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”Cute try, though, but while I do recognize Jake as my sire, that does not make his blood my family. I do not mean this in any offensive way; that is simply how things are,” Vesperia further clarified. She looked at the others and nodded.”It is a pleasure to meet all of you.”

Miranda took the momentum as she went forward. ”The pleasure is all mine, your majesty. I am Miranda Wells, the City Leader of Lord Thayne’s city back on Earth and one of his confidants.”

”No need for the formalities, Ms. Wells, just call me Vesperia,” the Hive Queen smiled at Miranda. The two women looked at each other for a moment before the others also moved to meet her.

Felix just bowed but didn’t seem overly interested, Sylphie looked at Vesperia a bit weirdly, and Maria was more polite than usual. Sandy didn’t come to greet her as they were too busy dealing with the consequences of trying to eat the essence of nothingness itself. The King also didn’t for obvious reason, with the last to greet Vesperia being the Sword Saint, who bowed respectfully as he observed her.

”I have little understanding of True Royals and only operate on rumors and second-hand information, so please let me know if my question is impolite, but would you be open to a quick spar before we head off?” the old man asked politely.

Vesperia raised an eyebrow. ”While many would not see such a request as acceptable, I see no issue with it, but are you certain? My current form is not the one you would be facing.”

”I am well aware,” the Sword Saint nodded.

”Let us have a small bout later on, then. First, let us go inside,” Vesperia said as she motioned for them to enter.

Caleb walked by Jake and muttered to him. ”And here I thought I could set up fun play dates between our two kids.”

”Calling her my kid is kinda weird, man,” Jake said. ”Look at her.”

”Yeah, they grow up so fast, don’t they?” Caleb teased him. ”Just so we are clear, I will tell mom and dad about the large amazoness-looking Hive Queen woman who calls you her sire.”

”I would expect nothing less of you.”

The group entered the mansion’s living room, where Meira had already prepared tea and snacks to welcome the guests. Caleb, who was still walking with Jake, looked a bit surprised when he saw Meira and raised an eyebrow as he threw Jake a glance.

”Ah, this here is Meira, a fellow member of the Order of the Malefic Order who works here at my residence,” Jake quickly clarified to the group. He felt damn lucky they had time to make her join the Order before this meeting, as that dispelled much of the awkwardness that could have ensued.

”Ah, a pleasure to meet you,” Miranda greeted Meira. ”I also believe a congratulations is in order for successfully joining the Order.”

Jake had told Miranda about Meira a few times in the past, as it was honestly hard to never mention her when they had their occasional meeting about how he was doing in the Order. He also had a feeling she could learn about her from the Verdant Witches even if he didn’t.

”Thank you,” Meira bowed. ”Please enjoy the refreshments. I shall take my leave and allow you all to discuss in peace.”

”No, please stay for a while,” Caleb said with a smile as he went over and extended his hand. ”I would love to hear more about it has been working for my brother.”

”Brother?” Meira asked, surprised, as she shook his hand on instinct.

It was now Jake realized he had never really talked about his family when around Meira. Mind you, this was not because Jake had forgotten, but a purposeful choice as he didn’t want to bring up any potential trauma Meira may have, considering she had been enslaved by the Order. Talking about family just seemed a bit insensitive.

”Little brother, to be more exact,” Caleb clarified. ”However, I am not at the Order as his brother but as a Judge of the Court of Shadows at the behest of my Patron, Umbra.”

Meira slowly nodded but was clearly still more interested in the fact Jake had a brother.

”It is my honor to greet the Judge and brother of Lord Thayne,” Meira bowed deeply.

”Lord Thayne, is it?” Caleb said with a raised eyebrow. ”Tell me, how did you two end up meeting? How did you get to work here at Jake’s place?”

Jake knew what the little shit was fishing for. He bloody knew. Shit, why wouldn’t he? The Order and using slaves? It was hard to name a more iconic duo, so most would probably assume she was his slave by default. Moreover, she was allowed to be there when Jake brought so many people, and she clearly knew he was the Chosen of the Malefic Viper. Some random employee Jake had hired wouldn’t be aware of such things before the big announcement. At least that is what Jake theorized Caleb had concluded… likely giving Jake a bit too much credit when it came to keeping secrets.

”It was that asshole snake god who thought it would be funny,” Jake explained. ”The moment I arrived here, Meira was already waiting and was assigned as my slave against my will. Not anymore, though. She joined the Order and is now just another member, but I allowed her to stay here and work because she wanted to.”

