When the dining room door swung wide open, and the soft sound of graceful steps echoed, everyone inside the room lowered their gazes. Simultaneously, all the Mahendras uttered their greetings, "Welcome Home, Matriarcha!"
Matriarcha! That's how everyone in the Mahendra family addressed Sarala Mahendra.
After Ingrid's Five Finger policy, the Mahendra Family became so powerful that it raised concerns among other noble families with royal blood. The Mahendras, who had always been scattered, gathering in one place naturally made everyone uneasy. It was like hundreds of planet-destroying bombs were gathered in one location; if not eliminated promptly, the effects could spread throughout the Gunepolt Cluster.
As a result, rumors of war began to circulate everywhere. There were whispers that the other five noble families were gathering their strength to attack the Mahendra Family together. Of course, the Mahendra Family was not afraid of war, but the losses incurred would be enormous no matter who emerged victorious.
The Gunepolt Empire would be severely weakened if the six families fought against each other, providing an opportunity for their arch-enemy, the Aurelia Empire, to take advantage. Certainly, the other five noble families knew that there was no benefit in fighting the Mahendra Family. Still, they had no other choice as they witnessed the Mahendra Family growing stronger day by day, capable of dominating the entire Gunepolt Empire single-handedly.
This was what Sarala discovered when she first took on the role of Matriarcha. She was known as a powerful general, so every Mahendra believed that Sarala would lead them into war. However, no one expected Sarala to forge her path to peace with the other five noble families.
The first thing Sarala did was to offer Morrowind to the Gunepolt Empire. As one of the few Baradium mines in the world, giving Morrowind was not only a symbol of Mahendras' aversion to war but also an aspiration to share power. Of course, if that were the only gesture, the other five noble families wouldn't believe it so easily. But Sarala's next steps left everyone astonished.
Sarala bestows a middle name on every newborn baby boy. Each of them will be given the middle name Rajendra or Chandra. Both names are derived from the ancient language, where Rajendra means King of Kings, and Chandra means Shining Moon. However, it's not the linguistic meaning that has everyone astonished but the reason behind giving these middle names.
Those with the middle name Chandra are intended to be married into other noble families as they grow older. Meanwhile, those with the middle name Rajendra will marry one of their own relatives.
Of course, the babies will be examined for their attributes before being given a middle name. This ensures that those with the middle name Rajendra will grow stronger compared to Chandra. However, it's not that aspect that is most crucial for those who realize it.
Mahendras are not renowned for having a large combat force, a strong economy, or numerous Baradium mines. Mahendras are feared because they are tiger beasts.
Tiger beasts are the strongest type of werebeast in the world, acknowledged even though many may not accept it. Unfortunately, producing offspring as a tiger beast is very challenging. Tiger beasts can only be born to parents who are also tiger beasts. So, even if a lioness marries many male tiger beasts, the child born will still be a lion or another type of werebeast.
However, Mahendras are significantly different from typical tiger beasts. Those with Mahendra's blood have stronger genes, creating the possibility for a tiger beast to be born even if a Mahendra marries a werebeast of another kind. Hence, from the very formation of the Mahendra Family, there has been a prohibition on marrying into other noble families with royal blood.
By giving the middle name Chandra, Sarala directly shared the Mahendra Family's greatest strength with other noble families. Of course, the elders vehemently opposed Sarala's decision, but they couldn't reject it because it was the only way to avoid war.
And indeed, after the first marriage of a Chandra with a woman from the Felicity Clan, the tension in the Gunepolt Empire subsided. No one had any intention of waging war against the Mahendras; instead, they made concerted efforts to approach this family in hopes of marrying one of their men.
However, no one admired Sarala for this policy, and even Sarala herself cursed her own decision. All of this because of a golden tiger born just a few years after Rajendra and Chandra became middle names for Mahendras.
Baralyn Rajendra Chandra Mahendra.
Rajendra and Chandra became the best and the worst decision for Sarala, and that's why she bestowed both middle names on that baby.
"Thank you everyone, raise your heads!" Sarala responded casually.
Bara raised his head a moment later, gazing at the figure of the Mahendra Family leader. He found Sarala to be far more beautiful than Baralyn had remembered.
She possessed a captivating and radiant beauty that left a lasting impression. Her features were a harmonious blend of grace and regality, catching the eye of anyone who gazed upon her. Her ombre black-orange hair was allowed to grow long before being tied in a ponytail, showcasing her smooth neck. It flowed like a cascade of glossy ebony, framing her finely sculpted features with elegance and gleaming with a natural luster.
Her eyes were like pools of deep expressive onyx, holding a timeless wisdom and carrying a magnetic intensity that drew others into their captivating depths. As she gazed at each Mahendra in the room with complex meanings that were difficult to decipher, before stopping at Bara, that beautiful eyes turned full of obsessive feelings for a second.
She wore a gown made of luxurious fabrics adorned with intricate patterns that matched the fur patterns she possessed. However, it could be seen that Sarala had hurriedly changed her clothes before coming to this place. There were a few beads of sweat on her neck, which only added to Bara's excitement as he looked at her.
He wanted to gulp down his saliva loudly but restrained himself because the keen hearing of a tiger beast would detect it. Nevertheless, the saliva that wanted to seep out from between his lips became a problem that he needed to think of a solution for. So, Bara lowered his gaze before licking his lips clean.
