Coincidentally, the low murmur of the castle maids announced their arrival outside the chamber doors. Xulthas quickly raised his voice, commanding them to enter.
The moment the maids crossed the door bearing silver trays, they froze in wide-eyed shock. Standing in the center of the room, they took in the scandalous sight of Zaliyah, dressed in nothing but his undergarments, casually waking up in Xulthas's bed.
For weeks, the maids had been gossiping and wondering why the commander had strictly ordered the kitchen staff to prepare refined human meals. But seeing this sight, the reality clicked in their minds.
Terrified of Xulthas's temper, they didn't dare linger or make eye contact. They quickly placed the lavish meals onto the wooden table and practically fled the room.
"You just gave those servants enough gossip material to last them for at least three winters," Zaliyah spoke, his voice dry as he stepped down from the high bed, his bare feet meeting the cold floor.
Xulthas chuckled, walking over to the table and pulling out a carved wooden chair for him. "Let them talk. A commander's fortress is fueled by rumors."
Zaliyah sat down, immediately picking up his utensils and beginning to eat .
Xulthas sat directly in the opposite chair, propping his chin on his palm as he stared intensely at Zaliyah's face, tracking every single movement of his lips.
Zaliyah paused mid-bite, rolling his eyes. "Creep."
Xulthas's grin only widened. "Still just as insufferable and annoying as ever, I see."
Sometimes, the warlock wondered what specific attribute about Zaliyah attracted him so fiercely. Was it the ethereal face? Was it the perfect, slender body? Because he knew with certainty it wasn't the hybrid's personality. Zaliyah was spoiled rotten, carrying himself with an innate, high-and-mighty arrogance that made it seem as though the man hailed from untouchable royalty.
He watched the way Zaliyah ate, every cut of the meat was neat and perfectly mannered. It stood in contrast to the way Zaliyah had eaten while he was pregnant with Sylaris years ago; back then, Zaliyah usually ate like a ravenous, wild beast tearing through the kitchens.
"I have always wondered, Zaliyah... where did you learn such refined dining habits?" Xulthas asked, his green eyes glinting with curiosity.
Zaliyah opened his mouth to deliver a sarcastic retort, but he stopped. The words died in his throat. His mind instantly flashed back to the elegant dining rooms of the Ruo Han mansion, remembering how Karas used to gently tap his knuckles with a chopstick, sternly telling him never to talk while his mouth was full. A soft smile touched Zaliyah's lips at the memory... that thought of Karas was the only thing capable of making his chest feel warm in this frozen hellhole.
But Karas isn't here anymore... Zaliyah thought, his smile fading as reality settled back in.
He masked his brief sadness instantly, tilting his chin up arrogantly. "When you look at me, Commander, do you not see nobility radiating from my skin? Of course I am refined. Because I am a noble."
Xulthas grinned, leaning back in his chair. "You are truly favored, little lotus. Born from celestial and demon nobility, and even after you somehow made your way to the human realm, you still managed to land yourself into the lap of human mobility."
"If the heavens had spared my life just to make me a lowly, starving beggar in the streets, I would have preferred they didn't bother sparing me at all," Zaliyah stated taking a sip of water.
Xulthas burst into a loud fit of laughter entertained by the arrogance.
As the laughter died down, a specific phrase echoed in Zaliyah's mind. Celestial nobility? What did Xulthas mean by that? Did he know more about his bloodline than he let on? Deciding to test the waters, Zaliyah set his fork down, locking his violet eyes onto the warlock. "You... you don't find it disgusting?"
Xulthas blinked, his laughter fading. "Find what disgusti-" He cut himself off mid-sentence, the realization of what Zaliyah was referring to clicking in his brain. His eyes traveled down toward Zaliyah's flat stomach. "Not in the slightest, little lotus. If anything, I am simply fascinated."
