10th Day of the 2nd Earth Cycle[1], 2000, g.c.
I ain't gon' lie. When I finally stepped out in front of everybody at the Royal Players' Ball, standing with Kyttin, Chomei, Karma, and Victorya beside me, I felt the whole damn castle inhale.
It wasn't just the guests either. Castle Midnight itself seemed to pause around me. The obsidian chandeliers held their silver-blue flames still. The violet-blue voidsilk drifting through the grand hall slowed like the fabric wanted a better look. Even the music softened under the weight of that moment, bass humming low through the black marble floors as the last ghostly notes of Moonlight Sonata faded into the background, like the night had finished introducing me.
I stood there in black, purple, and silver, dressed like midnight in pimpin' form. The bioarmor had shaped itself into a suit sharp enough to make nobles reconsider their bloodlines—black fabric layered with indigo texture, silver trim, and purple jewels pulsing faintly with my mana. The long coat fell from my shoulders with a black outer shell and deep violet interior, trailing behind me like royalty had learned how to stalk. A little dramatic? Absolutely. Necessary? Also absolutely.
My hands stayed relaxed. One settled in my pocket. Chin lifted. Eyes forward. I was trying real hard not to smile, like I knew everybody was staring, but had the discipline to pretend I didn't enjoy it.
I enjoyed it. Deeply.
Yet, my eyes were what made people quiet.
They glowed indigo above the black markings running down my face, bright enough to cut through the ballroom lights. My gaze moved across the room slowly, not rushed, letting everybody get whatever they thought they needed from me. I wasn't trying to look like some stiff noble king raised on etiquette books and dry chicken dinners. I looked like Xiro Mikazuki. Midnight King of Velonica. Demon Lord of Talasi. Devil in a new dress code.
I let my mana signature leak a tiny amount, one comparable to my weakened mother, Vericka.
A thread. A taste. Enough to give the room a feel without crushing anyone under the real weight of what lived behind my skin. That controlled pressure rolled across the hall like dark velvet brushing over open palms. The weaker guests felt it first as a chill under the collar or a pressure behind the eyes. The stronger ones felt the contradiction. It gave a false impression to any fool not wise enough to notice it was being hidden. I already knew some of them were making the wrong conclusion.
A few stronger guests narrowed their eyes, trying to decide if I was weaker than rumor claimed or too controlled for their comfort. A room full of nobles loved believing they had measured the threat correctly. Sometimes, the best way to play chess was to let a clown think the board was checkers.
I could feel the room reading me.
Some saw royalty and curtsied. Some saw danger and froze. Some saw Vericka's son and bowed. Others saw the chaotic Majin rumors and stared like the stories had finally walked in wearing silver chains. A few just saw a monster wearing manners. And the funny thing was, they were all right enough to be nervous.
I took in the entire ball for a moment.
The loyal clans. The old favorites. The new leaders. The new enemies. Future friends. Slutty-dressed noblewomen. My Wolfpak brothers. The people who stayed, who left, and who came to see whether the Devil was real or not. The grand hall was packed with bodies dressed in silk, lace, armor trims, jeweled chains, sharp suits, magical gowns, and enough polished ambition to make the walls smell expensive. Aylin stood proud near the front. Nox looked ready to seduce the entire bloodline and call it diplomacy. East Velonica watched with warrior poise. Lashun watched with hidden fear. Kymberli watched with trade routes in mind. Illuminati-aligned guests pretended they weren't sweating under their perfume.
For a breath, I just let myself take it all in.
From entering my apartment and getting shot back on Earth, to now, standing in my own castle as nobles, warriors, and royalty of humanoid creatures on another planet, waiting for me to speak. I'd come a long way. Still had more to go, yeah, but it was nice to admire the progress with a devilish smile.
The music felt lower in the background. Glasses stopped halfway to lips. Jewelry stopped chiming. A servant holding a tray froze near the side wall with her eyes wide as saucers. A Celestial woman's fan stopped mid-wave. Even the floating candles seemed to lean toward me with their little silver flames.
I couldn't help but notice the taste of belief in the air.
Warm. Sticky. Dangerous.
Faith had a flavor when enough people directed it at you. It was thicker than admiration and sweeter than fear. It slipped into the senses like honey warmed over fire, clinging to the back of my throat and crawling into my Soul Core with a seductive little hum. And for someone with an addictive personality like mine, that shit was dangerous. The feeling of people believing in me was an unmatched drug, like unfiltered love with no dosage instructions.
I understood why gods got weird. Too many people look at you like you're the answer, and suddenly your ego starts asking for a throne room with air conditioning.
Although there was one person's irritation that I couldn't ignore feeling cutting through the glamour.
Beau Soleil.
My least favorite pale-skinned dickhead was visibly vexed by the sight of me. If his fist tightened any more into a ball, he would have cut the circulation off in his hand. He stood off to one side in all that expensive Soleil pride, jaw flexed, eyes narrowed, lips pressed thin like my existence had personally ruined his appetite. Which, honestly, I hoped it did. I wanted him to taste bitterness with every sip tonight.
Beau's gaze crawled over me, then the women beside me, then the crowd reacting to my arrival. His mouth curled in disgust.
"Look at zem. Fawning over ze Majin as if 'e deserves to stand as Velonica's true future. It is preposterous. And disgusting."
He took an aggressive exhale, shoulders lifting beneath his formal jacket. The golden-green light from the nearest lantern caught the edge of his black hair, making him look annoyingly angelic for a man with that much salt in his spirit.
"Ah, I shall wait for now, oui. I would much prefer zat ze perfect moment present itself so zat I may upstage zat obnoxious Oni."
Beau altered his direction and started moving toward the drink table, trying to look like he was choosing patience instead of being forced into it. His stride had that noble stiffness to it. The kind of walk that said he had been raised around servants and mirrors, neither of which told him no often enough.
On the way, he bumped into Raion.
Not a small brush either. Beau's shoulder clipped him with enough intent to be rude but not enough bravery to be called a challenge. Raion's fingers flexed once near his cup, then relaxed. He turned, confused by Beau walking past without saying excuse me. He didn't start any trouble. He just watched Beau's back for a second, golden eyes calm, head tilted slightly like he was trying to decide whether rich people in Velonica were naturally rude or if Beau was personally committed to the craft.
I finally descended the last half of the staircase with the White Empress and the Three Twilights around me as I addressed the waiting crowd. The black marble beneath my shoes reflected my silver trim and the mist still crawling across the floor. Victorya moved with ghostly poise to my left, cold and gothic. Kyttin walked near me with that predator sway, tail curving behind her. Chomei's crystalline wings scattered blue-violet light along the walls. Karma glided like a supernova had learned how to wear heels. The four of them made my entrance look like temptation had formed a royal guard.
I stopped at the base of the staircase, letting my voice carry through the grand hall.
"I'm glad to see all you beautiful bastards made it out to the Royal Player's Ball. I see the Aylin Clan in the house. The Nox and Vale Clans are here, looking good. Even our East Velonica siblings fell through. Welcome to Talasi, Velonica. I do hope when you all leave, the memories made here tonight never do."
My casual tone kept it charming while reminding them that even as a king, I was still me.
A few guests laughed immediately, mostly Talasi locals and people who had already learned not to expect stiff royal speeches from me. Some noble elders blinked like they weren't sure whether "beautiful bastards" counted as an insult, a compliment, or a cultural phrase they were too old to understand. Aunt Glynis covered a smile with her glass. Mom's eyes softened with that motherly pride she tried to hide when I was behaving only halfway improperly. Ma Dukes looked amused enough to let it pass, which meant I had successfully avoided embarrassing the bloodline beyond repair.
For now.
