Chapter 57 – A Plan Made, A Plan Started

*** Princess ***

On the way out, I made sure to stick next to Aurora and Shyla. The mother-daughter duo will be the first to get pregnant when Alzi joins us. They are the most connected to her. If Mother truly got the power from Alzi, they are the most likely to also get it. I stay silent with the group as we slowly make our way through the castle grounds. Just a few of my sisters also live this way with me, but I need this conversation to happen in private.

Nearing the front door, I wrap my hands around the mother and daughter's slim waist so they don't run off to bed. Aurora will likely appreciate a warning about the pregnancy; being older, it's going to be hard on her, but being near Alzi should make it doable. They both easily accept my wandering hands, I don't squeeze anything I shouldn't, but I do get a good feel for their wonderful bodies. The young, energic daughter and mature, calculating mother, too bad they are for Alzi.

"I want to speak to you two before bed. I have a request to make," I say.

"I'm past my prime, your Highness. I won't be able to join my daughter in this," Aurora answers quickly as my door comes into view. Good, she's able to pick up on my plans. Alzi will need someone with a brain around her. From what I've gathered, she runs off and does the stupidest things. I don't think she even needs to run off to do it; she's been stuck in a brothel for a decade and still finds trouble. She'll need some help keeping her out of trouble.

"I heard Alzi got a pregnant woman pregnant again. One without an affinity even, sorry to say this, but you'll be able to get pregnant," I answer back. We reached the door and walked towards a study to finish this conversation. "I wouldn't be surprised if Alzi could get a rock pregnant. Your duties will obviously be just keeping healthy during it and I'll give you plenty of time to recover. I want you two to find out how to upgrade your affinity through Alzi. Mother did it, you two are the ones best suited to figuring it out. Alzi is already strong for us; if we figure this out, we'll be in an even better place. One that almost guarantees us the throne."

"I'm willing to try, but don't expect much from me. I'll help my daughter find the secret. If we succeed, I expect you to make them official children and make us concubines of at least Alzi. I would prefer becoming yours," Aurora answers, pulling out a chair for me before finding her own.

That finally gets her daughter to react. "Mother! Don't make deals for me. I want to stay with Alzi. I've seen her; I wish to be her concubine."

"Horny girl, think a little before coming up with an idea," Aurora scolds.

"Both of you quiet. Alzi is your mistress, it will be up to her to let you move to become concubines. Alzi will treat your children as her own no matter what, so there is no need to worry about that. Just slip into her bed and beg her to impregnate you. She'll do it on instinct, and we can test Mother's ways. I'll put in a hint to Alzi to let you two become concubines of either me or her if you can figure it out."

"Thank you, your Highness," they say together.

"Good, now let's get some sleep. We only have a few days before the wedding."

My wedding isn't going to be a big affair, I'm planning it too quickly for that. But we'll get a big grand wedding once I earn that throne. That'll have to make up for the small wedding now. Sadly, a war makes it easiest to let you get the throne. I've got too much work to do.

*** Nakuma ***

Yuki has me doing everything but making a name for myself. She even says I can't kill the people behind the assassination. 'Mai and Alzi deserve to do it.' They aren't doing the work, so why do they get to do the best part?

She did pay me with time spent fluffing her tails. An hour while she explained what she knew and another hour after that for pleasure. I have to admit Alzi does a great job keeping Yuki's tails soft and fluffy. Like hugging little clouds as they wrap around me. Forming a tight tomb for me to get lost in and let me spend every moment with my love.

Too bad she made it come to an end, but I'll have to let Alzi keep washing Yuki's tails and maybe even join them. They are just too soft and beautiful to pass up.

But first, I need to confirm who tried to kill Mai. Yuki already knows the assassin guild did the attempt.

She wants me to find out who commissioned it and the assassin who carried it out. She gave me plenty of leeway on how I got the information. The only true constraint was to leave the people behind alive for Alzi and Mai.

Perfect for taking my frustration out on the unfortunate people nearby. If I keep getting these side quests, I'll never get enough fame for us to get that stupid request and cuddle up with a pregnant Yuki!

