The hivemind is conquering for me? Chapter 962: Newest Generation...

"Bring it in lad!" I yelled as Ronnie ran towards me. The lad then collided with me at full force and I wrapped my arms round him for a few moments.

"I’ve missed you so much F-Apollo! Did you get taller?" Ronnie said, prompting me to break the hug and look down at him.

"I did. Now let me have a look at you, my friend. I began to scan Ronnie from head to toe. His hair had been cut off, he was now bald. He had also filled out a bit. He wasn’t a stick like before and was looking healthy.

There was also all the tech jutting out of his body. Wires in places there shouldn’t be and on the side of his head was a red light that flashed every so often. Its purpose perplexing me.

I then glanced at his arm, the cold brand was still there, I smiled, my hands were now bigger than the day I gave the brand, it was amusing to see my growth in another way.

My thoughts then went back to Ronnie and the tech, prompting me to ask, "So, Ronnie. How has Jocasta been treating you? She hasn’t broken any rules of the contract has he?"

"*Binaric squawk*!" Jocasta proclaimed, placing her hand on her chest like my words injured her.

Ronnie chuckled as he turned to Jocasta. "Don’t worry teacher, Apollo is just checking on me, he is a very caring friend." He then turned back to me. "Jocasta has been great, Apollo. Truly, I never imagined becoming a student to such a wonderful teacher. She has not breached any of the contract clauses. All my tech is temporary and can be safely removed. Though some require surgery to do so safely."

"Good. Good..." I suddenly paused and turned to Sigismund and Jocasta who were looking at us.

"I don’t want to sound rude, but is there anywhere me and Ronnie can catch up in private? I want to sit down and just get some stuff off my chest to my good friend here."

"Of course, Apollo. Sigismund still needs to practice his speech a couple more times. You being here is an excuse for him to slack off. Ronnie, you can go to personnel room 10."

"Thanks Jocasta. We won’t be long." I said and turned to Ronnie who took that as a cue to lead the way.

...

Serena emerged from the media gauntlet with her youngest daughter right behind her. Both looked perfectly fine for the camera’s, but those that knew them could tell that both were seriously on edge.

"Can you see them?" Serena asked as she looked around.

"There!" Katie spoke, pointing in the distance where Valerica was towering over a group of noblewomen, laughing as she did so.

"Well... She doesn’t look pissed, that might be good. Or it might be a trap. Though while she is there, where is Apollo?" Serena asked rhetorically, though Katie answered.

"Apollo doesn’t matter; I need to make sure the guardian doesn’t-"

"Are you fucking serious right now? Apollo doesn’t matter? Of course he does. Him holding his tongue debates whether or not I have twelve or eleven children by the end of the night." Serena scolded, prompting Katie to gulp nervously.

"Y-Y-You know what? She looks busy. Maybe we should just leave? I still have my little villa on that planet I own on that middle world. I can lay low for a few years there... As long as there are shops nearby that stock notable brands and the local nobles aren’t complete backwater savages."

Serena resisted the urge to pinch her glabella to relieve stress, instead she just grabbed Katie’s arm and began marching ahead.

...

"-I’m telling you Dot, my son can do everything except keep his mouth closed when food is nearby!" Valerica declared to the group of old women around her who began to laugh.

"Well good for you Val, considering your first child’s past exploits, it was about time something good came out of those loins of yours. Say, does he like his women older? I could maybe show him some tricks that would leave him paralysed from the waist down for a few days." Another noble claimed, prompting the rest to laugh.

Valerica didn’t, she simply smirked with condescension, "Actually, he does have an acclimation towards more mature beauty, though he would never go for your ugly mug, even back before you started sagging."

"Oh you cheeky bitch!" The woman yelled and slapped Valerica on the arm and everyone began to laugh together, Valerica included this time.

Her laughter was cut short upon turning around after someone touched her shoulder.

"Oh, it’s you. What do you want? I’m catching up with my friends."

"Oh is that Serena?" One of the old women suddenly called out.