"Castle Midnight is honored by the presence of everyone before me. Even the ones who came to judge, scheme, flirt, or pretend they're above all three. It's plenty of room for everyone to enjoy themselves tonight."
That loosened them up a bit.
A ripple of laughter moved through the hall. Not loud, but honest. A few guilty people didn't laugh. Which made them loud as hell without saying a word. I clocked some of them immediately: a noblewoman near the left pillars suddenly studying her drink, a Light Elf cousin pretending the chandelier had become fascinating, two merchants whispering too fast, and Beau, of course, looking like laughter was beneath him unless he caused it.
"Tonight is not a council meeting, nor a battlefield for old grudges. Let tonight be a celebration of Talasi's return to life and Velonica's crown being awake again."
Whispers rippled across the grand hall.
That sentence landed differently.
Many of the clan representatives looked proud. Niomi and Ceyda stood a lil' taller with their chests puffed, the loyalty shining on their faces in two different ways. Ceyda looked like someone had called her family name in a song. Niomi looked like she was already calculating how to turn that public respect into future influence. The Nox women all smiled with seductive pride, like my words had validated their decision to show up dressed for political hunting season.
A few guests aligned with the Illuminati grew still, each of them suddenly remembering that old grudges had names and seats in the room. Queen Sayaka watched it all with careful interest. Auburn watched with unwavering focus, recording every detail in his mind. Beatrix glared at me with terror she fought hard to hide.
I was not what they predicted.
I was much more.
Many guests began remarking among themselves about my image. My attraction. Aura. Youth. It spread through the room like low wind through tall grass. People whispered from behind fans, behind cups, behind fake smiles, behind political manners that had already started cracking under the heat of the night.
Jennifer Nox couldn't stop herself from swooning as her eyes followed my every step.
Her fan rested against her lips, but the look in her pinkish-red eyes was not hidden at all. The woman had spent years remembering me as a younger man she used to tease in passing. Now she was seeing the grown version standing in Castle Midnight with my queens beside me and a crown-shaped shadow behind my name. That kind of glow-up is dangerous for people with old flirtations and no shame.
"I didn't know that Lord Xiro had become so mature-looking," Jennifer murmured, her voice thick with amusement and hunger. "I admit that I originally only planned to tease him a little, but now... now I think I truly want a taste of our new Midnight King."
Michelle, her daughter, said nothing as she stood beside her. Her fingers tightened around her fan, not from lust, but from something closer to relief.
She only smiled softly while gazing at me with subtle joy. Not the same predatory spark as her mother. Something quieter. Warmer. Like seeing me had answered a question she had kept private for a while. Her eyes lowered for a second when Jennifer spoke, but her smile didn't fade.
On the other side of the crowd, the Kurozumi found a new interest in me.
Sayaka Kurozumi watched me with the stillness of a woman trained not to reveal more than she meant to. Her hands remained folded near her waist, sleeves draped with dark floral elegance, but her eyes carried a sharper glow now.
"He's taller than I expected. Than most East Velonican Oni as well. But his aura is a dreadful beauty."
With a small mana glow in her eyes, Sayaka took in my entire image and presence. Her pupils narrowed slightly as she tried to read the thread of signature I allowed to leak. She saw the surface first, then pushed beyond it and caught the wrong shadow of the thing beneath. Not all of it. Not enough to understand. But enough to feel the drop-off.
Her lips parted by a breath.
"An abyss of endless darkness. Touched with Infernia's kiss."
Suddenly, a spark of fear struck her.
A tight, sharp flicker in the chest. Her heart started pounding faster as that fear was immediately followed by sexual excitement. That transition was wild as hell, but I had learned not to judge people for what their bodies decided to do when danger looked pretty. Queen Sayaka instinctively tried to bury it behind royal expressions. Her chin lifted a fraction. Her smile softened. Her hands stayed folded. To most people, she looked composed.
To me, she looked more interested.
Her brother noticed the strength of her smile, though.
Gaijin swiftly turned to measure me. His gaze hardened, moving over my shoulders, my posture, my women, my horns, my eyes, then settling on the controlled flow of mana I had released. He didn't like the mismatch. He wanted more weight from me. More obvious threat. More clean confirmation that the man standing before him deserved the title that had pulled East Velonica into my hall.
"I can't get a read on him. How is he the sovereign when his signature is barely above Lady Vericka? Isn't he supposed to be a True Demon Lord?"
He murmured the words to himself, but his irritation gave them teeth.
It bothered him deeply.
Toward the front of the crowd, the Aylin Clan sisters were reacting like they were at a concert. Ceyda tapped Niomi's shoulder with excitement she clearly failed to contain.
"Lord Xiro is so cool. Did you see him floating without wings?"
Niomi's eyes stayed on me, purple lips curling as she followed the line of my coat and the women beside me.
"I was expecting him to be fat, ugly, or overcompensating. Not some dark-skinned boy toy with a harem of beautiful women."
Ceyda leaned closer, whispering with proud Talasi familiarity.
"His Majesty is very popular among the women in town because he's always flying around changing people's lives. I told you about the new ore he recently gave me, right?"
Niomi's gaze sharpened with amusement.
"What is he, Half-Djinn? Well, I'm glad I returned early from Aridor. I would have hated myself for missing this opportunity."
Niomi glanced back at me, licking her lips and grinning.
That woman had moon charms, purple lipstick, and bad intentions. Nasty combination. Beautiful, but nasty.
Me? I was more focused on the attraction, fear, envy, faith, and curiosity swirling around the atmosphere like different aerosol sprays. The whole ball smelled of desire and want. Expensive, but not because of the food and clothing. Because everybody brought something they wanted. Some wanted an alliance. Some wanted status. Some wanted money. A few wanted my body. A couple even wanted my head. And every one of them was smiling about it.
That was politics for you.
Violence with manners.
Seduction with paperwork.
Greed in perfume.
Wrapping up my introduction, my Royal Colors, the Guardian Armament Queens, gave me a four-way kiss on both sides of my cheeks. Victorya's lips touched cool and soft, leaving a faint trace of black lipstick near one cheekbone. Kyttin pressed in warmer, purring just enough for the nearest guests to hear. Chomei kissed me with poised sweetness, her blue-violet lips lingering like she wanted to be cute and sinful at the same time. Karma's kiss came last, deep with possessive affection, her fingers brushing the front of my jacket like she was reminding the room who had access.
I couldn't help but flex a grin while the nobles watched on.
Small gasps and woos scattered through the hall as many nobles didn't often do public displays of affection. Especially not with four dangerous women kissing the same Demon Lord in front of the entire political room. A few older guests looked scandalized. A few younger ones looked inspired. The Nox women looked like they were taking notes. Aunt Glynis looked like she needed a stronger drink.
Then the Three Twilights stepped before me.
Kyttin, Chomei, and Karma formed a small triangle at the base of the staircase, their bodies glowing in red, blue, and black-violet light. In a flash, magick energy surrounded each of them. Kyttin's aura rose first, warm crimson and silver, curling upward like mercury flame. Chomei's followed in cerulean and ultramarine, cool as moonlit water, breaking into crystalline shards of light near her wings. Karma's black-violet energy poured out slower, deeper, like a galaxy bleeding through lace.
The three mana signatures spun together.
Red, blue, and black mana combined into a spiraling twilight current, pulling the air into a soft vortex. Spiritons glittered inside it like tiny stars, folding into one another with a rhythm that felt older than the room could understand. The pressure shifted from sensual to divine in a heartbeat. Their bodies unraveled into radiant streams, then braided together at the center in a slow, elegant collapse of color.
The Twilight Goddess appeared.
And my libido cranked itself to max.
