Stepping into the portal, Kanae came out the other end inside her castle in Ehmvier city. The charmed Viviren mage on this side was soaked in sweat and breathing heavily. Mastery of portal magic or not, it must take a lot out of them to facilitate teleportation like that. Fortunately, she possessed the spell Restore Mana and easily replenished the mage's exhausted pool without so much as needing a mana potion.

Castle guards and servants reacted with surprise, seeing their queen wandering the halls when she was supposed to be in Radevic. Their worries were put to rest after Kanae assured them she was real.

"Now, then… I probably shouldn't stay long." Kanae recalled what Meidina suggested the Amethyst Hall desperately needed, a resident alchemist and blacksmith.

Without delay, she flew out to find Rosaline at her atelier first. The lamia alchemist, though Kanae dreaded having explosions potentially destroying the hall, would make an excellent addition. Luckily, the sign in front of the little boutique was flipped to open.

"Rosaline, I—" As soon as Kanae opened the door, a fiery blast sent her flying across the street. She landed in the back of a wagon, tugging hay toward the stables. "Ow… Of course…"

After dusting herself off and apologizing to the driver, she returned to the atelier. The door had been blown off. Broken vials and glass littered the floor. At the very least, nothing looked explosive anymore. What little alchemical waters remained simmered inside the nearly empty cauldron.

But where was Rosaline?

Something creaked above Kanae's head. Glancing up, a limp Rosaline was swinging from a chandelier.

"Hello, Kanae! Cough! Cough! Didn't you leave for Radevic?" Rosaline asked.

"Yes, and I took the finished Viviren portal to come back. I was coming to talk to you, but now I'm having second thoughts. I might regret this… The Grand Eye established order halls for the colored knights. I'm thinking about recruiting you to mine if you're interested," Kanae explained.

"Ahh! That sounds interesting, indeed. I must humbly decline!" she replied without hesitation.

Kanae's shoulders slackened with a mixture of relief and disappointment.

Rosaline continued from where she was hanging, "While I'm sure joining you will provide me plenty of new ingredients to work with, returning to Radevic will only hinder my journey as an alchemist. I have already flown the nest, so to speak! That being said, there are two new alchemists on their way back to Radevic, is there not? The two that were under my tutelage!"

"Mikki and Aisha!" Kanae gasped.

Maybe not Mikki, since Kanae didn't want to take her away from her sisters. That girl needed to grow into her own, and she wouldn't while underneath her mother's wings. Then that left Aisha

Kanae thanked Rosaline for the rather productive encounter. On her way out, she heard a crash and scream cut short from back inside the atelier. An alchemist would arrive eventually. Until then, it was back to recruiting the next one on her mind.

It used to be that the Commonwealth's greatest weakness was the lack of metalworking professions. Highgreen preferred stone and lumber, and Talahurah was the same. They ended up with a large amount of ore that was either sold to other cities or stockpiled. Only when an adventurers hall was built in Ehmvier did blacksmiths begin finding more work.

Adventurers created a demand for weaponsmiths and armorers and for skilled occupations to repair equipment. Arenade, true to her history as a ruler of people, sprung the brilliant idea of giving craftsmen some of their cache of ore for free. That way, they had a readily available inventory of metal to work with, thus cutting out the start-up costs of sourcing materials themselves. That lured in a lot of skilled workers from across the continent.

The elf and orc couple Kanae had met back in Orturic, Lina and Rog, were among the many who came to Ehmvier. They had their own smithy, and were both well-liked and respected in the community. Their place was a modest two-story shop with its forge located out around front. Rog was hammering away at a sword when Kanae arrived, and his wife Lina was inside helping a customer.

"Rog, how have you been?" Kanae asked on the way up to the forge.

"Me, good. Wife, good. Queen, good?" Rog stopped hammering to give her his full attention.

"I am! I was actually hoping to speak with you and Lina about something. Is now a good time?" She turned to the store in time to see two people bolt out in a hurry with large sacks in their hands.

"Stop, thieves!" Lina stumbled out after them and tripped to the ground.

Kanae was stunned for all but a second. Thieves?

"Nu-uh. Not in my city!" Kanae unfurled her wings and launched into action.

It didn't take much effort to catch up to the thieves. Kanae was on top of the pair in a matter of moments. She tackled the two to the ground, then exerted a charm over them.

"Nngh… Damn it…" One of them winced, trying in vain to fight against her control.

Kanae opened the bags. Sure enough, they were filled with weapons still in their sheaths. Rog and Lina caught up soon after, panting to catch their breaths.

"Your timing is impeccable, Kanae! I can't thank you enough. Those two were asking to try out a weapon one second, and then made a run for it in the next. This is the first time it's ever happened to us in Ehmvier," Lina said.

"You're telling me. I figured everyone was too well taken care of to want to do crime. But I guess it's bound to happen in a big enough city." Kanae looked down at the dark elf and human pair, both men, glowering over failing their heist.

