I remembered that we slept beside the lake in Manaya Village. I jolted awake—relieved to find we were safe. Yesterday, we heard a massive, tremor-like sound rumbling from underground.
I turned to look at my girls. They had swapped positions again—this time, Reshia and Seraphine were cuddled up beside me. I poked their cheeks to wake them up.
"Uh... Master, good morning," Reshia murmured, still groggy.
"Master… good morning," Seraphine added flatly.
"Today is your guys' date," I declared with a smile. "Where do we want to go next?"
They just wanted to walk with me.
I nodded, stood up, and washed my face in the lake. Soon, we left Manaya Village—leaving the mysteries behind for now—and made our way back to Dendroit Town. There, we met Sister Ann, the nun from the rundown church in Toh Long Town of the Indrasia Kingdom. I had once convinced her to come to Astarte Kingdom so the children could receive their Classes and Ranks.
"Sister Ann? Isn't that you?" I asked.
"Yes, that's me," she replied with a smile. "As you suggested, I brought the children here to Astarte Kingdom."
"How's it going?" I asked.
"Good so far, but now I'm searching for a place to stay," Ann said. "I can't keep staying at the Mavela Guild for free."
"Oh… I'll ask Baran about it. He's our Guildmaster, after all." I mentioned Baran's name—and somewhere far away, he sneezed.
"No, you don't have to—" Ann started to object, then paused when she saw me with Reshia.
She must've assumed I was on a date with Reshia… until she turned and noticed Seraphine quietly watching the children nearby.
"Who is that?" Ann asked.
"That's Seraphine. She's one of my newer girls," I replied. Then I hesitated. "I, uh… what do I even call them now—partners? Companions?"
Seraphine stepped closer after hearing me mumble. "Master, you can say wives. Remember?"
"W-Wives!?" Ann gasped.
"Sister!! Master already has… uh… eleven wives!!" Reshia added casually while playing with the children.
"E-Eleven!?" Ann almost fainted. "Well… Mister Ares is strong and good-looking… no wonder you'd have eleven wives…"
Then a child ran up to me, asking where my other wives were. I told them today was Reshia and Seraphine's date, and the others didn't want to disturb us.
But suddenly, one of the children pointed toward a nearby bush.
"They've been hiding since the date started," the child said.
Aisha stepped out, greeting the children, followed by Luna and Yuki. The children were mesmerized by Sasha's human form, even though they didn't know she is a mermaid but with the concealment artifact. The children saw her like a normal girl. Ironically, they kept saying, "You look like a mermaid!"
The children were scared at first by Merlin's towering Moosetaur form—but one brave child approached her anyway. Then came Lisa and Alice. I looked around, but I couldn't see Violet or Hilda.
"They're there," a child said, pointing to a quiet corner.
Violet and Hilda were sitting side by side… in tense silence.
I introduced all my wives to Sister Ann and the children. Meanwhile, Merlin pulled up her carriage filled with ingredients and cooking utensils so Reshia could prepare a meal. The children cheered with excitement.
Yuki scouted out a cozy spot for our picnic. Reshia began cooking while I helped by chopping ingredients. While we waited, Luna taught the children about magic.
When the food was ready, Aisha and Yuki became our cheerful waitresses. The children happily devoured the food.
Meanwhile, my wives were in their own world:
—Aisha and Yuki fought over a steak.
—Luna nibbled calmly on fish and chips.
—Merlin and Lisa shared a salad.
—Sasha enjoyed her kelp sushi.
—Hilda devoured an entire pumpkin pie.
—Violet, reserved as ever, picked apart a rockbird wing before going for a second… and then a third.
Alice and Seraphine, however, had trouble eating due to their harpy forms. They sat beside me and, without shame, demanded I feed them.
Reshia noticed and stormed over.
"Alice!! This is my and Seraph's date!!" she shouted.
"Sorry, Reshia! I can't feed myself," Alice said happily.
"Alice, come here. I'll feed you," Yuki offered.
Reshia pouted at me. "Eh? What did I do wrong?"
"Master!! Feed me!!" she demanded.
So, I did. I spoon-fed both Reshia and Seraphine. Reshia happily munched until she realized… I was using the same spoon for all three of us. Her face turned bright red.
Seraphine watched the other wives laughing… yet stayed quiet, her wings folded tightly. She ate silently at first—but then her expression softened. She must have noticed how good the food really was.
Suddenly, I asked Reshia, "Why do you still call me 'Master'?"
"Because I want to be your personal maid," she replied with her mouth full.
