Amidst the warm steam filling the bathroom, Elisa observed her nephew with an amused gaze. Kazien's usually calm face was now flushed deep red, contrasting sharply with his wet silvery-white hair.
Elisa's ears, sharp as a high-level mana user, could hear that sound clearly.
Ba-thump! Ba-thump! Ba-thump! Ba-thump!
The sound of Kazien's heart was racing, beating like war drums pounding incessantly within his chest cavity.
Hahaha. Why is he this nervous? Elisa thought, the corners of her lips lifting to form a mischievous smile. What is actually happening to him? Is it because I'm not wearing any clothes? Or... is it because my face reminds him of Allen's face?
Elisa's mischievous instinct suddenly kicked in. The long purple-haired woman decided to tease her stiff nephew a little.
Without warning, Elisa parted the water and moved closer. With a fluid yet shocking movement, she turned her body and seated herself right on Kazien's lap inside the water.
"Huh?!"
Kazien's eyes bulged, utterly shocked. His body tensed up instantly. The sensation of skin meeting skin in the warm water made his brain stop working for a moment. His heart, which was already fast, now beat twice as hard.
"A-Aunt Elisa?!"
Elisa chuckled softly, her hand patting Kazien's cheek gently. "Kazien, what's wrong with you? Your face is so tense. Don't get the wrong idea, okay! I'm sitting here only because I want to ask for a little of your blood. This position makes it easier for me to take it."
Hearing that excuse, Kazien tried to calm himself down, though it was difficult. "Ah... a-alright."
Without thinking twice, and also to quickly end the position that was endangering his sanity, Kazien immediately lifted his right hand out of the water. Mana gathered at his fingertips, forming a clear glass bottle hovering in the air using his creation magic.
Scratch!
Using condensed wind element magic, Kazien scratched his own palm. Fresh red blood emitting a faint golden aura immediately flowed out. He directed the droplets of blood into the clear bottle, little by little, until a quarter of the bottle was filled.
"H-Here, Aunt Elisa. Please drink it." Kazien said nervously, handing over the bottle with a trembling hand.
Elisa took the bottle. Her gaze turned serious. However, just as she was about to down it, Kazien's hand stopped her for a moment.
"Wait a moment, Aunt Elisa! I must warn you one more time." Kazien said with a worried tone. "After drinking it, your body will feel excruciating pain."
Elisa smiled dismissively. "No problem!"
Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!
Without hesitation, Elisa downed Kazien's blood in a single go.
Silence for a moment. Then...
Gasp!
Elisa's eyes widened. Her breath hitched. A burning heat suddenly spread from her stomach.
"Ughhh...!"
Elisa clutched her chest, which was throbbing with pain. Her body trembled violently. Seeing his aunt starting to lose her balance, Kazien spontaneously hugged her slender waist and held her up so she wouldn't slip into the water.
"Aaarghh...!" Elisa groaned, enduring the pain as her bones felt like they were being reshaped and her skin forcibly pulled tight.
Unconsciously seeking an anchor to channel her pain, Elisa slumped her body completely against Kazien's broad chest. Both her hands wrapped around Kazien's neck, hugging him with full strength.
Crack!
Kazien winced in silence. Goodness, Auntie's hug is so strong! If I weren't an immortal human, my spine would definitely have snapped.
The painful process lasted for three full minutes. Slowly, the tremors in Elisa's body subsided. The pain vanished as quickly as it had come, replaced by an extraordinary feeling of freshness.
Elisa rested her chin on Kazien's right shoulder, panting.
"Hah... hah... hah... I didn't think... it would hurt this much." whispered Elisa weakly.
"It does hurt, Auntie." Kazien answered gently. "That's because all the organs in your body were being reshaped. But it's over now. Try looking at your face in the water's reflection, Aunt Elisa."
Elisa straightened her body slowly. She looked down, staring at the calm surface of the water between their legs.
Her eyes widened in disbelief. The face staring back at her was now young again, fresh, and tight, just like when she was in her 20s.
Kazien, seeing the change, was transfixed.
In front of him now sat a figure he knew very well. A beautiful face with wet purple hair framing it, along with clear and sharp purple eyes... it was identical to Allen. It was truly Allen in a mature female version.
Hypnotized by the resemblance of the purple hair and purple eyes that were exactly the same as his fiancé's, Kazien's hand lifted unconsciously. His fingers touched Elisa's cheek, caressing his aunt's face gently.
Elisa was startled by the sudden touch. She turned, seeing the look in Kazien's eyes as if he were looking at someone else within her.
Quickly but gently, Elisa caught Kazien's wrist, snapping the silvery-white-haired teenager out of his daze.
"Kazien?"
The voice jolted Kazien back to reality. He saw his aunt's hand holding his, and his face instantly paled with embarrassment.
"I-I'm sorry, Aunt Elisa!" Kazien exclaimed in panic, immediately pulling his hand back. "I... I was presumptuous in touching your face. I... I thought you were Allen. Forgive me!"
Hearing that innocent confession, Elisa laughed freely.
"Hahaha! Oh my, Kazien. In your eyes, do I look so much like Allen that you unconsciously held my face?"
Still looking down, Kazien nodded slowly. "Yes... your purple hair and your purple eyes... are exactly the same as Allen's."
"Hahaha. You really love my son, huh?"
Kazien lifted his face slightly. "I love him very, very, very much, Aunt Elisa."
Elisa's smile widened. However, her purple eyes then glanced mischievously at the lower part of Kazien's body in the water.
"No wonder you've been so nervous in front of me this whole time. Even look..." Elisa pointed under the water with her chin. "Your shaft has erected hard like that because you saw a face that looks like Allen, right? Hahaha!"
Kazien's face instantly turned as red as a ripe tomato.
Seeing her nephew acting awkwardly, Elisa smiled motherly. She held Kazien's chin and lifted his handsome face to look at her.
Mwah!
A warm peck landed on Kazien's forehead. Kazien's eyes widened.
"Listen, Kazien. From now on, if we are in the capital, just call me 'Mother,' not Aunt. Just consider me your own biological mother! After all, you are my nephew and you are also my son's fiancé."
"M-May I really call you Mother?"
"Of course! I don't want our relationship to be awkward! Do you understand?"
Kazien nodded firmly. "Understood... Mother."
"Good! In that case, let's stop bathing. Didn't you want to go to the guild with them?"
"H-How did you know about that, Auntie... uh, Mother?"
"Of course from your three fiancés, you Stupid Nephew!"
Elisa stood up from Kazien's lap and pulled her nephew's hand to stand up as well. And at that moment, Kazien's naked body was clearly exposed in front of Elisa. Including his shaft which was still erect.
With her mischievous nature, Elisa's hand moved fast.
Grab!
She held Kazien's shaft with a slow but firm squeeze.
"Hwaaa?!" Kazien jumped in shock. "W-What are you doing, Mother?!"
"Hahaha! Checking my nephew's shaft which is currently erecting, of course! Who knows what you were thinking when I was sitting on your lap earlier."
"I-It was because of your face! Your face, purple hair, and purple eyes... like Allen in a female version!" Kazien defended himself desperately.
"Hahaha. Of course his face looks like mine, because he is my son!" Elisa replied casually, releasing her grip and walking out of the bathtub. "Never mind, let's dry your body immediately!"
He let out a long sigh, then nodded resignedly. "Yes, mother!" mumbled Kazien while grabbing his towel.