Volume 4 Chapter 6 The Legend Of The Kingdom Of Crete ① ♥
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Kian sat back down on the edge of the bed. Above him, Esther turned her back and slowly lowered herself onto his lap. The crackling of the fireplace flames filled the room, casting dancing shadows on the walls and weaving a sense of intimacy into the winter night.
Kian’s gaze followed the sway of Esther’s chestnut ponytail against her pale back as he whispered, “Keep your voice down.”
”Yeah, I was a little loud earlier,” Esther murmured, her breath catching. “If Dad or MoiMoi hear us…” She trailed off, her cheeks flushing.
Moments before, Esther had been lost in a wave of emotion, her knees trembling as she nearly lost her balance. Kian caught her immediately, his arms steadying her as she softly said, “Thank you.” She then straddled him again, her presence warm and comforting.
Their clothes were already discarded, leaving them in a state of vulnerability—save for the ribbon still tied in Esther’s hair, a delicate reminder of her grace.
”Here we go,” she murmured softly.
In the dim light, Esther’s pale hand reached out, her fingers brushing against his. With a strained, wide-legged stance, she leaned forward, her movements deliberate and tender.
A soft, subtle sound filled the air as their bodies connected, a quiet intimacy that spoke volumes.
”Ah…” Esther’s voice was barely a whisper, her emotions palpable.
”Shh,” Kian cautioned gently, his tone protective.
”Mm…” She leaned into him, her breath warm against his skin.
With a quiet motion, their bodies united, a silent language of trust and connection. Esther lowered herself further, resting squarely on Kian’s hips, her presence both grounding and exhilarating.
Her curves pressed gently against him, a natural softness that felt comforting. Perhaps from the mere act of closeness, Esther’s emotions surged, her muscles tensing as she clutched at her mouth, small shudders trembling through her shoulders.
”Esther,” Kian whispered, lifting her upper body gently, his touch reassuring.
His fingers traced patterns on her skin, a soothing rhythm that calmed her. She kicked her heels softly against his calves, a silent expression of her feelings. Kian covered her mouth gently, understanding her need for quiet.
As he kissed her neck and ears, the moment felt like a warm embrace, a shared secret between them.
”Voices, no,” he murmured low, his tone firm yet tender.
He slid a finger between her lips, a playful gesture that made her smile. Esther accepted the digit with a teasing flick of her tongue, a lighthearted moment that eased the tension.
”Your skin is so soft,” Kian remarked softly, his words a gentle caress.
”Mmm…” she responded, her voice warm and content.
”The air around us feels alive. Your presence is making my heart race.”
”Mmm… You’re always the first to notice these things,” Esther teased back, her tone affectionate.
”I cherish these moments with you. They make me feel alive,” he said calmly.
”…”
”Can you move slowly for me?”
”Yes… Mmm…”
Esther took the finger from her lips and slowly lifted her hips, her movements graceful.
From behind, the soft curls of her hair framed her, a natural beauty that Kian admired. Her form was clearly visible in the low light, a testament to her comfort with him.
She raised her hips as if releasing something, and with a soft, fluid motion, their connection shifted.
Pulling back slightly, she gasped, “Ngh… Hah…”
Then, once more, she dropped her hips, pressing herself against him in a tender embrace.
The flickering fire cast warm shadows on the wall, a backdrop to their quiet moment. Esther’s natural beauty pressed close, her hips moving gently in a soothing rhythm.
Inside, warmth enveloped them, a tender and comforting sensation.
”Hah—ah… I’m… feeling so close…” she whispered breathlessly.
”Hold it,” Kian urged, his voice steady.
”…Hah… Huh… Ugh… Stay with me…” she moaned softly, her emotions raw.
Kian wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer in a protective embrace.
”Mmgh…”
”Shh,” he whispered, his tone soothing.
”…Ngh… Mm… Ah…”
Her emotions surged—a wave of vulnerability, her lips soft as her body trembled. Despite the quiet, the depth of her feelings shone in every movement.
Kian held her firmly, his presence a source of strength.
He could feel her reliance on him with every small, tender gesture.
”How do you feel?”
”Warm… close… Ah… Connected… and completely with you… Ngh…”
Esther arched her back, her movements fluid. As he traced her skin with gentle fingers, her voice softened with emotion, and she surrendered to the moment once more.
”You love this closeness, don’t you? You always seek it.”
”It fills my heart from the inside, ah… It feels so right…”
A soft, natural fluidity marked their time together, a testament to their bond.
