The planet Deldar was not as simple as Thanatos thought. And these doubts he received after the cries of Nemesis, who only now knew which planet the spatial portal had transported them to.
Thanatos' attention was caught by a female figure floating toward him and Nemesis, suspended on sturdy clouds that occasionally spewed lightning discharges.
His eyes widened in awe as Thanatos saw the troll girl who approached them. She was much prettier than Ebeta, who had recently been killed by his older sister.
Her bright scarlet hair fell in waves, framing a face adorned with unique features that piqued Thanatos' curiosity. Two fangs protruded from her lower jaw, giving her face an exotic hue. Her elven ears and bushy eyebrows were pierced with rings that sparkled in the light, reflecting a sense of individuality and boldness.
Dressed in a brown bikini and leather tunic, the troll girl radiated confidence and independence. The outfit she had chosen exposed most of her skin, emphasizing her natural beauty and fluid movements. Her arms and legs were covered in blue wool, and provided warmth. They matched her light blue skin.
What struck Thanatos most was her uniqueness, embodied by the unconventional number of fingers and toes. Instead of the usual five fingers, she had three delicate fingers.
«There's a certain captivating peculiarity about that. I never thought that members of monsters or other races could be so attractive,» Thanatos pondered as he looked at the female troll.
She was a testament to the diversity of the world, and he appreciated her uniqueness.
Thanatos had not noticed this detail, but having become a cultivator, he could quietly understand the many alien languages spoken by monsters and other extraterrestrial races.
— Nemesis, it hurts so much! Have you forgotten the one who swore you eternal friendship? — The troll girl showed a predatory smile as she pretended to be a hurt friend in front of Nemesis. She pointed three fingers at herself and said, — It's me, Delaria Zauron! When we meet at DGES councils, your mother keeps telling me that you cultivate in seclusion, but it turns out you kidnapped some little boy and rape him in the basement! I didn't think you'd become a pedophile just to avoid me. You're breaking the fragile heart of a sweet troll girl, hee hee hee.
Nemesis dilated her azure pupils when she heard something her little brother definitely shouldn't hear. She immediately walked over to Delaria, who was 10 feet away, and covered her friend's mouth with her hand.
— Shut up, leech. Say one more word, Delaria, and I'll send you to the afterlife! — Nemesis frowned at the blue-skinned girl until she bit Nemesis on the finger.
Nemesis retreated a couple of steps as Delaria formed lightning bolts around her entire hand to hit the white-haired girl on the ass with them.
Nemesis wasn't expecting a direct attack from her friend, so she received a painful electrical discharge on her soft buttocks.
— Fsah-ah! You're a bitchy, painted and disgusting troll!
— Ah, how evil we are! By the way, you destroyed several troll military settlements that also had young trolls in them. More than a thousand little ones died after your despicable act. From my point of view, it was an unforgivable act of terrorism, which is why I flew to the site of the explosion, — Delaria lightly struck Nemesis on the head and began to judge her, — What am I supposed to do with you now, hardened terrorist? You know that as Empress I must protect my race!
— Then you are a terrible Empress, if little trolls roam the military settlements instead of sucking their mothers' breasts. I am only protecting my husband! — Nemesis approached Thanatos, who stood behind his sister in shock.
«I don't know how to take their dialogue. As a boon or as a curse? I knew that dream wasn't a fantasy! My mother is alive! So the names Spica and Mebsuta have everything to do with me. I'm also 100% sure my family is behind the Monstro-Apocalypse! Why do they want the Earth destroyed? Or what's the purpose of it all?» Thanatos had a very frown on his face, so he didn't pay attention to the fact that Nemesis called him her husband.
— Husband? Did you really decide to raise a spouse out of this child? I condemn your decision. What about our eternal friendship? You promised to marry me! — Delaria began to tap her foot on the hard ground. Her hands stopped at her waist, expressing her childish and discontented demeanor. All the regality and image of a strong woman vanished in an instant beside Nemesis.
Nemesis gave Delaria the middle finger and put her arm around Thanatos. It was noticeable that she was much shorter than her brother. Thanatos could only seem like a child in terms of the longevity and immortality of strong cultivators.
— He is a man, not a child! We may be a little different in age, but I love him more than anyone else in the world! So your help in diverting unnecessary attention is no longer needed, — Nemesis said as she kissed her brother on the cheek.
