CHAPTER 370: CHAPTER 370: WHERE IS THE KING?

"Auntie Priya, please, where is Father?" Ozia asked while bowing down slightly.

This was one of his aunties whom he deeply respected. At least, she didn’t behave indifferent to most things like his own mother.

It wasn’t that N’bayé was a bad mother, she was just focused on other things. By her logic, motherhood and the activities surrounding it would lead to inefficiency in completing her own personal duties.

Ozia knew this as his reasoning was also slightly aligned with his mother’s. Arrogance and intelligence could go hand in hand.

Oh well, it was to be expected. N’bayé was never the type to cherish the moments of raising a child like other mothers would. Only gaining knowledge and experimentation could get her interested most times.

Luckily, Ozia and N’bayé shared equal levels of desire for knowledge, so it wasn’t like they didn’t have any common factor keeping their relationship together.

"Oh, we are heading to look for him right now, he should be in the Command Chamber," Priya said with a smile as she scanned the bodies of these four little lion children.

She could see the bruises on their bodies her spirit senses saw through their clothes to observe the hidden injuries.

"What do you want to see him for?" Priya asked, a frown appearing on her face.

She knew that these children preferred to be with her whenever they could. Out of all the lionesses, she was the most caring and empathetic. It wasn’t a surprise that they would prefer to hang around with her than their own mothers.

Unfortunately, as much as Priya would have loved to keep the children of the king company, she had work to do.

"Your Highness..." Wei was about to speak up when another spatial distortion occurred behind them.

Katari appeared like a ghost, her arms behind her and her back facing the distant wall.

She looked like a strict teacher escorting her students to detention. Her face remained stoic and devoid of any emotions.

Unlike in the past, Priya didn’t react with any signs of discomfort now that she and Katari were in the same space. Gone were the days when any of Kael’s consorts would be fearful of being in Katari’s presence.

Katari might still be the same mentally but they had all gotten used to it and had accepted that that was just how she was.

"Oh, Katari, how are you?" Priya greeted with a sweet genuine smile, exposing a bit of her sharp canines.

Katari nodded her head slightly, "I’m fine thank you," She said indifferently, "The children would like to see His Majesty so that they can report their failures,"

"Oh," Priya finally realized what was going on. It was probably one of those training sessions.

"I’ll take them from here," Priya said, sensing that the cubs needed some time away from their mentor.

"Very well," Katari nodded, "Do well to prepare Silas. I shall be taking him on the next training session,"

After Katari said that, she disappeared. She didn’t wait to hear confirmation from Priya because what she was stating was a fact, not a request.

She wouldn’t let any of Kael’s children become a liability to him, they must not be weak.

Silas, the little gray-haired boy holding on to Priya’s hand, froze up immediately. He subconsciously squeezed Priya’s palm as he felt a deep sense of fear.

Ozia and the rest looked at Silas with a look of pity, but also expressions to show that they were happy someone else would be joining to share in their misfortune.

"I don’t like her, mother," Silas complained to his mother telepathically. A telepathic connection between the two of them, mother and son, could not be spied on by anyone, not unless that person was Kael.

Priya smiled wryly but her eyes revealed a trace of fighting intent. Katari had unknowingly triggered Priya’s motherly protective instinct. It was taking her willpower not to show it on her face.

"Your aunt Katari doesn’t bother herself with who likes her or hates her. She just wanted everything to be working properly and effectively, the way your father wants it.

Don’t worry, you’ll make it through,"

Priya assured her son before turning her attention to the other children.

"Let’s go then," She said to them as she continued walking with Silas.

Seeing that the other children were looking at him, Silas stylishly retrieved his hands from his mother’s grasp.

The nickname, mummy’s boy, was already attached and linked to his persona among the other children. He didn’t want to further damage the little reputation he had.

Priya noticed this but didn’t say anything. She couldn’t be bothered to explain to Silas why it was important not to care about what anyone thought.

At the same time, Silax had to eventually learn how to fend for himself. She couldn’t protect him forever.

Ozia glanced coolly at Silas, quickly sending him a telepathic message, "Mummy’s boy,"

Alyrat, Jeremiah, and Wei chuckled softly.

Silas frowned, "You wish you were a mummy’s boy," He went straight for the heart with his insult.

Ozia’s smile was instantly wiped away from his face and his eyes glowed faintly.

The sound of Alyrat, Jeremiah, and Wei laughing at Silas’s jab made it feel like they were adding salt to an injury.

"That’s enough," Priya softly reprimanded them. Her mature face showed her resolve for issues more serious than whatever the children were doing. Still, she didn’t forget to stop them from doing something stupid.

Sibling rivalry wouldn’t favor anyone.

Eventually, they made it to the door-gate of the Command Chamber.

Priya brushed her spirit sense over the recognition rune of the gate. There was a low chime, followed by the clanking of metal.

The metal door-gate slid into the side of the wall. This was just one way of getting to the Command Chamber.

The master of the arkship could just teleport whoever he wanted into the chamber and out.

The group stepped into the Command Chamber, leaving the Lion Chamber world behind them.

They were met with the familiar sight of the command chamber, gazing upon the lights in all their magnificence.

The holographic projection of the saucer-shaped arkship remained suspended above them, slowly rotating with different parts of its components glowing with different colors.

Different screens hovered silently in the brightly lit room. Lions of various Lionheart types wandered the spaces between different hard-light constructs, operating the systems and remotely managing key facilities.

Priya and the others looked around as if they were very familiar with this sight. They had been into the Command Chamber multiple times in the past and were already used to this sight.

They glanced at the black high pillow throne sitting silently at the center of it all.

It was empty.

The King they had come to see was absent.

"You’re Highness," One of the lionesses close to the door-gate saw Priya and immediately called out to greet. She bowed, lowering her beastly form and making sure her nose touched the ground.

Priya nodded slightly to acknowledge this.

A second later, the other lions and lionesses echoed out their greetings as they bowed their heads.

Ozia and the other children observed all this nonchalantly. It wasn’t the first time they were seeing something like this, it happened quite often.

"Where is the king?" Priya asked the nearest lioness close to her.

The lioness peeled her focus from what she was doing and sat her large body down.

"His Majesty was just here a few moments ago. However, he seemed to have received an urgent message from Caste Leader Marcus. Shortly after, he received another private message from Her Highness, Nalii.

After which, His Majesty got up from his throne and left." The lioness responded professionally.

Ozia looked at the black high pillow throne. Indeed, there were still traces of that terrifying aura that belonged to his father.

"Do you know where he went?" Wei asked all of a sudden.

The large lioness turned her head downward to see who was talking. When she noticed that it was Wei, she had a mixed expression on her face.

Wasn’t this the cub who had been unfairly given the title of future consort? Seeing this blue-skinned girl, the lioness had a bitter taste in her mouth.

Wei probably didn’t even know how significant her position was and how important it would be in the future.

The lioness subconsciously inserted herself in Wei’s place. She imagined what it would be like if she were the one in that position instead of Wei.

She wasn’t a water lioness, or possessed any of the Lionhearts the king’s harem was lacking, but she still felt she was more qualified than this blue-skinned child.

For a brief second, a very brief second, the lioness showed a trace of hostility as she looked at Wei.

However, this brief hostility was noticed by Priya.

Priya frowned, releasing a powerful spirit pressure that nearly shattered the mind of the lioness.

The lioness collapsed to the ground, spreading her limbs out and panting

The surrounding lions and lionesses looked over with curiosity, wondering what was going on.

"I’m sorry Your Highness," The lioness pleaded.

"Where did the king go?" Priya ignored her pleas and asked the main question.

The lioness gulped, "The King went to see his father,"