Chapter 88: The conversation
「I see…」The hybrid leaned back after listening to Uri's story about the reason why Ashura accepted the mission.「Fine. I'll take on this mission.」
「Really? That's great, boss!」Uri exclaimed.「I'll let the Big Boss know. He'll be happy.」
「... So you're an arrogant idiot, Kibadios?」Ren asked. 「You really think you can take him down?」
「I know I didn't tell you and your sister yet, but it was my intention to travel to Monas Kye since that's where I was born…」explained Kibadios.「I don't know if it's fate or not, but my village was attacked and massacred by this commander called Hou Yi, a subordinate of Wei Shimin. It was pure luck that I was able to escape the carnage at the time thanks to my mother's sacrifice.」
「Hou Yi?」Ren turned to his sister.
「I've heard news of this man. I think it was rumored that he's Wei Shimin's right hand man despite him being only in his late twenties.」Yue recalled.
「Hmm, right hand man, huh? Anyways, I wanted to go back to see for myself what happened to the village… and I've already planned to take out my vengeance on those who are responsible for its destruction. Sooner or later, even without this mission being tasked to me, I'll deal with this Wei Shimin regardless.」Kibadios turned murderous. To pay back for what you did to me in my last reincarnation and this reincarnation both , he thought.
「Even if this means it will pit you against the might of the Yin Empire?」Ren grimly asked.
「Ha. You think I care about such a small obstacle?」The hybrid dreadfully asked back. He couldn't blame the elven siblings for not knowing he was already prepared to face the Astrals themselves in his quest for vengeance, let alone a mortal nation state.
「... Just who are you?」The former elven prince shuddered in fear for a moment.
「...」Ignored the question, Kibadios remained silent. 「Although, Uri, one thing I need to make clear: I will not leave Vernys before I find Rowan.」
「Rowan?」
「He's one of us.」Ryan answered, sadness and guilt filled his heart.
「so why is he not with you?」
「It's just due to circumstances.」
「Is he in Vernys?」
「... I believe. Somewhere in Vernys. I have been trying to look for him but to no avail.」
「Hmm, It's up to you, but if you can contact demon lord Gilga, you probably would want to ask for her help locating this Rowan. You and Gilga dono are acquaintances, right? Using her spy network of slimes, finding someone should be a piece of cake.」suggested Uri.
「Maybe I really should… even if it means I owe her a favor or two.」
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「How are you holding up, Yllaner?」Kibadios calmly asked with a genuine concerned look. Sitting across the hybrid was the new queen of the Shilna, who slowly sipped a few gulp of the herbal tea on her hand before placing the cup back on the small table in between them. More than a month had passed since the night she ascended the title of Clan Head, the former princess looked slightly thinner since the last time Kibadios had seen her.
「I'm getting used to it. Thanks to the other clan heads, things are actually settling down a bit over the last week or so.」Yllaner smiled.「With us preserving the confederation without spilling much of our blood, the Yin empire seems to be backing off for now. They have moved their troops away from our borders ever since my coronation. I'm not deluded enough to think they have completely given up on their desire to take over our forest though but as things have turned out, I don't think they will attempt any hostile takeover in the near future…」
「That's some good news.」
「But I don't think it is something you'd like to celebrate though.」
「Ho? Why's that?」
「Another reason they are backing off from Vernys is because they are focusing their sole attention on the Plain of Monas Kye at this very moment.」Yllaner explained.「On top of the fact that you're dealing with the great Wei Shimin here, with such a build up in Yue forces under his control, I figure it'd even be harder for you to achieve your mission's goal.」The princess, who was told of Kibadios' mission, looked troubled.
「That's true.」Kibadios nodded. 「But I think I can deal with it.」
「... Somehow I don't doubt it.」The queen chuckled.「After all, you're full of surprise… I still cannot believe you were able to add Yue nee chan and Ren nii chan into your ever expanding harem. Are they doing well?」
「Yeah… they're adjusting. I gotta say, despite being twins, their personalities are like Yin and Yang. Just between you and me, I kinda like to tease Ren lately cuz I find his explosive temper a bit hilarious.」Kibadios smirked.「Though, Yue, on the other hand, is a bit hard to understand.」
「... You have also noticed?」Yllaner asked, her expression giving a hint of sadness.
