Eternal Temptation: Awakening Sinful Desires

"Congratulations, Nadia." Asher said as he walked towards the beautiful woman dressed in her maid uniform, her long white hair flowing behind her and her icy-blue eyes radiating with confidence.

Nadia turned her gaze toward the man approaching her, and the corners of her lips curled upward into a faint smile, "Thank you, Young Master. This accomplishment would not have been possible without your help."

Her voice was soft, like a whisper carried on the wind, and she spoke with a tone of humility and reverence that made Asher feel like he was the most important person in the world to her.

In reality, he knew that was the case since Nadia would do anything for him and would always be by his side, protecting him from harm.

Without hesitation, he placed his hands gently on her cheeks and looked into her crystal blue eyes, saying, "Nadia, it was all because of your own hard work and dedication that you managed to achieve this great feat today. I didn't do anything except provide you with the means to cultivate faster.

Besides, even if I hadn't provided you with any help, you would still have accomplished what you did today. Don't ever think otherwise. You understand me?"

Upon hearing those words, Nadia nodded her head, a gentle smile adorning her beautiful features.

"Yes, young master." She replied before her eyes narrowed with determination as she added, "Now that I've reached this level of strength, I can better protect you against any threats that might arise in the future. I promise that I won't let anything bad happen to you, young master. No matter what happens, I will always be by your side and make sure you stay safe."

The conviction and seriousness in her voice touched Asher's heart and made him smile in response.

"Thank you, Nadia. I'm happy to hear that, but please don't forget to take care of yourself as well. Otherwise, it would defeat the purpose of becoming stronger to begin with. After all, what good is saving someone when it comes at the expense of your own health and safety? Remember that always." Asher replied before placing a soft kiss on her forehead and then releasing her face from his hands.

Upon seeing this intimate interaction between Asher and his personal maid, all those present could sense the genuine love and affection shared between the two of them; it was clear to everyone that there was nothing but pure sincerity in their hearts.

Of course, Aria was aware of how much her son cared for Nadia and vice versa, but witnessing their actions and expressions first hand made her feel even prouder of herself and thankful for bringing them together in the first place.

"Congratulations, Nadia. You're now on the same level of strength as the strongest cultivators in the world. Well done!" Aria said as she approached the newly ascended King Realm cultivator.

"Thank you very much, Madame." Nadia acknowledged her praise with a respectful bow.

At that moment, Scarlet and Cecil also came up to congratulate her and express how impressed they were by her performance.

Rias, who stayed silent up until now, also decided to join in on the conversation. "Congratulations, Miss Nadia. Your strength and resolve are worthy of admiration. If you are interested I wish to spar with you sometime in the future."

"Of course. I look forward to it," Nadia agreed with a curt nod and a slight smile.

"That sounds nice." Aria chimed in with a chuckle before turning toward Nadia, saying, "Nadia, you should head back for now and consolidate your cultivation base. Take this opportunity to get used to your newfound power and hone it further before you return to Asher's side."

Hearing her advice, Nadia nodded her head in agreement, knowing how her cultivation was in an unstable state and needed time to stabilize. "Understood, Madame."

With that said, she bowed towards Asher and Aria once again before leaving the scene in a flash of white light.

"Well then... Shall we head to our original destination?" Aria asked as she looked at Rias.

Rias nodded. "Let's go."

As such, their group set off towards Rias' place in the sect.

---

When they arrived at the house, Rias guided them to the living room, where they took seats on the couches.

Asher and Aria sat together on the couch, opposite Rias, while Scarlet and Cecil sat beside her on either side.

Once they were all settled, Rias took out the tea set from her storage ring and brewed a pot of refreshing aroma-filled herbal tea with various herbs, which she served to everyone present.

The fragrance of the tea permeated through the air, making Asher feel relaxed and invigorated at the same time.

He took a sip of the warm beverage and found that the taste was unlike anything he had tasted before; it had a unique flavor that reminded him of honey yet held hints of mint and citrus mixed together, creating an exotic blend of flavors that danced on his tongue while leaving behind a refreshing aftertaste after drinking it.

Soon, the soothing effect of the tea spread throughout Asher's body, making him feel refreshed and energized.

"This is really good," he commented, expressing his appreciation for the drink she had served him.

"Thank you." Rias said as she gave a slight nod to him before looking at Aria and asking, "Is there anything that you'd want to ask of me, Honorary Elder Aria?"

Aria smiled at her question. "Oh yes, indeed, there is. However, before we start off, let me thank you for inviting us here."

"You don't have to say that, Honorary Elder Aria. It's my pleasure to host a respected person like yourself in my place."

"Still, I appreciate your hospitality very much." Aria replied before taking another sip of her tea and letting out a content sigh.

"Well, it's regarding my son. He seemed to have developed an interest in sword art lately. Do you think you could give him some guidance about the sword arts? After all, you're a well-known expert in that area. I believe you could offer valuable insights for him."

Upon listening to her request, Asher turned his attention toward Aria with a puzzled expression plastered all over his face.

"What?" He asked while raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Darling, I know that you have been practicing the sword art of your own accord and trying to master it by yourself. However, you should understand that doing so requires far more time and effort than necessary. It also increases the possibility of making mistakes, which would result in hindering your overall progress instead of helping it.

Thus, I thought it would be best if you sought guidance from Elder Rias, who has a lot of experience and knowledge about the sword arts."

Aria explained with a serious tone and expression that left no room for argument.

Asher furrowed his brows in contemplation for a few seconds, thinking over what she had just told him. 'Hmm, I guess she has a point.'

"I understand, mother." He nodded his head in agreement with Aria's proposal before turning to Rias with a determined gaze, saying, "Elder Rias, I hope you don't mind spending some of your precious time teaching me a bit more about swordsmanship."

Scarlet and Cecil both smiled while thinking about being able to spend more time together with Asher in the future due to this, as they enjoyed his company a great deal.

Upon receiving such a request from someone like Aria Blake, while also seeing the sincere desire in Asher's eyes, Rias turned serious as she considered what to do for a while.

"Very well, then. I'm willing to instruct you in the art of swordsmanship. However, I won't accept you as my disciple or anything of that sort."

"I understand. Thank you for accepting to teach me." Asher bowed in gratitude towards Rias as he accepted her terms.

"That's great, Asher. You know many disciples wish to learn from my mom, and they tried to impress her and earn her recognition. However, they were all rejected by her." Scarlet praised her mother's fame, as she explained.

Cecil also gave a nod in agreement, as she considered herself lucky that Rias thought of her as a daughter and taught her many sword techniques.

Asher understood the reason behind Rias' decision, 'It seems like she doesn't want to create unnecessary trouble by having disciples and only wishes to impart all her experiences to Scarlet and Cecil. Still, I am grateful to her for this gesture.'

Aria smiled when Rias agreed with her request. "Thank you, Elder Rias, for agreeing to train my son. If there is anything that I could do to repay this favor, do not hesitate to ask. Anything you require is within my ability to grant."

"Honorable Elder Aria, there's no need for that. After all, he was the one who saved my daughters in the first place. So, teaching him sword techniques is the least I could do for him."