Help! My Moms Are Overpowered Tyrants, and I’m Stuck as Their Baby! - Chapter 54

Chapter 54: The Gifts of Rivals
By the time the room settled from my family’s absurd show of dominance, the remaining guests were looking significantly less enthusiastic about presenting their own gifts.

Which, frankly, made sense.

After all, what do you give the girl who just received an entire personal estate, a legendary beast, an arsenal of weapons, ancient magic, and a bloodline enhancement?

Anything they could offer was already rendered irrelevant.

Unfortunately for them, they couldn’t back out now.

Zareth was the first to step forward, grinning like a demon who thrived on chaos. Which, well. He was.

“I have to say,” he mused, golden slit-pupil eyes gleaming, “this has been the most entertaining display of familial insanity I’ve ever witnessed.”

I smirked. “Glad you enjoyed it.”

“Oh, I enjoyed it immensely.” He rolled his shoulders, then gestured toward his attendants, who stepped forward with a long, obsidian case.

A flick of his fingers, and the case unlatched itself.

Inside was a pair of black gloves, laced with crimson veins of enchanted energy.

“Demonic battle gloves,” he explained, picking one up and turning it over between his fingers. “Forged from abyssal leather, reinforced with dragon hide, and infused with runes that enhance your combat efficiency.”

I hummed. “Combat efficiency?”

“Oh yes.” He grinned. “They increase strength, reflexes, and magic output. Plus,” he held one up, “they let you punch through just about anything. Including Celestial shields.”

Across the hall, Seraphina let out a very long, very slow exhale.

I raised an eyebrow. “You’re giving me a weapon specifically designed to break Celestial defenses?”

Zareth smirked. “I thought you’d appreciate the irony.”

[ Oh, I like him. ]

I lifted one of the gloves from the case, inspecting the intricate crimson runes. The power hummed against my skin.

Oh, these were ridiculous.

Which meant, of course, they were perfect.

I slid one on, flexing my fingers.

It fit perfectly.

Zareth grinned. “I knew you had good taste.”

Seraphina, from where she stood, folded her arms. “I assume you’re expecting her to use those against me?”

Zareth looked entirely too pleased. “Perhaps.”

She exhaled. “Idiotic.”

Then, before anyone else could speak, she stepped forward.

“Your family is excessive,” she stated flatly.

I smirked. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Her silver eyes flickered over the ridiculous display of gifts before settling on me.

“I will not attempt to outmatch them,” she said. “Instead, I will give you something useful.”

With a single motion of her hand, one of her attendants stepped forward, carrying a crystal vial.

I blinked. “Perfume?”

Seraphina gave me the most unimpressed look imaginable. “No.”

The attendant uncorked the vial, and the moment the seal was broken, a pulse of golden energy filled the air.

Oh.

Oh.

I knew this magic.

Seraphina tilted her head. “Celestial restoration elixir.** A single drop can fully heal fatal injuries, nullify curses, and even restore broken magic channels.”

[ …Okay. I take back every insult I had planned for her. That’s actually useful. ]

I stared at the vial. “You’re giving me this?”

Seraphina arched an elegant eyebrow. “Would you rather I didn’t?”

I smirked. “No, no. Just surprised.”

She nodded. “Good.”

I accepted the vial, feeling the weight of power inside it. This was not the kind of thing one simply gave away.

I raised an eyebrow. “Are you expecting me to owe you for this?”

Seraphina, as composed as ever, met my gaze.

“No,” she said simply. “I am expecting you to survive.”

[ That was either really noble or an extremely subtle insult. Either way, I respect it. ]

I chuckled. “Duly noted.”

Seraphina inclined her head, stepping back beside her mother, who was watching the exchange with mild amusement.

The nobles, meanwhile, were visibly reconsidering all of their life choices.

Because after all of this?

Every single one of them had officially been outclassed.

Riven, standing off to the side, muttered under his breath. “I should’ve just gotten you a sword.”

I smirked. “It’s not a competition, Riven.”

He stared at me.

I stared back.

“…It’s absolutely a competition,” I admitted.

He groaned.

I just laughed.

Riven, looking like he was reassessing every decision that led him to this moment, ran a hand down his face. “This is insane. All of it.”

Zareth clapped him on the back, nearly knocking him over. “Welcome to high society, kid.”

Riven winced. “This is not high society. This is a blood sport disguised as a birthday party.”

I smirked. “Close enough.”

Across the hall, the nobles had barely regained their composure. Many of them were still visibly struggling to process the ridiculous escalation that had taken place over the course of the evening.

To be fair, I couldn’t really blame them.

A personal estate.

A legendary beast.

A bloodline magic enhancement.

A Celestial healing artifact that could literally resurrect the dead.

Even the most seasoned nobles in the room had given up on pretending to compete.

One unfortunate lord, who had yet to present his gift, was visibly reconsidering his entire existence.

“I—uh—” He swallowed thickly. “Perhaps my offering is… unnecessary.”

Verania arched an eyebrow. “Oh? And why is that?”

The noble looked like he wanted to melt into the floor. “Well, I—your Highness—surely, after such esteemed gifts, a mere trifle from my house would be redundant—”

Sylvithra smiled. “So, what you’re saying is… you came empty-handed?”

The noble turned pale. “N-no! Of course not, your Majesty! I—” He scrambled, shoving a small box toward me as if it might somehow save him.

I took it, mostly out of amusement.

Inside was a delicate crystal hairpin, finely carved and enchanted with a subtle protection ward.

Nothing extravagant. Nothing grand.

But, at the very least, it was functional.

I held it up. “Simple. I like it.”

The noble looked like he might cry from relief.

Zareth, watching with undisguised amusement, leaned toward me. “So. You’ve been gifted weapons, estates, powerful artifacts, and a legendary war beast. Tell me—what’s your personal favorite?”

I smirked.

Riven, who was still standing beside me, visibly tensed.

I let the silence stretch out for effect.

Then, very deliberately, I lifted my hand and wiggled my fingers.

Where the small, handmade silver ring sat.

Riven froze.

The nobles stopped breathing.

Verania and Sylvithra’s smiles sharpened.

Zareth threw his head back and laughed.

“Oh, that’s evil,” he cackled.

Seraphina, despite herself, looked mildly impressed.

Riven?

He looked like he was actively reconsidering every life choice that led him here.

I grinned.

Because, truly, there was nothing better than watching an entire banquet hall collectively lose their minds.