Chapter 211: Do you mind if he becomes your father?
From the very beginning, Adriana harboured an inexplicable distaste towards Scylla.
She couldn't quite pinpoint the source of her feeling, but there was an underlying feeling that Scylla held more than what met the eye.
Confirmation came when Lilith ordered Scylla's role as a maid to Eli.
Lilith, protective of Eli, was unwavering in her stance against allowing other women in close proximity to him.
Though Adriana begrudgingly concurred, over time, Lilith softened her stance, permitting other women to approach Eli. This gradual shift fueled Adriana's struggle to contain her building anger and frustration.
Whenever she sought an explanation, Lilith's response remained steadfast 'I decide what MY HUSBAND needs' exacerbating Adriana's internal turmoil....even more, when she heard those pressing tones of 'My Husband'.
'Timeless Barrier' Adriana muttered inwardly upon witnessing Scylla descending from the stairs.
The name itself conveyed its essence: A barrier where time held no sway. This implied an absence of space and consequently, a lack of mana elements to compromise its integrity.
'Who in the world is she?... Such knowledge demands an individual of Emperor realm status and an understanding of the very concept of time itself... She couldn't possibly be an Emperor now... if not, then...' Adriana's thoughts spiralled into contemplation.
Eli, enveloped his wife in a tight embrace when he felt the trembling sensation.
"Master, I've cleaned your room" Scylla stated, her eyes twitching slightly as she cast a wary glance at Lilith.
"Thank you, Scylla" Eli replied with a gentle smile.
"M-Master, I could repair yours...."
"Please!" Eli readily handed her a wooden box.
Scylla smiled as she understood how important this was to him and how much he trusted her to give without hesitation, taking the wooden box and inhaling deeply before taking out two hollow white Soul Crystals.
Closely scrutinizing them, she noted, 'There are a few cracks and scratches....hmmm, fine then'.
/Timeflow Inversion/
Time around the Soul Crystals gradually rewound, the cracks and scratches sealing as if they had never existed.
"Done" Scylla announced, presenting the restored Soul Crystals to Eli.
Eli accepted them in his right hand while his left hand comfortingly patted Lilith's back, treating her like a child.
Lilith glanced at the two soul crystals, then at Scylla, before burying her face in Eli's chest...inhaling his manly scent.
"Big Brother, that....Mother, right?" Mia inquired, her eyes flickering between the soul crystals and Lilith.
"....Yes, Mother and....My wife" Eli murmured.
"..." A heavy silence hung in the air for a moment before,
"Y-Your wife?" Mia, unaware of Eli's first wife, assumed he was always speaking about Lilith until now.
"....Yes" Eli confirmed, glancing at Mia with honesty.
"I-I see....." Mia silently stared at the soul crystals, her expression turning sombre.
"W-Who?" Mia asked with a gloomy face.
Zera shot Mia a worried look as if sensing this was not the right time. powered by NovelFire|empyr
"...." Eli gazed at the Soul Crystals for a moment before smirking, "Oh, My little Mia, I heard you hugged your hateful mother" Eli deftly shifted the conversation.
"Huh? N-No, I-I mean it-it was an acciden..." Mia stammered, her face flushing with embarrassment.
Everyone smoothly flowed along with Eli's redirection.
"Yes, Master. She hugged her mother tightly and cried like a child" Scylla chimed in, attempting to playfully tease Mia.
"ahahahah...."
"What's more, the moment she heard your voice, she immediately jumped back from the faint and shooed her mother away like a dog...You have to see her mother's face, that was hilarious...ahhahahaha..." Zera added as if she couldn't believe her own eyes when saw Mariel's weird reaction.
"Hahahaha..."
Eli laughed heartily, causing Mia's blush to deepen as she hid her face behind her hands.
"Y-You bully!!" Mia exclaimed, her beet-red face obscured by her ponytail.
Observing this adorable scene, everyone couldn't help but think, 'Cute!'
After some laughter, Eli turned his attention to Scylla and began to express his gratitude,
"Thank--Hmmm"
But his words were cut off by the sensation of soft lips on his own.
Others were momentarily stunned before frustration etched lines on their foreheads.
Eli shifted his gaze to the woman who had removed her veil and planted a kiss on him.
Her sparkling sky-blue eyes met Ruby-red ones.
After a moment, she pulled back and uttered, "I am sorry, Dear".
"...Hmm" Eli responded with a nonchalant sound, placing the soul crystals safely inside the wooden box.
"For what?" Eli inquired, his eyes focused on the woman who seemed reluctant to speak.
"...." Adriana avoided eye contact.
Lilith gently tilted Eli's head to meet her gaze and stated, "For not informing you beforehand".
"Hmmm..." Eli nodded, prompting her to continue.
Observing Eli's expectation, Lilith hesitated
"I-I am sorry, Darling...it's just I-I c--" Lilith faltered.
"You are mortal and unworthy of hearing that" Adriana interjected bluntly, curtailing Lilith's hesitation.
"...." Lilith shot Adriana a sharp glare.
[What the fuck, Adriana?]
[...I apologize, My king, but he needs to know eventually....He is just a mortal. He can't even approach the Door, let alone assist us.... I'm sorry, but I don't want him anywhere near that fucking deadly door....even if it means hurting him with words]
[....]
Liliith and Adriana telepathically shouted at each other.
""..."" Mia and Zera exchanged glances, silently questioning each other about whether they had missed something in the conversation. Unfortunately, neither of them had any insight into what was being discussed.
"..." Eli's eyes adopted a vacant expression, and his tone became emotionless,
"You know, 'She' said exactly like you" As he looked at the wooden box before glancing at Adriana, "What annoys me more is you guys think I won't be able to handle it or I am scared and act like a coward" Eli's eyes gradually turned red in anger and frustration.
