The hivemind is conquering for me? Chapter 972: Ask The Bartender

The weirdest thing started to happen after I had my third cocktail. People just started coming up towards me and introducing themselves to me. I felt a bit awkward as they were ranting and raving about my upcoming job and how important it was to the empire and all that.

And then they would start to talk about themselves and how influential they are. It was sort of doing my head in. Seeing another set of lurkers awaiting in the wings while what’s his face and whose her name were still droning on about themselves, I decided that I needed to vacate the scene. My friends could find me some other place.

"Excuse me a moment, my friends, nature calls." I said to them and began to walk away. Once I was a reasonable distance away I picked up my pace and made my way to the balcony. I recalled that little bend from the last time I was here that was secluded.

Making my way there, I dipped my head round the corner. It was empty. I instantly smirked to myself ’Perfect!’ I thought and slinked into the safe space.

I then lay down on the balcony and looked out across the way. The sprawling city in the distance, the large river running alongside the palace that led into the ocean in the distance. At the edge of the horizon the mountains still unclaimed by civilisation underneath the currently orange sky

’It really is a really beautiful world.’ I thought to myself and decided to just watch it for a short while.

...

Hailey, Adia and Gabrielle entered the event room and looked around.

"Tribune... I don’t feel comfortable wearing this." Adia commented as she pulled her dress up to cover her cleavage."

Hailey paused her glance around the room and turned to Adia. "Oh you look fine. I know you are used to military wear, but if I have to suffer, you have to suffer. Besides, you look adorable in that frilly thing, doesn’t she Gab?"

Hailey turned to Gabrielle after getting no reply. "Gabby."

"What? Oh, yes. Eleven." Gabrielle replied as she continued to scan the room.

Hailey rolled her eyes and turned back to Adia. "Seriously, you look good." Hailey said honestly. ’But not good enough for Apollo to check you out. So perfect.’

Hailey scanned the room again and suddenly grimaced upon making eye contact with the fat fuck. She then spotted the bar. If her hours of... ’fact finding’ about Apollo before they got together indicated anything, he was most likely very stressed after that very well done speech. He would either want a Psionic beverage or something fruity that would make him pull an adorable face...

"We should go to the bar. The bartender might have seen- and she is already gone." Hailey said as Gabrielle took off in that direction.

...

Gabrielle approached the bar, pushing past some people who were clearly waiting their turn.

"Hey Lady Watch... It." A man declared in annoyance at being shoved from behind, but as the woman stared into his eyes. It was like he had seen the depths of the void. There was no sanity. Only death lay before him...

The man briskly walked away.

Gabrielle turned to the bartender and spoke. "Have you seen a tall man, purple hair and incredibly good looking?"

"You mean the Sentinel?" the bartender asked, Gabrielle nodded eagerly.

The bartender pointed to the other side of the room. "Yeah, I overheard him saying he was going to the restroom. That was just a couple of minutes ago, so he should still be- Ok then." The bartender said as the woman began hastily making her way over there.

’Yeesh. The poor kid has nutjobs gunning for him left, right and centre.’ He couldn’t help thinking for a moment before getting right back to work.

...

Hailey suddenly paused as Gabrielle began walking back towards her. "Gabs?"

"He is in the rest room, come on!" Gabrielle said, yanking Hailey’s arm and began pulling her along.

Hailey frowned, from what she understood about Apollo’s biology, he didn’t vacate due to the way he had enhanced himself. Only when he was severely poisoned did such events occur, like the other night.

’He can’t have gotten that drunk already? The Psionic stuff shouldn’t even be out yet.’

...

As Gabrielle, Hailey and Adia left the event room Valerica entered alongside two others. "You can go back to your networking in a moment, Hecate, so for now, just zip it and help."

Mounted atop each shoulder, Valerica was carrying two very large barrels of Psionic beer. Hecate and Circe, who Valerica had stumbled upon during her quest to please her son, were carrying one smaller one each.

