-- POV Freya --

"I...well...when you contacted me I had just left Elysium on my way to Syn Forest...

"Excuse me ?"

Gaya's words echoed in my mind and buzzed in my ears. I wasn't sure if I had heard them correctly as I was going through various emotions. Did my wife really want to leave ? Was she really going to leave Shiro ? What about the Empire ? I couldn't for the life of me understand how Gaya could drop everything to join me, no matter how sweet the gesture.

"You...I...sigh, for starters we're fine, it's hard to explain but everything is fine. Now...we left a day and a half ago and you're already outside the Empire ? My love, I understand that you're worried but shouldn't you have waited a bit before deciding ? We left on an expedition that could take us anywhere, I wouldn't always have the opportunity to contact you and then our bond means...you know if I'm still alive."

I didn't want to hurt her or scold her, but I didn't want Gaya to get into such a state. Easier said than done, I knew that very well, but I didn't want her to take the risk of going away to look for me, leaving everything behind, without even thinking about the baby she was carrying. If there was one person in all of Elysium who was not to be worried about, it was me, and yet she had acted without thinking.

How could I stand it if something happened to Gaya when I was fine ? I had left without her so that she could rest while running the Empire and be with our daughter, not so that she could swoop in and put herself in danger on a whim. At that moment I felt angry but for some unknown reason, not at Gaya but at myself. As I sighed, my wife's voice this time was soft and even rather weak.

"I...excuse me. I felt our bonds weaken for a few minutes and...the thought of losing you was driving me crazy. I know I have responsibilities, a baby in my belly and there's Shiro but I couldn't think otherwise. My whole being was screaming at me to get to you no matter what, like it was a primal need. I'm sorry."

[Onee-san, this may be one of the effects of your bond and especially the dragon pact. We don't know the effects, but based on the importance of this act, it's possible that a bonded dragon could be prone to such impulses. Remember, your physical proximity played a very important role in Gaya's healing in the very beginning. I wouldn't find it odd if, conversely, the distance and weakening of your bond triggered an instinctive urge.]

As Kira finished speaking, I realized that I hadn't considered that option at all and that she was most likely right. That said, it didn't help me calm down because either way, no matter why, Gaya was out and luckily I had contacted her just as she was leaving the Empire. Why had she left alone ? In my logic, she should have at least been accompanied. As I made a note to check all this out, I spoke again.

"It's okay, nothing happened to you that's the main thing but I would like you to stay safe from now on okay ? I don't want to order anything or force you to do anything, it's just a request. My love...please take care of yourself and our baby...don't make a hasty decision like this..."

"Y-Yes I understand, I'm sorry again and I promise honey. I realize it was very stupid of me and impulsive. Please know that I miss you..."

"You too..."

After these few exchanges I was already feeling more relieved and apart from her intervention to defend Gaya, Kira had remained silent out of respect. However, feeling that the subject was closed, it didn't take long before her voice resounded again in our minds.

[Gaya, is it night ? Where's Shiro ?]

"Well yes it's night but it won't be long before daylight comes and by the time it's noon it will be two days since you left. As for Shiro, she is currently sleeping in her bed, Lia is spending time with her little brother Hans and her family, so Triss is in charge of watching over her. I was planning to come back in the morning but it looks like I don't need to, but don't worry she's fine."

As I had imagined, my little moon was in the realm of dreams of which she was also unequivocally the Princess. My little sister and I knew that we were not going to wake her up, especially after seeing how worried and sad she was. I wanted my daughter to rest because when she woke up my wife would be able to tell her that everything was fine until I contacted her again. This conversation lifted my spirits and the joy could be felt in my response.

"You're fine, she's fine that's a relief ! I'll try to contact you again in a few hours to talk to her even though we have no concept of the time we are in.."

Once again I felt lost in my thoughts and although hearing my wife's voice had made me happy, my heart still pinched. For the first time, after experiencing intense events, a fierce fight, the urge to hug Gaya and Shiro helplessly tortured me inside.

It was harder than I wanted to admit, both my determination to succeed in reaching them was burning but so was the fact that I missed them. As I slowly stood up still facing the two doors, my wife's voice had become more serious and now it was her turn to ask the questions.

"Honey I don't want to bother you any longer because you're busy and knowing you're all okay is enough for me but before you go, tell me why our bonds wavered yesterday ?"

I hadn't yet told her what had happened since we arrived in the clearing and the tree, so I hurried to explain everything in detail. We'd only been talking for a few minutes, so I could take the time to tell her about our adventures...or misadventures. I didn't leave anything out, I didn't want to lie or hide the truth and even if the beginning was hard, we were all fine. After telling everything from the beginning, Gaya remained silent.

She seemed to be thinking about everything I had just said and assimilating all the information. What we'd been through so far was no small thing, and since we'd arrived, none of the questions had been answered yet, and the list was even getting longer. Why did this place look like a whole game ? We didn't even know what we were looking for or what we would find but strange things were happening here. Then, after many minutes, my wife's sweet voice came to caress my ears.

"If the place where you are is made this way, then there is clearly something important hidden at the end of the journey. These ordeals would then serve to prove that you are worthy of taking that thing whatever it is. However, I can't figure out why such a powerful Demon was there... there are very few of them in the north of the continent, if any, so what was he doing there ? There might be others."

All the questions my wife was asking me had already crossed my mind a long time ago and I didn't have the answers. Everything was strange and at that moment I did not want to talk about it unless I felt like a migraine was taking over my brain. My little sister, who seemed to have understood, spoke up to answer Gaya.

[For the time being, this is a mystery to us as well, but we'll figure it out eventually. As soon as we know more we'll let you know, you can count on us !]

