The one who had just provoked Theodore's ire was currently enjoying a comfortable nap. It hadn't been all too long since Nye had given some of his minions in other worlds their orders–by now, the Naxsir should be about to catch wind of the news whose dissemination he had caused.
Obviously, as he had let his people almost directly approach areas in which the Naxsir were currently active in, they would come to suspect the authenticity of this information. But whether they interpreted it as a pathetic cry for help, or as a trap, they were certain to come check out the situation–eventually.
Because of this, he felt many of the worries that had been plaguing him slowly melting away, allowing him to catch up on a fraction of all of the beauty sleep which he had been sorely missing. Regardless of his own personal motivations and morals, having a sword of Damocles hanging over his head constantly was very stressful.
He was truly grateful for the unexpected new lease on life that Theodore had provided him with–but that didn't mean that he wouldn't try to get rid of him.
Right as he was wallowing in his sweet dreams of success, the sound of a door opening nearby and the subsequent footsteps threatened to rip him away from these mental delights. Stubbornly resisting the call of the waking world, he sent out barely a faint strand of his perception to figure out who was being so brazen as to disturb him, fully intending to either ignore or punish them. Yet when he realized who had arrived, he stayed his hand.
"Grandpa! Why didn't you tell me that a real hottie's appeared?!"
Pouting in annoyance, a gorgeous woman looking to be about twenty years of age barged into his chambers, practically kicking up a particularly noisy storm. Contrary to most who would be treating him with the required respect and caution, this auburn-haired descendant of his couldn't care less about that at all. And it was all because he had pampered her until she had become rotten.
"Cadi, can't you show a little bit more consideration for me?"
Reluctantly opening his eyes, he sat up and shot his 'granddaughter' an accusatory glance. Technically, they were a few more generations apart, but mentioning all of those 'greats' every time was far too annoying–therefore, their familial relationship had undergone some simplification.
"Hmph! How about you be considerate of me for once?! In case you forgot: You promised me that you'd 'introduce' me to some good-looking guys if you came across them! And that 'saviour'? If he doesn't fit the bill, then who does!?"
Crossing her arms in front of her abundant bosom, Cadi rolled her apple green eyes in annoyance. She was very bored with the playthings that she already had, so when she saw an unprecedentedly gorgeous man on the news, her desires couldn't help but flare up. Yet, her grandpa–who had always been a man of his word when it came to her–didn't deliver that snack to her doorstep, no matter how many hours flew by. Clearly, her anger was justified.
"... haven't we been through this song and dance before? There are some people that simply cannot be touched. The last few times, they were either colleagues of mine, or their descendants. But this time... it's so much worse..."
Putting on a deliberately exasperated, pained expression, Nye rubbed his temples and heaved a long sigh. This sufficiently caught Cadi's attention, causing her to take a seat next to him and examine him a little worriedly.
"What is it this time? Just so you know, I haven't stepped on anyone's toes yet! It's not like before, I promise! I came straight here once I didn't want to wait any longer."
Feeling a strong wave of relief, the corners of Nye's mouth rose a little, although he tried his best to suppress it. He couldn't jeopardize all of his past efforts too easily–she desperately needed to learn to think before acting, and it appeared like there had been a bit of progress already.
Cadi had been born not only with innumerable diamond spoons at her disposal, but also with quite a few great Talents paving the way for her. From what he knew, on paper, she was the most outstanding Heaven's Chosen of the Sybillans–it was just a pity that she had absolutely no interest in pursuing efficient cultivation, merely occasionally dabbling in it. Because of that, she was still only at the Initial Ascension Stage.
Although Nye had engaged in a fair number of unspeakably appalling acts himself, that didn't mean that he was devoid of a heart. Those who he truly cared for, he would naturally treat very well–but anyone else solely existed to further his own goals or entertain him.
This way of thinking about people at large was not all too different from how many of the descendants of Named Families saw all other beings. However, they were taught to forge this ruthlessness into a weapon and wouldn't easily allow it to drag them into making foolish decisions for the sake of personal gratification.
"It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but he's far stronger than me. Even all of us Sybillans combined wouldn't stand a chance. Forgive me, my dear–I'm simply powerless. I can't drag Mr. Winter to your bedside."
His honest words caused Cadi's eyes to widen in disbelief, bewilderment written all over her stunning face. In her perspective, her grandpa had always been practically omnipotent–and he was also one of the foremost experts of their people! For him to say something like this... she couldn't even comprehend how dangerous that saviour had to be. Still, she was certain of one thing: Nye wasn't joking.
"B-But... then what am I supposed to do?! Grandpa, I want him!"
Tears accumulating at the corners of her eyes, she sniffled and stared unblinkingly at her greatest pillar of support, trying to move him. And although Nye's heart ached at this sight, he was incapable of fulfilling her wishes. His prolonged silence eventually caused her to drop the act.
"... fine, I get it. Knowing you, you've already arranged his... 'future'. Still, before then... I could try to relish in a little taste, right? Where is he staying at?"
According to her understanding of her grandpa, he would never tolerate the existence of anybody who could lord over him–therefore, considering how resourceful he usually was, the saviour's fate was practically sealed. But she wasn't willing to give up that easily. Even if she couldn't have that hottie all to herself and at her beck and call, that didn't mean that she couldn't just hook up with him. If there were two things that she was supremely confident in, then they were her appearance and her... 'technique'.
