Awakening Muse

Vol.3 - Chapter 7 - Awakening Muse

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[A/N: This chapter contains small parts of R18 scenes. Nothing disgusting or anything of that order. So don't run away at the first sign of this note.

By now, we know each other, and you guys might understand that I will not defile my project with unnecessary shit, especially when it comes to my protagonist's intimate life – For the horny kids wishing for more, if you ask me nicely on discord, I will let you write something on your own based on my project]

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After talking with Count Alderhine, where he explained to him some of his plans for the kingdom's future, it slowly began having Grigos start agreeing with Vlad's views.

"By doing these reforms, you will ensure the citizens a better standard of living and in doing so increase the performance of each citizen. Literacy which we nobles were so proud to be privileged, will be something universal, which will be the spark for bright minds." commented Grigos, at which Vlad just gave him a small smile, answering to his conclusion with just an expression on his face.

"This is something I figured out only the hard way. Having incompetent peasants around you and people who would bootlick at any occasion would make you veiled, not seeing further ahead. You have read Legends of Atlas, correct?"

"That should be something all children of Kaysang would have read, for some unknown reason. From my grandfather to father and to my Aria and me, this story is forced upon us by the older generation for some unknown reason."

"The older generation is smart, trying to make you aware of the lost past of Kaysang." mentioned Vlad while playing around with Aria using his blood butterflies.

"What do you mean, Your Highness?"

"Simple, the reason those older generations, especially the nobles, force their younger generation to read this myth book is because it is based upon our lost past. Something they could only bypass by writing some abstract story which wouldn't make some certain people eye our kingdom which was already destroyed once."

"They were smart only that each generation turned dumber, ignoring those stories, believing them, like the rest of the people of the world, as simple myths, a fantasy written by some people."

"I still can't believe it, Your Highness. You tell me that Sun King was a real person? That the Guardian Gods are real? That Kaysang was a kingdom spanning an entire continent?" asked Count Alderhine with a severe voice, to which Vlad just extended his hand into making the figures of Ziz, which was Aerius, Leviathan, and Behemoth using his blood.

"So you know, the story has never shown us the images of the guardian gods, but this is how they look." explained Vlad showing Grigos a smaller version of the magical creatures, placing more detail on Aerius because he saw him with his two eyes in his peak form.

Alderhine shut his mouth, entering a contemplation state, and while Vlad was waiting for him to respond, Aria walked to them, pointing at the tree creatures saying with a cheerful voice, recognizing those figures.

"Big brother, are those the guardian gods from Legends of Atlas? They look so life-like, don't tell me you have met them?"

"Who knows. It is secret." said Vlad with a smile, shrugging his shoulders as he was seated on the Wisdom Throne.

"Che, you are stingy big brother." said Aria before Vlad created more butterflies to play around with her, making her walk off the throne stage.

"I suggest you read that book again with an open mind looking for the hidden details shrouded in kids' storytelling, and as a last gesture of my goodwill to open your mind to what we Atlantians are about, I will show you him."

Ending that, he left the three guardians of Atlas float closer to his hand, and from there, blood began to exit his palm, morphing into the miniature-sized Louis looking at Grigos with a dignified expression holding a smile.

"This is the Sun King?" inquired Grigos observing the image of the person floating in the air.

"Vermilion Louis."

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Taking some more time to talk with Grigos, the Count took his daughter and began retreating, leaving the throne room, going to the room where the other nobles belonging to Vlad's Royal Faction were talking with each other.

They did some honorary greetings to him before continuing with their talk, ignoring him, even if Grigos was known to be one of the most influential nobles of the Kaysang Kingdom. Their attitude changed when Bolt arrived in the room talking with Grigos about the details from his perspective of how the capturing of the other nobles was like.

The basement room of the palace that those high-class people were gathered shifted in the atmosphere when they heard the voice of an old man shouting around.

"Bolt, come get your dad because I have absolutely no idea where you fuckers placed your meeting room. Haha, I have so many stories to tell you, brat. There is also two interesting kids, one who can turn into a dog while someone else who can send shockwaves from nowhere."

"Lord Admiral, I am Baron Kurln." said another voice belonging to Yanosh, sounding defeated.

"Quiet brat. Be like that little puppy and stay silent."

*Grrr*

Bolt could hear the growling of a dog which reminded him about the newcomers to their camp, Yanosh, and Argash along with the rest of the knights. He excused himself, arriving at the lobby of the palace to see to his surprise old Patrick holding by the back of their clothes both Yanosh and the transformed Argash.

"Ahhh, old man, those are His Highness people. What have they done to you?"

