A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.
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"May I know how you knew my father, Daro?" King Liorei opened the conversation as they stride slowly to the greenhouse. Skadi Eira set her eyes straight on her path, but she couldn't help but admire what her eyes can see.
"He's a Knight," she said before stopping when a flower took her attention. Not only bees but fairies who are visible only to her eyes are flying around it. The flower is rich with nectar that it's dripping.
"My memories are incomplete. I don't know how long I have been awake, but I've been locked into that place for all my life. I will only disappoint you. If you're curious about me, then I don't know me."
King Liorei nodded when he get what she mean and what she's trying to say.
"Are you a Deity?"
Skadi Eira shifts her stares to him. King Liorei smiled when her eyes met his who are already staring at her.
"As we're living in a fantasy world, we modified some words to minimize confusion. Deities are beings who live in Heaven, the realm beyond the skies. After their creation, they helped the Creator in the creation of the world and making it a beautiful place for us to live. There are legends saying they once walked with the first of us, but after the Creator's end, they ascended to Heaven and has never seen since," he told in the hopes to help the lady recall her forgotten memories.
Skadi Eira went on.
"Then, I take it that you don't have much to tell me too about the Matriarch?" King Liorei lead her the path to the garden.
"I know her but I tend to forget her face as soon as I remember her. My mind just go blank after thinking of her. My mind relive memories just to forget them again. It's frustrating."
Skadi Eira sighed softly. A moment of silence reigned between them, until she spoke again.
"Their hearts beat for each other. But he's the Knight, she's a God. Such thing can't happen between them. She chose her throne over him and he chose her as his Empress. Every time she runs, he chases her. Like kids."
King Liorei scoffed in disbelief. He couldn't believe that he's hearing the story of his father's first love and first life in Cosmo-Vale.
"Then they must be in love. Have you never been in love before?"
Skadi Eira gave him an innocent face.
"What? What 'love'?"
King Liorei chuckled before answering, "An intense affection towards someone. Like you said, their hearts beat for each other. That's what being in love is. Being in love also means sacrificing. The Matriarch sacrificed her love for the throne. She probably chose to be selfish than to be selfless, and look at her Empire now. It's now the strongest and the most powerful empire in the world. Her sacrifices paid off, and it cost her her love."
Skadi Eira blinked.
"That's deep. What about you? What did you sacrifice for that thing?"
"Me?" King Liorei pretended to be in a deep thought.
"Well, guess I sacrificed my love for her love? She's very happy now. She's with a better man," he meaningfully said while watching the woman she's talking about run to the man she chose.
"Ugh, the PDA! Where's my husband! I can't lose to Aloisia!" Freya grunted as she jog to search for her man. Their duty is over and they are back to enjoy the party.
Aloisia laughed like an evil witch while hanging on her husband's neck.
Skadi Eira watched them, then King Liorei, and them again, until she rolled her eyes.
"Your Majesty?"
The both of them looked over their shoulders when they heard the low and deep yet very calm voice coming from behind. It was the man King Liorei is with earlier. The man is six-foot tall man with a toned physique. His black hair is swept back and oozes in sexual appeal; charming in his metallic and boned vest. His cloak is kept on his arm neatly.
"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?"
King Liorei looked at Skadi Eira first before shaking his head.
"Not at all. What is it, my son? Is there something wrong? Come, introduce yourself to Her Almighty."
The problematic lord joined them and shared his concerns and worries. Skadi Eira only stood beside them, listening attentively. Another thing is she's intently observing the Young Lord, especially his core essence that she could see pulsating through him.
"Are you Orithyia's descendant, too? And why ar you hiding your face?" she asked when she can't conclude anything about her curiosity.
The men took a brief pause before the Young Lord answered her courteously, "I am but from another lineage, Your Almighty. I am a human, an Earthling. I am under disguise because I will surprise the Princess, Moon, later."
"How?" Skadi Eira doesn't get it. Why is a human like him have a core essence? Unique, at that.
King Liorei shouldered the answer to her question.