Like, I knew she was beautiful. That wasn't news. That was a permanent law in my personal universe. But seeing her dressed like that made every smart thought in my head trip over its own feet.
Omnia stood before the grand hall with long black hair flowing over her shoulders and down her back like somebody poured void into silk. Her honey-brown skin glowed warm against all that cerulean and silver, smooth as polished steel under ballroom light. Her eyes had that unreal cyan shine to them, sharp and divine, like they were looking through people instead of at them. Purple dots beneath her eyes gave her face that final goddess touch, beautiful and dangerous in a way that made even compliments feel too small.
And that outfit?
I almost needed a moment of silence.
Omnia was draped in cerulean, obsidian, indigo, and silver. The dress clung to her like the night sky had gotten jealous and tried to keep her. Silver chains crossed her body, purple jewels rested against warm honey-brown skin, and the double slit in that gown was a sanctified weapon of mass distraction. I had to stand there pretending to be a king while my own queen had me mentally chewing furniture.
Many nobles and guests were shocked by the three women becoming one.
The sudden rush of whispers that followed was worth every second of their confusion. Fans snapped open. Glasses lowered. A few people physically leaned away as if the fusion might spread. Some of the stronger M-Cees tried to analyze what they had seen and immediately regretted believing their eyes could explain my women. Even my suspicious couple from Lashun, Auburn & Beatrix, quietly watched from the back with questions. Both whispered them to themselves only.
Beatrix's pale fingers tightened around her glass, blue eyes wide with confusion.
"My word. They just became one woman. How are Sociovores able to do that?"
Beatrix was already wrong about Omnia's species, but I respected the confidence of the confusion.
Auburn's face stayed smooth, but his gaze sharpened on Omnia's aura with the focus of a man who had just discovered the board had more pieces than he thought.
"The Demon Lord's queen houses incredible magickal energy. She may be the true power behind him."
I couldn't blame him for believing that.
Unlike me, Omnia had her mana signature on loud display, allowing it to smother across the grand hall. And the guests felt it. Felt the truth of her divinity for a moment.
It hit the ballroom like a twilight fog.
Omnia's aura rolled outward in layers, not crushing the room, just making sure everyone understood their lungs were borrowing space from something primordial. The air cooled. Candles bent toward her. The lantern flames deepened in color. The black marble beneath her feet reflected a sky that wasn't above us, filled with stars that seemed to blink from another realm.
A Nox woman stopped flirting with Swamp mid-sentence, one hand still touching his sleeve as her mouth remained open around a sentence she forgot how to finish. Ceyda forgot how to blink. Sumo lowered his drink with sudden respect, aquatic eyes widening as if he had smelled a storm rolling in over the sea. Queen Sayaka's eyes sharpened, her royal mask tightening around new fascination. Gaijin's hand nearly moved toward his hidden weapon, but he stopped himself before disrespect could become action. Auburn said nothing, but his eyes narrowed. Even Jojo was caught off guard.
Standing near Krystal, Jojo stared at Omnia with the tired horror of a man remembering how close he had once stood to the wrong side of history.
"If Queen Snow was here, she would piss herself trying to explain how we were supposed to defeat that. The Saint Disciples stood no chance."
That got a quiet snort from Steez somewhere nearby, but Jojo didn't look like he was joking.
I decided that was the best time to fully showcase Omnia.
I stepped beside her, letting the room see us together. Her aura kissed the edges of mine, twilight brushing midnight. The contrast was beautiful as hell. Her divinity loud, elegant, impossible. My signature restrained, dark, teasing, hidden like a sword under velvet.
"I would like to introduce you all to the Queen of Velonica. Omnia Mikazuki. She is the combined consciousness of my Three Twilight Queens. My Lady of Death."
Omnia blushed.
That was the part that got me. She could make half the room feel like they had just glimpsed divine truth, then blush because I claimed her in public. Her cyan eyes flicked toward me for a heartbeat, soft with affection beneath all that goddess pressure, before she turned to address the Ball with calm authority.
"Tonight is a festive one. One that celebrates the return of Velonica's crown to Arcadia and Talasi's return to life. We will not beg you to believe in the Crown. You will all see that the Midnight King's reign is inevitable."
Her voice carried smoothly, not loud, but impossible to ignore. It slid through the hall like a silk ribbon. Some guests bowed their heads without realizing they had done it. Others stood taller, as if her certainty had lent their spines some of its strength. The loyal clans glowed with pride. The uncertain nobles listened with caution. The enemies heard the warning behind the elegance.
I smiled, letting her words settle before I added mine.
"While here tonight, you are free to indulge in your hedonism. But you must respect others as you would have yourself respected. No forced fun. All bloody disagreements, take them outside. And with that, we welcome you again. Let the Royal Player's Ball commence."
For one breath, the grand hall held still.
Then the music returned slowly.
Not all at once.
First, the bass.
A deep, smooth thump rolled beneath the floor, warm enough to touch the soles of everyone's feet. Then came the keys, soft and playful, each note skipping across the air like polished glass. Then soft drums joined, brushing rhythm into place with a relaxed confidence that told the room it could breathe again. Finally, a jazzy horn line curled through the ballroom like smoke, smooth and golden, bending around laughter, whispers, and the clink of glasses being lifted again.
People began to move.
But differently then.
The party had been waiting before. Watching. Measuring. Holding its breath around arrivals, politics, beauty, and fear. Omnia's display changed the room. She didn't just enter as my queen. She proved Castle Midnight had more than a new king. It had a goddess beside the throne and a crown that did not need permission.
The Royal Player's Ball was no longer warming up.
That shit was finally alive.
Gaia's nightfall completed its arrival as the Ball stepped out of its introduction phase and slid into party mode.
The grand hall loosened around the sound of smooth jazz, soul, and mana-powered speakers humming through the polished black marble. The bass line rolled beneath the floor like a lazy heartbeat, while horn notes curled through the room in golden ribbons, weaving between laughter, glass clinks, silk brushing skin, and the low murmur of nobles pretending they weren't watching every damn thing. Satin drifted along the columns, silver lantern flames burned softer now, and Castle Midnight felt less like a palace hosting royalty and more like a living nightclub with a crown on its head.
Omnia turned toward me first.
My queen stepped close, and every bit of that cerulean dress moved like sin had learned etiquette. The double slit flashed her legs when she crossed the last inch between us, silver chains sliding softly against her thighs with a delicate sound that did way too much to my ability to function as a sovereign. Her cyan eyes lifted to mine, all divine authority one moment and sweet affection the next. Then her hand touched my chest, fingers pressing into the silver trim of my bioarmor, and she pulled me down into a deep kiss.
It wasn't some quick royal display either.
Omnia kissed me like she wanted the room to know I belonged to her and wanted me to remember I liked that shit. Her tongue brushed mine, slow and possessive, trading places with mine until the taste of vanilla and pineapple filled my mouth. That flavor alone had a dangerous hold on me. Sweet, warm, fresh, and addictive as hell, like her kisses had been designed by my weaknesses.
When she pulled back, her lips shone beneath the ballroom lights, and that smile of hers made my thoughts stumble.
"I will come to find you in a few, my king. I shall go chat with Roxy while you mingle."
I kept my hand at her waist for half a second longer than necessary. Probably longer than regal behavior allowed.
"Don't get too tired. Later tonight, we're fucking. You look too damn good in that dress to ignore."
Omnia's eyes brightened with the kind of delight that made her goddess aura feel almost cute.
"I'm never too tired to please you, my love. But I'm glad you enjoy it. I wore nothing under it in hopes that you did."
My fingers flexed against her waist. Such a foul temptress.
A perfect woman, really.
"Good girl..."
