After the celestial spectacle faded, an eerie silence settled over the backyard. And then, in a wave of emotion, every single person attending broke down—tears of joy spilling freely. Their little princess wasn't just extraordinary—she was divine.
One of the maids sobbed, clutching her chest. "Waaah! sniff Our little miss is unbelievable!"
A serious guard nodded solemnly, his jaw tight with barely contained pride. "As expected of Lady Tatyana's daughter—her awakening was nothing short of legendary."
Another maid pressed a hand to her rapidly beating heart, relief washing over her. "Thank goodness Lady Tatyana was wise enough to set up this formation… If anyone outside had seen this…"
"Hmph." A younger maid cracked her knuckles, her normally gentle features twisted into something sinister. "I dare anyone to lay a finger on our little miss. I'll personally drag them to hell before they get the chance."
Yasenia stirred at the sound of their voices, blinking her gorgeous golden-red eyes before turning towards her mother. A sleepy smile curled her lips, her tiny fangs peeking through as she lifted two fingers in a victorious V. "Mommy! Yassy didn't let you down!"
Tatyana nearly melted. How could anyone resist that level of cuteness? In one smooth motion, she scooped up her precious daughter, holding her close. Yasenia, still exhausted from the ritual, nuzzled into her mother's warmth, her tail lazily curling around Tatyana's waist.
The maids and guards fell silent, their gazes reverent as they watched their mistress cradle the sleeping little goddess in her arms. Tatyana's expression turned steely as she addressed them.
"I shouldn't even have to say this, but you are all forbidden from speaking of today. Never utter a word of it, not even by accident." Her voice dropped an octave, sending chills down their spines. "And if anyone outside gets too curious…" Her blood-red eyes flickered dangerously. "Eliminate them first. Explain later."
They bowed in unison, their voices a low whisper so as not to wake the sleeping child. "As the Lady commands."
Tatyana exhaled slowly, her fingers idly running through Yasenia's silky black hair. 'I need to find the [Convergence of Stars] cultivation method…' she mused. With the [Convergence of the Sun] and [Convergence of the Moon] techniques she'd discovered in an ancient text, she could forge something truly unique—something worthy of her celestial daughter.
Then her thoughts darkened.
Yasenia's body was special, yes. A masterpiece of yin and yang, balanced in perfection. But it had a downside—a very troublesome downside.
Her daughter's natural… desires… would be too intense for a single partner to satisfy.
Tatyana frowned, tightening her hold on Yasenia's warm little body.
'Haaah… Just my luck. It won't be my first time dealing with a harem situation, but damn it… I really wanted her all to myself.'
She bit her lower lip, her frustration mounting. 'At the very least, I need to make sure I hold the biggest space in her heart…'
With a sigh, she resigned herself to the inevitable. Fifteen years. That was how long she had until Yasenia's body started demanding things. Until then, she had time.
'I should start looking for a good dual cultivation technique too… Something powerful enough to let her strengthen her partners alongside her, so they don't slow her down in the future…'
She stepped forward, slowly making her way back toward the mansion. But then, an intrusive thought struck her.
'Wait. What if she… likes men?'
Her blood ran cold.
'Absolutely NOT.'
Her face twisted in horror. 'I can barely tolerate the idea of her having other women in her harem. But men? Never. Not in this lifetime, or any other.'
She exhaled sharply, forcing herself to relax.
"Well, we'll just have to see how she develops," she muttered to herself. Then, despite her irritation, a wicked smirk crept onto her lips. "Still… I really want to see the grown-up Yasenia, fufu~."
---
Four years later…
A young girl, delicate yet strong, ran through an intricate obstacle course—her long, raven-black hair billowing behind her like a silken ribbon. Though only five, she had the lean, graceful build of a child nearly twice her age.
Her molten-gold eyes, slitted like a predator's, darted ahead, analyzing every hazard with sharp, calculating precision.
With a powerful leap, she avoided a pitfall, her tail flicking behind her in perfect rhythm. Wooden spikes shot up from the ground, but she twisted midair, her lithe body moving with unnatural fluidity. Before she could fall onto the sharpened tips, her tail snapped against the wood, using the impact to propel herself forward.
Her pace didn't slow.
A narrow passage loomed ahead, the ceiling poised to crash down at any moment. Instead of hesitating, she dove forward, lowering her center of gravity until she was nearly crawling. Her tail stiffened, acting as a counterweight to keep her balanced as she slid underneath.
And then she saw it.
The final challenge.
A corridor lined with automatic bows, arrows already nocked and waiting. The tips weren't sharp, but she knew from experience—they hurt.
The first volley rained down. She dodged expertly, her movements graceful as a dancer's. Another wave came, and she countered with her tail, its hardened muscles deflecting the projectiles.
But she wasn't fast enough.
Two arrows slammed into her—one striking her waist, the other landing square against her cheek. She yelped, her balance wavering, and just as another barrage was about to turn her into a human pincushion—
A shadow moved.
The arrows never reached her. A single wave of energy deflected them all with effortless ease.
Tatyana stood there, arms crossed, watching her daughter with an amused smirk.
Yasenia pouted, her tail slapping against the ground in frustration. "Mom, this level is impossible! I always lose here!"
Tatyana arched a brow. "Giving up already? You've only failed 42 times."
Yasenia's golden eyes flared with determination. "Give up?! Never!" She crossed her arms, huffing. "I'll pass it next time—and then you have to give me that massage book you promised!"
Tatyana blinked. "…You're really fixated on that, huh?"
Yasenia nodded seriously. "Of course! I want to give Mom massages! The maids were talking about a place in the red-light district that gives really good massages. They even massage inside the body to make you feel super comfy!"
A vein popped in Tatyana's forehead.
"…Which. Maids." Her voice was eerily calm, but her eyes? Her eyes were not.
Yasenia tilted her head innocently. "The ones that clean the baths after dinner, I think?"
Tatyana made a mental note to handle that later.
For now…
She placed a hand on Yasenia's head, ruffling her hair. "You should take a bath first, little one. Even if your sweat smells sweet, you need to stay clean."
Yasenia sniffed her arm, wrinkling her nose. "Mom… Why does my sweat smell like honey? The guards reek when they train, but I just smell… sweet?"
Tatyana smirked. 'Because your body is already too enticing for its own good. If I don't keep an eye on you, my maids might start fighting over who gets to brush your hair next.'
Aloud, she simply said, "It's just part of your special body, darling. Now, off you go."
Yasenia nodded enthusiastically. "Okay! I'll take a bath, then find you in the study!"
She dashed off, tail swishing behind her, and Tatyana watched her go with a sigh.
'She's growing up too fast.'
Then, turning on her heel, she made her way inside—her mind already working on her next plan to keep her daughter all to herself.