(Third-Person POV)
Asher's sister and friends were worried. He hadn't returned by the time school ended, and when they tried asking the principal about him, she wasn't even in her office.
Among them, Anna was the most concerned. After school, she went home, took a shower, and tried to relax. But even as she lay on her bed, her mind remained restless.
That's when her mother, always busy, finally came home.
"Hey, Mom. You're home early tonight," Anna greeted.
Mrs. Rembrandt flashed a warm smile. "Yeah, the shop was slow today."
She slipped off her long coat and hung it on the coat rack, revealing a soft top that clung to her figure—so thin it barely concealed the outline of her nipples.
Anna sighed, shaking her head. "You look... yourself as always."
Her mother chuckled. "And you look more depressed than usual."
"It's just... I made a friend."
Ivy's eyes widened with excitement. "A friend? That's wonderful!" For as long as she could remember, her daughter had never had one. "Where does she live?"
"He's a he, Mom," Anna grumbled, rolling her eyes.
Ivy gasped. "What? You have a boyfriend already?" She could hardly believe it. She had resigned herself to the thought that her daughter would spend her life in solitude.
After all, Anna's father, Malakar Rembrandt, was an A-rank hunter—one of the strongest. In a world where most men were weak, he became a coveted figure, sought after by countless women who wanted to bear his children. Ivy had been one of them.
Malakar sired numerous children, building a grand estate in Zephandria where they were raised as nobles. All of them were prodigies, born with extraordinary magic, ranking at B or A levels.
All except Anna.
Unlike her half-siblings, she was only a C-rank, with nothing but a single, unimpressive skill—low-tier healing magic. Even her father's sons, despite being male, surpassed her in strength. To them, she was a failure, a disgrace to the Rembrandt name.
She had lived in isolation, unwanted by her family, ignored by her peers. Even during dungeon raids, when her party got separated, they never bothered looking for her.
And that was the day she met him.
Asher.
The only person who knew she was just a C-rank and never treated her differently. The only person who had taken her heart from the moment she first saw him.
That day, she confronted her father, telling him she was done living in his shadow. She wanted to leave Zephandria and live with her mother in Eldoria.
Malakar barely acknowledged her. To him, she was worthless. Go wherever you want, he had said. And so, she did.
Back in the present, Ivy smiled knowingly. "Tell me more about this boyfriend of yours, sweetheart."
Anna's cheeks flamed. "He's not my boyfriend, Mom! Just a friend!"
"But you're blushing," Ivy teased. "And smiling! Oh, Goddess, when was the last time I saw my daughter smile like this?"
Anna chuckled shyly. "Maybe I have a crush on him... I don't know. I'm not sure." She fidgeted with her fingers, her heart pounding just from thinking about him. "I met him in a dungeon one day. He's incredibly powerful despite being a D-rank hunter."
Ivy raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Powerful, huh? What's his name?" She casually poured herself a glass of water.
"His name is Asher—"
Pfffft!
Ivy spat out her water, dropping the glass. It shattered against the floor, startling Anna.
"Mom? Are you okay?"
Ivy's hands trembled. Asher?
Her daughter's crush was Asher—the boy she had been sleeping with.
Her master.
She swallowed hard, forcing a smile. "Asher... I know him. He's a good boy."
Anna beamed. "Yeah, he's just... lovable. I don't even know where to begin. But he always finds himself in trouble."
Ivy let out a nervous chuckle. She couldn't bring herself to tell Anna the truth. That her Asher was her lover. That revelation would crush her daughter.
She would take this secret to the grave.
Until—
BANG! BANG!
A loud knock at the door interrupted them.
"Madam Swordmaster!" a voice called urgently. "An urgent report from the Guildmaster!"
Ivy frowned and approached the door. A messenger knight stood outside, panting.
"I apologize for my rudeness, Swordmaster, but your services are needed immediately."
Anna, curious, stepped closer.
"Calm down and explain," Ivy said.
The knight took a breath. "It's the High Priestess. She's been kidnapped."
Ivy's eyes widened. "What? But how? Who could have done this?"
The knight hesitated, then spoke gravely.
"The culprit is believed to be a student from the academy. A boy working with the Revolutionaries."
Ivy's heartbeat quickened.
"And his name is Asher Reynolds." The messenger added, and the room fell silent.
Ivy felt the air leave her lungs. Asher? No... it couldn't be.
"That's impossible," she whispered. "He wouldn't—"
"The Guildmaster's orders are clear," the knight interrupted. "Hunt him down and bring him to justice. Dead or alive."
Ivy stood frozen as the knight turned and disappeared into the night.
Beside her, Anna trembled. Her breath came in short gasps, her face pale with shock.
"Asher wouldn't... he couldn't..." Anna whispered, shaking her head in denial. "He loves getting himself in trouble, l know, but he wouldn't go this far."
She said to her mom, but Ivy was lost in her own thoughts.
She had seen Asher's power firsthand in the wilderness where he took her to train. But she had been too blinded by lust to question it.
What if... he really is with the Revolutionaries?
That would explain his ridiculous strength despite being a mere D-rank.
And... that massive shaft of his...
Could it be... he had made a deal with demons to increase his dick size?
She clutched her chest, struggling to process everything. No. It can't be.
But she knew one thing. She had to do what she had to do for the sake of the Goddess.
And if this was the will of the divine...
Even if it meant sacrificing a lover, she would do it.
For her honor.
For her duty.
But... could she really kill him?
And worse, if she killed him, wouldn't that shatter her daughter, who was starting to see a ray of light, hope, and love in her miserable life?
A storm raged in Ivy's mind.
She was trapped in a nightmare with no escape.
And Asher was at the center of it all.
Tbc