"They insulted me, especially this arrogant puppy. Anyway, the pressure boy has some interesting devil powers. He made me sweat quite a lot." said Patrick releasing his grip on Yanosh and Argash before patting his clothes off the dirt and dust splashed on them.

Along the way, he got to Bolt, and looking at him from head to toes, he patted him on the shoulders, saying with a smile.

"You did well, brat. For your first war, this will be an experience to stick with you all your life. How is my little prince doing? Did he get wounded by those traitorous rats?" asked Patrick like a grandfather would do, asking for his favorite grandson from an extensive line.

"Vlad is doing okay, old man, but Princess Sofiya seems to be wounded and needs recovery?"

Patrick frowned as he stopped in place. Turning to look at Bolt, he asked coldly.

"Who dared to wound my little princess? Tell me. I'll cut his guts open and nail him on my frigate."

"Calm down, old man, everything is over. We won the war, so chill down. We now have to reorganize and settle down our priorities for the next upcoming years."

"Brat, don't sugar coat me with words. I'll stay here for a bit before meeting with the little prince. Since I got those old bags of bones into action, I'd rather keep myself active while still breathing. Right, do you have a cigarette or cigar?"

"Nah, I am not smoking. Three years I have been trained by Vlad, and I learned something about him which most people don't know."

"Ohh, what that could it be?"

"He doesn't like when people smoke in his presence. All the officers who he saw smoking in their break, he would train them harder, even break their bones."

"Bah, what's wrong with smoking?"

"That's what I asked myself too, but then he showed me how creepy and sinister the organ we use to breathe turns like after a period of smocking. Almost as if it turned into black mud."

Patrick looked surprised hearing that and nodded his head, contemplating what he heard, and once he arrived inside the basement room, everyone else was seated. The nobles got on their feet bowing to him, something that even Count Alderhine wasn't late to do.

When Patrick saw Grigos, holding Aria in his hands, he seemed to remember who he was, and while pointing out in his direction, he said calmly.

"You have grown big little Grigos. I still remember how small you were running around my estate when you would accompany your father when visiting me. How is your old man still kicking?"

"Sadly, he passed away five years ago."

"That is unfortunate. I probably can count on my hand the number of people I still know in this kingdom. From that dumbass Galleot, that shrewd Charles Selentes, then your old man Leron Alderhine and that bastard Opheltius.

Ahhhh, excuse me, little girl, this old man has lived on the sea for all his life being surrounded by all sorts of bastards. Arghh, not again." started Patrick to get exasperated trying to talk normally without swearing in front of this little girl, and the best solution he had was to shut up."

The little girl just giggled in his father's embrace before saying to Patrick.

"Grandfather, you are funny."

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Vlad returned to sit beside Sofiya, and with every 10 minutes that he spent closer to her, he could see her hair start to turn into her sparkling white color slowly.

Only after one hour, her hair could be seen to have some remains of the crimson belonging to her entering the [Enhancement] transformation, imbuing herself in his blood powers. Slowly, the stone in his heart began to be shattered, seeing his muse recover the hair he thought was something only blessed people would be allowed to hold.

[Master, I told you the Mistress would be fine after that fight. In fact, I feel a stronger life force inside of her compared to when she was in a regular state.] said Khorne in his mind, to which Vlad just brushed his hand while he was seated in his mental throne.

'Don't disturb me.'

Saying that, he watched Sofiya carefully, and after another 10 minutes, he sensed a slight twitch from her slender finger, to which he told her in a warm, tender voice.

"I am right here, my love. You can sleep for as much as you want. Just don't make me turn into an old man where my appearance would be twisted, repulsing you with my shell after all these years of waiting."

As he said that, Sofiya's fingers ticked harder while her sleeping expression hardened, turning into a sad expression, where not long after, tears began to drip on her cheeks, starting to sleep talk.

"No, my love, don't leave me in this dark place. I am afraid. Where are you? Come back!"

Hearing her say that, he held her hand, caressing them while talking back to her.

"I am right here, my love. Don't be afraid. I will not go anywhere. I will be with you until old age will part us."

Sofiya's expression shifted after some minutes, with her eyes stopping shedding tears, and soon with a hardened expression, the remaining crimson strand of hairs turned back to the snowy white, and from nowhere, her eyes opened. The first moment she saw Vlad beside her, she lunged at him and lowered him back to her chest, saying with a trembling voice.

"You were here with me all this time protecting me from that dark place. Encouraging me to keep walking forward to the light."

"I will be beside you all the time, so breathe calmly and relax. As you calm down, tell me what you saw in your dream. Maybe it is something worth remembering."

With Vlad closer to her, sitting right beside her on the bed, she settled closer on his chest, closing her eyes and starting to tell what happened in her mind after going unconscious because of the overuse of blood powers.

