Iris gently landed on the cold floor, holding the Puppeteer Token. It had advanced once more, gaining a new symbol, an eye with seven rings and four pairs of mechanical wings around it. Counting it, Iris now had three marks of the Floor Guardians, granting the additional privilege. From now on, she would have two chances to redeem her rewards.
"How many must I have before I could gain the right to inherit the legacy?" Iris mumbled. "I must have been mad back then. Why didn't I take those artefacts and legacies? They somehow feel . . . tainted, as if they were cursed, filled with shackles I couldn't uphold."
Iris thought back. During her journey towards the everchanging orb, she had disregarded all the powerful, precious artefacts. She wasn't someone blinded by greed or pride, but it was strange that she could resist such temptations with unwavering determination. It was as if someone was helping her, telling her that she must not take them.
"Miss Quasi, is it you who tried to warn me?" Iris took a deep breath. "It didn't make any sense. How can someone like you betray your race? For me, a mere Slime Girl you knew just a few hours—days? What has made you so thoroughly abandoned your hope, such that you were willing to give me everything?"
"Sister Iris, what are you talking about?"
Iris jumped and spun around, staring at Artium, who leant forwards and hugged her. Artium laughed and tightened her embrace as if trying to hold Iris in place. Behind her were Serinda, Kurion, Flamira, and Noviscar. They looked around the golden imperial treasury, surveying the extravagance of the ancient, glorious civilisation of the past.
If not for the familiar touches which Iris always remembered, she would have thought they were illusions created by the Overseer. Despite their lovely appearances warming her heart, Iris couldn’t feel at ease, for the implication was unsettling.
Either the Overseer couldn't stop them anymore, or something else was occupying his attention.
What is he planning?
While Iris was thinking, Artium separated from Iris under Serinda's jealous gaze. She went back to Serinda and apologised cheekily before turning to Noviscar. The two happily chatted, with Noviscar patiently entertaining Artium, asking and answering in the quiet, soft-spoken manner.
Serinda looked on before turning to Kurion, both enjoying their company. Serinda, the Shadow Snake Girl, had a particular attraction to Kurion, the Distortive Dark Elemental. Their powers were almost identical; their innate talents were alike, making their topic and personality similar.
Likewise, Artium, the Dreamflower Girl, and Noviscar, the Melodious Flower Girl, were like kindred spirits, both of the same nature, and loved the same nature.
Flamira didn't want to disturb their conversations. She carefully strolled towards Iris and tapped her forehead, pulling her out of her contemplation. The two observed the surrounding, trying to identify if something else had changed but found nothing.
The imperial treasury was a sacred place for only the privilege. Not even the Overseer could reach his influence into it. Unlike the fragile inner worlds, the treasury remained unharmed by the destruction of the power source and the power of the assimilation. It would only crumble once the Puppeteer Legacy Ground reached its end.
"We should not stay here for too long," Flamira said. "If what we thought is correct, we might not want to give the Overseer more time."
"It's strange," Iris said. "How did you get a chance to redeem the reward when you are me, and I am you? The Legacy Ground should know such. Is the destruction more severe than we thought?"
"We should save these thoughts for later." Flamira turned around. "I'll tell the rest to hurry; you go to the ancient treasury first. The more powerful artefacts we have, the better our chance becomes."
Separating with Flamira, Iris rushed through the imperial treasury. She passed through the same altars, scanning the artefacts and exotic materials, contemplating their usefulness and effectiveness. Though she knew they were of lower quality than those in the inner section, they might be more suitable for her during this critical moment.
Once she knew she didn't miss anything, Iris stepped through the curtain into the inner section. The ancient, conservative vibe greeted her. Everything was the same as the first time she saw it.
As Iris looked deeper into the ancient treasury, her heart froze. Where the altar of the Puppeteer Token used to be, there were two giant cylinders made of clear crystal.
Inside each, an unconscious Monster Girl curled into themselves, slumbering, floating in the milky liquid. If not for their weak yet stable breathing motions, Iris wouldn't know they were still alive.
Their chests rose and sank, their bodies shivering, their eyelids trembling. The bubbles of airs seeped out of their mouths, which remained tightly pressed together, giving them the impressions of imprisonment. Their brows furrowed and met in the middle like those of someone who fell into an endless nightmare, unable to move, unable to wake up.
Iris stared at their naked, vulnerable bodies, unblinking. She knew what the Overseer's plan was and how to overcome it, but she couldn't do it. She couldn't abandon them to sleep forever inside the crumbling Legacy Ground. She couldn't doom them to die because of her selfishness.
"You're insidious, Overseer." Iris clenched her fists, then relaxed them. "I'm really insane, long gone. If this is the beginning of my downfall, I'll repent for my pride, but I won't let you step on my bottomline."
It was different from the Soul Gems. If pushed, Iris would abandon the Soul Gems, for she could live with her heartbroken, but not these unconscious Monster Girls. They were still alive, living beings. She had to save them; she couldn't bear the guilt otherwise.
