"Whoosh!"
A flash of snow-white skin beneath a skirt momentarily caught Zeke's eye—Seele darted through the air like lightning, snatching away the medicine bottle from his hand.
"It's just cold medication, okay?!" Clutching the bottle tightly, Seele knelt facing away from everyone in the snowy ground, emphasizing loudly.
Seele had always been a good girl, considered by most standards, the purest and kindest among her peers. Although she received Bronya's medicine, she never intended any mischief; she simply kept it, planning to discreetly return it upon their next meeting. Regardless, she never imagined anyone discovering its existence, especially not Zeke.
Unseen by anyone, with her back turned to the group, Seele's face had flushed so intensely it seemed ready to drip blood. Her usually gentle eyes now formed bewildered spirals.
Zeke was at a loss for words.
While Zeke cared deeply for his wives, he wasn't cruel enough to monitor their every move. In most instances, he greatly respected their privacy. However, even without knowing the specific details of Bronya secretly giving out medication, Zeke recognized what this was and was well aware that Bronya would engage in such clandestine activities.
"...As a doctor, carrying around some cold medicine is quite normal." Zeke considerately acknowledged the little girl's embarrassment. After a moment's hesitation, he gently stroked Seele's trembling head to reassure her.
At the same time, Wendy whispered conspiratorially with Sin, starting a hushed conversation.
Wendy couldn't fully grasp the situation, but Sin immediately recognized the substance. After all, on occasional nights, she herself had used these small pills to enhance intimacy.
Following Sin's whispered explanation, Wendy covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide with shock.
Meanwhile, with Zeke's gentle reassurance, Seele gradually calmed down. She turned her head towards him, pouting with teary eyes like a rabbit, and pleaded pitifully:
"Big Bro Zeke... It really is... cold medicine..."
It was evident that lying didn't come easily to her, but she was even more reluctant to reveal carrying such mood-enhancing pills.
Her damp, puppy-like eyes and feeble voice inevitably softened Zeke's heart.
"All right, it's cold medicine. Quickly put it away and continue eating."
"Yes... Thank you, Big Bro Zeke."
With Zeke's help, Seele stood up, returned to the campfire, forced herself to maintain a composed expression, and silently resumed eating—she insisted to herself that this incident was over, as if nothing had happened at all.
'Big Sister Bronya, please stop giving Seele these bizarre ideas...'
Beneath her seemingly calm exterior while chewing her food, tears were welling up inside her heart.
"Achoo!"
Bronya covered her mouth and nose, letting out an adorable sneeze.
Kiana discreetly moved her dinner away from Bronya slightly and glanced sidelong at her. "Do you have a cold?"
"Even though Bronya isn't a Herrscher or MANTIS, she's long since become immune to mere viruses like the common cold. It was just a minor mishap."
"Oh..." Kiana replied weakly. Picking up her bowl, she mechanically shoveled rice into her mouth without her usual lively chatter.
Fu Hua looked over at Kiana and gently placed her hand on Kiana's forehead. "Are you feeling okay, Kiana? You seem quite lethargic these past few days."
"I'm fine, Fu Hua-sensei...," Kiana forced a smile, struggling to respond to Fu Hua's caring concern.
Fu Hua's eyebrows twitched subtly as she shifted her questioning gaze toward Bronya, knowing she would be the most informed among them.
Bronya squinted thoughtfully. "While Bronya doesn't know the exact details, today we received a SVIP service bill from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor at the front desk. Just for reference, to ensure Kiana could leave with peace of mind, Bronya paid extra to upgrade the package to their most luxurious option."
The corner of Fu Hua's mouth twitched briefly.
A moment later, Fu Hua gently patted Kiana's head.
"You know very well that mischief leads to discipline. Why can't you learn to behave?"
"I'm perfectly well-behaved, okay?! Who would've thought he'd still keep tabs on me with his worker bees even here? It's just so..."
"Let me remind you, Zeke might be listening."
"Oh, it makes me feel incredibly secure—absolutely super-duper gentle and considerate. I absolutely adore you, Zeke~," Kiana gushed, clutching her hands over her heart and batting her sparkling eyes coyly.
Bronya & Fu Hua: "..."
After a brief pause, Fu Hua chuckled softly, shaking her head with a mix of exasperation and affection:
"All right, all right. I'll do my best to plead your case moving forward. Whether it's about Mondstadt or any private remarks you made, I trust you didn't intend any harm."
"Fu Hua-sensei, QAQ..."
"But from now on, you really must exercise restraint. Remember, Zeke wouldn't let you suffer without reason; you need to learn self-reflection."
"Yes, yes, yes! Fu Hua-sensei, I promise to deeply reflect!" Kiana declared earnestly, pounding her soft chest, drawing attention as waves rippled enticingly.
Fu Hua inadvertently glanced down, her gentle gaze flickering momentarily before she sighed with mixed emotions, losing interest in continuing the conversation.
At first glance, their daily life after relationships shifted didn't seem much different from before, as Wendy and Seele had always lived with Zeke.
