(MC POV)
"And that's another checkmate," I announced, moving my chariot right beside Elaria's general.
Elaria giggled, "Ehehe~ Looks like I still can't beat Onii-sama in this~"
"Mmhmm, don't think I don't know you have been playing this against the other girls too. I believe you had been quite proud to win against all of them."
She pouted, "It was their idea to play with me!"
"Yes, yes, now come here for your punishment."
She hopped out of her seat and settled on my lap, cuddling into my embrace while giggling like a schoolgirl.
I knew having continuous losses against me would be a blow to her pride so we came up with the punishment and reward thing for our chess session.
Every loss she had allowed me to do anything I wanted to her for five minutes and in the event she won her first game, she could request anything from me within reason.
My 'punishments' usually ends up as a short cuddle session which spans past the allocated time since she likes it anyway, thus her enthusiasm even with her loss.
I stroked her hair gently while she cuddled closer, purring like a kitten.
No doubt the other girls would soon request the same treatment as Elaria and I was prepared to satisfy them all as is the natural thing to do.
Just then, Cai Hong waddled up to me and tugged at my sleeve, "Papa! Papa! Lookie!"
I watched as the loli dragon placed her palms together for a moment before separating, a crystalline ball of ice forming in between them.
"Ohhh~ That's so great Cai Hong! Papa is proud of you!" I cooed, patting her cute little head.
"Ehehehe~ Papa kissies?" She asked, making grabbing motions with her hands.
I leaned down and gave her forehead a kiss, the little dragon giggling when I did so.
"I never actually thought I would see you like this. You never struck me as a family man," Sophia commented, standing just a short distance away to the side.
All of my disciples had unanimously decided that it would make more sense for Sophia to serve under me directly, especially since Elaria was still new to the group. The rest of them had already chosen their own servants and Cai Hong's was fidgeting nervously behind her.
I was quite surprised to learn that Joanne was actually only two years younger than my current self was, I would have thought her to be the same age as Cai Hong, or rather the same apparent age as Cai Hong.
"I guess people can change over the years, no?" I mused, giving Cai Hong's hair another ruffle. "Then again, I did kind of lose my previous memories so I might be a different person altogether."
Elaria sat up with a slight frown, "Onii-sama will always be Onii-sama no matter what happens!"
"Mnnn! Papa will be Cai Hong's Papa, always!" Cai Hong agreed, hugging my leg.
I patted both of their heads, "Yes, yes. Now shall we continue your lessons?"
Cai Hong skipped back to where Lian Li, Manami and Kiyomi were meditating while Elaria settled back in the seat opposite me, waiting patiently for me to reset the board to start the next round.
Before I could do so, Sect Master Qing appeared at the entrance of my courtyard.
"Master Lin? Apologies for the intrusion but are you available right now?"
I rose from my seat, "Sect Master Qing, is there a problem?"
He shook his head, "It's not a problem but… There are a few people that are seeking an audience with you in the Grand Hall."
"Oh? Who are they?"
"It's Sect Master Feng and a few Elders and Masters from the Phoenix Sect are there too."
I frowned, "Phoenix Sect? What do they want?"
Sect Master Qing smiled wryly, "I believe you already know the answer to that, Master Lin."
"What, did Guiying already start her purge on the Sects?"
He shook his head, "No, at least, not yet. But she had just executed the heads of three Major Houses yesterday."
Sophia chuckled, "Those Sects thought that the Queen might not be daring enough to get rid of the big names. They only saw connecting with Master Lin as a backup plan and are now living to regret it."
Sect Master Qing raised an eyebrow at her, "I'm sorry, Master Lin, this is?"
I waved his concern away, "Don't mind her, she's one of the servants sent to me from one of the Sects. Now, I believe I should go meet Sect Master Feng to see what he wants."
Elaria pouted at me, "What about me? Am I supposed to just play against myself?"
I was about to agree that she do just that when Sophia spoke up again, "If Master Lin allows it, I can be Lady Elaria's opponent."
Both of us turned to her with raised eyebrows.
"You know the game rules?" I asked.
She smiled at me, "I am a quick learner, Master Lin. Watching the two of you play is enough for me to learn the game."
Well, since she said so… I shrugged, "Mm… Go ahead then."
She bowed her head as I turned to leave, following Sect Master Qing out of my courtyard.
As usual, the Sect members we passed by bowed their heads at us, though somehow I felt most, if not all, of them directed more reverence to me than Sect Master Qing for some reason.
"For Sect Master Feng himself to come all the way here, he must think his situation to be quite desperate," I commented.
Sect Master Qing chuckled, "Ahaha, they were all given the chance for redemption but they had chosen to squander it. Right now it's just to see who can swallow their pride and who would choose to throw away their life to save face."
"That's… A rather blunt way to put it."
"It might be, but it is also the truth. Frankly speaking, I didn't think Phoenix Sect to be the first one to cave in. I would have thought Sect Master Feng would have resisted to the end."
I shook my head, "Didn't he go out of his way to invite me to his Sect during the Sect Showcase Festival? If he really was prideful, he wouldn't have approached me so cordially like that. He should be someone who places his Sect above himself in that case."
"Ah, as expected of Master Lin, I had not thought about that," Sect Master Qing nodded, stroking his beard thoughtfully.
"Did he bring anything else with him?"
Sect Master Qing frowned, "No, which is what worries me. Unless it's something private and for your eyes only, I don't think he is insensitive enough to keep the gifts in his storage ring when visiting."
"Still… Isn't this a little too fast? They only sent those gifts of theirs yesterday, didn't they?"
He smiled at me, "Hoho, those 'gifts' of theirs had been sent quite early on, Master Lin. It was just that you were on vacation at that time."
Ah, right. Forgot about that. Well, it was a fun time at least.
"Well, only one way to find out," I shrugged, pushing open the doors to the Grand Hall.
I swear if he interrupted my time with my cute disciples for some inane thing, I would be so pissed.
