RISE OF EROS

Andrew and the others' routine didn't change much that week. They walked around the city, exploring every corner and important place during the day, and returned to the inn at night to rest.

Well, Andrew, Aki, and Zany did more than just rest, but let's not get too technical. They were at ease within the city since they knew no one would dare try anything funny against them, and they even had some vampires watching over them from the shadows.

At least, that's what Andrew thought. Unexpectedly, people can be bolder than they think. A couple of days after checking out the establishment that would become the Heavenly Palace of the city, while they were strolling through the streets, a man approached them.

The man didn't seem to have any ill intentions towards them; in fact, Andrew's Eros eyes only revealed some greed, which indicated the man had approached them with the intention of using them to get closer to Damon.

Since the man was just a regular merchant, the vampires hadn't intervened, but Oliver reacted differently. When the man tried to approach Andrew and introduce himself, Oliver stepped in his way.

The man frowned at Oliver as if questioning his move, but he didn't say anything out loud. Instead, he forced a fake smile and began to say, "Sir, I just have some business with your young master."

Given their high profile, it was impossible for Andrew and his companions to have gone unnoticed, so it wasn't hard for others to figure out that Andrew is the leader of the group, that Aki and Zany are his wives, and that Oliver is the guardian or protector.

That's why this man dared to say what he said with such confidence. However, despite his politeness, Oliver didn't budge. He possessed Aura Eyes, which, while not as strong as Andrew's Eros Eyes, were still a powerful blessing.

Such a mediocre performance from the man could not deceive Oliver's eyes, but since the man didn't have malicious intentions, apart from wanting to take advantage of Andrew's connection to Damon, Oliver didn't attack.

The man began to grow nervous as he saw that Oliver wasn't moving, and then Andrew's voice rang out, "Don't intimidate him, Oliver. The man just wants to take advantage of my closeness to the duke."

Oliver nodded at Andrew's words and stepped aside, but the man didn't move toward Andrew, even though the path was now clear. It was obvious—the man was stunned by Andrew's words and couldn't even move.

In his mind, there was only one thought: "How did he know?" Andrew, trying to further confuse the man, added with a contemptuous smile, "How did you think I wouldn't know?"

Without waiting for the man to say or do anything, Andrew grabbed his two wives' hands and walked away, with Oliver following closely behind. The man stood there, frozen, eyes wide, thinking, "Can he read minds?"

That thought sent a shiver down his spine and abandoning any idea of approaching Andrew, he ran off. Andrew laughed at his little joke with his wives, while Oliver just shook his head with a bitter smile.

What they didn't know was that this small joke created a rumor, which later spread and caused a misunderstanding throughout the city, but that's a story for another time.

Seeing the man's failed attempt, no one else dared to approach, which relaxed Andrew and his group, but just when they thought they could enjoy some quality time, someone else approached.

It was an evidently beautiful woman. She was tall, with reddish hair and a well-balanced figure. Though she wore a veil that covered her face, Andrew knew it was impossible for her not to be beautiful with a figure like that.

This woman was not only beautiful, despite her covered face, but she also had a strange presence. When Andrew looked at her with his Eros Eyes, he could see a powerful aura, which surprised him.

Oliver had a similar reaction. His Aura Eyes revealed the woman's powerful aura, and he quickly moved to block her path. Oliver was a bit panicked as this woman stood right in front of them, and Oliver hadn't been able to sense her, despite her great power.
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This could only mean that the woman wasn't ordinary, so he wanted to protect Andrew, but at that moment, Andrew, genuinely surprised, asked, "I'm surprised someone so powerful walks around the city so casually and undetected. Are you friends with the Pixoy family?"

He asked if she was a friend because her aura didn't reflect the characteristics of a vampire's aura, so it was unlikely she belonged to their family.

Andrew's sudden question surprised everyone so much that Oliver stopped moving, and the veiled woman didn't know what to do next. Due to the unexpectedness of the question, the woman answered truthfully, "I'm not friends with them, but my companion is."

The strange way she answered made Andrew narrow his eyes in confusion, but at that moment, Andrew looked up. Seeing his movement, everyone else looked up as well, but they couldn't see anything.

Not even the veiled woman or Oliver, powerful as they were, could see anything. However, Andrew could see two powerful divine auras in the sky, even though there seemed to be no one there.

Andrew easily recognized Zaros, as his divinity carried the mark of a vampire. Besides, he had already met him and could distinguish him. The other divinity was unknown, but the mark was similar to that of the veiled woman, a mark Andrew didn't recognize.

Thanks to this, Andrew understood they belonged to a race unknown to him until now. While he thought this, the others snapped out of their daze, and before Oliver could regain his composure, the veiled woman asked, "What are you looking at?"

No one expected the woman to ask that, which made them stop again, and Andrew, with seriousness, replied, "The two powerful divine auras in the sky." When his words ended, the woman looked up at the sky, and though her veil covered her face, her expression was bitter.

In the sky, the elderly woman accompanying the veiled woman looked at Zaros with a bitter smile. "To think you slipped in so stealthily, only for a girl's whim to get you discovered," Zaros said with a mocking smile.

The elderly woman smiled even more bitterly and responded in a tired voice, "She's young." Zaros burst into laughter and looked towards Andrew's group, saying, "Perhaps we should join them. Young Andrew has already noticed us."

The elderly woman was startled to hear that and, with genuine disbelief, asked, "He noticed us? How? Who is that boy?" Faced with her questions, Zaros only smiled, and as if unfolding space, he grabbed the air and pulled it aside as if it were a curtain.

Shortly after, everyone could see Zaros appear, which surprised them all. Before they could say anything, a voice echoed in their minds, "The elder Lugia and I will wait for you at the mansion."

Andrew and the others didn't know who he meant by "Elder Lugia", but Andrew guessed it was the owner of the other powerful divinity. Nevertheless, the veiled woman sighed audibly, catching everyone's attention.

"Looks like you've been called too," Andrew said with a smile. The veiled woman looked at him and, still dejected, responded, "I'm in trouble." No one understood how a woman who seemed so proud and powerful now seemed like a spoiled child who knew she was about to be scolded.

This caused Andrew's group to drop their guard around her, and Aki suddenly asked, "Who are you? Why did you approach us?" Though innocent in appearance, Aki was a specialist in gathering information, so that's what she was trying to do.

The veiled woman seemed to have let go of all mystery and suspense and, with exhaustion, replied, "Vaelyra. I was just curious about this man, as he seemed interesting."

No one expected her to answer, and although Aki and the others weren't sure if she was telling the truth, Andrew could see that she wasn't lying. Seeing her honesty, he asked the question he had wanted to ask since he saw her aura mark, "Is it too intrusive to ask your race?"

Once again, Oliver and the two girls were surprised by Andrew's words. Even the veiled woman was surprised by the question, and with curiosity, she asked, "Why do you ask?"

"Because I've never seen an aura mark like yours. I can tell you're not human, a vampire, a barbarian, an Amazon, a forest elf, a liquid spirit, and obviously, you're not a dwarf," Andrew casually replied.

"You know a lot of races," Vaelyra said, surprised, and Andrew, smiling, replied to the comment, "I've traveled a lot." The woman looked seriously at Andrew through her veil, and seeing his honest expression, she sighed and answered, "I'm a dragon. Now let's go to the mansion. If I keep the elder waiting after getting us discovered, my future looks bleak."

Vaelyra's words sounded terrifying for some reason, so Andrew and his group didn't stop her and began walking toward the Pixoy family mansion. Vaelyra joined them, and they talked along the way, trying to get to know each other better.