POV: 3rd person
Jay, simply stared at his fiancée's terrifying, lethal aunt.
He blinked once.
"...Huh?"
Echinacea stood by the door, her sheer silk nightgown doing absolutely nothing to hide her perfectly sculpted, mature figure. Her purple eyes were fixed on him, filled with a desperate, heavy intensity. She took a step forward.
Before she could take another, Jay instantly snapped his fingers. A localized, absolute soundproof and anti-perception barrier locked down the entire bedroom. If Lala, Mamako, or Sephie walked by, they wouldn't hear or sense a single thing.
Jay crossed his arms, his expression flattening into a deadpan stare.
"Let me stop you right there. If you're about to give me some bullshit excuse about 'alien warrior instincts' or 'submitting to the strongest male,' you can turn right around and walk out the door. I hate that trope."
Echinacea stopped. The intense, seductive aura surrounding her suddenly wavered. She looked at Jay's cold, calculating eyes and realized her usual facade wouldn't work on him.
She let out a long, exhausted sigh. The tension in her shoulders dropped, and she suddenly looked incredibly tired. She walked over to the edge of Jay's king-sized bed and sat down, burying her face in her hands.
"You're right," Echinacea whispered, her voice losing its melodious confidence, replaced by a bitter, hollow tone.
"It's not about instincts."
Jay uncrossed his arms, leaning against his desk.
"Then what is it? Because walking into your niece's fiancé's room half-naked is a hell of a leap, even for alien royalty."
Echinacea looked up, staring at the ceiling as memories flashed through her mind.
"Before the Deviluke Empire was truly established, my sister and I were hunted," Echinacea began softly.
"Countless factions wanted the Michaela bloodline. We were always running. I had to pick up a sword. I fought desperately, bleeding and breaking my own limits over and over again, just to make sure Sephie survived another day."
Jay remained silent, listening intently.
"Then... Gid appeared," she continued, a faint, annoyed smile crossing her lips.
"He was strong. Ridiculously strong. When Sephie fell in love with him, I was genuinely happy for her. Finally, she had a protector. But then... Gid put his eyes on me, too."
Jay raised an eyebrow.
"The Emperor tried to get with his wife's sister? Well... no comment for this."
"He chased me for a while," Echinacea scoffed bitterly.
"There was even an incident where he tried to peep on me, almost killed him that time and he tried persue me. But I rejected him. I refused him because, despite his immense power, he wasn't stronger than me. Eventually, he gave up and fully devoted himself to Sephie."
She gripped the silk sheets beneath her. "Since then, my life has been an endless cycle of fending off the strongest, most arrogant men in the universe. Kings, warlords, cosmic mercenaries... they all look at me like a trophy to be conquered. The 'Thorny Rose'. I am so tired of holding the sword, Jay. I'm so tired of constantly having to be the strong just to protect my own dignity."
Echinacea looked down, her purple eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"When Lala was born, it was the happiest day of my life. I finally had a family. Then came Momo and Nana. I love them with all my heart," Echinacea's voice cracked slightly.
"But... seeing Sephie so happy with her husband and her children... it made me realize how alone I truly am. I'm just the 'Aunt'. I live in the palace, but I feel like an outsider. A freeloader carrying a sword. I want my own place. I want my own absolute protector so I can finally, rest put this sword down."
She looked up at Jay, her gaze entirely vulnerable.
"I saw how you looked at me when you fought me. You are different, you didn't think me as trophy to conquered you just see me as i was. That is why I came here."
The room fell into a heavy silence.
Jay looked at the universe's most feared swordswoman, seeing her not as a conqueror, but as an exhausted woman desperate for a home.
He let out a soft sigh and walked over to the bed, standing in front of her.
"I understand how desperate you are," Jay said, his voice calm and gentle.
"But i didn't know how much you feel about it evey person have it's own tolarance and I'm not going to lie to you, Echi—I am interested. You're beautiful, and I respect your strength. But doing this right now? Like this? It's too fast. We barely know each other."
