It had been roughly seven days since Jazukal's death. Simon finished grieving with his family and finally embarked on his journey back towards Malece's palace. Without much of anything in his mind, Simon ran along the forests and crept through the bushes with his suitcase in tow, drifting along like a carefree maniac. If a small denizen of the forest walked by and stumbled upon the path Simon was taking, they may just end being trampled.
Without a fresh coating of white paint plastered on his horns, Simon was ready. He no longer needed it in his new placement as consort, all he needed was his mask and his outfit. Servants would not dare to tell him to take anything off, it simply was not their place to complain. He is their new master, so he can do as he pleases. But of course, Simon decided that he wouldn't act spoiled in his time at the palace, he wanted to be respected. Respect can only be earnt by being commendable in manners and power.
"Whatever happens, I will not be easily trifled with."
Simon continued along the path envisioned in his mind, slowly approaching his destination. Within an hour, Simon had finally arrived at his new abode. With the greetings of a few unfamiliar guards, Simon was respectfully ushered into the main lobby and his luggage was swiftly taken towards the second floor by a servant. A quick look at the lobby could easily help one determine that the room had been swept clean of the blood Simon spilt the night before. Looking at it, Simon couldn't help but admire the work put into cleaning up the place.
"Honoured... I mean exalted master, I welcome you to your new home." Lenn greeted as he finally arrived at the scene, bowing his head in respect and reverence.
"O, you noticed my new set of horns. Why thank you for your keen eyes..." Simon grinned as he pointed to his now pink set of horns. Apparently, Simon managed to progress after killing Ripper, to which he still doesn't know why.
"I skipped Clar and went straight to Maquess, I am very happy with this." Simon chuckled as he received a cup of fine wine from a servant. Sitting on a velvet sofa, Simon leaned back and smirked. The room was comfy and he felt great. After the last week, Simon enjoyed little comforts in returning home. Even returning to the palace, Simon still felt uncomfortable. But, Simon enjoyed the fact that he had so much space in between him and Malece. Even if he occupied the same building as her, the building was just so large that he felt like he was at the other side of the world.
'I still don't understand why a Viclar and a Clar have the same horn but different nobility, it must be a fault that I wrote. I guess the system didn't care about changing it.'
"Exalted master, may we guide you to the Mistress now?" Lenn bowed his head and asked. Seeing the old guard bow his head towards him while he was enjoying a glass of wine, Simon felt unusually powerful. This wasn't in a physical sense, but in a hierarchical sense. He felt like a true master, not a student, not a teacher, and not just a young master. He is the master.
Arriving at the throne room, Simon was again greeted by the face of the one that had subjugated him a week before. Grinning as she sat on her marvellous throne, Malece looked upon her little husband and gasped in surprise before chuckling to herself in satisfaction. She did not think that Simon could suddenly progress so many tiers in horn progression in such a short amount of time. A voice in her head even made her assume that it was because of the sex.
'Was it really that good?'
"I see that you have finally returned to my palace, I did not think you would be back so soon...what a welcome surprise. Well, thanks to you wonderful performance in my chambers a week ago, I can live much longer. This of course means that I no longer need to acquire a blood heir, although...you will have to stay with me as my consort. As is tradition." Malece joyfully spoke as she greeted Simon. With a plain expression, Simon bowed out of reflex and approached the throne.
"Do not bow to me, you are now my 'public' equal." Malece said as she gestured him to stop.
"As you wish, my dear wife."
"Well, first thing you must know is your duties. As my consort, you will help me greet any important guests and advise me on state affairs. You will also be responsible for my wellbeing, doing as you must to keep me in good health and protecting me from threats. Other than that, you will also be responsible for the management of my palace guards. As their commander, you will train them, arrange their activities and assign them on important tasks. I trust that you will not fail me, after all, you did kill Ripper."
'Wait...what?'
"Of course I already know, Diva Hadrius Reaper made a report and I pieced two and two together. I have seen you without the mask, remember? Also without the clothes too...moving on, your bedroom is my bedroom. You will sleep there, no arguments. Tradition dictates as such. You may now leave and arrange your belongings upstairs."