Chapter 237: Aerith Finally Confronts Bahamut
Lily, after spending that passionate night with Bahamut, wanted to literally become one with him. Speaking of their passionate night, unlike Exildra’s, where they only had it once due to certain circumstances, Lily and Bahamut went at it for hours. It changed from a passionate night to a battle of stamina. Thankfully, the rooms in Elder Silvia’s residence were all soundproof. Unless someone was intentionally amplifying sound with mana, no one would hear a thing; they would’ve destroyed Sel and the Black Fang Prodigy’s sleep, not to speak of the poor Ren. He was lucky he’d slept in Sel’s room with X’Uric, otherwise...
Morning sunlight filtered through the massive windows of Elder Silvia’s residence, painting long golden lines across Bahamut’s room. The room itself looked like a battlefield. Clothes were scattered everywhere, and the blanket had long since fallen halfway off the bed.
As for Lily, she was practically wrapped around Bahamut like an oversized fox-shaped parasite. The red-haired fox-kin had her face buried into his chest while her tails lazily swayed behind her under the blanket. Every few seconds, she rubbed her cheek against him with visible satisfaction.
Mine.
That was the only thing written all over her face. Bahamut stared at the ceiling with dead eyes.
"I can’t feel my legs."
"That means I won."
"You turned sex into a tournament."
"It was a tournament."
Lily looked up proudly.
"And I dominated."
Bahamut snorted tiredly.
"You were growling halfway through."
"I was emotional."
"You bit me."
"You liked it."
"Fair."
Lily’s smile widened triumphantly before she leaned upward and kissed him softly again, much gentler this time, completely different from the wild fox she had been hours ago. For a moment, neither spoke. The morning felt peaceful and dangerously comfortable. Lily traced small circles on his chest lazily.
"You smell nice."
"You say that every five minutes."
"Because it’s true."
Bahamut chuckled before finally sitting up slightly. Lily immediately whined and tightened her hold around him.
"No."
"I have to move eventually."
"No."
"You are literally using your tails to trap me."
"That’s because you escape."
"You make me sound like prey."
"You are prey."
Bahamut finally looked down at her.
"You’re enjoying this way too much."
"I waited too long."
That answer actually made him pause. Lily’s expression softened slightly. Beneath all her teasing and possessiveness, there was genuine emotion: relief and happiness. She rested her head back on his chest quietly.
"I really love you, Bahamut."
His expression softened unconsciously.
"Yeah."
Lily blinked.
"That’s it?"
"I almost died multiple times in a desert. My emotional vocabulary is exhausted."
She burst into laughter instantly.
"You’re horrible at this."
"And you like me anyway."
"Unfortunately."
The peaceful atmosphere lasted all of thirty seconds before...
BANG!
The door slammed open violently.
"GOOD MORNING YOU FILTHY ANIM—"
Sel froze as his eyes landed on Lily sitting on Bahamut’s lap beneath the blanket. The bite marks, the scratches, and the absolutely shameless look on Lily’s face. Silence engulfed the room as he took on all that, turned, and slowly closed the door behind him.
"I regret waking up."
Outside the room, Ren’s laughter exploded loudly enough to echo through the hallway.
"HHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"You owe me ten spirit fruits!" X’Uric shouted excitedly.
"I told you they’d finally do it!"
Inside the room, Bahamut covered his face while Lily looked entirely unashamed.
"Best morning ever."
...
Several hours later...
The atmosphere had completely changed. Gone was the relaxed warmth of the residence. Now, five figures followed behind a white-haired instructor through an unfamiliar corridor of black stone. They were Bahamut, Sel, Gabi, Apollonia, and a pale girl with long black hair and crimson eyes, Sixtie.
The vampire walked quietly among them with almost unnatural grace. Her pale skin looked ghostly beneath the dim light while the small silver ring on her middle finger emitted faint crimson energy. Without it, the sunlight outside would’ve weakened her greatly. Unlike the others, Sixtie barely spoke.
The white-haired instructor leading them wore dark robes embroidered with golden symbols none of them recognized. His presence felt ancient, and almost empty, yet overwhelming at the same time. No one dared speak casually. Not even Bahamut, as he had noticed something strange.
They had not walked here: they had been teleported. They stood before a massive structure. It was a three-story building made entirely from black stone with no sign and no guards, yet the pressure surrounding it alone made the air feel heavy.
It resembled a mausoleum more than a building. Ancient pillars surrounded the entrance while strange glowing symbols crawled slowly across the walls like living creatures. Massive chains wrapped around the upper floors as if sealing something inside.
"Why does this place feel cursed?" Gabi swallowed nervously.
"Because it probably is," Sel answered casually.
"This place isn’t inside the sect anymore," Apollonia said with narrowed eyes.
The instructor finally stopped before the gigantic doors.
"You are correct." His voice echoed strangely. "This location exists separately from the Obsidian Citadel."
Bahamut tilted his head slightly.
"A pocket dimension?"
"Something similar." The instructor glanced at him briefly. He slowly turned toward them.
"You five were selected due to your performance, talent, and future value."
His pale eyes narrowed slightly.
"You stand before the Pharaoh’s Vault."
The Pharaoh. The master of the Shadow Fang Sect. One of the strongest beings on the continent, and this was his personal treasury.
"You will each choose one item," the instructor continued calmly. "Only one. No stealing, no destruction, and no fighting."
"If the vault rejects you..." His gaze sharpened slightly. "Pray you survive."
Gabi immediately looked terrified.
"WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT SO CASUALLY?!"
Bahamut burst into laughter. "Hahahaha! We’re definitely getting cursed."
Sixtie quietly stared at the doors, her crimson eyes reflecting the glowing symbols across the structure. Meanwhile, Bahamut felt something strange. The moment he looked at the vault, something inside him reacted. It was recognition, a deep and ancient one that made his chest feel warm suddenly.
Ren, hidden inside his cloak, stiffened immediately.
"Bahamut."
"Yeah," Bahamut answered quietly. But before he could do anything, Aerith stopped right beside him.
