Chapter 127: A Morning for four

Erik woke when sunlight had already slipped through the gap in the curtains, leaving a long streak of light across the bedroom floor. He did not open his eyes immediately, because the first thing he felt was the warmth surrounding him from three different directions.

Elowen lay on his left, both hands still clinging tightly to one of his arms as though afraid Erik would quietly get out of bed before she woke up. Her beautiful face was almost buried against his shoulder, while her silver-white hair spilled across his chest and arm, so soft that every time she breathed, several strands gently stirred against his skin.

Meira lay on his right, one slender leg unconsciously draped over Erik’s thigh. Her knee pressed so close that he only needed to move slightly to feel her soft weight. Laviana lay diagonally behind him, one arm around his waist, her body pressed to his back through the thin blanket. Her steady breath brushed against the nape of his neck, while one leg had casually hooked over his as well, showing no intention of leaving even the slightest space for Erik.

Erik lay still for several seconds before thinking to himself:

’At least I am still alive.’

He gently turned his head to the right. Meira was sleeping deeply, without her usual mischievous expression. Her Elven face looked far softer in sleep, her ears slightly drooped from being pressed against the pillow, her golden hair faintly disheveled across the bedsheet. Erik watched her for a moment, then reached out to brush several strands of hair from her cheek.

The movement was very light, but Meira still slowly opened her eyes.

The two looked at each other from less than a handspan away. Her green eyes were still hazy, her lashes blinking several times as though she had not fully woken yet. After a while, Meira softly called out, her voice hoarse and quiet from just waking up.

"Master..."

Before Erik could answer, Meira moved closer. She slipped one arm around his neck, crawling forward until her bare shoulder pressed against his chest, then buried her face in the hollow of Erik’s neck as though intending to go back to sleep. Her warm breath brushed his skin, making Erik laugh softly.

"You are awake, yet you are pretending to sleep?"

"I am not awake," Meira replied naturally, her voice muffled against his chest. "I am dreaming."

"You can still talk in a dream?"

"Yes."

Erik looked at the golden head rubbing lightly against his chest, then finally raised a hand to stroke her hair. His fingers brushed over her soft Elven ears, making Meira tremble faintly before hugging him tighter.

"Then go back to sleep."

Meira was silent for several seconds, then raised her head again. The distance between them immediately became close enough for their breaths to mingle. Her green eyes still held the laziness of sleep, but the corners of her lips had already curved with amusement.

She did not say anything else and instead kissed Erik first.

The first kiss was very light, only their lips touching like a morning greeting. But when Erik instinctively held her waist, Meira pressed closer. The soft skin beneath his hand grew a little warmer, and the arm around Erik’s neck tightened. Meira’s lips parted, allowing the kiss to gradually deepen, becoming gentler, without any of her usual haste or teasing.

It was unlike the times when Meira deliberately tried to make him flustered.

It was only a kiss that lasted long enough for them both to clearly feel the other’s presence, along with the warmth lingering after a night that had been far too long.

When Erik pulled away, Meira did not leave immediately. Her forehead rested lightly beneath his chin, both hands placed on his chest, her fingers unconsciously tracing the taut muscles beneath his skin.

"Good morning." She smiled softly.

Erik looked at Meira’s lips, now redder than before, and replied, "Good morning."

"I like this kind of greeting."

"I know."

"The same tomorrow?"

"Depends on your behavior."

Meira immediately raised her head and gave the corner of his lips another quick kiss. The kiss was very brief, but before pulling back, she deliberately brushed her lips lightly across Erik’s lower lip.

"I will be very good."

Before Erik could respond, Elowen’s voice sounded from his left.

"Mother."

Meira stiffened.

Erik turned his head. Elowen had opened her eyes at some point. She was still hugging his arm, her silver hair spread over the pillow. Her face did not show any particularly obvious emotion, but her blue eyes were staring directly at her mother.

Meira immediately regained her composure, even smiling naturally.

"Good morning, daughter."

Elowen did not reply. Her gaze swept from Meira to Erik, then stopped on his lips for several seconds. Erik raised a brow slightly.

"What?"

Elowen looked at him a little longer, then slowly moved upward. She braced her hands on Erik’s chest, her silver hair sliding over her shoulders. Her ears had already begun to redden, but she still tried to keep her face calm.

Erik understood, so he lowered his head.

Elowen met his lips with a kiss shorter than Meira’s, but it was clearly not simple. At first, she only touched her lips to his very lightly. Then she wrapped her arms around Erik’s neck, keeping him there for several more seconds. When Erik tried to pull away, Elowen unconsciously parted her lips, allowing the kiss to deepen a little before she finally let go.

By the time they separated, her ears were visibly red.

"Fair," Elowen said, trying to keep her voice calm.