"Cadi, listen to me! Mr. Winter is a very smart man. I wouldn't put it past him to kidnap you purely to get some leverage over me. That aside, he has many women about as outstanding as you already with him... I don't think your chances are high."
In his patient explanation, Nye deliberately downplayed the looks of Theodore's Subordinates–after all, he didn't want his treasured granddaughter to lose her confidence... or to hate him for telling the truth.
"So you're saying that I wouldn't be good enough for him? Heh, I'd like to see if those bitches can really hold a candle to me!"
Unfortunately, his words were absolutely not enough to dissuade her–they went in one ear and out the other. Therefore, he had to pull out the very last thing that could possibly convince her.
"If he finds out that–just like him–you're a Heaven's Chosen, then he'll simply eliminate you! I know you care little for that Special Status of yours, but he's evidently an active participant that is giving the competition his best shot!"
Maybe because he had got a bit louder and more desperate towards the end, even Cadi had apparently begun to understand the true severity of the situation. Staying quiet for a while, she eventually sighed in annoyance and regret, then rose to her feet and got ready to leave.
"I get it already, grandpa. Go back to sleep, I won't annoy you about this anymore. Bye for now!"
Very deflated compared to earlier, she strolled through the halls with her shoulders slumped, seemingly having given up on this latest and most outstanding, delectable snack. Unbeknownst to her, however, that well-hidden crafty glint in her eyes hadn't escaped Nye's notice.
'Oh Cadi, do you truly need to go through a painful experience before learning anything? But by then, it might already be too late! We all only have one shot at life...'
Shaking his head helplessly, the Prime Magistrate considered all potential options for a while, before sitting down at his desk and personally penning a letter. Not long after, he handed it to one of his more capable underlings.
"Go to the Grand Tholos and deliver this message directly to Theodore Winter. Freely state that it's from me–it will be pointless to hide its origin."
Receiving a solemn, obedient nod in response, the courier he had chosen disappeared from his side practically instantly.
Allowing himself to plop back down on his bed, Nye stared at the luxurious ceiling, unable to resume his restful sleep. For quite a while, he would have to withstand being racked with worry.
'I've done all I could, my little Cadi. This should at the very least ensure your safety–the rest is now up to you. I truly wish you the best, believe me. But even more importantly, I hope you stay safe!'
There was always the option of forcibly preventing her from going about her own business, practically putting her on house arrest until the Naxsir eradicated the problem. Still, he simply couldn't bring himself to do it, as she would surely hate him for it. As for sending out experts to protect her? There was nobody powerful enough to do so.
A little less than five minutes later, Theodore found himself holding a neatly written letter, taking in its content. The Sybillan who had brought it to him had long been dismissed and sent back to whence he came.
"What's wrong, Theo? Is it a threat?"
Noticing him staring at that one sheet of paper with the corner of his mouth twitching a little for quite a while, Han Junqiao came on over, shooting him a gaze of loving concern.
"... have a read for yourself, Qiao'er."
Giving her Nye's message, he patiently awaited her reaction, a hint of amusement flickering across his eyes in anticipation.
'Dear Mr. Winter, I apologize for reaching out to you in such a manner. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but an unexpected development has occurred.
One of my descendants by the name of Cadi, who I cherish like a granddaughter, has come across your image on the news... and experienced love at first sight. All head over heels, she requested for me to introduce her to you. However, judging the two of us to not yet be close enough to broach such a subject, I refused.
While she agreed to not make trouble on the surface, I know my Cadi–it is almost guaranteed that she will eventually seek you out. I suspect that she may even already be on the way to you while I am writing this.
I have no lofty expectations, and no desire to burden you unnecessarily. All I would like to bring up is a small request: If you don't want to play along with her, or if the feelings aren't mutual... then please just send her home. Don't let her bother you–I know she can be quite the headache.
Thank you.
Sincerely, Nye Owain, a concerned relative.'
Now that she had made it all the way to the end, Han Junqiao fell silent for a moment or two, before glancing at her lover with a smirk playing across her lips.
"Oh? Are we getting a new sister?"
Descending from some truly reprehensible beings herself, she wasn't against giving a chance to someone in a similar situation. After all, although the apple usually didn't fall far from the tree, there were always exceptions.
"... let's wait and see."
Giving an evasive answer, he wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close. Although Han Junqiao rarely showed any hint of jealousy, that didn't mean that she wasn't the slightest bit possessive of him. To reassure her that he wasn't going after every random lady that he came across, he planted a gentle kiss on her lips.
Whilst the two of them were enjoying a shared moment of comfort and tenderness, a certain orange-red haired, seductive bombshell had just arrived at the Grand Tholos. Utilizing her status, it was not difficult to make it to the place where Theodore and his Subordinates were staying.
But before she had even had the opportunity to greet anyone with a smile, a delicate black-haired beauty appeared in front of her, practically out of thin air. She looked at most 17 years of age, yet the power and terrifying will radiating from her azure blue eyes made it evident that she was anything but a vulnerable damsel.
'If that chick is one of Theodore Winter's, then grandpa was right–it won't be as easy as expected.'
Even Cadi had to admit that this woman was every bit her equal–although she was definitely overestimating herself a little. Not wanting to make any excessive waves and trying to leave a good impression, she had just opened her mouth when she saw the youthful beauty turn up her nose at her. What followed were the most scathing words that she had heard in her entire life.
"I was wondering why my slut alarm went off, but now I understand–the town bicycle's gracing us with a visit!"