Two days had passed since the fierce battle with Ifrit and today was the day Haruto had to visit the castle, to meet the Emperor.
Some kind of turmoil happened on the house because of the change in relationships, like Selianna now acting like his personal attendant (read: maid) to which even Elsie widened her eyes in shock seeing how devoted she was.
And also how Rikka and him acted like newlyweds and let out pinkish atmosphere everytime they spoke with each other. Kaori who was eating on the table clicked her tongue like a machine gun while Elsie smiled wryly.
Selianna did not show any particular reaction regarding them flirting. She just said something like "What? Isn't that good they're close with each other? And it's not like he abandoned the others right? Also, I'm not good with being like his lover either, I'm more like a mistress or slave... yes, slave." The others were amazed hearing her saying that.
Asami was still sleeping, not yet recovering from her mind injuries. Kaori said she's already showing progress and would wake up sooner or later so Haruto did not worry that much.
And as for Fia....
As expected she was finally recovering from her [Growth] on the next day. She maybe not to the extent of Haruto did a few days ago but it was still quite hectic.
She became like those mature Onee-san who said "Ara Ara~" while covering their mouth.
She even changed the way she called Haruto to "Onii-san" and acting awfully flirty with him with a very alluring seductive smile like a married woman. She would often clung her hands on his neck from behind while licking his face with bewitching eyes. The transformed fox girl even said something like "Want me to teach you how I look on bed? O-nii-sa-n?" while blowing softly on his ear.
Haruto's mind was full of "Her character changed too much!!" as if he didn't realize that he's not one to talk about that.
Fortunately she was still a proper 13 years old girl otherwise Haruto's mental condition would be put into a fateful trial between toughening up his defense or giving in to the whisper of the fox.
But the moment he saw Rikka's face he would calm down immediately. She may not mind but they just confessed each other feelings last night and he's going to lay his hands on another girl already? No no no, he'll be a complete scum like that.
Kaori and Elsie were flustered though so they grabbed Fia who still giggling with "Ara Ara~" and locked her up inside her room until she returned back to her senses. They must not let Haruto became a criminal for attacking a young girl after all. I-It's not like there's another reason for doing that okay!?
It didn't need to be said that there's a rowdy sound from inside Fia's room this morning. There's even a scream with a strange voice and then a sound of someone banging their head on the wall as if trying to get rid of their memories.
*Cough* Let's make sure to treat her gently when she came out....
Was what the others silently agreed upon.
And so with all of that happening from yesterday to this morning, Haruto made his preparation and went to the castle. The girls asked to come with him but he refused saying he would be alright. If the Emperor intended to do anything to him he would already done that two days ago.
He passed by the massive wall surrounding the imperial castle. The knights there were already informed of his coming so the moment Haruto told his name he was allowed to pass right away.
Zelrigth lent him a hand regarding his recent problem of being hunted by the men. Men, not female. There's no female who bore a grudge against him at all, they even had a longing look on their eyes to meet with their 'prince' once again.
The Emperor said that it was Luminette's order of having him to seduce 300 girls so Haruto did not have any choice. When Zelrigth declared that to the men, they all shut up like a good golden retriever being pet by its favorite owner while wagging its tail.
Haruto was truly impressed by Lumina's popularity. He asked the informant who delivered the news to him whether Lumina was okay with that but she agreed easily and even said "Ehe~? Why not? In fact you should aim for 10000 girls you know~"
Oh well, let's just accept their 'kindness' silently.
But with that his name was cleared and no man dare to chase after him so he could went out in his usual attire and face without illusion magic or transformation.
Right, Selianna also once asked about Lena strangely not contacting her for a few days to which Haruto's heart almost stopped when he heard that, he just laughed awkwardly while bathing in cold sweat and said that Lena may currently busy or something. And thus he secretly made a note to visit her later to check on her condition.
....
After walking for about ten minutes he finally arrived in front of the door to the throne room. The same knight with full face helmet that guard the door during Selianna's visit was there. It was turned out to be one of the Holy Knights, the second highest ranking knight.
The door was opened after the knight announced his arrival to the room and Haruto entered.
A massive golden and white hall room with a long red carpet along the path greet Haruto's sight. He moved along the carpet and reached below the throne.
Zelrigth was there sitting on the throne with Reinard standing on his side.
"So you've really come huh?" Zelrigth grinned.
"What? You don't want me to?"
Haruto snorted and said coldly. He didn't even bother kneeling, why should he? It's not like Zelrigth was his king or anything.
Reinard just closed his eyes calmly, seemingly being used on someone being haughty on the Emperor. It's not because the Emperor was lack of charisma but because someone who choose to not kneel upon him was definitely someone worthy of doing so.
"Kuhahahaa! You didn't seem to like me, young man." Zelrigth laughed.
"Of course I don't, you were the one who 'allowed' Bryan messing with my sister and girlfriend after all." Haruto clicked his tongue and glared coldly at Zelrigth.
"Well, my bad but if I don't do that I cannot witness you and your sister in action isn't it? And it's not like anything major happened to both of them so why don't we let things slide?"