After taking her time, she began telling Vlad about how she fell down like it was a deep hole without an end. Later waking up into a dark room that, with time, seemed to be turned into a pathway accompanied by a flickering light at the end of the path.

She had to endure quite a lot of moments when she thought that was her end because of all sorts of thoughts, yet from that flickering light, she could hear Vlad's voice, calling her toward him in a warm, tender voice.

From there on, she began her journey, which seemed to her an eternity, but slowly and surely she could see the outline of a white looking building, with columns, similar to a temple where at the end a man clothed in white clothes with a raven black hair stared at her while behind him was a white flame.

"After I saw that person who looked like you, I dashed toward it, but before I could touch you in that dream, I woke up, and now we are here. Hah, it is so sweet being alive after such an experience." said Sofiya with a relieved tone, while Vlad kissed her on the forehead and later her lips.

"Will you still want to risk your life for me after experiencing all of this?" asked Vlad after breaking the kiss.

"Is that even a question, my love? Whenever you fight against someone, I will be there for you as you always have been behind me, watching me progressing." mentioned Sofiya in a calm voice, caressing Vlad's face lovingly.

"Silly girl. Do you wish to make my heart turn cold whenever I would see you get hurt? Think about me for a second. You know how I am when it comes to those dear to me."

"I know, I know. Yet I can't change this part about me. Since I was young and I was reading all of those books about adventurers, pirates, and heroes, I have wanted to be part of that. I might sound selfish, but I want to be ever so closely with you, even in danger."

Saying that, Sofiya moved to get on Vlad's chest and giving him a tender kiss on the lips, at which the latter wrapped his arms around her slender, delicate body, whispering to her ears.

"My love, because you are the way you are, is the reason I am mesmerized. Yet, this doesn't mean I will be a love-struck fool to be played around on women's fingers."

"I see. You are angry with me?" asked Sofiya, moving to kiss his neck.

"A bit. You risked your life for something you shouldn't even have done. Sigh, now I am the one sounding all selfish, wishing for your safety."

"See, we complete each other, my arrogant prince. Both of us don't wish to be left on the side when it comes to action, and you know what your advantage is? It is your gender." said Sofiya while playing with his chest, moving her finger in circles.

"How come?"

"You fully know the reason. The society thinks that women are only good to be as housewives, but while we truly are the best at taking care of our husbands and family, this doesn't mean we should be left out from the rest of activities."

Vlad remained silent as he was thinking about what Sofiya said, and while watching her rest her body of his own, he reluctantly agreed with her.

"You are right. Maybe I should try to fix this aspect of our society and give everyone a fair chance regardless of gender. I would have sounded hypocritical if I would adress the public telling them all the equality I would bring to them, yet stumbling on this aspect you mentioned."

"This is why a king needs his queen to consult in such moments. If you would be a stubborn bull, I would have to beat you up until you would understand what I am referring to."

"Heh, you seem quite energetic after fighting that Zoan fruit user." chuckled Vlad mentioning that, at which Sofiya looked at his face from where she was, and moved to bite his ears.

"Indeed, it is all your fault."

"My fault? Aren't you the little pervert here pushing me around to her desires?"

"No way! I am a delicate flower that should be taken care of." responded Sofiya, stoping from biting his earlobes

"You are just a small succubus. Come here, let me teach you a lesson after you had me tremble for quite the while."

Saying that, he wrapped his hands around her and, getting a bit up, he did a deep kiss on her lips before moving down her neck and slowly working his way down her chest. Fiddling with her breast and slowly removing her clothes, he went back, teasing her hard nipples.

"I will eat you, little succubus."

"I am all yours. Since that fateful day, I have been yours and only yours." said Sofiya with a sweet voice kissing his neck while he was teasing her nipples.

He touched a small where a wound caused by the fight with the bear fruit user was located, which was closed up fully without even a scar.

"My Princess fought so hard that her rewards should be accordingly."

Holding her delicate body, he changed positions, placing her on the bed and taking the remaining of her clothes off, revealing her goddess-like body. Looking at the door, he used his blood powers to close the door at which Sofiya told him.

"Don't cheat using your powers. This will be a fair fight. Do you hear me?"

"I am not a monster to use that power. That time I just wanted to see your reaction, and I apologized plenty enough. No sex for five months, I served my punishment."

*Giggling* "This is my only way to teach you a lesson." mentioned Sofiya wrapping her arms and legs around him.

The couple kissed deeply, continuing to share their desire for one another.

Minutes passed, and the foreplay between one another kept going with Vlad working her, letting her reach a climax using his dexterous fingers, while Sofiya too by now quite experienced herself, knowing how to please Vlad.

