Day of the Festival

'Years of being reborn in a historical fantasy world, and here I am, building my kingdom with just three subordinates,' Aelorin mused, leaning back in his chair. Unlike when Alpha was born, Aelorin didn't need to do much training or babysitting with the two new arrivals. Alpha had taken charge of their upbringing. She was a brilliant teacher, connecting with them in ways Aelorin couldn't even fathom.

Still, there was always work to be done. **Always.**

Sighing heavily, Aelorin pushed open the wooden door to his private bathroom, his eyes falling on the unusual sight of Alpha and Gamma, both naked, standing a good distance from the bathtub like it was their sworn enemy.

'Don't tell me they're scared of getting into the water?' His brows furrowed as he stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. "Come on, don't chicken out on me. Get into the tub! You're girls; this should be easier for you!" He waved his hand dismissively, more out of frustration than confidence.

The response he got was not what he expected. Alpha and Gamma clung to each other tightly, crying—literally crying.

Aelorin groaned internally. Of course, they were beast people. Cats hated water, and apparently so did these two. Still, this was getting ridiculous.

"Look," he began, trying to keep his patience, "I didn't come here for some kind of fan service. I'm a guy! Give me a break!" He stretched his hand toward the tub, flicking his fingers. Instantly, water rose from the tub in tendrils and flew at the two girls, soaking them head to toe.

Their reaction was immediate. Both Alpha and Gamma screamed, collapsing to their knees in a drenched, shivering heap, burying their faces in their hands like he had just sentenced them to death.

Aelorin blinked, utterly lost. 'What the hell? Is this how parents feel when their kids freak out over something dumb? What would a father do in this situation?'

He cut off his water manipulation, sighing in defeat. "Alright, alright, I'll make this easier."

Without much thought, he stripped off his clothes and slid into the tub. The remaining water barely covered his gut, but it was enough. He leaned back with a grunt, closing his eyes.

"See?" He spread his arms wide, trying his best to sound welcoming. "Let's just soak together. Cassanova is here, and we're gonna get clean—" His thoughts were cut off when he suddenly realized the absurdity of the situation. 'Damn it, these girls are turning me into some kind of pervert!'

To his horror, both Alpha and Gamma, still dripping wet, exchanged glances and, in the blink of an eye, leapt into the tub. They practically tackled him, arms wrapped around his chest, their wet bodies pressing uncomfortably against him.

Aelorin's heart pounded in his chest as a wave of awkwardness crashed over him. 'Ahhhhh! What the hell are they doing? This is getting… hard! This isn't supposed to be happening!'

"How long are we going to soak?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady, though his nerves were shot.

"Let's stay a while," Gamma purred, squeezing even tighter. "I love it like this."

'Love it like this?! My tolerance can't last more than a minute! All dudes out there, lend me your strength!'

But no strength came. The bath lasted a torturous ten minutes, with Aelorin sitting stiff as a board, trying his best not to move or think too much. By the time the girls finally got out, leaving him alone in the tub, Aelorin felt like a lifeless corpse, staring up at the ceiling in a daze.

'Being a Beast Master is definitely not as easy as I thought,' he thought bitterly.

Days passed, and the preparations for the Silver Leaf Festival grew more intense. After what felt like an eternity in self-imposed confinement, Aelorin was finally allowed to leave his chambers.

When Seraphina first saw him again, she was genuinely shocked. "You're not fat," she remarked, surprised. "I thought all that food would've made you chubby."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Aelorin muttered, rolling his eyes.

In his absence, the kingdom had been abuzz with activity. His father was due back soon, and preparations for the festival had reached a fever pitch. The festival was a once-in-a-decade event, drawing family members from every corner. For the first time, Aelorin met more of his siblings—six of them, to be precise.

Each sibling was as striking as the last, ranging from powerful men who looked no older than twenty-five to elegant women with the same silver hair. Elves, after all, aged at a snail's pace. Aelorin figured that once they hit twenty, aging slowed to a near standstill. His parents, for instance, were likely over a hundred but still looked thirty.

'I guess that's why everyone looks so young. Makes sense in a fantasy world, but it still weirds me out.' He quickly lost interest in family reunions and returned to his room, preferring solitude over being coddled by siblings who found him 'cute.'

The night of the festival arrived. Aelorin sat on his bed, staring at the large oakwood box in his hands. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma knelt beside him, their eyes wide with anticipation. The box was coated in a crescent dust preservative, a material the elves used to keep antiques in pristine condition.

"Now witness the robes of a Lord," Aelorin announced dramatically, pulling the lid open to reveal his festival attire.

Inside was a silver robe, a pair of trousers, and a top, all shimmering faintly in the dim light. Aelorin began to change, slipping into the garments with a slight frown. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but this was a far cry from the impressive attire he had envisioned.

"My Lord, it's… amazing," Beta praised, clapping softly.

"It's plain," Gamma muttered, unimpressed.

Aelorin glanced at the mirror and scowled. "Who the hell designed this? This is the kind of outfit a caveman would wear!"

Gamma's curiosity piqued. "You always talk about fashion from your world. Can you show us an example?"

Aelorin paused, considering her request. He had talked to them about Earth's fashion in passing, mostly out of boredom, but now that they were asking…

Suddenly, a notification appeared in his vision.

{To evolve this material, you will require a nail's worth of Cell.}

{Do you want to evolve the material?}

Aelorin raised an eyebrow. Evolve the material? He wasn't sure what that meant, but out of curiosity, he chose **yes**.

His left pinky nail transformed into a strange fluid that seemed almost alive, slithering up his arm before crawling onto the clothes. The moment the fluid touched the fabric, the material shimmered and shifted, as though infected by some kind of magic.

{You have successfully completed your first evolutionary material.}

{You have gained 1 Beast Point.}

{You have accomplished a new achievement: Created a new race that does not exist in this world.}

{You have created… Slime.}

"Slime?" Aelorin stared at the shimmering material in disbelief. "I just made a slime? Out of clothes?"

Alpha, Beta, and Gamma watched with wide eyes, clearly impressed.

"Uhm… what are the advantages of slime, anyway?"

**Author's note**

My phone is gone... Screens misbehaving and it's difficult to type. Forgive me if the chapter doesn't digest smoothly. Thanks for reading.