While Liu Shu was busy, she received a message from Cinderielle. Her voice was full of complaints. "Tiantian… When can we go visit you? It's been over five years since you leveled up, but we have yet to go to your
Liu Shu chuckled. "Patience, love. I want to make sure that the space is stable for you."
By Cinderielle's side, a tall and slender Sylvan woman stood at the side with arms crossed, looking at Cinderielle disapprovingly. "Mother, you've been with Mom for so long, why are you still so desperate?"
Cinderielle looked to the side and snorted. "What would you know? When you decide to find someone instead of focusing on so many useless things, I want to see if you are less clingy than me!"
The woman Cinderielle spoke to was Pyralis. She was 180 centimeters tall, slightly shorter than Cinderielle, but sharing the same orange-colored hair. Her purple eyes, inherited from Liu Shu, gleamed with confidence, enhancing her perfectly carved facial features. What was most mesmerizing was the gorgeous, multicolored hair gently falling between her brows and curving sideways.
That hair carried a profound and complex energy that would make others feel uncomfortable and nauseous if exposed to it for too long.
Of course, those sharing Liu Shu's blood felt absolutely nothing.
Pyralis shook her head and sighed. "I am still 21 years old, Mother. What do you expect me to find when I am so young? With your care, I've managed to reach Level 20 in just three years, and I am about to rush into the
Cinderielle's lips twitched. "Slow down, girl. Your foundation is very important."
Pyralis raised her eyebrow, her purple eyes showing confidence. "I managed to complete my
Cinderielle deadpanned. "Girl. Have I not beaten your ass enough lately? Your being 21 doesn't mean that you are going to escape the nest!" She even pointed at Pyralis's waist. "You also have such a beautiful gift from your mother! Why are you not using it!?"
Pyralis's confident face instantly flushed redder than her hair. "M-MOM! Why are you so… so… so you!"
Cinderielle, utterly unashamed, raised her eyebrows. "What's there to be shy about? Inherited from me, you have a proper weapon between your legs. While I won't say anything if you find a male of another species, as you are equipped for that as well, your weapon will probably win you half the arguments with a few proper knocks!"
Pyralis was speechless. She didn't know that her mother could be this shameless!
Liu Shu, listening from the side, spoke with a gentle tone. "Are you having fun making my daughter embarrassed, Cinder?"
Pyralis saw how in less than a second, Cinderielle's proud expression cracked as she became a fawning little woman. "Love, you know I do it for her own good. With so many Alraunes as their siblings, and yet they are all as prude as a monk. We need to give them a little push…"
"Do we?"
Liu Shu asked, her tone unchanged, but making even Pyralis feel a sense of danger.
"O-Of course we should!"
"We should?"
Cinderielle lost confidence with each question. "I mean… don't you want little grandchildren from your five Sylvan babies?"
Liu Shu sighed and smiled. "Cinder, let them live as they please. They are Sylvans with terrifying potential. They have thousands of years before them. Do you really think that a relationship they start now will last for that long?"
Cinderielle paused and rubbed her chin. "That's… a fair point."
Pyralis sighed in relief in her head. Her heart had actually leaped when Cinderielle mentioned grandchildren. It was not a secret that Liu Shu adored having babies and the babies of her babies.
Liu Shu spoke gently, her root climbing up and caressing Cinderielle's cheek. "Don't pressure them. Not everyone's relationship can be like ours."
Cinderielle leaned on the root, giving it a kiss with a smile. "I know."
Being fed an impromptu mouthful of dog food, Pyralis rolled her eyes. "If I ever enter a relationship with someone, it will be a Life Tree or World Tree."
This time, it was Liu Shu and Cinderielle who were stumped. Liu Shu asked, confused. "Why?"
"Because I like them!" Pyralis said with a confident tone, her cheeks blushing adorably. "I just… I feel comfortable when I look at them. Moreover, aren't World Trees the best partners? Look at Mom! Even if not all World Trees are like Mom, they should not be too different in terms of attitude. I have never heard of a World Tree cheating, after all."
Cinderielle had nothing to say. Her daughter was right. "Well, it's up to you." She then changed the subject. "Where are the other four, by the way? Shouldn't they be arriving soon?"
Pyralis took out a communication device and nodded. "Sis Arlyn says that they detoured to buy you one of those flower cakes you like so much. They'll be here in ten."
Cinderielle blinked and smiled. "That's great." She asked, curious. "By the way, do any of your sisters have a partner?"
"None." Pyralis, now relaxed, answered calmly. "The four of them have quite a few suitors, especially Faye and Faylin. I've heard that someone tried to woo both of them."
