Lilian hummed softly as she stirred the pot of beef stew, the rich aroma of herbs and spices filling the kitchen.

  She'd spent the st hour carefully preparing the meal, ensuring every ingredient was perfectly banced. The meat had been simmering until tender, and she'd added fresh vegetables from the market – just the way Iskandaar liked it.

  “Mhm!” Her tail swished happily as she tasted a spoonful, satisfied with the seasoning.

  The warmth of the kitchen and the prospect of sharing a quiet dinner with him lightened her heart. These peaceful moments had become precious to her, especially after all the recent chaos. She had never imagined feeling this way when she first became his maid.

  Has it really been that long already…?

  Her ears twitched at the sound of footsteps approaching the door. Grinning, she quickly wiped her hands on her apron and rushed to greet him. "Welcom-"

  The word died in her throat as she saw Nebu standing beside Iskandaar, her silver hair gleaming in the mplight.

  Lilian's smile faded into a scowl. "Why are you here so te?"

  "It's not that te," Iskandaar said, running a hand through his hair. He was defending her and looked quite awkward doing so. "We haven't even had dinner yet."

  Lilian crossed her arms, the wooden spoon still clutched in one hand. "...Fair. But I only cooked dinner for two people."

  "You can eat that," Nebu's voice carried a hint of challenge as she met Lilian's gaze. "My fiancé and I don't pn to eat dinner, we're going to sleep early. Right, Iskandaar?"

  "What?" The temperature in Lilian's voice dropped several degrees. How dare this wench say that? She'd cooked for him so excitedly!

  Rather than confronting her, her head snapped toward Iskandaar. "She's going to sleep here? Why? What about Sora? She will be here soon for Dual Cultivation."

  "Dual Cultivation?" Nebu's eyebrows rose with curiosity.

  "I'll expin the situation ter," Iskandaar said quickly, then turned to Lilian. "Could you please go tell Sora we won't be doing it tonight?"

  "'Please'? Why're you requesting her?" Nebu asked, her eyes narrowing. "I understand you two are close, but she's still your maid. She should listen. Why's she scowling?"

  Lilian's eyelids twitched as she stared at the scene before her. This bitch. This is ridiculous, she thought. She just ruined the night. And him… look at him.

  She couldn't believe it. After everything we've shared and all we've been through, does he have to parade his fiancée around in front of me? Bastard.

  The smell of the carefully prepared dinner now seemed to mock her.

  She turned to Iskandaar, fixing him with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. “Alright, as you ask, young master.”

  “....”

  Without another word, she walked out of the room, leaving him standing there with a troubled expression as she headed to find Sora.

  ****

  Lilian stormed through the dorm hallway, her boots clicking against the stone floor with sharp, angry steps.

  The evening air felt hard to breathe, and her chest was full of frustration as she made her way to Sora's quarters. Her tail shed behind her, drawing curious gnces from passing students who quickly stepped out of her path.

  That vampire wench, acting all high and mighty just because she's his fiancée. Like some spoiled princess. The thought made her grind her teeth. The memory of Nebu's smug expression burned in her mind, making her blood boil. And him... just standing there without stopping her.

  She didn't even feel sad.

  She just wanted to punch him.

  As if from that desire, she reached Sora's door and knocked harder than necessary. The sound echoed through the empty hallway as if making fun of her. A moment passed before the door creaked open, revealing Sora in casual clothes, her wings folded neatly against her back.

  “Hey, what's up? Ugh, my head hurts from all the studying…”

  "No dual cultivation tonight," Lilian said ftly, crossing her arms. "Don't bother going to his room."

  Sora's eyebrows rose, noting Lilian's rigid posture and the tension in her voice. "What happened? You seem... upset."

  "It's nothing," Lilian started but then sighed heavily. "Actually, it's that dirty vampire. She's staying in his room tonight. Sleeping there." The words tasted bitter on her tongue.

  “Ohh…”

  "Right? You get me, right? Is she some kind of kid? Why does she have to sleep with him?" Lilian's tail swished in agitation.

