CHAPTER 39: NIGHTTIME PROBLEMS

In the middle of the night, Luxian woke up, slowly opening her eyelids and feeling a bit sleepy.

In the room, there was only the small light from the fireplace, reflecting an orange glow on the two sitting on the sofa, Luxian and Khan.

Fuyu and her bear were sleeping on the sofa in front, right after the small glass table.

Feeling awake enough, she felt Khan’s head against hers, which made her not move much.

...Is he asleep?

Luxian moved slowly, while Khan’s head slowly fell against her shoulder.

The white cloth covering Khan’s face slipped slightly to the side, revealing his sleeping face, his hair falling a little on his unveiled face.

Looking at Khan’s sleeping face, Luxian felt a sense of nostalgia.

In the limbo, we used to sleep all together and always woke up at the same time, but now... for some reason, we couldn’t sleep... only Gurath was still sleeping, because of her complicated condition...

While thinking, she folded her two right wings, which were close to Khan.

Folding them, she stretched the wing that was located higher and passed it behind Khan, wrapping him in a comfortable way.

With Khan covered, she covered herself with the other two left wings, forming a cocoon of white feathers.

Unfortunately, her back was exposed because of the stretched wings; to prevent that, she leaned on the sofa.

As she leaned, her head slowly fell against his, which now rested on her right shoulder. One of the wings sprouting from her head covered Khan’s revealed face.

Comforted by the situation, she thought nostalgically.

That’s how we used to sleep in the limbo... but Azathoth was missing...

While thinking, her eyes grew heavy, making her fall asleep again.

---

While Luxian and Khan were sleeping peacefully in the middle of the night, somewhere else were starting to get restless.

Yuri was sitting in his leather chair in the office, with yellow lamps lighting the place.

In front of him, a dark wooden desk where he rested his arm, with several papers spread out.

Holding a sheet, he started reading with a tired face, because of the busy day.

Those damn old men... Didn’t they have another time to start these coups?

Yuri gave a light sigh while scratching his head. The papers in front of him were from an investigation he ordered.

And it seems this time they didn’t even bother to hide these kinds of ideas... Are they doubting my authority!?

Yuri started getting more stressed. He looked away from the papers to a drawer in the desk and pulled it faster than usual.

Inside, a small white box was in a corner, near some books. Finding what he was looking for, he took the box and opened it; several cigarettes were lined up.

Taking one and lighting it, he thought.

This thing is new... but it’s strange... it doesn’t taste good, but when I’m stressed, my mind thinks about it...

What he was doing was smoking cigarettes, coming from the island. They can be addictive and cause some damage to the body, but in return, they relax the mind.

With the cigarette lit, he took a break from work.

Not long after, the front door was opened with a loud sound, banging against the wall.

The culprit, Vivianne, was visibly irritated, while small yellow sparks came out of her white horns.

Looking at Yuri and smelling the air, she wrinkled her nose, annoyed.

"Hey! You’re turning into an idiot? Smoking that crap again?"

She started walking toward Yuri while continuing,

"That shit can clearly be some island scheme to poison or addict us, you idiot!"

Yuri just exhaled the smoke from his lungs. Narrowing his eyes at Vivianne, and in a calm tone,

"Don’t bother me, I don’t want to keep hearing your sermons... Especially from someone who almost screwed the entire kingdom."

Vivianne stopped halfway and crossed her arms; her horns stopped sparking. With a slight tail wag, she replied,

"You’re acting like a spoiled brat like this..."

Yuri sighed and rested his elbow on the desk; as he positioned his arm, some ashes fell, and he spoke, half tired of the situation.

"What do you want?..."

With a serious look and uncrossing her arms, she approached the desk, despite the unbearable smell.

"Are you really going to invite those beings from the island to the ball at the castle?"

Yuri, with his cigarette fully smoked, put the non-smokable end in a small silver plate beside the desk.

He looked at her with a calm expression and intertwined his fingers on the desk.

"I will... We need to get closer to them, especially if we are going to put that plan into action."

Vivianne frowned and, with an irritated voice, said.

"You still have the idea of putting them in the middle of the war!? That... I will never think it’s a good idea!"