A passing group of Lilith's black-clad Sisters of Sin, who saw the robbery go down, came to apprehend the thieves. Kanae left it to them and, with the stolen merchandise in hand, returned to the shop with Lina and Rog to explain why she was here.

The soft-eyed elf had changed her look since Kanae last remembered. Lina's fair hair had taken a darker shade of brunette, and she wore it long down to her waist. Instead of the green gown and apron, she had on a white blouse, a leather brown corset, and an ankle-length skirt. As for Rog, aside from a single thick braid on his bald head, he was only dressed in pants. His barrel of a chest was full of old burn scars and singed hairs.

"Ara! Another change of scenery sounds wonderful, doesn't it?" Lina hugged the orc's right arm. "First Orturic, then Ehmvier, and now Aidenhall. But Kanae, are you sure you want the two of us joining the Amethyst Hall? My husband will certainly live up to your expectations, but wouldn't you prefer someone who doesn't stand out?"

"I already recruited a bunch of succubi and someone who wants to kick me in the balls if I had any. An orc isn't going to be that out of place. Besides, we were shop-neighbors back in Orturic! It's going to be like old times. I'll also see that you two have everything you need," Kanae assured them.

"Rog says go. Rog and Lina help old friend, Kanae." Rog nodded.

"Hehe. I won't need any more convincing then. We'll be in your care from now on." His elven wife smiled.

Kanae breathed a sigh of relief. They were going to need a bit of time to pack their belongings and find someone to take over the shop, but a blacksmith for the Amethyst Hall was now secured. She set out to the cathedral of the Eminence of Sin to knock the last chore off her list.

Sisters of Sin welcomed Kanae back with open arms and some groping action. Many of them thought they were going to get lucky with a Feed the Queen orgy, but she didn't have much time to spare. Zadris, just the succubus she was looking for, emerged from the back and beamed upon seeing her.

"Gods… Queen Kanae, weren't you supposed to be in Radevic?" Zadris asked.

"I've been getting that a lot. Took the new portal here to get some work done. Anyway, how have things been while I was away?" Kanae embraced the black-haired human succubus.

"Our preparations to welcome Lord Charron's arrival are well underway. According to you, since the portal is done, that means we're even closer now. Per your orders, First Sister Lilith has been aiding Inquisitor Gretchen in rooting out Ortesians left behind in the continent. One of the prisoners they captured mentioned something about a sizable gathering, but it's nothing we can't take care of. We received a letter a few days ago from Lynn Alton, the high elf witch you turned during the war. She has made it back to Ortesia and assumed control of House Alton in her brother's absence. The empire does not suspect a thing." She concluded the report with the letter in question from Lynn as proof.

In the letter, Lynn cautioned that the great houses becoming more reclusive following the end of the war was odd. They rarely ever had things not go their way, so Gretchen's failed insurrection and their invasionary force's defeat served as a harsh wake up call. She would continue monitoring the situation and provide updates when possible.

Kanae returned the letter to Zadris and felt a load off her shoulders. This was probably the best possible news she could get.

"Thanks, Zadris. Oh, and one more thing. Are you and Lilith getting along nicely again?" Kanae asked.

"Hmph. As best as we possibly can as chiefs in our respective splintered faction of the Sisters of Sin." Zadris turned her nose to the ceiling.

"Don't be like that. I turned you and Lilith around at the same time. We built the Eminence of Sin together. Maybe I need to teach you two how to love each other again?" She embraced Zadris a second time, but lowered both hands down to give the succubus' plump rear a squeeze.

"Mm… My queen…" A sharp breath caught in her throat.

Kanae hugged Zadris tightly, pressing their bodies together. With one hand on her ass and the other behind her head, she pulled the demure woman in for a deep kiss. Their tails intertwined and coiled. Lapping tongues wormed their way past the other's lips. When Kanae squeezed hard enough to sink her fingers into Zadris' ass, she squealed in delight.

"Do you have to leave so soon?" Zadris asked impatiently after their lips parted.

"The next time I'll be back is after my wedding. Hopefully, assuming the Grand Eye doesn't assign me another task. Or Roshasha hasn't slaughtered us all. When I return, I'll fuck you so hard you won't be able to walk right. Would you like that?" Kanae whispered with a sultry drawl.

"Y-Yes…" She gulped hard.

Kanae bidded Zadris and the Sisters of Sin goodbye. They were sad to see her leave again, but wished her well for the wedding nonetheless. Some of them were going to be there anyway. She took the portal back to the Amethyst Hall. Only the Viviren mage on this side was around to greet her. Meidina appeared to have gone back to work.

A combination of people Kanae didn't expect to find were in the main chamber together. Edina, Petyr, Claudia, and Reen sat around one table with cards in their hands. Two among them were having a lot less fun than the other pair.

Reen had her head on the table, looking entirely defeated. Meanwhile, Claudia had the biggest pout on her face.