  “Well, um…”

  "Plus, aren't all of you super busy with your studies?" She ran a hand through her silver hair in frustration. "Well, tomorrow is Sunday, but still. Ugh, whatever." She grumbled and then looked at Sora with pleading eyes. "Can I sleep here with you? You don't have a servant, so you should have an empty room."

  Sora's green eyes studied her for a long moment, something knowing flickering in their depths. Lilian was bothered by how long she was taking to think over a simple request, but her next words made her pause.

  "You…” Sora said, “You love him, right? Iskandaar?"

  Lilian froze, her heart skipping a beat. She knew she did but didn't want others to know yet. It'd cause trouble for him. Heat rushed to her face as she quickly shook her head. "What? No! It's not like that at all. I just-"

  A soft ugh cut through her protests. "It's alright," Sora said, leaning against the doorframe. "I'm not judging you for loving a taken man. Shouldn't it be Iskandaar's fault instead?"

  "Don't talk about him like that," Lilian snapped, though her voice had less heat than before.

  Sora shrugged, her wings rustling slightly. "I mean sure, but think about it. Since he did make you fall for him, shouldn't he be equal to you like he's with Nebu? If not that, then shouldn't he choose one of you at least?" Her eyes locked with Lilian's. "Lilian, come on, are you really going to lose?"

  "..."

  "Listen to me," Sora's lips curved into a smile that made her eyes glitter with mischief. Lilian had never seen her like that. "Yes, I have an empty room here, but I have a better idea. So... just do as I say, alright? I have a pn..."

  Lilian watched as Sora's smile widened, something both dangerous and exciting dancing in her expression.

  ****

  Sunlight filtered through my window, pulling me from sleep. My lids parted slowly, and I yawned, trying to orient myself. When I tried to push myself up, however, I froze.

  To my left y Nebu, her silver hair spread across my pillow like moonlight caught in silk, her peaceful face inches from mine. But what made my heart stop was what I found on my right. Lilian, curled up like a content wolf, her arm draped across my chest, radiating warmth like a personal furnace.

  Goddammit, I’m finished. How did I end up sandwiched between my vampire fiancée and werewolf maid?

  I was worried about Lilian. She looked mad when I sent her to Sora, and she didn't return for half an hour. By then, Nebu had fallen asleep, so I did, too.

  I expected Lilian to have spent the night in Sora’s pce. But… but she'd done something crazier.

  This wasn't exactly how I'd pnned to start my morning.

  ““Mhm..””

  Both girls stirred almost simultaneously as if sharing some cosmic joke at my expense. Lilian's ruby eyes opened first, eyes falling on Nebu rather than on me. She knew what she was doing, given the zy smile that spread across her face as she spotted Nebu on my other side.

  “Good,” Lilian stretched, cat-like – or wolf-like, I suppose – and sat up with a yawn that showed just a hint of her sharper canines. “Morning~”

  “....?” Nebu blinked at the sight, her expression confusing. Red and blue stars stared into each other until Lilian smirked.

  "I'll freshen up and make some tea~" she said casually, as if this was the most normal situation in the world.

  Nebu's scowl could have frozen hell itself as she watched Lilian leave. “What the hell is going on?” She turned that icy gre on me before getting up without a word. She stared at me, and I cleared my throat.

  “I can expin,” I said. “How about you wash up first?”

  She stared at me with confusion, doubt, and barely contained anger. The heat in the room dropped a few degrees, and that wasn't just my imagination pying tricks on me. When a half-vampire gets angry, you feel it in your bones? Or blood, I guess.

  Despite her anger, Nebu listened, went to my washroom, and gave me some time to think.

  This wasn't good.

  This wasn't good at all.

  I stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling and contempting how exactly I'd ended up in this mess. I wanted to expin things to Nebu one day, yes, but not out of the blue like this. My Sunday morning was doomed.

  One moment I was pnning a quiet morning of studying or training and the next, I was caught between two daggers. A flutter of wings drew my attention to the window, and a bat nded on my shoulder, its tiny cws pricking through my shirt.

  "See?” the bat said. “I knew you weren't loyal; I sensed the Mark of Vargathrian on you." Munera Obsidian’s voice came from the bat, dripping with dark amusement.

  “You-?!”

