The group saw Yasenia walking out while carrying Cecile in a princess hug. Cecile was limp in the embrace, her face showing tiredness. Moreover, her eyes as they looked at the dragoness shone with pure love, like a satisfied kitten.
They all understood; the powerful Phoenix had been drilled to oblivion and beyond.
Andrea smirked, "Cecile, can you talk?"
Cecile rolled her eyes and snorted, "I can." However, even that sentence came out hoarse. Clearly, Cecile had moaned her lungs out during these hours.
Evelyn acted surprised, "Impossible! Did Yasenia's skills lessen during this month? How could you talk after all of that?"
Cecile looked at Evelyn and smirked, "Wrong~. My love is much more skilled than before~. Sigh, just thinking about it is making me twitch."
Hearing the normally reserved Phoenix being so expressive, they all gulped. 'If even our strongest combatant is out of battle, what will happen to us!?'
Evelyn asked with a teary voice, "How is that possible!? If she is more skilled, we'll die!"
Then, she turned toward the still golden-eyed dragoness and pleaded, "My love, please, I want to live outside the bed! If you've become even better, I will only have the heart to be fucked by you!"
All of them laughed beside Yasenia, who was smiling awkwardly. 'Will you say the same after knowing how I became more skilled?'
She took out an armchair and sat with Cecile on her lap. Her tail could easily go through a hole in the back made especially for it. Cecile's two big wings and three soft phoenix tails didn't bother her in the slightest. Especially the phoenix tails were soft and malleable like a bird's, allowing Cecile to sit in places easily.
Yasenia saw as they all took out something to sit on and waited until they comfortably sat. Then, she went directly to the point, "Well, I should speak about what my trial was about."
All of them focused on Yasenia. Even the lazy Phoenix, who was playing with a lock of black satin-like hair, looked up attentively.
Yasenia started with a small summary. "When I entered the Trial, I met with a man. I think he is the one who created the Secret Realm. Anyway, we had a conversation, and after that, he told me that the thing I lacked the most was experience."
Andrea wondered, "Experience? He is not wrong. You are young, after all."
Cecile had a small inkling that he knew who Yasenia was talking about, so she asked, "Then what kind of Trial did he prepare for you?"
Yasenia looked at them and said, "I had to win a War."
They all frowned for a second. The experience of the Demons against the Ice Phoenix was still fresh in their minds. They understood that War was extremely brutal, much more than they had imagined.
Evelyn commented, "But... If I remember correctly, you've Won the War in two weeks, right?"
Angel smiled proudly, "As expected of Yasenia! You finished the War in just two weeks~."
Yasenia looked at Angel and smiled wryly. "The next condition was that my strength when I entered the trial would be on par with an elite soldier. But I was like a small ant in the scale of things. The strongest people felt like they were a whole realm above me."
Their mouths opened wide. Andrea frowned and deduced, "Then, if you managed to complete it in two weeks, the war should have been between thousands, right?"
Evelyn nodded, "Yes. Yasenia is currently at the ninth level, so these three levels should have been enough to be at least able to fight against the strongest ones."
Yasenia shook her head. "The battle was a whole country against another. A battle between their main armies made of millions. My band was obviously on the losing side, with a five million-strong army, and the enemy army was at least eight million. Moreover, to win the War, I had to make the other country surrender."
Evelyn frowned, "It should be impossible to win in two weeks unless your side was at an overwhelming advantage. And by what you've explained, that was clearly not the case. There are more conditions, right?"
Yasenia didn't keep them guessing anymore and said flatly, "The third condition was that a week outside the Trial was equal to ten years inside."
It was such an absurd statement that they all couldn't register it at first. Their brain froze for an instant as they looked at the wryly smiling dragoness.
Then, their eyes opened wildly, and even the relaxed Cecile turned toward Yasenia with fright in her heart. "What do you mean, my love?"
