How much?

Her cascading hair, a fiery blend of white and orange, flowed with ethereal grace, framing her striking face like a vibrant halo.

Her orange eyes, glowing with intense allure, drew you in, inviting you to lose yourself in their depths, each glance a mesmerizing invitation.

The robe she wore clung to her form like a lover's embrace, its dark, glossy material contrasting beautifully with her radiant skin. Intricate gold accents adorned the edges, adding a touch of opulence and mystique to her attire.

Her top barely contained her generous bust, the fabric hinting at the smooth, taut midriff beneath. Every curve was accentuated with seductive elegance, an invitation for the gaze to linger and explore every contour.

Perched atop her head, her fox ears twitched playfully, hinting at a wild, untamed side to her beauty. The tips of her ears flickered with a life of their own, adding to her enigmatic charm and allure.

Lyra Fox, the Mother of Amber Fox.... (Image)

"I see... so you mistook him for me?" Amber asked with a frown, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and annoyance.

"Yes," Lyra replied, her tone tinged with regret as her eyes momentarily dropped, betraying a hint of guilt.

Amber nodded in understanding, then turned to Eli, who instinctively raised his hands in surrender, explaining, "I couldn't even move; her aura was pressuring me!"

Amber frowned, considering his words before turning back to her mother, who responded, "Well, I thought you might run away, so I used a bit of pressure."

Amber sighed inwardly, conceding that her mother's suspicions were often well-founded, especially given her tendency to avoid getting hugged by her mother. She squinted at Eli, her expression softening slightly as she asked, "You could have shouted, at the very least?"

Even Lyra nodded in agreement, silently urging Eli to provide a satisfactory explanation.

"...." Eli maintained a thoughtful expression, internally cursing his luck. 'Oh! Fuck, Fuck!! She's onto me!... I can't possibly admit to enjoying her mother's embrace!! Fuck!' he reasoned, then said calmly, "I honestly thought it was you..."

"Oh!" Both women nodded in understanding, but Lyra couldn't shake the feeling that Eli was being less than truthful, secretly hoping her daughter would catch on and confront him.

However, Amber's reaction caught them both off guard.

"What do you mean?" Amber sneered, her face now bright red with indignation, her tails swaying in agitation. She shouted, "You thought it was me so you let me hug you!!!... You Perverted Bastard!" and with that, she bit him again, a playful yet pointed gesture of reprimand.

"H-Huh? What's going on?... He was lying. He clearly stayed silent because I touched..." Lyra's thoughts were momentarily interrupted by the sudden flicker of a shadow in the corner of the room, but she quickly refocused on her daughter, watching intently. Amber, who was typically composed and calculative, was unexpectedly letting her emotions show in a way Lyra had rarely seen.

She then turned to Eli with a teasing glint in her eyes and said, "Why don't you take a bath, Mr..."

"Eli," he interjected with a wry smile, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Mr. Eli..."

"Yes, you stink!" Amber exclaimed playfully, pinching her nose theatrically and adding a dramatic flair to her gesture.

Eli couldn't help but chuckle at her exaggerated reaction. "And you were the one biting that stinky man earlier!" he retorted, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

Amber's cheeks flushed a bright pink as she prepared for another attack, but Eli, sensing an imminent retaliation, dashed off toward the bathroom before she could get a word in edgewise.

Inside the bathroom, Eli was taken aback by the sheer opulence surrounding him. The fixtures were nothing short of grand; polished brass and intricate designs adorned every surface. The marble gleamed under the soft, ambient lighting, and the oversized bathtub looked so inviting it was almost calling out to him.

"Sure, rich people really do have everything on a grand scale," he mused aloud, shaking his head in disbelief.

Meanwhile, back in the living room...

"Done with your play?" Lyra asked, her face adopting a stern expression as she looked at Amber.

"Mom, I won the exam and now I've entered the Nexus Academy through my own efforts," Amber said, her voice softening as she lowered her head in respect.

Lyra's lips twitched, and she sighed deeply. Amber was not a rebellious girl; rather, it was just her unique way of helping her mother, who was struggling to raise her within the noble circles. Her mother was currently at a lower rank: Baroness, a title that came with its own set of challenges and limitations.

Typically, lower noble-rank children were mostly relegated to the divisions instead of the prestigious Academy, unless they were fortunate enough to go through special reservations. But Amber knew her mother would do anything necessary for her daughter to enter the academy without compromising her integrity. That's why Amber was so determined to gain entry through her own efforts, rather than burdening her mother with additional worries.

She couldn't allow others to take advantage of their situation!

With this resolve, she had sneaked out, cleverly used a disguise, and bravely entered the exam, determined to prove herself.