Echinacea blinked. "Echi?"
"Nickname. Don't worry about it," Jay waved it off.
"More importantly, I can't just sleep with you on the first night. How am I supposed to explain this to Lala? Or to my other fiancée, Elysia? We need to take this slowly."
Echinacea stared at him in stunned silence. A man who possessed the power to rule the universe was turning down an easy, immediate conquest because he respected her boundaries and cared about his family's feelings.
Slowly, a breathtaking, incredibly warm smile bloomed across her face.
"You passed," she whispered softly.
Jay frowned. "Passed?"
"I needed to know if you were just a lustful tyrant who only wanted my body, or if you were a real man," Echinacea admitted, a mischievous glint returning to her eyes.
"If you had thrown me onto this bed the moment I walked in... I would have let you, but my heart would have remained completely empty."
Before Jay could fully process her words, Echinacea suddenly leaned forward, grabbed his collar, and pulled him down.
She pressed her lips firmly against his.
Jay's eyes widened in absolute shock.
Hold on! Damn it, that was my first kiss! his mind screamed.
The kiss was deep, passionate, and overwhelmingly sweet. After a few seconds, Echinacea pulled away, her face flushed red, but her smile was triumphant.
Without asking for permission, she shifted over, crawling under the thick blankets of Jay's bed and claiming the right side for herself.
"I'm sleeping here tonight," Echinacea declared softly, closing her eyes.
"Just sleeping. I know I'm not ready for anything more yet. But please... just let me stay here."
Jay stared at her, utterly defeated. He let out a long sigh, turned off the main lights, and awkwardly climbed into the left side of the bed.
Within minutes, Echinacea had wrapped her arms around his torso, burying her face into his chest. For the first time in centuries, the Thorny Rose fell into a deep, peaceful sleep, feeling absolutely and completely safe.
Jay, however, was in absolute hell.
He was wide awake, staring at the ceiling. A breathtakingly beautiful, incredibly mature alien woman was pressing her soft, scantily-clad body directly against him. Because his physical vessel was perfectly healthy and at the peak of absolute masculinity, he was currently, overwhelmingly, turned on.
I'm going to lose my mind. I am literally suffering from my own morality, Jay thought, clenching his jaw as he desperately tried to think of unsexy things like taxes and multiversal cosmology physics.
Suddenly, the space in the dark room warped.
A gentle, ethereal glow illuminated the foot of the bed. Particles of light gathered, slowly solidifying into a physical form right before Jay's eyes.
Jay's breath hitched.
Standing in his room was Caelira. It was the first time she had ever manifested a physical body outside of his mind, and She was breathtaking. She had long, flowing, flawlessly silky white hair that cascaded down her back, and piercing, glowing red eyes that held a dangerous mix of deep affection and possessiveness. She was adorned in delicate, translucent white lace that resembled a bridal veil, elegantly draped over her pale, perfect skin.
She was, down to the absolute microscopic level, Jay's ultimate physical type.
Caelira floated silently toward the left side of the bed, her bare feet hovering inches above the floor. She looked down at Echinacea, who was sleeping peacefully against Jay's chest, and a clear, adorable pout formed on Caelira's lips.
"I'm jealous," Caelira whispered, her voice echoing directly into Jay's mind, laced with an intoxicating, sultry tone. "She stole Master's first kiss. That was supposed to be mine."
Before Jay could speak, Caelira leaned down. Her soft, cold lips captured his in a kiss that was infinitely more possessive and demanding than Echinacea's.
Jay's eyes widened, his already elevated heart rate skyrocketing as Caelira's scent—like stardust and sweet vanilla—filled his senses.
She slowly pulled away, her glowing red eyes looking down at him. She noticed the obvious physical tension and frustration radiating from his body.
A wicked, incredibly seductive smile curled on Caelira's lips.
"Master is suffering because you are too kind to touch her," Caelira whispered, her hands gently tracing the outline of his chest, slowly moving downward beneath the covers.
