Chapter 161: 161: Friendly Competition

I felt so angry and I quickly left my nestlings, not even looking at Typhon and Ophelia as I returned to my perch.

This was perhaps the worst thing that could happen to me, right when I was on such a winning streak too. I was far too tired to be dealing with something like this. 

What did he think he was playing at? 

«You failed the quest.» Sensei responded calmly without sympathy.

"So? This isn't the penalty I agreed to! How can you do this! Give another penalty or something. Reverse this now!"

«That's not how it works.» Sensei replied.

"I don't care. Do you want me to die out there?" 

Sensei fell silent.

This was just too evil.

I made plans to hunt more and get more furs for a fluffier bed and maybe go looking for some honey with the fae, but now all those plans were moot. 

What was I supposed to do without my skills for a whole week? Stay indoors and sulk? 

That was about half as long as I'd been alive!

I paced around my perch in anger, as the dark fae stared at me curiously. 

I could never have predicted that Sensei could do this, it had never even crossed my mind that he had that much power. 

"I don't understand you. You act nice and fool me into thinking you really support me, when really you're just a terrible person. You might as well be my enemy."

Sensei broke his silence with a rather sad laugh. «What am I, then? What do you truly believe?»

"You don't want to know my answer." 

Really, I didn't want to hear anything he had to say. All he ever did was spin words together to make me even more confused.

«Do you think of me as an enemy?» 

His voice sounded strangely muted, which made me think he was upset.

"What do you want me to think? You've taken my skills. Am I supposed to thank you for putting me in danger, yet again?"

«You failed the quest; did you expect there to be no repercussions?»

"I only needed a bit more time. All my nestlings would have passed eventually. This punishment is too harsh. What exactly are you trying to show me? I must listen to you at all times or get punished for it?"

Sensei grew quiet again, and I was happy not to hear his voice.

I was sick of him speaking about repercussions when he was the one at fault. If he hadn't tried to convince me to kill the nestlings, the quest would never have existed. 

"The quest may have been my idea but you pushed me to it. The alternative would have been so much worse. If I killed them, I wouldn't have any of this right now."

I stopped pacing to stare at my Captain's from across the cave. They were still telling Typhon about their adventures and seeing this made me settle down. As silly as the nestlings acted, I was very glad I never followed his advice.

Perhaps this penalty wasn't so terrible. I could use the time to learn more skills on my own and practice my magic. If my nestlings could get on well without a system, so could I.

«I'm not your enemy.» Sensei's voice was full of remorse. «Maybe I haven't made that clear to you, but you aren't easy to understand either.» 

I was a little shocked. He sounded genuinely sorry, and I wondered if we were finally getting somewhere. However, his next words made me loathe him.

«You certainly don't love them, so what is the purpose of all of this? Do you intend to make them your pawns?»

"It's because I'm not cruel!" I shouted at him. "There is no ulterior motive, what's so difficult to understand about that? I'm not tempted to kill them for some cheap boost in power. There's plenty of other monsters for that." 

It was like I was talking to an emotionless robot with a human voice, who couldn't understand common emotions. Well...maybe I was. 

Sometimes he was empathetic, other times he was cold and lifeless. It was getting impossible to keep up with the constant changes in his persona.

"Is it so difficult for you to see that I need allies? I want to raise them and keep them alive to support me, and you taking away my power isn't going to help with that."

«If you're so confident they will support you, your power shouldn't be a factor.»

Ugh! This insufferable ass!

I wanted to scream at him. How could it not be a factor? 

They decided to follow me, firstly because I was more powerful than them. 

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I wasn't trying to rule them through fear but being stronger was already a big step from nothing. I didn't spend enough time with them like Typhon, to make them truly like me. Being stronger was the only real hand I had to play. Without that, nothing stopped them from rebelling against me.

"This is not a game or a popularity contest. I can't float by just by being liked, they are monsters. To declare myself as their leader while I'm a similar strength to them – now that just wouldn't make sense."

Sensei burst into laughter. «Your thought process is exactly that of a Tyrant. Are you admitting you are one?»

I am a Tyrant? Was he insane?

"Wanting the best for them isn't being a tyrant." I replied with a scoff.

