania''s elements, the little girl possessed the pure magic of a Goddess. Like a cup too small to hold all the water avable, as a hybrid, the mana in her body was therefore far too powerful.


    Premature aging, loss of mana, weakening of body and soul, insanity, personality changes and death were some of the risks associated with its use. One of the best solutions would have been for Shiro to never use her element, but how could that be possible when she was desperately trying to learn ? Although fear had set in, it was impossible to ignore the determination that the Princess had shown, it was something to be proud of.


    Since her wish had been made, Ka had to make sure to protect her throughout the process but she knew that...this test would be difficult, very difficult. Not only did it require near perfect control of divine level mana, but also great mental and physical strength. Shiro was only a 6 year old girl, a hybrid, half Demigod and half wolf which made it even moreplicated but everyone had decided to trust.


    "Good. Are you ready ?"


    The beautiful white-haired woman with piercing violet eyes had finally spoken a few words breaking the surrounding silence. She was standing in the middle of a room where all the furniture had been pushed away, facing her niece, both alone for the first time. After several weeks their rtionship was no longer so strained, Shiro having forgotten the fear of her mother being reced and epted her aunt as such with genuine love.


    "Yes I''m ready, auntie."


    The little Princess was standing in front of Ka like a little soldier with a serious look on her face that didn''t make her cuteness disappear for all that. Like a mirror showing the past and the future, they faced each other, their striking resemnce could amaze anyone. The famous test could finally begin so after taking a deep breath, the former Goddess began her sentence that she did not have time to finish.


    "Very well then I-..."


    "Wait !"


    "Huh ? W-What are you doing ?"


    "I''m putting on my headband of courage ! Yes yes~"


    Shiro had suddenly flinched before grabbing a piece of red colored cloth with a small handmade design from her dress pocket. It was a bird drawn in a very rough way by her care and she was very proud of it if you believe her big happy eyes. While tying it around her forehead, the little girl began to exin what she meant by that which unfortunately did not really help her aunt who was still very confused.


    "This is huuuuh...a ninja headband, for the will of fire !"


    "N-Ninja ? F-Fire will ?"


    "Umu ! It is from an ani...ani...mi ? anime ? I''m not quite sure but Mommy told me about it one day before bed. It''s a super duper amazing story with ninjas and lots of cool stuff and it even has a big bad fox who bes super niceter ! Even though I prefer Auntie Kira hihi~"


    "W-Well, if you are ready now then we can start"


    "Yes I''m ready. Are you going to teach me how to handle a sword ? Or maybe some super poisonous kunais ?"


    A look of surprise and bafflement was drawn on Ka''s face while her violet eyes shone with tenderness at so much innocence. Unfortunately the course of this day was probably not going to be so exciting and even ratherplicated to live. Smiling softly, the woman sat down on the floor of the room letting her niece do the same before answering as precisely as possible as to not waste any time.


    "No, I''m going to teach you how to control your mana so you know if it''s safe to use your element. That said it won''t be easy, I''m here to apany you but you must understand that only you can do it and try to seed. Do you understand ?"


    "M-Mmmh y-yes."


    The little smiling Princess'' face showed a natural fear as she answered softly carried away by a natural sudden stress. Yes it was she who had decided to take the first step in asking for help regarding her power but now that the time hade, it was scary. She was shaking slowly, how could she not be shaking ? After all, everything was new, certainly exciting but just as terryfying.


    While a flurry of feelings ran through her mind, Shiro still felt brave enough to try and maybe even seed. This desire to be useful, to be able to follow in her mother''s footsteps was the source of all her motivation no matter how hard it might be. Hesitating and being afraid was normal but the little girl wasn''t alone so ignoring the furious beating of her heart, she nodded gently.


    "Alright then let''s get started. Tell me, when you first used your power when you saved Angel, how did you feel ? Do you really know why your element was triggered ? Tell me about that exact moment, I''m sure you remember it."


    Raising her eyes to the ceiling and bringing her small hand to her chin, Shiro then began to think hard not wanting to make any mistakes. What had she felt ? It was quite simple but how to define precisely what had happened in her mind at that very moment ? After a few seconds of silence, the little girl lowered her head again before trying to exin why she had acted so suddenly.


    "I-I''m not sure, I-...I remember wanting to help him, to finally be of use, I-...I didn''t want to see him die and the only thing I remember is feeling a great sadness, it hurt very very much, here."


    Pointing to where her heart was beating in her chest, the snow-white haired Princess was clearly reliving the images of that night. The tears beading on her mother''s cheeks, the panic of the doctors, this feeling of despair but most of all the distress and suffering of that innocent little boy. Everything was still vivid in her mind and as the sadness was showing on her face, Ka raised her voice again to exin what had happened.


    "That''s right Shiro. The source of your power depends a lot on instinct and especially on your most powerful emotions. At that moment, what unlocked your element was simply your deep desire to want to help and save the one who seemed unable to be saved. There are many ways to awaken our mana and use it, but the main strength of your element is your purest, most real feelings.


    In this world there were many ways to use one''s mana varying ording to the beings, the element, the power of the host or even the instinct. However, using Time was different, although directly rted to feelings such as fear, courage, sadness or anger, manipting it was quite different. Special, as dangerous as it was powerful, it required perfect mastery of a divine level difficult to achieve at such a young age.


    "Now that you have awakened your element, we must make sure that you can use it without any danger to others and especially to your own life. You are strong Shiro, much stronger than you think but this power you inherited from me is not like the others...you are not like the others."


    "Does that mean...I can be as strong as Mommy ?"


    Again, "Mommy" came out of the young Princess'' mouth which did not go unnoticed by her far-from-stunned aunt. Empress Freya was an example for everyone and especially for her daughter who never ceased to admire her for her strength trying at all costs to resemble her in every way. Yet as genuine as her admiration was, it was not the right thing to do and she could count on the former Goddess of Time to let her know it.


    "That my dear I don''t know yet but what I do know is that you must find your own way without following the example of others. You must learn to resonate with your mana and find its source to voluntarily control it or it could inadvertently destroy you from within. It is very difficult, manipting Time is not given to everyone and after me you are the only one who can do it if you can pass today''s trial."


    "B-But how ?"


    "That''s why I''m here, so please...close your eyes, my dear~"


    Complying without question, Shiro closed her small purple eyes waiting with the utmost patience for the instructions to follow. This was new for her and although she was ready, apprehension made her heart beat faster and faster giving her the impression that it could burst out of her chest. No sound could be heard, no breathing, no whispering as Ka ced her hand tenderly on her little head.


    "Now that you remember the emotions your heart felt that night, try to remember what your own body felt. Mana is like a stream that keeps us alive, flowing through every part of our being to vibrate with the nature around us. Forget where we are, forget even your name if you have to, but remember that overflow of mana that flowed into you for the first time."


    The Empress'' older sister knew it, it was the first step, the simplest but also one of the most important. Being able to understand how mana worked within her was essential and while easy, it required a significant amount of physical memory. The little girl had to physically remember what she had experienced whilepletely disregarding any thoughts rted to what her heart had felt powerfully.


    "Our mana runs through every fiber of our being, as important as the blood in our veins, it is what allows us to move, walk, talk or simply exist. All beings that inhabit this world and even beyond are subject to the same rule but what makes the difference is our ability to be one with it."


    Finishing her sentence, Ka then infused a tiny amount of her own mana into her niece''s body to help her remember. Having kept a tiny bit of her old power, only she could do this, taking care not to interfere with her concentration and own stream. A heavy silence had invaded the room, time seemed to have been suspended in its course leaving behind only two motionless beings, simr and yet so different.


    Seconds passed and then minutes and as the silent woman was about to speak again, something finally happened. The young Princess had neither moved nor spoken but suddenly a faint white aura had begun to emanate from her small body enveloping her in a special warmth. It was barely noticeable but Ka could feel it vibrating with her own mana which was not so different from hers.


    "A-Auntie, I-...I think I remember now."


    Raising her head and slowly opening her eyes, Shiro revealed two beautiful irises as bright as gold, far from the piercing purple that characterized the Nightshade family. Speechless, plunging her eyes into hers, the former Goddess of Time could not help but see her own reflection from the past. The first step had been sessful, but it was only the beginning of a trial that would be much harder for the Princess, who had not yet grasped to what extent.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 10 801(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 274 The Princess’ Trial II

    ?


    - POV Shiro -


    "A-Auntie, I...I think I remember now."


    I had done everything as my aunt had asked me, I had thought very very hard about that super scary night when I thought Angel was going to die. It wasn''t very hard because I remembered something very special that my body had felt even though I couldn''t exin it. It was as if all of a sudden I felt my heart stop before a warmth went through my whole body like a big boom in my chest.


    Now I felt the same, it was weird but not unpleasant, I was hot and again I was shaking but not from fear. Was this mana ? At school I had learned that it was in our bodies since birth and that everyone could use it but I was the only one who couldn''t. Because of this I felt weak but Auntie Ka was there and as I looked up with a smile she finally answered with the same.


    "That''s good, you passed the first step Shiro, I am proud of you~. Now look."


    Without waiting I saw her form a small mirror with the same ice that Mommy used before turning it towards me to show me. In the blurred reflection of the magic object I saw a little girl who looked very much like me but had golden eyes like the sun. They were bright, very beautiful but I didn''t know if what I was seeing was real or not, I knew that my eyes were purple like Mommy''s, Auntie Kira''s and Auntie Ka''s.


    *This is...this is me ?*


    "You have inherited my power, the original power of a Goddess, which means that you are undergoing the same transformation as I once did. If your mother Lu-...Freya was the red-eyed Archdemon Goddess of Blood and Death, I was the golden-eyed Archangel of Time and Wisdom.


    "Archangel ?"


    "It''s a bitplicated to exin but tell you that the transformation we undergo when we use our divine powers. As a totally natural reaction to the mana that flows through our bodies you are now the closest thing we have to a Goddess"


    I didn''t understand it all but apparently it was normal so I didn''t have to worry about it. But, did that mean it was going to stay like this all the time ? At first, before I met Mommy, I hated my white hair and my purple eyes, but now I loved them with all my heart. I was proud of it because my family thought I was cute and loved me like that but now was it still the case ?


    *No no, Mommy and Mom love me no matter what color my eyes are !*


    Shaking my head to get this stupid and spineless idea out of my mind, I couldn''t help but feel sad at the thought of losing a physical characteristic that tied me to who I was. I didn''t have time to think about it more than that when Auntie Ka''s soft voice echoed above me saying words I wanted to hear as if she was a mind reader. Could she do that ?


    "Haha~ don''t worry, it''s not permanent, the purple color of your pupils characterizing the Nightshade family doesn''t disappear, it''s only temporary. It only means that your divine mana is somehow...active, but that doesn''t mean that using it is safe either. To be sure we have to keep going, do you trust me ?"


    "Y-Yes."


    "Good. Now we''re getting into the mostplicated and dangerous part. You are now able to feel the mana flowing through you to the point of voluntarily making that golden color appear in your eyes, this is the very first step of the maniption. Yet what you feel at this moment is only a tiny part of your power, so you must then grasp its intensity as urately as possible."


    I knew it was dangerous, not exactly how dangerous, but even though I was scared I trusted my aunt. I definitely wanted to be able to get strong to help, to be worthy of my family and show them all that I wasn''t just cute even though I was still little. Mommy and the others said I was more powerful than I thought, I didn''t know why either but I was ready to listen like a big girl.


    Everyone was busy with superplicated big person stuff but everyone was brave and serious, I wanted to be too. I had my courage headband around my forehead and as I felt that warmth spread through my body, I listened. Auntie Ka was kind and even though I didn''t understand everything right away, she exined much better than Auntie Kira who wasn''t good at it.


    "Time is not a physical element like the ice I control, Freya''s Blood, Gaya''s Fire or Kira''s Lightning. Time is abstract, powerful but equallyplicated, it represents our past, present, future and even beyond. To tell you the truth, even as a Goddess I had so much left to discover about it..."


    I listened but Auntie suddenly stopped talking, looking nkly with sad eyes. Was she going to cry ? What a pity, I didn''t have a tissue and I didn''t know what to do to help her get better but her light had be a little bit different. Ever since I saved Angel, I could see a faint light shining on the chest of every person, creature or animal I passed, it was very strange.


    Most of the time the light is white and with time I understood that it changed ording to the emotions of the people but I was not sure. Red for anger, green for disgust, yellow for joy, grey for fear and...blue for sadness. There were plenty I didn''t know yet but at that moment the little light on Mommy''s big sister''s heart was the same color as the ocean next to my house.


    "A-Auntie...are you okay ?"


    "Ah uuh yes yes, I''m fine haha~ where was I again ? Ah yes !"


    She had started smiling again with bright eyes but the light color remained exactly the same, maybe I was wrong then ? Why was she smiling if she was sad ? Again something I didn''t understand and had to ask Mommy or Mom Gaya. I didn''t want to cut her off in this important moment so I opened my ears wide while my aunt continued as if she had never stopped.


    "Unlike the others, the Time you can use doesn''t have a specific skill, at least for now because it''s an abstract element that can take different forms. I know it''splicated but time is not immutable, it evolves and it''s up to you to discover all the possibilities it grants you"


    *I don''t understand everything but I will do my best, yes yes~*


    "Let''s evaluate the power you can control today. Keep your concentration, I''m going to make a ball of my own mana appear, concentrating absolutely all my power. It''s not very orthodox but if you can pour yours out by touching it then it will be easier for me to evaluate its intensity."


    Finishing speaking, Auntie Ka made an ice ball appear in her hand filled with ck smoke inside. It was a bit scary, especially since I didn''t know why but I felt chills in my body just looking at it. Maybe because it was a concentration of her strength ? I too wanted to do this, I too wanted to be powerful so that I would never have another nightmare like I did that night.


    "Focus, dear, okay ? You can feel the mana flowing through you now, so just try to pour as much as you can to make it sh with mine. If you feel that it''s too much or that you''re getting tired quickly, don''t push, we''re only at the beginning so don''t rush it. Don''t let it get to you, safety first..."


    "A-All right."


    "It''s not an orthodox method but I''m the only one who shares a mana simr to yours, so I would know how to evaluate your strength with my experience. Don''t be afraid, I''m here, just do the best you can and let it flow by simply directing its flow gently through your finger. Are you ready, Shiro ?"


    Auntie was using a lot ofplicated words but it didn''t matter, nodding my head I closed my eyes first to stay serious and focused. I could feel the warmth of the mana inside me so I just had to direct it to my finger, right ? She had also mentioned that my element was connected to my emotions and feelings. I wanted to help, I wanted to be useful so I was going to use all these thoughts to make everyone proud of me.


    My little heart was beating so hard, like when I was stressed at school but this time I felt it was different. The harder I thought, the hotter my body felt as if I could conjure up mes like Mom Gaya. Was this strength ? Auntie Ka had said not to push but I wasn''t doing anything, it felt good, it felt different and as long as I wasn''t pushing it was okay, no ?


    I didn''t realize it but little by little the words my aunt had said were getting lost in my mind. It was as if time had really stopped, I couldn''t see or feel anything, but I didn''t know why...I wasn''t afraid at all. An explosion of joy burned in my chest because for the very first time I could feel that I was not as weak as I thought.


    And before I knew it, I was gone.


    _________


    - POV General -


    "What''s going on !?!?"


    The Empress of Elysium followed by her wife and little sister had rushed back into the trial room, breaking down the door as usual. Her calm voice had risen to a tone that hinted a great concern hanging on every word she had just spoken. Freya had spoken for all as both Gaya and Kira wore the same confused but mostly anxious face as the former Goddess of Time answered.


    "I-...I don''t know. We''ve started the second stage of testing, she''s not in danger right now but it doesn''t stop ! Freya..."


    Ka stared at the center of the room from which a powerful gust was gushing out, forcefully blowing the hair of those nearby. The source of this ? The little white-haired Princess lost in an unexpected trance, causing her mana to surge, which at that moment was close to being uncontroble. Yet, the most incredible thing was the phenomenon that was happening around the little girl, preventing anyone from getting any closer.


    "...It seems that her power is beyond anything we could have imagined."


    Around Shiro, the space seemed to twist, an illusion caused by the aura that escaped from her and physically acted over several meters. The floor, themp, the ceiling, everything in the vicinity had cracked as their surface gradually peeled off like wallpaper before flying away and vanishing. It was as if they were disappearing every second, reduced to nothingness as if they had never existed.


    The sight was incredible to see but as intriguing as it was, no one could forget the source of this scene sitting in the middle of everything. Freya, not knowing what to do, turned to her older sister with her eyes fixed on her niece while trying to hide her right arm behind her. However, the she-wolf had seen it long before it disappeared behind her older sister''s dress, thus raising a lot of questions and especially concern.


    Ka was holding her trembling right arm, where wrinkles had appeared on it, recing her immacte and soft skin of always. As if it had been the work of a curse, her arm and hand seemed to have aged in one fell swoop, leaving only the skin of an old woman, thin and dry. Shaking her head to keep a cool head and deciding to ignore this detail for the moment, Freya formted out loud what everyone else was wondering.


    "Ka ! How do we stop this ?!"


    "I don''t know, I-I''ve tried but nothing helps. In a way, this is part of the tesr. Shiro is the only one who can stop and control her power, only she...has the answer..."


    At that moment, the Empress and the Queen understood that nothing could stop what was happening and that they were...powerless. Their little daughter was the cause of this phenomenon and not knowing or understanding anything about the situation was unbearable. Yet, nothing could be done. The little Princess was alone and patience was the only solution, they had to believe in her so that''s what Freya was going to do.


    Despite the uncertainty, the worry, the beating hearts and trembling bodies, everyone was going to wait and believe in the one who had a pure heart. Her mind was gone, invaded and overwhelmed by the power she had so longed to be able to control to help those she loved. The trial had not stopped, in fact it was just beginning and for the first time Shiro was alone. No one could stop...or help her.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 10 801(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 275 Just a dream

    Chapter 275 Just a dream


    ¨C POV Shiro ¨C


    *I feel so good...I feel like I''m floating, where am I ?*


    It was strange, I didn''t feel like I was in the underground room of the Kingdom of Vampires and Dragons with Auntie Ka anymore. I could feel a little wind tickling my nose, while my body felt as if it were asleep. Was this another dream ? I didn''t dare open my eyes, but just as I was asking myself a bunch of questions, a voice sounded above me, making me jump with surprise and open my eyelids very quickly.


    "Who are you ?"


    "..."


    The emotionless face of a boy a little older than me had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, hiding the light from the ce with his head. He had short, dark-blue hair as dark and bright as the ocean and deep-ck eyes that reminded me of Mommy''s hair. He was waiting for an answer, staring hard at me, preventing me from thinking or even understanding what was going on. It was probably a dream.


    "Who are you and why are you in my garden ?"


    "I-..."


    At his words I turned my head in all directions trying to find the answer to his question too. His garden ? I was indeed surrounded by hundreds of nts, flowers, trees and all sorts of greenery I''d never seen before but why ? After a few seconds, I also noticed the brilliant white reflectionsing from the transparent dome above although his garden was incredibly beautiful, I couldn''t ignore the unpleasant sensation that was beginning to course through my my head, dazzling the ce. I was actually in a greenhouse.


    How had I ended up there and who was he ? It was truly weird, and although his garden was incredibly beautiful, I couldn''t ignore the unpleasant sensation that was beginning to course through my body. With every little movement I felt heavier than the second before and I didn''t know why, but I also had the impression of being there without really being there. Where had my family gone again ? I couldn''t understand a thing.


    "Are you a spirit or something ?"


    "..."


    "Well yes, only gods or demi-gods can be here and you look pretty weak so I''d put my divine money on a spirit especially since I don''t know anyone with golden eyes and white hair here"


    *What''s he talking about ?*


    "Besides, I don''t know what you''re doing, but your mana''s going all over the ce, so if you could just leave, that''d be fine with me, because I don''t want to have to exin to Mom that someone died in the garden..."


    *My mana ?*


    I didn''t know what had happened during Auntie Ka''s test, but I remembered being overwhelmed by this feeling of unknown power. But it seemed to me that she had also warned me about this, had I made a mistake ? Was I stuck in my mind or in another dream ? Yet this time I hadn''t fallen asleep, but was it real ? Maybe this boy could help me, but I didn''t know where to start.


    As I finally tried to stand up, I noticed my bare feet on the cobbled floor of the greenhouse, shining intensely with golden light. The longer I stared at them, the more I felt like I was being jostled from within, yet again, unable to exin what was happening. Had I failed the test ? Just when I thought I''d finally achieved something, it seemed I''d done everything wrong and it was my fault, but...how could I stop all this ande back ?


    "Sigh...you''re pretty but stupid. Your mana bnce is broken and little by little it''s escaping from you from your feet apparently. Either go back to where you came from and self-destruct there, or sort it out quickly, but either way, be quick."


    Now that I was on my feet, I could clearly see the boy who didn''t want me here, and that was normal. He was a little taller than me, his skin was smooth and as perfect as marble glistening in the sun, which brought out his dark eyes and ocean hair. I noticed that his hands were full of dirt, yet his fine clothes were immacte, he was handsome, but his face was anything but expressive.


