Netori: Reborn as the Human Aphrodisiac

Chapter 143: My Ex Husband's Ex is Stealing My Son!

Established during a peace treaty between the Great Blood Empire and the Holy Balmaria, the Game of Muk'Bal was no doubt the most dangerous sport in the history of the Spiritual World, reserved for the high aristocracy, and pitting teams of templars and gurus in blood games of nine versus nine.

Even the "safe version" practiced in the Academy often resulted in gashing wounds, searing burns, and the occasional maiming. One maiming every five games. This horrifying ratio made Druids and Surgeons some of the highest-paying professions of the Purple Dawn, with the Coaches of Muk'Bal Teams all ranking among the highest-paid professionals in the region.

Take the Jade-Faced Academy for example. The Dean, Headmistress Achai, earned about 360,000 ener crystals per year. But the Chair of the Sanctuary Department, the Sanctuary Team's Head Coach, and all Sanctuary Coaches, really...made upward of 500,000.

And a whopping one million per year for the Sanctuary Team's head coach. This alone goes to show the demented importance that the Purple Dawn's elite put in the game of Muk'Bal. This importance reflected by the status of the game's star players. All treated as idols and honored across the land.

The Centers had it best, followed by the Strikers, the Playmakers, and the Line Guardians being the most overlooked despite the poor chaps' vital role and their risk of injury being the highest.

So developed was the game that it even had a league—the League—that recorded the points, achievements, and whatnot of each Muk'Bal player from time immemorial. Establishing various rankings across the eras, and rewarding players with titles, accolades, gifts and sponsorships.

But though the easiest way for a promising templar or guru to make bank, if Muk'Bal was that easy to dominate, it wouldn't have become the foundation of the Purple Dawn's entertainment and aristocratic culture.

About 900 students filled the auditorium's seats. All falling silent as Menaka's words pealed in their minds. If they had a seat in this lecture hall, it was because they were either experienced with the game of Muk'Bal, or star prospects handpicked to excel at the highest level.

AKA. Half the students here were expected to lose their lives in the Sanctuary to boost the Purple Dawn's overall battle prowess. No one would say this out loud, but those were the facts. Facts that many of those students' relatives didn't mind glossing over to make sure they could milk them for the house's glory.

And watching the panic sweeping through these students of aristocratic backgrounds, Ulric couldn't help but marvel at the Weaver's brilliance.

The simple paradox between the Sanctuary's opportunities and the threat of Muk'Bal battles had brought legions to Ulric's door, enabling him to boost his faction with tides of desperados who could legitimately lose their lives in the months to come if they didn't find new sources of power.

Said otherwise...the elders' pressure, exploitation, and machinations were driving their juniors to embrace the thigh of the Devil.

But as the highborn bastard's thoughts reached this point, the auditorium's doors opened, drawing the audience of hundreds to a divine couple that seized all attention and dazzled the room with their presence.

One, a raven-haired Adonis with an imposing frame backed by an irresistible aura. The other, a stately bombshell with a striking yet unusual pair of golden feline eyes. Mithras and Vel walked in.

The Queen Regent wasn't the only one to lose her shit. Menaka' knees buckling as she lurched towards her son.

Slightly taller than Akamana at 1.8 m, Menaka was to date the tallest named woman that Mithras had dealt with. Yet before her transcendent son, the dragoness looked tiny and unremarkable. It wasn't just the height gap. Mithras' aura covered the auditorium, silencing noise and gasps and keeping the audience on tiptoes.

Overwhelmed by the Prince's pressure, some students didn't even dare to breathe, turning blue as Mithras' eyes pierced through his mother. In that instant, Menaka realized Mithras wasn't really asking for her permission or cooperation. This wasn't even an order. Just a statement of how things were going to be.

The discomfort that Vel and the memories tied to her could cause his mom didn't matter. Mithras would attend his first class with his Co-Regent. As for Menaka...she just had to deal with it!

The dragoness' eyes turned red. And she clenched her fists, trembling as she lowered her head—keeping her eyes glued to the ground so she no longer had to see the rage and disappointment hidden in her son's gaze.

Here, even a fool could tell that the Prince of Astalon and the Lady of Tantares had a most unusual relationship. Some speculating that maybe Menaka was one of Mithras' 1,000-year-old demonesses. Mithras ignored them. Taking Vel to the pair of seats that Ishtar had reserved for them.

That his sister had already foreseen he'd arrive with a beauty in hands didn't surprise Mithras one bit. Ishtar knows me best—sometimes even better than I know myself.

As for Vel, though a bit uncomfortable with the Menaka situation, she didn't owe the dragoness anything.

Except for the ethical complications of dating a boy 2,482 years younger, she had done nothing wrong!

Clearing her throat, Vel'Asha pulled a page from Akamana's book, pretending to not notice the countless eyes staring her way as she cradled in Mithras' chest. Here, Menaka pulled in a deep breath, silencing her wild emotions to resume her lecture with impressive professionalism.

"One good example is worth a thousand words. To better introduce the game concepts, I will select two teams, one of experienced students, one made up of novices, and show you guys the basic concepts through their contest." Menaka started in a somewhat deflated tone.

But barely had the words crossed the dragoness' lips that a melodious voice boomed from a couple rows behind Mithras—capturing the audience.

"Why pick at random when the gods give you a fantasy matchup? Me and my guys volunteer...if the opponent is our dear prince and his crew of monsters," Celestia said, her words causing a dreary silence to fall on the auditorium.

The moment next, the audience went into an uproar, Menaka's eyes narrowing as she wondered what stunt the Jade-Faced Princess was trying to pull.