168 No Regrets

(Planet Calypso)

(Inner District- Secret Location- Research Lab)

"Fascinating… truly fascinating," an elderly man wearing a white coat eagerly examined the data being shown on his computer.

The man was hunched over with poor posture and his wrinkled old face had a lecherous sneer that would make anyone feel uncomfortable to look at.

His heavily overweight body and unshaven chin were both signs of his poor health and lack of personal grooming.

He was an ex researcher from a private pharmaceutical company who had been fired several decades earlier for inappropriate behaviour towards the young trainees in his care.

In ordinary circumstances as long as he was producing results, the higher ups would simply turn a blind eye to his personal affairs, but he had made the mistake of harassing the daughter of a minor nobleman.

It was a miracle that he had managed to reach planet Calypso with his head still on his shoulders. 

His lack of personal strength meant that he was targeted and bullied once he arrived in the outer district.

Were it not for the young master scouting out his potential and recruiting him…. this ex researcher would have long been starved to death. 

"What is it?" Kohli impatiently snarled as two of his Blackguards shot threatening looks towards the scientist.

"My apologies young master," the old man bowed slightly as he realised his mistake. 

The young master had a ferocious temper and several of his assistants had been killed already.

"It is just that this stone tablet is truly revolutionary. I have run the writings through the entire Federation's database and yet can find no matches."

"Not even the type A decryption software can determine the true meaning of these mysterious words."

"But it is the other properties of this ancient relic that make me very excited. Somehow it has the ability to absorb blood from open wounds."

"I have yet to discover the purpose of such a skill as the blood seems to just vanish into the tablet."

"This material is..."

"Do I look like I care?" Kohli was getting bored by the explanation and rudely interrupted the scientist.

The elderly man stopped immediately and put on a fawning smile while cursing inwardly. 

Why had he landed himself in such a wretched situation.

He should have just stuck to manipulating commoner girls at the institution but that damn Alicia was just so attractive.

Those slender legs, her nubile body… those child birthing hips…. 

The perverse old man was snapped out of his train of thought by a loud purposeful cough by the young master. 

Kohli was visibly showing signs of his murderous rage so the scientist hurriedly told him the good news.

"This tablet can also transfer the inner qi of cultivators from one person to another!"

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(Outer District- The Slums)

"Cleo, I need you to set up an isolation damping field and use the electromagnetic scanner to look for any nearby listening devices," Sophie unsteadily got up from the bed and approached the princess.

"Wait don't get up until your body feels better," Cleo scolded fiercely and led the hybrid girl back to bed.

Sophie wanted to say some words of protest but the look of firm determination on her girlfriend's face caused the words to die down her throat.

"I'll activate the isolation barrier and use the scanner to see if anyone was spying on us," Cleo made sure that Sophie was tucked under the blankets before heading for her storage bag.

Cleo reached into her bag and pulled out a dark green machine with several blue lines running down its sides.

The device was about the size of a large ball and was made using the latest technology on the market.

There was a yellow button prominently displayed which she pressed with her thumb. 

A green light scanned her finger and soon the immediate surroundings of the girls blurred and shifted.

They were now trapped within a confined space roughly the size of the room.

Isolation dampening devices would create a local spatial disruption zone that prevented any noises from leaking out of the bubble.

It was the perfect counter to listening gadgets or spyware.

Some of the downsides were that each device held a small number of charges and the bubble would last for only thirty minutes.

Cleo checked the outer edges of the bubble to make sure there were no holes and then pressed a smaller button on the machine.

Bleep! Bleep!

A red light swept the room multiple times, but no foreign devices were detected.

"Okay what do you want to tell me?" Cleo crossed her arms and stared deeply into Sophie's eyes.

"I want to tell you the truth," Sophie bit her lips nervously and started to stammer.

"I… I… you… I want you to know about my mom…."

"I want you to know what exactly I am."

Cleo paused for a moment and then sighed, she held Sophie's hand lovingly and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

Truthfully, she also wanted to know more about the past of her girlfriend, but she didn't want Sophie to feel forced.

Duke Peterlor's reluctance to reveal the racial identity of his daughter's mother was a well-known open secret among the upper circles.

Cleo had met the man and didn't think that he would keep such a matter hidden from the public unless there was a good reason.

"Didn't you tell me that your father wanted you to keep your mother's identity a secret?" Cleo replied with a soft tone.

Sophie knew that it was dangerous to reveal her secret, but this was a risk that she was willing to take.

She gently took off her amulet and held in her palm. 

The familiar warmth of the only gift she had received from her mother and Sophie's most prized possession.

It was thanks to this Star of Ethnaise that Sophie was able to cultivate the Spider Whisper Manual and be able to get stronger.

Her mother must have deeply care about her daughter's wellbeing. 

Sophie's impression of her mom was built from the stories told by her dad about his lover.

The image of Princess Thai'lle made her think of a strong, fierce woman with an indomitable will.

Sophie hoped that she could one day be as courageous and strong as her mom.

It was this very thought and the weight of her amulet that made the decision final.

"Cleo…. my mother is an Insectoid," Sophie smiled bravely as the words flowed from her lips.

"I am half human and half a race of Insectoids known as the Arachnais." 

She did it.

There would be no regrets.

No matter what happened now….