The people of the Beast Empire were no strangers to their customs. In fact, they accepted the current ruler mostly due to the church of Death's influence and the secret knights who patrolled the streets, kidnapping those who spoke out.
So when rumours of a new empress came in, someone from the Far East started flowing.
It became a monumental event!
"Extra! Extra! Read all about the new Empress! A new era for our empire!" A young group of orphans ran through the various streets selling cheaply printed papers.
Yet their high-pitched voices contained hope—a fresh breeze blew into the city.
"Oh my... the Princess from the Inukami clan? I heard their territory has many hot springs!"
"You're right. Could this mean the empire will lift that horrid travel ban?" Many noble women from the various clans felt restricted because the Empress in the past banned any travel to the Inukami tribe due to the influence of Mephisto.
However, now, they all seemed to be excited and hopeful.
Though this feeling might not last long, the nobles who didn't know the truth about what happened and the darkness they avoided.
This news was enough for now.
.
.
.
"How is the city faring, the nobles and commoners to this news?" Empress Aurelia stopped wearing fancy robes and jewels, now sitting in a very modest but regal dress. She gazed through the six different newspapers and couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Although she wanted to trust the papers, she asked her female knight, a former commoner and a Viscount from an allied clan for their input.
"Your Majesty, I believe the commoners feel positive about the change—even the negative feelings towards you have started to ease up thanks to these publications."
Thanks to Asmodeus, Yuina and his lover, who attested to the Empress being innocent.
Many of the articles mentioned the nefarious Death Cult, which used dark magic to affect the mind. This headline also helped to change the flow of belief, bringing more attention to Serena.
Asmodeus asked the Empress to mention that thanks to Serena's divine light, she could see the truth and accept her wrongs.
Though the rest of the details were hazy at best, the reporters who came over the past few days learned many details that satisfied their curiosity instead.
The knight gave information on the commoners and knights.
At the same time, the Viscount, although low ranking, never betrayed the empire and always resisted the death cult's magic.
Thus, thanks to him, the damage to lower nobles became minimal.
"So tomorrow, I will finally leave this palace and return to my former home..." The Empress whispered while reading the reports and various letters from the empire.
'Will I be able to hand it over safely, can Princess Yuina forgive my past failures?'
Although she didn't doubt the new Empress, there would always be worry about grudges remaining or something happening because of her previous actions.
However, since she couldn't do anything, all Aurelia could do was take a step back and believe.
"I wonder what kind of face that child will have come tomorrow..."
This feeling wasn't something Asmodeus hadn't experienced before.
It was like the bittersweet emotions when his late mother departed the world.
"I won't make you wait too long... I promise."
"You don't need to worry, you've already given me something more precious than anything else..." Yuina's hands wrapped around her lower abdomen, while her face looked strange. A sense of happiness and joy. Her face beamed with light, and her lips curled into a smile. She leaned against his chest.
'Was it because my sister and I both remained so close to that pool when she performed the fertility ritual?'
Yuina's eyes shimmered with a determined light, while Asmodeus looked a little confused. Seeing her smile so bright, he gasped and lost his thoughts because of how beautiful she looked.
"What did I give you...? I haven't even started yet." Asmodeus truly believed this for all his women. There was so much he owed them and wanted to give them when everything ended.
But Yuina shook her head and closed her eyes with an accepting expression on her face.
"No, you misunderstand."
Asmodeus seemed to understand as she looked at him with sharp, powerful eyes. The response and her aura changed ever since her hand never left her womb area...
The rest of the time, until it was time to go to the dressing room, Asmodeus continued pondering her words and finally asked her because he wanted to know.
"Are you with child? How can you tell so soon?" He looked a little innocent and lost, yet when she saw his hopeful eyes, there was a sudden thump in the chest of Yuina.
'Does he want to become a father?'
'Or is it because I will become a mother?'
She and the women always knew he carried a strange yet powerful complex towards his deceased mother. They all swore never to mention her or bring it up unless Asmodeus himself did.
"If I told you it's a special power of the Inukami clan, would you believe me?"
'In fact, it's a general ability of all beastkin... but the Inukami are just more sensitive to this change.'
Her nose twitched cutely, and she smiled again, hoping he'd believe her.
"I don't have any reason not to. That's wonderful news." Asmodeus placed his hand over hers, touching the abdomen and feeling his emotions surge.
'I never thought of being a father this soon.'
There were already hints that Yumiko might be with a child, and those feelings confused him at first.
In fact, during this journey without her, he grew to understand just how much he cared for Yumiko and the other women around him.
Yet, looking at Yuina, the twin sister of his first lover. It seemed to trigger a change within Asmodeus the moment he accepted the truth.
'This woman and her sister will be the mothers of my children, I am the luckiest man alive.'
It was the first time that his image of his mother began to change... the two Inukami sisters began to replace the image of his strict mother.
One like a brilliant sword, the other like a fierce warrior...
Yet he didn't feel repulsed or angry.
'This...'
"I am happy. Really happy, Yuina!"