"I-I don't understand. Why do the rest of you keep folding? I had some great hands!" Claudia complained.

"Then maybe you shouldn't be giggling like an idiot! Of course, we're gonna fold when you make it obvious you've got a good hand!" Edina retorted.

"At least you draw good hands… I can't even make a pair… is my luck really that bad?" Reen groaned in distress.

Kanae came up to them and noticed the biggest stack of gold— to no surprise— was on Edina's side of the table. Petyr had won some, albeit not as much as the squirreling. Their biggest mistake was playing against someone with Lady Luck watching over her.

"Wanna join?" Edina kicked out a seat.

"Uh, no! Victa lost me enough gold to your casinos!" Kanae fired back.

"Knight-Commander," Petyr addressed her with sarcastic deference. "Where were you the whole day?"

"Recruiting. We have a blacksmith and his wife coming from Ehmvier. I'm also going to ask Aisha to be our alchemist when they get here. Aisha learned from the— well, I don't want to say best… but learned from Rosaline and doesn't have all her explosive tendencies when brewing," she explained.

Edina eventually convinced Kanae to play a few rounds of Poker. As night fell, and Claudia was beginning to catch on to not let a winning hand show on her face, they started to turn in one after another. She was about to do the same when someone paid a surprise visit in the evening.

"Hey, you. I thought I'd check out your hall for once. Busy?" Arenade asked on the way in.

"I can never be too busy for you." Kanae brought her the Knight-Commander's bedchamber.

They went to bed together with nothing but a lit candle on the nightstand. Kanae stared at her high elven lover's body, whose curves were accentuated by the light gown she wore. Side by side and fingers interlocked, the two stared into each other's eyes.

"Got tired of being alone in the mansion that you came to see me, huh? Should I assume I'm getting lucky tonight?" Kanae grinned.

"Psh. You can sleep with anyone you want, including a languisteed! Why do I have to be your main drain fodder?" Arenade pouted.

"Of course, you are! You're the one I'm in love with the most," she said, causing Arenade to pull the bedsheets a little higher to cover her embarrassed face.

"Being sweet won't earn you any brownie points, buster. I… I just wanted to come over to reaffirm something. I know I complain a lot. I'm hard to please. Sometimes, I'm downright bitchy—"

"Sometimes?"

"Shut up, you! I'm trying to get something off my chest here!" Arenade exclaimed, and Kanae quieted down immediately. "After that talk with Petyr, it got me thinking. I think I was almost like her. All high elves kind of are. There's just so much rage and desperation to get what we want, and it blows up when we don't. Part of it is probably Ortesia's culture of backstabbing and giving too much attention to status. I mean, it's no coincidence that I turned out so different. Heh. Some might say, I'm an exception to the rule— er…" She realized her own hubris and shifted in tone. "Obviously… It took a second chance at life to change me. But you made the biggest difference for me. I thought I was having pre-marriage doubts. I was actually… just excited to get to spend the rest of my life with you."

Kanae wasn't sure what came over her. As soon as Arenade finished, she yanked her in for a kiss. Their lips locked tightly in a passionate embrace. In a matter of seconds, Kanae was between Arenade's thighs and licking her clitoris. The elf squirmed and moaned. Her hot and moist breath was like a drug.

"You prepared a pretty long winded speech to avoid saying those three words. Tell me what you really want to say," Kanae coaxed Arenade, sliding her tail into the elf's soaking entrance.

"I… ngh… Kanae, this isn't fair… aahhh… It's… your fault… I can't get enough of it…" Arenade murmured in a state of rapturous ecstasy.

"Turn Horny!" she incanted.

Arenade arched her back, climaxing from an incredible orgasm empowered by the succubus spell.

"Damn it, Kanae… I'm cumming!" Arenade's breathing grew hoarse and ragged.

"If you don't say it, I'm going to keep doing it~" Kanae whispered the spell a few more times, repeatedly bringing her elven lover over the edge.

"Fine! I love you! I love you so much I can't take being away from you!" she cried at the top of her lungs.

Kanae pulled Arenade upright and criss crossed their legs. Their stiff nipples scraped against each other, stinging themselves with pleasure. Connected at the hips, the two scissored and made out more intensely than they had ever done.

Seeing Arenade's eyes roll back, her body shuddering as though hit by a seizure, Kanae committed the image to memory on how lost to pleasure she could be.

"Mm… Kanae… mmmh… I'm cumming again!" Arenade muttered between kisses.

"Let's cum together… I love you, too… Arenade!" Kanae howled, joining the chorus of Arenade's shrieking moans.

After coming down from the high of sex, they caught their breaths wrapped tightly in each other's arms. Arenade fell asleep still breathing heavily. Kanae brushed away the golden from her sweat-drenched forehead.

"I hate you… for being… so horny… mrrph…" Arenade mumbled in her sleep.

"Hehe. I know." Kanae held her close and gradually drifted off to sleep.