"I see… Well, then, from now on, you're my Head Maid."
"Really?!" Her eyes sparkled. "Master, I love you!"
She climbed onto the bench and kissed me.
"I love you too, Reshia," I replied calmly. My other wives radiated a sharp aura. I smiled at them awkwardly.
Seraphine watched the children from afar, her expression unreadable. Despite sitting beside me, her wings were pulled tight—like she was bracing herself. Then chaos erupted at Merlin's carriage.
"Oh no!! A vegetable escaped!!! The Mandroots are on the loose!!" she cried.
"Mandroots?" I blinked. "Wait—they're the bait for Mandragora!?"
Mandroots were living root monsters native to Astarte Kingdom. They were used as bait for dangerous predators like Mandragora—massive, serpentine, plant-like creatures covered in flowers or thorns.
Normally docile, a Mandragora becomes extremely aggressive if its Mandroots escape. It'll stop at nothing to hunt them down.
Suddenly, the ground trembled.
From the street, a Mandragora slithered straight toward the Mandroots.
Its swaying tail smashed stalls in its path. The Mandroots fled—passing by Sasha. The Mandragora lunged at her, but Sister Ann cast Spirit Obsidian Flame Shield just in time to block it.
The Mandroots kept running.
Seraphine swooped down, caught one, and flew upward.
"Seraphine!! Be careful!" I shouted. "Mandragora eats light magic!"
She flapped higher, unleashing Radiance spells from her wings.
The Mandragora stretched its muscles and leapt into the air, snaring Seraphine mid-flight. Its vines wrapped around her.
"Another failure…" Seraph whispered, weakening. "Will I be rejected again?"
A vine with thorny tips emerged from the Mandragora's throat—ready to sting her.
"Purple Shield!!" Reshia shouted, leaping in with her shield raised. She blocked the attack. "Are you okay, Seraph!?"
"Failure equals rejection…" Seraphine muttered again.
"I was a failure too, Seraph!" I shouted. "Before I met Aisha, I had nothing! I was a Rank-E Tamer with zero stats. But not anymore. I have all of you—my wives. That's why I'm no longer a failure."
Seraph's eyes widened.
"Ares-nii… Reshia-nee… please save me," she said weakly.
Reshia nodded and cast Boneterra Trap. Giant ribcages burst from the ground, pinning the Mandragora in place. Its vines loosened. I dashed in, caught Seraphine, and laid her down safely.
Activating Demonic Hands, two spectral demon arms appeared behind me.
"Terrastorm!!" I shouted, slamming the Mandragora with earthen might and stunning it.
Then I grabbed the Mandroots and threw them outside town. The Mandragora hissed—and chased after them.
Afterward, I asked my wives to watch over the children while I visited Princess Aurora at the palace.
When I arrived, Aurora grinned. "Want to race back?"
She was an Assassin Class. Naturally, I accepted.
We dashed across rooftops, leapt over alleys, and parkoured through the city. Eventually, we arrived at the children.
I asked Aurora if she could build a home for the children.
"I was already planning to give you a mansion," she said. "Let them live there. And after your final date tomorrow… the King wants to meet you—with your wives."
What does the King want with us?
Later, as the sun set and stars scattered across the sky, Seraphine stirred from her fatigue. Even as the others laughed and bickered, Seraphine's gaze lingered on me longer and longer, her unreadable eyes slowly softening. She walked toward me slowly… and kissed me.
"Thank you," she whispered.
It was the first time I saw Seraphine blush.
"Ares-nii… I love you. Can I take your surname?"
"I love you too, Seraphine," I said, mesmerized by her night-feathered wings.
I cast Terra Dome to give Reshia, Seraphine, and me a private shelter—so the children wouldn't see anything they shouldn't.
Then, I opened their status screens.
---
> Reshia Meledric
Race: Lizard-kin (Fossil Tyrant)
Class: Juggernaut
Magic: Terra, Bone
Level: 357
Ability: Juggernaut Fortress III – Boosts Vitality by 200% when active.
> Seraphine Meledric
Race: Raven-Harpy (Demonic Nightwing)
Class: Sorcerer
Magic: Spirit Demon, Radiance
Level: 351
Ability: Sorcerer Burst - 100% Chance to deal additional damage to enemies.
---
Seraphine kisses me again. Seraphine's kiss was feather-light but burning with emotion, her wings rustling like midnight rain.—Reshia waiting patiently for her turn.
That's how Reshia and Seraphine's date ended.
And now… it's time for the final heart I've yet to reach—Violet's.