「Yeah, it's like she's wearing a mask. Despite greeting and acting cordially to others, I feel like there always existed a strangely cold distance between that girl and those she interacted with.」
「...I know what you're talking about..」Yllaner acknowledged.「When I was young, it was Yue nee and Ren nii chan who spent the most time taking care of me. Yet, despite how much she cared for me, pampered me when I was sick, cheered me up when I was down, I could never seem to gauge her true emotions nor could I affirm her affections for me, unlike Ren nii. When I was still a kid, I once asked Ren nii about it and he simply smiled and told me to let it bother me. Later on, my mother told me that apparently, when the capital of their kingdom fell to the Yin Empire, Yue nee chan's beloved fiance had perished while defending it. The shock caused her to cry for days, which led her to lose her eyesights and ever since that time, Yue nee has always erected an invisible barrier between her and others, shielding her from ever forming a connection with others in order to prevent her from experiencing such heartache again.」
「Is that so?」Surprised Kibadios. 「She had a fiance huh? If I were her, I would be burning with vengeful thoughts against the Yin Empire, yet I could hardly sense any contempt shown on her face when the Empire is mentioned. Ren, on the other hand, I could read as an open book.」
「Ren nii chan has always been a passionate person.」Yllaner chuckled.「You know, although I'm a bit upset that you're taking they away from me, I was also a bit relieved when they lost to you at the duel and was forced to join your harem.」
「How so?」
「Because everyone in your harem seems to love you very much so I was hoping your attention and care for them could somehow repair the emotional damage they experienced when their kingdom fell.」Yllaner paused.
「That's so? I can't promise anything.」
「Hmm. Still, please remember to me, they're still my beloved brother and sister so if you were to neglect or mistreat them, you have to answer to me.」Yllaner jokingly warned.
「I'll be careful!」Kibadios grinned before turning serious.「... Speaking of brother, what of Yllaes?」
「Mmmhmmm」Yllaner gagged for a brief moment, her slender hand lightly covering her mouth before answering.「... He's been imprisoned ever since the conflict ended.」
「and what is your plan for him?」Kibadios studied the queen.
「It was the consensus that… he has to be put to death for what he has done.」The elven queen grimly answered.
「Can you really do it?」
「Huh?」
「I mean, he was never supposed to have fallen this low in the scenarios you had in your head, right?」Kibadios asked.「Even when you were cornered, at the lake when you were explaining your plans to others, did you not mention that your goal was to force him into the negotiation table instead of outright arresting him like how it turned out?」
「So you've noticed?」The girl faintly smiled.「Yes, in my plan, it was never my intention for it to turn out like this. I was hoping that he would stay behind and be protected by the Shilna army that he controlled. That way, he would hold some leverage over the other Clans of the forest, since none of us would wish for a bloody conflict. I was hoping that the negotiation would result in an outcome where he'd be guaranteed his safety. Yet, on that day, he recklessly decided to leave his army behind and chased after me by himself, only to have allowed him to be neutralized like that. He lost the only leverage he had to ensure his life…」The princess seemed angry, though the hybrid could not tell whether it was toward her brother or herself.
「Despite being betrayed by him, you still love your brother that much?」asked Kibadios. Though, it was much a rhetorical question since he had already known the answer. For his Sylvia was much the same: the girl might be a calculating, ruthless person but to those she loved, she would devote everything, even her life, to ensure their well being and happiness. Kibadios had already noticed that in the way she drew up her plan: the former princess had tried her best to guarantee that in this conflict, either she would emerge triumphant and the confederation would remain intact, or that her brother would be able to swiftly conquer the other Clans without much opposition, uniting all the forest under the Shilna rule. Kibadios had realized Yllaner's discreet plan for the latter outcome when he was trying to explain the whole situation to Maia and the others back at the war council meeting: Had the 3 former clan heads, despite the threatening troops movement of the Maeg Kingdom, decided to lend Yllaes most of their soldiers in order to quickly crush Yllaner's force, her whole plan would crumble since even if her spies were able to stage a coup d'etat in their respective clans, they would be sitting ducks for they would no long have the military forces to back up their power. This would allow Yllaes, who possessed the military forces of all the clans under his direct command, to claim casus belli against the usurpers and attack them after successfully dealing with Yllaner. In the chaos, it would not be hard to imagine how easy it would be for Yllaes to gobble up the territory of the other clans in his central command. Such was the intricacy of Yllaner's plan, for she knew that it did not matter whether it would be her or her beloved brother who would emerge victorious, the forest would be united in the end, regardless.