  "Though I must say, you have a peculiar taste in women, even if it bothers me that my daughter is one of them. A werewolf and a vampire? How scandalous. Let’s see how you handle this,” she finished.

  Of all the people to catch me in this compromising position, it had to be this woman. No, more importantly… Has she been stalking her sleeping daughter? No way.

  My eyes twitched. She’d definitely use this on Nebu against me. “Can you get out of here?” I asked, and she chuckled, flying away. “Fuck.”

  This wasn't funny anymore.

  ****

  The morning sunlight painted patterns across the white surface, but I barely noticed them through my brooding.

  My head throbbed with the beginnings of what promised to be a spectacur headache. The mess I'd gotten into troubled my brain.

  The warmth from where both girls had in still lingered on either side of me, and part of me wanted to ugh at the absurdity of it all. Here I was, the Heavenly Demon halfling, caught between a vampire and a werewolf like some bad romance novel.

  But there was nothing funny about the pain I might cause them both. I had to be serious here. I knew this day would come eventually, and I had to confront it.

  The game's original storyline had never included anything like this. It didn't even have a harem route. The protagonist followed Nebu's predetermined route with no real feelings involved. But I wasn't Orion, and just pying a character here. These were real people with real emotions, and I'd managed to entangle myself with both of them.

  I ran a hand through my messy hair. Enough compining. This was inevitable. I need to handle this properly. Better to face it now than let it fester.

  The sound of footsteps approaching made me sit up straighter, squaring my shoulders for what was coming.

  Lilian entered first, carrying a tray with three steaming cups of tea. Her silver hair was slightly damp from washing her face, and she'd changed into a fresh maid uniform. The familiar scent of jasmine wafted through the room as she set the tray down. “Here's your tea, young bastard.”

  “I think you mean young master,” I said.

  “Shut up. You're dead after she leaves,” she muttered, and I shook my head.

  Almost simultaneously, Nebu emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed in her bck dress, her hair still wet from the shower. She moved with rigid grace to the couch facing my bed, her face a careful mask of neutrality that didn't quite hide the storm in her eyes.

  "Alright then. Start talking," she said, her voice clipped and cold.

  I gestured to Lilian. "Sit down first. We need to discuss this properly."

  Instead of taking one of the empty chairs, Lilian practically threw herself onto the bed beside me, pressing against my side with deliberate closeness. Her tail curled around my wrist possessively.

  Nebu closed her eyes and let out a long, controlled sigh. The temperature around her dropped once again.

  "Lilian, please," I said, keeping my voice steady. "Sit down properly. This is very serious."

  She huffed but complied, moving to the couch near Nebu with exaggerated reluctance. Her ruby eyes held a challenge as she settled into her seat.

  "Now," Nebu's arms crossed over her chest, her fingers drumming against her sleeve. "Expin. Everything. What is up between you two?”

  I drew in a deep breath, feeling the deep emotion in both their gazes on me. The morning sun streaming through the window suddenly felt too bright, too exposing.

  I stared at both of them, my throat dry despite the tea sitting untouched before me. The words felt heavy on my tongue, but there was no avoiding this now.

  "Look, about what happened..." I spoke slowly. "Things have changed recently. Lilian and I... we've gotten closer."

  Nebu's eyes narrowed. "Define 'closer.'"

  "We slept together," I said bluntly. No point dancing around it now.

  My blood seemed to slow down, and my body felt colder. Red frost formed on Nebu's teacup's rim as she processed my words. Her face went through several emotions before settling on something between shock and rage.

  "You... what?" Her voice came out barely above a whisper. "You slept with your maid?" Nebu's voice came out barely above a whisper, each word sharp as ice shards. "While being engaged to me?"

  "I'm not just a maid," Lilian cut in, her tail bristling. "I'm a member of the Lune Wolf Tribe, and my grand-"

  "Shut up." Nebu's hand smmed against the armrest. "I'm talking to my fiancé."

  "No, you shut up," Lilian stood, her ruby eyes fshing. "You think just because you're his fiancée, you own him? Where were you when he was fighting for his life? Where were you when your grandfather was trying to kill him? When he was injured? I was there. Always."

