15 Avarice

The Vearmn, a race of aliens comprised of only gas that float through space. knowing naught where they go. They are the first race of aliens that the Human race had come into contact with and it certainly wasn't it's last.

The Vearmn are both unconscious and conscious at the same time. They can interact with others but they cannot interact with their own kind, not knowing if there are more of its own or if that is but an anomalous cloud made out of stardust. They have no means of communicating with each other, but as you know, of course, they had a way with us.

I'm talking about this race now because, unknowingly, they have accidentally gotten involved with the Human race's war against the Carrion. I will talk about them later.

Commentaries from the Abyss, Ludis Minor, Commander of Terra.

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With but a clap of his hands the entire ballroom became attentive to what Faust was going to speak about, Velonica by his side with a smile coming across her face, struggling to keep it straight. The nobles and royalty watch in concern, their sight switching rapidly between the princess and Faust. Velonica raises her voice, "I am going to become a part of the Ddjöfull! I have come to announce that to you all today as it is my coming of age party, and I'll be separating as not the little girl I once was! No... as an adult woman who travels the cosmos with a smile on her face."

The expressions on their faces are filled with dread, only those who know Faust personally clapping with joy, the king having tears running down his cheek. Faust looks to the crowd, "Is it not rude to not clap?"

They all jump in realization as applause roars in the ballroom, sweat coming down their cheeks. Velonica becomes slightly depressed but steels herself, taking a deep breath and exhaling. A noble from the audience step out though, a young man with red hair and purple eyes wearing a velvet suit with a black dress shirt and tie. His feet clack against the marble floor as he approaches, he speaks up, spinning around to look at the king. "My King!"

Orlanis cringes, knowing what would happen next.

"Wouldn't it be better to marry her off to some powerful duke, say... the Lox-Maine?"

Mary, Faust, Leon, all of them glare at the lone noble.

"A princess shouldn't be sent off to be killed on a random battlefield in the middle of god knows where! Is it-"

Orlanis sneers, "We are not the Cakas'mirilin, we will not be using these outdated ideals, Quinn!"

"But we need relations with the Lox-Maine do we not, and what a better way than to marry off the princess?"

"Isn't a political marriage the equivalent to throwing away my daughter? Why would I strip her of free will like the Baron did years back? Is that not hypocritical to who I am as a person?"

"Political marriages are normal in royal society. It doesn't matter if you abhor sexism, it's the pure fact that it's political and that you could gain something from it!"

Faust sighs, "Do you know how the Ddjöfull was created, Quinn?"

Quinn turns around to look at Faust.

"It was created on complete accident by a corrupt noble who stole the formula to the Lonmephis Mardin and created a whole new formula expecting some nonsensical harem of women the equivalent to Amazonians of legend. The people he experimented on were women who were given to him through political marriages since he had all the resources everyone needs, such as we need the Ovaneix Quarks for their weaponry and ships. They revolted and created a new legal regime called the Ddjöfull. Could you research before you talk Quinn?"

Quinn clicks his tongue, "Does that matter!? She's the princess for god's sake! Sending her out to battle the instant she is allowed to is outright irresponsible is it not!?"

"It is her choice boy now stand down!" A booming voice comes out from Faust, bringing Quinn to the ground. "Do you think I will tolerate your stupidity any longer Quinn?"

Sweat beats down Quinn's forehead, 'He used the Jeek'liak!', Quinn swallows through a dry throat before speaking further, "You used the voice! How!?"

"You misunderstand boy... that is not the Jeek'liak." Faust closes his eyes before turning to Velonica, "Sorry, you can speak now."

Velonica nods, a worried expression on her face. "I know what you all are thinking but I... I want to do this. I don't care if I am not royalty anymore if I do it but it has been my goal to become a Ddjöfull! I don't care if you shun me for that either."

Orlanis sighs, "Jesus, it's 2579... the least I'd expect is some normalcy. We are in the modern age not the medieval. I get it... tradition with royalty is logical, it is, formal marriages still happen to this day but is less restrictive than the Cakas'mirilin, but that doesn't change the fact we are more lenient, yes, but I will not become the Baron, do you hear me?"

"I understand we don't want another Baron..." Quinn starts, being able to stand up again. "Are we not going to question Faust for what he had just done though?" Quinn points at Faust, "How!? How did you do that!?"

"It is something called the Dominance Miranda, my father created it," Orlanis says, sipping his wine. "Do you understand now? Leave it be, it is irrelevant," Orlanis sighs once again, shaking his head, "Cancel the rest of the party, the mood is too tense."

***

"This is your room?" Velonica questions, following Faust with Leon.

Faust nods, "Yes, sit down."

Faust leads them to a couch set in the middle of the room decorated in black with golden embroidery spread across it. Velonica sits closest to Faust while Leon rejects the seat, inspecting the contents of the room.

Leon lets out a long sigh, pressing his head against a massive bookshelf set in the corner of the room, "What a shit show of a party that was."

"That it was," Faust affirms, sitting behind a desk, books laid about it. "That has become the normal though."

Velonica chimes in with a question, "Did you hear about the emperor?"

"That crazy bastard in the space station? Of course, we hear about him every day."

"I see... who is the Baron?"

"His real name is Lorand Barst, the Baron is a nickname given to him by Orlanis himself."

"I see, was he bad?"

"He was the reason why we were stuck behind most races in the galaxy technology-wise for a while, stuck below type one until finally moving up after the revolution of Matriat Bay."

"Ah... I should look into that more."

"You will need to, it is on the exam."

Velonica nods, her eyes following Faust's hands. "Faust, do you love anyone?"

"Why did you call me by my name? You never do that." Faust looks to her with an eyebrow raised.

"It's a serious question."

Leon cuts in, "The man is as dense as a nebula, he can't believe that anyone would be interested in him."

Faust blows air out of his nose, "They wouldn't, it is but respect, nothing more. An emotion confused as love."

"He's just embarrassed! He can't fathom it I tell you!"

Velonica sways back and forth in anxiety, "I can introduce you to someone uncle!"

"And who would that be?"

"She's only a few years older than me but she's small and cute. She said she was interested."

Faust sighs, "She wouldn't like me I can assure you. Her interpretation of me is insanely different compared to reality."

Leon cuts in again, "Yeah, he's boring but everyone likes him anyway."

"I don't think Uncle Faust is boring!" Velonica shouts.

"I don't think she would be entertained by me but that depends on her personality."

"She likes books! She reads the same ones that you do!"

Faust stops, pauses, thinks, "I..." He shakes his head, "I don't know, you can try to have us gather but it won't last long."

"Oh, he's interested." Leon comments, a grin coming across his face.

"Go kiss the Alderman why don't you?" Faust growls, shaking his head again. "At this point, my life will be short... I don't know if having a wife would be the best idea."

Velonica slams her hands onto a coffee table placed in front of her, "You need to spread your seed somehow!"

Faust's eyes widen in surprise. "Where did you learn that word?"

"I'm nineteen!"

"Even then there would be no way for you to know!"

"My father was drunk one day and said it!"

Faust breaks out in laughter, taking his earings out of his left ear and placing it on his desk. Velonica watches, surprised. "Now you're surprised?"

"I've never seen uncle laugh before."

Faust chuckles lightly, his face going back to the same still expression as before, a corner of his mouth still curling into a smile. "Not many have."