Chapter 27: like Mother, like Daughter

"W-what?!" Jorael asked intensely confused as to why the Princess, lying on her bed, ordered him to undress.

"A subject does what his Princess orders.

Now, you will stay there and undress." Vanessa said again in an authoritative tone with a serious face.

"Er... Is this some kind of joke?!" the Traveler asked even more confused.

"I ORDER YOU; YOU OBEY!" she cried out suddenly with ferocious eyes, making sure to stare at her subject in his eyes.

"I guess you're driven by some teenage hormones..." Jorael whispered realizing she wasn't joking with him.

"What are you babbling about?

Undress and start kissing my feet.

But keep your distance... " Vanessa ordered.

Jorael looked at her feet, and noticed that she wore neither shoes nor socks, and then he stated in a serious tone:

"I'm sorry Princess if sex is what you're looking for, I refuse."

"S-sex?! No…" She cried suddenly anxiously.

"So, excuse me your Highness, what the fuck are you talking about?" he asked shocked because what she said made no sense to him.

"Sigh... why are you so different from anyone else..." she sighed in annoyance, then changed her expression and tone completely, and shouted angrily:

"I AM the PRINCESS of this fucking EMPIRE!

and if I order you to do something, YOU DO IT!"

As Jorael was speechless by her cries, he shook his head in disappointment and commented:

"I refuse to believe that this is not an act because even though I have known you for only one day, I know that you are not like that.

What's the point of all this farce?"

"How can a peasant be so disrespectful to me and still not obey me?!

I think I'll have to go down hard with the punishment for you... " Vanessa said annoyed.

"Punishment for what?" Jorael asked confused.

"For being so good." whispered the Princess.

"Sigh… I think I'm missing the point again..." said the Traveler.

"You have such a talent with Magic, Jorael.

You will easily become the brightest star in the Nefertalis Magic Academy, and under the Principal's guidance, you may even become a full-fledged Mage... or even a Sage.

I will not allow it. As with all the others before you...

So, now kiss my feet and understand your true position in the Empire." Vanessa explained harshly.

"You... you are not like that.

You sound like that foolish Vizier who thought he was invincible because of his noble blood.

So, you are the heir to the throne and you think you can treat people like shit and give them orders?" shouted Jorael furiously.

"Are you stupid or what? What about your slave?

It doesn't look different to me…" Vanessa pointed out.

"I... don't order her." Jorael whispered.

"What? So, you ask politely?

If she didn't have the collar, would she still be with you?" The Princess asked.

"I do not know." whispered the Traveler before sitting down on the bed thinking.

"So, now… l-like a d-doggie... k-kiss my feet." she whispered anxiously in his ear as she approached him.

Jorael turned to her, looking straight into her empty green eyes, and said:

"Enough of this shit, shut up ... Charm ..."

The Princess easily fell victim to his half-Succubus innate ability, and she was immediately hypnotized, sitting motionless on the bed like a doll.

"Sigh... it was kind of weird and tiring.

I'd say it's better this way...

So, your Highness, did you say that you requested something similar from other students? "Jorael asked.

"Mmm... They understood... They understood the law..."

"What law?"

"That I am the Princess... and they must obey me..."

"What did you do to them?"

"They licked my feet... they were my dog...

I humiliated them... and told them to quit."

"Why?"

"They were too skilled... better than me..."

"Why do you care about that?"

"I... I... I must be the strongest..."

"Why do you need to be the strongest?"

"Because... Because...

mmm…" Vanessa murmured before falling on Jorael's chest almost unconscious.

"Hey! Sit down properly and repl... ugh...

What are this scent and this feeling?!

Ugh…" Jorael moaned as he took the Princess's shoulders with his hands to make her sit down properly, but he instead felt something strange growing inside of him.

"Ugh... what is..." he whispered just before his body started to move on its own, and slammed the nearly unconscious girl onto the bed.

"Ugh... what... am I... doing..." he murmured to himself as he laid down on her, sniffing her body starting from her slender belly, passing over her soft breasts, ending up to her smooth neck.

"Hunger..." Jorael finally said before losing all control as his mind went blank.

Suddenly, the door slammed open.

