The atmosphere was tense at the outer ring with Lilith staring at Lith with a domineering gaze.
She didn't seem like her usual motherly self. Instead, she seemed no less than a regal Queen who was looking down at her subjects.
Even the maids Luna, Qingyue, and Freya were confused by this. They didn't think that the Prince had done something worthy of punishment, but well, they didn't dare to meddle in the internal matters of the two.
They were well aware about how much the Queen loved her son. She shouldn't punish him too much, they thought.
As for the new maids Fei, Keith, and Fanny, they were sweating buckets under the mighty pressure from the Queen.
Lilith looked at Lith, still laughing her ass off internally, and thought, 'I shouldn't let go of this opportunity.'
There were some pending things that had to be done. Her stubborn baby would never agree to them so easily.
She could always force him, but she wasn't such a mother. She just let him have a free reign.
However, some things had to be done, even if her baby liked it or not.
In any case, she'll just use punishment as an excuse for now and get those things done.
Placing her index finger on Lith's face, she gently made him look up.
"Are you ready for your punishment?"
The tone wasn't haughty or gentle, just normal. This normal wasn't normal for Lith who was used to her gentleness though.
Stil, this new behavior of his mother was amusing and Lith simply nodded his head, looking forward to what punishment she would give him.
As far as he knew, his mother didn't have the guts to harm him. She was too soft when it came to her children.
It was due to her that Lucy had to call in Lucifer to make a breakthrough.
Even during training, his mother won't hit him in any way whatsoever.
Lucy on the other hand… she was merciless.
She literally wouldn't care even if Lith was on the verge of death during training. This yandere of his sister was a completely different breed of crazy ladies. But he still loved this cutie to no end.
Having her baby's approval, Lilith looked at Luna and said, "train the new maids and help my dear to do the final preparations. I'll be back in a while."
Luna bowed respectfully and said, "understood, Madam."
Lilith then disappeared with Lith from the outer ring."
…..
Lith appeared on a lonely mountain top.
The area was flat and he was standing in the middle of an open hall with his mother.
The surroundings were quiet and it was really dark everywhere.
There were mountains everywhere he could see and apparently, he was standing on the highest peak of a mountain that was artificially flattened to make a grand open hall on it.
Despite the darkness, this place was brightly lit with the lights coming from the many pillars surrounding the hall.
Lith looked at his mother and asked, "this…?"
Lilith smirked, her previous persona disappearing instantly. "Do you know what day it is today, baby?"
His mother's gentle nature was back and Lith was hundred percent correct in guessing she wouldn't be able to keep it for long.
Lith looked at her and although had many questions, decided to just play along.
"I don't know, I came straight to the castle from the hidden dungeon." Lith answered honestly.
Lilith chuckled and placing her arms around her child, turned him to look at the crimson moon at the end of the mountainous landscape.
"Today is the winter solstice, the longest night of the year as well as the Full Night of the Crimson Moonlight."
Lith naturally what this meant. It was the end of the year as well as an auspicious occasion for the creatures of night.
People from around the world celebrated the coming three nights and it was a joyous atmosphere for all.
This was also the day when a lot of evil rituals were done as all creatures of night were far stronger than any other day of the year.
Though, there was a condition to it.
For Vampires, they had to be under the full crimson moon which was only available in the Vampire Continent and the same was the case with Werewolves and Demons, who had to be in their home continent to reap full benefits of it.
The bodies of the people would be nourished and although it was a really small effect, it made everyone happy nonetheless.
"Shouldn't we be celebrating then? Go home and have some quality time?" Lith questioned.
Lilith nodded her head. "We should, but not today. This event lasts for three days, today is the first day. I have some important things to do."
"Which is?"
"Punish you," Lilith said and chuckled.
'Of course,' thought Lith. He was looking forward to what the punishment was, but to not sound like a maso, he didn't voice it out.
Lilith took out a chair after saying so and placed it right in the center of the hall.
She sat on it and crossing her legs, looked at her son with a smirk.
"Now, let's start with your punishment. It's really simple…"
Lith looked at his mother curiously. What was his old lady cooking up?
"…I'd like to see your growth. As per the rituals, that is."
"…" Lith shivered hearing that.
'FUUUUUUCCCCKKKKK!'
No wonder! No wonder why this was a punishment!
Lith only just realized it!
His mother was asking him to do the thing he really hated.
As of now, this ritual had been delayed because he was too embarrassed to do it. Even if he was really shameless, he didn't like this ritual.
Lith looked at him with knitted brows, conveying he really didn't want to do it.
Lilith chuckled. "Don't give mama that look. This should've happened already with the promise you made."
In Lilith's eyes, this wasn't punishment. She just wanted to check her baby's growth and point him in the right direction while also awakening a few things related to his constitution.
Her baby had yet to inherit all the good things she contained. Growth check-ups like this were a good way to make him inherit those while also guiding him on the right path and fixing issues that may have arised.
Depending on the level of stress, check-ups could be done everyday, weekly, monthly, or even after thousands of years.
It totally depended person to person.
Lilith's children needed at least one checkup every six months currently since they weren't involved in anything too stressful to their bodies.
Lucy was not going out anymore to fight so her checkup would usually be once a year.
And yes, she too was embarrassed to do it, but she was used to it as she would feel far stronger after it was done.
As a matter of fact, only the noble Vampires knew of this method.
Though it wasn't talked about openly since it was a matter of a person's constitution. Only someone close and strong could perform these things and as far as Lilith knew, this thing was limited to the four Duke and a few Count Clans.
"I am not—"
"Baby," Lilith interrupted him with a smile that wasn't really a smile.
This one word and tone was enough to let Lith know that his mother wasn't going to take a no from him. He didn't understand how this thing even came into existence, but cursing his luck, he started taking his shirt off.
He had to do it, there wasn't any other choice. His mother was serious this time.
There also wasn't any chance for him to escape because where will he even escape to?
All roads lead to Rome.
Rather, Royal Castle in Nightingale, to be precise.
This lady was also the strongest being in this world, even if he wanted to, he couldn't escape.
All his life, Lith was happy to know such a strong being was his mother, but it was only now did he realise that there was a major downside to it too, like the one instance happening right now.
Lilith simply chuckled gently as she watched Lith strip.
This was a bitter medicine her son had to swallow. It was all for his good at the end of the day.
A few feet away from his mother, Lith had finally taken off all his clothes and was standing buck naked in this mountainous region.
The cold breeze grazed on his body and made him feel comfortable, rather than cold, as he was a Vampire.
Lilith smiled and clapped her hand once.
"Let's start the ritual then."
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