Thanatos was having trouble catching the essence of the discussion, but he noticed an interesting fact, — Marry? Your friend is a lesbian?
— Ha-ha-ha-ha! — Delaria started laughing hysterically, which made her stomach ache a lot, — Pha-ha-ha-ha, my little brother and parents would cut my head off if this nonsense turned out to be true.
Nemesis let out a light chuckle too, but answered her brother honestly, — No, silly husband. She just wanted to spend more time with me and came up with a *great* plan that would result in me no longer being pestered by powerful cultivators or their offspring. But I gave up on the plan in time, but Delaria kept annoying me with the idea of a fake marriage.
— Yeah! Your wife is a very desirable chick in the Alliance of Despotic-Galactic Empires and Sects, — Delaria said quietly, beginning to slowly approach Thanatos.
Delaria wanted to get a better look at the man Nemesis had chosen. Perhaps there was something special about him that might also attract her.
Watching her approach, Thanatos couldn't help but admire the resilience and confidence that emanated from her being. Her presence left an indelible impression on Thanatos-a reminder that true beauty transcends societal expectations and lies in the celebration of individuality.
— I wish my eyes hadn't seen you! Your filthy mouth utters too much absurdity, and it's too early for my husband to hear heavy and dangerous intelligence! — Nemesis swiped her thumb at her throat, warning Delaria not to spread too much early information.
— He doesn't know who you are, — Delaria suddenly mumbled and quickly covered her mouth, watching Thanatos' reaction.
Nemesis looked into his eyes as well, trying to assess the damage done to their relationship. To her surprise, Thanatos was as calm as a boa constrictor.
Thanatos lowered his blue eyes and met his gaze with his own sister's, saying, — Is something wrong? I heard everything perfectly well, but I won't ask you anything. I have discussed this matter with you once already, and I don't intend to go back to it. I'm tired of your secrecy and your bad attitude toward me, so you yourself will maintain a balance of trust in the relationship. If I am suddenly cold to you, you and your shortsightedness will be to blame.
Nemesis was hurt by her brother's words, but she understood that she had become a necessary victim of chance. It was unavoidable, as was the constant conflict over hiding facts and truth from Thanatos' ears.
Nemesis looked at her friend and asked, — What is the closest portal in Earth's coordinates to the sixty-second?
— Hmm, I think it's the forty-fifth. I'll walk you to it.
Nemesis, Delaria, and Thanatos made it to the spatial teleport fairly quickly. The army of ogres and trolls did not touch the two Pierces because of the Empress' orders.
Nemesis let Thanatos get off her back and then said, — Thanatos, go to the portal first, I'll talk to Delaria alone.
Thanatos headed back to Earth while Nemesis decided to discuss a few things with her old friend.
The first thing Delaria did was to whistle two fingers and summon a living thundercloud that surrounded them from prying eyes.
Meanwhile, Nemesis covered herself and Delaria with a dense dome that kept out sound waves.
Delaria then turned indignantly to the white-haired girl, — And what was that, Nemesis? Did you seriously become a *real* woman with that lowly weak boy?
Nemesis did not take Delaria's words as an insult. She understood that the Empress of Dwarf Galaxy Tucan was worried about her, as choosing a weak partner was a very dangerous and ambiguous decision for a strong cultivator girl.
— I'll say just two words, and you'll swear they'll never come out of your mouth. THE POWER OF CHAOS!
— The power of Chaos? — Delariya said it out loud, and received a painful blow to the head, — Ouch! You want to fight? I've gotten stronger in 18 years, and I can stand up to you.
— Yeah, right, — Nemesis grinned smugly, watching Delaria play with the lightning bolts in her hands.
Delaria had a great desire to test her strength in a divine battle with Nemesis, but she had to restrain her bestial and exuberant nature.
The blue-skinned girl smiled at her friend and put her hand on her shoulder, — Hey, tell me the truth. You wouldn't lose your innocence just because of some Chaos force out there! I'm your best friend, and I won't tell anyone anything.
— Let's be honest, you're not the strongest woman in the universe. I can't tell the whole truth, for his safety... He's very important to the whole family... oops, — Nemesis covered her mouth when she realized she'd given a clue about Thanatos' true origins.
