Ashton's Return

Three days quickly passed. During these three days, Max would cultivate his mana core to strengthen it, and for the rest of the day, he would practice with mana trying to gain better control over it. His control over it gradually became more refined, although it was not very drastic; improvement is improvement after all, no matter how small.

He also got familiar with the improved stats, and now that his vitality was almost double that of an average human, his body recovered from its weakened state, and he gained some flesh over his bones.

Although he didn't become muscular or anything, he wasn't skinny like before, and his body was strengthening and his physique improved, which, coupled with his looks, increased his masculine charm.

In these three days, Lilly had also chosen a few ice spells, and after Max requested Esther to guide Lilly, she also made very rapid improvements, even more than Max did when he trained with Anna.

When Esther and others heard that Lilly was his woman, they didn't say anything and accepted it. They seemed to treat Lilly like a member of their family and not a maid anymore, which made Lilly and Max happy, and after Max had warned the maids who were gossiping, no one dared to talk bad about her behind her back.

Max had just finished another session of strengthening his mana core and was resting to replenish the exhausted mana when a maid knocked on the door.

"Yes, come in!" Max shouted.

A maid came in, and when she saw him covered in sweat and his clothes sticking to his body and lying in bed, she blushed and said, "Young master, Lord Viscount has come. He is in the meeting hall and wants to see you."

"Oh! Father has finally come." Max got up and said, "I'll come after cleaning myself. You can go."

Hearing his command, the maid hesitated and said while looking down, "Young master, Should I assist in taking a bath?"

Max looked at her, she was young and beautiful, but he waved his hand. "It's fine; you can go."

"Y-Yes, young master." She bowed and left in a hurry.

"It seems everyone considers me a pervert, huh?" He muttered and went into the bathroom.

...

In the meeting hall, A big round table was set up. Ashton was sitting in his throne type chair. Esther, Amelia and Mina were seated by his side. Max's sisters in law were also present, looking at the guests sitting in front of them with the same respect they looked at Ashton.

In front of them sat a group of noble-looking men and women. Delicious food was served to them, but none seemed too interested in eating. There were three men and four women who radiated the same intensity of aura as Ashton. Men were calmly sitting, but one middle-aged woman seemed annoyed. She wore luxurious clothes and radiated haughty air.

"Ashton, didn't you teach your son anything? How can he make us wait for this long? You know we don't have much time to waste on this mission. Meet him quickly, and let's get out of here." The woman sitting in the middle of the group said grumpily.

"Madam Mari, He will come in a few minutes. Until then, Why don't you eat something to calm your nerves." Ashton said, smiling.

"You... Forget it." Madam Mari shook her head and closed her eyes.

The men in the group looked at Ashton with respectful gazes while other women shook their heads. They knew that Madam Mari always acted high and mighty because of her connection with the Count and overwhelming strength. She was also a three-star mage, just like others in the group, but she was more powerful.

Therefore, she always behaved arrogantly, and they had to endure it, but with Ashton in their group, She couldn't do whatever she wanted even though Count Wiley made her the head of the group for the mission. If Madam Mari was stronger among other three-star mages, Ashton was even more powerful than her, making her treat him differently.

But everyone in the group knew that the relationship between them wasn't any good, and Count Wiley also seemed to have some kind of enmity with Ashton. That's why he didn't make him the leader of the group for the mission.

Madam Mari didn't even want to stop by his house, but Ashton told her that she could go ahead while he met his family before coming there. She knew that she, along with six three-star mages, couldn't guarantee her safety, let alone others in the group. That's why she gritted her teeth and 'allowed' him to come here, but she swore that after their mission, she would complain to Count Wiley about it.

"I'm sorry for being late, father. I had to take a bath because I was sweating a lot after cultivating." A voice sounded as the meeting hall's door swung open, and two figures stepped inside.

Madam Mari, who was already irritated, snapped upon hearing his excuse. "Who are you kidding? How can you sweat when you simply sit in your room in meditation or your way of cultivating..."

She stopped mid-speech when she turned to look at the new arrival, her mouth slightly opened in astonishment. She didn't expect Ashton's son to be this handsome. She wasn't the only one; everyone in the hall, including Ashton and others, stared as if they were hypnotised.

"How handsome!"

"Beautiful!"

The young woman who was in her twenties in the group blurted out, looking at Max in a daze. At the same time, the men stared at the Girl behind him.

Max, who was already very handsome before he started to recover, was wearing a star-patterned light blue robe which, coupled with his Sapphire eyes and hair, looked extremely attractive; which, for a moment, put the ladies in a daze but being powerful mages they quickly returned to their senses.

*****

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