Yasenia smiled with hidden sadness and said, "I didn't win in two weeks, not even close. I spent twenty-three years trying to win the War."
"Yasenia, you…" Their hearts felt like a claw squeezed them. It was such acute pain that they physically flinched. Cecile, who was in Yasenia's arms, felt even worse as her breath got caught in her throat, making her feel a lump.
Yasenia looked at them with teary eyes and confessed, "I don't even know what I made different that you all perceived something was wrong with me. I... I don't know how much I've changed or if I've changed for the better."
After Yasenia's hidden distress finally surfaced, they felt like a claw was trying to dig out their hearts. When have they seen Yasenia this sad? Only once, when Yasenia potentially lost her first child. Since then, they swore not to let it happen again and protect Yasenia's tears like Heavenly treasures. Without Yasenia's knowledge, they had all agreed to not only be pampered by the dragoness but to pamper their lovely spouse with their whole being.
They only wanted to see Yasenia's tears when she was happy!
However, in front of them and right below their noses, Yasenia hid this pain, and they could not fully realize it was there. They felt like a failure.
They all rushed forward and hugged Yasenia. Cecile was so fast that Yasenia almost didn't feel the armchair below her changing into a sofa big enough to let all five of them embrace Yasenia between them.
Yasenia felt Kali, Evelyn, Andrea, Cecile, and Angel wrap their arms around her, and she felt like a warm shooting current flooded her veins. However, she still had to say the most important thing, not allowing her mood to become better yet.
Evelyn said with a tender voice, "Don't worry. Don't worry. It was just that you calling us by our names instead of the usual pet names was strange. Moreover, your speech pattern was less soft and cooler."
Andrea nodded as she kissed her cheek, "Yes. It is normal to change if such a long time has gone by. Especially if we compare it with how much time you have lived previously."
When she saw Yasenia looking at her, Andrea smiled, "Moreover, you've kept your feelings for us deep inside of you. I'm really glad."
Although Andrea said that when she heard that she had been twenty years apart from her, she was scared.
She was terrified that Yasenia's feelings for them had dried up.
This was not only her own fear; the other four also had it. Even Cecile, who had just had a mating session with Yasenia, felt her heart trembling with dread when she understood the significance of twenty years for them.
Even if twenty years were nothing for a cultivator, that was for experienced cultivators. For young cultivators, time passed at a similar pace as for mortals. Twenty years for a twenty-year-old cultivator was a lot.
However, there was also something about this that made them feel happy—deep and uncontrollable happiness.
This event made them all realize that, even after more time than Yasenia had previously lived, she still felt love for them. Yasenia's heart still had its cozy spots reserved and warm for them. This realization pushed their feelings into an inescapable abyss of love.
This was something that the five of them understood instantly, and they couldn't help but fall all over for the dragoness. Even after such a long time and who knows how many difficulties, she returned to their side as soon as she finished everything.
The first thing on her mind was reuniting with them!
How could they not love her?
How could they resist wanting to give their heart and soul to the dragoness?
How could they not want to pamper her?
How could they not want to keep her safe between their arms?
Such a loyal partner, such a caring lover. Even if she built a harem, she maintained her word of not loving others once she completed it.
Yasenia heard their coaxing and felt their pampering and her heart lurched. She really wanted to keep to herself whatever had happened inside the Trial. However, she remembered the promise she had made twenty years ago.
"Even if I can't be completely loyal, at least I will become crystal clear with you. I will never lie or keep important matters to myself."
Yasenia took a deep breath, 'You have to make it clear. Even if they decide to leave you, you have to tell the truth. A liar is the thing I hate the most, after all.'
Yasenia slowly separated from them and sat alone on the sofa, looking nervous.
They all knew she still had something to say, so they waited patiently.
Yasenia took another deep breath. She looked at them into their eyes to leave no room for misunderstanding and said loud and clear. "I cheated on all of you."
Five women became like a statue, looking at Yasenia with pure confusion.
