[Skydorn Manor: Inner Sanctum]
Seated around a large table, everyone from the courtyard had taken their seats, a relative calm once more settling over them.
After leaving some brief instructions with the guards, Veydris closed the door to the chamber and made his way back over to the group engrossed in joyful conversation.
Hearing the topic of the conversation, his eyes couldn't help but twitch, but he wisely chose to stand behind his two leaders, both of whom seemed completely lost in their own world.
"A-Are you sure you feel okay!? Nothing out of the ordinary? Hold on, you were just training this morning! What if you got hurt or strained yourself!?"
"I'm fine."
Returning from God knows where, Meilan materialized beside Kaelira, her arms now filled with a variety of silk pillows and a vast assortment of ointments and spirit fruits.
"Big sis, here, I have your favorite pillows, some body-nourishing fruits, and soothing cream! My Lord, help me with this!"
"...I said I'm fi—"
Vairon didn't waste a second. With a wave of his hand, the chairs they had been sitting on were instantly destroyed, replaced by a luxurious, plush couch with enough room for three people.
Before Kaelira could even protest, she was already being gently guided down onto the couch and held down by her two overprotective guardians.
The others in the room watched their antics with deadpan expressions, while the older generation seated opposite them were all laughing and giggling at the absurd scene being enacted in front of them.
"Seriously, these two are as over the top as ever," Aelshira spoke with an exasperated tone, yet the underlying amusement in her voice hinted at her satisfaction at seeing her disciple's helplessness.
Seated next to her, Karliah giggled softly before speaking. "These three truly are an interesting trio. Never a dull moment with them."
Liraxia momentarily pulled her attention away from her darling grandson to witness the scene of Vairon massaging his wife's legs with almost obsessive devotion, while Meilan was lathering her face with an expert level of control and grace.
The scene would have been funnier were it not for the visible shackles of Qi holding Kaelira down to the couch and preventing her from escaping.
"I understand you're excited, but holding her hostage and treating her like this is unsettling."
With a snap of her fingers, the bonds keeping Kaelira hostage vanished in a puff of fire.
Not wasting a single second, Kaelira vanished from the couch. Before Vairon and Meilan could trap her under their overbearing care and affection, she was already standing behind both of them.
The backs of their heads were gripped tightly within her palms as a dangerous smile lit up her features.
Turning to their guests, she bowed before speaking through gritted teeth.
"You all relax and enjoy some refreshments. I will be right back. Me and these two wannabe captors will be having a quick chat."
With that, all three of them vanished before a single voice of complaint or pleading could get out.
With them gone, the room fell into a quiet that had not been seen all day within the manor.
Veydris stood awkwardly before coughing lightly. "Well, now that things have calmed down, how about—"
BANG
"WHERE THE FUCK IS THE ALCOHOL!?"
'Sigh. Why do I even try?'
…
Thirty minutes later…
"Now that we've all calmed down a little…shall we start proper introductions?"
Kaelira spoke with a satisfied smile as she sat comfortably on the couch, her cheeks lightly flushed as she sat with a leisurely grace.
Behind her, Vairon and Meilan knelt on the floor with their arms raised. Meilan's face held a small pout as she glared at Vairon with a look of blame.
Meanwhile, Vairon's face was covered in bruises, one of his eyes slightly swollen as he kept casting anxious glances at his wife.
But a single sharp glare made both of them stare down at the floor with aggrieved looks.
Chuckling softly, Karliah stood from her seat and spoke in a composed tone. "I am Karliah, Guest Elder of Snow Heart Palace and Martial Aunt of our resident City Lord here. Next to me is her master and our Palace Mistress, Aelshira Glacelion."
Aelshira, sipping nonchalantly on a frozen ale, introduced herself with regal class.
"Sup."
Smiling as if not noticing the strange looks the others unfamiliar with her behavior gave her, Karliah moved on to introduce the others in their group before finally resting on the cold, silent young fairy standing behind her.
"And this is my disciple, Nyssara Vale."
Nyssara swept a cold glance across the room, her gaze briefly pausing on Vaelor before giving a small bow.
The Aetherion Matriarch and Patriarch, though, were stunned before focusing on the young girl again, their gazes more scrutinizing now that they knew her identity.
"So you finally took a disciple, eh~? What a cute little iceberg~"
Liraxia, though inwardly shocked, spoke with the same willowy voice.
The storm within Vaelor's eyes seemed to intensify as his gaze now glinted with an unreadable look.
Noticing the girl's discomfort, Liraxia pinched her husband before beginning her own introductions.
"I am sure everyone already knows me, but just for the sake of my own ego, let me introduce myself. I am Liraxia Solvane, Matriarch of the Aetherion Clan and Chay-Chay's grandma~!"
Vairon and Vaelor both coughed exaggeratedly, seeing that she had no intention of continuing her introduction.
She blinked before waving a dismissive hand. "And I guess I'm the wife and mother of two blockheads with wives too good for their own good."
Vairon sighed despondently, while Vaelor huffed.
Liraxia's eyes curved along with her seductive red lips, her fiery red hair beginning to sway like a living flame.
"Something to say, boys~?"
Wisely, both Aetherion men kept their mouths shut.
All the women in the room witnessed the scene with looks of pure adoration smeared on their faces.
Controlling her impulse to swoon, Kaelira stood and introduced the members of their inner circle present before reintroducing herself.
"...and I am the City Lord of Skydorn, Kaelira Aenwyn, the mother of our birthday boy here! The two drama queens behind me are my useless husband and my ever-reliable maid, Vairon and Meilan."
The duo, one with a look of pride and the other with a look of betrayal, now stood and bowed to their guests.
"We welcome you to our city. You are all family in our eyes, and we thank you for journeying so far to celebrate this day with us."
With smiles, the atmosphere of the room began to settle into a joyful, warm state.
Just then, as if remembering something, one of the Snow Heart Palace elders raised her hand and pointed to a corner of the room.
"Umm, my lady, what should we do about…that?"
All heads around the table shifted to the beaten, disheveled mass of flesh hanging there ominously.
"HMMMM! MMMMM!"
Seeing Old Hei, his face covered in gnarly black and blue bruises, Kaelira winced before cautiously turning to Meilan at her side.
"..."
"He stays. Let him reflect."
"But—"
"He stays."
And with that, everyone once again ignored the struggling old cook, leaving him to his fate.