Primordial Villain with a Slave Harem

Chapter 1394  New Faces

Miri, in response, froze. Then color crept into her cheeks. She looked away, ears and posture betraying her far faster than words ever could. ”Itʼs true,” she admitted after a moment. ”At least the part where she raised me.”

She straightened, and her voice steadied as she continued. ”We primordials are born with physically grown bodies, but while our brains are also fully formed, our minds need stimulus to settle, experience to grow. After conception, weʼre… wild. Primal. Some feel the urge to shed blood without reason. Some seek protection. Some want to mate. Some want to hide. It varies.”

Her hand relaxed on the spear. ”As time passes, our psyche develops. We grow into ourselves.”

Quinlan listened, then nodded once. ”Interesting.”

Thyra studied him again, this time with open curiosity. ”Speaking of,” she said, brow lifting slightly, ”Isnʼt your son too collected for a newborn?”

”Hehe!” Luminara declared at once, chest puffed out with pride. ”Our Quinnie is a special boy!”

Miri nodded along, entirely earnest. ”Very special.”

Thyraʼs lips curved into a broad smile. The earlier edge softened into something warmer, her presence settling like a mountain at rest. ”Well, I wonʼt pry more. Good for you,” she said simply.

Quinlan found that he liked this gentle giant… Though he didnʼt know if calling her gentle was justified based on the initial attitude of his mothers.

Nonetheless, just as with Dragnar, he was drawn to their personalities.

He glanced around the clearing. ”Whereʼs Dragnar?”

Luminara answered without hesitation. ”He volunteered for Nyxara duty!”

Understanding came immediately.

Nyxara, the succubus who kept trying to mate with him at every opportunity. Dragnar was likely locked in constant combat just to keep her occupied.

Some trials, Quinlan decided, were crueler than others.

”So this is the child?”

The voice came from the edge of the clearing, calm and measured.

Quinlan turned.

Two figures were approaching side by side, their steps quiet despite the earth beneath their feet. Their features were unmistakably eastern, carrying a balance and sharpness that pulled at an old memory from another life. They reminded him of Japanese warriors from the history books on Earth.

Just a lot better looking.

The woman walked slightly ahead.

Her hair was dark, tied back with care, a few loose strands framing her face. Her features carried the same clean lines Ayame had, though aged into something more settled. Where Ayame still held a lot of sharpness, this woman carried patience instead. Her kimono was layered and practical, the fabric reinforced where needed, and at her hip rested a katana whose sheath bore no ornament.

The man beside her was broader through the shoulders, posture straight without stiffness. His gaze was steady, scanning the space without urgency. His katana sat at his left side, hand close but relaxed.

They both stopped a few steps away.

”He truly is a newborn. I can sense it…” the woman murmured. She retained her composed attitude, but Quinlan could sense some joy beneath it all. A new primordial being born was a joyous occasion.

The man nodded once. ”Nice to meet you, kid. Let me know if you need some guidance. Malakar and Dragnar are not exactly what Iʼd call ideal male role models.”

”I must agree,” Malakar grumbled. ”Tell your mothers to stop bothering me, Laddy. You have your male role model now.”

Quinlan, ignoring the grumpy old man, stepped forward, mindful of his posture. He gave them the respect they deserved without bowing or groveling. ”Greetings. My name is Quinlan, son of Luminara and Mearie.”

The woman inclined her head with a tender smile. ”Such a well-mannered baby. My name is Hanae.”

The man sported an even bigger upward tug of his lips. ”Just call me Uncle Zen.”

Quinlan had to force back a ginger expression from emerging. Being treated like a baby was a hard pill to swallow. But at the same time, he understood where they were coming from. Not only were they literally millions of years older, but they were also much stronger and more experienced as well.

Quinlanʼs total age of mind was about forty, so even with those years counted, they still had every right to treat him as a kid.

Thatʼs why Quinlan kept his expression even. It took effort.

Mostly because Hanae was an extremely gorgeous woman, striking in a way that demanded attention without asking for it. He firmly refused to let his thoughts wander where they had no business going, especially because she seemed to be content next to the male primordial, Zen. He didnʼt know their exact relationship, as after all these years, most of the primordials, even those who were together on Thalorind, have separated. They couldnʼt sire children in this dimension, after all. All they could do here was fight for their sanity against the miserable passage of time, which most of them preferred to do alone.

All that is to say, not only was Hanae way out of his league for now, considering she was treating him like a literal baby, but Quinlan had no intentions to wreck a happy marriage either.

Hanae studied him openly. ”Less than a year...” she said, as if confirming a measurement. ”You stand tall and straight for one so young.”

Zen smirked. ”Impressive. How about a duel?”

Quinlan wasnʼt one to shy away. In fact, fighting such a mighty person was a great boon.

But…

”No, weʼre having a party first! The boys can have their fun later,” Luminara pouted.

”I concur,” Hanae responded with a nod, then narrowed her eyes at Zen. ”Donʼt take the child away. I just met him.”

”My bad, my bad…” Zen chuckled, raising both arms in surrender. It seemed most male primordials knew how to behave when confronted with the desires of the fairer gender.

That was when Quinlan met Zenʼs gaze.

There was no need for words. No nod either. Just a shared stillness, the faint pull of mutual intent settling between them like a promise deferred.

ʼLater.ʼ

Both of them understood it at the same time.

Zenʼs mouth curved slightly. Quinlan allowed the smallest lift at the corner of his lips in return. Then they both looked away, expressions neutral, shoulders relaxed, very aware of the women nearby.

Angering them was a poor tactical decision.

The air shifted again.

A pop echoed at shoulder height, followed by a sharp smell of herbs and volatile reagents. A short figure appeared in a swirl of displaced mana, boots landing atop a stacked crate that had not existed a moment earlier. He wore a tailored coat layered with pockets, vials clinking faintly with every movement. A pair of thick glasses sat low on his nose, lenses tinted a faint green.

”Late, late, terribly late,” the gnome muttered, rifling through a satchel without looking up. ”Temporal calibration was off by three heartbeats. Unacceptable.”

He paused, finally glancing around.

”Where is she?” he demanded. ”The alchemist. I was told Iʼd be receiving an apprentice.”

Quinlan looked toward Miri.

She straightened a little, hands folding together. ”That would be Aurora. Thindlebrim is the male gnome primordial and the greatest alchemist among us. I thought she might learn something just by spending time near him. Even if he doesnʼt let her touch anything.”

”No touching!!” Thindlebrim snapped instantly, jabbing a finger into the air. ”Absolutely no touching. Only the worthy may lay hands on my tools, my vials, my notes, or my workspaces. Proximity is a privilege already.”

He adjusted his glasses with a sniff, chin lifting.

Luminara leaned in slightly, peering past him. ”Whereʼs she? I expected her to be glued to your side.”