Chapter 25

As I opened the door to Aldric’s garden house, I froze in my tracks. Seated on a bench, deep in conversation like long-lost friends, were my father, Vaelthorn, and Bao. Their expressions were animated, their laughter genuine—it was as if they had never been apart.

But what truly stunned me wasn’t their camaraderie—it was the fact that they were both enjoying a blowjob at the same time, utterly unbothered by their surroundings.

Aldric strolled past me like it was an everyday occurrence, completely unfazed. Cassie followed behind him, rolling her eyes before letting out an exaggerated sigh.

“Finally! My god. Vaelthorn, Bao! How many years has it been? Twenty-one? Who approached whom first? I can’t believe this!”

Bao immediately stood up and pulled Aldric into a tight embrace, slapping his back like an old war comrade. Meanwhile, my father, Vaelthorn, did the same with Cassie, his grip firm yet affectionate.

“Asher hammered the truth into me while we were buying eunuchs,” Bao admitted, his voice thick with emotion.

Valefang raised a brow. “When? I was with you the whole time during that shopping trip.”

Bao chuckled. “When you went to relieve your bladder. You took your time getting back—that was when he really made his point.”

All four of them—Vaelthorn, Bao, Aldric, and Cassie—looked at each other with misted eyes, their expressions a mixture of nostalgia and relief. After a moment, they broke their embraces and settled onto the benches once more.

Cassie, however, walked toward me, wrapping her arms around my neck. She placed a soft kiss on my lips before whispering, “I was just a kid when they were adventurers, but Valefang always told me tales about an infamous adventuring group—one that ranked first in both skill and mischief.”

She turned to the others and continued, “The legendary team where King Vaelthorn was the leader, Valefang and Bao were his trusted teammates, and many others followed in their wake.” With a nostalgic sigh, she returned to her seat beside them.

Just as I was about to process this new revelation, my serpent companion’s voice echoed in my mind.

“Asher, one of my children is growing and needs to shed its old scales. Please open a dimensional gate so I can release him.”

We spoke through our mind link.

“How many children do you have? And where are they?” I asked.

“I have stored them within my scales. There are twenty-one in total.”

I raised a brow. “That many? Fine, do one thing—release all of them. You can stay there as well. After bonding with me, you should have inherited all the knowledge I possess, correct?”

“Yes, and I understand your hint. I would like to go somewhere with a dense forest—one filled with trees that have heavy foliage. Just call me if you need anything.”

“Sure.”

I opened a small dimensional gate, just large enough for the serpent to slither through. As he vanished into the portal, I turned toward the monkey perched on my shoulder.

“And you? Where would you like to go?”

The monkey tilted his head before answering, “I need to meet Hopperius. One of your Sacrificial Treasures is in pain. The egg is about to hatch, and if you want to save her, I must remove it from her womb immediately.”

I frowned. “A Sacrificial Treasure is in danger?”

“Yes. If we don’t act now, the mother won’t survive the hatching process.”

I didn’t hesitate. “Do what you must. We’ll speak on this later.”

Opening another small dimensional gate, I watched as the monkey leaped through before it closed behind him.

Finally, I looked up, expecting the others to have noticed the exchanges. Instead, they were too absorbed in their own world—laughing, reminiscing, and catching up on decades of lost time.

I exhaled, shaking my head with a small smile. It seemed like my world was only growing more chaotic by the day.

I took this moment to check my status, expecting the usual numbers. What I saw instead shook me to the core.

[STATUS]

HP → 784

Mana → Aurelith’s Life / Unlimited

ATK → 384

DEF → 443

AGL → 483

SB (Soul-bound Beasts) → 2

My breath hitched. This ... this is broken. I wasn’t just strong—I was overpowered. My mana was effectively limitless, my physical stats were leagues above anything I had before, and I had bonded with not one but two soul-bound beasts.

I sat there in stunned silence, barely able to process my good fortune. This is the kind of status people dream of ... and I have it.

After a few minutes of internal celebration—and some disbelief—I finally pulled myself together and decided to interrupt their conversation.

Clearing my throat, I spoke. “Alright, enough reminiscing. We need to talk.”

I took a deep breath before addressing my father.

“Father, why are you really here? Tell me the truth.”

He chuckled, shaking his head slightly. “Nothing too serious, just a little wager the royal soldiers made out of jealousy over your good fortune. They wanted a friendly competition before the wedding as entertainment for the guests, and I accepted it.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose in exasperation. “What exactly is this bet, Father?”