Omnia grinned lustfully as she bit her bottom lip. That one little motion almost reset my entire schedule for the night. She turned to walk away, grabbing Victorya along with her as if my White Empress had already been claimed for whatever divine girl-talk or dangerous after-party planning they were about to get into.
I watched them go for half a second longer than I should have.
In my defense, the yams were yammin'.
Both of those asses were definitely gettin' smacked during the after-party, especially with all that jiggling they were doing beneath those gowns. Omnia's dress moved like a shadow around her hips, and Victorya's sheer white layers gave enough motion to make a man start believing resurrection gave butt lifts.
"Come on, Xi. We have to be regal, now."
[Midnight Star: Belial] immediately entered the chat in my head with the tone of a demon who absolutely did not care about my public responsibilities.
"You plan to eat her ass tonight, Boss?"
"Belial, shut up. You're not helping."
[Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] slid in right after him, calm as ever, because apparently my mind had become a group chat with no mute button.
"According to Omnia's biometric readings, she is currently experiencing a wave of sexual arousal."
"You shut up, too, Tsukuyomi. Both of y'all are distracting me."
The inside of my head finally went silent.
Blessed peace. Kind of.
With them back quiet, I recollected my cool and walked into the crowd waiting for me on the floor. Every step through the grand hall brought new eyes, new scents, new whispers. Incense, wine, roasted meat, Elysian Tree smoke, salt from Sumo's delegation, foxfire from Lene's arrival, and the warm sweetness of honey-glazed bread all mixed into the air. The Ball smelled expensive in the same way a battlefield smelled dangerous.
The first people I traveled to were the Aylin.
Ceyda looked too excited to see me coming. It was honestly cute. She stood beside her older sister with her hands folded too tightly in front of her, trying hard to look professional while her eyes told on her like a snitch under pressure. That grown burgundy and black dress had her looking refined, mature, and elegant, but the second she saw me moving toward them, the craftswoman energy slipped, and the fangirl spirit started fighting for custody.
Glancing at her older sister, I couldn't help but notice Niomi was a Half Light Elf.
It wasn't that strange that a Celestial clan had another race running it as Grandmaster, since Celestials were able to breed with any race. Their blood was adaptable like that. Flexible. Persistent as hell in the genetic department. It usually caused their children to grow and evolve into variant offshoots of the other parent's race. Like how my Oni blood outshone my Celestial blood. Celestial clans rarely stayed pure-blooded, even when their family names pretended otherwise. Gaia's bloodlines were less like straight roads and more like spilled wine on a map called heritage.
I stopped in front of them with a smile.
"The Aylin Clan continues to show me love, I see. Thank you, ladies, for attending tonight's Ball. You both look beautifully stunning in those dresses."
Niomi's purple lips curved with confident amusement as she bowed her head slightly. Her lavender-to-sky-blue hair shifted around her shoulders, moon charms and gold chains catching the hall's silver-blue light. The hat made her look like she had arrived from a more expensive version of trouble.
"Good evening, your Highness. You're looking quite handsome yourself. By the way, what an excellent presentation this has all been."
My eyes lowered just enough to appreciate the way that sheer purple and gold-trimmed dress wrapped around her curves. I had already described her with my eyes from a distance, but up close? Yeah, Niomi was a problem in high heels. That outfit looked scandalous.
"I think your presentation is a bit more eye-catching. The evening sky looks good wrapped around your curves."
Niomi instantly blushed as she pressed her fingers to her lips.
That got her.
I liked it when a confident woman got surprised by confidence thrown back at her. Her eyes flickered with both embarrassment and hunger, and the gold charms across her hips jingled softly when she shifted her stance.
"Milord... we should at least have a drink and talk economics first before swooning me out of my underwear."
I couldn't help but chuckle.
The joke was good. The lie was better.
I knew from that outfit's design that it would be impossible to wear panties without ruining the look. The side cuts, sheer layering, high slit, and chain placement gave that secret away before she opened her mouth. Indigo-colored mana flooded my eyes, giving them a haunting glow as I looked down at her, letting just a little domineering edge slip into my smile.
"Now... why would you lie to me. We both know that you aren't wearing any."
Those words hit her with a two-piece combo.
First, she was appalled. Her eyes widened. Her lips parted. Her posture straightened as if she had been caught stealing from her own pocket.
Then, she was very much turned on. The blush deepened along her cheeks, and her eyes dipped for a split second before dragging themselves back up to mine. The body rarely waits for permission from pride, and Niomi's body had already started writing a confession her face was trying not to sign.
I simply smiled and let her marinate as I turned my attention over to Ceyda.
The poor girl was visibly doing her best not to be overwhelmed. She was fangirling hard and couldn't hide it. Her fingers curled against the side of her gown, and she kept glancing between my face, my coat, my glowing eyes, and the crescent charm by my hip like she couldn't decide which part of the moment to remember first.
"Ms. Ceyda, my new favorite Mastersmith. Thank you for your hard work throughout these past years. The town guards always talk about how you would repair their weapons and armor extremely cheaply. I will see that you're rewarded for your generosity."
The words reached her like I had cast a spell directly into her soul.
"Ma-Mastersmith..." she said, shock and awe slipping through every syllable before she finally looked back up at me. "It-it-it's n-no problem, your Maj-Majesty."
That was all she could muster before short-circuiting.
Niomi caught her by the arm before the woman embarrassed herself any more, shaking her head in disbelief while Ceyda leaned into her like her spirit had gone briefly out of office. If one thing was for sure, Ceyda was pretty consistent. She had a hard time talking to me when I brought her the obsidium, too. She even semi-passed out when I first called her a Master Smith back then.
It was amazing how much a title could feed a person on Gaia.
Not just their ego, but their Identity as well. It did something to you when one was placed on you. When you accepted it, it was almost like the Prime Realm System made it your theme and ideology. The right title could become a road. The wrong one could become a cage.
Folks gave me hella titles.
Devil. Monster. Otherworlder.
But when I looked at Ceyda, I realized the ones that had the strongest effect were the ones you earned. And she had earned every ounce of glow that title gave her. The way her eyes shone told me that "Mastersmith" wasn't just praise. It was permission she had been seeking. Permission to become what she had already been working toward in silence.
I decided to leave them as Ceyda recovered and make my way over to another bad bitch I couldn't take my eyes off of.
Jennifer and a couple of the Nox women were standing close by, anticipating my arrival. Jennifer smiled wickedly as every step brought me closer to her. The Nox women around her shifted in subtle formation, all silk, perfume, thigh, cleavage, and polished predatory patience. That clan did not attend a ball without a hunt.
Jennifer's black, rose-pink, and gold dress was still fighting the good fight against her body and losing heroically. The neckline had no fear. The gold chain at her thigh looked like it had been created by somebody who wanted to make eye contact with a perversion. Her pinkish-red eyes watched me over her fan, playful and hungry, like she had already imagined three different ways this conversation could become a family scandal.
"Well, now. The women of the Nox surely can steal the night's attention when they dress for an event. That outfit is barely there, and I love everything about it. You look gorgeous."
Jennifer's smile deepened, lashes lowering.
"I was hoping it would be your taste, Your Majesty. And after seeing your Queens in their gowns, it gives me pleasure to know my fashion is comparable to theirs."
"Well, that ass is definitely phat enough to compare."
One of the Nox women behind her nearly choked on her drink.
Jennifer didn't even flinch.
"This is also a loyal ass. As are all the bottoms on House Nox. I even brought some eligible ass for House Mikazuki to enjoy tonight. Celebrate and get to know them better."
She pressed her grin with confidence.
"House Nox has waited many years to see Mikazuki men standing tall again. We intend to celebrate properly."
"I knew inviting your clan would be dangerous, but I didn't think I would get pounced on before dinner."