"Fascinated by what exactly?" Zaliyah asked,
"By the concept of men getting pregnant," Xulthas replied smoothly, a smirk spreading on his face. "It is a common trait among weaker celestials. It defies the crude laws of demonic nature."
Zaliyah rolled his eyes hard, picking his fork back up. "Commander... has anyone ever told you that you are incredibly annoying?"
Xulthas's grin stretched across his face. "Yes, actually. Malachi used to tell me that every single day when he lived here."
The sudden mention of the King's name made Zaliyah's expression darken. He violently stabbed a piece of meat on his plate with his fork. Seeing the petty movement, Xulthas burst into another fit of laughter. It was truly childish.
"Where is Sylaris?" Zaliyah asked, trying to change the subject before he lost his appetite.
"You surely don't expect your chaotic little daughter to come bursting through my doors screaming, 'Xulthas, have you seen my dada? I can smell him lurking in your sheets!' " Xulthas spoke,raising the pitch of his deep voice to mimic Sylaris's high-pitched, dramatic tone.
Zaliyah exhaled deeply, burying his face in his palms. "Heavens, Xulthas... you are so annoying."
"That is a new one, I will cherish it," Xulthas spoke, playfully cupping his chin. "But you need not worry about your daughter, little consort. She accompanied Iruna and your new celestial servant into the town market"
Zaliyah sighed, adjusting his collar. "I can only imagine she caused quite the dramatic scene in public."
Down in the bustling town market, Zaliyah's prediction was accurate. Sylaris was currently sitting triumphantly high up on Talha's shoulders. She had demanded to sit there the very moment they left the castle gates, relentlessly pestering and whining to Iruna about it until the chamberlain finally relented. Now, the little girl was ecstatic; sitting on the fairy's shoulders meant she was officially 'taller' than every single adult in the crowd, and she had free reign to idly play with and mess up the fairy's bright pink hair.
Talha surprisingly didn't mind the weight at all. He adjusted his grip on her small legs, looking over at Iruna as they walked through the snow-dusted stalls.
"She is... so different from what I expected," he murmured.
Iruna smiled warmly, looking up at the giggling child. "Everyone who meets her says the same thing. She is quite different from His Highness. She possesses a very bright energy."
Suddenly, a burly demon merchant bumped directly into Iruna's shoulder, rushing past without even bothering to apologize. Iruna let out a soft sigh, steadying herself. "Goodness, the market is packed to the brim today."
The entire district looked like a tight can of sardines. The upcoming Great Winter Festival had drawn crowds from every neighboring city, merchants were screaming out their prices at every corner, and customers were aggressively pushing through the narrow walkways.
"Fresh furs! High-grade winter wolf pelts imported directly from the eastern province!" a loud merchant roared from a nearby stall, waving a thick gray hide in front of a passing customer. "Guaranteed to keep the frost out of your bones for five winters, sir! Only ten silver coins"
The customer sneered, pushing the fur away. "Ten silver? You must be out of your mind, old man! The frost is already inside the tents, and your pelts smell of wet beast! Give it to me for five, or I'll buy from the stall down the lane!"
"Move out of the way! Keep moving!" a frustrated shopper yelled from behind Talha, aggressively shoving past.
"The festival hasn't even begun, and the main square is already full of stinking peasants! I can barely breathe!"
A female voice muttered
The trio pushed through the chaotic, shouting crowds until they finally made it to the entrance of Zaliyah's usual high-end clothing boutique. The young shop assistant, who always personally attended to Zaliyah, ran up the moment she saw Iruna's face. She bowed so low her torso was parallel to the floor, and Iruna politely bowed back.
Talha stood in the entryway, looking around the interior, his mouth hanging slightly open in perplexity. The boutique was grand, lined with rich wood, velvet curtains, and exquisite glass mirrors that reflected the expensive silk garments hanging from the racks. It looked like a palace wing hidden in a rugged trading town.
The shop assistant straightened up, glancing around them before tilting her head. "The beautiful lady... is she absent from today's shopping trip?"
