CHAPTER 122: SERAPHINE IS A MENACE

"Damn, that bastard took it all in the end. He didn’t even leave a single caravan. My Beast King’s meat."

After Lucien, Velmara, and Zeyvyr disappeared, someone finally managed to crawl out of the rubble left behind by the recent clash.

However, when he saw the empty place ahead, he couldn’t help but gnash his teeth in hatred.

The "Beast King’s meat" he mentioned was from a monster in the realm of Arcanists.

If he had managed to eat it, with his talent, Gluttony, he could have easily reached the peak of the Apprentice realm, maybe even become an Invoker, depending on how much he consumed.

’But all my dreams went down the gutter because of that damn dragon. How can a dragon be so shameless?’

Lukas cursed under his breath while struggling to push his massive body upright, failing miserably. Unfortunately for him, all the guards had already fled, leaving no one to help.

"What is this?"

Just as Lukas tried to stand again, something shiny caught his eye. A small object lay half-buried in the dirt right in front of him. He hadn’t noticed it before in all the dust, but now it gleamed clearly, gathering his attention.

"Goldveil Honorary Card?"

Curious, he snatched it from the ground and read the engraved letters. But his eyes suddenly widened in disbelief when he saw the two stars marked in the corner.

"Wait... this looks like a VIP card from the Goldveil Exchange."

Lukas couldn’t help but take a deep breath in awe while carefully scanning the card in his hand.

He remembered hearing about the famous VIP cards issued by the Goldveil Exchange. They didn’t hold much weight in remote areas, but in cities and important hubs, they brought massive discounts and privileges.

As far as he knew, the cards had five ranks. Even the two-star Honorary Card he held was enough to grant him access to places and luxuries otherwise out of reach.

Most importantly, this card alone could even get him into the famous Goldveil Banquet, where he could reward himself with rare delicacies for free.

Yeah, for free.

Such cards were only given to people who spent astronomical sums at the Exchange, or to those with significant influence. Never in his life did Lukas expect to stumble across one here, of all places.

"Damn, did I hit the jackpot?"

Once he understood what it meant, Lukas’s mood flipped instantly. He leapt to his feet with surprising ease, his enormous belly wobbling comically.

All the rage and despair from moments ago melted away, replaced by a grotesque grin stretched across his face.

"Haha... it must be compensation from that person who showed up out of nowhere. He must have been impressed by my bravery in defending the caravans."

Lukas roared with laughter, convinced that his foolish scolding of the dragon had somehow earned him this reward.

"Alright, calm down. With this card, and the wealth I’ve already piled up, I can eat Beast King’s meat whenever I want."

Just imagining it made him lick his lips greedily.

"Let’s head straight to the capital. If I’ve caught that man’s attention, who knows what other rewards I might get?"

Muttering with excitement, Lukas waddled off, completely unconcerned about his vanished companions.

The only thing filling his mind was the endless feasts waiting for him in the capital.

Everything else could wait.

***

"Miss, I need to return to the palace soon. Can you please... release me now?"

In a luxurious room with white walls and a wide view of the garden, a large bed stood at the center. Beside it, two figures could be seen, one lying peacefully, while the other sat close, pressing lightly against her legs.

Surprisingly, the one pressing the legs was the Third Princess Lilith, and the one who was sleeping in a good mood was none other than Seraphine, mother of Lucein.

"Return to the palace? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Seraphine raised her eyebrow, sat up slowly on the bed while enjoying the massage from a princess.

Surprisingly, even though Lilith was asking her to release her, she didn’t stop massaging Seraphine’s legs. If Luicen saw her like this, he might be extremely surprised.

After all, his impression of Lilith was of a crazy girl who couldn’t listen to anyone. It was a mystery how Seraphine managed to make her behave like this.

"I already said, Black Lotus Dust is effective for one day. I have no antidote right now. Do you want to return like this?"

Seraphine asked while caressing Lilith’s hair softly like a loving mother.

"What? But, didn’t you say you would leave me alone if I behaved?"

Lilith was surprised to hear that there was no antidote and couldn’t help but stop what she was doing.

