A Café in Sumeru
A regal woman with long, white hair sat elegantly, savoring her afternoon coffee. Across from her sat a handsome man with slightly tanned skin, wearing a peculiar bird-like hat.
"My people have forgotten me."
"It's pretty much the same for me. Now they only recognize the Overlord. Do you still want to challenge him?"
"I'm not sure I can defeat him. And if I can't even beat him, how could I ever stand a chance against the one above?"
"Yu isn't like us. If you provoke him, he'll kill you without hesitation."
"That's exactly what worries me. Will you support me?"
"I would've supported you before, but now that Yu has unified the desert and the forest, and the people are living well, I don't want to see everything ruined."
"Then… did Nabu die in vain?" The Scarlet King slammed his hand on the table, tears involuntarily streaming down his face.
"Let's meet him first," the woman said gently.
The Scarlet King exhaled slowly, calming his emotions. "Fine. Let's see for ourselves the Overlord's might."
---
Upon the Throne
"Overlord, that tickles… please… stop… I… beg you."
Yu grinned mischievously as he released the girl's pale little foot from his grasp. The girl immediately regretted her reaction. She had just rejected what countless girls would dream of.
"Umm… y-you can continue, if you want…"
"Haha, relax, I was just teasing you," Yu said, ruffling her hair.
Just then, a familiar figure entered from outside—a white-haired woman who had witnessed the scene. A voice, unmistakably familiar, called out.
"Yu, you've… grown up?"
Yu's hand instinctively shoved the girl aside. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Still unsure, he gave himself a hard punch. Feeling it wasn't enough, he grabbed a wooden splinter and jabbed his arm. The sharp pain confirmed the truth: My mother is back!
His eyes grew misty, but he remained silent, unsure what to say.
Hand in hand, they gazed at each other with tearful eyes, words unspoken yet hearts connected.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata used her powers to scan Yu briefly.
He's really still just a child… bottling everything up like this, not even knowing how to find joy. He's got the potential to become another Ahmar—no, I can't let that happen. Better a playboy than someone like him.
"Mother, you're back?"
"Yes, I have. It looks like you've been doing a fine job."
"Of course."
"You've done well indeed. The people of the desert don't even remember me anymore," came another voice. The Scarlet King had entered.
Yu froze, his mind racing. He wanted to explain that he was only a temporary caretaker, but now that they were back, it might seem like he'd stolen their home.
"Relax. I'm not here to blame you. Besides, once something is swallowed, it's hard to spit it back out."
Yu sighed in relief. That's good… but why does it feel like he's mocking me?
"You've done well, but after all, that was originally my foundation. It's only fair that I get some compensation."
Yu's mind whirled in panic. This was a delicate situation, and dealing with someone he couldn't simply overpower was truly troublesome.
"Why don't I give you this instead?" Yu said suddenly, shocking everyone present.
Before anyone could react, he thrust his hand into his chest, searching intently. His expression twisted in pain as he grabbed hold of something near his heart. After some effort, he finally pulled out a jade-green object—a Gnosis.
"Got it!" he declared triumphantly, holding the Gnosis in his hand. While it could enhance his power, Yu found it relatively useless. The strength it provided didn't align with his physical training-focused approach, so he didn't mind giving it away.
The Scarlet King stared silently at the Gnosis, his eyes reflecting a mix of emotions—nostalgia, perhaps, and something else. As a former 'son of the sky', who knew what he truly thought of it?
"Forget it. I don't need it right now. Maybe later," the Scarlet King said.
"Seriously? You, a 'tech freak,' don't want something like this?" Yu asked, genuinely surprised.
The Scarlet King wasn't offended by the nickname. He'd been called worse—back in the day.
---
The Next Day
A new decree spread across Sumeru:
The Scarlet King was named Lord of the West, responsible for the desert. The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata was named Queen Mother of the East, overseeing the forest.
Yu had roped the two of them into working for him. Since they had nothing better to do, he figured it was better to give them something to occupy their time. After all, idle hands tended to cause trouble.
Though neither of them objected outright, they couldn't shake the strange feeling of going from sovereigns to subordinates.
Before long, Yu handed over the Gnosis to Rukkhadevata. His decision wasn't out of some noble desire to relinquish power—it was because he had something he'd long wanted to do but had never found the time for.
Little Ei, here I come!
~~~~~
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