The Mech Touch

For a family meeting, Ves hardly felt comfortable. The salon he was in was so spacious that he felt like he was in a prison hall.

The seat that the Wodins offered to him was opulent but not very comfortable. Ves had to make sure to keep his back straight and keep his movements in check.

Though Constance offered Ves some refreshments, the light tea and biscuits he received was so light and airy that his altered taste buds received no stimulation at all. Clearly she didn't bother to look up or ask her daughter what he preferred to eat and drink.

Ves look to the sides. Constance's sons and daughters dutifully sat in their own seats while they lifted their saucers and drank their cups of tea at an agonizing pace.

While Amarintha, Kellandra and Gloriana acted restrained around their mother, they did not restrain any of their confidence in themselves.

In contrast, Marcus, Tarkus and Brutus turned invisible. They did not speak a word and did their best to blend into the background when none of the women addressed them directly.

They were no different from children who were told to behave!

Even Venerable Brutus bottled up most of his force of will!

Ves suspected that this was an automatic response.

Whenever the mech pilot was in the presence of his mother, he ceased to be Venerable Brutus Wodin, expert pilot of the Glory Seekers. He instead turned back into Constance's youngest boy.

This was one of the most pathetic displays that Ves had ever seen from an expert pilot.

While Brutus wasn't exactly one of the most masculine expert pilots that he had ever met, Ves did not think that it would be so bad.

Just because the expert pilot was in the presence of his mother didn't mean he should drop his pride! Couldn't he man up a bit? Show some spine!

"Ves." Constance spoke, addressing him by his first name as if he was already her son. "I have heard from my daughter that you do not have a high regard for our state."

"That is.. correct."

"Is that not contradictory? How can you love her when you do not take kindly to her home?"

Ves offered Constance a polite smile. "We do not need to have much in common to appreciate each other's presence. Please do not think that I am a Hexer or that I have embraced your culture. As a foreigner, it is.. challenging for me to accept your norms and values. I was born a Brighter and our Larkinson Clan still takes after my home state in many aspects."

Constance maintained a neutral expression as she weighed him with her eyes.

"The Hexadric Hegemony is not as hostile towards males as you think. We offer numerous opportunities for them to express themselves. You have met my sons. Each of them are content and accomplished in their own right."

Yeah right. It was probably fine if a boy wanted to become an artist, just like Constance's husband.

Ves wondered why Petrus Wodin wasn't here. Though Gloriana's father was probably another pushover, he must have possessed at least one redeeming feature to meet Constance's standards.

Several minutes passed by as Constance explained the many virtues of the Hexadric Hegemony. She clearly wanted to change his mind and bring him back to her home state.

It was too bad that Ves remained unmoved. While he didn't dare to express his annoyance at her misleading sales pitch, he made sure to adopt body language that stated that he was not being swayed.

To her credit, Constance Wodin didn't persist. She was a politician, after all. She recognized futility when she saw it. Ves guessed that she merely wanted to try her luck.

If she failed, then she could easily brush her attempt aside.

If she succeeded, then she would not only be able to bring back an asset to the Hegemony, but also empower the Wodin Dynasty more directly.

Mother-in-law or not, Constance Wodin was constantly seeking for advantages. If Ves wasn't backed by Master Willix or became so prominent, she might have resorted to tougher means!

This realization caused Ves to raise his vigilance even higher. Constance did not stray far from his expectation. Anyone who raised a hard-working daughter like Gloriana was not someone who ignored benefits out of feelings!

"My daughter has told you that you are blessed by the Superior Mother." Constance changed the topic. "She says you have a method to prove it. While I believe she is sincere, I would like to receive confirmation. Could you show me whether you have an undeniable connection to Hexers?"

What the hell? What did Gloriana say to her mother?

He directed his gaze towards his fiancé, only to be met by her happy and completely unapologetic smile. He did not find any indication that she was sorry!

"I do not consider myself to possess a special relationship with your state and people." Ves coughed again.

"How do you explain the glows of your works? No other Hexer is able to create something akin to your statue and your two Hexer mech designs. Your connection to the Superior Mother is undeniable."

Was this some underhanded way of convincing him that he was actually a Hexer? Whatever the case, Ves refused to play along. He knew she wanted to see him channel the Superior Mother's glow, but there was no way he was going to do so. He didn't want Constance to get any crazy ideas!

"I'm afraid I will have to disappoint you. I think you'll agree with me that the Superior Mother should not be disturbed."

"A pity. Tell me about your future plans instead. The Red Ocean is an exciting new frontier, but it is filled with threats. We may have succeeded in rescuing you from the Nyxian Gap, but the Red Ocean is too far away to allow us to bring you to safety again. What makes you think that you will be able to keep my daughter safe in this distant place?"

