Chapter 105 – Grand evening

"How are you here?" Brianna asked happily, hugging Zinnia, when they came to the Dryad's table. While Aster quickly came forward to hug Priscilla.

"Well, we were no less surprised than you when we came home and heard the reason that our mother called us for. Turned out she wanted us to be guests at your party." Said Dahlia looking at them and then turning to Noah making a polite curtsy.

"I am happy to see you three. You look wonderful today." Complimented them, Noah, looking at their beautiful fairy-like shining dresses in different hues of green adorned by different patterns of flowers. Exactly Dahlia, Zinnia, and Aster. Three very similar yet very different flowers that their names represented patterned their dresses. Girls blushed slightly at his words and thanked him with smiles.

"May we ask for a dance from you today master Noah?" Asked Dahlia, startling her sisters.

"He'd be glad to!" Quickly answered Brianna before Noah could even open his mouth.

"Indeed. I intend to make him drop unconscious from all the dancing this evening, it would be only better if you three participate as well." Said Priscilla with a happy smile, yet Noah started to get even more scared of what this evening had in stock for him. Well, at least he would be in the company of gorgeous women instead of being eyed as a nice meat steak by a crowd of monsters.

While girls chatter and giggled with each other, Noah could not help glancing in Tessa's direction. He saw her seating with a polite smile on her face and speaking in short sentences when the archduke asked her something, both of them glancing in Noah's and the girl's direction occasionally, leaving no doubt they were a part of the discussion as well. Noah could not help wondering why this old man that did not show any interest in parties and social gatherings of monsters for quite a long time decided to visit this party.

While Noah stood thinking barely keeping note of what the five girls chatted about, his eyes slid past the archduke to the people in his immediate vicinity. Behind the old man stood an armed knight in uniform instead of armor. Normally guests left all their guards outside. For an archduke however not only was made an exception, allowing his guards to stand right outside the venue but he was also allowed to have an armed guard at his side inside the ballroom where no one with a weapon was allowed.

Noah did not doubt that the one attending archduke at his side was by far the most competent of his knights. The knight looked vigilant at all times and his eyes scanned the room without stopping. However, when Noah's gaze moved to him, the guard's eye immediately met his, and Noah felt a shiver run through his back, making his eyes quickly move away from the knight to another person. What Noah did not expect was that the next person near Archduke was looking exactly at Noah this whole time and Noah met eyes with yet another person.

This man had a relaxed demeanor and smiled at Noah, bowing slightly when they met eyes as if they were long acquaintances. Noah bowed a bit more officially and then turned away looking back to the girls. That last guy gave away the strangest feeling and Noah decided he would need to find more information on who that guest was. For that, however, he would have to linger with other guests.

*****

Quiet buzzing sounded in the kitchen of Noah's mind realm house accompanied by constant popping sounds.

Ugy stood in front of the microwave humming a happy tune.

"Why are you so happy?" Asked Yuko.

"Not happy, excited. That's different." Answered plush bear humming.

"Okay, why are you excited?"  Asked Yuko and a 'DING' sound came from the device before Ugy opened it and took out a hot paper bag.

"Tonight is a grand night." Said Ugy, pulling the corners of a bag and pouring out popcorn into the big bowl. "It will be a good show." He added and walked back to the TV room carrying the bowl that was barely smaller than himself. Then he climbed on the couch and sat in a corner placing a bowl in the center of the couch.

Yuko sat at the other corner of the couch with a raised eyebrow looking questioningly at the plush bear, while he slowly munched the popcorn.

"Since when can you eat?" She asked.

"Oh, added a few functions behind his back."

"Cool. You can now eat my cooking then." Said Yuko.

Ugy startled, turning his head toward her, looking at her horrified.

"Last time you cooked it looked like charcoal." He said with fear.

"Doesn't matter. I will gladly force it down your throat if you don't spill, why are you so excited." Said Yuko with an evil smile.

"Tsk." Voiced plush bear.

"Today's the day of the show." He said grumpily after a moment.

"What show?" Said Yuko, grabbing a popcorn.

"When he locked me and freed you, you asked why am I not worried. Well…". Said Ugy spreading his hands wide.

"Wait wait wait. Do you know what's going to happen? Or more like, you already knew what would happen back then."

"Mmhm''. Voiced Ugy approvingly. "What would a thousand-year-old friend do when she suspects her best friend is in trouble?"

"Alright, I see. This is a trap, right? But why are you happy? Noah is in danger."

"Because today he will come to me for help, unlock all the functions, and will finally start to listen to me."

"He asked you for help with the girls before." Said Yuko with doubt in her voice.

"Yes, to help with a problem, he thinks I am the reason for. This time is different. He would not be able to blame me for this trouble. So once I help him out and he sees that I am on his side. He will start to listen to me. Open up to me. And he will finally be susceptible to my attempts to change him. Up till now he questioned and fought my every suggestion. If today goes as planned he will finally be mine." Explained Ugy.

