Chapter 578: The Situation of the World - Part 2

"There’s a portal of some sort," Seraphine explained, "in the far corner of the world, near the boundary of what we’ve explored. Occasionally—maybe once every few years—creatures break through it."

Julian frowned thoughtfully. "A portal?"

"Yes," Lyanna confirmed. "The creatures that emerge are always powerful—at least early demi-god level. They’re also always... different. More aggressive, more dangerous."

"We can handle them," Cassandra added quickly. "Between the three of us and the forces we’ve trained, we’ve never had a breach that caused serious damage. But we can’t seal the portal itself. We’ve tried various techniques, but nothing works permanently."

Julian sat back, his expression thoughtful. "A portal," he murmured, and then recognition sparked in his eyes. "If I remember correctly, when I was creating this world, I established a secondary realm within it. Arenath."

All three daughters’ eyes widened.

"Arenath?" Seraphine repeated. "We’ve heard that name. Some of the older creatures who came through the portal mentioned it before we subdued them. What is it?"

Julian’s expression turned contemplative as he accessed memories from his world-building process.

"Arenath was designed as a proving ground. A harsher environment within my world, with more dangerous creatures and more concentrated energy. The idea was that it would serve as a filter."

He looked at his daughters. "Only those truly worthy of thriving in the Throne of Gods would be able to survive in Arenath and eventually find their way through the portal to the main realm. It was meant to be a one-way passage—creatures could come through from Arenath to here, but not the reverse. A constant source of strong individuals to keep this world fresh and powerful."

"A proving ground," Lyanna said slowly. "That actually makes sense. The creatures that come through are always incredibly strong and well-adapted to combat. We thought they were invaders, but they were actually..."

"Chosen one," Julian finished.

"But we’ve been killing them," Cassandra said, looking horrified. "Or capturing and imprisoning them. We thought they were threats."

"You couldn’t have known," Julian assured her. "And to be fair, they probably are dangerous when they first emerge. Arenath would have made them that way—survival of the fittest taken to its extreme. They need time to adjust to a less hostile environment."

He drummed his fingers on the table thoughtfully. "I should visit this portal. See what’s happening in Arenath. It’s been centuries since I established it, and systems can drift without control."

"We can take you there," Seraphine offered immediately.

Julian nodded. "Good. After breakfast, we’ll go examine it."

Ahem. Ahem

. Regina cleared her throat delicately. "Darling, while I’m sure that’s important, perhaps you should spend a bit more time reacquainting yourself with your family before rushing off to inspect portals and secondary realms?"

Her tone was light, but there was a definite edge to it—a reminder that several women at this table hadn’t yet had their private reunions with him.

Julian caught the meaning immediately and smiled. "Of course, Mother. The portal has been there for centuries. A few more days won’t matter." His gaze traveled around the table, taking in the women who were watching him with varying degrees of expectation. "I have other priorities first."

Emma shifted slightly in her seat, her curvy form drawing his eye.

Cecilia bit her lip, her expression hopeful.

Elvina leaned forward, not bothering to hide her interest.

The others—Sylvia, Dakota, Aria, Ellie, everyone—watched him with similar anticipation.

"But," Julian continued, "understanding the full status of my realm is important. So let’s do this: Seraphine, Lyanna, and Cassandra—after breakfast, give me a more detailed briefing on everything you’ve built, all the systems you’ve put in place, and the challenges you’ve faced. I want to understand exactly what you’ve accomplished in my absence."

All three daughters nodded.

"Then," Julian said, "we’ll schedule a visit to the portal in a few days. In the meantime, I’ll be... reconnecting... with the rest of my family."

Lyanna made that strangled sound again and returned her attention firmly to her plate.

Cassandra found her water glass suddenly fascinating.

Even Seraphine couldn’t quite meet anyone’s eyes.

"Wonderful plan," Regina said with satisfaction. "Now, everyone eat. We have a busy day ahead of us."

As breakfast continued, conversation flowed more easily. Julian asked questions about specific aspects of the realm’s development, and his daughters provided detailed answers. The other women chimed in with their own observations and contributions to the world they’d built together.

Breakfast finished with the usual bustle of a large family gathering. Women rose from their seats, their conversations continuing in smaller groups as they began to disperse to their various castles and quarters. Each had their own tasks for the day.

Regina caught Julian’s eye as she left, her smile promising that she would be claiming more of his time soon. The others departed in similar fashion.

Julian turned to his three daughters. "I want you three to prepare a detailed written report on the realm’s current status. I want to understand exactly what you’ve built."

"How detailed?" Cassandra asked.

"Very," Julian replied. "Treat it as if you were briefing a foreign dignitary who knew nothing about our world."

All three daughters nodded, clearly taking the assignment seriously.

"We’ll have it ready by tomorrow morning," Seraphine promised.

"Take your time," Julian said. "Be thorough rather than quick. I’d rather have complete information than rushed data."

"Understood," Lyanna said, and the three of them departed together, already discussing how to divide the work among themselves.

Soon, the dining hall was empty except for Julian and the servants. They moved quietly and efficiently, beginning to clear the table of dishes and leftover food.

Julian remained seated, enjoying the peaceful moment. The morning light streamed through the tall windows, and for the first time since his return, he felt truly settled. This was his world, his creation, and seeing how it had flourished in his absence filled him with deep satisfaction.

Just then, a movement caught his eye.

Emma had returned to the dining hall, helping the servants gather the remaining plates. Her curvy, mature figure moved temptingly as she stacked dishes.

She hadn’t noticed Julian was still there. Or perhaps she had noticed and was deliberately presenting herself, knowing he was watching.