Talha blinked confused. "Lady? What lady?"
Iruna's face instantly flushed with awkwardness, and she quickly shot Talha a pained smile, subtly shaking her head to get him to shut his mouth. But the oblivious shopkeeper simply smiled and continued, pointing a finger at Sylaris. "You know... this beautiful little one's mother. The silver-haired lady who usually orders the custom silk robes."
"Oh!" Talha grinned, a sudden realization dawning on his face. He looked up at Sylaris, an internal chuckle bubbling in his chest. Does this hilarious misunderstanding happen every time he goes out ? I mean, even that brute in the brothel thought he was a woman. His face is truly a public hazard.
Before Talha could say anything more to ruin the facade, Sylaris let out a loud scream from his shoulders, thrusting a chubby finger toward a glass jar resting on the main counter.
"I want those sweets! Dada said that you have to give me all the sweets I want today!"
Iruna let out a defeated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. This little girl is truly cunning, she thought.
The shop assistant smiled warmly at Sylaris. "Of course, young mistress. Right away."
She quickly whisked them away into the private fitting rooms, and the chaotic shopping spree officially began. While Sylaris sat comfortably in Iruna's arms, happily chewing on expensive sweets, Talha was losing his mind. He was getting exhausted from constantly fitting on endless layers of clothes.
Over many years of shopping alongside Zaliyah, Iruna had accidentally picked up the hybrid's intense shopping addiction; for her, it was simply never enough. Whenever Talha thought they were finally done, Iruna would shake her head and order the assistant to bring out five more sets of high-grade robes and big winter furs.
Talha was so exhausted from changing clothes that the thought of running away crossed his mind. But that dangerous thought was quickly discouraged by the vivid, terrifying memory of Xulthas's cold, piercing green eyes staring into his soul. I truly wonder what twisted relationship those two have in that castle, Talha thought, a shiver running down his spine.
He let out a massive sigh of relief when they finally paid the mountain of gold coins and finished the fittings. But instead of letting them return to the warmth of the carriage, Sylaris stubbornly demanded to explore the rest of the market and the nearby playgrounds.
Because Zaliyah barely ever allowed the child to leave the safety of the fortress walls, the moment she tasted this little bit of freedom, she was determined to make the most of it.
Iruna could never find it in her heart to say no to Sylaris's big, puppy eyes. The little girl kept making more and more extravagant demands, and because Iruna kept heading to her every whim, Talha's weak rejections meant nothing. He didn't even know his official standing or rank within the castle hierarchy yet, but he knew with certainty that he did not want to get on the little girl's bad side, knowing how terrifying her father is.
By the time the carriage finally pulled back into the castle courtyard, the sun had long since set, leaving the sky pitch black and blanketed in starlight. Zaliyah was standing under the stone overhang, dressed in nothing but his white undergarments covered by a heavy, fur-lined overcoat.
Thalassa stood beside him, wearing a comfortable white blouse and loose lounge trousers.
"Finally, they are finally here," Thalassa spoke, stretching her arms as the carriage doors opened.
Talha stepped down onto the snowy ground first, carefully carrying the now fast-asleep Sylaris in his arms. He then extended his arm, politely helping Iruna step down from the high carriage boardwalk.
The very moment Iruna's eyes landed on Thalassa's form, a smile broke across her face. She ran across the courtyard and threw her arms tightly around Thalassa, hugging her close.
Zaliyah walked forward with slow strides toward Talha. He reached out, gently and carefully lifting his sleeping daughter from Talha's arms, transferring her weight to his own chest. As he pulled the child close, he noticed several small, terribly messy braids currently woven into Talha's hair.
Zaliyah's brows twitched slightly, an internal thought crossing his mind. Sylaris must truly like him if she spent the day branding his head.
Without casting a second glance or uttering a word of thanks to Talha, Zaliyah turned on his heel and began walking back toward the castle entrance.
