While walking toward the Action House, Ghana kept thinking about all the blunders she had committed.
"Yasenia… Are you okay with the mistakes I made until now? The fact that someone managed to hire so many useless people right under my nose… I find it concerning myself."
Yasenia looked sideways and smiled. "You are a very intelligent and talented woman, Ghana. However, I feel like you are not used to using that intelligence properly."
Ghana was confused. "What do you mean?"
Yasenia explained it to her without speaking in circles. "Your ability to make plans and implement them are top notch. In the entire Astral Sky Clan, maybe only Tatyana is above you in that regard."
Ghana blinked. "I must disagree, Yasenia. You are above me in many aspects of planning."
Yasenia shook her head. "That's not true. You are a three-hundred-year-old harpy with many experiences under your belt. You shouldn't be worse than me regarding logic, but I can catch many of your mistakes. Why?"
Ghana shook her head honestly. "I don't know."
Yasenia smiled, gratified. Being able to know that you lacked something and asking how to improve was an excellent quality to have.
"Your plans are comprehensive and have a few countermeasures against things that could happen. However, once a plan is ongoing, you don't revisit the subject until much later. You do not do inspections, or, well, if you do them, you probably take a few months or even years between inspections."
Ghana frowned. "But, inspecting things constantly is too time-consuming."
"That's why you should look where the problems can happen or at least have one of your close people keep an eye on the delicate matters. Although, I'll tell you that my discovery of what happened this time was more of a fluke than a deliberate action. Not to mention, I'm also quite new with setting up stable powers."
Ghana nodded thoughtfully. "I'll have someone specialized in inspection."
Cecile asked. "What if that person becomes crooked?"
Yasenia and Ghana shrugged. Ghana answered. "That person is directly under my orders, so it's easy to catch her. Only a stupid person would try to set someone up when they are working under them directly."
Yasenia smiled. "Moreover, Ghana has [Perception Intent], so if that person is near her and acts strangely, she will probably have a hunch that something is wrong."
Yasenia snorted. "Moreover, if we can't realize they are plotting right under our noses. We deserve every single harm that will come to us."
Cecile nodded and asked again. "Why is Ghana coming this time and not Hanna?"
Tatyana answered. "She asked me to come in person to supervise this. She wanted to see and feel the environment of the major powers running around and speaking about things."
Ghana nodded. "I've been in the presence of major powers in the past, but I was a bit young. So I want to experience it again."
Yasenia asked. "By the way, what are the lamias and the Lobster Queen doing?"
The harpy thought for a second and reported their whereabouts. "They are also participating on their own. They have avoided contact with you as planned. People noticing is not a problem, but a blatant display could provoke their enemies to target us."
When they saw the Brilliant Auction House Building, Ghana looked at Yasenia and questioned. "Will we stay all day today as you did yesterday, Yasenia?"
Yasenia nodded. "For sure. This is a three-day event. I want to use this second day to get to know more people. After yesterday's display, our clan's name has probably become more popular."
Ghana nodded. "I'll try to assist you and open the conversations. My presence should make it much easier as I know a few of them."
Yasenia asked. "You are close to your Matriarch, right? Do you know if she will come?"
Ghana showed a complicated expression.
Then she shook her head. "I don't think so."
"Why did you make that face?"
"Sigh, it's just that my relationship with her was a bit strained when I left. She wanted to keep and nurture me by her side, but I rejected her offer because I thought I wasn't worthy enough."
Ghana saw their curious faces, so she clarified. "It happened a bit more than a century ago, so don't worry. Even if she came, there would be no problems."
Without further conversation, the four of them entered the building and met with Carbira.
With her guidance, they moved toward the place for the second auction. Unlike the previous day, the items were not offered to be bought in an open market.
The display was much smaller since the number of items went from more than a hundred thousand to a bit over five thousand.
'Well, it's normal since the items sold today are Earth Ranked.' Yasenia thought.
While looking around and registering a new card with Ghana's aura to substitute Hanna's, they spotted a group of powerful and influential people at the side.
Yasenia was curious and looked over, spotting the person getting most of the attention.
The person, or harpy, was a white-feathered and ethereal-looking woman who didn't lose either in presence or beauty to Cecile.
Her curvaceous but not exaggerated body was perfectly sculpted and attractive, looking pure and untainted even in her nakedness.
