Inside Maelona’s house…
The grand hall was vast, easily spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of people. Yet, at this moment, only seven individuals were present, along with one butterfly that fluttered tirelessly, hovering around them as if it were part of the conversation.
“It will take some time for the maids to prepare the food and arrange everything,” Maelona said softly, her voice carrying a gentle warmth as she sat down at the large rectangular table. The others were already seated, looking around, each of them clearly wondering what they should do in the meantime. “So… any ideas on how we should pass the time?” she added, glancing at the group with mild curiosity.
A thoughtful silence filled the air as everyone frowned, deep in contemplation. The question lingered for a few moments before someone finally broke the silence.
“How about playing cards?” Raven suggested, her voice carrying a subtle sharpness, as if she were already eager for a match.
To her disappointment,
“That’s one of the most boring games ever,” Thalia commented with an exasperated sigh. Her expression twisted into pure annoyance, her lips pursed as if she had endured the torture of endless card games before.
It was clear from her face alone that she had absolutely no interest in playing.
Her very presence radiated an unmistakable ‘NO’ without her needing to say another word.
She must have suffered a lot under Raven’s relentless enthusiasm for the game.
Raven, however, was undeterred. She pouted, crossing her arms. “You only hate it because you keep losing,” she shot back, a playful smirk forming on her lips. “If you could actually use that bird brain of yours, maybe you’d stand a chance, idiot!”
Thalia’s eye twitched. “Oh? You think you’re smarter than me, you little shithead?” she snapped back.
Watching their usual bickering unfold, Maelona chuckled, the corners of her lips curling into a soft, amused smile. “You two honestly look like sisters,” she mused, shaking her head in amusement.
Thalia lifted her chin with pride, “Well, duh, we are,” she declared confidently, as if stating an absolute fact.
Maelona blinked, tilting her head slightly. “Sisters? Really… ah.” She cast a questioning glance at Aether, who, upon realizing her silent inquiry, let out a small cough before shifting the conversation.
“Anyway,” Aether said, his voice carrying a subtle smoothness as he redirected the topic, “why don’t we just give the card game a try? It might actually be fun.”
Raven’s eyes instantly lit up with satisfaction. She leaned in slightly, flashing a confident grin before winking at him. “That’s my husband,” she purred playfully, clearly pleased with his support.
An invisible arrow seemed to strike every other woman present. Their collective reactions were almost synchronized—taking in a deep breath, eyes narrowing slightly as they fixated on Raven.
It was clear from their intense gazes that they were determined… to utterly crush her in the game.
But this wasn’t just any simple card game.
The game they were about to play was a mix of strategy, wit, and pure cunning. It wasn’t just about luck—it was about manipulating the board, outmaneuvering opponents, and securing victory through deception. Unlike ordinary card games, this one had unique rules that allowed players to deploy powerful action cards, create temporary alliances, and set up brutal counterattacks that could shift the tide of the game in an instant.
Winning wasn’t just about having good cards—it was about knowing how to use them, predicting moves, and being ruthless enough to take every opportunity.
Raven took the deck in her hands, her fingers moving with effortless precision…
She shuffled the cards swiftly, each flick of her wrist displaying years of practiced skill. The way the cards fanned out between her fingers, only to be stacked back together with seamless ease, made it evident—she wasn’t just playing for fun.
She was playing to win.
Her smirk widened as she looked around at her so-called opponents.
“You better not cry when I completely destroy you,” she teased, her eyes gleaming with playful arrogance.
Thalia cracked her knuckles, the sound echoing slightly as she leaned forward. “You sure talk big for someone who’s about to get wrecked”
“This game actually requires intelligence, you dumbass,” Raven muttered under her breath.
Thalia’s eyebrow twitched, and a visible vein popped on her forehead. ‘Let’s see who actually loses their brain first!’ she thought to herself.
Raven let out a small, dramatic sigh before spinning a card effortlessly between her fingers. “Alright then,” she declared, her tone dripping with excitement. “Let the massacre begin.”
Just then, a new voice chimed in.
“What about the prize?” Liora asked, her tone laced with curiosity.
