Rebecca's guest hall was grand, befitting of the Bloodwing Mansion.
Marble floors gleamed beneath chandeliers, and large paintings of past Drake family leaders adorned the walls. Yet, amidst this grandeur, an intense confrontation was taking place.
As the doors shut behind them, Rebecca's cold gaze met Asher's, the tension palpable, "If you have something to say, then say it. I've a multitude of tasks awaiting my attention," she stated, voice dripping with disdain.
Asher's casual stroll and amused smirk made her skin crawl, "Ah, always so busy, Consort Rebecca. It's a wonder you found time for our little chat," he replied, drawing nearer with each step.
Rebecca wrinkled her nose and ignored his rude words, not wanting to engage with him.
Stopping just inches away, his voice dropped to a threatening whisper, laden with mockery, "Perhaps I should assist Prince Oberon in taking another extended nap? For his own benefit, of course."
Rebecca's temper flared, her fangs briefly extending, "You would dare threaten my son in my presence?" She couldn't believe he wasn't even trying to hide his murderous thoughts towards Oberon.
"Jesryth isn't truly under Oberon's command, is it?"
Asher's sudden words hit her like a sledgehammer, causing all bravado to evaporate.
Her heart raced, but she asked with a cold, cutting expression, "Such an audacious claim requires one to bear its consequences. Are you prepared?"
He looked almost bored as he retorted, "Calling it an 'achievement' to dupe the 3rd strongest dragon? Intriguing. Your House or you don't have expertise when it comes to clouding and tricking a dragon's mind while it was young, which only makes me wonder who helped you. It couldn't have been easy doing it and hiding that fact from everyone, even to this day."
Defensively, Rebecca snapped back, "Your ridiculous accusations mean nothing without evidence."
Asher tilted his head, the corner of his mouth lifting in a half-smirk, "Who needs to gather proof when an expert can just inspect the dragon and verify the truth? It's also strange that your bloodline is dominant in Oberon instead of the Drake bloodline, and people say only true Drakes can control a dragon. I am sure people still have their doubts about how Oberon tamed Jesryth when even your youngest son failed, who looks more like a Drake."
Rebecca's face was drained of color.
Her eyes uncontrollably shook as she asked in a low, seething voice, "Who…told you this?" He couldn't have possibly found out himself. Nobody else could have known.
Asher's face was inches from Rebecca's, his eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that seemed to reach into her very soul, "Does it really matter who told me or how I came upon this knowledge?" His voice was quiet, yet every word rang with an unspoken threat, "Your concern should lie in the repercussions of such information becoming public knowledge—how the people, and especially my wife, would react. This is a very serious crime that could even involve getting your son crippled for life."
Rebecca's icy exterior faltered for a moment, her breath catching as she felt the heat of his breath. Just imagining her son getting crippled made her hands tremble.
Her voice was a venomous hiss when she finally spoke, "What do you want? If you intended to expose my son, you would have done so already. Why come to me?" Rebecca couldn't believe even when he was away during the quest, he was probably trying to dig up dirt on her through his connections.
But just who could have helped him?
A knowing smirk crept across Asher's face, "Yes, I have no immediate interest in a scandal. I'm proposing a trade. My silence in exchange for... a favor."
Rebecca's gaze was skeptical, her voice laced with frost, "And what could you possibly want from me?"
His smile was almost playful now, as though he relished the hold he had over her, "How about becoming my slave for starters?"
The chilling bloody aura of a peak Soul Devourer suddenly emanated from Rebecca and completely filled the room. Her fangs fully extended, and her face became eerily pale as a corpse, "Are you that eager to die?" Her voice was low yet chillingly cold and her pale red eyes were brimming with killing intent, "Do not for a moment think I am limited by my status. You have no idea what I can be capable of. Even if I were to perish, I will drag you down with me to the depths of Tartarus."
Asher saw the cold, frenzied look in her bloody eyes and knew she was completely serious about what she said while seeing that her pride knew no bounds. And this only made him realize that he couldn't casually handle a crazy element like her.
"Tsss," He sucked air through his teeth as he rubbed his arms and said with a mock terrified look, "You almost scared me to death there," He then relaxed his arms as he chuckled and said, "I was kidding. Did you think I was serious? How could I dare to make a senior like you do something like that? That would be very disrespectful of me."
Rebecca wrinkled her nose as her bloody aura began to seep back into her body, unable to believe she was letting a junior like him mess with her.
However, her eyes were still brimming with unbridled anger, "If you have nothing serious to say, then I will be leaving," Saying so, she stepped past him to walk towards the door, though she was already thinking of ways to make sure nothing happens to Oberon.
"Let me be serious then. If you want your dear son to not get crippled, I want you to ensure that Oberon follows my commands—without question, without hesitation. He is to be at my beck and call whenever I require his services. In official terms, he would be my vassal," Asher demanded from behind, his hands behind his back while his lips were curving upwards.
Rebecca's eyes blazed with suppressed fury as she froze on the spot. Did he just indirectly demand her son to be his servant? How dare he…
She turned around, and her voice was a mixture of shock and anger, barely containing her rage. "Are you utterly deranged? To demand such a thing... Oberon is a prince, respected and skilled, second to none in this kingdom! You are not worthy for him to become your vassal. You are just a consort."
Asher's laughter was light, but it held a cold edge, "And you must be even more deranged to think your son is too good to become my vassal."
"You!" Rebecca's eyes became redder with fury, though she was unable to think of an achievement of Oberon's that could outshine whatever Asher recently achieved.
Asher shrugged and added, "Anyway, there is no point in arguing since I am not asking here. And should you refuse, would that not be an insult? To me, your king?"
