A Peacock Husband of Five Princesses by day, a Noble Assassin by Night-Chapter 164: Kukulkan of the Mayan Island (Part-1)

"Forbidden?" Athena interjected, stepping forward, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Because it requires either the pure essence of a demigod... or the direct transplantation of another’s mana core."

The Queen glared coldly. "You know the risk. The donor would face certain death. And high-tier cores are nearly impossible to acquire — no one of that level would willingly sacrifice themselves."

Athena smiled — slow, calculating. "We don’t need a willing sacrifice."

The Queen’s blood ran cold.

Athena continued, eyes gleaming with an idea too daring for any ordinary mind: "We already have a female demigod in our midst... one who obeys your orders above all else."

The room fell silent — heavy, suffocating.

As the Queen stared at her daughter, Athena didn’t even blink as she said, "Mother, K was the greatest weapon our empire ever forged. We need him back. And she..." A small, triumphant smirk curled at her lips. "She would gladly give anything for your approval."

The Queen froze as Athena’s words settled into the air like a forbidden curse. "You understand," the Queen said slowly, "that transferring pure essence from a human to another human requires... copulation."

Athena didn’t flinch — only lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug. "So?"

"You want the High Priestess to sleep with K and offer her demigod essence that way?" the Queen pressed, voice sharp with disbelief.

Athena smirked. "It’s not like she is a celibate nun. And frankly speaking, K is the one who needed to feel disgust, to consider sleeping with a centuries-old lady."

Her posture relaxed, voice turning almost lazy. "She can sacrifice at least that much for the Queendom. K bled in the shadows for decades. Compared to his service, one night is a small price. Moreover, it is not like she would become pregnant from that. A child cannot be created between a human and an elf, anyway. If I were a demigod... I wouldn’t hesitate to do it. So why should she?"

The Queen inhaled — deeply — suppressing the urge to slam her fist against the desk. Her mind screamed: "Because K is not just an assassin... he is my son-in-law."

But those were words she could never say aloud.

She looked aside, trying to steady the sudden rush of protectiveness in her chest, but right then, something clicked in her head...

"That’s right... I almost forgot about it..."

Her eyes widened slightly.

That’s right... Kael was born with twin mana cores — a miracle at birth. And one had been transplanted into Mia when they were children, not... That means he should have that blank core for sure, as it wasn’t destroyed but transferred.

The Queen’s thoughts raced further, "I still have mine. Once my successor ascends, I could give my core away. However, with no mana, my influence disappears. I’d no longer be a threat. Old enemies might come for me — and I would have to depend on the mercy of my guards..."

A bitter sigh escaped her.

But what is a Queen’s pride compared to the future of her empire?

The Queen’s Shadow must live on.

Criminal syndicates... demonic sects... rebellious nobles... They were already stirring — sensing weakness. Sensing the absence of the one who hunted them in the dark.

She looked back at Athena — whose expression carried a dangerous spark of ambition. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The Queen whispered to herself, barely audible: "The city... needs K."

Her decision loomed in silence — a sacrifice greater than anything she had ever made as a ruler.

*

Next Day — Noon;

Village Chief’s residence, Yuxkaan Village, Mayan Island;

Mia tore into the turkey leg like it had personally offended her. She chomped aggressively, cheeks puffed and eyes narrowed — clearly in a territorial mood.

Across from her, Princess Artemis lounged comfortably, elbows on the wooden table, cheeks flushed a rosy hue from the local beverage the warriors swore by — Xtabentun, which is made from fermented honey produced by special bee spirit beasts that fed on the xtabentun flower. Due to the flower’s properties, it was highly intoxicating and had psychoactive effects, like feeling more energetic, becoming talkative, but reducing intelligence for a period of time.

Artemis had become an unstoppable force of royal chatter as it was expected. "And then I told the Grand Marshal — if he wants to argue about border paperwork again, I’ll bury him in it! Ha! You should’ve seen his face—"

She hiccuped adorably. "Papercuts everywhere in his nightmares, I say!"

Her laughter echoed, startling a passing chicken.

The village chief and his wife sat nearby — the picture of polite discomfort — smiling thinly while desperately avoiding the princess’s relentless stream of state secrets.

Kael calmly sipped water instead of the drink. His demonic blood granted him absurd resistance to toxins — alcohol included. Sadly, that meant he got to experience all this in full clarity.

Beside him, Mia was conspicuously sober. She had asked for Xtabentun earlier, only for Kael to intercept with a stern look and the excuse: "You need to stay sharp. You’re protecting us both."

He could practically feel the possessive gazes from the village men burning holes into Mia’s back every time she went out. As this village ruled under Patriarchy, contrary to the rest of the world, with men dominating in every role, the roles of females were reduced to what Kael felt every day back at his home.

