As soon as dinner was over, Leo and Clara headed back to their rooms to hit the books. They had some studying to do. Meanwhile, the rest of the family and their guests settled down in the cozy living room.
The air was thick with curiosity, and Sylvie couldn't hold back any longer. She finally blurted out the question that had been on everyone's mind: "Have Laura and Sasha met each other before?"
Aditya chose his words carefully, not wanting to dive into the touchy details. "Well, let's just say that Sasha and Laura weren't exactly friends before. They had some issues due to a misunderstanding," he explained, purposefully keeping it vague. He knew Sasha wouldn't be too keen on rehashing the past; she wasn't proud of what she had done.
Catching Aditya's careful wording, Sasha shot him a thankful nod. She was grateful he hadn't spilled the beans. The rest of the group picked up on this silent exchange and chose to let the subject drop. It was clear that neither Sasha nor Laura wanted to dwell on their complicated history, and everyone else respected that.
Laura sat comfortably on the plush couch, her eyes sweeping over the room. She took in the appearances of Julia, Alicia, Riya, Lara, Sylvie, Lilith, and Sasha. Each one of these women was strikingly beautiful. Four of them were even called as goddesses. From her observations so far, it seemed that not just the four official fiancées but also Sylvie, Lilith, and Sasha had more than a passing interest in Aditya.
"So, Aditya, is this what they call a one-man show with an all-star cast?" Laura quipped, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "I mean, it's almost like you're holding auditions for a romantic blockbuster here."
Aditya chuckled, picking up on her banter. "Ah, you've got it all wrong. This isn't a blockbuster; it's a long-running series with a dedicated fan base," he shot back jokingly. "You know, it takes a village to keep up with all the drama and plot twists."
Laura grinned, satisfied with his playful reply. The room felt lighter as if everyone had been waiting for just that kind of easygoing exchange to break the ice.
Laura leaned forward, genuinely curious. "So how did each of you come into Aditya's life? I'm sure you all have fascinating tales to tell."
Julia was the first to respond, her eyes glowing with the memory. "I was his maid for two and a half years. During that time, he was quite a different man. He was an alcoholic and not very responsible. But then, one day, like a switch flipped, he changed for the better." She paused for a moment, thinking back to that transformative day when Aditya became a devoted king and a caring husband. "From that moment on, our lives took a turn for the better, and he became the man he is today."
Alicia chimed in next, leaning back in her chair. "Well, I first met Aditya when I was hiding my face under a veil. I had come to the Istarin Empire to talk about expanding the Seekers of Impurity Guild. At that time, I had heard stories of his changes and wanted to see for myself." Her voice took on a tone of admiration. "And it turns out, the rumors were true. Not only has he changed himself, but he has also managed to grow his kingdom into this massive empire."
Sylvie, Alicia's best friend, couldn't help but grin as she began to speak. "I first crossed paths with Aditya when he returned home with Alicia to meet her family." She paused, her eyes sparkling. "I remember that day like it was yesterday. Everything about it is imprinted in my memory, crystal clear."
Riya was the next to share her story, her face taking on a warm, nostalgic expression. "Well, Alicia and I already knew each other. We had met a few times for various reasons. One day, she called me to help with healing someone who had a really bad scar on their eye. When I got there, it turned out the person was none other than Aditya." She chuckled softly. "It's kind of funny how life works out like that. But even before all of that, Aditya and I go way back. We were childhood friends, you know. We used to play together all the time."
Lara spoke up next, explaining her unique situation in a careful manner. "As for Lara, well, Lara was in a very deep sleep before meeting her husband. Lara's parents had put Lara to sleep. Lara's parents made sure that Lara didn't age while sleeping for more than 1,000 years. Then Lara's husband, Aditya, came along and woke Lara up." She chose not to delve too deeply into the finer details, keeping her explanation simple and straightforward.
Finally, Sasha cleared her throat, sharing her own story which had a more complicated beginning. "I first encountered Aditya because of a really big mess. One of the assassins from my organization broke the rules and decided to take on a job to kill Aditya. The job came from the Echo Nexus empire."
Riya was the next to share her story, her face taking on a warm, nostalgic expression. "Well, Alicia and I already knew each other. We had met a few times for various reasons. One day, she called me to help with healing someone who had a really bad scar on their eye. When I got there, it turned out the person was none other than Aditya." She chuckled softly. "It's kind of funny how life works out like that. But even before all of that, Aditya and I go way back. We were childhood friends, you know. We used to play together all the time."
