Chaos Heir

Chapter 1236 Request

That happy news would often lead to prolonged private and intimate moments, especially considering the couple in question. However, the situation didn't allow Khan and Liiza to stay still and enjoy that small miracle.

Khan had to stop his ship to let Ilman and Zalpa board it, and stillness was a risk for people in hiding. The presence of the Niqols' vessel was another glaring issue. Besides, as much as Zalpa had agreed to help Liiza, Khan didn't know on what terms.

Ilman and Zalpa's arrival was strange in general. Khan could understand how Zalpa had found Liiza but would have expected fleets of Niqols' ships to have surrounded him by then. That lack of immediate repercussions confused Khan, but only the two aliens had the answers to his doubts.

So, after a while, Khan and Liiza reappeared before the Niqols' ship's entrance. Liiza clung to Khan's arm, only wearing a faint smile that couldn't hide the brimming happiness on her face. Khan also wore a slightly idiotic smirk, feeling like a child who had just received the best present in the world.

Ilman had learned about the matter from Zalpa in the meantime, and his proud smirk couldn't make that knowledge more evident. Zalpa was still on the floor, but she turned and straightened herself when she sensed the couple's return.

Khan and Liiza crossed the boundary between the two ships before stopping and facing the Niqols. As much as they had serious topics to discuss, the couple had an announcement to make first.

"[We are expecting]," Liiza exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement but still showing some coy happiness when Khan's blue light shone on her.

"[Congratulations]!" Ilman laughed loudly. "[There has never been a better or more deserving union! We must celebrate]!"

Khan and Liiza both laughed, and the latter giggled a bit longer when Ilman and her man exchanged proud, knowing nods. Even if ten years had passed, those two powerful individuals could still act like boys, and Liiza couldn't blame them since she felt childish herself at that moment.

"[How are those two horny kids even about to become parents]?" Zalpa cursed under her breath. "[I was too old for this decades ago]."

"[Come on, Zalpa]," Khan called, and Zalpa could only heave a helpless sigh when looking at Liiza's bright face.

"[Congratulations]," Zalpa announced, performing a polite Niqols' bow. "[I will still cast curses on your entire family if something happens to Lii]."

Khan and Liiza could only chuckle again. She even placed her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes to bathe herself in the moment and his warmth.

"[Liiza told me you have agreed to help with the pregnancy]," Khan mentioned, knowing it was time to talk about the elephant in the room. "[But what do we do with the Niqols]?"

Liiza truly needed all the help she could get. Her body had surpassed human standards, but Khan's genes had many dangerous perks. The result of that union might suffer from deadly mutations, and it was unclear if even someone as strong as her had what it took to see that pregnancy to its end.

Zalpa might know methods to steer eventual mutations in a stable direction. The new old ways the Niqols had developed probably could help with that. Yet, Liiza would need constant check-ups and resources, which Khan would struggle to find if he were busy fighting a war against her species.

"[The Niqols don't know we are here]," Zalpa revealed, seemingly unwilling to admit that truth. "[I thought I could talk some sense into her before involving the tribes and Elders, but you horny kids have beaten me to it]."

Despite the grumpy boasts, Liiza was genuinely dear to Zalpa. She had already proven as much ten years ago, accepting annoying compromises to help her, her human boyfriend, and the species that had turned its back on the old ways. It was no different now, especially with something as serious as Liiza's pregnancy.

"Aren't you cute?" Khan couldn't help but exclaim, but Liiza pulled his hair, trying to scold him with her eyes while her bright smile refused to fade.

"[Listen to me, Khan]," Zalpa snorted. "[I'm helping just because it's Lii. I haven't accepted you or anything]."

"[She is using my name more often]," Khan whispered to the head on his shoulder. "[I think she likes me]."

"[Stop]," Liiza giggled, pulling Khan's hair again. "[Pretend you don't notice. She'll get grumpy again otherwise]."

Zalpa didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She was one of the best Shamans of her generation, an authority on Nitis, but those two horny kids didn't even bother to hide how lightly they were taking her.

It didn't help that Khan and Liiza had the strength to back up that casual behavior. Zalpa would never admit it, but both had surpassed her and by a wide margin, too.

"[Zalpa only hides behind her grumpiness]," Ilman shouted, laughing. "[You couldn't be in better hands now that she has offered her help]."

Zalpa couldn't help but glance at Ilman and his proud smirk. That intense idiot had probably meant that as a compliment, which it was, but the lack of seriousness irked Zalpa to no end. It turned out the couple had even affected a person as dutiful as Ilman.

"[But didn't she accept me already]?" Khan wondered, still immersed in his private world with Liiza. "[I remember her saying that after I got the tattoo]."

"[Don't remind her]," Liiza scolded, faking a gasp. "[Her denial is how she keeps her pride]."

"[I said approval, not acceptance]!" Zalpa cursed, suddenly realizing her mistake and quickly changing topics. "[I'm not doing this for free, either. I expect you to take into account my help when you face the Niqols in the future]."

Khan understood what Zalpa meant, but his mind was clear on that point.

"[Zalpa, do you really think I would like to hurt the Niqols]?" Khan asked. "[It's why I hid with Liiza in the first place. The last thing I want is a war against your species]."

Khan couldn't have been more honest, but his following, darker words also carried that feature. "[But I have a family now, and there is no planet I wouldn't burn to protect it]."

Zalpa saw that again as clear as day. She knew about Khan's curse and the effects it might have had on its psyche. She had also seen his performance during the sunlight crisis and how resilient he had been during those tragic times.

Khan was twisted and selfless. He had shown as much in the village by the lake and the many battles that followed. Yet, Khan wielded untold power now and had dared to be selfish for the first time in his life. Zalpa's knowledge and experience were immense, but even she couldn't predict how far he would go to protect what he loved.

Chances were Khan had no limits in that field, so Zalpa took his threat very seriously.

"[Your feelings for each other are undeniable]," Zalpa sighed, diverting her gaze to avoid admitting defeat. "[The Niqols had already accepted them back then. They wouldn't be Niqols if they rejected them now]."

Zalpa's sudden change of behavior came as a surprise, but the couple didn't tease her and fell silent. The old Niqols was finally giving them hope to restore a decent relationship with her species, and they wanted to hear it.

"[Having a child will also help]," Zalpa continued. "[You aren't married, but that's a triviality at this point]."

Khan and Liiza exchanged a glance, but she quickly diverted her eyes, sorting through her thoughts. Technically, her authority was enough to sanction their marriage, but it was unorthodox for the wife to host it. The couple didn't even have witnesses when that happened, making the matter hard to explain.

Nevertheless, Khan had a better solution that didn't involve a fight between Liiza and Zalpa. He joined his hands before his chest, bending forward to perform a traditional Niqols' bow. The gesture inevitably attracted Zalpa's attention, and the polite words that followed threatened to make her utter a hopeless groan.

"[Zalpa]," Khan called, mustering all the seriousness he was capable of while keeping his gaze lowered in respect. "[Please, marry us]."

Zalpa had just reaffirmed how strong Khan had become in her mind, but that very monster was bowing to her now. The scene was both unbelievable and amusing, but Liiza soon imitated him, joining him in that polite gesture.

"[Please, Zaza]," Liiza requested.

Ilman's eyes lit up, and he tried to approach the couple to join the line of bows, but Zalpa promptly grabbed his arm, stopping him. She wouldn't let his cluelessness ruin that romantic moment. There was no point anyway. As much as Zalpa would complain, she already knew she would do it.

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