Reincarnated as the Only Human-Chapter 935: Pre Made Decision

I looked between the three Nobles and thought it over, my mind drifting between various parts of the conversation while they all chuckled and smiled at one another, enjoying the warm and relaxed atmosphere.

They were discussing something that was going to happen to my wife like it was a done deal, and although I could understand why they would assume that Rhefia would agree to do this before even asking her it still irritated me a little.

"Why are you three all assuming that Rhefia would say yes to going to this Jaded Mountain place to kill a bunch of bandits? What if she were to say no?"

Renna opened her mouth to reply before just pressing her lips into a thin line as she glanced at Leonisa, causing the Lionkin to smirk as she sank into her chair and swirled her brandy around; all the while Fenkar was just grinning as she did the same, all three of the Nobles apparently thinking the same thing.

"The reason, Astra, is incredibly simple. This is the only way for her to quickly and easily get her freedom back, to come back into her home not as a criminal, but as a hero, as a talented, storied, loved warrior who just so happened to face some hardship.

She could decline - you could convince her, or perhaps she has changed during her exile - but that would only mean relying on the Queen's eventual pardon that would undoubtedly come through, though that might take us into Summer, maybe even into Autumn.

If you are fine waiting, then by all means, wait. Otherwise, she is going to head on up to the Jaded Mountain and clear those bandits out for me because it gets her back home quicker. No one else can offer the same guarantees as me, nor can anyone set up a more perfect catalyst for her return."

There was a glint in her red eyes as she said that, and it was one that gave me pause as I weighed what I was about to say, only to speak up in a neutral tone as I asked "Did you put these bandits here as a way to secure my cooperation?", earning a laugh from the Lionkin.

"I would love to say that I can play chess like this, Astra, but reality is often far more bland and mundane than that. No, I had no hand in creating a bandit group that harasses my people, and no I had no idea that any of this would happen. I just studied the board in front of me and picked my moves carefully."

"What she means, Astra, is that her investigations into my sudden vacation and into the appearance of you as my Secretary turned lover yielded good results that she wanted to make use of. This bandit group expedites her moves and allows her to get what she wants quicker, so she is going to use you and your family while also giving something to you."

The two Duchesses suddenly seemed like different people - at the very least I was seeing a side of them that I hadn't really seen before - as they both stared at me, the calculative gleam in their eyes being far colder than I was accustomed to, giving me a chill that just didn't sit right with me.

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"You might not like how manipulative and calculative both of our wonderful Duchesses are, Astra, but you must understand that the world will always operate on give and take. Right now, Leonisa is taking a talented warrior and putting her into a position that yields great rewards for her, while she is giving you the promise of your wife's charges being dropped.

This is the position you are in simply because of your lack of... power. Established, respected power, anyways. People can see that you have so many talents and abilities, that you have so many wonderful people standing beside you, so they will be attempting to use you. It's how the world works. Some of us are more open about it than others."

Fenkar was more relaxed and 'welcoming' compared to the other two as she smiled at me, the familiar twinge of lust that adorned her expression comforting me as she pointedly stared at my breasts before showing off one of her fangs, reminding me of what we had done before coming here.

None of this sat right with me, but it was as Renna had said after she had been with Arani for the first time; I have become so accustomed to having full control that the moment I lose some of it, I just don't know what to do.

I panic a little and my mind is working far more on so many different aspects of my immediate surroundings that I cannot find comfort anywhere, and I hated it; as someone who lived because of pleasure, being forced into a state where I was ignoring it was just going against my very reason of existence.

"Don't take it to heart, Astra. What I stand to gain from this is the same as what you stand to gain; the tying of a loose end, a fresh start, and one hell of a reintroduction to the Queendom. I will not apologize for making this decision beforehand and without you, but I will say that I am glad I found it out before many others had. The pieces are all there, after all."

Leonisa was still smiling at me, and for a moment I wanted to shout at her and vent some of my frustrations, but that would just be counterproductive and unnecessary, so instead I took a deep breath and just looked away from her, not wanting to deal with her for the time being.

She just chuckled softly, took a sip and returned to her paperwork, while Renna reached over and pat my knee as she added "The apple didn't really even drop from the tree, Astra. Aethisia looks a lot like her Dama, and the swagger she has is too familiar for those that remember her. Besides... it isn't like she hides herself back at the compound either."

It was Fenkar's turn to laugh as she chimed in as well, the older Wolfkin draining her glass and getting up to fill it back up, her voice slipping into my ears as she walked right past me, saying "To satiate my curiosity I sent one of my older pups over to take a peek, and they told me they saw this familiar Deerkin sparring with the former Captain Sari. Didn't really need to look into it anymore than that; it was obviously someone like Rhefia, and the details they gave confirmed it."