However, upon closer inspection, there were significant changes.
"You can leave it to me; anything at all, just leave it to me... Is that right, Big Bro Zeke?"
In the fragrant garden, surrounded by lush grass, Seele wore pristine white maid armor resembling a delicate, pure-white blossom, her cheeks flushed with an enchanting blush of shyness.
Zeke sat beneath a pavilion, holding a teacup, his eyes filled with admiration.
"Very nice, indeed adorable. The attire from another world has its unique charm—it suits you perfectly."
"This...this is Little Sister Noel's outfit, isn't it, Big Bro Zeke? Why did you want to see me dressed like this?"
"Because it's incredibly cute. Wear it today and act as our household maid."
"Yes..."
Seele twisted her fingers, blushing deeply as she lowered her head. Despite feeling embarrassed, knowing it pleased Zeke made her happy.
Suddenly, an unhappy voice came from beside Zeke—Wendy's:
"Hmph! What kind of twisted interests do you have?"
With black stockings, white sleeves, and a short black top barely covering her hips, Wendy's attire showcased her snow-white thighs—the absolute domain—and highlighted her graceful curves, rounded chest, and pert derrière to perfection—just like the outfit worn by the Knight, Eula.
"Ah~"
Zeke took his time, sipping tea while admiring this unparalleled sight. He then said, "Did you learn House Lawrence's Dance of Sacrifice yesterday? Perform it for me."
The previous day, inexplicably, Wendy had been taught the entire Dance of Sacrifice—Flashing Candlelight—from Eula, who herself received a mysterious commission for the task.
Now, not only was Wendy dressed in Eula's clothing, but she also held a similar blue-silver greatsword.
Wendy's face flushed instantly. "Why do I have to do something like that?!?"
"I'll cook dinner tonight myself."
"...Hmph! You owe me for this!"
Mysteriously, background music began playing as Wendy, her cheeks red, raised the greatsword and started dancing on the grass with her high-heeled boots, her alluring figure gracefully swaying under the sunlight. Combined with the subtle expression of restrained embarrassment on her charming face, it was simply captivating.
"Ah—"
Zeke leisurely sipped his tea, watching the dance while enjoying Seele's gentle shoulder massage—an indulgence akin to ancient nobility's decadent lifestyle.
Ah, this is what vacations are for—pure bliss.
"Family head, Mr. Diluc from Dawn Winery has arrived for a visit," announced the young attendant sent by Bronya, bowing at the garden entrance.
Some people just couldn't stand seeing Zeke on vacation, but since it wasn't the bothersome Welt, he remained relatively unfazed. Keeping his gaze fixed on Wendy's graceful dancing figure, he responded nonchalantly:
"What does he want?"
"He claims to discuss trade route collaborations with the Qi Clan Trading Company."
"Tell him we're open to discussions; handle the rest yourself. I'm busy."
"Yes, family head!"
The attendant gracefully retreated, casting one last glance at the captivating sight of Wendy's elegant dance before leaving—the newly acquainted family head seemed quite discerning and charming indeed!
After completing her dance, Wendy returned to the pavilion, blushing as she sat down, trying to feign composure: "You sure know how to take laziness to new heights, delegating all business matters to Bronya."
"Diluk isn't just any ordinary merchant noble; he's here to test us."
"Huh?"
"Don't be fooled by his appearance as Mondstadt's wealthiest man; he was once a prominent knight in the Favonius Knights. Now, he secretly enforces justice as... well, let's just call him 'Justice Man.' In any case, during our stay here, we've been extravagant with spending and continuously hiring various knights and adventurers, frequently interacting with many powerful figures in Mondstadt. All these unusual activities likely raised his suspicions, much like how a guard dog would be wary of strangers roaming freely around its home."
Zeke casually revealed some lesser-known secrets.
Wendy listened, astonished, before covering her mouth with a stifled giggle.
"Ha! Justice Man? What kind of quirky taste do you have?"
"It wasn't my choice. As the Herrscher of Time, my perception of time is fluid, sometimes inadvertently revealing numerous possibilities."
Zeke sipped his tea, defending his peculiar naming sense.
Wendy blinked again, then touched her snow-white chin hesitantly. "So...you don't occasionally see me bathing, right?"
"What do you think?" Zeke looked at Wendy, a subtle smile playing on his lips.
Her eyes widened, and her face instantly flushed red.
"Hey, stop giving me that ambiguous grin! You wouldn't really have seen...seen me naked, would you?"
"Whether you've seen it before doesn't matter; I'll definitely witness it tonight."
"Hey!" Wendy covered her chest with both hands and indignantly protested.
After a moment, seeing Zeke's unwavering calm smile, Wendy realized she had been teased. She rushed to his side, playfully pounding him in protest—but naturally, Herrscher of Wind's tiny fists couldn't faze him at all, leaving no impact on his tea-drinking composure.
The sunlight was warm, and the breeze gentle. As for how these young women were skillfully manipulated under someone's enchanting influence during such comfortable moments—especially that night filled with pain and pleasure—it remains an untold story.