"Don't worry... I am a part of you. Let me take care of this problem for you. Just lay back and close your eyes..."
Jay couldn't even formulate a coherent sentence to stop her.
5:00 AM
Jay stared blankly at the ceiling, his breathing finally starting to slow down.
"I am the absolute worst," Jay muttered to himself, rubbing his temples in a mix of profound post-nut clarity and heavy guilt.
Beside him, the ethereal form of Caelira let out a soft, satisfied giggle. She hadn't gone all the way—just enough foreplay and a highly enthusiastic use of her mouth to alleviate the overwhelming tension building up in his body. She wiped her lips gracefully, her glowing red eyes curving into a loving crescent.
"Anytime, Master~," Caelira whispered seductively before her physical form dissolved back into particles of light, retreating into his inner soul.
Jay let out a long exhale. With a quick, silent wave of his hand, he cast a localized purification magic. In an instant, the scent of the room was completely scrubbed clean, and any lingering evidence of Caelira's 'help' was erased from existence. He quickly pulled his pajama pants back on, trying to compose himself.
However, the slight rustling of the sheets alerted the other occupant of the bed.
Echinacea shifted, her purple eyes fluttering open. She looked incredibly refreshed, having experienced the first truly safe and peaceful sleep she'd had in centuries. She looked up at Jay, her gaze softening. But with her keen warrior instincts, she immediately noticed that Jay was still... slightly *tense*. Morning wood, combined with the lingering effects of Caelira's teasing, was a stubborn enemy to defeat.
Echinacea blinked, a deep blush spreading across her cheeks as she realized the situation. She knew he had held back the entire night purely out of respect for her.
A gentle, incredibly alluring smile formed on the Thorny Rose's lips. She shifted closer, her warm body pressing against him under the sheets.
"You held back for my sake all night," Echinacea whispered, her voice husky and laced with affection. She reached under the blanket, her delicate fingers gently tracing his waist.
"Let me help you with the rest, Jay..."
Jay's remaining willpower once again shattered like cheap glass.
6:30AM
Before anyone else in the massive estate woke up, Jay and Echinacea slipped out of the master bedroom. Jay immediately went to work in his high-tech kitchen, preparing a massive breakfast feast to feed his growing household of aliens and dragons.
By the time the sun fully rose, the dining room was packed. Mamako was cheerfully serving tea, while Lala, Momo, Nana, and Yami dug into the mountain of pancakes, eggs, and bacon.
Echinacea sat gracefully at the table, taking a sip from her glass. She looked radiant—an absolute glowing aura of womanhood surrounding her.
Suddenly, Lala tilted her head, pointing across the table.
"Auntie, what's that white stuff on the corner of your lip?" Lala asked innocently.
The entire table paused.
Echinacea blinked, her cheeks dusting with a faint pink hue. She raised her thumb, gently swiping the small, white drop from the corner of her mouth. Instead of using a napkin, she brought her thumb to her lips and slowly licked it clean.
Her purple eyes shifted, locking directly onto Jay—who was currently flipping a perfectly normal pancake—with a sultry, deeply provocative gaze that screamed absolute satisfaction.
"Oh, this?" Echinacea smiled sweetly at her niece. "It's just milk, Lala. Very... *delicious* milk."
Jay didn't even flinch. He just kept flipping the pancake with a deadpan expression, acting as if he hadn't heard a single thing.
However, two people at the table instantly froze.
Sephie's maternal intuition and centuries of royal experience immediately pieced the puzzle together. Her eyes widened, darting between her suspiciously glowing older sister and the perfectly calm boy at the stove.
Wait. Did they... already?! Sephie thought, her jaw slightly dropping.
On the other side of the table, Ygnisia's draconic senses flared. She stopped eating her bacon, her slit-like eyes narrowing at Echinacea.
I know that scent. That is definitely not milk, the Heavenly Dragon thought, her competitive instincts suddenly boiling over.