    For some reason, I couldn''t see any light shining in his chest, so what was he feeling ? Had I lost my power because of my unstable mana ? I waspletely lost. Mommy and the others had warned me that once I the test started they wouldn''t be able to help me, but why was it so hard ? I wanted to go home and didn''t know what to do at all as I felt my throat tighten and tears well up.


    "Wait, don''t tell me you''re going to cry ? No, no, no, stop it, I can''t stand it when people cry, it makes me nervous ! And besides, my mom says crying is for the weak !"


    "A-And...and my Mommy says it''s good to...to cry and that even the strongest need it s-sometimes"


    "Well, your mommy''s nothing but a weak liar"


    Mommy ? A weak liar ? Who was he to say that ? Was it my mind that made me see someone so unpleasant ? For what purpose ? I could feel the anger rising rapidly as I trembled more and more, as if I couldn''t control what was going on in my head at all. The mana in me circting through my body was getting heavier and heavier too, but for some reason I didn''t know, I couldn''t stop it.


    "W-What''s happening to you again ?"


    In the greenhouse, an unknown wind had risen making all the surrounding nts, flowers and vegetation dance. My hair was blown as well as my mana continued to swirl inside me along with the lies he''d spoken. It was intense but at the same time I was still letting myself be carried away by this wave of power even though it might not have been right, at that moment...it was stronger than me.


    "S-Stop that !"


    Why was it so hard to control my thoughts now ? The wind turned into a gust sweeping more and more around me, leaving me lost once again. I could feel the mana stirring and escaping from me, the air growing heavier as I did my best. The boy in front of me revealed a concerned face for the first time, shouting in my direction as he shielded himself with his hands.


    "Stop I say, control yourself dammit !"


    "..."


    "It''s all right, I take it back, but don''t destroy everything here or we''ll both be in trouble ! Stop !"


    "I-I don''t know how !"


    I felt myself being carried away by my anger at the words he''d spoken and even though I was aware of it I couldn''t stop the process. Auntie Ka had said that my element was greatly connected to my emotions and at that moment it was as if I felt something was going to happen without being able to control it. I didn''t even know what Time was capable of, let alone my skills. What could I do ?


    I was scared, I was in an unknown ce with a rude boy and my family had disappeared again, but it wasn''t a dream, was it ? I had to wake up or call on what I''d learned, but it was all so overwhelming that my mind couldn''t focus. I was doing my best though, I had to tame the mana spinning and heating in my body contracting all my muscles but it was so hard.


    "Fine !"


    Suddenly, like a distant scream echoing in front of me, I heard the mysterious boy before turning my gaze in his direction. I couldn''t see much, the wind making me close my eyes not to mention the dirt it lifted preventing me from seeing with ease. It was hard, but I hadn''t missed seeing him run along the cobbled path before disappearing around the corner behind arge tree with huge leaves, leaving me alone.


    *Help me, don''t...don''t leave me...*


    I was the only one left, my body was shaking and I felt tears welling up again as I felt totally alone. Was I going to die ? No, I had to be brave like Mommy and the others, I had to find a solution on my own like a big girl. Breathe and think, not let my emotions ovee me. Breathing and thinking was the only solution, it was up to me.


    *Don''t panic, stay calm, don''t tremble, pass the test and everything will be fine*


    Closing my eyes, I tried to concentrate as hard as I could, I didn''t know how much time I had left to seed, but I mustn''t think about it. If everything was connected to my emotions then I had to ovee anger with something else, something powerful and precious. Right now, the only thing I could think about was my family, whom I loved, and the warmth they brought to my chest every day.


    I still remembered what it felt like to be alone in a world that only wanted to make you suffer, I was afraid of loneliness. Before I met Mommy, I didn''t know what it was like to smile,ugh or even just talk. When I thought about it, it hurt inside, but it was nothingpared to all the joy I''d experienced since I''d been saved, all the pain couldn''tpare.


    *To be brave is to do your best even when it''s hard and even when you feel like crying. To cry is not to be weak as long as you don''t give up*


    As I repeated these words in my head, I felt my heart calm down as I clearly remembered the warmth that made me happy. Memories flooded in as if to soothe me, the faces of those I loved, the words of love they had whispered to me, I felt good. Even my mana was calming down, I could visualize these sources flowing through me and calm them more easily with a calm mind.


    *I can do it*


    "Here !"


    I couldn''t describe what I was doing or exin it, but I was acting almost naturally, trying to tame those flows. Yet just as I was beginning to do so, a voice startled me out of my thoughts as I felt someone grab my hands to slip something into them. The next moment everything became easier, as if by magic my mana yielded to my desires while everything calmed down around me.


    *W-What happened ?*


    Slowly opening my eyes, I immediately focused them on what I held in my hands, emitting an unexpected warmth. It was a stone, simple, oval but intensely white, making it absolutely magnificent. For some reason I felt a force I knew inside, and as I watched it curiously, the voice of the boy I''d almost forgotten echoed beside me.


    "This is a mana stone possessing enough power for you as you look younger than me. It helps to suck up mana when it gets too out of control and makes it easier for you to manage it as you can see. Moonstone..."


    "I-It''s beautiful...t-thank you for your help"


    Raising my eyes to him, I thanked him sincerely, I''d managed to better understand how to control my element but I was still surprised by his act. He had seemed so mean, so why had he helped me ? Smiling softly, I could see him turn his face away with red cheeks before hearing his annoyed tone return. Maybe he didn''t like being thanked but that didn''t change the fact that I was grateful.


    "I-It''s...it''s nothing you need to thank me for, n-now hurry back I don''t want any trouble and..."


    He hadn''t finished his sentence when suddenly I felt myself being sucked away from this ce that was still unknown to me at that moment. I didn''t even know his name or who he was, but it seemed it was already toote to ask as everything disappeared in a blinding light. The next thing I knew, I was opening my eyes in that cold underground room where it all began, surrounded by my family crowding around me.


    Yes...it was probably just a dream.


    ______


    - POV General -


    < At the same time in the greenhouse >


    "My little bunny, where are you ?!"


    In the upside-down greenhouse, the blue-haired, ck-eyed boy stood quite still, staring at the spot where a few seconds before a little girl with white hair and golden eyes had been standing. A new voice echoed through the vegetation, but he couldn''t bring himself to answer, wondering if it had all been real. She had disappeared as quickly as she hade and he didn''t even know her name or who she was.


    "Ah, there you are ! "


    While he was still speechless, a curvaceous woman had appeared behind him walking hurriedly in his direction. Same hair, same eyes, raising a face that many knew because yes, it was the Goddess Titania required to stay away from Freya because of another mission. She was very beautiful, dressed in a light blue dress and ck heels cking on the now dirt-filled floor.


    "I felt a variation of manaing from the garden and wondered if you knew why it-...my god but what happened here ?!? Did you exert your mana too violently again ? We''ve talked about this, my little bunny, but if you want to go from Demigod to God, you''ve got to be more thoughtful ! Sigh...some on, let''s get you cleaned up, Mom is going to help you~"


    Grabbing her son, still in shock, the Goddess lifted him into her arms before heading for the exit door. She didn''t know what had happened here, and that at this moment the one she was holding had his mind upied by this mysterious little girl with an hypnotizing angel''s smile. Yes, the two mothers would find out muchter, but this episode marked the very first meeting between Titania''s son and Freya''s daughter, two women sworn to destroy each other.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 10 801(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 276 A dream away from reality

    Chapter 276 A dream away from reality


    -- POV General --


    "Sh¡­ro¡­.i¡­"


    As the little Princess slowly opened her eyes in the middle of the dark room, all that reached her ears were distant voices. What had happened ? The furniture had disappeared, or rather been reduced to nothingness when her powerful mana had nearly blown the whole thing apart. Shiro had lost control, rming and worrying her family, who could do nothing but watch and hope she would calm down on her own.


    One hour had passed since then, and while the room was silent, the little girl finally began to move, provoking a reaction from those around her. The phenomenon she had caused was unknown, as she lost control it was as if space twisted, making anything within a 5-meter radius disappear, while a powerful aura exploded, shaking almost the entire Underground Kingdom.


    "Shiro !"


    "Are you all right ? Shiro ?"


    The white-haired Princess struggled to open her eyes but could feel the warmth of an embrace and hear those who were worried. Gaya tenderly stroked her head resting on herp while Kira, Ka and Freya crouched beside her...her family was there. She was back, and after several minutes of silence, the little girl finally opened her mouth to let out a few words in a whisper.


    "I had a dream..."


    Shiro still felt a little lost between reality and her recent deep sleep that had seemed tost so long, but she hadn''t forgotten. She hadn''t forgotten and everything was jostling in her head, what had really happened ? Had she seeded, was she back, or had she imagined it all ? Everything was confused, and yet the Princess found the strength to turn her little head towards the dragoness before asking a question from the tip of her lips.


    "Am I dreaming again ?"


    "No sweetheart, you''re back~"


    "S-So...I-...I did it ?"


    A small, faint smile spread across her exhausted face as her cheeks turned pink demonstrating her palpable excitement. At that moment, her heart was racing, for that was all Shiro wanted to know: no matter what had happened, only the answer to her question mattered. Trembling, she waited impatiently, staring at Ka, who returned her smile before uttering the words she had always wanted to hear.


    "Yes little one...you did it"


    Like a breath of fresh air, these simple words were enough to soothe the little Princess''s beating heart instantly. There were still many mysteries surrounding her powers and what had happened, but she was fine and that was what mattered for now. The Empress, the Queen, Kira and Ka said nothing, watching with a smile as she straightened up and gently rubbed her tired little eyes with her right hand.


    "I-In my dream there was a boy who was a bit rough at first but kind afterwards who helped me, I didn''t do it on my own. I-..."


    "Of course you did Shiro, you can be proud of yourself...really. We all are~"


    "I-...it''s just...I-...I don''t feel like I''ve done much..."


    Now that she was surrounded by her family and back with them, Shiro though proud and happy, couldn''t help but keep thinking about what she''d been through. Was it really a dream ? It had to be, because she''d been physically in the room, hadn''t she ? It was confusing, and even though she''d felt her mana bending to her mind as it had during her nightmare, everything had seemed so real, so...intense that she didn''t understand.


    "My little moon, what happened in that dream ?"


    Freya, who hadn''t spoken until now, had detected at a nce her daughter''s confusion shining in her big violet eyes. The she-wolf had not been able to approach the wave of aura that had engulfed the room, forced to wait for it to calm down without really understanding or seeing what was happening. She had felt her daughter''s presence, but for a brief moment it was as if she had disappeared before reappearing, and Freya wanted to know why.


    "Take your time, Princess~"


    It had onlysted a few seconds or even less, but she was sure of it, something had happened. Perhaps she was mistaken, but the Empress wasn''t the type to doubt until she had the answers to her questions, and she knew it well, her daughter and her powers were a real mystery. Waiting patiently, she crouched beside Shiro before stroking her head gently with a small smile at the corner of her lips.


    "I did everything Auntie told me and...and when I managed to get a good feel for my m-mana I felt like I was falling asleep. I-I couldn''t control anything and when I opened my eyes I was in a different ce...like...a dream."


    "A dream ?"


    "Y-Yes. There was a big greenhouse and...and a not so very nice boy who said mean things and that I was going to self-destruct because of my i-instable mana. I didn''t know how to stop it and it was very scary, I-...I didn''t know what to do..."


    As she recounted what had happened, the Princess''s body began to tremble, remembering the physical pressure it had been under. It was like feeling her whole being being torn apart little by little as the mana escaped unable to be properly contained. Shiro had only been at the first stage, sparing her the pain, but who knows what would have happened without the intervention of the mysterious Demigod.


    "I concentrated very, very hard to get there and managed to feel what Auntie Ka had been talking about, but..."


    "But ?"


    "But I-...it was hard and I was really really tired, after a while I felt like I was going to fall asleep again but I w-wanted seed and make you proud, I promise you Mommy but it was...s-s-so soooo hard..."


    The little girl had begun to cry softly, realizing even more the gulf that separated her from the family she admired so much. Of course, she had managed to tame her mana and could continue to learn more as she grew stronger, but it wasn''t enough. Feeling and being aware of one''s own weaknesses was a wall that every warrior had to ovee, and Shiro at this moment was facing it.


    "Look at me...look at us~"


    Tenderly wiping her daughter''s cheeks, the Empress couldn''t help but smile understanding what she was going through.


    "Learning and mastering anything takes time, no one is an exception, we''re all subject to the same rules. Everyone at their own pace, step by step, no matter the mistakes, the important thing is not to give up and we''re already so proud of you~"


    "I-...b-but you, you..."


    "Back then your mother took hundreds of years to master one of her elements and find every w in it. It took her so long that she nearly destroyed all her apartments in a rage haha~ so yes, even the best need time fufu~"


    Ka had uttered these unexpected words whileughing and wiping a tear from the corner of her eyes as the she-wolf squinted. She had no recollection of this episode in her life, nor did she wish to remember it, especially when she saw Kiraughing and trying to keep a low profile, to no avail. Gaya had turned her head so as not to add to theughter, but no one was fooled by the mocking smile that was slowly forming on her lips.


    As for Shiro, her mouth dropped open in surprise, totally shocked by the idea that Freya could take so long to achieve something. This simple facial expression was enough to make the Empress realize that her daughter was perhaps idealizing her a little too much, pushing her expectations higher than she should. At 6 years old, every step she took was already a great sess, no matter if it was only the beginning.


    "AHEM ! A-Anyway ! What your aunt means is that you''re not born strong...you be strong through hard work, determination and training. You''ll definitely get there too, I''m sure of it...keep believing and never betray yourself~"


    "I-I''ll do my best~"


    "Then it''s all right~"


    Smiling with all her teeth, the little Princess feeling a little better straightened up a little before feeling a hand caress her hair. Despite her feeling of failure she knew this was only the beginning and wanted more than anything to keep that courage that had thrilled her even when she was alone. Despite the enormous fatigue she felt, Shiro kept in mind everything she had lived, felt and learned from this experience.


    Grabbing her daughter to carry her in her arms, the Queen, still a little worried but proud, signaled to her wife that she would look after her. It was time for them to take stock of what had happened, but only once Shiro had gone to bed to rest before dinner. However, as the dragoness headed for the exit door, it suddenly opened, revealing a young girl.


    "Your Highness !"


    Long, icy hair like her skin, dressed in a seemingly oversized white gown, Val¨¦rie, fervent servant of the Nightshades, had appeared. Nourished by Freya''s mana, which enabled her to remain conscious while retaining her ice nature and maidenly form, she set about welding and training the Vampires and Dragons for the next battle, not forgetting of course to extol the Empress''s strength.


    Still busy in the northern Underground Kingdom in thepany of Magnus and Jade, something had prompted her to make an urgent trip to the Imperial family quarters. Staring in turn at Ka, Shiro, Gaya, Kira and Freya, wondering what could have happened here, she promptly announced the news, which for her was unexpected, suddenly changing the evening''s ns.


    "The...the mirror dragon has awakened."


    The mysterious and rare mirror dragon imprisoned in the stone at the same time as Val¨¦rie had apparently just awakened, arousing curiosity. Why now ? And how ? This information was proving crucial and as the Nightshade family split up to attend to what they had to do, no one had seen the little divine moonstone shining in Shiro''s pocket, who had already fallen into the arms of Morpheus.


    _____


    < At the same time in the Kingdom of Zal >


    "Ruin hase to your world, death, despair and red war...Your hopes and pride havee to nothing and your empty whispers fall upon deaf ears. Your gods are dead, human reason has killed them and the Angel of Death hase. Humans, nothing can save you now...you think you''re hunting us ? We''reing for you"


    No human present in the room that day had forgotten those words, uttered by that menacing, sinister voice from the mysterious magic box. No one had forgotten the King''s head rolling on the floor, his face frozen in the ice in an expression of horror, or even the messenger dying before their very eyes. For the first time, the humans lurking in their churches and castles trembled with fear, praying for a turnaround.


    ording to the Princes, yna''s two brothers, only a few weeks remained before the monsters who had murdered their father would show up in the Capital. The Vancesia Empire had already been called in as reinforcements, so all that remained was to prepare the remaining army of knights and join forces with the Church. Hiding all this from the poption, only a handful of people knew about it to avoid spreading the panic that was taking shape.


    In a room beneath the main hall of the Capital''s main Church, essible only from secret underground passages, the Supreme stood there. It was dark, and only the lights of an unknown machine illuminated the ce, filling it with a steady sound. The instation was made of wood, steel and ss and resembled an enormous pump now in motion, circting a thick liquid through its body.


    "Soon..."


    The leader was standing in front of it and couldn''t help but stare at their forearm where a huge syringe was nted there, connecting them to the machine. An almost gooey, red-tinged skin raised by huge purple veins peeked out for the first time from the lonely Supreme''s ck toga. They then stared at the enormous machine made of a veryrge ss vat vigorously pumping that recognizable red liquid into their veins...blood.


    "Just a little longer and I''ll have the strength to face the harbinger of chaos that is about to descend upon us. As the prophecy demands, soon a dome of blood will imprison all these cursed creatures...soon hahahaHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!"


    The n was set in motion, the forces in ce, everyone preparing for their own convictions for better or worse. Time was not going to stand still for those who doubted and feared, time had no side and sped along losing some in its race. No one could know what the future would be made of...or maybe only...the little girl sleeping miles away with a moonstone in her pocket.


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 10 801(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 277 A blood age of conquest, revenge and freedom

    Chapter 277 A blood age of conquest, revenge and freedom


    ¨C POV General ¨C


    It had already been three weeks since Freya and her family had arrived in the Vampire Kingdom, ruled once again by the formerly fallen Queen, Jade. It had also been three weeks since the humans had been preparing for the invasion of the "subraces", and therefore three weeks since Commander Luna and her spies had been on site. Even Elysium, in the absence of its rulers, was preparing, guided by the other nine Commanders.


    In fact, the Empire''s army, which had grown steadily over the days, was already marching towards Zal''s capital, proud and determined. Made up of soldiers wishing to join the ranks and veterans, all had undergone relentless, merciless training to forge their bodies and minds. Yes,ing back under a white sheet was not an option, no matter what sacrifices had to be made and suffering endured.


    And so, as the sun peaked overhead, bathing the horizon in its fiery rays, thousands of warriors could be seen emerging from the Dark Forest. Hundreds of horses rattled the ground, followed by carts filled with weapons, victuals, medicinal nts and whatever else was needed. The foot soldiers closed the march while the nine Commanders led the way, guiding this procession of which they were proud.


    At a nce, it was easy to tell that the army was powerful, more so than ever before, but also unppable. It was impossible to hide, impossible to walk undetected by humans, but that was no longer the goal, never again. For the first time, these tortured, hunted and killed beings walked with their heads held high, out of thends where they had hidden for fear of losing what was dearest to them.


    Yes, for all of them, from the wastes of their failure Freya came showered in purple light. They kneeled in the ashes of their home and she ushered them to stand. They cried tears of shame for their hubris but she wiped them away. They limped on, weak and frail but she strengthened and taught them to stride. Them who once feared the dark. Who once feared death. Who once feared the endless void and what it held within.


    She lead them from the ashes of their greatest failure, she united them with her ck legions, she unified what remained and ushered in a blood age of conquest, revenge and freedom. Today they were staring hungrily into the dark the humans finally paying attention for they now were fearing them. Now those warriors were striding into the void, fearless and strong, crying out to what was hiding in its shadows to face them in a glorious battle.


    "We owe all to her highness, we are guided by her bloody light and it is in her name we march to War"


    As Commander Ralph spoke these words, in one swift movement she struck her fist against her heart. Thest soldiers in the procession had just passed thest trees, which was a first, they were now officially outside the Empire. Everyone had stopped as one, and as only the whisper of the wind could be heard, the young woman turned around with a frightening gleam in her eyes.


    "IN THIS UNFAIR WORLD THERE IS ONLY WAR BUT SHE PROTECTS US, GUIDES US, WIPES AWAY OUR TEARS AND WE KNEEL TO NONE BUT HER"


    "¡­"


    "WE ARE HER LEGACY AND WE SPIT INTO THE ENDLESS VOID, AWAITING OUR COUNTLESS FOES, AWAITING NEAR CERTAIN DEATH....BUT WE SHALL STILL PREVAIL FOR THE EMPRESS ALWAYS PROTECTS ! WE ARE HER ANGELS OF DEATH, HER MIGHTY HAMMER, HER ICY KNIGHTS, HER PROTECTORS, HER DEMONIC INQUISITION.... WE ARE NON-HUMANS AND WE SHALL NOT GO QUIETLY INTO THE NIGHT ANYMORE !!"


    With a powerful voice, the half-vampire, half-wolf Commander had made these words resound in the sky and, above all, in everyone''s hearts. Her eight friends at her side were speechless in the face of such words, and could also feel the fire zing in spite of fear and doubt. It was then that the march resumed, vibrating earth and air as the warriors of Elysium shouted their unshakeable determination in a single voice.


