The Spider Queen

(Alpha Star System- Planet Gaia)

(Peterlor Estate- Artificial Lake)

"Big sister!" a loud cheerful voice broke the silent atmosphere. Sophie had the time to react but decided to allow a tiny body to slam into her chest.

She instinctively wrapped her arms around Lily who was snuggling tightly against her body. It was fair to say that the pair had spent little time together since arriving on planet Gaia.

Of course, the reasons were out of her control….

Sophie closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths in order to prevent those negative feelings from worsening.

Right now, she needed her mood to remain as calm as the lake.

Duke Peterlor sensed his daughter's discomfort and placed a warm hand on her shoulder. Sophie opened her eyes and smiled reassuringly.

"Young miss, please excuse my tardiness," an elderly voice gently spoke.

Sophie turned around and saw Butler Gerald walking towards them leisurely with a row of robotic androids following closely behind.

Each robot was holding multiple large metalloid crates.

Butler Gerald nodded respectfully to the duke and then proceeded to order the androids to set up the dinner table.

Inside one of the crates was a long table while other boxes contained various objects such as chairs, food and eating utensils.

The dinner menu had been prepared long in advance by the chefs in the kitchen and the preservation boxes were specially designed to prevent the loss of heat.

"How are you, Lily?" Sophie spoke softly to the child who was sitting quietly in her lap.

"Are you enjoying your stay here?"

Lily buried her head further into Sophie's shirt and refused to say a word. Sophie laughed and handed her fishing rod over to her father to hold.

This little girl had a temper!

"I'm sorry I didn't have time to play with you… there have just been so many things to do. Please forgive me," Sophie cooed softly.

Lily was silent for a moment and then finally raised her head. Sophie gently touched the corners of the little girl's eyes that were beginning to tear up.

"I don't blame you big sister. It's just… I'm leaving in two days," the little girl sniffled. Sophie shot her father a quizzical look since this was the first time that she was hearing this.

"The original plan is still to reveal that both of you were rescued by the end of this week, but Lily's family wants her back home as soon as possible," Duke Peterlor explained.

What he didn't mention was that he had already negotiated with the elders of House Blackait so that Lily's position as heiress would no longer be under threat.

The members of House Blackait were smart individuals. The opportunity to further their ties with Duke Peterlor could not be afforded to be passed up.

Plus, the additional offer to share the rights to a few mining colonies under his control certainly helped the matter along.

"I'll miss you too but don't worry… I'm sure your family has been worried sick since you disappeared," Sophie whispered gently.

Sophie hugged the little girl tightly and whispered a few soft words of encouragement. She made sure that Lily knew that she was always welcomed to visit.

The benefit of living in an underground artificial city was that the lighting systems could be easily manipulated.

Sophie and her father had spent several hours by the lake already, but it was still as bright and sunny as if it were midday above ground.

Lily's low mood gradually improved as Sophie teased and played with her. The familiarity between the two girls brought a smile to the duke's face.

He was sure that the happy look in his daughter's eyes was not forced. It was an encouraging sign that she had not closed off her heart after the trauma.

Duke Peterlor had seen many soldiers and cultivators go down that path. Closing off themselves from the world in order to never feel pain or hurt again.

Living like the dead.

Day by day doing nothing but their assigned tasks and then returning to their apartments to sleep. A never-ending cycle of numbness and depression.

Duke Peterlor absentmindedly tightened his grip on the fishing rod as a few uncomfortable memories flashed across his mind.

In many ways being a god stage cultivator was a curse. Perfect memory recall meant that he could never forget certain events…

No matter how hard he tried.

While the duke was lost in his thoughts, Sophie was patiently teaching Lily how to fish using her years of knowledge.

Unfortunately, it appeared as though the little girl was not as found of the activity as the father daughter pair.

In fact, Sophie suspected that the only reason why Lily did not have a bored look on her face was because she was keeping her company.

The hybrid girl playfully shook the fishing rod back and forth until small ripples spread out and covered the lake's surface.

Lily giggled and clapped her hands, so Sophie decided to stir more vigorously. Clearly there was no chance of catching anything today so she might as well have some fun.

"Dinner is ready master," Butler Gerald walked over and whispered in the duke's ear. Duke Peterlor thanked the elderly servant and gestured for Sophie to pack up the fishing rod.

Sophie sniffed the air and smelled an overwhelming mixture of scents. Roasted meat, curried vegetables, soups and even deserts!

Her mouth was already beginning to water!

Sophie helped her father pack up the fishing equipment and then headed towards the dinner table with Lily in her arms.

She placed the little girl carefully on the seat next to her and then immediately dug in. It was a sumptuous feast!

"Lily why don't you try this?" Sophie spoke peacefully. She picked up a few dishes that were her favorite and placed them on Lily's plate.

"Thank you!" Lily replied loudly and mimicked the motions of her big sister to eat as much as possible.

Duke Peterlor also selected a few dishes and passed them to his daughter with an indulgent smile on his face.

Tomorrow he would talk to his daughter about the psychologist that he had invited to spend a few weeks in the estate.

But for today… he just wanted to see her relax.