138 Chapter 118: The epilogue

「Kibadios sama!!!」The group rushed to the smol incubus the moment he returned to the House of The Horns's main residence, where his harem members were instructed to wait for him. 

「Welcome back, Kibadios sama.」Hayden bowed deeply as he greeted the hybrid, along with Reuk.

「Ryuu chan, what was that about?」Ryan asked the dragonoid, who was walking by their Master.「Where did both you and Master rush to in the middle of the celebration? Were you guys going after Falkor san?」

「We were chasing a spy… a doll created by the Astral.」Ryuu explained, before turning to Kibadios.「Unfortunately, I lost track of her, though.」

「An Astral's spy?」Ren confirmed.「Then that means they have finally located you, Kibadios… sama.」The former prince again almost forgot to add an honorific to his Master's name. 

「Yeah. But that's not the only issue.」

「What do you mean?」

「As it turns out, the doll that was spying on us is Falkor's missing wife, Maryana.」Revealed Ryuu. 

「「「Huh? How can it be?」」」

「... We've read this in the First's journal.」Ren recalled.「The Astral planted their dolls in Esthar, living among the people to subtly manipulate and nudge us to act in the way that the Astrals wish. Many of the dolls are tasked to mingle and insert themselves into the ruling class of kingdoms and nations, but some of them are simply allowed to live normal lives among normal people like us, only to be reawakened into their doll mode if the needs arise. By doing this, the Astrals would have literally eyes and ears everywhere to spy on us.」

「We have read about this a long time ago when we discovered the First's book in the Royal Library… but to us, they seemed to be nothing but fairy tales. But I guess it's all true. 」

「So… Falkor san's wife is one of those dolls?」frowned Maia.「 Was she only pretending to be with him to hide the fact she's a doll? He was desperately worried about her though…」

「...Probably that's not the case, Maia chan. According to what was written in the book, most of the time, the dolls wouldn't even know they're dolls. They merely live their lives as one of us, experience normal emotions as one of us, growing old as one of us. I'm sure the affection that doll had for Falkor san was real…」Yue gently placed her hand on the Alchemist's shoulder.

「But that doesn't matter anymore.」Ryuu pointed out.「Once dolls are being reawakened, they will be nothing but automatons that serve the will of their creators. So for all intents and purposes, Falkor's wife, or rather, the body that possesses her personality and memories, is no more.」

「... That…that's just too cruel.」Maia softly muttered.

「...But how did you know she's a doll, Kibadios sama?」Hayden asked. Part of him probably wished that his Master had made a mistake, though he already knew such a chance was slim.

「Well, they have a… I don't know… "special traces" of the Astral's world lingering around them so it was easy for me to identify one. Though I don't think I can ever describe those "special traces" for you guys to understand. Only those who has stepped foot into the Modun realm can describe it.」

「So, even Ryuu chan cannot tell?」Rowan turned to the dragonoid.

「Nope. I only obey Kibadios sama's command, which was to chase after her.」Ryuu shook his head.

「Then, how do we know if someone we meet is a doll?」Rowan was clearly concerned.

「Well, even though there are dolls living among us, the chance of you ever coming across one is fairly low… and almost nonexistent around this area, since dolls can only be made in the form of a human. Though, you should be more cautious if you're interacting with someone without any familial ties since dolls cannot reproduce.」

「Hmm, I guess among us, I would be suspected  the most for being a doll」Ryan pointed out since he was living in an orphanage for most of his life. 

「Not really since dolls cannot possess the <Seeds of Hero>. So you're safe, Ryan.」Kibadios grinned. 「Just be vigilant, but don't stress out too much about accidently allowing a doll approaching you.」

「So, did you tell Falkor about the revelation about his wife?」Reuk brought up the uncomfortable notion.

「Yeah, I had planned to tell him later, but he was adamant and kinda interrogated me on the spot about the fact that his wife is a doll…」

「Tsk, he was so disrespectful that I almost kicked his ass for raising his voice at Master.」Ryuu pouted.

「Can't blame him, Ryuu chan. After all, that's his wife.」

「What is he going to do about it, then?」Ren asked

「I don't know. He just stayed silent, though I bet he would not simply let her be.」Kibadios shook his head.

「「...」」The group also remained silent for a brief moment, before Yuusei was the first to bring up the events that happened in the Dungeon.「Master hurts? What happened in Dungeon?」

「「「That's right!」」」The group suddenly was now fully reminded that their beloved master now appeared as a smol incubus shota instead of the sexy confident hybrid in his teens.

「Ah, I'm fine, Yuu chan」Answered Kibadios as Yuusei systematically checked his master's head, neck, shoulder, torso, thigh, and feet for any injury.「...I told you I'm fine, you don't have to worry!」

「But what happened? You said you faced an Ennead in the dungeon? How is it possible?」Ryan asked.

