Author notes: Though I'm still sick but what the hell, double release! Vol 2 is approaching a conclusion, albeit not that boom-bada-bang like the previous, it will be a bit of a twist if you can bear to read till its end. Chapter 19 will be posted shortly so hang tight!
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"Hel!" Bryn's voice stopped me from knocking on the door to Yuki's office in the Mansion of Wisdom. With an almost imperceptible frown, I turn to look at the Valkyrie.
Having lived with each other for a long while, Bryn can infer my annoyance at being stopped by her. So, placing a hand on my shoulder, she directs me away from the door as she speaks.
"Look, I know that you're worried about Yuki, me too, but she is a big girl already. A girl also needs some time to be alone for herself."
Sighing at that conjecture, I reply.
"Look, I get it, but she has never shown genuine anger, not to mention lashing out in rage like that. I felt that all the way at the Cathedral so you can't exactly blame me for wanting to check up on her."
With Yuki being in Berlin, the holy ground of the Yggdrasil Pantheon, I have the privilege to be able to sense Yuki's general location, her health, and her mental state as long as she is in the city. Earlier this day, I surge of bone-chilling rage washed over my connection with Yuki as I felt her utter hatred for whatever she just heard. I drop everything I did as soon as possible to come here but Yuki is not receiving any visitors after the meeting with the Spanish Inquisitors.
"Just what exactly has she been listening to that caused her outburst?" I asked as we both take our seats by a waiting table outside of Yuki's office.
Bryn, having heard that, starts retelling the entire discussion. After listening to her explanation, I can't help but massage my temple.
"Gosh, humanity and their stupidity never cease to amaze me." I complained out loud, earning a dry chuckle from Bryn. "So let me get this straight, despite our warnings to the international community about the dangers of live human experimentation with mana, Sardegna still does it anyway and is somehow hiding it away from our intel network. It was not until the Spanish Inquisitors came across a live specimen, murdered their squads, and left behind a trail of blood that we came to know about their existence, am I correct so far?"
Bryn nods, saying. "That's the gist of it, yeah."
"...This is not a job human is capable of pulling. We have Einherjar working as Yuki's field operatives so it's weird that the Sardegnians were able to escape their notices." I commented.
"Yuki also said that her conjecture was that a non-human race is helping them in their reckless endeavor." Bryn added.
"And if that's the case then they must have a lot of helpers capable of using subterfuge magic. I find it hard to believe that with magic in the mix, Spanish Inquisitors managed to sniff out their experiment." I concluded. "This must be on purpose, the Sardegnians allowed the Inquisitors to get close, most probably to test out their product, failed or not, and have both sides killed each other."
"Whatever the case, I'm just surprised that the world still hasn't retaliated any harder, what's with the sheer scale of the matter and all." Bryn wondered as I also nodded in agreement.
Though we haven't had a hand in doing such distasteful work on living beings, we know that the world is capable of inferring when and where human experimentation is taking place. And should mana is injected haphazardly and unnaturally into a human, the Will of the world will intervene and 100 percent of the time, will cause the experiment to collapse. Usually, failure of an experiment is accompanied by a mana explosion that obliterated everything in a not-so-small radius. Or, rarely, it would spawn a mindless beast that is much alike the one that killed the Inquisitors. But those are minor experiments, this one is a whole country operating on living beings. If the scale is this large, I dread the retaliation the Will of the world will hand out.
"You need not worry about it, for a while at least." A voice interjected one that I am now very familiar with.
Bryn and I turn over to Yggdra, who has, most probably, teleported right next to us. We both give her our greeting as she picks her seat next to mine. Even after months of interaction with her, I still feel a bit giddy that a person at the epitome of power is my family member.
Yggdra gets herself situated before explaining. "Alaya, the Will of the world, knows about what's happening in Sardegna, and of course, I too also have knowledge of it. Yet, when I discuss the matter of fallout with Alaya, the Will of the world has stated, quite bluntly that she will not do anything, not yet for a few years. But if the fallout is to occur, Alaya told us to clean up our own mess."
Yggdra stops to let the words sink in before saying. "Now, I'm not gonna handholding you, nor Yuki in this, all I can say is that the so-called helpers of the Sardegnian Papacy were once members of both the Reich and Imperial Japan. You and Yuki can use that information as you see fit. You are all grown-ups, some rocks along the way shouldn't be an issue."
I can't help but nod at her words. Though she is literally omnipotent and omniscient, Yggdra doesn't have a responsibility to help us every single time. She is our Mother and family, after all, not our servant. And if you truly love your family, you won't bother them with every single thing.
We continue to chat for a bit, this time, it's about Yuki herself. When faced with the fact that Yuki lost control of her emotion, Yggdra nods knowingly.
"That girl is easy-going, most of the time, yet, there are bottom lines that shouldn't be crossed. The Sardegnians ran over the lines by experimenting with something they shouldn't in pursuit of power, sacrificing everything else for it. In Yuki's opinion, such power is corrupted, tainted, and will cause needless suffering for everybody involved. If waging war against the world is a necessity, then Sardegna has made it personal in Yuki's mind."