After three years, their love for each other was still as strong as when they first went to bed in the small wooden house and in a bed wrapped in bear hides and other wild game.

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With the foreplay done with both no longer holding back, Vlad pierced inside of her and began their lascivious battle for supremacy in bed. Both knew each other too well, and it was a play of who reached the climax faster.

"Little succubus, you are my muse and will be so even after we grow into old people."

"Ahhhh, you dummy, not that spot." moaned in pleasure Sofiya, before grabbing into his back and looking for a kiss.

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They kept on going having sex for about 30 minutes. Only those with keen senses could hear past the barrier placed by Vlad down before things escalated.

"Haha, that's my boy. He knows that he will have to place the royal family on his back and already got himself busy at making descendants." laughed old Patrick, holding a proud smile on his face.

Bolt, Yanosh, Argash, and Grigos could also pick up small moans of pleasure from Sofiya, with the older ones ignored minding their own business, yet the coyote man was surprised to keep hearing the action going.

"I'll go see my wife's too. They should be treated by now. It is all your fault, stupid old man. You distracted me from taking care of my two gorgeous wives."

Dashing out from the meeting room, he went to the infirmary to see the two girls he got attached to after rescuing them from the palace.

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With another couple minutes of sex, both were sweating and with Sofiya, who was climaxing, sensed that Vlad was about to pull out, only saying to him.

"Don't worry, love. This is a safe day."

"It is not. I can sense it. Didn't you say you want to become a mother after we hold our marriage ceremony and we grow older?" saying that he thrusted for a bit more, making Sofiya moan in pleasure before he pulled out, releasing his load on her milky white skin later dropping beside her, caressing her chest, he told her calmly.

"Sofiya, we will have plenty of time to make our family. We got so many years ahead of us, but for now, I wish we experience more about life and when we are ready to welcome our firsts children in this world, to be our best version of parents."

"Right now, I might go all over the places, leaving you alone. I would feel like a trash person if I leave you alone with our children to grow alone."

"Yes, my love. I understand. We have to be mature with such a choice."

"That is correct. Nevertheless, before you become my Empress, I will bring you that pleasant gift." told Vlad placing a kiss on her lips while she moved to stay on his chest, dozing off.

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Only after she went to sleep soundly he cleaned her body a bit before taking some pair of trousers and walking out of the room, moving downstairs toward the place Patrick and the rest were sitting.

"Congratulations, Vlad. When will I become a great grandfather?" asked Patrick seeing Vlad enter inside wearing only a pair of trousers, walking barefooted inside this room.

"Not this fast old man. I am 17, turning 18 in half a year, while Sofiya is 19. Don't you think your expectations are quite hurried for us?" asked Vlad walking to give the old man a hug, at which the old man just smiled, waving his hands a bit, seeming to still sense the sweat of their intercourse, along with Sofiya's fragrance.

"Better fast than late. Especially with how many shenanigans those nobles want to pull."

"Well, no. I could care less about those idiots if, by doing so, I risk placing Sofiya's health at risk and endanger my children because of future unknown enemies. I am sure of my capabilities to make children so don't bother nagging me on such subjects."

"You know your things, little Vlad. I am not like that old man of yours or that old fox Charles whose head is full of politics and dirty tricks."

"Indeed, that old fox knows his stuff. Anyway, how have you been, old Patrick? Did the Sea War went as you envision?"

"Bah, don't ask. It went even swifter, capturing all the nobles taking part in that sea battle. I handed them to little Bolt men, being ready for that trial of yours."

"I see. Bolt told you about the meeting in two days, right?"

"Aye, I heard about it. I will attend it if I am awake from all the booze and bitches of Serene District. Doing noble girls is totally different from commoners. Ahhh, little Grigos, can you buzz off and take of your doll away from this place. I really don't wish to teach her those bad words."

Vlad nodded his head and called out Oliver's name, who appeared fast, entering the room.

"Take Count Alderhine and guide them to an untouched room for the little Countess to rest."

"Understood, Prince."

Afterward, Grigos took Aria with him toward where Oliver was guiding him, leaving only the boys inside. Patrick even whistled when seeing Oliver appear in that fashion.

*Whistle* "Little Vlad, you got your hands on a good man right there. Quite the dark horse if you would ask me. Be careful if you don't have it under full control."

"He will work for us for a long time to come. Anyway, I will tell you alone what we might have to fight against."

"Big fish?"

"No, way bigger, so big we might be swallowed alive."

"Heh, that's my boy. I was talking about needing to be constantly under effort because my old bones would decay, but with such news. Haha, I can't wait to get to those lazy bastards and teach them properly. Right, you better give my smart kid, Faust, money for his projects. He will be our key to domination."