Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

Chapter 1522: Lorelia’s Test

Melissa pulled her gaze away from the sprawling architecture of the Stoneheart capital and glanced at Kaelen, who sat resting with his eyes closed.

He possessed a remarkable level of self-discipline. Throughout their entire journey, despite sharing the confined quarters of a carriage, he hadn’t made a single inappropriate advance toward her.

"This is the Stoneheart Horde’s primary stronghold in the south," Kaelen said, his eyes still shut. "It is a monument to the Horde’s past glory and honor. Rather than getting swept up in the grandeur of the city, you would do well to carefully consider how you are going to face my father and mother."

He kept the rest of his thoughts to himself: if Melissa harbored even the slightest treacherous intent, she wouldn’t live to see the sunset.

Melissa stared wide-eyed at him. Yet, in her clear gaze, Kaelen saw very little fear.

"My King, no faction would turn away a fully matured broodmother," she replied. "Especially not when I offer my allegiance with absolute sincerity."

Kaelen remained silent. He didn’t have the heart to crush her optimism right now. Within the Stoneheart Horde, there were far more than just one or two broodmothers whose power vastly eclipsed Melissa’s. He didn’t even need to look far—his own Butterfly Mother Sophia was a terrifying entity Melissa could never hope to match.

"My King, is your esteemed status not enough to grant me sanctuary?" Melissa asked, her eyes filled with confusion.

He was the Insect King, as well as a giant prince of the Stoneheart Horde. With such a prominent dual identity, how could he possibly fail to protect a single broodmother?

Unless... she hadn’t truly earned his trust yet.

At that thought, Melissa fell silent. Ultimately, this was not the territory of the Swarm. The innate bond between an Insect King and a broodmother meant practically nothing here.

Half a day later, Melissa followed Kaelen into the grand keep of the castle. She had barely taken a few steps before her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

It was suppression. An absolute, crushing dominance stemming from the depths of a superior bloodline and an insurmountable gap in hierarchy. And this terrifying aura of pressure was focused entirely on her.

"Oh my... are you the Master’s youngest son? You look just like him!"

Without warning, a woman in a fiery red dress materialized directly in front of Kaelen. Under his slightly panicked gaze, she reached out with delicate fingers and ruthlessly pinched his cheeks—cheeks that bore a striking resemblance to Orion’s.

This was Kaelen’s first encounter with Lorelia. She pinched his face with great enthusiasm; after all, this boy carried Orion’s blood, and her devotion to the father naturally extended to the son.

"You’re not very sharp, little one. Nowhere near as tactful as your older brothers!" she teased. "Haven’t you heard my name? I am the great Lorelia, renowned throughout the Stoneheart Horde!"

With a graceful leap, Lorelia landed perfectly on Kaelen’s shoulder. She hopped from side to side like an excited child, brimming with manic energy.

"Kaelen greets Sister Lorelia!" he stammered, bowing respectfully where he stood. The panic in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by undeniable ecstasy.

Having long since memorized the history of the Stoneheart Horde, how could he not know of the legendary cave spiders broodmother, Lady Lorelia? Furthermore, rumors had always circulated that his wise mother loved Lorelia as if she were her own flesh and blood. Calling her "Sister" was entirely appropriate.

To gain Lorelia’s favor made Kaelen’s heart race with joy. But alongside that joy, he felt the same intense, suffocating pressure radiating from her—the terrifying aura exclusive to a high-tier broodmother.

His pupils dilated. He knew the Horde concealed powerful broodmothers, but he never expected the woman before him to so vastly surpass his own Butterfly Mother Sophia. No wonder Butterfly Mother had repeatedly warned him to keep a low profile and act with the utmost humility since returning to the Horde.

"What an obedient little guy. Here, a welcoming gift." Seemingly tired of bouncing around, Lorelia settled onto Kaelen’s shoulder and casually tossed him a mysterious token engraved with the totem of the cave spiders.

