After mating the endless night, flesh and heart mingled together, each breath a mingling of hunger and tenderness, as their bodies sought solace in the other. By the time they finally returned home, dawn was creeping in.
In the morning, however, when he came back inside, he was immediately surrounded by a storm of feminine energy.
"Ladies... what exactly are you doing?" Victor asked, genuine confusion flickering in his gaze as he looked at Selene clinging to him, her grip as tight as a koalaâs. Not only that, but Raven hovered behind him, silent and intense, while his left hand was hesitantly claimed by Nyx, who pouted without uttering a single word.
His right hand, well, Thalia was barely holding on, her face a bright shade of red, but even through her shyness, she refused to let go.
Emberlynâs voice cut through the awkward tension, "Come on now, how long are you girls going to hold him hostage? He needs to eat!" She set the food on the dining table with a dramatic clatter.
Still, none of the women budged an inch, all of them stubborn and clinging.
Selene rubbed her cheek against his chest, inhaling deeply before wrinkling her nose. "You reek like that bitch!" she spat.
The others all nodded, perfectly synchronised in their outrage. The closer they got, the more overwhelming Nightfireâs scent became, as if sheâd marked him with her colours, painted him in her own fragrance.
And none of them liked it, not even a little! He was supposed to carry their scent, not just one womanâs... Especially not hers!!
That was guaranteed to set off a war among them.
Victor tried for a weak smile. "I did bathe... I swear," he muttered, almost pleading. But Nightfireâs scent was impossible to shake. It clung to his skin, almost magical, and whenever he got close to any of the others, their cheeks would flush, their breaths catch, as if they could feel something stirring beneath the surface.
"Nightfire did something," he murmured. He could feel the effectâhis body radiating pheromones, dangerous, wild, every woman in the room hyper-aware of his presence.
At the table, Nightfire sat cross-legged, her smile wicked as she stuffed another bite of food into her mouth. "Hmmm... this is delicious," she declared, savouring each bite. Her face showed not a trace of fatigue, just lazy satisfaction and an almost predatory energy. She stretched and grinned,
"Damn... that was the best date and fuck ever. You sure know how to treat a woman, Victor."
The othersâ lips twitched, their glares sharp enough to wound. Nightfire simply covered her mouth, feigning dainty innocence, and purred, "Haha... Anyway, if there any mission, Iâll help my beloved. Unlike the rest of you..."
Veins bulged on more than one forehead. Just last night, they had pitied her for her bravery, her exhaustion after that gruelling mission. Now, pity had curdled to pure, simmering annoyance.
Nightfire licked her spoon, eyes alight with mischief as she addressed the other women. "Little girls~ Sorry to burst your bubble, but heâs going to smell like me for a long time. I claimed him last night... ahahahaâ"
Her laugh was cut short in a blink: a sharp blue sword flashed at her neck, Thaliaâs fist hovered inches from her face, and blackish-purple flames flickered dangerously behind her.
Nightfire gulped, sweat beading on her forehead as she glanced from Seleneâs sword to Thaliaâs fist, then back at Ravenâs burning flames.
She forced a nervous laugh. "C-Come on, girls. I was just joking. You know Victorâs not going to forget any of you... rightâHOLY SHIT!" she yelped, suddenly noticing the one whoâd gone missing: Nyx was now under the table, lurking almost at Nightfireâs crotch.
"W-What are you doing down there?"
Nyx looked up innocently, "Well, I thought I could scrape a few babies out from here," she answered, her tone as casual as if she were picking berries in a meadow.
"..." Nightfireâs face turned ashen, a blend of horror and disbelief.
What the hell was wrong with these women?
Victor couldnât help himself; a low, amused chuckle escaped him as he watched the chaos unfold. He shook his head, quietly enjoying the spectacle. Nightfire shot him a desperate look, pleading for rescue, but he only raised an eyebrow in silent judgment.
After all, sheâd brought this on herselfâtaunting them had consequences, and today she was reaping every one.
Anyway, Victor frowned as he looked at the Orb that had been blinking since the night before... Message from Amara Rosavere!
Why was she suddenly contacting him?
****
Zephyra Empire,
"Nothingâs changed?" Aether asked, now wearing a sleek rabbit mask as he observed the massive building before him.
The front was bustling, people moving in and out, carrying large packages and crates with determined urgency.
"Rosavere Pvt. Transport Company..." Aether mumbled, eyes tracing the bold, gold lettering on the board above the entrance. He straightened his coat and stepped inside, moving directly to the reception desk.
"Excuse me?" he called.
The receptionist, a young woman with dark circles under her eyes, glanced up from her paperwork. Instantly, her tired face lit up, blooming into surprise and happiness.
"Mr. Lackey?"
"Yes," Aether nodded, recognising her as the woman heâd once helpedâsaved her job from some messy internal dispute... She clearly remembered.
"Oh god... I didnât think youâd ever come back after all this time! So many things have changed, and Iâ" Her voice trembled with emotion, words spilling out before she caught herself.
"Iâd like to meet Ms. Rosavere," Aether interjected gently.
"Huh? Yes, yes! Of course! Please, just give me a moment!" The young woman flustered, bowing her head and darting away toward a side door, clearly to alert her CEO.
Aether hummed quietly, leaning on the desk and glancing around. The lobby was alive with movement, workers coming and going with bundles of documents, couriers exchanging parcels, and clerks calling out to each other.
