Oh no!
“Ma…Mariyaa…”
“…”
Mari is angry.
During the night I spent with Athena yesterday, I ultimately fainted from overwhelming pleasure.
Of course, I didn’t have the energy to return to my room.
When Mari came to my room to wake me up in the morning, I already knew it was too late to turn back.
Dong Dong…
– “Mom, why are you completely naked?”
Thinking of Mari’s expression at that moment, a chill ran through my body again.
Her eyes were devoid of all light. They were truly dark.
Fortunately, perhaps because Mari is still young, she accepted my excuse that it was hot in the room.
However, it seemed she wasn’t quite done being angry; her demeanor towards me was so cold.
“Mariyaa… Mom is sorry… okay…?”
“…..”
“You were lonely sleeping alone..? I promise this won’t happen again… please stop being mad…”
I kept trying to soothe the sulking Mari lying on the bed.
Eventually, after quite some time, my efforts seemed to have paid off.
Mari slowly lifted her tiny body and made eye contact with me.
She was still staring at me with a pout.
“….. Let me ask one favor.”
“I…sure!! Do you want something?”
I gratefully accepted her offer as she began to open up to me again.
Mari, hearing my words, rummaged through her clothes and handed me something.
In her outstretched hand was a bottle containing a mysterious blue liquid.
“Huh…? What is this…?”
“A potion for Mom.”
Mari popped the cap off the bottle and handed it to me.
“Please drink this every day from now on.”
“Uh…? This…?”
I was taken aback by the sudden appearance of this blue liquid.
It didn’t smell particularly weird or anything, but I hesitated to put it to my lips, unsure of what it was made from.
“Uh… can I ask what it’s made of?”
After hesitating for quite a while, I finally mustered the courage to stutter out the question to Mari.
“Mom’s mana.”
“Wha…at?”
“Dragon mana. It’s good for your body.”
Mari gently nestled herself into my embrace and continued speaking while looking up at me.
“If you keep drinking this, Mom can live healthily for a long time.”
“U…umm…”
Looking at the bottle that supposedly contained her mana, I remembered the horrific pain from when Athena’s mana entered my body last time.
‘Is dragon mana different…?’
Negative thoughts flooded my mind momentarily due to that terrible memory.
But I shook my head vigorously to clear those thoughts.
I didn’t think Mari would harm me.
After all, isn’t this something she made for my health?
Being a dragon, known for their mana, she would know better than I would.
Moreover, if I rejected Mari’s request after coming this far, it felt like she would truly sulk.
“Okay… I will do as you ask.”
Without hesitation, I gulped down the contents of the bottle.
Suddenly, the viscous liquid slid down my throat smoothly.
Once I emptied the bottle she gave me,
“Eh?”
It really was as Mari said; I felt vitality surging through my body immediately.
I felt lighter than before, and my mind seemed to clear up brilliantly.
“How is it, Mom?”
Mari looked at me with anticipation.
A wave of guilt washed over me for doubting her for a moment, and I felt grateful for her concern for my health, even in this situation.
I gently patted Mari’s head and said,
“Thank you, Mari… I feel like I could fly now!”
“Yep… I will give it to you every day from now on.”
“Mariyaa…”
An overwhelming emotion bubbled up from deep within me.
Mari was undoubtedly a dutiful daughter.
Even in her anger, she only worried about me.
You couldn’t find such a cute and considerate daughter anywhere else.
‘I must never doubt Mari again.’
I made that vow.
Although Mari’s eyes were still expressionless, it felt like a hint of brightness was creeping onto her face.
“I love you, Mom.”
“Yep. Mom loves you a lot too.”
As I hugged Mari tightly, she nestled against me like a baby cat and closed her eyes.
“From now on, I want to live a long time with Mari.”
Tweet tweet…
The sound of chirping baby birds filled the air. The bright sunlight and cool breeze accompanied the sunny weather.
“It’s nice weather…”
Right now, I was strolling through the mansion’s garden with Mari and Athena to enjoy the breeze.
“Hera. Hand.”
Athena briefly looked at me and said while extending her hand toward me.
“Uh…”
As I took her hand, Athena interlocked our fingers tightly.
“Your hands are cold.”
As Athena placed our joined hands near her chest, warmth flowed through my hand.
Spark!
A ticklish feeling and a hint of embarrassment washed over me.
Honestly, I hadn’t felt this way when I woke up in the morning.
Athena’s proposal. And the new relationship starting with her.