  "Oh?" Nebu rose too, blood frost spreading from where her fingers touched the furniture. "And where were you when he saved me from the Holy Knight? When we shared blood?"

  “Are you really bragging about being rescued?” Lilian scoffed.

  I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Both of you, please-"

  "And you shared blood?" Lilian's growl filled the room. "So what? In the past year, I shared everything with him!"

  "Everything?" Nebu's ugh held no warmth. "You're just a servant who got above her station. Our families arranged our engagement. We have a future pnned."

  "A future pnned by others!" Lilian's voice rose. "At least what Iskandaar and I have is real!"

  The atmosphere in the room swung wildly between freezing and burning as their energies cshed. Nebu’s frozen blood began to boil, and Lilian’s Lunar aura cooled the room.

  Books rattled on shelves, and the tea cups on the table clinked dangerously.

  My patience reached its limit.

  They'd be mad if I stepped in, but I could only watch for so long. I didn't like them fighting, and I'd already long decided that I wanted them both. My jaws clenched, and my Qi rattled within me.

  "Enough," I said, my golden eyes glowing slightly. The room froze, and my Qi filled the space. "Stop this stupid debate. You two want to argue? Fine. But you will not do it in my presence like squabbling children. Either sit down or leave the room—I’ll talk to you in private."

  Both of the girls stilled, and when they tried to open their mouths, certainly about to tell me to shut up, I gred back at them. It was unfair to do this, but it was getting on my nerves. Lilian clenched her jaw, and Nebu crossed her arms; they started to fidget and looked away.

  I’d already made my decision, I just had to convey it to them now.

  While I searched for words to properly bring it up, sharp knocks at the door cut through the tension, interrupting me. All three of us turned toward it with identical expressions of annoyance.

  With a frustrated sigh, I snapped my fingers. An additional Phantom Hand materialized and yanked the door open.

  Sora stood there, her green eyes taking in the scene. Nebu and Lilian stood toe-to-toe, boiling blood and cool energy warring in the air between them, and me sitting on the bed with a deep scowl.

  “Ah, hello, guys?” Her lips curled into an oblivious smile. "What's going on?"

  “....”

  Sora stepped inside, her wings folded neatly against her back. The morning sunlight caught her crimson feathers, making them shimmer like liquid fire.

  Her presence added another yer of complexity to an already complicated situation. I didn't like it

  "What's going on?" she repeated when none of us answered, closing the door behind her.

  "Sorry Sora, but this is a little personal," I started, but Lilian cut me off.

  "Why? Just tell her. She's part of the cult." Lilian's tail swished behind her, still agitated from the tone of her voice.

  Nebu's head snapped toward Lilian, her blue eyes fshing with anger. "This isn't a cult situation. It's a retionship situation that you're putting your finger between!" Her voice rose sharply, blood boiling further across the furniture she touched.

  "Oh, so now you're deciding what situations are what?" Lilian stepped closer to Nebu, her ruby eyes bzing. "Last time I checked, you weren't even around when-"

  "When what?" Nebu's voice dripped with venom. "When you decided to seduce my fiancé?"

  "Seduce?" Lilian let out a bark of ughter. "That's rich coming from someone who-"

  "Enough!" Sora's voice cut through their bickering like a knife. The room stabilized as both women turned to look at her. She stood there, arms crossed, her green eyes taking in the scene with an almost clinical detachment.

  “What?”

  "I apologize for shouting, but I think I have a gist of this situation," she said, giving me a look that made me want to sink through the floor. I rubbed the back of my head, avoiding her judgmental gaze.

  Sora's lips pursed, and she shrugged. "This is going to sound crazy, but… Why don't you guys just, you know, share him?"

  The room went dead silent. I could practically hear the dust settling on the windowsill.

  "What?" Nebu's voice came out strangled.

  "What?" Lilian echoed, her tail freezing mid-swish.

  I watched the scene unfold with a mix of dread and fascination. Lilian shot Sora a look of utter betrayal, and I suddenly understood – this had been part of some pn between them. Why else would Sora be here suddenly? Clearly, Sora wasn't following whatever script Lilian had hoped for. What's she doing?

  "Share?" Nebu's voice cracked slightly on the word.