"Master!" Cyn'Thia shouted as she hurriedly entered the room, only to witness the scene with immense incredulity.

"M-master?!" she said confused as she approached the bed, getting no response from him.

Her eyes were looking in dismay at her master, who was smelling the princess's neck as if she were his prey.

The Elf was first at a loss for words, but then she started violently pulling on Jorael's clothes screaming:

"Master! Stop! What are you doing?!"

Still, no answer was given as he continued to harass the girl as he appeared to be in some kind of trance.

"uh... uh... p-please... s-stop it..." Vanessa barely whispered, regaining some consciousness.

Cyn'Thia could no longer contain herself and screamed desperately:

"MASTER! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

As she screamed, she slapped Jorael in the face, hoping to get him to regain his sanity.

He immediately stopped the harassment, as he woke and seemed confused about what had happened and why he was above the Princess.

"W-what the h-happened?!" he screamed in fear.

"Master, finally..." Cyn'Thia whispered with tears in her eyes.

"Why are you here?!

Wait, what was I doing!? "Jorael asked deeply troubled.

"I just walked into your room to tell you that the Princess was gone...

but you were in a trance, smelling the Princess that she was actually here..." the Elf explained.

"I was what?!" he asked in shock.

Meanwhile, Vanessa almost regained consciousness, but with her eyes still closed she whispered frightened:

"Father... please... stop..."

Jorael stood up, fully recovering his reason and both he and Cyn'Thia wondered:

"Father?!"

He and his aide both looked confused in the eyes as the Princess finally regained consciousness. She looked disoriented and she was checking her surroundings before whispering faintly:

"Thanks to Kalipso I'm still at Nefertalis school..."

"Princess Vanessa ..." Jorael said as he knelt by the bedside, and continued:

"It seems I have to apologize because I don't really know and I can't really explain what happened, but I took advantage of you..."

"W-w-w-ahhttt?!" the blonde girl screamed as she pulled her legs towards her abdomen and held her knees with her hands.

"Rest assured I haven't violated you...

Um... Right, Thia?!" he asked, seeking the Elf's support.

"V-violated?! ...

F-father!? ...

H-he's n-not h-here, is he?!?!" Vanessa cried aloud in fear, trembling as if she remembered something gruesome.

"Master, did you break her or something?" asked Cyn'Thia, wondering if her owner had messed up the Princess's mind.

"No, er...

Your Highness, the Emperor is not here.

Just maybe... do you fear your own father?" Jorael asked.

"..."

There was no answer from the blonde girl, but that silence was still a response that raised more questions and doubts to the adventurers.

"Sigh... I won't use it anymore..." the Traveler whispered, referencing his innate ability.

"I-isn't he really here?!" Vanessa asked, still terrified. As both adventurers nodded, she calmed down and then spoke:

"Sigh...

You'll be here thinking what kind of ruler I aspire to be, curled up here on your bed, trembling at the thought of meeting my father.

I just wanted you to stop being so damn good at Magic, like everyone else..."

"No, I'm not thinking anything bad about you, because I know your earlier behavior was an act and you seem to have your problems. After all, we all have our nightmares and try to make the most of our daily life fighting them...

But why do you want everyone out of the picture once they prove their prowess?" Jorael asked, trying to comfort her while Cyn'Thia was thunderstruck as she discovered the identity of the culprit.

"Because the elite students will be taught directly by the Storm Witch, with the opportunity to become..." the Princess was explaining, but Jorael finished her sentence:

"... a Sage."

"Yes, if only I could stay here longer..." Vanessa whispered.

"Why?" asked the Traveler.

"I will never go back to Rivella.

If the only option is to take my life, I will gladly take it.

May Kalipso have mercy on my soul..." the Princess said as if she had no hope.

"I still don't understand...

Is palace life so bad?" Jorael asked.

"No... it's not that.

It is... it is...

My father." Vanessa murmured with green eyes full of tears.

"Is the emperor that awful?" asked the Traveler.

"..."

The Princess was at first silent, but then she nodded, suddenly bursting into tears.

Cyn'Thia, who had remained in silence most of the time, sat down next to the blonde girl and grabbed her hand to calm her down.