I'm a little angry already when I finally make it to the hideout, one of the many branches the Assassin Guild has in the capital. From the outside, it looks like a normal bakery. A trap door in the back will lead to the hideout. Normally, you need a token or money to get in, but a healthy amount of magic will grease any lock open, and I've got plenty to use today. I don't plan to let the bakery open tomorrow; they are having some surprise renovations start up tonight.

I force open the wooden door to find a normal-looking bakery inside. The smell proves that during the day, it truly is a bakery. The small shelves along the sides are currently empty. A counter in the back separates me from the next door.

A human woman walks through that door. A quick look shows she's not a baker; she's already preparing for a fight. "You need something?" she asks. She does her best to keep her voice soft, but the threatening undertone is easy to hear.

"Yes, my friend was almost assassinated. would you know who to ask about that?" I respond, ready to cut the bitch in two. The surprised look on her face is actually mildly convincing.

"Why would I know about assassins?"

"You haven't baked a loaf of bread in your life," I start walking to the counter she stands behind. "Despite the store being closed, the door wasn't locked. It was hard to open, but I broke no lock getting inside. So spill it."

"Spill? Watching my wife's bakery doesn't make this an assassin's hideout."

Tired of this useless conversation, I lash out with my mana. A crude method but more than enough for the overconfident guard in front of me. A few deep gashes form across her chest and stomach. The sudden pain forces out a loud scream as she falls behind the counter.

The gashes are life-threatening, but she should have enough time to provide me with some compensation for a potion to heal her terrible wounds.

That's the plan, at least. Honestly, it won't be the worst thing if the guard dies.

Turning the corner around the counter, I see I may have cut a bit too wide and deep. She's struggling to breathe, blood gushing out. Her arms uselessly try to keep her insides inside. I do a short cough to clear my throat and ask, "Do you have anything to share, or are you going to die on the floor?" I wait a bit for a response, but she doesn't seem to be in the mood to talk.

"Is there a problem here?" A newcomer asks, coming through the back door. She quickly spots her companion bleeding out on the floor. "Was this really necessary?" Another human.

"Yes, I asked a simple question, and she lied to me. You all think it was ok to assassinate a friend. Surely you don't think you're all immune from retribution."

"Do you expect a guard to be able to answer your questions?" she asked, moving to help her partner.

"I said she lied, not that she failed to answer my question. You, though, will need to answer my questions if you want to save your lives. Who ordered the assassination of my friend Mai?" I ask.

"You know we don't give that information out."

"That doesn't really work for me. I came here to get that information, so I'm not asking. It's more of a demand." The woman is on guard for my magic far better than the first girl. So, I'll have to use an actual spell to finish off the first girl. Actually, two would be better, a balloon spell for a distraction, than a portal spell to launch a knife into the injured woman's head.

I quickly launch the two spells, the balloon popping a fraction of a second before the portal. The newcomer is able to cancel the balloon spell, but she isn't able to stop my portal or knife. Killing the woman she just used an expensive potion on.

I giggle a bit at her stupid face, looking at the knife buried deep in the dead woman's skull. "I gave you a chance to save both your lives, yet you squandered it. Now, do you want to join her?"

"Nobody here can get you that information," she answers. Finally figuring out I'm willing and able to burn this place to the ground.

"Then name the assassin."

"We also don't have that information."

"Start being useful. Your friend was a liar and, therefore, useless. Don't be like her," I say, shaking my head.

"This office doesn't have that information."

"I'm not going to keep pulling teeth here. Spit it all out."

"That's all I know."

"Too bad." I sand three knives her way. The first two get blocked, and the third goes into her back and through her heart.

I do a bit of looting. Only the second girl had anything of value to her.

A few health potions richer, and after getting all my knives back, I head through the door.

The back has all the needed supplies and furnishings for a bakery: an oven, table, rollers, and whatnot, all neatly placed along the rim. A quick sweep of my mana finds the trap door in the middle of the room. I blow it open and hop down.