NOVEL NEXT Chapter 33 – The Aftermath
Aiko lay on the floor panting. She was in the nearby Forest, which was a relief. She was a bit worried that she would appear in the middle of the city, but fortunately she didn't.
'Did my luck improve? Good.' She nodded happily, after that dildo disaster she was too dispirited to do anything.
Something was rushing towards her. Aiko stood up weakly ready to run, but it collided with her body.
*Gulp*
"I'm so glad you are alright." The Stinky Fox had tears the moment she found Aiko.
'Stupid, idiot, jerk!' Aiko was already cursing her in her mind trying to drive her away, but she was too exhausted to do anything about her.
She lay there as a barrage of licks assaulted her body. 'At least let me sleep, Stinky Fox.' She cried in her mind.
Queen was overwhelmed with emotions as she didn't hope for her to be unharmed and uncontracted. She already expected her to be contracted and taken away.
'This little one has good luck.' Queen cleaned her fur with [Clean] and licked her fur again and again.
She wanted to take her away when a deep voice stopped her.
"Please wait."
...
The fight just ended, the Senior looted those Cultivators and looked through their [Storage Rings], but couldn't find anything. He looked everywhere, but he just couldn't find that broken sword.
Then an insane thought appeared in his mind. 'Let's first ask Princess.'
He flew towards the home of the Princess and landed before the gate.
"My apologies for disturbing your rest, Princess." He gently and with respect cupped his hands.
"What do you need Elder?" The Princess asked gently but didn't open the Defensive Formation.
"Do you happen to have that little Fox with you?" The Elder asked softly.
"No." There was some apprehension in her voice.
"Please don't misunderstand Princess. The Broken Formation Sword is missing and it's not with the Cultivators. I saw the Fox wander around and wondered if she took it or if she was with you." The Elder was polite even though the Princess had vastly lower Cultivation.
"I see. The Fox is not with me, but I believe her mother is nearby so be careful." The Princess said, but it was mostly a warning that if he does something to Aiko, he won't be forgiven.
"Of course, Princess." He bowed again and flew high in the sky. He scanned the capital but didn't find anything. He also noticed the Moon Stone, was missing.
'It's definitely that rascal.' He chuckled. 'Another Moon Fox, eh?' He smiled from ear to ear. 'Those old bastards will vomit blood once they realize their treasure is gone, but naturally, I won't tell them who took it. It's much more fun to see them struggle~' He was a bit of a sadist.
'Ah, there she is and there is also the Mother dashing.' He thought.
Let's carefully greet them since I don't want to startle them or run away.
He flew towards the duo, not concealing anything, but at the same time not trying to look mighty.
...
"What do you want." the Fox growled towards him and frowned. 'I don't want to fight more than this.' She was quite low on energy since she was rampaging until today.
"May I ask the little fox to return the Broken Formation Sword? It is needed to maintain the barriers and facilities in the Main Palace." He was polite, almost as polite as with the Princess.
The Fox tilted her head and stared at Aiko. 'Do you have anything like that?' She asked her through telepathy.
Aiko thought about it for a moment, she didn't want to give away any treasures, but she was too tired to argue against them. She used her pouch and the broken sword was coughed out.
The Queen inspected the broken sword and growled towards the Cultivator.
"I understand what you mean, but hear me out." He bowed gently. "This Broken Formation Sword is indeed part of the Vitality Extracting Formation, but we are using the Reverse the Heavens Formation to change the effect from Vitality to Demonic Energy. This made the capital safe from Demons and mostly safe from Demonic Cultivators." He explained its uses not hiding anything as he well understood that this Fox is very knowledgeable.
"Passable." The Queen snorted towards him.
She threw the sword towards him with her Divine Sense and he caught it.
"Thank you so much for giving me back the sword. Allow me to tell you one more thing. That rock that your cub took is a Moon Stone. The purest one there is so far. It's a great material, but it also fulfils the Evolution requirement. Now if you excuse me." He cupped his fists and flew away, he needed to restart that formation as soon as possible.
The Fox wanted to stop him once he said 'your cub', but was too shocked afterwards. 'D-did you steal the Moon Stone?' The Fox asked through telepathy, but Aiko snorted and avoided her eyes.
'You made me swallow that (Tree)heart! Fuck you!' She would not talk to this Stinky Fox if she didn't need to.
The Fox giggled. 'Good, good. Rob all of them~' She was very proud of Aiko, but of course she wouldn't tell her that. If she had too big of an Ego she would definitely get hurt. She can't allow that.
"Let's go some way away and rest. We will resume our journey soon after." The Fox smiled gently.
...
2 days later.
"Mum." The Princess rushed towards her mother and hugged her.
Her Mother was a Buxom beauty who would be envied by many. Her wide hips and fluffy tail would steal anyone's heart. Wait! Fluffy tail?!
That's right. She was also a Fox, but one that was banished from the 'Fox Village' for falling in love with a lowly Human.
The Mother hugged her gently wrapping her tail around her. "Everything alright sweetie?" She spoke in a soothing voice.