"Awful is a nice word to describe him." Vanessa commented with tears falling from her face.

"Then you better stay here." Jorael whispered smiling.

"... thank you.

You too, Elf. No slave has ever thought of touching me without my asking first. If you had been to the palace, I think you would have already been punished by the guards.

So... it's weird.

I hardly know both of you, on your first day of school, but I feel I can speak to you freely, for the first time in my life, I dare to say…" explained the Princess, smiling a bit.

"Oh... Thia! Embrace yourself!

I can already feel a big talk coming from her!" Jorael said jokingly.

"Eh-eh... you're such a fool... but yes, you are right:

As you already know, my Mother died in childbirth, giving birth to me, the only heir of our dynasty… " Vanessa began to explain, but after she looked at the new students' goony faces, she realized that they didn't really know. Then she went on to explain:

"Sigh... You two are definitely strange.

Anyway, my Mother died giving birth to me, and in her memory, I was named after her.

When I was a kid, I had no problems, and I enjoyed the palace life as you might think.

But this ended brutally on the day of my menarche.

When I became a woman and the red flower blossomed, I became a mere tool to fulfill my Father's wishes.

He's... obsessed with our lineage, and the fact that he couldn't have a pure male heir has been haunting him ever since I was born.

And I said pure because... my Mother was also my Father's sister, and when she died, he could not have any more heirs.

Until I became a woman and...

he... he... violated me..."

Vanessa burst into tears desperately, resting her head on Cyn'Thia's chest, while both adventurers were horribly stunned, staring at the void in disbelief.

Jorael felt a mixture of raw emotions rise within him as he felt empathy and anger for the Princess. The first of his thoughts of him was of him his son Elijah, thinking that as a father, he could not understand how anyone could harm his son as the Emperor did. In his anger, he clenched his fists so hard that he cut himself, letting the blood gush out of his hands to the ground.

"Master... I know...

By the grace of Him who awakened us, I enchant Heal!" Cyn'Thia cast on her master.

White magic was used, the luminous heptagram engulfed the dark room in pure light, healing Jorael's self-inflicted wounds.

"Oh... the Elf would also be a brilliant Elite student..." Vanessa commented as she wiped the tears from her face.

"Your Highness, you should rest.

You can stay here with Thia." said Jorael as he calmed down.

"H-here?! In your room!?

W-what are you saying..." the Princess was panicking, but the Traveler didn't let her finish the sentence:

"I'm sorry again your Highness for this... Sleep!"

Jorael instantly cast a spell of Red Magic, to put Vanessa to sleep immediately, who collapsed asleep in Cyn'Thia's arms.

"Master, what are you going to do?" she asked worriedly.

"Please stay with her.

I'm going to talk to Monica." He explained Jorael while he was preparing to leave the room.

...

Later that night, in the principal's office.

"So, my dear ... are you saying that the culprit has always been the Princess and that she absolutely cannot go back to the palace of Rivella?" the headmaster asked a bit confused.

"Yes, and why she should not return to the palace... it's a delicate matter.

She will tell you when she is ready.

I beg you. Take her under your wing." Jorael pleaded, bowing his head.

"Sigh... and why should I believe you?" Monica asked, full of doubts.

"I...

I will refuse to accept the reward if you don't trust me, but please don't let the princess go back to the palace." The Traveler exclaimed confidently.

"For an adventurer to refuse to take his pay... ah!

Give me the contact my dear, and you will have my autograph.

...and for the princess, she can stay here as long as I will have the power." said the principal.

"Thanks for your help!" Jorael said as he passed the contract.

"Thanks to you. Now...

Leave this woman to her nightly chores..." Monica said whilst signing the contract, as Jorael got up and left her office.

As soon as the doors closed behind the Traveler's back, something unexpected happened. Although the Storm Witch was alone, he overheard a conversation from inside the office:

"I was busy, why are you calling me after I have made it clear that I have nothing more to say to you?"

"..."

"I'm not interested in your plans; I'm not sending you my students anymore after what you did with Snowdrop and Rose."

"..."

"Leave Dahlia and Narcissus alone, they are my pupils."

"..."

"Oh, and by the way, keep your puppet in check, his daughter is with me and she will stay with me."