"Mmmh, thank you Kira but please take good care of yourself !"

[Of course !]

"I promise !"

I knew that Gaya and Shiro were fine, and the time to say goodbye was approaching, for I had to go back to my soldiers and tell them what I had discovered in the back of that room. As I spoke to say goodbye, I had not finished my sentence when my wife cut me off.

"My love, we have to go, we have to..."

"Honey wait ! I have something to tell you both haha~"

Her voice was cheerful, almost singing, and it was easy to tell that she had something important to tell us that made her happy. Kira, who was curious to hear the news, hurried to rush Gaya, too impatient to wait.

[Tell us, tell us !]

"Haha~ yes then...this morning when I woke up even though I didn't sleep much my..."

"Yes ?"

[Your ?]

We were hanging on her every word and I knew for a fact that Gaya was keeping us waiting on purpose for the suspense. We could almost hear her chuckling as she finally told us what she had to say.

"My...my belly has grown slightly, time flies and our baby is growing so fast hehe~!"

As she spoke these words I was speechless as I ran the image of my wife's belly beginning to form over and over. I had never experienced the pregnancy of anyone, let alone the person I had fallen in love with, and once again many emotions were colliding in my heart.

"You...that's great my love, I would have so loved to see that !"

I was happy, so happy to know that everything was going well for this new being who in less than four months would be in my arms. The more time passed, the more I was sure that the next tears I would shed would be for this baby.

[The new star in our family is going to be born healthy, it's super cool !]

"Yes...I have to admit, it did give me a little something when I found out."

Gaya's voice was filled with a motherly sweetness and love that I knew well and that melted my heart. I was standing in front of two mysterious doors in a dark, damp, acid-filled place but I was smiling like a fool. At that moment, I could only say three words to my wife in order to convey this wave of love, happiness and excitement that was invading my mind.

"I love you.."

"Me too honey...I love you"

It was now time to say goodbye until I could contact Gaya again in a few hours when our daughter would be awake. Despite the dark place we were in, I felt good, calm, happy and full of energy.

"My love, we must go..."

"I understand, I'll wait for you to link us telepathically again, we miss you and definitely don't forget to be careful please okay ?"

Her tone was full of concern, love and confidence that always made me shiver. Sometimes I couldn't believe that I had married the most beautiful dragoness in the world, the most formidable, and as my heart pounded, Kira would answer her just before me. Her voice had that little tinge of humor we were all used to by now, but we also knew it was her way of being sincere.

[Don't worry my dear sister-in-law, I'll take care of the Empress much more than she can herself pffhaha~! Anyway...uh...don't worry.]

"And I'll take care of that little clown I have as my little sister kufufu~"

[See ? Everything's goin' w... what ?]

Our laughter filled all three of our minds as we finished the communication much more serenely than it had begun. As I sighed, I felt the thread of our manas connected to our minds break as I took a deep breath. The silence in my head returned, and in this cut-off place I could still imagine the radiant smile and hear the enchanting laughter of my wife ringing in my ears.

[Don't worry, we might find them sooner than you think ! Cheer up ! Look, am I letting myself down because I couldn't hear the sweet voice of my little bun ? Actually... YES! Buuuuut, isn't that what will keep us going with more determination and strength ? Hell yeah that's the strength of a family haha~!]

Kira was right, in the end, since I had a family, they were the ones who kept me going. I had come to this world with the goal of protecting the oppressed races from the humans and I hadn't forgotten that, but...today what I wanted most in the world was a place free of discrimination, violence and death so that my daughter and future baby could grow up happy.

I wanted my family to be safe and for all like-minded people to have a chance at happiness. The she-wolf that I was had not turned into a harmless little puppy because I was still determined to do the right thing even if I had to become a monster. However, my icy heart had opened up and changed the "why" I was fighting.

*Sigh, I'll always wonder how you manage to be both funny and serious little sister haha~*

[Well, I've been cultivating this art for a while now hehe~ Come on, let's go back to the others !]

I left the two huge doors behind, knowing that I would return to them, this time with my soldiers. This telepathic conversation had lifted my spirits, and Kira's daily presence was like a breath of fresh air to me. Jumping from islet to islet to find those waiting for me, my smile was gone, replaced by my cold, distant face as I made my way to where we had all arrived.

Soon we would venture into one of those two doors and hopefully find out what was hidden in this crypt that was no longer one. What was to come might be even more difficult than what we had already experienced, but I was not afraid, I was confident and determined to return to my Empire and those I loved because after all...wasn't that the strength of a family ? Of Love.

____

FULL STATUS

Name : Freya

Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old

Sex : Female

Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult

Race : Imperial Demon

Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.

Dragon tamer

Ruthless slayer

Empress of the three colors

Level : 40/70

Exp needed for next level: 0 / 41 000

HP : 150 000 / 150 000 MP : 75 000 / 75 000

Strength : 510

Defense : 510

Agility : 516

Endurance: 513

Speed : 512

Intelligence: 510

Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)

Attribute points to allocate : 300

Married to : Gaya

Daughter : Shiro

Empire (menu)

Subordinates: 1239

Humans killed: 153

Souls: 2/3

Elements: Ice / Chaos

Skills (all):

Attack - Demon Claws (Lvl 5)

- Bite of hell (Lvl 6)

- Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)

- Fighting techniques (Lvl max)

- Mastery of the katana (lvl max)historical

- Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)

Defense - Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)

- Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)

Pain Resistance (lvl 5)

Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)

Others - Humanoid form

- Ice creation (Lvl 6)

- Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)

- Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)

- Analysis

- Second soul (Lvl max) - unique

- Telepathy

Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)

Master of souls (lvl 1)

Passives - Commander (lvl max)

- Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]