Heles City, Stronghold Kingdom

(Nevare’s POV)

Nevare sipped her tea slowly, enjoying the sunlight filtering through the leaves.

She was in the flower garden of Morris Mansion, sitting comfortably under the shade of a large tree, savoring her tea and cake.

She had just finished a meeting with the mayor of Heles. Nevare found no pleasure in conversing with human nobles.

Even without her inner eye, she could see they looked down on her. It wasn’t just the inherent arrogance humans held towards their own species but also because of her gender.

Despite there being no clear difference in strength between male and female mages at the same constellation level, many humans still believed male mages were stronger.

This old prejudice remained ingrained in their minds, even though, without being a physical mage, a woman was inherently weaker than a man.

Recalling the mayor’s condescending gaze, Nevare snorted. She didn’t dwell much on gender equality issues among humans. If she had still been human, perhaps she might have been bothered by it.

However, now she was a monster from the Valkyrie race. In the monster world, there were no gender equality issues; each gender had its own role that couldn’t be replaced by the other.

That’s why Nevare never envied the Asura who went off to war, nor did they envy the Valkyries who grew stronger through pregnancy.

"Nevare, someone wishes to see you," said Gupita, who had just arrived.

Nevare turned to see her sister’s increasingly somber face. Though Gupita didn’t complain, Nevare could guess what was troubling her.

It was the same thing that troubled Nevare—they both missed the warmth of their husbands.

It had been more than a week since Nevare and her entourage had stayed in Heles City. The lengthy and convoluted welcoming ceremonies forced them to remain in the city for a week.

This made Nevare and the others busy with human nobles trying to build connections with them.

The unique items made from Mana Mutated Animal Organs from the Wilwatikta Kingdom were well-known throughout the Human Alliance. Every noble wanted to own them, either for their uniqueness or their amazing functions.

However, the supply of Mana Organ artifacts from the Wilwatikta Kingdom was very limited and could only be purchased from the Arions at the West Fortress.

Even then, the artifacts available were not the high-value ones but the remnants left after the construction of the West Fortress was completed.

That is why if there is a human merchant who can open trade routes between the Human Alliance and the Wilwatikta Kingdom, they will instantly become the richest person in the world.

However, the reality is that these artifacts are not made from Mana Organs but are manifestations of Moku’s imagination when he practices using Vivid Dream.

Moku has now fully mastered creating items with Vivid Dream, so he only makes new artifacts if the Royal Development Department needs them.

Therefore, although artifact trade would greatly benefit the Wilwatikta Kingdom, no one else can sell them without Moku’s approval.

Especially considering that a large-scale war against the Human Alliance is imminent, any bilateral relations they have had will soon be severed.

"Nevare?" Gupita asked, snapping Nevare out of her reverie.

"Ah! I’m sorry... What did you just say?" Nevare asked.

"Someone wants to see you."

"The last noble I have to meet today is Heles’ Mayor, right?" Nevare asked.

"It’s not a noble. It’s a young woman, about your age. If I’m not mistaken, she’s your best human friend," Gupita said with a smile.

"Oh, you mean Silvie?"

"Yes, she introduced herself with that name."

"Hmm... in that case, let her in," Nevare nodded, not surprised at all by her good friend’s arrival.

"Will she become our sister, just like Cila?" Gupita asked.

Nevare paused mid-sip, slowly set her teacup down on the saucer, and turned to look at Gupita. "What do you think? Do you approve?" she asked with a discerning smile.

Gupita hesitated for a moment before answering firmly, "I didn’t mind when Cila became our sister because she’s your mother. I wouldn’t want to take away your happiness of reuniting with your birth mother. But it’s different with Silvie; even though she’s your good friend, she isn’t suitable to become our sister."

"Oh, why is that?" Nevare asked.

"The number of Valkyries by your side is already quite large, exceeding those of the other Main Queens.

"I’m afraid if we keep adding more Valkyries, the other Main Queens will raise concerns with Moku. It would be better to create specific criteria for women who are suitable to become Moku’s new wives.

"This way, we can reduce any displeasure from the other Main Queens’ group and also limit their numbers," Gupita explained.

