The Empress

"I didn't say anything. You came up with that yourself," Neph retorted. "Besides, is it strange for the Mother Tree of Desire to have a slave to desire?"

Klein gritted his teeth. "But you know perfectly well what I mean!"

"No, I don't." Neph stubbornly refused to admit it.

Klein glared at her for several seconds before giving up on their staring contest. Instead, he asked, "So the child is a by-product of the Mother Tree of Desire's corruption?"

Neph nodded, then shook her head. "She's the process."

"The process..." Klein repeated, his expression indescribable. "This isn't the first time, but I still have to say it-Neph, sometimes I really struggle with your choice of words."

Neph said nothing. Rubbing his brow, Klein gave up on correcting her and said thoughtfully, "So when you said she wanted to have a child with me, what you actually meant was-"

His gaze settled on Neph. She gave a slight nod, and after some consideration, Klein asked, "Is that also why you're hostile toward the Rose School?"

"No." Neph shook her head. "I just don't want to suddenly end up with an extra mother.

"Suddenly... end up with an extra mother?" Klein froze. "Wouldn't you be the mother?"

Neph smiled at Klein. "Do you know the Primordial Moon's honorific name?"

Klein paused, frowning as he searched his memory. He sounded uncertain. "I think I read it in a book-"

"The last line," Neph reminded him.

Klein's expression abruptly darkened. He asked for confirmation, "Mother of All Spirituality Powers?"

Neph nodded in affirmation.

"So it's the Primordial Moon you're afraid of." Klein nodded thoughtfully. "What's her relationship with the Mother Tree of Desire? I remember that the Rose School's artificial vampires worship the Primordial Moon."

But Neph had no intention of explaining further. She