Whispers of a Dead Empire
Chapter 170

Calixa Pov:

I was whistling softly as I left the last store that Alessia and I were visiting. I could feel a wide grin plastered under my mask as I thought about the large haul that I would bring back to the domain. So far, I’ve collected a large quantity of all the primary resources I needed, like steel, iron, and what not. But I also bought ingots of different metals, like copper, aluminum, sky iron, mana touched steel, and a bunch of others that I didn’t even know existed. But it’s not like I was going to use it. In fact, I’ll just pass it off to underlings and let them do what it ever it is they do and benefit from them.

I also picked up a bunch of different clothing, and while I wasn’t a fan of the style, I’d just consume the material and reuse it for something else. Not that the style was bad, but everything here strikes me as late middle ages to early Renaissance and I wasn’t a fan. But I was also picky, so it may be someone else’s cup of tea in the end.

There was also a bunch of alchemists stuff that I had shipped back to the domain, like potions, poisons, and even entire production kits, but that was for Nyx, more or less since she expressed an interest in it. It was also me just spoiling her, more than I should, but I couldn’t help it.

“Empress.” Alessia called out to me as I pulled my eyes away from the night sky that was now twinkling. Two moons floated impossibly close, yet so far, and cast warm rays of silver light down on us that mingled with the starlight that twinkled so very far away.

“Yes?” I glanced at her and drank in her features.

“I had fun today.” She whispered as she got close to me.

“I did too. Thank you for coming with me.” I wanted to lean into her and hold her hand, but I stopped myself. We were still in public, and I needed to show restraint. Granted, the sea of people that once filled the street had long since vanished, and was replaced by the occasional straggler. I felt like there would have been a bigger night scene here, but there really wasn’t. But that maybe me confusing the night scene on earth with here.

“No need to thank me. Any time spent with you is time well spent.” Alessia stepped close to me and her words came out close to a purr as my heart jumped in my chest slightly.

“Why do you say these things to me?” I asked in something close to a whisper as another wave of heat rushed to my cheeks. She constantly barrages me with compliments, and does whatever she can to make me keep falling for her.

“Because I know you can’t take it. That’s really it.” She stepped away from me and glanced around the barren road.

All around us, shops were closing up, and lights were going out left and right, leaving us alone on a stone crafted road. The wind gently pushed through the buildings and pressed into me, before rushing around me and down the road.

“That’s not fair.” This woman, I swear, would be the death of me.

Instead of replying, Alessia just walked as close as she could to me, and we both just basked in the silence and comfort of each other’s presence. At least until a strange feeling came over me. Almost like someone was watching me. “Do you feel that?” I asked as I stopped moving, and I clenched my fist.

“I do. Do you want to make a run for it?” Alessia asked as she placed a hand onto one of the swords on her back.

“Yeah, I’d much rather not make a scene in Redrick’s town. Otherwise, I’d say we could stay and fight.” I glanced torwards her and made sure my sports bag was pressed tight against my back. “Try and keep up, okay?” I cycled Ki through my legs, and in an instant, I pressed off the ground, and quickly ran through the town.

Buildings became a blur as Ki constantly exploded through my muscles, pressing me onwards at a blistering rate. My heart sped up in my chest as excitement crashed against the paranoia and chased it away. In this moment, I’ve never felt so free. That, and when I was fighting. Maybe it was something that I should do more. I could even make it a pass time with Nyx.

My feet hardly touched the ground as I took a step after step, and in only a few short minutes, I appeared in front of Redrick’s house. But Alessia was already there, with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face. “Sorry Empress, it seems I’m faster.”

“You only won cause I didn’t go all out.” I huffed at her, but I wasn’t angry in the slightest. It was a fun way to gauge how fast she was. Granted, I really wasn’t going all out, but even at the speed I was moving, I still thought I was pretty quick.

