City of Sin (Yanyu Jiangnan)

Celebration

That very afternoon, Julian had brought ten handsome men and five beautiful women to Apeiron’s hall. There was a diverse mix of beings in the group, including humans, elves, dwarves, and barbarians, but every single one was amongst the pinnacle of their species in terms of appearance.

This was the first batch that would make up Apeiron’s harem; the palace maids herded them into the palace like lambs to the slaughter, cleaning them up and putting them in attractive clothing before sending them into the hall.

A dull haze covered the entire main hall, an orchestra with over a hundred people playing music almost hysterically along the walls. However, few would consider it actual music; the hall echoed everywhere and there was no rhythm nor key; it sounded like a group of hysterical beasts screaming together. However, for someone who obeyed the laws of chaos like Julian, it sounded like a divine symphony.

A copper incense burner was placed in each of the four corners of the hall, two burly naked men smothered with oil adding a drop of purplish-black essence in ever so often. This essence was the famous silk oil, a powerful aphrodisiac that could flare up the lust in most creatures with a single sniff. The oil was extremely addictive and hard to recover from, and with the sheer amount in this hall everyone was intoxicated. Nobody seemed to be able to control their desires, groping each other as they passed regardless of gender.

The Empress herself was lazing around at one end of the hall, watching the haven of lust with a cold gaze. She was still clad in her black uniform, but her chest buttons were undone while her legs were bare. She didn’t try to avoid the fumes whenever they wafted towards her, but her gaze remained crystal-clear without a hint of intoxication; with her power, she could drink entire litres of aphrodisiac without being affected.

A dozen young men and women weaved in and out of the crowd, constantly bringing fruits and snacks to the Empress’s seat. They meticulously cut every single fruit before feeding her personally, Apeiron accepting it all. Her slender body seemed to be a bottomless abyss; no matter how much she ate, her stomach wouldn’t bloat in the slightest.

When the fifteen new members of the harem were finally brought in, the atmosphere changed completely. All of them were clothed, but their genitals were not covered at all. With them being selected for beauty and not strong, they immediately reacted to the aphrodisiac in the air. The males stood erect, ready to orgasm in the next moment, while some of the women were already shivering.

All fifteen began to display their talents upon Julian’s orders, some crooning loudly while others danced and yet more drank as much as they could. Each one was desperately trying to pander to the Empress. A pair of young elves took off all of their clothing, revealing graceful bodies as they strutted to the platform as seductively as one could. One of them lifted Apeiron’s snow-white food and massaged it gently before bending over to lick it.

The Empress didn’t react, continuing to eat her fruits lazily. Julian secretly gestured to the rest, filling them with the courage to climb the platform one and one to surround her. Numerous pairs of hands ranging from small and gentle to large, strong, and hairy starting groping all over her body. In the midst of this strange scene, the blue rose still in her chest pocket seemed all the more beautiful.

Apeiron didn’t react at first, but then she started massaging her temples in seeming frustration. At one point she suddenly lifted a foot and put it on the face of the elf licking it; his body didn’t move, but his head suddenly exploded with blood splattering everywhere. Before the sex slaves could even react, ash-grey energy rippled out from the Empress’s body like lightning for a single moment to stop them all from moving.

A scant moment later, red lines started appearing across the slaves’ bodies. Living beings were instantly reduced into bundles of flesh and blood that splattered everywhere, only to be disintegrated by another grey ripple that turned it all to ash. Just like that, all fifteen of the so-called harem had vanished with not a single trace of their existence.

The music suddenly came to a halt, the orchestra staring at the platform in a daze as though they were in a nightmare. The Empress jumped off her seat and started to walk out of the hall, “This isn’t fun at all!”

Julian seemed to be unaffected by the remark, following closely behind her as he bowed, “I’ll find a new batch as soon as possible.”

Apeiron nodded and swaggered off.

……

At nightfall, another group of guests visited the royal island. This one was headed by Earl Kimbaye, but he was there not for Apeiron, but for Nyris.

The Fourth Prince received these guests in his courtyard, looking a little fatigued and rather unkempt. However, combined with the melancholy he seemed to be radiating, it only made one feel pity instead of disdain.

Once the maid finished laying out the table and left, Nyris stared the Earl in the eye, “What do you want?”

Kimbaye chuckled softly, “I hear Empress Apeiron was not satisfied with the first batch for her harem and killed them all.”

The Fourth Prince’s eyes flashed with disgust, but he grunted, “It’s got nothing to do with me!”

“Nothing to do with you, you say… Hehe, let’s assume that is true for now. Anyway, it happens that I have a special guest for you to meet today; Macy?”

An armoured man stood up behind the Earl, his appearance changing in the blink of an eye into an enchanting blonde woman. Nyris frowned and stood up; this was a powerful illusion spell that had even fooled the royal guard. Kimbaye himself wasn’t known to practise such magic, so there had to be some other grand mage helping him behind the scenes. Still, he managed to nod, “Lady Macy.”

The blonde woman didn’t answer immediately, instead sizing him up coldly with surprise in her eyes. Just like anyone, her first impression of someone was by their appearance; Nyris’s beauty had stumped her.

Earl Kimbaye smiled, “You must have heard of Macy, Your Highness, but I see no harm in introducing her again. She is a saint just like you, having spent an entire year suppressing herself to train. She is the second daughter of Prince Tumen and Empress Gelan’s granddaughter. Formally she’s a student of the Sword Saint, but in reality she trains under his disciple Sir Drakons. Still, she’s amongst the ten most skilled swordsmen of her age in the entire Millennial Empire. She also has the golden moonriver bloodline, one of the Empire’s seven blessed lineages.”

Nyris stood still without expression, waiting for Kimbaye to finish before he bowed and greeted her with proper etiquette, “Pleased to meet you, my Lady.”

Macy returned the bow, “It’s my honour, Your Highness.”

Kimbaye smiled genuinely, “Your Highness, Miss Macy is more brilliant than can be described; I believe this connection will benefit not just the two of you, but also our empires. We should find an auspicious date for the celebration.”

Nyris’s expression shifted instantly and he pounded the table, “Fuck celebrations, I’ve had enough! How many times should I tell you I don’t agree?”

Kimbaye’s smile didn’t falter, but Macy frowned. Even an ordinary woman would be angered by a public rejection of marriage, and she was a powerful saint! She pressed her own hands on the table and leaned forward, the tip of her nose almost touching Nyris’s as she grit her teeth, “You think I want this? If not for the Empire, would I be interested in a faggot like you?”