Her eyes flashed with a contemptuous light and gave him a look of ridicule, "What did you just say? King? You're delusional. You will never be king, not by any right or—"
Rebecca swallowed her words upon seeing his smug smile, and a realization struck her, "You…You cannot be serious…" On second thought, he wouldn't just abruptly say it with such confidence.
Asher smirked, "Oh, I am. Why don't you go and ask my wife right now? Hell, just ask one of your servants who at least went out today. See, this is why you shouldn't skip important announcements."
The room seemed to close in on her, walls echoing with his words.
Rowena's love for Asher was no secret, and this made her realize that it was highly possible he must have seduced and coaxed Rowena into making him the king during their Sacred Union.
A young queen who had never experienced love must have fallen for such nonsense feelings.
Her thoughts raced as she realized this would change a lot of things, and this meant this brat could very well rise up in power where nobody in Bloodburn Kingdom could raise a finger against him.
He must have been planning this all the time, but she never expected him to get things done this quick. How did nobody, especially House Thorne, not object to this? As someone who was originally part of House Thorne, she very well knew what her sister and brother thought of Asher.
If at least one of the three great houses raised an objection, then the queen couldn't simply move forward with her decision.
But why did they remain silent?
She now realized why he boldly entered her home and was showing such disrespectfulness with no fear.
She knew that if she turned down his demand, then he would surely try something worse with his newfound power.
For now, she just had to buy some time. It was not like he could kill or hurt Oberon, who would be his vassal in name.
It was also a common practice for princes to pledge their loyalty to the king and become their vassals.
So even on the public side, Oberon won't lose much face even though it would be humiliating to both him and her.
When in history did an older and distinguished prince become the vassal of a king far younger than him?
However, she understood the precariousness of this situation and weighed her next words with care, "And if I agree to this... what guarantees do I have that you'll keep your end of the bargain?"
Asher's eyes sparkled with unspoken glee, "You have my word. And despite what you think of me, I always keep my promises. Do we have a deal?"
Rebecca's mind raced with the implications of her next move, but she could see no other option.
With a curt nod, she sealed the uneasy agreement, "Very well. But do make sure you keep your word. Otherwise, you don't want to stand around and find out."
"Please, I love challenges," Asher said with a mocking smile as he walked past her while Rebecca curled her lips and almost wanted to slap his eyes out.
His footsteps echoed as he made his way to the door, throwing over his shoulder, "And remember, have Oberon ready to declare himself my vassal upon my ascension tomorrow. Time is of the essence, and I don't intend to wait."
With that, he was gone, leaving Rebecca alone in the looming silence of the guest hall. Her hands, still balled into fists, trembled slightly—not with fear, but with a seething wrath that begged for release.
Asher's words hung in the air, a declaration of war in the guise of a favor.
And Rebecca knew, deep in the marrow of her bones, that the game had changed irrevocably.
The Honeyed Pearl, a name that gleamed and hummed with a vibrancy that was both enticing and exclusive.
The four-story establishment was a hive of activity, with the allure of the succubi ensuring the queues outside were a constant feature. This corner of the city, thriving and decadent, drew in demons in the kingdom from all walks with its reputation.
In the shadowed alleyway, the cloaked figure slipped unnoticed through the throng, bypassing the lines with a familiarity born of routine. This was no ordinary patron—the cloak was a tool of secrecy to let himself in without anyone seeing.
Inside, away from prying eyes, Asher shed his cloak as he strode with Azura and Kiera, who were whispering sweet words into his ears while hugging his arms and pressing their big melons against them.
They moved with purpose toward Kira's chambers, the atmosphere charged with a current of anticipation.
Guarding the door was a vulpini. His presence was an elegant threat, his silver tail a mark of distinction. Sharp eyes, set in an angular face, narrowed at the sight of Asher, and his stance spoke of coiled readiness.
"Shoichi, my friend," Asher greeted, his smile a polished weapon, "It's been too long. How fares our dear Madam in the absence of my patronage?"
Shoichi's posture stiffened, a wall of silent disdain, "Madam Kira has no need for the presence of any patron to flourish," he retorted, voice cold as steel.
Before Asher could further tease, a voice like velvet and venom slipped through the door's threshold, "Shoichi," it called, a command wrapped in allure.
Shoichi's vexation was palpable, but obedience overrode it. He stepped aside, granting passage.
With a playful wink that went unappreciated by the vulpini, Asher entered Kira's domain, the door closing behind him.
As Asher stepped into the room, his eyes immediately fell upon a plush chaise draped with silken fabrics.
And upon it reclined the seductive mistress of this establishment, her figure intoxicating as it was alluring.
She was a vision, as always, the very essence of temptation. Her gown, a river of green silk, flowed over her form, catching the candlelight and setting it ablaze with each subtle movement.
It hugged her curves perfectly, accentuating the sensuous arc of her waist, the fullness of her hips, and the tantalizing dip of her large bosom.
Her golden hair spilled over her shoulders like a waterfall of sun-warmed silk. Her almond-shaped emerald eyes shifted towards him with a hint of coy.
A deep neckline allowed a teasing view of her cleavage and hinted at the promise of more hidden beneath the fabric. The gown was offset by her fox-like features - her pointy ears and three bushy, golden tails flicking casually in the dim light.
"Kira," Asher said, his voice a blend of admiration and familiarity, "I have to say…I was impressed with your work while I was gone."
Kira's emerald eyes locked onto him with an intensity that could melt steel. The corners of her lips curved into a knowing smile as she got up slowly yet seductively, "Ora~, ora~, I am so flattered that the new king came all the way here to give this lowly Madam such a compliment. But let me convey how delightful I am to see you after such a long year, darling."
