As both of them returned to the Mystic Starry Realm, he parted ways with Eleanor, who went to cultivate, while he returned to the mansion.
Shortly, Asher walked further into the mansion, towards the door to his left on the second floor, which led him to Lily's bedroom. After entering Lily's room, he saw the adorable child sleeping on the bed.
"Hi Lily." Asher's voice was soft yet filled with happiness as he called out to her.
The little girl slowly opened her eyes, only to see Asher standing next to her with a gentle smile. "Big brother Ash! You're here!" Lily exclaimed happily.
"That's right, Lily." Asher ruffled her hair before kissing her on the forehead.
The girl hugged him tight with her arms around his waist, as if afraid that Asher would leave her alone.
"What's wrong?" Asher asked while patting her head.
Lily replied in a sad tone, "I missed you so much. You said that you'd play with me every day, but you've been away for more than a week, big brother Ash."
He chuckled before sitting on her bed. "I'm sorry, Lily. I lost track of time when cultivating and practicing my martial skills," Asher explained, then held out a finger to tickle her under the chin.
She giggled, then poked back at him. "Big brother Ash, how about we go outside to play now?" Lily suggested it with anticipation. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with excitement.
Asher thought about it before deciding that some fresh air would be good for both of them. "Sure thing, my little angel," he said, standing up from her bed and taking her hand. Together, they went out of the mansion towards their favorite place—the garden.
----
When they reached there, Asher noticed an extravagant flowerbed right at the center of this beautiful place full of gorgeous flowers. It looked so majestic among the rest of its surroundings that it attracted everyone's attention whenever someone came near it.
It was a rose bush planted by Olivia herself shortly after arriving in this world. It contains various species of roses whose colors vary depending on whether one sees them from near or far.
The fragrance emitted from these flowers was quite strong, but not unpleasant. It's like an intoxicating perfume that makes your head spin.
"Isn't this place so nice and peaceful?" Asher commented while gazing upon all kinds of different types of flowers surrounding him. He sat down on a nearby bench, with Lily next to him.
"Yes, I really love it here! Big brother Ash, do you want to see my favorite flower?" She asked with a cheerful expression.
"Which one is yours, Lily?" he inquired curiously.
Lily pointed towards the right side of the rosebushes, where there were purple roses growing together. They looked strikingly beautiful since they glowed brightly under the dark sky, which contrasted well against the other colored roses beside them.
"These are my favorites," she explained proudly.
Asher stared at those unique flowers for several seconds before glancing back at her. "Hmm, interesting choice, Lily. But why did you choose these over all others?" he questioned.
"Well, because these flowers are as beautiful as Mommy!" she exclaimed happily without hesitation.
Asher smiled at hearing her answer. He understood what she meant by those words, as he knew how elegant and breathtaking Aria's hair color looked against her pale skin. She truly resembled those rare purple roses, which he found himself admiring.
"You know, Lily, they indeed look very similar to Mom's hair," he said, agreeing with her opinion while patting her head.
"See! That's why I like them so much," she stated excitedly.
"But how about the rest of these roses? Are there any that remind you of me?" he asked jokingly.
Lily pondered for a moment before replying, "There is one that I think resembles big brother Ash." She answered sincerely.
"Well then, why don't we check them out?" Asher encouraged her.
She nodded back and guided him towards the opposite side of the rose bush, which contained a few black-colored roses. Among those plants, only two bloomed completely, whereas the rest still had buds but hadn't opened yet. They had darker tones than any other kind, and their slightly bluish hue made them stand out even further than just being black alone.
Asher took a closer look at these flowers and immediately realized why Lily picked them specifically.
"Wow...I like it. These really resemble my hair color as well as my eyes," he praised while examining the petals. He wondered whether Olivia had planned this when planting these roses since there were many others that matched other members' appearances, such as Aria's and Mia's.
"Right? Big brother Ash and these roses are alike," Lily spoke up as she giggled at seeing him admire her pick.
"Yes, but you forgot one thing, my little angel; they also look similar to you, too," Asher reminded while pointing towards the black roses.
"Oh! You're right, big brother Ash. Our hair and eyes are similar. Hehe," She giggled at his reminder.
"Haha, yes, and speaking of our appearance, I believe you will grow into a great beauty in the future." Asher laughed with her.
"Really, big brother Ash? I want to be a pretty lady, just like mommy, when I grow up. Do you think I can become as beautiful as her, too?" She asked eagerly.
Asher couldn't help smiling upon hearing her innocent question. "Of course you will, Lily. There is no doubt about that."
They continued chatting about various topics as they enjoyed spending time together under the starry sky.
As Asher was listening attentively to everything Lily said, he heard footsteps approaching them. He turned his head around and saw Mia walking towards him with a bright smile plastered on her face. She wore a short, sleeveless dress that was tight-fitting around her sexy figure, showing off her curves.
Her long, wavy auburn hair flowed freely behind her as she moved forward with light steps. She looked absolutely stunning tonight. Her long, thick thighs were exposed as her dress ended a bit above mid-thigh, revealing most of her legs while moving gracefully like a professional dancer performing on stage. It was truly mesmerizing watching her walk towards them.
Mia greeted them once she arrived. "Hey guys, it seems like you're enjoying yourselves here," she commented after noticing the happy expressions both of them displayed.