[77] What, You Think You're Some Kind of Emperor?

Chapter 77: What, You Think You're Some Kind of Emperor?

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"You're up?"

In Mem-Cho's bedroom in this hotel skyscraper, a warm and cozy atmosphere embraced her as she woke up. The walls on the side were made of glass, offering a breathtaking view of the morning sunlight that shone down on the metropolis outside. Light streamed in through the windows, and gentle sunshine flooded the room with its warmth. Mem slowly woke up, wiggling in my arms.

"Mhm, yeah," she wiggled and turned to face me. Her eyes locked with mine for a bit before she lowered her head into my chest. "I'm up… it wasn't a dream."

Did she almost think it was a dream? That was adorable. I ran a hand through her hair and snickered. "That's why I didn't sleep. I also thought it was a dream, and it was one that I didn't want to wake up from. So I stayed awake while staring at you."

"...." she looked up without moving her head. "Liar." She bit down on my chest as I pretended to wince. "Stop lying to me. You lied enough last night to get in my pants."

"Why would I lie~? I really was staring at your face all night long… well, you only got two hours of sleep, we were up for most of the night." I didn't feel like sleeping at that point so I rather spent my time staring at her face - though unlike the romantic highlight, I was making it out to be, I was doing that to contemplate how I should convince her of my stupid plan.

Mem-Cho hid her face against my chest, but I could see her smile. She didn't argue or call me a liar again, she put her arms around me.

"Are you hungry?" I asked.

"A little… I want your lips." She said and gosh did I begin to feel guilty. I leaned in and caught her lips, melting my tongue inside her mouth. She closed her eyes and began to suck on my tongue.

The kiss ended with a plop and Memmy blushed at me. "How are you so good at this? How many people have you kissed, Aqua?"

I just smiled at that, she wouldn't like the answer. I tried to get up from the bed. She reluctantly let go of my body as I got off and grabbed some snacks from the plastic bag from last night. There were… KitKats in there, I grabbed a few and handed it over to her.

"So…" she accepted and began to unwrap the packets. She broke the four bars into two parts, reaching out one for me. I took it and she smiled, putting a bar inside her mouth. "We are like girlfriend-boyfriend now? Can I give you a cute nickname?"

How does this girl keep making me feel more and more guilty? I rarely felt this way. I let out a dry chuckle as I looked to the side, avoiding her eyes for a moment. It was brief but she noticed it. She might have just brushed it off, but when my smile vanished and I looked back at her, she was looking back at me with a frown.

"What?"

"You can call me anything you want. My name, some nickname, whatever you wish. But uh, we can't be girlfriend-boyfriend." 

"...."

When I began to start talking, her frown began to lessen. She even smiled. But by the time I finished talking, she was staring at me with a blank face. Her sweet smile was gone. 

"I see. I understand."

I saw her expressionless reaction and felt a pang of pain run through my heart. "Let me explain?"

"You don't need to. I understand," she got up and began to get dressed. "I'm sorry, I got the wrong idea. You were drunk, I understand why you might tell some weird lies in that state. The fault is mine that I believed them."

A silence fell in the room as she began to dress up with her back turned to me. She put her clothes bath on while I stood in silence. Moments later, silent sniffs filled the room as she began to wear her shirt. She was crying. I felt sour.

"Can you leave me alone for a bit?" she asked but I answered another question that she asked earlier.

"About a few million. That's the number I shared a kiss with." I said. However, most of that number was from planetary orgies. "Though I had feelings for only 0.1% of them. And no, I am not trying to make you laugh right now. I am telling the truth."

Mem-Cho turned to me. Her teary eyes locked with mine as she tilted her head in confusion. "..."

"I am saying I'm old," I told her. "Very. A single lover doesn't work for me for many reasons. One of the main reasons is that a single partner cannot bear my presence – because frankly, it's too much." It just so happens that I do like multiple lovers by default, but the reason I spoke of was not a lie. A little girl like Mem-Cho would not be able to become my partner ever, at least not by herself. "Sorry if I sound freaky."

"So you really are old," she stared at me, which seemed to be the most intriguing part to her. She had asked that a few times before—if I was really 15. Her suspicion was proven now. "How many people know about this?"

"Just Ruby, my sister. You met her right? But I doubt even she understands exactly how old I am. But you should have a better idea since I mentioned a million women by number." A million kisses take time.

"What about Tsubasa? Does she know?" She asked about Tsubasa for some reason and I shook my head. "Good. That calms me down a little. It shows at least you care a little bit if you're telling me something so exclusive about yourself. Old man."

I laughed a little as she smiled, still not looking very happy. But at least she was not crying. She walked around and sat down on the edge of the bed, facing me.

"Immortal Venerable Over Heavens. That name you told Quku. Is that you…?" She asked and I nodded. "Hah. I was worried last night that I slept with a child, now I'm worried that I slept with a pedo."

I could only shrug at that. I had nothing to defend myself with, the age gap really was just too insane. 

"Whatever. Who are you going to choose as your girlfriend, then?" Mem-Cho cut to the chase. For a second I doubted if she understood the weight of the information I dropped on her, that I was thousands of years old, but maybe she just didn't care. She was talking to Aqua right now, not the Venerable Immortal. And she wanted to know who my girlfriend would be.

"Most likely Akane," I told her and she frowned.

"Why? I'd think you'd go after Mai since you aren't going to choose me- ah, I know. Is it because Akane is younger? You pedo."

