Chapter 1622: Home, Sweet Home

Once Varian and family returned home, the Heir of the alliance noticed the grumpy old man glaring at him like always. He was silent the whole time, be it when they were pulled out of Hortus, during the period when Varian was brutally tortured and when the duel contestants disappeared for a while.

Unlike the women, he didn't show any sign of worry on his face and appeared as carefree as he'd always been.

And now that he was in proximity with Varian, he stared glaring at him with eyes that would swallow if they could.

"I went through so much sh*t and all you do is glare at me? Even if you're my elder-in-law, this is really unexpected." Varian said with an overly surprised expression.

"They're all worried for nothing." Evander crossed his arms and snorted. "Only good guys die at a hundred. Bad guys will live for a thousand. Terrible people will live for ten thousand.

But shameless scoundrels like you won't ever die. Even death doesn't want to touch you with a ten foot pole. No wonder that death lady was so irritated with you." "Father!" Sarah stomped with an aggrieved gaze. "How can you say such words when he's been through so much pain? If you do it once again, I'll really...start crying."

"S-Sorry, sorry, daughter! My stupid mouth!" Evander's stern expression immediately collapsed and he apologized with a pitiful face.

"Tsk, weak old man." Primula chuckled from the side. "He's strong to everyone else outside but now he's behav—Oops!"

The energetic teenage girl shut up at Sarah's glare and hid behind Helena, muttering. "Scary, scary, so scary!"

"Brat, you aren't a child anymore. Respect my father or I'll teach you respect." Sarah said in a threatening tone.

Primula gulped her saliva and stuck out her neck from behind Helena. In a weak voice that shouldn't have come out of someone who ruled a third of Hortus, she said. "B-But brother also calls him w-weak old m—"

"Var is my father's disciple before we were wife and husband. And their relationship is theirs to decide."

"W-Why is my relationship with him not mine to deci..." Primula's teeth chattered and her hair started to freeze.

Sarah had a kind smile on her face. "Yes, Primula, you were saying something?"

"Achuu!" Primula's rank 9 powers couldn't save her from the cold. Even wrapping her arms around herself, the girl began to shiver.

Cold, so fricking cold!

"Even though I'm the Queen, I've been very democratic in ruling. I listen to all opinions. So, you were saying something?" Sarah tilted her head with an encouraging expression.

Knowing her predicament, the brave girl immediately surrendered. "Yeah, yeah, you're right! You're absolutely right!"

While this small incident of 'disciplining' was happening, Varian was pulled into the main palace by Sia and Enigma.

It was a ocean-themed room. The interior was light blue with a soothing music of sirens playing in the background. The top of the room resembled the view of water as seen from the bottom of a lake or a river.

Beyond the walls were sea creatures swimming in a small ocean created for the walls, within the walls using space folding.

They sat him down on soft cushion filled with cool water and stared at him like he's some artpiece. Varian was fine for a few minutes but eventually, he asked in an awkward tone. "Um, what are you girls doing?"

"Shhh!" Enigma placed her index finger on her thin lips. "Printing. Printing you into memory." Sia whispered and resumed that obsessive stare.

Varian wanted to say something but he ended up sighing and closing his eyes. The battle took a toll on him anyway and he needed some time with himself. Since they're not asking him to interact and were content with just looking, he decided to meditate and calm down his messed up mind.

Shortly after, Isadora entered the room with Aurora. The two of them were in an argument, which was rare since Miss Calamity, despite the notoriety outside was actually a very peaceful person.

In a sense, her cold blooded, mysterious and ruthless personna mainted outside was directly against her actual self—an energetic, kind, 'the girl next door' closeness.

"Why don't you call him brother? We have a Primula anyway. You can be Primula 2.0."

"I don't want to be anyone's copy! Not yours, not Primula's! Yeah, especially not that shorty's!"

Primula who was walking behind Sarah with her head lowered raised her head in shock.

She's not short anymore! Even though Miss Calamity was still half a head taller than her...what's wrong with being a bit short?

