CHAPTER 827: CHAPTER 827 - I’LL BE BACK!

Alice immediately bolted for the open door before Zahra could get a grip on what was happening.

Bam

Yet, just before Alice could rush through the door, it slammed shut again.

"Eh?" she muttered as she skidded to a halt, cocking a confused eyebrow. She knew there was only one person who had this kind of control over the dimension’s internal structure.

Quickly becoming grumpy, she looked around with indignantly narrowed eyes. "Mother Elora? What are you doing?" she grumbled, annoyed at feeling her enthusiasm being curbed.

As Elora had taken over control of this structure from Eira, she could not only control every part of it, but also keep an eye on it from almost anywhere.

In answer to her question, a spirit-like form of the fairy appeared floating before the door. Alice immediately understood Elora wasn’t inside the dimension, which was true. Elora was currently busy coordinating administrative tasks with Ankhur and Runa regarding the new addition to the empire.

The fairy looked sternly at Alice. "Is this really how you want to show up to him?" she asked, frowning.

Alice flinched back a little, her lips twitching as she turned back to human form. "W— What do you mean?!" she exclaimed defensively, clearly knowing exactly what Elora meant.

Arms crossed in front of her chest, the fairy rolled her eyes. "You haven’t stabilised your breakthrough yet, Alice, and you know it. You broke through literally seconds ago. You can’t even control yourself yet!"

She pointed at some flickers of frostflame uncontrollably sparking on Alice’s fingers. They harmlessly sizzled out against the dimension’s interior, but if she were in a more vulnerable place, she’d be doing heavy damage to it right now.

Alice’s enthusiasm quickly withered under Elora’s stern gaze as she tried timidly to hide the sparks behind her back. "I just— I just wanted to show him," she pouted unhappily.

Sighing, Elora floated closer to the wereverine and put a small hand on her cheek. She smiled with a warmth only reserved for her family—one that surprised Zahra quite a bit. "I know. You want him to be proud, and he would be. I am, too. We all are!" Elora told Alice.

Young Alice perked up again, but before she could try to convince the fairy, Elora frowned again. "But don’t you remember how much he impressed the need for proper stabilisation? If you go to him now, he’ll be a proud father, but a disappointed teacher. Don’t you want him to be both?"

Alice’s mouth opened and closed several times, but no words came out. Her eyes darted between Elora right in front of her, and the door that just closed. Finally, an unwilling pout appeared. "Of course I do..." she muttered under her breath.

"Good!" Elora chirped, smiling victoriously. "Then go back and stabilise first, alright?"

Still pouting, Alice nevertheless nodded, her shoulders slumped. "Yes, Mother Elora..." But then she suddenly perked up again, determination returning to her gaze. "Don’t tell him about this, alright!?" She glanced carefully at the door she knew had Erik behind it. "Has he noticed anything?"

Even if Elora had main control over this structure, it was still Erik’s dimension. Nothing happened in here without his ability to notice it.

Fortunately for her, Elora shook her head. "No, he’s far too focused on his studies right now," she smiled, only partly lying. No, Erik had not noticed anything, but he certainly wasn’t studying right now. "Don’t worry, I won’t say a word. You can surprise him in a few days, when you’re truly done, alright? The fact you rushed out too early will remain our secret."

Having come to her senses a little, Alice sighed with a hint of relief. Her hands were now wringing together as she tried desperately to keep her second rank power under control. She turned around, but as she did so, she noticed an awkward Zahra.

Having forgotten all about this person, the newly second-rank Alice narrowed her eyes at this third-ranker. "You never saw me! Got it?!" she growled threateningly.

Only barely knowing what was going on, Zahra nevertheless understood this little person was important to Erik, so she quickly nodded. "U— Understood..." she stammered, not particularly bothered by the ranking difference between them.

Having gotten her word, Alice snorted and quickly ran back into the training room, now filled with the drive to not only finish stabilising, but also do the best job she could to impress her teacher and father. "I’ll be back!" she roared behind her.

As soon as she was gone, Elora was finally able to relax. Groaning, she rolled her eyes, sighed in relief, and rubbed her forehead. ’That could have been awkward...’ she thought to herself.

Finally, she turned to Zahra, who was trying and failing to sink into the floor. Behind her, the door to the library opened once again. "Well? What are you waiting for?" Elora asked, seemingly stern, but those who knew her could see the playful twinkle in her eyes.

"I— I uh," Zahra stuttered, completely taken aback by what just happened. "Should— Should I maybe come later...?" she asked timidly. "You said... something about studying?"

Not changing her expression, Elora shrugged. "He could use a distraction, and I know he wanted to be kept up to date, so if that’s what you’re here for, then get in there already."

That was indeed why she was there, but this whole episode had caused her to hesitate wryly. Still, under Elora’s gaze, she didn’t find the courage to leave again. So, steeling her heart, she moved towards the library entrance.

***

"What— What the frick?"

This was Zahra’s reaction when she first laid eyes on the scene within the library. Elora had disappeared, so she was alone once more in witnessing this.

Before her, a woman, very clearly Emma in bondage gear, was naked and writhing on Erik’s lap. Zahra’s stunned gaze couldn’t help but travel all over Emma’s body—from her modest curves, to her beautiful skin, and finally, the bondage gear restricting her and robbing her of her senses.

To see the graceful, elegant healer writhe her body like this was a shock far exceeding the Emma she’d already seen in the throne room.

Yet, her gaze also unmistakably went to Erik’s powerful muscles, as well as the cock Emma was impaling herself on.

Utterly bewildered, it took her a full ten seconds to snap around, intending to rush out of the room.

"Stop."