"My wife, that idiotic woman, died pathetically.....Until the end, she never told me anything, as if she was protecting me... From what? From those fucking 'maniacs'... which I killed later ruthlessly as I wish".
Eli's eyes narrowed at Adriana and Lilith, his pupils flickering with ocean blue as he continued with an emotionless voice,
"You women.
Do.you.think....I am unworthy?" Eli's body leaked mana unconsciously, and illusionary large teeth manifested behind him, causing a wave of fear to grip everyone.
Adriana and Lilith recognized the ominous image, the memory of those teeth etched into their minds....shattering everything into nothingness and fear inflicting upon everyone....there was no way they would forget it.
"Master!" Scylla called out.
His ocean-blue pupils met the gaze of a shiny blue-eyed woman.
Scylla moved towards him and
'~chu~'
Kissed his lips in front of everyone.
Lilith, who was on Eli's lap, was momentarily taken aback by Scylla's action. Before she could push Scylla away,
"~hmm~"
With a red face, Scylla withdrew and gazed at Eli before declaring, "You are not unworthy Mas--Asher Eli....no, there is no one worthy than My Husband, Asher Eli"
"Trust me, it's just you are not ready to hear that information. It's not about My husband's competence, It's about your mortal body not being ready to handle certain information....Please Trust me" Scylla with a warm smile.
"...." Eli's eyes returned to normal as he stared at Scylla, smiling unconsciously.
He then asked, "Scylla, kiss me again".
"Huh?" Scylla was surprised for a second before glancing at the two women with smug looks, saying, "A week is enough" and kissing him again.
In that moment, she cast aside her shyness.....In front of everyone...more like in front of Lilith, she wanted to assert her place by his side, and she did so with confidence.
"Y-You B-Bitch!!" Adriana stuttered.
[.....]
'SSssshoowwwhhh'
Scylla, who was kissing Eli's lips....suddenly felt nothing on her lips. Slowly opening her eyes, she noticed both Eli and Lilith were gone from the sofa.
"Tsk. she teleported him" Scylla clicked her tongue in annoyance and thought, 'Just you wait, I am going to make sure he only looks at me' as her eyes squinted at Adriana, who released a deadly glare in return.
""..."" Both Zera and Mia were frozen by the sudden turn of events.
"Who are you, Scylla?" Adriana asked with impatience and an emotionless tone.
"Me, just a Maid" Scylla replied carefreely.
"Maid..ah...? Do you---"
"Before that, why don't you tell your daughter the truth?" Scylla immediately cut her off.
"Huh?" Adriana was annoyed by Scylla's action.
"What you me--"
"Your relationship with Asher Eli, MY HUSBAND?" Scylla again cut her off.
"What are you babbling about, Scylla?" Adriana squinted her eyes, not liking her tone one bit.
"I mean, I just wanted you to reconsider your option and be truthful" Scylla said, hinting at those events where Adriana hesitated for a second....which was definitely wrong according to Scylla....'Nothing is more important than her husband'.
Not knowing Scylla was being aggressive since the moment she thought she lost Eli....Character growth?
"..." Adriana suddenly fell silent.
"What is it?" Mia got curious.
Scylla looked at Mia and said with a smile, "Mia, let's leave mother and daughter alone" as she stood up and pulled Mia towards her room.
"Huh? W-wait...I...." Mia reluctantly went along with Scylla when she saw Zera look tense for some reason.
After everyone left, Zera and Adriana found themselves in a silent living room.
"..."
"..."
"M-Mothe--" Zera began, but before she could utter another word, Adriana enveloped her in a warm embrace.
"I am sorry" Adriana confessed sincerely.
Zera hesitated for a moment, then hugged her mother tightly, wearing a gloomy expression,
"N-No, Mother, you shouldn't. I should be the one apologizing for losing focus on the test and leaving him alone to face that monster"
Feeling Zera's trembling lips, Adriana's eyes softened and she said, "My daughter is starting to grow up...ah".
"Hehe....Yeah" Zera chuckled mischievously, trying to lighten the mood.
Adriana pondered Scylla's words. At that moment, she couldn't find the right answer.
The Fallen continent, which she had worked tirelessly to rebuild, was like a baby to her. She couldn't abandon it even if it grew up well.
Her dream was to transform the entire Fallen Continent into a new era, much like 'Nex'.
The inspiration struck her when she first entered the Nex, witnessing people laughing and playing without pain, cries, thirst, or famine. She aimed to create a place....no, she wanted an entire Fallen Continent like that.
Adriana was well aware that her King, before meeting Asher Eli, showed no interest in the people. Even now, Lilith would have almost killed everyone, if not for Adriana's desperate pleas.
"W-What should I do?" Adriana muttered to herself, conflicted between her love for a mortal human and her dedication to her continent.
She wasn't a heartless person, When realized something happened to Eli, she was ready to destroy anyone. Fury surged within her when she sensed her life-saving healing artifact being used.
She harboured a desire to mercilessly destroy those who had harmed Eli, to revel in their bloodshed.
And yet....her mind couldn't help but wander back to her continent. Her responsibility seemed to weigh heavier than her emotions for Eli.
"Mother?" Zera lifted her head from her mother's bosom, having overheard some muttering.
"Huh?...Noth-" Adriana snapped out of her thoughts, meeting her daughter's gaze. She then asked nervously,
"Do you like Asher Eli?"
"!!!...What are you even ask--" Zera's face turned bright red, her heart fluttering like a butterfly at the memory of Eli kissing her forehead. But before she could finish, Adriana posed another unexpected question,
"Do you mind if he becomes your father?" Adriana asked nervously.
"....Whatt???" Zera looked at her mother like a broken toy.
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