Demonic Po*nstar System

Chapter 1065: Problem Child

For a while, Kaiden could only look at his mother in the corridor beneath headquarters. Vespera’s hands still cupped his face, and every answer he considered seemed terribly small beside what she had just told him.

She would stand beside him even if the whole world had reason to hate him. After hearing the fear in her voice, he wanted so badly to give her something better to imagine when she thought about his future.

He wanted her happy too. God, he wanted her to be the happiest mother in the history of humankind.

At last, he put both arms around her and drew her against his chest. Vespera’s hands slipped from his cheeks to his shoulders, then around his back as he bent over her.

”I’m truly lucky to have such a good mother.”

The words came softly against her hair. He loved her so much that holding her hardly seemed sufficient, yet when her arms tightened around him, he found himself smiling with his eyes closed.

For a little while, they stayed like that. Her son was right here, warm and safe in her arms, and Vespera allowed herself to enjoy the affection he was giving her.

Beside them, Yunohana smiled tenderly and stepped back to give them a little space. She was quite happy to wait while Kaiden held his mother close.

Eventually, he lowered his mouth toward Vespera’s ear.

”Mom?”

”Hm?”

”I think you’ve just said more words than ever before.”

Her fingers stopped moving against his back.

”Did you think I was incapable of explaining myself?” she muttered.

”Kinda, yeah,” he answered immediately.

Vespera leaned back to look up at him, distinctly displeased with the son she was still holding. Kaiden grinned down at her and tightened his embrace, drawing her comfortably against him again.

Her indignation softened in his arms. With a sigh, she let her cheek rest against his chest.

”Never would I have predicted that Alice would be the easier child to manage...”

”Are you grumbling, Mother~?”

”...”

Yunohana covered her mouth, giggling.

Kaiden kissed the top of his mother’s head before easing his hold enough to look at her.

”I’ll work on getting stronger. But when you find something, I want to hear about it.”

Vespera rested a hand against his chest.

”You will.”

He studied her face, then covered her hand with his.

”Okay.”

She accompanied them to the dungeon gate, keeping his hand until they reached the guarded entrance. There, Kaiden gave her another hug while Yunohana thanked her for the tea.

”I hope we can return the hospitality soon, Mother.”

”You may start by making certain he eats something.”

”I’ve been feeding your son almost non-stop.” Yunohana smirked.

”Good.”

”Is it? But you told me not to spoil him?”

”Feeding him is not spoiling him. Jumping into his lap and kissing him is.”

”Ugh...”

”I am standing right here,” Kaiden reminded them.

”Yes,” Vespera said. ”You may go now.”

”...Love you too, Mom.”

Yunohana’s laughter followed them through the gate.

...

The walk back took Kaiden and Yunohana through the Abyssal Cavern, along the Corridor, and past the Twilight Sink into the Verdant Expanse. Beyond the palace, Dungeon-Born sentries watched the new approach while the monsters he had diverted there occupied the grass on either side.

He greeted the sentries as they passed, then led Yunohana into the black-crystal passage joining his home to the conquered dungeon in Japan.

”I still find it difficult to believe,” she murmured, looking back toward the trees.

”That we went to America?”

”That I sat in Lady Ashborn’s bedroom and called her Mother.”

Kaiden grinned at that. ”Yeah. That was funny. Got it on tape, too. The girls will love it.”

”Glad at least one of us found it amusing.” Her fan tapped his forearm, though she kept her fingers curled around his as they walked.

At the passage’s far end, the conquered cavern opened around them. Kaiden surveyed the space. ”I’ll reinforce this, but first...”

He had seven wonderful women to see and have a talk with.

They crossed it to the pale membrane leading into the island’s ordinary cave, where the crystal gave way to rough rock beneath their feet.

Yunohana gathered her skirt to step over a fallen stone. Before she could pick her way around the next, Kaiden stopped beside her.

”May I?”

His glance toward her legs made the offer clear. She looked down at the uneven ground, then back at the man holding out his arms.

”I would hate to inconvenience you.”

”Terribly considerate of you.”

”Mm. I try.”

She slipped an arm around his neck as he bent, letting him lift her with one arm beneath her knees and the other supporting her back. Her delighted little laugh warmed him all the way up the sloping cave.

”Comfortable?”

”Extremely. I may become difficult to put down.”

”Fine with me.”

Night had fallen over the Japanese island. Lamps now lit the ruined work yard outside the cave, where Circle protectors watched the captured gunmen beside the remains of the loading platform. Farther down the slope, voices carried up from the boats taking people away.

One of the guards turned at the sound of their footsteps.

”Lady Tsukikage! Lord Grey!”

Yunohana raised her head from Kaiden’s shoulder. Before she could answer, violet light swept across the yard, throwing the guard’s shadow up the cliff.

*KRAKOOM!*

Luna struck the open ground beyond the broken conveyor in a bolt of violet lightning. The impact blasted gravel across the yard, rattling the abandoned machinery and leaving a crater beneath her armored boots.

”Where are they?!”

The Storm Valkyrie rose out of the smoking hollow in full battle armor, her Stormblade blazing in her right hand. Lightning crawled over her breastplate and snapped between her gauntlets while she searched the cave behind him, furious enough to make the nearest guards retreat toward their prisoners.

Kaiden stopped at the cave mouth with Yunohana still cradled against him.

Then he broke into an enormous grin.

”Hi.”