Chapter 327: A simple castle...
Dante was hovering in the air at this moment, his body floating as he observed with an expression of pure astonishment.
He didn't know how to react; his eyes could barely absorb the 'grandiosity' of the scene before him. He was looking at his 'new home'…
What had he asked for? Initially, just a simple castle to use as a base for him and his beautiful wives, a refuge from the outside world… But these crazy women… They had gone overboard! The 'simple castle' had turned into something much, much bigger!
The clearing, which was once a crater of considerable dimensions, had now become almost a kingdom in itself. It was a magical and natural fortress, a fusion of power and beauty that seemed to defy the laws of reality.
Beside him, Fey and Morgana floated peacefully, both with smiles of satisfaction as they watched Dante's reaction. Fey, with her almost ethereal serenity, observed her work with shining eyes, while Morgana, with a touch of amused arrogance, eagerly awaited Dante to say something, though his astonished look said enough.
"I-I… asked for a castle," Dante murmured, his voice incredulous as he continued to take in the details. "A simple castle, something modest to protect us… What the hell is this?" He commented, still unable to process what he was seeing.
"This?" Fey replied, embracing him from the side with a soft smile on her lips, her green hair floating in sync with the wind. "This is a gift for you, my dear. A place worthy of your greatness… and of us, your wives, of course," she said, giving him a small kiss on the cheek.
Fey was much more affectionate with him now, especially after he declared to everyone that she was Fey Scarlet, the World Tree… This had affected her somehow, and now, being officially his, she wanted to love him and be loved in return.
Morgana laughed beside them, seeing how she was acting now. After spending so much time building this place, fearing he might not like it, she made a gesture, relaxing in the air. "You wanted a functional castle. Fey and I just... enhanced the concept, after all, we need a war fortress capable of annihilating anyone," she said with a shrug, a mischievous smile on her face.
Dante turned to them, his mouth still agape. "Enhanced? I can see towers touching the sky, walls that seem made of living magic! There's a colossal tree in the center that I'm sure could take down half an army just by swaying its branches! You created a fortress? This looks like a Living City!
A Kingdom! In a Crater!"
"Well, technically, it can annihilate anything airborne that tries to approach… not to mention the barriers and, well… My original body is down there under the tree," Fey said with a mischievous smile.
"But I made sure it would only act with your permission, my little daughter wouldn't attack my handsome husband, ever," Fey assured, referring to the tree in the center as her "daughter," which, well, was true—the tree in the center was a creation meant to protect this place.
Dante put his hands on his head, still trying to process. "This isn't a castle, it's an entire kingdom! There are floating bridges in the air! Waterfalls descending directly from the sky! Even the stones glow, Fey!" He said, pointing to some spots that seemed to have come out of a mystical, magical world. "Look at that!
How is that even working?" He said, pointing to a floating island that poured a waterfall into a stream running through the city.
"Rank 2 Gravity Magic, thankfully it's very weak, just decorative, no risk of falling. I made sure the tree is literally the center; it maintains all the magic functioning while releasing the barrier that hides us from the world," Morgana said calmly as if it were nothing… And well, for her, a Supreme Rank Mage who only lost to the Queen of Witches, this was indeed child's play.
"You turned that tree into a sustainable mana generator?" Dante looked incredulous.
"Oh, you noticed that," Morgana said, playfully nudging Dante on the shoulder, laughing. "I decided to use a luminosity spell on the stones too. You know, to give it that ancient magic touch. Something classic, classic is good."
Dante turned to her, eyes narrowed. "Classic? Morgana, this looks like the realm of the gods! If I invite someone here, they'll think I'm some kind of deity!"
Morgana shrugged, maintaining her good humor. "Well, considering you're married to a Demon Goddess, a Celestial Dragon, and a World Tree... I'd say it's only a matter of time before you ascend to divinity. Besides, you're already a God in human terms—the God of Hell." Morgana said, shrugging again. That was something Dante hadn't even thought of...