"Siofra brought us with her upon learning who she truly is. Since this is a new world with characteristics very unlike Earth, Siofra had the Earthlings drink her blood to adapt to this world's nature. Dragunovvs, the last name Daro, my father, bear on Earth and passed down to us, his descendants, have no need to since we are partially Ancients. Almost pure because it dominated our Earthling blood. Since I am his first son, it's most likely that I am a pure Ancient while the rest lost it the more it got passed down,"
"And to clear your confusion, they renamed the world as Cosmo-Vale since they, Dragunovvs, took ownership of the name 'Dragunovv' which used to be this world's name before," the Young Lord added.
Skadi Eira understood their explanation, but it made her brain melt a bit. The men chuckled softly.
"HEY, YOU THERE! THEY'RE OPENING THE DOORS!" Duke Paris shouted while waving his hand in the air to get their attention.
He squinted his eyes when he noticed an unfamiliar figure. The Young Lord immediately wore his cloak around him to avoid getting recognized.
"Shall we go? Are you coming with us, son?" King Liorei hold Skadi Eira's hand. She gave him a pair of judging stares and he only smiled at her.
"Yes. Let's go," and he left first. The pair followed with Skadi Eira looking at his core essence. Its pulsation is very calm and the Young Lord seems to be concealing it. She wanted to ask the man beside her, but she's tired of talking. So...
Under Archduke Karrygyl's order, they positioned Skadi Eira first on their line with him behind her. King Liorei refused to leave her side, so he will be with her as he escort her. Meanwhile, the Young Lord he's with refused to introduced himself as a Noble and stood with the Ancients who won an invitation through lotteries, mystery packages, and such.
"You, kneel."
King Liorei was puzzled and pointed himself.
"Are you talking to me?"
"Who else? Kneel."
King Liorei was astounded. He looked around him and found that everyone's attention were on them. Though he's clueless about what she will do to him, he bent his knee and looked up to her.
Skadi Eira cupped his face. Unusual, his heart thumped faster than normal. It went faster when she slowly shortened the distance between their faces until their foreheads touched. Skadi Eira opened his mouth and a wave of energy was transferred from King Liorei to hers. The energy contained King Liorei's humanity: from his feelings down to every piece of knowledge and memories stored in his brain. No secret was left unfold in every corner of his brain.
The Earthlings and Ancients had their mouths gaping from the sight. Parents covered their children's eyes, thinking that the pair are doing something improper but they're not. As Skadi Eira suck the copy of his everything, the ring over her head shimmers and glows brighter and brighter.
King Liorei moaned from the force he's losing and though he's a man of strength, he seek support by holding her. Princesses Lorreign doesn't know what to do. She wanted to help her father but her feet were pinned on the ground. Also, she's not bold and audacious enough to interfere what seems to be a ritual of a Deity on her father.
"F-Fighting, Dad! You can do it!" she cheered instead.
Once she got what she wanted, she pushed King Liorei and caused his fall. That's when Princess Lorreign ran to her father's aid and helped him recover with her healing abilities like Princess Aurora's.
"Hah... Hah... W-What did you do to me?" King Liorei pant then thanked his daughter who's giving him a very confusing face. She's being smug about something he can't get an idea of.
"You're such a fox, Dad. But I don't mind it. A Deity step-mom is cool!" she whispered in giggles, widening her father's eyes as they stand up.
"Excuse me, young Lady? What's going on in your head? How malicious! I'm simply assisting Her Almighty!" King Liorei denied at his best, but the sultry chuckled they heard from Skadi Eira says otherwise.
"Are you really? I know you. You're such a dog in heat when you were younger,"
King Liorei gasped---not only him but everyone---while clutching their chests. Her eyes that were full of innocence and purity just a while ago became smoky and seductive. Just a change in her facial expressions and she became completely a different person.
"Y-Your Al...mighty?"
Skadi Eira flipped her silky hair.
"I hated asking this and that so I copied everything about you. You really loved your ex-wife."
Emperor Maxism and Duke Paris covered their gaping mouth before darting their scandalous stares on Grand Duchess Xerene.
"That's a foul. You're a thief. You didn't even ask for my consent," King Liorei strongly argued, but Skadi Eira doesn't seem to care.
"Consent? Did you ask consent from the humans you killed? And why would I, a Deity, ask for a mere halfling's consent?"
The King was silenced. He fought with the mischievous Skadi Eira through stares, until they laughed. The Earthlings and Ancients were baffled.
