Kookus was foolishly smiling as he enjoyed a sweet, peachy dream. The female centaur again came to him and was about only an inch away from kissing him after falling for his manly charms.
"Stupid Kookus! Get up already!"
Kookus was shocked when he saw the female centaur's gentle expression suddenly turning into a scowl and shouting at him while throwing a bucket of cold water over him.
"Ayooo!! Why so cruel?!" Kookus let out an aggrieved cry as he shielded his body with his arms.
He jolted awake, feeling cold and wet, only to see his sister's annoyed face looming above him, "No...What did you do to my lover?" Kookus sputtered, wiping the water from his face. The dream felt so real he was disappointed that his sister wouldn't even let him stay there.
Ceti clicked her tongue as she twisted his ear, "What lover? Stop babbling like a fool. Do you have any idea what time of day it is or what you were even supposed to do?"
"Owwww, don't tear my ear off!" Kookus grimaced as she kept twisting it around. But hearing her words, he asked with a look of indignation, "What am I supposed to do? You won't even let me sleep in peace after I toiled so hard when the consort went missing. I never even left his room, and you still want to question my dedication?"
Ceti's nostrils flared as she pinched his ear, "Don't spout nonsense before me. I clearly remember telling you to keep an eye on Asher and our mother, especially when they were at the Tower of Hell. So you better tell me what you found out right now or else--"
"Wait, wait! I think I remember something, but because you are holding onto my ear, it's making it difficult for me to remember," Kookus said as he grimaced.
Ceti let out a subtle harrumph as she let go of his ear and crossed her arms as she asked sternly, "Now tell me without talking nonsense. I don't have time to waste."
"But wait...If I tell on the royal consort, won't I be an unfaithful servant?" Kookus mumbled to himself as if it suddenly clicked.
But he gulped upon seeing Ceti clenching his fist, "Oh yes! I remember now!"
Ceti's eyes narrowed as her ears perked.
"I just remembered Boss must be expecting me. See you later, sister!" Kookus jumped out of bed with his tongue out as he lunged for the exit. How can he tell her that he actually knew nothing! Boss told him to stay out, and it was not his fault that he got distracted by the hidden desires of his heart during his time at the tower.
"OWW!" But his expression twisted into a grimace when Ceti suddenly tripped him, and he fell to the floor.
"Hmph, at this point, only a good beating from me will make you remember," Ceti said as she rubbed her hands together.
Kookus's thoughts raced to stop her somehow when a memory clicked, "I got it! I got it! I smelled our mother's scent on his bedsheet," This was something he noticed earlier but didn't pay much attention to since the bed was so soft he dozed off right away. He went into his room to clean it, but how could he miss the chance to try the bed of a noble?
"What?" Ceti had a baffled look as she pulled him up by his collar and asked, "Are you telling me the truth?"
"I swear on my lover, I am!" Kookus said with his hands clasped together.
Ceti let go of him as she turned around and scratched her nails together vigorously, "No...That can't be..." Ceti's eyes were uncontrollably shaking as she immediately stormed off the room while Kookus was left scratching his head, wondering what was up with her.
But suddenly, it dawned on him. If his mother's scent was on his Boss' bedsheet, does this mean that she was sleeping with him?
His eyes widened, and his brows raised as he wondered, 'Will mother get pregnant with his child? Won't that make me the stepson of the royal consort?!!!"
A wide grin hung on his lips as he couldn't fathom the potential opportunities that were going to open up for him from this unexpected yet beautiful union. He jumped back onto the bed, dreaming of his bright future and already making plans to make sure his future half-brother or sister would become his loyal followers. Never had he felt so satisfied with his future. All the licking of his Boss' feet finally paid off.
--
Ceti made some preparations to make sure her mother would be kept busy for a while.
She then stood in front of Asher's chambers and knocked on his door firmly.
"Come in," His smug tone sounded from within as she pushed open the door and closed it from behind.
"The Battlemaster coming into my room of her own volition. I hope I am not misunderstanding anything, am I?" Asher said with a subtle grin as he continued to lean against his chair while reading a book.
Ceti was grinding her teeth, somehow holding in her anger before asking in a hard tone, "May I have permission to speak freely?"
Asher let out a short laugh as he asked, "You mean permission to speak rudely to me?"
Ceti wrinkled her nose, though Asher waved his hand and said, "Go ahead. It's been a while since I missed your sweet words."
Ceti took a look at his bed before looking at him and asked with a clenched jaw, "What are you doing with my mother?" As she asked, she slowly walked over to the bed, standing near it.
Asher curved one of the corners of his lips while still reading his book, "Your mother? Don't worry. I have no complaints about her. She has been fulfilling her duties as a maid very well. You should probably learn one or two things from her."
Ceti pinched her lips, feeling like every single word from his mouth was carrying a double meaning.
"Did you force my mother to do anything unpleasant?" She asked upon feeling the strong scent of her mother in this room. The sheets of the bed were changed and thus she had to believe Kookus was telling the truth.
Asher raised one of his brows without taking his eyes off the book, "Force? That is such a strong word to say to me. Your mother has been so sweet and kind to me. Despite being a maid, I actually respect her at some level. You can ask her and see if I forced her to do anything. Sometimes I even let her sleep on my bed because of how tired and exhausted she becomes after serving me. Such a poor thing your mother is," Asher let out a sigh of pity as he shook his head.
Ceti blinked her eyes in confusion because his words sounded like he was reassuring her, which explains why Kookus smelled her scent on his bed. But at the same time, these words caused her to be disturbed as well, making her feel that it just didn't sound right. She remembered how her mother acted when she confronted her about getting in danger because of him. What did he do to her mother to make her like that?
Asher couldn't stop grinning on the inside, finding it quite amusing and satisfying to see Ceti feeling so confused and angry but couldn't make sense of anything.
"But..." Asher raised his gaze to look at her and ask, "Even if I did force her to do something, can she refuse? As my maid, even if I tell her to die, she has to do it, and there is nothing you can do about it, can you?" Asher said as he closed the book and slowly walked towards her.
"You wouldn't..." Ceti pinched her lips, knowing how helpless her poor mother was. He was right about her not being able to do anything since her mother's bad luck made it so that she ended up as his maid.
Just thinking about it made her feel very unsettled, and she wanted to warn him sternly to not cause trouble for her mother. But she didn't want to risk angering him lest he took it out on her mother. She had never felt so helpless in a long while and only felt even more angry and frustrated because of it.
Even if she tried to act 'friendly' with him as a way to appease him, he would only find it amusing, and nothing will change. She knew a pervert like him would only take advantage of any kindness she might show.
"Now, now, I was joking. Why are you getting all tensed?" Asher chuckled with a smile as he stood before her, though her expression didn't relax at all.
"I can't think of a better maid than her, but if you are feeling that uneasy, you are free to take her place. I am kind enough to put out such an offer to ease your worries. What do you think?" Asher asked with a wink.
"Hmph, I am not an idiot to consider your offer," She said with a sharp look. She felt her face burn at seeing him humiliate her with such a 'offer'.
Asher shrugged and said, "Well then...my offer will always stand whenever you feel like it. Now leave. You no longer have permission to speak freely."
Ceti took a sharp, deep breath as she left his room with heavy steps. She felt like all her questions were answered, but at the same time, why wasn't she able to settle down her worries? She felt she had to keep on observing till she could form any conclusions.
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