Tatyana lifted her eyebrow. "Ho~, she is really gorgeous."
Yasenia didn't deny it. The fact that even Tatyana was impressed showed that her beauty was not average.
The woman's skin was as white and supple as milk, and her hair and eyebrows were white.
However, her paleness didn't look sick since her skin was smooth and had a beautiful luster as if moon dust was adorning her.
Her eyes had a beautiful violet color that contrasted with her entire being, making her gaze something that you would remember.
Her height was about 175 centimeters, also similar to Cecile's.
However, her expression was not aloof or indifferent, as anyone would think, but she carried herself with dignity and elegance, not being stingy with her smiles.
Everybody was surrounding her because she was, as you've probably already guessed, the leader of one of the top ten clans on the continent, the [Storm Feathered Harpies].
Her Spellbinding violet eyes moved quickly once Yasenia entered her viewing range and locked onto her group.
Then, the dragoness felt a wave of otherworldly Spiritual Sense flooding her surroundings. Yasenia's cells lit up in alert as her body was giving danger signals all around. 'This woman is too strong.'
Although Coraline was powerful, she never instilled this kind of deterrence because she had always been respectful. Even when she was serious, her attention was on Tatyana. Hence, Yasenia had yet to experience the full brunt of a high-level senior's spiritual sense.
Naturally, she also felt that after observing her for a few seconds, the spiritual sense lost interest and moved on to Ghana.
When she looked at the bird, she was petrified in place. An apparent involuntary reaction as Ghana's bloodline was reacting to this person's superior aura.
Yet, because of Yasenia's nourishment, Ghana didn't fall onto the ground but could at least stand her ground.
This was clearly something the senior harpy didn't expect, and a noticeable expression appeared on her beautiful face.
The woman, who had only been looking from afar, said a few words and walked toward their group.
Her gaze had long moved from Ghana and landed on Yasenia with increased interest.
Meeting eye-to-eye with her was not easy for our dragoness because even though she was superior regarding the quality of her auras, the strength difference was just too big.
The presence and pressure of this woman were more robust than the combined aura of the seven seniors she met in the tournament. An aura that, when they used to pressure her physically, made her bones crack and her internal organs hurt.
Tatyana's solemn voice entered her ears. 'Yasenia, be careful. If she wants to talk, guide her to another room. Here, we are too vulnerable. Unlike Coraline, whom Ebirah's presence restrained, this is your first real interaction with a possible hostile powerhouse.'
Yasenia had that intention since the beginning.
Unlike the other seniors she met, whom Yasenia felt she could lead around with her words, she instinctively knew this woman would be much more complicated than putting on a front and acting tough to dissuade her.
The woman's lips moved as she looked at Yasenia up and down. "Have you finished making plans for how to deal with me?"
Yasenia's face almost crumbled, but she acted calmly. "I realized that you are someone extraordinary. Hence, I won't play with words.
The white-feathered harpy smirked after stopping in front of Yasenia. Although our dragoness was half a head taller, the momentum and aura of the Harpy Matriarch were clearly stronger than Yasenia's.
"Haha, that's an interesting response. You should be the Matriarch of the new Astral Sky Clan, am I right? I thought people had exaggerated your appearance, but I'm more than impressed. You are really a divine beauty and worth being called the most beautiful woman of Koran City."
Yasenia reciprocated. "My eyes have also been opened to new horizons. I've rarely met with people as beautiful as you are, Senior. I'm no match."
Beauty was an essential factor in the Harpy culture.
Since even the ugliest harpy would look pretty for an ordinary mortal, to have herself praised by the leader of that group, who was called the most beautiful harpy, was an achievement in and of itself.
After the small exchange, Yasenia showed proper respect and saluted with Distancia's formal greeting, slightly bowing her head down. "This junior's name is Yasenia Dravory. I've recently traveled afar from my homeland and decided to set power in this city. We are not very knowledgeable of the continent compared to Senior. Hence, I ask for forgiveness if this junior blunders during her speech."
The harpy took another step forward and grabbed Yasenia's chin, forcing her to lean down to the same eye level.
The gesture was very smooth, and Yasenia's body leaned forward even before she could register the action.
At the side, Tatyana's fingers twitched, almost reacting.
Yasenia wasn't flustered at all and compelled with her actions, leaning forward to ease the position and smiling at her. "Is there something wrong, senior?"