“Hmm?” Aether raised an eyebrow.
“I mean… whoever wins should be rewarded with something, right?” Liora pointed out, tilting her head slightly as she spoke.
The group exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. After all, a game without stakes wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining.
“Hmm… What about seven Golden Arcane Crystals?” Thalia suggested.
“Nah… How about an entire garden filled with rare, unique herbs?” Aria added.
“Hmm… what about a running competition instead?” Raven suddenly chimed in.
Everyone blinked…. A running competition?
Ignoring the strange suggestion, Maelona finally spoke up, her voice carrying an air of authority. “How about ruling the empire for one day?”
“…”
A heavy silence followed.
That was… definitely too much for a card game.
As they continued debating the prize, Aether sat back, watching the heated discussion with an amused expression.
He couldn’t help but wonder—was this what his life was going to be like from now on? Surrounded by chaos, laughter, and endless arguments?
Not that he minded.
After all, these people were his family…. He already could imagine his family~
Meanwhile, Dora quietly observed the scene. She could already tell none of them were actually going to claim whatever prize they decided on. But as she glanced at the women, then at… Aether, a devious little smirk curled at the edges of her lips.
“What about…” she began, her voice slow, deliberate, and filled with mischief. “The winner gets to ask anything from the losers?”
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Everyone flinched as the words sank in. It’s not that great until,
“Mama~Papa~”
The silent butterfly suddenly chirped, as if it had been waiting for this exact moment.
Instantly, every pair of eyes in the room turned toward Aether.
Their gazes burned with unspoken desire.
They were still jealous of Maelona, who had already given birth to Aether’s child. Even though they knew it wasn’t that simple, deep down, they felt that they should also have a claim on him.
A tense silence followed as the women looked at each other, exchanging subtle glances, silently communicating…
Aether, who had been daydreaming about his future just moments ago, suddenly snapped out of his thoughts as he noticed the intense, almost predatory stares directed at him.
“W-What?” he stammered, looking around at the group, who were now fixated on him as if he were the prize itself.
“Yeah, deal.”
“Yep, I’m in.”
“I’m already on board.”
“I will get it first!”
Thalia, Aria, Raven, and Liora nodded furiously, their eyes burning with a newfound determination, while Maelona remained silent, her cheeks flushed with a soft blush.
Meanwhile, Dora’s grin widened, sly and mischievous. “If everything is fine, then… shall we begin?”
Aether’s brows furrowed as he took in the sudden intensity radiating from all of them, “…Wait. What’s going on here?”
Dora let out a low chuckle, her smile turning almost predatory. “Nothing… just a game,” she replied smoothly, but there was something in her tone that made Aether’s stomach tighten.
Aether gulped.
Whatever was happening… he was absolutely certain that he wasn’t going to like it.
Without another word, he reached for his cards as Raven expertly dealt them out to everyone.
The moment he looked at his hand, his face went completely blank.
Not a single useful card.
It was as if fate—or something far more sinister—had personally decided to screw him over.
His eyes flickered to the others, scanning their faces. Sure enough, they were frowning too, their expressions filled with disbelief and frustration. It was clear they had been dealt a similarly miserable hand.
And yet…
Raven was giggling.
That was when it clicked.
They had been set up.
‘You want to play like that… ah?’
Everyone frowned as their thoughts aligned in perfect unity against Raven. Silent glances were exchanged, a mutual understanding forming between them without a single word spoken.
Raven, still giggling, rested her chin on her palm, looking at them with an infuriatingly smug expression. “Oh? What’s with those faces? Did I do something wrong?” she asked, her voice dripping with feigned innocence… which was rare, to be honest!
Aether, staring blankly at his worthless hand, let out a long, exhausted sigh. He already knew how this was going to end.
This was no longer just a card game.
This… was war!
And the victor… would win the ultimate prize.
Aether’s child!!
That was the unspoken agreement shared between them, each woman locking eyes with the others, the same burning determination reflected in their gazes.
…Well, all except Maelona. She wasn’t exactly thinking along those lines. But if she did win… maybe she could ask for something later.
The game unfolded with ruthless precision.
