Primordial Villain with a Slave Harem

Chapter 947: What About Us?

"Its not a straightforward class. No clear path. No simple playbook. Its like Kitsaras Nine-Tailed Sorceress class. Full of trickery, schemes, bait-and-switch tactics. It demands cunning, improvisation, and sharp instincts. The kind of power that thrives on unpredictability... and experience."

"To use that class fully, shell need to know people. Their fears, their hopes, the little cracks in their armor. Shell need to understand how the world works, how people think, how they react. And for that..." He exhaled. "She needs life experience. The kind no amount of books or simple battles can give."

"Thats why I spoke to her openly. Not just to do my duties of being straightforward with her as she deserved, but also because it might help. She needed to hear the truth. She needed to feel it and decide for herself what to do with it. Because thats how we grow, isnt it? When its real. When it matters."

He let his gaze trail back toward the courtyards edge.

"Shes an amazing girl. And shes going to surpass every expectation placed on her. Of that, I have no doubt. But... she needed a gentle push first. Not to be cradled. Not to be coddled. Just reminded of who she is, and who she can become."

And then, more quietly, with a great deal of affection threading through his voice, he added:

"The last thing she needs now is to be protected from the harshness of the world. No. She needs to see and experience all of its cruelty and wonders for herself. After all, despite my earlier words, shes not just a random child. Shes Feng Jiai. The future Gremlord of Chaos... and a damn terrifying creature."

A quiet pause followed. The wind whispered through the leaves of the forest, and for a moment, the only sound was the distant chatter of the stronghold slowly returning to life after battle.

Then, slowly, Quinlan turned.

His gaze shifted to Serika, the warmth in his elemental eyes tempering, cooling, becoming more focused, deliberate.

"Seeing her like that... it reminded me of something."

Serika raised a brow in question.

"It reminded me that life keeps moving. That people change. That timing matters. And that some things... should no longer be left unsaid."

His voice dropped a degree lower.

"Serika Vael."

The warrioress instinctively straightened at the sound of her full name, eyes narrowing, unsure where this was headed.

"We find ourselves in privacy," Quinlan declared now that he was close enough for his elemental presence to brush hers, making it feel like fire curling near flame. "So lets talk about us."

"...Us?" Serika repeated.

She was many thingsundaunted in battle, ruthless in command, and more than a little proud when she shattered boulders with her kicks and punchesbut even she wasnt immune to the implication behind that word. Her lips quirked upward in curiosity.

"This isnt about your mothers questionable romantic guidance, is it?" she questioned dryly, folding her arms behind her back with a cocked brow.

Quinlan laughed. "No. Of course not. Theyre amazing women, theres no doubt about that. But tell me, what kind of a son follows the advice of their mothers down to the very letter? This has nothing to do with their... imaginative matchmaking."

His expression shifted again, bold now. Confident. A grin curved his lips, and when he spoke next, it wasnt tentative in the slightest.

"Its about how, ever since the first moment I laid eyes on yousitting on that throne of yours, bronze abs gleaming back at me, eyes full of fury and fireI knew you were the kind of woman Id move mountains for." 𝐫𝘢Ꞑɵ𝐁ÊS

Serikas brows rose slightly.

"And since then... every sparring session, every smirk you threw my way, every shared bath and massage session soaked in heat and oil, every training montage where I unapologetically stared at your sexy legs while you beat painful lessons into me..." he tilted his head, grin deepening, "... every single moment just kept confirming it."

"You are, without a doubt, the perfect woman."

Serika opened her mouth to retort, but he didnt let her.

"And a perfect woman," he continued, smugness laced with genuine admiration, "deserves nothing short of the best."

"Which, by extraordinary coincidence... just so happens to be me."

His grin flashed into a confident, daring smirk. "I want you to call me your man, Serika. Not just your battle partner."

A beat passed. He held her gaze with open challenge and promise.

"Say yes, and Ill show you what it means to have a man who respects your strength, adores your fire... and knows exactly how to make you melt."

Serikas posture shifted. Her brow furrowed, not in anger or resistance, just honest uncertainty.

"I dont know how I feel..." she admitted, glancing away for the first time since he started speaking. Her fists clenched behind her back. "I never really thought about romance. I was always chasing strength. More power. More challenges. I didnt have time or energy for anything else."

Quinlan smiled. "I know. And I respect the hell out of you for that. Your desire for strength, for mastery... Its incredible. But lets try and untangle your confusion a little. You say you dont know how you feel... but weve kissed. Twice."

Serikas lips parted for a rebuttal, but Quinlan beat her to it.

"And both times, you initiated it. Not me."

She frowned. "Those were... situations. High-pressure, emotional moments after intense battles. That doesnt mean-"

"Yeah, yeah. Just the heat of the moment. Isnt that right?"

Then he tilted his head. "But let me ask you this, Serika. How many other epic battles have you had in your life?"

"... I dont even know. Hundreds."

"And how many comrades in arms have you deep kissed after surviving one?"

Her cheeks darkened, and her heartbeat quickened once her brain registered his words.

This time, Quinlan didnt have a smug, victorious grin on his lips. Instead, he straightened his spine and examined the woman standing before him.

"What exactly is a relationship to you? Tell me. Whats a marriage supposed to look like in your head? Help me paint the picture."