"Hey Ange. It’s been a while, how are you? How is retired life?" Serena smiled politely to the former Archon of Ecumenopolis 3

"Oh not too bad, hot stuff. Lots of free time to spend with my leech children and grandchildren and even more time for my gigolo boy toys to occupy the rest of the time, so I can’t complain."

"Oh my!" Katie suddenly exclaimed, not expecting to hear that from such a prominent figure in public

Ange then turned to Katie. "Oh, another Hyllus, like there aren’t enough to begin with... One of your litter I presume?" She asked Serena who nodded.

"Yes, my youngest, Katie. She is twenty seven and-"

As Serena began talking to the group, Valerica frowned, annoyed. Not just by Serena’s whore presence, but by Katie...

As a Hyllus women were the leaders of the family. Always had been, always would be. They had the dominant genes thanks to the Hyllus family technique. Which was why it was often accepted when the men of the family didn’t amount to much.

Of course, there were exceptions like Ryan, the man had a promising future as the business manager of the family. The rest could often just be put into menial jobs or sent to the military for accolades.

But Katie? She was a true Hyllus. A woman. And yet, as Valerica looked at her, all she saw was a failure.

Twenty seven and not even broke past the six foot mark yet. Even what’s her name... Kathrine! With her years of slacking before her son came and fixed her managed to get above six feet, but this little thing was tiny.

Not only that. She was weak. Pitifully weak. Her arms were like sticks, the rest of her body also following that trend. She could excuse sleeper builds as even, what’s she called... Kathrine! When she flexed, her muscles were at least visible.

This excuse for a Hyllus though? It looked like a strong wind could break her bones. Valerica then felt even more disgusted as she and Katie made eye contact and the woman began dithering like a dog shitting.

’This newest generation of Hyllus’... What a joke. At least the next generation will be better, I will see to that one way or another.’

She thought before her attention was then brought back to Serena’s conversation as one of her friends mentioned.

"So, Serena dear, it’s been a while since husband number two was assassinated. Do you have eyes on a third yet? Or are you still in your work mode for a while?"

Serena smirked. "Oh, I have a new partner in mind." She then spotted the look Valerica was giving her and decided not to escalate right now. "But with his position, it might be tricky. A few diplomatic hurdles need to be crossed before even the notion of us having a single date could come up, never mind marriage."

"Oooooh~" The peanut gallery began discussing that juicy gossip immediately, meanwhile Katie looked at her mother with wide eyes. She had no idea that she was hunting for a new daddy for everyone.

Serena just laughed nervously, glancing at Valerica a couple of times before requesting. "If you ladies don’t mind, I need to borrow my sister for a couple of minutes, Valerica, if you would kindly follow me?"

Valerica rolled her eyes. "Excuse me." She said with a polite smile before following Serena and the runt a respectable distance before asking.

"What?"

"All right, it’s already been established, you are pissed at me, I get it, calm down. I was just wondering if Apollo said anything about my children to you?"

Valerica frowned. "What? No. He said he tried talking to this one and Ryan, but they were busy talking to each other and then he came to me to help with Varro, as he was being an ass. Why? Should he have said something to me?"

She then turned to Katie and narrowed her eyes. ’Trying to steal my date? Think again, bitch.’ She thought and the bitch began dithering again.

"No! No! Of course not." Serena said. "I was just excited for him to meet them, but I guess he will have to later..." She then looked around. "Speaking of, where is our favourite Sentinel?"

Valerica suddenly smiled a proud, motherly smile.

"Oh~ You know~ We finished the photos and instantly King Sigismund came over and had some banter with Apollo before taking him away for a private chat. You know, with my son being a strong and influential warrior. The king has taken quite a liking to him. I see an almost brotherly kinship in their future, I mean, they are already on a first name basis. Though I suppose it’s natural, considering my genes create the greatest children after all."

The colour drained from Katie’s face at what she just heard. "A-Apollo is friends with the K- iaahhnn-"

Katie suddenly placed her hand to her forehead before fainting only being spared a face full of rock courtesy of Serena catching her at the last moment.

Meanwhile Valerica shook her head at the sight.

"Pathetic."