”Oh?” Caleb said with a smile. ”Now, isn’t that quite something. I just have one tiny little question. If she is no longer a slave, why is there still a slave contract in place?”

”There isn’t one,” Jake frowned.

”I quite literally have a skill allowing me to detect if she has one, so are you saying she signed a new one after yours was nullified?” Caleb asked skeptically.

”No? I don’t think so?” Jake frowned more deeply as he looked at Meira. He saw how she blushed and looked embarrassed at their discussion.

”Ah, sorry, rude to discuss it in front of you like this…” Jake muttered. ”Were you forced to sign a new contract or something? I get some non-disclosure agreement stuff, but…”

”Jake,” Miranda cut in. ”Just for quick clarification, when did you nullify the contract?”

”It was nullified when she joined the Order,” Jake answered. She clearly had her gold token and was a member; Izil had confirmed this too.

”I asked when you nullified it,” Miranda said as she sighed.

”I…” Jake said as his mouth was open for a bit. He then looked at Meira. ”I thought it was gone after you joined? I am sure I read that people can’t have their slaves become full members, and the Order made the contract, so they should have nullified it too.”

That was how it worked, right?

”That isn’t how it works, no,” Miranda sighed, answering his thoughts. ”At least not for you. You are the Chosen of the Malefic Viper, for bloody sake. These kinds of rules don’t apply. Did you seriously expect some random clerk at the Order to be capable of nullifying the contract?”

”… yes?” Jake said meekly.

He quickly took out his token and promptly searched through it. He remembered it being linked to the contract and… well, fuck.

Yep, still there. Jake immediately nullified the contract, ignoring everything else, thus officially freeing Meira for good. It was surprisingly easy, and he didn’t even feel anything change. Meira did briefly shiver, but otherwise, nothing happened.

”Fixed!” Jake said, but he was already getting several judgemental stares.

”I’m gonna tell mom you had an elf slave,” Caleb said.

”Please don’t,” Jake pleaded.

Caleb just grinned widely, and Jake was pretty damn sure the bastard wouldn’t listen to anything he said.

”Why… why would you not want to eternally serve the Chosen of the Malefic Viper?” the damn sculptor asked Meira, his face filled with genuine confusion. ”To forsake such an honor, I-”

”It was my decision,” Jake cut him off.

”I see. Alright then,” Felix nodded. He then seemed to have a thought. ”Can I be your slave the-”

”No.”

”Oh…” Felix said, looking like a kicked puppy as he stared at the ground.

”Ignoring Jake’s questionable employment practices, do we have anything else we need to discuss regarding the upcoming ceremony? You have been briefed, Vesperia?” Miranda asked.

”No, I would like a quick rundown on what will happen,” the Hive Queen answered.

”How about you, Meira? Will you attend?” Miranda also asked the embarrassed Meira.

Jake could see how uncomfortable she was, surrounded by everyone. She looked out of place, and Miranda seemed to also have noticed.

”No,” Meira said. Jake had invited her, but she had rejected it without a second thought. Jake totally got her; he also didn’t want to go if he didn’t have to.

”Alright,” Miranda smiled as she looked at Jake. ”Let’s allow Meira to attend to her own matters then, shouldn’t we?”

Jake nodded and smiled at Meira. ”Yeah, I am sure you are busy with your own stuff. Thanks for the tea and all.”

Meira was obviously relieved as she bowed. ”I hope the ceremony proceeds as expected; it was nice meeting all of you.”

With those words, she scurried off towards her own building away from the main mansion. After she was gone, Maria gave him an inquisitive look.

”Did you… you know.”

Jake wondered what she meant but quickly realized. He frowned and looked at her sternly. ”No.”

Caleb also shook his head and threw Maria a glare. ”You can say a lot of things about my older brother, but yeah, not that.”

”I meant no offense; I was just curious, you know…” Maria said, knowing she had fucked up.

Vesperia giggled a bit at their exchange and shook her head. ”I truly have much to learn about you humans and your customs.”

Jake, wanting to change the subject and looked at Miranda. ”So, any idea who will attend this event? Which factions? Besides the obvious ones.”

