After a long earful of lecturing and several promises never to drink like that again, the girls were finally spared. That afternoon, Lyria sat in their small garden with her Moonquill pen and a sketchbook, curious to see the effects of the Inspiration Candy. She popped it into her mouth— it was strawberry flavored and as it melted on her tongue, she felt her surroundings become serene. As she touched the pen to the page, her hand began to dance across the paper.
"Lyria, dinner is ready!" Milo called out. Seeing that she was still deeply focused on her drawing, he tapped her shoulder to get her attention.
"Uhh!" She jolted slightly before realizing Milo was standing in front of her.
"Dinner is ready."
"Oh, I'll be there soon," she replied, reluctantly placing her pen down even though ideas were still swelling in her mind. She then headed inside.
"Moonbeam, the air is getting chilly. You'll catch a cold if you stay in the garden wearing shorts and a sleeveless top," Rowan said, handing her a cup of hot chocolate.
After dinner, Lyria continued drawing. After her third piece, she stopped, noticing that the effect of the candy had finally worn off. "Tessa, come see these pieces I've drawn and tell me what you think."
"Wow!" Tessa exclaimed. She couldn't help but ask, "Lyria, how were you able to come up with these styles? It's unlike anything I've ever seen before."
"What do you think about us venturing into the clothing sector?"
Tessa considered it for a moment. "Mmmhh... with what you have here, we will shock them all." She paused, then smiled. "I think we can do it. Besides, you have my support, girl!"
"Tessa, let's do this!" Lyria added, energized by her friend's supportive response. They brainstormed throughout the night, designing the brand logo and its name. After a lot of arguing and a few pillows thrown at each other, they finally agreed on a name.
The next morning, the excitement of what they had accomplished was still coursing through their bodies; Lyria's tail wouldn't stop wagging. Exhausted from their late night, they slept through the afternoon. They woke up by dinner time, and afterward, they began assigning tasks to bring the brand to life.
The next day, Lyria went to the commerce bureau again to patent her designs and register a parent company for all her businesses— both the current ones and those yet to be established. With the paperwork done, the Snowpelt family began planning their relocation to the capital.
Selena was able to secure a position at the capital branch of the clothing store where she worked, making the transition surprisingly smooth. Seated in the sitting room, the Snowpelt family discussed the move.
"I will place a call to the moving company tomorrow," Cyris informed them.
"How big do you think the packing truck should be?" Rowan asked.
"Actually, I already bought clothes, shoes, and other basic necessities at the mansion, so we should only pack our essentials," Lyria informed them. "And we won't be needing the furniture since the place is already furnished."
"If that's the case, we might not even need a moving company," Thorne remarked.
"Then what do we do with the things in this house? Most of them are still in good condition," Finn asked.
"How about selling what we can and giving away some and discarding the rest that is not suitable for sale or giveaways?" Orion suggested.
"That's a wonderful idea. I have a friend whose daughter is getting married soon, and they were looking for second-hand furniture. Let me call her now," Selena said, standing up to make the call.
After a bit more talk, Selena returned. "She said she would be here first thing tomorrow morning to take a look."
"Why does she seem in such a rush?" Lyria asked.
"Well, it seems her daughter is about to pass the age the government stipulates for females to be married. They don't want her to be forced into the random selection for fecunds," Selena said with a sigh, feeling deep sympathy for her friend.
This reminded Lyria that in this world, due to a low population, beastwomen were stipulated to get married to at least three fecunds before the age of thirty. If they failed to do so, they would have to undergo a random selection for a spouse. The majority of beastfolk who went through the selection ended up in unfavorable conditions, causing significant problems in their married lives.
As if they were telepathic, Lyria and Tessa looked at each other; thinking of their own ages, they both sighed in relief.
Well, I don't have to worry about that for now, Lyria thought, pushing the concern to the back of her mind. After a few more days of preparation, the Snowpelt family finally left for the capital. The family traveled through air by a Skytalon, at the airport they got into a ordered ClawRider heading for silverbloom estate.
As they approached the Silverbloom Estate, the gatekeeper recognizing Lyria opened the gates, slowing their entrance into the private grounds. The estate was as calm and serene as usual, with almost no other vehicles passing by. After a thirty-minute drive through the estate, they arrived at their gate, which opened automatically after Lyria pressed the remote control.
"Wow!" Milo exclaimed as he saw the massive compound.
The moment the ClawRider was parked, Milo was the first to scramble out of the vehicle, running around the lawn in excitement. "Milo, be careful not to fall!" Thorne's voice followed closely behind him.
Lyria helped offload their small amount of luggage and while the rest of the family toured the compound, exclamation and compliments giving after passing every corner, Lyria's PlumeDrive caused excited spark amongst them. Lyria just glanced at them while she paid the driver who zoomed off. By nighttime, after they had finished dinner, everyone gathered in the grand sitting room.
"I think we need to hire staff," Lyria suggested. "This place is too big; it's going to need professional maintenance."
"I agree," Rowan added.
"If you want to hire workers, I can ask my mom for you," Tessa offered. "That's what her agency does." After getting their approval, she called her mother directly. The older woman agreed to source the right people for them immediately.
With that settled, the family began to head to bed. Before retiring to the guest room, Tessa went to see Lyria in her master suite.
"I'll be going home the day after tomorrow, Boss," Tessa said, trying to look serious, though Lyria's laughter quickly ruined the act.
"Alright, you can go," Lyria replied with a smile. "But don't forget our assigned tasks concerning ZEVON[1]."
"Sure!" Tessa promised before heading out.
[1] the name of the brand