Chapter 63
- Well, is it time to meet your mother? - I turned to the cat-girls with a smile, looking at the island hovering near the capital.
-…
Still not getting an answer to my words, I looked at the cat girls, and they looked uncertain.
- There's no need to worry. I'm sure Shagota will be happy to see you. Besides, if everything in this world is as I remember, she even sacrificed her wing to give you life.
- Yes, you're right. We shouldn't be winding ourselves up. - Our Charlie said decisively, slapping herself on the cheeks. And then her sister pulled herself together.
- Follow me, I think it will be easier if I go ahead from now on. - Having said this, Charlie released her wings, which made her look like an angel, and flew up.
No one argued with her proposal, so I took on Wendy's help and flew up after her with the help of wind magic.
- Ahem. Wendy, wait. - Makarov suddenly called out to me.
- Did something happen, master? - I asked with a slight grin on my face.
- Will you help this old man?
- Can't you fly yourself?
- Wendy, don't make fun of the master, you know he can't do magic, - Elsa intervened.
- Oh, okay, here you go. - I threw Makarov two lacrimas, one with wind magic and one with light magic. - I think this should help you.
- Yes, thank you, - the old man thanked, with rather complex emotions from the understanding that he had been stupid, not having prepared properly.
It is quite remarkable that Mystogan, who flew thanks to one of his staffs, did not try to offer us pills that allow us to cast spells like in canon. It seems that he does not like that such dangerous magicians came to his world with a punitive mission.
We got to the sky island quite quickly and almost immediately our company was met by the Exceed guards. True, they looked more funny than menacing.
- What are you doing in the sacred lands of the Ixids! - the black cat pointed his halberd at us.
- We, the daughters of Queen Shagotta, have arrived for an audience, tell her that we have completed the task of finding salvation for our people from the predicted catastrophe. - our Charlie spoke for the first time in a very long time, taking on her usual cat appearance, and 2Charlie followed her.
"I don't remember the goddess having children," the cat frowned.
- Idiot! She personally sent her eggs along with 98 others. - the gray cat next to him hissed at his partner.
- You have brought us joyful news! We will immediately report your arrival to the queen. - the gray cat said joyfully, and then looked at us with disdain. - However, there is no place for people on our lands.
- They, my friends, are also directly connected to the prophecy. We will go to the audience together. - Charly said in an icy tone, while crushing the guards with her aura, which, as an S-rank mage who had undergone our training, was quite heavy.
- Y-yes, I beg your pardon, I will immediately report your arrival and guests to the queen. - The poor guard's hair stood on end in horror, and he did not dare to argue and flew off at great speed towards the palace. It is quite funny that Exceeds are able to freely use magic both in the land of Earth and in Edolas. But I suppose this is compensated by the fact that they are mostly weaklings. Of their entire race, I can only think of two Exceeds who are capable of fighting. That is our Charly, and by our standards, still weak Lily.
- Take us there, - Charlie ordered the black cat, and he quickly nodded his head and walked ahead, showing us the way.
We didn't walk for very long, literally 10 minutes from the edge of the island, we quickly reached the entrance to the palace, where a cat in a ceremonial outfit and a saber on his belt, which looked very similar to Ichiya, was already waiting for us, as well as a black cat with an incredibly long neck and, for some unknown reason, a hand twitching up and down, as if he was masturbating.
- Mmm... What a lovely scent. - the words of the sniffing cat-Ichiya greeted us, making us shudder a little in disgust. - I am the captain of the Imperial Guard of Extalia and my name is Ichiya.
- And I'm Nadi, the Minister of State, - the black cat introduced himself. - Let us show you the way, the queen is already waiting.
- By the way, this is your first time in Extalia, right? - Nadi asked, moving into the castle, and then, without waiting for an answer, continued. - We are Exceeds, the highest race, standing above humans and ruling them, it is from this castle that the queen rules over humans. You know, they are just terribly stupid creatures.
To be honest, I didn't even know how best to react to such offensive impudence: whether to get angry or laugh.
- And they stink terribly, just like that old man. - Ichiya the cat turned towards us, waving his paw in front of his nose.
- What did you say? - Makarov got seriously angry from such a statement and, apparently, already wanted to teach the insolent cats a lesson, but Charlie got ahead of him, who, having taken human form, grabbed the cats by the collar.
"You better watch what you say about my friends," the cat-girl growled menacingly, around which a black wind began to swirl from the magic of the heavenly god-slayer.
"B-but, they're just people," Ichiya said in a trembling voice.
- And they are also magicians capable of destroying this country on their own, unlike a weakling like you. - Charlie hissed, and then, releasing the cats to the ground, she ordered. - Lead us, and I don't want to hear your nonsense anymore.
- Y-yes, madam. - the Exceeds answered, bowing, and continued on their way in silence.
- How are they still alive with such arrogance? - I shook my head.
- Fear and luck. If only the people below would understand that those they feared were actually weak, the Exceeds would come to an end, and that is exactly what would have happened if not for our intervention. - Makarov answered me.
Hearing our words, the cats wanted to snap back, but they were stopped by Charlie's terrifying gaze.
"Isn't it too cruel to say that in front of them?" Wendy asked uncertainly.
- No, actually – it should give them a chance to mentally prepare for the queen to tell them the same thing, – Elsa explained.
- What makes you think the queen will tell us the same thing? - Ichiya asked aggressively, stopping.
- You'll find out during the audience. Now keep walking, - Charlie answered him.