NOVEL NEXT Chapter 143: The Wedding
The Theater of Domination was a realm of eternal twilight, but today, something was different.
White paper cranes adorned the threads connecting the stage. The crimson curtains had been replaced with white, trimmed with lace. Sheer fabric draped the ancient pillars. It looked less like a theater and more like a wedding venue.
Ren, having just returned, scowled, turning his attention to the Puppets rehearsing on stage.
Dressed in elaborate costumes, the Puppets, though inanimate, were clearly divided into male and female, like couples preparing for their wedding day.
At the front, a Puppet in a wedding dress hummed a tune, directing the others through their choreographed movements.
Other Puppets were decorating the stage with flowers.
These Puppets weren't acting on their own. Someone was controlling them.
With a flick of his wrist, he froze them all, except for the one in the center.
"Huh? Why did they stop?" Older Kiana, piloting the Puppet, had been adjusting a hat when the entire theater froze.
"What are you doing?" Ren's voice was low, laced with suppressed anger.
"Uh… you're back! I just thought the theater was a little dull. I wanted to brighten it up." Older Kiana tried to act casual, but she forgot she was in a puppet body. Her attempt at being cute was… creepy.
"I gave you limited access, not permission to redecorate. And where did you get those clothes?"
She perked up. "This is a wedding dress! You know, for weddings? When two people exchange vows… Do you want to try it on?"
A mischievous glint flickered in the Puppet's eyes. She'd shown her hand.
Ren ignored her, examining the wedding dress. His scowl deepened.
It was woven from his Domination threads. She had way too much time on her hands.
"You…" Anticipating his anger, Older Kiana abandoned the Puppet, her translucent form floating before him.
"Come on, it was a joke! I'm Kiana, she's Kiana… double the Kiana, double the fun!"
"I don't need double the Kiana."
"Really? That doesn't sound very Herrscher-like." She floated closer, almost touching him. But as a consciousness, she couldn't make physical contact.
"..."
Ren, unimpressed by her attempts to manipulate him, walked right through her.
The soul threads he'd used on Himeko would be incredibly painful for Older Kiana in her current state, but he wouldn't hesitate if she pushed him too far.
Older Kiana stood there, her expression complex. With a sigh, she directed the Puppets to dismantle the wedding decorations.
She was just a shadow. How could she hope for the light?
…
The Theater of Domination was restored. Older Kiana manifested a secretary uniform, just like in the bubble universe, and stood silently behind Ren.
"Anything I can assist with, Overseer?"
"The Eye of the Deep operation is wrapping up. The Serpent's sovereign has returned. This will impact the world, but that's not your concern for now. Retrieve the designated Puppets and weapons. Avoid conflict with Anti-Entropy. We can't risk exposure."
"Yes, Overseer."
"Don't call me Overseer. Call me Kindred, or Ren. There's a real Overseer in this world. We can't have any confusion. I've given you some basic information. Familiarize yourself with it."
Instead of a reply, he heard a faint mumble.
"Then I'll just eliminate them all. There can be only one Overseer…"
That's a dangerous thought.
Ren sighed. It seemed those years in the isolated world, where his plans had gone perfectly, had given her an inflated sense of her own importance.
"You know who I am. Humanity's enemy, a harbinger of destruction. Exposure means facing the entire world. This isn't a bubble universe, and I'm the weakest of the Herrschers. Caution is key."
"Weakest?"
He nodded shamelessly, downplaying his power. "Even an ordinary person could kill me. My combat abilities are negligible."
You mean the negligible ability to cleave a city in half with a single swing?
Having studied the information Ren had provided, including the photos of ARC City split down the middle, Older Kiana felt he had a skewed perception of reality.
But a good secretary never contradicted her boss. She simply nodded. "Right, right."
He gave her further instructions, entrusting her with the Eye of the Deep cleanup.
"Are you sure you don't want a body?"
Older Kiana was still in her consciousness form, though Ren had granted her a portion of his power, making her a pseudo-Herrscher, allowing her to maintain her form without the Divine Key.
"No. This pile of fat won't be of any use anyway…" She shot him a pointed look, which he ignored. "I can just pilot a Puppet."
He could restore her physical body in many ways. He didn't have complete control of the Herrscher of Reason's power, but he didn't need to instantly materialize a body like Welt. Given time, he could create one.
He could also create a fully functional Puppet, like Himeko's. But they both avoided that option. A Puppet would forever place Kiana beneath him.
"...Wait, your body is a Puppet, isn't it?" Older Kiana finally realized. Whether in the bubble universe or the Theater of Domination, he was always piloting a Puppet. "Can't you be honest for once? Let me see!"
Ignoring her, Ren looked up at the ceiling of the Theater.
He preferred Puppets to his original body. They allowed him to experience emotions more acutely. In his true Herrscher form, he was truly detached.
But the emotions he felt in Puppet form were starting to unsettle him, making him question his purpose.
「I'm being influenced by emotions…」