I laughed and raised my hands in defense, shaking my head. "No. It's… availability, I guess. You're mine, Mem, a part of my sect even if you don't become my girlfriend." I explained and she shot me a glare, making me shrug. "I am giving you the honest answer so don't get mad. Mai is similar to you; she is in the same school as me. She'll always be there for me, available for me to seduce her. But it's different with Akane. If she doesn't become my girlfriend, I have no other connection with her that'd allow me a second chance to seduce her."

"You're insane."

"I just want all three of you. I fancy you three girls. I fancy you the most, of course, my sweetest Mem. Just saying-" She threw her phone at me and I quickly caught it. If I were to dodge it and her phone broke, she would have definitely gotten mad. "Look, I am not lying. I wouldn't have told you all this if I was a liar. I do want you to be my lover, just not as a public 'girlfriend' since society wouldn't allow me more than one. So I'm making a calculated choice."

"Doesn't change the fact that you're still a prick. What, you think you're some kind of Emperor who can have a thousand wives?"

"Erm…"

"..." She stared at me. "Wait, really? Hah. Well, you probably were a thousand years old, so it makes sense that you probably ruled a few Empires… Fuck, I hate this."

I rubbed the back of my head. "You don't have to like it. You can hate it. You can hate me too. You can say you don't wanna be with me after learning I am the kind of person who'll never be satisfied with you alone. Just know that I will make you mine even if you resist. It will take time but… I like you, so you're already mine."

Mem-Cho glared at me even as she blushed, I could see a trace of smile that she suppressed. "I don't think I'll be able to resist for a thousand years if 'Mr Immortal' keeps trying to seduce me for that long, so no, no thanks. I am fine to just… give in and enjoy being the first girl who knows your real age."

"Oh."

Oddly enough, she looked relaxed to learn I am old. Meaning I am not mortal. I did bring her into my sect by manipulating her with the information that everyone around her will die while she continues living, since she was a devil. Perhaps she felt relieved to know that I was an immortal as well. Mem-Cho was more mature than she showed in front of the camera.

She got up and walked over to me. "On that topic, exactly how old are you? I need the exact number if I am going to claim I am the girl who knows your age. Tell me."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

I wonder which one I should tell her. Just the total years of my 9th life or all of my lives combined?

Then again, it didn't really matter. I'll just tell her the whole thing. 

"It's…" I parted my lips and spoke in a clear voice. Her blue eyes fluttered as she heard the number, and she gave me a stupid look.

I suppose she only expected 4 digits, so a whopping 7 digits was startling to her. At least, the higher the digits went, the less comprehensible for her. So she shouldn't really understand just how old I am and would treat me just the usual.

* * *

We freshened up, and though I wanted to shower with Mem-Cho, she shoved me out of her room to go shower on my own. Naturally, she was still mad about all this, even if it was mostly calm now.

After cleaning up, we were notified in the group chat to come to the top floor where breakfast was served. I went out, meeting the other kids in front of the elevator, and we exchanged greetings and waited.

Once we were on the top floor, right below the roof, a large exquisite restaurant stood before us. I blinked as I located a familiar figure in the distance, uncaring about her health as she ate steak for breakfast.

"Hey, isn't that Quku?!" Mem pointed at the blonde head in the distance who looked up from her food and waved at us, with her mouth full.

Mem and I separated from the other kids and walked over to her. The kids found their table while Mem-Cho and I reached the Chief Goddess.

"Here," the woman looked at me and said as she pointed at the food beside her. "You wanted a meal. Here you go. My treat."

"No. I'm pretty sure I said dinner, not breakfast. Try again next time." I crossed my arms and rejected her, making her let out a soft grumble.

"Annoying child. Do you not fear me? I'll break your bones."

I'd usually say 'You can try,' but I knew for sure that this woman would try if I said that. Stupid woman. I just stayed silent, staring at her which made her shrug.

"Fine. Dinner it is. Go away now, let me eat in peace if you're not going to join me." She said and I nodded, walking away.

Mem-Cho stood there with her head tilted in confusion. "Huh. Did something happen between the two of you?"

"It was a misunderstanding, kind of," Quku said as she poured a plate's contents down her throat.

I joined the other kids at their table and tried not to eavesdrop on Quetzalcoatl and Mem-Cho. Men talked with her for a bit more before she waved at the woman and came to join us too. She took the seat on my side, which was nice. She wasn't that mad as to try to avoid me.

On my other side, Mai Senpai sat. "I've been meaning to ask, just what happened yesterday?" she whispered as she fiddled with her phone. Only I caught her words, just as she intended them. "It was related to that woman over there, wasn't it? From the bits of words that my ears caught on. And sorry, I wasn't eavesdropping, it's natural."

"There was a little skirmish between me, her, and an alien squid," I told her. "And a couple of misunderstandings along with it. She attacked me and an old man defended me. Things calmed down after that. Don't worry about it, everything is alright."

"Mhm," Mai Senpai nodded without any other words. "...Keep it low next time."

"Hm?" What did she mean- ah.

Her sensitive ears. 

The hotel walls were thick, but her room was right beside Mem-Cho's. She heard… everything that happened last night.

Ah, shit. 

"Sorry, uh. Did we disturb your sleep?"

"It's fine, I had special earplugs for these kinds of situations. I just put them on when I realized you guys didn't plan to stop for the entire night."

"Yeah…" At least that meant she didn't hear the talk about my age or about the reasons why I would choose Akane and not her. I hoped. 

No, she mustn't have heard any of that — she'd have mentioned it if she heard it, especially about my age. That is far more important than knowing I fucked Mem's brains out, so I'm safe.

We went silent until the food arrived and we began to eat. Soon, we left for Disneyland.

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