The adrenaline of the airship battle had long since faded, replaced by the warm, lingering comfort of a family dinner alongside Sylvia, Shade, and Shehuang. Now, deep in the quiet sanctuary of the midnight hour, it was finally time for bed.
Loki lay in the grand, canopy bed, pulling a slightly flushed, post-coital Duchess tightly against his chest. His fingers traced gentle, rhythmic circles over her flat stomach.
"So that's really how it all went down," Loki murmured, a soft chuckle vibrating in his throat. "I swear, I felt so damn embarrassed for Thorin when it came to his horse. That Sleipnir is nothing but trouble."
The elegant curls of Sylvia’s hair, straightened by the steam of their shared bath and the heat of their recent lovemaking, spilled across the pillows. She reached up, elegantly brushing a stray strand behind her ear as she looked at him.
"Sleipnir was actually a gift from the royal family," Sylvia explained, her voice dropping into a soft, intimate register. "It was nearly two decades ago, right when I first inherited the duchy from my father. The royal bloodline has always favored the Death element, so the stallion came directly from their personal stables. In terms of sheer intelligence and capability, he far surpasses a standard Unicorn."
Loki’s hand wandered idly upward, shifting from her stomach to cup her breast. "You're sending Sleipnir with me to the capital, though. won't people find it strange? A guy like me, riding a prestigious mount gifted explicitly to the Duchess by the royals themselves?"
Sylvia caught his mischievous hand, rolling her eyes with affectionate exhaustion as she firmly pinned it back down onto her belly. "It is hardly strange for my husband to ride his own wife's mount."
Taking the hint, Loki smiled and let his hand rest, though curiosity got the better of him. "Fair point. But... you gave me Sleipnir before we ever discussed getting married, didn't you?"
Sylvia’s gaze flicked away from his. A sudden, radiant blush bloomed across her cheeks, stripping away the fierce aura of a top-tier powerhouse. In that moment, she looked less like a ruler and more like a young woman caught in a romantic trap of her own making.
"The moment I first saw you, I knew," she admitted softly, her voice barely a whisper. "I knew right then that I wanted you as my husband. The training sessions were just a convenient excuse to spend time with you, to get to know you better. So..."
Loki’s heart swelled. The sheer validation of being so fiercely wanted by a woman like Sylvia Sky was an intoxicating feeling. He tightened his embrace, pulling her flush against his body.
Sensing his affection, Sylvia deftly shifted the topic, though her tone remained warm. "By the way, once you arrive in the capital, you will be staying at our Sky Duchy mansion. It’s situated perfectly between the academy and the royal castle. I usually only occupy it twice a year—during the summer and winter sessions when the royal court convenes for its kingdom-wide assemblies."
She shifted closer, resting her chin on his chest. "At the end of the year, Shade and I will fly down to join you for that two-week court session. Don't worry about the upkeep; I’m sending a dozen of my most trusted staff members from the estate ahead of time to relieve the capital servants and ensure you are thoroughly taken care of."
She paused, a thoughtful look crossing her features. "Also, my father lives in retirement within the Balder royal capital, quite close to the mansion. You should visit him. Even though he has stepped down from managing the duchy, he still commands an immense amount of political influence. He will provide you with strong Sky family backing."
As Loki's fingers continued to trace light patterns across her abdomen, his mind drifted toward the future—specifically, toward the spring, when their child would be born.
"I want to be by your side when the baby comes," Loki said, a genuine edge of worry bleeding into his voice. "What are we going to do about the distance?"
Mwah~!
Sylvia pressed a tender, reassuring kiss against his cheek. "Do not fret," she cooed, soothing his anxieties. "When the time comes, I will fly south and give birth at the capital mansion. I can stay there until your summer break begins. For now, erase those worries and get some sleep. You only have a single week left to spend with Shade and me before you have to leave."
Loki wrapped himself around her, spooning her tightly against his chest. As his eyelids grew heavy, he drifted off, his subconscious wandering back to familiar dreams of his past life on Earth.
The following afternoon, the atmosphere was entirely different within Shehuang's lavish bedroom at the Duchess’s estate.
"Master~! I was so miserable being unable to hold you last night," Shehuang pouted, her voice dripping with dramatic sorrow. "My poor heart is completely broken~!"
Through the profound nature of their Summoner bond, Loki could instantly feel her genuine desire to sleep beside him. He also knew that this grand display of a "broken heart" was entirely a playful act—but it was undeniably endearing.
His Snake Lamia maid, currently maintaining her flawless human guise, was dressed in a pristine maid outfit. She sat sideways across his lap, her arms securely looped around his neck as her lips formed a cute, exaggerated pout.
"Alright, Shehuang, I get it," Loki laughed, tapping her nose. "How about I take you shopping in the city later? We can pick out some new dresses and whatever else catches your eye. Besides, I want to take you to meet my mother. She is incredibly important family to me—and so are you."
Mwah~!
Shehuang planted a swift, delighted kiss on his lips. Her playful demeanor vanished in an instant, replaced by a sudden, intense seriousness. Stepping out of his lap, she extended her right hand toward the floor, her mana pooling rapidly as a brilliant, coppery magic circle manifested on the stone ground.