Yuri seemed confused by her reaction.

Why is she so against it? Wasn’t she the one who wanted to duel that abomination and see its power level?

Trying to understand her opinion, he asked.

"Why are you so irritated?"

She put both hands heavily on Yuri’s desk; the sound of the hit made him open his eyes wider and look at her hands.

Staring into Vivianne’s eyes again, she said,

"It was that old counselor who suggested this idea, wasn’t it!?"

Vivianne took her hand off the desk and stepped back, crossing her arms; without waiting for a reply, she continued.

"Don’t you find it strange!? This action can raise doubt among the people because we interact with a monster, and even so, he advised us to get closer to them!"

Yuri looked at her with a growing doubt inside.

"You..."

He stopped and rubbed his forehead with his fingers, as if dealing with an idiot. He continued.

"...You only listen to things halfway."

As he spoke, he sighed lightly. Stopping rubbing his forehead, he gestured while explaining.

"You know, he also considered that, but the war is close. So this would be a better risk than completely losing a potential help."

Vivianne wasn’t satisfied with the answer and raised her voice.

"Fuck that ’potential help’! You know very well that you’re just giving reasons for the people and nobility to label you, wake up!"

.

Frustrated and with few hours of sleep, Yuri snapped. Getting up, he slammed a clenched fist hard on the desk; unknowingly, his IQ manifested in his hand.

The desk cracked, sending splinters flying. With a distorted expression, he said angrily.

"SO, WHAT THE FUCK DO I DO, DAMN IT!? EVERYONE KNOWS HOW TO POINT OUT THE MISTAKE, BUT WHAT THE FUCK IS THE SOLUTION!? HUH!? CAN YOU TELL ME!?"

Vivianne made a shocked expression because of Yuri’s current rage, which she had never seen before.

Looking into Yuri’s slightly reddened eyes, she said softly.

"You changed..."

That statement made Yuri wrinkle his nose in more anger.

"OF COURSE, HUMANS GROW UP, STUPID DRAGON!"

Vivianne didn’t answer back but looked upset by the remark. Yuri, seeing her sad expression, realized he had hurt her. He sighed and calmed down.

Sitting again, he spoke calmly.

"Sorry... I went too far and ended up releasing my frustration on you..."

Vivianne, even with the apology, seemed upset while rubbing her left arm uncomfortably. She answered, without her usual agitated or joking tone.

"Okay..."

Yuri sighed and said.

"Look at these documents, then you’ll understand my frustration."

Vivianne, still a bit down, took one of the papers in her hand.

After reading it completely, she slightly furrowed her eyebrows.

Putting the paper on the desk and taking another, she furrowed them again.

"...They really want to sink the kingdom..."

Yuri agreed and commented,

"That’s why I hate old men. It seems that, because they’re close to death, they want to take everything down with them..."

Yuri sighed, leaning back in his chair, looking at the ceiling, and continued.

"Knowing these things, the best option is really to start contact with the island, before these nobles try any moves."

Vivianne, putting the paper back on the desk, said.

"Why don’t you let me kill them all?"

Yuri looked at her, narrowing his eyes.

"Looks like you’re back to normal... and to answer your question... no, you can’t, that would only complicate things more..."

Vivianne, now a bit more emotional, joked.

"More than the nobles’ actions, diverting money to Engracia?~"

"Yes... At least they still keep their territories running."

At least that gives us time to plan something against them...

Interrupting his thoughts, Vivianne said.

"But with this evidence, we could remove the nobles from their posts, right? So why don’t we do it now?"

"We don’t have much time, and even if we did, who would we put to manage the territories?"

Vivianne, hearing Yuri’s explanation, began scratching her head, trying to understand.

Unable to understand and giving up, she stopped scratching her head.

"Ah... complicated. Now I understand your frustration. Things are horrible..."

"Yeah... well, can you better understand now why I invited the island?"

"Hmm~"

She thought for a while with a finger in front of her lips, then said.

"I understand, but I still don’t buy that suggestion coming from the counselor."

Yuri sighed and, with a tired look, said.

"He’s a counselor... of course he would suggest that, since it’s the most plausible solution..."