    "WE MARCH FOR GLORY, FOR FREEDOM, FOR THE THRONE, FOR THE EMPIRE, FOR ELYSIUM¡­FOR THE EMPRESS AND THE QUEEN !!"


    [ ARMY STATUS


    Units : 10/10


    Commanders : 10/10


    Soldiers : 8 000 ]


    _________


    < At the same time >


    It was early, but all the high personalities of Jade''s Kingdom were gathered around arge table where the dragon who had emerged from his state of stone was sleeping in its center. A few days ago, he had been mysteriously released but still hadn''t opened an eye. However, everyone''s gaze ranged from the little creature to the one in her bubble,pletely unaware that she was at the heart of a mystery that needed to be unraveled.


    "He reacts to the Princess''s mana"


    Shiro, who was the subject of discussion, was sittingfortably on Freya''sp, swinging her little feet in the air innocently. Despite her eagerness to participate and listen in order to fit in with the adults, it wasn''t long before her attention was drawn to the chookies in front of her. Starry-eyed, she hummed without realizing it, no longer paying any attention to her surroundings.


    The young, light-blue dragon had a strange horn in the middle of his forehead that seemed to light up slightly every time Shiro approached. It seemed like a small detail, but it turned out to be rather important, especially for the three dragon n leaders, who were as curious as they were envious. A middle-aged man with enough experience soon uttered the words on everyone''s minds, provoking an unexpected reaction.


    "That means...he''s imprinted himself on her. The mirror dragon has chosen, Your Highness. Your daughter can now make the dragon pact and bind herself to it for..."


    He didn''t even have time to finish his sentence that suddenly an explosion of aura swept across the room, harmless but oppressive. Surprised, everyone turned their heads towards the source of the phenomenon, seeing the Empress who hadn''t moved, but had obviously broken the cup she was holding. After a few seconds, she slowly turned towards the man who had spoken before uttering words in a more than sinister voice.


    "What did you just say ?!"


    "No...I-..."


    "It''s absolutely out of the question. How dare you even think about it ?"


    Breathing had almost stopped as if everyone wanted to disappear so they wouldn''t have to endure the Empress''s sudden wrath. Only Kira and Gaya seemed to find the scene amusing, totally aware of the quiproquo that was taking ce under the questioning gazes. They weren''t the only ones, however, as Magnus the Vampire Priest rose from his seat to calm the situation and rectify the dragon''s words.


    "W-With all due respect, this is a very different pact from the one you formed with Queen Gaya. This...this is not a pact linking heart and soul but a kind of contract."


    Raising an eyebrow, Freya squinted, dipping her eyes into the long dark-haired vampire''s before sighing softly. The next second, the aura vanished as quickly as it had arrived, making the others finally understand what had gone through the young mother''s mind. Gaya herself smiled discreetly, remembering perfectly that her wife at the time thought of making her a familiar without suspecting that they had "married".


    "I see. Then what would be the point of binding my daughter to this creature ?"


    The Empress wasn''t against the idea, but her protective instincts urged her to get all possible information first. What''s more, as she herself had a mirror horse named Inferno, she knew that the animal fed on her powers, which could be dangerous in Shiro''s case. Aneyaris, the head of the water dragon n, who was fascinated by the situation, allowed herself to reply, eager to see where all this would lead them.


    "Well, we''ll have to see how it goes before we can make a decision and..."


    "MY QUEEN ! WE...WE HAVE A PROBLEM !"


    Suddenly, without warning, a rather young-looking vampire burst into the stone room, pushing open the noisy doors, drawing attention to himself. His look of rm and desperation didn''t go unnoticed, turning all heads and raising all eyebrows. Dressed in a robe covering every inch of his body, this vampire was part of the guard responsible for guarding the entrance to the Kingdom, to make sure nothing got in.


    "M-More than a dozen humans have just crossed the border in direction of Zal !!!"


    "So the remaining leaders called in the neighboring country, huh ? Amazing amazing, but they''ll take over a week to arrive. By then it''ll all be over, and they won''t arrive until it''s toote to witness the fall of an entire Kingdom~"


    "N-No....I-...unfortunately I''m afraid they''ll arrive just in time."


    The guard''s news didn''t seem all that serious to Klover the fire dragon leader, who sneered arrogantly. However, while the Empress, Magnus, Jade and the others remained silent, the young vampire once again broke the golden-haired dragon''s quick opinion. The words that followed provoked a wave of panic, making everyone realize that the situation was perhaps turning against them.


    "The army isn''t very big, in fact it''s only made up of about twelve soldiers but...t-these humans...are all riding...chained dragons"


    The next second, dozens of shocked, panicked and angry voices rose from the ceiling as the hatred for humans grew ever more intense. Humans riding dragons ? How could this be possible ? This race had been hiding for ages to avoid bing extinct like the earth dragons, so how had Cleo the Empress of Vancesia managed to breed and confine them for her army ?


    "Now then...that''s personal..."


    "LET''S LEAVE AT ONCE, LET''S KILL THOSE GARBAGES !!"


    "WE CAN''T WAIT ANY LONGER !"


    "Those filthy humans..."


    Spirits were heating up by the second, especially on the side of the three dragon ns who could no longer hold their ground. Anger was understandable, but acting under its influence was anything but productive and could even bring weeks of training and tactics to a crashing halt. Only the Queen and the vampires apanying her remained silent, as did the Empress of Elysium, her wife, her two sisters, her daughter and the twins.


    Freya watched from the corner of her eye as Gaya seemed calm, refusing to react in the same way as the others. Yet the hand in herp was clenched into a fist, trembling in frustration, a fact not lost on her wife who grabbed it from under the table discreetly. After a brief smile, the she-wolf raised her head before speaking up, already quite annoyed by all the noise that wasn''t changing the situation.


    "Calm down !"


    "..."


    "You''re right we''re running out of time, but that doesn''t mean we should rush in like idiots. If this small army has just crossed the border, it will arrive in Zal within 5 days, prepare all avable warriors and we''ll leave as soon as the sun has set. Charge your most loyal right-hand men to lead the new army to the Capital and those present in this room I''m going to ask you to follow me."


    "And what do you intend us to do, Your Highness ?"


    Aneyaris, still fascinated by Freya''s n thought out in a matter of seconds, had asked the question on everyone''s mind. However, she wasn''t the one to answer, as a person suddenly leapt onto the stone table, nting her scythe ruthlessly. Three silver tails could then be seen waving in the air and an amused voice rose in the room as two violet eyes shone with mischief.


    "Let''s race of course~"


    Kira, who had said nothing until now, had finally moved, sensing that the situation was finally taking an interesting turn, having understood her big sister''s n. Those present in the room at that moment could be considered the most powerful in the Underground Kingdom and therefore the fastest. Reaching Zal was the priority, as only the Elysium army would be there, and the battle was about to take ce there, so it was vital to arrive in time.


    The mirror dragon and the little Princess were no longer the priority, and it was not difficult for her to understand that once again her family would be leaving. Silence reigned like an eternity, everyone thinking at once, paralyzed by fear despite their overwhelming desire to spill blood. Not wanting to give them an easy future, Freya spoke again so that their final decision could be made with full knowledge of the facts.


    "If you decide to follow me...there will be no turning back"


    A powerful group of vampires and dragons would not go unnoticed, in fact this n would have a snowball effect on the surrounding countries. To get there in time, sacrifices had to be made, and right now it was either remain anonymous or reveal yourself to the world, which would not stand idly by. They had all understood this by now, but it was with firmness and determination that Queen Jade followed by the KANs showed their support.


    "We''ll be ready by sundown, the vampires will follow"


    "We''ll fly alongside you"


    "For the future..."


    "...and the freedom of our people"


    It was finally time for them toe out of the darkness after all these years in hiding, it was time for them to fly the skies like their ancestors. The future was already changing as the creatures rose up to fight and let the world know that they were still here. After all, Freya united them, unified what remained and was strongly ushering in a blood age of conquest, revenge and freedom.


    - Days before the invasion: 6 -


    ___


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 15 491(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 278 The Ice Flower and the Shooting Star

    Chapter 278 The Ice Flower and the Shooting Star


    [N/A: I advise you to reread "Shiro''s Nightmare" before (or after) if you want to get a fuller picture of what this chapter refers to. Happy reading~]


    ____________


    - POV General -


    A day had already passed since the news of the dragon riders, the sun was already disappearing over the horizon as arge gathering took ce outside the gates of the Hidden Kingdom. Vampires and dragons were there, wearing gleaming armor and weapons, putting the finishing touches to their preparations. The atmosphere was tense, heavy and the faces all tense with understandable stress and instinctive fear.


    "Your Highness, everyone is ready"


    "All right, thank you"


    The hour of departure had struck, and Freya, who was also there, nodded her thanks to Val¨¦rie, who had just given her the news. As expected, she, her wife and her two sisters were present to leave, as were Jade and the three leaders of the dragon ns. Observing the dozen or so individuals with a very serious eye, the she-wolf then turned before crouching in front of the one who couldn''t hide her desire to cry.


    "When...when are youing back ?"


    "I don''t know yet my little moon but I don''t want you to worry, we''ll be back as always, I promise~"


    "But..."


    Just as the little Princess wanted to retort, the Empress raised her hand before ice began to form inside. It shone brightly in the red sunlight and for a brief moment, Shiro forgot the worry that made her little heart beat. It was always mesmerizing to watch the she-wolf manipte her element, especially when she could make absolutely almost anything with disconcerting ease.


    "Here~ Like every time I leave you a little present, keep it for me, will you ?"


    After a few seconds, catching her daughter''s hands, Freya came to slip into them an ice flower seemingly made of thousands of petals. It was beautiful, unique, and an innocent smile appeared on Shiro''s face, who couldn''t help but stare at it in wonder. Yet after a moment she began to shake her head sharply before looking up at her mother with an air of seriousness concealing fear.


    "Not this time...it''s up to you to bring it back to me, okay ?"


    Rising to her toes, the white-haired girl slipped the ice flower into the Empress''s ck hair with trembling hands. The she-wolf herself was surprised by this sudden gesture, but let her do it, putting aside the difort of having it in her hair. Smiling softly, she then ced her forehead against Shiro''s before hugging her tightly, murmuring more than sincere words.


    "Thank you so much, I''ll bring it back to you so be good Shiro, you promise~?"


    "Mmh mmh..."


    Nodding her head, the Princess sniffed as if ordering her tears not toe out while Freya parted from her not without stroking her head tenderly. Departures were always difficult, but that was the way it was, and those left behind could only hope for their safe return. Rising to her feet, the Empress turned back to Val¨¦rie, who instruction that mattered.


    "Look after my children"


    had remained behind, before giving her the one and only instruction that mattered.


    "Look after my children"


    "At the risk of my life"


    Satisfied with the answer, it was time. Joining Gaya, Kira and Ka waiting by Jade''s side, the young woman closed her eyes before beginning her transformation, which some were seeing for the first time. Growing several meters tall, her skin changed to fur, her fangs lengthened and in an instant, a giant ck wolf with violet eyes stood menacingly amidst the wide-eyed vampires and dragons.


    "Right, let''s go."


    In a deep voice echoing through the dry mountains of Vancesia, the Empress had sounded the death knell for departure once and for all. At her words, everyone changed shape, hiding the sun and plunging the rock into darkness in a show of dancing shadows. Four dragons now stood beside the she-wolf, a three-tailed fox and Jade standing proudly on its back primed in her blood armor.


    "Westward !"


    In a mighty cloud of ground-shaking dust, Klover, Aneyaris and Nordin soared powerfully upwards. Their wings stretched out majestically like a cloak of scales rising into the ckness of the sky...atst after all these years. Nothing could describe the feeling the three chiefs felt, nor the emotion that ran through their people remaining in the Kingdom to guide the army to Zal.


    No one spoke any more, just gazed up at the sky with shining eyes, that previously inessible sky where three dragons now flew proudly. It was magical, liberating and hypnotizing, so much so that not even the Empress, the Queen and the Commander of Elysium moved. Yet this was no time for spectacle, for the timer was running, they had a city to reach and despite the beauty of this scene, they had to go.


    "May you...


    ...conquer"


    As the demon twins June and May, who had stayed by Shiro''s side, uttered these words, it was the turn of Freya, Gaya, Kira and Jade, standing on Kira''s back, to pounce. Without even turning around, their powerful paws cracked the earth as the dragoness rocketed skywards. The echo was vibrant and it took no more than a few seconds before they disappeared over the horizon or behind the mountains...they were gone...for better or for worse.


    ______


    - POV Shiro -


    It was now 4 days since everyone had left for Zal for the big, super-important battle that was about to begin there. I''d been left alone with Titi, Ati and Angel because we were too young and it was really dangerous, so Miss Lia and Miss Val¨¦rie were looking after us. Already 4 days and yet this horrible feeling in my tummy hadn''t gone away, what was it ? Why did I feel like this ?


    "I feel like I''m forgetting something important..."


    Maybe I was tired, maybe I was too worried and needed more time, but something wasn''t right. In the big kitchen in the quarters where we lived, breakfast was being prepared but I wasn''t hungry, even when I watched Angel drink his ss of milk, I didn''t want any. Auntie Kira used to say "when appetite goes, everything goes", so did that mean I wasn''t well ? Was I ill ?


    "You''d better eat something or you''ll...OOOPS !"


    As Miss Lia snapped me out of my thoughts, a huge noise sounded in the room, making me jump with surprise. As she had approached, she had dropped a jar of jam on the floor, the red, frothy liquid now spreading across the stone tiles. It looked like...blood...a lot of blood I thought as my vision blurred, my body began to shake, my breathinging faster and faster.


    "Arg !"


    Suddenly my head seemed to explode as images I''d forgotten shed past without stopping, knocking me off my chair. There was apletely red moon, a dark blood-colored sky, deafening screams and bodies...everywhere. The next image was even more terrifying, a disgusting creature in the shape of a ball of human flesh with thousands of eyes, a huge mouth and hundreds of arms wriggling like worms.


    *N-No...*


    I remembered now, the more it passed the more I knew what was happening and what I''d wanted to forget forever...my nightmare. The next thing I knew, Mommy was lying in a big pool of blood with Mom Gaya, Auntie Kira and Ka all wounded and crying, unable to wake her up. But what made my beating heart stop this time was what was in Mommy''s ck hair...an ice flower.


    That night I hadn''t really paid much attention to it because I''d never seen it before, but that wasn''t the case now. I knew where it came from and why it was there...it wasn''t a dream, it wasn''t a nightmare so what was it ? The future ? No, it couldn''t be ! Had I condemned my family by returning Mommy''s gift for her to keep ? I didn''t know but everything hurt very very much.


    "No...no no no !!!"


    "Princess !?!?"


    Without thinking I ran out of the kitchen leaving my family confused and without even turning around when Miss Lia called out to me. I wasn''t running very fast, but I kept going without stopping until I reached the room I''d been lent for the duration of our trip. Opening the door, I didn''t even think about closing it as I rushed to the bed in the middle of the room, threw myself on it and started crying my eyes out.


    "C-Can''t be...I-...no...I''m just crazy...this can''t be happening...no no !!!"


    Everything hurt so much, my mind, my body, my heart, I couldn''t breathe, even thinking seemed totally impossible. Were they going to die ? What was I supposed to do ? It was like being trapped in a small, cold room with no light; I knew the feeling all too well. What was the answer ? I didn''t know, but I was very cold, I was shivering and the more I thought about it, the more I felt like I was suffocating, without knowing why.


    "Please...I-...no...why...Mommy...all...no...how...I-..."


    I couldn''t think anymore, I wanted it all to stop, I wanted this war to never happen, I wanted them with me. I could feel my mana stirring again, but I was too tired to do anything, it was too hard. I was so stupid, why hadn''t I said anything ? Why had I wanted to forget ? The truth was, I''d condemned my family, my moms'' new allies and the Empire...it was all my fault.


    [I can help you if you want]


    "Huh ?"


    Suddenly, a voice echoing in my mind snapped me out of any trance without me even understanding why. Rising from the bed as quickly as I could, as I turned my head in all directions, I wiped away my tears that were preventing me from seeing clearly. After a few seconds, I discovered a small dragon in the doorway, the one I''d seen sleeping several times, trotting in my direction. I was lost.


    [I don''t remember who I am, what I''m doing in this world, I don''t remember anything, but for some reason my mana resonates with yours. You''re my only lead so if by helping you I can discover my purpose then so be it. I can help you]


    "..."


    [Name me. Give me a name and let''s make the pact that will bind us, I''ll be your guardian and even if I know nothing about myself or you, I''ll follow you wherever you go, Princess Shiro]


    Everything was happening so fast. Help me ? How could he help me ? Maybe he was the miracle I needed, but it was hard to know, was it a trap ? I didn''t know, I wanted to make up for my mistake but there was no time, I had to help my family and everyone else. But when ? How could I do it ? Should I ept ? Before I could even think of anything else, a name came out of my mouth alone without me being able to control anything, as if it wasn''t me.


    "D-Draggy ?"


    [I-...don''t you have something scari-...sigh...you know what, whatever, it doesn''t matter. Repeat after saying: "I''m naming you from now on"]


    Had I really said those words ? He was talking so fast but he was so cute. No no I had to concentrate and...but his little white eyes are really very adorable. The truth was that I wanted to trust this little creature who hade to help me, I wanted to change things. Shaking my head once and for all, I gazed into the dragon''s eyes before uttering the words that would change my destiny.


    "I''m naming you from now on...Draggy"


    __________


    *What happened ?*


    Slowly regaining consciousness, I tried to remember what had happened before I fell asleep. My throat hurt and I could feel my cheeks sticking from the tears I''d cried. I remembered. Rushing to my feet, I came face to face with the dragon who hade to my room earlier. Was I bound to him now ? If so, why had I fainted so quickly ?


    "W-Why I-..."


    [I''ll exinter ! Concentrate and tell me why are you so eager to join your family if there''s someoneing to help them ?]


    "B-Because I don''t want everyone to die. It...it''s not toote, is it ? I-...everyone''s fighting to protect the Empire, how could I stand by and do nothing ? I should have said something, it''s my fault so I have to make amends and be b-brave."


    Had he seen my nightmare too ? How ? I was confused, but now that strange woman came back to mind. The one whose magic had made the ck dome that enclosed everyone disappear, she was going to help them and at that thought I couldn''t hold back a tear. Yet I didn''t want the situation toe to this, there was only a day or two left before the war and I absolutely had to find a solution by then.


    [Very well, as promised, I''ll help you, the pact has worked and we''re now linked. However, before I can do anything, I need a significant amount of your mana or something that...]


    "Is that enough ?"


    Without thinking, I handed Draggy the moonstone I''d found in my pocket a few days earlier. Imbued with my mana, it should do the trick, and this was confirmed when I saw him gobble up the stone in my hand without letting me react. Immediately afterwards, a tattoo with a bizarre symbol appeared on his torso, while my chest shone at the same time, tingling as if something were forming.


    But that wasn''t all, Draggy was getting bigger and bigger before reaching a height of around two meters. He was much smaller than Mom Gaya, but now he was overtaking me. What was going on ? He was very beautiful, his shiny scales were almost white-blue, his horn had turned golden and so had his eyes. Was he like me ? Before I even had time to ask a question, his paw was lifting me to ce me on his strangelyfortable back.


    "Huuuh ????"


    [Hang in there, Princess]


    "WHAT ???"


    I had no further exnation when already he was flying through the door into the huge cer of the enormous underground city. Luckily, our quarters were open to the huge ceiling and not to the depths of the earth, but had he lost his mind ? At incredible speed, he flew unnoticed over the houses and tall buildings, heading straight for the big doors where a rune was drawn as a teleporter to the outside.


    "Y-You...is this what you meant by helping me ???? Don''t tell me you want to get there in less than two days ?!!!!"


    I held on as best I could, it wasn''t so hard but it was so frightening even if very exciting, yet I didn''t understand. I thought maybe he couldmunicate with my mother or something, but I didn''t expect him to take me on his back, I felt like I was doing something really bad and stupid. Going faster and faster, the only thing I could hear before I passed through the gate under the shocked gaze of the vampires was his voice.


    [Trust me, I may not know who I am yet, but I know who you are. There''s still a lot you don''t know, Princess, but as your mirror dragon...I get it. It''s time to be brave, we''ll make it together !]


    Together. This word was so reassuring that it calmed me instantly. I could feel the wind outside tickling my face as we flew through the sky. Maybe I was making a mistake, but my heart cried out to go on at all costs and fight for those I loved, even if I had to leave Angel, Tyle and Alta?s behind. I understood my mother a little more now, I could feel what she was feeling in those moments and it reinforced my choice even more.


    "Sorry Miss Lia, sorry Miss Valerie. Titi, Ati, Angel...I''m sorry too, I promise toe back but I have to go and help our family who have always fought to protect us."


