When Theo stepped forward and spoke to the group, the plaza in front of the Grand Academy was still full of organized chaos. His voice had the kind of authority that cos from years of training as a leader.
His voice effortlessly penetrated the surrounding noise.
"Okay, everyone, listen up," he said, and right away the conversations that were going on stopped.
"Iris and I need to work with the city guard, file reports on the demon attack, and make sure that all the civilian refugees are properly registered and housed before anyone can really settle in."
Iris nodded next to him, already looking around the area like a professional who was ntally making a list of things to do. "Sorting through everything will probably take us most of the afternoon, if not... longer than usual, considering how many civilians there are."
Helena stepped forward, and her body language changed to show that she was taking on a new role, one that was more formal than the traveling mage she had been for the past few days. "I’ll take Elliot, Diana, Lily, Evelyn, and Rex to the Academy..."
"My mother will be waiting for us, and there are things that can’t wait."
When she said "Mother," Rex noticed a small change in her tone that showed respect and sothing else that he couldn’t quite put his finger on yet. It’s maybe duty, perhaps. Or it might be the pressure that ca with being the daughter of soone important for the whole capital.
"Alright, perfect," Theo said. "We’ll et up again tonight at the Nightwing estate."
"My mother will want to see everyone, and I know Grandmother and Great Grandmother will be impossible to deal with if they don’t get their reunion." He said the last part with a mix of love and annoyance that made it clear this was a common situation.
Rex’s attention was then fully focused when Theo ntioned "mother," "grandmother," and "great-grandmother." So Rex could see and take his family’s many baddies to increase his desire energy even more.
Rex thought to himself. "I fucking knew it... this capital is going to be the best unlimited source of desire energy regeneration. Knowing there are two families, that’s probably important..."
"The Starlights and the Nightwings..."
"Oh, shit! I forgot!" Iris laughed.
"What?" Theo looked at her.
"I’ve been ignoring Aurelia’s three crystal communication ssages asking when we’d get there."
"Oh my god... you’re a coward as always facing her, huh," Theo said calmly.
"She always asks for so sparring! You do know that I can win against pure brute force for a fighter knight like her!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
After that, Theo and Iris left with a group of soldiers, and Helena told her group to follow. Rex walked up next to Lily, who was looking around with wide eyes that made it look like she hadn’t been to the capital in a long ti, if ever.
"Are you excited?" Rex asked softly.
"Not quite; it’s more that I’m nervous about seeing my grandmother after a very long ti." Lily said, "Grandmother Valentina is great, but she can also be scary when she wants to be."
Rex put that information away for later use and followed Helena to the academy’s main entrance.
When they arrived at the academy’s main entrance, Rex knew that it was even more impressive up close. The doors were at least twenty feet tall and made of dark wood that had been polished until it shone.
They were covered in complicated designs that Rex’s enhanced perception recognized as functional enchantnts layered over decorative art. The intricate designs included protection wards, detection spells, and what appeared to be a significant amount of magic to regulate entry.
Without thinking, Helena walked up and put her hand on a certain spot on the door. Magic flared up for a mont, a soft golden light that followed the lines of her palm.
Then the doors opened on their own.
Rick muttered. ’It has so kind of scanner magic, huh? Interesting.’
The entrance hall beyond was huge and beautiful. Columns of white marble with gold veins held up the ceiling, which was at least four stories high.
Big windows let in natural light that sohow made it brighter and softer at the sa ti, making the room feel bright without being too bright. Students moved around in small groups, and their conversations were a low hum of academic talk and casual talk.
Rex’s system started keeping track of reincarnators right away, but he turned off the notifications because he didn’t want to be distracted by how many there were. He would have ti later to figure out who was worth his ti.
"This way," Helena said, pointing them to a big staircase that curved up the wall. "Mother’s office is on the top floor because she likes to see everything when she’s done with her work."
They climbed in silence, passing floors that branched off into hallways with doors that probably led to classrooms, labs, and places to live.
Everyone they passed, both students and teachers, seed to know Helena. They bowed or greeted her in a respectful way, and she did the sa in a professional way.
Rex had counted fifteen stories by the ti they got to the top floor. He was really impressed with how big the building was and how easily he climbed it without getting out of breath.
His stronger body made what should have been arduous work seem effortless.
The top floor was not like the others. The lower levels had felt busy and academic, but this area was quiet and ant to be intimidating.
A long hallway stretched out in front of them, with portraits on the walls that Rex thought were of past Academy heads or important historical figures. The smaller double doors at the other end were made of the sa dark wood as the entrance.
Helena stopped in front of them, took a breath that made it seem like she was getting her thoughts together, and then knocked three tis with perfect timing.
"Co in," said a voice from inside.
It was feminine but had an edge that made it sound like it was used to being obeyed.
Helena glanced at them to signal a warning. "Be respectful, okay? Her mood is unpredictable," she said before opening the doors and ushering them inside.
Rex thought the office was just what soone with a lot of power would have. The space was big but not showy, with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves on two walls, a huge desk positioned to take advantage of the windows that offered a panoramic view of the city, and comfortable seating arranged so that people could talk without breaking the space’s implicit hierarchy.
Valentina Von Starlight stood up from her chair behind the desk with fluid grace.
Rex felt his assessnt protocols kick in on their own, recording information with the kind of clinical accuracy that his old life had taught him and his new skills had improved.
’Holy fucking shit... there’s no fucking way, right...? She’s a grandmother, with that kind of peak body—even more peak than Helena...!?’
To put it bluntly, she wasn’t what he had expected when Helena talked about her mother.
Valentina’s hair was not the dull gray of old, but it was a shiny platinum that caught the light and seed to glow with it. It was styled in a complicated way that made it look both formal and useful.
It was held in place by what looked like decorative pins that were probably also magical focuses.
But everything else about her was so different from a grandmother that Rex had to keep reminding himself that this woman had a daughter in her forties and grandchildren in their twenties.
"Just by seeing her... I feel an overwhelming desire to claim her as my own before I proceed with my mission!" The mont he thought that, he felt a rush of arousal that awakened his boner.
’Ah, crap! Thank the lust I wore baggy pants to hide my goddamn boner.’
Rex observed that her face possessed a refined beauty, a result of her good genes, self-care, and possibly a touch of magic. There were lines at the corners of her eyes and mouth, but they made her look wiser and more experienced, and not older with wrinkles.
Her skin was smooth and pale, and she had the kind of perfect complexion that usually only cos with youth or a lot of ’bullshit’ magic.
And her body, which was easy to see even though she was wearing formal robes that were both professional and subtly form-fitting, was in perfect shape. Rex could see the definition of toned muscle through the fabric.
This body type ca from years of combat training and magical practice, and it was kept up through discipline and probably enhanced by carefully applied enhancent magic.
And what’s even better is that her breasts, ass, and even hips are even bigger and llower than Helena’s.
If Rex was being honest with himself, she looked like soone in their late twenties or early thirties who had decided to dye their hair white for looks.
[VALENTINA VON STARLIGHT DETECTED]
[AGE: 68 - CLASSIFICATION: MAGE/ADMINISTRATOR]
[SYSTEM NOTE: NOT A REINCARNATOR, NATIVE HIGH-LEVEL PRACTITIONER]
[POWER LEVEL: EXTRE - DO NOT ANTAGONIZE]
[DESIRE LEVEL: 0/100]
[STATUS: ELIGIBLE TARGET - PROCEED WITH CAUTION]
’And, of course, she’s going to be a hard one for to conquer...’
’...but still, who could stop ?’
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