The Hundred Reigns

Chapter 69: The Season of the Minotaur (18)

The first thought that crossed Simon’s mind was that Cassandra had shifter blood.

It would have made sense, since human-shifter dalliances were unusual but not unheard of, especially in Telluria. However, the sinuous forked tail didn’t belong to any natural animal or creature Simon knew of. Another darker possibility came to mind when taking Duchar’s proclivities into account.

“You are a fiend?” Simon asked, taken aback.

“Half of one,” Cassandra replied shyly. “My mother was a demon that my father had a relationship with, after his first wife died.”

“That… Then Hector is your half-brother…” Simon didn’t know what to say. Humans and demons could reproduce together—the latter could breed with anything, being creatures of miasma rather than natural entities—but most couplings were far from consensual. At least the ‘relationship’ part implied a much healthier reason for Cassandra’s birth. “There must be a big story behind that.”

“Not quite. Father wanted to sire a half-demon child out of scientific curiosity, and mother indulged him.”

Of course. Only Duchar would think to bed a demon for the sake of experimentation. It was a small miracle that Cassandra turned out relatively well-adjusted. Still, a worrying detail came to mind…

“I do recall you mentioning you despised your mother,” Simon said.

“I did?” Cassandra replied with a frown of confusion, Simon’s heart skipping a beat when he realized she only did so in a former reign. “But yes, I do not like her. Mother gave birth to me because she wanted to understand human feelings of love and motherhood.”

“I… I take it she did not?” Somehow, Simon struggled to imagine a creature entirely shaped out of corrupted mana to be capable of love.

“No. So she tried to strangle me one day to see if she could feel remorse instead when I was still a child.” She said that so casually they might as well have been discussing the weather. “Father had to banish her back to the Abyss after that.”

Simon winced. “I’m… I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Thank you.” Cassandra tilted her head to the side, as if considering whether her nonchalance was appropriate in the current situation. “I do not think I experience emotions like a normal person because of my origins. There are things that are obvious to others that I miss unless I pay attention, but other burdens do not weigh on my mind too much.”

“I… I see.” That explained a lot of things. “I promise I shall not share your secret with anyone.”

She bit her lower lip shyly. “You do not mind?”

“No, not at all.” Simon gently stroked her hair and horns. “I find them quite lovely, actually.”

“Thank you. I was afraid my origins might frighten or bother you.”

“Well, I kinda count as a demon because of my Class anyway, so… no, it doesn’t.” He put his hands around her waist, and this time she didn’t pull back. “I like you just the way you are.”

She smiled at him, her tail coiling around his legs as their lips met once more.

That…

Whoa.

That… alright… that was something…

“Simon?” Cassandra’s voice brought him back to reality as she pulled their bedsheet up. “Is something wrong?”

“No, no, it’s…” Simon struggled to put it into words, his eyes staring at the ceiling as a fog lifted over his mind. “I’m just… recovering.”

“Was it bad?” she asked with a frown. “Personally, I enjoyed it.”

“I… I did too…” The things she did with her tail… that opened up so many possibilities… “It was… good.”

He thought the best night of his life had been with Anna, and while he shared a deeper kinship with her, tonight had been something else altogether. Balzam’s loathsome rating had been accurate for once.

And yet, as the pleasure and contentment receded into the back of Simon’s mind, a certain realization wouldn’t leave him.

This would not last.

This would not stick. There would come a time when Simon would wake up in Frightwall alone again, their relationship a mere dream the new Cassandra wouldn’t remember. Would it hurt when he saw her again then, the same way it had hurt with Anna? Or would he simply cherish the memory and move on eventually?

“I wonder how long it can last,” Simon said as he pulled her close to him, her head resting on his shoulder. “Us.”

“As long as it can, I think?” Cassandra replied simply. “I have never been courted before, so I cannot tell.”

“I hope it lasts beyond the ritual.” Both this relationship and the reign. “What would you like to do once we complete it?”

Cassandra thought about it for a moment. “I would like to stay. I like this place and the people here. I would like to meet the Muse too, once it is safe for me to do so.”

“What, really?” That took Simon aback. “Why?”

“I think she is lonely and in deep pain. She reaches out to me sometimes, and I often answer.”

