Val drifted into a dream he hadn't had in a long time: a memory of him and his father fishing by the lake, enjoying a rare, peaceful moment. The sun was warm, the water calm, and they were having a grand old time, or so it seemed.
Then, out of the blue, his father said, "Valdris, remember what I told you about crazy women?"
Val raised an eyebrow, confused. "Don't put your dick in crazy. Why are you bringing this up, father?"
His father chuckled nervously. "Just making sure you remember. That's all."
An awkward silence settled between them, stretching far longer than comfortable, before his father finally broke it. "Well, there's something I need to tell you… you know, just in case the worst happens."
Val stared at him, puzzled. "The worst? What, like you dying?"
His father laughed, though it was more forced than usual. "If dying were the worst, life would be pretty smooth sailing, don't you think?"
Val's curiosity piqued, and he asked, "Then what are you talking about, father?"
His father's tone shifted, becoming oddly serious. "You know… your younger sister, Seraphis. She's… well, she's unique, isn't she?"
Val scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Who in this damned family isn't a basket case?"
His father barked out a laugh. "You've got that right! We've got a bunch of weirdos in the Mournveil family, that's for sure!"
Val was getting impatient now. "So what's the deal with Sera? What's the worst-case scenario?"
His father cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable. "Well… remember what I asked you earlier?"
"Don't put your dick in crazy," Val replied dryly. "Yes, we've covered that, father. Now what?"
There was a long pause. "Many things, son. There are a lot of things I want to tell you, but you're not ready for all of them yet."
Val groaned in frustration. "How long are you going to circle around this? Just get to the point."
His father sighed. "Alright, alright… it's just—when it comes to Seraphis… she's shown some, um… behavior. Dangerous behavior. That may—or may not—include romantic interest… in you."
Val froze, staring at his father, his mind going blank. "Yeah. This place is a madhouse," he thought. "I don't know what's worse—father implying that Sera's into incest, or that it might actually be true."
His father pressed on. "Son…"
Val sighed. "What is it, father?"
"I don't care if it's a matter of producing an heir, Valdris. For the love of Fortuna, do not— and I mean do not—ever cross that line with your sisters! No matter how hot they turn out to be, don't! You hear me, son?! Cross any other line you want, but not that one! Even if a god commands it, you do not act on that!"
Val snapped. "Alright! I get it! You don't have to shout at me! You're scaring all the fish away! Just shut the hell up!"
His father relaxed, smiling awkwardly. "Good! I mean… good. Now let's just catch some fish, yeah?"
Val sighed again, rolling his eyes. "Sure, father. Let's."
A few moments passed in relative peace, until his father suddenly blurted out, "Just remember, son… there are plenty of fish in the sea. And plenty of seas, too. So don't limit yourself to just one, alright?"
Val threw down his fishing rod, packing up his things. "You've ruined it. I'm going home."
His father called after him in desperation. "Don't leave, son! I've barely caught any! And please—please—don't tell your mother about this conversation!"
Val ignored him, walking away as the word "please" echoed through his mind, until he woke up from, what he admitted to himself, was a mediocre dream at best.
This time, no one had made an early morning visit, which Val welcomed. He thought, "Well, at least I've got the morning to myse—" but just as he was about to enjoy that rare moment of peace, the door swung open.
Selene entered with a purpose, her usual composed demeanor intact. "Good morning, my lord. I have a message that requires your immediate attention."
Val sighed internally. "Do you have some kind of tracking spell on me? Do you wake up at the crack of dawn just so you can burst in the second I'm conscious?" His mind raced with wild thoughts, but outwardly, he kept his cool.
He asked calmly, "What is it?"
Selene, ever efficient, delivered her news: "While the collaboration with the Witch Collective has been established, another faction has expressed interest in meeting with us."
"Not because of the hero candidates?" Val raised an eyebrow.
"No, my lord. This time, they've come specifically to meet you."
Val's bad feeling only grew worse. "Who would want to meet me?" he thought. "Oh, wait… I'm the all-powerful ruler of Netharis, supposedly. Of course, someone would want to meet me." But his gut told him this wasn't going to be good.
"And who is this person?" he asked, almost dreading the answer.
Selene hesitated for a brief second. "It's the Mechanist, my lord. They've come."
"The Mechanist?" Val's mind searched for context. Then, it hit him. "Oh right… The one with the flying fortress. The engineer that every other engineer looks up to. But... wait… Mechanist…" Alarms started ringing in his head. "Oh no. Please tell me it's not…"
"Of course, it's going to be Sera!" his mind screamed. "This is definitely her. The cliche dream. It all lines up."