Jennifer took one slow step closer, close enough for her perfume to wrap around me. Strawberries. Jasmine. Warm skin. Dangerous, unbridled trouble. The scent hit with a sweet little left hook.
"Well, Your Highness, if you're truly starved, I have quite the sweet flower fruit for you to... eat on."
"That sounds like it would be better as dessert."
"My, my, you are quicker." Her smile softened for half a breath, and something sincere slid beneath the lust. "I have to say, I'm quite proud of the man you've become, milord."
That one reached me a little differently.
Jennifer had known me before all this. Before the castle. Before the crown. Before half of Arcadia decided my name needed a rumor budget. She remembered the younger me who used to look at her a second too long and pretend I wasn't doing it. Hearing pride from her didn't feel like a noble compliment. It felt like Talasi's past acknowledging the man standing in its future.
Naturally, I ruined the tenderness with flirting.
"Well, next time we're not in public, I'll show you just how much of a man I am now."
That was the final push.
It broke her banter, causing her to smile seductively as she bit on her finger. Her pinkish-red eyes heated with interest, and the Nox women beside her went quiet like they always did when they smell blood in the water and want to see who gets bitten first.
"Don't threaten me with a good time, my king."
Beside her, Michelle remained quiet, but even she held a desiring smile as she looked upon me. Hers wasn't as loud as Jennifer's. It was softer, almost shy, but no less clear. The Nox Clan had come with loyalty, yes. But they also came with plans, curves, and enough body lotion to count as strategy.
Luda must have sensed me in the middle of some bullshit, because my nigga appeared at my side just in time to stop Jennifer from taking my hand and pulling me off somewhere.
He slid into the conversation smooth as sunlight through curtains, introducing himself first with that calm Braye authority before his hand landed on my shoulder. Brilliant move. It saved me from my own foolishness and caused Jennifer to want me more. Don't judge me. You see the keratin curving from my forehead. You already know I'm a horny lil' devil.
We got a good six feet away before I heard Jennifer behind us laughing softly. The other Nox women whispered like a pack of hyenas in laced silk. I had to look back to see if they were still watching as we got deeper in the crowd.
Their eyes never left us.
Luda tightened his grip on my shoulder.
"I swear, Xi. Don't you know what danger looks like when it has a cleavage?"
"But L, that's my favorite kind. Plus, she smelled like strawberries."
"That's exactly the problem. And yes, I smelled the strawberries. She did smell good as fuck."
"See! I knew you was an Ain't Shit Niggah. Hahaha."
"I learned it all from you, my brother."
We both laughed like hell as we forgot we were supposed to be looking regal. Two Demon Lords acting as we did when we were just two of Vericka's headaches. The music slid around us, a few nearby guests pretending not to stare while two of the strongest men in the room laughed like we were outside somebody's porch instead of standing in a castle full of nobles.
Luda looked too clean not to mention up close.
The Meridian Goddess had put that fit together with love and an understanding of my brother's aura. Black, vermillion, and gold sat on him perfectly, every line sharp, every chain controlled, every detail giving him that Prince Braye presence without making him look stiff. His green locs framed his face, his emerald eyes calm and heavy, and the tailored coat moved behind him like money. My bro looked regal as hell. Smooth, too.
He looked over at me, grin still sitting on his face.
"You're making this king shit look easy, my nigga."
"I appreciate it, fam. I think I'm getting used to it. Oh, and I see you got that shit on. That fit fresh as fuck, my nigga."
"Preesh. Preesh. Roxy put it together for me."
We dapped fists and both grinned.
Just for that moment, all the titles fell off.
No Demon Lords. No Archons. No crowns. No eyes measuring us like assets, threats, or symbols. Just two brothers at a party, proud of each other and trying not to be soft while saying it. It was unforgettable, even without [Perfect Memory]. The kind of small moment that didn't shake the world but held it steady for a second.
"Yo, you seen Kimmi-Wu?"
"Yeah, she's with the witch, Azumi, managing the servants and kitchen. Kimmi is a natural with event management."
That gave me a quiet pride.
Kimmi had always had that calm control in her when she wanted to use it. Seeing her find a lane in all this, guiding servants, organizing movement, helping the castle function beneath the party glamour, made something warm settle in my chest. My sister wasn't just watching the kingdom change. Baby girl was also becoming part of how it moved. I loved it.
I didn't get long to sit in it.
I instantly felt the presence of a strong set of eyes on me.
When I turned, I locked sight with Gaijin. His violet eyes pierced past everyone and tracked my every movement. He stood beside Sayaka like a wall with manners, but that gaze had no softness in it. He was measuring. Judging. Waiting for a reason to confirm whatever suspicion had already started growing behind his forehead.
So, of course, I headed their way next.
"Yo, come with me. It's time we meet East Velonica."
Luda's smile shifted into something calmer, sharper, more diplomatic. We both strolled over to the Kurozumi Clan. I didn't know what to expect, but I had a feeling it wouldn't be boring.
Sayaka saw me coming and adjusted her posture just slightly. Not nerves. Preparation. A ruler greeting another ruler while her protective brother stood close enough to make the air feel armed. Her black-horned beauty hit different up close. The red flowers pinned in her hair, the black and deep red kimono-inspired gown, the intricate tattoos of her Vessel Mark, the delicate jewelry, the subtle flash of leg through the high slit, all of it carried controlled temptation beneath noble restraint. She looked like tradition and a natural disaster disguised as a woman tucked somewhere pretty.
"Queen Kurozumi, I presume. I'm glad to see that East Velonica made it."
When we shook hands, I could feel her soft skin melt into my palm. Her hand was warm, smooth, and controlled, the grip light but not weak. With a gentle kiss on her knuckle, I watched color rise beneath her composure. She blushed as she tried to suppress her smile, but her eyes betrayed enough interest to make Gaijin's jaw tighten from two feet away.
"Good evening, King Mikazuki. This has been quite the entertaining gathering. It appears Talasi is far more impressive than the rumors allow."
"Rumors rarely get the lighting right. They never include the proper god rays and contrast."
That put a smile on her.
The black-horned beauty stared into my eyes with a hunger I couldn't fully put my finger on. But I was sure I had seen that look before. Fear and attraction were doing some kind of ballroom dance inside her chest, stepping around royal duty while pretending they weren't touching hands. Gaijin's face was the juxtaposition, visible discomfort sitting there as he watched closely and remained silent.
"Allow me to introduce Demon Lord Luda Braye."
Sayaka turned to him, eyes brightening with genuine surprise.
"The Kingdom of Braye's prodigy M-Cee is here as well, I see. And just as good looking. Yet, I'm surprised to hear that Braye has produced a Demon Lord after so many years."
Some nearby nobles murmured amongst themselves about the announcement of another Demon Lord at the party. I already knew the gossip would reach beyond Endora by the morning. Two Demon Lords in one party. One from Velonica. One from Braye. Brothers in all but blood. That kind of information sprinted.
Sayaka gave a graceful nod.
"I am Sayaka Kurozumi, Queen of East Velonica."
Luda bowed with smooth control, his voice carrying natural respect without surrendering a single inch of pride.
"The famous Night Orchid of East Velonica is not a title I'm ignorant of. I've read a lot about the Kurozumi's growth as the biggest Oni clan in Arcadia."
Sayaka's lips curved, pleased but careful.
"It's hard not to be when all the colored horns left the continent. So you could imagine my surprise to find out that an Oni child of the Mayonaka was still in Arcadia. Even more interesting, he was the son of the Crimson Lady of Velonica."
I let my smile sit, easy but not empty.
"Well, being the last of my kind was short-lived. The Mayonaka have returned."