“I forbade her to,” Simon replied in annoyance. “If that treacherous tree tried to lure you into the forest–”

“She did not,” Cassandra reassured him. “She was thankful for my efforts to preserve her cult on her behalf and promised me great rewards in return for my devotion.” She chuckled lightly. “I think she wants me to become her new Caretaker.”

“Well… it’s not like any elf will serve her,” Simon conceded. “And she will have a daughter on the way too soon, if we do nothing about it.”

“A daughter? The manatree will bloom?” Cassandra sounded worried all of a sudden. “What will you do with the fruit?”

“I’m not sure yet. Either destroy it or prevent its birth somehow, I suppose.” Now Cassandra looked downright uncomfortable. “You want to plant it?”

“I do not think it is right to blame a newborn creature for its origins, or the danger it might represent,” Cassandra replied, her voice a little weaker than before. Simon had the feeling she related to the unborn demon-born dryad due to her own history. “I hope you will reconsider.”

“I understand how you feel, Cassandra, but you must realize the threat to the world a new breed of miasma trees will represent,” Simon pointed out. Even lifeless deserts like the Navarre region would be better off with nothing over a new Darkwood. “Unless we find a way to purify the fruit.”

Cassandra considered the matter before answering, “What if we used the Paladin Crestone?”

“On the fruit?” Simon quickly caught on. “You want to implant it in the fruit the same way Mardok forced the miasma crystal onto the Muse?”

“If it is so holy, it should be able to restore the newborn dryad into a normal one,” Cassandra pointed out. “You said their Purify Perk could destroy miasma crystals and clean areas of miasma.”

It was a good point… Simon doubted the Paladin’s Purify Perk could destroy the Zodiac Fiends’ crystals or else the ancient heroes would have done so rather than seal them away, but it might help purge the Muse’s daughter of her corruption. It would put an end to the late Mardok’s plan and prevent this evil from festering any further.

“It’s worth a shot,” Simon conceded. “I would be willing to try if we can keep the Paladin Crestone contained until that day.”

“Thank you, Simon. I think this is the right path.” She looked at him a bit shyly. “Could I ask something of you?”

“Yes, of course.” Simon frowned. “Something about the Muse?”

“No.” Her tongue clicked in her mouth. “Could you… massage me?”

Simon blinked, then burst out laughing. “Of course,” he replied, sealing the promise with a kiss. “Anything for you, Cassandra.”

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The next month was rather peaceful, in stark contrast with the rest of this reign so far.

Simon spent it experimenting with his upgraded crafting Perk and learning Tier 4 spells under his various mentors’ tutelage. The first of them was an improvement on the Toxin spell called Megatox.

“Elemental spells are simple enough that sorcerers developed stronger variants for different tiers,” Cassandra explained to him during one of these sessions. “They usually follow this structure: base spell, then mega, then giga, and so on, with each enhancement increasing the spellcasting tier by two.”

“So I will be able to cast a Gigatox spell at Tier 6?” Simon asked.

“Yes. Some Mage Vassal Classes can go further by using ‘metamagic’ Perks to alter a spell’s effects or potency, but mine has no such ability.” Cassandra chuckled. “A silly thought crossed my mind.”

“You are wondering what would happen if I consumed the Mage Noble Crestone?” Simon guessed.

“Oh, was it that obvious?”

“No,” Simon teased her, “but I am starting to know you well.”

She had a point, too. A similar thought had crossed his mind when Duchar sent him his analysis of the Sage Class. Its first innate Perk, Spell Affinity, let the user treat elemental neutral affinities as strong ones for the purpose of learning new spells and thus drastically shortening training; and the second, Grimoire Insight, let them instantly learn new spells from books or scrolls by simply reading a sufficiently detailed description, but they needed to be able to cast the Tier or spellcasting school in question first. New Perks then focused on learning how to spellcast spells of those same schools, like Geomancy, Rituals, and so on.

In short, these Perks would have been extremely useful had Simon not been constrained by Miasmic Archmage’s limitation to miasma-only spells. Neither enhanced affinities nor improved learning compensated for that crippling weakness, though they would make Simon even better at what he already excelled in.

Focusing on the Mage Noble Crestone might be a better proposition. That Class was said to be capable of mastering all forms of sorcery. One of its Perks might counteract Miasmic Archmage’s limits.

Taking the Mage Crestone from Cocagne’s queen was a pipe dream for now, but the Church Party had formed an alliance with her… perhaps that could open an opportunity down the line in another reign.