This sneaky pink-haired alien stole a march on me!
Meanwhile, Mamako, Lala, Momo, Nana, and Yami remained blissfully ignorant of the heavy, unspoken tension filling the dining room.
7:30 AM
"So, what's the plan for today?" Jay asked, leaning against the wall.
"We wish to see the sights of Earth!" Sephie declared, regaining her regal composure.
"And perhaps do some shopping for the girls."
"Alright. Let me make some calls," Jay nodded.
He pulled out his encrypted phone and quickly texted Rito:
Cover for me today at school. Family business. If the teacher asks, tell them I have explosive diarrhea or something. Good luck with the idiots.
Next, he dialed the direct line to the Prime Minister of Japan.
"Tsukasa," Jay spoke the moment the call connected.
"I need you to forge standard Japanese civilian IDs for Sephie, Echinacea, Momo, and Nana. Send the digital copies to my database."
"Consider it done, Jay," Tsukasa Mikogami's voice replied smoothly. "Anything else?"
"Yeah. Beef up the standard police patrols in Tokyo, specifically in Beika Town. Deploy the riot squads if you have to," Jay ordered, rubbing his temples.
"Beika Town? Why? Is there an anomaly there?"
"No, but my imstict is flaring up like crazy whenever I sense that area," Jay sighed, fully aware of the meta-narrative.
"There's an absurd concentration of murder auras over there. Some tiny kid with glasses and a bowtie is probably acting as a walking grim reaper, causing a spike in the mortality rate. Just tighten the security so they don't bother our operations."
"...Understood. I will mobilize the Tokyo Metropolitan Police immediately."
Jay hung up and dialed one last number.
"Ignorance. I need a vehicle. A big one. It needs to comfortably seat nine people: Me, Mamako, Lala, Ygnisia, Sephie, Echinacea, Momo, Nana, and Yami. I'll be driving."
"Affirmative, Boss," Ignorance replied in his mechanical, monotone voice. "I am dispatching a custom-armored Mercedes-Benz Sprinter VIP Lounge Edition to your garage. It features absolute kinetic shielding and a built-in mini-fridge."
"Good," Jay said, hanging up.
He looked at the excited faces of the alien royals waiting in the living room.
Ignorance thinks he's the one suffering because he has to do all the corporate paperwork, Jay thought, letting out a defeated sigh.
He has no idea. I'm about to escort a dragon, an intergalactic queen, an assassin, a sword-saint, three princesses, and my mother on a shopping spree. I am going to die today.
2:00 PM
Tokyo High-End Shopping District
Jay was dead. Or at least, his soul had left his physical body.
He was walking behind the group of women, entirely buried under a mountain of shopping bags from Gucci, Prada, and various high-end boutiques. Because of his cosmic physical strength, the weight was literally zero, but the *mental* damage of a 6-hour shopping marathon was unquantifiable.
Ahead of him, Momo and Nana were happily trying on Earth fashion, while Sephie and Mamako bonded over picking out cute dresses for Lala. Yami was quietly reading a book she had bought from a local bookstore, ignoring the chaos.
Echinacea occasionally glanced back at Jay, giving him a warm, deeply affectionate smile that made the exhaustion slightly more bearable.
But the true menace of the trip was walking right beside him.
Ygnisia was dual-wielding two massive strawberry crepes, having already decimated three takoyaki stands, a wagyu beef skewer stall, and an entire bakery.
"Jay! Look! They have something called 'parfaits' over there!" Ygnisia pointed excitedly at a cafe, her mouth smeared with whipped cream.
Jay stared at the Heavenly Dragon, his eyes hollow.
fucking hell, Jay cursed internally.
How the hell does a dragon eat this much?! If I wasn't funding this with NEXUS Corp's unlimited black card, she would have bankrupted a small country by lunch and snacks!
"We'll get the parfaits," Jay sighed, shifting the fifty shopping bags in his arms.
"But you're carrying the next batch of bags, you gluttonous lizard."