Chapter 60: The Stolen Heart
The Laboratory
The Next Morning
I wake up with a start, screaming:
"Inefficient!"
I sit upright.
"What?"
Felmina is laying on my left and rubs her eyes as she asks.
Roka pulls the covers back over her head:
"Mmmm"
I crawl to the foot of the bed and put my shoes on.
"What is it?"
Felmina is sitting up at the side of the bed now.
I look over it's 06:35.
I usually sleep until 7:00.
Sebastian gets here at 07:30.
"Don't worry, go back to sleep, I'll tell you when I get back."
I walk over and open the bedroom door for some light. I start getting dressed.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to go see if we can all go and see the king today"
I'm dressed by this point.
"Why do you--"
"If you want to continue this conversation, get dressed and come with me. Do you want me to wait?"
She gets up, I hear Roka's snoring.
"Gimme a sec."
I leave the door open so some light bleeds into the bedroom. I head to the kitchen and start making coffee.
On the way over.
It's hot. As Felmina and I leave:
"Dearest Husband, why are we going to see the king, is something wrong?"
I lock the door and start talking as I turn and walk.
"Yes and no, I want to go home..."
I sigh.
" It's just staying here for another month, and having 3 weddings a week apart, sounds like a hassle..."
She's walking with her hands behind her back as she catches up. She looks up at me.
"And so?"
I raise my finger.
"So as repayment for helping with the war and so forth, I'm going to ask the king for two favors."
I put my hand down and look over to her.
"First, I need someone to bankroll the Kaijuu Tardigrade Bears, from base construction to payroll to equipment and training..."
"And the second?"
"I want to have all 3 weddings on the same day."
"Don't weddings take forever to plan, how will you---"
"I don't know, that's why I want something special done for the 3 of you. Something that's never done before."
She grabs her cheeks then jumps and hugs me hanging from my neck, we stop for a bit the continue.
We arrive and set up a meeting with the king for later that afternoon at 15:30. We head back.
It's time.
Roka, Felmina, Milly and I are waiting outside the door. The red light is still on. I asked for about 40 minutes of the king's time. I feel the switch to Milly's collar in my pocket.
I take it out.
Milly looks over. I get up and stand in front of her.
I hand it to her.
She looks at it then up at me.
"Try pressing the button."
She does. She can tell nothing happened. I continue:
"And here's the best part."
I walk about 5 meters away. The switch disappears from her hand.
I walk over again.
She looks surprised/confused as she looks up at me. I take it out of my pocket again.
"It's because I'm the registered owner of the device."
She looks down. I lean over and lift her face up by her chin. Our eyes meet.
"As you can tell, I can't lose it even if I tried. So..."
I let go and stand up.
I press the button twice, wait 2 beats then press the button 3 times. I then place it on the empty seat next to her. The button blinks red twice then turns blue.
"Pick it up."
I gesture to her.
She picks it up. the button turns green then the light fades.
"Congratulations you're the new owner"
I can basically see the question marks forming.
I take the remote from her and throw it down the hall.
"Check your pocket."
She does. and takes it out again:
"But why?"
Her voice is really soft.
"Because Milly, trust is earned. I hope this does to some extent. While I still control your ability we cannot form trust between us. I told you the choice will always remain yours."
She looks down again as I take a seat next to her. She clenches the remote, her fist is shaking.
"Thank you."
"Also you're fired."
She looks at me, surprise fills her face for a second after a beat I can see the tears form at the corner of her eyes.
"Ryu"
She smiles a brilliant smile then gets up and hugs me.
A few minutes later about 15:50 the light goes off and the door opens, ministers pour out and past us down the hallway.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, the emperor will see you now."
It's Loyd.
We head inside and take a seat. The layout is different, no wait they made this place bigger.
It now has a long table. It can seat about 24, 2 on each end and 10 down the length.
We take a seat with me in the middle, kind of...
Milly and Felmina on my left Roka on my right.
king Raymond takes a seat directly opposite me.
"King Raymond, Let me start by saying thank you for meeting with us."
"You're not used to it either are you Lord Kaijuu."
Huh!
Oh that's what he means.
"Excuse me, emperor Raymond."
He laughs.
"What can I do for you, It's just us so please speak freely."
"Thank you. I want to settle up. So I want to see if it's possible to grant 2 requests I have."
"I see."
He gestures with his open palm for me to continue.
"Please continue."
"Firstly I'd like for the kin-- I mean empire to bankroll the Kaijuu Tardigrade Bears."
I slide over the list of requirements and prices I had Sebastian draw up.
It covers everything from construction, payroll running costs.
He takes it and starts reading, I continue:
"In return I'll leave the Kaijuu bears in your service here in the capital, you can train as many as you may need. However if any of those wish to join the Tardigrades they may take the test."
He finishes scanning the document and looks up like he was expecting it.
"This is do-able. And the other request?"
"I want to have 3 weddings in the span of a day, I'd like you to pay and help my wives and Fiancé arrange it. I'd also like you to sponsor the honeymoon, If you can get me a list of locations."
The king closes his eyes and crosses his fingers in front of his face.
Then he opens it.
"The honeymoon options and cost as well as the cost of the weddings are not a problem considering, however..."
He loosens his hands and puts them on the table then looks right at me as he continues:
"I assume you want something special for the ceremonies."
"""We do"""
All 3 of them answer. I look to my left then my right, then back at him.
"I do."
"Then there's only one choice.... Diva Divine."
He raises his finger as he says this.
"Diva Divine?"
"Yes, however she doesn't do it for the money. I just so happen to have it on good authority that if you can help her out with her latest problem, she should be able to plan and execute a successful ceremony. You can find her in the commercial district, I'll ask Loyd to bring you the address later."
"Who is she?"
"You'll see, also it's a he. All I'll say is he/she's the best. I also have one more condition before I approve the budget for the wedding."
I lean a bit forward as he continues:
"I want you to call me father."
I'm stunned silent.
I don't move for a while...
...
Roka starts shaking me from the side. It snaps me back.
"F-fine, I agree... F-father"
It feels embarrassing but I push through. Roka and Felmina make O faces and does small claps in front of their mouths.
That makes it even worse.
I settle down a bit, then look at him.
He's smiling.
Diva Divine's Private collection room
He/She's pointing to an empty display case:
"As you can see Lord Kaijuu, my heart has been stolen, and I want it back."
She takes out a what looks like a business card.
I take it and read it.
'Regards - The Fox Beetle'
It had the picture of a fox with beetle legs for ears.
She continues:
"He's responsible. The second you bring back my necklace I'll start planning you weddings."