Talha watched his retreating back, his jaw clenching as he muttered under his breath, "Asshole."
Zaliyah abruptly froze in his tracks. He slowly turned his head back, his violet eyes narrowing. "I didn't quite catch that. Repeat what you just said."
Talha stood silent, his breath catching in his throat. He quickly hid both of his hands behind his back, gripping his own wrists tightly to conceal how much they were trembling.
Thalassa finally released Iruna from the tight embrace. Recognizing the drop in temperature, Iruna quickly rushed forward, bowing down before Zaliyah. "Your Highness."
Zaliyah's terrifying expression instantly vanished. A soft, warm smile broke across his face as he looked at Iruna. "You look so exhausted, Runa. I hope Sylaris didn't trouble you too much today."
Talha watched the sudden transformation in bewilderment. This man was so intimidating just two seconds ago, and now he is standing here flashing a gentle smile? Is he psycho?
Iruna smiled back warmly, shaking her head. "No, Your Highness, she was well-behaved today."
Talha rolled his eyes so hard it practically hurt, a thought screaming in his mind. Well-behaved my ass! She literally held me hostage on what was supposed to be a shopping tour!
Thalassa glided over, playfully pulling Iruna away by her shoulder. "Zaliyah, your daughter has already possessed her for the entire day, and now you want to hogg her attention too? Let the poor girl rest."
Zaliyah rolled his eyes at Thalassa's antics. "You are truly so-"
Before he could even finish his statement, a sudden tear in reality ripped open in the middle of the courtyard. A black vortex materialized, and with a swift flash of spatial magic, Thalassa vanished, teleporting Iruna away to her quarters. Zaliyah let out a long sigh, staring blankly at the empty space where the two women had been standing a moment ago.
He turned his gaze back toward Talha, who was still standing frozen in the snow. The moment their eyes met, Talha quickly snapped his face away, looking at the walls.
"I assume you have plans of sleeping out here in the snow?" Zaliyah asked
"No, Your Highness," Talha muttered quickly.
"Then what do you intend to achieve by standing there like a useless pillar?" Zaliyah said, rolling his eyes as he turned around.
Talha didn't waste another second. He quickly scrambled forward, falling into step and walking meekly behind the silver-haired man as they entered the castle.
Inside the nursery, the castle maids had already arranged a large tub filled with steaming bathwater. Zaliyah gently set the sleeping child down, carefully stripping her of her multiple layers of winter robes and thick furs. The moment he lowered her small, bare body into the warm water, the child jolted awake as he had expected.
Sylaris let out a loud piercing cry, her small face scrouching up, She hated warm water, preferring the freezing chill of the snow.
Zaliyah quickly knelt beside the tub, his heart melting at her tears. He gently reached out, caressing her wet head with his slender fingers. "Shush now... please, please don't cry, my beautiful baby," he whispered, his voice incredibly soft. He continued to tenderly stroke her long hair, his violet eyes soft. "Please... please don't cry, Sylaris. Dada will be so sad if you do."
Hearing his soft, soothing voice, Sylaris's loud cries slowly began to subside. Her tears reduced to tiny whimpers, and her heavy eyelids began to flutter as her head lolled lazily in the air, drifting back into sleep mid-bath.
Zaliyah couldn't help but giggle whenever he witnessed her doing that.
When he was finally finished washing her, he carefully lifted the sleeping child out of the tub, wrapping her in a soft towel. He quickly dressed her in her favorite, lightweight silk nightgown and wrapped a thick fur blanket tightly around her small frame.
With elegant movements of his fingers, he neatly braided her long, white hair into two long, perfect braids.
He placed the child gently onto the center of her large bed, leaning down to press a soft kiss onto her warm forehead. "I love you so much,"
He reached down, gently kissing her little, chubby fingers one by one. "Everything I do... every drop of blood I will spill, and every mask I wear... I do it all for you. Sleep well, my beautiful baby."