Trying to hide his dread, Val asked, "And this Mechanist... What's their name?"
Selene shook her head. "We... don't know."
Val's alarm bells got louder. "ALARM! ALARM! It's definitely her!" He stayed silent for a moment, his mind going blank, trying to process his next move. Then, it hit him. "Wait… did Lucylia know this whole time?"
He instructed Selene, "Summon Lucylia. I need to ask her something."
"As you wish, my lord," Selene bowed slightly and exited promptly.
Val straightened up, his voice commanding as he called out, "Nyxis."
Within an instant, Nyxis appeared from the shadows, bowing respectfully. "What is it, my lord?"
Val didn't waste any time. "Go and investigate this Mechanist. I want a full report—what they look like, their motives, and anything else you can dig up. And... if you manage to impress me, I might consider raising your paycheck, just a bit."
Nyxis' lips twitched slightly, almost a smirk, but they bowed once more. "It shall be done, my lord."
And with a flicker, they vanished, leaving Val to contemplate what he had just set in motion.
With a deep sigh, Val leaned back in his bed. "If it's really Sera, we're about to have some serious issues."
Later, Val found himself sipping tea in the garden with Lucylia. Her presence, calm yet filled with an air of authority, made Val think, "Right, time to find out if big sis has been hiding anything."
"So…" Val began, "is there anything you'd like to tell me, big sister?"
Lucylia's gaze sharpened slightly. "Such an aura... is he testing me?"
"I'm not sure there is," she said cautiously.
Val let out a deliberate "hmmm," trying to maintain the upper hand. "Shit! I can't just outright ask if Sera is the Mechanist! I need to sound like I'm on top of things."
He leaned forward, giving Lucylia a knowing look. "You do know it's useless to hide things from me."
Lucylia took that as a direct challenge. She stammered for a moment. "I… Yes. I understand. There is one thing I've been meaning to tell you."
"Finally! Progress!" Val thought.
"I… I have a picture collection of you from when you were little," Lucylia admitted.
Val blinked. "What?"
His inner monologue screamed, "WHAT?! That's what you wanted to tell me?!" But outwardly, he simply closed his eyes, contemplating the absurdity of his life. "Of course she does. This is the Mournveil family we're talking about."
After a long, calculated pause, he said, "I see."
"And... since Sera is now here to see you, I must say, you should never be alone with her."
Val's mind raced. "I mean, yeah, I wasn't going to risk it, but okay, good advice nonetheless."
Lucylia continued, her voice a little darker. "Or rather, don't ever go anywhere she's the master of."
Val nodded. "Her contraptions are still troublesome, I take it."
"Troublesome doesn't cover it," Lucylia warned. "I'm more concerned about her obsession with you."
Val's mind screamed, "AS IF YOU'RE NOT OBSESSED TOO!"
Remaining calm, Val asked, "So the reason she's still alive... it's because of her engineering genius?"
Lucylia nodded. "Yes. She transferred her consciousness into what she calls the 'Central Matrix Hub,' or CMH. It's kept her alive for 2000 years, and from there, she's been building her Synthetic-Lifeforms. You know this, of course."
"Yeah, no, I totally forgot," Val thought to himself. "But still, pretty cool." Out loud, he said, "Of course I knew."
Then Lucylia dropped another name. "And there's Angelica."
Val felt a twinge of warmth. "Ah, Angelica. The only sane one in the family, relatively speaking."
"What about her?" he asked.
Lucylia's voice dropped, clearly revering Angelica's status. "She's a living god now, as you know. Became a pope, all in search of you."
Val's stomach dropped. "Great. Another sister to deal with."
Lucylia continued, "Since the spell you cast has vanished, she'll undoubtedly be sending representatives from the Holy Empire here soon. You've prepared for this, haven't you, Val?"
Val thought, "Shit."
But he said, "Of course. Everything is within my calculations."
Lucylia smiled. "You're always thinking ahead. That's why you're the most powerful mortal, Valdris."
Val nodded, trying to keep up the façade, but inside, he was thinking, "So… does that make me a living god? I can't even remember if I was classified as one."
He tried to play it cool. "In all your time as the Grand Hex Mother, what did you conclude when you realized I was still alive?"
Lucylia's expression softened into admiration. "I never doubted for a second, Val. I always knew you'd live forever."
"What?!" Val's mind screamed. "You're so obsessed with me that you never even thought I might die?!"
He sighed out loud, causing Lucylia to flinch. "This family…" he thought, taking another sip of his tea, already mentally preparing for whatever chaos was coming next.