— Wait, stop! Stop, stop! Don't tell me he's your blood relative? Son... ah, silly, no, no! A brother, that's right, a younger brother! — Delaria guessed quickly, while Nemesis gagged her.
— Shut up! Don't say that out loud, — Nemesis started to fight Delaria with a fierce grin on her face, but the thundercloud that surrounded them penetrated the dome and quickly helped her mistress deal with Nemesis.
The troll girl fired a lightning bolt from her index finger at Nemesis' chest, but she managed to dodge the shot. Then Delaria spoke, — Haha, but am I right? You haven't been under the radar in over 17 years. Did Niks really decide to create an heir while under pressure from an old family in a sect? Does he have a father?
— No. And no, you know she used a runic ritual to conceive, as she did with me, as she did with the others.
Delaria began to argue vehemently with her friend, — You are a family of vile reformers, not noble Stellar Cultivators. It's against nature, in our tribe they put you to death for such a thing! We have lived, are living, and will continue to live by traditional values. You find a partner, become a couple and fuck, so that heirs are born naturally! Passing on pedigree through magic - that's a black perversion!
— Yes, except that you are our vassals, so obey your Mistress, you blue-blooded bitch, — Nemesis instantly laid siege to Delaria, depriving her of her right to a pointless argument.
— Oh, are you offended? — Delaria stated, trying to slap Nemesis on the shoulder to vent some of her accumulated anger.
Sister Thanatos dodged the blow, and roughly grabbed her friend by the forearm. Nemesis twisted her arm behind her back and when she heard the crunch of bones, she spoke in an orderly voice, — Stop fucking around, I need to go and keep my brother safe.
Ignoring the pain in her arm, Delaria shouted victoriously, — YEP! You confirmed he was your own brother! You are not only a pedophile, but a sinner engaged in disgusting incest! In the Declaration of the Alliance DGES (Despotic-Galactic Empires and Sects) it clearly stated that Stellar Cultivators do not marry until their five hundredth year of life. And the common constitution of the Alliance clearly states that incest in noble families is approved by the DGES council, where the affirmative vote of Emperors, Empresses, Sect Patriarchs, and Sect Matriarchs is over 51 percent. Your family would be totally screwed if the Alliance found out about incest with a little brother who's not even five hundred years old, my dear girlfriend.
Nemesis suddenly remembered why she was so happy to disappear from the radar of the big sects and empires. She was happy to live a few decades without listening to Delaria point out her faults, illegal actions, and bad deeds. And Nemesis loved to break Alliance laws and instilled the same rebelliousness in her younger brother.
«Fucking mother must be fucking with me! She had a military contract with her on purpose so she could sit on her throne now and laugh at my misery!» thought Nemesis plausibly, showing an ugly grimace into the cosmic sky.
If her mother was watching her, she must have seen younger daughter's disgruntled face and giggled at her with a sadistic grin.
Nemesis crossed her arms and turned away from Delaria, not about to listen to lessons about high morals, — Fuck you! I love him, that says it all. He's already grown in all human characteristics and can get intimate.
— Except he's not really human. Am I right, Nemesis Pendragon?
Nemesis waved Delaria off, removed the dense barrier, and approached the portal, — I'll go first, girlfriend. I only have one request: mind your own business, or I swear on my mother's health and well-being I'll kill you.
The next second the white-haired girl left the planet Deldar, leaving Delaria sadly sighing in loneliness.
— Eh, it hurts so much! It hurts to know that some brat is more important in her heart than I am. Now I have to shave my arms and legs, or I might not meet this wimp's standards.
At that second a very frightening thunder rumbled across the starry sky with lightning thousands of miles long, which frightened the ogres and trolls present nearby. They hid behind trees and defensive structures, fearing divine punishment.
Delaria, on the other hand, was clearly aware so that she was being warned about her choice of more affectionate and censorious language toward Thanatos.
— Sorry, Niks, — she mumbled into the void, then glanced around at the forty-fifth spatial teleporter. A thought popped into her lazy head to visit Nemesis and her little brother later, — Ha ha ha ha, they're kind of husband and wife, right? I'm obligated to give them some gifts and surprises to celebrate their marriage! Although she might have lied about getting married to get me off her back...