If the progenitor of Angels was a Goddess, then why wouldn't he, the Progenitor of Hell, be one too?
'Stop daydreaming, you're far from becoming a God of this sector. At least you have a concept, but it's pointless to be a God without a defined concept.' After months, Dante finally heard that familiar voice again… 'You're back, you lazy bum! Get back to work!' Dante shouted internally at Alter-Dante. "Tsk, screw you, I've spent months rebuilding this messed-up soul you damaged," he replied.
While Dante was engaged in an internal argument with the newly returned voice, Fey let out a soft laugh, her arms wrapping around Dante once again, bringing his attention back to the present. "My dear, we know you deserve far more than just a simple castle. This place... is a reflection of the power you wield and your accomplishments.
We wanted to give you a home as grand as the man who governs it," she said, sounding like a woman both intelligent and adoring of her husband.
"Okay," he finally said, raising a hand. "Let's recap. I asked for a functional castle to protect us. Now I have a kingdom. A kingdom that, honestly, seems more fortified than anything I've ever seen."
Morgana nodded, satisfied with herself. Well, she was proud of her work! It had taken a long time to create, so she deserved some credit! "Exactly. And you're welcome."
"No, no," Dante continued, shaking his head as he spoke to both of them. "I'm impressed, don't get me wrong. But how exactly am I supposed to explain this to the others? I mean, there are so many things here, each one could have their own house!"
Fey blinked innocently. "Explain what? That we created the perfect place for them to live in comfort and security? Darling, if you show them this, they'll love it. Each of them gets their own home and doesn't have to be cramped with the others, enormous training areas to play in, the best equipment for training—everything of the finest quality, something, well... the palace of Aldria doesn't have."
Dante laughed. "You two... definitely have a very different definition of the word 'perfect.'"
Morgana floated beside him, leaning forward with a mischievous smile. "Come on, Dante. Admit it. This is spectacular. You didn't expect anything this grand, but now that you've seen it, you can't help but imagine yourself using this place, can you?"
Dante glanced at her sideways, but a smile began to form on his lips. "I admit, it's... impressive. But this is still too much. How on earth did you manage to do all of this so quickly?"
Fey smiled and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "I'm the World Tree, my love. Time is malleable when it comes to nature. The magic of creation is in my roots. Besides, Morgana has powerful abilities that complement mine."
Morgana smiled proudly. "I just added a bit of glamour and arcane magic. We made a great team, don't you think?"
Dante looked from one to the other and finally gave in, throwing his hands up. "Alright, alright! You two are incredible. This place... it's beyond what I could've imagined. I think I can get used to it.
Maybe."
Fey gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek, her soft touch grounding him amidst the chaos in his mind. "We know deep down you like it, darling. And this place was made for us. For you, for your wives, for our family."
"And this," Morgana added with a mischievous look, "is just the beginning. Imagine what we can build from here on."
Dante sighed, but couldn't help laughing. "You two are impossible."
He looked once again at the kingdom, the living magic pulsing around him, and finally accepted that this was now his home. It was imposing, breathtaking, and completely outside his usual reality... but it was his.
"So," Dante said, a mischievous smile crossing his face as he looked at the two, "How long until I find a secret dungeon full of monsters down below?"
Fey chuckled softly. "Oh, a secret dungeon? Not just yet. Although, if you'd like, I can arrange something…"
Morgana raised an eyebrow. "We should think about that. A little extra fun for boring nights... a place to throw enemies so they can be devoured… hmm… it's a good idea."
Dante shook his head, laughing in exasperation. "I'm going to regret giving that idea, aren't I?"
"Probably," Fey responded with a charming smile.
They slowly descended towards the ground, and Dante began to realize that despite all the visual chaos, there was something deeply familiar and comforting about it all. The smell of the forest, the gentle breeze carrying the freshness of the leaves... everything emanated life and energy.