"Do I really look like that? Really, you copied everything about me? That's sick. Don't let it influence you. I used to be bad back then. Real' bad," King Liorei.
Skadi Eira shrugged, "It's interesting, though. I can use them to blackmail you. Do you want to be with your ex-wife? I can pull some strings for you," she teased and lifted her opened palm. A ball of light formed over it. It was tiny at first but it's growing in size.
King Liorei looked at Grand Duchess Xerene who's acting as if she's not bothered about it. Her husband, too, but he's holding her hand as tight as he could. Their children were standing beside them, but Lady Elekra is riding Lord Ohm's back.
For a moment, King Liorei considered Skadi Eira's offer and made up scenarios in his mind if they were the ones that end up together. But he knew he doesn't deserve a woman like the Grand Duchess. He loved her, but he abused her. Something like love would not be enough to forgive the crimes he committed on her.
King Liorei looked back to Skadi Eira and bowed before her with his hand reaching for her, "I am over her and we had our closure. Did you not see that in my memories? Actually, I'm very much interested about a sky blue Deity in front me right now. May I escort you inside?"
Skadi Eira scoffs unbelievingly but accepted his hand anyway.
"I don't want to mother a grown-ass child," she said, shocking the King about her word.
"Please refrain from speaking of any vulgarity. You're a Deity."
"Don't care. Fuck you."
The King's jaw dropped.
When the orchestra played a theme, the procession began. Princess Lorreign ran to her twin sister, pushing Crown Prince Claxiord aside.
"Did you see that? Oh my god, they look good together, aren't they? Kyaaah! My step-mom is a Deity!" Prince Lorreign screamed while jumping with his sister.
"She's so pretty, omg. Wait, oh my god, a demigod baby if ever! Oh my god, sister! I can't waittt!"
Crown Prince Claxiord gently pushed the Princesses forward to follow with the others.
"Ladies, save the excitement for later and lower your voices. My Love, be careful."
The twins ignored him and went on about their delusions. The Crown Prince sighed and supported them on their way inside.
The aesthetic theme and final production of the entire Hall enthralled the guests. The flooring of the straight path they are walking on is luminescent, with live waters flowing and dancing beneath the transparent glass flooring. Flower arches light up every time someone will pass by, with its buds blooming and growing every time it light up. Their eyes twinkled from the heart and Diamond-shaped hanging lights and lantern over their heads. Real clouds are floating below the ceiling, where the colors vary from pink, gold and purple to match the Princesses' brand colors.
In the aisle is where the thrones are for the women of Heart. In the middle sits the Supreme God, Empress Siofra. A golden and purple throne is on her right, while the pink and silver thrones are on her left. The silver throne is plain unlike the other shining and decorated thrones. It says enough about Moon's standing not just in the Palace but in the high society as well.
Empress Siofra left her seat to personally meet Skadi Eira who's roaming her eyes around while standing at the end of the path, standing right in front of her. King Liorei is behind the sky-blue lady, but he's talking to the organizers about Moon's throne.
"Your Divine Almighty Skadi Eira. I am honored to be in your presence. The pleasure is all mine. I am Siofra Warlock, descendant of the Matriarch, the first Empress and Fourth God, Orithyia Warlock," the Empress introduced and bowed slightly.
Skadi Eira turned her back on her to talk to King Liorei, "Why is her throne as cheap as you Earthlings? Are you treating a Warlock Princess unfairly?"
Her remarked put the Hall in an utter silence. The orchestra even stopped from playing. Empress Siofra looked back to Moon's throne, and with a forced smile to Skadi Eira, she said, "Moon's circumstances is a bit... Apparently, we are unsure of her origins but the Diamond Palace accepted her. We are taking measures because there's a possibility that she's a Veil, too. We are not treating her unfairly, we are only providing what we can to a stranger."
Finally, Skadi Eira graced the Empress with her haughty attention. She looked at the Empress from her head to her toe.
"Are you telling me that you're free to fuck a Veil Lord and breed however you want, tainting this lineage with some bastard's blood, but can't take a 'there's a possibility that she's a Veil' Princess under your wing fairly?"
"Your Divine Almighty!" King Liorei blustered in shock.
Empress Siofra was dumbfounded. Insulted, but she took a deep breath and smiled at Skadi Eira.