「And you have turned into this shota incubus form… is this transformation permanent?」Ren fondly touched Kibadios' soft cheek as if he really enjoyed Kibadios' new form.

「You're such a perv, Ren chan. Why do you want to know if it's permanent? Are you afraid my junior had also shrunk?」The hybrid teased.「Don't worry, Ren chan. I've already checked and my junior here is still at just over 1 maderaka in length. And just like Yuu chan, I will soon being able to control my forms and revert back to how I usually look.」

「「Maderaka?」」The group was confused, not knowing that Kibadios was referencing Benriya Saitou, Isekai ni iku. Among them, only Reuk had understood exactly what Kibadios was referencing, though he chose not to explain. 

「Why you! You're the perverted one! Of course that's not why I was asking!!」Ren angrily denied. 

「You misunderstood, Master.」His sister quickly explained.「Nii chan simply has always had a soft spot for kids so I think he just rather likes how adorable you look right now.」

「Oh, now I see! Is that why he seems to be fond of Yuusei?」Rowan quickly realized that among all of the harem members, Ren has always acted much more tolerably toward the young mutant hybrid.

「... I just can't help it.」Ren pinched the unimpressed Yuusei's cheeks.「Yuu chan is just so cute and innocent…」The former elven prince then leered at Kibadios.「Though his innocence has been totally destroyed by that perverted Master of ours over there.」

「I know how you feel, Ren chan!」It was Maia who now gently hugged the shota formed Yuusei.「But Yuu chan was really glad that our Master … bonded with him.」Maia carefully chose the right word, to which the mutant hybrid simply nodded in agreement.

「Okay okay, but can we get back to the incident in the dungeon?」Ryan reminded the group, who had somehow strayed away from the original topic again.

「Sure!」Kibadios nodded, before allowing his shadow to expand out before he reached down to pull something, or rather, someone out from below the darkness.「Say hello to my temperamental slave, Ayer!」

「Zaeryn! I'll fucking kill you!」Still being chained by Faye's collar, the captured Ennead growled.

「「「Just try it!」」」Even without knowing who the otokonoko was, Kibadios' harem quickly bore their fangs, surrounded the Ennead and resolutely pointed their weapons at him, stopping him from approaching their Master any further.

「Kneel, Ayer」The hybrid commanded「Don't you guys worry. Ayer cannot harm me, no matter how much he wanted to.」Kibadios held the defiant Ennead chin up, letting the trap defiantly look up at him.「Let me tell you what happened in the Dungeon.」

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「Haa….?」The young female attendant failed to utter a single word as she withered away on the crystal floor, struggling to breath.「I… did… as you commanded… I informed Ayer sama of … Zaeryn's location.」

「Indeed. And so, you have served your purpose, Delia. Now that Ayer had fallen into the hands of Zaeryn, there will be no doubt that the other Enneads would investigate this matter. I can't let them know that you were the one who told Ayer where to find the Anathema… or that I was behind all this.」The figure cloaked in white clothes smiled creepingly. 「You have ascended to this timeless realm of Modun and lived as an Astral for almost 1000 years, Delia. Time to rest… permanently.」

「.... Pleaseee…」Delia begged, though the person in front of her was now no longer paying her any attention but looking at the motionless real body of Ayer. The woman's vision slowly turned blurry before darkness enveloped and welcomed her into its embrace. When the woman, a former hero, managed to ascend to the rank of the Astral more than 1000 years ago by forfeiting her ties to her loved ones in Esthar, she would have never imagined that one day, she would join the short list of Astrals who perished in this timeless realm.

「Sleeping so peacefully, huh, Ayer.」The figure leaned over the pod to touch the sleeping Ayer's soft lips.「This trap I sprung for you would not have worked had you been a bit less cocky. Now, instead of having only 1 Ennead position to be filled, we will have 2. Things are getting exciting.」

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「Adeus sama!」Maryana bowed down before the projected image of her Creator, who still appeared as stoic as ever. 

「What have you learned?」

「Zaeryn had partook in the Trial for the title of King of Monas Kye by entering the ancient dungeon. However, it appeared that he had failed since the Head of the House of the Eyes has emerged victorious and claimed the King title.」Maryana monotonously reported.「I believe something had occurred inside the dungeon during the trial because once they came out, Zaeryn had transformed into his incubus form instead of his usual hybrid form.」

「... Hmmm… Interesting.」Adeus noted.「Zaeryn reverted to a pure racial form? He must have exhausted his power, which usually causes hybrids like him to transform into either of their pure racial forms to recuperate. Although us Astral don't have any record on this particular dungeon, at his estimated power level, I doubt there could be any monster living in there that he could not have handled… what could have pushed him to that extent?」

「... I don't know, Adeus sama.」Maryana hesitated for a moment, before continuing her report.「... and also, due to my incompetent, Zaeryn had discovered that I was spying on him. I understand this is a grave blunder. I will accept any punishment you deem fit.」

「That's unfortunate but it's not the end of the world.」Adeus was certainly not as concerned about it as his doll would have thought.「Continue to stay close to the city and monitor him and his group. If we're lucky, that Yinese prince will corner him just enough so that he will have to summon HaoS to get out of the situation… Either that, or Akaban will act as my blade. Regardless, I will make him use HaoS and release his hold on Adela… I will make him …suffer…」 Adeus clenched his fist while his eyes glowed in pure hatred.