「... He's still my brother.」Yllaner simply smiled, a slight discomfort coursed through her body, forcing her hand to once again cover her gagging mouth.「... Enough about myself, let's talk about you, Kibadios. I've been busy lately, having to deal with so many political intrigues, but I have yet to forget that there are so many questions I have for you, Mr. Riddle wrapped in a Mystery inside an Enigma. Not only my little brother in law, but now that Yue nee chan and Ren nii chan are to stay by your side, I really need to learn more about you right?」Yllaner grinned.
「Ah, yes, of course…」Kibadios nodded, though he had started to have some concern regarding her gagging reflexes. 「Are you feeling okay?」
「Yeah, don't worry about it.」Yllaner dismissed.「I think I'm just a bit tired from having to carry out my mountains of duties lately.」The girl gave Kibadios a weary smile.
「You should really take care of yourself, Yllaner.」
「Things are getting calmer so I think I'll be fine soon.」Yllaner laughed.「Now, back to your stories, Kibadios.」
「Yeah yeah, It's not like I can avoid this topic. I know this conversation between you and me will come. Just know this, Yllaner: I will not disclose everything to you, but on the other hand, I will not lie to you, either.」Kibadios smiled.「So, what would you like to know?」
「First of all, who are you really? From Kyles' and my point of view, you're just a mysterious hybrid who one day showed up and got involved in our affairs, starting with helping Ryan, then dealing with the enraged Ryuujin and protecting us from the Chaos Creature that the Prime Minister turned into…」
「... My name is Kibadios and like what Ryan must have told you, I was born in a small village in Monas Kye. Unfortunately, before long, my village was attacked by a man named Hou Yi. In that moment of chaos, my mother let me loose down the Kidan River in hope that the current would take me far away from the Yin Empire's raid… Afterward, thanks to me being a half-orge, who would normally grow up extremely fast, I was able to survive.」
「And soon after, you saved Maia chan and Rowan chan's village?」
「Yes. Then we met Ryan's party before Desmond betrayed them.」
「... I see.」Yllaner intensely listened.「Then, what's your connection between you and "Ryuujin," who goes by the name Ryuu now?」
「I kinda saved him by burning off the miasma chaos that infected his mind.」
「... But that's not the reason he followed you, isn't it?」Yllaner asked.
「You're sharp. No, it's not the only reason why.」Kibadios admitted.「Though I cannot tell you the real connection between Ryuu and I.」
「... I know this may sound like a ridiculous question, but can you… remember your past lives?」Yllaner hesitantly asked.
「Huh? Why would you ask that?」Surprised Kibadios.
「A few reasons but the main one is because there is clearly a connection between you and Ryuu that you cannot tell me, yet you were just born not more than two years ago while Ryuu has been sealed off for thousands of years. For there to be a connection, that means it must have started in your past lives.」Yllaner deduced. 「I know it's funny to think there is a "past life" but, when you think about it, in this world, there are existences of World Travelers, who came to this world through the will of the Astrals. It wouldn't surprise me if there is something like "Reincarnators" as well. Besides, like I have told you before… deep down within me, I feel as if I have known you for a long long time, despite we just met recently.」Yllaner chuckled. 「And despite my distrusting personality, my instinct kept telling me to place my complete trust in you. Why is that? And why was it that you went out of your way to help me, someone who you have just known for a few months, even though it means submitting to the Yonko's whim?」
「... Yes, I do remember my past lives.」acknowledged Kibadios.「But I cannot say anything more than that.」
「... Why does it not surprise me.」Yllaner faintly smiled. 「Why can't you tell me more about it? Do I also have a past life? Were we friends?」
「I cannot say.」Kibadios shook his head.「The less you know, the better.」
「...Then, just answer this question truthfully, Kibadios.」Yllaner's eyes suddenly turned serious. 「Was… the incident at the Capital of Maeg, where Jayden dono got turned into a chaos creature and attacked us, caused by you?」
「No.」Kibadios flatly rejected it.
