33 Private Debriefing (1/2)
To Koji's disappointment, the so-called ”feast” was bear paws and bear meat stew, which he declined to partake.Instead, he asked the attendant for dumplings and bone broth soup.
King Aphraphus helped himself to a big jug of wine and tried to get Koji to drink, too.But a pinch on his thigh under the table by his wife made the king retract his offer.
Prince Heretrios, Prince Cyreas, and Princess Daethix ate their meals silently.However, the princess kept staring at Koji, which made him very uncomfortable.
Princess Zelea noticed the stare; she glared at big sister, who grinned and looked away.
Queen Herecias observed everything since she had the best seat at the table.
Once her children departed, the queen finally spoke up.”Koji and Zelea, let's chat in the Tea Room,” she invited.
”Yes, mother-in-law,” Koji nodded.
The four left the hall and walked together while the guards followed a respectful distance behind the Royal Family.
Attendants scurried ahead to prepare hot water and seating for four guests in the Tea Room.
The queen took the lead, and she slithered along the hall at a slow pace to give the servants more time for their preparations.When she arrived at the Tea Room, several servants awaited in front.
They bowed and opened the door for the royal family to enter.
Once the guests sat down, each guest received tea poured by a separate attendant.
”Leave us,” Queen Herecias ordered in a low voice but filled with her Will.
The servants bowed deeply and quickly scurried out of the small room like mice.
The queen looked at Koji and said, ”Koji, tell us what happened.Give us the details.”
The young man obeyed.He started by pointing at the cabinet on the corner which hid an escape tunnel.”A small group of giant rats broke into the escape tunnel and made its den there.We exterminated them.While leaving the Arena, an arachnid named Vishura Hacia, who worked as a seamstress, ambushed us.As a prank, she captured all the centurions and hung them from the ceiling.We convinced Vi to let the centurions down, and then she followed us into the Sailan Mountains.”
The king and queen frowned at the mention of an arachnid, but they remained silent.Queen Herecia smiled and encouraged her son-in-law to continue.
”During our search in the mountain, we encountered a mountain lion and her mate separately.I defeated both,” Koji admitted casually.
Zelea raised her hand to interrupt him.She pulled the beast cores of the two lions out of her spatial ring and placed the stones on the table.The Bond Keeper did not want her parents to doubt his word, and thus, Zelea offered evidence of these encounters.
King Aphraphus examined the beast cores.He noted they were Rank 3 and nodded.In his assessment as a veteran fighter, Koji could easily handle the lions if they appeared one-by-one.He returned the stones to his adopted daughter.
”We encountered other animals, but they were lower rank and defeated by the centurions,” Koji continued.”During our search, we encountered a wall of thorns.A giant ape jumped over the wall and attacked us immediately.Its roar attack was similar to mother-in-law's zither attack and infused with a strong Qi; the ape knocked out most of the centurions with this attack.I fought back and used the Hurricane Kick when the beast jumped in the air.Then I chopped off its head to end the fight.”
His wife held up her hand again and placed the Rank 4 beast core on the table.
The king confirmed its rank and his brows rose as he whistled.
”What did the dryad ask in exchange for the one-thousand-year-old ginseng root?” Queen Herecia interjected suddenly.
”Yeah, what could you two possibly offer a dryad?” King Aphraphus wondered aloud.
The young couple exchanged glances and looked down.The silence at the table grew louder and louder until Zelea finally gave in.”His seed,” she said meekly.
”His seed?” her father repeated incredulously and laughed.The king slapped his thighs as he considered what he knew of dryads.”Right, dryads are an all-female race like lamias.They require male seeds to continue their race.I should have thought of that.” King Aphraphus rubbed his head with embarrassment.
”The dryad would not release Koji unless she became pregnant with his child.How do you feel about that, Zelea?” Queen Herecia asked in a gentle tone of voice.
The adopted daughter raised her head and looked at the queen.”I have mixed emotions,” Zelea admitted.
Herecia reached across the table and squeezed the young lamia's hand.”I know this was hard for you,” the queen remarked in recognition of Princess Zelea's sacrifice.Bond Keepers were extremely protective of their Bonders.The queen understood how much it hurt Zelea to share her bonder with a dryad and have children.
The king tactfully decided not to press Koji for details of his sexual encounter with the dryad.Perhaps in the future, Aphraphus could make his son-in-law drunk enough to spill the beans.Instead, he had a different question.”Koji, I noticed you seem different for some reason.Explain to us what happened.”
The young man smiled faintly.”I'll read my menu aloud,” Koji offered:
”Name: Koji Adalwin Becker