    _________


    - POV General -


    Just like that, a little Princess riding a dragon with cier-colored wings soared like a shooting star bearing hope. Under the moon''s rays, her hair sparkled like the pearls of glistening water rolling gently down her cheeks. How were they going to get there in time ? It was a mystery, but one thing was certain: the mute little girl found in the alley that day...had changed.


    [N/A: I''m so proud of her....T_T]

 Chapter 279 The Beginning Of The End

    ?


    -- POV General --


    "H-How are we going to get there in time to warn them ?!"


    In the warm night as darkness engulfed everything on earth, a medium-sized dragon could be seen dashing in the ck sky. The little Princess on his back, protected from the wind by his scales, held on tightly even though her mind was elsewhere. She didn''t know how long they''d been flying, but one and the same question swirled around in her head, a question the creature that had bonded with her seemed to ignore.


    "Draggy !!!"


    They were together, but Shiro was still young, very young, and although driven by an uncontroble urge to protect those she loved, she was frightened. She had left everything so quickly, had those in the Underground Kingdom already noticed her absence ? Had she been right to act so impulsively because of a silly dream ? Draggy could feel her fears, her doubts, and as the silence grew heavy, the Princess finally heard an answer.


    [We won''t get there in time to warn them, but the ultimate aim is to help them and if possible save your family, isn''t it ?]


    "Yes, but...but someone will arrive to do it, what I want is to warn them. Before...all these deaths happen..."


    [Someone, huh ?]


    The dragon''s shining golden eyes stared out at the ck infinity into which he spun, immersed in a multitude of mysterious, indecipherable thoughts. When he''d bonded with Shiro for some unknown reason, he''d been able to see snatches of her life sh by, including that dream buried in her memory. He''d seen it all, and even though the little girl didn''t seem to grasp what was going on, he, who now shared her mana, was beginning to understand.


    [I assume you''re referring to thedy who appeared in the sky during your dream ?]


    "Y-Yes."


    [I see. What if...what if she doesn''te ?]


    "She''lle ! I''ve seen her, l-like everything else"


    The Princess was so young, so fragile, yet Draggy could feel determination emanating from her little being as well as doubt, fear and guilt. He wanted to help, he wanted to keep his promise and fly to the end of the night to carry her to those who were still unaware of the future tragedy. However, she knew nothing of her own powers, her strength, she hadn''t even understood what it all meant, so how could he help her face what wasing ?


    [Princess, you...]


    "Mmmh ?"


    [Nothing, never mind, first things first, she''lle yes...]


    Her little body trembled as she thought about making a big mistake, but she was willing to be scolded if it meant giving them a chance. If this tiny chance existed, if they arrived in time, Shiro knew that she would do anything to preserve this happiness that for so long had seemed forbidden to her. She knew it, this world needed the Empress, the Queen and their people, and as Princess she would stand up and do her duty.


    "F-Faster, please"


    [Then lend me your strength once more, lend me your power, infuse your mana through my scales and let''s fly to our destination without looking back. Together]


    Nodding her head, Shiro leaned forward, closing her eyes tightly before doing as her Aunt Ka had taught her. Gently infusing her mana into her new friend''s body, she prayed that her decision would not backfire. As these thoughts invaded her mind, a sudden fatigue took hold of her, while she could feel the wind bing more and more violent, drying her tears of distress.


    [Hang in there, Princess !]


    Draggy could feel the powerful mana flowing through his body, giving him the power he needed to keep going, faster and faster, further and further. He didn''t know if Shiro''s dream woulde true, but one thing was certain: he wanted to see how far her courage would carry her, and he''d be there to help. The dragon remembered nothing, but he was ready to exhaust himself to carry this brave little girl wherever her heart called her, no matter how much fear they shared.


    ___________


    < In the Kingdom of Zal >


    "THERE''S MOVEMENT TO THE EAST !"


    "Huh ??"


    While the sun still hadn''t peeked over the horizon, in the highest tower of the castle, the most powerful were huddled together. Trembling like the cowards they were, they waited as the doors to the room opened, followed by an announcement they''d been dreading for weeks. Like a sledgehammer blow, the news was enough to plunge them further into fear while a question lingered in every mind.


    "Howe our scouts didn''t report anything ? I thought we''d at least have some information on our own territory !! DAMN IT !!"


    How could they know that Elysium Commander Luna, who had been on site for days, was intercepting every piece of information ? Yes, they were all at the center of a long-established n that made them pawns on the chessboard the Empress herself had devised. In a war, the strength of each side was very important, but the bnce always tipped in favor of those who knew how to manipte information.


    "All avable Knights and Pdins are stationed at the city gates, a state of emergency has been dered and no civilians are allowed to roam the streets of the Capital. The battle for our Kingdom''s survival is about to begin..."


    The Supreme sat in the shadows, silent, saying nothing, but an inner fury had taken hold of them, growing with every second. Why was nothing going ording to n again ? Was this a test of the gods for them ? They didn''t know, but the mere idea of an army of subraces daring to rise up against Mankind was unbearable. They had to annihte them, reduce them to ashes, and for that the Supreme was ready to make any sacrifice.


    "We must hold out until reinforcements arrive from Vancesia, don''t do anything stupid"


    "Is and I will go to the city gates and protect the heritage that our father and ancestors left us. Wait here and even if it takes days, we''ll pass through these doors again to announce our victory"


    Giving their final orders, Prince Erzian and Is rose to their feet ready to join the few remaining fighters in order to gain time. They were aware that the King''s recent expedition had greatly reduced their forces, but they were also convinced that they could make a difference. Without looking back, the two brothers strode determinedly towards the exit as one of the castle''s Ministers shouted.


    "SOUND THE HORNS and may the Gods watch over you..."


    And so, a few minutester, all the Kingdom''s inhabitants holed up in their homes could hear the hoarse, heavy sound of the horns echoing around the four corners of the Capital. Everyone prayed for the victory of their people, the victory of those brave Knights and Pdins about to fight for their safety, unaware that the invasion had already begun in the form of a Commander and her spies slipping in among the soldiers.


    _________


    In front of the walls protecting Zalhythe, an army of 6,800 Knights and Pdins stood finishing their final preparations. It was organized chaos, there wasn''t much time left, but at least a day before the attack, as troops from Elysium were setting up at the top of the small hill. The sun was finally shining on the Kingdom as the two Princes walked towards therge tent erected to discuss strategy.


    "Your Highnesses"


    When they arrived, after passing the two guards stationed on either side of the entrance, they could see arge table with a map of the Capital and its surroundings. On it, pawns were ced representing the cements of the groups of Knights and Pdins present. ncing briefly at the organization, Erzian eventually turned to the new Captain Colt recing Myles since his death for a quick summary.


    "How does it look ?"


    "We don''t have much time, but every avable soldier in the Kingdom has been repatriated to the Capital in time. An army is looming on the horizon and from what we can see our forces are a little outnumbered but they seem far better prepared than we are."


    "Tch ! What else ?"


    "All the man-beast and half-human ves are gathered over there as Prince Is ordered, there are about a hundred of them, we await your orders. Shall we dispose of them and make examples of them to destabilize the opposing army ?"


    Pointing to arge roofless tent to the west, Colt made no secret of his disgust for the "subraces". He, who respected the former Captain more than anything, had never recovered from the news that had fueled his hatred, like every human preparing outside. Staring at the Prince with his dark eyes, he waited for the orders that finally arrived, pinning him to the ground as he expected everything except this answer that he didn''t understand.


    "No, give them weapons, armor and shields, they''ll fight on our side"


    "But Prince Erz-..."


    Without giving him time toin, Erzian raised his right hand to silence him before leaving the tent to head for the one the Captain had indicated. There, dozens of half-humans and beast-men sat on the grass, tired and dressed in rags. Surrounded by Knights, it was easy to see the fear in their eyes, which only intensified at the sight of the royal figure who had just arrived.


    Paying no heed to the soldiers bowing to him, he strode confidently to a small tform previously set up for executions. He was a handsome man with short blond hair and cool blue eyes, distinguishing him from his blond long-haired, brown-eyed brother Is. As the female Knights stared at him in awe, he finally paused to utter words no one had expected.


    "Listen up, all of you, subra-...people. Our Kingdom is about to be attacked by a band of rebels who will stop at nothing to destroy us. Fight for Zal and I promise you that at the end of this battle you''ll be given your freedom and a letter from myself proving your amnesty. Fight with us for your freedom or perish here and now by refusing, what do you say ?"


    Erzian couldn''t hide his satisfied sneer, knowing full well that none of these ves really had a choice, it was fight or die. The poor prisoners knew it just as well, and despite the fear that made them tremble, this sweet freedom was all they''d ever wanted. So, in an instant, they all knelt down, pressing their foreheads to the ground in eptance, ready to fight alongside humans for a less miserable future.


    The Prince expected no less, hiding his hatred for those he found pathetic behind a falsely benevolent smile. Now he was forced to call on their help, all because of this mysterious army whose leader was still unknown. Turning his back on those who hadn''t moved, Erzian wiped the smile off his face to address Colt, who had been watching the scene, trembling with frustration.


    "Make sure they''re all on the front line, use them as cannon fodder for all I care, they''re just there to buy us time"


    "Even the ones who can''t fight ?"


    Among these ves were women, children and even old people clearly incapable of wielding a sword. Even the men present were too thin and weak to make any difference to the battle that was to take ce, but that didn''t really matter. The n was simple, certainly cruel, but what were the lives of poor, disgusting, insignificant creaturespared to the future of an entire Kingdom ?


    "Yes, because if we don''t recoil from the death of these useless beings...our enemies surely will. If our weapons don''t bring them down, it will be their own goodness that does."


    "At yourmand, your Highness !"


    Colt, who finally understood what was going on in the young Prince''s mind, was now trembling with excitement, delighted at the turn of events. If King Theophctus hadn''t been able to stem the threat, maybe Princes Erzian and Is could, no, in fact he was sure of it. And so began the final day of preparations for the battle between two Nations who would stop at nothing to seize victory.


    - Days before the start of the invasion: 1 -


    [N/A: I know, you may be tired of all these wars, but this one really is a turning point in history. Not only because it''s important for the future of our characters, but also because a loooot is going to change...for better or for worse :c ]


    ________


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 15 491(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 280 What brought us here

    Chapter 280 What brought us here


    [N/A: New volume : Vincere aut mori (in Latin "Conquer or die")]


    _____


    ¨C POV General ¨C


    Several kilometers from the Capital, an encampment had been set up on the small hill slightly overlooking the city and its surroundings. Here was the main base where the nine female Chaos Commanders and their Lieutenant were also preparing a strategy to leave nothing to chance. All was calm, and unlike in the human camp, smiles andughter filled the air, although fear and apprehension were also present.


    None of the Empire soldiers were paying any attention to the camouged figure as it made its way through the facilities to therge central tent. Once there, the shape ceased to use any skills, revealing a young man half-man half-leopard. Passing the two Minotaurs guarding the entrance, he stopped in front of the ones he''de to see, clicking his heels and raising his fist to his heart in greeting.


    "Good morning ! Commander Luna sent me with today''s news, Commanders !"


    Inside Nixia the ck-scaledmia, Emilia the cat girl, Persya the dryad, Caipy the dark elf and Ralph half-vampire half-wolf were on the right. Opposite them, of course, were Thorunn the group vampire, Trioa the half-wyvern, Ynir the half-butterfly and Na?a the fire fox. The nine in charge of leading the army were gathered all around a table, each of their Lieutenant standing proudly behind their seat.


    "Hello, we''ve been waiting for you, please tell us."


    Nixia had been the first to speak, signalling that he could rest and do what he''de to do. Silence reigned in the room, but that didn''t stop the young man from shivering under the intensity of the auras circting there. The weeks of hard training and preparation had taken their toll, the nine women had be more powerful and Ash, who was used to meetings, found himself somewhat disturbed.


    He could never have imagined this scene, he was now a Lieutenant and although he served Luna, he was proud and above all intimidated by her friends. He could feel their eyes on him turning to questioning nces, given the time he was taking to speak. It was finally Ralph, as direct as ever, who drew him out of his thoughts, clearly impatient to know what was going on inside the Capital''s walls.


    "Well speak up Lieutenant Ash, what''s the matter ?"


    "A-Ah uh yes sorry ! Early this morning, the two Princes Erzian and Is Zal set up a strategy to destabilize us. They''re using all avable ves to make real sacrifices who will be ced in the front line at the start of the battle. A literal line of defense serving as a living shield protecting the Knights and Pdins."


    This news raised eyebrows as a silent, understandable anger slowly began to build. Faced with the limitless cruelty of humans to their fellow creatures, how could one remain unmoved ? No one spoke, but the more the seconds passed, the more the infernal spiral of hatred took root in hearts, at least until a sad, judgmental voice rang out from the entrance to the tent.


    "That sounds like something my brothers would do in this situation..."


    It was young yna, former Princess of Zal,now an officer in the Elysium army and girlfriend of Commander Luna. She wore armor and her long blond hair was tied back in a ponytail, although some rebellious strands fell over her face. Called in earlier for her knowledge of the city and her sense of strategy, she''d heard it all and couldn''t helpmenting on Ash''s words.


    Her blue eyes were sad, but above all filled with a guilt that would probably never really go away. The young woman was not responsible for her brothers'' actions and had disowned them, but their blood ran through her veins and it was unbearable. Noticing this state of distress, Persya the gentle dryad raised her voice, changing the subject back to what was presenting itself as a problem for their original strategy.


    "We''ll find a solution. That said, if Lieutenant Ash is right, then this prevents a direct and powerful attack in the crucial first few hours"


    As they all knew, their n relied on the surprise effect, which was an advantage because none of these humans had fought their army before. Time was of the essence and the very first attack was nned for when the sun was setting, when human eyes were limited. Na?a and Nixia, Commanders of the same section, were quick to point out what they saw as the problem, trying to find a solution.


    "The idea of our strategy is to strike hard and fast to wipe out as much of their strength as possible before the squad from Vancesia arrives as reinforcements. I don''t know how we can do it, do we have to wait for Her Highness and Her Majesty to arrive ?"


    "Impossible. If we don''t get rid of as many of their soldiers as possible, we''ll find ourselves surrounded and overwhelmed from both front and back. The Empress has warned us, she''s on her way with reinforcements, but we must take into ount the possibility that the dragon riders will arrive before them."


    "And in that case, no matter how many we are, we''ll be at a distinct disadvantage..."


    Indeed, only the squad of Trioa the Half-Wyvern and her Lieutenant Ne the Harpy, specialized in aerialbat. Elysium''s army had grown considerably, but the Commander was at the head of the section with the fewest soldiers among the eight others. And fighting a dozen dragons alone was a risky gamble that would undoubtedly lead to heavy losses, so she had to rely on the help of the other squads.


    So how to go about it ? Inflict as many losses as possible on the enemy, so that the troops on the ground would be less overwhelmed and able to attack from the air. That''s why the ves on the front line were bad news, bad and cruel as ever. Could they be saved ? While this question remained, Ralph''s eyes lit up as she thought of only one other person who could help them.


    "And what about Commander Luna ?! Has she formted any idea about this ?"


    "She and her men slipped in among the Knights yesterday to strike from within when the time is right. Helping the ves can''t be done, not without the price of their cover being revealed...I''m sorry..."


    "I see."


    Ash knew it well, not being able to do something had been torturing her Commander ever since she''d discovered the Princes'' n. She young woman could perhaps try to save as many as possible.


    Yes, during these long weeks, Luna had put aside her deep-seated was even undoubtedly still thinking about it, but keeping a low profile was essential, she couldn''t rush everything now, not after a month of hard work. Only half a day, only a few hours left, and the young woman could perhaps try to save as many as possible.


    Yes, during these long weeks, Luna had put aside her deep-seated hatred for her girlfriend''s brother, Erzian. He who had tortured her parents to death for her unique eyes, he who was solely responsible for the extinction of her bloodline and her life of remorse. She couldn''t now let herself be guided by the feelings she''d repressed so hard for the sake of the Empire and the Empress''s dream that everyone, including her, shared.


    The young woman had never spoken of this mental ordeal, but she didn''t need to, her friends and her love knew it. Each of them even felt a little guilty for leaving her there alone to deal with everything, but more than pity, they felt pride in her courage. When Freya had first met her, she''d been unable to fight, but still stood bravely between the humans and this little boy.


    Today, she had not changed, and instead of sullying her courage with pity, they all praised it proudly, feeling the urge to do everything in their power to achieve their goals by remaining true to their ideals. Ash, who admired his Commander, never failed in his duties, making sure to live up to his leader''s standards, so shaking his head, he straightened up to finally announce what he most dreaded to say...the biggest problem of this battle.


    "However there is still the threat of the Supreme hanging over us, they didn''t get out of the Castle but having seen them with my own eyes, they are not to be taken lightly. With all due respect, the Commander and I think it would be fatal for even one of us toe face to face with them, they''re up to something but even today we haven''t been able to find out what..."


    The man remembered the chills he''d felt as his instincts screamed at him that this person wasn''t human and that he should flee. Was it because of their power ? No, it was more sinister, as if the rottenness of this world, all its ugliness, could be transformed into sensation. The Supreme was for sure powerful, only what they gave off was a bit like the smell of death, of a tainted soul filled with pure evil intentions.


    "Hidden under their toga we don''t even know who he or she is...we know nothing"


    "And to think they''re the one who''s after the Princess. I''ve never seen the Queen and Empress so angry."


    "We''ve got to stop them"


    But could they ? It might have been a suicidal n to try and deal with them , but still, the Supreme wasn''t so powerful that they could defeat them all together, was them ? Realistically, they''d be busy leading their own section and thus the entire Elysium army, so they didn''t belong in front of the Supreme. They hadn''t left the castle, but what if they showed up much sooner than expected ?


    Add to that the ves, could they carry out their swift and devastating attack on their own kind ? That said, none of the Commandantes wanted to sacrifice the lives of these poor souls who had suffered so much, but how could they ? The more the seconds passed, the more doubt and uncertainty crept in, like a contagious poison creeping silently into hearts to break their will and courage.


    "Let''s contact Her Highness first and..."


    "No !"


    While the younger Na?a had been the first to give way in panic, the voice of the one next to her rang out firmly. It was the ck-haired catgirl with red highlights, Emilia, Commander of the Close Combat Section and girlfriend of the Fire Fox. She had kept a cool head, and even if the situation was very uncertain at the moment, the young woman was convinced that under no circumstances should this be done.


    "We must find a solution, and for that we must not count on Her Highness."


    "Emilia ! You..."


    "Listen to me ! Empress Freya left trusting us, but if we still rely on her power how can we continue to live up to her expectations ? At this very moment it''s up to us, it''s up to us to lead the Empire''s army, that''s what brought us here...her Highness''s trust."


    It was true, and Na?a could only sit back in her chair, quite ashamed not to have thought of it all along. They had grown stronger, they had always supported each other like a family, they had to trust each other to fly on their own. They had to make the impossible possible, they had to manipte the threads of destiny like Freya before them and they could...today, they were now capable of it.


    "Emilia is right, in the absence of the Empress and the Queen, the lives of all these soldiers are in our hands, whether we like it or not. We are no longer the trembling young women in the mountains of the Dark Forest praying for a miracle to happen. So much has changed and today...we can make the difference...it''s up to us"


    "And then leading an army is impressive but Her Highness has always done it alone, ain''t no way we''re not capable of doing it with ten of us, girls~"


    Caipy and Ralph were the next to speak, while the others nodded in total agreement. They were going to find a solution, even if it was at thest minute, nothing had started yet which meant everything could still change.


    "Do we know exactly how the ves will be ced ?"


    "Not exactly, but we''ve heard that they''ll probably be a single line to cover all the fronts of the human army. Unfortunately, they''ll all be chained together, which will make movement difficult and invasion impossible. What''s more, the right end of the line will be attached to the watchtower and only Erzian and Is'' royal mana is the key..."


    Ridiculous and absurd, this was a true open-air sacrifice. Even equipped with shields and swords, these unfortunates hadn''t stood a chance from the start. But it was out of the question to y the Princes'' macabre game, out of the question to have the blood of these innocents on their hands. Commanders and Lieutenants alike were all walled up in silence, looking for a solution, just...something that might make that difference.


    "I-...I might have an idea."


    Suddenly, yna''s voice sounded again as she made her way to the table where the Commanders were seated. After all, since her arrival in Elysium, she had honed her sense of strategy, demonstrating an aptitude that was almost genius on the subject. How ironic it would be if the n of the useless, missing little sister were to derail that of the big brothers, who had no idea of her presence among the enemy ?


    "We''re listening"


    "If I''m not mistaken, with perfect timing I''m sure we''ll be able to free the ves, destabilize the opposing army and protect ourselves from the dragon riders if they arrive before Her Highness and Her Majesty..."


    Thorunn, the only vampire in the group, gazed her red eyes into hers, curious as to what her brain had to offer. There were still a few hours to go before nightfall, a few hours to make a decision, and while the warriors outside were rxing, under the tent it was different. It was in this tent that the future of operations was decided, in the form of a mental battle between a sister and her brothers.