Lara spoke up next, explaining her unique situation in a careful manner. "As for Lara, well, Lara was in a very deep sleep before meeting her husband. Someone had put Lara into a sleep so deep that Lara didn't age at all. Then Lara's husband, Aditya, came along and woke Lara up." She chose not to delve too deeply into the finer details, keeping her explanation simple and straightforward.
Finally, Sasha cleared her throat, sharing her own story which had a more complicated beginning. "I first encountered Aditya because of a really big mess. One of the assassins from my organization broke the rules and decided to take on a job to kill Aditya. The job came from the Echo Nexus empire." She took a deep breath before continuing. "The funny thing is, when we first met, I told him straight up that I wasn't interested. I said not to bother me or look for me. But as it turns out, life has a way of surprising you. In the end, I was the one who fell for him."
Laura's eyes then shifted to Lilith, who was sitting comfortably on the couch. "And what about you, Aunt Lilith?" Laura decided to use 'Aunt' as a term of respect since Lilith was Sasha's mom.
Lilith smiled warmly at Laura and responded, "Oh, Laura, you can just call me Lilith. There's no need for formalities here."
Lilith took a moment to glance over at Aditya before continuing her story. "Well, the first time I actually met Aditya, he was not doing well at all. My daughter Sasha was the one who led me to him." She paused for effect, making sure she had everyone's attention. "You see, he was caught in a really scary mind trick. He was on his way back to his home, the Istarin Empire, when he was attacked. The person behind the attack was an old witch named Vespera who had been around for hundreds of years."
Laura leaned back in her chair, intrigued by yet another remarkable tale connected to Aditya. "Wow, that's... really interesting," she remarked, her voice filled with genuine curiosity.
"Aditya, I heard you've broke into beginner 4th-order. You must be really strong now. I mean, when you were just at the 3rd-order beginner level, you could already go up against someone at the top level of the 5th-order. I can only guess how much stronger you've gotten," Laura respected Aditya's strength. Sometimes she even felt jealous about the fact that he was the Emperor of the Istarin Empire. In her mind, she couldn't help but think how things would have been different if Aditya had been part of her Deep Sea Palace Empire. If that had been the case, he might have been the leader there, doing her job. In Laura's mind, Aditya was more capable than her.
Aditya smiled modestly. "Well, I'm not exactly sure how strong I am now, but I did manage to beat someone who was at the top level of the 6th-order recently."
Laura's eyes widened a bit. She was intrigued by his rapid progress. "That's really amazing. So, do you have any thoughts about going to the Main continent? You know, once you reach the 5th-order beginner level?" She had heard that Aditya skyrocketed from 1st-order to 4th-order in a year, so she figured it wouldn't be long—maybe just another 6 to 12 months—before he hit that next milestone. The main continent had more resources than the 6 continents combined. The Main Continent was a dream of many cultivators.
As Laura's question hung in the air, all eyes in the room turned to Aditya. He took a moment to think before nodding his head. "Yes, I've been thinking about going to the Main continent. There are some matters I need to take care of there."
In his mind, Aditya knew he could go back to the Main continent anytime he wished, given that he was born there. But the thought of it didn't excite him. His own parents had cast him aside and disowned him. He didn't feel any emotional pull to go back and see them. Truth be told, if something were to happen to his parents, he wouldn't be bothered at all. He had found a new family in his current empire, and he was determined to keep them safe and happy.
The real reason he contemplated going back to the Main continent was to deal with a certain troublesome group. This organization had been a thorn in his side for a long while, sending strong members to make trouble for him and his empire. He had had enough. His plan was to send Nathan, once he reached the beginner level of the 5th-order in his skills, to the Main continent first. Nathan would gather all the information Aditya needed to finally put an end to the group's meddling.
"This isn't important. What about you, Laura? How are you tackling the situation to end racism and discrimination between the Merfolks and other sea races?" The Merfolk were given the privilege in the Deep Sea Palace while other races that lived in the Empire were always facing racism and discrimination. Merfolks were always given more opportunities in every field. If the Deep Sea Palace wanted to move toward then as its ruler Laura would need to end these issues.
"I am working on it but to be honest, it's difficult." Laura sighed feeling slightly depressed thinking about the current situation in her Empire.
"What happened?" Alicia asked.
"The thing is, the society of the Deep Sea Palace is very different. Not everyone is given equal rights. Merfolks are always given all opportunities and priorities. Racism and discrimination are extremely common. As a result of this Merfolks stands at the top of the society while other races have to live beneath them. This is especially true for the Sea elves who are at the very bottom of society. The Sea Elves are treated like slaves. Even other races treat them horribly." Aditya replied in place of Laura. Since he had been to the Deep Sea Palace, he had seen how worse the whole situation was.
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