The heavy, reinforced doors of the healing chamber hissed open, releasing a cloud of chilled, crimson-tinted mist. Zwager, the high-ranking Evaluator of the Union, stood waiting. His heart, usually as cold and steady as a clock, was hammering against his ribs.

A silhouette emerged from the fog.

The withered, hunched figure that had entered the room hours ago was gone. In her place stepped a woman who looked to be in the golden prime of her life—a true "GILF" in every sense of the word. She possessed a regal, commanding presence, with a silhouette defined by deep curves, ample breasts, and hips that swayed with a predatory grace. A glowing ruby ​​was embedded in the center of her forehead, and her eyes—once milky with age—were now a piercing, lethal crimson.

The moment her gaze fell upon him, Zwager dropped to one knee, his forehead nearly touching the cold floor.

"My Lady, it is the greatest honor to have you back," said Zwager.

To any outsider, the sight would have been heresy. An Emissary of the Union held more prestige and power than the patriarch of any mundane family, yet here he was, kneeling like a common servant.

"You have done well, Zwager. You have done excellently," said the Matriarch, her voice like velvet wrapped around a blade. "If it weren't for you, the Blackwood name would have been erased from history long ago. It is only because of your secret protection that I drew breath today."

"It is my duty, Mother," said Zwager, his voice thick with emotion. "I could never look my late wife in the face if I hadn't looked after you."

The Matriarch reached out, her soft, rejuvenated hand lifting her chin. "I know. You were always a son-in-law... no, the only son-in-law I ever truly respected."

"Coming from you, that is my ultimate blessing, Mother," said Zwager. "Tell me, what are your orders? What must be done from this moment forward?"

The Matriarch turned her head, looking toward the window as if she could see through the very walls of the estate. "Mmm... you will continue as you have. Report what happened tonight to the Union. Omit nothing, but exaggerate nothing. Let nature take its course. As for me... I have unfinished business with certain filth. The Soaring Blaze... it has been a long time since this lady tasted their wine. I think I shall go and collect a few bottles."

Zwager's eyes widened. "Mother, wait. You've only just recovered. Attacking them now... wouldn't it be too dangerous?"

The Matriarch didn't speak. She simply turned her gaze back to him. The sheer pressure of her aura hit Zwager like a physical weight, a crushing power that made his very soul tremble to his core. The terror was so absolute it paralyzed his lungs.

Zwager lowered his head again, trembling in genuine fear.

Seeing his reaction, the Matriarch let out a low, musical laugh. Her smile was filled with a devastating charm—a beautiful rose surrounded by poisoned thorns. Her presence was so intoxicating, so overwhelmingly feminine and powerful, that Zwager felt a sudden, involuntary erection straining against his trousers. I stayed perfectly still, terrified; he knew that if he was so much twitched or tried to touch her, his head would be torn from his shoulders a second later.

"I am glad you worry for me, truly," said the Matriarch, her smile widening. "But remember: they only managed to ruin me because of a vile, cowardly ambush. That will not happen again. Now... tell me. What can you tell me about that boy? The one who sold me the potion... Ethan Blake."

Zwager kept his head bowed, his breath hitching as he tried to maintain his composure under the Matriarch's overwhelming presence. "Ethan Blake is a phantom, Mother," said the evaluator. "He appeared out of nowhere, seemingly a mere CEO of a private security firm called Royal. But tonight, he proved he is anything but ordinary."

The Matriarch leaned back against a marble pillar, her crimson eyes narrowed in thought. "I saw how he handled that dog, Axhel Rhodes. It was a delicious sight. Tell me the details," said the woman.

"Axhel was the Commander of the Celestial facility where Blake's people were being held. Blake didn't just rescue them; he dismantled the facility's entire defense grid alone. To appease his wrath and prevent a total slaughter, Ross Bailey stripped Axhel of his rank and handed him over to Blake as a tethered slave. The boy dragged him out of here on a chain like a mangy cur," said Zwager.

The Matriarch let out a cold, appreciative hum. "Cruel. Efficient. I like him already. But I need more than gossip, Zwager. Where does he come from? Who is his master? No one reaches that level of power and produces Grade 4 elixirs without a lineage or a monster backing them. What is the source of his wealth? What are his true plans for this city?"

Zwager felt a bead of cold sweat roll down his neck. "That... that is my failure, Mother. I must apologize. I underestimated him from the start. I treated him like a talented brat with a bit of luck, and because of that, I didn't initiate a deep-dive investigation until it was too late. He is far more terrifying and powerful than any report suggested. His background is a fortress I haven't been able to breach yet," said the evaluator.

Zwager kept his head bowed, his breath hitching as he tried to maintain his composure under the Matriarch's overwhelming presence. "Ethan Blake is a phantom, Mother," said the evaluator. "He appeared out of nowhere, seemingly a mere CEO of a private security firm called Royal. But tonight, he proved he is anything but ordinary."

The Matriarch leaned back against a marble pillar, her crimson eyes narrowed in thought. "I saw how he handled that dog, Axhel Rhodes. It was a delicious sight. Tell me the details," said the woman.

"Axhel was the Commander of the Celestial facility where Blake's people were being held. Blake didn't just rescue them; he dismantled the facility's entire defense grid alone. To appease his wrath and prevent a total slaughter, Ross Bailey stripped Axhel of his rank and handed him over to Blake as a tethered slave. The boy dragged him out of here on a chain like a mangy cur," said Zwager.

The Matriarch let out a cold, appreciative hum. "Cruel. Efficient. I like him already. But I need more than gossip, Zwager. Where does he come from? Who is his master? No one reaches that level of power and produces Grade 4 elixirs without a lineage or a monster backing them. What is the source of his wealth? What are his true plans for this city?"

Zwager felt a bead of cold sweat roll down his neck. "That... that is my failure, Mother. I must apologize. I underestimated him from the start. I treated him like a talented brat with a bit of luck, and because of that, I didn't initiate a deep-dive investigation until it was too late. He is far more terrifying and powerful than any report suggested. His background is a fortress I haven't been able to breach yet," said the evaluator.

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