"My lord, a group of guests have arrived. They are seeking an audience with you!"
Sitting in the waiting chamber of what looked like a pitiful excuse of a castle, we could clearly hear the words of the chamberlain as he announced our arrival. Sadly, the same couldn't be said about the Lord's words, as by the time the Lord's servant has returned to accompany us, I didn't hear a single word more.
"The lord Makay is awaiting you."
Bowing his head as low as his knees, this man was clearly taught to be as subservient to everyone as it was humanly possible. Just this alone could spark doubts about the character of this poor man's employer!
Thankfully, I didn't need him to be kind. I didn't care whether he was a tyrant to his people or the most benevolent lord that would ever step on this ground. At this point, all those stupid allegations I had to some random humans scattered all over the world, were simply dead.
Maybe it was because of my own growing power, that I couldn't help but detach myself from the rest of humanity? Maybe it was a thing of the culture and how divided this land was, making it hard to actually spark any form of unity without any events showing how fruitful it could be?
After all, no space race happened in this world. No great wars that swept through the entire planet happened in its history. Divided by some arbitrary borders into the varying spheres of influence for the Gods to muster their forces, I could tell how different people from two various places of the world were, not because of their birth, but because never meeting anyone else representing a culture different to that of their own.
But most likely, it was caused by how I could clearly feel a new life forming in Eve's belly. Even though she was still as slim and tasty as ever, there was no mistaking it. Unless she was the absolute fox, capable of playing around behind my back - despite how silly it could sound after everything that I did myself - then there was no mistaking it. She was pregnant with my child!
"Bart, what's wrong? Are you okay?"
Due to the feverish thought of becoming a parent taking over my head, rather than following the chamberlain's invitation right away, I just sat on my chair, motionless. Only when Eve actually approached me, nearing her lips to my ear, did my body finally react to the ongoing situation.
"Yeah, I'm all right. It's just that with all the turmoils events of the last few days, I just can't help but worry about you, my dearest."
Gently caressing her cheek with the open palm of my hand, I could feel Eve twisting her head a bit to better fit it in my hold. As she opened her eyes, I couldn't help but stare right in her pupils. And it was enough for me to realise that she already knew about what was troubling me.
Pulling the corners of my lips a bit up, I placed a gentle peck on her lips before grabbing her in a deep hug.
"Don't worry. I will make sure this time we will have some time to rest."
Even if the lord of this place turned out to be a complete tyrant who would aim to either make things hard for us or even attempt to make use of the three of us, I could already tell from the pitiful aura inside the room that he wouldn't pose any challenge to me, were I fight with him. But rather than sorting the entire situation in a violent way, I preferred to just negotiate the terms and come to a mutually beneficial agreement!
With that said, we couldn't stay in the waiting chamber any longer. It was the lord that could make others wait for his reception, not the guests asking to meet with him!
As we moved towards the simple doors that separated the Lord's office from the rest of the clearly decaying castle. Even when I took a quick look at it when we were still outside, it was far from exerting dominance of the entire area with just its sheer look, making it more like a stone and a bit more fancy manor that Lord's dwelling place.
But the true surprise to my expectations came once we entered Makay's actual office. Not only was he sitting behind an insanely simple and cheap desk, writing something down on the paper placed in front of him, but the entire room was completely devoid of any items that one would associate with a villainous lord that Makay so far appeared to be!
"Welcome to my lands. I guess you already learned my name, and I don't think there is any point in me learning yours. State your business and leave."
Instantly oozing off the repulsive attitude, I couldn't help but look down on this pitiful man. With his physical constitution even weaker than his aura, I could only guess that he either lucked out with his breakthrough for the immortal realm or was an expert in hiding his true strength.
"Respectable Lord, it's really hard for us to explain how we ended up here. After a struggle for royal power in our lands, just as we were about to be cut down by the traitors, we suddenly appeared in a nearby plain. With that said, we would like to ask what kind of requirements we would need to fulfil in order to find a safe haven in your lands."
Just like my initial idea about this entire encounter was, I wasn't willing to bother myself with the local politics. No matter how much of a douche this man was according to that young militia leader words unless he would bother me, Eve or her step-sister personally, I was willing to ignore anything that he was doing to the locals.
"That won't be any problem, but the question is, how long are you willing to stay? How are you going to secure your livelihood? As little as I care about someone settling down in my lands, I don't wish to see any more beggars only adding the costs to my welfare projects!"