"Big sister Kaelira, was that truly necessary?"
Meilan smoothed her furrowed brows in exasperation as she berated the motherly figure before her.
"Hehehe, but he was cute—I couldn't resist~"
The woman's face carried a mischievous, doting expression as she stared at the baby in her arms. As she cradled him, a warm smile blossomed on her face, filling the room like the first light of sunrise.
Kaelira Aenwyn, wife of Vairon Aetherion and the city lord of Skydorn City. Back in her youth, she had been known as one of the ten supreme beauties of Genara. Now, as a city lord of one of the most powerful cities in the Eastern Realm, she had faded slightly from the public eye.
But this did little to diminish her beauty—in fact, it had grown even more absurd. Her youthful, immature air had faded with time, replaced by a motherly grace and calm regalness that would drive any sane male crazy. Her wide, sensual hips had bloomed even further, showing off curves that surely had their own gravitational pull.
Her breasts had become fuller, barely contained by the strained fabric of her white robes. If you compared her current self to her youth…well, both images would lead to clothing shops seeing an increase in pants orders.
"Big sister…"
Seeing Meilan's disapproving gaze, Kaelira let out a melodious laugh, filling the study with the sound of twinkling bells and melting the tense air.
"Okay, okay~! I apologize, alright? I'll make sure not to tease him next time."
Meilan narrowed her eyes with a gaze full of distrust. Kaelira met her gaze with wide eyes full of innocence.
Meilan simply sighed in resignation and moved to stand behind her.
"You know, if you continue to sigh so much you'll begin to form wrinkles on that beautiful face~"
"That will not happen, because not only am I a natural beauty, but my cultivation keeps me far away from the clutches of age."
Kaelira rolled her eyes at her trusted servant's words. For as long as she had known Meilan, the woman had always maintained this straightforward way of speaking.
"By the way…where is Master Vairon?"
Kaelira's face immediately flushed as she turned her head to the side with a guilty expression. Meilan's gaze seemed to burn two holes into the back of her head.
"Kaelira…again?"
"I-I couldn't help it! Who told him to come back into the bedroom after his morning training covered in sweat? He knows exactly what that can do to me!"
As she began to reminisce about the passionate, heated exchange that occurred mere hours ago, Kaelira's eyes turned hazy as she licked her lips subconsciously.
Meilan's expression twisted in disgust at her lost expression, fighting the rising urge to vomit.
"You damn horny succubus! One of these days you're going to drain him dry and exhaust him, body and soul!"
Kaelira giggled coyly, a strange heat rising from beneath her.
"Drain him dry? You should be worried for me, not him. He is…insatiable. Just this morning he had me for hours without rest. The way he tossed me, used me, pinned me to the wall like—"
"NOPE! ABSOLUTELY NOT! THAT'S ABOUT ENOUGH OUT OF YOU!"
Sensing the imminent danger, Meilan hurriedly covered Kaelira's mouth to prevent her from speaking further—only for a string of sultry, sinful lines to be spoken directly into her mind, resounding within her skull like the whispers of a demoness.
Her face reddened instantly, looking as though it would drip blood, before steam started to rise from her head. Her legs grew weak as she pressed them tightly together, lowering her head in sheer embarrassment.
"HAHAHA!"
Kaelira's demeanor changed suddenly as she let out a roar of uncouth laughter. The remaining maids shook their heads as they saw their mistress once again lose herself in teasing Meilan.
"KAELIRA AENWYN, YOU—!"
Meilan's eyes sharpened as her face darkened. Before anyone could react, her hands found themselves tightening around Kaelira's throat, trying to squeeze her very soul out from her body.
Kaelira's eyes bulged as she gasped for air, her legs flailing as she struggled.
"W-Wait! I—I give…I g-give! Spare m-me!"
As Meilan enacted her coup attempt, the maids went about their duties as if nothing was happening—clearly used to similar scenes between the two sworn sisters.
—-------------------------
After a while, both women sat on couches opposite each other, breathing heavily. Kaelira glared at Meilan's haughty expression, gritting her teeth while swearing revenge.
At that moment, the door of the study swung open softly as a tall figure strode toward them. His steps were light but measured, carrying a freeness and control that flowed like the wind.
His green hair swayed rhythmically as he moved toward the two disheveled women facing off.
"...Do I even want to know?"