「Also, Adeus sama.」Maryana suddenly remembered another detail she had forgotten to report.「I've also spotted Ashura in the crowd at Alsen.」

「Can you be sure if that's him and not just a copy of him made from his Ultimate Arte?」

「... I do not know.」

「Keep an eye out on him. Though, unless we can locate all 6 of his clones to simultaneously eliminate them, there's no point in engaging with that man.」Adeus noted.「An ambitious ultimate slime, a whimsical beastman hybrid, an enraged overlord, and the ancient fallen fairy… This generation of Yonko are such a pain. 」

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「Yo Big Boss, so what are you doing here?」Uri loudly greeted Ashura with a grin while Erik and his group simply stood by, acknowledging their leader with simple nods.

「Bringing you this.」Ashura took out a small glowing necklace.

「Huh? What's that?」

「What do you mean " What's that?"」Ranmaru, the child ogre frowned.「Didn't you ask Ashura sama to help you with your fated pair problem? He actually set out to obtain this talisman for you.」

「Oh, Really? What does it do?」Uri leaned in to study the beautiful necklace further. 

「It's a very rare artifact that suppresses your heat and actually allows you to have sex with people that are not your fated alpha.」Ashura explained.「At least that's what it is supposed to do. It was mentioned in a very old book about incubii I found in the Great Library of Uruk.」

「Wow, and where did you find it?」

「... I stole it from the City of Uruk's Royal Armory, hahahaha!!」Ashura laughed.

「Wow, Gilga dono would kill you if she finds out you stole her stuff… again.」Uri backed off from the necklace the moment he realized what his boss had done.「I really appreciate it, Boss, but it's a bit late. I don't need that anymore.」The hybrid incubus slowly unzipped his jacket and slightly pulled down his pants just enough for the incubus mark to be visible.

「Wait a minute! That's…」Erik quickly noticed the glowing pink pattern. 

「An incubus mark?」Amaira asked.「Don't tell me you've bonded with our Captain?」

「Just what had happened in that dungeon?」Baxley asked.「You've bonded with the Captain and on top of that, the captain came out all shrunken and such.」

「Ah… that's a long story, but aside from the fact that the boss and I fucked, I don't think I can tell you exactly what happened in there… At least not until he himself decides to tell you.」

「You… Even if Ashura sama commands you to?」Ranmaru asked.

「Within the Hyakki Yagyo, concepts such as "command" or "obey" don't exist, Ran.」Uri reminded the young ogre, before turning to Ashura.「But yes, even if the Big Boss asks me himself, I can't answer.」

「Hm, I only have one question, Uri.」Ashura was amused.

「Which is?」

「I thought you're against this fated pair bonding thing. Why did you finally decide to accept it?」

「Ahh… The captain is just a bit persuasive, I guess.」Uri smiled.「And don't get me wrong. I'm not like the others in his obedient harem. It's simply a friends with benefits thing. Despite his lack of big boobs, sex with him just felt much better than with any other girls.」

「Don't be vulgar, Uri.」The blushing Amaira reprimanded her vice captain.「You're in the presence of an innocent girl here.」

「Really? Innocent? Where?」

「Why you!」The angry mutant beastman simply knocked hard on the hybrid incubus' head, which left a visible bump on him.

「Calm down, Amaira! I was just joking.」groaned Uri.

「Welllll, That's that then.」Ashura stretched his arms.「If you don't need this necklace anymore, I'll just have Ran chan somehow discreetly returns it to the Armory without Gilga knowing.」

「Yeah…. Wait, why me?」Ranmaru whined.

「That's because I know you will be able to sneak into Uruk and return it without any problem, Ran chan. After all, you're my most dependable retainer.」The Yonko was clearly trying to trick the ogre to do his legworks, though the flattered loyal retainer simply blushed. 

「Ashura sama, you don't have to praise me like that~ Such a task is nothing.」Ranmaru waved dismissively.「I won't let you down!」

「「「Ran, just how gullible are you…」」」The group muttered.

「Huh?」The innocent Ranmaru turned to the group, not able to clearly hear what they had just said, though behind him, Ashura was desperately signaling for the others to shut up.

Sneak peek to the Kibadios x Gyo first sex scene (the second to last harem member, which will happen in probably a few chapters). Also, in case you're wondering, the artist just forgot to draw Kibadios' horns lol:

Image link (or click on comment here): https://imgur.com/QgdTITT