He watched the steady flow and thought, âHmm... Is trading still flourishing here?â A frown tugged at his lips. His own Empire had been struggling latelyâjobs, demand, the market was shifting, and he couldnât help but compare.
The receptionist hurried back, a bit breathless, bowing again. "Mr. Lackey, please follow me," she said politely, gesturing down a plush hallway. She led him to the door of Rosavereâs cabin.
She knocked once, then opened the door for him. Aether stepped inside... and his eyes widened.
Amara Rosavere looked entirely different now. She stood by her window, dressed in a luxurious, form-fitting gown of deep black, the shoulders fluffy, a silken black scarf around her neck.
Her once soft, rose-pink hair, once loose and cascading, was now styled into a tight, elegant bun. She was still as cubby as he remembered, but the warmth she once carried seemed replaced by an unfamiliar chill.
Yet, for all that, she smiled gently. But it wasnât the same smileâdefinitely not the warm, open grin she used to wear. This one was distant, emotionless, as if sheâd practised it in the mirror.
"Itâs been a while, Mr. Lackey. Sorry for the short notice," she said, voice soft but icy, beckoning him to sit. "How are you?" she asked as she sat down.
Aether nodded as he sat down, offering a polite smile. "I am fine, Lady Rosavere... How are you?"
For a moment, she simply smiled, a slight upward curve that never touched her eyes. Then she turned serious, all business as she fixed him with a steady gaze.
"Letâs get to the matter at hand. The reason I called you here is that I would like to have your cooperation."
"Cooperation?"
"Yes! This concerns a very serious matterâand even dangerous, considering I havenât spoken to the other Royalties about it yet,"
Aether frowned. "Okay... Go on."
"Are you fine with that? Because what Iâm about to show you could bring the wrath of rulers... Are you sure you want to go any further?" she asked, leaning forward.
Aether held her gaze, then shrugged lightly. "Iâm just a nobody. All I need is money for my work, thatâs all," he replied calmly.
"Good." Rosavere gave a short nod, then pulled open her desk drawer and took something out. She set it on the table between them with deliberate care.
"Here."
Aether stared blankly at the object in front of him.
A... gun?
He frowned, just as Rosavere began to speak. "This is an artifact I came across recently. Let me show you what itâs capable of." She pressed something under the table; suddenly, one of the walls in the room shifted, sliding open to reveal a human-sized rock a little distance away.
Without hesitation, she picked up the gun, aimed, and pressed the trigger. With a sudden, shining whineâ
BOOM!!
Aether blinked... he hadnât even seen what fired from the gun, but the boulder was instantly shattered, fragments exploding across the chamber. Rosavere gave a small nod, satisfied, before closing the wall again with another button press.
She turned back to him, "Did you see its power, Mr. Lackey?"
"Huh? Yeah..." Aether nodded, still a little confused, his mind trying to catch up with what heâd just witnessed. He hadnât seen any projectile, nothing at allâjust the rock, blown apart.
Rosavere smiled, "I want you to recreate this artifactâas many as possible."
Aether raised his eyebrows. "Why?"
Rosavereâs smirk deepened as she leaned forward, "Donât you get it? Look at us. What are we right now? Weak and pathetic!" Her voice shook with frustration as she clenched her fist.
"The Empires are a messânobody has real power, everyoneâs teetering on the edge. But what if... I showed this artifact to the world?"
Aether frowned behind his rabbit mask, "Itâs going to cause chaos..."
Rosavere nodded, not the slightest bit deterred.
"Of course it will. But who cares? If we auction it off the first time, itâll only land in some nobleâs hands. But after thatâonce itâs out there, the pathetic, selfish nobles do the remaining work for us and... the whole situation changes, you know that.
The market will explode. Demand will skyrocket, and only weâll control the supply!" She leaned back, the edge of a dangerous smile on her lips. "So, what do you think?"
Aether blinked under the mask. He wasnât sure what was going on with Rosavereâhow sheâd gotten her hands on a gun powerful enough to obliterate solid rock without any visible bullet.
If such a weapon fell into the hands of the public... He fucking knew the kind of horror that would follow.
He studied her, silent for a moment, considering. For a second, he thought about using a bit of manipulation, but a woman like Rosavere whoâd clawed her way up to this level wouldnât be fooled so easily.
And if he made a single misstep, heâd ruin everything.
His eyes glanced around the room, and he wasnât sure if anything else here.
Itâs not best to play.
Aether drew a slow breath, choosing his next words carefully. "I presume... Iâm not the first one youâve called?"
Rosavere met his eyes, quiet for a heartbeat before she sighed,
"You always do have such sharp instincts..." she admitted.
"Please forgive me, but I did try to have my own magicians and artificers recreate it. They failed.
I even approached othersâbut none succeeded either. So... here we are."
"I see," Aether replied with a thoughtful hum, noting her honesty. âSo I wonât be the last, either,â he thought.
If she kept moving from one craftsman to the next, things could get dangerousâespecially if someone else figured out the artifactâs secret.
That wasnât something he wanted.
He nodded, forcing a casual tone. "I donât mind. Honestly, itâs impressive." He extended his hand, reaching for the gun when Rosavere smoothly pulled the artifact back, keeping it out of his grasp.
She smiled, "Iâm glad you agreed. But before we go any further, I need to see your Origin Card. Please?" She raised her hand expectantly.
Aetherâs face went pale beneath the mask, âFuck!â