    - Hours before the start of the invasion: 10H -

 Chapter 281 Unexpected face-to-face [Sacrifices - Part I]

    Chapter 281 Unexpected face-to-face [Sacrifices - Part I]


    -- POV Freya --


    < At the same time, south-east of Zal >


    We''d been running non-stop for days now, heading straight for the Capital of Zal from sunrise to sunset. Just as I''d imagined, all those following me were able to keep up the fric pace I needed to develop my n. Neither the KANs, nor Gaya, nor Kira or Jade on her back had slowed their speed, and despite the umting fatigue, no oneined or wanted to stop for a break.


    Three hours'' sleep was the maximum we allowed ourselves, including meals. At least for now...should we add another hour for thest day ? However, even just a short hour was crucial, but exhausting ourselves to death was also out of the question. While I was lost in thought, a voice I knew well suddenly echoed in my head.


    "Do you think it''s going well for our army ? We won''t be there for the start of the battle...the girls will have to fend for themselves..."


    My wife hovered above me, zigzagging between the huge trees of the forest we were passing through, and like often we talked to each other to cope with the boredom. At that moment she had mentioned those who were in charge of everything in our absence, but above all her worry. Smiling discreetly, I answered as sincerely as I could, sharing my vision of things and what I particrly expected from all of them.


    *I''m not all-powerful, although the Commanders seem to see me as such, I still have so much to aplish, but I need more strength. Thest thing I want is for them to rely on me or us for everything...*


    "You trust them blindly, don''t you ?"


    *Yes, I''d even trust them with my own life, which is why they have to trust each other and above all realize how independent and powerful they are now. And since none of them have contacted me yet, I assume that''s already the case~*


    Having strength was a good thing, but what was the point if fear chained us and prevented us from making the right decisions ? I had no doubt that the ten young women I''d appointed as Commanders could run things until we returned, but that wasn''t what worried me most. Klover the golden-scaled dragon didn''t even give me time to think further, asking a question that reminded me of a child.


    "Oi, Your Highness, how much longer before we arrive ?"


    "About two days, if we keep going like this we''ll arrive just after the forces from Vancesia are on the scene"


    "Good hehehe~"


    Sighing in spite of myself, I couldn''t help thinking of our daughter, who''d probably asked that question dozens of times by now. We were running straight towards the one who was after her, the one who had tortured Angel for ten years before cruelly sending him after Shiro. Who were them really ? What was their real purpose ? Would they be there when I arrived ? I couldn''t help but have a bad feeling growing and growing, but I also had no clue why, I just couldn''t help it.


    [ - STATUS -


    Level: 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000 ]


    Opening my status, I stared at the numbers in front of me, it wasn''t enough, it was taking forever, it was too slow. I may have broken away from the Titania system and apparently changed my evolutionary path, but if I didn''t reach level 70, it was pointless. An Imperial Demon in the form of a wolf of Ice and Chaos, that''s what I was for the moment. But could I be something different ?


    Who was I really ? Lucifer ? Freya ? Both ? A Demon ? A Goddess ? Or the result of Titania''s maniptions ? These questions often swirled around in my mind, and the more I thought about them, the more the answers seemed to blur. Was it because of this that I sometimes felt like I wasn''t alone inside myself ? Or was it the fact that I no longer shared my soul with Kira that gave me this strange sensation ?


    The horizon had disappeared because of the speed, I was only steering by smell so I felt myself elerating, faster and faster, further and further away. There was no point in thinking about it, the identity crisis could wait and so could this bad feeling, for this was only the beginning. In a few hours, Elysium''s warriors wouldunch the assault and even if we had a n somehow I knew it probably wouldn''t enough.


    *Hold on a little bit longer, warriors...*


    ________


    - POV General -


    < 10 Hourster >


    As the sun began to set, the atmosphere had changed in both the human and Elysium camps. In fact, there weren''t many people in or around the tents, as the two armies were now facing each other inplete silence. On the Empire side, the Commanders were on the front line, and on the Zal side, as expected, the trembling ves were there too.


    The scene was surreal for those who hade from the Dark Forest, so much so that one look at the front of the human army and they could believe they were the bad guys out to hurt the innocent. It was unbearable, a vision that was unjust yet real and calcted. The warriors were all aware of the n to be followed, but they also bore the burden of guilt in the event of failure : their blood would be on their hands.


    "Is everything ready ? Everyone knows their role for the next 30 minutes ?"


    "Mmmh"


    "Then it''s time to free the ves and show those humans who we are"


    Nixia confirmed onest time with her friends whether everything had been set up as nned before taking a step forward. yna''s n was known to all and had been the only one selected. There was no n B, this was the first part. Drawing out her spears, themia raised her arms to the sky, feeling her pulse quicken and her breathing be slower as she took a deep breath before uttering just one word.


    "CHAAARGE !!!"


    The next moment, every section of the Imperial army was moving as one, driven by the same passion and resolution. Thousands of man-beast, half-human warriors rushed towards the other army, which had not moved, staring defiantly at the scene. From behind, wyverns, half-dragons, griffins, harpies and other flying beings had taken to the skies like giant a shadow hovering over the battlefield.


    The clock was ticking, feet pounded the ground with a heavy, drumming sound, armor ttered and cries rang out. The front-line Commanders led their toons straight at the terrified ves, gritting their teeth until they exploded. The Pdins and Knights behind instinctively thought of retreating or acting to defend their lives, but the Princes were there to dissuade them from doing the same.


    "Your Highness they...they''reing."


    "Stay. Still. Don''t. Move. A. Foot. GET OUT THE SHIELDS !"


    Erzian''s narcissism and ego knew no bounds, even at a tant disadvantage he stood there motionless, curious to see what would happen next. Was he foolish or confident that his army would never be attacked head-on ? Faced with the Elysium air squad, he ordered the shields position for the soldiers to protect themselves, but it was still out of the question to take the slightest step forward, yet the Empire warriors were approaching.


    200 meters to go, 170, 140, 120, the collision seemed inevitable, and just as the Prince was beginning to lose hope, things changed. With a shrill whistle from the right, the fighters about to crush the ves suddenly changed direction. Like a wave of living beings, the current followed the one that had turned into a snake, gliding gracefully over the ground around the human army.


    "M-My Prince ! What should we do ?"


    "They didn''t attack the front and go around to attack us on the left nk and breach, that was to be expected. TELL THE PALADINS TO ATTACK FROM A DISTANCE ! They won''t get through so easily~"


    "T-They don''t seem to be attacking though, Your Highness..."


    "Huh ?"


    Raising his eyes to the side of the army, he could see the Church Mages preparing to receive them, problem: they were all staying well away. What did this mean ? Erzian had foreseen this scenario, that''s what he would have done, but then why keep moving, tiring themselve sout, for nothing. The army''s movement was like an unpredictable whirlpool of water, capable of striking with force and yet it was only going around.


    "They can''t surround us with the wall and watchtower on our right nk, it would be like condemning themselves, so why ? DAMNIT ! Think, Erzian ! Unless..."


    Centaurs, Kobolds, Elves, half tigers, wolves, all ran without stopping forcing all humans to turn their heads towards them instinctively. The Prince was staring at them too, yes, all attention was on them, but the heart of the Elysium army still hadn''t attacked. After a few minutes of racking his brains, Erzian suddenly had an epiphany - this had all been nned from the start, there was no need to get caught up in the spectacle.


    "They''re stalling !"


    "Wha- ?"


    "ONCE AGAIN, DON''T MOVE, LET THEM ALL WEAR THEMSELVES OUT, BUT STAY ON THE LOOKOUT, ABOVE ALL DON''T BREAK RANKS !"


    Without further ado, Erzian jumped onto his horse''s back and kicked it with his heel, setting off at a run. Where was he headed ? Completely opposite to where the main event of these first few minutes was taking ce. He had given orders to the Captain to spread out as quickly as possible as he rushed through the Knights, who only had a few seconds to avoid the furious horse speeding past.


    The Prince raced towards the watchtower on the right of the army because he sensed that all this was just a diversion, and he wasn''t wrong. After a few minutes, the tower was in sight, and it came as no surprise when he discovered a hooded figure weaving in and out of the fainting soldiers. Without stopping, Erzian shot an arrow right between this mysterious person and the chain linking the ves, hanging on the wall of the tower.


    The Knights who were supposed to be guarding the area seemed to have been hit by needles coated with a powerful poison. They had all copsed on the earthen floor before they had time to figure out what had hit them - ingenious and unobtrusive. But Erzian couldn''t care less about such tricks, irritated by the tant ipetence of these soldiers but delighted to be able to take care of this problem personally.


    "I knew it. I knew one of you would try to undo this chain, but you see...you''re incapable of it and this mistake will cost you your life !"


    With a perfectly controlled leap, unsheathing his sword, the young man pointed the de at the hidden face before winding his wrist. He had every confidence in his abilities and attacked with the intention of killing, but this was without taking into ount his opponent''s rather agile movements. Always keeping a safe distance and avoiding every blow, the mysterious person didn''t seem to want to fight head-on.


    "Do you want to run away ? Are you incapable of fighting ? HAHAHA pathetic but fine, then to make up for this cruel inconvenience I''ll take another life until you deign to face me !"


    With a broad, cruel smile, the Prince dashed towards the first ve to enter his field of vision, an old man. Like all the others, he trembled, unsure of what to do, disoriented by the sounds of hooves, footsteps and armoring from everywhere and nowhere at once. Chained and ordered to the front line, he didn''t know what to do with his ridiculous rusty dagger, unable to flee let alone fight.


    He was the perfect target for the man who had clearly understood the enemy''s inability to take the lives of living bait. Coming up behind the old man, unaware of the grim fate awaiting him, Erzian raised his sword once more to slice. However, instead of meeting the unfortunate man''s flesh, it was suddenly repelled by another sword, brandished by the one who a minute earlier had been doing their utmost to avoid confrontation.


    "ARG !!!"


    It was a close call, but unfortunately, by deflecting the blow, a few centimeters of the royal de had sunk into the intruder''s right nk, causing them to utter a surprisingly high-pitched scream. It was a woman, a woman who had just saved a life at the cost of a near-fatal wound. She had barricaded her body, and as she dropped to one knee, the hood that hid her face fell back, revealing her appearance.


    "Huh ?! Wha..."


    Long blonde locks were revealed in the light of the surrounding torches, long golden hair as well as sky-blue eyes. This innocent face, these freckles, this smile, Erzian knew them well and could never have imagined seeing them here again. As he stood there, paralyzed by confusion, the few words the young woman uttered in a pained voice confirmed that this was no dream.


    "L-Long time no see huh, b-big brother"


    ________


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 15 491(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 282 The return of the forgotten Princess [Sacrifice - Part II]

    Chapter 282 The return of the forgotten Princess [Sacrifice - Part II]


    -- POV General --


    "L-Long time no see huh, b-big brother"


    These words, uttered as a whisper, had the effect of a cannonballunched at full speed into the stomach, stunning the Prince on the spot. Was it really true ? The face he''d thought he''d never see again was right in front of him, yna was here, she was alive. She was alive and he had tried to kill her ? Impossible, yet it was indeed her blood that now flowed on the dark floor, the blood he himself had caused to be spilled.


    "You...ho-..."


    For the first time Erzian didn''t know what to say or do, he who had long believed his sister was dead. Everything was so sudden, a wave of emotions swept over him to the point where he could no longer discern anything. Was it relief ? Anger ? Astonishment ? Joy ? Or perhaps disappointment ? The young man''s face twisted into different expressions, not even knowing himself what he was feeling, knotted up in his own mind.


    However, the more he looked at the woman kneeling before him, the more all these emotions changed into something far more familiar...hatred. It was so much easier to let your anger explode, giving you the illusion that nothing and nobody could touch your heart. No matter what happened, he was there to protect the Kingdom and he would do so even at the cost of the death of the one who had mysteriously disappeared months before.


    "HAHAHAHAHA I see, I was almost fooled. It''s all your fault really, isn''t it ?"


    "..."


    "Everything that''s been going on since the beginning. Your disappearance, Father''s expedition and his death. Everything. You''re with them aren''t you ? Y-You...you betrayed your own blood...your own people...didn''t you ?"


    To the Prince it was more than obvious, yna had really gone off on her own, and while the whole of Zal mourned their Princess, she was making a pact with these creatures. What had happened to make her find herself at this very moment, wearing a hood, trying to free these subraces ? It was beyondprehension, but the more he thought about it, the more his anger and hatred grew, and the sense of betrayal hit him like a sledgehammer.


    All Erzian''s limbs were trembling, he didn''t know whether tough or cry, but he was sure he wanted revenge. Torn between the idea of his sister and what was happening before his eyes, he decided to stop thinking about it and do what he thought was best. Shaking his head, he raised his sword once more and brought it down on yna, but not without feeling his chest tighten for a reason he obviously didn''t know.


    "You''re the spoiled fruit of our family, you don''t even deserve to bear the name of Zal, let alone the title of Princess ! DO YOU HEAR ME ??? YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE COME BACK !!!"


    Plunged into a boundless rage, Erzian swung his attacks at the poor young woman, who could only try to dodge. He wanted to make this pain stop and make her pay, he wanted to soothe this feeling of betrayal so he went on and on, she had to die. The blood from yna''s wound continued to flow from her sudden movements, but that was beside the point of what she''de here for in the first ce.


    "TRAITOR ! TRASH ! YOU BITCH ! OUR ONLY FATHER, THE KINGDOM, YOUR OWN BLOOD ! AAAAAAAAAAH !!!"


    The young woman did her best to block the blows that were too fast to dodge, but it was difficult. Between the words spat in her face and the physical force used, she found herself buried on all sides, shed again and again. The blood kept pouring out and before long, the former Princess''s face and body were strewn with cuts, each as deep as the next.


    She couldn''t fight properly because she was protecting something in her pocket, what was it ? It didn''t really matter to Erzian, who saw it as a deadly punishment to satisfy his ego. Seeing her so weak, so helpless, so scared was more than just a reward. He wanted to break her, to make her scream, to make her say that he was right and that all she had been in this world ? A useless trouble-making parasite.


    "HAHAHAHA LOOK AT YOU ! You can''t stand on your legs and yet you persist in standing between me and these ves. Dear sister, I''ll be nice and make this quick~"


    Was this a fight ? Was this what warriors endure hour after hour ? This fatigue, this pain, this pressure, this fear, it was all so real, so frightening, and yet the battle had only begun ten minutes ago. yna felt her strength gradually diminishing, her vision darkening, but even though her legs no longer seemed able to carry her any further, she had a mission to aplish, whatever the cost.


    Erzian, on the other hand, was so overwhelmed by his own contradictions that he hadn''t even noticed that she had approached the watchtower again. Pointing her sword with a trembling arm, it was time to go for broke, it was now or never. For the first time, the young blonde woman was going to attack, or at least do what she could to scrape off those few precious seconds she desperately needed.


    "AAAAAAAAAAHHH !!!"


    Not uttering a word, the former Princess leaned on her left leg despite the pain, pretending a direct and stupid attack. However, as her surprised brother moved to catch her, she used her speed not to strike but to slide between his legs. Then grabbing his right calf, she knocked him forward as she drew on her strength to run where the chain began.


    "Wha..."


    Yes, the two Princes of Zal were the only ones who could use their mana to manipte the shackle, but never had they considered their sister. Only Is was able to manipte one element but it was enough, as Erzian found himself face down on the ground, yna had time to run. As if her life depended on it, she began to run no matter if her legs failed her or if her wounds made her want to scream out in pain.


    It was at this moment that she could make the difference, finally, after all these years, it was now that she could change the course of history. She who had rejected everything, was going to use her blood onest time in memory of who she was, for who she had be. And so, in an almost transcendent state, the only Princess of Zal finally threw herself onto the chain, letting the red liquid run down the runic handle.


    The next instant, like a miracle-bringing sound, the metal rings finally detached, freeing all the ves at once. Confused by what had just happened, none of them moved, unable to decide what to do to stay alive. Run forward ? Hide ? Run away ? Fear had not left them, and while for them it was undoubtedly part of the n, for the Prince his house of cards was crumbling before his eyes.


    "YOU SNEAKY BITCH !!! So this was your n ??? The whole army of disgusting creatures has been running around in circles since the beginning, waiting for you to free those ves ??? How pathetic !!!"


    Was this the real aim of the Elysium warriors'' movement all along ? Pathetic perhaps, but it had worked all the same. Yet somehow he''d been defeated and that ? That was unforgivable. Ignoring her brother who was slowly walking towards her with a murderous air, yna drew on her veryst strength to grab what she''d been keeping preciously in her pocket all this time : a horn.


    "ANSWER ME WHEN I TALK TO YOU !!!"


    As she finally blew inside generating a fat, muffled sound echoing throughout the valley, Erzian couldn''t bear her silence no longer. She''d spoken barely a few words to him before ruining his n without so much as an exnation or apology. Had the sister he knew always been so ungrateful ? If so, then whatever her sins, he was going to finish what he''d started...without remorse.


    The former Princess was unable to move, her body refusing to listen, it was like losing control. Her vision had be blurred and thest thing she could do was smile in the face of the man who had already raised his sword to make her disappear from this world. But for some reason, yna wasn''t afraid, she''d done what she had to do and hadn''t conceded defeat to her brother...that was enough.


    But was it really ? Unfortunately, she couldn''t think any further, and as the de dangerously approached in slow motion, the young woman finally lost consciousness.


    What followed was a chain reaction produced only seconds after the horn had sounded on the battlefield. In an instant, the ground began to tremble, causing Erzian to lose his bnce and dying his movement, thus losing precision. Shortly afterwards, huge roots sprang up from the ground, but not just anywhere - in the front line, where the ves still stood.


    Like giant living snakes, they soared high into the sky, carrying the newly freed ves in their wake. The next second, Nixia''s shrill whistle at the other end rang out, changing the movement of the army...the offensive had finally begun. Confused and as enraged as ever, despite the chaos, he set his sights on yna''s heart, to end the battle as quickly as possible and return to the castle victorious and full of glory.


    However, just as the Prince had almost reached his goal, he felt himself pushed back violently as two figures appeared like shadows. They had joined the watchtower and yna away, disappearing again with disconcerting ease ? Why was the other staying here ? The world seemed to have ganged up on him, no matter how bravely he tried to while one carried the brave young woman in her arms, the other kept an eye on Erzian. All he could hear were whispers, too busy squinting to try and see who these two might be.


    "You did it, you bought enough time and freed the ves. Your n was risky but it worked, everything, everything you predicted worked out, you''re amazing, I-I''m so proud of you Alli. Leave the rest to us, rest and...and please...don''t die."


    "..."


    "Take her immediately for treatment and make sure she stays alive."


    "Hai !"


    Huh ? Alli ? Beyond his shock and confusion, the blond young man didn''t understand what was happening. The more he observed, the more he could recognize the uniforms of Zal''s knights. Were they his own soldiers ? So why was one of them taking yna away, disappearing again with disconcerting ease ? Why was the other staying here ? The world seemed to have ganged up on him, no matter how bravely he tried to fight.


    "O-OI ! YOU SHITTY SOLDIER ! WHY DID YOU INTERFERE ? YOU BRAINLESS IDIOT, GIVE ME YOUR NAME RIGHT NOW SO I CAN HAVE YOU AND YOUR WHOLE FAMILY KILLED, YOU ARMORED DOG BASTARD !"


    Having seemingly lost his mind, Erzian was now a ball of rage unable to hold his own tongue, spitting violent words at what appeared to be one of his knights. Those around understood nothing, but they had heard the words, which remained engraved deep in their hearts. Turning around atst, the mysterious person brought a hand to their steel helmet before grabbing it to throw it to the ground.


    "She beat you...yna beat you and her courage changed everything. I swear you''ll never hurt my loved ones again."


    "HUUUH ? What are you babbling about you st-..."


    Under the moon''s rays, the young man found himself suddenly speechless before a pair of different-colored eyes, one blue, the other golden. In front of the beauty of this hypnotizing gaze, it didn''t take him long to think of the pair of panthers he had tortured years earlier. As Erzian stared at what appeared to be a young woman, his own gaze came to fall on two fluffy ears and a tail.


    "Y-You ?"


    He''d been so absorbed by the sudden appearance of what he''d so wanted to possess in the past that he hadn''t observed properly, but it was her. He didn''t need more time to guess...that fur, that hair, those eyes, that breed...he was sure of it. Yes, after eight long years, Luna was finally standing before the executioner who had deprived her of the love of a father and mother, she was standing before the one she had sworn to kill with her own hands.


    "That''s it for you. It won''t be long before your men fall and in a few minutes our n will set itself in motion, you''re running out of time."


    "Just because you''ve freed some ves doesn''t mean that y-..."


    "ERZIAN ZAL, first Prince of the Kingdom...I will be yourst opponent."


    The young Commander''s words had been spoken calmly, but the aura surrounding her at that moment was bing more and more deadly. Chaos reigned, the Knights and Pdins tried as best they could to coordinate, but the Princes'' n had backfired. What was going on ? There were thousands of soldiers on each side, so they should be able to manage, shouldn''t they ?


