Auralis landed gracefully in a wide clearing just outside the walls of Gihon's capital, guided down by a squad of human guards in polished silver armor.
They stared up at the massive sky-runner with open awe, spears lowered but hands tight on shafts. Marina dismounted first, speaking calmly to their captain while Elara and I followed.
The guards led us through a grand gate into the city proper, while whispering amongst themselves, "Huh? An Amazon… man?" "Maybe a woman in a man's dress?" "Yeah, definitely a girl in guy's clothes!"
I'm male, guys! Thank you for noticing.
A voluptuous woman in flowing blue robes—clearly a high official—took over as our guide. She was tremendously curvaceous in a way that turned heads, her hips swaying confidently (I wasn't staring at her ass, I swear) as she walked, golden hair pinned with jeweled clips.
She had introduced herself as Seraphine, steward of the Neutral Glades.
We followed her up a wide stone staircase that climbed the inner wall, emerging onto a high promenade. From there, the view of the city unfolded below us like a living, moving fabric.
Gihon was so breathtaking in the late afternoon light:
Cobblestone streets wound between tall stone buildings with steep roofs and colorful banners. Markets bustled with people of every race: humans in fine tunics bartering with dwarves in sturdy leather, elves in flowing silks examining delicate glasswork, beastkins with stunning tails and ears weaving through crowds with agile grace; dog people, cat people, and even real life bunny girls.
Children chased each other around fountains, laughter rising on the warm breeze. The air carried scents of fresh bread, spiced meats, and blooming flowers from hanging gardens.
I awkwardly walked beside Elara, though, trying not to stare too openly. But wow, everything felt so alive, so different from the quiet green of Verdant Spire.
Seraphine glanced back with a knowing smile, noticing my overly turning neck. "First time in a human city, god-touched?"
Huh?! How did she know they called me that?
I nodded regardless, and she laughed softly. "You'll get used to the noise if you join us. For now, the hall awaits."
Was she just trying to recruit me? Elara was now glaring daggers at her, though.
*
We descended into the heart of the palace district and entered a towering great hall built of pale marble veined with gold. Massive pillars rose to a vaulted ceiling painted with scenes of olden alliances… probably.
A huge round table of dark oak dominated the center, carved with symbols of every race… probably.
Six seats were already occupied. Only one remained empty; clearly Elara's.
The rulers turned as we entered, their conversation dying instantly.
A short, round-bellied dwarf with a magnificent red beard and eyes like polished onyx sat with arms folded, a golden hammer emblem on his chest.
Beside him, a beautiful beastkin woman with long pink hair, fox ears twitching atop her head, and a fluffy tail curling behind her chair. Her amber eyes were sharp and playful, her low-cut dress—kind of resembling a Japanese's kimono—leaving little to the imagination.
Across from her, an elegant elf with light green hair tied in a severe bun, wire-rimmed glasses perched on her nose, lips painted deep crimson. Her gaze was cool and assessing.
Next, a massive ogre woman; musclebound and towering even while seated, skin deep bronze than even the Amazons, two long fangs jutting prominently from her lower lip.
Her expression remained stoic, emotions hidden behind a possibly battle-hardened veil, though her dark eyes burned with the subtle intensity of those kind of people who lived for the thrill of combat.
Then a cute, tiny figure who looked no older than fourteen; delicate wings shimmering behind her, silver hair in twin braids, huge violet eyes wide with mischief.
A fairy, obviously, dressed in layers of gossamer that sparkled like starlight.
Finally, the human king of Gihon himself; tall, young and handsome, blonde hair swept back, blue eyes as clear as mine, his crown was simple but regal. He wore white and gold, exuding this cool authority.
Attendants stood behind each seat; silent and watchful.
But then, the dwarf broke the silence first, his voice gruff. "It's about time, Elara. We've been waiting for you."
The fairy giggled. "She's always late. What a drama queen."
Elara didn't react.
She only walked to her seat with impeccable grace, motioning me to stand behind her beside Marina. "I come when I choose. It's not as if I enjoy your company, so why should I pretend otherwise?"
The elf adjusted her glasses, smirking. "Still as charming as ever, I see."
The fairy fluttered her wings. "This is why you don't have a fiancé, Elara. Maybe if you smiled once in a centur—"
"I smile when something amuses me, Titania." Elara's voice cut like silk over steel. "However, you two rarely qualify, even with your ridiculous faces."
The both of then—fairy and elf—grumbled, being verbally bested, and the table fell into tense silence.
The human king's gaze shifted to me. "And this… is the man living among Amazons? The rumors were indeed true."
Murmurs began to ripple. The dwarf leaned forward, beard bristling. The beastkin's tail flicked with likely interest. The ogre's stoic mask remained unchanged, though her eyes narrowed slightly in assessment.
Ugh, the pressure…!
And hey, what language are they speaking again?