"..."

"Don't talk nonsense, I care about the Empire more than anything else, my name is not the Storm Witch for nothing ..."

"..."

"You heard wrong; no student is dropping out of the academy. Besides, I've set my sights on an outstanding candidate ..."

"..."

"How do you know that?...

Wait, what a fool of me. The Inquisition, I guess ... "

"..."

"Yes, you should go to sleep now, considering your old age, being awake so late...

Also, I recommend going on vacation to Green Harbor.

They say that the weather, the sea, and the red sun are beautiful there..."

"..."

"Don't call me anymore to feed me with your bullshits."

Jorael suddenly heard a noise, like fists hitting the wooden desk. Then he heard Monica talking to herself as she walked:

"That disgusting old fart..."

"Shit! She's coming this way!" thought Jorael as he stood in front of the door.

"You... here again?" Monica as she opened the doors to her office to find him right in front of her.

"I... forgot the signed contract!" Jorael said looking for an excuse.

"Oh, that... take it." Monica whispered.

"Thank you... good night." the Traveler said as he left her office.

"Uh... good night." the Storm Witch replied suspiciously, staring at him as he walked away.

…

Later that same night, Jorael was returning to his room.

After entering, he saw that the Princess was still there sleeping like a baby on his bed, with Cyn'Thia beside her looking after her.

"You are finally back, Master!" whispered the Elf smiling.

"Thanks for staying with her, Thia." Jorael said gratefully.

"You asked for it, it's the least I can do..." Cyn'Thia replied smiling.

"No, I want this to be clear.

If I ask for something you don't want to do, you are free to object.

I will not force you to do anything against your will." Jorael explained.

"Master, you have never ordered me anything that I would not have done...

Why are you saying that now?!" asked the puzzled Elf.

"I just wanted to clarify." Jorael replied.

"Fine... then the headmaster understood the situation?" Cyn'Thia asked changing the topic.

"Yes, he understood that Vanessa was the culprit all along and that she had to behave like this because she wants to stay here. The principal promised me she will keep her here, but something else caught me by surprise and I can't get it out of my head..." Jorael explained as he was lost in thought.

"What is it?" the Elf asked curiously.

"I eavesdropped a conversation between the principal and someone, but I'm sure she was alone in her office. I couldn't understand the whole content of their dialogue, but on one thing I'm positive:

The other person who spoke to Monica is also a Sage." Jorael revealed.

"So, when we first met, she lied?" Cyn'Thia asked in incredulity.

"Very likely, but I think she simply chose to reveal to us what is in the public domain." he replied.

"What do you think, Master?" asked the Elf.

"This unknown Sage is supposed to be an elderly man or woman, and Monica seemed to be very angry with him or her.

They talked about the Flowers, how the generals of Northum and The Gift are on the side of the unknown Sage, while Southum and Nefertalis are on her side.

I don't know what's going on, but this looks like an internal conflict between the Empire.

Uhm..." the Traveler explained while he was still thinking.

"A civil war?!" Cyn'Thia exclaimed aloud.

"Shhh! Don't scream like that!

It's still early to say, but it could happen." Jorael replied.

"Oh... as my father once told me..." the Elf whispered.

"What?" the Traveler asked confused.

"Some time before I got kicked off the island, my Father told me we were on the verge of a civil war. This is because two of the three clans of the Council of Four were opposed to the Tor clan's proposal to become a monarchy.

Then, after some time, I was exiled." The Elf explained.

"It still baffles me how your race still calls it the Council of Four, while there are only three clans left." He commented.

"It has historical value for us and to never forget..." Cyn'Thia whispered, with Jorael finishing the sentence in her stead:

"The madness of Vas'Gwn."

"Sigh... by the way...

My arm went numb with the Princess sleeping on it..." the Elf complained.

"Well, good night then..." Jorael replied as he quickly sat down on the floor beside the bed.

"Pss... Nooo!... Master!" whispered Cyn'Thia as she plunged into a sleepless night.

…

At the same time, in an unknown location, a gruesome voice pierced the silence of the night:

"ThE HaG… ShE wiLL PaY foR ThiS!

My oFFspRinG! GO GET SOME MEAT!!!"