As soon as the seal shattered, Ruru ca inside, bolted towards U, and hugged her, placing her head on U's shoulder.
"Ru... Ruru," U murmured, embracing her hug. "It's been so long."
Following her, Vyaghra and Jambavan also ca inside, and the mont their eyes fell on U, they imdiately bowed to their knees.
"Welco back, Your Majesty."
Their cracked voices carried a sense of relief and happiness.
U walked towards them and raised them both by touching their shoulders one by one.
"It warms my heart that you two are doing well," she whispered.
"It's all thanks to the young warrior," Jambavan declared. "We're only here because he risked his life to save ours."
"Raj ca as a harbinger of life in the Forest of Gumiho and put an end to our endless suffering of the past thousand years," Vyaghra added.
"He has truly done so much for us," U said, smiling at softly.
"Wait, wait, wait. Did you just say THOUSAND YEARS!!!!?????" I exclaid.
"Yeah, to be exact, we had been wanderin' the damned forest in a cursed state fer nine hundred sixty-five years," Jambavan replied.
"H-how old are you exactly?" I asked, flabbergasted.
"If Ay count the ti Ay spent here, mah age should be sothin' in the early 1600s."
"And Vyaghra, you?"
"I'm 1,992 years old."
"So the mories I saw of Jambavan and Vyaghra should be about a thousand years old if I consider they were cursed in the final battle with the Pisachas," I thought inwardly. "And the events I witnessed in Gumiho's mories must be over two thousand years old, judging by the fact that Vyaghra and U were of the sa age back then."
Yeah, I was smart enough not to directly ask U's age and took this roundabout way instead.
"Damn, old is an understatent. You guys are ancient," I blurted.
"That's very disrespectful, Raj," Nyria nagged, placing her hand on her waist.
"It's fine, sister," U replied, then asked, "Where are we exactly?"
"You will know once you co outside, Your Majesty," Vyaghra said, pointing to the exit.
We began walking outside, but then suddenly two hands grabbed my shoulders.
"Ladies, ya may go first. We need to discuss sothin' with the kid," Jambavan announced as he and Vyaghra held from behind.
As soon as the ladies went outside, they pushed into a sitting position on the floor.
"Guys, what's going on?" I asked, obviously confused.
"Brat, tell us what ya did here," Jambavan asked, his voice laced with curiosity.
"Huh? I-I didn't do anything."
"Don't lie, brat. We heard yer screams all the way out there. Did ya beco an adult?"
Before I could respond, Vyaghra spoke up, "Did you do anything offensive to Her Majesty?"
Their annoying glares were piercing through my soul, searching for answers. I knew they wouldn't let off the hook until their questions were answered, so I decided to kill their curiosity once and for all.
"I haven't done anything," I replied. "I placed Her Majesty on the futon beside Nyria and slept on the floor. The scream was because when Her Majesty took human form, I was startled."
"Ya stupid brat," Jambavan slapped his forehead. "Ay set everythin' fer ya and still ya did nothin'."
He raised his head and, giving a look of deep sympathy, asked, "Are ya disabled down there?"
"What absolute nonsense are you spitting?" I snapped. "I'm perfectly fine and full of vigor."
"So why—"
"Because I won't take advantage of a lady under any circumstances," I declared. "I will only mate with the lady whom I will marry."
The duo was taken aback by my declaration. They gave a quick look to each other and then replied in unison, "We apologize for our impudence."
"Ya are a good kid, Raj," Jambavan said. "Ay got ahead of mahself and questioned yer character."
"I'm proud to be saved by you, Raj," Vyaghra added.
Their judging glares turned into awestruck ones as I left the room with a smug look on my face.
"I won't take advantage of a lady under any circumstances, huh?" Nyria mimicked my accent, standing beside the exit with U.
"Were-were you listening?" I asked, my voice carrying a hint of nervousness.
She stepped forward, so I closed my eyes, bracing myself for a smack. However, I had never expected that it wasn't a punch that was coming for .
She, pushing herself onto her toes, touched my cheeks with both hands. Her arousingly sweet scent filled my nose, and her breath brushed against my face as her soft, tender lips t my cheek, landing a breathtakingly enchanting kiss.
"I'm glad you didn't boast about anything that happened last night," she whispered as she removed her lips before taking quick steps toward the center.
Her unforeseen kiss sent electric pulses throughout my whole body. One hand slowly touched the place she had consecrated with her angelic kiss, while the other clutched my chest where my heart was about to burst from the rising blood.
"What just happened?" I murmured with parted lips.
"Co back to the land now," U chuckled, rubbing the hair on my head before following Nyria to the center.
"Oy, why are ya standing in the way?" Jambavan said, smacking my back as the duo ca out.
"I think I just got another blessing," I murmured, still shocked.
"Has Her Majesty also given her blessing to you?" Vyaghra asked.
"No, it-it was Nyria who blessed this ti," I said, touching my cheek.
"The brat is still half asleep," Jambavan mocked before walking away.
"Are you having a fever?" Vyaghra asked. "Your face is stained with an incarnadine flush."
"No, it's nothing," I blurted, finally pulling myself together as I bolted towards the group.
---
"What are you guys doing?" I asked.
U, Ruru, Vyaghra, and Jambavan stood surrounding the pond of Amrita water from all four directions. They bit their tongues, dropping their blood into it.
The starry water turned crimson red with just a few drops and started boiling like lava.
Thump...
Thump...
Thump...
My heart began to reverberate with the perfect rythm of the water as if sothing was calling for .
Ding...
"Bloodline Resonance is activated!!"
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