Sayaka's expression changed at that.
Not dramatically. She was too trained for that. But her eyes warmed with something older than politics. Relief, maybe. Or hope. For a ruler of Oni blood, hearing that a colored-horned clan had returned to Arcadia wasn't just gossip. It was a piece of racial history stepping back into the room.
"Then the sighting reports were true. My heart jumps at the news. I would rather not see less of my kind due to outdated emotions." She paused, then dipped her chin slightly. "Forgive me. I've let my tongue wander too freely."
"Don't sweat it, just be sure to enjoy yourself twice as much now. But, excuse me, you two. I need to wrap up a couple of more introductions."
Sayaka's smile turned playful at the edges.
"Save a conversation for me later, will you?"
"For a cutie like you, I'll save two."
That earned me another blush that she tried to strangle before it reached her face. I wanted to stay, but the room kept tugging at me. A king's night didn't belong to one beautiful queen, no matter how tempting her smile was.
I fist bumped Luda and made my way over toward the only Merman at the party. Luda remained behind to speak with Sayaka a bit more, since I knew she wanted to get into some royal gossip, but I didn't have the time to chill and yap just yet. My night had too many hands reaching toward it, and I only had two of my own not currently being used to resist bad decisions.
Behind me, Sayaka's voice lowered into royal curiosity.
"Lord Braye, with your appearance here, that would mean that the Kingdom of Braye supports the Crown of Velonica."
Luda answered with absolute certainty.
"With one hundred percent. Lord Xiro is my brother. His crown is but the nightfall to Braye's day."
Sayaka didn't reply as she took in Luda's words.
What struck her the most was the pride in his voice. No fear. No obligation. No careful diplomacy dressed up as loyalty. Just pride. It was something even Gaijin couldn't ignore as he eavesdropped behind her. His eyes shifted to Luda, then to me walking away, and for the first time that night, his suspicion had to make room for confusion.
That was the difference between the people who knew me versus the people who knew of me.
The ones who knew me held a faith in me that the ones who knew of me couldn't conceive. And honestly, it was nice to know they bragged about it.
After I splintered off, I approached the Duke of Kymberli.
The five-foot-eleven Merman noticed me and greeted me with a charming smile. Sumo Robins had a relaxed energy that stood out from the other nobles. His formal outfit had seaside money written in every stitch, but his posture didn't carry that stiff "please admire my bloodline" nonsense. He looked like a man who had worked with his hands, handled shipments, argued with merchants, repaired damage after storms, and still knew how to enjoy a good drink when the night allowed it.
His aquatic features caught the silver-blue light in small shimmers, and the glass in his hand smelled like chilled Braye wine mixed with some fruit I didn't recognize. He looked around the ballroom once, then back at me with a grin.
"Demon Lord! This is a great place you have here, my man. It's always nice to go to a party where the host understands inviting attractive women."
"Well, no one wants to get drunk around ugly people."
"You damn right, milord. Keep the boogerbears away. Hahaha."
His laugh came full and unpolished, loud enough to make two nearby nobles glance over with offense they didn't dare voice.
"I'm Sumo Robins, by the way."
"I finally get to meet the legendary tailor who fought off the pirate raids back in '91."
Sumo laughed harder.
"How in the hells did you find out about that?"
"Before the roads scared everyone away, Artists used to travel through, and talks about the Duke of Kymberli being a Divine Beast of the Sea would pop up."
Sumo paused for a moment, looking me up and down to see if I was joking. His eyes narrowed, studying my face like he was trying to figure out whether I had just complimented him, exposed him, or repeated tavern nonsense with royal confidence. Then he gave this off-balance laugh that told me the truth was somewhere uncomfortable in the middle.
I laughed with him.
"Nowadays, I'm just a simple merchant, tasked with running a city. Nothing more."
"Understood. Also, thank you for the gifts."
Sumo waved one hand like the matter was handled, but appreciated.
"If I had known it was going to be this type of party, I wouldn't have left my Elysian Trees at home."
"Don't worry. If you stay for the After Party, there will be plenty of trees for everyone."
His eyes lit up.
"Word? A'ight then."
Sumo took a sip of his drink and looked around the ballroom with less caution than before. His shoulders eased. His smile became more natural. The man started to let the room in instead of studying it like a trade risk.
During our chat, I realized I enjoyed talking to him because he didn't speak like most nobles. He seemed a bit more down to Gaia. He didn't talk like a man trying to be remembered by history. He talked like someone with invoices, docks, citizens, storm damage, trade contracts, and a city that would still need him sober by morning.
Plus, he was the first Sea Folk I got to converse with truly, so it was interesting to learn that many of them found a home on Velonica's coastline after the country came crashing back down to the planet.
Learn something new every day.
As the party continued, I mingled with more nobles.
Shook hands. Smiled. Listened to small talk, compliments, requests, veiled proposals, and careful insults dressed as questions. They didn't let me down with the bullshit. Gaia nobles had a special gift for saying something disrespectful with enough polish that you had to decide whether to laugh, threaten them, or compliment their vocabulary before you ruined their evening. One Light Elf asked if Talasi's sudden prosperity had been "sustainable or merely theatrical," and I had to respect the audacity. Another merchant tried to ask whether the Mikazuki Crown planned to regulate exports through Kymberli while pretending he was admiring the chandeliers. A Celestial baroness complimented my Queens with a smile that smelled like competition and liquor.
I gave them all the kingly version of "yeah, yeah, enjoy the party."
Still, when the music shifted into some smooth jazz, the room loosened another notch on its belt.
The mana-powered speakers hummed warmer as the rhythm changed. The bass dropped lower, slower, and more confident, rolling through the black marble floor like a heartbeat that had learned how to flirt. A smoky horn line curled through the grand hall, sliding between conversations, brushing against laughter, and tugging at shoulders before people realized they were moving. The record player in the ballroom had started working through genres like it had a thesis on Black music history, and the room ain't even know it was getting educated. Soul had opened the door. Jazz pulled out a chair. Disco was somewhere in the hallway warming up its ankles.
Wolfpak members and Mikazuki relatives started vibing first.
Of course they did.
My people never knew how to stand in a room and act like furniture. Steez was the first one I spotted swaying with a plate in one hand, shoulders rolling while he chewed like the beat had seasoning. Alex had found his way back onto the floor with that Tengu swagger, two-stepping beside a cluster of young nobles who clearly didn't know whether to copy him or worship him. Luda moved with that smooth Braye control, subtle but natural, rocking with the rhythm while Roxy laughed nearby like she knew he was trying not to look too happy. Kimmi guided a servant across the floor with a quick little spin before sending her right back toward the table with the drinks still balanced.
They weren't dancing like stiff nobles.
My people moved with shoulder rolls, two steps, quiet joy, and unfazed confidence. No nervous little heel taps. No choreographed court circles where everyone looked like they had been trained by a ruler, a cane, and generational fear. Just rhythm. Body language. A little bounce in the knees. A little lean in the torso. The kind of dancing that told the room the music was an invitation.
And one thing about Gaia: people were ready to follow others who showed confidence.
Some of the guests began to copy. Badly at first.
A nobleman from one of the lesser clans tried to follow Steez's shoulder rhythm and looked like he was fighting off an invisible bee. A Light Elf woman got the two-step timing wrong three times in a row and still committed harder with each attempt, which I respected. One of the Nox girls started coaching a nervous merchant's son, guiding his hands and hips with a smile that probably had his whole bloodline in danger. A few guards near the side wall bobbed their heads like they weren't on duty, then got caught by Aunt Glynis, who only lifted an eyebrow and let them live.
They got better.