"In your dreams. Anyone who messed with my close relatives will pay with their lives, that includes you." He sharpened his eyes and let out killing intent.
"Hoo, how amusing. If that's the case then you're welcome to try anytime boy but I don't think the current you would be able to do it." Zelrigth said with face full of amusement, not letting his killing intent fazed him but the boy in front of him became more and more interesting in his eyes.
"Don't worry I will do it in a few years at most." He declared that calmly.
"Ha! A few years is it? You're saying a few years is the longest you will take in order to kill me? Even Luminette needed fifty times more than that you know?"
"If there's one thing I'm proud of about myself it was that I never said something I don't have confidence in."
"Kukuku, I see. I guess I'm going to die soon huh, why do you think I won't stop you for it?" He said while raising his pressure slowly but Haruto already used being on Luminette's pressure so he withstood it.
"That's because the result is going to be the same whether I'm honest or not. If you decided to kill me then I would still die even If I licked your foot but if you don't then even if I put a knife on your neck right now there won't be any problem."
"Well well you seem so familiar with my personality aren't you? Could it be we have met before somewhere, boy?" Zelrigth widened his eyes in surprised seeing Haruto seemed to know a lot about him.
"No, it's just there's a lot of someone being similar with your personality that I kind of knew of so I'm familiar with it." He indeed already seen through a lot of patterns regarding someone's personality from the many stories he read back on earth.
"Hehe you knew a lot of someone with a similar personality to me huh? I would like to meet them but let's leave it at later time. It's about the condition that I mentioned of."
"About Selianna?"
"Well my condition was actually aimed at you and if you can fulfill it then she'll be free to resign as a knight and travelled with you wherever she wants"
"What do you want me to do?"
"Do you know about the Tenkaichi Budokai about to be held 4 months from now?"
"What?"
Did he just said Tenkaichi Budokai? That famous martial arts tournament on Dragon Ball series? It exists on this world?
"You mean the world martial arts tournament? A tournament where people from all places gathered and competed with each other?" He voiced what he knew from Dragon Ball.
"Indeed. And I want you to participate on the tournament and win." Zelrigth nodded.
"....Can I ask why?"
"No big reason, it's just my old acquaintance asked me to participate but I'm too lazy for it yet he still insisted so I told him that if he could beat the warrior I chose for the tournament then I will participate on the next one."
"That sounds so clichè...." Haruto rubbed his temples.
"But what's in it for me?" He asked Zelrigth.
"As I told you, Selianna would be free. In addition to that I'll also let your adventurer rank be raised to red rank, I'm sure the guild would do it considering you just defeat Ifrit and I will treat it as unofficial quest from the royalty. And also I will give you 1 million quartz, how about it?"
"Hmm, I guess it's not that bad...." Even if it's just to free Selianna he would still do it regardless but more benefits wouldn't hurt right?
Oh yeah now that he think about it there's also another thing on his mind when he entered the castle back then. Thinking he could make use of the request maybe he could just ask for 'it'.
"Alright, I accept but I want to change the money offer to something else."
The Emperor was shocked hearing his request but when he heard his explanation, he decided to accept his condition. And so the deal was made between them.
.....
Some time ago in an unknown place.
In this dim place someone who's figure was unseen by the darkness was currently meditating silently. It was unknown for how long he was being in this place while spending time silently even the figure himself already lost track of it, not like he care too.
His atmosphere was so serene and quiet as if nothing could disturb him. In fact it's not all that false because he's indeed not interested on the affairs happened outside his place.
"Hm?"
But today it was all changed. His usual undisturbed mind received unrecoverable damage.
"That energy just now...."
While he was currently meditating, a feeling of energy from far away outside that he couldn't possibly ignore struck his senses like a ray of light piercing through his head.
"....Son...Goku....!"
There's no doubt. The energy he felt just now belonged to that accursed Saiyan!
The figure clenched his fists tightly until they were bleeding while his atmosphere turned from still to rage in an instant.
How long had it been since he met that guy? A year? Ten years? Thousand years? Or perhaps a million years? He already forgotten but no matter how long it was, it's impossible to forget about 'him'.
The same man who stood on his way back in the past. The man who made him felt the taste of a loser and taught him about fear and despair he never possessed before. The man who had stopped him and his plan!
He always thought he would never meet with him ever again but it looked like he have to change his thought now.
The energy he felt already long disappeared, it was only a single moment where even blinking eyes would be slower than the time the energy appeared before disappearing took.
But even so he didn't miss that and he was sure of it. There's not a single possibility of him making a mistake regarding 'him'.
With that his long seclusion time was over and he needed to personally paid a visit to the guy himself. If it turned out to be 'him' just like he thought then this time he would surely win and finished him off.
Right now because the energy had disappeared it was impossible to track it back to find the source. But he was familiar with a Saiyan. That's why he could slowly search for someone who had matching descriptions.
The figure raised his body and prepared himself to once again explore the world outside in order to find his old nemesis.
.....
- End of Volume 2 -