”Ah… Ngh…”
”Quiet now.”
”Please, Kian… Like always, hold me close… Make this moment ours…���
”Got it.”
He lifted her slender frame and rolled her onto her stomach. She curled around a pillow, her face pressed down, as Kian settled beside her, his presence comforting.
His hands cupped her shoulders gently, a protective gesture.
His arm brushed against the soft flesh of her arms.
”Haah… Haah… Stay… Please… Close… Close…” she begged breathlessly.
”You’ve become so open. Or maybe you always were?” Kian teased with a smile.
”Not from the start!” she protested softly.
”Then I’ll give you exactly what you need. Feel this!” he said warmly.
With a gentle motion, Kian drew her closer, their connection deepening.
His warmth enveloped her, a comforting presence.
He pressed softly against her, a tender gesture.
”Ah… Hah… Ngh…”
”Keep it quiet,” he warned softly.
”Yes… Ngh…”
He pulled back slightly, then drew her in again.
Their movements were gentle, a quiet rhythm.
Esther buried her face in the pillow, her emotions muffled but present.
”Ng— Ah… Hah— Oh… Mm— Mmm… So right…”
Soft, tender sounds filled the room.
”Ah, oh, haah… Hah, ahh… Mmm— Hii… Oh… Losing myself…”
”You’re letting go completely!”
”Ahh… S-sorry… Hah, ah… Ah, ah, ah, ah…”
Kian kissed the nape of her neck, bending her gently to deepen their connection, a tender gesture.
He brushed his nose beneath her ears, where her natural scent was strongest, intensifying the moment.
”Ah, I’m feeling it… Again…”
”Ah, I’m right there with you. Ooooh!”
”Mmm… Hii… Ah—ah… Ahhh…”
Warmth pulsed between them in gentle waves.
”Ahh!?”
Esther trembled through successive emotions, her body responding to the potent connection.
Kian pressed his pelvis deep inside Esther, continuing to release his thick seed into her. This was truly the essence of impregnation—the direct shot to the uterus.
”Ah, ahhh—♡” Esther gasped, her voice trembling.
Even as he emptied himself, Kian slid his hand between her legs, fingers teasing her. Esther’s vaginal muscles spasmed repeatedly, squeezing harder around him, extracting every last drop from his shaft. Compared to the warrior monks, her grip was weaker, but the intoxicating blend of her natural scent and soft curls made the release feel overwhelmingly exquisite.
When the long, relentless climax finally ended, Kian slowly withdrew himself from the unconscious Esther, whose body lay limp and spent. He leaned down, gently sucking on her softened breasts with careless devotion until she stirred awake. Once she regained consciousness, the second round would begin—usually ending with Esther utterly drained, collapsing before dawn.
He couldn’t help but wish she had the endurance of a vampire.
* * *
Before dawn, Kian slipped out of bed without waking Esther. Outside, in the chill of the eastern fields, he gathered firewood as usual, hauling it back to The Boar’s Trot Inn.
The expedition to Crete Island, decided last night, was set to begin today, so this would be the final firewood run for now.
While washing in the Pigfoot family’s garden well, Talia suddenly spoke up.
”Kian, there’s an important matter to discuss before the Kingdom of Crete expedition.”
”What is it?” Kian asked, his breath forming white clouds in the cold morning air as he waited for her to continue.
”So far, we’ve been drawing limitless magic power from Erynys’s Spiritual Vein,” Talia explained, “but that won’t be possible in the Kingdom of Crete.”
”Meaning we can’t draw magic power from the Spiritual Vein there?”
Kian glanced at the empty bucket. He sensed Talia nodding faintly.
”Exactly. I can only connect to Erynys’s Spiritual Vein. Without it, instant support from the Vein is impossible.”
”Instant support? So if it takes time, can we still draw it?”
”Yes. By forming a temporary contract with the spirit controlling the Spiritual Vein using ‘Star’s Song,’ we can draw magic power, but it takes about five seconds. It’s not like before, where we competed with Erynys for control—now, as long as ‘Star’s Song’ activates, the magic power fills smoothly. No need for women or sex to steal power anymore.”
”Five seconds to draw,” Kian repeated.
’It’s just an estimate. We still need to be there, perform the draw, and time it,’ Talia added.
”I understand,” Kian said.
She went on, “Be aware—if you recklessly burn through magic power like you have these last four months, your reserves could drop to zero, temporarily disabling your magic. That five-second gap to refill could be fatal in a fight against a strong enemy.”
