Legacy of the Void Fleet

A slight frown formed on her face, her red eyes narrowing at Fafnir as the temperature in the room seemed to plummet. I felt a chill crawl up my spine as the oppressive aura around her darkened.

And yet, Fafnir, in all his audacity, simply remained perched in my hands, completely ignoring her.

I sighed. Here we go again…

The Empress, on the other hand, sighed, a flicker of amusement in her usually composed expression. "Still holding a grudge, little one?" she mused, tilting her head.

Fafnir responded by snorting and curling further into my hands, his tail flicking dismissively.

I raised an eyebrow. "You do realize she didn't do it on purpose, right?"

No response.

"Come on, don't be petty."

Another stubborn woof.

The Empress sighed again, shaking her head. "Unbelievable." Then, in a rare display of playfulness, she reached out with a glowing hand and gently waved it in front of him. "Fafnir, I'll have you know that ignoring a lady is incredibly rude."

This time, the little furball peeked at her from the corner of his eye before huffing and turning away again.

I grinned. "I think that means 'too bad, not my problem.'"

The Empress gave me a look, one that silently asked, Is this really your companion?

I shrugged. "What can I say? He's got standards."

Fafnir, ever the dramatic one, buried his face in my sleeve as if to emphasize his point.

The Empress let out a low chuckle, a rare sound that carried an almost melodic quality. "Fine, be that way," she said lightly. "One day, little one, you'll regret this."

Fafnir flicked his ear but didn't react further.

Shaking my head, I let out a small sigh and shifted my gaze back to the planet outside my window. My amusement slowly faded as the weight of my responsibilities settled onto my shoulders once more.

"It's about time I go down, isn't it, Empress?" I asked, my voice calm yet firm.

She crossed her arms and gave me a knowing look. "Yes. You've delayed it long enough."

I nodded, exhaling slowly.

"Umm… but before that, M a s t e r," the Empress drawled, a teasing lilt in her voice.

I turned to her, already sensing trouble.

"I think you should do something about your getup," she continued, eyes gleaming with amusement. "And especially your face."

I raised an eyebrow. "My face?"

She smirked. "Yes. It's changed far too much. If you show up like this, even your parents will question whether you're really their son."

My mouth twitched slightly. I knew she was messing with me, but she had a point.

My soul awakening had fundamentally changed everything about me—from my very blood to my physical form, completely restructuring my body. There was no doubt that if I went down like this, it would cause unnecessary problems.

Fortunately, I had an innate ability that allowed me to alter my appearance at will.

Huff—a good thing, too. Otherwise, explaining this transformation would've been a nightmare, along with everything else.

With a deep breath, I focused inwardly, willing my form to adjust. My facial structure softened, reverting to what it once was before my awakening. My height shrank slightly, my white hair darkened back to its original black, and my golden, dragon-like eyes shifted to their familiar deep blue.

The transformation was seamless as if the changes brought by my awakening had never occurred. Now, at least outwardly, I was the same Kallus my parents would recognize.

Satisfied with the change, I shifted my focus to my clothing. With a mere thought, my attire began to morph, fabric shifting and reshaping according to my will. My more regal garments faded away, replaced by a simple white hoodie, black pants, and matching shoes.

Comfortable. Casual. Unassuming.

Quite convenient.

The Red Empress watched with mild amusement. "A hoodie and pants? That's all? You do realize you're about to meet your parents after years, right?"

I shrugged. "It's comfortable. Besides, I'm the one meeting them after years. For them, I've only been missing for about two months. And it's winter on Earth, so this getup is perfect."

She sighed, shaking her head. "You're right about that, but still... You really have no sense of occasion, do you?"

I smirked but said nothing. With everything in place, there was no more reason to delay.

It was finally time.

Lifting Fafnir, I placed him atop my hood, settling him snugly within the fabric. "You, little guy, stay there, okay? Until I say otherwise, you have a very important job to do."

The tiny furball gave a firm nod—or at least, as firm as a tiny creature like him could manage.

He let out a couple of excited woofs while nestling himself comfortably, as if to say, "Let's hurry!"

I chuckled slightly. "Okay, okay," I said, then looked at the Empress. "Off I go. Wait for the good news from me."

She smiled slightly and nodded, her reassuring look silently conveying that everything would be fine. That made my smile widen a bit. I gave her a small wave before vanishing from the room as the space around me fluctuated and shifted.

In the blink of an eye, I was no longer on my dreadnought. In mere milliseconds, I found myself in a completely different environment.

The cool, artificial air of my ship was instantly replaced by the warm yet crisp natural atmosphere of Earth. A soft breeze brushed against my clothes as I stood in front of the entrance to a large park—both familiar and distant at the same time.

Perched on my hood, Fafnir stirred, letting out a small woof as he sniffed the air—almost as if saying, 'Smells different.'

I hummed in agreement. "Yeah… it does,"

I said while looking ahead.

The towering park gate, surrounded by sculptures of various cute creatures and lush trees, gave off a serene, welcoming feel. Around me, families moved about—parents walking hand in hand with their children, whose cheerful laughter filled the air.

Their bright smiles painted a picture of warmth and happiness. Yet, no one noticed my presence, for I was invisible to them, cloaked in a unique essence that normal humans couldn't perceive unless I allowed it.

Without hesitation, I stepped forward, knowing my parents and sister were already inside.

As I entered, memories surfaced—real memories. I recalled coming here as a child, holding my parents' hands, feeling the same excitement that now surrounded me. These memories were my most precious treasures, bringing a soft smile to my lips, yet also stirring deep emotions within me.

Unknowingly, my feet carried me toward a hot chocolate stall. There, a woman stood with a face full of love, buying hot chocolate while a little girl beside her bounced with anticipation.

The woman handed the vendor some money, then gently ruffled the girl's hair as they waited for their turn.

The girl well she was beaming with excitement, her tiny hands fidgeting as she eagerly awaited her ice cream.

My breath caught in my throat as my eyes welled up with tears.

It was them—my mother and my sister.

I took a slow, shaky breath, steadying myself. This moment was real. They were right in front of me, just as I remembered.

My mother looked just as I remembered her—beautiful, gentle, and kind, her blue eyes filled with warmth. Yet, I could sense a faint glimmer of sadness in them. My chest tightened because I knew the reason behind that sorrow.

I shook my head, pushing away the overwhelming emotions. Dwelling on it wouldn't change anything. Instead, I focused on the little girl beside her, holding my mother's hand tightly.

My gaze fell upon my younger sister, Luna.

She looked up at our mother with bright, eager eyes, her small hands clinging to her coat.

She had the same dark hair as my mother, her features carrying a strong resemblance to her, while her sharp blue eyes reminded me of our father. Yet, despite their sharpness, they were filled with innocence and joy. Experience more on My Virtual Library Empire

A storm of emotions surged through me. I had prepared for this, yet standing here, watching them as an outsider, I felt an overwhelming tightness in my chest.

I hesitated for a brief moment. Should I go to them now? Or should I wait?

I clenched my fists, steadying myself.

No. I had waited long enough.

This was the moment I had been waiting for.

With a silent exhale, I willed the essence shrouding me to dissipate. My presence, once hidden, now became noticeable to all around me.

Thereafter, I gradually began to materialize, stepping forward toward the hot chocolate. As I walked, my mother's attention was quickly drawn to my figure approaching her.

Even though I hid everything as much as I could, the aura around me still lingered, radiating in a way that caught the eyes of passersby. My mother, Amelia, froze the moment she saw my face, her hands trembling as if struck by something unseen.

Noticing her shaking hands, Luna looked up in confusion and concern.

"Mother?" she asked.