Andrea was the first to wake up from her stupor and asked, "Explain yourself, my love. Those words are easily misunderstood. How did you cheat on us?"
Yasenia tightened her fists and said, her tone unwavering. "It isn't a misunderstanding. I had a Harem inside the Trial and cheated on all of you."
They all instantly frowned as they looked at Yasenia.
The dragoness's heart tightened, especially when she felt Cecile's and Angel's turbulent emotions through their connection. However, she didn't move or make excuses. She could explain why, and she could ask for forgiveness, but she didn't do that.
No matter the excuse, cheating is cheating.
Even if her heart never moved for her partners during the Trial, even if the Trial wasn't a real place and those women were just imaginary. She did what she did when she was in control, it was a decision, not an inevitability, and she would own to her actions.
Until the end, Yasenia swore to remain honest to her dears. This was her heart for them, her love for them, and her promise.
A dragon's promise toward her most precious treasures.
Therefore, the dragoness sat still, looking at them and waiting for the verdict. Her attitude made it clear that she would be only truthful toward them.
"I will never break my promise!" This was what her current self was seemingly shouting.
At first, they all frowned, feeling uncomfortable for a second. No matter how truthful, hearing that their dearest had cheated hurt them at a soul level.
However, unlike what Yasenia thought, this feeling didn't last more than some reflection time.
Their faces eased up almost at the same time as their minds reached a conclusion. 'It is impossible for Yasenia to hold on to her lust for twenty years. Naturally, she should have developed relationships to help her deal with those problems. The question is, did she love any of them?'
Cecile asked, her tone purposely cold and indifferent. "Did you fall in love with any of them?"
Cecile's way of asking made Yasenia feel her heart tremble and her body shook. She really didn't like those cold-looking, piercing blue eyes. However, she calmly denied it with her head and answered with a truthful statement. Not a half-truth, but a full truth. "I developed fondness but never fell in love with them."
They looked at each other and saw the same understanding in each other's eyes. They had fast communication through the spiritual sense, and all of them reached the same conclusion. 'Good. Although we forgive her, let's tease her a little bit. As a small punishment for her actions.'
Therefore, thinking like that, Evelyn laughed and asked teasingly, "How big?"
A stupid sound left Yasenia's mouth, "Eh?"
Seeing her cutely stupefied expression, they all laughed.
Kali asked this time, her tone imitating Cecile's cold one to the point that the others thought Kali was really angry. "Evelyn asked about how big your harem was. I'm actually quite curious. Did you also follow the same rule of loving a small group?"
Yasenia instantly answered, "NO!"
They were startled at her firm answer and resolute golden slit eyes. Yasenia clearly stated, "My lovers are, and will be, only the five of you and Mother. Only a very, very rare exception will be able to enter my heart! Moreover, that exception will have first to be liked by all of you. No matter how many sexual partners I have in the future, I will only love you!"
Their hearts skipped a beat, and their cheeks felt hot. 'Crap, we wanted to tease her, but she attacked us right in our soft spot.'
Yasenia said, her tone subconsciously returning to her serious mature self. It sounded imposing and commanding. "I created the harem to take care of my lust problems and also create an elite group of women. With them, I climbed the ranks until I became the general. Then, I swept the whole enemy country to the ground!" Yasenia waved her hand as she finished her statement.
An authoritarian and imperial feeling flowed out of her subconsciously, leaving them breathless. The current her was not only attractive on a carnal level but in a more abstract way. They truly felt like anyone who looked at the current Yasenia would want to give their hearts to her.
Yasenia relaxed and looked at them guiltily, "Umm, the harem size was… was…"
Seeing her hesitating, they all got intrigued. Angel said impatiently, "Say it already, Yasenia!"
Yasenia muttered, "..y six."
"Hmm? Say it louder."
Yasenia shouted, "Five hundred and fifty-six!"
"""""WHAT!?"""""