「That's so… I'm relieved.」Yllaner nodded, yet, the anger in her voice still did not disappear「Do you know who… or what's behind it?」
「... I cannot say.」answered Kibadios.
BAM! The usually mild-mannered Yllaner frustratedly slammed her hand down the table, though Kibadios was unflinched. 「Why can't you tell me? Don't I deserve to know why Kyles was taken away from me, Kibadios?」
「I'm sorry, Yllaner. But even if you know the full story, there is nothing you can do now.」
「Then, will I ever … be able to learn the truth behind the incident?」The elven queen tried to calm herself.
「One day…」Kibadios' gaze locked onto the girl's eyes, which were frustratedly holding back tears.「One day, you will know the truth. Though once that day come, I don't think you'd feel any better.」
「... I'll judge that for myself.」Yllaner declared. 「And I'll hold your word to it, Kibadios. That one day, everything will be revealed to me.」
The two continued to converse for another hour. However, Yllaner was unable to get much information out of the hybrid. At most, she could only ascertain that it was not the hybrid's intention to peek at the elven twins on the fateful night and that his immediate goal is to deal with the Yin commander and Lord of the Yongxi Province.
「So, does Ryan know everything about you and your plans, Kibadios?」
「... Mostly. There's something that I just learned recently that I've yet told anyone.」
「Hm… I see.」Yllaner stretched her arms.「If you refuse to tell me, there's no way I can pry the information off of you. I'll place my trust in Ryan to watch over you.」
「Thank you for your understanding… and sorry I cannot explain everything to you, Yllaner.」
「... No, I should be the one who says sorry.」Yllaner shook her head.「You have helped me so much, yet, I still forced you into this "interrogation."」
「Don't worry about it.」Kibadios waved his hand dismissively. Before he could say anything, Yllaner's expression suddenly paled before she started to gag. The Queen hastily turned away and discreetly vomited into a small trash bowl that got placed next to the table they were at.
「Are you really okay, Yllaner?」Kibadios concerningly asked after rushing at the elven queen.
「Yeah. I'm just not feeling too well lately, but a bit of rest should do the trick.」The girl wiped her mouth.「Sorry for disgusting you, Kibadios.」
「... No, don't worry about it… but Yllaner, do you think that… you're pregnant?」Kibadios asked. The sudden realization quickly dawned on the queen, whose eyes started to widen in disbelief.
「...Pregnant?」Yllaner blinked.
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「Yllaner sama is pregnant??!?!?!」Ryan excitedly screamed the moment Kibadios relayed the information to the group.
「Yll chan is having a baby?」Yue turned to her brother, whose surprised reaction was not much different from the rest of the group.
「Yeah. She did a pregnancy test twice to confirm and it turned out, she's indeed pregnant.」Kibadios smilingly nodded.「She experienced all the symptoms of pregnancy but she thought it was just because of the tons of works that she had to deal with.」
「I'm… I'm going to be an uncle?」Ryan could not hide his excitement.
「It seems so.」
「Hmm, what are the chances!」Ren commented.「It's not that easy for a couple of different races to carry a hybrid. I guess Kyles and Yllaner's union is actually blessed by the Spirits.」
「CHiii…. Chiiii!!!」Before the group could further discuss the news, a strange slime swiftly slid in the room through the small slit underneath the wooden door before bouncing excitedly in front of Kibadios.
「Huh?」
「Is that one of Gilga dono's slimes?」Maia asked.「Why is it here?」
「Chii?? Chiii!!!」Having understood what the strange slime was communicating, Nu was now suddenly bouncing around also.
「... Don't tell me…」Kibadios turned to the strange slime.「You found Rowan's location?」
「Chii!!!」The strange slime nodded.