______________________
As Mia and the others continued talking with Westeria, time passed unnoticed.
Meanwhile, Veronica—who had been cherishing quiet moments with her son Tristian and her daughters Daisy and Trainy—learned that Aleric and Cesar were fully prepared and ready to depart for the kingdom.
She kissed each of her children tenderly on the forehead, whispered soft words of love, and finally stepped out of the room… her mind entirely on Lucifer.
The revelations about Lucifer's past had shaken Veronica's entire worldview to its core.
Yes, she was now pregnant with his child.
But she had known him for only a few short months—barely three since she had left the kingdom and taken him as her husband.
Her decision to leave had been driven by two clear realities.
First, Ignis was an arrogant, incompetent fool.
Second, Lucifer had shared his grand vision without any pretense: he would transform this duchy into a kingdom, and anyone who obstructed that path would become his arch-enemy. Veronica had already witnessed the ruthless proof of his resolve—the complete and utter eradication of the Asher family, leaving not a single living trace of their bloodline.
When he had gently advised her to leave the kingdom and find a safer place where she and her children could live in peace, she had seen the sincerity in his eyes.
In that instant, she made her choice: she would marry Lucifer and become his wife.
The decision had been immediate and unhesitating because she refused to risk her children's lives.
Lucifer had warned that the kingdom would stop at nothing to crush his rise—sabotage, assassination, open war. Whether the result was a strengthened duchy or a new kingdom, Veronica wanted no part of the bloodshed. She only wanted a secure, happy home for Tristian, Daisy, and Trainy.
She felt no real attachment to Ignis. He already had over a hundred concubines; their union had always been purely political.
Veronica herself hailed from the Nyalsia family of the Nephris Kingdom—a small realm that had once tried to claw its way to power by raiding the fringes of the Lustbound Heaven royal territories. As a consequence, King Kenyru Nyalsia had offered her hand to Ignis to seal an alliance.
So she had abandoned the kingdom without a backward glance and joined the Velmora family.
In the brief time since then, she had come to genuinely like—no, to deeply care for—Lucifer.
Don't let his merciless treatment of enemies fool you.
To those he cherished, he was the truest kind of man: powerful yet humble, never arrogant despite his strength.
He loved his family and his people fiercely.
He would give anything asked of him by someone he cared for.
At heart, he remained playful—a boy who loved small pranks, who never discriminated, who invented endlessly, and who treated everyone with genuine respect.
And if those qualities weren't enough… he was extraordinary in bed.
He could make love for hours without tiring.
His techniques brought layer after layer of overwhelming pleasure.
Between his legs hung a massive dragon—fourteen inches of commanding power.
He could impregnate women far more swiftly and surely than most.
Veronica had no reason whatsoever to turn away from him.
And the delightful irony? He was younger than her own son, Tristian.
After she accepted him as her husband, Lucifer had become the father to her children.
The thought always brought a quiet, amused smile to her lips: a father younger than his own son.
Day by day, her affection for him grew stronger.
During the now-legendary "sex competition" between Lucifer and Jeff, he had outshone everyone—bedding and impregnating dozens of women, including Silva, Selene, Daisy, Veronica herself, and many more. In total, he had claimed and filled roughly fifty-four women.
When he was with her, it was never mere lust.
He kissed her with devotion, worshiped her body in every way she desired, poured out words of love… and then he had given her a child.
He had even told her the baby would be a girl and named her Lucevera—a beautiful fusion of their names, a living testament to the bond they shared.
From that moment onward, Veronica's feelings had deepened into something more maternal than marital.
She began to treat him less like a husband and more like a son.
And why not? She was roughly the same age as Mia. Her three children were all older than Lucifer.
Now she yearned to love him, shield him, give him everything his heart could want.
Yet Lucifer never asked for anything. Instead, he was always the one giving—always striving to fulfill *her* desires.
That selflessness only fueled her growing obsession and fierce possessiveness.
She knew she could never have him entirely to herself, so she accepted sharing him.
But she made a private vow: no pain would ever reach him again if she could prevent it.
So what was the problem?
Then came yesterday.
When she learned Mia had broken yet another promise to Lucifer, Veronica's anger toward her mother-in-law blazed hot.
She forced it down—barely.
Then she discovered the depraved fantasies Mia demanded—acts that crossed far beyond Lucifer's absolute moral line.
For the first time, Veronica witnessed the sadistic fury he fought to contain.
She heard how he had warned Mia in cold, final terms: cut all ties if she ever tried to force those things on him.
Her concern for Lucifer surged; her rage toward Mia became volcanic.
Still, she held herself in check.
Then Derek's explanation arrived—why he despised Lucifer, how he had repeatedly tried to murder the boy and failed every time.
After that came the full, horrifying picture of Lucifer's life in Evorywood:
A childhood erased.
Poisoned by his own father.
Beaten. Tortured.
His very existence deliberately wiped from his mother's and sister's memories.
Manipulated so that Mia herself had nearly beaten him to death.
The knowledge tore at Veronica's heart.
That was why she had clung so desperately to Tristian, Daisy, and Trainy earlier—why she had kissed and caressed them with such frantic tenderness.
In her mind, she had superimposed her own children into Lucifer's place.
Imagined them forgotten by her.
Imagined someone slowly poisoning little Daisy, or breaking Tristian's small body.
She couldn't endure the thought.
She could not fathom what Lucifer had suffered for sixteen years—and she swore her children would never know even a single second of such torment.
So she had poured all her love onto them.
But now… she wanted to give that same fierce, protective love to Lucifer.