"NO!"
"My lady started it."
"DID NOT!"
He sighed as he ignored their bickering, walking toward the couch.
It was, of course, Vairon Aetherion. Husband of the Skydorn City Lord and an elusive figure in the cultivation world. He spent most of his time searching ancient ruins or adventuring through secret realms, so not much was known about him.
He was once one of the most prominent figures of the Eastern Realm, a genius seen once every thousand years, on par with Sylas Karth, the current patriarch of the Karth Clan. But he had slowly faded into obscurity after a falling out with his father due to the succession of the Aetherion Clan.
Since then, he and his wife, along with their newborn son, had separated from the main clan and taken over Skydorn City. He had left the City Lord position to his wife, as he held no interest in leadership (more like he couldn't be bothered to talk to other sentient life).
He instead chose to pursue a life of adventure, leading to many forgetting his name entirely. But those within Skydorn knew him well. While he was normally stoic and cold to others, he became very talkative and expressive whenever he and his family were together.
Especially with his wife—their adoration for each other was no secret to the citizens of the city. They often saw him rushing to various restaurants and tea shops to bring her whatever she desired.
To others, he was a cold, expressionless machine. But to them, he was a love-struck husband who couldn't bear to be apart from his wife.
Now, seeing the very man lift his wife and child into his lap as he sat on the couch, the group of maids couldn't help but gulp.
From his delicate, sharp features, his loose robe exposing his hard, tantalizing chest muscles, to the light stubble and piercing green eyes that softened as he gazed at his wife—
He was the embodiment of a "FILF," as the young ones say.
Kaelira's expression instantly softened as her body snuggled closer into her husband. Her form seemed to melt in his arms as she purred in satisfaction.
Meilan rolled her eyes at the scene and huffed in exasperation, somehow feeling as if she had just lost.
"Meilan, sorry for all the trouble as always."
Vairon cast her a wary smile. Meilan quickly shook her hands in denial.
"N-Not at all, Master! Your words are more than—"
Her words faltered as the sounds of heavy breathing interrupted her train of thought.
She slowly turned her head to Kaelira as her mind went blank. The all-mighty, fearless city lord was there, shamelessly breathing in the scent of her husband's hair greedily.
Meilan's expression turned utterly blank, her brain rebooting as she tried to comprehend what she was seeing. The other maids' faces reddened and they quickly fled the study, closing the door behind them.
Vairon wore a helpless expression, the corner of his lips twitching as he felt like burying his head beneath a rock.
But like the seasoned, professional head maid she was, Meilan quickly changed gears.
"When did you return, Master?"
Vairon flashed her an expression of gratitude as he too ignored the woman on his lap.
"Just last night. It took some time to deliver all the invitations."
Meilan's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"So you have decided?"
"Yes. It is time to introduce my son to the world. He cannot remain hidden forever."
Chayrith's birth was a total secret. When Vairon and Kaelira had originally returned from the secret realm forty years ago, they had been carrying him in their arms.
But to their shock and horror, his small body had dissolved into motes of light right in front of them. Before they could descend into madness, the motes were quickly pulled into Kaelira's body.
With a thorough inspection by Vairon's mother, the matriarch of the Aetherion Clan, they discovered that Kaelira was fine—and that she was pregnant!
Vairon and Kaelira knew that it was Chayrith, the same child who had disappeared, but did not speak on the subject in front of anyone—not even their families.
Everything that had happened was kept under the strictest of oaths, no one allowed to breathe even a word of what had occurred. And for forty years, Chayrith lay within her womb, gestating.
Until eleven months ago, he was finally born. In half a month's time, it would be his first birthday—an event that would officially introduce Chayrith to the powers and forces of the Eastern Realm.
While Vairon pushed for revealing their son early, Kaelira surprisingly was against the idea of an open celebration. But with some coaxing… and a lot of passionate persuasion… she relented and agreed.
The woman in question, now done molesting her husband, stroked her son's pouting cheeks lovingly with a complicated look on her face. She turned to her husband as she asked tentatively,
"And…your family…will they be here?"
Vairon met her gaze before turning to their sleeping son and ruffling his loose hair. Chayrith's brows furrowed as he gnashed his teeth together, seeming to be having some sort of nightmare.
"Yes, they will. My brothers, my mother, and…my father will be attending."