"That is a conscription order, issued personally by me. With it, you can march into Moonshadow Valley by Blackstone City and summon a guard of ten thousand cave spiders whenever you wish." She tilted her head. "You just got back to the Horde; you must be short on capable muscle. I’ll throw in two Legendary level spider guards for good measure."

Lorelia sat idly on Kaelen’s shoulder, her pale bare feet kicking back and forth as if she hadn’t a care in the world. But there was no doubt she meant every word.

Kaelen’s heart soared at the promise. Currently, he oversaw two territories: a royal city tasked with defending Blackstone City—a personal fiefdom granted to every giant’s heir—and the city of Sophia, built upon the ruins of a fallen human empire. Even with the Dark Butterfly Race assisting him, Kaelen still felt his forces were spread dangerously thin. Lorelia’s generous gift was an absolute godsend.

"Hmm? Little one, is that insectoid trembling behind you one of your kin?"

Lorelia waited until Kaelen had respectfully pocketed the token before turning her head with a half-smile, fixing her gaze on the broodmother Melissa.

One was an exalted High Lord, the other a mere regional lord; between them lay an insurmountable gulf in standing. Were it not for Kaelen’s presence, given Lorelia’s volatile and capricious nature, she wouldn’t have hesitated to devour this Dragonlouse broodmother whole as a nourishing snack.

"Sister Lorelia, her name is Melissa. She has willingly joined our Stoneheart Horde to become my dependent, and seeks my protection." Kaelen kept his explanation brief. "I brought her here today to present her to my father!"

Lorelia, however, was visibly unimpressed.

"Present her to the Master?" Lorelia scoffed. "Is she worthy?"

With sudden, brutal force, Lorelia unleashed the full, terrifying pressure of a High Lord. It crashed down like a falling mountain. Melissa’s knees slammed into the ground, the sheer impact of her collapse instantly shattering the solid stone floor beneath her.

But Melissa had a stubborn streak in her bones. She clenched her jaw, refusing to let out so much as a whimper of pain, let alone beg for mercy.

Lorelia peered down at her from her perch, her eyes growing bone-chillingly cold. The air itself seemed to freeze, the atmosphere turning so oppressive it was hard to breathe.

"Sister Lorelia... Melissa will likely become my personal thrall in the future," Kaelen finally interjected. His tone bordered on pleading as he tactfully intervened on her behalf.

Kaelen was smart enough to know what was really happening: Lorelia was establishing his authority for him. She was using this ruthless display to entirely crush any unrealistic fantasies Melissa might still harbor.

"Oh... so she really is your dependent, little one. I guess I won’t eat her, then!" Lorelia broke into a sudden, radiant smile. She leaped lightly off Kaelen’s shoulder and reached out to pat his muscular arm.

"Work hard, little one! Try to outshine those older brothers of yours as soon as you can. I’ve got high hopes for you!" She winked. "If you ever run into any trouble—or if you just find something fun and exciting—you can always come find me at the Mistress’s estate."

It was an encouraging remark, but also held the weight of an elder’s guidance. Before Kaelen could even reply, Lorelia spun around. With ethereal, butterfly-like steps, she skipped away and vanished from sight.

"Get up," Kaelen said.

He kept his eyes on the spot where Lorelia had disappeared, raising his hand in a parting salute before finally turning back to Melissa, who was still kneeling on the shattered stone.

Only upon hearing Kaelen’s command did Melissa dare to rise, her limbs still trembling. To be perfectly honest, in that fleeting moment, she had felt the genuine, icy grip of death. She truly believed she was going to be eaten alive. In the ruthless insectoid world, when two broodmothers from entirely unrelated lineages crossed paths, it almost always ended in a brutal, fight-to-the-death battle for consumption.

"Now do you understand?" Kaelen asked. "An entity like yourself isn’t actually considered all that important in the eyes of the Horde."

He paused, letting the harsh truth sink in.

"Especially since you weren’t born and raised here."

That last point was critical; the difference in how they were treated was night and day. Take figures like Lorelia and Soraya, for instance. The former had been raised by the Horde from infancy. From the highest lords to the lowest grunts, the entire Stoneheart Horde accepted and trusted her without reservation.