That was a more reasonable question to ask. Ves already anticipated such a query. Any mother would be worried if someone brought her daughter to a region devoid of order.

"My goal is to grow and develop my Larkinson Clan." He began. "At the same time, I am seeking new experiences to provide ample inspiration for my design philosophy. I am not satisfied with staying in the local star cluster. While there is plenty to do here, it's impossible to become a first-rate power with the resources available in the galactic rim."

"Why not travel to the galactic heartland or the galactic center then?" Constance retorted. "Before the Red Ocean became accessible, many ambitious people and organizations have chosen to travel closer to the center of the galaxy. Civilization is much more developed in the heart of human civilization."

"I never thought about traveling to the galactic center. The opportunities there are great, but there is hardly any room for development for newcomers. The local powers and states have already carved out everything that matters over there. I do not want to be crushed under their prodigious weight."

There was another reason why Ves did not want to travel to the galactic center. The Five Scrolls Compact doubtlessly maintained a much stronger presence over there! He did not forget that the Ruined Temple was likely located in that region as well!

In contrast, Ves believed he stood a much better chance of keeping his distance from the cult by entering an underdeveloped region. The Red Ocean may just be a fraction of the size of the Milky Way, but it was largely virgin space that just so happened to be in the focus of the Big Two.

While Ves was not delusional enough to think that the Five Scrolls Compact would ignore the Red Ocean entirely, the most they could do was to send out some spies and maybe splinter organizations. As long as Ves did not bump into a monstrously-powerful spiritual sorcerer such as Aramid Dista, he should enjoy plenty of years of peace!

"The Red Ocean does offer invaluable opportunities. I am concerned that your Larkinson Clan may not be up to the task."

"That is why I have been doing my best to prepare for the challenges that we might face. Our clan has received a lot of tempering during our recent voyage through the Nyxian Gap. We have identified a lot of shortcomings but also found some surprising sources of strength. With all of the lessons we have learned, we can increase our readiness so that we will be in a better position once we pass through the beyonder gate."

Constance nodded. Though she might not agree with him, she appeared to be satisfied with his thorough approach. As long as he remained aware of the potential perils and pitfalls, he wouldn't expose Gloriana to too much danger.

Even if he screwed up somehow, there was always the Glory Seekers. Ves did not doubt that Constance would pass some secret instructions to Gloriana's honor guard.

If worse came to worst, Venerable Brutus could always take Gloriana away from the Larkinson Clan!

"Have you considered allying yourself to other organizations that share the same purpose as you?" She asked. "There are numerous dynasties in the Hegemony that are interested in branching out to the Red Ocean. Ours is no different. It would be better to join forces and present a united front against the foreign threats you might face."

Please no. Ves didn't hide his displeasure this time.

"The Larkinson Clan must rise above the occasion on its own. We cannot rely on the strength of others. We won't be able to develop ourselves to the point where we can gain a solid footing in the Red Ocean if that happens. Our clan is also emphatically not a Hexer clan. Even if I forge a partnership with your dynasty today, our elders will just override my decision with 100 percent of the vote."

Ves never imagined that the power he shared to the Larkinson Clan came in handy this time. He did not believe that Constance was ignorant to his clansmen's intense dislike towards anything Hexer.

Though Constance looked disappointed, she did not push the matter any further.

"Is seeking alliances completely out of the question for you? I am not necessarily doubting your Larkinson Clan's capabilities, but it would reassure us if you travel in a larger fleet."

"I'm not opposed to it, but the premise must be that our Larkinson Clan is in a strong position. I have accumulated almost 40 million MTA merits. That is not a trivial sum. The fact that I have been able to earn so many merits in a very short amount of time is also proof of our strength. We deserve more."

"That is quite an ambition for a clan that has existed for only a couple of years. You Larkinsons are too eager for gains. This has almost led to the defeat of your entire task force in the Nyxian Gap."

"It is because I am not content with going with the flow that I have become capable of designing mechs such as the Doom Guard and the Valkyrie Redeemer."

Ves and Constance Wodin verbally sparred against each other for a couple more hours. They went over familiar territory to Ves. Each time she pointed out something problematic, Ves rebuffed her demands and stood by his decisions.

While that didn't exactly paint him in the best light, he managed to hold his ground against Gloriana's mother. He already considered it a victory if he ended this meeting without agreeing to become a Hexer or something!

Though Constance Wodin exerted a considerable degree of pressure towards him, she never went too far. Ves didn't develop any sense of hatred towards her. As far as he was aware of, she was just trying to look out for her daughter and her dynasty.

As his first meeting with Gloriana's mother came to an end, Ves actually thought his future mother-in-law wasn't that bad.