Chapter 507: Back to the hall

They were completely lost in their thoughts when the Elder’s voice pulled them back to reality.

"When Kain was younger," she began, her tone shifting into something more nostalgic, "he was a dependable man. He didn’t waver—not even when he had hundreds of bare tits pressed toward him, eager and desperate to be chosen."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, the memory as vivid as if it had happened yesterday.

"He didn’t give in to lust," she continued, "because he understood the weight of his seed. It wasn’t about pleasure—it was about legacy, about survival."

Her gaze drifted back to Rael.

"And now, it’s your turn to understand that."

Julian smiled, the corner of his mouth curling with mischief. "Hmm... I don’t think I can do that, Elder."

His eyes dropped, trailing slowly down to the racing chests of Mara and Lira. Their robes barely covered their forms, the swell of their breasts rising and falling with each breath, practically begging for attention.

He let out a soft, exaggerated sigh. "With a marvel like

that

in the room, I don’t think any man could keep his control."

Mara blushed, biting her lip to hide a smirk. Lira rolled her eyes, but a smile played on her lips regardless.

The Elder, however, did not look impressed. She crossed her hands, her eyes sharpening as if she had dealt with one too many cocky boys in her time.

"Then let’s hope," she said, "your cock has more discipline than your mouth."

Julian’s eyes flicked back to the Elder, his gaze now roaming boldly over her. It started from the curve of her neck, then dropped lower—lingering shamefully on her breasts.

A slow, sly smile spread across his lips.

"Discipline, hmm?" he murmured. "Would you

dare

find out, Elder?"

Mara and Lira exchanged wide-eyed glances. Mara’s hand fluttered to her mouth to hide a laugh, while Lira’s eyes sparkled with wicked awe, clearly entertained by Julian’s audacity.

"Bold," she whispered, shaking her head. "He’s going to get us all in trouble."

But the Elder didn’t flinch. Her lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes narrowing with a mix of irritation and perhaps amusement.

"I have a husband," she said. "And I am old enough to have seen far worse than you, boy."

Julian’s grin only deepened, his eyes gleaming with untamed fire.

"Age and marriage," he murmured, "are only as strong as the desire they can contain. I wonder which one keeps you bound more tightly, Elder."

Mara and Lira gasped, yet both of them could feel the electric charge crackling between Julian and the Elder.

The Elder took a slow step closer, the scent of her mingling with the raw lust hanging in the air.

"Be careful," she warned softly. "I have more power than you can imagine. And far less patience for insolence."

Julian’s eyes burned brighter. "Then maybe it’s time you tested just how much patience I have."

For a moment, everything went silent.

The soft crackle of the torches, the faint hum of the runes, and even the faint shuffle of Mara and Lira seemed to fade into nothing.

It was just the Elder—standing perfectly still, her eyes fixed on him—and Julian, meeting her gaze with that shameless, unflinching grin. The air between them was tense, and no one could tell what was about to happen.

But to everyone’s surprise, the Elder simply laughed. Without so much as glancing back at him, she waved her hand dismissively.

"Enough of this. You three—fix yourselves up and join the main hall."

She didn’t offer another word, didn’t look back, and within seconds she disappeared into the dim hallway.

For a brief moment, the chamber was silent again. Then Julian chuckled, pushing himself upright from the floor.

"You heard her," he teased, his eyes sweeping lazily over the two ladies.

Mara’s cheeks burned as she adjusted her robes, muttering something under her breath. Lira gave him a sly smile, brushing her hair back.

**

Back in the main hall, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation. The women were still seated in clusters, but their attention kept drifting toward the passage where the test rooms lay.

Kain and Allen had returned long ago, their evaluations completed quickly and without much fuss. Kain’s arms were crossed, his expression calm but watchful, while Allen looked mildly uncomfortable under the stares of the villagers.

The whispers, however, weren’t about them. Every hushed conversation, every impatient glance, was about the one man still missing.

"Why is Rael taking so long?" a younger woman murmured, leaning toward her friend.

"Mm, maybe because his test is... more thorough," another replied, her tone teasing.

An older woman huffed, fanning herself with the edge of her sleeve. "Thorough or not, it’s improper to keep us waiting this long. Unless—" she paused, her eyes gleaming with a mix of suspicion and envy, "—Mara and Lira are simply enjoying themselves too much."

That caused a ripple of laughter among the gathered women.

"They’re probably clinging to him like vines," one woman said under her breath.

"If they keep him in there much longer, he’ll be too drained for the rest of us," another grumbled, her words half-joking, half-serious.

Even Annie, sitting toward the back, could feel the mounting tension. Her calm mask didn’t falter, but inside she was tangled in emotions she didn’t want to name—unease, irritation, and a strange, gnawing curiosity about what exactly was happening in that room.

Just as the chatter in the hall grew, a sudden echo of footsteps snapped their focus.

Every head turned at once.

Three figures emerged from the dim passage—Julian, Mara, and Lira.

The moment the women saw him, the energy in the hall shifted.

"Look—there he is!" someone whispered loudly.

"He’s

finally

back," another sighed in mock relief.

Julian’s steps were steady, but there was no denying the faint looseness in his movements. His hair was slightly disheveled, his dress clinging a little too closely to his skin.

"He seems... drained," a woman muttered.

"Drained? More like

emptied

," her friend snorted. "Mara and Lira must’ve sucked him dry."

That earned a round of giggles, though some of the women’s smiles were tight with jealousy.

"Hmph. Figures those two would keep him longer than necessary," one older woman said, crossing her arms. "Always taking chances just because they can."

"They didn’t test him," another cut in with a smirk, "they

tasted

him."