Val took another sip of his tea, his mind wandering toward an odd realization about the World Church. "The World Church… hasn't made any official statement about siblings marrying… like, ever…" The thought lingered, unsettling him.
He took a deep breath, and Lucy immediately noticed the shift in his demeanor. Her violet eyes narrowed with concern. "Wha... What's wrong, Val? Surely you aren't that disappointed in your big sister… right? Right?!"
Val, trying to ease her concerns, responded, "No… it's not that. Just... a worrisome thought crossed my mind."
Lucy, sensing his unease and eager to please, leaned in slightly. "You know, you can talk to your big sis about anything, anytime. Just say the word, and I'll listen."
Val leaned back, rubbing his forehead, then asked "The… The World Church hasn't made any comments on blood-related siblings marrying, or have I missed something?"
Lucy was silent for a moment, which only deepened Val's growing sense of dread. "No... Don't tell me. A sane god would not allow something like that to happen. A sane god..."
Lucy finally spoke, her voice calm but the weight of her words crushing Val's hopes. "Blood-related siblings may marry in the eyes of the church. That decree was made... around 1500 years ago."
Val couldn't help but lean further back in his chair, massaging his temples. Without thinking, he muttered, "Please tell me that Ange wasn't the one who made it possible."
Lucy's silence spoke louder than any words. Val's thoughts spiraled as he screamed internally, "The goddamned Mournveil family and its antics!!!"
He sighed, trying to regain some composure. "It seems my plan to distance myself from this family has failed... spectacularly."
Lucy, sensing her brother's frustration, tried to offer some comfort. "No, Val! You did great! It's just that those two are... well, the most unusual of our family."
Val's mind raced. "A couple of minutes ago, I thought Ange was one of the saner ones. Clearly, I was wrong. Horribly, not-even-funny wrong."
Val then asked, cautiously, "You haven't... opposed Sera's or Ange's antics, have you?"
Lucy quickly responded, "Of course I have! But you know how powerful those two are within our family. They have so much leeway when it comes to politics!"
Val raised an eyebrow. "But you are THE Grand Hex Mother of the Veil, aren't you?"
Lucy averted her gaze for a moment before admitting, "That may be true, but the World Church still doesn't acknowledge the Witch Collective's existence."
Val screamed internally again, "And HOW long have you been their leader?! You haven't done ANYTHING about it?!"
His voice, however, remained calm as he said, "You disappoint me, Lucylia."
Tears welled up in Lucy's eyes as she stammered, "I've... I've tried my best! Big sister has done her best! I'm the best witch across the land, but... but they won't take me seriously! They just dismiss us, calling the Witch Collective a 'girls' club,' and tell me to 'grow up!'"
Val took a moment to process this. "Actually... that might explain why she's so bad at politics. Maybe I shouldn't have been so harsh."
Clearing his throat, Val spoke more gently. "Be that as it may, as an older sister, you should've ensured Sera and Ange didn't stray down such a wrong path."
Lucy pouted, her voice tinged with hurt. "Like you're one to talk. You abandoned us... you couldn't handle the love we had for you."
Val felt a pang of guilt but kept his expression neutral. Those words hit him like an arrow, though he didn't let it show. His reply was measured but firm. "You question my dedication?"
The air around him grew heavy with authority, and Lucy, suddenly sensing the shift, panicked. "S-Sorry! Big sis went too far... I didn't mean to... Please forgive me."
"Well, this conversation is going... somewhere, I guess," Val thought to himself, feeling the awkward tension finally shift.
With a sigh, Val said, "You're forgiven."
At that moment, Nyxis flickered into the gazebo and bowed. "My lord, we have a situation."
Val frowned. "What is it?"
"Our operative investigating the Mechanist has been captured. What are your orders?"
Val's internal alarm rang as his thoughts tumbled. "Of course, they got caught! Why is my luck always this rotten?! Gods, why?!"
Lucy, sensing Val's frustration, offered her advice. "I think it's time we go, Val."
In a rare moment of relief, Val said, "You may accompany me this time." "For once, I'm actually glad she's here," he thought with a faint smirk.
Together, they prepared to head for the flying ship where Sera and the captive operative awaited.
Val and Lucy, now inside the vessel, were taking in the architecture. The interior was a striking blend of steampunk aesthetics with futuristic elements, giving the entire ship a strange, yet captivating, atmosphere.
As they walked, they could overhear the crew murmuring, "Yo, that's the Valdris." "OMG, that's the real deal." "Think we'll see something not in the game?" "Nah, it's probably a private chat." "Ah hell nah, I'm staying. Gotta see what kind of rizz Valdris has outside of Netharis." "Dude, you're asking to get killed."