Lyra sighed again, this time with a mixture of pride and relief, as she looked at her lovely daughter. She stood up, walked over to Amber, and hugged her tightly. "I am very proud of you, my dear," she said, her voice filled with genuine warmth and affection.

Amber's eyes turned teary as she hugged her mother back with equal fervour, "Thank you, Mom!" she said happily. She felt an immense sense of achievement, knowing she had done her best. However, she couldn't help but notice her mother's ample bosom pressing against her face, making it slightly difficult to breathe.... Still, she didn't want to ruin the heartfelt moment.

After a minute, Lyra released her daughter, who was finally able to take a deep breath. 'Damn, those knockers!' Amber screamed inwardly, her face turning an even deeper shade of red.

Finally, Lyra asked, "Who is he?"

"My friend," Amber replied quickly.

"Just a friend?" Lyra inquired, raising an eyebrow sceptically.

Amber's face turned slightly redder as she stammered, "O-Of course, just a friend!" Her tail wagged slightly, betraying her nervousness as she began to tell her mother the story of how they met and how they became friends though... she didn't include ass groping incident!

'~Ara~Ara~'

As a mother, Lyra knew what was going on. Though it wasn't love yet, it was clearly the beginning stages... a crush.

Lyra nodded in understanding as she listened to her daughter's story. She smiled gently; as long as her daughter was happy, she would even let a beggar marry her if that's what Amber truly wanted.

Thud

Hearing the door unlocking, both Amber and Lyra turned to see who it was....

A Hotie!

His reddish-black hair glistens with droplets of water, each one tracing a path down his chiselled face. His crimson eyes, intense and captivating, seem to hold a secret as they gaze at everyone with a mixture of warmth and desire. Wrapped in a white bathrobe, the fabric hugs his frame, hinting at the contours of his muscular chest and shoulders. 

Amber gulped, her tail swayed a little faster, and her ears twitched back and forth.

'... Maybe not a beggar,' Lyra thought as she looked at her blushing daughter and then at Eli. "You're wearing that wrong, young man."

"Wrong?" Eli frowned, unfamiliar with the intricacies of the bathrobe.

Amber snapped to attention and teased, "Yes, you're wearing the robe loop the wrong way," as she moved forward. Getting closer, her nose twitched as she caught his scent. She helped him correctly knot the loop.

Meanwhile, Lyra watched her daughter's actions with an amused expression, noting her daughter's tail swaying even faster.

'She is smitten by him,' she thought. "Would you like to have dinner with us?"

Though Eli had just feasted a few hours earlier, he didn't mind eating again.

It was food, after all!

A healthy, growing man should eat lots of food, especially homemade food. He hadn't had any for years, so he was eager for more.

As everyone sat down for dinner, Lyra and the others started to eat.

"Hmm?" Eli frowned as he tasted the dish.

"Is something wrong?" Amber asked, her face worried. She knew he had already eaten a lot, so this might not be good for his health.

"No... It's just... This isn't a homemade dish, is it?" Eli asked, surprising both Lyra and Amber.

"What makes you think that?" Lyra asked, her expression curious.

"Well, there's no love in it," Eli said thoughtfully, recalling that this building was a restaurant, so everything made sense now.

"Mom?" Amber frowned.

"Haha..." Lyra awkwardly smiled before admitting, "I was a little busy, so it was cooked by the top chef."

Amber snorted and started eating with a pouting face. She couldn't believe she hadn't noticed the difference, yet Eli had detected it with a single bite.

'Damn it!' Amber cursed inwardly. She wasn't an ungrateful child. She knew her mother was working hard for their future and that her mother rarely had time to come home.

Lyra awkwardly smiled before glaring at Eli, who was nonchalantly eating.

~Ring~Ring~

"Shit!" Eli immediately picked up the call and said, "I'm sorry... truly sorry!"

"...."

Amber clicked her tongue, knowing exactly who it was from, while Lyra looked at Amber and Eli with an amused smile as if she understood something.

Eli explained that he had gotten caught up with bathing and eating, which made him forget to call.

"Okay," Ania mumbled from the other side and warned, "If you don't call me next time, I will kill you!"

Eli smiled and nodded.

Soon after, Lyra showed Eli to his room, and everyone retired for the night.

However, Eli simply sat on the luxurious bed, feeling restless. He stepped down and went to the hall, raising the windows and staring at the night sky.

A few minutes later, a voice came, "Not feeling sleepy?"

"No... I just love to stare at the stars," Eli said with a smile as he looked back and saw Lyra, who was wearing a night robe.

Lyra nodded and then stared at Eli for a few more seconds before saying, "How much do you want?"

"..... Pardon?" Eli asked, confused.