Champion Of Lust: Gods Conquer's Harem Paradise! - Chapter 313

Astrid sat regally in a high-backed chair, a masterpiece of darkwood and crimson velvet that seemed crafted for an empress. She radiated authority, yet her expression betrayed helpless fury. Her clenched fists rested on the armrests.

Despite her usual commanding presence, today an expression of anger and helplessness marred her striking features. The air around her seemed to hum faintly with mana, tension coiling like a storm ready to break.

Her voice cut the silence like a blade.

“So what if he gets angry?” Her voice was edged, cracking slightly. “Do you think I care anymore after what happened to Seraphina? My daughter! I have endured this far too long, and I am done. Do you hear me? Done. If he wishes to stop me, let him try.”

Opposite her, a stunningly curvaceous woman reclined with effortless grace, her posture almost lazy despite the gravity of their exchange. The Space Dragon radiated a calm so unshakable it felt as if even the immortals couldn’t pierce it. Her flawless, sinfully alluring figure seemed at odds with the ancient wisdom in her eyes.

“Do you truly believe,” the Space Dragon said, voice smooth as silk, “that Drakos will sit idly by while you hold meetings with the very family he just declared war against?”

Astrid’s eyes burned, her lips pressing into a thin line. “I don’t care! If this is my only chance to find her—to save her—then so be it! If they truly have Seraphina, I’ll face whatever consequences come.”

The Space Dragon’s lips curled into a knowing smile, but there was no warmth in it. She leaned forward slightly, the shadows dancing along her flawless skin.

“Are you sure they’re the one who took her?” she whispered. “You give the Obsidians far too much credit if you think they could snatch the princess out from under the watchful eyes of Zed and Drakos.”

Astrid’s hands clenched against the armrests. “I think,” her voice trembled with fury, “I overestimated the so-called protectors of the Dragon Empire! You’ve all grown far too comfortable in this illusion of peace, too blind to see the truth behind what the Obsidians show you.”

For the first time, the Space Dragon’s mask of serenity cracked, her pupils narrowing into slits. Was Astrid… insulting her? Questioning her vigilance? How infuriating. How dare she?

And yet… Astrid wasn’t wrong. The accusation hit too close to home.

Astrid’s words were harsh but not entirely wrong. Many of the protectors had indeed grown passive, content with their ancient roles while the Obsidian bloodline coiled deeper into power.

But not her. The Space Dragon knew how dangerous the Obsidians were.

She was merely testing Astrid, probing for truths—because Astrid had once been close friends with Emberly Obsidian. Surely, she knew secrets.

“Careful, Astrid,” the Space Dragon warned, her voice an icy whisper. “I understand your grief, but you insult me more than you should. I won’t overlook it—even for you, my former student.”

Astrid let out a bitter chuckle.

“State facts, and you call it insult? I don’t care what you think. You’re bound to your Emperor’s word. Shackled by his desires. You’re as much a prisoner as Seraphina was. I’ll find my daughter without you.”

Astrid stood abruptly, her mana flaring as the chair creaked under the pressure.

“And please save your judgments. I didn’t come here for your help—just information. I overestimated you, Space Protector. If you can’t even offer that much, I won’t waste more time. I came to see if you could still be useful in finding your own student. Clearly, I overestimated you.”

The Space Dragon’s eyes narrowed, the light dimming slightly in the chamber. A lesser being would’ve been reduced to ash under her gaze.

But Astrid didn’t care. She bowed with mocking elegance. “O Graceful Space Protector,” she spat before vanishing from the chamber in a burst of mana.

Silence followed.

The Space Dragon exhaled slowly, reclining once more. “The love of a mother…” she murmured.

Astrid had been bold. Reckless. Even suicidal, considering the insults she had just flung. Yet, despite it all, the Space Dragon couldn’t bring herself to punish her.

A mother’s fury was far more dangerous than any spell.

“Seraphina… I taught you well. Just as I taught your mother,” the Space Dragon whispered, staring into the endless void beyond her chamber’s enchanted windows. “But even as your mentor, I cannot protect you from everything. This… this is your retribution. Face it. Emerge stronger—or be broken.”

And she would not interfere.

Fate had laid its path.

Little did she know, however, that the mere presence of Pyris Obsidian had already shattered the fragile web of fate.

_____

Empress Astrid’s Chamber.

Back in her private quarters, Astrid stood in her grand bedroom, sunlight spilling across the marble floors as her gown slipped from her shoulders, pooling at her feet. Her skin caught the light, smooth and unblemished, glowing with a quiet elegance.

The gentle curve of her collarbone led to full, shapely breasts that rose and fell with steady breaths, their soft curves highlighted in the sun’s warmth. Her waist narrowed gracefully, accentuating the subtle strength in her toned stomach before flaring into rounded hips, the kind sculpted by both grace and power.

Her long legs, lean yet feminine, stretched beneath her from her shapely plump ass, fluid and controlled.

She stood as if carved from perfection—beautiful, but not fragile. There was a strength in her poise, a defiance that lingered in the sharp set of her jaw and the unwavering fire in her eyes.

A empress in her own right. Fierce. Unstoppable.

She pulled on dark, close-fitting garments, the black silk clinging like a second skin. The fabric shimmered with faint runes, enchantments woven for both protection and power.

As the last clasp sealed, her reflection seemed to shift—no longer the grieving mother, but a warrior mother prepared for whatever was to challenge her.

A portal of swirling space mana bloomed before her, rippling like a tear in reality. She stepped forward.

The Space Dragon watched from afar, unseen yet ever vigilant.

“Astrid… if you continue down this path… there will be no turning back.”

But Astrid was already gone.

The Space Dragon stepped out from the private royal meeting room, the heavy doors shutting behind her with a quiet click. She moved through the palace halls with measured grace, her heels softly tapping against the polished floors.

She walked with an unhurried grace, her long, flowing dress the color of starlit void trailing behind her.

Each step was silent, yet there was no attempt to conceal her presence. It was as though reality itself folded around her, parting to allow her passage.

The palace was alive with its usual rhythms—maids dusting gilded mirrors, servants arranging floral displays, stewards rushing with ledgers in hand. Yet not a single soul reacted as she passed. No glance. No whispered greeting. It was as if she were a phantom, invisible to all who drew breath within those ancient walls.

A young servant dropped a tray, the silver dishes clattering loudly against the marble. He scrambled to gather them, his gaze sweeping the hall—yet it passed right over her, unseeing.

She was there. But she was not.

Her expression remained calm, unreadable as ever, eyes fixed forward, though a storm brewed behind their unnatural glow.

Reaching the end of the long corridor, where the sunlit palace gave way to shadows, the Space Dragon paused.

And then—

She simply ceased to exist.

The air shimmered, bending as her presence unraveled like mist caught in a breeze. The space where she had stood was empty once more, leaving behind only the lingering chill of something far beyond mortal comprehension.