The Overseer knew this, but he also knew that it couldn't be too forceful. If he started killing the Monster Girls and separated each Soul Gem for each redeem, Iris would not play the game. She would gather her resentment and directed it towards the Overseer.
Iris took a deep breath and walked towards the Monster Girls. She closed her eyes, focusing only on the path in front of her, fearing that something would catch her attention, something truly important. Her chest would ache, her heart cracking, if she had to make a difficult decision.
Her footsteps came to a halt in front of the cylinders. The ancient treasury fell silent.
Iris placed her hands on the crystal window, feeling the numbness of powerlessness and the heat of life. These two Monster Girls were undoubtedly weaker than the legendary artefacts, but they were still Monster Girls, the same as her, living, breathing Monster Girls.
The only difference between them and Lenmia, Reta, Vilia, Pallorn, Serinda, and her friends was their relationship with Iris. They might be cheerful, naughty, calm, or even someone Iris liked, someone whose feelings resonated with Iris, just that Iris had never had the chance to meet them.
"Today, I lost two legendary artefacts, but I also gained two lives. It is not regretable, for life—at least the life I idealise—are much more precious, of limitless potential." Iris smiled. Her heart grew clear. "Overseer, you may have forced me, but in doing so, you've revealed your hands."
Iris pressed the Puppeteer Token onto a cylinder. The crystal wall rapidly diffused into sparks of light, which flowed towards Iris, entering her body. She felt lighter as the qualitative exhaustion of her soul healed. Before she could examine herself, the sleeping Monster Girl gently descended onto her, falling into her embrace.
The Monster Girl, with fluffy brown wings attached to her arms, remained unconscious, though her muscles relaxed, her expression returning to a peaceful state. Her feathery tail coiled around Iris, wiggling as if Iris was her pillow. She was a Harpy, with short orange hair and a moderate figure.
Shaking her head, Iris chased the sinful thoughts away and used her second chance to free the other Monster Girl. Though prepared, she still shivered from the delight of absorbing the white light. Her head cleared up as the guilt and hesitation from earlier disappeared.
The Monster Girl fell onto Iris's arms, lying together with the Harpy. Her flesh was light purple and murky, with a film-like layer of mucus coating her. Iris felt the chill when their bodies touched, but she endured it and examined the Monster Girl.
Though her upper body was humanoid, her lower half was of tentacles and suction cups, unconsciously moving around Iris, caressing her membrane, wiggling around her sensitive area. She was a Scylla, a Deep Sea Monster Girl.
The two Monster Girls were at the Transformation Phase, though merely at the beginning stage. They were beautiful, their skin delicate and smooth, their breasts perky and soft, inviting touches, inviting strokes. Their body scents gave Iris a feeling of lightheadedness, their sleepy faces a sense of untainted innocence.
Such beautiful picture, begging to be devoured, to be filled up with darkness beyond redemption . . . .
Iris slapped herself, breathing loudly, suppressing the whispers in her mind. She stopped herself from thinking useless thoughts, but still, her eyes glanced at their slender backs and sexy butts. Iris had been under massive stress, and her family had always taken care of her needs, the needs she didn't want to admit having.
How long has it been since I last saw you all?
"This is bad. I have turned wicked, dangerous." Iris peeked at the two defenceless Monster Girls before she softly nudged their cheeks. "Evil Me, these two are unconscious. This is evil, unacceptable."
Iris rushed out of the inner section, quickly meeting up with Flamira and the rest. She knew that her exhausted mind was incapable of restraining her desires. If she stayed alone for too long, she might do bad things. She had to stay with others and used their invisible judgement to suppress her urge.
"Sister Iris, we left you alone for a few minutes, but you already got yourself two Monster Girls in your arms," Artium said, smiling. "You're indeed the best."
The rest of the Monster Girls didn't say anything, but their gazes conveyed their emotions. Serinda grinned wide while Kurion covered her mouth, trying to hide her amusement. Noviscar blushed but nodded rapidly, understanding the passion of the youth.
Iris took a long time to dispel the misunderstanding of her carrying two naked Monster Girls in her arms.
"The Overseer, that thing is vicious," Kurion said. "However, it is not necessarily a bad thing for us. Though you couldn't get the legendary artefacts, we gain more Monster Girls with us. If this keeps up, even if we don't have the artefacts, our sheer number will overwhelm all plans."
"That is why we should keep going. Even if I can't gain the artefacts, it doesn't mean that you all can't," Iris said. "I'm sure these rewards will help you greatly in the long run."
Artium nodded and walked to Iris.
"Only Sister Flamira haven't taken her reward. She wanted you to reunite with us first." Artium held her hands out and took the two Monster Girls from Iris. "Let me tend to them, Sister Iris. My Virtual Space Ring has some medicine that might wake them up. We need every ally we could get."
"I'll have to trouble you and Serinda then." Iris turned to Flamira and nodded. "We'll return to the inner world when Artium and Serinda finished tending to the two."
The Monster Girls agreed. After a long fight, they needed a little time to relax, tease, cuddle, all sorts of things Monster Girls did when they were exhausted.