The fairy tilted her head, squinting. "C'mon, she's way too pretty. Are you sure it's not a woman in disguise? Elara's trying to trick us. Attention-seeking drama queen!"
Before anyone could respond, she waved a hand. Then powerful magic surged, sparkling pink light that stripped my clothes away in an instant.
Yelp!
I stood completely naked in the great hall!!
Heat instantly flooded my face, as I wondered what to do.
Soft gasps echoed, as the beastkin's ears perked—eyes glued to my groin, the elf's glasses slipped down her nose—eyes glued to my groin, the ogre's expression stayed neutral, but her dark eyes—glued to my groin—lingered with silent interest.
Even the dwarf's cheeks reddened beneath his beard—his eyes also glued to my groin! BL?!
"Hooohhh?! H… He sure is hanging down there!" The fairy stared openly—yes, at my groin.
Elara immediately rose slowly, eyebrows twitching, and her aura flaring faintly icy. "Enough, Titania."
With a flip of her wrist, Elara wove sorcery of her own; threads of emerald light wrapping around me, forming a fine royal-like coat of white fur trimmed in gold, matched with tailored black pants.
I was dressed in seconds, way finer than before.
Titania pouted. "Tsk. Spoilsport."
The human king cleared his throat, voice calm but edged. "Is the god-touched not a human? He belongs among humans, then. Not as breeding livestock for Amazons. This is nearly as serious as the demon stirrings, I'll have you know."
The dwarf nodded vigorously. "God-touched mortals grow too powerful to be owned by one nation. Hand him over—I'll keep him safe!" His eyes gleamed with poorly hidden greed.
Titania, still flushed, fluttered higher. "He-he-he! He'd make the perfect errand boy for me. So pretty. Have you named him yet?"
She thinks I'm a pet?!
The ogre spoke in a low, steady rumble, her face impassive. "I like his build. I would love to taste him in my chamber. I hear god-touched ones are good at pleasuring, due to divine skills and such."
Divine skills, as in [Infinite Stamina]? No, I think you'll crush me in bed despite it, ma'am.
The elf smiled thinly. "Nonsense. I'll protect him from all your greedy hands. Dress him up in something cute, and have myself some fun. Hand him over to the elves."
The beastkin, her fox ears twitching, leaned forward, her dress slipping lower as she directly addressed me.
"Come to my palace instead, human. I will have you join my male concubines. And I will show you pleasures those primitive Amazons can only dream of." Her voice was purely stimulating and sexy, her amber eyes locked straight on mine.
"Uhhh, does the Beast kingdom not have one god-touched already? We're not saying anything about that," the dwarf raised a brow.
Elara's aura flared again. "Hmph! Over my dead body will any of you lay your corrupt hands on him. Benjamin belongs to me—I mean, no one!"
Laughter rippled as she said that; mocking and ridiculing.
The human king's expression hardened. "He's not that strong yet, it seems. But he could surpass us all in a small amount of time."
Elara smiled and turned to me, her voice low but clear. "Shut them up, Benjamin. Show them your true magic power."
I wanted to sink into the floor already. The pressure was crushing me to dust; every ruler watching, their attendants observing, and guards at the doors too.
They all already got fan-service from me, can I not just go home now?
Anyway, it's a request from Elara, so...
I remembered Sara's lessons and Lotus's guidance. The ocean of magic inside me had been bound by chains in my core days after I joined the Amazons.
So now I meant to release a little of that.
But I made a miscalculation and the chains slipped entirely.
The System flashed urgently in my vision.
[Warning: Full Release Detected. Power Overflow Imminent. Recommended: Rein in immediately.]
Blue light exploded outward; blinding, vast, and filling the hall like living smoky fire.
Magic energy roared through my body, wild and unstoppable. The air crackled, marble trembled, and banners fluttered as if in storm.
I realized my mistake immediately and clamped down hard, restraining it back.
The light and fire-smoke vanished as quickly as it came.
Phew. That was close… huh?
The hall was suddenly, completely silent.
Every ruler stared, their mouths open. Their attendants already had weapons half-drawn. Some guards had burst through doors, swords raised. But froze, seeing no enemy, only me standing there radiating residual blue power.
All attention was on me; and I felt like falling into a black hole and disappearing.
Marina exhaled erratically beside me. "Do… Do you still have more?"
The human king whispered, "That's Impossible."
"Yes. Is that bad?" I swallowed. "That was… maybe one-third, uncontrolled. I pulled back a lot of it without breaking anything. So… two-third of the power left."
Elara stared at me wide-eyed, more shocked than any of them.
Titania huffed indignantly. "Why in the world do you seem surprised too!"
The human king closed his mouth, voice grim. "Th… The demon war may not be the only chaos on this table."
Elara recovered, then spoke to me softly, almost innocently. "Where… I mean, how do you hold all that power?"
I had no answer besides, 'When are we going home?'
ARGH! The summit had only just begun, and I'm causing trouble already!