Usually this much would not be removed from storage during such events. But Valerica knew her baby, she had raised him from birth to be big and strong, as a result he could really hold his alcohol.

As she walked through the event room, her presence was naturally noticed by many present. A seven foot tall woman in a tight purple dress holding up two very large barrels like they weighed a couple of grapes was not something you saw every day after all.

"Yeah,-hah- easy for you to say. I need funding, I don’t come from a bottomless supply of wealth like you do, nor am I physically strong without my Psionics. This is heavy!" Hecate whined.

"Oh come on, teacher, it’s not that bad." Circe said, carrying her barrel with no difficulty. "Plus we wouldn’t be here if not for Apollo, the least we can do is carry some barrels to make his night more enjoyable.

Hecate sucked her teeth at Circe for the ass kissing, but said nothing more, the barrel was too heavy and if she changed her position to breathe, she was scared her dress would slip.

Eventually the slog was over as Valerica placed her barrels down by the bar and then generously walked back to where Hecate was and picked hers up too.

As she placed down the last barrel, she asked the bartender. "Vector, Have you seen my son? Sentinel Hyllus-Lambdason? Purple hair, the most handsome man you will ever lay your eyes upon?"

The Bartender proceeded to blink as though he was experiencing something strange before pointed across the room. "Y-Yeah? I saw him leave for the restroom, maybe four minutes ago? He should still be there, Lady Hyllus."

"Thank you Vector. You shall be seeing me often this evening, so have those barrels ready by the time I get back." Valerica declared the task to the bartender, like no one else was waiting for a drink at the bar.

She then turned back and addressed Hecate and Circe. "You two are now free. So run before I have you do more tasks."

"Free?" Hecate scoffed. "Valerica, don’t get cocky with me I might not be legally allowed to use my Psionics here, but that doesn’t mean I won’t- Don’t walk away from me when I am talking to you!"

Circe giggled at the interaction. Her teacher oftentimes felt transhuman in both power and spirituality. It was always a pleasure to watch when she showed off her human vulnerabilities and mannerisms.

"Come on, Hecate, we almost had that old man in the palm of our hands, a bit more push and I feel we can get enough private investment to even redo all the warding measures."

Hecate suddenly snapped towards her pupil. "You are right. I could sense his emotions, he was close. We need to hurry up and get his investment in writing before he keels over and dies, he doesn’t have long left. I mean, what else would he do with his money after he passes? Give it to his children? What a waste! It would be so much better off being used for our research! Come on, let’s go already!"

...

Elaine had just finished taking her kids back to their rooms. Events like this were not for them yet. Rickon would begin making rounds at other gatherings next year, but parties like this? These were basically excuses for debauchery as the event grew longer.

Entering the hall, she began to scan immediately. Sigismund was chatting normally with some individuals thanks to Apollo’s drug. A massive load off her mind.

Dickon was eating already. She rolled her eyes, she told him to take care of himself even with their current distance.

She spotted Archon Phillip with yet another wife. ’What is that number thirteen? The man is competent at running a planet, but his love life is shambles.’ She thought to herself.

She then looked around more, spotting various other notables before spotting her handmaidens in the corner of the room, awaiting her presence.

She was about to go over there before she heard singing? It was very faint and if she was correct, it was coming from the balcony.

Making her way outside curiously, she realised no one on the balcony was singing. Or at least no one seemed aware of any singing. She thought for a moment that she was hearing things, but then she heard it again. Soft and faint and ’Ancient?’ She thought to herself as she heard the old language being sung.

Following the quiet melody. It got louder and louder as she found its source, the bend that separates the second part of the balcony. Not many visitors notice this location, so her interest was piqued.

Elaine made her way to the corner of the balcony and peered around curiously. As she did, whatever was dampening the music seemingly faded away and her eyes went wide at not only was it Apollo of all people doing the singing, but that he was not alone.

’Why are they all here with him?’