Chapter 553 – The Hex’s Movements

After the hot springs, we each went to a separate room to stay. I didn’t know why since the girls usually slept in the same bed as me, but today, they opted to each stay in a single room. My mother must’ve told them something in the hot springs, and I just didn’t know what.

Of course, I didn’t particularly mind. Sleeping on my own was a nice fresh change, since I’ve grown accustomed to sleeping while being surrounded by girls. I no longer had to carry Qing Yue’s weight on my chest or have my arms feel numb in the morning since Ling Xin or Axilia were lying on them.

With a smile, I closed the lights to my room, made sure to lock it, and crawled into bed.

*****

– Within the Infinite Realm –

“… Of course.”

Just after my consciousness faded away, I found myself wide awake, staring at a blue sky. Below me was a ground made seemingly of water, and reflected everything above it perfectly like a mirror.

Naturally, I recognized where this was. Without a doubt, it was the Infinite Realm.

Sighing, I made my way over to where the seventeen stone pillars stood, each Founder standing in front of their own respective pillar.

“… Just when I was about to get a decent night’s worth of sleep, too…”

“Poor kiddo…” Hephestus, the Dwarven Founder, frowned a bit in pity.

“I understand you just went through a lot,” Sylvoir said to me. “However, the crisis you just averted means nothing in front of the one that is about to happen.”

“… Let me guess,” Count Draculus said, folding his arms. “The Hex have sped up their movement?”

“Correct. I estimate they will be here in about a month.”

“How do you know, though?” Sino asked. “The Terron Records couldn’t possibly chart what’s happening out there in space.”

“I can sense everything happening around Xenith as a planet to a certain degree,” Sylvoir replied. “As the Prime Elemental, you could say I am the core of this planet. I can detect certain things.”

“… What made them speed up?” Aluna asked, and both Sylvoir and Luisfer sent me a look, but didn’t elaborate and instead remained silent.

“Unsure, it seems,” Count Draculus concluded. “Well, regardless of their motives, it would seem we need to step up our game as well. Hephestus. Have you completed the construction of the devices?”

“Yes,” Hephestus replied, then held out six identical scanner-like devices in his hand, lifting them up into the air, causing them to float a little before spreading out and landing in certain Founders’ hands: Kyoko, Count Draculus, Aluna, Fiona, ARXA the X-Machina, and me, of course.

“These are tiny trackers that can find and trace the unique signals emitted from those Hexen obelisks, courtesy of the energy sample Asteryx brought back in the previous meeting. I’ve done quite a bit of testing, so it should work fine.”

“Then we will reconvene in one week,” Sylvoir said. “Until then, use this device to track down the locations of the pillars, and take them out.”

“Wait,” I interrupted, holding the device in my hand. “Isn’t this place supposed to be in my dream world? How am I supposed to take this device into the real world with me once I wake up?”

“That’s simple,” Aluna explained with a smile. “This place is not simply a dream—it is a place of infinite possibilities, hence the name. It is a place of creation and manifestation. To bring items in and out of this realm, all you must do is will it so. What is mind will become matter, what is dream will become reality.”

“Huh… I see…” I murmured, having learned something new.

The Founders soon disbanded after that, but Sylvoir and Luisfer remained along with myself.

“… Thanks,” I said. “For not revealing anything.”

“Reveal what?” Luisfer asked with a smug grin. “I have no idea what you are speaking of, dear boy.”

I chuckled. “You’re not usually the nice type. What’s up with that today?”

“Well… if I am to be honest, your actions in fact helped Demon Territory as a whole. Not only did you get rid of the plague haunting that area so I can make good use of it, you also defeated the horde of Void Order members invading my city. With whatever you were looking for there gone, the Void Order will not target my Demon Territory again.”

“Hm… so you knew it was the Void Order already, huh?”

“Yes. The reason I did not dispatch my Twelve Devils was because just like that woman you were looking for, the Void Order would also attempt to get information out of me. At least, that was my logic.”