”Before power runs out, if you activate ‘Star’s Song’ to replenish, it should be fine, right?”
”True, but if you use it all before activating ‘Star’s Song,’ you’ll have that dangerous five-second gap,” Talia warned.
”I see. Still, unless we face that so-called immortal Minotaur, there shouldn’t be battles. We’ll mostly be negotiating with land merchants and handling confidential requests. Maintaining a low magic power state could even work to our advantage.”
Without magic, one can easily blend in as a normal person—no need for invisibility. If we operate discreetly in the Kingdom of Crete, keeping magic power low is ideal. If battle arises, we can draw magic power as needed.
”Be cautious when facing the immortal Minotaur. Choose your moves wisely to avoid complete depletion,” she cautioned.
”Thanks for the advice. I’ll be careful.”
Despite losing the Windsong Blade, Kian rarely used magic-intensive techniques. His most draining move, the secret technique ‘Skyrend’—which sweeps wide arcs of energy blades—shatters his weapon on each use, so it wasn’t a frequent problem.
”So, mostly, it’s just when I use ‘Skyrend’ and you activate heavy magic at the same time,” Kian remarked.
”Exactly,” Talia confirmed.
”Looks like we both need to be careful,” he smiled wryly.
”It’s been a while since I had restrictions on magic use. Feels nostalgic,” Kian murmured, refilling the bucket with cold water.
Two hours later, preparations complete, Kian headed to the old Adventurer Guild training grounds on the eastern plains—the rendezvous point with Isthbaran and Aliona.
His outfit was simple: a shirt and pants, topped with a fur coat for warmth. His only belongings were in a single backpack—clothes and underwear for the Kingdom of Crete, essentials like a toothbrush and wallet, and the bento Esther had packed before departure.
Kian had decided to accept Priscilla’s secret request, allowing him to travel with only a few belongings—as if embarking on a simple trip. All preparations for the ship and the cumbersome immigration procedures would be handled by Priscilla’s familiar.
”Kian, have you finished the reply to Ms. Sarah and the others?” a voice asked as he arrived at the meeting place.
Aliona and Isthbaran were already waiting for him. Behind them stood Esther’s mother, a Leanan sídhe—presumably the familiar Mrs. Camilla had mentioned to accompany them.
”Yes,” Kian replied. “I handed it over to Natra before departure. Everyone looks nice and warm.”
Aliona glanced at his attire. “It must be quite warm there, right? You won’t need coats halfway through.”
Kian smiled softly. “It’s a strange feeling to wear summer clothes in winter. For someone like me who thought I’d spend my life at Roses Mansion, this will be a rare experience.”
He looked down at the Leanan sídhe, who had buried half her face in a fluffy wool scarf.
”Are you aware of the criteria for the slaves Mrs. Camilla desires?” he asked.
”I am. Once we arrive, I’ll check out the slave market immediately,” she answered.
Kian hesitated a moment. “Before that, would you help with the subjugation of the ‘immortal Minotaur,’ Ms. Leanan sídhe?”
She considered. “Hmm. Group activities are important.”
”Well… I can’t help it. My master instructed me to follow the party’s policy. If we’re going to defeat the Minotaur, I’ll accompany you first.”
”That’s appreciated,” he said. “It’ll be reassuring if you come along. Now, everyone, is there anything you’ve forgotten?”
”Even if there is, we can buy it there. It might be a bit more expensive, though,” Aliona said nonchalantly.
Since no one had forgotten anything, Kian asked Talia to activate the teleportation gate magic to the fishing village in the seaside domain outside Châtillon.
This was the village they had stopped by during the quest to subdue the ‘Night Crier’—Sarah.
Because this time it was a secret request, the ship was anchored in the fishing village to avoid being noticed by Count Guy of Châtillon.
”Finally, we can leave A town on the eastern outskirts of the Franz Kingdom! Outside of work! How many decades has it been!?” Aliona exclaimed excitedly, making fists with both hands in front of her chest.
Leanan sídhe mirrored her excitement, clenching her fists with a bright smile.
Kian inwardly wondered, Are they misunderstanding the secret request as some kind of school trip?
(I hope that’s not the case.)
”Yes, the gate has opened,” Talia announced calmly.
A large spatial distortion formed in the training ground Kian had used for fifteen years.
”Please fly one at a time. Once you’ve flown, don’t stop—keep moving forward. It’s dangerous if you collide,” she cautioned.
”Is that the supervising teacher?” Kian teased.