Lucy muttered to Val, "They certainly have their own peculiar way of speaking, don't they?"
"Indeed," Val responded, all while fully understanding that these were the so-called hero candidates—players from the game.
He thought, "How much does Sera know? I'm sure she has the tools to scry the souls of these hero candidates, but would she really go that far?"
They entered the meeting room, where a puppet resembling a younger version of Sera stood gazing out the window, seemingly awaiting their arrival.
Lucy greeted, "Long time no see, sister."
Without turning around, Sera responded, "Ah, big sister Lucy. I see you've already made contact with our dear brother."
"Of course," Lucy replied, "As the eldest, it's only fitting. And how are you feeling now that he's in the same room as us? Excited?"
Sera's body twitched oddly for a moment before she finally turned to face Val, locking eyes with him. She began panting, her eyes wide with adoration. "Ah yes, brother. My dear, beloved big brother. How I've missed you. Have you finally come to embrace the love we share?"
Val's thoughts screamed, "Aw hell nah!" but he maintained composure and said, "It's a pleasure to see you too, Seraphis. I see you've taken quite an interest in mechanics during our time apart."
"Oh, naturally," Sera replied. "It's how I managed to survive long enough for you to realize our destined love. Speaking of which… there's the matter of inheritance that we must discuss."
Val's expression darkened. "No, Seraphis. We will not be having children together."
Her smile faltered for a brief moment, but she quickly recovered. "Oh, don't be concerned about that, brother. Ange and I figured it out ages ago. As long as sex and marriage aren't for procreation, anything goes. And now that I no longer have eggs, we can do whatever we like without worrying about offspring."
Abort! Abort mission! Val's mind raced. "She's completely lost it! Get the operative and get the hell out of here!"
In a calm yet firm voice, Val said, "Seraphis, return my operative and leave Netharion. These are my demands—otherwise, conflict is inevitable."
Both Lucy and Sera were caught off guard by his tone. Sera, however, still pressed on. "But big brother, I've made sure these bodies feel as real as possible. I've tested it extensively with others, though obviously not with my own senses—those are reserved for you. This one hasn't been used yet, but I guarantee it'll be a wonderful experience."
Val's internal monologue was a torrent of disbelief. "She thought recreating herself to look like her younger self was a good idea while also wanting to have sex with me. I've seen some shit in my life, but this… by the love of the arcane, this might take the cake."
Lucy intervened. "Sera, as the eldest sister, I cannot let you step further into this immorality. Return Val's operative and spare us all from this madness."
Val silently celebrated. "By the arcane, I don't even have to say anything."
Sera pouted. "That rat thought they could sneak around unnoticed. If you want them back, you'll have to give me what I want."
Val's hopes plummeted. "Damn it, it's not working."
Lucy spoke again, her voice firm. "While your love for Val may be... more unique than ours, it doesn't give you the right to cross lines we've never dared approach."
Val's internal alarm blared. "Emergency! Emergency! Even Lucy is halfway to accepting incest! Evacuate immediately!"
Without hesitation, Val turned to leave.
"Where are you going, big brother? You haven't even touched me yet," Sera called after him.
Val screams internally "Yet! YET! You think that there is a way in hell I would stoop into that incestuous trap of yours?! You might be my little sister, but GO FUCK YOURSELF!"
Val responded, trying to sound as intimidating as possible, "If you continue down this foolish path, consider this ship and everyone on it forfeit."
Lucy interjected, "But what about the operative?"
Val, still walking away, replied, "I was willing to go far for someone who risked their life for me, but if they think I'll stoop to Seraphis' level, they don't deserve to be called my operative."
And with that, Val exited the room, leaving Sera and Lucy behind in stunned silence.
Lucy finally broke the silence, turning to her sister. "Val may be kind, but if you think he'll tolerate your deranged desires, you're sorely mistaken."
Sera snapped, her voice shaking with rage. "Deranged? I am right! Love doesn't care about blood relations, so why shouldn't I give everything to the one I admire most? There's nothing wrong with how I feel! It's you and the rest of the world that twist things! I! Am! Right!"
With a scream of frustration, Sera lunged at Lucy, her rage finally boiling over.
As Sera lunged at Lucy, her body moved faster than Val would have expected from the smaller, doll-like form she currently inhabited. Sera's mechanical limbs whirred with precision, her fist glowing faintly as she aimed for Lucy's face. But Lucy, ever quick on her feet, conjured a shimmering barrier of arcane symbols just in time. The punch landed with a loud crack, but Lucy's barrier held firm.