"I am officially satisfied, Master," she smiled, a spark of pride in her eyes. "And now, it is time for you to meet your newest maid. Come forth, Yin Meng, and greet your new lord! Call Summons!"
Buzz~!
The air hummed with dense magical pressure. As the coppery radiance gradually dissolved, it revealed the silhouette of a woman. She stood exceptionally straight, projecting the proud, unyielding aura of an Eastern Wastelands sword maiden—a veritable Valkyrie.
Loki felt his muscles instinctively tense. For a split second, a wave of apprehension washed over him; he was genuinely terrified that his heart was about to betray him yet again, throwing him into another spiral of uncontrollable, overwhelming infatuation like he had experienced with Shade, Sylvia, Shehuang, and Taki Tsuki.
But as the light completely faded and he looked at her, the expected romantic thunderbolt never came. Instead, the feeling was profoundly different.
The woman wore pristine, flowing white cultivator robes. Her left hand held a sheathed Jian sword, resting against her hip in a classic, disciplined warrior stance. Her long, silky, dark brown hair was meticulously styled, held aloft by elegant, intricate hair ornaments. She possessed sharp, strict brown eyes, and her overall physique and bearing mirrored that of an elite Asian supermodel or a high-budget action star from Earth.
Though she stood at a modest five-foot-four, her flawless, ramrod-straight posture gave her a heroic, imposing presence that commanded immediate respect.
This was Yin Meng. She was currently 427 years old, her name translating directly to Silver Dream in the Western Common tongue.
To an outsider, her youthful appearance would seem like an impossibility. In this world, high-tier superhumans who achieved advanced Circle levels naturally maintained a youthful visage, rarely looking a day over thirty throughout their immense lifespans before aging rapidly in their final year of life.
However, the primary reason for her timeless beauty—a trait that affected all of Shehuang’s personal summons—was a powerful passive ability. As a 7th Circle Summoner, Shehuang possessed Ageless Summons, a rare trait that permanently froze the physical aging process of her summons. They became functionally semi-immortal, completely immune to the passage of time unless slain in battle. Because of this shared bond, Yin Meng would never alter in appearance, and Loki himself would forever maintain the visage of an eighteen-year-old youth.
As Loki and Yin Meng locked eyes, Loki carefully examined his own internal reactions. He definitely felt something.
But as the seconds ticked by, a profound sense of relief washed over him. His chest didn't ache with longing; his pulse didn't skyrocket. The emotions settling into his core were a deep, unadulterated admiration and a faint, empathetic pity. It was as if his raw respect and acknowledgment for her long, disciplined journey as a warrior had manifested as a tangible feeling.
As Loki relaxed, thoroughly enjoying the prospect of having a beautiful warrior around without the chaotic complication of immediate romantic pining, he remained entirely oblivious to the subtle shifts in the room's emotional current.
Shehuang, bound to him by soul, felt his immense relief and calm. But when she glanced at her newly summoned warrior, she saw Yin Meng’s pupils instantly constrict. Through her command link, Shehuang felt the older woman’s heart suddenly begin to race with a wild, chaotic fervor—the exact same explosive attraction Shehuang herself had experienced upon meeting him.
Amusement danced in Shehuang’s eyes. A sly, trickster smile spread across her face as she looked at her oblivious master. What a dummy, she thought affectionately.
Noticing the stoic warrior woman remained completely silent, Loki took the initiative to break the ice. "Hello, Yin Meng. I am Loki Sky, your master’s master. It’s an honor to meet you."
Shehuang cleared her throat, coughing lightly into her fist as she playfully interrupted. "Master, you're forgetting a minor detail. I am also your Concubine, hehe."
Loki felt a creeping warmth of embarrassment color his neck, but he maintained his composure and nodded in swift agreement.
Yin Meng masterfully locked down her racing emotions. She slipped her Jian sword securely into her sash and offered a traditional martial greeting—pressing her right fist firmly into her left palm and bowing her head with absolute discipline.
"Yin Meng humbly greets my Master!"
Shehuang nodded in approval, then out of nowhere, her eyes flashed with mischief. "Yin Meng, without using your sword, defeat our Master. Fail, and you will face punishment... Fight!"
Loki blinked, caught completely off guard. As an accomplished Martial Artist, Yin Meng possessed five formidable, well-documented abilities:
Fast Attacks: The rapid, standard offensive sequence utilized by high-tier Swift Knights.
Fleet Movement: An incredible land-speed amplification technique (the very same style Loki had witnessed during a notorious panty-theft incident).
Whirlwind Attack: A devastating 3rd Circle technique that Thorin was currently striving to master. It triggered a wide-arc offensive capable of striking every single target within a ten-foot radius, though it demanded double the standard active Aura cost.
Piercing Strike: A lethal 4th Circle Strong Knight ability that channeled a concentrated burst of Aura. It entirely bypassed one hundred percent of a target's physical and magical defenses, rendering armor and barriers completely useless.
Line Attack: A 5th Circle ranged Aura strike that unleashed a five-foot-wide shockwave, extending outward ten feet for every Circle level the user possessed. It was a terrifyingly destructive wave, visually reminiscent of the iconic Getsuga Tensho from the old Earth anime Loki used to watch.