"I don't care whether you're the Matriarch's companion, a Deity, whatnot. I am Siofra Warlock, Empress of Heart, and I will tolerate your insult against my husband only for this time. Today is a special day: my daughter's birthday. You are the one who's standing on my territory, so you should mind your manners and act according to what you are. But I guess, that rotten attitude is to be expected if you copied another Veil Lord's knowledge," and she looked over King Liorei who was surprised.
Skadi Eira chuckled mockingly, "Your territory? Really?"
Empress Siofra's kind expression weakened into a confused frown.
Skadi Eira stepped forward, closing the distance between them.
"You can ressurect the dead, aren't you? Why not resurrect Orithyia and ask her whose land this is? You damn brat. Standing tall against me like that. You think you're greater than me? Better than me? Don't talk big. All of you combined are nothing against me. You're merely a breeding pig for your Veil Lord of a husband bastard. I am a Deity. You're not even as half as good."
Her words pierced Empress Siofra through. Tears welled on her eyes, but she hold them back from falling and stood firmly with her head held high. The furious Prince Izaac stepped forward and pulled his mother, sending deadly glares against Skadi Era who wants to see the Empress cry. Childishly, she stick her tongue out to provoke the Empress further.
"You crossed the line. How unforgivable," Prince Izaac uttered solidly but his pent-up anger doesn't mean anything to Skadi Eira.
Until her face went cold and straight with fury in her eyes.
"Unforgivable? You think I would ask forgiveness from the likes of you? Let me tell you this in case you have no idea what you're doing to that silver kid,"
Skadi Eira crossed her arms, "Sooner or later, she will reach her limits. Don't be very surprised if she seek revenge against you. The beasts you caged will be freed and the world you've been healing since will be ill once again. By then, she won't be your daughter or sister anymore. She will be your undying nemesis. Take my words as a prophecy. I want to see each of you suffer twice what you put her through."
And just like she said, every word was written on the clean sheet of the Book of Prophecies within the sanctuary of the Church.
Skadi Eira rolled her eyes on the Warlocks first before letting King Liorei take her away. He pushed her shoulders down on the special throne he requested from the servants before settling beside her. They are in the same table with the shaking Princess Lorreign and the masked Young Lord who's clapping without a sound.
"That's very powerful, Your Divine Almighty. But I very much prefer world peace," the Young Lord praised and gave her a bottle of sweet wine.
Skadi Eira gathered her hair to one side and grinned, "This offensively nasty attitude sure is handy sometimes. I like it when I have more enemies than friends."
"You're crazy," King Liorei articulated breathlessly before snatching a glass of liquor from the wandering waiter.
"It's your attitude, so you're telling that to yourself." Skadi Eira grabbed the drink that was offered to her.
The people in the shared table witnessed how her eyes twinkled.
"What is this drink? It's...good. I want more of this." She licked her lips, not wasting a drop of the wine.
Princess Lorreign found the chance to be comfortable towards her. "Oh, that's our pride! We named it 'Sweet Kiss' since they said it makes you think of your first kiss. Have you been kissed, Mommy---I mean, Your Divine Almighty?"
Skadi Eira arched her brow.
"Probably not yet. How sad that is? A Deity who's never been kissed. Pfft!" King Liorei teased.
"Resume the party. I am fine," they heard the Empress said, and the orchestra played once again.
"I wonder about that." Skadi Eira slammed the glass against the table. The next thing she did made Princess Lorreign scream both in shock and feels. The Young Lord was stupefied, gawking at them.
The eyes who are watching them widened in surprise.
Skadi Eira pulled King Liorei by his neatly styled hair for a kiss. Every head turned to them with the same reaction about their scandalous affair. She even slid her tongue inside just to lick King Liorei's tongue. It made him gasp and stiffened like a lady receiving her first kiss.
"Kyaaaah!! Mommy!!" Princess Lorreign screamed before punching the Young Lord beside her consecutively.
Skadi Eira pushed his head away the moment she's done. She raised her hand to ask for another glass of the same wine with a playful smirk on her lips.
"Now, I have a kiss to remember. Isn't it sweet, Phantom Prince? I think it was," she teased, but the King was still in daze.
"I've been kissed...by a Deity?" He shyly touched his lips with blushing cheeks. Skadi Eira winced in disgust.