And last night’s events.
Thinking back to that frenzied night when we moved like beasts, my face turned red.
Anyway.
I thought it might all be a dream, but as I watched Athena smiling sweetly at me, I slowly started to realize it was real.
Now I could clearly see.
That the sticky gaze Athena directed towards me was filled with affection.
I felt a slight pressure, but it didn’t feel bad.
As family or as lovers, I needed Athena’s love.
Feeling loved by her filled my heart with warmth for no reason.
“… Mom, me too.”
From the side, Mari’s small hand wrapped around mine.
Not wanting her to feel left out, I intertwined my fingers with hers as well.
I decided it was time to tell Mari about my relationship with Athena.
When I first broke the news that we were dating, she seemed quite shocked.
But perhaps she had anticipated it, as Mari soon became indifferent.
Actually, her gaze towards me felt even more intense.
“Hmmm.. then does that mean I’ll also become your daughter?”
Athena smiled as she looked down at Mari.
“…What?”
Mari’s expression turned incredulous at her words.
“If Hera is your mom, then naturally I become your mom too by marrying Hera, right?”
“U… Athena?!”
N…no. What is she saying right now?
Aren’t we supposed to take it step by step?
I’m pretty sure we agreed to start as just lovers.
Yet, Athena was talking as if marriage was already settled.
“Uh, Athena. We haven’t gotten married yet…”
“Well, it would be a bit strange to have two moms. But I’m fine with you calling me Dad, even though I’m a woman.”
Ignoring my words, Athena continued talking to Mari.
Grrr…
With a sound reminiscent of grinding teeth, Mari growled at Athena.
“….. Get real.”
“Hmmm… honestly, it wouldn’t matter anyway.”
As the atmosphere between the two started to grow tense, I eventually had to step in to diffuse the situation.
After a hard struggle, we finally managed to restore the cheerful mood.
“Really… why can’t you two get along?”
I couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh.
I had no idea why they were so on edge with each other.
Athena would provoke Mari at every turn, while Mari would react sensitively.
Reflecting on it, it seemed like more of Athena’s fault.
What kind of cute and nice child would be treated so harshly like that?
It felt immature for Athena to be engaging in a power struggle with a young girl like Mari.
“… Hera, what are you thinking about?”
“Huh?!”
With a discontent expression, Athena gripped my butt firmly, causing a surprised Aah to escape my lips.
Startled by her sudden action, I hurriedly whispered to her in a small voice.
“Ar…Are you crazy?! Mari is here, what are you doing…?”
“Sorry, darling. My hands just moved on their own. I’m too used to it.”
“Ugh…”
When Athena called me “darling,” my heart fluttered.
It was a title I had never been addressed with before; it felt oddly stimulating.
“I’ll be more careful next time, Hera.”
Athena glanced at Mari with a shallow smile.
“….”
I felt an icy chill surround Mari at that moment.
As the two of them stared silently at each other, the atmosphere felt charged, and a bead of cold sweat ran down the back of my neck.
But unexpectedly.
Mari simply looked at Athena with an indifferent expression.
“It’s okay. I’ll let it slide for now.”
To my surprise, she wore a relaxed smile, showing no signs of tension.
“Honestly, time is on Mari’s side.”
Athena frowned slightly at Mari’s nonchalant answer.
“…What do you mean by that—”
“Juke!!”
Before Athena could finish her sentence, someone interrupted her.
We all turned at once towards the source of the commotion.
A knight clad in golden armor rushed towards us with a worried expression.
“…What is it?”
Athena looked at the knight with an annoyed expression.
“A messenger from the Imperial Palace has arrived.”
“The Imperial Palace?”
“…Yes. The commander of the palace guard is currently waiting.”
Surprised by his words, Athena raised an eyebrow.
“They’re sending a messenger? They usually communicate by letter, right?”
“That’s because…”
The knight hesitated to answer, and sensing something was off, Athena urged him to speak.
After a long pause of reluctance, he finally gathered his courage and delivered the shocking news.
“The order has come down from the Imperial Palace to arrest the protagonist.”
“What?”
“Uh…?”
Both Mari and I widened our eyes in shock at the knight’s words.
The knight glanced at me briefly.
When our eyes met, my body involuntarily trembled.
“On charges of illegal slave contracts and multiple homicides…”
I couldn’t comprehend his shocking report.
I stared blankly at Athena.
Wha…?
Athena is… to be arrested?
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