All in all, Simon was now more or less convinced that no Vassal Class Perks would outshine those he could get from the Noble ones. Obtaining them would certainly be more difficult, but not impossible.

After learning Megatox, Simon began to study three Diabolism spells, courtesy of the Muse: Night Raid, which involved summoning a swarm of abyssal bats to harass his enemies; Devil’s Arm, a spell that extended his arm’s length and let him inflict unholy Darkness damage on touch; and Shadowshield, a powerful buff applying both the Rampart and Barrier status on the user. It was far inferior to something like Belzemine’s Aegis spell, but still highly useful.

Crafting cursed swords, shields, and armor proved no different than making cursed accessories. Simon realized a previous Overlord—perhaps Balzam himself—had likely forged his trusty morning star using the Devil Forgemaster Perk in the past.

Since it was still the best weapon available to him until he gained more spellcasting tiers or better materials to work with, and Simon had no need for armor with his Overlord Class outfit, he instead focused on crafting himself a shield carved from the miasma tree’s bark and manticore bones. He worked hard to imbue it with an immunity against the Wood element in preparation for the Muse’s escape and the ability to fire boney spines at a target.

Simon and Cassandra otherwise settled down into a serene kind of domesticity. His new lover was nowhere near as lustful as Anna had been, but they shared many tender moments. They cooked together, went for horseback rides at night, read books near the firepit, and occasionally raised dead corpses in the basement.

It was… good.

In spite of everything, Simon’s life was good. This was the kind of existence he had hoped to enjoy before the Crimson Throne cursed him with the Overlord Class, besides the occasional cult business.

Once the month came to an end, Cassandra felt secure enough in their relationship to break the news to her family at dinner. Simon could tell Duchar and Hector had guessed the truth the moment they showed up on their house’s threshold that night.

“You do not seem surprised,” Simon told Duchar once he served the stuffed toadman he and Cassandra had cooked all evening.

“I had the intuition that Your Majesty fancied my daughter, considering how often you would choose to visit her,” Duchar replied. “I figured the two of you would settle down eventually.”

“About time…” Hector said.

“So you do not mind?” Simon asked. He didn’t wish to create any rift between Duchar and him. He knew the man put his family above his loyalty to the Overlord and would rather receive his blessing on the matter.

“What better partner could there be for my daughter than the Overlord?” Duchar shrugged his shoulders. “Cassandra is old enough to make her own decisions.”

That was pleasantly mature and wholesome of him.

“Besides, I can’t help but wonder if the child of an Overlord and a half-demon will end up with stronger devilish blood than either parent. A large sample of progeny ought to provide great insight into the influence of miasma on newborns.”

And of course he had to ruin the moment…

“You may have to wait many years for that experiment, Father,” Cassandra replied as she served Hector a plate of vegetables. “Here, brother.”

“I do not eat,” he rasped.

“These are specifically cultivated plants capable of providing flavor to an undead’s tongue,” Cassandra insisted after sitting between her lover and her father. “Simon created them just for you.”

“I…” Hector coughed. “Thank you, Simon.”

“You’re welcome,” Simon replied. “I know it is not much, but Cassandra and I hope it will make your current condition more bearable.”

“I am getting better. Your Dungeon clears my mind.” Hector met his gaze. “If I may ask… Have you heard any news about Lady Lauriane? I have heard she and Lord Louis are waging a war…”

“And they are winning it.” Simon had continued to keep close watch on what happened across Magvolia and beyond, through both Shabram and the news. “Their airships sank the White Unicorn’s fleet when it attempted to cross the Dragonsea last week.”

From what Simon had heard, the loss of the princess and the Flauros’ failed rebellion had considerably shaken the resolve of Valne’s city-states. Some of their leaders had pulled back from the entire endeavor, chief among them the Necromancer himself. Ser Richard of Lore had struggled to keep the coalition afloat, and the lack of local allies in Magvolia had forced him to take the long route to the nation. The massacre was such that the coast had briefly turned red for a day from all the washed-up corpses. Ser Richard himself was presumed dead, though his body had yet to be found.

Simon kept wondering what would have happened had he not taken up residence in the Darkwood. Would Alphonse’s party have reinforced the Muse’s seal and then successfully coordinated an invasion of Magvolia? Would it have changed anything?