    Erzian trembled as he gritted his teeth, but it wasn''t because his n had fallen through or the condition of his army. He was trembling because the more the seconds passed, the more he realized that the creature in front of him was there to kill him, and that she had ample capacity to do so. No one woulde to his aid, no one could save him from the fight with the vengeful, insatiable beast that sweet Luna had be.


    ________


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 15 491(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 283 Revenge ? [Sacrifice Part III]

    Chapter 283 Revenge ? [Sacrifice Part III]


    ¨C POV General ¨C


    < A few hours before sunset >


    "You want to go there alone ? When we''ll all be with our sections ? Out of the question. Even if you''re the only one who can break the chain, it''s too risky a gamble, we''ll have to find another solution."


    In the Commanders'' tent, Caipy had risen from her seat after young yna had exined the beginning of her n. Opposed to the idea of sending her to the front, the dark elf had been the first to speak, deeming it far too dangerous. And for good reason, simting a frontal attack that was to end in a right side wasplicated to pull off, especially if the move relied on the sess of just one person.


    "Let''s say we ept, tell me, during the charge what are we supposed to do ? Bypass their army ? And do what ? Attacking on the right side and...forcing the right nk in the first few minutes isn''t a bad idea, it might force them to..."


    "No, we won''t have to attack, Commander !"


    Reflecting on the n, Ralph theorized about where the young blond woman was going with it, and despite her intelligence she''d been wrong. She loved to charge into the thick of things, adept at closebat without magic, just like the section shemanded. The Commander had been wrong, and yna was quick to exin what she felt was the only n at the moment, capable of turning the situation around.


    "M-My brother will be expecting this: either we go straight for the ves, or we pass to the side...he prepared himself. What we need to do is...is draw the attention of their entire army while staying at a safe distance to keep the pressure on and force them to use their resources."


    "Keep going"


    "For the first 5 to 10 minutes we''ll need to break the chain, rescue the ves and destroy the watchtower and its load-bearing wall"


    The more she spoke, the more the women in the tent realized that her n required very good coordination and speed, but to what extent ? Attracting the army''s attention was already a huge job, but on top of that, putting pressure on them from a perfect distance was tiring. 5 to 10 minutes was the only time the army could hold out before they exhausted themselves unnecessarily, which would be disastrous for the hours toe.


    Everyone was analyzing this strategy from top to bottom, but a few details were still missing, the ones that would link the puzzle together. Theycked a clear picture, because for the moment, although interesting, it was mostly confusing. Why destroy the watchtower and its load-bearing wall now, and why not before ? It was Persea the dryad who came up with the answer, gently caressing the flowers in her hair.


    "I see. After putting pressure on one and only one point, our army is supposed to overwhelm them from all sides without giving them time to understand. The element of surprise you''re looking for can only be done under these conditions, can''t it ?"


    "Y-Yes"


    "But why on earth ?"


    Squinting in curiosity, the Commander wearing a leaf-shaped ice brooch was silent, eager to know the answer. No one spoke, everyone listened to what yna had to say, slowly beginning to understand that this n could be THE solution. Taking a deep breath, the former Princess of Zal spoke again, this time without stammering, in a confident, determined tone...she was sure of herself.


    "The purpose of the first maneuver is to give me enough time to free the prisoners, but also to give Commander Luna time to strike from the inside. In the chaos or just confusion, it would be very easy for her section to slip in amongst them and poison them to get rid of as many as possible effortlessly."


    "..."


    "Commander Caipy, by the way, I''d need poison needles to sneak up to the tower without having to fight head-on. I could easily make my way when attention is focused on the main Elysium army."


    Eyes had widened, some mouths had even opened while under the tent brains began to boil. It could work. Yes, but what was the next step ? Everyone remained silent, waiting for the young woman to continue her exnation, which she soon did. So it was with a pride rarely shown that yna straightened up to utter the words that would change everything.


    "Once the chain is broken, someone powerful enough could take charge of destroying the tower and its wall. Suddenly attacked from all sides after long minutes without any real action, Zal''s army, caught off guard, will have no choice but to take refuge..."


    "...inside the city''s walls"


    "Yes t-that''s right but we also need to get inside at some point, at all costs. That way, whatever happens, we''ll have the upper hand from the very first hour, and no matter when the dragon riders arrive, it''ll be hard for them to act without destroying the Capital."


    What the former Princess had said came as a bolt from the blue: everything was clear and now seemed so simple. Some of the steps were perhaps a little questionable, but the result was there and from their expressions, appeared to be all they needed. An excited, almost sadistic smile was slowly forming on the faces of the Commanders and Lieutenants, who finally felt as if they''d broken the deadlock.


    If they could break through the city walls, not only would Vancesia''s squad be unable to attack blindly from the air, but the Princes would get a taste of their own strategy. This time, it would be the civilians'' turn to be hostages, almost fatally immobilizing the opposing army. This was the solution, no matter what had to be done, they had very little time: on the very first night, the Elysium army would enter the Capital.


    "Let''s work out the details, but I''m all for it"


    "So am I."


    "Mmmh"


    "Let''s go"


    One by one, the Commandantes then raised their hands, voting as always fairly but everyone agreed, it had to be tried. Even the Lieutenants nodded their heads, and Ash at the door prepared to go back and exin everything to his superior once everything had been revised. Not having forgotten this, with a gentle mocking air Ralph, ever so delicate, turned to the young woman who had just unblocked the situation.


    "Heh, so you''d better not die or Luna will kill us~"


    It was true, but they would do everything to seed without a single death, although in wartime this desire was always impossible. yna was courageous enough to ce herself at the center of the chessboard, and despite being a beginner she had still demonstrated a particr ir for strategy. There were only a few hours left, but everyone had agreed to rely on the one who had left her royal life a few months ago, dreaming of another.


    _________


    - POV Luna -


    < Back in the present > That was it, I was finally face to face with the murderer responsible for my parents'' disappearance eight years earlier, the one who had made me suffer for so long. He looked a lot like Alli, but all I could see was a monster, incapable of forgetting the ugliness of his deeds. No matter how hard I looked, I couldn''t control the feeling of disgust and intense anger that mixed in my beating heart.


    "ERZIAN ZAL, first Prince of the Kingdom...I will be yourst opponent."


    I trembled, the call of vengeance was like a poison running slowly through my veins anesthetizing all reason, but I must not give in. The woman I loved had done her best to secure our first victory, so I had to live up to her expectations. I wanted to take Erzian''s life with my own hands and I would do so once my mission here was over, just a few more seconds...patience.


    "But before that..."


    Without finishing my sentence, ignoring the Prince who was on guard, I leapt as fast as I could towards the watchtower and its wall. Conjuring the lightning in my hand screaming like a thousand birds, I didn''t hesitate and ced it on the cold bricks of the building looming before me. The next thing I knew, the ck sky and its surroundings were lit up as my lightning bolts grew stronger, bigger and bigger.


    Like a lightning cloak, my element soon covered almost the entire building, which crackled with a deafening noise. The next second, in a tremor that shook even the ground, everything copsed, sending a cloud of dust and dirt sweeping across the entire valley. After that, there wasplete silence, for a very short time that seemed infinite, no sound could be heard rising in the night.


    The silencested only a few seconds, and the first to react was Trioa, who had seen everything from the air with her squad. Without wasting any time, just as yna had done before, she blew a horn to give everyone the long-awaited signal. The same wave that had swept over the humans a short time before was separating, and our army could atst attack from all sides. Things were getting serious.


    "Atst"


    "..."


    While I could hear the thud of the warriorsing in my direction and see the total confusion of the Knights, only one person had my attention. I had done my duty, now I could concentrate on this vengeance that made my whole being tremble. Erzian Zal was still standing in front of me, knowing perfectly well who I was and why I wasn''t going to let him go without spilling his warm blood on the cold ground.


    "Let''s get this over with."


    Those were probably the only sensible words I was going to hearing from his mouth, he was right, it was time to get it over with, right here, right now. Ignoring the crowd around me, I drew my daggers with hands trembling with excitement. I couldn''t take my animal form to avoid damage, but with my strength, speed and element, I knew I could win...I was far more powerful than before.


    The adrenalin was pumping as Iunched myself at my opponent without further ado, using lightning to boost my speed right from the start. The fight was bound to be a tough one, so I had to think and not let my emotions guide me, or just a little. Finally arriving in front of him, I pretended to attack from the front before turning my foot to the left to slide to the side...Erzian was slow.


    "Too slow."


    Without giving him time to turn around, I plunged one of my des into his shoulder de, eliciting a hoarse cry from him. Without stopping, I slid to his left in an attempt to slice his arm, but the Prince was already sending his sword at my position. Using my element, I had no difficulty in jumping over him upside down before sending my lightning all over his body, causing uncontroble spasms.


    "AA-AAA-AAARGG !!!"


    It was strange, he was weak, how could this be ? I, who had dreamed of this moment every day, a bitter taste remained in my heart. Was this another of his vicious schemes ? His movements were imprecise, slow, shaky, strange, was I dreaming ? I forced myself to think, but my body was moving on its own, all I could hear was his screams as I wielded my daggers in the enormous chaos around us.


    Since I''d destroyed the watchtower and its wall, the Elysium army had surrounded the humans who''d lost their formation on all sides. I could hear swords shing, cries of pain and incantations as the elements vibrated on all sides. It was hard to say whether all this was controlled, but it was, yna''s n was clear, so far everything was going ording to n, even if it was hard to know.


    My mission was over for the moment, so despite the hundreds of living beings around me fighting for their lives and ideals, I concentrated on the Prince. My attention had been diverted for a few seconds by the surrounding chaos, but I knew that Nixia and the others were managing the army, so I trusted them. As I turned my head once more towards the one who had only minutes to live, my heart suddenly stopped.


    *H-Huh ?*


    Erzian had disappeared. Impossible. Where had he gone ? I''d only been inattentive for a very brief moment, but how could that be ? It waspletely dark, but that wasn''t a problem. Squinting angrily, I began to look around before seeing his silhouette in the Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    distance on the back of a horse galloping at full speed. I didn''t have time to hurl myself after him before the sound of a horn from the Capital echoed.


    "It worked..."


    [N/A: So, unlike the other wars, this arc doesn''t really focus on tactics or ughter but on what it will change about the characters, how they''ll evolve etc so don''t worry if it''s quite confusing and fuzzy~]


    ________


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 15 491(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 284 The Prophecy [Sacrifice Part IV]

    <h4>Chapter 284 The Prophecy [Sacrifice Part IV]</h4>


    -- POV General --


    As night fell and the unprepared human army made its way, as nned, to the walls of the capital, panic broke out in the castle. It hadn''t even been 3 hours since the battle had begun and already Knights and Pdins could be seen rushing through the empty streets. What was going on ? How could such a thing be possible when the army was made up of battle-hardened soldiers ? Was this already the end ?


    In reality, despite appearances and the situation, Zal hadn''t yet lost a huge number of warriors, but rather ground. Morale had also been greatly reduced, as in less than two hours, humans found themselves having to take refuge like wounded animals. Needless to say, anger and feelings of humiliation were present in every one of them, but strangely not in the one who had finally risen from their seat.


    Despite all themotion in the castle''s main hall and around the table, the Supreme remained calm and silent. Like everyone else, they were of course aware of what was going on outside, but it didn''t seem to rm them. Why not ? While all the Royal Ministers and Protectors of Humanity present drowned in a hubbub reflecting their rising fear and tant surprise, the head of the Church finally spoke.


    "Fear not my dear friends, for this is only the beginning. If the two sons of thete King have failed, it makes no difference to the final oue. These subraces have won a battle but certainly not the war, at the end of the journey we will be victorious."


    Their androgynous voice echoed through the room, and though calm, had managed to silence the incesive noise, recing it with palpable curiosity. Did they have a solution ? What did they mean by that ? Could Zal really prevail while its soldiers took refuge in the streets of the Capital ? It was only a matter of time before the Elysium army did the same, so how could we be absolutely sure that this was just a passing fancy ?


    And what about the reinforcements from Vancesia ? When would they arrive ? It would take very little to break the spirit of these wealthy humans ustomed to opulence, unaware of the horrors of war and its sacrifices. Now that Hell was on their doorstep, everything was suddenly more terrifying, and the Supreme knew it well, which is why they didn''t wait a second longer to speak in a strangely confident voice.


    "Believe me, in the eyes of the Gods we''ve won, no matter who our enemy is, because after all, in three days...the blood moon will appear and they''ll be finished"


    Silence reigned once again, yet the faces were no more serene, though veiled in a confused but attentive expression. After all, despite the situation, the great Supreme had spoken, and not for nothing, they weren''t so confident for nothing. At least, that''s what the many Ministers, still at a loss, thought, unlike the Protectors of Humanity, who knew exactly what their leader was talking about.


    "The blood moon ??? Y-Your Holiness like the one during the Age of Extinction ??"


    "W-Wait, what do you mean ?"


    It was then finally the King''s former advisor, Janell, who despite the confusion asked the question that was burning everyone''s lips. She could hear her heartbeat and feel her hands trembling as the muffled noises outside seemed to be more and more deafening. The woman wasn''t the only one, so as with a huge grin on their face, the Supreme spoke again in a superior tone.


    "You who do not follow the voice of the Gods and who do not know all the secrets of the one who was once called the Liberator, you cannot understand. That said, I''d be delighted to exin to you what this means."


    "T-Thank you"


    "Thousands of years ago, when Humanity was on the verge of disappearing during the Age of Extinction, an unusual phenomenon kept under wraps yed a major role in our victory over the evil creature who came to destroy everything...a blood moon"


    "..."


    "In the pages left by the Liberator, it is written that it appears only every 10,000 years, covering the sky with a crimson veil that entuates the mana of every living being bathed in its light. Following various phenomena that the Church prefers to keep secret, this very rare red night is about to arrive in exactly three days"


    Every human in the room could feel the passion in their voice, it burned intensely and became strangely slightly higher pitched. Yet their words were far more worthy of attention than the rest, and although the idea of not having lost everything was pleasant, fear still lingered. Carrying on her momentum, Janell was quick to point out the information she felt was the w in their exnation, but they obviously had an answer for everything.


    "With all due respect, Your Holiness, how can you be sure we''ll prevail against these invading creatures ? It''s true after all, if this...blood moon entuates the mana of all living beings then so do they. We don''t need them gaining more power, that would be...disastrous and-"


    "Because then I''d personally join the war."


    The silence had returned like a bomb, the Supreme ? In the war ? Everyone knew that to be the head of the Church required unshakeable faith and a mental strength no doubt pertaining to great physicality. However, no one, not even the members of their own organization, had ever seen them fight, and they didn''t even know their face or gender, so this news came as a shock, even to Sage the Holy Schr.


    What exactly were their powers ? No one knew if they would be enough to stop this invasion and, above all, this being who had killed the King. Freya''s cold voice was still very much present in everyone''s mind, her words, that threat, that tone and that terrifying confidence. Feeling almost insulted, the Supreme tapped their foot to bring attention back to them before shining their eyes through the veil and continuing in a haughty voice.


    "You didn''t really think that when the Harbinger of Chaos arrived, I''d be hiding and praying for our salvation, did you ? It''s been months since the Prophecy was transmitted to me in my dreams, for I am the one who must put an end to this war. I am the one who will be the light in the darkness no matter what the sacrifices, I am the one who will save you ALL, I have be the Prophecy itself, I am...the chosen one."


    While the Protectors stared at them in wonder, for the castle members and crown allies it was different. Divine truth or suicidal delusion ? They couldn''t know, but if an extra force sprang up to help and protect them, they''d believe it without hesitation. After all, nothing was lost yet. Yes, Knights and Pdins hade to take refuge in Capital, but it wasn''t the end of the world.


    "Even if the Princes have failed to keep the enemy outside the city walls, we must gain time. Three days, just three days and we''ll be victorious and finally I''ll be able to get my hands on that little white-haired devil girl"


    Who exactly were they talking about ? It didn''t really matter, because the objective for all was the same : survive at all costs and win. At this very moment, several forces were converging on the same spot, determined to change the future of their own nation. Vancesia, having sensed the wind turning, had sent a squad to help and above all to be the eyes and ears of Empress Cleo, but was she really ready to witness the beginning of this new era ?


    That said, she had no idea of the main reasons why Zal and Elysium were at odds. The Supreme''s n to seize Shiro for their experiments at the cost of their own life, and the ferocity Freya could bring to bear to protect what was dear to her. One had the desire to exterminate those they called "subrace" and extend their? power, and the other dreamed of conquering the continent to build a free world on the ruins and ashes of the old.


    Was this all part of the Prophecy ? No one could know the oue of this battle, or perhaps only the one who, on the back of an amnesiac dragon, was speeding away to even attempt to avoid the tragedy toe.


    _______


    Several hours had passed since the meeting at the castle, and while a n was being put in ce to dy the intruders'' entry, the Supreme found themself in their secret room. They were sure of what they''d said a short while ago, but somewhere, like every living being, they were animated by a slight doubt. They''d been dreaming of this moment for years, but as it finally approached, the uncertainty grew too.


    "Calm down..."


    Alone, the head of the Church could let themself go, far from Sage and their worshippers who couldn''t understand the importance of their mission. They were well surrounded but felt as alone as ever, alone against the whole world, or so their ego whispered in their ear. Prophecy or illusion ? For the Supreme, the answer was obvious, and nothing and no-one could stop them when their perfect n finally fell into ce.


    "Everything must be perfect..."


    Unbuttoning theirrge toga in the candlelight that adorned the room, only their shadow moved on the wall as the fabric fell to the floor. They were alone, no one could see whaty beneath and the result of the experiments they had been conducting for years on their own body. A ck, almost skeletal figure danced across the front of the room, lean but nowhere near as human as others might think.


    "Whatever the price"


    The ck image projected onto the wall thanks to the candles revealed a gaunt figure, but that wasn''t the most astonishing thing. The Supreme''s skin seemed to move, as if traversed by slight spasms intense enough to form like waves of flesh that could breathe and move. Was it a muscr reaction ? It was hard to know for sure, but the head of the Church didn''t care, being of course the only one aware of their own situation.


    Without a single nce at their body, they walked slowly towards the machine that had been sitting there for so long, ignoring the blood and bones that littered the floor. The machine consisted of arge ss tank where liters of blood from all the victims of their experiments were stirred. Using a long hose ending in arge syringe, the Supreme as always proceeded with their daily, albeit painful, injection.


    "Arg..."


    Them who hated the creatures of this world more than anything found themself using their blood, but for what purpose ? Why had all those tortured children, men and women suffered so much ? For their blood ? In reality, it was much more than that, since the head of the Church, despite severely damaging their own body, had found a way to be one with them and their mana, gaining in power day after day.


    The gurgling sound of the almost ck crimson liquid amplified the room, ricocheting off the cold, damp stone walls. The pungent, powerful, heavy smell of blood mingled with other putrid odors that could even sting the eyes of anyone daring to stand in this room. In the distance, iron cages lined up in the shadows creaked eerily as fingernails slid faintly across the rusted, damaged bars.


    The faint moans of the children dying inside escaped like faint whispers that no one could hear. All these victims locked up for the sole purpose of being used as a blood and organ bank for the experiments of the merciless Supreme. Time was running out anyway, so why bother with these things that would eventually die when the climax of the war was fast approaching ?


    Elysium''s army had not yet entered the city, but it would not be long before they did, and they needed more and more power to assert their superiority over those who had dared to defy them. Vancesia''s squad would be here soon anyway, although they didn''t know it, but the Empress wasn''t far off either. The little Princess, seen as the Harbinger of Chaos, was also about to enter the fray, so who would be the ultimate winner ?


    Would Shiro see her dream of saving everyone triumph, or would it be the Supreme who would see their dream of totally annihting the threate true ? However, all dreams remain as they are if you don''t have the power or strength to change them into reality. From then on, they be memories, like desires nestled deep in the soul, reflecting the regrets of a life that could have been changed.


    That''s why each of them would fight and try with courage to make their dream a reality, no matter what the cost. They were even ready to give their life to seed and make their actions the first in a new world where their ideals, good or bad, would dominate. The knell for the beginning of the end had sounded, and every pawn on the chessboard was falling into ce to y out the Prophecy like a hellish and...tragic y.


    ________


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 15 491(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 285: Blood Moon [Sacrifice Part V]

    --POV General --


    As the days passed, the battle raged on in the center of Zal country, a war of great importance and yet known to only three countries, what irony. The oue of such a great event would decide the future of the entire Continent, or so everyone thought. As the forces of each country converged on a single point, the hour of the great sh was also fast approaching, the beginning of the end.


    Almost three days had passed since Elysium''s first victory over the Capital''s soldiers, and the situation had already changed. The humans entrenched within the city walls no longer had any means of escape as the Empire''s soldiers finally entered.


    For three days and nights, citizens, knights and pdins had exhausted themselves barricading the streets, every passageway, every nook and cranny, despite the dangering from outside.


