Cecilia's Triumph and the Lure of Our New Lair
Glessia, embedded in her own ice wall, slowly turned her head. Tremble tremble! What was that reaction? Was she scared of getting scolded by me? That's what I thought at first, but looking closer, the emotion in Glessia's eyes wasn't fear. Her clear pupils brimmed with rage. The heartbreak of failing to achieve her dream. The shock of betrayal by the Cecilia she trusted. The sorrow that everything was over. I could feel all those emotions tangled together.
No way! Where does she get off playing the victim?!
"Y-you! You attempted sex criminal!"
Anger blazed even hotter in my chest. I summoned roots to bind Glessia. Black roots whipped out like lashes, wrapping tightly around her body. But Glessia didn't resist much—she let herself get caught without a fight. Then she looked at me with this enlightened, resigned expression.
Wh-what is this? It felt just like a scene from some independence fighter captured by the Japanese army! Seeing her like that made me feel like I was the one doing something evil.
Ugh... Was I missing something big here? No, that couldn't be! Cecilia said it plain as day. Glessia ate the labyrinth core, got stronger than me, and said she'd guzzle my honey every day!
I clenched my right fist tight. Her level was way up now, so a real punch should be fine, right?
"Hya! Real punch!"
Whoosh! My fist flew straight at Glessia's forehead. All the while, she didn't even blink—just stared right at it.
Thwack!!
"Ow!"
Why's her head so damn hard?! My hand throbbed like crazy. The back of my hand swelled red in seconds. Pain shot from my fingertips to my elbow. It felt like I'd cracked a bone against a hornet's tough exoskeleton.
Glessia just blinked once and went back to her normal face. Like a mosquito bite...? She didn't even seem hurt, just averted her gaze a bit.
"Hehe! Momma's weal punch!"
Cecilia flapped her cloak and bounced around happily. She threw her arms up in a victory pose—it was so cute. Her innocent face shone with pure admiration, like her mom was the coolest ever.
Hmm... Good that it looked cool to Cecilia, but honestly, my punch barely did anything. Guess a hornet's shell is just too tough. This wasn't punishment enough.
I shook my aching hand gently and stared straight into Glessia's eyes. Then I issued my final ultimatum.
"You're under Cecilia now! Obey her every word! Or no honey ever!"
That lit a real fire in Glessia's eyes. Buzz buzz! Like she couldn't believe such nonsense, she charged at me. Tongue out huge, like she wanted one last taste of honey, barreling toward me at insane speed.
Eek!?
"Listen to Momma!"
Cecilia's childish voice echoed through the cavern. Then she threw a tiny fist. The air vibrated, and Glessia rocketed backward like a cannonball, smashing into the opposite wall.
BOOM!!
A massive crash echoed as Glessia truly embedded herself in the wall.
"Gasp!"
An exclamation burst from my lips. Cecilia had just swung casually... Was this LV 800 attack power? Shockwaves from her fist rippled the air in flame-like patterns. The whole cavern shook, cracks spiderwebbing out around Glessia—who'd actually burrowed into the wall.
The impact hit me too. The bone-deep rumble made me step back instinctively. The spot where Cecilia had been bouncing like a kid seconds ago now felt like a battlefield.
I stood there gaping in shock when sudden movements erupted around me. Lote shook up and down wildly in the air, stunned by Cecilia's punch power. Her superconductor body trembled like there was an earthquake.
Miel went bolder. She zipped to Levy at top speed and yanked out a strand of her hair.
"Ack! My hair!"
Levy, mouth agape watching Glessia fly, yelled out.
Miel shot back into the air and started writing with the hair strand.
A fitting end for a traitor! Justice prevails!
The moment she finished, Miel scattered sparkling blue dust and flapped her wings even more dramatically. Like a victory dance.
This little... Switching sides already?! Acting like Glessia's spokesperson until Cecilia one-shotted her, now calling her a traitor.
