Nevaris stood frozen as he watched her. His heart raced uncontrollably under her gaze.
She carried an air of warmth that felt almost dangerous in its comfort, like the quiet glow of embers hiding a deeper fire. Long strands of golden-brown hair spilled down her back in waves, the torchlight giving it a molten sheen.
Nestled within that cascade rose a pair of smooth, curved horns–rich brown at their base, fading into gleaming gold at the tips as though they had been kissed by flame.
Her eyes, a deep amber, held a languid charm–half-lidded and heavy with a sleepy amusement that couldn't dull their sharp, knowing glint. Her face was soft–full cheeks, gentle contours, and lips that seemed to be naturally drawn to that same teasing, maternal smile.
And her figure…the figure that had defined the dreams of the adolescent Nevaris, was still just as destructive as ever. Every curve was explosive, her chest heavy with a weight that came straight out of a doujin, and legs that had Nevaris questioning the need for other females even existing.
Don't get him wrong, Nevaris finds his wives extremely attractive. From Ana's enchanting cuteness and deceptively sensual curves, to Lilith's alluring, sinful body. They were every bit as eye-catching as Celia.
But Celia was different.
The lazy grace in her posture, the relaxed contentment that suggested she was happy with who she was and how others saw her. She didn't need to prove anything–her presence alone was enough.
She embodied everything Nevaris had ever fantasized about in a wife. She was his ideal woman.
Celia was not a MILF. She was The MILF.
"Young master? Are you in there~?"
Before he even realized it, Celia's face was mere centimeters from his own.
"S-Sorry, been a weird past few days, haha," he said awkwardly as his eyes suddenly found the wall very interesting.
"So I've heard," Celia said, clearly not believing him.
She pouted as she said with mock grievance, "And because of that you can't even look at me anymore? Do you hate me now??"
Her eyes filled with tears as she covered her face in her hands. Even though he knew she was messing with him, he couldn't bring himself to call her out on it.
"No, no I'm sorry, truly. I-I missed you a lot, Celia," he sighed as he admitted.
No matter which version of Nevaris he was, Celia crying will always be his kryptonite.
Hearing what she wanted, Celia peeked over her fingers, a wicked smile on her face that seemed to scream "Aha, I knew it!".
"Kyaa! I missed young master Nevi sooo much~!" she squealed in joy.
Without warning, she threw herself into his arms. Her willowy body fitting into his embrace like a missing puzzle piece.
Nevaris froze like a deer in headlights, not knowing where to place his hands. Anywhere he looked seemed like a bad idea, both for his mental sanity and physical purity.
"Hmmm~, young master has grown so much!" she purred as her hands began to trace along his defined back.
With a shudder, he hurriedly escaped her beguiling touch and cleared his throat before changing the subject with a strained smile. Mentally updating her danger level.
"W-What are you doing here anyway?"
Celia blinked in confusion, "This is outside my room young master. Where else would I be?"
Nevaris' face stiffened as his eyes began registering where he was.
He cursed himself mentally, realising that he had somehow walked into the East wing where his mother and her servants' lived.
"That makes sense. Sorry my mind was wandering and I wasn't paying any attention to my surroundings. Did I hurt you?" he asked worriedly.
Celia smiled with that same mature charm that had captivated a young Nevaris, "It seems Garren and the others weren't exaggerating. You really have changed, Nevi."
Few people in this world could call him by that nickname, courtesy of his mother trademarking it. And of those in his life to date, only his mother and Celia have that privilege.
Seeing the joy and relief in her eyes, Nevaris chuckled foolishly like a child.
"For the better I hope."
Celia didn't respond to that, her own smile deepening as she looked at him. But unknown to him, a glint of unreadable light flashed briefly in her eyes before it disappeared.
"Of course~, young master is so manly now~" she said with a faint rosiness to her cheeks.
The sight caused him to blue screen for a second before he quickly looked for an escape. This woman was too strong, definitely an endgame boss.
"A-Anyway, I have to go find Elizabeth. I needed to ask her something."
He didn't know if it was his imagination but he could have sworn that for a split second, the constant smile on her face had faltered. But when he blinked again, the warmth on her face was still the same as before.
"Why do you need to see that wh–her?"
"I wanted to ask her to train me. Have you seen her?" he asked hopefully.
Celia tapped a finger to her chin before replying, " I think I saw her heading toward the cellars. You may be able to find her there."
Nevaris' eyes brightened as he began to hurry off, " Thank you Celia! I will make sure to come visit you and introduce you to my wives soon!"