«Trying to tailor their paths according to your wishes is.» he calmly retorted.

I returned to my perch and saw the dark fae was already asleep amongst the furs. I settled down to rest, making sure to avoid her tiny figure. 

Below the platform, Typhon and Ophelia were still briefing the teams and I saw the other captains corresponding with them in an orderly manner. 

Watching them all getting along, I began to feel a little down. Perhaps they didn't really need my guidance as much as I thought they did. Typhon and Ophelia already seemed like capable leaders.

«Don't sulk, it's unbecoming.» Sensei said, sensing my doubt. «Without you here, can you imagine what a mess they all would have been in? Typhon would already be dead, so would Ophelia. You saved him on the very day you returned.»

"I'm not sulking." I mumbled.

The teams had started to disperse, some returning to training, while others went elsewhere. Only the captain's and the nestling with spade patterns stayed behind to continue their discussion. 

"I still haven't forgiven you, so don't think buttering me up will change anything." I said to Sensei.

«I wasn't.» he responded curtly, and I ignored him as I saw Typhon turn around to look up at me.

Soon all six snakes started to make their way over. I was immediately interested in hearing what new surprises they had for me. However, the first topic they broached was a complicated one.

Apparently, the snake with spade patterns had challenged her captain Artemis and Typhon was urging for her to be punished. All the other captains seemed to be in agreement, even Ophelia who I thought would be more lenient, and I was immediately unsure of what to do.

I didn't want to punish her, after hearing all that she had encountered in her endeavours to save her team. I was actually intending to name her for her good deeds. 

Typhon's reason for punishment was simple. Challenging her captain in any circumstance would have put her team at risk, that it didn't end horribly was this time, was only due to Europa's intervention. 

Without him presenting another solution, their team would split in half, effectively risking all of their lives in the process.

And also, not punishing her would make light of the other captains, effectively sending the wrong message that their commands held no weight.

I agreed with Typhon in part, but Artemis was also in the wrong for not following my instructions properly. I stared at Artemis who faced me boldly, and then at the spaded snake who refused to meet my eyes. 

I didn't want to punish either, but I had to make a decision.

Both Artemis and the spaded snake would spend time alone, reflecting on their decisions in the prison cells. And as a reward for the spaded snake's bravery, I decided to give her a name.

However, Typhon didn't seem too happy with my decision. Although he didn't voice his discontent, I had the feeling he thought my punishment was too light.

I sighed. "Was my punishment too lenient?"

«You should have banished her. Her challenging Artemis means she doesn't take him seriously as a captain. It will happen again if you just let her be.»

I glanced at the spaded snake who was in a trance as she stared at the space in front of her. It seemed she had discovered her stats widow.

"I don't believe in banishment." I said to Sensei. "Setting her free will just create more problems. If I want her gone, the proper way is to kill her. But that's too harsh, considering her crime." 

From what I heard from Typhon, she showed great courage and had saved her team from the crisis. 

All of that spoke of unknown potential and it was a shame I couldn't appraise her until my penalty was lifted. So , I thought it best to keep a watch on her to see how she performed to come to a conclusion. 

«I suggest keeping her next to you, like you do with Ophelia.» Sensei added.

I didn't see anything wrong with his suggestion so I agreed.

I relayed my decision and the captains also reached a consensus. With that, Artemis and the spaded snake were escorted away by Morgana. 

The meeting was put to a halt and Ophelia slithered over to cozy up to me. And seeing Galahad and Cygnus surrounding Typhon, I started to think that maybe, my penalty week wouldn't be all that bad. 

They all got considerably stronger so perhaps, I could just stay in and relax until my penalty was done. 

But, Ophelia persistently nudged me and to my surprise she wanted to go out hunting again.

Galahad and Cygnus soon left Typhon to come over and asked the same thing. It seemed they were all set on going out again. Ophelia especially, she wanted to evolve just like Typhon and was not happy with remaining small. 

Seeing all of their eager eyes staring at me, I was immediately filled with discontent. At the rate they were growing, if a week passed without me doing anything, these brats would surely surpass me.

It was totally unacceptable! No way was I allowing such a thing.

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