Ye Li held one beauty in each arm.
Behind him, a butterfly-winged girl hovered in the air, her slim arms draped lightly around his neck.
His divine barrier easily protected Crystal, Medusa, and Iridia together.
"Ye!"
The little princess turned, eyes shining with relief.
"I knew it! I knew you'd come to save us!"
The queen, however, glanced at him with a complicated expression—her gaze pausing briefly on the Iridia behind him.
"Why did you only come now?"
"Cough... well... the water outlet was hard to fix. The more I patched, the more water spilled out. I tried plugging it, but it just wouldn't stay... so I was delayed."
Ye Li leaned down and kissed Crystal's forehead, whispering, "Sorry..."
"It's fine... without you, sister and I would already be dead."
Crystal's eyes brimmed with affection as she pressed her soft body into him, lips moving with the practiced fluency he had already taught her.
"Thank you... mmm..."
"Mnn..."
Ye Li responded while his right hand drifted slyly over Medusa's body, giving her a meaningful look.
Medusa rolled her eyes—clearly annoyed.
Her people had just perished by the thousands. As queen, she couldn't possibly have the mood for this.
Principles are good.
But when his hand suddenly struck her weakness, she could only surrender. Her long hair quietly unfurled, winding toward him once more....
…..
Iridia, meanwhile, flushed scarlet at his earlier "water outlet" excuse. She dared not speak, her heart fluttering.
But when her gaze fell on a sight not far away, all the color drained from her pale skin— "Borgona!!"
She screamed at the sight of her brother's lifeless body, and with a frantic beat of her wings tried to fly toward him.
Her cry broke the haze of intimacy between the three.
Snap~
Ye Li caught her ankle in one swift grab.
"Are you trying to die? Step outside my barrier and you won't last a second."
"Is that... true..."
Her heart trembled. At last, she steadied herself and halted.
Slowly she descended again, clinging to Ye Li as though only in his embrace could she find warmth.
With her family gone, she unconsciously poured her emotions into the man she'd only been with once....
Crystal, seeing her grief, reached out to stroke her hair softly.
"It's alright... you're alive, and that's enough. Things will get better..."
Medusa, too, pitied her. She turned to Ye Li.
"She has nowhere left to go. Why not take her in under your protection?"
"Of course. I'll look after her."
Ye Li agreed readily, though inside he mused:
'If Iridia dressed in a maid uniform like Rachel... one cat-eyed Inhuman maid, one butterfly-winged Inhuman maid. Just the sight alone would be delightful...'
"But still, it depends on her own will."
He glanced back at Iridia.
"Would you come with us?"
"Mm..."
She only nodded softly, her expression trusting and dependent.
"Hm? Ye, when you say 'us'..."
Crystal poked him with a sharp fingertip, eyes gleaming.
"Who exactly do you mean~?"
"Of course, I mean you and me, my little princess."
Ye Li pinched her hip with a grin.
"There's no future here. Naturally, I'll take you home."
"Love you so much~!"
Hearing him say "home," Crystal squealed with joy, leaping up to wrap herself around him, kissing him eagerly.
…..
...After a long moment of fervent kisses...
The little princess, face glowing, slid back down—only for Medusa to lean forward suddenly, taking her turn to press her lips against Ye Li's.
Ye Li: "Mmm..."
'So... she couldn't hold back after all...'
He thought as his hand slipped discreetly back around her waist...
…..
"Medusa! What are you doing!?"
Crystal's eyes went wide. She tugged hard at her sister's shoulders, voice breaking with grievance.
"Let go... let go! How could you...!"