As he turned, he caught sight of a suspicious looking statue inside of her room. The silhouette was clearly feminine and oddly familiar. But more worried about finding that psycho vampire, he didn't linger and sped off.
Behind him, Celia continued to wave after him until his back disappeared around the corner.
When he was gone, the smile on her face turned strange as she turned and headed back into her room, a suspicious lock of gray hair clasped between her fingers as she shut the door on the now empty corridor.
…
When he walked in the cellar, the scent of blood and oak hit him like a solid wall.
Nevaris frowned at the stench. His heightened sense of smell working against him at this moment, making it feel like a physical attack.
He walked through the aisles of spirits and wine. Each and every bottle looked less like liquid courage and more like liquid gold.
'Mom has an unhealthy hobby. Noted.'
Ignoring the obscene display of decadent excess, he continued to search for his target.
When he finally found her, the sight that greeted him was a little worrying.
"Wh–*hiccup*--what do you want, worm boy?" she grumbled, clearly displeased by the unannounced interruption to her drunken loneliness.
Nevaris took one look at the mountain of decimated wine barrels beside her and any thought of asking how she was evaporated from his mind. Picking at whatever mental trauma an ancient vampire had seemed like a hassle of universal proportions.
"I wanted to ask for a favor."
Elizabeth chuckled as she raised another barrel of what seemed to be blood wine to her mouth and began chugging.
Within seconds, the barrel was empty and tossed to the side to join the others.
"And what, pray tell, could this humble, lonely vampire do for the great prince?" she asked mockingly.
Nevaris hated to admit it, but seeing the always arrogant, unfeathered Elizabeth so bereft of her usual sanctimony stirred something in him he couldn't quite name. The words tumbled out before he could stop them.
"Are you–" he began.
But before he could complete the question, her mocking voice cut him off.
"Oh please, if you are here to ask about my wellbeing you've either developed some weird shame kink or you've knocked a few screws loose in that prepubescent evolved brain of yours," she sneered.
"Either way the answer is the same. Fuck off."
And just as quickly as that previous thought surfaced, it was mercilessly annihilated.
A vein surged to life on his temple, as he gritted out through clenched teeth, "Wouldn't dream of it princess."
She cast him a side-eye before going back to her drinking.
His eye twitched at her unimpeded speed, 'Just how much can this psycho drink?'
After another two barrels, Elizabeth let out a fruity exhale of satisfaction. The drop of blood-red wine trailing down her chin awakening a part of Nevaris he had been repeatedly trying to put down since he came here.
Seeming momentarily satiated, she shot him a lazy glance as she asked again, "So, what do you want, worm boy?"
Ignoring the nickname he was sure would now stick to him, he asked his favor.
"Can you train me?"
Elizabeth paused in the middle of opening a new barrel and stared at him as if he was an alien.
Unfortunately for Nevaris, her silence lasted for all but two seconds.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
He didn't interrupt her. He didn't rush.
He just stared at her with an expressionless face as he waited for her to get her giggles out.
After an unknown stretch of time, years in his books, she finally came down from her high.
Wiping tears from her eyes, she gave the expected answer.
"No."
Not losing his cool, he asked directly, "Why not?"
Elizabeth waved him off without a care, "Run along to those wives of yours cherry boy. I do appreciate the laugh though, you are useful for some things."
Nevaris was finding it harder and harder to ignore her insults.
"I'm being serious, Aunt Elizabeth. I want to get stronger. I need to. And out of everyone in our family, you are the only person I can trust to train me the right way."
Elizabeth stared at him as if he had just said the biggest joke in the world.
"First, I am not your aunt. Call me that again and I can show you what it's like to lose a jaw as well. Second, I don't have the time nor the energy to babysit a freak like you. Third, I don't care. And lastly, like I said before. Fuck. Off."
Nevaris clenched his hands as the veins in his arms bulged from the strain. Without another word, he turned and began walking away.
Elizabeth looked at his back without any expression before going back to look for another barrel.
Suddenly, Nevaris stopped a few steps away. Without turning around he spoke in a light voice.
"I had always heard stories about you and my mom growing up, and I always thought that you were a pretty amazing woman to be spoken of in the same sentence as my mom."
The barrel she had just lifted above her head froze.
"But now…all I can say is you are much more disappointing than I thought."
Elizabeth didn't even notice when he had left, she stayed frozen in the same posture for a good five minutes.
After a while, she went back to drinking. But by that point, the wine had soured.