Yggdra is about to say more when she turns over to Yuki's office. "It seems like the girl has set her emotion straight."
With a click and a push of the door, Yuki reveals herself with a tired look. Ignoring the fact that her attire is a bit unkempt, Yuki walks toward Bryn and deposits a container.
"Can you help me send this over to the Brainiacs? Tell them it contained a new design for a strategic bomber, some designs for rocket artillery, and a gift for Mobius." Her instruction was laced with a sleepy voice.
Unable to contain myself, I move over to hug Yuki, pulling her to my seat and making her rest on my lap. Yggdra watches on with a kind smile while casting a rejuvenation spell at Yuki while Bryn stands up, excusing herself silently, not before showing a concerned expression though.
Whatever it was that Yuki did, it drains her a lot. My cute little child is struggling to stay awake as she is nuzzled in my arms. Unwilling to move her at this stage, I turn to Yggdra.
"Can I trouble you to help me move her back to the castle?" I asked.
"It will be my pleasure, I will be putting the two of you in the bedroom so hold onto her tight. I will join along with the rest later in the night." Yggdra said with a motherly tone. I'm grateful for her presence in this family of ours.
"Thanks, I will be seeing you later." I said before Yuki and I were enveloped by a blue energy curtain.
We then appear on top of the grand bed in our quarter, placing Yuki gently, her head resting on the silk pillow, I then plop myself next to her before pulling her into a hug with her face opposite to mine. Seeing that my little love is tired but struggling to sleep, I start singing her a song, hoping it will lull her into dreamland.
"I remember tears streaming down your face,
When I said I'll never let you go,
When all those shadows almost killed your light.
I remember you said: 'Don't leave me here alone.'
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight.
Just close your eyes, the sun is going down.
You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now.
Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound.
Don't you dare look out your window, darling, everything's on fire.
The war outside our door keeps raging on.
Hold onto this lullaby even when the music's gone, gone.
Just close your eyes, the sun is going down.
You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now.
Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound.
Ooh (ooh)
Ooh (ooh)
Oh whoa (oh whoa)
Oh whoa (oh whoa)
Ooh (ooh)
Ooh (ooh)
Oh whoa
Oh whoa
Just close your eyes.
You'll be alright.
Come morning light.
You and I'll be safe and sound.
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
The song is short, yet, by the time it ended, Yuki's expression is now relaxed, and her breathing is now slowed and steady. She is peacefully asleep. Regardless, I'm not gonna leave her alone, not just yet.
"You know, Yuki, I am starting to think meeting and adopting you, was fated to happen." I chuckled softly. "Now that I think about it, Yggdra was probably the mastermind behind everything, what's with your fate being so... singular and all. Not to mention the lady has a hidden obsession over you, no doubt she would want you to have the best family and love this world has to offer."
I smile, patting Yuki's gray hair before removing her eyepatch, and leaving it to the side. "But I, we, never regret having you in our lives. You're now our beacon, our hope, our love. It's also you who is the glue to keep this unique and eccentric family bonded. I dread to imagine a future where members of our family, stood on the opposite side of the spectrum instead of loving each other like we are right now."
With my thumb now caressing Yuki's left eye, one that has been replaced and augmented by Yggdra, I softly say.
"Yet, you also have the tendency to put everything on your frail shoulders, regardless of whether you have recruited helpers or not. It's unhealthy, it's dangerous, and it's not worth it to fight the entire world alone. Yuki, we are here not just to be supported by you. We are here to also support you in return along the journey that is life. You need not forge ahead alone for we are capable women and we will be standing right next to you. Whether you like it or not, we are not dolls to be sheltered and will be fighting alongside you. Best keep that in mind, this unruly little lover of mine."
With a hand under Yuki's chin, I direct her face upward to meet my lips. After tasting the cherry flavor of her lips, I then push my tongue inside as I explore hers with a sudden craving. I greedily devour her lips, losing myself in the moment but Yuki's moaning as her hands reflexively hug me closer returns me to my sense. Giving one last kiss, this time gently, I regretfully pull away before hugging her into my breast.
"Soon, Yuki, soon." Though I said it that way, I know deep inside it's directed toward myself. "Just two more years before I can release this pent-up lust of mine. I hope by that time, you can take it all at once. Ufufufu..."
I laugh, not knowing that it's a very seductive one. With me being a Goddess of Life and Death, the act of child-making is rated quite highly on my to-do list. Though I haven't been able to conceive a child, I still want to do it with my loved ones. Lu and Bryn already shared passionated nights with me but Yggdra and Elysia opted for Yuki to grow up before committing to any carnal act. Now there are still more love interests for Yuki, with the almost confirmed one being the stoic Einstein and I can't wait to see how Yuki's harem will grow.
After all, I can't wait till I hold a child born from this family.
Really, really, can't wait.