My (Monster?) Hero Life

Chapter 105: Womens Talk

"What do you plan to do with him?" Celia inquired with a hint of concern in her voice.

"Nothing much. I'm just going to take him as my disciple." Queen Sonja replied with a carefree tone.

These words sparked a sharp intake of breath from Celia. 'Are you kidding me! You! Take a disciple! He'd be better off if he were dead!' Celia thought although she would never dare to say it aloud. Instead, she opted for a more tactful approach.

"He's a lucky man to have you watching over him." Celia said instead as she faked a sincere smile.

"Indeed, he is. He has talent, and although he is rough around the edges, I believe in time, he may even become a Hexlord like myself." Sonja replied with a smile while nodding her head. As though she were proud of a pupils achievement.

'If he lives long enough!' Celia snorted in her mind. They had been close for a long time, and she had never known the queen to even consider taking a disciple. She would usually leave the training of promising talents to the nobles who supported her. Even her own daughter only received the basics from her before completing her training under Celia's guidance.

"Do you really believe he can become a Hexlord?" Celia asked dubiously. She knew how difficult it had been for Sonja to reach that level. Personally, she could not imagine anyone else being able to handle it.

"I do. However, That's only if the man himself chooses it. He may very well choose a different path. He will have choices to make that may very well close the door to that particular class advancement. I just hope he doesn't become consumed and enticed by the darker powers." Sonja's voice sounded distant and concerned as she mused over Kace's potential future.

"Are you saying that you could have pursued a class advancement that would have made you stronger than you are now?" Celia asked in disbelief. After seeing Sonja in action during the war, she found it to be a hard pill to swallow that Sonja was not an apex class.

"There are two or three classes that are indeed stronger than a Hexlord. Though they come with heavy prices and require a great deal of mental strength if the wielder wishes to stay sane." Sonja swirled her glass of red liquid around as she stated this. A look of intense concentration marred her otherwise beautiful face.

Celia thought about the implications of what her queen had just told her. 'Does that mean that Kace has the potential to be stronger than Sonja? Surely that has to be a joke!' Celia hoped that this would not come to pass. It could shake up the very foundations of all they had worked for.

"Celia? Did you hear me?" Sonja asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"Oh. Sorry, I got lost in my own thoughts for a moment there. What did you say?"

"I said, we have to make sure to try and push my daughter and him closer together. It would be good for us if they were to form that sort of relationship."

Celia thought about this for a moment once she realised Sonja was not joking. She had never shown any intention of trying to settle her daughter down with someone. Let alone an unknown man who was not even one of them. 'I'll give you this kid, you're good a stirring the pot!'

'"My thoughts exactly Your Highness." Celia replied promptly, she knew better than to let Sonja think she had been ignored twice in a row.

"Excellent. So how are the plans for the wedding coming along?" Sonja asked eagerly.

"Wedding? What wedding? You've only just announced your intention of trying to bring them closer to each other. Still, you're already demanding results for their wedding?" Celia stuttered as she tried to force the words out. Everything was moving far too quickly for her.

"No! Not for them, you idiot! Who else would I mean but myself? Tell me you've started. Quite frankly I don't want to wait another day!" Sonja was almost shouting at this point in frustration.

Celia's mind was spinning now. All the gears in her head were running at full throttle as she tried to remember even the slightest bit of information that may have hinted towards Sonja choosing a companion for herself. Her expression fell flat as her mind came up empty, though.

"Umm, may I ask? But who precisely will be the groom?" Celia eventually managed to find the courage to ask. As this would obviously let Sonja know that she had not prepared anything at all. 

"Who else would it be for god's sake! Captain Raven, of course! Now that he has returned to me, I shall take him as my King." Sonja confidently declared.

Celia went into full panic mode when she heard the queen's intentions. 'Oh, no, no, no! This is bad!' She began to think of ways to stop this from happening. If they were to announce this, it could start a civil war!

"Your Majesty! Forgive me for saying so, but the council will never agree to this! You know that!" Celia replied in a panicked tone. "Please listen to reason!' She silently begged in her mind.

"Who cares about the council? If they oppose this, I'll simply kill them all!" Sonja replied with a tone full of arrogance.

'The worst thing is, you actually could!' Celia was stuck between a rock and a hard place now. She wanted her friend to be happy, but if the progenitor of their race was to marry a half-breed, then the nobles would never stand for it. They were adamant about keeping the upper ranks of their society for purebreds like themselves. Then, an obvious answer sprang to Celia's mind.

"Ah, I'm sorry I never realised. I was, however, under the impression that Captain Raven hated your guts. Especially with the way he spoke to me about you. So as you can see, I never could have guessed that you had that kind of relationship." Celia watched for Sonja's reaction to these words. 

Just as she expected, the disappointed look fell from her face faster than a two-ton weight. 'Perfect! Now if she just kills him in anger that will solve this problem.' Celia made sure to hide the smile that was currently breaking out across her face.