Meanwhile, Glessia slowly pulled herself from the wall, brushing off dirt and dust. It felt like she was shedding her last scraps of pride. Then she flopped to the floor, looking up sadly. Exposing the top of her head in submission...?
"Gweesia nice! Take me fwy!"
Cecilia fluttered her cloak and toddled over. Her long cloak dragged, kicking up little dust clouds. Her cute face mixed victor's pride with childlike innocence.
Glessia gazed at her with near-tears eyes. Trembling with humiliation, she still let Cecilia climb on her back.
"Yay! To the sky!"
Cecilia mounted up, thrusting her tiny fists skyward. It was so adorable I burst out laughing. Now I saw how tiny she was compared to Glessia. Cecilia, fist-sized, on Glessia's half-man adult frame looked like a doll on a toy car. At that size, Glessia could definitely fly her.
Glessia slowly spread her wings. The flapping stirred dust into a breeze, building speed until she lifted off. They spiraled around the cavern.
Cecilia giggled happily, gripping Glessia's antennae like handlebars. Was that okay to grab...?
Then something sparkled from Glessia's eyes. A single tear drop—clear with a faint blue tint. Actual tears from a bug...?
My heart sank oddly. I'd just punished an obvious attempted perv villain—why did it suddenly feel like I was the bully?
Glessia's translucent tear twinkled as it fell, like snowflakes. A hornet's tears. The once-proud Glessia reduced to Cecilia's plaything... it tugged at my heart. A flicker of pity.
...Lasting less than a second, of course. Yeah! She should suffer—that's proper punishment!
"Fufufu... I never knew bugs had so many feelings."
Nis laughed elegantly, her red eyes twinkling with mischief. She wasn't big on "bugz," but this drama clearly amused her.
Master watched silently, but a smile softened her white eyes. The Cecilia-bug chaos seemed a nice diversion for her too.
"I didn't expect Cecilia's power to be this much."
Liandel whispered to Levy. His voice was soft, but the cavern amplified it clearly.
"For real... That power hidden behind such a cute face..."
Levy nodded, still glaring daggers at Miel for the hair theft.
Cecilia and Glessia kept flying. Starting slow, they sped up when Cecilia yelled, "Faster!" Glessia complied calmly. Their wind whipped cool gusts through the cavern.
"Hehe! Momma! So fun!"
Cecilia waved and grinned at me. Aigoo, too cute!
"Ricoris."
Master spoke softly then.
"What do you plan to do with this labyrinth?"
Eh? Shouldn't you ask Cecilia? Oh, right—she'd just follow my lead anyway. So... leave it be? She'd rather tag along with me and Master than stay here. Check in occasionally to make sure it's fine.
"I think it's okay to just leave it like this. Cecilia would prefer following me and Master over staying here."
"Yeah! I go with Momma!"
Hehe! Such a sweetheart!
"Then let's head out!"
I jumped up, clapping. Glessia descended slowly with Cecilia aboard, landing beside me. Cecilia still clutched the antennae tight. Glessia's face held a mix of resignation and acceptance.
Liandel and Levy stood, dusting off. Lote lurked in the corner but showed signs of inching out.
As we headed for the exit, my mind filled with our new lair in Jenes Kingdom. It must be done by now—over two months had passed. A grand palace of shining crystal... silver-decorated spires... luxurious interiors to Master's taste. And! Stuff stuff! Perfect!
"Heading back to the kingdom?"
Liandel asked cautiously.
"Of course...! Gotta show Master the new lair...!"
I glanced at Master and whispered back.
"Uh... Levy and I too?"
Liandel looked hopeful.
Hmm... Not necessary, but Master promised them rewards.
"We'll show the lair then head to Sia Kalt. You'll get your rewards from Master then. So you gotta come, right?"
I whispered again. Yeah, hanging with world-toppers like Master and Nis must be intimidating. But the lair's huge—give 'em a corner room.
"Yes... Understood."
We spiraled up the path from the depths. Glessia led airborne with Cecilia, Miel flapped excitedly behind. Lote trailed at a distance.