Meira immediately laughed.

Elowen turned to look at her mother. "Do not laugh."

"I did not say anything."

"You are laughing."

"I am happy."

Elowen gave a soft huff, then pulled the blanket up to hide more of her increasingly heated face. Yet her hand still held Erik’s, with no intention of letting go at all.

At that moment, the arm behind Erik tightened slightly. Laviana had woken up at some point. Her slightly messy red hair spilled over the pillow, her red eyes lazily watching the two Elf women. She was still pressed to Erik’s back, one leg draped over his thigh, her face resting against his shoulder. Her warm breath against his neck made Erik turn toward her.

Laviana smiled.

"It seems I missed quite a lot by sleeping a little longer."

Erik looked at her. "Do you want a good morning too?"

"I was waiting for you to ask first."

Erik raised a hand to hold the back of Laviana’s neck and pulled her closer. The kiss with the red-haired woman was not long, but Laviana was clearly not the type to be satisfied with a simple touch of lips. She tilted her head on her own, one arm looping over Erik’s shoulder as her soft lips slowly held his. Before pulling away, her tongue lightly brushed over his lower lip, then she gave it a gentle bite, enough to make Erik exhale.

Laviana’s red eyes curved with amusement.

Erik looked at her. "I knew it."

"Knew what?"

"You cannot behave."

Laviana rested her forehead against his shoulder, her voice carrying her familiar teasing tone. "I never said I was well-behaved."

The three women still had no intention of getting out of bed. It took Erik several more minutes to pry away Elowen, Meira, and Laviana’s hands one after another before he could finally stand up.

When he stepped onto the floor, he finally saw the state of the room clearly. The blanket had been pulled crooked across most of the bed, clothes lay in several places where they should not have been, a pillow had fallen near the door, and even the chair against the wall had been pushed to another position. Erik looked around once, then rubbed his forehead.

Yesterday had gone a little too far.

Just as he bent to pick up a shirt, a red light in the corner of the room suddenly caught his eye. A small camera was still blinking.

Erik stopped immediately.

He turned to look at Meira. She was leaning against the headboard, initially not understanding why he was looking at her. But when Erik raised a hand and pointed at the camera, the smile on Meira’s face slowly froze.

"..."

Erik walked over to the table, found the remote, and turned the device off.

"You forgot?"

Meira was silent for two seconds. "It seems so."

Elowen, who was putting on a shirt, immediately turned around. Her face, already red from earlier, grew even hotter. "What?"

Erik answered for her. "A livestream."

Elowen paused. "Until when?"

"A few minutes ago."

"Mother!"

Meira pulled the blanket over half her body. This time, her expression truly held a little guilt. "I really forgot."

Laviana had already sat up, her red hair slightly messy but her expression still frighteningly calm. She only asked, "How were the viewing numbers?"

Erik turned to look at her. "That is all you care about?"

"I work in media." Laviana shrugged.

Erik picked up Meira’s phone. The password was not a secret, because Meira had long since given nearly all of her personal information to him. The moment the screen opened, thousands of notifications appeared. The number in the corner of the app made Erik immediately feel that he did not want to know more.

But he still scrolled through several comments.

[Tell us in advance next time!]

[Why did the camera only show the ceiling during the second half?]

[Is Lady Meira still alive?]

[I stayed awake until morning!]

Erik immediately closed the app.

Another notification appeared right afterward.

[Group: Silver Moon Mature Beauties]

He looked at the group name. Meira immediately spoke up. "You do not need to look at that."

Erik turned to her. "Now I want to."

Meira immediately crawled over to take the phone. The blanket loosely wrapped around her slipped down slightly, exposing her pale shoulder and the soft curves beneath it. Erik held the phone up high, while Meira hugged his waist from behind and tried to reach for it.

Her soft body pressed against his back, making Erik lose his balance slightly, but he still managed to open several messages.

[Has Meira woken up yet?]

[If she has not, do not call.]

[Ask Erik what kind of woman he likes.]

[Better ask whether he is accepting applications.]

Erik immediately locked the screen.

"Enough."

Meira snatched the phone back, hugging it to her chest as though protecting the greatest secret of her life. "I told you that you did not need to look."

"How long have you been in that group?"

"A long time."

"And they talk like this every day?"

Meira thought for a moment, then answered honestly, "Sometimes they are even bolder."

Erik decided not to ask further. He bent down, picked up his shirt, put it back on quickly, then said, "I will go make breakfast."

Elowen immediately stepped forward and grabbed his wrist.

"Let me."

Erik looked at her. "You?"

Elowen nodded, her blue eyes still serious as though she had just taken on a mission more important than treating patients. "You have cooked many times already."

"I cook because I know how."

"Then teach me."

Erik was slightly surprised, but he still smiled.

"All right."