"What if you got me pregnant? Take responsibility, Your Divine Almighty! I'll have your sons!" He blew her a flying kiss.
Skadi Eira threw up intentionally on his slacks.
"What the f---!? Is that necessary!?"
Princess Lorreign held her aching stomach while in stitches. The Young Lord gave him a napkin.
"I've never seen such horror in my entire life. Don't do that again."
King Liorei grunted as he bolt to get his slacks changed. Princess Lorreign transfered to his seat as fast as lightning. She pinned her elbows on the table and put the weight of her head on her palms. She smiled at Skadi Eira who ignored her completely.
"What's your name, Your Almighty?"
"Move away. I don't like you."
Princess Lorreign pouted, "But I'm a good girl! I want to know you. C'mon~ Tell me~" she bump her shoulder to Skadi Eira's.
"Stop it, kid. Why do you want to know my name?" Skadi Eira hissed.
Princess Lorreign moved closer to her.
"Well, because everyone have one? Even the Deities up above have. Oh, right! Are you friends with them? The other Deities?"
Skadi Eira finally took a glance of her excited face. She scoffed at first before asking, "Who? My memories are foggy."
"Well, we don't have much Deities unlike the gods and goddesses from the mythologies of Earth. Anyways, they are Gaeia, Khonsa, Lleu, Zwydion, and Voinair. The sixth is you!"
Skadi Eira familiarized herself with the names, but none rang a bell in her.
"Most Ancients nowadays only know the five of them. Who knows, maybe there's more of them who are just unknown and unnamed? Like you!"
"How can you be so sure that I am one?" Her direct and blunt question made the Princess rethink what she thought about she's about.
"What do you mean?"
Skadi Eira floated the glass over her palm.
"I could be just bluffing about being a Deity, but I'm not going to deny my links with Orithyia. And how would you know if one is a Deity, though? Because of what Karrygyl Warlock claimed me to be?"
It piqued the interest of the Young Lord they are with. During the reign of their silence, the trumpets began to blow and the orchestra played a louder and majestic piece for the entrance of the Princesses. Still, even while they're already walking, Princess Lorreign didn't paid them attention to critically think about what Skadi Eira told her. So is the Young Lord who's trying to form conclusions in his curious mind. King Liorei then returned just in time and was surprised to see that his seat was stolen by his zoning out daughter.
"My dearest, is everything alright? What are you thinking about?" He worried when he sat next to her. He pulled his daughter's head close to him and kissed it.
The Princess hugged him with a bright smile.
"Nothing! Just thought of a nice research topic, Dad! A very good one. I think I'll work it out with Wattsy. This time, I'll make him work with me!"
The King flashed a proud grin.
"That's my girl. You're very smart like me. Do you want me to pull some strings for you? I'm very close with him, you know."
"Ihh~ I don't want it to be like that! Wattsy is meticulous about his studies. Maybe he thinks I will only be a burden to him, that's why he kept on rejecting my request for collabs. Hmmph, that kid! Just because he's made his name doesn't mean he can ignore me like this, Dad! I hate you!" She land a hit on her father.
"Wait, why do you hate me? What did I do?"
But instead of answering, Princess Lorreign crossed her arms haughtily and looked away with a scoff.
"Princess, what did I do!?"
The Young Lord scratches his cheek from the conversation he heard. And when Moon's arrival was finally announced, he completely turned around to watch her walk. When he felt that it's not enough, he stand up and was the first one to clap his hands, followed by King Liorei who stand up as well.
"You loved that girl so much," Princess Lorreign said to her father.
"She's my daughter now too. You see, I can't help but see you in her. What if they treated you the way they treated Moon before? Your father is their greatest enemy. What if they discarded you and never loved you? What if your twin sister was evil to you because you're the devil's daughter? Not being seen and loved will make a villain in one, so let's not make Moon a villain, alright? She's such a sweet girl like you."
Princess Lorreign's eyes widened a little, until she found herself giggling.
"That's so wise to say, Dad. But you're right. I wouldn't want someone like that be a villain, when we don't even know her abilities very well," she agreed before shifting her gaze to Moon who's slowly stepping into the light.
It was as if the world stopped revolving when they saw her transformation.
"...Dearil?"