And in such a state, if he allowed his sister to get drunk, he would have to protect her. If he were with her, he could protect her, but when he isn’t, who will protect her? That’s why he had to remind her of the excuse of making her duty to protect him.

But he doesn’t know what’s going on in her head. She could put up with whatever restrictions Kael could come up with for her, but since he was away from his wives, in Mia’s eyes, Kael’s entire time belongs to her, and now that there’s this lady who was stealing away their quality time, Mia started becoming visibly irritated.

As for what they were still doing here in the village chief’s residence... well... Kael’s original plan was to leave this island the moment he secured a water-type beast. With Leviathan’s spawn hidden safely within his seal, his objective was already complete.

But — several inconvenient complications:

The Heartbeat of Itzamna Festival is approaching — eight nights away.

The village chief invited Mia as the honored guest, a literal centerpiece of their celebration.

Artemis decided to remain as well — for reasons she refused to reveal, twirling secrets behind half-drunken smiles.

Most importantly... Kael couldn’t tell Mia the truth about Leviathan to protect his secret.

So, instead of sailing home... he had to stay here, using various reasons. And by the time the festival is over, he will find some water-type beast and bond with it, only to later release it.

Back to the present, Kael forced a smile and raised a fresh piece of turkey toward his mouth — while Mia jabbed her fork suspiciously into another leg as if imagining it was Artemis’s smug face.

Kael sat quietly, doing his best to remain a polite hostage to Princess Artemis’s drunken rambling — stories of palace scandals, assassination attempts that sounded like comedy sketches, and her deep hatred for paperwork.

He nodded occasionally, letting her vent... or brag... or both. It was honestly hard to tell anymore.

But the atmosphere didn’t stay this for very long.

Before they even finished lunch, the bamboo door suddenly swung open.

A group of warriors strode in — bare-chested, every inch of skin marked with scars and ritual tattoos, white paint forming snarling masks across their faces. Each held a jagged obsidian macuahuitl, and their steps were synchronized — like predators who had already decided who the prey was.

The man leading them was massive — shoulders broad enough to block sunlight, and most significantly... A third eye burned open on his forehead.

Village Chief Chaktun immediately stood from his seat, eyes widening in alarm. "Kukulkan... what are you doing intruding into my home unannounced? And with warriors?" His hand hovered near a spear mounted on the wall.

Kukulkan ignored him completely.

His gaze instead locked onto Mia.

His lips curled upward — a grin both triumphant and sinister. "It’s been a while, Mia of the Silver Fang."

Kael and Artemis both turned to Mia.

Mia slowly blinked... then frowned in confusion. "Uh... who are you?"

It was like she had stabbed him — again.

A vein pulsed beneath the paint on Kukulkan’s face. His third eye narrowed in humiliation and rage.

"You... forgot?" He trembled, fury barely contained.

"You left me half-dead in front of the entire village! You humiliated me! For three years, I trained. I bled. I begged the gods!" His voice thundered through the hall. "I walked through Itzamna’s sacred trials and gained his favor!"

That third eye flickered with divine energy — enough for Kael to stiffen, instincts ringing danger.

Kukulkan straightened, pride swelling like a storm. "I have risen far beyond the weak man you left behind. Now—killing you would be too merciful."

He leaned forward, voice dripping with malice. "Instead, I will claim you. And silence every fool who dares to mock me by your name."

Kael’s fingers tightened around his bowl until jagged cracks spread through the ceramic. The audacity of this man... his demonic blood roared for violence.

But before he could rise...

Mia stood — calm, cold, and deadly.

"Oh, now I remember," she said, voice steady but eyes burning. "You’re that idiot who proposed to me — and when I rejected you, you tried to use force. Her gaze sharpened to a razor’s edge.

"I spared you because I thought you were just an arrogant fool... not truly evil."

She took one step forward, pressure rolling from her like a storm. "But now? I’m already in a bad mood — and you’re making it worse. Leave. Before I remove your ability to regret anything ever again."

Kukulkan’s third eye twitched — but not with fear. With anticipation. "Heh... Confident as ever, Silver Fang." Kukulkan raised his palm — a scarlet gem the size of a fist glimmered with golden swirling patterns.

Mia’s staff jerked ever so slightly — a rare sign of surprise.

"The Gem of Cizin...!" Her voice trembled at the sight... "How did you—?"

"It doesn’t matter." His smirk widened. "What matters is I know you want it."

He leaned closer, letting every villager hear his decree:

"If you win a battle against me — in the arena — this gem is yours."

His voice darkened.

"But if you lose... You will become my bride and belong to this village forever."

All eyes snapped toward Mia.