The harpy matriarch observed Yasenia's gorgeous face with wonder. "Your name is Yasenia, right? And everything you just said is the truth, right?"
Yasenia nodded, not minding the face so close that it was at a kissing range. "You are correct, Matriarch of the Harpy race, Tengliu. I've heard many tales from Ghana of you, and I must say they fall short, and you are more impressive in person."
Tengliu lifted her snowy eyebrow and got even closer, her body touching with Yasenia as their lips were a slight movement apart from touching. "You are very charming yourself, dragon. Your scent is also the finest fragrance I've smelled in my more than one thousand years of age. It is making me want to capture and make you mine."
Yasenia laughed, placing her arms around her waist and using her height advantage to place them in an intimate and beautiful position.
Tengliu didn't even put a defense up since she was highly confident that this person couldn't hurt her even if she wanted to.
The two exceptionally beautiful women hugging was a sight many could not stop looking at.
Yasenia spoke with a calm smile. "Although being liked by you is an honor of ten lifetimes, I must inform you I already have a soulmate. Hence, I must deny your courtship, albeit unwilling."
Tengliu looked to the side without leaving Yasenia's arms and said to Cecile. "I can faintly feel your presence in her. So, I already knew that."
Yasenia, Tatyana, and Cecile were surprised. 'She can feel the connection through the concealing formations?'
Tengliu ignored Cecile's look of surprise and turned toward Yasenia, using her fingers to caress her face. "How about we move to another room, Yasenia? You've piqued my interest."
Yasenia smiled. "It will be my pleasure."
Then, Yasenia, Tengliu, Ghana, Carbira, Cecile, and Tatyana moved to a private room.
****************************************
Cecile: …
Andrea: Stop with the murderous aura!
Cecile: I want to kill her.
Yasenia: Don't worry, love. We'll overcome this hurdle!
Tatyana: I want to kill her.
Yasenia: *Sweating coldly* Mom, please don't be impulsive. We can't kill her even if we could!
Angel: Why not?
Yasenia: Baby, do you think other powers will leave us alone if we kill her? Her allies would swarm at us since she probably is the pillar of many powers.
Evelyn: So annoying. In the next world, let us be unhinged and without strong people around.
Author: *Sweating coldly.* I don't choose that, okay? I've built a world, and now you girls are exploring it. It's none of my business where you go or what you experience.
Tatyana: Do we have plot armor?
Author: I only used plot armor with Angel's Saint Inheritance Arc! I don't think you should accuse me of this!
Mirrory: What's this armor thing?
Author: No worries. Let's summon today's dear. I summon you!
Lost_Universe: Hello!
Author: Well, this is the last question you have pending.
Lost_Universe: That's right. It's a bit of a silly one, but I was a bit curious.
Lost_Universe. Tatyana, How did you feel when you embraced Yasenia when she was 5-6 years old? And now, how do you feel when 44-year-old Yasenia embraces you?
Evelyn: That's an interesting question.
Andrea: Right, especially knowing that Tatyana had the intention to wife Yasenia even before she was in her stomach.
Tatyana: Well, I'm going to be honest.
Tatyana: After giving birth to Yasenia, I felt like… How to say it? As if I was reborn or woken up from a long, long dream.
Tatyana: It felt like the grey world regained color again.
Tatyana: I could really feel like a mother, even when Yasenia was created from nothing and didn't carry my bloodline.
Tatyana: I thought my mind would focus on "perfecting" Yasenia as a wife. But instead, I found myself educating her with motherly love and care, allowing her to grow as she wanted and never limiting her.
Tatyana: I honestly had no romantic thoughts about her until Yasenia began showing interest in Oliver.
Tatyana: Hahaha. I still remember the day I saw Yasenia hug Oliver. It was like a switch flipped and made me remember why I gave birth to her.
Tatyana: I honestly felt a hidden jealousy and dislike for Yasenia starting a relationship with somebody else that wasn't me. Even when I planned to let Yasenia run around for one hundred years and then try to court her.
The rest: …
Author: I guess this is satisfactory?
Lost_Universe: Yes. It's more than satisfactory.
Lost_Universe: Also, did you mention these things in the novel?
Tatyana: I did. But it was quite a few chapters ago. Probably the day-to-day readers won't remember, hahaha.
Author: This is all for today. Bye-bye!