“What was that?” Rowena murmured to herself as she stood completely naked in front of the mirror in her room in Lorelie’s home.

“Why did my body react so instinctively when I smelt his blood? I acted like a young Brood who had just gained the ability to feed.

If Pevaphio’s rage and transformation hadn’t snapped me back to reality, I might have jumped on Adam and started feeding from him.” When she spoke of feeding on Adam, Rowena’s body started to heat up, and she felt a tingling within her nether regions that she hadn’t felt since her last husband passed.

It took great effort for Rowena to resist the desire to relieve herself there and then before she said.

“Rachel needs to hurry up and deliver the information I instructed her to bring me.”

💫💫💫

“The Universal Senate decided on what?” Empress Victoria asked as she sat across from Emperor Daniel.

“The TISF is being denied access to the shared military technology program for the next fifty years, while our race as a whole is being denied access to many desired products from other races, such as God’s Oasis.” Emperor Daniel replied with a sigh.

“Fuck.” Victoria cursed before continuing, “While it’s far from as bad as it could have been, should they have prevented us from purchasing anything from the other races, this is still bad, as it will upset the citizens.

Do you still believe that the family doesn't have a traitor?”

“Does senior Michael have any idea who the traitor is?” Daniel asked.

“My Ororis family is still looking into it. In the meantime, I suggest we have Tessa return to duty aboard the Imperial Down.”

“For her protection?”

“Yes. Once word of what our trade embargo entails reaches the ears of the citizens, the imperial family's reputation will plummet, and protests or worse, assassination attempts are likely.

While most of the family will have to remain safely within the imperial palace, or be escorted by heavy security if they go out. Tessa’s alternate identity within the TISF gives her the chance to be away from all of that and live a normal life.”

💫💫💫

“ROOOOAAAAARRRRRRR.”

“Wow, so cool,” Adam said as he stood in the garden of Lorelie’s home and looked up at the huge green dragon that was Tephe, who had transformed before him.

Tephe, happy with his compliment, raised her maw to the sky before shooting out white flames towards the sky.

“Impressive, isn’t she?” A familiar female voice said from behind Adam, who turned to see Lorelie, accompanied by Stacey and Rowena, all wearing asymmetrical swimsuits of different colours.

“How do we look?” Stacey asked with a wink.

Adam stared at the three of them, and just as they were expecting him to compliment them, they saw his sigh in an almost disappointed way.

“Is there a problem?” Rowena asked with a frown.

“I knew it would be like this,” Adam replied before explaining. “All three are beautiful women, so beautiful in fact that leaders of nations would probably send their nations to war in order to marry any one of you.”

All three of them blushed upon hearing Adam’s compliment, even Rowena, who was normally more levelheaded when it came to men flirting with her.

“Then what's the problem?” Lorelie asked with flushed cheeks.

“It’s your swimwear, it does nothing to enhance your sex appeal,” Adam replied before continuing.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

After you mentioned that your friend had a business in swimwear, I took the liberty to do research into the known universe's current swimwear trends and found that there are no trends, other than colour or pattern; they're all asymmetrical swimsuits.”

“Is that unusual?” Stacey asked.

“Probably not for you, who are used to it, but for me it is. Asymmetrical swimsuits are only worn by three types of women on Earth: school girls, pregnant women and those who are ashamed of their bodies.

None of you are schoolgirls, none of you are pregnant, and all three of you definitely should not be ashamed of your bodies.”

“Then what do swimsuits look like on Earth?” Tephe asked as she returned to her human form, where she was also wearing an asymmetrical swimsuit.

“Like this,” Adam replied before using his uniband to cause many holographic screens to appear in the air, each displaying a photo of a human female model wearing a different type of swimsuit.

“So many,” Lorelie said in surprise as she and the other women studied the different swimsuits.

“These ones look more like underwear,” Rowena commented as she pointed to the section displaying bikinis.

“I'm aware after seeing Stacey’s underwear,” Adam replied.

“HEY!” Stacey shouted angrily before kicking him in the shin with an embarrassed look.

“What I mean is that your underwear only consists of briefs,” Adam replied while rubbing his shin.

“Are you saying you have suggestions for those as well?” Rowena asked with interest.

“Yes, while I’m sure briefs are comfortable, they don’t exactly enhance your sex appeal when you're trying to enchant a man with your beauty; there are far better choices for that.”

“Show me,” Rowena stated.

“This is something I was going to discuss with your friend since they deal in more than just swimwear,” Adam replied before using his access band to change the holographic screens to display a variety of human women wearing different types of underwear.

“So, man,” Stacy said in surprise.

“This one barely covers anything,” Lorelie said with a red face as she pointed to a particularly daring holographic screen showing a woman wearing underwear that only just covered her nipples and lower region.

“Perhaps, but could any man refuse you if you came into his room wearing nothing but that?” Adam asked with a smirk.

“Pervert,” Stacey said before kicking his shin again.

“Stop kicking me already, I’m just making a point,” Adam replied defensively while rubbing his shin again.

“Hmph,” Stacey replied while turning her head away from him, though her eyes focused on the holographic screen that Lorelie had pointed out.

“I hope underwear isn’t the only thing you have to offer my friend?” Rowena asked as her snigniture smirk returned.

“Of course not, I was only showing you these because you asked to see them,” Adam replied as he used his uniband to close all the holographic screens.

“Well, I’m even more interested to see what you're going to offer my friend once they arrive,” Rowena said before adding. “Though, as a professional model, I can definitely see how appealing these will be.”

“Especially after people see you and Lorelie modelling in them,” Adam added, making Lorelie blush even deeper and Rowena smile again with slightly tinged cheeks.

“Shall we… shall we head down to the beach? I want to swim.” Lorelie suggested after managing to calm herself down a bit, before she began to lead the group through the woods towards the beach.

“So when do you plan to go visit the king?” Rowena asked as they walked.

“Once we have all relaxed and swam a bit, also when Adam feels up to it,” Lorelie replied.

“I’m basically fully healed, so we can go whenever. Medical tech in the known universe is really advanced, even the scar is gone.” Adam commented.

Soon they reached the beach, and Lorelie led them towards a pier; they didn’t go along the pier, however, they stopped beside it at what looked like some sort of large deep pool carved out of the beach as seawater was allowed into it.

“What’s this?” Adam asked as he looked at the strange pool.

“It's a pool we Merinmians use to jump straight into the sea without needing to leave the beach.” Lorelie began to explain as she put down the small bag she had been carrying. “If I were to walk into the sea now, my lower body would revert back to its true form, making it so that I would have to drag myself the rest of the way into the sea. This was, I can just drop straight in where it's deep.”

“I see,” Adam replied as he put down his own bag and took off his t-shirt before kneeling down to feel the water's temperature.

“Wow, it’s nice and warm,” he commented.

“It normally is by this time of the day, thanks to the sun warming it,” Lorelie replied before asking curiously. “Are you not going to take your shorts off since we will be going in soon?”

“I will be wearing these shorts when we go in, they are my swimwear, they're called swimshorts,” Adam replied.

“Really?” Rowena asked curiously.

“Yes, these shorts have an extra lining which offers support, prevents chafing, and improves breathability. You a probably only used to seeing men in swimming trunks, which is the norm in the known universe, but I have never been a fan of them.” Adam explained.

“How interesting, is this another item you plan to offer to Jacques?” Lorelie asked.

“Yup,” Adam replied.

“Come on, slow pokes, let's gooooo,” Tephe said happily as she ran and jumped into the large, deep pool.