Chapter 154. Conquest (1) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Regan Although Leah was no longer in Estia, her heart was still trapped in the palace of that country. The Queen had been hurting her for a very long time. She would not recover easily. Ishakan frowned as he looked at her, remembering the way she had begged him for help. —Help me with this, Ishakan. He could not understand her anxiety. After he saw her suffering through nightmares and hallucinations, he had bound her as she requested to let her know she was in a safe place. He wanted her to understand that she was in his domain now, not the Queen’s. But it seemed to him it wasn’t enough. It was a problem that couldn’t be resolved until the root cause was eradicated. Ishakan chuckled, gently stroking Leah’s forehead with his fingers. He imagined a crown in her silver hair as he brought his pipe back to his mouth. *** The Kurkans who had just returned to the palace were very busy. Since they had been away for a long time, there was a great deal of unfinished business, but they were constantly being disturbed. The cause was the King’s bride, who had been kidnapped from Estia. Unable to satisfy their curiosity with Ishakan himself, the Kurkans harassed those who had been to Estia with him. Genin and Haban barely managed to escape. “I’m really going to die,” Haban muttered as he pushed open the conference room door. It was a huge door that stretched from the floor to the ceiling, and could have only been opened by several adults in most places. For a Kurkan, however, it posed no problem. Genin and Haban bowed politely and offered greetings as they entered the conference room, where a dozen Kurkans were seated at a long ebony table decorated with gold. The room was covered in colorful arabesque tiles, a place where the tribal chiefs gathered. Haban and Genin were here as the King’s guards. Morga, as chief of the snake tribe, was also seated at the table and looking exhausted. He had come to the meeting directly after rising from sleep. He had been sleeping ever since they returned to the palace. “Where is the King?” One chief asked. “Ishakan is breeding...” Genin answered immediately. Beside her, Haban nudged her. “Now that Leah is here, let’s not use that word,” he whispered. “Ah,” Genin said, and corrected, “Mating...” Haban nudged her again. Genin hesitated. “S3x...?” She offered uncertainly, and at Haban’s nod, she continued more firmly, “He’s trying hard at s3x.” Watching the two idiots, Morga smiled. “I’m... worried,” Genin added, frowning. “Yes. I think it will be too much for Leah,” Haban agreed, with a serious expression. Although Kurkans might have s3x for several days, Leah was a completely different creature. Picturing the thin, weak woman, Morga’s eyes trembled. “I think I have a little guilt...” he muttered. The door opened and everyon rose from their seats in respect. The man who entered sat naturally at the head of the table, and Genin and Haban took their places behind him. Only after he was seated did the other chiefs sit down. Ishakan looked at each of the Kurkans gathered in the conference room. “We have gathered again after so long,” he said, holding out a hand. Haban had already prepared his pipe for him, and Ishakan accepted it, moving immediately to the chief matter. “In a month’s time, we will begin the conquest of Estia.” He smiled at the surprised look on his people’s faces. “Wouldn’t it be great to give it to my bride as a wedding present.”