Chapter 459 – Missing

*** Space ***

"Where the fuck did Alzi go?" Kitsune asks.

"How would I know?" I say. I let Fertility and Sea leave too soon. Alzi was supposed to be going right back to the middle of the circle, but she just didn't. She just slipped through my fingers or something.

"You're Space! How could you not know?!" Kitsune says.

"Why do you even care so much?" I ask. "She's my wife. If I knew where she was, I would be there! Don't yell at me about this. I don't know where she went. I don't know how. I don't know what is going on! I moved Fertility here as you asked, and then sent her and Sea away, and Alzi just vanished. I don't know how or why."

"I promised to help her become a Goddess," Kitsune says. "I'm not about to fail that because she 'vanished' while Space was moving her through space. That just doesn't make sense. I'm not explaining to Contract that I failed my contract because her dad is missing!"

"I'm looking for her. Just let me focus," I say. "She can't hide from me. She has to be somewhere in space." One problem is that I can search all of space in seconds, and I haven't found her. I've searched everywhere three times already and still can't see her. Did the world swallow her up? Her extra bodies still exist, so she should be alive. Just, where is her main body?

Fuck! Malralloz, you'd better hope I find her soon, or you're going to be dead! Fucking hell. Why does nobody ever think things through? I should've stopped this. Does nobody have a brain up here?

I didn't say enough against it. I should've pushed back.

*** Future ***

There. You're back! You're both back. Please, oh please, come to me. I need you. I'm so lonely. Please! I need you two!

Past, Present. Please, come to me. Please, be born. What can I do? I can't do anything. There's nothing to do. I can't live like this anymore!

Please, save me.

*** Armirynth ***

"Where is Alzi?!" I scream. "Where's my baby?!"

The walls of fire have dissipated. The stupid family is still all here, and Elyne is there in the middle, but my daughter is missing. The important one is missing!

"I don't know," Geta says. "Space doesn't know. Fertility's out with Sea. We don't know."

She should be right by Elyne. She should be here. Where did she go? Did we all come out to watch my daughter die?

"Shh, she'll come through," Mai says. "She'll make it back. I know she will. She saved me without even knowing how to use mana. She's coming back. She just wants to scare us. You can still feel the warmth of the fire."

"Kou, are Alzi's other bodies still around?" Ilka asks.

"Yes, Lady Ilka," Kou says. "Alzi will be back soon. Things would be falling apart if Alzi were gone. The heavens would be splitting apart again if she were truly in trouble."

"Again?" I ask.

"That's how the other realms were created," Kou says. "The sky would be fractured if that was happening again, Lady Armirynth."

"That doesn't do much for me when my baby is still missing," I say. If Akhae and Ilka weren't holding me in place... No, I couldn't do anything. Those stupid nobles would probably kill me before I could even touch them.

Come back, baby. I can't believe I let you run off again. Please, be ok. I can't lose you again. I have twins again. Please, help me. I need you, baby.

I won't let go of you again.

*** Alzi ***

Did Space teleport me this time, or was it the world? I don't like that name. It feels strange to say the world when talking about some strange woman. Who I had sex with. I really do have problems with women.

"Oh, they brought you directly here," someone says. "So much easier. They're going to have to spend a few minutes figuring out why you disappeared. Great."

Oh, Annoris, and another dryad are on my bed. What fun. "Who are you, and why is Annoris here, looking like you're about to kill her or something?" I ask. The two are naked for some reason, with Annoris on her side, with the other wrapping her up in a tight hug.

"I'm, um, I don't really care about names," the Dryad says, her breasts growing at a visible rate. "I was Nature's Champion. I'm likely to become the new Nature if my feelings are correct. Hopefully, that'll be before Yzzorres gets her divinity. If I'm going to get it, I might as well piss her off in the process. I'm here to correct and fix things between this little sapling and you."

"I don't care about her," I say.

"Oh, come on, she's so pretty while pregnant. I just wonder why you're still pregnant, Annoris. You should've popped weeks ago," the strange Dryad says.

"I don't know," Annoris whispers.

"Whatever, I don't feel anything strange. I would take her to Fertility to check it out," the Dryad says, her hand wandering over Annoris's stretched-out belly. "The sapling does want out. Maybe take Annoris to the forest. The baby may be like the old ones, needing a tree to bond to. Find a good tree for the kid. Annoris should still have the instinct, even if she doesn't care about the trees as much. Now, I want to know what the problem is between you and Annoris."

"I think she's lazy," I say. "Or at least she doesn't need to be my personal maid. She's never around anyway."

