Chapter 56: He’s a Strange Kind of Man

“Now. Where were we?”

Adrazelle’s voice settled over the chamber.

The crystalline walls still hummed faintly from the dissolving hologram, casting shifting motes of light across the assembled Guardians.

Adrazelle’s veiled form leaned forward slightly. “The insult against my Daughters cannot stand unanswered. Ravena will lead the expedition into the Giant Realm. Pyraelle and Kaelith will accompany her.”

The Giantess gave a slow nod.

Pyraelle’s flames flickered with eager delight, while Kaelith’s nine tails swished once in anticipation.

Then Adrazelle’s veiled gaze turned directly to Hyun-woo. “And you, Hyun-woo, will go with them.”

The chamber erupted.

“What?!” Ebonara shot upright, her eight gem-like eyes flashing through a storm of crimson and gold. Her tail tightened around Hyun-woo’s leg. “Have you lost your fucking mind, Mother? He’s ours—my cutie pie—not some disposable scout!”

Medusa’s aura sharpened, her serpent tail lashing once against the floor with a sharp crack. “He is no warrior of our realms. Sending an outsider—especially him—into the Giant Realm is reckless.”

Stheno slammed a clawed hand on the table, golden snake-hair hissing wildly. “Yeah! Why the hell would we drag him into that shithole? He’s barely been here!”

Euryale crossed her arms, her slit-pupil eyes narrowing. “This stinks. What’s your angle?”

The other Guardians murmured in agreement, a wave of protective suspicion rippling through the semicircle. Even Ravena looked mildly surprised, her booming voice tempered with doubt. “A human? In the Giant Realm?”

Adrazelle remained unmoved, her flowing black silk drifting as if stirred by an unseen current. “The false Poseidon clone nearly overwhelmed Medusa and Stheno both. Two of the sisters, pinned and nearly broken by a mere imitation. Yet Hyun-woo defeated that copy. So, yes, I am asking him to go with you.”

Hyun-woo’s breath caught. Sex Beast… I barely understand it myself. But if I say no, they go without me. And if something happens to them because I stayed behind… His chest tightened at the thought of Ebonara’s fierce grin fading, Medusa’s cool touch growing colder in absence. He wasn’t a hero by nature—he was the guy who overthought hobbies—but these women had become home. Messy, possessive, terrifying home.

He lifted his gaze, voice steady despite the flutter in his stomach. “I’ll go.”

The protests died into stunned silence.

“But,” Hyun-woo continued as he met Adrazelle’s veiled stare, “I want something in return.”

Adrazelle regarded him for a long moment, the chamber holding its breath. Then her voice carried a faint note of amusement. “You may ask for anything, Hyun-woo. As long as my daughters are safe.”

The tension broke. Ebonara grumbled something filthy under her breath but squeezed his hand.

Medusa’s grip softened with reluctant pride.

The other Guardians exchanged glances—some impressed, some wary—but none challenged Mother further.

“The team departs at dawn,” Adrazelle declared. “Prepare yourselves.”

With a collective ripple of space, most of the Guardians vanished. Ravena stared for a long while at Hyun-woo before leaving last.

The chamber emptied until only Hyun-woo and his immediate company remained: Ebonara still coiled around him, Medusa at his side, Stheno and Euryale lingering with crossed arms.

Hyun-woo stood slowly, heart still pounding from the decision. As Adrazelle’s veiled form began to shift, preparing to depart, he called out.

“Mother—Adrazelle. Wait.” For a split second, he had forgotten he could just use her true name.

She paused, the flowing silk stilling around her. The remaining women tensed, eyes flicking between him and the ancient being.

Hyun-woo stepped forward. “Before we go… there’s something I want to give you.”

Adrazelle looked at his face and said, “I hope it’s not another punch.”

Hyun-woo staggered. Woman, that was a one-time thing, and you deserved it, he thought. “No, no, it’s not like that.”

He reached into his storage and pulled out a carefully wrapped bundle. The packaging was simple but thoughtful: dark cloth tied with a silver cord he’d bought in Pearland. He stepped forward, the others looking curious as to what he was about to give Mother.

Adrazelle watched, motionless. “You wished to bring me this?”

Hyun-woo met the place where her eyes should be, his soft face sincere, a little awkward, but resolute. “Because I could.” He gently but firmly shoved the bundle into her hands before she could protest. “Just a gift I wanted to give ya. Figured you might like it. Also, yes, it’s not for a favor. I just wanted to buy something for you. That’s all.”

Before Adrazelle could form a reply, Hyun-woo glanced back at the others and said with a smile, “Let’s go home.”

Space rippled.

Hyun-woo and his company vanished from the chamber.

Adrazelle stood alone in the vast, crystalline meeting room. For a long time, she just stood there.

The silence was long.

But eventually, she slowly exhaled, the sound carrying the weariness of eons.

Her veiled fingers traced the simple wrapping, almost hesitant. For a long moment, she simply stared at the bundle as if it were some unfamiliar artifact from a forgotten age.

Finally, she unwrapped it.

Inside lay a bottle of aged whiskey, deep amber liquid catching the light and illuminating in crystal gold.

Beside it rested a custom crystal decanter set, elegantly cut and engraved with subtle, self-sustaining runes that would keep any drink poured within it perfectly chilled for centuries.

Small thoughtful extras accompanied them: a fine silver tasting cup etched with delicate star patterns, a soft velvet cloth for polishing, and a small, hand-carved wooden box containing rare incense that smelled faintly of distant pine forests and warm spice.

They were simple, mortal luxuries—hardly the tribute usually offered to a being whose existence spanned empires and wars. But that was exactly why they mattered.

Adrazelle stared.

No demands. No hidden price. No desperate plea for power, protection, or secrets.

Just… a gift.

A soft, genuine laugh escaped her lips—low, warm, and surprised. It echoed gently through the empty chamber, dissolving centuries of calculated detachment as she finally understood.

“So this is why those man-hating sisters cling to him so fiercely,” she murmured, her voice laced with quiet wonder. “He is a very strange kind of man.”

She uncorked the bottle with a twist of her fingers. The rich, smoky aroma of aged oak and caramel filled the air.

Instead of using the decanter immediately, she tilted the bottle to her lips and took a slow, deliberate sip.

The whiskey burned smooth and deep, washing over her. It was a comforting, fiery heat that thawed paths inside her long left frozen and untouched by simple mortal pleasures. For a moment, the crushing isolation of her endless centuries melted away into the rich, oaky warmth. A faint smile curved beneath the veil.

“…Not bad at all.”

She poured a measure into the crystal decanter, watching the runes glow softly as the liquid chilled instantly. Another sip followed, slower this time, savored in the quiet grandeur of the chamber.

For the first time in longer than even she cared to remember, Mother Adrazelle felt something dangerously close to fondness.

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