Chapter 1767 – Metal Claws
“Can you tell me about the western tiger clans?” John asked.
Lu Zhi looked at John. After a short delay, her eyes went wide, then she charged at him. “Who told you about them?! WHY DID YOU SAY THAT NAME?!”
Laughing, John pushed the imperial tomboy off him and back into her position on the other end of the bathtub. There was barely any divide. In fact, the bathtub was so short that their outstretched legs were interlocked. “If you had kept the meme phrase to yourself, maybe I would have believed your ploy for a little bit.”
The Chinese empress smirked, then hid her mouth behind a jade fan. “Who is to say I did not want to be found out immediately?” The pupils of her green eyes sharpened into slits. “Yet, we must ask in seriousness what purpose you have for this question? The tribes of the west are a sour topic for us.”
“Lydia only told me that you have clans of metal mages in the west that specialize in the usage of metal claws, gauntlets, and even entire limbs. I would like such a person to help Fianna with learning about metal magic.”
“I see, so her knowledge was limited but present.” Lulu folded the fan up and made it disappear with a turn of her wrist. “The western tribes do indeed specialize in such magic. A blessing of the White Tiger, no doubt.”
“So, the Cardinal Beasts exist even when you do not use your Babel Phrase?” John wondered.
“Their spirits roam in a greatly lessened state, yes,” the imperial tomboy confirmed. “They scarcely intervene, but they do exist. When the time comes, they will manifest in the proper forms and with the proper power, seeking out those that will wield it as their own.”
“Interesting… and what makes this a sour topic?”
Lu Zhi’s fingers drummed on the edge of the bathtub. “A spa date in the back of your apartment I was promised and now I am discussing discomforting things,” she lamented.
“I was promised anal the other day, and here you are, sitting across from me,” John bantered right back.
“I can only have that first time once, I want it to line up neatly!” Lulu insisted, then sighed. “The White Clans, as we call them, are Tibetans.”
“Ah.” John did not get the full picture with that mention alone, so he had to ask, “Can you give me the details? I only know the mundane side of history.”
“Tibet, for most of our shared history, has been in our sphere of influence. At times, this took the form of tributary, in others we were their suzerain, and sometimes we governed them outright. Long and complicated is the weave, but troubles boil down to the last two generations. The current leader of Tibet is sinophobic.”
“…Yeah, I need more details still.” John poked her thigh with his big toe. “Don’t make me pull everything out of you.”
“Oh, don’t worry, when the time comes I won’t let you pull out.” Biting her lower lip, the imperial tomboy wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “The situation is complicated and yet very simple. The Tibetans on the Abyssal side also choose a Dalai Lama. Once the current leader dies, they go into 18 years of mourning. Afterwards…” She stopped to let him finish the thought.
“…they search for a Latebloomer that was born the day on or shortly after the last Dalai Lama died,” the Gamer followed so far and intuited the rest. “Ah, and the one that was chosen was poorly impacted by the warlord period and the following Communist takeover?”
“Quite so. In other ages, we would be beating on their front door for recognition of our supremacy.”
“Maybe you should send them a delegation of nice diplomats instead?” John suggested.
“Great powers do not apologize for the actions others have taken,” Lu Zhi disagreed. “Would you like to start sending gift bags to people in the Middle East, American?”
“Point taken,” John gave. “So these White Clans are out of your reach?”
“Weeeeeeeeell, I wouldn’t say that.” Gently waving her hand over the surface, the Chinese empress created ripples, travelling towards her future spouse. “The border regions have many loyalists that respect the Mandate of Heaven over the Reincarnated King. I may or may not have strings that I can pull… What exactly would you wish from this exchange?”
“Fianna, my scout, had to replace her arms with prosthetics due to recent events. She has a small aptitude for metal magic and she wants to try and expand that into a way to use those metal arms to their full capacity.”
“Then they would indeed fit her desire. Truth be told, the White Clans are doing themselves a disservice by making metal magic so dominant in their culture. More than usual with the aptitude are born among them, but plenty do not have it.”
“So, there is a wealth of people that have figured out how to tickle all the worth they can out of what little magic they do have,” John summarized.
“Straight on, smart as always.” One of Lulu’s legs broke the surface of the water. “You may massage the empress’ feet. It is a great honour.”
“Indeed, it is.” John took the slender foot between his fingers and began the work of loosening any stress kept in those muscles. All but melting, Lulu sunk deeper into the water of the tub. Her chin barely remained above the surface. “What do you suggest?”
“A message shall be sent to your offices offering the services to teach people of your nation. You shall pay the person handsomely with the produce of your Guild Hall. All shall remain quiet on this affair. Our name will not be associated with it, but our allies in Tibet will know the value of their connection to the Middle Empire.”
“And if it is discovered?” John wondered.
Lu Zhi pulled one foot back and placed the other between his hands. “It shall not matter. We have no designs on Tibet in the near or middle future. For all the metals that can be won from its Natural Barriers, it is ultimately an inconsequential plot of land. Your resources bring us greater prosperity.” She grinned the tomboy’s grin. “Let them wonder about our intentions if it is discovered. I have no greater schemes for this.”
“How unusual,” John hummed.
“You know as well as I that plans work best when resources are aligned ahead of time.”
“So, you do have designs on Tibet after all?”