That was the fun part. Little by little, the stiffness broke. Silk dresses moved with looser hips. Swords at noble waists stopped feeling like warnings and started looking like accessories. People laughed when they messed up. A servant carrying drinks got pulled into a quick spin by one of the Vale clansmen and almost dropped the tray. He caught it with a burst of speed, eyes wide, while the woman who spun him clapped like he had performed on purpose.
I paused at the edge of the floor, looking at them all sharing rhythm under the same roof.
Omnia was attempting to teach my mother her little body rock. That sight almost took me out. My Goddess of Death stood beside Billie Holiday, gently rocking her shoulders into the groove while Ma Dukes tried to keep her face dignified and failed with a smile. Vericka watched them from nearby with her hand over her mouth, amused in that soft way of hers. A guard laughed with a noble's son near the punch table. Aylin and Nox women shared space without side-eyeing each other too hard. Sumo was nodding to the music with a drink in hand, clearly filing this under "worth attending." Sayaka watched with contained curiosity, like East Velonica had not prepared her for this level of southern royal rhythm.
For the first true moment that night, fear wasn't the strongest emotion in the air.
Underneath it, I could taste the hope and faith clinging to the atmosphere like sugar on the tongue.
Many people wanted to truly believe in me.
That was the part that spooked me a little. On Gaia, belief wasn't just emotional. Belief had weight, charge, and sometimes a direct line into power.
The admiration was one thing. The lust was fun. The fear had its uses. But hope? Hope had weight. Hope reached for you with both hands and expected you not to drop it. I could taste it in the smiles from the loyal clans, in the loosened shoulders of Talasi families, in the way servants moved around the castle like it belonged to them too. They wanted to believe the crown was awake. They wanted to believe Talasi's return to life wasn't temporary. They wanted to believe I could take all that broken southern history and turn it into something they could trust.
And I was honestly enjoying that more than I wanted to admit.
That was dangerous for me.
I turned when I heard Cali Terrantino's voice behind me, and there he stood looking like the Dark Elf Orisha had finally let somebody tailor his quiet menace.
Cali was dressed in all black with gold trim, sharp enough to cut conversation in half. The suit hugged him clean, layered with a fitted vest, red tie, pocket square, and enough chains to say he had money without sounding desperate about it. One shoulder had polished silver armor sitting over it, while his forearm guard matched like he came to the Ball prepared for both dancing and dueling. Round glasses rested low on his face, catching the light so his eyes stayed half-hidden, which made him look even more unreadable.
His hair was released from its dark bun, with the shaved sides now covered by his dreadlocks. The locs fell around his shoulders with controlled weight, framing his lined beard and sharp ears. His posture stayed calm. Not relaxed like he trusted everyone. Calm like he knew exactly where every exit was and didn't need to mention it. Cali looked expensive and allergic to wasting words.
I grinned as he stepped closer.
"Damn, my nigga. You clean up like a wash rag filled with razors."
Cali gave me the kind of faint smile that barely counted as one but still hit with personality.
"I'm glad I did. I didn't want to be underdressed at this legendary event. You put on one hell of a dramatic display."
"I have past experience in performing."
"I'm not surprised."
Cali looked around for a second, making sure no one was being too nosy in our conversation. His glasses caught the chandelier light as his gaze moved across the nearest guests, servants, and nobles hovering close enough to pretend they weren't listening. Once satisfied, his voice lowered.
"So, Lord Xiro, are you going to ask to form an alliance with Queen Rivah in Endora?"
That was an interesting lane to open during a party.
I shifted my glass from one hand to the other.
"Honestly, pimp, I haven't heard anything from Queen Rivah or the Rabbitfolk."
Cali's brows tightened behind his lenses.
"That's strange. I was sure she was already in contact with you. Especially since the Snow Bunnies have been hiring mercenary companies for local Request Missions near borders."
That caught my attention. Queen Rivah ignoring me had been annoying five seconds ago. Now it felt like a door left open in a house that should've been locked.
The music kept playing around us, warm and smooth, but my focus narrowed. Mercenary companies near borders wasn't casual. That was either preparation, desperation, or the kind of administrative nonsense that turned into a war when nobody looked close enough.
"Endora should have plenty of RIAA guilds. Why would Snow Bunnies hire expensive battle-platoons over Artist parties? Why not use their own knights?"
Cali's mouth settled into a thoughtful line.
"This is where I was wrong. I figured it was because she was preparing to attack you."
"Attack me? For what?"
"Because of the Sycamore Tree. You did destroy it, didn't you?"
I paused.
Technically, yeah.
There were a lot of details, context, witches, cosmic bullshit, angelic problems, and me not appreciating being trapped in a giant tree orgy, but if we boiled it down to the sentence? Yeah.
"I mean... Well, yeah. But... She could have at least sent back a message saying she got my request for a summit."
Cali's eyes narrowed slightly, the quiet menace in him turning into calculation.
"Then something doesn't add up. If the missing knights aren't because of preparation for war, then what is really happening in the city of Bugs?"
That question sat between us.
The music continued in the background while Cali pondered on his words for a moment. The realization that Endora hadn't expressed aggression meant something strange was happening with the lack of Rabbit Knights across the country. I didn't like that. Endora had already irritated me with how much chaos from their land had spilled into mine, but the absence of Queen Rivah's response suddenly felt less rude and more suspicious.
The sounds of a nearby laugh grabbed my attention for a moment.
A noblewoman dancing spun past in a blue dress, silk flaring around her legs as her partner dipped her with surprising confidence. For a second, I remembered the world beyond Talasi pressing against the window. Endora. Madness. Paradiso. Infernia. Babylon. Every time I tried to enjoy one damn night, the map outside my castle started clearing its throat like it had announcements.
Then I felt a hand land on my shoulder.
Firm, but shaky.
Like somebody had just sprinted through three hallways while fighting for his life against a very personal war.
I turned and saw Alex beside me, trying to catch his breath with one hand braced on me like I was the nearest stable piece of furniture. His white-and-red suit was clean as hell, though. Sharp white jacket. Crimson vest. Silver chains. Blue gem accents match his dawnstone necklace. Polished red-and-white shoes looking like he came dressed to bless a ballroom and kick somebody through a wall after dessert.
His locs were still white, but the red was becoming less. He had tied them back with that headband, letting the length fall in a controlled flow behind him. The new white face Vessel Markings stood out against his skin, making him look even more like some royal Tengu prince who had accidentally wandered out of a model show and into a war meeting. Even winded, my cousin looked fresh as fuck. That was my family all over.
I looked him up and down, then nodded.
"Okay, then. I see you got that shit on, too. I see the fit, my nigga. But where the hell have you been?"
Alex lifted one finger, breathing through the answer, like he had been through a spiritual marathon.
"In... and out... the party."
I sniffed once.
Then smiled.
"Well, you smell like recent sin. Hehehe."
Alex's eyes narrowed.
"Those senses of yours are invasive."
"My [Hyper Smell] Skill tells me more than I want to know."
He leaned a little more weight into my shoulder, face tired in a way I recognized immediately. That wasn't dancing exhaustion. That was Danica exhaustion. A much more personal battlefield.
"Danica keeps pulling me into quiet rooms to 'drain me' every time a pretty woman starts flirting with me."
When he said that, I couldn't help but laugh from a healthy place.
A healing laugh. A brotherly laugh.
Alex's face twisted with betrayal.
"That shit's not funny, Xi. This was the eighth time. I think I'm out of ammo."
He complained like a victim, but the corner of his mouth kept betraying him.
"Well, Alexander, I think that was her entire mission. If you have no energy or juice left, you can't entertain other women."
Cali, who had been watching with quiet amusement, delivered his line with perfect calm.
"A man drowning in his own treasure."
Alex face-palmed.