    Wood, carts, tables, anything could act as a barrier, and as loud thuds from the main gate echoed throughout Zal, the now dead city had be a veritable battlefield. For all the citizens hiding in cers, shelters and double-locked houses, this was just the beginning of a never-ending nightmare, as it was for the nobles who had also barricaded themselves inside the walls of the great castle.


    Vancesia''s dragon-riders still hadn''t arrived, but although they were sure to do so soon, the same was true of Freya. Apanied by her family, vampires and former dragons, she set off in the direction of Zal, determined to walk on the city''s ashes.


    A little further back, however, little Princess Shiro, on the back of a mysterious dragon, sped towards the capital, determined to prevent a disaster from happening.


    All were converging eagerly on the same single point, unaware of the oue of events and what they would have to sacrifice for their ideals. This point was where the Supreme was, also ready to do anything to prevent the destruction of Humanity, starting with the city of Zal. But where were them as the humans of the Capital trembled ?


    Lurking in the shadows, they waited for the Empress to finally close their trap.


    As the head of the Church bided their time, dull thuds echoed throughout the city and kept bouncing off the walls. Like a knell tolling the beginning of the end, the soldiers of Elysium were about to breach thest ramparts protecting citizens from the horrors of war. Needless to say, with the might of Freya''s army, the gate and walls would have fallen much sooner, but where was the fun in that ?


    To weaken their enemies psychologically, the Chaos Commanders had all decided to wait three nights before entering Zal. After having found Luna, who had been there for weeks, they now needed to gather information about the main danger they were facing: the Supreme. Although confident, there was no room for error, as this time the 10 women were solely responsible for the lives of an army of warriors.


    They weren''t fools either, they also knew that this was the moment to prove to the Empress and the Queen what they were capable of. True, the two rulers of the Empire were on the road with vampires and dragons, but that was no reason to expect help and act like frightened, cowardly Commanders. Elysium was growing, and they had to prove themselves worthy of leading this rising power.


    After lengthy discussions, each section was to join forces with another to form five groups led by two Commanders and Lieutenants. Each group would cover the south, north, east, west and center of the city, leaving only the castle stretching into the distance.


    Obedient citizens would be spared in the absence of direct decisions from Freya, everything was ready, now they could finally invade the Capital.


    As the midnight moon shone high in the sky, the great gate and Zal''s protective walls fell with a deafening noise that shook the ground. This was it, they could enter the human city, and for those who had fought in the previous war in the Dark Forest, this meant a lot. So much so that no sound could be heard where the various silhouettes of Elysium Empire soldiers stood.


    Not a word, not a breath, all were as if frozen in time as a cloud of earth and dust dissipated with the wind. This moment was symbolic: they who hade so far, who had been humiliated, persecuted, hunted and killed, had be the hunters. They didn''t know it, but this was the very first step on the road to conquering the entire Continent, the promise of a future.


    Before these warriors stood not a human city destined to be razed to the ground, but the promise of a future that could be grasped with both hands. It was the freedom, the courage, the strength, the determination of an entire nation guided by a couple of powerful dreamers dreaming of a fairer life.


    But just as an entire army had frozen as one, the voice of a young woman rose from the right side, bringing everyone back to the present moment.


    "FOR ELYSIUM !!!"


    It was yna. The former Princess of Zal who had regained her strength in three days and now stood proudly alongside Commander Luna and Nixia. Her voice had sounded like a cry from the heart, heartbreaking but at the same time full of passion and devotion.


    One of the only humans to have been epted by Elysium, she herself hadunched the assault on the city where she had grown up, her former people and the convictions that had caused so much suffering.


    At her words, a powerful aura formed by all the fighters seemed to explode from all sides as the march began. All rushing forward in rhythm, creating a cacophony. Thousands of feet struck the ground, making it vibrate as the sound of swords and shields mingled with the piercing cries of warriors thirsting for justice. It was the deafening melody of death raining down.


    Like a devastating ck shadow, thousands of soldiers rushed through the streets at breakneck speed. Centaurs, tigers, beastmen, wolves, kobolds, minotaurs and so many other creatures pounded the cobbled roads in rhythm, shaking hearts and even souls.


    In the sky, sphinxes, half-dragons, harpies, griffins and half-wyverns pped their wings in unison, searching the entire city for any enemy presence.


    This was not long ining, as thick lines of knights and pdins had formed just before Zal''s main square. Blocking the only avable route to the castle and the Church of the Protectors of Humanity.


    Forming a shield from their bodies, the humans were ready to give their lives to protect their country, which had already suffered so much in recent months, not to mention all the civilians hiding in houses and cers.


    In three days, they''d had just about enough time toe up with a strategy, thanks to the egos of the two Princes, seething with rage after losing the first battle. Nothing mattered at that moment but the insatiable desire to crush those who had dared to put them in such a situation.


    These creatures who had not only killed their father the King, but had also "brainwashed" their sister or maybe worse to win her over.


    In just a few minutes, the battle had resumed in the very heart of the city, drowning the night in a sinister melody...the melody of war. Elysium soldiers swarmed through the streets, invading every nook and cranny with a look of superiority on their faces.


    For the very first time, these rejected beings could walk among Zal without having to be humiliated, they could walk with their heads held high, disying the g of their Empire.


    Alone they were lost, but together they were powerful, unstoppable and filled with a courage they had rarely experienced. Was this true freedom ? Power ? Buoyed by these new feelings, the Empress''s warriors were gradually making their way towards the castle and the Church, despite the humans who were doing their best to hold them back valiantly as best they could as ast bastion.


    Was this really how it was all going to end ? Pdins and Knights could only doubt: was this the end ? Just like that ? So easily ? After losing their princess, their king, the leader of the Pdins, the Captain of the Knights and more than half the army, this was just another humiliation. An inimitable rage had seized Elysium''s warriors the moment they had passed through the walls...it was toote.


    Empress Freya hadn''t even made her appearance yet, and Vancesia''s reinforcements weren''t even on the horizon, when the oue of the battle already seemed to have been decided. Or so everyone thought...or so it seemed.


    As the blood sputtered in the middle of the besieged city, a recluse inside the castle prepared to make their entrance and change the fate of all those who thought they were lost and defeated.


    For in the midnight sky, unnoticed by those too busy defending their ideals, the moon had begun to veil itself discreetly, slowly darkening the world. A few red spots resembling drops of blood were even appearing on its face, which only a few minutes ago had been luminous. And yes...in just a few minutes, everyone would witness a rare event that, unfortunately, could change everything.


    _____


    "THEY''LL SOON BE AT OUR GATES !!!"


    "LET''S GET OUT OF TOWN !!"


    "You wretch ! Which way do you even want to go ? They''re everywhere ! And don''t be a coward. Let''s pray !"


    "Pray ? I''d rather be a living coward than a dead believer !"


    At Zal Castle there was panic, the many nobles and Protectors of Humanity couldn''t think straight frightened by the growing threat. For the first time in their lives, they felt in mortal danger, hunted down by those they had abused and killed all their lives. Unable to find a solution, all they could do was shout and argue in the main hall, where therge doors had been poorly barricaded.


    Imagine, how can you not turn into a destitute coward afraid of death when you grow up rich thinking the world wouldn''t change ? There had always been rich and poor, human and non-human, power and powerlessness, and so those who had to be protected and those who had to give their lives. For those who hoped the world would never change, fear was just the beginning of a long, endless nightmare.


    "It''s time"


    Despite the growing chaos turning to madness, a calm voice had uttered three words almost like a discreet yet powerful whisper. The Supreme had appeared through the throne room dressed this time in a long scarlet toga covering them from head to toe.


    A menacing aura emanated from their entire being, along with a palpable excitement that made their voice tremble as they spoke, as they approached the pce gates.


    "The Prophecy...atst...after all this time..."


    The night had only grown darker, heralding the arrival of a phenomenon known to happen only every 10,000 years, and the Head of the Church was ready. Sage the Holy Schr right behind their heels, they mumbled words that the panicked humans didn''t understand, too busy drowning in confusion. Had they finally lost their mind ?


    How could they possibly make a difference when the situation already seemed so hopeless ?


    Yet everyone had regained theirposure, almost hypnotized by the Supreme''s sudden, powerful and charismatic presence. While outside the castle the symphony of war continued its deadly melody into the bloody night, things were about to change. With a swift, powerful kick, the Head of the Church destroyed the barricade at the entrance, opening the pce gates for the first time in 3 days.


    "WAIT, YOU CAN''T DO TH-..."


    As nobles who had regained their wits were swept away by a shadow as they tried to stop the Supreme from continuing, the noises and shouts became more deafening. The sky was as dark as ever, but the previously bright moon was covered by clouds.


    Stopping in front of the grand staircase leading to the main square where the battle was taking ce, the Supreme raised their arms in a cross before speaking again.


    "IT''S TIME TO RESTORE THE NATURAL ORDER. You will all perish"


    Suddenly, just as the Supreme was finishing their sentence, the moon reappeared, tearing an icy smile from the face hidden by the toga. In an instant, the Capital of Zal was illuminated once again, but with a blood-red glow, as each fighter paused to look up at the sky. What was going on ? Bathed in this light, they could all feel their strength increasing along with their mana.


    Was this a blessing from the gods ?


    The Blood Moon. As the Prophecy had foretold, a scarlet moon had appeared, boosting the mana of all who touched its rays. A veil of blood covered everything on the horizon, and while all Elysium''s soldiers rejoiced at this strange phenomenon, the Supreme was about to begin their macabre n.


    But then, who would be willing to make the greatest sacrifice to see themselve triumph over all obstacles and ennemies ?


    This was just the beginning, and soon all the actors in the y would be reunited, as the silhouette of Vancesia''s dragon riders loomed in the distance, followed closely by Freya herself, followed unknowingly by little Princess Shiro.


    ________


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 15 491(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 286: The one who wasn’t human anymore [Sacrifice Part VI]

    [N/A: The Supreme is non-binary for now to hide their real gender. That said, in a few chapter their identity will be revealed so I''ll change to HE or SHE~]


    -- POV General --


    The moon''s rays now red had descended to earth, plunging everything as far as the eye could see into an unusual and unique crimson hue. On the battlefield, the warriors seemed to freeze, hypnotized by the unearthly color of the moon.


    Only the Supreme, arms wide open and knowing at this moment what was unfolding, stood before the castle gates with a sneer on their face, impatient for the unfolding events toe.


    "IT''S TIME TO RESTORE THE NATURAL ORDER. You will all perish"


    After all these years and sacrifices. They had always been the chosen one, and now they could finally prove it to the whole Nation, if not the whole world, yes...their time hade.


    They would be the one to liberate the world and mankind once again by crushing those ursed invaders and capturing the Harbinger of Chaos, who at this time took the form of a little wolf girl with white hair and amethyst eyes.


    Believing themself to be following in the footsteps of the Liberator who had appeared centuries ago, the head of the Church could only revel in this moment. After all they''d been through so far, all the choices and suffering, it all made sense at this very moment.


    As the Capital froze and everyone looked up at the sky, fascinated despite themselves by this strange yet beautiful phenomenon, the Supreme hoped the Gods were looking down on them.


    "It''sing..."


    Suddenly, after a few minutes that seemed to havested for hours, a pale, crimson light, this timeing from the entire city, rose into the sky. It was a glow produced by every individual and creature present in Zal, whether on the battlefield, in the castle or in the houses.


    Reacting to the blood moon, everyone''s mana seemed to mutate to the point of bing visible and naturally strengthening second by second.


    Yes, these were the long-awaited effects of this special red night, which only urred every 10,000 years, and for good reason. It was a time when mana increased tenfold, offering exceptional strength to those who could harness it.


    Like a river during a flood, the flow of mana coursing through every living organism poured forth with power, entuating not only magical but also physical and spiritual capacities.


    To take full advantage of the phenomenon urring in each individual, almost perfect control was of course required to stabilize this energy. As the warriors began to understand, the head of the Church, glittering like all the others, refused to waste time.


    Immense power emanated throughout the Kingdom, but theirs was particrly strong thanks to the moon, but to conquer and exterminate, it wasn''t enough.


    "It''s time."


    At these words, in one swift movement, plunging their right hand into their toga, they drew out an enormous syringe filled with a liquid overflowing with mana. A mixture of blood, that of their victims in the basement, and several alchemical elements.


    Thanks to their experiments over the years, the Supreme had seeded in gradually assimting the mana of other living beings, and tonight, thanks to the moon, they would be the most powerful.


    Based on the direct transfer of mana, their initial purely magical research had be increasingly insane over time. They had tried many different ways of removing magic from their victims, without ever seeding in transferring it.


    Failure after failure, the leader of the ego-fueled Church had taken their work to the next level: if necessary, every body part, every cell would be separated, studied and used.


    Today, in their researchboratory, dozens of half-humans, children, women, old men and even babies were their guinea pigs. At the cost of so much blood, they had finally managed to find the answers to the questions, putting themself through whatever suffering they deemed necessary.


    The Supreme''s madness and determination knew no bounds, and to fulfill their destiny they were ready to reject even their beloved humanity.


    "Aaarg !!"


    That was it, the syringe was nted in the skin revealing the forearm from beneath the toga, a forearm that reflected what they had rejected and what they had be. Pieces of skin of all kinds had been sewn onto the parts of their own that they had removed.


    A patchwork of different beings formed this arm, from the skin of a goblin to that of a bear, from the smooth skin of a child to the rough skin of an old man.


    Indeed, this was the Supreme''s solution for appropriating their prisoners'' mana, thus gaining ess to their reserves and more. Thanks to the blood the Supreme had injected themself with, a multitude of cells would circte throughout their body, creating a link between mana and body parts.


    An immense power was thus beginning to grow within them under the blood rays of the moon, which was the very catalyst for this unique transformation.


    "HAHAHAHAHA !!! IT''S OVER !!!"


    While the Elysium soldiers on the battlefield hadn''t even had time toprehend what was happening, rock spikes were already forming above their heads. Nothing they couldn''t stop in theory, except that hundreds and hundreds kept appearing. The entire area of the city had been covered, and everyone was smart enough to know that a spell of this magnitude was not without danger.


    "BE CAREFUL EVERYONE !"


    "WARRIORS, PROTECT YOURSELVES !!!"


    A shower of hundreds of spikes had begun to rain down on the Capital at an inordinate speed, forcing humans and other species alike to protect themselves. Strategically targeting the invaders, Zal''s army was not entirely safe either, retreating little by little for its survival.


    Before long, only Empress Freya''s army was in the eye of the storm, buried under this deadly and powerful spell that seemed to go on forever.


    Underneath,manders, lieutenants and soldiers were doing their best, dozens and dozens of spells of every element being used on all sides. So far, so good, but fatigue and mana depletion were a problem, not to mention the fact that a second''s inattention could be costly.


    The strongest protected themselves and those around them, but their initially advantageous numbers had be a weak point minute by minute.


    "KEKEKEKE THAT''S IT, DISAPPEAR !!!"


    As the seconds ticked by, more and more warriors were getting hit, at first a few scratches but drowned out by a simple spell, unable to counterattack, forced to defend themselves, the situation was evolving. It was chaos, the Commanders were trying to advance to reach the Supreme but all was confusion, even for Commander Trioa and her squad in the sky where the danger was multiplied by 10.


    Thanks to the blood moon, they had all gained in strength and mana reserves, but that didn''t mean they could stay in this position indefinitely. Little by little, the well-trained Elysium warriors were falling to the ground with serious injuries.


    However, after another long minute, the interval between attacks seemed to change, slowing down to the instinctive relief of the soldiers overwhelmed by what had just happened.


    "Oh oh oh but this is only the beginning..."


    They didn''t even have time to breathe when suddenly, instead of huge peaks in the sky, golems made of lightning appeared, encircling the Empress'' army. First formed from the ravaged earth of the city, humanoid in shape with no real pronounced detail, they stood 3 meters tall.


    Not only did these golems seem to possess enormous strength of their own, they were also surrounded by armor made of lightning.


    "How this human managed to..."


    For the Commanders and other soldiers this vision was so confusing and rming. How could the Supreme manipte multiple elements ? The only ones they knew of who could do this were the powerful Imperial family of Elysium, beings far from ordinary. So who was the Head of the Church ?


    From this simple scene and show of force, everyone understood that their luck had run out and that they were now the bait.


    Yet everything had started so well, the n they had all meticulously put in ce for days had copsed. The battle that had begun in their favor no longer resembled anything: they were all absolutely surrounded, not to mention the many bodies on the ground. Were they all going to be crushed like flies ? Just like that ? By just one person, so easily ?


    The nightmare had indeed begun, that was undeniable.


    "WATCH OUT !!"


    Yet the Empire warriors, though also boosted by the moon, couldn''t even regroup and form a strategy. Attacks rained down on them second after second, the noise was deafening, bodies weaker and weaker, and the confusion total. Like rock peaks, the golems formed again and again, swarming like insects around them with a single goal in mind: the total annihtion of the army.


    "It''s up to us ! NELLA !"


    "YES COMMANDER !"


    With no obstacle left in the sky, the Commander of the only squadron specializing in aerialbat had, however, at first sight, the field clear. The young Trioa, halfwyvern halfhuman, had realized that she had to act quickly and reach the Supreme before the others were decimated before her very eyes.


    Regrouping all her soldiers from griffon to harpy in a single sentence, she was ready to charge in and make a difference.


    "CHARGE AND DON''T LET THIS FOOL ATT-....AAAARG !!!"


    Trioa hadn''t finished her sentence, when a huge bolt of lightning came out of nowhere and struck her with force before everyone''s shocked eyes. She hadn''t let her guard down, the spell had shot out at an iprehensible speed, impossible to predict or even avoid.


    As the unconscious young woman''s body fell to the ground with a thud, her subordinates and friends could hear the satisfied, haughty voice of the Head of the Church.


    "Kekeke ! I haven''t forgotten you, you filthy flying creatures...know your ce."


    "COMMANDER TRIOA !"


    Without thinking, Lieutenant Ne rushed in her direction, followed by other soldiers while the Commanders who had witnessed the scene felt anger rising. It wasn''t good, the more the minutes passed, the more the chaos, anger and fatigue intensified. They had to free themselves from this hold, but how ? Despite the desire to get out, no one knew what to do, and as bodies fell, despair invaded hearts.


    "That''s it, FALL INTO DESPERATION AND DIE !!!"


    "Oh no...WATCH OUT !!!"


    All the golems around the army had stopped moving, but the enormous magical aura emanating from each of them was not a good sign. Ralph had been the first to scream in a terrified voice, ready to strike out with her fists at whatever wasing but knowing it wouldn''t be enough.


    As one body, each of the remaining Commanders moved as fast as they could to gather around the warriors they had led so far.


    They had to protect them at all costs. Thanks to her roots, Persea the dryad gathered everyone in the center, while Nixia took on her snake form, turning her body into a giant shield. Ralph, Emilia, Thorunn, Luna, Ynir, Persea, Na?a and Caipy, also taking their recently acquired form, positioned themselves around the shield to receive any iing attacks.


    They had to seed, because if they failed, Nixia the ck-scaledmia would be the target.


    Determined to protect their loved ones, the 8 Commands would have to draw on all their remaining power. This would not be the end of the Elysium army, not after so much effort and trust, they had to protect everyone, even at the cost of their own lives, together. Concentrating all their mana, an immense magical aura erupted from their bodies as their elements were ready to burst forth with power.


    "It''sing...stay focused and strike as fast as-..."


    "So fast!"


    Nixia didn''t have time to finish her sentence, however, as a dozen huge balls of lightning were fired from the golems'' chests. They came from all sides as they had anticipated, but the speed of the attacks was far greater than expected. Like cannonballs, crackling with danger, they charged straight at the young women, who had only just begun to move, surprised and deadlyte.


    The sound of lightning pierced the air and deafened the petrified soldiers, who were protected by Commander Nixia''s massive body, but the fear was there. These enormous balls of magic were on the verge of arriving, and unless they surpassed their speed in a fraction of a second, none of the 8 Commanders would be able to stop them.


    In the distance, on the castle steps, the Supreme was ecstatic - this was it, they''d finally done it.


    Of course, they still had other enemies to defeat, but they were on the verge of single-handedly destroying the army of the one who had proved too sure of herself. Even the reinforcementsing from Vancesia were useless; in the space of a few hours, they had dominated those who had been needlessly feared by humans.


    Them alone had achieved this incredible feat, and as their dreams of greatness crossed their mind, a single word came out of their mouth.


    "Die."


    _______


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 15 491(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 287: Imperial reinforcements [Sacrifice Part VII]

    -- POV General --


    "Die."


    The balls of lightning were getting closer - was this the end ? Blinking was impossible, the speed had even intensified and for the eightmanders the pressure was on. Caught off-guard, they had movedte and by the time their elements finally burst forth, it was already almost toote. Time seemed to slow down, and every second seemed like an eternity, plunging them further into fear.


    Suddenly, just as impact was imminent, the sound of lightning became more deafening, ringing in the ears as a controlled explosion rocked the city. What had happened ? Were they all hallucinating ? Impossible to know, because whatever had just happened had only taken a fraction of a second. Now, a thick cloud of smoke and dust had covered the entire city, blocking vision around the entire perimeter.


