Extra: Yandere Milfs Obsessed with me!-Chapter 164: Expedition

*Sky City*

The sun of the following day flooded the strategic office of the imperial domain, drawing pale light across the spread-out maps. Adrian, standing in front of a wide bay window, turned his back to the view of Sky City to face Isabella, Kris, and Zane, gathered around the table.

As the second Imperial Prince, the charismatic aura he exuded was only equal to that of his older brother.

"The situation with the Pendragon house is deteriorating faster than expected," Adrian announced, his features drawn from a night of analysis. "My intervention is imperatively required there. As a result, I will not be able to accompany you personally into the rift, so as not to alert them unnecessarily."

A heavy silence settled in. Kris clenched his fists, visibly annoyed by this change of plan.

"However," Adrian continued, his gaze fixing intensely on Isabella, "the mission remains priority. Isabella, you have my complete trust to carry it out successfully."

He then lowered his voice, stepping slightly closer. "Be especially careful with that... bitch," he murmured, "Keep the espadon on you, Isabella, as soon as you get your hands on it. Don’t take your eyes off it. You know its importance, don’t you?"

Isabella nodded, her face impassive but her eyes reflecting determination. "Understood, Prince Adrian."

Shortly after this meeting, as Adrian walked away with his guards to prepare for other meetings, Olivia burst into his apartments.

...

A few hours later, the small group gathered on the private loading dock of the imperial faction. The air carried a biting freshness. In front of them, an elegant airship with polished ebony wood hummed softly, its mana engines emitting a low rumble.

Isabella and Kris were already present, Zane methodically inspecting the perimeter with an inquisitive gaze.

Olivia was there too, dressed in practical travel attire for the expedition to the Tenebris continent, but her perfect silhouette could only make her sexy in any clothing.

Her gaze swept over the group, then settled on the vessel.

"Are we waiting for someone?" she asked, one eyebrow slightly raised.

Isabella, who was consulting a parchment, looked up. "He should arrive shortly."

Kris, who had never hidden his distrust of Olivia, turned toward his sister with an questioning glint in his eye. "Who?"

"Just a dashing young swordsman whose skills will complement yours," replied a sarcastically irritating voice.

It was at that moment that clear footsteps echoed on the cobblestones of the dock. Kaiser appeared, silhouetted in the morning light. He wore a long dark coat open over a sober combat outfit. He advanced with that characteristic nonchalance, hands in his pockets.

Olivia recognized him instantly. A visible wave of surprise crossed her face: "Y-You?! What are you doing here?"

Kris’s reaction was more immediate and more violent. He stepped forward between Kaiser and the group, his gaze turning icy. "This mission is supposed to be secret and discreet," he growled, turning toward Isabella. "What is this guy doing here? We can’t trust that unscrupulous bastard!"

"Calm down, Kris," Isabella said, rolling up the parchment with a sharp gesture. She stepped in between. "I’m the one who called him. His talent will be very necessary in the situation where our faction cannot mobilize its full force."

Kris shook his head vehemently, refusing to listen to reason. "Little sister, you shouldn’t trust that bastard! He would sell his own mother if the price was high enough. We never know which side he’s really on."

Kaiser, who had listened to the exchange with a half-smile, hands deeply sunk in the pockets of his coat, approached. He completely ignored Kris as if he were merely part of the scenery.

After all, there was no point in being impulsive with these insults when he could do better in terms of response.

With courtesy, he took Isabella’s hand and placed a light kiss on it, his gaze lingering on hers for a second too long. "Always a pleasure, Miss Isabella."

"Ahrr, you always overdo it, Kaiser ~" she said, smiling slightly.

Then he turned toward Olivia, executing a deep and elaborate bow worthy of the most formal court. "Kaiser D. Paragon," he declared, his voice laced with irony, "salutes the princess of Alexandria. An unexpected honor, but most pleasing."

Olivia maintained her royal calm mask, but a glint of irritation crossed her eyes. "Step back, Kaiser, you’re too close," she said in an even voice, placing a hand on his chest to push him away with firm but delicate pressure before sighing.

Inside her, however, the calculations were racing.

His presence here was not planned. She had meticulously planned to take advantage of the inherent chaos of the rift and the predictable distraction that Zane would cause to steal the espadon.

The arrival of Kaiser, this swordsman as talented as he was unpredictable, scrambled all her cards. Was he now Adrian’s ally? Had he made a separate deal with Isabella? Or was he pursuing his own objectives, unknown to all?

This variable, which she had absolutely not anticipated, transformed her plans into a more difficult maneuver. Her court smile became a little more strained, while her mind sought solutions.

’No matter, if he tries to stop me...’

...

The airship left the imperial port, its powerful mana engines emitting only a deep hum. It rose above the floating city, now flying over the sea.

Isabella stood at the bow, scanning the northern horizon, her gaze lost in contemplation of the flight plan. Kris, always on alert, inspected the compartments of the vessel, intermittently casting dark looks at Kaiser. Zane, imperturbable, was already sharpening a series of short blades in a corner.

Kaiser, for his part, seemed to consider the journey a pleasure cruise. He poured himself a glass of light wine from the small reserve and headed toward the port-side panoramic porthole, where Olivia was watching the passing landscape.

"The Donoghan duchy," he commented as he approached, glass in hand. "Renowned for its acidic vineyards... And, incidentally, for a very rare variety of grape that grows near the border. They say it has... interesting properties."