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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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A palpable tension settled over our already awkward table. The arrival of this powerful woman was a chilling omen for the males of Aaptukemen.
“H-Homunculus… this is a feast to celebrate my birthday… perhaps you could… excuse yourself…?”
His Majesty stammered, trying to salvage his celebration,
But Homunculus, ignoring his pleas, approached our table.
“Your Majesty, I had no intention of disrupting your feast. But perhaps my presence is unwelcome?”
Her sharp gaze swept across the room, silencing the males, their protests dying in their throats.
In this strange display of dominance and subservience, Homunculus walked towards me, grabbed my chair, and pulled it back.
Screech-
“…”
Then, she looked me up and down, her gaze lingering, her assessment blatant and unapologetic. I could only endure it, trying to maintain a calm, indifferent demeanor.
“Hmm.”
But even this small act of defiance seemed to amuse her.
She tilted my head with her finger, her sharp, worldly eyes studying me.
“Nefer, when is the tribute ceremony?”
“Two days from now… when the sun is at its zenith.”
“So, we still have time. Don’t we.”
She cupped my chin in her hand, her gaze lingering on my lips. Homunculus was shamelessly forward.
“I’m exercising my right of prima nocta. Have him prepared and brought to my chambers tonight.”
A familiar phrase.
And not a pleasant one.
Prima nocta, or the “right of the first night,” was a feudal lord’s supposed right to bed a newly married peasant woman on her wedding night…
In other words, she was claiming my first night.
His Majesty simply nodded, unable to speak,
And only Nefer, her face a mask of concern, dared to object.
“Homunculus, that’s- that’s not permissible.”
“Not permissible?”
All eyes turned towards Nefer.
Homunculus, the guards,
They all frowned, their heads tilted in confusion.
It seemed the right of prima nocta was a legitimate custom here. Homunculus glared at Nefer, her displeasure evident.
“What do you mean? Explain yourself.”
Even though Nefer was a high-ranking priestess, she couldn’t interfere with Homunculus’s right, her noble privilege.
“…I’m concerned about his health. He is smaller than the other males, and he has endured a long journey, he is undoubtedly exhausted-”
“I believe I know more about males than you do, Nefer.”
It was a losing battle.
There had to be a reason for this custom, a reason why it had become so ingrained in Aaptukemen’s culture. And it was likely tied to their religion, their beliefs.
“Nefer. Think. Isn’t prima nocta a time-honored tradition, a way to inspect and prepare the tribute for the sun? I’ve never seen a priestess reject our customs. And you, so devout, are causing such a disruption.”
Homunculus pressed her advantage,
Explaining how absurd Nefer’s objection sounded to the other inhabitants of Aaptukemen.
“It seems even the most devout cannot fully resist temptation. Can they?”
Nefer became the target of their mockery. Challenging the established power structure wasn’t easy.
“…Imperfection resides within us all. I am aware of this.”
But Nefer had a weapon of her own.
“And that is why I strive to be a worthy priestess, one who looks towards the heavens, not one who indulges in worldly desires or exploits others.”
“…What?”
A small, hidden weapon.
“I hereby declare that I will be the one to prepare this male. The sun has granted me this sacred night. Do not defy its will.”
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Nefer’s bold declaration shifted the dynamics once more.
His Majesty, especially, looked back and forth between Juho and Nefer, trying to understand what was happening. He chewed on his fingernails nervously, practically gnawing on them.
The other males also seemed surprised,
And Homunculus, raising an eyebrow, stared at them, her gaze sharp.
“…Interesting.”
A fascinating power struggle.
Between a seasoned politician and a young priestess.
“W-well, if that’s your decision… hmm. Yes. If you insist-”
His Majesty, the King of Aaptukemen, seemed to support Nefer’s claim.
The other males agreed, and now, no one could challenge Nefer’s right.
Just as Homunculus had exercised her right of prima nocta,
Nefer possessed the same privilege,
But a [young priestess’s first right of prima nocta] held a different meaning, a different weight, and it superseded the claims of other nobles.
It was symbolic.
A priestess offering her virginity…
“That means you believe this male is the prophesied one?”
It was a declaration of faith, a belief in the prophecy of a savior who would one day appear and save Aaptukemen.
A priestess of the desert had to remain a virgin.
That was the reason for their strict vows of celibacy,
To prepare themselves for the prophesied savior.
They didn’t know when, or how, he would arrive.
Those chosen as priestesses spent their lives waiting, enduring loneliness and isolation.
And if they succumbed to their desires, mistaking another male for the savior,
Both the priestess and the male would face severe consequences.
“I have no doubt. This is the one who will save us.”
Nefer’s declaration sent ripples of tension through Aaptukemen.
This had happened before,
And each time, both the priestess and the male had been executed,
But Nefer had made a bold gamble, risking everything, including Juho’s life.
No one could maintain their composure. Their faces were masks of anxiety, uncertainty, and disbelief.
Juho, especially, seemed bewildered,
Unsure how to react to this sudden turn of events.
His body, the subject of their discussion, their desires, and now Nefer, claiming him, declaring her intentions…
“Nefer, if that is your decision, I will yield. However, I must insist on a few conditions.”
And the debate wasn’t over. Homunculus, while accepting Nefer’s claim, added a few conditions, perhaps to soothe her bruised ego.
“A young, inexperienced woman like yourself preparing the tribute is concerning, wouldn’t you agree? I don’t mean to offend you, but any woman who has experienced a male would understand my apprehension.”
Homunculus’s words were provocative, but they resonated with the other nobles.
A priestess was, by definition, a virgin,
And the difference between a virgin and an experienced woman was significant.
“So, I must observe. Your Majesty, wouldn’t you agree? Am I wrong?”
Homunculus appealed to His Majesty. While he was the one who formally made the decision, Homunculus’s influence was undeniable.
“Well, you have a point… hmm…”
He was a pathetic excuse for a king, but he knew that defying Homunculus would be a death sentence.
To survive, he had to understand his place, to know when to yield.
“So, let us do this. Nefer may prepare the tribute, but we, the nobles and the other males, will observe and offer our guidance.”
The power struggle over Juho reached a temporary resolution. While Nefer had won this round, the consequences of her actions remained to be seen.
“Y-yes. Let’s do that. Hmm, as always, Homunculus, you are wise…”
“You flatter me, Your Majesty.”
Only Juho, his hand pressed against his temple, seemed to be struggling to maintain his composure amidst the chaos.
His mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and emotions.
The desert,
Nefer,
The sun and the moon,
Isaac and his crewmates,
Aria and Arachne,
And,
Jenny and Amy, searching for him somewhere in this vast, alien world.
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