"Phew..."

Asmodeus sighed heavily before glancing over his shoulder at the messy bed and the unconscious pair of women lying on it. Once he and Yuina got into the act, Yumiko returned with a sneaky smirk, and their antics ended up dragging on for several hours.

’It’s morning again.’

He glanced up at the massive sun, searing the land with a comfortable heat, though this temperature might have been unbearable for his human body.

The plans to leave for Baltimore finished, Asmodeus gained some valuable alone time, but that’s when the cheeky little girls flickered in his mind.

"I promised to attend Seris, Nyxielle and Selphira’s teaparty."

When they made the promise, he thought the girls might forget. However, the small hand-drawn invitation in his hand served as a cute reminder.

The big black figure, surrounded by a red figure, a little purple figure, and another small black figure with silver eyes and a little tail.

He gently stroked the waxy surface and smirked.

"I should keep my promise."

...

Meanwhile, in the small garden just outside the palace, where most royal children lived, Gretel and Anne were hurriedly arranging a table, a tea set, and various pastries baked over the last four hours by the young princesses, now sitting in their chairs, kicking their feet.

The girl with violet hair tied in a side ponytail curled her sidelocks. She anxiously looked at every face that entered the garden with a swell in her little chest before sighing.

"Dad won’t forget right...?"

"Oh, Nyxielle, if Dad forgot, I don’t think Mom would forgive him." A lovely girl with blood-red hair, faint violet streaks, and crimson eyes sat beside her and giggled. The girl, Seris Rae, held a small cup of heated milk to her lips with an outstretched pinky.

She was the very image of her mother, constantly copying and imitating Asmodea to the faintest movements.

"I don’t know, your mother would probably..." The last girl sat on the opposite side, holding a cup of iced tea, her long midnight hair and silver, slit pupils scanning the entrance, identical to Nyxielle.

"My Mom would what, Selphira!?"

"Hah! Your mother loves Dad so much she steals his clothes and sniffs them!"

"Selphira!"

Seris Rae could only shout her sister’s name, because the scene was something they’d all seen. Sometimes, Asmodea would wear his robes. It was the biggest embarrassment of her life.

Nyxielle glanced at her friends, puffing out her cheeks.

Although the invitation said morning, the girls woke up at sunrise and spent hours baking, so their afternoon nap was only a few hours away.

A gentle wave fluttered through the air.

Nyxielle and the girls lifted their chins, glancing towards the entrance.

There was a strange sense of tension, and suddenly a vibration that tingled across their skin.

"Dad!"

"Papa!?"

"He came! See, I told you!"

Yet, there was no response.

The three little girls glanced at each other, while Lith remained quiet, drinking his orange juice, though he peered up at the sky and suddenly gasped.

"Maman!?"

However, the girls couldn’t trace the layers of aura which Asmodeus forcibly emitted to test their growth.

"Where is he?"

"I don’t know, but I can feel him... this is Dad’s power, right?"

"Mhm, we learned extra hard, Mama even praised us, right?"

Swoosh!

A massive gust of wind almost blew their efforts away, if not for the elite maid Gretel deploying a barrier of wind to block the squall created by Valena’s wings.

Thud!

The dragon landed, shaking the entire garden as she stared down at Lith with affectionate eyes, slowly shifting back into her human form.

Asmodeus leapt off, his arms holding several small and large wrapped presents.

"Sorry, girls, did you worry?"

Nyxielle, Seris, and Selphira’s eyes shone bright the moment they saw him. He wore a black tuxedo, a monocle in one eye, and a chain attached to his breast pocket.

"Dad~ you look so funny, hehehe." Seris dashed at him, her little body boosted by small flowers that grew beneath her feet.

"Oh! Seris, you’ve grown so much in a week!" He spread his arms and caught her.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Their bodies spun several times.

Eventually, he placed her down, the little girl twirling around with dizzy steps, before another black flash launched herself at him.

"Oh, Nyxielle!"

The moment he grabbed her little waist, his wigs burst from his suit, flapping powerfully as the pair shot into the sky, twirling rapidly.

"Paaaaaaapaaaaaaaaa it’s too faaaaast!"

He brought Nyxielle into the skies, dancing with rapid bursts, causing the little kid to grip him tightly, like a little koala. Although she acted bravely, Nyxielle lacked courage in the key moments, the complete opposite of her brother or mother.

’But if it’s to protect her siblings... she has no fear.’

A funny little ball of violet fluff.

Pop!

The moment he landed with a bounce, Nyxielle dropped to the ground, covering her face, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Papa is mean.... Papa is the worst...."

"Oh, really?" He asked, while holding a small black box with a delicate violet ribbon.

