Zero and Brielle stepped into the private inner garden. It was a breathtaking sight. The garden was filled with glowing, magical silver flowers that naturally lit up the dark night. In the center of the garden was a massive, luxurious white marble pavilion covered in soft silk curtains.
Sitting gracefully at a crystal table was Elara Valmont. She had changed out of her formal alchemist guild robes. Now, she was wearing a stunning, elegant dark purple evening gown that perfectly matched the color of her new magical aura. She looked absolutely beautiful, clearly dressed to impress the man who had completely changed her life.
Elara stood up and offered a warm, enchanting smile.
"Welcome, Lord Zero," Elara said softly. "I hope you did not face any trouble coming here"
Zero walked into the pavilion, his heavy boots clicking against the marble floor.
"No real trouble," Zero replied calmly. "Just a loud guard dog barking at your front gates. Your knight, Gareth, talks too much"
Elara let out a soft laugh and shook her head. "I apologize for Gareth. He is arrogant and thinks far too highly of himself. Please, just ignore him. He means absolutely nothing to me"
She stepped closer to Zero, her eyes shining with deep admiration under the moonlight.
"And please," she whispered gently, "now that we are in private, you do not need to call me Elara or Matriarch. To you, I am only Lilia"
Zero nodded his heavy, armored head. "Very well, Lilia"
He looked around the massive, high-walled garden. The space was huge, filled with soft, cool grass and a large pool of fresh water. It was the perfect place.
"Before we discuss our business, I need to let my companion out," Zero said. "She has been hiding in my shadow for too long"
Lilia quickly stepped back. "Of course. The garden is completely secure with magical barriers. No one can see inside"
The dark shadow under Zero's boots rapidly expanded across the white marble floor.
Slowly, Kaelith rose from the darkness. The giant Centaur-kin stretched her massive, powerful arms and shook her dark mane, letting out a heavy sigh of relief to finally be out in the fresh air.
Lilia looked at the beautiful giant with pure awe.
"Kaelith, my servants have prepared a massive, comfortable bed of the softest hay and silk blankets for you right near the warm pool," Lilia offered kindly, pointing to a luxurious resting spot nearby. "Please, eat the fresh fruits we left out and rest. You are completely safe in my home"
"Thank you, Lady Lilia," Kaelith smiled warmly, deeply appreciating the hospitality. The giant centaur happily trotted over to the pool to finally relax and wash up after a long, stressful day inside the auction house.
With Kaelith resting peacefully, Lilia turned her full attention back to Zero. She gracefully sat down at the crystal table and poured two glasses of the finest, most expensive red wine in the Kingdom. She gently slid one glass across the table toward the empty chair across from her.
Brielle stood silently at the edge of the pavilion, keeping a watchful eye like a loyal guard, though she still felt nervous standing so close to Zero's terrifying aura.
"Please, have a seat, Zero," Lilia said, leaning forward slightly. She gave him a confident, captivating look. "Now... let us talk about our future. You promised me 100% pure ingredients, and I promised to brew the potions that will make the arrogant Valerius Dukedom completely addicted to our supply"
Lilia rested her chin on her hands, her new purple mana softly glowing around her skin.
"Tell me," Lilia smiled fiercely, ready to conquer the Kingdom for him. "When do we start building your empire?"
Zero sat in the grand pavilion, his glowing red eyes looking calmly at Lilia.
"First, we must save Kaelith's companions" Zero stated, his mechanical voice firm and serious. "I will not leave her tribe in the hands of slavers. We will think about our future plans for the empire after I secure their freedom"
Lilia nodded, fully understanding his loyalty to his people. "When exactly is the auction taking place?" she asked.
"In two days," Zero replied. "I will need to sell a few more magical fruits and maybe another potion to get more money. The Equus giganteus tribe is incredibly rare. Many powerful nobles and rich guild masters will come to the auction specifically to buy Kaelith's companions. I will need a massive amount of wealth to outbid all of them"
Hearing this, a proud, beautiful smirk appeared on Lilia's face. She let out a soft, confident laugh.
"You do not need to worry about money, Zero," Lilia smiled, her eyes shining with absolute confidence. "Have you forgotten who I am? I am the Matriarch of the Valmont Family. I control the alchemy trade of this entire Kingdom. Wealth is the last thing you ever need to worry about. I will go to the auction with you, and I will personally fund whatever you need"
Zero looked at her proud expression and nodded in agreement. "Alright. That makes things easier. Now, show me to my room. I need to rest"
Lilia's smile grew a little wider. She leaned forward slightly, her eyes turning a bit playful. "Well, my estate is very large. If you are looking for a room to sleep in, you could always share—"
Clip. Clop. Clip. Clop.
