Lu Xia had underestimated the intensity of the experience, and she'd also underestimated the stamina of a male Beastman. As she sat up in bed, one hand on her aching back, she didn't even dare look at the marks on her body.
It was the first time for both of them, and since the obedience contract required opening their Spiritual Seas, they were at it until dawn before the contract was finally formed.
The man was no longer in the room, which, for some reason, made Lu Xia feel a bit relieved.
As she got up to go to the bathroom, Lu Xia's body suddenly stiffened. Her expression darkened, and she hurried into the bathroom.
In this world, a male's fertility depended on his gene fusion rate. A high rate meant correspondingly high fertility, while a low rate meant they were virtually sterile. Besides, almost everyone was born via technological reproduction. Natural pregnancy was extremely difficult for the females here.
And males with a low gene fusion rate didn't even get the chance to participate in technological reproduction.
But what she hadn't expected was that, for the sake of procreation, males still retained *that kind* of instinct.
By the time she finally managed to clean herself up, an hour had passed.
Walking out on trembling legs, Lu Xia had to admit she felt a little drained.
After changing, she came out of her room. The moment she opened the door, she saw the man who had disappeared kneeling right outside. He had changed out of the sheer gauze from last night and was now wearing a white shirt and army-green pants. Kneeling there, he gave off a surprisingly reserved and noble air, a sense of untouchable dignity.
However, Lu Xia knew that was all a deceptive facade.
"Female Master, breakfast is ready. Please come downstairs and enjoy."
Hearing the word "enjoy" again, Lu Xia's heart skipped a beat. She was starting to develop a phobia of that word. "Get up. You don't have to kneel when we're at home in the future."
'I really can't stand this,' she thought. 'Having someone kneel before me first thing in the morning is such a downer!'
The man on the floor stiffened. He hadn't expected Lu Xia to make such a request. He sensed the obedience contract within his Spiritual Sea, but there was no sign of it activating.
Realizing this wasn't a compulsory command, Graces rose silently to his feet.
Lu Xia was genuinely hungry. 'Anyone would be, after doing nothing but "battle" all night.'
She went down the stairs and made a series of left and right turns before finally reaching the dining room. 'This house really is huge,' she grumbled internally. 'It's a cross-country trek just to get a meal.'
'The original owner sure knew how to live it up. You'd think she would've gotten herself a golf cart to get around the house.'
When she arrived at the dining room, the old butler who was standing nearby had already pulled out a chair for her. "Madam, breakfast was prepared for you by your husband, Graces. Please taste and appraise it."
A pair of fluffy sheep ears were tucked away in the butler's salt-and-pepper hair, twitching slightly as he spoke.
Lu Xia stared at the ears on his head for three seconds before his words made her frown. 'The stench of feudalism...' she thought. 'It's been everywhere since the moment I woke up.'
'I just want to have a simple breakfast, but they're making it out to be some kind of quality inspection. An appraisal? Hello? This isn't the dark ages!'
"Don't we have a chef? From now on, let's leave professional matters to the professionals. Graces doesn't need to do this anymore." Lu Xia had no desire to "appraise" three meals a day. She wasn't a food critic. 'Appraise what, exactly?'
The pumpkin porridge in front of her looked delicious. It was the perfect temperature and had just the right amount of sweetness. Lu Xia loved it from the first bite. Then she realized that both the old butler and Graces were staring at her.
'...' she thought. 'Who can eat with two statues standing over them?' "Graces, sit down and eat. Butler, did you have something else? If not, you can either join us or go take a break. Just please, don't stand there."
"No, no, no, Madam. I've already eaten. I am not worthy of dining at the same table as you. I do, however, have something to report. Ahem. Your other four husbands are kneeling outside, wishing to greet you."
'Right, if he hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten about them.'
"Send them back. Tell them to go do whatever it is they're supposed to do and stop running over here all the time. I don't want to see them right now. Also, let them know that I'll clear things up with the Male Management Agency, so they can relax and focus on their own tasks."
'It'd be best if they just forgot I exist!'
The old butler watched as Lu Xia calmly finished speaking and resumed her meal. He felt like he must have gotten out of bed on the wrong side this morning. Normally, Lu Xia would have called them in at once for a look. Even if nothing else happened, there would surely be some touching and kissing. Why the sudden change in personality today?
As the old butler hesitated, Lu Xia was already growing impatient.
"What, do I have to go myself?"
The old butler moved at once. 'That's more like it,' Lu Xia thought.
Seeing the old butler leave, she turned to the one still standing there. "Have you eaten?"
"No," Graces answered honestly.
"Then why aren't you sitting down to eat?"
"It is not appropriate."
"How so?"
"A husband is not permitted to sit at the main table."
The moment Graces finished speaking, Lu Xia laughed. 'Listen to that,' she thought. 'The stench of feudalism. I knew it was coming, better late than never.'
"Either sit down and eat, or get the hell out of my sight!" 'There's no point in trying to reason with these people. If they won't listen to logic, I won't bother with it.'
Graces was surprised by her words, but he could somehow sense that Lu Xia was very different from the rumors. After a moment of hesitation, he chose to obey, even though Lu Xia hadn't used the binding power of their contract to force his compliance.
Seeing Graces take a seat, Lu Xia sighed internally. 'See? They won't listen when you ask nicely. You have to change your whole attitude and tone just to get them to obey.'
Just when Lu Xia thought she could finally eat in peace, the old butler reappeared. "Madam, the people from the Male Management Agency are here."
'All right, so much for eating,' she thought. Lu Xia picked up her napkin, dabbed her lips, and said, "Let them in."
As she spoke, Graces, who had just taken his seat, stood up again.
A moment later, three male Beastmen in black uniforms walked in. At first glance, they all looked perfectly human, but a closer look revealed one or two out-of-place features. One had a plume of red feathers sprouting from the middle of his bright red hair, another had the face of a cat on one side, and a third, who looked normal at first, revealed a pig's trotter when he extended his hand.
"Greetings, Your Excellency Lu Xia. We are here under orders to inspect the physical condition of your husband. We await your permission."
"Fine, inspect him," Lu Xia said, turning her gaze to Graces as if to cleanse her palate.
She found the man's body was tense, his expression rigid.
Just as she was wondering what Graces was so nervous about, she heard the one with the pig's trotter for a hand speak. "Graces, please remove your clothes and kneel for inspection."
'What?'
"Hold on. You're planning to inspect him just like that?" Lu Xia hadn't expected the so-called inspection to be so utterly devoid of dignity.
'Making him strip naked in public and kneel to be prodded and poked at their whim?'
Hearing her question, the official mistakenly thought Lu Xia was dissatisfied with their "perfunctory" methods. He said in a fawning tone, "If Your Excellency is not satisfied, we can also string him up for the inspection. Or, however you wish for us to proceed, we will act according to your opinion."
Looking at his all-too-eager-to-please expression, Lu Xia sneered. "In that case, forget the inspection. I don't like my property being looked at and touched by others. From now on, you won't need to trouble the Male Management Agency with the condition of my husbands. Butler, see them out!"