The Spirit Commander of the Frozen Sky Force, Uncle Yom, appeared noble and gallant with splendid fur hunted from a silver fox over his shoulder. His facial features seemed to be sharp and handsome, while his white eyes were staring at Princess Iesha.
"So if no oneâs here, who were you talking to? You said âwaitâ if Iâm not wrong."
He narrowed his eyes, his spirit aura appearing intimidating.
On the other hand, Iesha had her head lowered as she bit her lips.
"I... I was practicing my skills before I messed up and fell. I didnât want Uncle Yom to see me like this...."
"Oh, I heard that you were trying to leave, but now youâre practicing your skills? You must be a... unique woman..."
Uncle Yom rubbed his chin, looking amused as he once again looked around before he nodded and turned around.
Iesha had already stood up by this point. She thought he was going to leave, but he instead closed the door and turned to look at her.
"Well then, I hope you are ready."
Iesha abruptly took two steps backward as she retreated, causing Uncle Yom to narrow his eyes.
"Today, your imperial father, my imperial brother, and Emperor asked me to take you as my third wife. Honestly, you are not to my liking as youâre a well-known sympathizer of humans and magical beasts, but since it is my Emperorâs will, I shall not stand on ceremony."
Uncle Yom took a step forward while Iesha felt her scalp turn numb as she raised her hand.
"Wait... I..."
"What? You are unwilling?"
Uncle Yom frowned, appearing confused.
"Am I hearing you correctly? Do you know what would happen if you refused me? The best thing that can happen to you is that you will be married off to a Lord so that you wonât become a burden to the imperial resources. But if you go there, you can wave your cultivation goodbye as it stagnates in the Spirit Ancestor Stage for years to come."
"As for the worst-case scenario, you will be sent as a political tool to another power. In that power, it is doubtful if you can even conceive the next generation, and even if you did, thereâs no guarantee that your progeny will be a Frigid World Spirit or some other mixed-race child. Most of the time, such a mixed-race child will not bear any exemplary results for you. Instead, youâll be dominated or treated badly, and your cultivation will stagnate in the Low-Level Spirit Ancestor Stage till you die. Theyâll make sure you donât get any cultivation resources so that you donât hold sway in their power."
Ieshaâs brows were trembling as she knew what her Uncle Yom said was the truth.
"As a fellow Frigid World Spirit, I donât appreciate that happening to our women as Iâve seen it time and time again during the seventy thousand years I lived. I have two wives, and you will become the third. My wives are both High-Level Spirit Ancestors like me, so I promise that you will not be treated badly."
Uncle Yom sighed before he spoke.
"Iâll give you a chance again, so think carefully before you give me your answer again."
Ieshaâs lips went agape and closed, appearing as if she wanted to say something, but at this time, her eyes widened as she lowered her head.
*Crack!~*
Iesha experienced a shock at this moment as she looked at her spirit sea.
The humanâs slave seal! It actually shattered, fading away from her spirit sea!
âThat human... He really kept his words...!???â
Iesha reeled in disbelief.
Moreover, it shattered and disappeared as if it didnât harm her at all. There was nothing impeding her anymore, making her no longer feel constrained or restricted. As if gaining a second wind, her glazed eyes gained confidence and determination.
"Iâm sorry, Uncle Yom. Iâm not worthy of your dignified stature."
"...!?"
Uncle Yomâs eyes widened. His brows kept twitching before he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself.
"Iesha, I heard that you were unable to become a Spirit Ancestor by sixteen, and yet, you have the gall to refuse me twice...?"
Ice spirits were more relaxed and prideful creatures.
One should either make them enraged enough to show emotion like anger or hurt their pride.
Seeing Uncle Yom looking at her furiously, Iesha totally understood that by refusing him, she refused his great presence in her life, and that was akin to looking down on his reputation. She was creating a stain on a man with a remarkable reputation.
If anyone came to know that she, a failure of a princess, refused to engage with a man of this caliber, his reputation would take a dip, and that was certainly offensive to Uncle Yom.
However, she, whose spirit sea was already stained by a human, already had the thought that she was not worthy enough to be in the presence of such a man. At the same time, she could not say what was wrong with her as she would reveal that humanâs presence, making her feel stuck as her lips quivered to say something of relevance.