"As planned... You said that before. How can this be all according to plan when it is just a consequence of a stupid mistake that Tessa made…." Said Yuko, before suddenly stopping with realization. "Unless there were no mistakes…" She murmured a bit later.

"What did you do?" She asked, looking at the plush bear eating popcorn with a smug face.

"Sex attenuates people to the same thoughts. Good sex with lust skill makes it better."

"You used the skill 'on the same wavelength' to get inside her head." Whispered Yuko.

"That's a big word. Just nudged her to the idea that being mates with him is what they both need at the moment." Said Ugy.

"Wait, but that was on the first night of their meeting. You did not even know Cassandra. How did you…?"

"How did I plan so far in advance when I lacked all this information at that time?"

"Yes."

"What if I did have all the needed information?"

"How?"

"Daddy McDaniels. He loved his son and the mother of his son with all his heart."

"What?"

"I have access to Noah's memory. Do you remember that? Memory is an interesting thing. You may not remember something, but if you saw or heard something, it is in your memory forever. For example, you may have been a small baby still in a cradle and your daddy bangs your dear mommy in the same room as you sleeping. You may not remember that. Noah may not remember that, but I do. I can access any of his memories. Recent or very very old memory. I remember her moaning, her screaming his name while they copulated. Oh, what hot nights they had."

Yuko looked at him with a strange look.

"Oh, Noah's mommy was gorgeous. I can't blame daddy McDaniels for wanting her every day and in every pose even after she gave birth. But he loved her dearly. As well as his son. He knew that if something happened to him, his first wife whom he was forced to marry by his family and never loved or cared for, would never agree for Noah to be an heir. She would never tell him all the secrets of the kingdom, like the monster families.

So daddy McDaniels took a precaution. In case something happens to him, he wanted Noah's mother to let him know all he had to know to be an heir. So night after night, right after their wild sex, he would teach her all kinds of things. She was of common blood and did not know a lot, but she learned quickly. So they covered lots of topics. And small baby Noah was in the same room listening to it with her. As a count, he knew secrets of the kingdom, of the monster families."

"You knew about the monster families long before Noah came to Threadweaver mansion. Long before she told him the secret."

"Yes."

"So you planned it long before that?"

"Mmhm."

"Even this evening?"

"Especially this evening."

"Holy shit! Cassandra Vespertine! She was your target from the get-go. You knew about her and Tessa's relationship from old count McDaniels. You never targeted Priscilla or Tessa. You used me! Used them and me to get to Cassandra!"

"Bingo! I had a nightmare of a spider woman, information about monster families, with Vespertine and Threadwraver information amongst it, I knew of an incoming attack on him.  Gradually a plan formed. Now we see its finale." Said Ugy.

"But why do you target her?"

"Why would I need a useless Duchess with no power? Noah needs a powerful guardian. A house where he can develop in safety without the Kingdom getting its hands on him. And at the same time have powerful connections. Duchess Threadweaver is not that powerful. Cassandra Vespertine on the other hand is an ideal protector until he grows enough strength to protect himself. When I understood what things me and Noah could do, and how greedy all the nobles will be for it, I needed a protector. And I found it. Cassandra Vespertine, once we enslave her, no one will threaten us."

"Enslave?"

"Who can we trust more than a slave? Only that way she would not be able to betray us. Yes, we will make Noah, turn Tessa's best friend into a slave."

"You wicked piece of shit. They all trusted you!"

"Trust is a choice of goody pants heroes. And that is something that I am not. Nor will Noah be soon." Answered Ugy.

"You trust me in telling this all."

"Trust you? I am sure you will never tell on me."

"Know?"

"You are here because I suggested it to him. If he thinks of me as evil, what will he think about you?" Said Ugy smugly. "You are my perpetrator. You helped me complete the plan. Tell on me and you are done just like me."

"Son of a…" Yuko clenched her fists, muttering obscenities.

"Why are you so bent on changing Noah? He is a good user. Why do you want to make him more….evil?"

"Don't you still get it? I am a heroic system. And he is a heroic soul. I was supposed to be a Sage system. Although I was changed by some accident, the soul I was implanted in, the user that possesses me, stays a Sage heroic soul. With all the perks of a goody pants hero. And that is a problem. All souls are given suitable systems. But Noah and I right now don't suit each other. Nothing can change me now to suit his hero character. But he can change to suit my ugly bastard system character."

"But the problem is in you. You are not what you were supposed to be. You are a mistake." Said Yuko.

"Am I?" Said Ugy with a raised eyebrow making Yuko frown. "What if I tell you that I am not a mistake? That whatever problem happened when I was installed, was someone's intention. Godly intervention. Someone wanted me to appear."

Yuko stared at him with an open mouth.

"No way. Do you have proof?"

"Well…some. Not something concrete but yeah. Someone wanted Noah to have me instead of the Sage system. And I have an idea who that might be." Said the system turning away from Yuko.

"Now let's enjoy the show." He said ending their conversation while watching the proceeding ball on the TV.