”Many significant factions you have never heard about will be there, but it isn’t like everyone will be announced. I would reckon thousands of god-level factions will attend, but it is no more than a handful you need to actually care about or even interact with. As I mentioned before, they are just there to butter up some of the officials from the Order of the Malefic Viper and get in their good graces for future business ventures,” Miranda explained.

”Right,” Jake said. He didn’t actually care much. He really just wanted to change the subject. Luckily, the conversation was revived as a certain Unique Lifeform Jake had thrown on a couch also revived.

”We… have arrived in the first universe?” the muddled voice of the Fallen King spoke.

”That we have,” Jake confirmed. ”Meeting those Void Gods hit you hard, huh?”

”My senses are not like that of you humans or beasts. I saw things that were impossible yet familiar, superimposed concepts that resonated with my very core yet in conflict and paradoxically opposed. My soul magic is anchored in the realm of the eldritch, so to see a true being personifying that concept… it was too much,” the King explained in a surprisingly open fashion. ”My limited comprehension only made me see more of that which is unseeable and forced my mind to try and understand more of the incomprehensible.”

”Sounds rough, but we made it back here safely. Was afraid we would need to find two new party members during this ceremony,” Jake cracked a joke.

”You are fortunate you did not have to downgrade,”the Fallen King said as he floated his body to an upright position. It was also only now he regarded the only new person in the room.

”You must be the True Royal Hive Queen,” the Unique Lifeform greeted her. ”I am known as the Fallen King.”

”It is a pleasure to meet a Unique Lifeform,” Vesperia said with respect. ”Your kind is rare, and we have had so few ectognamorph-esque Unique Lifeforms throughout history.”

”To try and categorize one such as I with other races is meaningless. We are unique by definition and belong to no tribe,” the King dismissed her.

”Some of your kind still seek ties to others, often finding those reminding them most of themselves. Perhaps it is not perfect, but it is the closest thing they can ever get,” Vesperia countered. ”Besides, have you not also embraced unity?”

”An impossible choice made only because I fell at the hands of your creator,” the King spat back. ”I do not recognize him for his Lineage or race, but solely his accomplishments.”

Jake raised an eyebrow. Well, that is nice, isn’t it?

”So have I. Which makes him part of my Hive. My tribe and my people. He is an ectognamorph and honored member of the Endless Empire in all but race from my point of view,” Vesperia refused to back down.

Leaning back and relaxing, Jake would lie if he said he didn’t enjoy their debate as, for once, people weren’t shit-talking him during it. They continued for a good while as the King once more countered how race then played no role in who was an ectognamorph, with Vesperia arguing that some were simply included by default while others could become honored members.

It was nice not having to get involved, and no one else bothered getting into it with them, either.

Eventually, they finally calmed down without either side backing down, and no compromise or agreement being reached. It was ultimately the Sword Saint breaking them up by asking if Vesperia would be open to an exchange of pointers now, something she agreed to as the two of them went outside.

Jake looked out the window and saw Vesperia transform as the old man praised her before they began their spar. Well, Jake wasn’t really sure if he would call it a spar. From the looks of it, neither side used any skills or did anything fancy. Their speeds were even low as they exchanged blows, it looking more like a dance than a fight, with every single exchange ending with a small scratch on Vesperia’s armor. The longer it went on, it began to look like a disciple and his student.

The rest of them stayed inside and just relaxed as they chatted. Sylphie eventually woke up and went off to explore the mansion, and through Jake’s sphere, he saw her reach Meira’s room. There, she scared the shit out of the poor elf by turning into wind and appearing on her desk right in front of her face. She looked damn proud, too, when Meira fell over backward.

After a bit, Vesperia and the Sword Saint came back in, with Vesperia praising the Sword Saint and didn’t seem down. She then went off with Miranda for some briefing on the upcoming ceremony, leaving the Sword Saint back with Jake and the others.

Sandy also eventually came to and made Jake rush outside as the huge space worm began eating his fucking lawn while complaining about feeling empty from trying to eat literal void. He was forced to feed the glutton with other valuable items to tide over the wait, lest Sandy decided to try and eat one of the buildings.

Finally, after many hours of a mix between relaxation and chaos, the time arrived as a figure teleported onto the now mostly ruined lawn. Her aura instantly washed over the mansion, getting everyone’s attention as she greeted Jake.

”The time has come,” Viridia said.

Jake nodded, and soon everyone joined him as they headed off to the big ceremony where surely nothing could go wrong, and everything would go just as expected.