"Do you really think brute force will win this, Sera?" Lucy asked, her voice calm but her eyes narrowed in concentration.
Sera grinned, her expression wild. "It's not brute force, sister. It's science."
With a flick of her wrist, Sera summoned a series of metal tendrils from her back. They shot forward like snakes, aiming for Lucy's arms and legs to pin her down. Lucy's eyes flashed, and with a wave of her hand, the air around her shimmered with energy. The tendrils met a glowing wall of magic, each strike causing small ripples to radiate from where they collided.
Val, watching from the doorway, was not in the mood to get involved, but he couldn't help but think, "Do I really have to break up a fight between my two insane sisters? Nah, just let them tire out."
Lucy, not wanting to escalate the fight further, held her defensive stance. But Sera's barrage wasn't slowing down; it was getting more aggressive. One of the tendrils snaked through a gap in the arcane shield and grabbed Lucy's ankle, pulling her off-balance.
Lucy winced as she hit the floor, but she wasn't out yet. She muttered a quick incantation, and the ground beneath her sister's puppet form began to glow. Arcane chains shot up from the floor, wrapping around Sera's limbs and torso, pulling her down.
But Sera laughed. "You think your outdated tricks will work on me? This body isn't bound by simple spells anymore!"
She flexed her arms, and with a mechanical whirring, the chains shattered like brittle glass. Sera charged again, this time with a blade forming from her arm, aimed directly at Lucy's chest.
Val's patience was wearing thin, and just as he was about to step in, Nyxis flickered into the room, cutting through the tension like a blade. "My lord, I have urgent news," Nyxis said, voice calm but serious.
Lucy and Sera froze mid-action, turning their heads toward Nyxis.
Nyxis bowed slightly, addressing Lucy. "We've retrieved the operative, Lady Lucylia. There's no longer a need for further hostilities."
Lucy, still holding her defensive posture, glanced at her younger sister. Sera's eyes flickered with frustration, and her blade retracted with a mechanical hiss. "You're lucky, Lucy," she spat, venom in her voice. "Next time, I won't be so gentle."
Lucy straightened herself, smoothing her robes. "Consider this a mercy, Seraphis. You'll need to calm your deranged ambitions before we have this conversation again."
Sera's fists clenched, but the fight was clearly over for now. Nyxis stood at attention, watching for any sudden moves from Sera. "We shall leave you to your... experiments," Lucy said, turning to exit. Val followed, giving Sera one last warning glance before he walked out.
The door closed behind them, leaving Sera seething, her fists shaking as she stood alone. "One day, big brother," she muttered. "One day, you'll understand."
Val sighed inwardly as the group left the meeting with Seraphis. "I'm glad this shit is over, but..." his thoughts trailed, the tension still in his chest.
Lucy's soft voice broke his contemplation. "How are we going to deal with Sera in the future, Val?"
Inside his head, Val screamed: "Like hell I know! You tell me!" But on the outside, he kept his composure and said calmly, "We have the power to suppress her. Why don't we let her... play around and... find out."
Val's internal voice erupted again: "What the hell are you saying, Valdris? Giving Sera leeway to 'play around' is like handing her the keys to set the world on fire! Why don't you just say no for once?!"
The next day, Val found himself sitting in the dining hall, in what felt like a fever dream. Sera was sitting beside him, smiling sweetly, feeding him with surprising gentleness. Her presence made the tension in the room palpable.
Lucy sat across from them, muttering under her breath, "Why isn't it me who is feeding Val?" Her voice was barely audible, but Val heard it clear as day. "Please don't start another war over who gets to baby me," Val groaned inwardly.
To make matters worse, the rest of the vassals were present as well, some of them glaring daggers at Sera. Val could feel their eyes burning into him, as though waiting for some divine intervention to free him from this awkward ordeal.
Then there were the ancient dragons, sitting nearby, their immense presence making this bizarre scene feel like some surreal family dinner from hell. Kaezrith and Aeloria exchanged looks of mild amusement, clearly unbothered by the chaos brewing around them.
"How the hell did it end up this way?" Val thought, his mind spinning. Just yesterday, he had managed to avoid a confrontation, but here he was—trapped in a whirlwind of family dysfunction, being force-fed by one obsessed sister while the other sulked. It was like walking on a tightrope, except the rope was on fire and Val was juggling a set of live explosives.
With every bite, Val could feel his sanity slipping just a little bit further. "If I survive this meal, I might need to declare a week-long vacation in some remote corner of Netharis... alone," he mused bitterly.
And thus, the twisted family dinner continued, with Val at the center of the storm, pretending everything was perfectly fine while chaos loomed ever closer.