“Sure Empress, if you say so.” Alessia gave me a wink as she spun on her foot, and walked torwards the gate, leaving me in the dust.

Alessia lately has been getting more and more bold, and I didn’t know what to say. Usually it was me taking charge, but now she seemed to be on the offensive. I was starting to think that she was trying to get a reaction out of me, and boy, was it working? I may have to kick her down a peg or two. But not here. No, I’ll bide my time for now.

I bit my lip, and quickly covered the distance between the two of us as we walked through the spiraling garden, and torwards the front door. The place was still standing, so that was good. The next question would be soon answered, and that is if Nyx is being a nuisance.

As soon as I reached the front door, it swung open, revealing Gerald. “Welcome back.” He stepped to the side and allowed us to step in.

“Was Nyx was a problem while I was away?” I stepped into the house and glanced around to see if anything had changed, and lo and behold there was a small footprint in the main lobby, the shape of Nyx’s boot.

“She appeared from her room a few hours after you had left, and your guard had to convince her to return. However, Master Redrick came to the rescue before she could do anything else.” He spoke as he followed me, and I couldn’t help but sigh.

I knew Nyx was going to act up. But thankfully, Redrick reined her in. “Is she still in there?” I asked as I glanced around and saw a few of the shadows on the ceiling dancing around. It was a moot question if the palatines were still here. But I wouldn’t give that away.

“Yes, she returned with her equipment in hand thirty minutes ago, and we haven’t heard a word from her since.” We came to a halt in the main lobby and I glanced around. Well, at least she wasn’t too big of a hassle.

“Is Redrick still awake?” I shot a glance torwards his office.

“No, he recently retired to his room for the evening.”

I nodded and pulled my gaze away from his side of the house. “I understand. In that case, Alessia and I will retire to the room for the evening then. I appreciate your help, Gerald.”

“It’s my pleasure.” He replied with a low swept bow, before he turned away and silently climbed the staircase.

I spared a glance torwards Alessia, and back torwards Gerald, all the while trying to think of what I needed to say to Nyx. Thankfully the damage wasn’t too bad, but I would still cover it. Well, better now than never, I suppose.

I pushed the door open to my room, and found Nyx sitting on the floor, wrapped up in a blanket with a couple of books spread around in a semicircle in front of her. Like a flash of lighting, her face twisted torwards me, and excitement danced through her eyes, that was then followed by a sense of sadness. “Hello Mother.” Nyx glanced away from me and back torwards her books.

“Hello Nyx.” Well, usually she would have jumped up to give me a hug, so this was a new one. This is probably the coldest Nyx has acted torwards me, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

“You left me behind.” She turned her back torwards me, and as she reached out torwards one of the books on the ground.

“I asked you if you were okay with it. You told me yes, so I don’t see why it’s a problem.” I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall while Alessia stepped into the room and closed the door behind her.

She stiffened for a moment, and she placed the book back on the ground. Her small hand reached out, and she touched the ground, and scratched at it as silence settled between us. “I didn’t realize. I was so enthralled with what I was reading that it didn’t register it, but I remember you saying it now that you mention it.” Nyx brought her feet up to her chest, but she still didn’t turn around to face me.

I dropped my arms and walked over torwards her. “Nyx, you know I’ll never leave you, right?” I dropped to my knees behind her and threw my arms around her.

“I know. I was just scared that you did. The palatines didn’t tell me where you went, and I was just so angry, I didn’t know what to do.”

Oh, Nyx, why were you such a handful? Not to mention that she was clingy, but what could I really say about that? I was the same way, even if I didn’t say it out loud. “Next time, poke your nose out of your book, and we can talk about it, okay?”

“Okay, I’m sorry, mother, for acting the way I did.” She turned around in my arms and buried her head into me.

“That’s alright, but in the morning, I want you to apologize to Redrick for putting a hole in his floor, and for taking stuff from him, and I also want you to return them to him.” As much as I love her, I also needed her to learn her lesson.