  Sora settled into an empty chair, completely at ease despite the tension crackling through the room. "Well, yes. Think about it logically.”

  “And what logic is there to this?”

  “You're both powerful women with your own strengths. You both clearly care for him. And let's be honest, this isn't exactly a normal situation we're dealing with." Sora expined.

  I watched Lilian's tail droop as her pnned alliance crumbled. She'd probably expected Sora to take her side, not propose... whatever this was.

  "I… I shouldn't have to share," Nebu said finally, her voice tight. "We were engaged first. Our families arranged it."

  I couldn't help but sigh at that. "Actually, Nebu... Lilian is also engaged to me. It's a bit complicated, but yes." I met her startled gaze steadily. "Her grandmother, Vargathrian, the Beast Hero of Legends, marked me as Lilian's… mate."

  “The Beast… what?” Nebu's head snapped to look at Lilian, who scoffed.

  “Whoa,” Sora said, “That sounds more formal than Nebu’s arrangement, in my opinion. A [Hero]’s promise is much more binding than one between noble houses.”

  Silence fell over the room like a heavy bnket. Nebu's eyes were wide now as she processed this information while Lilian's tail perked up slightly.

  Sora shrugged into the quiet, her wings rustling softly. "Just give it a thought. He's not a normal man," she said, leaning back in her chair. I mean... if I were in your position, I wouldn't mind sharing him. Ahh, not that I want to. I'm just saying."

  Both girls' heads snapped toward her so fast I worried they'd hurt themselves. The Last Phoenix smiled, unfazed by their reaction.

  "Think about it. He's a God. Basically. At least, one day he will be. Men lesser than that have engaged in polygamy. It’s really not that uncommon even in the Empire." Her eyes met mine briefly before returning to the others. "I don't know why he's even entertaining this banter between you two. You're both his fiancée, so just accept it and manage. Or leave. One of you. Or both. I don't think it'd change anything for him since he can always find better women. I think Chancellor Amelia has eyes for him too.”

  The silence that followed Sora's words felt heavier than any demonic pressure I'd faced. It was a little embarrassing to be in the middle of all this as I watched both girls process what she'd said.

  "I... I need some time to think-" Nebu started, her voice wavering.

  "I don't mind," Lilian cut her off, her tail swishing confidently. "If some people want to waste time thinking, they can do that. But I don't mind. I mean, if I minded, I wouldn't have slept with you knowing you slept with a filthy vampire."

  "Hey, watch your mouth," Nebu scowled but fell silent.

  The boiling blood around her fingers began to recede as she realized the corner she'd been backed into. Lilian had thrown down the gauntlet. She'd chosen to share, but if Nebu hesitated now...

  I didn’t waver. She could take her time, but if she expected me to wait forever, that’d be unwise. I wanted her, and I wanted her loyalty. If that was something she couldn’t give, then I wouldn’t force her to stay. Lilian realized that, and she’d already made her choice.

  "This- this is crazy." Nebu's shoulders slumped slightly. "...Fine, I'll accept her too. For now. We're just engaged anyway, so it's not as if I am accepting a 2nd wife. I… I'll accept this for now. Alright?"

  "Well," Sora's smile widened as she got up and backed toward the door. "That's that. You guys are welcome, and I'll leave you be. It's a Sunday morning, how about you guys get along together? Make it a competition or something about who… loves him more. Or something, I don't know.”

  Then, she left. Lilian pounced before I could process what she had been implying, wrapping her arms around me tightly. The bed creaked under the sudden movement, and I stared up at the ceiling. I still couldn’t believe these two girls had accepted Sora’s crazy logic.

  Nebu stood watching us for a moment, her face a mix of emotions, before letting out a grumble and joining the embrace.

  The two started bickering again as I sighed at the ceiling. The sensation didn’t feel real; the situation itself didn’t. Once again, I was sandwiched between a werewolf and a vampire, their warmth and coolness creating an oddly comfortable contrast.

  As our clothes flew, many thoughts swirled in my head. Next, something out of every young man’s dream unfolded. And somehow, amid that all, one thought stood out: Just what are you up to, Sora?

  TheVeiledMan