"I'm going to get something to drink."
I laughed even harder at that than I expected to. Alex walked off, shoulders slumped, a man who survived a boss fight he didn't even know he was in. Sadly, the second phase was waiting for him later tonight. Danica loved him too much to let that man have peace, and honestly, love be like that on Gaia sometimes. Fatiguing, magical, and slightly illegal in twelve cities.
Even Cali smiled at the absurdity.
That's when the scent of food found its way to my nose again, smelling ridiculously good.
The kitchen had graduated from teasing to assault. Roasted meat, buttered bread, cabbage-style greens, honey glaze, fried batter, and spices thick enough to make your soul sit up straight started slipping through the hall in warm waves. The music was jamming now, evolving into disco favorites with a confidence that made the floor brighter somehow. The rhythm picked up, bass bouncing with more pep, strings and horns flashing through the speakers like the night had put on roller skates. Nobody was bleeding on the floor yet. Guests were dancing. People were laughing. The food smelled ready. Drinks were flowing. It was feeling like a good night.
For one breath, the whole night felt like it might stay good. But that's when I felt a cold spot on the second floor.
Presence.
A patch of stillness in the middle of movement. A silence standing in the shadows while everybody else let the music touch them. With a bit more focus, I could sense him within the middle of it, tucked in the darkness of the grand hall's upper railing.
Frost.
I knew I didn't specifically send a soul raven to him. I sent one to Kairos and Cecil. Yet, here he was. Watching.
Not joining. Not greeting. Not bonding. Just watching.
It almost soured my mood. Almost.
My eyes drifted upward toward the railing without moving my head too much. The second floor curved over the grand hall in a wide balcony, its black stone rail lined with silver trimming and hanging voidsilk that drifted gently in the air. Between two shadows, behind the soft glow of a lantern, I felt him standing with that same cold distance wrapped around him. My father. The man who questioned my existence in my own home. The man who looked at me and saw Otherworlder before son.
For a moment, I wondered what he saw now.
Did he see the same room everyone saw?
The clans under my new rule. The people smiling. The city alive. My brothers proud of me. The women around me. The loyalists standing taller because I spoke their name. The servants laughing without fear. The nobles who had once ignored Talasi now stepping carefully across my floors. Did he see his son doing something real?
Or did he just see the Otherworlder changing his home?
I had to ease off those thoughts.
They were causing my anger to rise, and I was not about to let him spoil my enjoyment. Not yet. Not tonight. Frost had already taken enough from the mood of my castle before. I wasn't about to hand him the Royal Player's Ball, too.
That's when I located Cecil by his golden tail and made my way over toward him after excusing myself from Cali.
Cali gave me a small nod, clearly understanding I had spotted something without needing to ask. I moved through the crowd, past a cluster of dancing nobles, a servant carrying a tray of infused drinks, and two Nox women whispering near a pillar with the expression of people arranging somebody's threesome.
When I got closer, I found Kairos and Luda also standing with the Simian.
Cecil was dressed better than I expected. The man had traded his travel-worn look for a black blazer combination that actually fit his frame with clean dignity. Gold accents matched the shine of his fur, and his tail curled lazily behind him as he held a drink like he had found exactly where free alcohol lived and built a religion around it. Kairos stood beside him with his usual tidy old-man elegance, looking like a scholarly noble who had never once committed cosmic manipulation. Luda leaned near them, cup in hand, his expression halfway between relaxed and serious.
I walked up with a smile.
"Lord Cecil, Lord Kairos. Evening fellas. Glad to see you made it."
Cecil lifted his drink.
"Lord Xiro, free drinks and food? You had me at free."
"Lord Cecil, I like that black blazer combination you're sporting. You look fly in the monkey suit."
Cecil stared at me for a breath.
Then his face cracked.
"...Fly in the monkey... suit? HAHAHA."
His laugh boomed loud enough to make nearby nobles glance over, startled by the sheer volume of a grown Simian enjoying a terrible joke. His golden tail flicked with amusement, and he had to wipe a tear from the corner of his eye before he could steady himself.
"The way you speak is fascinating, Your Majesty."
Kairos smiled politely, but his eyes held something more serious beneath the surface.
"Lord Xiro, thank you for the invitations. I was just speaking with the Archon of Day, and he has agreed to help me with the matter we were just discussing."
Luda's gaze slid to me, calm but weighted.
"Xi, we'll speak about it later."
"Of course. Too many ears here. But let's not focus on that for now. It's time to enjoy yourselves, fellas."
Cecil leaned closer with a grin still sitting on his face.
"You know, I'm starting to think you're much cooler than Frost."
"Of course I am. I'm Sub-Xiro."
We all laughed, drawing a couple of eyes on our group before everyone went back to their own business.
Their conversations moved into lighter topics after that. Drinks. Food. The music. Cecil asked me whether "big booty bitches" were a real type of creature or just a social category. Kairos, for some reason, seemed fascinated by the record player and wanted to know if the grooves stored sound physically or if the mana needle interpreted intent. Luda gave him the patient look of someone who had already agreed to help with one cosmic problem and did not need to be assigned another. Cecil started debating with himself whether he preferred Earth liquor or Braye wine, which felt like the start of a dangerous journey for everyone's liver.
I listened for a moment and reflected on how strange my life had become.
Like I said, twenty years ago, I was Jean Vinson. I was having the worst day of my life, and it ended with a gunshot. Now, I was casually interrupting a Monkey King and an Outer God of History with my best friend at a party of slutty dressed Demihumans. And somehow, the weirdest part of the night was still that I hadn't eaten.
It really had been a long, interesting journey so far.
But as Luda and I went to check on our baby brothers, outside in the courtyard, the portals had just dropped off four late arrivals.
The staging circle pulsed with a strange, chaotic rhythm, like the portal had been opened by someone who either didn't know what subtle meant or considered subtle a personal insult. Purple and green light twisted together over the black stone, then snapped outward with a smoky pop that made two attendants flinch. The air filled with new perfume, alcohol, mischief, and trouble wearing confidence.
Zawa Moon stepped out first, pale skin glowing under the moonlight, eyes bright with that unsettling curiosity she carried everywhere. She looked around Castle Midnight's courtyard like she was sniffing for me before she even said a word, her expression shifting between awe and hunger as the lanterns reflected along her features.
Luvina Puff followed beside her, dressed like the concept of decency had lost a court case. The Umdori's body pulsed faintly with bioluminescent patterns sliding across her skin like living tattoos, and every step she took had the lazy sway of someone who already knew the night was about to reward her. Her smile turned wicked as she looked toward the glowing castle doors and the music spilling from inside.
"This looks like it will be a fun night."
Zawa's eyes narrowed toward the grand hall, her nose twitching slightly.
"Where is Master Xiro?"
Neither of them looked like they came for diplomacy. They looked like they came because 'trouble' had good music tonight.
Then came Cierra Chandra and her sidekick, Stamps.
Cierra stepped out like she had talked herself into confidence and planned to keep moving before fear caught up. Her wings still carried faint evidence of Frost's ice, but she had dressed like a woman determined to crash a royal event with enough attitude to make it look intentional. Stamps stumbled out behind her, looking around with the survival instincts of a man who knew every surface in Castle Midnight might be above his pay grade.
Cierra adjusted her outfit, lifted her chin, and pointed toward the entrance like this was a mission briefing instead of a terrible idea with accessories.
"Alright, Stamps, it's time to start operation: Chandra's Forgiveness."
Stamps swallowed like he wanted to ask whether forgiveness usually required sneaking past royal security, but survival kept his mouth closed.
And just like that, the Royal Player's Ball gained its next wave of problems.
[End of Chapter]
[1] May on Earth.