Both Loki and Yin Meng stood frozen, stunned by Shehuang’s sudden decree to brawl in the middle of a decorated bedroom.
But Yin Meng could feel the absolute seriousness of the command pulsing through the summoner bond. Nervously, she unbuckled her sword from her waist and tossed it safely onto a nearby armchair. "Master... I am of the 5th Circle. Master Loki is currently only of the 2nd. Is this wise?"
Shehuang merely grinned, raising her hand and pointing directly at Loki as she unleashed a signature spell. "Buff Summons!" She laughed, crossing her arms. "Neither of you are allowed to use active Aura or magical spells. I don't need the Duchess executing me because we destroyed her guest quarters!"
Buff Summons: An active spell lasting 1 minute per Circle level of the Summoner, consuming 10% of the caster's maximum mana. It elevates the target's overall category by one full Circle tier. Under this effect, Loki currently counted as Shehuang’s summon, elevating him to the 3rd Circle for the next seven minutes.
Whoosh—Thud!
Seeing the magical light of the buff settle over Loki, Yin Meng wasted no more time. She launched herself forward, her white robes snapping like flags as she delivered a textbook, Xianxia-style palm strike aimed squarely at his chest.
Thud, Thud!
The collision was instantaneous, but the result was entirely unexpected. Relying on sheer instinct, Loki parried her lightning-fast palm with a crisp deflection, simultaneously counter-punching with his opposite hand. His fist connected solidly with her unprotected midsection, the raw force of a 3rd Circle strike driving the veteran warrior backward in sheer surprise.
Fwoosh—Thud, Thud, Thud!
A massive rush of adrenaline flooded Loki's veins. Sensing his advantage, he surged forward, maintaining a tight, aggressive stance as he unleashed a rapid-fire volley of straight, compact punches.
Yin Meng, despite possessing a massive raw advantage in combat experience, found herself completely flustered. Deprived of her blade and her devastating Aura techniques, her traditional, long-range unarmed forms were utterly overwhelmed by Loki’s strange, chaotic, and relentlessly tight fighting style—a methodology entirely alien to both Western Knights and Eastern Martial Artists.
Bang! Thud! Whoosh!
As Shehuang watched her top summon struggle against the onslaught, she called out over the sound of impacting flesh. "Loki is utilizing a highly specialized art from his homeland called Wing Chun. He was gracious enough to grant this fighting style to me, but unfortunately, the knowledge cannot be magically transferred to you through our bond. If you wish to learn it, you must be taught by our Master the traditional way. Do you understand now?"
Thud, Thud, Bang!
The realization clicked in both Loki and Yin Meng’s minds simultaneously. Shehuang hadn't ordered this fight out of cruelty or boredom; she had forced the confrontation so Yin Meng could experience the terrifying, practical efficacy of Wing Chun firsthand.
Thankfully, Loki’s Toughness ability was a passive, non-aura-based trait. It constantly mitigated the physical impact of Yin Meng’s precise finger strikes, knife-hands, and palm thrusts, which otherwise would have left him severely bruised. Spotting a momentary overextension in her guard, Loki capitalized instantly.
Slide—Bang!
Slipping inside her defensive arc, Loki pivoted cleanly, leaning his upper body back to drive a powerful, snapping side-kick directly into her hip. The force lifted her off her feet, sending her flying cleanly over the edge of the grand bed to land in a sprawling, disheveled heap on the mattress.
"That's quite enough from you two," Shehuang declared, clapping her hands together merrily. "Master wins! Now, come here and let me heal those bruises, hehe."
Loki offered a warm, respectful smile to the disarranged warrior woman, extending his hand to help her up from the rumpled sheets. "Thanks for the match, Yin. If you had been allowed to use your Aura, I have no doubt you would have wrecked me. I'm more than willing to teach you the style, if you're truly interested."
Hearing him casually shorten her name to Yin while feeling the steady, reassuring strength of his hand, a sudden wave of heat rushed to her face. She fiercely locked down the flutter in her heart, maintaining her external stoicism as she accepted his help.
Once on her feet, she offering another deep, disciplined martial bow. "Thank you, Master. Please, accept me as your disciple. I am entirely willing to learn."
After Shehuang finished channeling a wave of refreshing healing magic to soothe their minor scrapes and aches, a wicked smirk crossed the Lamia's face. She pointed a manicured finger toward the adjoining washroom.
"You went and dirtied your new Master during the fight, Yin Meng," Shehuang giggled, her eyes sparkling with absolute mischief. "Therefore, your official punishment is to accompany him into the bath and clean him up, haha!"
Yin Meng bowed automatically, turning her head toward the washroom to hide the sudden, intense look of flustered panic in her dark eyes. "Master... after you," she murmured, gesturing politely toward the door.
Shaking his head at Shehuang’s unyielding appetite for mischief, Loki simply smiled and walked toward the steaming bath, determined not to make the situation any more awkward for his brand-new maid and disciple.
And just like that, Loki Sky had gained a formidable new protector, a dedicated student, and a very crowded schedule.
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