"My Skills are for cleaning," Annoris says. "I don't really need to be your personal maid."

"Now, now, don't give up on that," the Dryad says. "But, there we go, that's a start."

"I can make her the head of cleaning or something," I say. "I don't need a maid for cleaning to be my personal maid. She can help clean the kids' rooms or do something special like that. Why are you here? I don't need you butting into my family. My guess is you were part of the group trying to kidnap me."

"Hardly," the Dryad says. "I did everything I could not to do anything. Do you think the war would've gone so smoothly if I wanted to kidnap you? Haha, I knew about Geta. I didn't feel like finding out if a demigod is the equivalent of a Valkyrie. My gut says no, so I would just be rushing toward Death. I'm already going to hate dealing with her as a Goddess, and I have no desire to meet her as a soul. Oh, before I forget. Thank you. Nature needed to die. She was making all the wrong choices. If she just shut up and let nature do its thing, we would be in a much better state. But she got greedy. Thank you for putting her down. Being her Champion was so annoying. Endless complaints, requests, and stupidity. She had an unhealthy obsession with you. The quiet is much appreciated. So, as I said, I'm here to give you Annoris in full. Nature's plan was silly. She probably wanted Annoris to be the one to capture you instead of Lotus. Lotus would have too many people watching her, but the little sapling in the sapling didn't want to come out. So funny. I promise you, Annoris didn't know about the plan. She just felt the need to come and be your maid. Can you please forgive her?"

"Alzi, Your Royal Highness," Annoris says. "I'm sorry. I was rude when we met. I'm sorry. There was a lot that I didn't understand, but things are clearer now. I'm sorry. I listened to the Goddess of Nature, becoming your personal maid. You're right that I don't have to continue with that role. I shouldn't. But can I remain in the family? For the kid? Please. I tried to make it up to you when we all moved, but my work just keeps me out of your sight."

"Wait," I say. "How did you get here? Both of you. Annoris is supposed to be locked away, and people are watching my bedroom, so how are you both naked in my bed?!"

"Magic," the Dryad says. "As I said, I'm a demigoddess. Do you think that Yzzorres couldn't be hiding under your bed without anyone realizing it if she weren't a lazy dragon? Be careful when she lays those eggs. You're not going to have a moment of peace until they hatch. That explains both parts."

"So if you wanted to hurt me?" I ask. I'm still naked! I'd better not be attacked.

"I wouldn't," the Dryad says. "But if I wanted to... I couldn't. You have some Skill that would protect you long enough for Geta to get here. You have bodies that can warn Space, and then Geta would be here, and I'd personally find out that a divine being beats one who's just close to being a divine being."

"I suppose," I say. "Annoris, I'll ask Kou to find a position for you. If I ever do need a maid just for cleaning, I'll bring you back. Is that enough to get you out of my bed?"

"Yes, future Goddess," the Dryad says with a wide smile. "I hope your kids take after you instead of Yzzorres. This is much more how everyone thinks dragons should act. She likes to yell too much without putting in any work for being the strongest non-divine being in the lower realms. Don't be a stranger!"

"I don't know your name," I huff.

She teases the naked pregnant Annoris for a bit, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek, and then disappears! She could've killed me if she wanted to. Maybe Space or Kitsune are watching me right now. If I died, Kitsune would be breaking her promise.

Maybe she would get out of fulfilling the contract if I died. I should ask Contract about that.

"I'll..."

"Go ahead and stay," I sigh. "It's going to be a packed bed, but I'll deal with it."

Tomorrow, I'll fix Tanatsu's lover and the other Dryad. Hopefully, I have time to give Mistress her final sentencing. She may think I've forgotten about her, and that wouldn't be fair. She was always watching me and cared about what I was doing. I won't give her that much attention, but this isn't a good start to our new relationship.

"Thank you," Annoris says. "I'm sorry for letting Nature mess with me. I didn't know it was happening."

"Everyone should've figured out that something was strange when the dryad at the party was prepared to do whatever she needed to, just to have my kids," I say. "You're not the worst example of someone hurting me. And you seem to be raising our kid right already, so I can't be too mad at you when you've got that going for you. We're already naked, so we can just sleep like this. I'll get some maids to make sure the kids don't come running in." Unless this girl goes into labor, or is that the plan?

Geta and Victoria are joining us tonight. That's for sure, and they should be on their way now. The Dryad really did run off at the right time. I doubt they would let her just walk out after I went missing. Mommy didn't get to see me when the fire disappeared, so I'm sure she was scared when I wasn't there.