Cinderielle grinned. "Well, those twins are very similar to their mother. Two identically beautiful Sylvans with Verdantia's body… I can tell why they are so popular."
Liu Shu spoke lightly. "I still remember those two crazy guys I saw stalking them. I didn't expect there to be psychos who dare to target them, knowing that they are my children."
Pyralis blinked. "What happened to them?"
"I sent them to feed your aunts."
Pyralis paused, knowing that the term "aunts" was used for the ants. Her eyes showed a complicated look. "To help feed, or…"
"As food."
Liu Shu answered, having zero reservations about these things. If someone played stupid games, they would end up gaining stupid prizes.
Pyralis nodded slowly.
"Mother Cinderielleeee!" A cheerful and melodic voice echoed from outside the room, making Pyralis roll her eyes.
A second later, a purple shadow banged through the door and jumped into Cinderielle's embrace.
Accustomed to the girl's antics, Cinderielle opened her arms and caught the girl. "Meldy, are you trying to hurt your Town Hall sister? Be more careful with the doors."
Meldy, holding Cinderielle like a koala, smiled apologetically to the walls. "Sorry, big sister."
A root stretched, gently patting her head. "Don't worry, you can be rougher if that makes you happy."
"Hehe. Thank you, Big Sis!"
Faye, walking through the door, laughed aloud. "Big sister is so naughty~. How can you say things like that?"
Liu Shu extended a root, bonking her head. "Don't tease your Town Hall Sister."
"Ouch." Faye rubbed her head.
The four that stepped in were different in looks from each other.
Faye and Faylin were perfect replicas of each other. They were not tall, around 165 centimeters tall. However, their bodies were explosive. With curves that, if not careful, would send tempting jiggles across the body. Their hair was green, and their eyes followed Liu Shu's, glowing like polished amethysts.
Meldy, the purple-haired, blue-eyed girl in Cinderielle's arms, had a pear-shaped body type, perfectly inherited from Harmonixia. Her upper body was slender and not particularly impressive, but her hips could probably make people howl like wolves at the sight of fresh meat.
With her cheerful, sweet attitude, she was the most popular, right behind the twins. Moreover, her modest 150 centimeters in height, equal to Liu Shu's Avatar, only added to her adorableness.
The last one to enter was Arlyn, Tempestria's daughter. The girl was actually taller than even Cinderielle and the others, reaching over 194 centimeters in height. Her body was slender and athletic, without bulky muscles. Each fiber in her body seemed ready to burst with strength.
Yet, her usual cold expression and airy walking gave her a feminine elegance that made onlookers double-take wherever she went. Together with her exotic and gleaming grey hair and purple eyes, she was nothing less than a top-grade beauty.
Together, the five siblings attracted attention everywhere they went. Even without their impressive background as Liu Shu's daughters, they excelled in a wide variety of fields. A fruit earned from their constant hard work.
Unlike most Alraune children, who were not that ambitious due to their lack of perfect humanoid intelligence, these five wanted to become pillars in the future that would help Liu Shu hold up the skies.
Liu Shu spoke to them with a smile. "You are here. Alright, let's start business. You all said that you wanted to go into a
She was asking out of curiosity. After all, while she had kept an eye on them when they stepped outside to hunt, Liu Shu never interfered unless there was a true threat to their lives.
Arlyn was the one who spoke, her cold and clear voice carrying a touch of warmth. "Mom, while hunting outside is good, we are not being efficient.
Liu Shu listened and chuckled. "Why go through such hellish training, dear? You all managed to pass the
Arlyn nodded, speaking for all her siblings. "We could. But Mom, we decided when we were young that we would grow strong enough to help you. Therefore, we will push ourselves until we catch up."
Liu Shu pondered and told a white lie. "You know that I can't reach out to you inside a
Cinderielle also hugged Meldy closer. She, like Liu Shu, was worried.
This time, it was Pyralis who spoke. "Mom, we are an extremely comprehensive group. Arlyn is our tank, I am the ranged damage dealer, and Faye and Faylin are expert summoners and healers. Then, Meldy's support is flawless, increasing all of our skills several-fold. I think that we are not lacking compared to any Explorer Party."
Liu Shu pondered for a while longer, and then she sighed. "Alright, I'll agree…" When the five were about to celebrate, Liu Shu added. "... As long as your five mothers agree. I want total agreement from them. If you can convince them, I won't stop any of you from attempting a suitable
Pyralis, Arlyn, Faye, Faylin, and Meldy froze, their eyes showing a hint of despair. They knew that they could convince Harmonixa, Tempestria, and Cinderielle. However… convincing the overprotective Verdantia would be a challenge as harsh as beating an actual
Arlyn answered with a difficult nod. "Alright, we'll try."