Sasa gritted her teeth, moving swiftly as she swung her whip.
The whip extended and slithered like a serpent, striking toward the man.
It managed to wrap around him, even if only for a brief moment — just long enough for Mira to leap into the air and swing her axe down.
Mira's axe struck the man's shoulder, and Mia followed up with a martial arts technique, smashing into his jaw.
Livy and Tina didn't waste the opportunity — Tina's spear pierced the man's chest, and Livy's sword slashed across his abdomen.
"You all…" the man couldn't finish his sentence before collapsing, killed at the hands of the girls.
BOOM—!!
Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed, and the tunnel shook violently.
A white light enveloped Sarah's body — and she vanished into thin air.
Minerva, who was not far from her, suddenly disappeared as well.
A surge of purple mana spread wide, manifesting into a colossal figure that shielded Livy and the others from the falling debris caused by the explosion.
The massive purple giant stood tall, swinging its sword to cleave through the collapsing tunnel. Wings sprouted from its back, and it soared upward through the opening while carrying Livy and the others to safety.
Once they were outside the tunnel, the girls realized that Zeref was the one controlling the giant.
However, the aura radiating from Zeref was completely different from usual — it was cold and inhuman.
After safely lowering the girls, Zeref suddenly collapsed unconscious.
The girls panicked and quickly carried him back to the house where they were staying.
An hour later, Zeref regained consciousness. Seeing this, the girls rejoiced and thanked the heavens that nothing serious had happened to him.
Not long after, Zeref decided to return to the mansion, fearing his absence might be noticed by his family.
A Week Later ———
We were now aboard our floating ship — something like a hot airship from Earth, but enhanced with magic and lavishly decorated inside.
The interior looked like a luxury hotel, complete with a dining room, several bedrooms, and a play area. The journey would take two days.
Once aboard, we began spending time together as a family — playing chess, cracking jokes, playing games — our days were filled with laughter and joy.
In a rare moment, our whole family even slept together in the same room.
We spent those two days simply enjoying each other's company, until finally, we arrived at the capital city.
I looked out the window — the city was enormous, the size of a small country back on Earth. Gigantic buildings loomed everywhere, beautiful churches stood tall, and vast amusement parks dotted the landscape.
And there it was — a colossal castle the size of a city. Its beauty was breathtaking. Waterfalls cascaded down its sides, and the castle radiated the power and majesty of the Helios Kingdom.
Our airship slowly approached the landing platform, and my family and I prepared to disembark.
Once we landed and stepped outside, the grand castle came fully into view. A banner bearing the sun emblem waved proudly atop its towers. Several people were waiting to welcome us.
An elderly man in a butler's uniform stepped forward.
"Greetings, Duchess. I hope your journey was pleasant."
"Yes, this journey was very pleasant," Mother replied calmly and gracefully.
We all assumed our respective positions — my eldest sister stood proudly beside Mother, my younger sister stood behind me, and I stood in the middle.
After welcoming us, the head butler led us into the castle. The interior was magnificent, entirely adorned with gold and silver.
The castle was over a thousand years old, a cornerstone of the kingdom's long history. As we admired the splendor, we were guided into a chamber. The butler stopped and gestured for us to enter.
Inside, we found a man and a woman, both appearing to be around thirty.
The man was handsome and carried himself with regal dignity. His blond hair and green eyes made him look like a wise king. The woman beside him was breathtakingly beautiful.
She had a cold expression, long crimson hair draped over her shoulders, and red eyes that gleamed like gemstones. Her beauty was flawless and commanding.
She wore a white gown that did little to hide her seductive figure — her chest stood proudly and her hips were perfectly shaped. Anyone who looked at her would fall head over heels, but none dared approach her. Her status, power, and authority were far beyond what anyone could challenge.
I activated the system's reading function.
Name: Hady Helios
Gender: Male
Age: 46
Species: Human
Talent: 9/10
Power: Low-Stage Grandmaster
Titles: King, Crown Prince, Cruel King, etc.
Affection: 78% (family love)
Description: Currently happy because it's his daughter's birthday. Feels slightly frustrated because his wife has refused to sleep with him for unknown reasons.
So this is the king… His power shouldn't be underestimated.
Then I turned my gaze to the queen. Her beauty was indeed overwhelming, but knowing what I remembered from the game, I knew she was somewhat unhinged.
At this point, she shouldn't have any feelings toward me…
Name: Mikasa Helios
Gender: Female
Age: 40
Species: Human
Talent: 9/10
Power: High-Stage Master
Titles: Queen, Ice Queen, Beauty, etc.
Affection: 120% (feelings still unknown)
Description: Her feelings for you continue to fluctuate. She isn't sure what's happening. Her body truly desires you, and her rational thoughts about you are fading over time.
Difficulty: None. Simply leave a mark on her, and she will be yours.
What the hell??? What is this? How is this even happening?
System, I think there's a mistake!
[There is nothing wrong with the system.]
Nothing wrong? Then what's with this affection score? Feelings like love and hate don't just appear out of nowhere — she basically already loves me!
Why is this happening?
[If the host wishes to know, you can purchase that information from the system.]
Buy it. I'll buy it. Just tell me, quickly!
[The information costs 10,000 points. Are you sure you want to proceed?]
Yes! What is money compared to my life!?
[DING!…]
[Points deducted.]
[The reason her feelings have grown toward you is because of your bloodline.]
My bloodline? Are you saying my bloodline is affecting her?
[Your bloodline and Mikasa Helios' bloodline share a connection. Because of this, her feelings for you began to develop.]
[Since your bloodline hasn't awakened yet, the target's attraction is unstable.]
[Right now, in Mikasa's eyes, you are the most perfect being — the only one suited for her.]
[Once you awaken your bloodline, she will submit entirely to you. Her existence will become solely yours.]
Damn it… My bloodline is that powerful!?
Just what kind of bloodline do I have? What's its connection to the Queen's bloodline? System! Can you tell me!?
[It is advised not to investigate your bloodline before awakening it, as doing so could prevent you from awakening it at all.]