“… And what about you?” I asked, turning to Sylvoir. “Why didn’t you expose me? Your Terron Records have seen everything, right?”

“Correct,” Sylvoir replied. “However, wherever you want, it was not on Xenith. Even though I knew you did something related to this… Chaos power of yours, I could not determine what exactly you did. And since I can’t do that, exposing you is pointless. You wouldn’t just tell us what you did either way, and we cannot exactly threaten you either as you are one of us.”

“Hm… Sylvoir’s actually pretty nice deep down, eh?” I chuckled and winked at Luisfer, who nodded in return.

“She sure is.”

“… Do you two want to suffer eternal punishment?”

“No, ma’am, we’re out of here,” Luisfer said, hurriedly waving goodbye and promptly disappearing in a flash of light. I did as well, willing the device Hephestus gave us to appear in the real world as well.

Or at least, I tried.

But Sylvoif pulled me back by the sleeve, and said, “Hold it.”

“…? What’s up?”

“Amongst the Founders… there may be a spy.”

“What…? You mean, a traitor?”

“Yes. I know not who it is, but at the same time, I know who it definitely isn’t. You, and me. Just keep an eye out—that’s all I wanted to say.”

“… Got it.”

*****

– Sometime Past Midnight –

I felt a warm body beside me, and thinking it was one of the girls, instinctively moved to pull them into a hug.

But then, I remembered.

Last night, I slept alone. This definitely wasn’t one of the girls—if they wanted to sleep with me, they would’ve just done so from the beginning of the night, not secretly crawl into my bed come morning like this. So… who was this?

Slowly, I opened my eyes, and was surprised to see… Xuan Yu. Her curly white hair covered one of her eyes, and she looked like a cute doll in this form. I opened my mouth to talk, but then looked out the window and saw that it was still early in the morning. Ultimately, I decided not to do anything to wake her. She didn’t seem like the girl who would do this, either… and she wasn’t particularly dressed indecently. She had proper pajamas on and everything, but… that did little to hide her busty chest.

I gulped and looked away, doing my best to fall back asleep and forget this ever happened, but then-

“Mm… Kai Kai…”

She moaned softly and changed position, throwing her arm around me and coiling her body around mine like a koala on a tree.

W-What the hell?!

I was stunned frozen, but the most surprising thing was that she seemed to be doing this subconsciously in her sleep. I wondered what was going on in her dreams… but then again, I’m not sure I want to know.

Okay, Xuan Kai… calm down. This isn’t the first time you’ve been through a situation like this, so just keep calm, and think it through. Deep breaths. Clean thoughts. Deep brea-

Who am I kidding?!

They’ve got to be equal if not bigger than An Yan’s…

I mean, uh, that’s not what I should be thinking about!

All my panic must’ve caused Xuan Yu to wake up, because her thin eyelids slowly fluttered open, and our gaze met for a brief moment before her cheeks suddenly reddened, and she pushed me away.

“S-Sorry! U-Um, I don’t know how this happened… ah…”

“C-Calm down, it’s fine,” I said, doing my best to keep my eyes away from her ample chest. “I have a decent idea of who orchestrated this…”

With a sigh, I turned away and closed my eyes. Xuan Yu was confused at this, and averted her gaze slightly.

“You’re… not going to kick me out?”

“Why would I do that?” I asked. “It’s like the middle of the night. How can I just kick you out? Just go back to sleep—I don’t mind.”

“I see… well, thanks,” she said softly, and after a short silence, continued. “… Um… did I… say anything weird, while I was asleep?”

“… Do you want me to tell you the truth?”

“Y-Yes, please.”

“Hm… er, well, you were calling my name,” I said. “And uh… moaning.”

“…” Xuan Yu’s cheeks immediately flushed ever redder, and she turned away and covered her face. “S-Sorry! Please forget you heard anything…”

“… Right, sure.”