"Foolish woman, did you think I wouldnât notice that you lied to me? There were no undulations of ice or yin energy when I entered the room. You were not practicing your skills, but youâre hiding something, perhaps, someone..."
Uncle Yom pointed at Iesha, looking angered before he turned around.
"Hmph, fine. Your lover is rather capable of being able to hide from me. I wonât tell your imperial father about this matter, but I will say that you rejected me. From this moment onward, even if you said that you want me, remember that Iâm done showing good faith to you."
"Wha-? Uncle Yom. You misunderstood! I donât have any-"
*Bam!~*
The door closed on Iesha as Uncle Yom left.
Ieshaâs mouth closed and opened, but no words came out of her mouth as she remained dumbfounded. After some time, she finally came out of her reverie, her back that was taut finally relaxing as she stood straight and heaved a sigh of relief.
"All things said, I guess Iâm screwed. Isnât that right, Davis... Loret?"
"..."
No voice emerged from the silent space that was her adorned and decorated room.
"You left, huh..."
Iesha heaved a sigh, but it was a complex sigh that mostly released her exhaustion from todayâs events. She turned around, wanting to go to her bed to take some rest, when she abruptly flinched.
"You...!?"
She looked at the purple-robed human look at her with an unamused expression. She stopped and gazed at him for a while, and noticing that he wasnât going to harm her, she finally relaxed a bit.
"What do you want? Didnât you say that you were going to kill your way out?"
Ieshaâs tone was one of spite, but she didnât realize that her tone had grown somewhat less hostile.
"Well, your father is outside a few corridors away, probably waiting for your answer to your Uncle Yom. He is the only one who could probably find me at such a close range, but if I were to fight him, youâre dead anyway for hiding me. Sigh, what a drag..."
Iesha looked stunned before she shook her head.
"Oh, no!" She clasped her head with both her hands and panicked.
"If thatâs the case, my father would enter and find you. Quick, hide inside my spirit sea again!"
"You..." Davis narrowed his eyes, "Do you understand what youâre asking for again?"
"I do...! Okay!?"
"Then why?"
"It doesnât matter anymore because I was already disgraced by you!"
Iesha snarled at him while Davis became stunned as he couldnât understand why she would still help him after he released her from his enslavement.
Wouldnât it be more appropriate for her to hide behind her father, whoâs probably on his way here?
"Do you hate me?" He suddenly couldnât help but ask.
"Yes, but just get inside me already. Otherwise, all the sacrifices Iâve made to protect the lives of others would be in vain. If they find you and know that Iâve been enslaved, not only would I be killed, but also the others who were with me would meet with the same fate. After all, we remained tight-lipped about this situation!"
Iesha became desperate as she pleadingly looked at him.
However, her naive and honest personality moved Davis.
"Fine... donât complain that I disgraced you again."
Davis transformed into a bolt of light and shot into her forehead, entering her spirit sea as he began to hide again.
Iesha trembled, but contrary to what she expected to feel, she didnât feel much nauseous at all.
âOh no... my spirit is becoming accommodating to his soul.â
Iesha bit her lips, knowing that she was intimately connected with him at this moment. It was like cuddling, except it was through both their souls. This was why spirits never allowed anyone other than their partners to enter their spirit sea. Nevertheless, knowing that many matters were at stake, she calmed quickly as a Frigid World Spirit would.
"You havenât released the slave seal of others, right?"
"Of course, why would I let them you all go at once? So you can inform my presence after I leave? I just didnât want your Uncle Yom investigating your soul sea and finding out that you have a slave seal."
Hearing Davisâs words, Iesha couldnât help but blink.
"You didnât do it to keep your word?"
"Want me to cast a slave seal again?"
Davisâs cold voice echoed while Ieshaâs eyes shook.
"... No!"
"Then try to take me outside as soon as poss-"
*Bam!~*
"You brazen fool! What have you done!?"
A dark-blue-robed person unceremoniously pushed open the door to this room and bellowed at Iesha, causing her to unwittingly shudder.
"Imperial father... I..."