Cards slammed onto the table with brutal finality. Alliances were formed and shattered within seconds. Every move was an ambush, a deception, a desperate scramble toward victory.
Raven, for all her arrogance, was the first to face the storm.
She fought back, countered where she could, but it wasn’t enough. The others had already decided her fate.
Her smirk flickered, faltering slightly as she placed a card on the table—only for Thalia to counter it immediately.
“Intercept.”
The moment the card landed, Raven’s eyes widened in shock. “You little—”
Aria followed up without hesitation, tossing her own card down with a grin. “Reversal. Your remaining hand is cut in half.”
Raven paled as two of her precious cards were ripped away from her grasp. “Wait—WAIT—”
Liora grinned and slammed down another. “Penalty Draw. You have to take three useless cards.”
Raven’s hand, once carefully balanced, was now bloated with dead weight. Her jaw clenched, beads of sweat forming on her forehead as she desperately tried to think of a way out.
But Maelona delivered the final blow.
“Forced Drop.”
Raven’s last valuable card was stolen away from her.
She froze, staring at her empty hand in utter disbelief.
Aether sighed. “Raven… you’re out.”
Silence.
Then—
“NOOOOOOOOOOO!!”
Raven screamed, flailing backward in a dramatic display of agony.
The others exchanged victorious nods.
The first predator had fallen.
But the war was far from over.
Thalia was next in the crosshairs. She fought bravely, making a bold play to shift the balance in her favor, but Aria struck her down with brutal efficiency.
“Chain Lock. You can’t make a move next turn.”
“Hand Drain. Discard two cards.”
“Misfortune. Random penalty drawn.”
Thalia’s carefully built strategy crumbled before her eyes. She gritted her teeth, shaking her head in defiance. “No… NO! I refuse to—”
Liora smirked, placing the final piece of the puzzle. “Elimination Play.”
Just like that—Thalia was out.
She slammed her hands on the table, eyes burning with rage. “I will have revenge!” She shot a murderous glare at her sister, “You worthless idiot!! We lost!!”
Raven’s lips twitched.
One by one, they fell.
Aria lasted the longest but found herself caught in a relentless onslaught from both Liora and Maelona. Every move she made was countered. Every attempt to recover was crushed before it could begin. Her resources dwindled, and eventually—
“Final Strike.”
Aria sighed, leaning back in frustration. “Dammit… I was so close.”
Liora, however, wasn’t so lucky either. She had played aggressively, forcing the game forward with reckless abandon. But she had failed to notice Maelona’s silent maneuvering, her careful, calculated steps.
By the time she realized it, it was already too late.
“Silent Ruin.”
Liora’s final hand was obliterated in an instant.
She stared blankly at the table. “…No way.”
Maelona smiled gently. “Checkmate.”
Aether sat up slightly—though, truthfully, he had already lost long ago. He hadn’t even lasted halfway through the game.
To be fair, he was actually quite good at card games… but this? This was something entirely different. The rules were new, strange, and, more importantly—everyone had ganged up on him to make sure he lost.
But that wasn’t the point now.
Now… only two remained.
Maelona.
And Dora.
Dora’s sly smile hadn’t faded for even a second. She had been playing in the shadows the entire time, quietly watching, carefully waiting.
Maelona’s eyes darkened slightly as she stared at the board.
“…I lost?”
Her voice was quiet, almost in disbelief, as if she genuinely couldn’t understand how it had happened.
But as she glanced at the cards—at the intricate web of strategy that had ensnared her—realization struck.
‘A trap…?’
Slowly, her gaze lifted toward Dora, who still wore that same small, knowing smile.
It was then that Maelona understood.
Dora had planned this from the very beginning…. while everyone focused on Aether and others… she focused on who was a potential threat~
The game had been decided before it had even started.
Dora let out a soft chuckle, her wicked grin growing as she turned toward Aether, who flinched.
“What?” he asked warily.
The others leaned forward, anticipation rising in the air.
They could feel it. Something was about to happen.
Something big.
Dora’s voice was smooth, almost too casual, but there was a quiet edge to it—a subtle threat lingering beneath her words.
“The losers have to do anything I say… So, Let’s….”