Before Lilia could finish her smooth invitation, the heavy sound of hooves echoed across the marble floor. Lilia stopped talking and sighed softly, slightly annoyed that her romantic moment had been interrupted.
Zero turned his head to see Kaelith walking back from the warm pool.
The giant Centaur-kin looked absolutely stunning. Her long, dark hair was still slightly wet from the bath, smelling sweetly of expensive magical flowers. Her sun-bronzed skin was glowing and clean, and a very happy, refreshed smile was on her face.
However, her clothing was completely unique. She was wearing a beautifully crafted, makeshift dress.
Brielle walked up beside her, looking a bit awkward. "I apologize, lord Zero," Brielle explained. "We obviously do not have any clothes designed to fit a giant centaur. So, I ordered the maids to quickly take some of our largest, most expensive silk curtains and bedsheets and sew them together"
The maids had done an excellent job in such a short time. They had draped soft, pure white silk across Kaelith's Amazonian upper body, tying it elegantly around her neck and waist like a beautiful Greek goddess dress. For her dark, muscular horse half, they had gently laid a rich, gold-embroidered velvet blanket over her back to keep her warm and comfortable.
Kaelith looked down at her new silk clothes, a bright blush appearing on her cheeks. She felt very pretty.
"The water was wonderful," Kaelith said softly, looking at Zero with deep gratitude in her amber eyes. "And the clothes are very soft. Thank you, Lady Lilia, Lady Brielle"
Kaelith shifted her weight nervously, her large hooves making soft clicking sounds on the white marble floor. She looked down, nervously playing with the edge of her new silk dress. She clearly wanted to say something, but she was hesitating, afraid to speak out of turn in a noble's house.
Zero noticed her nervous movements. He looked closely at her. "What is wrong, Kaelith?" he asked calmly. "Do not be afraid. Speak your mind freely"
Taking a deep breath, Kaelith looked up with big, shy amber eyes. "Lord Zero... I am scared to sleep alone in a strange place," she confessed softly. "Can I... stay with you tonight?"
Before Zero could answer, Lilia quickly stepped forward. Her beautiful, confident smile twitched slightly, and she grabbed the edge of her purple gown.
"There is no need to worry, Kaelith," Lilia offered smoothly, trying to keep her composure and keep Zero for herself. "If you are scared, my knight Brielle can sleep in the room with you to keep you safe and give you company"
Kaelith quickly shook her head, looking directly at the titan in black armor. "No, thank you, Lady Lilia," she replied politely but firmly. "I am only comfortable with Lord Zero. He makes me feel safe"
Zero understood her fear. She had almost been sold as a slave; it was natural for her to be terrified of leaving his side. "It is fine" Zero said simply. "I will sleep in the same room with you"
Lilia's jaw almost dropped. Her elegant posture stiffened, and her purple eyes went wide with pure shock and sudden jealousy.
"Zero... what are you saying?" Lilia asked, her voice raising a little higher than usual. "You are just going to casually sleep in the same room with a girl?!"
She quickly took a breath to calm herself down, forcing a polite smile back onto her face. "Exactly how much time has passed since you two met?"
"Only one day," Zero answered casually. "I met her yesterday"
Lilia blinked in complete confusion. "Yesterday? Just one day? Then how did she become so deeply attached to you?"
"I was traveling on the road toward the Kingdom when a fast-moving slaver's carriage passed by me," Zero explained, his glowing red eyes narrowing as he remembered the scene. "I looked inside and saw her bound in heavy iron chains, being dragged to the auction block. I could not just stand there and watch. So, I stopped the carriage, freed her from her chains, and rescued her. Since that moment, she has accepted me as her Lord"
Hearing the story of her rescue again, Kaelith looked at Zero with absolute devotion and pure affection.
Lilia, however, was having a completely different reaction in her mind. She stared at Kaelith, carefully analyzing the giant, beautiful centaur from head to toe.
'This centaur is incredibly dangerous,'Lilia thought, a fierce, competitive fire burning in her heart. 'I thought my only challenge was winning his heart, but my biggest enemy is standing right in front of me! If they met yesterday, that means she has already been sleeping by his side since the very beginning!'
Lilia tightly clenched her fists, hiding them within the folds of her elegant dress. She was the proud Matriarch of the Valmont Family. She had just been reborn as a powerful mage. She refused to lose to anyone.
'I will not accept being the second wife,'Lilia declared in her mind, her eyes locked onto Zero with intense determination'I will use my beauty, my new magic, and all my wealth. I do not care who else comes into his life... I will be Zero's first wife'