“In the long run.” Lu Zhi kept a keen eye on him. “Tibet is part of the Mandate of Heaven.”
“You do sound tense about it.”
“Talks about the region with westerners often turn sour.”
John could understand why. As a previously mundane American, he expected the words ‘oppression’ to be used whenever China and Tibet were mentioned in the same sentence. Taking that notion and applying it to the Abyss was something he was too smart for.
“I am not any westerner, I am your westerner,” he reminded her.
“That you are,” Lulu purred.
The imperial tomboy tried to poke his face with her big toe. The act made John laugh, mostly because she had to submerge herself fully in order to stretch the whole way. Feeling silly, John caught her toes with his teeth afterwards. Lulu’s head broke through the surface of the water. “You tashte good,” he teased her, still nibbling on her.
“I am not that kind of snack,” she admonished him jokingly.
John let her toes go, but only to pick her up by the waist. “I think we have soaked for long enough,” he said and lifted her out. Holding her naked body in the proper princess carry, he asked, “Sauna or massage table?”
“Sauna,” Lulu decided.
John turned right into his personal sweating room. It was already heated all the way up. The usual energy concerns that came with keeping a sauna running 24/7 were gone when magic was involved. He and Lulu sat down on the wooden boards. “Can I ask some more about your Babel Phrase?”
“What brings the curiosity?” the Heavenly Jade Empress asked.
“You mentioned the Vermillion Phoenix a few days ago and now you mentioned the White Tiger, so I am naturally curious. Do the other two have people they usually pick from as well?”
“I can only say that the Vermillion Phoenix is likely to choose Vinh because she matches the usual profile. Aggressive, violent, proud, someone who throws herself in the battle first to protect those with her, all of that.” Lulu wiped her forehead off with the back of her hand. “The White Tiger is not as reliable in their choosing and neither are the Black Turtle or Azure Dragon. The White Tiger chooses someone with power over metal, that much is known. The Azure Dragon prefers those of great magical potential and of at least partial draconic heritage, that, too, is known. The Black Turtle is a mystery. Its chosen usually appear clad in a massive black armour and scarcely socialize outside the battlefield.”
“Any specific clans associated with any of them?”
“Many for the Azure Dragon, the most of the four actually. They live in the densely populated east of the nation. Many attempt to echo our glory by choosing to associate themselves with the second most important dragon of the Middle Empire.” Lulu stretched. “A vainglorious struggle, but entertaining in its own way. None of it matters, we shall not use that power.”
John sensed that the topic was boring his imperial tomboy, so he chose not to drill further. They just sweated together in sacred silence for a little while. They headed out and went for a shower. Afterwards, they went to the living room. It was empty.
“Dangit,” Lulu cursed.
“What?” John asked. “Did you want to have sex?”
“I wanted to get my throat fucked,” the imperial tomboy put it more crassly. “Alas, I am bound by our agreement. No sex unless other haremettes are present.”
John was certain they would make an exception for this situation, but he also was happy to have a relaxed date. After the stunt Lydia had pulled with him earlier that day, he felt like some genuine cuddle time. ‘Snacks before and during cuddles,’ he reminded himself. “Want something to eat?”
“Are you offering to cook?” Lulu sounded genuinely surprised. “I thought your hands were incapable of preparing food.”
“Yes, yes, without Aclysia I cannot even dress myself,” John took the joke out of her mouth. “Do you want to test that theory or do you want to just sass at me?”
“I do quite enjoy being smug.”
“I have noticed.”
“It endears you.”
“Oh, immensely so,” John agreed and headed for the kitchen. He checked the fridge. “I can toss a sandwich together or I can put actual effort in.”
“Show me effort,” the imperial tomboy said.
And so John did. Granted, what he did was nothing too impressive anyway. Using a baguette, cucumber, tomato, salami, bacon, cheese and more cheese, he created a nicely stacked sandwich that was then kept in the oven for the appropriate amount of time to get nice and toasty. A culinary masterpiece it was not, but it at least proved that he could live by himself – in theory.
“That was pretty…” Lulu hid the little burb behind her raised hand, “…good.”
“I have limited abilities beyond looking good and pleasing women,” John joked.
“You are quite good at pleasing the nagging sex.” Nuzzling up against him, the imperial tomboy tapped her empty shoulder. The signal was understood and John put his arm around her. “What else have you planned for the night?”
“Nothing, honestly,” he told her. “It’s difficult to plan when it’s us two.”
Lulu nodded proudly. “All the world knows us, such a horrid state of affairs. Ah, were we only two normal people – we could take over the world together.” She hesitated for a moment. “I do genuinely envy Jane. She got to ascend with you from nothing.”
“I love you all the same,” he told her.
Mouth open, she gazed up at him. It was as if this was the first time he had said that to her. She reacted just like the actual first time he actually had. Blushing deeply, she hugged his side twice as intensely. “Say that again!” she demanded.
“I love you,” he did, bowing down to her.
She stretched up, her jade lips soon only a breath away from his. “Again…!” she insisted quietly.
“I love you.”
“Hnmnnhehehee!” She made adorable little Lulu noises, then they kissed. Imperial or not, John was of the humble opinion that tomboys were the best kissers. She put her all into it, holding nothing about her feelings back, and just… made out with him for as long as the two of them wanted to.
It was his own little heaven.