"I'll punch her thick skull to my height!" Rubbing her fist, Primula reached for the door, only to be pulled away by Sarah who grabbed her by the collar.

"Let go!" Primula struggled to get out of their grip, kicking her legs in the air but the Queen was firm.

"I'll shave her hair and cut her height by at least two inches! Ahhh!"

Restraining the wriggling rebel with one hand, Sarah waited for Miss Calamity's decision.

Unaware that another demoness was listening to her, Aurora rubbed her long, silky hair with a prideful expression and continued. "I'm me, Miss Calamity, the nightmare of the Empire, the slayer of enemies and the beam of light in the final darkn—"

"Stop, stop, stop!" Isadora rolled her eyes. "I'd rather Primula call him dad to be safe. But she grew up and if she calls him dad now...I don't want to imagine. So, just call him brother and everything will be sorted out." "But I don't wanna!" Miss Calamity stomped her foot and pouted. Raising her arms in protest, she said. "He already has a sister. But he doesn't have a sister-in-law. So, that's my place."

"What of it?" "That makes me special, which I am!" "...Aurora, are you naive or are you pretending to be naive?"

"..." As if she was hurt badly by those words, Miss Calamity looked at her with teary eyes.

"Okay, okay. you are innocent but I really don't want to take some risks. Especially him. I trust you...somewhat, but I don't trust your gold digger of a mother at all. Do you dare to admit she didn't tell you anything regarding Varian?" Isadora looked into her eyes with a challenging gaze.

"She didn't say anything weird." "So she said something." "Err...she told me to have his babies?" Aurora tilted her head with a half-confused expression.

"That old vixen bi—haaah~" Isadora glanced at Varian who kept his eyes closed like a monk and patted her chest. "Language, language, language."

"..."

"If you dare to touch my husband...I don't know what I will do."

"...But I can have babies without touching? Never tried that stuff but it shouldn't be hard for a divine ranker."

"That's it!" The door slammed open and Sarah stormed in. Without giving Aurora a chance, the Queen dragged her away. Isadora covered her face and sighed. "She might not make it out alive."

"W-Wait! I was just saying, I don't really have such th—aaah!"

Pa! Pa! Pa!

The sounds of wood hitting flesh and a young woman's wails leaked into the palace from the outside, disturbing Varian's sleep. Realizing this, Isadora quickly used her powers to seal off the sounds.

Then, she joined Sia and Enigma to sit down and calm down her heart by staring at Varian.

It was a bit weird, even crazy but for her who thought she'd lose him forever, just seeing him and telling herself he's still alive was a big relief.

A few minutes later, Primula sneaked in. She wanted to sit beside Varian but Sarah gave her a smiling glance and the girl sat a few steps away.

Aurora walked in rubbing her hair. The beatings were okay but shaving her hair off was really atrocious! Why did Sarah learn such devious things? Even with her power, it took a while to regenerate her hair!

'If I really went out bald, won't my image damage? Miss Calamity will become Bald Calamity! Oh no!'

Aurora wanted to complain to whoever was willing to listen and if possible, who could avenge her. Looking at the people here, only Varian would even bother.

So, she mustered up the courage to complain but Sarah glanced at her and waved her hand.

With a dismayed face, Aurora walked back and sat beside the dispirited Primula.

The two looked at each other ad felt a hint of sympathy and then, there was a spark between their eyes. What's with this tyranny? They decided they'd demand liberty or accept death! So...

'You go!' 'No, you first.'

'Come on, you're older!' 'No, you are the older one!' 'You look old! I still look like a teenager!' 'O-Old? By human standards, I'm barely in my twenties! This is super, super young!' 'I am younger!' 'Then do as an elder says!'

'Elder, ever looked yourself in the mirror? No wonder you didn't have an army and always acted alone!'

'Haa? The army just can't keep up with me! And why would I need an army? I am the army!'

The two sheep scared by the tigress, ended up fighting with each other.