"He wouldn't though," Cassandra said firmly. "That's the difference. He has the power to destroy casually but chooses not to. That's what makes him worthy of that power."

"True," Seraphine agreed. "Did you see how gentle he was when explaining things? Even after I attacked him, he wasn't angry or dismissive. He used it as a teaching moment."

The three sisters stood in comfortable silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts about their father.

Then Seraphine's expression shifted. A mischievous gleam entered her blue eyes.

"You know..." Seraphine said slowly, a smile playing at her lips. "Father said he would be in the bathing chambers."

Lyanna's eyes widened immediately, recognizing that tone. "Seraphine. No."

"What?" Seraphine asked innocently, though her smile widened. "I'm just thinking... we could join him. It would be a good opportunity to discuss what we learned today in a more relaxed setting."

Both Cassandra and Lyanna turned to stare at her, their expressions shifting from confusion to understanding to mortification in rapid succession.

"Seraphine!" Cassandra's voice was scandalized. "Are you insane? We can't just... he's our father!"

"And he's bathing!" Lyanna added, her face already flushing red. "Alone! Naked!"

"So?" Seraphine's grin turned absolutely wicked. "We will bath too. It's just a bath. We're just joining him, not doing anything inappropriate. Don't be so dirty-minded."

Cassandra shook her head firmly, taking a step back. "Nope. Absolutely not. I am not walking in on our father in the bath."

"Come on," Seraphine whispered. "It would be perfectly innocent. Just family spending time together. Besides, after everything he showed us today, don't you have more questions? Wouldn't it be nice to ask them in a comfortable, relaxed environment?"

"We can ask him questions while he's fully clothed!" Lyanna protested, though her voice carried less conviction than Cassandra's. "At dinner! Or in a meeting room! Not in a bathing chamber!"

"Where's your sense of adventure?" Seraphine teased. "We're not children anymore. We're centuries old, powerful cultivators who've helped govern an entire realm. Surely we can handle seeing our father naked without making it weird."

"You're the one making it weird by suggesting it!" Cassandra shot back. Then she shook her head decisively. "No. Nah. I don't want to."

With that, she turned and walked away quickly.

Seraphine watched her go, unfazed, then turned to Lyanna with a hopeful expression. "What about you, sister? Want to join me?"

Lyanna looked torn. "I... you... that's..." She couldn't form a coherent sentence.

Seraphine took a step closer, her smile turning predatory. "Come on, Lyanna. Don't you want to understand Father better? Learn more about his experiences? This could be a great opportunity for—"

"No!" Lyanna interrupted, her voice louder than intended. "No, I'm good! I'm fine! I don't need to... I have other things to do! Important things! Training things! Bye!"

She practically fled, walking away so fast she was nearly running, leaving Seraphine standing alone in the garden.

Seraphine watched both her sisters retreat, then looked down the path where Julian had disappeared. Her mischievous expression never faded—if anything, it intensified.

She chuckled softly to herself. "Well, I guess it's just me then."

With a confident steps and a wicked grin, she began walking toward the main castle, following the path her father had taken.

Meanwhile, Julian had entered his personal chambers in the central castle. The rooms were exactly as he remembered them. The main chamber opened into several connected rooms: a sitting area, a bedroom, a study, and most relevantly at the moment, a private bathing chamber.

Julian paused in the main room and called out, "Anyone?"

Immediately, two attendants appeared. One was humanoid with faint golden scales along their arms, the other had slightly pointed ears.

Both bowed deeply. "Master Julian," they said in unison.

"Prepare the bath," Julian instructed. "Hot water. And make sure it's properly heated—I want to soak for a while."

"At once, Master," they replied, bowing again before hurrying toward the bathing chamber.

Julian moved to his bedroom and begun undressing. After few moments, he stood before the full-length mirror, examining himself. He looked exactly the same as he had before he died.

From the bathing chamber, he could hear the sound of running water and the servants moving about, preparing everything to his liking.

The bathing chamber in itself was magnificent. The room was large, easily the size of a small house, with high vaulted ceilings and windows that could be opened to let in fresh air or closed for privacy. Currently, they were open, allowing soft afternoon light to filter through the curtains.

The bath itself dominated the center of the room. It was like a small pool, built into the floor and large enough to comfortably fit a dozen people. The water was crystal clear, already steaming invitingly.

Julian could smell the pleasant aromas—some herbs and oil.

"Is everything to your satisfaction, Master?" one of the servants asked, bowing.

Julian tested the water temperature with one hand, finding it perfect. "Excellent work. You may leave. I'll call if I need anything."

"Yes, Master. Thank you, Master." Both servants bowed deeply and departed, closing the door quietly behind them.

Julian was alone.

He stood at the edge of the bath for a moment, simply appreciating the sight. Steam rose from the water's surface in gentle wisps, catching the light and creating an almost ethereal atmosphere.

Then he stepped into the bath.

The first contact made him sigh with pleasure. The hot water enveloped his foot, then his calf, as he descended the built-in steps. He moved slowly, savoring the sensation as more and more of his body entered the heated water.

By the time he reached the bottom step, the water came up to his waist. Finally, he settled into a submerged bench built into the bath's side, letting the water come up to just below his chin.

The heat penetrated deep into his muscles, releasing tension he hadn't fully realized he was carrying. His eyes closed automatically, his head tilting back to rest against the smooth marble edge.

This was exactly what he needed.

Julian let his mind drift, not thinking about anything in particular. The warm water, the pleasant aromas, the comfortable silence—it all combined to create a state of deep relaxation. His breathing slowed, his body seemed to melt into the water, all tension flowing away.

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