Raegar and the group of women continued their talk about everything. Suddenly, Dahlia rose and approached him. Without warning, she settled onto his lap, startling everyone in the room. Tracy, returning with a fresh tray of tea, froze mid-step, her eyes wide with surprise as she started laughing.
''Empress, looks like you're trying to claim him for yourself,'' his Auntie teased.
The room went still as Drusilla leaped to her feet, her voice ringing with passion. ''You're not monopolizing his time, Dahlia! That's not fair to the rest of us!''
Her blonde hair began darkening to black, her eyes flaring red. Raegar quickly intervened, reassuring. ''Dru, you know I'm fair with everyone. I won't treat any of you differently.''
His words eased her, and the tension in the air began to settle as Dahlia finally spoke. ''I wouldn't dream of doing that to you, Drusilla. I want to get along with all of you girls. Not to have petty arguments because I got too excited after being alone for many years.''
The group relaxed at his words, the tension vanishing. As Dahlia, the older woman, started to rise from his lap, he gently held her in place. ''You're not going anywhere,'' he said warmly. ''It's the least I can do after you invited me to your palace and opened your heart.'''
This brought a soft smile to her face. A shiver ran down Dahlia's back as she nuzzled into the crook of his neck, and Zahara finally spoke. ''How about we come up with a timetable for dates and spending time with him? That will make everything fair if we agree on it?''
When everyone heard this, they jumped up, agreeing with happy smiles on their faces, as Tracy suddenly suggested. ''There's a meeting room down the hall, I could bring some tea and snacks while you ladies talk?''
''Good idea,'' Dahlia said, wiggling out of his grasp.
Raegar chuckled as each woman kissed him before slipping out of the room, leaving him alone. Shrugging, he pulled out the Light Pill Cecelia had given him and popped it into his mouth, seizing the moment to increase his power. As the pill dissolved, a light burst from his eyes, blinding him.
He collapsed to the floor, and Arthur appeared out of nowhere, reaching for him. But the surging Aether flared, repelling the Fusion Knight until he vanished thanks to the power. Raegar controlled the flow, pushing it to the other corners of his body as the spare energy poured into his pool, filling it to the brim.
Raegar clenched his teeth, the searing pain coursing through his veins like fire as the light burned his insides. The torment dragged on until it finally ebbed, leaving him to collapse onto the floor with a heavy thud. Teetering on the edge of unconsciousness, he shook his head, forcing himself to stay alert.
With effort, he hauled himself onto the sofa, settling in to catch his breath and regain his strength. He was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling just as Arthur reappeared next to him, demanding. ''What did you do? That was foolish, my lord.''
''Don't worry,'' he mumbled. ''I just got a little bit stronger, there's still more to go, and I'll need your help.''
Seconds later, Raegar tossed the fire pill into his mouth. A piercing scream tore from his throat, rattling the glass around him. Arthur watched, concerned, but could only stand by as he writhed on the sofa. Small red flames burst from his skin, the fire Aether blazing so intensely it felt like the sun itself was burning inside him.
This time, the scream that left his lips echoed across the palace, causing Dahlia to appear in front of him. Her amber eyes narrowed as she spoke. ''Pushing through to Vapour with two Elements, Rae? Are you stupid! This stuff could kill you if you're not careful.''
He tried to respond, but his mouth burned, silencing him. The older woman continued speaking, a worried expression on her face as she sat on the edge of the bed. ''Take some of my Aether, it should ease the pain.''
Dahlia placed her hand on his arm, channeling a stream of cool energy. Raegar shivered as the searing pain dulled, offering him a moment of relief as his mind cleared and the energy poured into his body like a drain, siphoning all the Aether it could get to power him through to Vapour.
Moments later, so much for entering his body, he started heating so fast, shocking everyone. This situation forced the empress to strip him of without a moment's notice. Forcing Drusilla to appear and start creating Ice using his Water Aether to cool him down. This continued for a while until the advancement passed.
Raegar let out a breath of relief, but soon noticed Dahlia straddling his waist, covered in sweat. In the meantime, the other girls stared at them. The older woman came out of her trance and gave him a big smile. ''Sorry about that, handsome. I got carried away, then ended up here.''
His cheeks went red, only to calm down when she climbed off him before scolding. ''Don't be doing that on your own. It's dangerous and you could've died if we weren't there.''
''I won't any more,'' he muttered, half asleep. ''Need some rest though.''
Just then, he slumped down, exhausted, prompting a gentle smile from the women. Zahara pulled out a blanket and draped it over him, tucking it in softly. Dominique glanced at the group, her voice light. ''Shall we keep chatting? I'm pretty sure the screaming's done for now.''
The group nodded in agreement and quietly slipped out of the room, leaving Raegar fast asleep, his body recovering from the ordeal of advancing. When he awoke, the room was shrouded in darkness, and confusion clouded his mind until the memories flooded back, bringing a sigh of relief.
''At least I got stronger through that,'' he mumbled, rubbing his head groggily.
Soon enough, Raegar felt better and stood up, only for Arthur to appear next to him. ''Looks like you've got stronger thanks to that nightmare.''
''I know, but it needed to be done,'' he explained, stretching his arms.
Cracks echoed throughout the room before he continued. ''I need something to eat, let's go to the kitchen.''
''You go, my lord,'' Arthur replied warily. ''I need to rest thanks to your low Aether.''
Raegar nodded at the Fusin Knight, who faded into the shadows and made his way through the dimly lit corridors of the palace toward Dahlia's personal kitchen. The cool stone floors echoed softly under his steps, and the faint glow of torches guided his path. His stomach growled, the ordeal of the pills leaving him starving.
'Fuck! I need to eat more now,' he internally complained.
Pushing open the heavy wooden door to the kitchen, he was greeted by the warm scent of fresh herbs and baked bread lingering in the air. The space was cozy yet elegant, with polished countertops and shelves lined with jars of colorful spices and preserves. A faint moonlight streamed through a tall window, casting silver patterns across the room.
Raegar searched the pantry, pulling out crusty bread, cheese, and some smoked meat. He found a jar of tangy pickles and a small pot of mustard, setting them on the counter. With ease, he sliced the bread, layered the ingredients, and began making a sandwich that he loved back on Earth.
The motions calmed his mind after the chaotic surge of Aether. As he worked, he hummed softly, the quiet of the night wrapping around him like a blanket. He couldn't help but smile, thinking of the group's earlier antics and Dahlia. ''What a day,'' he muttered, slathering mustard on another slice of bread.
Once Raegar was finished, he took a big bite of the sandwich, the mix of smoked meat, creamy cheese, and tangy mustard bursting with flavor. He leaned against the counter, savoring the crunch and the satisfying fullness that began to quiet his hunger.
The quiet kitchen, bathed in moonlight, felt like a small haven after the day's chaos. Feeling a lingering craving, he wiped his hands on a cloth and set to work making another sandwich. He sliced more bread, piling on extra layers of meat and cheese, adding a few pickles for that sharp kick.
As he spread mustard across the bread, he chuckled to himself, thinking of the girl's energy. He crafted a second, then a third, stacking them on a plate. Settling onto a stool at the counter, he ate slowly, each bite filling him further. The buzz in his veins felt steadier now, and he enjoyed the simple act of eating in the stillness of the kitchen.
By the time Raegar had finished, he was full and couldn't move once again and rested in the kitchen until someone walked in, causing him to glance up only to see Zahara standing there, a smile on her face.