    "Wh-"


    After a few seconds, this incredible grey screen reflecting the red rays of the moon began to disperse before the confused eyes of the Commanders. What had the Supreme done ? Was this another one of their ns ? Why had nothing touched the army ?


    With so many questions on everyone''s mind, it was impossible to know, even for those with iparable instincts, for the city was immersed in an ocean of auras.


    It was hard to analyze those around us and perceive a mental scene despite the smoke. A lot had happened in an hour, and although it wasn''t all over, the confusion was blinding. And yet, after a few minutes, as the night wind blew the dust away, 5 meters away, a silhouette gradually began to stand out, while a voice that everyone knew resonated atst.


    "Yare yare ! So you''re the Supreme ? You''ve made quite a mess, I see."


    The person who had just spoken these words stood there, blue lightning shing around her body, crackling and vibrating in the night air. She was a young woman with a powerful aura, quite tall with gleaming violet eyes, carrying as much mischief in them as her yful, lilting voice.


    It didn''t take long for the warriors to recognize the woman who had just appeared from nowhere, for Commanders Ralph and Luna were already stammering.


    "C-Commander Kira ? You-"


    "How-..."


    Were they dreaming ? The Empress''s own sister stood there, long silver hair just like her fox ears and those three pping tails. It was definitely her, but how could it be ? Once again, time seemed to stand still as everyone, including the Head of the Church, stood motionless in the knowledge that it was she who had saved them.


    Then suddenly, it was Caipy who realized what this meant, cut off by Kira who confirmed.


    "So it means..."


    "Reinforcements have arrived kids, you''ve all been absolutely amazing, what courage, onee-sama can be proud of you hehe !"


    At her words, a wave of relief swept over the Elysium army as everyone seemed to return to reality, gradually regaining awareness of their surroundings. After those salvos of attacks sent by the Supreme, all the senses had been disrupted to give way to the desire for survival.


    Fortunately, the remaining Commanders, Lieutenants and soldiers were now returning to their senses, while the Head of the Church was shouting all alone.


    "YOUR ARRIVAL WON''T CHANGE A THING ! HAHAHA YOU THINK THAT-"


    "Yes, yes, yes, whatever makes you happy, but open your eyes a little, Supreme Garbage, and look over there"


    Cutting them off, just as Kira finished uttering this sentence, a huge explosion from some distance away caused the ground to vibrate again. Intrigued, the being under the toga had been thest to look up, as the humans of Zal and soldiers of Elysium stared open-mouthed at what was happening on the horizon...in the sky.


    Humans riding dragons...atst, reinforcements from Vancesia, but they weren''t alone - they were already busy.


    Before the astonished eyes of everyone in the Capital, Empress Kleo''s mighty riders were fighting fiercely against...other riderless dragons. What was going on ? And where were theying from ? No one knew yet, but the three majestic creatures in the sky were none other than Klover the fire dragon, Aneyaris the water dragon and Nordin the lightning dragon.


    Coming from the realm of vampires, this could only mean one thing...


    "LIKE I GIVE A DAMN ABOUT-"


    As the Supreme shouted, preparing to cast another spell into the sky to finish what they''d started, they stopped as a powerful aura exploded at the entrance to the city. A single person was moving slowly towards the center of town, passing by the many wounded bodies of the two camps.


    The closer she approached, the more suffocating the aura emanating from her became, seeming even to bend the space around her with passive power.


    Despite the battle taking ce in the sky miles away, everyone''s eyes were now riveted on her. It was her, she was there. Under the crimson rays of the moon, she advanced without hesitation, her cold eyes focused on the individual who had done so much damage to the army of which she was so proud.


    Her immense strength inspired respect and fear, yet one couldn''t help looking at her...after all, everyone knew that her power equaled her beauty.


    "You..."


    Stopping at the levels of the remaining soldiers, who had all knelt in both shame and relief, Freya bubbled with rage. On her way she had seen so many wounded and so many dead, each step forward bringing new ones as if it would never end. They had almost taken the whole city with their own efforts, pushing the humans to their limits. She was proud, but driven by revenge.


    "Who the fuck do you think you are !?"


    In front of everyone, the Empress had lost herposure, raising her voice in anger for the first time, it was hard to know whether she wasn''t going tosh out at the Supreme. Her fangs were protruding, her eyes were murderous, not to mention her growing aura covering the whole city.


    The air had grown colder, but thanks to her perfect mastery of mana, despite the blood moon, she was able to keep the whole area from freezing despite the ice forming beneath her feet.


    Atst she was face to face with the human who had repeatedly tried to destroy those she loved and what she had created. The young woman had been waiting for this, and yet she could hardly control herself, so great were her feelings of rage and vengeance.


    Frozen for a few minutes, the Head of the Church finally reacted,ughing out loud, showing how little respect they had for Freya despite her power.


    "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA I recognize that voice. So here we are face to face atst, leader of the subraces, we meet finally for the first time kekeke"


    How could they forget the voice and words of the one who had challenged them weeks ago after decimating the armed expedition and King. Tho, meeting the Empress for the first time, they''d understood why the humans never returned and yet it didn''t frighten them. Why not ?


    Because quite simply, the Supreme had already foreseen everything and the addition of reinforcements made absolutely no difference to the absolute oue of the prophecy itself.


    "Hey nee-san..."


    "I know."


    Freya and Kira''s eyes were riveted on the human in the middle of the stairs, or at least the thing standing there, for they sensed no humanitying from them. As Commander Luna, sent as a spy had said, the Head of the Church was far stronger than any creature they''de across before. And that wasn''t all: beyond raw power, an unhealthy, dark aura topped it all off.


    It was like plunging into the depths of the earth where light could no longer shine, this was not normal mana. The she-wolf had a bad feeling, but for 2 days and 2 nights they had been running to get there in time, and they had finally seeded.


    Only one being was the most dangerous at the moment, but they were facing Lucifer, the ancient Goddess known as the most powerful young woman in the Elysium Empire: Empress Freya.


    "Whatever your ns, it''s over. Even as I speak, my sister and my wife are capturing every human in the castle, my army is still standing and it''s only a matter of time before the dragon riders bow to the strength of the KANs. It''s well and truly over".


    It was true, so what could go wrong ? Yet for the first time, Freya had said these words without being totally convinced. Deep down, her instincts were screaming at her to run away from here if she wanted to stay alive, which had only happened to her at the very beginning of her existence in this world.


    The Supreme''s subsequent reaction wasn''t enough to reassure her either, since, still hidden under their toga, they sneered before replying.


    "Kekekeke oh no you''re wrong, this is just the beginning. Nothing will be over until I capture the one I seek for my experiments and..."


    "ENOUGH !"


    In an explosion of aura causing a powerful st pushing back those around her, the young she-wolf woman didn''t want to hear any more. At the mention of Shiro, she thought back to the fate she might have had if she''d been captured all those months ago, and then that wasn''t all.


    There was also Angel, Gaya''s little brother, who for 10 long years had suffered for the experiments of the Head of the Church... he had almost lost his life.


    As all her thoughts raced through her mind, Freya couldn''t contain her anger any longer, slowly changing shape. The horns on her forehead were growing, as were the ck tattoos on her face, but that wasn''t all. From ck hair to red as blood, from white pupils to dark as night, before the eyes of the remaining humans, there she stood...Lucifer Nightshade.


    The cold, dark-purple aura had turned to red mist, provoking an instinctive reaction in all those nearby. If the Supreme inspired malfeasance, the young woman inspired evil, ethereal power. Under the crimson moon, the scene was impressive and frighteningly divine: there she was, bathed in this bloody light as if made for her, and for the first time, the Head of the Church took fright.


    "Oh for the love of the Almighty Gods...you''re an animal, you Demon !"


    Faced with Freya''s transformation, they could feel their whole body trembling, not even knowing anything about the former Demon Goddess of Blood and Death, they could feel the danger in their whole being. She represented everything they hated above all else, a threat to humanity, an abomination that had to be exterminated for the good of all.


    Her very presence was not eptable, and yet the Supreme had confidence in their genius n.


    "I-I knew it, the leader of these subraces can only be one more atrocity and you''ll end up in myboratory just like the harbinger of chaos !!"


    "Don''t say things you''ll regret, human."


    "SHUT UP !"


    Without further ado, seething with rage in their turn, the mysterious individual standing on the stairs raised their hands to the sky making new rock peaks appear. This time, unlike the first, they were bigger, deadlier and even faster.


    The next thing you knew, these hundreds of spells were shooting straight at the Empress and her army of soldiers standing behind her, who hadn''t dared move since their encounter.


    "Kira !"


    "Yes, onee-san !"


    Reacting immediately, the young woman didn''t need to say anything more to her little sister, who was already twirling her lightning-covered scythe in the air. The next second, the explosions had resumed as the agile Kira used her high speed to strike again and again at the spikes that were shooting straight for the center of the city.


    Alone against what an entire army had had to endure, the young fox demon was buying Freya time.


    With unfailing confidence in her sister, the Empress herself strode towards the Supreme, her heels clicking on the destroyed ground, each step faster than thest. She had drawn her katana and was deflecting all the attacks flying at her without even looking at them, her red eyes fixed on her prey.


    Soon she was at the bottom of the stairs, much to the annoyance of the Church Leader, who suddenly felt their feet lift off the ground on their own out of nowhere.


    "H-Huh ?"


    In a fraction of a second Freya had disappeared and was in front of them, grabbing them by the cor before lifting up without much effort. They hadn''t been that quick and as a sense of shame washed over them they could feel the fabric of their toga tearing in spite of themselve...no...this wasn''t good.


    To the young woman''s astonishment, the Supreme was physically weak and as they struggled, with a quick, simple gesture she ripped the fabric away in full view.


    "Urg !!! D-Don''t..."


    "Who are you really ?"


    [N/A: Omg finally the revtion, I think I''ve been waiting 1 year to write this haha~]


    _______


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 15 491(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]

 Chapter 288: A Queens resilience: Selenes Curse [Interlude I]

    ¨C POV General ¨C


    "Who are you really ?"


    As Freya uttered these words, in one swift, precise movement, she tore off the cloth that hadpletely covered the Supreme from the start. Never before had they imagined that they would one day find themselve exposed to the eyes of the world, them who had sworn to hide their identity for the history books.


    Reacting at a moment''s notice, they hid their face, dazzled by the pure brilliance of the blood moon, while everyone stood in awe of what they were seeing.


    ______


    [18 years ago]


    Even before Freya had entered this timeline of the world of Kleisaria, the Kingdom of Zal was prosperous and unrivalled. Wars across the continent had ceased altogether, with humans far too busy fighting amon enemy - in other words, all the other races. Despite this, the King of Zal didn''t really seem to care, immersed as he was in the vices that life had to offer.


    Alcohol, women, drugs and food were all part and parcel of his life, leaving his own family to one side at a time when his responsibilities as father and husband were most in demand. At the time, the two princes were very young, and the living Queen was 9 months pregnant with the future Princess yna.


    Ill and sadly dying, she spent her days in her royal bed, observing the outside world from her chamber with sadness and regret.


    Afflicted by an unknown curse that began at birth, Queen Selene was destined to die young, her body deteriorating day by day. Daughter of a Duke almost as wealthy as the main heir branch, she was well aware that her husband had chosen her for this reason alone. Otherwise, who would have married her and epted this weird, mysterious curse if only for her money and her name? No one would have.


    Lacking absolutely nothing, rich, of royal blood with a growing family and a happy people, that might have been enough for happiness, but this was not the case. What had she aplished in life? Selene had never traveled, never ridden a horse or climbed a tree or even swum in a coolke in summer.


    All themon, simple experiences of life were unknown to her, condemned to stay cooped up to survive.


    "I wish you one day to be free and not locked up in a golden cage..."


    Caressing her bulging belly, the Queen smiled, hiding the sense of injustice that had been growing ever since she was a child. Why had she been born? What was her real purpose? She would never know, but she refused to believe that the reason for her existence had been the perpetuity of royal blood.


    Yet, while her days were numbered, this was indeed the impression Selene had and yet there was nothing she could do about it. Pathetic, isn''t it?


    Ever pensive, she let her mind dream of grandeur, of discoveries and experiences beyond those of adventure books and fairy tales. The Queen knew she could only dream, but it was enough, as long as her children and husband were safe. Her health was deteriorating but she had to hold out for a few more days, soon her daughter would be born and Selene had vowed not to die before she hugged yna.


    "E-Excuse me Your Majesty. It''s time to take your medicine and...you also have a visitor."


    Just as she could feel the baby inside her stirring, a voice from behind her bedroom door suddenly sounded. It was one of the maids assigned to her quarters, her arrival meant only one thing, it was almost 7am. However, she had mentioned a visitor, who could it be? Intrigued, Selene struggled to her feet as the door opened, letting in a draught of fresh air.


    It was Marie, a young castle servant, long gray hair, amber eyes, dressed as a chambermaid with a tray in her hand. 20 years old, she had lived with the Queen all her life, first taking care of various chores at the castle when she was younger, then Selene. Over the years, the two women had formed a real bond beyond that of Master and Servant, an almost familial bond like that of two sisters.


    "Your Majesty, please be careful!"


    cing the tray in her hand on a piece of furniture near the bed, Marie hurried towards the Queen, who was trying to get up from the chair she had ced in front of the window. The truth was that the King''s wife was dying, almost blind and with a body that was gradually abandoning her.


    The young maid was well aware of this, and was one of those who had watched Selene''s condition deteriorate over the years without being able to do anything about it.


    Today, despite her zest for life, she was a shadow of her former self, cursed yet brave and mentally sound. The Queen was a role model for Marie, who had promised herself never to abandon the woman she admired and who had taught her what it meant to love and ept yourself. So naturally, as the young maid rushed to Selene''s side to give her her cane, she replied grumpily.


    "I may be sick, but I''m not made of ss. I can still walk, Marie."


    "But, my Queen..."


    "Don''t worry about it. Why don''t you tell me about this mysterious visitor instead of worrying, mmh? Besides, it''s just the two of us in this room, so you can drop the ''my Queen'' or ''Your Majesty'', don''t you think?"


    Finally arriving at her bed, the Queen sat down before drinking her medicine, even letting herself tease the young girl in front of her. She saw her a little like a little sister after having been with her for so long.


    Marie was the only one who stayed by her side, gradually bing her daily ray of sunshine even when her husband had deserted her or her two sons had decided not to visit her anymore for fear of getting cursed as well.


    "Y-Yes at once, Madam Selene!"


    "Pfff~"


    Unable to hide the red in her cheeks, Marie had begun to stammer as Selene giggled softly at so much cuteness she''d never tire of. It was thanks to moments like these that she could still use what little strength she had left to finish what she''d set out to do. After a few seconds of panic, the young servant finally cleared her throat before announcing in all seriousness why she hade here.


    "It is Razaling from the Church to fix thest changes concerning the nomination of the new Supreme in a few days. He''s waiting for you in the North Lounge"


    "Sigh...my husband should see to it but he''s far too busy enjoying himself rather than acting like the King. Already rtions between the Church and the Crown aren''t at their best and I''m ill, he could have made an effort when ites to supporting a candidate as Royalty for the very first time..."


    The Queen was only 35 years old, yet her face suggested that she had already been marked by life and its years that no one could avoid. She was still young, but the curse coupled with the tons of work she did every day only shortened her life expectancy.


    Pregnant and of royal blood, Selene could never avoid her responsibilities as Queen and mother, especially when the King was not present to fulfill them.


    In a few days'' time, a new Supreme was to be appointed, and for the very first time in the Kingdom''s history, the Royal family was to y an important role. Why was this? Because Razal, the Church''s favorite for the title, was also a long-standing friend of Selene''s. So, for the first time in the history of the Kingdom, the Royal Family would y an important role.


    For the first time, the Crown and the Church were forming new ties for a peaceful future that both friends were determined to preserve.


    Just as the Queen had finished cursing herzy and useless husband, sighing onest time, she finally rose from the bed on which she was sitting. For a few seconds, all seemed well when suddenly Selene began to feel dizzy and a familiar sensation gripped her throat. In an instant, Marie''s smile disappeared as she once again rushed in panic towards her Queen.


    "YOUR MAJESTY!"


    "COUGH COUGH COUGH!!"


    Blood sshed onto the carpet in the Queen''s quarters, as it did just about every day, testifying to the gravity of the situation. Selene hadn''t taken three steps when her body was already begging her to stop and stay in bed.


    It was like this every day, but after getting used to the pain and weakness, she was more motivated than ever by the changes she could make now for the future, before she died.


    "Surely adventure isn''t for today haha~"


    "My god, that would be far too dangerous in your condition, my Queen...I...please, be careful, I-"


    "But real life isn''t in books. It''s outside these walls. Haven''t you ever dreamed of another life? A life full of adventure and surprises..."


    Leaning on her cane and straightening up, Selene had asked the question with sad, yet bright eyes. The kind of look that made Marie melt with respect, love and sadness every time she saw it. She herself felt the injustice of the curse on her mistress, so how could she possibly imagine what the Queen felt? Embarrassed and pensive, the maid began to stammer.


    "Well, I-...I-...I don''t know. A poor servant like me would never dare dream of greatness, Your Majesty, and as long as I can be useful to you and stay by your side, this life is quite enough for me."


    Marie knew she was nothing special: abused in a poor family, without friends or money, her life didn''t really matter. At least, that''s what she thought until she met Selene and was swept away by the radiance of her existence. Today, nothing mattered but the Queen she loved so much and had decided to serve until the end. In a way, the two women had also be something of a family.


    As long as Marie could be useful to Selene, no matter how, then it was worth all the adventures and happiness this world could offer. The same world that had cursed the Queen, condemning her to a short life of suffering, unfulfilled dreams, regret and sadness. Trying to suppress that dormant anger she wanted to forget, the maid then shook her head as the soft voice beside her echoed again.


    "I won''t be here much longer, you know? However, I''m sure you''ll achieve great things one day if you so wish. You''re not just a servant, you''re much more than that, but you''ll find that outter while growing up~"


    For long seconds, the two of them stood there staring into each other''s eyes, one smiling and the other feeling tears welling up. This bond they shared was inexplicable, true, sincere and yet it would never surpass that of the servant and her Queen. It didn''t matter, Selene and Marie didn''t care about that because there was still so much to organize and aplish in such a short time.


    "Well. Let''s go and see Razal, who''s been waiting for us for several minutes now. I don''t have much time ahead of me, but if I can leave the Kingdom in good hands, then I''ll do what I can."


    The Queen, not wanting to keep her visitor waiting any longer, had begun to move slowly towards the door, leaving the gray-haired young woman behind, as if hypnotized. The morning had just dawned and the announcement of the new Supreme would take ce in just a few days, so time was running out. Coming back to her senses, Marie rushed to her side with pride, tears gone, reced by determination.


    "You can count on me too, Your Majesty! I''d follow you even in death if I could so don''t you worry!"


    "Hahaha~ COUGH COUGH! I-I don''t ask for so much but thank you for being there, Marie. I know I can always count on you all the way~"


    Gently stroking her servant''s head, Selene smiled once again with a kindness and joy that were so characteristic of her. She couldn''t change the world, but she could surely make it a better ce, for her children, her kingdom, Marie and her unborn daughter.


    So it was that the two of them walked through the door towards the north-facing lounge, determined to see the beginning of a new era of peace for Zal and its inhabitants.


    At least...that''s what they thought, but dreams don''t always be reality, and reality itself can be far crueler than a nightmare.


    _______


    FULL STATUS


    Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade


    Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old


    Sex : Female


    Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult


    Race : Imperial Demon


    Titles :


    - Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.


    - Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)


    - Dragon tamer


    - Ruthless yer


    Level : 47/70


    Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000


    HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100


    Strength: 660


    Defense : 660


    Agility : 666


    Endurance: 663


    Speed : 662


    Intelligence: 660


    Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)


    Attribute points to allocate : 1 600


    Married to : Gaya Nightshade


    Daughter : Shiro Nightshade


    Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Alta?s Nightshade


    Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)


    Big sister : Ka Nightshade


    Empire (menu)


    Subordinates: 15 491(keep growing)


    Humans killed: 153


    Souls: 0/3


    Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)


    Skills (all):


    Attacks :


    - Demon ws (Lvl 5)


    - Bite of hell (Lvl 6)


    - Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)


    - Fighting techniques (Lvl max)


    - Mastery of the katana (lvl max)


    - Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)


    D¨¦fense :


    - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)


    - Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)


    - Pain Resistance (lvl 6)


    Attack/Defense :


    - Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)


    - Death Gaze (lvl 1)


    Others :


    - Humanoid form


    - Demonic form (linked to the title so iplete) - 20%.


    - Ice creation (Lvl 6)


    - Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)


    - Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)


    - Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)


    - Master of Souls (lvl 3)


    - Lucifer''s Threads of Blood (lvl 3)


    - Healing Blood (lvl 3)


    - Reminiscence (lvl 2)


    - Analysis


    - Telepathy


    Passives :


    - Commander (lvl max)


    - Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!