To be honest, when Seraphine restricted her mana, said she was sick, and dragged her off to "cure" her, she thought Seraphine would show the kind of kindness a mother would give to her daughter.

Maybe she would force her to do things like playing around, shopping, and all those little things she had seen mothers and daughters do together, right?

After all, Lilith wasn’t a child who knew nothing and could be tricked in a single day.

So, she just rolled her eyes inwardly and thought Seraphine was far too naïve if she believed that would work on her.

But when the time really came, and Seraphine actually did take her shopping, just as she had guessed, the situation turned out completely opposite.

At first, Seraphine did buy her a few clothes and forced her to change out of her princess dress.

But after that... after that, Seraphine’s behavior completely flipped.

Lilith never thought that, as a princess, she could one day be treated like a maid in her own capital.

Lucien’s mom was really too much.

First, she used her magic to disguise Lilith’s face so no one could recognize her identity, and then dragged her everywhere a mother would usually take her little daughter.

Only, while Seraphine shopped around, Lilith had to carry her clothes; when Seraphine went to the salon, Lilith had to hold her handbag; when Seraphine got her nails done, Lilith had to sit nearby like a little attendant; and at last she even had to wash her hair.

She was literally treated as a free maid, and what made it worse was that she could practically feel the glee radiating off Seraphine every time she bossed her around.

At first, Lilith tried to argue, leave, or even threaten Seraphine with her status, but none of it worked.

Each time she resisted, she was punished in a ridiculous way, as sometimes Seraphine would squeeze her cheeks until she looked like a pouting doll, and sometimes she’d flick her forehead with magic until it stung.

And all of this in front of a whole crowd, making her so ashamed that she didn’t know how to protest.

Once, she even made her stand outside the shop holding all the bags like a servant on display.

Not to mention the dress she had been forced to wear when she cursed Seraphine in anger.

Just remembering it now made her blush in shame.

Lilith never thought she could ever experience such a feeling—shame.

Someone who was supposed to be the very embodiment of lust was now shying like a little girl, standing outside with both hands full of bags in front of a crowd.

Fortunately, she was disguised and nobody recognized her. In fact, some people even whispered that she looked "cute" and "adorable," which only made her gnash her teeth in hatred.

At last, Lilith couldn’t help but doubt:

Is this really how a mother treats her daughter?

Why did she feel that Seraphine wasn’t trying to make her happy at all, but was only making herself happy by ordering her around?

All day she was ordered around however Seraphine pleased, until she couldn’t take it anymore and even called out to Lucien for help, risking the use of the mark on her mind.

But that stupid guy was nowhere to be found. He didn’t reply at all, nor did he come to save her.

Finally, she couldn’t take the torture anymore and relented, deciding it was safer to behave.

She thought that if she acted obediently, Seraphine would eventually release her from this hellhole of so-called "motherly love."

But now she realized that wasn’t the case, and she had to endure this for a full day and night.

Just the idea made her almost collapse.

"Hehe...why are you showing such a face? Am I that scary?"

Seraphine saw Lilith’s ashen face and couldn’t help but giggle like a little girl, much to Lilith’s annoyance.

"Okay, no need to look at me like that. I didn’t lie to you. As long as you behave, I will leave you alone."

Seeing Lilith’s mood sink further, Seraphine stopped herself and gently caressed Lilith’s silky hair while softly whispering,

"However, it’s also true that the Black Lotus dust effect won’t wear off for a full day. So, you should stay with us until your power returns. You can leave tomorrow."

"But—"

"Shss... didn’t I say not to talk back? Do you want to get punished?"

Lilith wanted to argue but was suddenly silenced by Seraphine with a single word. She didn’t want to go through what she had experienced during the day all over again.

"Do as I say and leave tomorrow. Since you are with Lucien, you are also part of our family anyway."

Seraphine said, then suddenly smiled slyly.

"Or... you can say ’mother’ to me, and I’ll let you leave. What do you think?"

She spoke as if offering Lilith another option, to which Lilith immediately denied it without a second thought.

"Never!"