Zayne's POV
We left Terraverde seven hours ago and so far, there's been no incident. No Wyverns or Harpy collisions, no turbulence—everything is smooth sailing. Weirdly enough, it feels too easy. I opened my eyes and looked out the window, seeing fluffy white clouds in the blue sky and the ocean below. Call me a jinx, but I fully expect the plane to drop into the ocean right now and land right into the mouth of a sea monster.
"I won't even be surprised that much," I murmured under my breath.
*Rustle*
My gaze snapped to the chubby, dark-skinned boy in a form-fitting charcoal suit with a thick cartoon blanket draped over him. He had on a black sleeping mask, snoring softly. Hmm, how can someone so arrogant be so calm when asleep? He's just like the Chairman.
Sighing, I pulled down my own sleeping mask and slept contentedly, waiting to arrive in Septentrion so I could eat and slack off. Now that I think about it, I'll request leave to go and rest on a tropical island or something. That's not bad; I might actually pull this off! The corners of my lips twitched, and these long, pointy ears of mine twitched in excitement. "... Hehehehe..."
Oi, butler!
Immediately, I tilted my head to the side and pretended to be asleep, but that didn't work for a second.
Have you been alive for so long you have become muddle-headed? How can I not know you're pretending to be asleep?
I sighed, annoyed at the prospect of speaking to this troublemaker. "Marcus."
A 6.2-foot, fair-skinned, muscular man with brown hair and eyes stepped forward, an eyepatch covering his left eye. I didn't even move as I gave out the orders. "None of you should come within a two-meter radius of me for an hour unless it is urgent."
"Understood, sir." The man backed away.
I tapped my fingers on the armrest, my eyes giving off a faint viridescent light as a dome enclosed me and Meimei—a circle with inscriptions and drawings at the base of the dome. "... What do you want, Wilhelmina?" I spoke casually.
The cage shook as she shifted inside, probably to sleep in a more comfortable position.
... What do you think will happen when we meet the old man?
I paused, thinking about it seriously. "... Now that you mention it... Hmm... The Chairman is likely to reject the Covenant."
Reject? Has that ever worked?
"Well, no, but he won't agree for his only child to suddenly get caught up in the issues which come with being a Vessel. Heck, if I was in his shoes, I'd do worse."
... Well, whether he likes it or not, the Covenant cannot be broken, and trying to do so will either kill Master or put him in a vegetative state... I think that's worse.
"Yeah, that is true... Wait, what did you just call the Young Master?"
Master, what else did you want me to call him?
I shivered involuntarily when I heard it. Ugh, it was too strange.
Anyways, I think it might be possible to transfer the Covenant after all.
I shot a quick glance at the pet carrier. "How?"
The God Fragment is just one, not the complete being, so the power of the Covenant and the amount of Divine Power that Master can wield isn't as much; thus, it's fragile. If we strike when the hunger begins, we could transfer the Covenant and keep Master alive—just very weak. That is if, and only if, you all are willing to endanger his life.
I fell silent. It was a feasible possibility, but not one I would like to use. "No."
No?
"Yes, no. We can't ruin his life even more. The best thing to do now is to introduce him to the old ways and train him in them." I shifted in my seat once more.
Hmmm, fair enough. That IS a desperate gamble I'd rather not take... How long is it going to take before we reach our destination?
I pulled out two black rods then separated them, revealing a screen with a timer. I glanced at it then chuckled. "This might be the best piece of news you'll hear in a good minute: we'll reach there in around seven more hours."
There was a groan from the pet carrier, and I snorted softly.
... I hate you...
"Aww, Wilhelmina! You know you love me!"
I heard a low growling sound and was filled with satisfaction immediately. Annoying her was fun, but I guess I'll have to protect this one more. I need to get a raise and a one-month vacation... Yeah, that's it.
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On the Septentrion Continent, in the largest country, Doreess, something interesting was taking place in its capital city.
The massive city, Lorik, had people walking about on the pedestrian lanes, vehicles hovering a foot off the ground, and high-tech maglev trains moving at terrifying speeds while weaving under overpasses and over roads. Traffic lights suspended several meters in the sky directed vehicles and several arboreal races. Buildings towered as if the architects wanted them to reach past the clouds, and billboards hovered in midair as the city bustled with life.
In the far west of the city stood a solemn mansion which, at first glance, could be mistaken for a Victorian-style small castle. The property was massive, and the walls and decor of the exterior were in shades of beige, grey, and white.
Stepping inside the sprawling estate revealed a massive and splendid foyer with tasteful and expensive paintings hanging on the walls. Rare and exotic plants were arranged neatly and precisely by the marbled pillars, while pedestals with sculptures and antique porcelain stood in precise rows. To crown it all, a huge chandelier hung from the intricately designed ceiling, illuminating the foyer, adding even more elegance to the room, and reflecting light off the polished marbled floor.
Reclining on a soft brown leather couch was a woman with black dreadlocks reaching past her waist, white cowries adorning her hair, which was tied back into a ponytail. In her hair were streaks of silver, and on her face were fine lines and wrinkles, though they were not noticeable unless one was close. She wore white trousers, a cream-colored, baggy knitted sweater, black heels, and an ivory-carved beaded necklace with matching earrings. She had a scar on each cheek. Her makeup was impeccable, and she possessed the allure of a striking older woman. She sat reading a book titled How To Not Be Violent while snacking on some pastries.
Suddenly, the heavy sandalwood doors swung open and a figure strode in. The woman glanced up and smiled a bit.
"Nero! Where have you come to take this old lady to?"