Her breasts became partially submerged, the nipples still visible above the surface for a moment before she sank lower and they too disappeared beneath the steaming water.
Finally, Seraphine settled into a seated position on the submerged bench, positioning herself directly across from Julianâsufficiently far away that there were perhaps ten feet of water between them.
The water came up to her shoulders from this seated position, her neck and head remaining above the surface. Her blonde hair, which had been loose around her shoulders, was now getting damp from the steam, beginning to curl slightly at the ends.
The silence stretched between them, and the only sounds were the gentle lapping of water against marble, the occasional drip from somewhere, and their breathing.
Now that she was face-to-face with Julian, Seraphineâs confident expression from moments ago had softened into something more vulnerable.
Julian met her gaze calmly. He made no move to approach her, seemingly satisfied to let this moment exist as it was.
The silence continued for another long moment.
Then Seraphine shifted slightly, adjusting her position on the bench, and the movement caused small ripples to spread across the waterâs surface. She tilted her head slightly, her expression becoming genuinely curious rather than seductive.
"Father," she said, her voice softer now, "can I ask you something?"
"Of course," Julian replied.
"Were you always strong?" Seraphine asked. "I mean, when you were youngâbefore you became what you are nowâwere you powerful from the beginning? Or did you have to struggle and fight for every bit of strength like the rest of us?"
Julian considered the question, a slight smile playing at his lips. "No one is born powerful, Seraphine. Even those with exceptional talent must work to realize their potential."
"But surely you had advantages," Seraphine pressed, leaning forward slightly, genuinely interested. The movement caused the water to shift around her, drawing attention briefly to her collarbones. "You created an entire world. Thatâs not something an ordinary person accomplishes."
Julianâs expression became thoughtful, his gaze growing distant with memory. "Hm, Iâm not sure about that. Back in our original world, I awakened the lightning element as my first element. We were dukesâone of the rulers of the kingdom, serving directly under the king. Nobility with significant power and resources."
He paused, his fingers making small ripples in the water. "And most importantly, I got help from... something."
He emphasized the word "something" in a way that made it clear there was more to the story, something significant he wasnât fully explaining.
Seraphineâs eyes sharpened with curiosity. "What is this âsomethingâ?" she asked, leaning forward slightly in the water. "You make it sound mysterious."
Julian chuckled. "I call it the System. Itâs... like a friend. A guide. Something that helped me understand cultivation showed me paths I wouldnât have found on my own."
His tone was intentionally cryptic, not explaining further. Just that vague description raised more questions than it answered.
Seraphine rolled her eyes. "Youâre not going to explain further, are you?"
"Not today," Julian confirmed with a slight smile.
"Mysterious," Seraphine muttered, but she didnât press.
Julian continued. "Slowly, I, along with your mothers, reached this pointâthis level of power. But although I would love to compliment myself and claim it was all skill and determination..." he paused, meeting Seraphineâs eyes directly, "everything that happened to me was because of luck. Tremendous, impossible luck."
"Being born into a dukeâs familyâluck. Awakening a rare elementâluck. Finding the Systemâincredible luck. Surviving battles that should have killed meâluck. Meeting each of your mothers at exactly the right momentsâluck. Even achieving the God Realm the way I did was pure chance, not planned."
Seraphine smiled, her expression warm and slightly teasing. "The wivesâ part surely wasnât just luck. You canât tell me that Regina, Eleanor, Lisa, Isabel, and all the others fell for you purely by chance. Youâre charming, Father. Anyone could fall for you if you turned your attention to them."
Julian smiled at the compliment, a hint of pride in his expression. "Perhaps I have some charm."
"And what was the purpose behind us?" Seraphine asked, her tone becoming more serious, more pointed. "Having daughters. Why did you want children?"
Julian raised an eyebrow at the question. "Oh? What else could it be? You were born out of love. Your mothers and I wanted to create something that represented our bonds, our relationships. Wanting children is natural when you love someone."
Seraphine chuckled, the sound carrying a knowing edge. "Yes, and...?" She let the word hang, clearly expecting more.
Julianâs smile widened slightly, amused by her persistence.
"I am sure a man like you wouldnât be so half-assed about something as important as having children," Seraphine continued, her eyes sharp and perceptive. "Thereâs always more to your decisions. So what was the other reason?"
Julianâs expression showed clear admiration for her. "Youâre very sharp," he acknowledged.
"I learned from watching the best," Seraphine replied. "You, Mother Eleanor, Grandmother Reginaâall of you think several steps ahead. So tell me, what was the other purpose?"
Julian leaned back against the bench. "Youâre right, of course. There was another reason, another purpose beyond just love and wanting a family."
He paused, considering his words carefully. "Breeding. Continuation of our lineage. Ensuring that what weâve built, what weâve achieved, doesnât die with us."
Seraphineâs expression didnât changeâsheâd clearly expected something like this. "Breeding," she repeated. "You mean creating powerful offspring who can carry on your legacy."
"Exactly," Julian confirmed.
His expression shifted, a mischievous glint entering his eyes. "And to be exact, the plan was to expand our family through them. Through you."
Seraphineâs eyes widened, her breath catching for just a moment. "So you were planning to breed us too?" Her voice carried shock mixed with something elseâexcitement, perhaps. "Make us carry your children? Create another generation directly from you?"
"Well, that was the plan," Julian said casually, as if discussing something as simple as weather. "Why create powerful daughters only to have them mate with lesser beings and dilute the bloodline? Better to keep everything concentrated, pure."