Her face changed instantly, twisting her tears and sorrow into a cheeky grin as she held out both hands. "Papa, you made me cry, so I want arimony(Alimony)!"

"W-What?!"

Asmodeus froze as the little minion took the present. He had two others: one with a crimson ribbon, the other with a silver one. However, hearing his daughter speak about alimony was like suffering a sudden low blow.

"Shishishishi!" Nyxielle, on the other hand, made a victory sign with her fingers.

"Nyxielle, I’m so jealous of you~ let me see what you got!" Seris Rae came close to Nyxielle as she glanced at the small box in her hand.

Meanwhile, Selphira approached Asmodeus.

"Father, are you alright?"

"Ugh, just a little sad. Oh! It’s my little Selphy, isn’t Father a little too distant?" He covered his face, copying the exact reason Nyxielle just broke his heart while peeking through his fingers as the cute girl panicked.

"F-Father.... no... daddy?! Daddy don’t cry... Selphira will be a good girl, she won’t ask for a present or to fly in the sky!"

The moment she broke, his lips curled.

He liked to equate his daughters’ and sons’ actions and silly habits with those of their mothers, but clearly, the one who influenced them most was he.

"You want to fly? You want a present? Hahaha!"

Asmodeus quickly grabbed Selphira, holding her tight as she sat on his shoulder, her little hands gripping his head and hair.

"Kyaa!?"

Then, as he had with Seris and Nyxielle, he shot upwards like a spear.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Her little voice became muted by the intense wind, as he spiralled and twisted through the air like a show pilot.

The two enjoyed playing in the air for a few minutes, until finally they landed on the ground, with both Seris and Nyxielle gossiping over the gift now wrapped around Nyxielle’s wrist.

A beautiful watch, with a black strap, encrusted with gemstones that shimmered violet whenever she channelled her mana. The more careful and delicate her manipulation, the more vibrant it glowed.

"I’m so jealous, Nixi~" Seris Rae glanced at the violet glow, her eyes like a crow eying a pile of gemstones and silver.

"Seris!"

"Dad!?"

The moment he called her name, she quickly spun around, and when she saw the small green box with a crimson ribbon.

"Is that mine?" She asked hesitantly, her little leg twisting in the grass.

"Of course it is, how could I come to the tea party without gifts for my little girls and handsome boy?"

Another gift hung from his right armpit, a narrow shape around seventy centimetres long, and five fingers wide.

"Even me, Daddy?"

Selphira remained sitting on his shoulder with messy hair and flushed cheeks.

"Look, isn’t this box similar to your hair and eyes?" He shook the box with its midnight-black, glossy wrapping and glinting silver ribbon.

"Ahhh!"

The girl popped out her little black wings tipped with silver, revealing the metallic black tailfin ridge along her spine, as she flapped to the ground.

Seris Rae and Selphira glanced at each other while also peeking at Nyxielle, who started making the watch glow various colours.

’Can they figure out its secrets?’ Asmodeus mused while holding the long package and stepping towards Lith.

Valena snarled, glaring at him with her sharp eyes.

"Don’t be like that or I’ll spank your plump butt."

"Pervert!" She snorted, turning away. "Maman won’t let him bully you, okay, Lith?"

Lith just smiled bitterly before peeking at the box.

A shimmer appeared deep in his eyes. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

The young boy spent most of his time holding back so Nyxielle would remain happy, but after receiving the dragons’ blood from both Asmodeus and Valena, his confidence and desire for change grew.

"Son, this is a special gift from me."

Though he always bought swords from the local dwarves, this was special.

It was something he’d long commissioned—there was a weapon for each child, but Lith needed a sword that could match his newly growing powers.

"W-What is it?" He took the box, peeking up at his father and Valena, before slowly, carefully unhooking the ribbon.

His fingers shook slightly, causing him to fumble as he opened the wrapping.

Inside was an ornate wooden box with the Lumeria emblem carved on its surface.

Lith remained frozen at the dark brown box, his fingers tracing the emblem as he whispered, "It’s dads emblem..." He smiled while peeking at Asmodeus, a glitter of admiration and worship in his eyes.

Much like his mother, Vinea.

Lith was a total daddy’s boy, obsessed and worried about everything related to Asmodeus. He would watch his father practise secretly, with his mother helping. He tried to imitate his swordsmanship and other mannerisms.

He idolised Asmodeus even more than Ryusei or Varian.

Shiirk~

The wooden lid lifted.

A cool hiss of air left the box as Lith shifted it to the side.

"Ah!?"

His eyes widened.

Valena’s eyes also grew larger as she snapped her gaze towards Asmodeus.