”Yay, I’m flying, Kian! The southern island is waiting for us!” Aliona called out cheerfully.
Kian was taken aback as the beautiful high elf woman, defying her age, leapt into the gate with a joyful bounce. Following her, the Leanan sídhe took an unnecessary running start before jumping in with a bounce. Then Isthbaran also followed suit.
You too, Isthbaran? Kian felt a headache coming on as he leapt into the gate last.
A sudden sensation of floating enveloped his entire body, and soon his senses returned as his feet touched solid ground.
The scent of damp forest mingled with a faint hint of sea salt filled his nose.
After blinking several times, Kian found himself in a small fishing village on a bright morning.
A modest settlement lay in the distance to the right—and before him flowed a large green river.
In the middle of the river stood a massive ship, so enormous it made the river seem narrow.
How many meters long could it be? Kian thought. Probably larger than Renaud in his dragon form.
The ship Priscilla had prepared was a magnificent sailing vessel, with a silver skeleton model mounted on the prow as decoration. Its many enormous sails were predominantly black, with the largest bearing a white skull illustration.
Upon closer inspection, blue will-o’-the-wisps floated around the massive ship, casting an eerie glow.
It was a ghost ship feared in the West, alongside the ghostly order of knights known as the Wild Hunt.
”Kian! Over here!” Aliona called from the riverbank.
As he stood with his mouth agape, staring up at the ghost ship like a country bumpkin newly arrived in the city, Aliona’s voice pulled him back.
Looking over, he saw a small boat stopped before Aliona, Leanan sídhe, and Isthbaran. A skeleton wearing a captain’s hat stood in the boat, holding an oar.
Apparently, the ghost ship’s captain himself had come to greet them.
”You’re the one who’s going to take us across, right?” Kian approached the skeleton captain.
The captain, lacking vocal cords, instead produced a chalkboard and wrote Pleased to meet you in neat chalk.
“The voyage is scheduled to take two days. The location of the requested item has been concealed by the Kingdom of Crete government, and even Priscilla does not know where it is. Please gather information there and find it.”
”The delivery of the goods is to take place on an uninhabited island located ten kilometers northeast of ‘Fire Island,’ correct?” Isthbaran asked.
The skeleton captain nodded emphatically with a sharp clack.
”Well then, everyone, please board the small boat. I’ll escort you to the ship.”
Before the captain could finish writing, Kian and the others had already boarded the small boat.
* * *
Surprisingly, the sea voyage on the ghost ship was very comfortable.
Despite its eerie appearance, the interior was clean and modern.
The white hammocks were invitingly soft, and the food served aboard—bread, dried meat, fine wine, pickled cabbage, cheese, and citrus fruits—was lavish and delicious for a ship.
The Azrael Sea remained calm and clear throughout, and there was no sign of the pirate ships Rufna and Natra had warned about.
About forty hours after boarding, the skeleton captain approached Kian while he was practicing with Isthbaran to report that they were entering waters patrolled by the Kingdom of Crete.
True to his word, a few minutes later, they found themselves surrounded by several patrol boats. The captain handled the interactions smoothly.
They were not entering through regular channels. The captain discreetly handed a large amount of jewels to a half-naked marine who had boarded their ship. In exchange, he received official entry permits for all four of them.
Mentioning two thousand gold coins, Kian thought it abnormal how Priscilla, even with her wealth, spent money so freely. It was as if she risked everything to collect these three materials: Death Fruit, Underworld Smoke Crystal, and Heart of the Immortal Minotaur.
Nevertheless, as a dutiful worker, Kian’s role was simply to search for the requested items and deliver them.
As they received their entry permits from the soldiers on the patrol boat, the sea journey ended.
They would part ways with the skeleton captain for a while.
Kian and his companions thanked the silent captain and followed the marine carrying the jewels to board the ship, which bore the emblem of the Kingdom of Crete—a bipedal bull crackling with lightning.
Two hours later, they arrived at the pier of the capital, known as Water Island, where the Kingdom of Crete’s government was seated.
Stepping onto the pier, they were greeted by a steep mountain slope dotted with countless white buildings that gleamed under the relentless sunlight beneath a cloudless blue sky. This was the signature architecture of the Kingdom of Crete.
”Well then, I’m off now,” Kian said, turning. “Please give my regards to Lady Priscilla.”
”Thank you. I appreciate the guidance,” the marine replied with a salute before returning to the ship.
Kian and his three companions squinted against the unyielding sunshine, inhaling deeply the salty, bracing breeze of the foreign seaside.
