He flicked ash from his cigar and exhaled evenly. "There are two new wives, and one young lady who’s about your age. I think you might like her."
"Really?" Felicity’s voice dropped into a conspiratorial whisper.
"She might be worse than you," he said.
"I’m a good girl, Lord Black! Whatever could you even mean with those words?!"
Across the room, Seraphiel, who had returned to massaging her ankles, chuckled softly and said,
She trailed off, then shook her head, grinning.
Lucille, as a fellow mother, felt a bit conflicted. Though any such thought only lasted for a few seconds before the caramel-haired beauty resumed her amused chuckling.
Vex frowned at the distance between herself and the artifact. Without any words of elaboration, she stood up, walked over, and plopped herself right onto Quinlan’s lap, draping one arm lazily around his neck. The movement was casual, yet the possessiveness behind it was undeniable.
"Hello there," she purred into the artifact. "You may call me Miss White-"
"Nope," Kitsara interjected with a flat stare, ears twitching. "Have you gone senile at long last, oldie? I’m Miss White. Felicity’s just said my name as well. Try to pay attention, will you?"
Vex’s eyes narrowed.
Not in confusion.
Definitely not in amusement.
It was in that terrifyingly slow, deliberate way the mighty do when they catch the scent of insolence.
The temperature in the room dropped by a few degrees.
"Oh?" Vex drawled, smile vanishing like a light snuffed out. "I’m a senile, wrinkly old hag, was it?"
Kitsara’s ears twitched again, this time in alarm. Her playful smirk faltered, and her pupils dilated, realizing she had wandered into the wrong forest.
"I mean that in the most respectful and flattering way possible?" she offered quickly.
Vex didn’t respond. She merely tilted her head ever so slightly, as if waiting for the next mistake.
Kitsara gulped, her three tails moving nervously. "What I meant was... um, you’re the picture of timeless elegance? Just... don’t... mention numbers ever, because numbers are evil, and I respect that."
Vex nodded and smiled as if nothing had happened.
It was Ayame who calmly offered:
"Miss Yandere."
Vex stared at her for a few brief seconds.
Then she shrugged. "Sure. I’ll take it."
She turned her eyes back to the artifact and smiled, this time with full pride. "You may call me Miss Yandere, Princess."
Felicity’s breath hitched on the other side. "You have a beautiful voice! Like, scary-beautiful!"
"Thank you."
Next came Serika.
"I heard a lot about you, Princess Felicity," Serika lied through her teeth as easily as she breathed, showing that she was much more than a brute of a woman who could only kick and punch her enemies to death. "I am Miss Red." Ṛâ𝐍ǒ𝐁ЕŜ
Felicity gasped on the other end of the line. "You sound like such a powerful woman! I want to bee strong when I grow up, too! Though my path will likely involve the arcane!"
Serika chuckled warmly in response. It was a sound that carried surprising softness, making Felicity’s heart flutter. "The path of a mage or a warrior... I’ve seen enough to tell you that both are pletely viable options. You don’t need big muscles to succeed in your goals. So, go with what your heart tells you. But remember: just because you were born into privilege doesn’t mean you can skip doing the hard work all aspiring mages must go through. No strength es without sacrifice."
"I can do that! I might cheat on my math exam, but I take Mom’s teachings to heart!" Felicity declared proudly, puffing her chest even though no one could see her.
And then, came the final figure.
Feng slinked into view with a glint of mischief in her crystal-blue eyes and a smile that was more impish than polite. "Cheating Princess, hm? Call me Jiai."
Since no one knew her in the world of Thalorind, Feng thought she might as well use her accursed family name as a throwaway alias. After all, she’s going to bee an Elysiar soon enough.
"... Don’t call me Cheating Princess!" Felicity hissed.
Feng grinned, ignoring the yelp of the girl. "So... is this your first time cheating?"
"Shhh!" Felicity hissed. "Not so loud! He’s right there! I can see his nose hairs!
"Ewww! Less details, please. Also, you’re the one yelling, not me," Feng pointed out, pletely unbothered. "How is he still asleep, by the way?"
"He’s basically a rotting corpse at this point," Felicity continued in a whisper. "Like, I’m 90% sure he doesn’t blink anymore. It’s like someone embalmed him and forgot to bury the body!"
"You’re talking about Lord Pythagoras, the most respected mathematician in the world," Aurora deadpanned.
"Well, Miss Platinum, tell him to stop looking like a haunted statue then!" she hissed back.
Feng leaned closer to the artifact, whispering conspiratorially. "So... have you ever passed a test without cheating? Besides your mom’s mage tests."
There was a pause.
"... I’m still in the early stages of my academic career, okay?!"
Feng burst out laughing.
Felicity ignored the girl’s antics and asked, "Have you ever cheated on your tests?"
"Of course," Feng didn’t miss a single beat. "I mean, I didn’t have tutors like yours. My education was more... let’s say... relaxed. I’m not a royal princess with loving parents who wish me only the very best, after all."
Quinlan looked at the two of them hitting it off with a growing sense of pride. Feng needed a friend her age. It wasn’t healthy if she kept being around adults all the time. Some childish mischief was needed in her life, or so he thought.
And if that friend so happened to be the royal princess, well... ’Two birds with one stone, as they say...’
But now, it was time to ask the big question.
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