In this moment, as observed by Bara, Sarala's beauty transcended mere physicality. It embodied a sense of grace, wisdom, and leadership that elevated her beyond mere aesthetics, leaving an indelible impression on those who encountered her. The desire to possess this woman emerged in Bara's mind, making him realize that safeguarding his purity was more challenging than he had imagined before.
"Baralyn, honey, I heard you weren't feeling well this morning. What's wrong? Are you better now?" as if not seeing Devi in front of her, Sarala stepped forward, touching Bara's forehead with deep concern. Bara himself couldn't detect anything other than concern for him in Sarala's tone and eyes.
But it wasn't a feeling of being touched that arose in his heart. Instead, it was an alertness alarm that extinguished his fervent sexual desire. Bara was reminded once again of the woman standing before him; the tales of those who were shattered under her beautiful feet had piled up in his memory.
"I'm fine, Matriarcha. I just felt a little unwell this morning, and with a bit of rest, I'll be back to normal. I apologize for causing you worry," Bara said smoothly without appearing rushed to respond.
"It's okay, honey. You can come to eat together whenever you want. Your health is the most important, so don't push yourself, okay?" Once again, Sarala's gentle voice made the hair on Bara's neck stand up.
He felt like he was being lulled to sleep by a beautiful ghost before being taken to hell in his dreams. Bara simply nodded and smiled; he didn't want to lose in a battle of wits with someone whose age was not even a third of his.
Sarala's smile briefly disappeared before widening again. "I want to discuss something with you, but I don't want to delay your dinner. How about we have a meal first before talking about it?" Sarala said gently.
Bara realized he was being overly cautious, making Sarala suspicious. However, he believed Sarala wouldn't suspect him; right now maybe she was thinking one of her daughters who whispered something to him. Nevertheless, he couldn't afford the same mistake again. The scapegoat strategy only worked effectively the first time for the experienced.
"Alright, Matriarcha!" Bara replied with a slightly enthusiastic tone that was hard to detect but not for Sarala. The less-than-harmonious family then ate in silence, only two voices engaging in small talk. Bara and Sarala exchanged questions and answers about their day. Bara chuckled at Sarala's jokes, and Sarala smiled softly at Bara's cheerfulness. Their interaction resembled that of lovers chatting during a dinner date.
The frustrated Devi and the restraining her anger Amara, dared not utter a word. In front of Sarala, their cunning and mischief were impossible to display. They both ate in silence, as if nothing had happened a few minutes earlier. No matter how skilled a sniper is at hiding, they can't escape a nuclear bomb dropped right in front of them.
"Well, this is a good dinner. Baralyn, did you enjoy tonight's meal?" Sarala asked with a smile, sipping her dragon wine.
"Of course, Matriarch! Dinner was delightful!" Bara replied before sipping his onyx milk. Looking at the remnants of his meal, Bara wanted to shake his head. Almost all the food he ate was legendary, rich in Mana. It was no surprise that Baralyn had a very high attribute point, even though he had never trained before.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Earlier, I mentioned wanting to discuss something with you. Honey, you're now seven years old, for a werebeast is not an age of child anymore. At this age, you should open your meridians and reach the Stasis Point. That's why I want you to start learning the Cultivation Art. I've called some teachers for you who can guide you on your cultivation path. What do you think?" Sarala said.
Bara nodded and said, "I will follow your orders, Matriarch!" firmly.
Sarala smiled, stood up from her chair, and hugged Bara tightly. The scent and softness of her body made Bara momentarily dizzy before he strengthened his resolve to stay alert. Sarala often had physical contact, but she had never hugged Bara like this.
"Honey, I'm not ordering you to do anything. I just want the best for you. If you don't like it, you can refuse, as long as you give me a reasonable reason. Do you understand?" she said, gently caressing Bara's face.
Bara nodded with a blushing face, "I understand. In that case, can I refuse those teachers?"
"Why?" question marks and a hint of suspicion flickered in Sarala's eyes.
"Hmm… I love reading, and my favorite is delving into our family history. Among all the Matriarchs, you're renowned for your strength and cunning in leading wars. So, if I have to accept a master, I want it to be you!" Bara answered with sparkling eyes.
Sarala was mesmerized by his gaze, but a gentle smile returned to her face as she replied, "Oh my darling, forgive me for not being able to fulfill that wish. But I'm too busy with my duties as a Matriarch. I hope you can understand?" she said with a tone of disappointment.
Bara pouted before falling silent as if deep in thought. "Well, how about you teach me when you have the time? You can guide me through messages! I know Cultivation Art usually needs to be taught in person, but don't we have plenty of Experience Sharing Stones in the library? That way, you only need to assist me with the parts I don't understand without the need for direct teaching!"
Sarala fell silent again before saying, "Hmm… Honey, why do you want me to be your master that much?"
Bara, somewhat shyly, replied, "Hmm… well… it's like this… I heard that the relationship between a master and disciple is closer than that of a parent and child. You're the kindest person for me. So… I want a relationship with you beyond just family, Matriarcha."
Sarala was taken aback; this time, her eyes widened, and the passion that had been veiled within her was briefly revealed. "Hahahaha… Alright then. How could I refuse when you say something like that!" she said with a wide smile, exposing her sharp fangs.
"YEEEAAAYY… THANK YOU, GRANDMA!! I LOVE YOU!!!" With joyful cheers, Bara kissed Sarala's cheek, once again causing her eyes to widen even more.
GOTCHA BITCH!!!