Purple hair could be seen ruffling in the air as its owner aimed her sword at a sliver haired muscular guy who was clad in a black armor.
Everything about the armor was obsidian black, the difference being a red emblem on the chest. The emblem was a snake, twisted to make something that resembled a number six.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
If one could observe the fight well, he could tell how too much of a novice the silver haired guy was at the sword compared to the purple haired beauty. Not totally unskilled, but not also a pro. It was as if the purple haired beauty was teaching him.
Soon, two parallel grooves appeared on the ground as the silver haired guy managed to push the beauty after she deflected his blow.
This blow had been aiming at her chest. When she placed her sword in front of her to block the guy's sword, the guy exploited the opportunity and continued pressing his sword on hers, pushing her backwards.
***
There was a reason why Peony had once drawn herself wielding a sword. She was a good... swordsman? woman?
'Whatever!'
All Byron cared about was that ever since he started training with her, he had finally managed to get a chance to defeat her in a duel.
The reason why he was pushing so hard so she could maybe fall or something. It would be good and comforting. He wanted something to make him forget about training for a month with her, without ever scratching her skin. It was so humiliating.
Peony was panting, her feet digging furrows in the dry soil but unwilling to give up.
'Well, why should I depend only on a sword?'
Byron had been a fighter even at earth. Now that he had trapped her sword, taking her down was not going to be that difficult. He just slid his leg forward and used its feet to push her left leg to the side, widening the interval between her legs.
Unable to keep her footing in that position, she fell backwards, laughing cheerfully as Byron fell on top of her.
"What do you say now?"
He asked staring at her lips with a devilish smile, the thought to kiss slipping into his mind.
"Don't be full of yourself! It's your first time taking me down and you want to make it a big deal?"
"Really? Is it my first? Remember when we were under the waterfall. Wasn't that taking you down?"
"Don't mix things! That's was not a fight."
"You're dumb! What be a fight if that's not a fight? Uh... well! Maybe you're saying that because you don't know how much energy it takes, right?"
"Why do you like it then?"
Byron was brainstorming an answer for that question, an answer to get him to kiss her on that instant, when she whispered, "Someone is watching us!"
Byron knew who it was because there was only one person who often visited them.
"Oh... Gillian, when did you come?" he asked after twirled around.
Gillian seemed a bit startled to be caught peeping, but stood her ground and ignored his question.
"Everyone is ready and the Floating Fleet is about to arrive."
Gillian didn't sound like her usual self. She was a bit... sad?
'Well I should be asking her!'
"Why are you unhappy?"
Byron asked this, his gaze scanning her figure. A month had done miracles on her body. Now, with her height higher and her breasts and butt bigger, she looked like her nickname. Queen Beauty.
Surprisingly, she ignored his question once again.
"It's getting late! The Patriarch said you should not keep everyone waiting."
With that, she was gone.
'Gillian had ignored him?'
'Really?!'
Though Byron had told him she should never talk to him with formalities, he could not understand why on earth Gillian would show such behavior.
'What's bothering her?'
'Well, don't stress yourself! You should ask her unless if you have something you feel guilty about.'
Byron didn't have anything he felt guilty about. The reason he ignored the incident and turned to face Peony so he could...
"What's up with that look?"
The look on her face was mischievous. Coupled with a suspicious smile, Byron could not help but ask what was going on.
"I know why she's behaving that way. I was like that whenever I would see the God of Desires having fun with other girls."
What did she want to mean? That Byron should ran after Gillian and bang her?
'No way!'
"She's too big to be called a minor but she's still young. I can not!"
"I was younger than her when my family offered me to the God of Desires."
"But he didn't do such things with you," Byron retorted.
"He was going to!"
***
After leaving Peony to get ready, it didn't take Byron long to catch up with Gillian.
"Hey! Don't get mad at me! You're still young."
Gillian pretended she didn't know what he meant.
"What do you mean I'm young?"
Byron came to a stop and reached for her hand, pulling her to face him. Then, after listening to her heartbeat that was now as loud as a stormy night, he planted his lips on hers.
"Mmm..."
He then gave her a moment to catch her breath.
"This is what you want, right?"
Reluctantly, she nodded her head, her cheeks changing colour.
"Well, don't get angry at me again. Learn to tell me what you want, okay?"
Byron had witnessed her powers the day his brothers were ganging up on him. That's why he needed to take care of her. He would need those who were powerful near him in the future... not to mention that she was a beauty he had lusted on first. She was hers.
He shared another kiss with, this one a bit prolonged and took a step toward the castle.
"Let's go see others then!"
This was his last day at the castle. He had to go see his team and brief them on the expedition tomorrow. He had spent this month getting used to wielding a sword and wearing an armor, studying Special Abilities and flaws of those he would take with him so it would be easy for him to lead them.
That's not only the reason they waited a month for the expedition.
Being a vessel to the Flaming Realms, Drumline Castle was supposed to report the incident. It was like being a mayor. Once a gold mine is discovered in your district, the central government must know about it unless you want to revolt of course.
Though Byron was not satisfied by the idea, at least it earned him support. Now, he was not going to traverse by foot. They had arranged a Floating Fleet for him.
Another reason was Peony. She was helping in planting the saplings and he could not leave her behind. The Nexus People had said they also needed to prepare for this was nothing they had been expecting, extending the expedition time to a month.
Now, both sides were done preparing and all was left was setting out.
Anyone who could analyse this would say that Byron was trying to help his castle, when he was trying to see if he could meet another Venomous Beauty. He wanted to grow more stronger before the Flaming Bethrotal Contest round 2 would start. He wanted to win it.
Uh... well, being a leader is better than being a vessel, right?
However, however much he told himself that things were going to be OK, something kept frightening him.
What if he was going to meet a Venomous Beauty, this time so strong and evil?
Would he be able to...
'Of course I'll. I'll tame all of them!'