~ Support & Read 30 Advanced Chapters on Patreon
~ Bonus Chapter every 200 Powerstones!
anwhile, in the Underworld, at the luxurious castle of the Gremory family.
Inside a lavishly decorated dining room, the faint aroma of lunch still lingered gently in the air.
Venelana, Rias, and a group of young ladies sat around a long dining table, each holding a cup of black tea, chatting pleasantly and enjoying the peaceful afternoon.
Grayfia Lucifuge, the silver-haired Queen of Annihilation, dressed impeccably as ever in her maid uniform, stood against the wall with her hands folded neatly in front, eyes softly closed.
"Oh, by the way—Irina-san, Xenovia-san, have you two been adjusting well to your stay here these past couple days?"
Venelana sipped lightly at her tea before casually turning her attention to the two forr Church holy sword wielders sitting near the far end of the table.
Eh?
While not exactly an unexpected gesture of kindness, this sudden concern still caught Irina and Xenovia montarily off guard.
Especially Irina, who seed visibly startled by the question.
Compared to Xenovia's naturally blunt and straightforward character—soone who usually spoke little, believing words literally without pondering any hidden implications—Irina's more outgoing and cheerful personality caused her to overthink things at tis.
At first, when they arrived early in the Underworld, Irina hadn't thought much of it, assuming it was simply arriving a bit ahead of schedule. It wasn't until reaching the Gremory estate that she started to realize sothing wasn't right.
Co to think of it… Wasn't she originally one of the Church's Holy Sword wielders?
A holy sword wielder venturing into the Underworld was essentially equivalent to a devil barging into Heaven.
And now, she was nothing but a defenseless young woman…?
Of course, reality quickly proved that her worries were unnecessary. During their stay at the Gremory estate, not only had they suffered no ill treatnt, but they were showered with excellent hospitality, exquisite food, and luxurious accommodations.
In fact, their living conditions here were much better than back at the Church… Oh no, rather, they were positively decadent!
Such sweet corruption.
While Irina was still hesitating over how best to respond, Xenovia had already risen to her feet, bowing politely.
"Thank you for your care, Lady Gremory. I've felt very comfortable during my stay these past days."
"M- too!"
Irina quickly stood up, echoing Xenovia's sentints in a slightly flustered manner.
"Is that so? Well, I'm glad to hear it."
Venelana's gentle smile brightened her beautiful face.
"As I've ntioned before, since you're friends of Bokue-kun, please make yourselves at ho here. There's no need to hold back."
Saying this, Venelana paused briefly, turning her gaze toward her daughter who sat beside her at the table's corner.
"Rias, I'll leave things here to you. Mother will take a short rest. If any of you feel tired, I recomnd taking an afternoon nap as well. Proper rest is essential for keeping a young lady's complexion beautiful."
"Yes, Mother."
Watching her mother gracefully rise from the table and leave the dining hall, Rias blinked softly, looking slightly perplexed.
Was it just her imagination, or had her mother started ntioning topics like "skincare" far more frequently recently?
She couldn't recall her mother ever being this attentive about beauty before…
Maybe it really was just her imagination.
Shaking off these extraneous thoughts, Rias sighed softly.
"Honestly, I wonder if Bokue is done dealing with his business yet."
Yes…
As her words faded into the air, all the girls seated in the dining room shared the exact sa sentint deep in their hearts.
❁❁❁❁
anwhile, Venelana, having left the dining hall first, now arrived at the spacious private bath located on the castle's third floor.
Though called a bath, it was essentially her own luxurious private bathing chamber, the sheer size roughly twenty tis that of an ordinary bathroom, making it feel more like a lavish public bathhouse.
The massive bathtub, occupying nearly a quarter of a football field, brimd invitingly with clear, steaming water. Delicate rose petals infused with fragrant essential oils floated gracefully upon its surface, sending clouds of aromatic vapor gently wafting through the air.
Taking a luxurious bath.
This was Venelana's daily ritual, especially after als.
Scientifically, baths had nurous benefits, chiefly enhancing circulation and accelerating tabolism, helping the skin stay fresh and radiant.
Slowly approaching the bath from outside, Venelana's clothing fell away piece by piece. From outerwear to inner layers—cloak, gown, blouse, bra—until finally the small, delicate piece of fabric beneath slipped silently to the floor.
Standing fully unveiled at the edge of the steps, Venelana gently lowered herself into the warm, welcoming waters. Rose petals gathered around her imdiately, caressing her smooth skin with tender warmth, coaxing out an involuntary, comfortable sigh.
"Mmm…"
She lowered her gaze slightly, watching her own mature yet toned reflection ripple softly across the steaming water's surface.
Would Bokue co visit her today?
Absently, Venelana clasped her hands gently against her chest, her thoughts turning wistful.
She was a daughter of the House of Bael. For the children of the Bael family, two fates awaited them: sons were always expected to marry daughters from other noble families, while daughters married noblen outside the Bael lineage. These arranged unions ensured the family's enduring power and strong political standing among the 72 Pillars.
For the children of the Bael family, marriage was less about love and more of a political obligation. Even when she had married the previous head of the Gremory clan, Venelana had never felt this constant anticipation, this longing.
But now, she found herself yearning like a young maiden experiencing first love.
"It's been quite so ti already, hasn't it…?"
Softly settling herself upon the step at the bath's edge, Venelana subrged her body, leaving only her shoulders above the petal-strewn surface, murmuring gently with a hint of impatience.
According to what Rias had ntioned before, Bokue had returned ho for a short visit because of the sumr vacation. That vacation had started two days ago.
So, counting properly… the first day was two days ago, yesterday was the second day, and today would mark the third. Surely he would co to the Underworld today…
And if it had already been agreed upon that he'd visit today, why wasn't he here yet?
It had already been over two months since she last saw him… she… she was also capable of feeling lonely, after all.
Thinking thus, her slender fingers unconsciously traced softly across her flat belly beneath the water's surface.
Perhaps even she didn't realize how peculiar it was for a Devil, a being with an almost eternal lifespan, to feel such impatience over sothing as short as a re two months.
Yet Venelana simply couldn't endure it any longer. She wanted to see the person who filled her thoughts day and night, to be held, embraced, and filled completely by him—
"Why are you here all alone in such a place?"
As if granting her wish by a miracle, just as Venelana's longing had reached its breaking point, a familiar voice resonated gently from behind.
Like a girl finally reunited with her beloved, the beautiful woman swiftly turned her head, her eyes widening slightly in joyful surprise. What greeted her vision was the casually relaxed, unmistakably familiar expression of the young man she longed for.
"It's been quite a while, Aunty."
~ 30 Advanced Chapters Available on my Patreon
sp-atreon/dragonnx
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
Keep the chapters coming—Support with Power Stones!
User Comments
0 comments from readers