“The Church Party is done for, I think,” Simon said as he cut off one of the stuffed toadman’s legs. “The plague that decimated Telluria’s beastmen wasn’t enough to turn the tide in the northeast, and the warlord Vouivre slew my brother Thalas when he attempted to retake the Berwick Islands for his father-in-law.”

“The Berserker was killed?” Duchar asked with sudden interest.

“He was. The new Marquise de Shax apparently feigned to support the retaking of the islands, only to betray him to Vouivre on arrival.” A piece of information that had filled Simon with immense joy, as much as he despaired to hear how the Berwick Islands suffered under Vouivre. At least he took solace in that Anna was still safe in Frightwall and freed in widowhood. “Vouivre rewarded her treachery with the Berserker Crestone and then invaded the Church Party’s holdings in Uyo.”

Cassandra frowned in genuine concern. “Isn’t Lady Kano there? Is she safe?”

“She is. She confirmed to me that the Cobweb’s association with Vouivre had secured her safety and autonomy through telepathy.” That was an alliance which worried Simon very much. Were the Cobweb funding Odette’s expedition on Vouivre’s behalf to find a miasma crystal? “She will keep me informed. It’s likely the War Party will begin to besiege Marthrone and Frightwall soon.”

“After which they will likely fight this dragon warlord for supremacy,” Duchar noted. “What a familiar turn of events. I do not care much for politics, but this feels like the Reformation come again.”

“What will you do, Simon?” Hector asked. “Will you pick a side?”

“I cannot say yet. All will depend on how the ritual turns out.” Simon suspected that Louis and Lauriane would be quick to forgive his deceit if he showed up with a bound archfiend to help them fight Vouivre with, but everything his elder brother had done showed Simon he would be a terrible ruler for Endymion. “This war pales compared to our work.”

“I fear that Your Majesty may be more right than they know,” Duchar said between two bites.

Simon frowned. “How so?”

“I have been closely monitoring the increase in miasma potency and monster spawnings in the Darkwood.” Duchar wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. “Everyone in Whispermire must have noticed the phenomenon by now.”

“Monsters are becoming a problem for local farmlands,” Cassandra conceded. “Refugees from smaller villages have been flocking in lately.”

Simon nodded sharply. He was quick to put any newly discovered monster under his control, but he couldn’t be everywhere at once. He often found fields set ablaze by fiends or farmers slaughtered by a manticore by the time he arrived to deal with an emergency.

At least they now had access to a more powerful pool of monsters. Demonic treants like the late Carrock and animated mushrooms were becoming the norm rather than the exception when it came to vegetation, water elementals spawned from the swamp alongside demonic toadmen, and he had tamed a few manticores and smaller chimeras in the past week.

The surge of monsters had also thrown many locals into the cult’s arms, since Simon offered protection from both the monsters and growing miasma. Many refugees had been drawn to the organization for their own safety, though Simon and his allies were mindful to prevent any newcomers from delving too deeply into the Darkwood. He had the strong suspicion spies from the Cobweb or War Party might lurk in their midst.

“This is only the beginning,” Duchar said. “Besides the influx of new monsters, old ones will soon return out to join in on the chaos.”

“Old ones?” Simon’s blood froze in his veins. Was he implying…

“The Stone Muse and these Zodiac Fiends may be the most dangerous creatures the elves and spellcasters have sealed away over centuries, but they certainly are not the only ones,” Duchar pointed out. “My hometown uses a petrified half-demon ogre for a tourist landmark. If our theory that the approaching comet strengthens all miasma worldwide proves correct–”

“Then all these lesser creatures might gain the power to escape their imprisonment.” Simon’s hands tightened into fists. “How many will break out?”

“I cannot say. Most of these monsters will be too weak to break out on their own, even with the comet’s power, but if even a fraction manages to escape, adventurers will come in high demand soon enough.”

“It is not just monsters,” Cassandra noted grimly. “There has been another earthquake in Bujan three days ago.”

“There is almost one per month now,” Simon admitted. “And I know for a fact that the Doom sent entire islands flying into the sky, back when the comet last visited us…”

“I suspect its approach may have a negative impact on the network of manatrees and manalith veins running beneath the world’s crust.” As usual, Duchar sounded more curious than bothered. “I wonder what will happen once it arrives at last…”

Simon was asking himself the exact same question. The comet was a little less than two months away from appearing in the sky, and the entire world felt like an egg being slowly boiled over in anticipation of its arrival.

What would happen when it finally cracked?