In her eyes, he was a tragic, pitiable soul: someone who had only ever tried to give love, and in return had been fed poison.
In her dreams, she had already imagined flaying Christopher alive.
Lost in these thoughts, Veronica walked toward the main hall where Aleric and Cesar waited.
But her steps suddenly faltered.
She needed to see Lucifer one last time—to make sure he had returned safely.
She turned and hurried toward his room.
---
Veronica paused at the open doorway of Lucifer's room.
He lay quietly on the bed, seemingly asleep.
She needed no invitation or formality.
She simply walked inside.
Lucifer slept peacefully… but Veronica's heart clenched when she saw the silent tears slipping from the corners of his closed eyes, trailing slowly down his cheeks.
The sight pierced her like countless needles.
Her thoughts spun in frantic chaos.
She needed to ease even a fraction of his pain, but no clear path presented itself.
Acting on pure instinct—the same gentle habit she had with Tristian—she reached out and softly stroked Lucifer's hair.
The moment her palm rested on his forehead, she flinched.
He was burning—dangerously, unnaturally hot.
She checked again.
Yes… a fever far beyond normal.
She had nursed fevers in her own children many times, but never had she felt skin this scorching.
Unsure what else to do, Veronica called out softly to one of Lucifer's shadow-daughters whose name she remembered.
"Lovertia?"
Silence. No shadow appeared.
She tried another.
"Mara."
Instantly, a breathtakingly beautiful woman emerged from the shadows beside her—rosy pink hair, ruby-red eyes, an ethereal, mature grace that momentarily stole Veronica's breath.
Then came a voice—sweet, melodic, almost divine.
"Yes, Mother Veronica?"
Veronica steadied herself.
"Mara… your father is suffering from an abnormally high fever. Please call your mother Westeria. She might know what to do."
Mara caught only fragments: *father… suffering… high fever… Westeria.*
In a blink, she appeared directly in front of Veronica—moving at impossible speed.
A thick, blood-red aura of killing intent rolled off her in waves.
Veronica felt real fear.
Mara leaned over Lucifer, touched his forehead, and confirmed the blistering heat—like boiling water, yet strangely tolerable; uncomfortable but not burning.
She turned blazing, murderous eyes on Veronica.
"Mother Veronica… how did this happen? What happened to Papa?"
Shaken but composed, Veronica answered:
"Dear Mara, I don't know. I only came to check on him and found him like this. I couldn't bear to leave him in this state—especially since I'm supposed to depart for the kingdom soon as per his orders. That's why I called you… to bring Sister Westeria. She knows him best."
Mara's killing aura vanished instantly.
She nodded once and disappeared.
Back in Westeria's sealed room—still locked, still wrapped in sound-barrier magic—the seven women were deep in conversation when Mara suddenly appeared.
At first, no one noticed.
Then came a sharp *crack*—like wood snapping.
The sound barrier shattered.
All eyes turned.
Mara rushed to Westeria.
"Mother Westeria… come with me. Mother Veronica is calling you."
Westeria immediately saw the rare distress on Mara's face.
Unlike Veronica—who knew only a handful of Lucifer's shadow-family—Westeria knew them all and shared close, affectionate bonds.
"Dear, what's wrong? Why is your mother Veronica calling me?"
Mara's voice trembled.
"Mother Westeria… Dad has a very high fever. Mother Veronica is with him. She was supposed to leave for the kingdom with the envoys as per Dad's plan, but she didn't feel right leaving him like this… so she asked me to bring you."
Westeria's face drained of color.
"Mara—shadow-pull me there. Now."
Amelia quickly added:
"Mara, shadow-pull *all* of us."
In the next instant, a thick veil of shadow enveloped them all.
They vanished.
Less than the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, seven silhouettes rose from the floor of Lucifer's room.
Mia, Amelia, Isolde, Silva, Selene, Vinni, Westeria—and Mara—materialized.
Mia rushed to Lucifer's side in a heartbeat.
Memories of losing him once before to a deadly fever in Ruby's house in Evorywood flooded back.
She sat beside him, pressed her palm to his head.
Yes… scorching.
But a flicker of relief: not *quite* as high as that terrible day long ago.
Westeria approached next.
She gently checked his eyes, his pulse—exactly as she had done countless times when he was a frail, feverish child.
After a moment, she turned to Mara.
"Dear, you can go now. Your dad is completely fine… just very exhausted."
Then she looked at Veronica.
"Sister Veronica, thank you for your care. My husband is alright. He often gets these kinds of fevers when he's emotionally overwhelmed or in deep mental pain. Once he sleeps deeply, he'll wake up just as before."
Veronica shook her head gently.
"Westeria, why thank me? Isn't this my duty as his wife? Isn't it natural that I look after him?"
Westeria smiled softly.
"Sister Veronica, don't take it to heart. It was only a figure of speech. My words carry no malice toward you."
Veronica nodded.
"Never mind… I understand. So please take good care of him. Now that you're here, everything will be fine. I'm leaving now."
Westeria's smile turned warm and teasing.
"Stay safe… and healthy too. I don't want my little Lucevera getting sick, understand, Sister Veronica?"
Veronica returned the tease with a playful grin.
"Yes, fully understood. I'll take good care of *your* Lucevera growing in my womb… but *you* have to take care of *my* daughter Luceria—who's already almost grown in your own womb—and my husband too."
Westeria laughed lightly.
"Our husband."
Veronica echoed, smiling.
"Yes… our husband."
With that, she turned and left the room, heading toward the main hall where Aleric and Cesar waited—along with both commanders and several of Lucifer's shadow-wives, including Severina, Zyrene, and Nocturna.
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