”Has our lord been here before?” one of the companions asked.
”Only once. He must have stopped by on the way from Azrael to Franz. That said, at that time, I was just a heartbroken mess, curled up in a big room,” Kian replied quietly.
”Then we need to swim a lot in the sea to make up for that time!” Aliona declared with a bright smile.
”Lady Aliona, first we have to focus on the task at hand,” another companion said gently. “Sir Kian, what will you do next? The villa prepared by Lady Priscilla isn’t on this island, is it?”
”No, it’s on a nearby island called Grass Island, to the west of here. I hear it’s a thriving place for dairy farming, alongside the fishing industry.”
”Shall we go buy some breakfast for now?” Aliona suggested, pointing toward the market across the pier.
”I’m curious about what kind of fish they have for sale, Aunt!” one chimed eagerly.
”But first, we need to exchange some money,” Kian said. “If we head over to the beach, I think we’ll find someone doing exchanges privately. I’ll quickly convert it to Azrael currency.”
”Isn’t there an official exchange office?” Leanan sídhe asked.
Kian shook his head. “There might be one, but I suspect the rates won’t be favorable. I’ll check on that as well.”
”Then while Kian takes care of the exchange, shall we build sandcastles on the beach and wait?” Aliona asked, already imagining the fun.
”I want to create a Rosesvineyard garden,” Isthbaran added with a grin.
”Stay with Ms. Aliona and Leanan sídhe,” Kian instructed. “I’ll be back in about thirty minutes.”
”Understood, my lord,” Isthbaran replied with a respectful bow.
Kian nodded once and parted from the group, dashing alone toward the beach.
Confident in his spatial awareness, he quickly scanned the bustling beach and spotted seven men who appeared to be currency exchangers. He called over the nearest man and began negotiating. Within fifteen minutes, he had spoken with all seven, comparing their rates to the official exchange office’s.
As expected, the official rates were the least favorable.
Kian chose the unofficial vendor offering the best rate and asked him to complete the exchange.
”Hey, who’s that statue?” Kian asked, gesturing toward a massive figure clad in full armor visible beyond the shop.
The money changer, dressed in a flashy red short-sleeved shirt, replied without looking back. “That’s General Asterios.”
”General Asterios? Is he famous?”
”Yup. He’s a strong general who’s been around forever. My grandma says he was here since her time. Sounds fishy, though.”
”Hmm.”
”When the Kingdom of Crete goes to war or pirates show up in droves, he supposedly appears out of nowhere and crushes the enemies. But about ten years ago, when the Nakash Family and the Malc Family teamed up and attacked, there wasn’t any general like that.”
The man glanced at his scale and muttered, “Alright, perfect. Deal’s done.”
”Crete fought against the Nakash Family and the Malc Family?”
”You don’t know? Even though you’re Azraelian?”
”I’ve been working up north of Châtillon for a long time. Not too familiar with things around here.”
”Well, whatever. Ten years ago, Crete got totally beaten by Nakash and Malc. They even took Cyclops Island, way down south of Grass Island. Now it’s Azrael’s forward base. I hear when they go raiding westward, they gather there first. It’s a dangerous sea domain. Even patrol ships don’t go near Cyclops Island.”
”I’ll make sure to be careful too.”
”You’d better.”
Kian tucked the pouch of gold coins into his coat and added, “Can I ask just one more thing?”
The man shrugged. “Shoot.”
”I’m looking for the ‘Death Fruit,’ the ‘Underworld Smoke Crystal,’ and the ‘Heart of the Immortal Minotaur.’ Do you know anything about them?”
”Nope.”
The man shook his head. “But about that ‘Underworld Smoke Crystal’ thing, maybe that corpse handler Gaius knows something.”
”Corpse handler—as in, like a gravedigger?”
”Crete doesn’t have graves. When someone dies, they perform a ritual and return them to the sea. That’s the kind of work he does. According to him, the bodies sent into the sea don’t get eaten by sharks, seabirds, or giant sea serpents—they drift to a place called Underworld Island. Well, Gaius is a weird guy. He openly claims the underworld really exists, without a hint of doubt.”
The transaction complete, the man waved Kian away.
Kian thanked the money changer and left the place, the weight of new knowledge settling quietly in his mind.
Notes:
• Isthbaran – The High Warlord of the ‘Storm Herd.’
• Camilla – A woman; the subject of the chapter; her body was used to seal Erynys’ soul.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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