Nevare remained silent, smiling at her friend, sister, and advisor. Her prolonged gaze made Gupita uncomfortable, causing her to fidget.

But before Gupita could ask what was wrong, Nevare spoke softly, with a hint of sarcasm.

"Gupita, I know you’re speaking as my advisor, and I always appreciate your wise counsel. But this time, I can see there’s another concern hidden behind your advice. Tell me the truth, I won’t blame you. Haven’t we grown too close to keep secrets from each other?"

They locked eyes for a brief moment, though it felt much longer to Nevare. Gupita finally gave in and sighed deeply.

"Sometimes, I feel like you have an Inner Eye like the asura. Does being the first wife of the asura’s progenitor come with that benefit?"

"Hmm... I don’t think so. I’ve just spent too long trying to hide things from Moku. Even though I always fail, I’ve learned from those failures.

"Maybe now I can deceive our troublesome husband a little bit. Along the way, I’ve also learned to read people’s hearts from their facial expressions and body language. After all, to be a good fighter, you must be able to read your opponent’s intent. Isn’t that the first lesson I taught you?"

"Well... it seems I have a lot more to learn," Gupita said with a small laugh.

"So, what’s the real reason?" Nevare asked, curious.

Gupita sighed again, "I just don’t want Silvie to take my place by your side!" she admitted bluntly.

"Ah?" Nevare was surprised by Gupita’s candid response. However, her expression quickly turned cheerful, and her laughter filled the quiet garden.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... Are you really jealous of Silvie?" she asked, seeking confirmation. Gupita simply nodded, her face red with embarrassment.

Nevare’s laughter erupted again, "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA."

When she finally stopped laughing, she wiped tears from the corners of her eyes.

"You don’t need to worry about that, my sister. I won’t replace you with anyone, not Silvie, not Cila, not anyone. You hold a unique place in my heart that no one can replace.

"I’m no longer Anna, the spoiled girl who dreamed of becoming a mage.

"I am NEVARE, Ne-Vare! I am the progenitor queen of all Valkyries! Do not underestimate the depth of my love for our race and the weight of my responsibility to all of you.

"Anna is dead, and only Nevare remains!"

Nevare’s voice rang out powerfully, echoing through the quiet garden. A smile of satisfaction appeared on Gupita’s lips, and she reflexively knelt.

"Thank you for your love, O our progenitor queen. May we fight together in The One’s heaven!"

"May we fight together in The One’s heaven," Nevare replied, patting Gupita’s shoulder.

"Now, summon my good human friend. She has waited too long already, and I don’t want Arthur’s suspicions to take root in her heart, causing us to lose a potential sister."

"At once, my queen!" Gupita replied before standing and leaving the garden to fetch Silvie.

Nevare sat back in her chair and slowly sipped her tea.

She closed her eyes, savoring the tranquility of the beautiful flower garden. Cila truly had a talent for garden decoration.

This place felt far more comfortable than the royal garden in Wilwatikta.

On reflection, the royal garden was always filled with Valkyries and their children playing, making it impossible to find peace in a place that had essentially become a social hub for the king’s wives.

Moreover, the Main Queens rarely visited the royal garden unless Moku was there.

They often felt exasperated by the Valkyries’ constant caution around them, making casual conversation difficult.

The tension among the four Main Queens had been a constant theme in their relationship. Seeing them joking and getting along could disrupt that delicate balance.

Footsteps approached, and the face of her old friend appeared in Nevare’s mind.

The owner of the footsteps reached the table and sat down without being invited. Nevare opened her eyes to see the girl from her imagination now sitting before her.

Nevare looked at her childhood friend. Silvie’s long brown hair flowed over her chest, framing her cheerful and smooth face.

Her beautiful blue eyes, set under thin brown eyebrows, looked worried for her best friend. Her fair skin was reddened by sunburn, yet it did nothing to diminish her attractiveness.

"What’s wrong? You seemed so peaceful with your eyes closed for a long time. Is the beauty of this garden and the warmth of the sun making you that comfortable?" she asked.

Nevare smiled, "Hi, Silvie."