Supreme Bloodline Evolution System

The large bedroom door swung shut behind Max, sealing away the noise of the citadel and leaving the burdens of his growing kingdom on the other side, at least for a little while.

"So, how did it go?" Agnia asked.

She was sitting near the edge of the enormous bed, slowly brushing Rosalia’s silky, snow-white hair while the latter rested comfortably in front of her. The moment their man returned, soft smiles appeared on their flawless faces, welcoming him with a warmth that made the tension remaining in his body slowly begin to fade.

Max walked toward them with a satisfied smirk on his face, his dark coat shifting lightly around his legs.

"What do you think?" he teased as he sat down beside them, sinking slightly into the soft mattress and allowing himself to enjoy this rare moment of peace once more.

"How many did you keep alive?" Rosalia asked with a quiet snicker, tilting her head just enough to look at him from the corner of one silver eye.

"All of them, but there was some blood, I suppose."

Rosalia’s eyebrow rose, while Agnia immediately gave a knowing nod as if his answer had confirmed everything she had already expected.

"It is because they are women. Of course our beloved husband had a soft spot for them," Agnia chimed in, not wasting even a second before biting back at Max while she still had the opportunity. "Seven beautiful elven women entered his citadel, and somehow all seven survived. What an unbelievable coincidence."

Max turned his head toward her, noticing the smug curve of her lips and the amusement burning in her black eyes.

"Husband to Rosalia," he replied.

He reached for Rosalia’s hand and carefully lifted it from her lap, his fingers moving over hers with a softness that contrasted sharply with the blood he had spilled only a short while ago. Rosalia looked down at their joined hands, the teasing smile remaining on her lips as Max gently caressed her slender fingers.

"And to you?" Max continued, shifting his gaze toward Agnia. "Well, I suppose we can talk about making our marriage official pretty soon."

The brush froze halfway through Rosalia’s snow-white hair.

Agnia’s fingers tightened around the handle, and her hand trembled as she stared at him with a dumbfounded expression, all the playful confidence disappearing from her face so quickly that Max almost laughed. Even Rosalia’s silver eyes widened at what he had said, her gaze moving between the two of them as though she wanted to make certain she had not misunderstood him.

Agnia had expected him to retaliate with another joke, perhaps reminding her that she had once hated him or teasing her about how quickly the proud Fire Queen had grown possessive after learning that she carried his child, but she had not expected this.

"You really mean it?" she asked, her voice coming out much quieter than usual. "I can... I can officially become your wife?"

She did not understand why the words affected her so deeply. She had once ruled the Fire Dragons as their queen, commanded armies, and watched warriors lower their heads before her without feeling the slightest nervousness, yet this simple promise from Max made her heart pound so wildly that, for a moment, she thought it might leap out of her chest.

Her free hand moved instinctively toward her stomach.

The life growing inside her already connected them in a way that nothing could erase, but somewhere beneath her pride, Agnia had continued fearing that Max might only see her as the mother of his child, a powerful woman he desired and wanted to keep close without ever truly giving her a place beside him. She had never allowed that fear to reach her face, yet the warmth now spreading through her chest made it almost impossible to hide how much his words meant to her.

Max’s teasing expression softened as he watched her. The shock in her eyes, the slight tremble of her lips, and the way she held one hand protectively over their unborn child told him that she was not pretending this time.

"Why do you look so surprised?" he asked. "Did you think I would have you carrying my child, calling me your husband whenever it suited you, and then refuse to marry you?"

Agnia’s lips parted, but no answer came immediately.

"You never said that you would," she finally whispered.

"I am saying it now."

Max extended his free hand toward her.

Agnia slowly placed the brush aside, careful not to catch it in Rosalia’s hair, before allowing him to take her hand. His fingers closed around hers, and the simple warmth of his touch sent another nervous shiver through her body.

"I will marry you properly," Max said, looking directly into her black eyes. "Not merely because you are carrying my child, and not because the Fire Dragons expect it. I will do it because I want you beside me."

The last traces of Agnia’s playful smile vanished as her eyes began to glisten.

For once, the proud Fire Queen had no sharp response waiting for him.

Rosalia watched the two of them in silence, her surprise gradually turning into a warm smile. She reached back and gently placed her hand over Agnia’s, offering quiet reassurance as the woman who had once been her enemy struggled to contain emotions that no battlefield had ever managed to draw from her.

Agnia lowered her face, golden-red hair slipping across her cheeks as she tried to hide how close she had come to crying.

"You had better not change your mind," she murmured.

Max’s smirk returned.

"I defeated your army, took your lands, made you carry my child, and somehow survived your personality. Do you truly believe marriage is the part that frightens me?"

Agnia’s head snapped upward.

"My personality?"

Rosalia covered her mouth, but a soft laugh still escaped between her fingers.

The emotional warmth in Agnia’s eyes immediately mixed with familiar irritation, and she pulled one hand free before striking Max against the shoulder.

"You ruined the moment, you bastard!"

Max laughed as she struck him again, the sound filling the bedroom while Rosalia finally gave up trying to restrain her own laughter. The burdens waiting beyond these walls had not disappeared, and neither had the fallen empire, the armies requiring his orders, or the enemies still moving somewhere beyond his sight.

Still, for a little while, Max allowed all of them to wait as he remained upon the bed with Rosalia and Agnia, enjoying the warmth of the strange family their violent path had somehow created.