"Mm." The Princess hummed. "But I miss that little Foxie." She gently protested.
"It couldn't be helped, but don't worry in the future, she will find you since you treated her well." The Mother soothed her child and walked inside her cute little Palace.
"I will deal with your father later, let's rest and catch up for now." She kissed her daughter's forehead.
"En." She was very happy.
"I will take you to our Clan later, but once you get the basics sorted we will send you to the allied Sect for you to learn about the bigger world. That stay is temporary, so you can make friends and enemies as you wish, just be careful about it." Her Mother warned her, she already lost one child and didn't want to lose another.
"Okay, Mum."
She would spend the day on the bed telling each other stories.
...
The King was currently sitting at his desk tired. 'My wife came back suddenly, but didn't even say hello... didn't even send a servant.' He was heartbroken and not in the mood for anything. He dismissed everyone except one servant with exceptional Tea Ceremony Skills.
He sighed looking outside.
...
The king was currently on his knees with his head low. His wife barraged him for doing this and that. He was too tired.
"W-wife... Will you stay with me, please?" He pleaded with her desperately, but his voice was soft and slow.
She snorted. "As if I would want to join your shitty brothel." She had no intention of staying here with her daughter. She was fine with the 1st and 2nd concubine since both of them were smart and gentle, but not with the others.
King chuckled. "I understand."
She was hurt by his dispirited and sad emotions, but she didn't want to suffer or let her daughter suffer any more. Her daughter wished to stay in her hometown, so she let her, but now that she wants to leave...
King spoke darkly. "I will make this quick. I promise."
He stood up, going to his sword. She was alerted and on guard. The King unsheathed his sword and left the room, leaving his first wife speechless.
"What the hell is going on...?" She frowned.
"AGHHHHHHHHHHH."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAA."
Shrieks and screams drifted from the outside. She unconsciously shivered.
She stood up going outside to see what was happening. She found the 5th concubine lying on the ground dead. She then went towards the side Palace where some of the concubines lived, but there was deathly silence.
She entered the side Palace that she hated so much. Bodies littered the ground.
...
The King opened yet another room. There was his first daughter, his beloved daughter that he wronged. She was currently visiting the 2nd concubine.
He stared at his daughter for a bit and nodded. He then stared at his 2nd concubine with a sword covered in blood.
The concubine almost had a heart attack, even more so once the Princess stood in front of her.
The King stared at them, there was a light feeling of liberation. 'The 3rd concubine is the last one.'
He left the room without saying a word.
Mother came inside the room soon after. "Are you okay sweetie?" She knew that her daughter didn't see as much blood as she did. She might be scared and distressed.
"I'm... okay." She nodded at her mother still a bit unsure, but she wouldn't say it so her Mum wouldn't worry.
"It's okay to be scared. Your Father won't hurt you now." She noticed that slight change in his temperament and her heart palpitated like the first time she met him.
...
"WHY?! I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING!" The 3rd concubine screamed at the King who was able to easily dispose of all of her Guards.
"There was something wrong with my head before, but not now." The King shook his head. He didn't feel his mind feeling so light in such a long time.
She continued to scream at him and hurl insults at him, but he didn't care.
*Swish*
He lopped her head off with a smooth and graceful motion.
He felt free, only now was he eligible for her forgiveness, only now was he allowed to beg, but he wouldn't. He missed that opportunity a long time ago.
He returned to the side palace to apologize to his daughter, 2nd concubine and his wife.
He opened the doors gently but closed them almost immediately. He threw away his clothes and cleaned himself in a nearby pond then he went into another room to dry and change clothes.
He returned in front of the doors. The handle was... heavy. He felt like he was trying to push the entire world now that he had calmed down.
He somehow managed to open those doors but looked miserable. His wife stood in between her daughter and the 2nd concubine.
He slowly moved in front of her and fell on his knees hugging her legs.
"I'm sorry, I know that you can't forgive me for what I have done. I don't intend to beg any more." The King said gently.
His wife was stunned and frozen in place. He soon stood up and apologized to his daughter. "I'm sorry, for not being a good father and forcing you to do so many things."
And lastly to the concubine. "I'm sorry your sister died because of my negligence and you have suffered because of it too." He bowed deeply to each one of them.
The wife and concubine froze. Their heart beat fast.
"This is farewell. I'm going to raid that place." He smiled gently, like a fool in love.
It took them a while to recover and they both rushed after him. Only the princess stayed since she didn't understand his words.
"Dad is a fool." A tear escaped and rolled down her cheek.
...
In the future, there will be a story about a valiant man who challenged his wife's enemies with a small number of people.
While he did successfully kill them, thus freeing his wife from their clutches,
He died with his enemies, on the cold and unforgiving battlefield.
But, there is also a strange story, where a beautiful Fox found that wounded man and pitied him, but that story is for another time.
...
"You shouldn't eat this meat!" The Queen reprimanded Aiko.
Aiko growled back. 'This meat good, fuck you!'
