A bright light flickered, and at that moment, the scenery changed.
What stood before me was no longer my own mansion. It was a building so large and grand that it could be called a castle.
It was the Imperial Palace of the Empire.
“Athena-nim.”
A middle-aged man with brown hair called out to me. Godric, the commander of the palace knights.
He had climbed to that position by slaying countless monsters at the front lines with his impressive skills.
Just enduring the pressure he exuded was enough to show he had quite a strong power.
“Why?”
“I saw you getting quite close to that woman earlier. What is your relationship with her?”
Godric looked at me with wide eyes.
It was a rather funny sight seeing such a seasoned man making that expression.
“Commander, you’re quite curious, aren’t you?”
“Haha. It’s just that I’ve never seen Athena-nim take an interest in someone before.”
“Hmm…”
After pondering for a moment, I replied to him.
“She’s going to be my wife. So, behave yourself.”
“Whoa…”
His expression showed considerable shock. Well, it’s usually like that.
“Why? Is it strange for women to marry each other?”
I said with a sneer, but Godric shook his head politely and looked at me.
“No, it’s just a mere bias. It’s just surprising that Athena-nim would engage in love with someone, as I mentioned before.”
“You seem to know a lot about me?”
“Nobody in the Empire wouldn’t know Athena-nim.”
It seems he was rather interested in me.
Not wanting to continue the conversation, I answered with silence and walked deeper into the palace, while Godric closely followed behind me.
“I’m relieved.”
As we walked further inside, the commander spoke again.
“What is?”
“I’ve always admired Athena-nim’s strength. As you know, it’s a profession that relies on power and honor, isn’t it? Haha.”
“Hmm.”
While others might enjoy such compliments, I felt indifferent.
Having grown up watching countless people admire me since I was young, I was used to that kind of gaze.
“You always walk alone. Whether you’re hunting monsters or handling tasks.”
“Well, having someone around would only be a distraction. It’s easier being alone.”
“Your answer matches that of the swordsman. Is it a lonely warrior’s life?”
“Lonely?”
Carlos seemed to be completely blind to his love for his disciple right now.
If even the commander of the palace knights didn’t know, it seemed he hadn’t boasted about it like others did.
“But now that the Empire’s hero has found such a good connection, it gives me peace of mind.”
“…You certainly meddle, don’t you?”
“Hehe. I often hear that.”
I looked at him with an absurd expression.
At first, he seemed like a proper knight, but where did this chatty old man come from?
“When you get older, there’s nothing more entertaining than stories of love. May I ask how your first meeting came to be?”
“That’s enough.”
I was starting to get annoyed.
What’s with all this chatter from the commander?
When I glanced at him with a cold expression, he immediately nodded, and from then on, we walked quietly into the palace.
*
What are parents?
They are beings who take care of their children with boundless love, so they can grow up properly.
To parents, children are like gifts from heaven, while to children, parents are beings they owe unpayable debts to.
Although my parents weren’t exactly good people, I still understood how immense family love can be.
I often envied when I saw other families’ tight affections. Why didn’t I have such a family?
Anyway, what I want to say is the great love between parents and children.
Especially, that love is even more amplified in the relationship between a mother and her child.
Of course, that doesn’t mean a father’s love is lacking. But maternal love for the life born from one’s own body is said to be unmatched by anything.
Perhaps because of that, many mothers are reluctant to scold their beloved children.
But my thoughts were different.
It is important to give love so that children can grow brightly, but it is also essential to give them guidance to prevent them from going down the wrong path.
“Mary. Never do that again. Understand?”
“……”
“Mary. Please answer me.”
“….No…”
“Mary…!”
Right now, I was sitting Mary on the bed and scolding her.
I was so surprised when she put her hand inside my throat.
Mary was digging into my throat to the point where it almost made me gag.
Even though I wasn’t the one who truly gave birth to her, now that I decided to be her mother, I intended to correct all of Mary’s bad habits.
“Mary, you must never do such things to others recklessly.”
I could understand Mary’s strange preferences.
Our essences were completely different. How could I understand a dragon, a creature of the celestial realm?
But no matter how different we were, causing harm to others was an incorrect habit.
‘That’s why I’m scolding you..!’
But Mary, with her cheeks puffed up, avoided my gaze.
“Mary… please answer me-”
“…That woman gets to do it.”
“I should… huh?”
Before I could continue, Mary interrupted me again.
By the way, what did Mary just say?
Looking at Mary’s face, she seemed somewhat downcast, her lips drooping.
“What… what did you say, Mary?”
“That woman touches you as she pleases. Why can’t I?”
“Uh…? Wh… what do you mean…?”
Are you talking about Athena?
But I’m pretty sure I haven’t shown excessive affection in front of Mary.
“I saw it at night. You and that woman were doing things.”
“Wha… what…?”
“That woman touched your lips… and your chest… and then…”
Mary’s eyes rolled down to my lower body.
Instinctively, I covered myself with both arms.
No.
More than that.
If she saw it at night…
Could it be…?
“What… what are you saying…?”
I tried to act oblivious.
It can’t be.
I was sure I had put Mary to bed before going out.
Moreover, the size of this mansion was beyond imagination. Even if Mary had woken up in the middle, there was no way she could have found Athena’s room.
So she couldn’t have seen anything.
She has to have not seen it.
Please.
Just say you didn’t see it, Mary.
“You’re lying.”
But the look in her eyes as she looked at me was endlessly low and calm.
“I saw you two in bed, licking each other’s tongues.”
“Mary…”
“I heard you moaning like a beast.”
“Uh… uh…?”
“I saw so much water coming from you, mommy.”
“Ugh… ah…?”
“I saw you sticking out your tongue and fainting with a blissful expression. I know.”
Bam-
My mind went completely blank.
All I could say was sounds like “-eh? -uh?” as words couldn’t process.
I couldn’t accept what Mary was saying.
Th… this…
What on earth… does this mean?
Saying she really saw it…?
What Athena and I did?
‘It… It must be a dream…’
It’s a dream. There’s no way this is real.
To wake up from the dream, I pinched my cheeks lightly, but…
“Haha… that’s strange. Why does it hurt…?”
This stinging pain from my chubby cheeks seemed to be telling me to wake up.
“Mom.”
“Heeek.”
I involuntarily gulped as I heard Mary’s eerie voice.
Slowly turning my head, I found Mary’s eyes piercing through me more alive than before.
“Ma… Mary… That… um…”
“Yeah, mommy.”
Why do I feel such fear from Mary as she slowly approached me on the bed?
She came right up to me, snuggling into my arms, silently waiting for my answer.
“Um… um… you see…?”
I was wrong. I had no idea how to explain myself.
My whole body felt hot with embarrassment from head to toe.
What on earth should I say to such a small child?
If I say something wrong, I might instill a strange notion in Mary.
But to tell the truth is still too early for her.
As I fumbled for words in front of Mary, she looked at me and gave a light smile.
Smooch-
With her cute lips, she left a short kiss on my cheek.
“It’s okay, mommy.”
“…..Huh?”
“I can wait. Until we can happily live together, just the two of us.”
“Ma… Mary?”
I felt like I had become prey to a child not even half my size.
As Mary stood up from the bed, I naturally had to look up at her.
Mary, with a somewhat sadistic smile, patted my head.
“So, mommy…”
“When that time comes, can I do it a lot with Mary?”
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